Monday, November 3, 2014

Little Girls and Their Ponies by Meg Collett


Little Girls and Their Ponies





That day on the road took everything from Alice Montgomery. Her beautiful face, her father’s keen mind, and her precious horse. One tiny moment, one horrible accident that left her trapped in a burning truck. They say she was lucky to survive. They lied. 


Nearly a year later, Alice feels the pain and sadness from that day just as fresh as if it had happened yesterday. Her surviving is barely hanging on. How do you live when all you once lived for is dead and gone? 



Then one day opportunity knocks on the door. It’s the chance to heal, to move on. Finally, Alice feels something besides the familiar, aching pain. 



And it’s time to leave the fire behind.



The story follows a young woman who's life is devastated due to an accident. She has to find a reason to live again and with the help of those around her she just may have a chance. Collett's writing was smooth and easy to read. The only problem I had was I never found myself caring about the main character. It's easy to see why readers would love this story of struggle. I just didn't connect with the main character.



Devastated by Monica May [SBM Review]


Devastated



Living the American Dream Shelby had everything she could have dreamed of. A handsome husband two wonderful children a beautiful home and a great job. What else could she ask for?
In an instant her world is turned upside down when she innocently looks at her husband's phone. With this Devastating discovery Shelby has to decide if she will walk away from twenty years of marriage or will she find a way to fit into Grant's erotic world?
Will she walk on the wild side she never knew she had? How far will she go? If she crosses the line will she be able to live with herself when the sun comes up? Or will she let her over conservative personality end her marriage?


This was a great story! A married couple ventures into a more risque part of their sex life. Shelby becomes curious and finds ways to spice up her sex life with her husband. She's nervous and uncertain, but gets to experience it with the love of her life. I can't wait to find out were May takes us in her next book! Great erotic read.


B&N     

The Album by Ashley Pullo [SBM Review]


The Album





Five Friends.

Five narratives.

One Epic Soundtrack.

Location: New York City (TriBeCa, Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill)
Setting: 1996-2013

Characters:
Chloe LeGrange - talented musician searching for a purpose
Natalie LeGrange - lovable bad girl chasing her dreams
Adam Ford - perceptive attorney longing for a surprise
Zach Parker - philosophical Marine defending love
Chris Brooks - charming Texan with perpetual bad timing

Objective:
Unexpected encounters and brushes with fate construct a web of stories about the journey of love and acceptance.

Themes:
Fate, acceptance, sex, drugs, and really good music.

Genre:
Indie/Romance/Humor/Drama

The Album is a journey following five friends over the course of two decades. Set against the timeless backdrop of New York City, their story is a classic retelling of what it means to follow your dreams, accept reality, and have a lot of fun in the process.



I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I got to follow 5 young people how they navigate their lives and deal with the aftermath of the choices they make. The writing was wonderful and made me remember my own past and choices that I made. I don't usually read contemporary stories, but I'm so glad I picked this one up.


B&N         

Friday, October 31, 2014

EL-204 by Lucian Barnes [SBM Review]


EL-204



For Jason Lambert, a prominent M.I.T. geneticist, fear of natural death has become a thing of distant memories. His latest concoction has, in a sense, increased his longevity and made him nearly immortal. 
Over the past one hundred years, the technological advances of medical science have rendered the deadliest diseases of the twentieth century insignificant. Cancer, heart disease, and AIDS are no longer a death sentence. Serums have been developed to eradicate the problematic cells and their growth. 
When he meets a beautiful woman, his world is turned upside down. Add to this the government's sudden interest in his research, and things begin to spiral out of control. We all know what happens when the military gets involved. Greed takes over, and ethics are pushed to their boundaries. Will Jason be able to juggle his responsibilities without compromising his integrity, or will his experiments lead to the evolution of a new breed of monster?


This was one twisted tale! It started off innocent enough, but it didn't stay that way for long! I have to admit Heaven scared me early on. She was just creepy scary. The story made me cringe and made my stomach turn more than once. So obviously I just loved this story!! I love reading Barnes books and can't wait to get my hands on his next one.


Thursday, October 30, 2014

Hot-Blooded by Kendall Grey [SBM Review]


Hot-Blooded





'Ohana is everything...
When an accident claims her mother's life, Keahilani Alana must take charge of her 'ohana(family) or risk losing what little they have. With an underage brother to care for and no education, she has few options. The door to a heavenly hellish opportunity opens when she stumbles upon a valuable secret her mother left behind on the slopes of an extinct volcano-a legacy that tempts the family with riches beyond their wildest dreams. But the secret is much bigger and more sinister than they realize. As reality unravels and exposes eerie truths about the 'ohana that should have remained deep under the mountain, Keahilani must either resist the call of her blood or risk being consumed by its darkness.
Blake Murphy is an assassin working to infiltrate a new Hawaiian cartel. His investigation reveals that Keahilani, the sexy surfing instructor he pegged as an informant, is much closer to the drug ring than he thought. Passion ignites between them in the bedroom, but their ironclad ties to opposing interests pit them against each other everywhere else.
When tensions reach the breaking point and her 'ohana is threatened, the only cure for Keahilani's hot-blooded fury is a loaded clip with a body bag chaser.
They don't call her Pele for nothing.
* HOT-BLOODED is a suspense/thriller that contains drug use and graphic sex, language, and violence. This book is unsuitable for sensitive readers and those under the age of 18.
This 1st edition paperback is the original, "Director's Cut" version of HOT-BLOODED. The 2nd edition (with new cover and slightly different content) is only available in ebook format. Those who've read the first version do not need to reread the second.


This story was so full of twists and turns and kept me on the edge of my seat. Grey's writing was dark, suspenseful, and heartbreaking. I became invested in these characters right from the start. I just loved this book and can't wait to read more from Grey.




The Bridal Contract by Sandra Sookoo [SBM Reivew]


The Bridal Contract





When a bridal contract is struck, either parental outrage will void the arrangement or the love of a child will sweeten the deal.
Oliver Darrington-Viscount Tralsburg-wants nothing more than to hide out at the family property in Brighton until he can secure a sea-worthy ship and return to adventuring the world. However, being handed his former mistress' child isn't part of that plan. Neither is the sudden longing for his pretty Italian neighbor.
Eloisa Hawthorne is in dire straits. Her older brother has gambled away her sister's hand to a horrible man. In order to save her sister's virtue and her future, Eloisa needs a fast fortune-or someone who can immediately cover the debt. When her handsome neighbor offers a temporary engagement contract, she accepts with alacrity. Too bad she fell in love with his dark-haired offspring. How scandalous!
When the two attend his mother's London dinner party, Oliver wishes the union wasn't merely a lark. Eloisa fears for the adorable child's upbringing in heathen locales, but what can she do? The contract is only for a month, and love was never an option. Something must be done to throw over convention before the moment is lost and matters of the heart are sacrificed.


This was a nice quick read. Sookoo brought humor into the story which made it fun for me. Overall this was a sweet historical read for me. Sookoo's writing was wonderful and transported me into her world. I hope to read more from Sookoo.




Broken Protocols 3 by Dale Mayer [SBM Review]


Broken Protocols 3



Dani and Levi Blackburn have slid from being in trouble to borderline hell...


They uncover hints of a dangerous conspiracy permeating the very foundation of their society. And people are disappearing, one by one...



If it weren't for Levi’s twisted-genius brother and Charmin Marvin, Dani's talking cat, they wouldn't have gotten this far. At least, not alive.



Only they aren't far enough, because someone is still after Dani – and everyone connected to her. 



They need to find a way to expose the massive cover up- and fast… before they are eliminated. Forever.



This was such a fun series. I loved following this series. The series has everything, humor, mystery, action, romance. I loved the time I spent in Mayer's world. I can't wait to read more from this author.