Lynsay Sands and the Argeneau family are back and chasing a mad doctor!

Description:

Abigail Forsythe’s life hasn’t been easy lately. Still, if there’s one thing guaranteed to take her mind off an empty bank account and abandoned dreams, it’s a naked man locked in a plane’s cargo hold. A very big, incredibly gorgeous naked man. And when instinct prompts her to free him, Abigail must rely on this stranger for survival . . . a stranger who leaves her thrumming with need every time they touch.

Tomasso Notte knows he’s found his life mate in Abigail. Now he just has to hold on to her. They’re miles from civilization, hunted by his kidnappers. Abigail has no idea of Tomasso’s abilities, or of how intensely pleasurable their unique connection can be. But he’s about to show her, beginning with one wild, hot, immortal night . . .

I did not enjoy Ms Sands last book as much as I usually do. However, this one I really liked!  Abby has had a rough time lately, so when her friend convinces her to stow away on the plane he is piloting so they could have a beach vacation, she jumps on it. But she never expected to find a naked man in a cage! She decides she must help him escape and they both end up jumping out of the plane. They land on a deserted beach. Eventually they stumble on to civilization and Tomas' friends, but there is still a nasty Doctor who conducts experiments on Immortals after them. Oh, and how will Abby take the fact that Tomas' isn't human? Always interesting to see how Ms Sands brings that up! 

Jodi Picoult brings a heart wrenching tale in "Small Great Things"

Description:

Ruth Jefferson is a labor and delivery nurse at a Connecticut hospital with more than twenty years’ experience. During her shift, Ruth begins a routine checkup on a newborn, only to be told a few minutes later that she’s been reassigned to another patient. The parents are white supremacists and don’t want Ruth, who is African American, to touch their child. The hospital complies with their request, but the next day, the baby goes into cardiac distress while Ruth is alone in the nursery. Does she obey orders or does she intervene?

Whenever I see that Ms Picoult has a book out, my first thought is, "What controversy is she writing about this time?"  I think that this was a perfect topic for her to write about and I feel as if she did it in an eloquent way.

Ruth Jefferson has been a labor and delivery nurse for most of her life. She lost her husband to war and is raising her teenage son on her own. She's also African American. Her mother is a domestic servant for an affluent white family. Her sister embraces her African roots as much as she can and constantly complains about how blacks are treated poorly. Ruth feels like her sister prefers to have something to complain about than is interested in bettering herself.

When Ruth walks into work and goes to a room for an exam on a baby, she doesn't expect for them to be white supremacists who tell her supervisor they do not want her touching their baby. She also doesn't expect to be left alone with him after he had a procedure done and he was in trouble. Her orders were to not touch the baby, but does that include when he was having an emergency?

Little Davis dies and Ruth is arrested for murder. Public Defender Kennedy McQuarrie has never tried a murder case before, but she is so drawn to Ruth that she asks to be able to defend her.  Will separation of race between Ruth and Kennedy keep them from winning their case? Kennedy wants to keep race out of the courtroom when Ruth knows it has to be brought up, because that was why she wasn't allowed to help the baby. 

This book has so many ups and downs and twists and turns. It was simply fantastic and extremely tasteful and well done. The end though. OMG. Ms Picoult's endings always are a shock, this one, though, was extraordinary!

A new fairy tale story "Stealing Snow" by Danielle Page

Description:

Seventeen-year-old Snow has spent the majority of her life within the walls of the Whittaker Institute, a high security mental hospital in upstate New York. Deep down, she knows she's not crazy and doesn't belong there. When she meets a mysterious, handsome new orderly and dreams about a strange twisted tree she realizes she must escape and figure out who she really is.

Using her trusting friend Bale as a distraction, Snow breaks free and races into the nearby woods. Suddenly, everything isn't what it seems, the line between reality and fantasy begins to blur, and she finds herself in icy Algid--her true home--with witches, thieves, and a strangely alluring boy named Kai, none of whom she's sure she can trust. As secret after secret is revealed, Snow discovers that she is on the run from a royal lineage she's destined to inherit, a father more powerful and ruthless than she could have imagined, and choices of the heart that could change the fate of everything . . . including Snow's return to the world she once knew.

Snow grew up thinking she was insane. Her parents put her in a mental institution at an early age, when she shattered a mirror, injuring her friend. She thought she had walked through the mirror. At the institute, she Snow meets Bale. He is her friend, confidant, and love. But he is kidnapped and she is determined to save him. She learns she is the daughter of a nasty king and she must decide her destiny, destroy him or join him. She meets several interesting people along the way.

I enjoyed the story, for the most part, occasionally it got annoying, but the end completely surprised me. I had no clue that was going to happen! Wow! It was worth the read just for that ending. 

A new series by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton, guaranteed to make you laugh your pants off!

Emerson Knight is introverted, eccentric, and has little to no sense of social etiquette. Good thing he’s also brilliant, rich, and (some people might say) handsome, or he’d probably be homeless. Riley Moon has just graduated from Harvard Business and Harvard Law. Her aggressive Texas spitfire attitude has helped her land her dream job as a junior analyst with mega-bank Blane-Grunwald. At least Riley Moon thought it was her dream job, until she is given her first assignment: babysitting Emerson Knight.
 
What starts off as an inquiry about missing bank funds in the Knight account leads to inquiries about a missing man, missing gold, and a life-and-death race across the country. Through the streets of Washington, D.C., and down into the underground vault of the Federal Reserve in New York City, an evil plan is exposed. A plan so sinister that only a megalomaniac could think it up, and only the unlikely duo of the irrepressibly charming Emerson Knight and the tenacious Riley Moon can stop it.

Ms Evanovich continues to wow her readers and this one is no exception. I laughed so much while I read this book!

Riley Moon recently graduated Harvard and has just started working for Blane-Grunwald, mostly in a grunt capacity, she has to work her way up. But when the boss orders her to visit with newly inherited millionaire Emerson Knight, she was completely unbalanced by what she found. Emerson is... interesting. Extremely eccentric and not really caring about meeting with a bank person, Emerson decides that he wants to see his gold, so has Riley take him to the bank.

What follows is a serious adventure on finding a missing Grunwald brother and a ton of missing gold. Very Plum-like in that the various adventures Riley and Emerson stumble upon never seem to go the right way. This book was just great. I cannot wait for the next book!

Susan Elizabeth Phillips brings us a hilarious tale with "First Star I See Tonight"

Description:

Piper Dove is a woman with a dream—to become the best detective in the city of Chicago. First job? Trail former Chicago Stars quarterback, Cooper Graham. The problem? Graham’s spotted her, and he’s not happy.

Which is why a great detective needs a first rate imagination. “The fact is . . . I’m your stalker. Not full-out barmy. Just . . . mildly unhinged.”

Piper soon finds herself working for Graham himself, although not as the bodyguard he refuses to admit he so desperately needs. Instead, he’s hired her to keep an eye on the employees at his exclusive new nightclub. But Coop’s life might be in danger, and Piper’s determined to protect him, whether he wants it or not. (Hint: Not!) If only she weren’t also dealing with a bevy of Middle Eastern princesses, a Pakistani servant girl yearning for freedom, a teenager who just wants to fit in, and an elderly neighbor demanding that Piper find her very dead husband.

And then there’s Cooper Graham,, a legendary sports hero who always gets what he wants—even if what he wants just might be an intrepid detective hell bent on proving she’s as tough as he is.

From the bustling streets of Chicago to a windswept lighthouse on Lake Superior to the glistening waters of Biscayne Bay, two people who can’t stand to lose will test themselves and each other to discover what matters most.

I adore Ms Phillips! She has always put out great stories. Piper has always wanted to be a private detective. Her family owned one until her fathers death, where her stepmother made her purchase the business. But she is having a hard time getting her feet under her and this job is going to be the one to boost her. She is hired to investigate Cooper Graham, but ends up messing up the job when he catchers her following him. She refuses to tell him who hired her because of customer privacy. Cooper ends up hiring her to keep an eye on his employees at his night club, and is surprised when she informs him his friend and bartender is skimming him. Cooper can see her usefulness and keeps her on to keep an eye on the employees.

Piper realizes that Coop has more problems than he thinks and decides she is his best bet at a bodyguard. And bring on the chaos!

This was a fantastic book, full of laughs and love. 

Susan Mallery brings us an all new novel about sisters and family and love.

Courtney ~ The Misfit ~

As the awkward one, Courtney Watson may not be as together as her sisters, but she excels at one thing—keeping secrets, including her white-hot affair with a sexy music producer. Planning Mom's wedding exposes her startling hidden life, changing her family's view of her—and how she views herself—forever.

Sienna ~ The Free Spirit ~

When Sienna's boyfriend proposes—in front of her mom and sisters, for crying out loud—he takes her by surprise. She already has two broken engagements under her belt. Should she say "I do" even if she's not sure she does?

Rachel ~ The Cynic ~

Rachel thought love would last forever…right up until her divorce. As Mom's wedding day draws near and her ex begs for a second chance, she's forced to acknowledge some uncomfortable truths about why her marriage failed, and decide if she'll let pride stand in the way of her own happily ever after. 

NetGalley is so fantastic that I can continue to get Ms Mallery's books prepublication, for the last three years or so. I always try to write an honest review, and twice my reviews have been chosen for LibraryReads.org monthly best book of the month. I am honored. 

The description tells the story fairly well. The sisters father died when they were very young and her mother barely held it together after losing their home. She worked and went to school and finally was able to get them back on their feet, but she spent more time making sure they were on their feet than with her children. 

Courtney, especially, tries not to resent it. She was held back twice in school and it was a long time before anyone realized she had a learning disability. But it seems as if she is never good enough for her mother. Being "just a maid" at the hotel where they grew up grates on her mother and she is constantly harassing her about changing jobs. What her mother or sisters do not know is that she got her GED, AA degree, and is a year from her Bachelor's degree. She has hidden it from them so she can do an "in your face, I can do it without your help" type of moment. Then she meets Quinn, who she can't seem to stay away from.

Rachel, the oldest, always felt more responsible for her sisters and helped with their care. She helped Courtney with school as much as she could, but she married young and had a young son. Now she is divorced and slightly miserable. When her ex-husband, who is a good man who made a mistake, starts showing interest again, she isn't sure what to do.

Sienna is just as lost as her sisters. She has a fantastic job running a thrift shop that supports a battered women's organization. But when her boyfriend suddenly proposes and she says yes, she isn't quite sure she is doing the right thing.

Everything seems to fall apart as the women prepare for their mother's wedding.  Come on, ladies, we know Ms Mallery won't give us a bad ending. Of course its happy ever after!

When her first, what I would call women's fiction, came out I was skeptical. I don't normally read women's fiction. Yes there are love stories inside them, but they are more about the relationship between the characters and watching the characters grow as people. I surprised myself by loving these novels as much as I have loved her contemporary romance. I was devastated that there was only one Fool's Gold book this spring. I, as well as many of her readers, have become accustomed to having three in the spring and possibly one in the fall for Christmas.  I am still devastated, but I enjoyed this novel as much as I enjoyed all of her books.  I will wait on pins and needles for her next book, which is way too far away!

What's new? School's out for the summer and I have been reading like crazy!

Well, I hope everyone's summer is going as well as mine. I'm laid up for awhile, need to have hip surgery I guess, so after moving to a new home, I have been reading like crazy since classes ended in May. I have until the third week in August to read as much as I can before classes start again. So, what have I been reading? Much isn't out yet, so you will just have to hear about them and save the title for later. Many are well worth the wait! I'm looking at Goodreads, so I will just go down the list of what I have read.

Frostblood by Elly Blake: Not out til January 2017 but an amazing new Young Adult fantasy book. It's frostbloods vs firebloods. Ice vs Fire in an all out war. Ice has pretty much decimated Fire. Born a Fireblood is a dangerous thing, something you absolutely have to hide or try to escape the country or the king's soldiers will find you and you will definitely be dead.  I won't go into a big description here, because I plan on actually writing a post about it. But it was awesome, great for fans of Throne of Glass (which y'all know I am obsessed with).

Lunar Chronicles series by Marissa Meyer. Okay, science fiction is not my thing, however my friend Olivia listened to the book on a trip and told me I HAVE to read it. So, I did. What a great series. The series starts with "Cinder". Talk about weird. So the entire series are fairy tale retellings, and book one is a cyborg Cinderella story. Not my typical thing, however I absolutely couldn't put it down. The story continues in "Scarlet" (Little Red Riding Hood), Cress (Rapunzel), and Winter (Snow White). You can also pick up "Fairest" which tells the story of how the evil queen became the evil queen as well as "Stars Above" which is a collection of short stories, the last of which gives us more story after the end of the fourth book.  I read the entire series in about a week, couldn't put it down.

United as One by Pittacus Lore. The Lorien Legacies have finally ended, and it went out in spectacular fashion. Even though I DETEST the real author, I had to finish the series.

Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult. Her books always have some sort of controversy and this one really stands out in today's world. A black nurse is told not to touch a white supremacists baby, but when something  goes wrong and the baby needs help, should she help the baby or not touch it per orders? A heart wrenching story with a completely unexpected ending. Out October 2016.

Must Love Wieners by Casey Griffin. Okay, I really do not like this title because it totally gives the wrong impression. This is not a 50 Shades of Grey read alike! It is a very sweet contemporary romance about a Dachshund Rescue Center, with a touch of mystery thrown in. I thought it was fantastic, but do not like the title. The sequel will be Beauty and the Wiener.... Oye.  Out August 2016.

Saving Jake by Sharon Sala. The next title in the Blessings, Georgia series. I absolutely love Sharon Sala's work. Usually romantic suspense, however this series is more contemporary and I just love it. i anxiously await the next title. This one is out October 2016.

 The Pursuit by Janet Evanovich. I absolutely love the Fox and O'Hare series by Evanovich. This one is just as good. Nick is kidnapped by a ring of thieves and Kate must save him. Haha. So, this doesn't need a descrption, just go read it!

Extreme Honor by Piper Drake. Military dog training facility. A great new series, I really enjoyed this one and it's soon to be sequel Ultimate Courage. I am looking for similar series, so if you have a suggestion, let me know!

What We Find by Robyn Carr. I am a little torqued that we didn't have a Thunder Point book this year. I don't know if the series has ended or what. I didn't like the first two or three but came to enjoy them alot. I guess this book was good. Not what I wanted so took me forever to pick it up. It was an interesting story.

Shadow Rider by Christine Feehan. I haven't mentioned how disappointed I have been in Feehan's last few.. several.. books. Oh, I have? Well, this one I actually did like. It's a new story she has given us about people who can control and ride shadows. It still is very heavy on the alpha male weak female thing that I absolutely can't stand, but I did like the story.

John Flanagan brings us an all new Brotherband Chronicles

Description:
When the Brotherband crew are caught in a massive storm at sea, they’re blown far off course - so far that they wash up on the shores of a land to the west that Hal can’t recognize from any of his maps. Eerily the locals are nowhere in sight, yet the Herons have a creeping feeling they are being watched.

Suddenly the silence is broken when a massive, marauding bear appears, advancing on two native children. The crew springs into action and rescues the children from the bear’s clutches, which earns them the gratitude and friendship of the local Mawagansett tribe, who finally reveal themselves. But the peace is short-lived. The Ghostfaces, a ruthless, warlike tribe who shave their heads and paint their faces white, are on the warpath once more. It’s been ten years since they raided the Mawagansett village, but they’re coming back to pillage and reap destruction. As the enemy approaches, the Herons gear up to help their new friends repel an invasion.

In this sixth book in the action-packed Brotherband Chronicles, the Herons find themselves in unfamiliar lands and prepare for battle with a ruthless, unknown enemy.

John Flanagan is an excellent storyteller, and I have absolutely enjoyed the entire Ranger's Apprentice and Brotherband Chronicles series. What is even better is my son also reads them, so we have something to talk about. Trying to get a twelve year old to talk to his mom is usually like pulling teeth, so it's been great!

Hal and his friends take us on another journey, where they get blown out to sea and across the unknown ocean. They land on a land that is different than their own. They are wary of the natives but end up befriending them when they save two children from a very large bear. But another tribe of natives could cause them a lot of problems.

I love how Flanagan brings in elements of the real world to this series. We see Scandanavia in the Skandians, and now we see native North Americans in this book! It is so incredibly cool. The book was well written, well thought out, I enjoyed each of the characters, and I even cried a little. This is such an amazing series. 

The Guardians trilogy returns with Bay of Sighs by Nora Roberts

Description:
Mermaid Annika is from the sea, and it is there she must return after her quest to find the stars. New to this world, her purity and beauty are nothing less than breathtaking, along with her graceful athleticism, as her five new friends discovered when they retrieved the fire star. 
 
Now, through space and time, traveler Sawyer King has brought the guardians to the island of Capri, where the water star is hidden. And as he watches Annika in her element, he finds himself drawn to her joyful spirit. But Sawyer knows that if he allows her into his heart, no compass could ever guide him back to solid ground...
 
And in the darkness, their enemy broods. She lost one star to the guardians, but there is still time for blood to be spilled—the mermaid’s in the water and the traveler’s on the land. For she has forged a dangerous new weapon. Something deadly and unpredictable. Something human

Does Ms Roberts books ever actually need an introduction? I adore her books and really adore her paranormal books! This one was no exception and I think I will die waiting til December for the story to finish!

Annika and Sawyer have a connection that neither of them can much understand. At the end of this journey, Annika will have to return to the sea and Sawyer will be stuck on land. Their relationship can't go anywhere yet they are drawn to each other. Their desire for each other matches their desire to find the stars and return them to the Island of Glass. 

Evil stalks them, this time the evil goddess recruits a human male, one known to some of the group as extremely ruthless and dangerous. But he is not as he seems, as the goddess has made him.. more. It will take everything they have to defeat him and continue their journey to save the Stars of Fortune. 

Christine Feehan is bringing us an all new series starting with "Shadow Rider"

Description:
Whether it’s fast cars or fast women, Stefano Ferraro gets what he wants. When he’s not fodder for the paparazzi, he commands Ferraro family businesses—both legitimate and illegitimate.
 
While their criminal activity is simply a rumor yet to be proven, no one knows the real truth. The Ferraros are a family of shadow riders capable of manipulating light and dark, an ability Stefano thought ran in his family alone—until now…
 
With little left to her name, Francesca Cappello has come to Chicago in hopes of a new life. She wasn’t expecting to attract the attention of a man with primal hunger in his eyes, driven to claim her as his to protect and to please. And if he discovers her secret, it could ruin her...

I have gotten a little bored with Ms Feehan's books of late. I had been a die hard Dark series fan for over a decade, but lately it just hasn't resonate with me and I still haven't finished the newest Dark book. I never got into the Sea Haven books or the leopard ones. I read the first few Ghostwalkers and gave up. 

However, I did very much like "Shadow Rider" despite the very 50 Shades "I will dominate you" alpha male that just tends to piss me off. The basis of the story is very interesting. The Ferraro family comes from a long line of shadow riders. People who can see the shadows and ride the shadows into every nook and cranny of the world. They use this ability as assassins, although they are very picky about what jobs they will take. Some of the family who are not able to ride the shadows are investigators, they are able to tell a lie. The investigators will research every aspect of the potential victim as well as who hires them, to make sure that the person they are taking out is deserving of it, such as pedophiles and child abusers. 

When Stefano first lays eyes on Francesca, he sees that she is a shadow rider and also that she is meant for him. He immediately stakes his claim for the entire neighborhood to know. Francesca is running from a violent man who murdered her sister and made her out to be crazy. She has to stay in the shadows and not bring attention to herself if she wants to live.

Life with Stefano and his numerous siblings and cousins is not easy and definitely doesn't keep her in the shadows. When Stefano finds out what happened to Francesca and her sister, he is determined to take out the man who hurt his woman. 

I could do without the sex scenes what felt like every three pages. But overall I liked the story. 

"The Weekenders" by Mary Kay Andrews is a hit!

Description:
Some people stay all summer long on the idyllic island of Belle Isle, North Carolina. Some people come only for the weekends-and it's something they look forward to all week long. When Riley Griggs is waiting for her husband to arrive at the ferry one Friday afternoon, she is instead served with papers informing her that her island home is being foreclosed. To make matters worse, her husband is nowhere to be found. She turns to her island friends for help and support, but each of them has their own secrets and the clock is ticking as the mystery deepens. Cocktail parties and crab boil aside, Riley must find a way to investigate the secrets of Belle Island, the husband she might not really know, and the summer that could change everything.

Riley Griggs grew up going to Belle Island every summer. She loves the island and her family, but having to put up with them this summer will probably grate on her last nerve. Riley and her husband have decided to divorce and this weekend, the first weekend of summer, they are going to tell their twelve year old daughter Maggie. Maggie has become increasingly sullen, as if she knows what is going to happen. Riley is ticked when Wendell doesn't show up to take the last ferry of the day, feeling as if he has blown her off so she can deliver the bad news to Maggie on her own. Then Riley is the bad guy, not Wendell. But the next day, the sheriff shows up and informs Riley that Wendell is dead, his body has been found in the water.
Of course, immediate suspicion falls on Riley. What Riley didn't know was that Wendell had gone into bankruptcy. He was going to make Belle Island into some crazy tourist trap, taking away the small town feel that the island had. Riley had been against it, but behind her back Wendell was buying up land and making plans. Now her husband is dead, Riley is destitute, as Wendell had drained their bank accounts and her trust fund without her knowledge, and Maggie is doing everything she can to rebel. 
Riley decides she has to figure out what happened to Wendell, before she loses her daughter and her piece of mind. The suspects keep cropping up when Riley finds out Wendell had swindled not only her money, but also her brothers and her mothers.

I have never read a Mary Kay Andrews book with this amount of intrigue and mystery. I really enjoyed it, and I enjoyed that Riley found someone who accepts her and Maggie as they are even with her dysfunctional family. I loved Riley's character, and Maggie reminds me so much of my twelve year old son with the attitude problems. This was a a great story and I am excited that I was given the opportunity to read it!

Allison Brennan brings Max Revere back with an all new story

Description:

Teen-aged Internet bully Ivy Lake fell off a cliff and few people cared ... except her mentally-challenged eighteen-year-old step-brother, Tommy. He loved her in spite of her cruelty. He's distraught and doesn't understand why his blended family is falling apart. After a year, the police still have no answers: Ivy could have jumped, could have been pushed, or it could have been an accident. With too many suspects and not enough evidence, the investigation has grown cold.

Tommy thinks that if someone can figure out what happened to his step-sister, everything will go back to normal, so he writes to investigative reporter Maxine Revere. This isn’t the type of case Max normally takes on, but the heartbreak and simple honesty in Tommy's letter pulls her in. She travels to Corte Madera, California, with her assistant David Kane and is at first pleased that the police are cooperative. But the more Max learns about Tommy and his dysfunctional family, the more she thinks she’s taken on an impossible task: this may be the one case she can’t solve.

If Ivy was murdered, it was exceptionally well-planned and that kind of killer could be hiding in plain sight ... planning the next act of violence. Max believes the truth is always better than lies, that the truth is the only thing that matters to gain justice for victims and their families. But for the first time, she wonders if this time, the truth will kill.

Max Revere is back and WOW is this is a fantastic story.  

All Tommy wants is to be able to spend time with his stepbrother and half sister, but his stepmom thinks that he killed his stepsister Ivy. Austin and his friend Emma help him write a letter to Max to come investigate and prove it wasn't him, so that he can see his siblings again. 

Max is intrigued by the story and by Tommy himself, so she returns to California and looks into the Ivy's death. What she finds is that Ivy was a horrible, vicious, mean young woman who caused another teenager to commit suicide with her internet bullying. As much as she comes to immensely dislike this young woman, she was still murdered and Max wants to know why.

Okay, I have always liked Ms Brennan but the Max Revere series is my absolute favorite mystery series. I think it has been extremely well done. I love Max, she tells it like she sees it but recognizes her faults as well. I think this book really brings to the forefront the problem with cyber bullying and how it affects young lives. Just loved it! 

The Hard Ink series may be over but Laura Kaye is back with the MC gang in an all new series

Description:

Brotherhood. Club. Family.

They live and ride by their own rules.

These are the Raven Riders . . .

Raven Riders Motorcycle Club President Dare Kenyon rides hard and values loyalty above all else. He’ll do anything to protect the brotherhood of bikers—the only family he’s got—as well as those who can’t defend themselves. So when mistrustful Haven Randall lands on the club’s doorstep scared that she’s being hunted, Dare takes her in, swears to keep her safe, and pushes to learn the secrets overshadowing her pretty smile.

Haven fled from years of abuse at the hands of her criminal father and is suspicious of any man’s promises, including those of the darkly sexy and overwhelmingly intense Ravens’ leader. But as the powerful attraction between them flares to life, Dare pushes her boundaries and tempts her to want things she never thought she could.

The past never dies without a fight, but Dare Kenyon’s never backed down before . . .

I loved the Hard Ink series and I am so glad that Ms Kaye decided to go ahead and write about the Raven Riders, whom we met in the Hard Ink series. Not to worry, our friends from Hard Ink make an appearance!

Haven has spent her life under the brutal thumb of her father, so when she and her friend manage to escape, life seems to look up. Until they were captured by the Church gang. Hard Ink and the Raven Riders saved the girls when they took down the Church gang and now the girls are staying at the Raven Riders compound, until the Riders figure out what to do with them. Haven is at a loss as to what to do. The Raven Riders make a habit out of rescuing women in need and getting them new identities and a new life, but Haven has an irresistible attraction to the president Dare, and she is completely unsure of what to do with it. 

Dare's life revolves around running the Raven Riders. His past haunts him and he doesn't think he is good enough for anyone, especially not young Haven. But when he finds out exactly what kind of trouble she is in, he knows he has to help her, no matter what. When her father comes pounding at the door, he has to figure out how to save her from a return to a brutal life without ruining his club at the same time.

Phenomenal. simply put. Ms Kaye brings us fantastic story after fantastic story, and I absolutely adore these books. The year long wait for the next book could kill me.  

Kylie Scott is back with an all new, fantastic story!

Description:

The last thing Vaughan Hewson expects to find when he returns to his childhood home is a broken hearted bride in his shower, let alone the drama and chaos that come with her.

Lydia Green doesn't know whether to scream or cry in a corner. Discovering the love of your life is having an affair on your wedding day is bad enough. Finding out it's with his best man is another thing all together.

Just when this runaway bride has nowhere left to turn, a handsome stranger offers her a broad, muscular shoulder to cry on. Vaughan is the exact opposite of the picture perfect, respected businessmen she's normally drawn to. This former musician-turned-bartender is rough around the edges and is facing his own crossroads. But Lydia's already tried Mr. Right and discovered he's all wrong--maybe it's time to give Mr. Right Now a chance.

After all, what's wrong with getting dirty?

The last thing Lydia thought would happen is that on her wedding day, someone would send her a video of her husband to be.. with another man. She takes off and ends up hiding out in the bathroom of a house next door. She didn't realize anyone lived there til Vaughan turned the shower on and found her.

Vaughan isn't quite sure what to make of his life at the moment. His band has separated and he needs to sell the house to help his sister out, so he comes home to think about things, not expecting to find a woman in his bathtub.

Vaughan helps Lydia out, not sure why he is drawn to her but knowing he has to help her.  They help out at his sister's bar. She enjoys helping out, even if one of the owners, Eric, is a bit of a jerk. She makes new friends and realizes she likes it here and maybe wants to stay, but is unsure of where to proceed. 

We met Vaughan in the Stage Dive series, and I am excited that he stars in his own novel. I enjoyed reading this very much, as I have absolutely enjoyed the Stage Dive series and this one. New Adult genre really is not my thing, but Ms Scott tells a fabulous story!

The Obsession by Nora Roberts

Description:
Naomi Bowes lost her innocence the night she followed her father into the woods. In freeing the girl trapped in the root cellar, Naomi revealed the horrible extent of her father's crimes and made him infamous. No matter how close she gets to happiness, she can't outrun the sins of Thomas David Bowes.
 
Now a successful photographer living under the name Naomi Carson, she has found a place that calls to her, a rambling old house in need of repair, thousands of miles away from everything she's ever known. Naomi wants to embrace the solitude, but the kindly residents of Sunrise Cove keep forcing her to open up—especially the determined Xander Keaton. 
 
Naomi can feel her defenses failing, and knows that the connection her new life offers is something she's always secretly craved. But the sins of her father can become an obsession, and, as she's learned time and again, her past is never more than a nightmare away.

When Naomi was eleven years old, she followed her father into the woods, thinking she would catch him putting together a new bicycle for her birthday. She was devastated to find a young woman, beaten and raped, instead. She helped the girl escape and they turned her father in. Naomi's mother couldn't handle it, and denied it, and her uncle came and Naomi and her mother and brother to live with him.

When Naomi was sixteen, she and a friend from school come home to grab some camera equipment and Naomi finds her mother dead. She had committed suicide. Her friend realizes who she is, the daughter of Thomas Bowes, and wants her story. He heads the school newspaper and wants to be a journalist. He thinks Naomi's story will push him to the front. Naomi refuses and writes the story herself. Then her uncles move them to New York, away from D.C. and the media circus there. Someone has written a book and there is also now a movie about Thomas Bowes and Naomi's rescue of Ashley, the young woman she found bound in the cellar. 

Fast forward a few years. Naomi is a successful photographer and has just purchased a big house on the west coast. Its the first time she has settled down since finishing college and she is renovating the big house with the help of a local contractor. She stumbles upon a stray dog in rough shape on the side of the road and at the same time meets Xander, a mechanic from town. Xander helps her get the dog home and brings her supplies to help her out until the owners are found. However, she never finds the owner and ends up keeping the dog she names Tag. She also starts to fall for Xander. 

Then one day, out taking pictures, she stumbles upon the body of a woman that she had a disagreement with a few nights earlier. A week later, another woman goes missing. Naomi's brother, now a special agent with the FBI comes in to help the sheriff investigate. Together they realize that the women going missing have eerie similarities to Thomas Bowes' victims. Mason starts looking back and finds out that many women have gone missing in locations where Naomi has photographed or spent time in, all the way back to when she was in college.

Xander and Mason are determined to keep Naomi safe, but Naomi feels guilty for the women's murders and starts closing herself back off from the world. Will they be able to keep Naomi safe and find out who has been after her for so many years?

Okay, I loved this book. I loved Naomi, I thought she was awesome. I want to jump Xander's bones something awful! I loved the secondary characters of Kevin and Jenny and Loo. I want awesome gay uncles like Naomi had. I did, unfortunately, figure who the bad guy was long before any murders actually happened, however, I think the story was meant to be that way. I thought it was simply fantastic. I had a very hard time going to sleep the evening I finished this book! 

Welcome back to Fool's Gold!

Description:
To overcome her painful past, baker Shelby Gilmore goes on the hunt for a friend—a male friend—to convince her stubborn psyche that men can be trusted. But where in a town as small as Fool's Gold will the petite blonde find a guy willing to not date her? 

Dark, charming Aidan Mitchell puts the "adventure" in Mitchell Adventure Tours…and into the beds of his many willing female tourists. Until he realizes he's inadvertently become that guy—the one-night Casanova—and worse, everyone in town knows it. Maybe Shelby's boy/girl experiment will help him see women as more than just conquests so he can change his ways and win back his self-respect. 

As Aidan and Shelby explore the secret lives of men and women, the heat between them fires up the Fool's Gold rumor mill. If no one will believe they're just friends, maybe they should give the gossips something to really talk about!

Shelby comes up with a plan to help herself overcome her relationship issues by asking Aiden to be her friend. They would hang out and do friend things. Aiden agrees simply because he realizes that he does not treat women very well and wants to learn how to treat them right. He does not want to be in a relationship and get married, feeling that his parents' marriage showed him that he never, ever wanted to be in love. The situation seems to work well for both Aiden and Shelby, until they realize they feel much more than friendship for each other. 

Susan Mallery never fails to deliver a great story full of love and friendship. Everything about this series has been fantastic from the start. When I sit down with the Fool's Gold series I know I will walk away happy. Thanks so very much for another fantastic read :)

Cinda Williams Chima returns to the Seven Realms world in an all new title"Flamecaster Shattered Realms Book 1"

A burning vengeance

Adrian sul'Han, known as Ash, is a trained healer with a powerful gift of magic—and a thirst for revenge. The son of the queen of the Fells, Ash is forced into hiding after a series of murders throws the queendom into chaos. Now Ash is closer than he's ever been to killing the man responsible, the cruel king of Arden. As a healer, can Ash use his powers not to save a life, but to take it?

A blood-based curse

Abandoned at birth, Jenna Bandelow was told the mysterious magemark on the back of her neck would one day make her a target. But when the King's Guard launches a relentless search for a girl with a mark like hers, Jenna assumes that it has more to do with her role as a saboteur than any curse. Though Jenna doesn't know why she's being hunted, she knows that she can't get caught.

Destiny's fiery hand

Thrown together by chance and joined by their hatred of the ruthless king, Ash and Jenna will come to rescue each other in ways they cannot yet imagine.

Ms. Chima returns to the land of the Seven Realms, twenty-five years later. I cannot express my excitement. I adored the Seven Realms series and am ecstatic that it is back! Now, its the Shattered Realms. For the last twenty five years, the King of Arden has been after the Fells. For 25 years, he's been angry that the Queen spurned him for the lowly street thief turned powerful wizard. 

After tragedy strikes when he is thirteen, Ash takes off to study at Spiritas, under an assumed name. He studies magic and healing . At sixteen he transfers to Mystwerk, which is the real school for magicians. He focuses on healing and in his off time, runs around the country assassinating people who are against the crown. But someone has betrayed him and he has to leave in a hurry.

He decides to head to the capital of Arden to confront and kill the king. But things are definitely not what they seem here. Magic is supposed to be against the law, but magic is used everywhere, distorted to the kings views.

Jenna Bandelow was just a child when she saw her friends murdered, for no real reason except the king of Arden is a jerk. Even as a child, she worked long hours in the mine and here was the king asking for more. After her friends are killed, a towns person whisks her off, she changes her name, and she starts helping the resistance. But when soldiers come looking for the girl with the magemark, her time is numbered. She is captured and taken back to Arden, but she is injured and really hopes to die. But a certain talented Healer won't let her die.... and they grow close. She has no idea what the heck the magemark or why everyone and their brother appear to be after her. She just knows she has to get away.

Holy Moly. Oh, hey, there's a dragon, just so you know. I love DRAGONS!! I loved the book. It's a great continuation of the Seven Realms series. The world we love still feels the same. Han and Raisa have children! Still, I thought the book was well written and it kept me on my toes, waiting to see what would happen next. I cannot wait for the next Shattered Realms book! (A year. Ugh).

Jodi Meadows concludes the Orphan Queen duologoy with "The Mirror King"

HER FRIENDS HAVE TURNED. After her identity is revealed during the Inundation, Princess Wilhelmina is kept prisoner by the Indigo Kingdom, with the Ospreys lost somewhere in the devastated city. When the Ospreys’ leader emerges at the worst possible moment, leaving Wil’s biggest ally on his deathbed, she must become Black Knife to set things right. 

HER MAGIC IS UNCONTROLLABLE. Wil’s power is to animate, not to give true life, but in the wraithland she commanded a cloud of wraith mist to save herself, and later ordered it solid. Now there is a living boy made of wraith—destructive and deadly, and willing to do anything for her.

HER HEART IS TORN. Though she’s ready for her crown, declaring herself queen means war. Caught between what she wants and what is right, Wilhelmina realizes the throne might not even matter. Everyone thought the wraith was years off, but already it’s destroying Indigo Kingdom villages. If she can’t protect both kingdoms, soon there won’t be a land to rule.

Wow. And can I say how sad I am that this is just a two book series!! I could have used a couple more!

Anyways, So at the end of Orphan Queen, the King has been killed by Patrick, and he also took a shot at Prince Tobiah, who now lays almost dead from his injury. Bring in the Ospreys! Connor uses his magic to heal Tobiah so he is no longer on the brink of death, but is still injured. He must hold his fathers memorial and have the coronation before his uncle challenges him for the throne. 

Several very odd things happen in this book. First. Wraithboy. He is absolutely devoted to Wil, but has no sense of right or wrong. He does several things that make Wil look back and there's not alot she can do about it. James is James but hes not James. Lots of weird things. Anways.

But Wil returns home and faces Patrick. Then, wraith starts creeping across the Indigo Kingdom, and it feels like nowhere is safe. 

I have really enjoyed this little series. A nice, easy read without much thought, with a cool world and interesting plot line.

Return to Gandiegow with Patience Griffin

Description:
Life isn't going as planned and Sadie Middleton is rethinking her whole future. Thankfully one thing is staying the same: She's able to share her love of quilting with her grandmother Gigi. The two of them enter a contest and win an all-expenses-paid trip to the Kilts and Quilts retreat in the Scottish Highlands. But their victory turns hollow when Gigi passes away before they can go. Sadie is grief-stricken, but her brother convinces her to take the trip to Gandiegow anyway.

There she meets a charming circle of quilters who remind her of her grandmother—and Ross Armstrong, a handsome fisherman who brings a smile to her face. Newly single, Ross intends to enjoy his freedom. That plan goes awry as he comes to know Sadie—and a surprising spark is lit. Too bad some well-meaning folks want to protect Ross from getting hurt again and are determined to keep him and the American lass apart. . . .

Ms Griffin never ceases to surprise me with the heartwarming tales coming from Gandiegow, Scotland. The close bonds of the townspeople make me long to visit and become one of them. 

Sadie and her grandmother won a quilt block contest to go to a quilt retreat in Gandiegow, but before they got word that they had won, Sadie's Gigi died. Not long before that, Sadie was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease, she would eventually need a transplant. Sadie's brother Oliver thought it would be best if they made the trip to Scotland, so he packed them up and off they went. 

Ross Armstrong has watched his brothers fall in love and marry and he just doesn't think its for him, but ever since Pippa married Max, the whole town is after him to date. On top of that, he isn't sure if fishing is what he wants to spend his life doing. Then Sadie blows into town. Her haunted eyes draw him and he can't help but rescue her. Deydie sticks her nose in as always, but this time in a bad way, telling Ross he doesn't need a sickly girl. Ross comes to find out exactly how strong Sadie is.  

I'm really not good at summaries of what books are about. Read the description, then read the book, or don't read the description, just make sure to read the book! I started reading this series back when the first book came out and with the coming of book five, I still adore them and sit on pins and needles waiting for the next one. Thank you, Ms Griffin, for such fantastic stories to fill my time between work and homework and family. They are the perfect retreat. :)

Eternity Springs has grown up, can Lori and Chase find peace in themselves and find each other again?

Description:

Six years ago, Chase Timberlake bought an engagement ring for his high school sweetheart Lori Reese. Then...life happened. Chase’s adventure photography career took off, Lori’s dream of getting into veterinary school came true, and their happily ever after never came to pass.

When Chase’s jet-setting life takes a tragic turn, he returns to Eternity Springs a damaged man. Who better to help mend his spirit than the woman who has dedicated her life to healing broken wings? Long summer days spent together rekindles the love that never died and Chase dares to dream of a future he’d thought lost.But Lori can’t help but wonder whether this high-flying man really wants a small-town girl with roots sunk deep into the Colorado Rockies. Can she and Chase turn back the hands of time and pick up where they left off—and give forever a chance?

We have watched Chase and Lori grow up throughout the Eternity Springs series, and I cannot believe they are adults now! I'm feeling kind of old. I've read the series since the first book came out and to this day, I still adore it.

Chase and Lori were in love as teenagers and thought they could conquer all. But Lori is extremely focused on her studies to become a veterinarian and Chase wants to roam the world. At some point, they grew apart. When Chase's engagement was announced, Lori didn't know how to feel. But then Chase and his fiance delayed their wedding to go on a work related trip. Tragedy struck and Chase was eluding terrorists at the same time two of his coworkers were being murdered by them. He is rescued but comes home completely changed. He can't pick up a camera, and the camera has been his true love on his adventures, and also what pays the bills. 

Chase retreats into the yurt in the forest and no one can get him to come out of his shell. His family appeals to Lori, as they had been so incredibly close once upon a time. Lori drives up the mountain and drops a foster puppy at his door step with supplies, and then takes off. 

What the heck is Chase going to do with a puppy! He can't even take care of himself! But taking care of Captain brings a change to Chase.  Then Chase starts helping at a camp for children who have suffered a deep loss, and the kids worm their way into his hearts. Chase begins to heal, but can he and Lori find their way back to each other?

Ms March has created a world that we can fall into and wish we could move to. I wish I could sit on the bank and fish in the stream that runs by Angel's Rest, go to the Yellow Kitchen for dinner, and take my dogs to Doc Lori for checkups. I love to see the families we read about before having babies and growing. I hope the series continues to grow and we see our Angel's Rest family for a long time to come.