Gone Girl: A Novel by Gillian Flynn

Published May 24, 2012

On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy's diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer?

As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet? (GoodReads)

Rating: 5 stars

I don't even know where to begin with this selection. This has been the most intense, thrilling, frustrating, and amazing book that I have EVER read! I give major props to Ms. Flynn. I don't know how she did it....but she clearly did. 

As the reader, I had no idea who to side with or who to believe. She poses so many what-if situations....you will hardly believe the outcome. 

I am so mad at myself for waiting this long to read it. I usually never keep reviews so short, but I am afraid to give anything away. It would be an injustice. 

I beg of you...pick it up and read it!!!! NOW

Shy-Town Girls (Book 1) by Wilson, Yih, Leimkuehler, and Clinesmith

Published November 23, 2012

Four Shy Girls, Four Big Dreams, One Awesome City

Book 1 in the Shy-Town Girls Quartet Series

When beautiful, but shy 24-year-old, Bobbie Bertucci, arrives at her new digs, an elegant brownstone in Chicago's historic Gold Coast neighborhood, she has no idea what her new life will be like. Between balancing her job as a modeling agent and escaping a bad relationship, she's hit rock bottom.

But things change when she moves into the same building as her close friend Meryl. Additionally, her two new twenty-something roommates, Ivy and Ella, help bring Bobbie out of her shell. Barbara, landlady and mother-hen of the house, watches out for the girls while sharing wisdom, sage advice, and guidance along better paths. Bobbie, Meryl, Ivy, and Ella, all variations of shy girls, brave the city of Chicago together, forming a powerful bond of friendship. Their nighttime roof deck conversations over glasses of wine instigate laughter and even some tears.

Bobbie takes a bold step to redesign her life completely to ensure she doesn't fall into the romantic trap she fell into before. But there's a new suitor in the picture, and she will have to decide between an old flame or a new one, taking a risk, something hard for any girl--even harder for a shy girl. (GoodReads)

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Today was the first day of fall and the first day of my new single life.

Ladies, if you love chic lit, and if you are a fan of the Sex and the City series...you will love Shy-Town Girls. From the very beginning, I fell in love with Bobbie Bertucci and her awesome personality. She experiences many of life's pitfalls in this first of four book series. 

Love lost, friends gained and finding her Agape. 

You are now an official resident of 721 Dearborn

After moving out of her apartment with her model boyfriend, Bobbie finds her self taking up residents with 3 ladies her age and 1 spunky older woman who teaches Bobbie all about the meaning of love. 

Friendship, above all things, my love, lasts an eternity...beyond this life.

Nervous at first, Bobbie quickly creates lifelong friendships with her 3 roommates. Meryl, an old friend convinces Bobbie to move away from Charlie, the hot cheating model boyfriend, and into her house with Ivy, the beautiful party animal and Ella, the quiet mysterious dancer. It didn't take long for Bobbie to become one of the girls. 

The only way to understand Agape is to live it and let it consume you.

Bobbie learns all about the meaning of love from the Barbara, the older eccentric owner of the house. It wasn't until Oliver, Bobbie's best friend from childhood, starts to look at her in a different light that she truly learns the meaning of love. 

Dirty Red (Love Me with Lies #2) by Tarryn Fisher

 

Published December 21 2012

Dear Opportunist,

You thought you could take him from me, but you lost. Now, that he's mine I'll do anything to keep him. Do you doubt me? I have everything that was supposed to be yours. In case you were wondering; he doesn't ever think about you anymore. I won't let him go....ever.

Dirty Red

Review : 5 Stars

Before I begin my review for Dirty Red, I have to ask: Have you read The Opportunist?  If no, go right now to Amazon, iBooks, Barnes n Noble...wherever...and buy it.  Like NOW!  

If you have read The Opportunist, you know what I be saying...

Dirty Red was everything I expected and more.  Thank you Tarryn Fisher for writing a fabulous follow up in the Love Me with Lies Series.  

Leah the main character is screwed up and a little bitchy.  She will pull out all the stops in getting and keeping her man.  Dirty Red is written in her POV and I loved how honest she is.  She really is a B@#$%, but you also cannot help but feel sorry for her and Caleb.  The book took some great twists and turns that threw me and I cannot wait until the 3rd book is out!! 

"Whoever she was, I would wipe her from his memory in no time at all.  Why?  Because I was the best of the best: the Godiva, the Maserati, the perfect colorless diamond..."

 

Thank you Ms. Fisher for entertaining me yet again!

Color of Loneliness ( Color #1) by Madeleine Beckett

 

 Published September 16, 2012

Myra Sommers, an attractive young copy editor living in Philadelphia, makes the tough decision to return to her family home in Nyssa, Oregon. A recent death leaves her with no remaining family, and she decides to heal and regroup there. Her decision to leave is solidified by recent revelations involving her cheating ex-boyfriend, Trent.

Myra parts ways with her only friend, Susie O’Connor, a zany woman who’s more than a little insane. In Nyssa, Myra finds little immediate comfort in her “new” home which is literally falling apart around her. She sinks into a deep depression, exacerbated by her feelings of loneliness and isolation in the small town.

When she realizes that she’s going to have to hire someone to do repairs on her broken-down home, She gets the name of a local contractor, Dylan Lawson, who has done work for him in the past.

Dylan can’t help but notice that Myra is young, single, and beautiful, which makes him suspicious of her real reason for calling him. The women in Nyssa pursue him relentlessly but he’s not in the least bit interested.

Slowly, a reluctant friendship develops between the pair, followed by romantic feelings which neither of them can fight. However, their painful past experiences threaten to tear them apart. Can they move beyond their despair and open their hearts to love? (GoodReads)

Rating: 4.3 Stars

  

I appreciate Ms. Beckett's request for our review and am happy to say I enjoyed the first installment of the Color series. In fact, I can not wait until the second one is released. She about killed me when the first one ended and left me hanging. 

As a reader, you find yourself getting so wrapped up in the sagas of Myra and Dylan that you do not realize the book is almost over and then WHAM....you reach the last page! 

Myra, bless her heart has endured so much...love lost, heart broken, lives lost. She decides to leave the hustle and bustle of Philly and move across the country for a fresh start. 

Upon meeting Dylan you can't help think...what the HELL is his problem???? Then the wall falls and you, along with Myra, fall in love with Dylan.

Thank goodness that Susie is around, well via the telephone anyhow. She keeps the situations light and dirty! Everyone needs a friend like Susie in their lives. 

 

Ms. Beckett...I CAN NOT WAIT FOR Color #2!!!! 

Falling in Love by Stephen Bradlee

Published August 9, 2012

Sherry Johnson is young, beautiful, bright and athletic. She has everything going for her, except for one thing. She is addicted to love. Her life is a vicious circle of nightly trysts and morning regrets. Her addiction got her kicked out of college, cost her the love of her life and has left her in complete despair. But still Sherry keeps falling in love. And falling. And falling. Finally, as Sherry struggles to pull herself up from a bottomless abyss, she realizes that she will have to learn to love the one person she has loathed for most of her life. Herself.
Based on the True Story of a Young Woman's Battle with Sexual Addiction (GoodReads)

Rating: 4.6 Stars

"What was the worst moment of your life"

"There are too many"

Sherry Johnson is a big mess right from the beginning. A troubled childhood, unloved by her family, battling with an alcohol addiction, and top it with a sexual addiction....that makes for an eventful novel. One can not help but sympathize with Sherry. Her inner demons and her good intentions battle one another throughout most of the novel.

Every time she acts out, Sherry falls deeper into her own depression. It is not until she builds herself up emotionally and psychologically, with the help of her new friends, that Sherry sees the person she was meant to be....even if her mother wants nothing to do with her.

I was honored and hesitant to read novel when asked by Mr. Bradlee. However, I was very impressed with the story of a mentally ill, physically addicted main character. The thoughts and emotions portrayed in this true story are deep and strong. I become quite attached to Sherry and found myself wanting to talk to her and help her through her difficulties.

Mr. Bradlee...I think you have a hit here....and with that ending...I can not wait for the sequel! PLEASE let there be a sequel!!!

Seduced in the Dark (Dark Duet #2) by CJ Roberts

BOOK TWO OF THE DARK DUET
The exciting, titillating, and action-filled conclusion to Captive in the Dark.

What is the price of redemption?

Rescued from sexual slavery by a mysterious Pakistani officer, Caleb carries the weight of a debt that must be paid in blood.

The road has been long and fraught with uncertainty, but for Caleb and Livvie, it’s all coming to an end.

Can he surrender the woman he loves for the sake of vengeance?

Or will he make the ultimate sacrifice?

Quote:
It seemed to Caleb, the nature of human beings revolved around one empirical truth: we want what we cannot have. For Eve, it was the fruit of the forbidden tree. For Caleb, it was Livvie.

Review: 5 Stars

There are no words... I finished this awhile ago and I still cannot form an appropriate review. This book was Amazing. It has literally ruined other books for me. I have not been able to pick anything else up yet. Nothing compares. It is dark, seductive, heartbreaking, intense and riveting. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!

View all my reviews

Captive in the Dark (The Dark Duet: Book 1) by C.J. Roberts

 

Published July 20 2011

Caleb is a man with a singular interest in revenge. Kidnapped as a young boy and sold into slavery by a power-hungry mobster, he has thought of nothing but vengeance. For twelve years he has immersed himself in the world of pleasure slaves searching for the one man he holds ultimately responsible. Finally, the architect of his suffering has emerged with a new identity, but not a new nature. If Caleb is to get close enough to strike, he must become the very thing he abhors and kidnap a beautiful girl to train her to be all that he once was.

Eighteen-year-old Olivia Ruiz has just woken up in a strange place. Blindfolded and bound, there is only a calm male voice to welcome her. His name is Caleb, though he demands to be called Master. Olivia is young, beautiful, naïve and willful to a fault. She has a dark sensuality that cannot be hidden or denied, though she tries to accomplish both. Although she is frightened by the strong, sadistic, and arrogant man who holds her prisoner, what keeps Olivia awake in the dark is her unwelcome attraction to him.(Goodreads)

Review: 4.5 Stars

I do not even know where to begin with this review.  I finished the book awhile ago but I haven't been able to form words yet.  This book is heartbreaking, confusing, uncomfortable and bittersweet. It is not for the weak.  At times it was hard to read but well worth it.

Captive in the Dark is an amazing roller coaster ride.  The author's writing is beautiful.  It is hard to separate yourself from the characters' emotions while reading this.    The horrendous things that Livvie experiences while being held prisoner are uncomfortable to read.  The attraction that develops is confusing and heartbreaking for Livvie and Caleb. 

"He was my tormentor and my solace; the creator of the dark and the light within."

"For the first time in recent memory, Caleb wanted something other than revenge.  He wanted the girl.  He wanted Livvie."

 I can honestly say that it will be a long while before this book leaves me.  I am already reading the 2nd, Seduced in the Dark and it is amazing!!  

Being Anti-Social by Leigh Cunningham

Published May 27, 2012

Mace Evans is single at thirty-eight. When her much unloved older sister, Shannon, declares that Mace is anti-social, she embarks on a journey to understand her condition; whether she was born that way or if it is the accumulation of thirty-eight years of unfortunate encounters with other humans and dogs.

For reasons unbeknown to Mace, she has an affair with a work colleague, which brings an unexpected end to her perfect marriage. And as if the self-imposed torture and regret is not enough, Mace endures ongoing judgment from her older sister and mother, which further exacerbates already tenuous relationships.

With support from her four best friends, Merlot and pizza, and with guidance from her life coach and mentor, Oscar Wilde, Mace recovers to a degree, but in her quest to understand her anti-social ways, she finds herself wondering about the quality of the fabric that keeps her network of friends intact.

When Mace's mother is diagnosed with cancer, Mace searches for common ground on which to connect before it is too late. (GoodReads)

Rating: 4.0 Stars

I like Merlot with everything, except cereal and milk.

The story of a tight group of 5 friends, interesting plots with men, a mom and sister that are constantly nagging, self realization,  and endless supplies of Merlot....what woman would not enjoy this read??

Mace Evans is the middle child of 5 children,  and very different from her siblings. Self proclaimed independent, her family has labeled her as anti-social. There's nothing wrong with keeping to oneself...the majority of the time, right???

Despite the anti-social label, Mace is surrounded by an eclectic group of 4 ladies that keep the entertainment going throughout the book. If it weren't for the seemingly endless supply of Merlot, I am not sure how Mace would have survived her family visits, dealing with a love lost, family tragedy,  and the numerous sagas with the girls. 

Is it not extraordinary that a caterpillar can become a butterfly? If they can change so dramatically then so can I-I can be likable; I can be sociable. 

Being Anti-Social, is award-winning author Leigh K. Cunningham’s second novel for adult readers. I enjoyed the dry humor, sentimental moments, and reality of friendship and family circles that reigned throughout the novel. 

I really enjoyed Ms. Cunningham's writing style. Her humor and wit resound throughout the entire novel. Her use of witty Oscar Wilde quotes kept me laughing amidst the sequence of events that Mace finds herself in. 

This was one novel that I didn't want to tear through. I found myself taking my time to read; a chapter or two at a time...usually with a glass (or 3) of Merlot. 

Blog Tour - Forged in Fire by Trish McCallan

Forged in Fire by Trish McCallan
 
Trish McCallan was born in Eugene, Oregon, and grew up in Washington State, where she began crafting stories at an early age. Her first books were illustrated in crayon, bound with red yarn, and sold for a nickel at her lemonade stand. Trish grew up to earn a bachelor’s degree in English literature with a concentration in creative writing from Western Washington University, taking jobs as a bookkeeper and human- resource specialist before finally quitting her day job to write full time. Forged in Fire came about after a marathon reading session, and a bottle of Nyquil that sparked a vivid dream. She lives today in eastern Washington. An avid animal lover, she currently shares her home with three golden retrievers, a black lab mix and a cat.


Find Trish McCallan Here:


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Genre- Romantic Thriller
Release date- 9/04/2012

  

Beth Brown doesn’t believe in premonitions. But her recent dream feels too real to ignore: a commercial airliner is hijacked, and a handsome passenger is shot dead. Beth hasn’t met the mystery man in her dream; she would never forget a gorgeous face like his. But she can’t deny the bizarre connection she feels. Now awake, and unable to allow for the violence she’s convinced is impending, she races to the airport…and comes face to face with the man of her dreams.

Zane Winters lives for his job, using his uncanny psychic powers to carry out missions for elite SEAL Team 7. Yet the constant adrenaline highs can’t drown out the numbness seeping into his life as he yearns to find a woman he can trust. All that changes when he meets a beautiful stranger who sets his soul on fire—and somehow knows he’s about to die.

To thwart the global crisis the hijacking will unleash, Beth and Zane join forces. But even amid the danger, they can’t deny the powerful force drawing them together. Is it merely attraction…or destiny?


 Review: 4.5 Stars

Forged in Fire was packed full of action and passion.  Zane Winters is a Navy Seal.  He is sexy and he can be lethal.  Thanks to a family trait, he also can see glimpses of the future.  Beth is an ordinary woman looking for a reliable, long lasting relationship.  A Navy Seal is anything but reliable.   Sure there is crazy lust but will it last?

"Because fireworks didn't last forever.  They blazed across the night in one intense burst after another,  but they eventually vanished.  And when they did, they left regrets and resentment in their wake."

 Oh yeah ladies, part of Zane's family trait is having a soul mate.  When Zane and Beth meet under unfortunate circumstances, he knows she is the one he has been waiting for.  Zane is determined to win her heart and also keep her safe.    

"The tug toward her was incredibly strong, like she was a magnet and his bones were metal."

I was really surprised with this book.  I normally do not read action packed romances.  This book has made me a believer!!! I LOVE Zane and the chemistry between he and Beth was on fire!  This was a great roller coaster ride that threw me on some unexpected loops and I loved it!  I am looking forward to reading other books in the series.