Duo Review – Inescapable by Amy A. Bartol

My name is Evie Claremont and this was to be the making of me–my freshman year of college. I’d been hoping that once I’d arrived on Crestwood’s campus, the nightmare that I’ve been having would go away. It hasn’t.

I may be an inexperienced seventeen-year-old, but I’m grounded…sane. I look for rational explanations to even the strangest circumstances. Since meeting sophomore Reed Wellington, however, nothing makes any sense. Whenever he’s near, I feel an attraction to him–a magnetic kind of force pulling me towards him. I know what you’re thinking…that sounds fairly awesome. Yeah, it would be…if he liked me, but Reed acts as if I’m the worst thing that has ever happened to Crestwood…or him. But get this, for some reason every time I turn around he’s there, barging into my life.

What is the secret that he’s keeping from me? I’m hoping that it’s anything but what I suspect: that he’s not exactly normal…and neither am I. So, maybe Crestwood won’t be the making of me, but it could be the breaking of me. I’ve been left to wonder if the dark future my dream is foretelling is…inescapable.

 

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The BFF’s (Ann stripes in pic and Kiersten in denim) have 2 other BFF’s. We all live on the same street and can often be found engaging in many fun shenanigans together! Angie (on the far left) and Missy (on the right) both read a LOT too and many of our conversations revolve around books. Over the years there is NO other series that has generated as much discussion between Missy and Kiersten as the Premonition Series by Amy Bartol. It is one of our most favorites and we love it more than is really healthy.

The 5th and FINAL book in the Premonition Series, Iniquity, will be released on December 8. In advance of this exciting event, I asked Missy to join me for a guest edition of the Duo Review to share our thoughts on this incredible series! Over the next couple of weeks, we’ll be sharing our thoughts with you about the awesomeness that is the Premonition Series!

Duo (Guest) Review

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The Premonition Series is a series that we have spent way too many HOURS (I’m not kidding, HOURS) discussing. We talk about these characters like they’re friends, neighbors and loved ones. It is one of my (BFF K) most recommended series!

Evie Claremont starts the book as an excited college Freshman with a whole new world opening up at Crestwood College. There she meets and befriends Freddie, a geeky, socially awkward young man. She also meets Russell, the quarterback of the football team and a boy whom it feels like she’s known forever. Then, Evie meets Reed. Every time they are near to one another they both have an uncontrollable case of butterflies and a pull to one another that is unexplainable.

Evie has a recurring nightmare that grows increasingly more vivid and soon strange things are happening to her! She draws the group of friends close together. Soon Zephyr, Buns and Brownie join the crew to help Evie discover who and what she is.

Evie has a way of surviving when she really shouldn’t. There is something about her that draws others to her and her presence causes them pause. We can’t really say more without giving away major plot points and believe us, you want to read/reveal these for yourself!

This book sets the stage for Evie in the entire series! There is angst, romance, action and suspense; moments that will get your heart beating for so many reasons. This is one of our most favorite series ever and book #1 is our favorite book! There is not really much else to say other than you MUST read this book!

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    AND Missy

 

 

Amazon Links to Purchase The Premonition Series

Inescapable (Book 1)

Intuition (Book 2)

Indebted (Book 3)

Incendiary (Book 4)

Iniquity (Book 5)

Kindle Copy of All 5 Books in the Premonition Series

*All links also include Audible option.

Amazon Links to Purchase The Kricket Series by Amy A Bartol

Under Different Stars (Book 1)

Sea of Stars (Book 2)

Darken the Stars (Book 3)

*All links also include Audible option.

All of Amy Bartol’s Books have an audio book option. BFF K is a HUGE audio fan!

These are all absolutely fantastic!

About the Author

I live in Michigan with my husband and our two sons. My family is very supportive of my writing. When I’m writing, they often bring me the take-out menu so that I can call and order them dinner. They listen patiently when I talk about my characters like they’re real. They rarely roll their eyes when I tell them I’ll only be a second while I finish writing a chapter…and then they take off their coats. They ask me how the story is going when I surface after living for hours in a world of my own making. They have learned to accept my “writing uniform” consisting of a slightly unflattering pink fleece jacket, t-shirt, and black yoga pants. And they smile at my nerdy bookishness whenever I try to explain urban fantasy to them. In short, they get me, so they are perfect and I am blessed. Please visit me at my website: http://www.amyabartol.com

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Review – Release Me by Ann Marie Walker & Amy K. Rogers

 


RELEASE ME
Chasing Fire #2
Ann Marie Walker & Amy K. Rogers
Releasing July 21st, 2015
Berkley/Intermix

The second in the “seriously sexy and sinfully steamy”* Chasing Fire series, about a pain too deep to forgive and a passion too hot to forget…

Alessandra Sinclair knows that Hudson Chase is the last man she should want. The boy from the wrong side of the tracks has grown into a man who would do anything to get ahead, even if it means breaking Allie’s heart. But whenever she’s near him, the attraction between them is undeniable. And now that they’re working together, keeping her distance from Hudson is almost as impossible as keeping her feelings in check…

Hudson already lost Allie once and he refuses to lose her again. He’s determined to use their new business partnership to rekindle the spark he knows is still there. Only the closer he gets to winning her over, the clearer it becomes there are still secrets that could tear them apart for good…

BFF K’s Review

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I am pretty much gushing about this series to anyone who will listen! I’ve emailed, texted, Facebooked, Tweeted and raved to anyone who seems even remotely interested. The Chasing Fire Series is absolutely FANTASTIC! Release Me sort-of starts where Remind Me left off, but with a twist! Allie had plans to regain control of her life at the end of Book #1, but those plans are quickly blown apart in a terrible discovery that rocks her world. With this shocking turn of events, Allie finds herself face to face with Hudson once again. And, though she tries desperately to stay away, the overwhelming pull to him is just too much.

Allie continues to struggle in this book, but you can understand her stress and frustrations with all she has been/is going through. There are portions of the book where Allie shows fantastic flashes of resilience and gritty determination. I think she’s going to need these in the final book. (Plus, resilience is one of my favorite traits for a heroine!) Hudson is just as swoony as ever! <3 He is absolutely consumed by Allie, while at the same time, managing multiple companies and looking after his younger brother. Hudson is going through so much in his present life while still dealing with some slowly uncovered issues in his past that you can’t help but love him. I don’t remember the last time I wished so hard for a book couple to find their Happily Ever After.

BUT, if Hudson Chase can’t find his HEA with Allie Sinclair, could he please take a chance with me? #HudsonChaser

I LOVE this story. It reminds me so much of the feels I had reading Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James. The Chasing Fire series is full of romance, steam, a great hero and heroine, bad guys, suspense, great characters and a wonderful storyline. I sped through this book in record time. The suspense builds with each chapter until the end left me with sweaty palms and a racing heart. I have a feeling that pasts and present are about to collide in a massive explosion. The question is who will make it out alive and what price will they pay to survive? The thought of waiting until October 20 to finish this story makes me anxious: the calendar is already marked!

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Be AWARE :  cliffhanger

An ARC of this book was received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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Exclusive Tour Excerpt

In the distance Allie could see the black limo waiting at the bottom of the hill. She paused, her hand reaching out to rest on the gleaming wood of her father’s casket, before turning to leave. She and Harper had nearly reached the car when she heard someone call her name.

“Alessandra,” Benjamin Weiss said, hurrying to catch up to her. “A word, please.”

“I’ll wait for you in the car,” Harper said. She slid into the limo and Clayton closed the door behind her before assuming his post a few feet away. Allie knew that behind those dark sunglasses his razor-sharp gaze was scanning the crowd, and that beneath that well-tailored suit a loaded gun was holstered. She tried not to think about why, focusing her attention instead on Mr. Weiss.

“I’m sorry to bring this up now,” he said, “but the board has called for an emergency meeting at Ingram headquarters. I’d hoped to put this off until at least next week, but between your parents’ passing and the revelation of Mr. Chase’s acquisitions . . . Well, I’m sure you can understand their concern.”

Allie nodded. Of course the other board members were concerned. Richard and Victoria Sinclair were gone, and now their daughter, a relative stranger to them, was at the helm alongside a man who’d spent the past few months covertly acquiring a substantial portion of their stock. When he wasn’t fucking her on every available surface, that is. At least the last part wasn’t general knowledge. It was going to be hard enough to face that room with Hudson sitting across the table from her. Thankfully no one on the board knew about their personal involvement.

“When?” she asked.

“Tomorrow morning.” Mr. Weiss gave her a quick rundown of the proposed agenda before ducking into the back of a waiting town car.

Allie pulled her coat closed and crossed her arms over her chest, holding the pieces of herself together as she stared out across the top of the limo at row after row of headstones. When she’d walked out of Hudson’s penthouse two weeks prior, she hadn’t planned on ever seeing him again. Now she had a little less than twenty-four hours to prepare for her first board meeting with him. She had no idea how she would react once they were in the same room, but one thing was certain: she had to keep her distance. And never, under any circumstances, allow herself to be alone with him.

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About the Authors

Though thousands of miles apart, Ann Marie Walker and Amy K. Rogers are in constant contact, plotting story lines
and chatting about their love of alpha males, lemon drop martinis and British supermodel, David Gandy. You can find them on twitter as @AnnMarie_Walker and @Amy_KRogers. 
 
 
Amy K. Rogers

 

Ann Marie Walker
 

Haven’t Joined the #HudsonChasers?

 
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Review – Game of Love by Ara Grigorian

Game of Love is set in the high-stakes world of professional tennis where fortune and fame can be decided by a single point.

Gemma Lennon has spent nearly all of her 21 years focused on one thing: Winning a Grand Slam. After a disastrous and very public scandal and subsequent loss at the Australian Open, Gemma is now laser-focused on winning the French Open. Nothing and no one will derail her shot at winning – until a heated chance encounter with brilliant and sexy Andre Reyes threatens to throw her off her game.

Breaking her own rules, Gemma begins a whirlwind romance with Andre who shows her that love and a life off the court might be the real prize. With him, she learns to trust and love… at precisely the worst time in her career. The pressure from her home country, fans, and even the Prime Minister to be the first British woman to win in nearly four decades weighs heavily.

As Wimbledon begins, fabricated and sensationalized news about them spreads, fueling the paparazzi, and hurting her performance. Now, she must reconsider everything, because in the high-stakes game of love, anyone can be the enemy within… even lovers and even friends.

In the Game of Love, winner takes all.

BFF K’s Review

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Fast-paced, sports-based romance, Game of Love was a WINNER! I enjoyed this book with a toe in two separate worlds – the highest level of professional tennis and the highest level of technology/systems consulting; and you may not guess which is more competitive. But, I loved that each of the main characters had their own backgrounds, issues and identities. And, the characters were written in a way that was smart and honest.

Gemma and Andre were complex characters. I was engaged and drawn to them, wanting to learn more about both of them – their pasts and futures. There was also an interesting cast of supporting characters that each played a role in developing the plot and advancing the storylines. There is some suspense, stalker, cloak-and-dagger stuff that adds other elements to the story.

As I read the book, I could picture the details playing like a movie and I enjoyed conjuring the images of scene after scene set to uncover new information about these characters. There are good, coming-of-age, working through your past-issues, understanding-your-place-in-the-world, elements to this book.

I’m a fairly slow reader and I banged through Game of Love in just about 24 hours, so it’s a quick read that will keep you flipping the pages and cheering for victories – large and small!

*An ARC of this book was received in exchange for an honest review.

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*An ARC of this book was received in exchange for an honest review.

Purchase on Amazon

Check out the fun Giveaway!

About the Author

Armenian by heritage, born in Iran, lived in Barcelona, and escaped New York until he found his home in Los Angeles, Ara’s first eleven years were both busy and confusing. The fruit salad of languages would slow down his genetically encoded need to tell stories. Until then, an alter ego would be required…

He received an engineering degree from California State University Northridge and earned his MBA from the University of Southern California. Today, he is a technology executive in the entertainment industry. True to the Hollywood life, Ara wrote for a children’s television pilot that could have made him rich (but didn’t) and nearly sold a video game to a major publisher (who closed shop days later).

But something was amiss until his wife read him the riot act. “Will you stop talking about wanting to be a writer and just do it?” So with her support (and mandate), and their two boys serving as his muse, he wrote stories.

Fascinated by the human species, Ara writes about choices, relationships, and second chances. Always a sucker for a hopeful ending, he writes contemporary romance stories. He is an alumnus of both the Santa Barbara Writers Conference and Southern California Writers’ Conference (where he also serves as a workshop leader). Ara is an active member of the Romance Writers of America and its Los Angeles chapter.

Ara is represented by Stacey Donaghy.

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Review – The Photographer Trilogy Box Set by Sarah Robinson

He takes a picture of every woman he kills.
She takes nothing from anyone.

Kate Jackson is a woman haunted by her past with no direction in life, and surviving only on her close relationship with her sister, Annie. Until she meets charming lawyer, Derrick Kane. Despite having a painful past of his own, he gives Kate everything she could have ever wanted in a lover.

Just when she thinks she might have found the key to learning how to live again, maybe even how to love, The Photographer rips it all away from her with one click of his camera.

Somehow she survived, determined to rise above the trauma life has dealt her. Yet, she doesn’t get away that easy, The Photographer isn’t done with her yet.

The infamous serial killer begins dropping menacing hints at every turn.

Reminding Kate that he owns her. That he broke her body.

The small, quiet life that Kate had built for herself with Derrick is over. Pulverized by the twisted workings of the notorious serial killer and the agony of being betrayed by the one man she had trusted her heart to. Trust had never come easily to her, yet she had given it to Derrick. And he destroyed her with it.

Kate is a fighter and refusing to allow a sadistic killer to take everything from her yet again, she delves into the police investigation targeting The Photographer and finally revealing his true identity. Kate is fighting for justice while fighting to reclaim the man she loves, and somehow learn to trust him again.

But when an innocent life is on the line, the cost of justice could be more than love can afford. Kate quickly learns that finding the face behind the mask, doesn’t make you safe.

Monsters are only uglier in the light of day.

BFF A Review

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The Photographer Triology by Sarah Robinson has so many different elements to it. Sarah does a great job of including all of this into a series that keeps you guessing until the end. Frist, there is the relationship Kate Jackson and Derrick Kane share. They meet in a coffee shop and sparks instantly ignite. They share love, romance, and build trust for each other. There is also a special bond between Kate and her sister, Annie. The bond is special and unique, all they have is each other. I really connected to their relationship- where either sister would do anything to keep the other safe. Throughout the series there is also the mystery and suspense of trying to figure out who The Photographer is. Why is he after Kate? Who else has he hurt? What will it take to stop him? The mystery kept me turning page after page until all is revealed. As the story and series comes to an end and mysteries are solved, (no cliffhanger at the end) there is a sense of accomplishment as you understand the all of the obstacles Kate has overcome.

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Copy gifted from author in exchange for a fair review

Purchase on Amazon

About the Author

Sarah Robinson is a Top 10 Bestselling Barnes & Noble and Amazon Bestseller in Romance and Crime Thriller. She is the author of the contemporary Rockstar romance series Sand & Clay, as well as the very popular romantic suspense trilogy, The Photographer Trilogy.

In regards to future publications, she is with the Seymour Literary Agency and has recently been contracted by Loveswept, a Random House Penguin imprint, to begin a new contemporary romance series in late 2015 called Kavanagh Legends, which follows Irish alpha male brothers in the MMA fighting world.

Her writing often concentrates on the complexity of love in emotions, combining psychological complexities and human flaws to create very real characters that readers can relate with. Her work focuses on redemption and forgiveness, learning to build on what has been broken. Her characters are often in conflicting situations, leaving the reader to decide what is right and what is wrong. She uses her stories to hold a mirror up to the reader and ask them to see things they never knew, or had forgotten, about themselves.

Sarah Robinson is a native of the Washington, DC area and has both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees in criminal psychology. She is newly married to a local police officer, Justin, who is just as much of an animal rescue enthusiasts as she is. Together, they own a zoo of rescues, as well as volunteering and fostering for multiple animal shelters.

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Review- Marrow by Tarryn Fisher

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In the Bone there is a house.

In the house there is a girl.

In the girl there is a darkness.

Margo is not like other girls. She lives in a derelict neighborhood called the Bone, in a cursed house, with her cursed mother, who hasn’t spoken to her in over two years. She lives her days feeling invisible. It’s not until she develops a friendship with her wheelchair-bound neighbor, Judah Grant, that things begin to change. When neighborhood girl, seven-year-old Nevaeh Anthony, goes missing, Judah sets out to help Margo uncover what happened to her.

What Margo finds changes her, and with a new perspective on life, she’s determined to find evil and punish it–targeting rapists and child molesters, one by one.

But hunting evil is dangerous, and Margo risks losing everything, including her own soul.

BFF A Review

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Meet Margo.

Someone who has endured a lot in her life. A lot of pain, little love, a lot of lonely, little comforting. I believe there is a part of Margo in all of us, whether we choose to see it or not. Maybe our experiences in life relate to Margo’s experiences, I hope not. Margo is strong, she is confident, she is controlling. Maybe we wish we could do the things she does, though none of us should, we still think it. Margo seeks revenge. Margo wants to make things right. Margo wants others to feel safe and secure- so she takes action. Margo needs love and acceptance and she finds it in the most peculiar, mind twisting way.

Tarryn is a writing genius. She has a way of writing that pulls you in. I connected with Marrow even when I thought I shouldn’t. The story is intense, twisted, dark, and suspenseful. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, Tarryn slammed me with the biggest shock of all. Marrow will get to you, get to the core of your beliefs. It will break your heart, it will make you think. It will make you cry when you think of the struggles that people deal with daily, because sadly there are parts of this that are real for so many. I am left in awe. I am left wanting so much more.

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About the Author

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Tarryn Fisher is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of six novels. Her newest novel, Marrow, just released in April 2015 and she is currently working on the second installment of Never Never. She is the co-founder of Clothed Caption, a fashion blog she runs with her friend, Madison Seidler. Tarryn resides in the Seattle area with her family. She loves rainy days, Coke, and thinks Instagram is the new Facebook. Tarryn is represented by Amy Tannenbaum of the Jane Rotrosen Agency.

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Review – Sea of Stars by Amy A. Bartol

Eighteen-year-old Kricket Hollowell was looking for her place in the world when she discovered that the universe was bigger—and more dangerous—than she had ever dreamed. Now, whisked across space to the planet Ethar, Kricket learns that her genetic ability to see the future makes her a sought-after commodity…and the catalyst for war between her star-crossed parents’ clans. According to Alameedan prophecy, one house will rise to power and the other will be completely wiped out, and Kricket’s precognition is believed to be the weapon that will tip the scales.

A target of both the Rafe and the Alameeda houses, Kricket finds protection—and a home—in the arms of Trey, her Etharian bodyguard-turned-boyfriend. But her visions of what’s to come disturb her deeply, especially since she must discover whether the gift of foresight will allow her to rewrite the future, or if her fate is as immovable as the stars.

The highly anticipated sequel to Under Different Stars, winner of four 2014 utopYA Awards.

BFF K’s Review

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Everything I loved about Under Different Stars (Kricket as a kick-ass heroine, Trey as a super-swoony hero and the incredible world that Amy Bartol has created) builds in Sea of Stars. Sea of Stars is the 2nd book in Amy A. Bartol’s Kricket series and it seriously does NOT disappoint! I absolutely LOVED Under Different Stars and listed it among my 2014 Besties. I’m always a little nervous to read book #2 when I’ve loved the first book in a series so much. But, there is ZERO let-down with this book. The Kricket series confirms that paranormal romance is my favorite genre!

Sea of Stars barely gives you a chance to catch your breath from the stunning conclusion of book #1. Then, it races off at an incredible pace, full of the most heart-pumping, descriptive action sequences I’ve read since Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. Just when you’re convinced that Kricket can’t take any more, and honestly – neither can you…..there’s some sweet relief.

And this is where Trey truly shines. He’s battling hard for one of the top spots on my book boyfriend list! Kricket and Trey’s relationship is on an epic scale. Their love, loyalty, and devotion to one another will have you highlighting and re-reading paragraphs and scenes. I am obsessed with them as individual characters and as a couple. All of the book’s characters are so well written. There is an entire cast of supporting characters with incredible stories and personalities. I feel as invested in all of them as I do in the main characters.

I will admit – through the first 40-50% of the book, I felt a little beat up and Sea of Stars definitely ends with a cliff hanger. But, it all builds up and spins into this incredible story that will have you flying through the pages faster than an escapee on a hover vehicle. One of my BFFs found this series and introduced me to the brilliance. After we finished Sea of Stars, we spent 40 minutes of our dinner date discussing the plot, our favorite characters and theories for what we think comes next for Kricket.

I also must gush about how much I love Amy Bartol’s writing style. Her incredible words glide off the page, bounce around in my brain, and make my heart race. I love Amy Bartol’s writing so much that I’m challenged to read other books. Few authors deliver the kind of detail, emotion, dialogue and depth that she brings to her books.

If you haven’t read Under Different Stars, start it NOW! And, be ready to dive into Sea of Stars immediately. Then we’ll all wait together for Darken the Stars, set to release in Fall 2015.

***Audio Note***

I have also listened to large parts of this book on Audible and it is fantastic as well. If you’re a fan of audio books, this is a must-have!

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Amazon Links to Purchase The Kricket Series

Under Different Stars – Book 1

Sea of Stars – Book 2

Sea of Stars: The Kricket Series, Book 2 – Book 2 on Audible

Darken the Stars – Book 3 Pre-Order

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About the Author

I live in Michigan with my husband and our two sons. My family is very supportive of my writing. When I’m writing, they often bring me the take-out menu so that I can call and order them dinner. They listen patiently when I talk about my characters like they’re real. They rarely roll their eyes when I tell them I’ll only be a second while I finish writing a chapter…and then they take off their coats. They ask me how the story is going when I surface after living for hours in a world of my own making. They have learned to accept my “writing uniform” consisting of a slightly unflattering pink fleece jacket, t-shirt, and black yoga pants. And they smile at my nerdy bookishness whenever I try to explain urban fantasy to them. In short, they get me, so they are perfect and I am blessed. Please visit me at my website: http://www.amyabartol.com

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Review – The Hidden Library by Heather Lyons

THL RDL BannerHeather Lyons has done it again with THE HIDDEN LIBRARY! THE HIDDEN LIBRARY is an Adult Romantic Fairy Tale, full of adventure and fantasy and the second book in Heather’s The Collectors’ Society Series! Check out the latest fantastic installment in this series that brings you some of the classics with a twist.

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Sometimes, the rabbit hole is deeper than expected . . .

Alice Reeve and Finn Van Brunt have tumbled into a life of secrets. Some secrets they share, such as their employment by the clandestine organization known as The Collectors’ Society. Other secrets they carry within them, fighting to keep buried the things that could change everything they think they know.

On the hunt for an elusive villain who is hell-bent on destroying legacies, Alice, Finn, and the rest of the Society are desperate to unravel the mysteries surrounding them. But the farther they spiral down this rabbit hole, the deeper they fall into secrets that will test their loyalties and pit them against enemies both new and old.

Secrets, they come to find, can reveal the deadliest of truths.

BFF K’s Review

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I LOVED The Hidden Library. You will turn the pages faster and faster as you move through the book until you realize you’ve reached the end and are still holding your breath to see what happens next!

Heather Lyons has done it again. I said it after The Collectors’ Society, and I’ll say it again, Alice kicks ass! It is no secret that I absolutely adore Alice, I think she is one of the most well written heroines I’ve ever found. Heather has written a character so incredible that I want to see her attributes in every book I read. Alice is a mixture of traits that would seem to be at odds with one another. Yet Heather pulls them together in a way that just makes sense and presents Alice with such consistency that you understand how all of her attributes fit and work together. Alice is at the same time: tough and vulnerable, sensitive and strong, courageous and exposed, independent and a team player, refined and bold. I LOVE how Alice NEVER backs down from a fight. She is honest, trustworthy, selfless and fiercely loyal – it feels like she speaks profound sentiments every time she opens her mouth. BUT, she’s not annoying or judgmental or stiff. Alice is the kind of woman that men fall in love with, and women envy. She absolutely deserves the love and devotion of two incredible men.

Finn….Swoon….He’s amazing! Like Alice, Finn is a fantastic mix of characteristics that make you admire and respect him. He’s a guy’s-guy and a woman’s dream.

Things always get a little more interesting when the White King is around. My heart aches every time Jace enters the picture. His devotions to Alice and to Wonderland are selfless and honorable. He shows up to save the day more than once and oh, does he look good doing it!

I marvel at how Heather Lyons can write a story that is a love triangle, but not a love triangle. Alice is adored and revered by two different men. Heather masterfully demonstrates how someone can love two people at the same time. No one involved is necessarily at fault, there are no victims or guilty parties. In the end, the genuine feelings of sacrificial love for one another guide all of the interactions.

More and more is revealed in this book about a number of the series’ characters and some new ones are introduced. I was particularly struck by the revelations around Victor. While the scenario presented is not necessarily surprising, Lyons uncovers Victor’s secrets in a way that is poignant and touching. I’m interested to see how Victor plays into the next story!
The Hidden Library features something new to the series with alternate points of view. You’ll hear from both Alice and Finn and I think the alternate POV is really well done. The story flows seamlessly between the two. But, both Finn and Alice have distinct voices. It really felt like the story was being told from 2 different characters and personalities and not just 2 different POV’s.

The adventures that Alice, Finn and the other members of The Collectors’ Society embark on in this book will make your heart race and your mind bend. You’ll wonder what could possibly happen next and be left speechless when it slides into its conclusion.

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I’m in awe of Heather Lyons talent and so thankful that she shares it with the world! Enjoy this next installment of The Collectors’ Society!

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Excerpt

We are about to open the conference room door and enter the hallway when he stops. He turns to me, his lovely eyes achingly sincere. “I want to take you on a date when all of this craziness is over. A real one. We’ve kind of gone about this all backwards, haven’t we?”

One corner of my mouth lifts up. “Are you saying you’d like to court me?”

There is no playfulness to his face, no quirk to his own lips. My heart flutters at his seriousness. “Yes.”

He wants to court me.

Too many emotions rush around in a caucus race throughout my body. I have no doubts of Huckleberry Finn Van Brunt’s feelings toward me. I understood them two minutes ago just as well as I did this morning when I woke up and from the night before and from the day in Wonderland where he said, in not so many words, that he was falling in love with me.

I told him he was my north star, and meant it. He countered we are binaries.

He and I . . . We’ve never said those words, though, not the ones that truly spell out fragile, deep secrets of a heart and soul. Words so easily and yet unfortunately uttered by many, be it to express their appreciation of fried bits of potatoes to sports teams on the television. Words offered so frivolously about a variety of subjects and yet can be the most difficult, most painful, most meaningful, most cherished syllables we gift another person.

I have said these words before, to another man. Another man I still love. One I know, in the deepest confines of my heart, that I will love until the last breath escapes my body. A man who courted me in secret and then publicly in the face of astonishment, disapproval, confusion, and, in the end, prophesies.

I have willingly given the man in front of me my heart, though, whether he knows it or not. He now holds it in his hands, and while I pray he is my future, there is still a part of me that bucks in conflicted confusion and delight by this declaration of his.

He wants to court me.

And yet, as sweet and romantic as such a gesture might be, I require no such formalities. My affections for Finn Van Brunt have already solidified into something real and wonderful and meaningful.

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Author PhotoAbout Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons writes epic, heartfelt love stories and has always had a thing for words. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. She and her husband and children live in sunny Southern California and are currently working their way through every cupcakery she can find.

 

 

 

 

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Review – Something Reckless by Lexi Ryan

He talks dirty to me, but I don’t know his name.

He wants to tie me up, but I don’t know his face.

He turns me on, but I couldn’t point him out in a crowd.

I’ve fallen for an anonymous stranger, and tonight the anonymity ends. Tonight I want more than typed secrets and texted promises. I want something reckless. Heat. Passion. The thrill of being entirely possessed.

Because I suspect this anonymous stranger isn’t a stranger at all.

Lizzy Thompson met riverrat69 online through Something Real, a service promising to deliver meaningful relationships by forbidding its users to share names or photos until they’ve reached a certain benchmark. She was looking for love. He was researching an investment. They hit it off. Talked and flirted, hid behind screen names and cartoon avatars.

Now they’re breaking the rules and meeting in person. But Liz is prepared. She’s picked up hints and followed clues.

She’s ninety-percent convinced she’s discovered the identity of her dirty-talking online friend.

She wonders if her ex-lover Sam Bradshaw knows her identity too.

When she rolls the dice on one reckless night, her chance at something real could crumble.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22434551-something-reckless

 

BFF K’s Review

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WOW! Put your seat belt on ladies, you’re about to be in for a wild ride! This book was so much more that I expected. Reading the summary and even starting the book, it seems like a cut and dry story….girl has loved her friends’ older brother for years, he’s rebuffed her, but now she’s turning his head……BUT – this book is so much more than a simple story.

There are twists and turns in this book that absolutely blew my mind! I didn’t see most of them coming. Even now, I’m still kind of shocked – in a really good way! Part romance, part erotica, part political stunner, this book is a little bit of everything. I liked Sam and Lizzy’s story and I was so intrigued by the supporting cast of characters. There are a lot of them and they’re a really beautiful and sketchy crew. I will say there are times I wanted to grab Sam or Liz or both of them and just shake them! If they would only talk to one another, some of the drama could be avoided and that annoys me. But, really, isn’t the back and forth/will they or won’t they the point of the whole thing?

I had to sit down and make a bunch of notes for myself so that I’m primed and ready to jump into the next story when it releases in March. This was my first book by Lexi Ryan, but it definitely won’t be my last!

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Excerpt from Something Reckless

“You look amazing in this dress. I’ve been pretending all night that there’s something I want to do more than get you out of it.”

“What would you do with me if you got so lucky?”

“I’d keep you up all night, for starters.” He slides a hand into my hair and traces the side of my neck with his thumb. His groan rumbles through me. “Tell me what you came here for.”

I thought that was pretty clear. “I’m wearing extremely slutty underwear. What do you think?”

His nostrils flare and his breathing goes thready. “I think I’m going to have to up my game, because now I want to see it.”

I have to bite back a smile. “Good,” I say. My heart thumps out a beat, probably Morse code for please and thank you.

“How slutty is this underwear of yours?”

I lick my lips. “Oh, it’s damn near whorish.”

“Let me see it, Liz.”

I lift my chin and prop my hands on my hips. “Seriously? That’s all the seduction I get? Let me see it?”

He steps closer until I have to crane my neck to look at him, and holy hell he smells good. “What game are we playing here, Rowdy?” he murmurs against my ear. “Is this the one where we pretend we don’t want each other and sleep alone . . .” His fingers skim down my shoulder and my eyes float closed. “Or is it the one where I make you come so hard you scream my name and tomorrow you act like you want nothing to do with me?”

“Are those my only choices?” I ask, but I keep my eyes closed, focusing on the feel of his rough fingers dancing across my skin. The truth is, I don’t want to play either game. I’m done playing games when it comes to Sam. I’m done pretending I don’t want him when I do, and I’m done pretending our annual one-night stand is enough for me.

“Tell me you aren’t going to run away in the morning. Promise me you won’t shut me out again.”

I don’t know what that means, and I’m too scared to analyze it. My eyes are still closed when he takes my chin in his fingers and tilts my face up to his, still closed when he brushes his lips over mine and when I open under him because I’m helpless to this man’s kiss.

“Promise me,” he repeats.

“I won’t run away.” Then I unzip my dress and let it fall to the floor in a puddle, and my boldness is rewarded. Sam’s lips part and his breath escapes him in a rush.

He steps back and takes me in. The bra is strapless, black lace demi-cups that lift my breasts until they threaten to spill out. The panties—what there is of them—are a thong in matching black lace. Their fine lace straps sit in a sharp V high on my hipbones.

A ringlet of hair escaped my up-do, and he takes it between his fingers and twirls it around. I deserve a medal for not melting right here at his feet.

He hooks his index finger under the black bow between my bra cups. “Did you wear this for me?” His voice is a husky whisper that I can’t deny.

“Yes.”

His fingers skim my belly, trace over my hip, following the lace of my thong behind me to where the straps meet at the small of my back. My breath catches as he takes the fabric path over the curve of my tailbone and down, his fingers bringing every nerve ending to life as they pass. Electric pleasure whips through me.

“Fourteen months since I’ve touched you,” he says. “Fourteen months since I’ve gotten to hear the way you breathe when you’re turned on, since I’ve gotten to listen to you scream as I make you come. Tell me you haven’t thought about it.”

“I’d be lying.”

“Don’t lie,” he says, eyes hot and intense. “Just tell me you want me.”

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“You need a good guy. A long-term guy. One who does dates and romance and emotional strings…I’m just an asshole who wants to tie you up, make you come, and walk away.”

Samuel Bradshaw is a man with a reputation—the kind of reputation that should have me running the other way. Instead, it has me searching for the shortest distance to his bed. I won’t be the starry-eyed girl who thinks she can change a man like Sam, and despite what he thinks, forever is not what I need. I need the things he makes me feel, the way he turns me on, and the promise of pleasure in his eyes. This promises to be SOMETHING WILD.

 

About the Author

New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author Lexi Ryan’s novels have been described as intense, emotional, and wickedly sexy. A former college professor, she now writes full-time from her home in Indiana, where she lives with her husband, two children, and a neurotic dog. Find her on Facebook or Twitter to chat about books, TV, and her children’s latest antics.

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REVIEW – Under Different Stars by Amy A. Bartol

Kricket Hollowell never wished upon stars. She was too busy hiding in plain sight, eluding Chicago’s foster care system. As her eighteenth birthday approaches, she now eagerly anticipates the day she’ll stop running and finally find her place in the world.

That day comes when she meets a young Etharian soldier named Trey Allairis, who has been charged with coming to Earth to find Kricket and transport her to her true home. As danger draws close, he must protect her until she can wield the powers she cannot use on Earth…and he soon realizes that counting a galaxy of stars would be easier than losing this extraordinary girl.

Kyon knows the powerful depths of Kricket’s gifts—gifts he’ll control when he takes her for his tribe and leads the forces that will claim Ethar and destroy his enemies, starting with Trey Allairis. Now, Kricket faces the most difficult choice of her life: whether to wage a battle for survival or a fight for love.

Winner of four 2014 utopYA Awards, including Best Book of the Year and Best Sci-Fi Book of the Year.

BFF K’s Review

This is the book that confirm beyond the shadow of a doubt, I LOVE PARANORMAL ROMANCE. I used to think that I just liked certain kinds of paranormal, ‘only vampires’ or just ‘what Heather Lyons writes,’ but I can’t deny it anymore….I think paranormal romance is my favorite genre!

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I have a real soft spot for a heroine who kicks ass, and Kricket kicks ass! She is smart, strong, trusts her instincts, listens to her gut, shows vulnerability, knows what she wants, creates her own destiny and makes no apologies for who she is. I wish that more books had heroines who displayed the virtues that Kricket does!

Then there’s Trey…..SWOON! He’s the perfect match to Kricket. He’s honorable, loyal, strong and accomplished. Trey’s not at all intimidated by Kricket, nor does he want to change her or make her any less awesome! He truly wants to be her partner and protector. Trey’s willing to give up everything to be with Kricket and to keep her safe, but hopefully he’s wily enough that he won’t have to do that.

Amy Bartol has built an incredible world. If anyone would have told me that I would be loving a book where the heroine is taken to another dimension where there are warring factions on a different plane….I would have said, ‘you’re crazy’. (That brings me to my PNR proclamation at the beginning of this review!)

The supporting characters are richly written with great dialogue, personalities and purpose that compliment the main characters and the overall story line. There’s action, suspense, discovery and a really wonderful romance! The only problem with Under Different Stars is that we have to wait until March 31, 2015 for Sea of Stars (The Kricket Series Book 2.)

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Click to purchase Under Different Stars on Amazon

Click to pre-order Sea of Stars on Amazon

About the Author

I live in Michigan with my husband and our two sons. My family is very supportive of my writing. When I’m writing, they often bring me the take-out menu so that I can call and order them dinner. They listen patiently when I talk about my characters like they’re real. They rarely roll their eyes when I tell them I’ll only be a second while I finish writing a chapter…and then they take off their coats. They ask me how the story is going when I surface after living for hours in a world of my own making. They have learned to accept my “writing uniform” consisting of a slightly unflattering pink fleece jacket, t-shirt, and black yoga pants. And they smile at my nerdy bookishness whenever I try to explain urban fantasy to them. In short, they get me, so they are perfect and I am blessed. Please visit me at my website: http://www.amyabartol.com

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Review – The Accidental Assassin by Nichole Chase

Ava McKenzie is a creature of habit. Life is passing her by and she has nothing to show for it. She’s had the same job since she started college, she orders the same dish every time she goes to her favorite restaurant, and only reads books from authors she knows. There is nothing new or surprising in her life… until her best friend marries a man from London. When her newlywed friend asks her to house-sit while she honeymoons, Ava jumps at the chance. She thinks this could be the very thing she needs to shake up her life. Ava throws herself head first into her new lifestyle; she wants to try everything, go everywhere, and never get stuck in a rut again. Of course, offing a man in a car garage hadn’t been one of the things on her list to try.

Owen Walker spends every day in a new place with a new case. As one of the most renowned assassins in the world, he has his choice of marks—and he’s never failed in a mission. When a new hit takes him back to his hometown, he looks forward to spending time somewhere familiar. What he isn’t expecting is to help an attractive, confused American woman find out how she’s ended up on a hit man’s list.

As Ava and Owen dodge bullets, will they be able to escape their undeniable attraction to each other? Or will all of that chemistry blow up in a shower of hot and dangerous sparks?

BFF K’s Review

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I enjoy Nichole Chase’s writing! Her books are terrific ‘brain candy’. The Royals Series is a super fun read, so I was excited to get my hands on The Accidental Assassin. I was thrilled to find that it delivered exactly what I was expecting – sweet characters that are fun to read, entertaining scenes, heart-warming romance, and a little steam. The bonus in this book, was a little suspense just to keep it really interesting.

I really enjoyed Ava and Owen’s story. They’re two lonely souls who are really made for one another. They’re brought together in the unlikeliest of circumstance – a hit gone wrong. But, as they work together to unravel the mystery of just who is trying to kill whom, Ava and Owen can’t deny their attraction for one another. They’re surrounded by a cast of quirky and lovable characters. You’ll root for all of them to find love and happily-ever-after….if they survive!

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About Nichole Chase

Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal, Flukes, The Dark Betrayal Trilogy, and several short stories. She is also the instructor of Say What? a dialogue class at the Romance Academy.

Nichole lives in Georgia with her husband, energetic daughter, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats. When not writing, you may find her reading, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.

Links

Website: http://www.nicholechase.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NicholeChase

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.nicholechase

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5074162.Nichole_Chase

THE ACCIDENTAL ASSASSINGoodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18071293-the-accidental-assassin?from_search=true