Waking Up in Vegas Book Review

Synopsis:

When what happens in Vegas doesn’t stay there…

It was supposed to be a wild weekend spent celebrating her best friend. But Kiera didn’t count on running into him. He was an annoying blast from her past, hell bent on pushing all of her buttons. But when sparks begin to fly, she starts to question everything she thought she knew about this man and herself. Business. It was always about business. When Andrew travels to Las Vegas for a meeting, he never counted on her. Some things never changed and it seemed like Kiera was still stuck in the past. But as things heat up, he starts finding ways to mix business with pleasure. And after an amazing weekend, he needs to find a way to convince the feisty red head that not everything needs to stay in Vegas.

Can Kiera and Andrew overcome the ghosts from their past in order to find a future together or will they bet on love and lose everything?

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***Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book for review purposes.***

Sexy! Beautiful! Fun! Smart! Those are just some of the words that come to mind when describing this book, Waking Up in Vegas. 

Sarah King has the ability to write and make you fall in love with the characters in her books. Her approach to writing stories is simple, take the reader on a wonderful and exciting ride while falling in love. 

Waking Up in Vegas is her sexiest book, yet. I was immediately taken to a new world (one that I've never been in, in real life) and thoroughly enjoyed the ride. I just have one things to say "Andrew F****** Taylor!". When you read the book, and you should, you'll get that reference. 

I loved the relationship between friends, Keira and Michelle, and completely felt the reality of that friendship. It wasn't an over-the-top, often unrealistic expectations of friendships between women that I read about in other books. Their friendship was real and one that I connected with. And really, I wanted to be in Vegas partying with them. 

Waking Up in Vegas is a great summer read by the pool or at the beach. Be sure to take a hand fan with you to fan yourself because, damn.... some scenes will leave you sweaty and not because of the heat. 

Do I recommend Waking Up in Vegas? Oh I absolutely do! It's delicious! It's sexy! It's fun! And, it's hot! 

Book Review: The Battle of the Brains (The Misadventures of Maggie Moore Book 2)

Synopsis: Maggie Moore is leaving small-town south Georgia behind to embrace adulthood on her own in big-city Atlanta. Finding inspiration in the unique people she’s met covering obscure sporting events, Maggie decides it’s time to fill her life with adventure – just as soon as she figures out how to cut ties with good ol’ Murphy, and his pesky laws, once and for all.
Naturally, the universe has different plans.
Before she even sets out to cover her next big story, Maggie is bombarded with old wounds and new insecurities, forcing her to choose between the reality in front of her and the promise of a dream just out of reach.
Channeling the hard-fought lessons of her Dad, Maggie struggles against the seemingly insurmountable force that is her troublesome partner, learning the hard way that things are never as easy as you think they’ll be.


Author: Michelle Graves
Publication: April 25, 2016
Buy Link(s): Amazon; Barnes and Noble

**Disclaimer** - I received a beta copy of The Battle of the Brains for review purposes. I was not paid for this review.

Author Michelle Graves does it again... she has a great talent for mixing emotions in this Misadventures of Maggie Moore Series. The Battle of the Brains picks up right where Maggie left of in the previous book. So I'd recommend reading the books in order though each adventure is completely different. 

We get to know more of Maggie and John and their climactic relationship. In The Battle of the Brains, we see both Maggie and John grow together and apart. Michelle does a great job in keeping the lightness of story going while still getting to the emotional root of both characters. I have to say that Maggie herself is a major player in this fact. She's spunky and compassionate; she's intelligent and a go getter. Yet, she's vulnerable. Throughout her vulnerability, we see Maggie pick herself up and keep going because she has a goal in life. We get to see and learn these things of Maggie through her hilarious inner monologues. Maggie is completely relatable and I really enjoy that in a story. 

And John... what can I say about John? He's got this knight in tarnishes armor thing going on. He's protective of Maggie yet holds her at length all the while dealing and navigating his own personal emotional demons. He goads Maggie thus making her compassion and go getter attitude come out even stronger. He definitely pushes her to be stronger. 

One of the things I really enjoyed throughout this story was the many times I chuckled out loud, and it happened when I least expected. I love that! I think those little nuggets of laughter are so important in a story. It's that little twist where you expect one thing to happen but something completely different happens. This series is definitely a great read for when you are needing a story that's not heavy in emotion yet has some good substance to it.

Do I recommend The Battle of the Brains? You bet I do! A great series that is fun, light and gives us some insight to a woman trying to find her way in the word through her wonderful and enlightening misadventures. 

Playing the Game Book Release Blitz

Playing the Game, Derek Backhard 

(Book 2 in the Game Series)

Synopsis: 

Since being drafted by the NHL to play for his home team at age nineteen, Derek Backhard has had everything he's ever dreamed of - unrivaled MVP mentions, countless goals and assists, even being compared to the great one. Holding the power to control his future in the palm of his hands, nothing stood in his way.

Until the unthinkable happened, and everything about his life shifted. Past priorities fell away the moment he held baby Ryder in his arms mere moments after losing his close friend, and Ryder's father, Brad.

After weeks of watching Liz fall apart over the loss of her husband as she struggled to adjust to life as a single parent, Derek vows to give her and Ryder everything they deserve, creating a life he never knew he always wanted.

Rocked to her core by her changing feelings for him, Liz doesn’t know what to do with Derek or his offer. Uncertainty swirls within her as she leans on her lifelong friend during the hard times, but how much of his attention is real, and how much is pity?

Is she strong enough to let him in and let him take care of her, or will she force him away and back into the life she thinks he really wants?

Purchase Links:

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/playing-the- game/id1011992776?mt=11

Author Bio:

Shawnté lives in central Alberta, with her husband Ricky of 10 amazing years and together they have two beautiful children. Somehow her husband has managed to trick her into running a cow/calf operation. As much as she fusses about it, she loves it. 

When Shawnté is not sitting at her kitchen table hammering away on her laptop while watching the moose chase her cows across the yard, yes this really happens. Then she is busy attend school activities, community events and chauffeuring children here and there. She is big on playing softball and watching hockey.

When the time comes to relax, you will find her snuggled underneath her down comforter reading on her Ipad. Wait…who are we kidding, if the dishes, vacuuming, laundry or the bathrooms needs a hose down, you’ll always hear her say, “Just after this chapter.” She doesn’t have a favorite author or best story because everyday she falls in love with someone new. 

Shawnté is technology challenged so with the help of Lacy you can find her anywhere. Please go like her page and leave a review/star rating on the books she’s wrote.

Ways to stay connected with Shawnte Borris:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/shawnteborrisauthor
Website: www.authorshawnteborris.com
Email: author.shawnteborris@gmail.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6870599.Shawnte_Borris?from_search=true< /o:p>

Twitter: @shawnte_author

Book Review: High Moor 3 Blood Moon

Synopsis:
The war has begun... As the humans make their move against the werewolf threat in their midst, and civil war threatens to break the pack apart, John and Marie struggle to free the only person who can unite the werewolf factions against their common enemy: Marie's brother, Michael. However, their efforts may be for nothing. As tensions mount, the Moonborn prepare to combat the human aggression with an assault of their own. An attack that could spell doom for both man and werewolf alike.

Author: Graeme Reynolds
Narrated by: Chris Barnes
Publisher: Horrific Tales Publishing (October 27, 2015)
Buy Links: Amazon; Audible

DISCLAIMER: I received an audio copy via Audible for review purposes. 

Ever since I started reading High Moor 1, when it first came out, I fell in love with the series. Mr. Reynolds delivers a story that ensnares your mind and takes you on a journey of the past and present.

High Moor 3 brings us to the present where there's war ensuing between the humans and lycanthropes. It seems that only one side can win this war, and each is determined to come out victor in the end. While the war is at the forefront and the premise of this story, it's the emotions, personal developments, self awareness, and overall interactions that stand out to me the most. Ever since High Moor 1, Mr. Reynolds weaved a tale of human emotions that made you connect with the characters within the story. He continued that trend in High Moor 2, with its gory and jaw dropping scenes where you didn't know whether to love or hate a character. He finishes off High Moor 3 with a fantastic bang and one hell of story where I had moments of disbelief because my ears couldn't believe what I was hearing. 

High Moor 3 delved into the misconceptions of lycanthropes from the humans all the while lycanthropes dealt with the mistrust of humans since the beginning of their kind. The barriers are broken down due to war where one faction wanted to eradicate or take vengeance out on the other. This story shows while one outcome is perceived out of a situation, a completely different one arises. At least that's what I got through out the story. I got to see how some humans got to learn that not all lycanthropes are viscous killing machines with no care of anything or anyone. I also got to see how humans themselves can be even more monstrous than their worst nightmares when pushed past the recesses of their minds. 

I can't say enough good things about High Moor 3, this coming from someone who loves a good, tenderhearted romance that are just butterflies and rainbows. The gore and violence was top notch, not only because there was violence for violence's sake but because the violence and gore was done with purpose and intent. During these times is when I got to learn more about a character and its thought process. This story shows that overcoming adversity is possible even if it means sacrificing things you never thought you could. 

Mr. Reynolds gives us a satisfactory ending, in the end it's about survival at any cost. Even if that cost is love. 

I have to say that the narration of High Moor 3 helped to make my positive feelings of this book possible. Mr. Barnes is a phenomenal narrator. He emotes what the characters are feeling all the while keeping true to each character's voice. 

Do I recommend High Moor 3: Blood Moon? Oh you bet your ass I do! I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this story. This series is a must read. 

Book Review: The Door of Dreams

Synopsis:

A BRAND NEW YOUNG ADULT DARK FANTASY / FAIRY TALE ADVENTURE FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BEST-SELLING AGE OF THE FLAME TRILOGY! 

Once upon a time, there was a girl with no time for fairy tales. Her name was Willow Grey. The doctors had told her she was sick and she wasn't going to get better. But then, she found the magical land of Tirlane where she met Henu, the sprightly wizard of the woods. He tells her of the Lamia; a demon who has cursed the land. In order to save Tirlane and herself, Willow must face the Lamia. Will she be able to overcome her darkest fears and find a happy ending? Or will she become lost in fantasy forever?

Author:  Greg James

Publisher: Manderghast Press (September 20, 2015)

Buy Links: Amazon

Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for a review. 

It's no secret that Greg James is indeed one of my favorite authors; and there's a good reason why. 

When Mr. James writes his stories and releases them, I am always transported to the world that he's created. One may think that that sounds cliche but it's far from it. Mr. James' use of imagery and human emotion in his stories lend a surreal quality to his books. I always know that I'm in for a literary journey when I sit to read his books. 

The Door of Dreams is a story about a young girl with a terminal illness who finds herself in another world, literally. When I was reading The Door of Dreams, I felt like Willow's journey to Tirlane was a survival mechanism. Almost as if she made up this huge, fantastical world in order to be able to deal with her impending death. Her journey, as it was told, was extremely vivid that the lines of reality and fantasy were blurred while reading. In The Door of Dreams, Willow is faced with choices between good and evil. She also meets folks who seem to know her and of her, something that it seems Willow hadn't experienced in her real world. We see Willow go through her journey in Tirlane and you experience all the hardship she faces, her victories and failures. 

The Door of Dreams ended how I didn't think it would. Mr. James surely gave a little twist in the end and I enjoyed that tremendously. It keeps the story going and I can't wait to read book 2.

Do I recommend The Door of Dreams? It's a wonderful fantasy story, I do! 

Book Review: Voices

Synopsis:
The town of Oakwell is no more: an abandoned and overgrown relic left in the wake of the massacre at Hope House. 
When Emma Barrett discovers the secret to Hope House, the evil responds by awakening the deranged Henry Marshall from his catatonic state. 

As Emma gathers around her those who can bring an end to the Gogoku curse, a brutal game of cat and mouse begins. 
Everything is at stake as the Whisper story reaches its epic conclusion. Blood will be spilled, sacrifices will be made, and redemption will be sought as the survivors of the Oakwell curse go head to head with the malevolent forces which have scourged the lands for centuries…

Author: Michael Bray
Publisher: Horrific Tales Publishing (July 28, 2015)
Buy Links:  Amazon

Disclaimer: I received a copy of Voices in exchange for a review. 

Voices is the concluding novel in the Whispers trilogy. From the first time I read Whispers, I was hooked to this series. It's a scary tale, pure supernatural and psychological horror. 

Voices does not stay far behind... it's gruesome; it's horrifying; and, it creeped me out. Voices takes place some years after Echoes (the second book in the trilogy). We get to learn the faith of the victims in Echoes, plus the original protagonists in Whispers; the ones who started it all. 

While Voices is, in a true sense, a horror story, it's also a story about love, if in a twisted sense. We see the sacrifices parents make for their children and for each other... sacrifices that seem farfetched yet not ones we'd think twice about doing. Voices also brings sufferers of the same torment together. They must each choose to either give up or stand together and fight over an unseen and ancient force of evil. While Voices introduces new characters to this saga the story doesn't feel chaotic with the their introduction. Mr. Bray does a fantastic job at melding each character's story together and tying everything beautifully into one symbiotic story about survival. 

Do I recommend Voices? I do! If you are looking for a tale of pure, unadulterated horror with a touch of love and redemption, definitely check Voices, and its two preceding stories out. It's a fantastic read! 

Book Review: Blue Twilight

Synopsis: Every song has a story behind it… 

Lisa is looking forward to a fresh start when she moves to Tennessee. She is focused on her dreams of becoming a song writer and won’t allow anything to distract her. Then she meets Jake and her world is turned upside down. He could wind up being the one to make all her dreams come true or will he shatter them instead? 

Jake wasn’t prepared for Lisa to storm into his life. But now that he’s got her, he’ll do anything to keep her—including lie to her. When the past resurfaces, what lengths will he go to convince Lisa that some dreams are worth fighting for? 

Buy Links: Amazon

Add to your Goodreads "Want to Read" here. 

Want to learn more about the author, Sarah King? You can find her on Goodreads here. 

Blue Twilight Trailer

Blue Twilight is author Sarah King's debut novel, and what a sweet way to introduce herself to the book world. 

Blue Twilight is a story about love, forgiveness, trust, redemption, overcoming the biggest hurdle in finding love, your heart, and just a touch of mystery. All that sounds heavy but Mrs. King does a fantastic job at balancing the story with light-hearted humor. I found myself fascinated with the main characters and wanting to learn more about them. There was a sense of wanting to know what was going to happen next, and getting a glimpse into the world of these two seemingly ordinary folks traversing their way on this journey of love. 

Lisa, is an intelligent and independent woman, who's confident in herself yet has her weaknesses that you only see in her inner dialogue. She's truly identifiable. 

Jake, well... what can I say about Jake. He's this elusive country cowboy that you just can't help but fall in love with him. All he has to do is just stand there and smile. His heart completes the total package. 

Blue Twilight is a stand alone story that was truly welcoming. One that I truly enjoyed reading and worthy of burning the midnight oil to finish reading it. 

Do I recommend Blue Twilight? You betcha I do! If you love country music and all things cowboys, read Blue Twilight, it won't disappoint. 

Book Review: Peeper

WARNING: Contains sexually explicit scenes and a healthy dose of sarcasm.

Synopsis: Adam 'Jenks' Jenkins' carefree life as a small-time private investigator is about to get very complicated. There's something 'off' about his new client, but work is hard to come by in the Welsh town of Llanrhos, and the return is far above his usual paygrade. All he has to do is find a mystery woman and retrieve a set of sexually explicit photographs. Sounds easy. Too easy. Jenks' sanity is tested as the case drags him ever deeper into the dangerous world of Veronica Tailor, where blackmail, seduction and threats of violence run rife. Even his home life is affected as his wife's obsession with Veronica sends her libido into overdrive. 

Will Jenks ever solve the case? Will his wife become a lesbian? Will he ever manage to get some sleep?


Author:  S J SmithPublisher: Sinful Press (June 29, 2015)Buy Links: Amazon US; Amazon UK

Hmmm... where to begin? I guess I should start by saying that this book absolutely rocked! I'm no stranger to sexually explicit books, or smut books, so the nature of the story was nothing new. However, what was new was the voice of the book, the story line, and the narrator of the book. 

The book is written and narrated from a male's POV and I loved it. There was a sense of something new and fresh, for me. This wasn't a love story in the sense of falling deeply in love, but it was a love story nonetheless. I loved how there was no fluff built up around the sex scenes. No "as I looked into the deep blue pools of his eyes, I fell deeper under his spell as he plunged his manhood into me" type stuff. This story was raw and filthy good. 

Of course, it wasn't just sex, which is probably my favorite part of the story. There was substance to the book, the sex was just a hazard of the job as the main character set out to solve a mystery brought to him from a client. Jenks, the main character, sets out to prove to himself that he is a damned good private investigator when he gets a job he can't refuse. With the help and encouragement of his wife, Jenks solves this mystery while going on the wildest ride of his life. 

Do I recommend this story? Yes, I do! Before you do, forget all other smut books you've read because this is not your run of the mill smut story. This one will take you on an explicit ride that you won't forget. 

Book Review: Bloodfellas

Synopsis: "When there's no room left in hell, the dead will turn to crime." Boardwalk Empire meets the Walking Dead. Zombie Gangsters take over the streets of Prohibition era USA. A horror-crime mash up available from Markosia in 2014


Author: Jasper Bark

Illustrator: Mick Trimble
Publisher: Markosia Enterprise Ltd, (February 28, 2015)
Buy Links: Amazon

As far as graphic novels go, this one is fantastic. I've never read a graphic novel, which I recently learned is a collection of story arcs in one book, and I'm happy to have been introduced to graphic novels via Bloodfellas. While it took me a minute to get used to the format, I don't regret one minute of reading this novel. 


Bloodfellas is a unique take on zombies. Zombies, as we all know, are the undead and what better monster to be in charge of a sophisticated crime world where drugs, murder, and avenging death rules. 

Mr. Bark has always had a unique take on zombies and I've always enjoyed that. That's what makes this graphic novel a page turner. I read this novel while on a flight, and it was a great distraction of turbulence. I was disgusted at what I was reading but it was a good disgust. I cringed but it was a good cringe. This story is just full of gore but the humanity behind it makes it a worthwhile read. Everyone deserves love, compassion and understanding, even the undead.. well Mr. Bark's version of the undead. 

Do I recommend Bloodfellas? I do. If you've never read a graphic novel and don't have an aversion to reading about gore, drugs and murder, go for it.