Not So Nice Guy by R.S. Grey | Review

Title: Not So Nice Guy
Author: R.S. Grey
Pages:
Publisher: Self/CreateSpace
Goodreads Rating: 4.36 stars
Published: August 9th, 2018
Source: ebook/from author

Description:

"Oh my god. Who that?"
I get asked this question a lot.
"Oh him?" I reply. "That's just Ian."

Just Ian is the biggest understatement of the century.
Just the Mona Lisa. Just the Taj Mahal. Just Ian, with his boring ol' washboard abs and dime-a-dozen dimpled smile.

Just Ian is... just my best friend.

We're extremely close, stuck so deep inside a Jim-and-Pam-style friendzone everyone at works assumes we're a couple - that is until one day, word spreads through the teacher's lounge that he's single. Fair game. Suddenly, it's open season on Ian.

He should be reveling in all the newfound attention, but to our mutual surprise, the only attention he seems to want is mine.

He's turning our formerly innocent nightly chats into x-rated phone calls. Our playful banter sports a new, dangerous edge.

I want to assume he's playing a prank on me, just pushing my buttons like always - but when Ian lifts me onto the desk in my classroom and slides his hands up my skirt, he doesn't leave a lot of room for confusion.

I'm a little scared of things going south, of losing my best friend because I can't keep my hands to myself. So, I'm just going to back away and not return this earth-shattering kiss - oh who am I kidding?!

Goodbye Ian, ol' buddy, ol' pal!

Helloooo mister not so nice guy. 


My Thoughts:

While I love all of R.S. Grey's RomComs pretty equally, I think this one is my new favorite.  Adam & Madeline {The Foxe and The Hound} have been a steady favorite since I first discovered Rachel's books a year or so ago {has it really only bee that long??}, but I think Ian & Sam are my new favorites.  Sorry, Adam & Madeline - I will always love you guys too!

It takes a really fantastic writer to create two characters who are believably just friends, while both secretly wanting to be more.  Almost all the stories I've read of friends to lovers there is something that happens that makes one or both characters suddenly become attracted to each other.  Rachel gives us two amazing characters who are basically head over heels for each other within a few months, but remain very good friends for years.  All without the other having any clue about their mutual feelings.

And, in true Rachel fashion, she is the absolute QUEEN of Rom Coms.  I was cracking up within the first 10 pages, and found myself constantly laughing at Sam and Ian's antics and banter.  Oh, the banter was superb!  They are very clearly the best of friends, and it shows in the way the talk and their attitudes towards each other.  I think I might just live a little for the banter in each of her books {the rest of my living goes to my husband and kids}.

I am so sad to be done with this book - its been one of the highlights of my summer reading and I just really wanted it to go on forever {or maybe more than 24 hours}!  No matter what I have going on, if I find myself picking up one of R.S. Grey's books, I usually finish it within a couple days {and any of her books would have totally been one day reads back when I didn't have kids!}, then immediately regretting my binging because why didn't I make it last??  You would think I've learned my lesson by now, but nope.  I'm the fat kid, and Grey's books are my cake after crash dieting - I eat them up as soon as I get them!

*I received a copy of this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Arrogant Devil by R.S. Grey | Review

Title: Arrogant Devil
Author: R.S. Grey
Pages: Unknown
Publisher: Self-published
Goodreads Rating: 4.73 stars
Published: March 10th, 2018
Source: eARC/from author

Description:

Everyone in Cedar Creek, Texas, knows Jack McNight is an arrogant devil. Physically, I get it: he’s tan and fit, with coal-black hair that’s clearly been scorched by hellfire. Oh, and his personality? It burns just as hot.

When I show up on the doorstep of Blue Stone Ranch, I’m run-down and rockin’ my last pair of underwear. I’m hoping for a savior, but instead, I find him.

My opinion of Jack is marred by a dismal first impression, but his opinion of me is tainted even before I arrive. He’s heard I’m a spoiled princess there to take advantage of his goodwill. To him, I’m more trouble than I’m worth.

Our button-pushing banter should get under my skin. His arrogance should be a major turn-off. Problem is, devils are known to offer their own form of temptation.

Every one of his steely glares sends a shiver down my spine.

Every steamy encounter leaves me reeling.

Sure, it could be the Texas heat messing with my head, but there’s no way I’ll survive the summer without silencing him with a kiss and wrestling him out of those Wranglers.

Who knows…going to bed with the devil might just be the salvation I’ve been looking for all along. 

My Thoughts:

She's done it again! R.S. Grey is definitely the queen of Rom Com, and I tip my hat to her.  Arrogant Devil has a bit more drama than her other books, and I just want to throw out a bit of a trigger warning with this one because of the verbal abuse flashbacks.

Meredith looks like she has the perfect life, and most everyone in her life sees it through Instagram-tinted glasses.  So everyone in her life is stunned when she up and leaves her husband of five years in the middle of the night with nothing but the designer clothes on her back.  But she knew she couldn't pack or plan it without chickening out at the last minute.

Jack is married to his ranch, and that's the way he likes it.  He doesn't want to trust anyone {other than his grandmother, Edith} and he won't love anyone and he sure as hades doesn't want a spoiled California princess as a housekeeper, especially if she's going to be running back to her husband after her tantrum subsides.  At least, that's what he thinks.

I'll admit I was a little wary of this book, only because Rachel writes the romance part of Rom Com so well, and Meredith, while having been checked out of her marriage for quite a long time, is still married in the eyes of the law.  I found myself both wanting to see Meredith and Jack get together and not wanting it to happen.  And while Rachel is also the queen of Slow Burn, she did a great job building up the relationship between Jack and Meredith without concentrating on the sexual aspect.  There are steamy bits, but most of that waits until what I would consider a decent time for both of them.

Watching the relationship between Meredith and Jack grow was brilliant and beautiful.  And along with gaining a friend in Jack, she gains family with Edith, something she never really had, despite having both her parents living and well and a older half sister too.  To see Meredith gain a family after not having had one for so long and being trapped in a horrible marriage made my heart so happy.  R.S. Grey always gives her couples their happily ever after, but the journeys are always so different and great to go on with some amazing characters.  Arrogant Devil fits that bill, and was a very entertaining read!

Taming Him by Kennedy Fox | Review

Title: Taming Him
Author: Kennedy Fox
Pages: 394
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Goodreads Rating: 4.39 stars
Published: January 30th, 2018
Source: eARC/from author

Description:

Alex Bishop is your typical cowboy.
Charming, sexy, and wears a panty-melting smirk. 

Working on the ranch helped build his solid eight-pack and smoking body. He's every girl's wet fantasy, and he knows it too. Alex doesn't follow the rules of your typical playboy bachelor. After wining and dining his dates and giving them the best night of their lives, he always sends flowers and calls the next day—even if it's to say, let's just be friends. His mama taught him manners after all, and his Southern blood knows how to be a gentleman. Still, that isn’t enough to tame the wildest of the Bishop brothers. 

River Lancaster has finally met the man of her dreams. Too bad after six months of romantic bliss, she finds out he's married. With a broken heart and blind rage, she books herself a ticket to Key West, Florida. Tired of cheaters and liars, she’s set on escaping to forget he ever existed. Who needs a man when there's an all-you-can-drink margarita bar, anyway? That's what she tells herself until she bumps into the right guy who can make all those bad memories disappear.

Even if it's only temporarily. 

Two weeks on the beach is what they both need. No strings attached, no expectations, no broken hearts. Too bad the universe has other plans—one that'll change the entire course of their lives in just nine short months.


My Thoughts:

I have mixed feelings for some of the Kennedy Fox books I've read, but that's not to say I don't enjoy them!  I love how they portray the lead women in the book as strong and not in desperate need of a man, but when finding one that completes them so well they know to hold on to that {or run and get him back!}.  

I love River.  I love that she's a nurse, and her reasons for being a PICU nurse.  I know a lot of nurses, so seeing her finally take some time to herself and go on vacation at the beginning made me do a little sigh for her.  She has such a big heart!  That being said, I"m a little surprised in her choice of best friend, because she seemed to just be wasted the entire trip and wanting River to just find a random hookup to bang her brains out {how is that what someone in their late-20s wants to do for their entire vacation?  I get the strong libido and wanting her to loosen up, but good lord!}.

Alex is a major player, but at least he knows he is and doesn't try to sugar-coat it for any of the woman he uses.  Of course, when him and River meet in Key West, they immediately click and start a bit of a shag-here-bucket-list. They don't spend the entire vacation in bed and do go and see some of the sights, but they do spend a good deal of time between the sheets {or in the water, on the beach, etc}.  I didn't have too much of a problem with that, really.  I mean, this is a sexy book, so I expected it to be, well, sexy.

After parting ways, the story follows Alex more than River, and the player went from shagging any pretty thing who'd let him to being so hung up over the woman he spent a week and a half with that everyone knows who she is and is getting fed up with Alex moping about her.  A few of his brothers straight up tell him that they don't believe she's even real.

The story takes a pleasant turn, when River confronts Alex about being pregnant.  Now, I have a little bit of a frustration with this point.  I understand people make mistakes, condoms aren't 100% effective, and stuff can interfere with birth control pills.  Seeing that River is an intelligent adult and a nurse, she should have known that being on an antibiotic would make her birth control pill ineffective.  She acknowledges that after she's talking to Alex about being pregnant, but I would think a nurse who doesn't want to get pregnant from a fling with a guy she has said she won't even contact after their week together would be hyper aware of how her birth control work and make sure a condom was used no mater what since that would also protect her from STDs.

Another thing that drove me bonkers was how every man in the Bishop family thought they would be responsible for any woman getting pregnant with multiples.  One of them is a flipping doctor, for goodness sake!  He should know the basic biology that a man just provides the sperm, it's all up to either the woman with how many times she ovulates or God and if he decides to split the fertilized egg.  {BTW, if you're wondering the twins in the Bishop family are identical, so it's totally just a random, God decided it would happen kind of thing.}

Overall, two big quirks aside, I did enjoy this book.  Would I recommend it to others?  I think that would really depend on their taste and if I know quirks like the ones in this book would bug them.  I know a lot of bookish friends who wouldn't care and would just enjoy it, and for the most part I really did too.  But between those two things and the overabundance of cussing, I just had a hard time with it.  I know cursing is something pretty common in a lot of these kinds of books, but it just rubs me the wrong way to be used so much and so flippantly.  If that doesn't bother you, you'd probably enjoy this book a lot more than I did!  I found myself mentally replacing some of the unneeded curse words with my "mommy versions" or even just something not so intense/harsh.

The Beau & The Belle by R.S. Grey | Review

Title: The Beau & The Belle
Author: R.S. Grey
Pages:
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Goodreads Rating: 4.44 stars
Published: February 2nd, 2018
Source: eARC/from author

Description:
Beau Fortier starred in most of my cringe-worthy teenage fantasies.

I met him when I was a junior in high school, a time that revolved exclusively around bad hair, failed forays into flirting, and scientific inquiries into which brand of toilet paper worked best for stuffing bras.

That is, until Beau moved into the small guest house just beyond my bedroom window. 

A 24-year-old law student at Tulane, Beau was as mysterious to me as second base (both in baseball and in the bedroom). He was older. Intimidating. Hot. Boys my age had chicken legs and chubby cheeks. Beau had calloused hands and a jaw cut from steel. Our interactions were scarce—mostly involving slight stalking on my end—and yet deep down, I desperately hoped he saw me as more of a potential lover than a lovesick loser.

Turns out, I was fooling myself. My fragile ego learned that lesson the hard way.

Now, ten years later, we’re both back in New Orleans, and guess who suddenly can’t take his eyes off little ol’ me.

My old friend, Mr. Fortier.

But things have changed. I’m older now—poised and confident. My ego wears a bulletproof vest. The butterflies that once filled my stomach have all perished.

When I was a teenager, Beau warned me to guard my heart.

Let’s hope he knows how to guard his.


My Thoughts:

You've read the blurb, so I'm not going to tell you what The Beau & The Belle is about.  I will tell you it'll rock your socks off, and possibly make you cringe as you remember any embarrassing teenage crushes you had in the past {oh lord, I'm just glad none of mine ever lived with my family, even in a guest house out back!}.

I love Lauren, both the past version and the present one.  In the beginning she has the upbringing many people could only wish for, and even though she resents some of it {cotillion}, she knows its ridiculous to slap a gift horse in the face {this mainly pertains to her schooling, which she almost wants to toss for her crush}.  Thankfully she doesn't, she goes to school and becomes an amazing career woman, who uses her knowledge and a lot of trust money to start a new business after working for a very prestigious company for a few years out of college.

And Beau... poor, handsome, thoughtful Beau.  First falling for her innocence and trying to protect it from stupid high school boys, their paths cross again 10 years later and he's struck with the woman she's become, as well as how much of Lauren's younger self he still sees in her.

The romance between the two is sizzling, so much so that I think my tablet got a little on the hot side.  I might have had to fan myself off a bit.  I love that this can't be classified quite as friends-to-lovers, but at the same time its not enemies-to-lovers.  I think Lauren would call it the later and Beau would call it the former!  Maybe it's more of a made-for-each-other romance?  They both compliment each other so well, as soon as they come back into each other's lives after 10 years apart.

I love a good comedy and a slow burn romance, and TB&TB brings both.  After being immersed in the world of New Orleans, I have now put it on my bucket list {much to my husband's chagrin}.  Rachel is so detailed in her writing, I felt like I was actually there.  It's currently about 55 degrees or cooler where I live, but I found myself sipping lemonade while reading {and thankful it wasn't Mrs. LeBlanc's acid-like lemonade!}.
Rachel has done it again. As far as I'm concerned, she is the queen of Rom-Com, and I'm not sure she will ever be replaced.  I've read 4 {or 5?} of her books, and each one has been at least a solid 4 star read for me, more often then not landing in the 5 star rating.  The Beau & The Belle might be my favorite so far, though The Foxe & The Hound is a very close second!

The Wrath and The Dawn by by Renee Ahdieh | Review

Title: The Wrath and The Dawn
Author: Renee Ahdieh
Pages: 404
Publisher:  G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Goodreads Rating: 4.18 stars
Published: May 12th, 2015
Source: Hardcover//Bought

Description:

One Life to One Dawn.

In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad's dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph's reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she'd imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It's an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid's life as retribution for the many lives he's stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?


My Thoughts:

I'd seen this book floating around the blogsphere for a while, and then a few people had posted photos of the new covers on their Instagram pages.  But the real push to get this book and read it was when I saw my bookish soulmate gave it a 5 star review on Goodreads.  I've yet to read a book recommended by her that wasn't at least a 4 star read, and this did not disappoint.

Shahrzad is such a well written character - she has courage and guts; courage to do what she knows she needs to do and guts to actually get it done.  Although, she learns after a while that what she thought needed to be done isn't actually the case anymore.  She begins to have feelings for Khalid, and, while she doesn't let that blind her {well, not too much}, she does let it make her hesitate just enough {for what you'll have to read and find out!}.

There is so much to Khalid, and I feel like he didn't get much of the story he deserved.  Yes, I realize he's a secondary character, but, as Ariel in The Little Mermaid says "I want more!"  Maybe I'll get that in the second book; I guess I'll just have to wait and see.  His character was well written, and we as readers do get a great insight into him and his struggle with what he's been cursed to do {as well as those around him who know of the curse and are trying to make sure the worse of it does not come to pass}.

The setting of a desert land in need of water to keep the people healthy and thriving is just perfect, and I love diving into a bit of a different culture {even if a good deal of it is fictional}.  For her first novel, Renee Ahdieh did a subperb job bringing these characters to life and creating a world so alive you get sucked into it every time you open the pages!  I'm excited to read the sequel and see what happens to my beloved Shazi and Khalid!

Checkmate: This is Dangerous by Kennedy Fox | Review

Title: Checkmate: This is Dangerous
Author: Kennedy Fox
Pages: Unknown {Kindle Edition}
Publisher: CreateSpace
Goodreads Rating: 4.82 stars
Published: July 6th, 2017
Soure: EBook/From Author

Description:

Logan Knight is a real life knight in shining armor. A detective godsend in a sleek black suit has me thinking less than secretive thoughts. Brooding and mysterious, he’s the kind of guy every girl instantly notices. Between his seductive smirk and charming good looks, it’s no wonder I can’t help the way he makes me feel whenever I’m near him. Too bad he’s unavailable—or so he says.

He thinks I’m a do-gooder who shouldn’t get involved with a guy like him. His past is messy and relationships just add to that. He insists the timing is all wrong and he’s devoted to his career, but I don’t buy that excuse for a second. I see the way his body tenses and his jaw ticks every time another guy is around me. He just won’t admit it, but I’m more determined than ever to show him what he’s missing. 

I’m a devoted animal rescuer and I’ll risk everything to save them, but when a dramatic turn of events puts both our lives at risk, I’m positive Logan will write me off for good. But when he asks for my help with a personal crisis, I know it’s my last chance to finally show him I can handle anything he throws my way—messy past and all.

He might think he has me all figured out, but I’ll prove him wrong no matter what he thinks. This game of push and pull has me running in circles. One wrong move and we could both lose.

Checkmate, Knight.



My Thoughts:

Whew!!  Well, this was definitely one of the steamier reads I've picked up in a while!  That being said, I really enjoyed every bit of it!

Kayla Sinclair is a sweetheart with a rough past that just made her even more kind towards others {4-legged and 2-legged}.  She's an amazing interior designer, dog mom and shelter volunteer.  Her three dogs are her family and she adopted them from the local shelter she helps at.  While she has no prince charming in her life, she did name all of her fur babies after Disney princes, which pretty hilarious and sweet {a lot like Kayla!}!

Logan Knight is a great guy and an amzing friend of Kayla's, who just so happens to be the exact kiind of man she's looking for.  While he's always there for her, he's bbeen friend--zoned, but not by Kayla!  Not looking for any romantic relationships, Logan is incredibly drawn to Kayla but refuses to pursue her because of his past and how he's trying to shape his future.  But fate made them perfectly for each other, and its just a matter of time until they give in and accept what has been lined up for them.

Kayla and Logan have a chemistry that explodes off the page and just consumes the reader!  It's amazing, and completely captivating, and I just can't get enough.  I was wondering how long it would take Logan to give in to his need to be there for Kayla, more than just the friend he'd delagated himself as.  I love that they are such amazing friends, bbut I felt for Kayla every time Logan pushed her away.  And I felt for Kayla every time Logan kindled that spark into a flame, then walked away.  Most stories that are similar have the female lead acting clueless and in the dark, but Kayla knew Logan more than liked her, and was biding her time.

There are ssome amazing twists and turns this story takes, but the ending has me waiting on pins and needles foor September and the connclusion of Kayla and Logan's duet.  Because, KFox, how could you leave all of us hanging like that??  Probably one of the best endings I've read in a while that left the reader completely flabergasted and needing more now.  Thankfully, I've yet to read the first two duets in this series, and have books one and two ready and waiting on my Kindle!

The Foxe & the Hound by R.S. Grey | Review

Title: The Foxe & the Hound
Author: R.S. Grey
Pages: Unknown {Kindle Edition}
Publisher: CreateSpace
Goodreads Rating: 4.71 stars
Published: June 1st, 2017
Soure: EBook/From Author

Description:

When your life is a hot mess at twenty, it’s cute. At twenty-seven…well, not so much.

It’s just that my lofty dreams—making it as a real estate agent, paying rent on time, showering daily—have stayed just that: dreams. Oh, and love? I’ve decided love might be a little ambitious for me at the moment. Instead, I’ve settled for the two guys who will never leave me: Ben & Jerry.

That is, until Dr. Adam Foxe takes up residence as the town’s new vet.

With his strong jaw, easy confidence, and form-fitting scrubs, it’s not long before every housewife in Hamilton is dragging neglected tomcats in for weekly checkups.

Like everyone else, I’m intrigued. Even after I spoil my chance at a good first impression, he still offers me a proposition I can’t refuse: play his girlfriend at a family function and he’ll hire me as his real estate agent. Welcome to love in the 21st century.

It’s too bad I underestimated Adam’s irresistible charm and the undeniable attraction that burns between us. The day he pins me to the wall and silences me with a kiss, the line between reality and ruse begins to blur. Every teasing touch brings me to my knees. Every kiss promises more. 

It looks like my hot mess of a life is about to get a little hotter.



My Thoughts:

*I received an eBook ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Pretty much as soon as this book showed up on my kindle app, I was so in need of a RomCom.  I'd just finished a mini-marathon of a few heavier books {well, as marathon-ish as I can get, being a mom to two young kids!}, and this is basically just what the doctor ordered!

Madeleine Thatcher is a small town girl.  She has lived in a  little Texas town for her whole life, rotating through jobs every few years.  She has a small apartment that she shares with her massive puppy, Mouse.  Barely making her rent {sarcasm and wit don't quite bring the money rolling in}, she refuses to swathe jobs yet again, because she loves working in real estate and helping people find their dream homes.

Enter Adam Foxe: handsome Chicago transplant who moved to Hamilton to be closer to his parents and his brother's family.  Taking the job as the local vet, he runs into Madeleine and her giant Mouse his first day {er, Mouse runs into - and tackles - Adam}, causing a stunned silence from Madeleine.  

I really love how this story unfolds and all the hilarity that just overflows from it {Adam's mom is quite the schemer}.  I had a blast reading it, and I just couldn't put it down!  If you like RomComs, this would be right up your alley.  With writing that just flows, R.S. Grey is a fantastic author who gets you engrossed in the story - I swear, I thought I was in Texas for a while {and it wasn't because we went from 65 degree weather to 80 degrees overnight}.  I'm


While this is technically a standalone, I would suggest reading Grey's book Anything You Can Do before picking this one up.  A couple of the key supportive characters' stories are in that book, and if you're like me, you probably would want to dive into that one first.  It's an engrossing story, and you'll probably read it in no time!

Add THE FOXE & THE HOUND on Goodreads.

Get your hands on THE FOXE & THE HOUND now: http://amzn.to/2rcGu8F 

About R.S. Grey:

R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of thirteen novels, including THE FOXE & THE HOUND. She lives in Texas with her husband and two dogs, and can be found reading, binge-watching reality TV, or practicing yoga! Visit her at rsgrey.com

Connect with R.S. Grey:

Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1T707p0

RS Grey's Little Reds Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1378399812435745/

Website: rsgrey.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorrsgrey/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author-RS-Grey-167668293429638/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorRSGrey

The Animal Under The Fur by E.J. Mellow | Review

Title: The Animal Under The Fur
Author: E.J. Mellow
Pages: Unknown (Kindle Edition)
Publisher: Four Eyed Owl
Goodreads rating: 4.54 Stars
Published: March 30th, 2017
Source: Ebook/From Author

Description:

Orphaned on the streets as a baby, Nashville Brown, a.k.a Kill Operative 3, knows better than to rely on anyone. With heightened senses and superhuman strength to survive, she’s been raised as the perfect assassin.

The trick to her success? Keeping everyone, even her best friend, at arm’s length.

Losing his entire family in the span of a year, Carter Smith left his ability to love buried deep in their graves. His only concerns now are completing his missions and effortlessly charming the next temptress to warm his bed.

The key to his accomplishments? Working alone mixed with a Casanova smile.

But when a deadly weapon needs to be stopped from falling into the wrong hands, the lone wolves find themselves thrown into an explosive partnership. Can Carter and 3 lower their guns aimed at one another long enough to succeed, or will their unwillingness to compromise end up destroying more than their perfect records? Whatever their differences, both agree on one thing—in the game of lies and deceit, the line between friend and foe is often blurred by blood splatter.


My Thoughts

I really, really enjoyed this book!  I was a little unsure at first, because the very first part I found myself diving into 3's world, her brain and what she does.  Its a little intense, but a really good intense as I continued on.

Nashville/3 is such an extraordinary character.  She has these insanely amazing powers and abilities beyond the average human {hence why she's called an A+}, and the animalistic urges and actions that come come along with it can be all-consuming for her.  She's a character that has had a rough life from day 1, and I found myself terrified of her but also wanting her to have everything a normal human would have and then some.  Mellow did a great job sucking me into Nash's head and getting me so caught up in her life!  

Carter... well, Carter was kind of easy to dislike in the beginning.  He was what most girls/women want to stay away from.  Sleeping around, never really staying in one place very long {the job of assassin probably didn't help that}, and cocky as heck.  He knows he's attractive when it comes to women and he has the skills to get any job done {work or women}.  But, like Nashville, he's had a rough past, one that hasn't been blocked from his memory like hers.

Through an unlikely pairing, their two agencies placed them on assignment together, and it's hate at first sight.  Even though they're paired as a married couple under cover {on their honeymoon, no less!}, temper flare, fists fly, and things get a chance to heat up.  They have so much chemistry, I'm amazed my tablet didn't catch fire while I was reading their story!  Mellow really builds a great world and gives these characters depths that kept me reading and wanting to find out more about Nashville and Carter, and what kind of past either of them would have had to cause them to choose the life of an assassin. 

If you liked the show Dexter and enjoy action/romance/thriller {seriously, any of those, not even all of them}, you will love The Animal Under The Fur.  And you'll probably doing what I'm doing right now, wishing E.J. Mellow would write more of this awesome story.  Maybe it doesn't need to be a stand alone?  I wouldn't mind more Nash and Carter and adventure... *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*

All in all, it was a fantastic read!  I blasted through this book, reading it in about 4 days {the equivalent of a 1 day read pre-kids}.  It is so, SO good!  Snatch it up on Amazon, you will NOT regret it!  And the ebook is available for preorder for only $1.99 {it'll be that price until release day, this Thursday, March 30th}!  Pick. It. Up!

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon | Review

Title: Everything, Everything
Author: Nicola Yoon
Pages: 310
Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Goodreads rating: 4.09 Stars
Published: September 1st,  2015
Source: Audiobook/borrowed

Description:

My disease is as rare as it is famous. Basically, I’m allergic to the world. I don’t leave my house, have not left my house in seventeen years. The only people I ever see are my mom and my nurse, Carla.

But then one day, a moving truck arrives next door. I look out my window, and I see him. He’s tall, lean and wearing all black—black T-shirt, black jeans, black sneakers, and a black knit cap that covers his hair completely. He catches me looking and stares at me. I stare right back. His name is Olly.

Maybe we can’t predict the future, but we can predict some things. For example, I am certainly going to fall in love with Olly. It’s almost certainly going to be a disaster.


My Thoughts

I decided I needed to read this book when I saw the previews for the movie.  A girl with SCID?  Who decides 'what the heck' and goes into the world when she knows it could kill her?  Oh, I had to know how that turned out the moment I saw the previews.  So I did what any mom with limited time on her hands would do: I borrowed the audiobook from my local library {seriously, I actually get at least half my reading in each year via audiobooks.  I know, I pledged to read the written word, but that was before I had kids...}.

Maddy comes across as a very sweet and lovable girl.  She was raised well {as well as her mother could, given the circumstances} and she enjoys her life {for the most part}.  She's fairly accepting of her fate and her disease, and tries her best to live her very sheltered life to the fullest.  That all changes when a family moves in the house next door.  Maddy becomes obsessed over the daily happenings of the family, especially the boy Olly. {Side note: I can't read that named spelled like that - in my head I always say it "Oily", so its probably a good thing I listened to the audiobook with this one.}  They exchange IM handles {honestly, the "how" is kinda hazy in my memory, as I was listening to that part while cooking}.

Maddy and Olly begin a unique friendship over instant messenger, and just really bond.  Maddy jumps head over heels into the friendship {most likely because its the first one she's really had aside from her mother and her caregiver}, but Olly also dives deeply into this new friendship.  Soon, Maddy is asking {begging} Carla to let Olly come over, even though anyone entering the house needs to have a thorough background check, health exam and be decontaminated for an hour before actually stepping foot into any part of the house Maddy would go in.  Amazingly enough, Carla caves {what the what??}, and allows Olly one very brief visit {"no touching!!"}.  But that's all Maddy needs to know that she needs to try to have more in life.

This book took a couple interesting turns, but was overall pretty predictable.  I enjoyed Maddy's explanations and descriptions of everything in her life, and the fact that she was pretty accepting of her disease and what that meant for her life.  One thing I did not expect was how much of the book was spent with Maddy still in her home, mainly because of how the movie trailer skips to her being out of her home with Olly, making it seem as if that happens fairly quickly in the book.

However, while the end was predictable in some ways, other ways kind of blew me out of the water.  Maddy handles her situation with patience {even though it makes her mad and she just doesn't want to be there}.  She takes it from a bit of an adult perspective and "mans up" - she sees the cards she's been dealt, and instead of folding and giving up, she takes them and plays as best as she can.  *Okay, enough with the card play analogies, because I obviously suck at them and am just using it to try to explain what happened without actually giving anything away.*

This book was very enjoyable and is something I would recommend to others.  Not sure how it compares to the movie, but I'll let you know when I see it in a month or two.

Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid | Review

Title: Maybe in Another Life
Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid
Pages: 342
Publisher: Washington Square Press
Goodreads rating: 3.75 Stars
Published:July 7th,  2015
Source: Audiobook/borrowed

Description:

From the acclaimed author of Forever, Interrupted and After I Do comes a breathtaking new novel about a young woman whose fate hinges on the choice she makes after bumping into an old flame; in alternating chapters, we see two possible scenarios unfold—with stunningly different results.

At the age of twenty-nine, Hannah Martin still has no idea what she wants to do with her life. She has lived in six different cities and held countless meaningless jobs since graduating college. On the heels of leaving yet another city, Hannah moves back to her hometown of Los Angeles and takes up residence in her best friend Gabby’s guestroom. Shortly after getting back to town, Hannah goes out to a bar one night with Gabby and meets up with her high school boyfriend, Ethan.

Just after midnight, Gabby asks Hannah if she’s ready to go. A moment later, Ethan offers to give her a ride later if she wants to stay. Hannah hesitates. What happens if she leaves with Gabby? What happens if she leaves with Ethan?

In concurrent storylines, Hannah lives out the effects of each decision. Quickly, these parallel universes develop into radically different stories with large-scale consequences for Hannah, as well as the people around her. As the two alternate realities run their course, Maybe in Another Life raises questions about fate and true love: Is anything meant to be? How much in our life is determined by chance? And perhaps, most compellingly: Is there such a thing as a soul mate?

Hannah believes there is. And, in both worlds, she believes she’s found him.



My Thoughts:

Hannah Martin has no clue what she wants in life or where she wants that life to be.  So, when her current situation ends up being a very bad situation, she goes back to where it all started: Los Angeles, her childhood home, and her best friend Gabby {and Gabby's husband, Mark}.  Closing up to her 30th birthday, Hannah is at a loss of what to do with her life, but being home with family seems like a good place to start.

Even though Hannah seems to be floundering as far as choosing where to actually start her life, she's doesn't seem to flaky.  Reid gives her the history of someone who is more of a butterfly, flitting from place to place, job to job, and just not finding whatever it is that she needs to settle down.

I got pretty hooked into this book.  I haven't read many books that have taken the "what if" and turned it into its own half of the book.  The first time it switched to the other scenario, it was pretty easy to figure out what Reid was doing {as far as giving Hannah a second chance at the first fateful night}.  I found myself rooting for one of the "sliding doors" a little more than the other, but I won't tell you which one *wink*.

Hannah has two love interests in this: Ethan, whom she's known forever, and Henry, who she's met following an accident in one of the storylines.  Its amazing to see how everything comes together {and frustrating to see how certain things fall apart}.  I found myself gasping when things happened in one storyline, but not in the other and jsut saying "no!  But that has to happen!  They have to know!"

However, I was not disappointed with how Taylor Jenkins Reid tied everything together and put a nice little bow on both storylines.  While I still have a favorite, there were aspects that I loved from each one.  She brought each story together beautifully, and I think no matter where you find yourself wishing the storylines would go, one will have you vclosing the book very satified, if not both.

August Moon by Tammy Morea | Review

Title: August Moon
Author: Tammy Morea
Pages:
Publisher:
Goodreads rating: 3.83 stars
Published: June 2014
Source: Paperback/From author for review

Description:

What do you do when the one who broke your heart, is the only one who can fix it?

There is nothing in this world stronger than the powerful emotion of being in love.

Except, maybe the paralyzing pain of a broken heart.

Moving to a small unfamiliar beach town in the summer before her senior year of high school is really going to suck. Raven, a black haired beauty, from a well- off family was certain about that. Miserable in her circumstance’s, nothing could convince her otherwise, until Raven meets Quinn, a local with a love for surfing and a bad reputation to go with it. Despite the very different worlds they live in, their desire for each other is undeniable. Raven’s fears and misery start to vanish as she and Quinn fall deeper and deeper into each other.

But things change drastically when Raven is unknowingly used as a pawn, in a turn of disastrous events, caused by Quinn’s older brother.

The events that follow could silence Raven’s heart for eternity and completely destroy what’s left of Quinn’s soul.

August Moon is a captivating story of young love.

Bringing two unlikely hearts together.

Only to be shattered by one tortuous decision.

Putting these star-crossed lovers on course for the ultimate challenge of forgiveness.


The whole idea of young love lasting and being something to fight for had me excited to read this book.  The beginning was good, and I really enjoyed the writing style of the author {a good mix of descriptive and conversational writing}.  However, that sadly did not last {yes, it was sad, because from the snippets I though I would have an entirely different feel towards this book}.

The story starts with and follows Raven, who's been moved from the city to a nice beach town with her family right before her senior year in high school.  She has some family out there, including a cousin her age, which helps her settle in a little easier.  Raven is confident and sure of herself, although she does have a little bit of insecurities {which most teenage girls do, am I right?}.  She ends up meeting Quinn shortly after arriving, and has a strong pull towards him.

This is where the book started to lose me - if you know me, I don't believe in "love at first sight".  I never have; you can have lust at first sight {strong attraction to the physical aspect of the person}, but you don't know them enough to actually love them.  Well, this is a love at first sight story, which I'm okay with for fiction so long as it actually blossoms into something that I would consider love.  While reading, I never really got the sense that Raven and Quinn were more than infatuated {albeit a very, very strong infatuation... the kind that makes it so they will try to stay together no matter what}.  Yes, they were incredibly infatuated with each other, wanting to spend every second with each other like young lovebirds do, which is sickeningly sweet.  They're the couple that everyone says "aw, you guys are so cute - get a room!"

The relationship of Raven and Quinn reminded me a lot of an awful one that I was in when I was younger - "knowing" you're in love, yet a lot of things would have any observer saying "you really shouldn't be together.  That relationship is not good."  The reason I say this is because of how easily Quinn would go off at Raven about something {jealously because another guy was looking at her too long or a male family friend [who also likes her] giving her a hug}, and Raven would come back and reassure Quinn about her undying love for him {which was very unrealistic since they'd only known each other for maybe two weeks at the most}.  So, my review and reaction to this book might be a little bias.

The book does take an interesting twist towards the end that had me wanting to know what happens next, although not quite why you would think.  I won't say anything about it, as I don't want to ruin it for anyone!