Friday, March 31, 2017

A Fine Year for Murder by Lauren Carr Review




A Fine Year for Murder: A Thorny Rose Mystery, Book 2Book Details:

Book TitleA Fine Year for Murder by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult fiction,  430 pages
Genre:  Mystery
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  Jan 31, 2017
Available for review in:  Print, Audible audiobook and ebook (mobi, ePub, PDF)
Will send print ARC books to:  USA & Canada
Tour dates:  Feb 1 to 28 and March 1 to April 14, 2017

Content Rating:  PG -13 (Lauren Carr's books are murder mysteries, therefore they do include murder. The Thorny rose mystery series are her more adult series, which pushes the envelope just a bit more than in her other series. A Fine Year for Murder deals with a case pertaining to the brutal murder of a whole family (happens off-stage). The book does include some mild intimate scenes between the young married couple. Also has some gritty sexual references during the investigation. Mild swearing, but no F-Bombs.)

Book Description:

After months of marital bliss, Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton are still discovering and adjusting to their life together. Settled in their new home, everything appears to be perfect … except in the middle of the night when, in darkest shadows of her subconscious, a deep secret from Jessica’s past creeps to the surface to make her strike out at Murphy.

When investigative journalist Dallas Walker tells the couple about her latest case, known as the Pine Bridge Massacre, they realize Jessica may have witnessed the murder of a family living near a winery owned by distant relatives she was visiting and suppressed the memory.

Determined to uncover the truth and find justice for the murder victims, Jessica and Murphy return to the scene of the crime with Dallas Walker, a spunky bull-headed Texan. Can this family reunion bring closure for a community touched by tragedy or will this prickly get-together bring an end to the Thorny Rose couple? 

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups,and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 

Connect with LaurenWebsite  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook


My Review

This was a book that if I did not have to worry about eating or sleeping that I could have easily listened to in just one sitting. However since it was a ten hour book I listened to it in about five two hour sittings. That was honestly difficult as I hated putting down the headphones.

C.J. McAllister’s performance of A Fine Year for Murder: A Thorny Rose Mystery, Book 2 was particularly well done. C.J did a great job with the character's voices and the voice tone really set the scene for the the book perfectly.

For me the most memorable moment of A Fine Year for Murder was at the beginning when  investigative journalist Dallas Walker tells Jessica Faraday and Murphy Thornton about the Pine Bridge Massacre. That is the moment that set the couple on the case as Jessica seems to have suppressed memories of the massacre. 

I am not sure if I would want to listen to it a second time or not because while I greatly enjoyed the book I don't feel like I missed anything that would require a second read through.

Gardens of Hope

Gardens of Hope
Gardens of Hope: A Novel by [Perronne, Michael Holloway]Can two men from the same city but segregated worlds maintain a connection during a time in US history that not only brands one of them as the enemy but denies that a love such as theirs exists?

On the surface, Jack appears to have all a man in World War II era 1941 could want with his solid middle-class background, upcoming college graduation, and the perfect, devoted fiancee. But one night when he accidentally stumbles upon a shadow life of men who desire other men in a Downtown Los Angeles park, he begins to realize exactly what has always left him with a feeling of emptiness.

Despite the constant danger of being arrested by vice cops, Jack continues to visit the park every chance he has to feel a connection, no matter how fleeting, with another man. One night he meets a handsome and charismatic Japanese-American, Hiro, who appears to want more than a quick encounter, and Jack surprises himself by starting to truly fall in love for the first time.

However, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt issues Executive Order 9066 and orders the mandatory relocation of over 100,000 Japanese-Americans, who have never been charged with a crime, to far flung internment camps sites. Jack and Hiro suddenly find themselves torn apart before their secret, fledgling romance can blossom.

Desperate to find and reconnect with Hiro, Jack accepts a high school teaching position at an internment camp in the California desert, Manzanar. There, surrounded by armed guard towers and a prison-like environment, Jack begins to fully realize the injustices being faced by Japanese-Americans during one of the most controversial times of United States history and shifts his world view- forever.

About the Author

Michael Holloway Perronne
Michael Holloway Perronne is a writer living in Los Angeles. He has a BA from the University of Southern Mississippi and a MFA from the Creative Writing Workshop at the University of New Orleans. His debut novel, A Time Before Me, won Foreward Magazine’s Bronze Award in Gay & Lesbian Literature. “Gardens of Hope” is his seventh book. For more information on Michael, please visit his website at www.michaelhperronne.com.


My Review
Gardens of Hope is a well written novel that follows a period of history that many people forget about. The book looks into the time when 100,000 Japanese-Americans, who have never been charged with a crime, ended up in internment camps sites due to fear. During this scary time Jack and Hiro end up separated before their romance can truly bloom. The romance between the two is sweet, but in my mind the true center of the book is how Jack comes to see how wrong the camps are when he get a job as a teacher in a high school in the camp. The author truly did a great job in merging fact, fiction, and romance together.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

THE ASHES

Inside the Book

Title: THE ASHES
Author: Vincent Zandri
Publisher: Bear Media
Pages: 277
Genre: Thriller/Horror/Romantic Suspense
HORROR IN THE DARK WOODS
The Ashes (The Rebecca Underhill Trilogy Book 2) by [Zandri, Vincent]It’s been eight years since artist and single mom, Rebecca Underhill, was abducted and left to die in an old broken down house located in the middle of the dark woods. But even if her abductor, Joseph William Whalen, has since been killed, another, more insidious evil is once more out to get her in the form of the Skinner. The son of an abusive butcher, Skinner intends on finishing the job Whalen started but failed at.
How is he going to get to Rebecca?
He’s going to do it through her children, by luring them into the cornfield behind the old farmhouse they live in.
HORROR IN THE DEPTHS
Now, armed with the knowledge that the Skinner has escaped incarceration at a downstate facility for the criminally insane, Rebecca must face the most horrifying challenge of her adult life: Rescuing the children not from a house in the woods, but from the abandoned tunnels that run underneath her property.
But the Skinner is watching Rebecca’s every move.
Horrifying question is, will she live long enough to save the children?

FOR MORE INFORMATION:


Amazon

Vincent Zandri
Winner of the 2015 PWA Shamus Award and the 2015 ITW Thriller Award for Best Original Paperback Novel, Vincent Zandri is the NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY, and AMAZON KINDLE No.1 bestselling author of more than 25 novels including THE REMAINS, MOONLIGHT WEEPS, EVERYTHING BURNS, and ORCHARD GROVE. He is also the author of numerous Amazon bestselling digital shorts, PATHOLOGICAL, TRUE STORIES and MOONLIGHT MAFIA among them. Harlan Coben has described THE INNOCENT (formerly As Catch Can) as “…gritty, fast-paced, lyrical and haunting,” while the New York Post called it “Sensational…Masterful…Brilliant!” Zandri’s list of domestic publishers include Delacorte, Dell, Down & Out Books, Thomas & Mercer and Polis Books, while his foreign publisher is Meme Publishers of Milan and Paris. An MFA in Writing graduate of Vermont College, Zandri’s work is translated in the Dutch, Russian, French, Italian, and Japanese. Recently, Zandri was the subject of a major feature by the New York Times. He has also made appearances on Bloomberg TV and FOX news. In December 2014, Suspense Magazine named Zandri’s, THE SHROUD KEY, as one of the “Best Books of 2014.” Recently, Suspense Magazine selected WHEN SHADOWS COME as one of the “Best Books of 2016”. A freelance photo-journalist and the author of the popular “lit blog,” The Vincent Zandri Vox, Zandri has written for Living Ready Magazine, RT, New York Newsday, Hudson Valley Magazine, The Times Union (Albany), Game & Fish Magazine, and many more. He lives in New York and Florence, Italy.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK


My Review
The ashes is the second book in a series, but I while I found that I lacked some knowledge of Rebecca Underhill's past horrifying encounter that did not make it difficult to understand and keep up with the book. This book struck me as one of those old fashion just plain scary horror style novels with real fear and real danger. This is not a book you want to read right before you go to bed! I found myself at the edge of my seat wondering  Rebecca Underhill would survive and if she could save the children or not. The end was an interestingly done surprise that I did not see coming.

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Liberated Heart (Windy City Book 4) by Measha Stone

Inside the Book

Title: LIBERATED HEART
Author: Measha Stone
Publisher: Blushing Books
Pages: 261
Genre: Erotic Romance

Liberated Heart (Windy City Book 4) by [Stone, Measha]
Erin Stamper—solid, dependable, vanilla—is living the dream: devoted fiancé, house in the 'burbs, friends she trusts with her life. That is until the day her fiancé comes home with the shocking news that he's in love with another woman. Erin's whole life collapses, but just when she is about to be crushed under the weight of all that pain, she discovers even more shocking news. This time, she learns that someone she has known, one of those trusted friends, owns a BDSM club. Suddenly, dependable, solid, practical Erin makes the decision to stop hiding in her safe suburban home and explore this new world. Consequences be damned.

Bradley Sorenson has come to terms that he will never have a lasting relationship with a submissive.  After all, no woman could see to his darker needs in the playroom and continue his brand of power exchange outside of it.  But when Erin shows up at his BDSM club, looking for answers to questions he’s sure she doesn’t even understand, his resolve begins to weaken.

Bradley opens the door to this new world and escorts Erin inside, promising to show her everything she wants to see and more. But just as she begins to find contentment in her true self, she receives a letter that starts a chain of blackmail that could ultimately end her new relationship. Between the blackmail and her new self-awareness, Erin must fight the urge to creep back into the cage she’s so used to hiding in, and work to liberate her heart.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:


Measha Stone
Measha Stone lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with her husband and their children. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Her vanilla writing has been published in the online magazine efiction and the DuPage Writers Group annual journal Possibilities. When she’s not writing, she’s reading and spending time with her kids- who are just as creative and crazy as her.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

My Review
Liberated Heart (Windy City Book 4) by Measha Stone is the fourth book in the Windy City book series. It also happens to be my favorite as it follows vanilla Erin Stamper as she enters the BDSM world for the first time after her fiancé left her for a different woman who he claimed to love.  What I really liked was this one horrible betrayal actually ended up being a good thing as it led Erin to Bradley Sorenson. However what made this book my favorite was the element of blackmail which added an element of true risk and danger. It made to book have a bit of mystery and suspense in it which I really enjoyed. 

Monday, March 27, 2017

How to Find Your Dream Dog by Dixie Tenny




Book Details:

Book Title:   How to Find Your Dream Dog by Dixie Tenny
Category:  Adult Non Fiction,   139 pages
Genre:  Pets & Animal Care
Publisher:   Authors Unite
Release date:  October 2016
Format available for review:  print and ebook (PDF)
Will send print books for review to:  USA & Canada

Tour datesFeb 27 to March 31, 2017
Content Rating: G

Book Description:

Bringing a new dog into the household should be one of life’s happiest events. The process always starts with excitement and high expectations. Too often, though, it ends in disappointment. The new puppy wakes everyone three times a night, gnaws on furniture, piddles everywhere, knocks the children down. The new adolescent dog is too wild. The new adult dog growls at your neighbors. And where did all this dog hair come from?

Most people spend hours researching a new mattress, days researching a new car, and weeks researching a new home or job. Yet for a new dog, a companion for the next 10-15 years, the most they do is visit the nearest shelter or pet shop and buy whatever looks cute and appealing. It’s no wonder they end up disappointed.

Whether you are looking for a purebred puppy or a charming mixed-breed, the type of dog you bring into your home matters. A quiet owner will struggle to keep up with a high-energy labrador mix, for instance, while an active outdoor family will be impatient with a snoozy bulldog. And finding the right kind of dog means becoming the right kind of owner—a task that takes some forethought and planning.

How To Find Your Dream Dog is here to fix the disconnect of dog ownership. It walks you step-by-step through the process of choosing the right type of dog for you—not only exploring the canine qualities that can determine your perfect puppy, adolescent, or adult dog, but also assessing your lifestyle to make sure you’re a good match for the dog, too. The book also looks at good (and bad) sources for finding healthy and sound pet dogs, gives guidelines for evaluating individual puppies, and warns of some red flags to watch out for during your dog search. With this guidebook in hand, you can be confident that the next puppy or dog you bring home will be the right companion and friend for you for the rest of its days.

​Dixie Tenny is a Certified Training Partner with the Karen Pryor Academy of Animal Training and Behavior. During her 30+ years spent working with people and their pets, she has seen again and again how mismatches between dog and owner can create “behavior problems” that never would have happened if the right dog had been matched to the right owner in the first place. She wrote this book to help puppy buyers and dog adopters start out on the best possible foot with their new pet dogs, and stay on that path for years to come.



Author:

Dixie Tenny has been helping people and their dogs find each other and form successful partnerships since the early 1980s. She founded two rescue organizations: Purebred Dog Rescue of Saint Louis in 1984, and Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue, Inc. in 1987. Dixie was the Director of Training for the Greater St. Louis Training Club, Inc., for five years, creating classes and overseeing the work of 40 head and assistant trainers. In 2003 she and another experienced trainer created Dogs Unleashed, LLC. They traveled to clients’ homes and worked with behavior and training issues.

Dixie TennyDixie’s professional credentials include trainer certifications from the prestigious Karen Pryor Academy for Animal Training and Behavior, and the Association for Pet Dog Trainers. Dixie formed her own business, Human-Animal Learning Opportunities, LLC (HALO) in 2013. HALO hosts continuing education seminars for dog trainers.

Dixie has lived with a wide range of dogs over the years including mixed breeds, Australian Shepherds, Welsh and Cairn terriers, and more. While in Seattle, Dixie raised a labrador puppy for Canine Companions for Independence, Inc. (CCI). Currently Dixie lives with a Beauceron and an elderly Papillon, as well as four cats. When not doing things related to animals, she reads widely, enjoys the company of her three grown children, follows baseball and English Premier League football, and travels the world.





Guest Post

Six Ways to Spice Up Your Dog’s Toybox
by
​ Dixie Tenny​
  1. Provide a variety of toys and chew objects. Even if your dog has a clear favorite, that doesn’t mean he wants that and only that every day. Consider trying hard rubber toys (Kongs, GoughNuts Dog Chew Toy), balls and discs (Orbee balls, Chewber Tug and Toss), squeakies (Wubba, Kyjen Invincibles), giant toys (Jolly Balls, Mammoth TireBiter Rubber Tire Chew Toys), stuffing-less stuffed toys (Squeaker Mat, Tuffy Mega Dogtoys), and toys-within-toys (ZippyPaws Burrow toys,  Outward Hound Kyjen Egg Babies). 
  2. Rotate your dog’s toys. Have you ever heard a child with a room full of toys whine “I’m bored, I don’t have anything to do!” Like us, dogs love novelty. If you divide up their toys into groups of three or four and rotate groups each day, old toys become new - and interesting - again.
  3. Add some toys that hold treats. There are loads of these available now and they are wonderful for dogs who love food. Try the Treat Stick, the Busy Buddy toys, or the Kong Genius toys. Don’t forget to make the treats inside worth working for! Virtually all dogs love freeze-dried liver, and other freeze-dried meat treats. 
  4. Go a step further and feed your dog his entire meal from a puzzle toy. This takes longer than just wolfing food from a bowl, which is healthier for a dog’s digestion. It also adds an element of “foraging” which is fun for dogs too! Some examples of whole-meal enrichment toys are the Outward Hound Slow Feeders, the PAW5 Rock 'N Bowl Puzzle Feeder Dog Bowl, and the Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball.
  5. Don’t forget the “chewies.” Rawhide can be dangerous for dogs for several reasons; skip it, and look for Bully Sticks instead. These long-lasting, natural chews are fully digestible (unlike rawhide), taste delicious to dogs, and come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. They can be pricey at pet supply stores; once you’re sure your dog loves them, consider buying in bulk (I use BestBullySticks.com). Hint: if you buy these for indoor use, get the odor-free variety. These are real protein from real animals and can smell like it, too!
  6. Collect some toys that only come out when you and your dog are going to play together. The discs and balls can fall into this category, as well as tug toys, such as Kong Tugger Knots toys or sturdy braided rope toys, and my favorite dog toy of all, the flirt pole or “whippit”. Check out the Squishy Face Studio Flirt Pole or the Outward Hound Kyjen Tail Teaser. Your dog will thank you!

My Review
I have to say that I believe that How to Find Your Dream Dog by Dixie Tenny is a book that all first time dog owners should have to read before they can adopt their first dog. I agree completely with Dixie Tenny that way to many people adopt a dog without knowing what type is best for them.

The going to the shelter and picking out the first cute one is a fine approach for seasoned dog owners who know their hard limits or those who have the property size and energy levels to handle any dog type. However that approach should never be used for a first time dog owner. I really liked how Dixie Tenny explained the steps to take before adoption to ensure a good match for the human and the dog. 

Overall, I was very happy to read this book and I feel like it is a valuable research for anyone considering getting their first dog. This book will help you to ensure you get a dog breed and type that is right for you (and your family).

Sunday, March 26, 2017

The Dinner

To me this was a book that i had been thinking about reading for while. I was really excited to get it for review! I found the characters to be interesting and I really enjoyed the start of the book where everyone was trying to be friends and make nice before the underhanded stuff began. I found it interesting how similar and how different the two couples were from each other and how they both had a shared desired to protect their child no matter what.  

Friday, March 24, 2017

Kill and Run: A Thorny Rose Mystery by Lauren Carr Review

Kill and Run (A Thorny Rose Mystery Book 1) by [Carr, Lauren]
Book Details:

Book Title Kill and Run: A Thorny Rose Mystery by Lauren Carr
Category:  Adult fiction, 350 pages
Genre:  Mystery, Suspense
Publisher:  Acorn Book Services
Release date:  September 2015
Available for review in:  Print, Audible audiobook and ebook (mobi, ePub, PDF)
Will send books:  USA & Canada
Tour datesMarch 1 to April 14, 2017
Content Rating: PG 

Book Description:

Five women with seemingly nothing in common are found brutally murdered in a townhome outside Washington, DC. Among the many questions surrounding the massacre is what had brought these apparent strangers together only to be killed.

Taking on his first official murder case, Lieutenant Murphy Thornton, USN, believes that if he can uncover the thread connecting the victims, then he can find their murderer.

The case takes an unexpected turn when Murphy discovers that one of the victims has a connection to his stepmother, Homicide Detective Cameron Gates. One wintry night, over a dozen years before, her first husband, a Pennsylvania State trooper, had been run down while working a night shift on the turnpike.

In this first installment of the Thorny Rose Mysteries, the Lovers in Crime join newlyweds Lieutenant Murphy Thornton and Jessica Faraday to sift through a web of lies and cover-ups. Together, can the detectives of the Thorny Rose uncover the truth without falling victim to a cunning killer?

Meet the Author:

Lauren Carr is the international best-selling author of the Mac Faraday, Lovers in Crime, and Thorny Rose Mysteries—over twenty titles across three fast-paced mystery series filled with twists and turns!

Book reviewers and readers alike rave about how Lauren Carr’s seamlessly crosses genres to include mystery, suspense, romance, and humor.

Lauren is a popular speaker who has made appearances at schools, youth groups,and on author panels at conventions. She lives with her husband, son, and four dogs (including the real Gnarly) on a mountain in Harpers Ferry, WV. 


Connect with LaurenWebsite  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook


My Review

I enjoyed Kill and Run: A Thorny Rose Mystery by Lauren Carr in audible form.

I personally found that  Kill and Run: A Thorny Rose Mystery by Lauren Carr reminded me a lot of the Mac Faraday Mystery series that Lauren Car wrote. It also struck me as an adult version of the old Nancy Drew mystery books.

The narrator, C.J. McAllister, did a very good job with the voices of the different characters in Kill and Run: A Thorny Rose Mystery by Lauren Carr. I felt like the narration allowed me to get a clearer picture of the characters than I would have if I had only read the book.

I would definitely recommend Kill and Run: A Thorny Rose Mystery by Lauren Carr to a friend or family member who enjoys a good mystery as well as those who enjoy the author, Lauren Carr. Lauren does a great job of creating a murder mystery that avoids many of the gruesome elements that murder mysteries tend to have.

Overall, I found that I really enjoyed listening to Kill and Run: A Thorny Rose Mystery by Lauren Carr. The book just pulled me in, which is typical of books by Lauren Carr. There were a few spots that just had me chuckling. The overall feeling that I walked away with is: "I can't wait for book two"!

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Indebted Heart (Windy City Book 3) by Measha Stone

Inside the Book

Title: INDEBTED HEART
Author: Measha Stone
Publisher: Blushing Books
Pages: 241
Genre: Erotic Romance
Indebted Heart (Windy City Book 3) by [Stone, Measha]Alyssa Sanders has taken care of herself since she was too young to do so. But she’s all grown up and ready to get her life on the right track.  She heads to Chicago with her life savings and a few prospects. She expects to get a job, find an apartment and get on her way of settling down. What she doesn’t expect is to find her new boss not only severely attractive and Dominant, but the son of an old friend.
Alex Trebelli would do anything for his father, so when he’s asked to escort an old friend’s daughter to dinner he doesn’t hesitate to agree. Except the daughter isn’t the small town young woman his father described. She’s all grown up, full of beauty and curves, and a submissive nature that draws out his dominant side.
When Alex explains he won’t be her friend, he can’t just be her friend, he wants more, he wants to be her dominant, her boyfriend, she has to decide if she’s going to take the leap. She’s never been good at a full time D/s relationship, but Alex makes her feel safe and secure. She finds him easy to be with, even when he’s being overprotective and bossy.
Can she manage to put aside her fears of failure, and self-doubt and give them a real chance, or will she chose the safer route and keep clear of his sexy smile, and dominant ways?

FOR MORE INFORMATION:


Amazon * iBooks * Kobo * Nook


Measha StoneMeasha Stone lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with her husband and their children. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Her vanilla writing has been published in the online magazine efiction and the DuPage Writers Group annual journal Possibilities. When she’s not writing, she’s reading and spending time with her kids- who are just as creative and crazy as her.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:


WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS


My Review
Indebted Heart (Windy City Book 3) by Measha Stone is the third book in the Windy City series and it was just as well written at books one and two in the series. I like the fact that each book in the series could be read as a stand alone novel. This one had a character that I really felt like I could understand Alyssa Sanders. Alyssa Sanders is a woman who is looking to settle down and who is unsure of what she really wants out of life and in comes Alex Trebelli who really wants her, but he wants a full time d/s relationship. I liked how she had to really think about what she wanted and if she really wanted him full time in a d/s relationship. I liked the fact that the book showed a safe d/s relationship that was based on trust and not danger.

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Wooing the Wedding Planner

Wooing the Wedding Planner by [Williams, Amber Leigh]Wooing the Wedding Planner

No more wedding marches for her! 
Wedding planner Roxie Honeycutt can make happy-ever-after come true for anyone except herself. Freshly divorced and done with love, she's okay with watching clients walk down the aisle. What's not okay? Sharing a charming Victorian house with accountant Byron Strong. He's frustratingly sexy and determined to keep her confused. 
Roxie thought Byron's expertise was numbers, yet somehow he sees her for who she really is. Somehow he understands the hurt she hides behind a trademark smile. Suddenly romance is tempting again, even if it means risking another heartbreak.







Biography

Amber Leigh Williams
Amber Leigh Williams lives on the Gulf Coast. A southern girl at heart, she loves beach days, the smell of real books, relaxing at her family’s lakehouse, and spending time with her husband, Jacob, and their sweet, blue-eyed boy. When she’s not running after her young son and three, large dogs, she can usually be found reading a good romance or cooking up a new dish in her kitchen. She is represented by Joyce Holland of the D4EO Literary Agency. Visit her on the web at www.amberleighwilliams.com!






My Review
Roxie Honeycutt was a very interesting character to read about. As she is a woman who had her heat broken and since sworn off love, romance, and dating. Yet she spend her days helping others to get the very thing she has decide to deny herself. Yet Byron Strong might just help her to find what she helps other to achieve. The question comes down to if she has the strength to open herself to hope and the possible pain that comes with it. I found Roxie to be a strong independent woman that I felt like I could understand. I really enjoyed learning more about her and feeling her open herself up to certain feelings again slowly. I won't ruin the book by going into more detail than that though.

Monday, March 20, 2017

The Siege (A Psychological Thriller) by James Hanna

The Siege (A Psychological Thriller) by James Hanna is a fiction novel that follows a prison take over. The Siege (A Psychological Thriller) by James Hanna is a book that will appeal most to an audience of adults who enjoy prison fiction with all of its raw grittiness. The Siege (A Psychological Thriller) by James Hanna takes place in The Indiana Penal Farm where one hundred prisoners hold twelve guards hostage in the laundry room. In an attempt to defuse the situation without any loss of life, a dorm counselor, Tom Hemmings, has been brought in to talk the prisoners down. However, with the inmates divided in to different gangs and tension building quickly will Tom Hemmings be able to keep everyone alive and safe?


The Siege (A Psychological Thriller) by James Hanna was a well-written psychological thriller with a realistic feel. While the book itself is fiction, it is clear that the author has done research into prisons due to the realistic feel of the inmates and the prison environment. The Siege (A Psychological Thriller) by James Hanna reminded me a lot of the negotiator with the hostage situation and emergency services relying on one person to save the day. I found Tom Hemmings to be my favorite character, he was well developed over the course of the book, and I liked his determination in the face of uncertainty and danger. Overall, I greatly enjoyed reading The Siege (A Psychological Thriller) by James Hanna and I enjoyed the fast pace and realistic feel of the plot!

Reviewed by Sefina Hawke for Readers Favorite.

Secured Heart (Windy City Book 2) by Measha Stone

Inside the Book

Title: SECURED HEART
Author: Measha Stone
Publisher: Blushing Books
Pages: 251
Genre: Erotic Romance

Image result for Secured Heart (Windy City Book 2)As a child, Kelly dreamt of having a handsome husband, beautiful children, and a dog playing in the backyard. But life rarely turns out the way you plan, and she fears her clock is ticking. Still on the prowl for the perfect husband, she becomes bolder in her search. A night that starts out like any other, ends up being the one that changes everything. As the owner of a security company, Kendrick McFall takes safety very seriously. His first instinct is to keep Kelly at arms length. However, she isn’t his to command,and she isn’t easily persuaded to stay away from the world in which Kendrick lives. A world that she craves. Taking her under his protection seems to be the only way to keep her safe from the ghosts of his past, and protect her from new threats. Along the way he doesn’t just seek to secure her safety, he wants to secure her heart.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Measha StoneMeasha Stone lives in the western suburbs of Chicago with her husband and their children. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. Her vanilla writing has been published in the online magazine efiction and the DuPage Writers Group annual journal Possibilities. When she’s not writing, she’s reading and spending time with her kids- who are just as creative and crazy as her.

WEBSITE & SOCIAL LINKS:

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My Review
Secured Heart (Windy City Book 2) by Measha Stone is the second book in the Windy City series, but it can be read as a stand alone book. Secured Heart (Windy City Book 2) by Measha Stone is an erotic romance that explores the BDSM scene and how important safety and trust are in a BDSM club and life style. The beginning was a bit scary with how Kelly ended up drugged and could have been seriously harmed if it was not for her hero Kendrick McFall. Kendrick McFall shows Kelly that she can embrace her submissive side in a safe environment and still be the person she is. I loved how the two of them really began to come together and how their dynamic worked and deepened through out the book.