More books have been added
to the top of this week's list of
new releases. Enjoy!
While I will sometimes squeeze
other books in between a duet
or a series (just to mix things
up a bit), I went right into this
one as soon as I finished The
Darkest Sunrise. I was just too
curious to find out what was
going to happen to these
characters.
The second book in a duet is
always difficult to review. I
want to discuss the specific
parts that pulled me in or had me shaking my head in frustration, but I certainly don’t want to spoil anything for any future readers. The Brightest Sunset picked right up where the first book left off – Phew! Even though I had the twist figured out in the first book, I needed to know how these characters were going to navigate their new realities.
New Releases!
- Cry Baby – By Ginger Scott
Tristan Lopez is loyal to his brothers. He doesn’t really have a choice, born into a gang that has a chokehold on every kid that roams its streets. He gave his life to them willingly, knowing if he did then one day this kingdom, led by boys drunk with power and ruled by fear, would all be his.
He was loyal through it all. Loyal when prison took his dad away. Loyal when his face was touched by the cold metal of the rival gang’s gun. Loyal even though his mom begged him to run the moment she returned home from rehab.
He thought about becoming someone else. It was hard not to crave the life of a regular 17-year-old. It’s the only reason he stayed in school—to pretend. But he always fell back in line.
Loyal.
Riley Rojas didn’t belong in Tristan’s real world. She should have only been part of the fantasy, one of the many faces he got to pretend with amidst rows of metal chairs and desks and whiteboards with assignments. But there she was, moving boxes from the back of an old pick-up into a house Tristan had shot up on a dare with his friends only a few months before.
Tall enough to look him in the eyes and strong enough to fill his shadow, Riley took up space on his streets, her loud mouth fearless in the face of the gang leaders who terrified everyone else. She pushed Tristan around on the hard court, and she balled better than his friends—better than him sometimes. She challenged him. She needed him. He liked it. And when her pale blue eyes stared into his, he quit wanting to pretend.
He couldn’t ask her to leave because she’d only dig her heels in deeper. He couldn’t ask because he didn’t want her to go. She was blurring his lines. She was testing his loyalty.
He was falling in love.
And it was going to tear him apart.
- One Week – By Roya Carmen – Forbidden romance!
A troubled marriage. A one week hall pass.
Gabriella Moore has it all; a beautiful husband, two
adorable children, and a dream home. Yet, when, by
chance, she befriends Eli online, she falls fast. And hard.
She knows she must let him go, and saying goodbye is one of the hardest things she’s ever done, but she resolves to move on and forget about her beautiful stranger.
But then… she makes an unexpected discovery, and it shakes her perfect world to its core. Rules don’t apply anymore. An arrangement is made, and her husband gives her just one week with Eli.
The rules are clear: One week. Sex only. No contact thereafter. Seems simple enough, but it’s never simple when it comes to love.
- Family Ties – By Stephie Walls – Forbidden romance!
With a history like ours, the meaning of the word family tended to tangle into something unrecognizable. DNA and bloodlines didn’t tie us together, and neither did our last names. Various shades of grey blurred the branches of our twisted family tree.
I wasn’t her brother.
They weren’t my parents.
Not that it mattered…
She was off limits.
Portia was my friend.
Then my foster sister.
And she’d always be the love of my life.
- The Upside of Falling (The Blue Line Duet #1) – By Meghan Quinn
Tucked away at the base of the Rocky Mountains lived a little boy with one singular dream: leave this broken and battered home and become someone.
Be somebody’s hero.
That boy was me—Colby Brooks. Except I’m not that same little boy anymore.
My dreams might still be the same, but my reality isn’t.
I’m smarter. Stronger. A man.
And I learned a long damn time ago, the only way to achieve my dreams was to avoid distractions—at any cost.
Focus. Resolve. Determination.
But all it took was one single night. One night and my entire life…changed.
One night had me colliding head first with the biggest distraction of my life; Rory Oaks.
Smart. Charming. Beautiful.
Rory changed everything.
Quickly, my one-track mind started to bend.
Each kiss faded decade-long dreams.
And with one single incident, I fly off course.
- Wicked Gentleman - By Christy Pastore - Romantic comedy!
At the time of our meet not so cute, I didn't know that the handsome man with the most captivating blue eyes was the wealthy, charismatic, and hot as sin hotelier, oh and my new boss...
- Saved – By Hazel James - Military romance!
- A Thousand Reasons – By Mariah Dietz
- Eye Contact – By Stacey Grice
Dr. Andie Fine lives, eats, and breathes her job as a trauma surgeon. Another day, another surgery, another life saved. That is, until the night a certain car accident victim lands on her operating room table. The strange connection she feels with this particular patient impacts her in every way.
Vaughn Bennett is a brilliant artist whose life has been defined by a specific pair of eyes for over twenty-years. The only piece of a girl he could remember from an experience he could never forget. Countless sketches and thousands of hours trying to capture her likeness have haunted him. Waking up from a coma in a hospital room is not how he thought he’d finally find her. With one look, he knew.
Andie is a career-focused, medical professional. Falling for a patient is out of the question, but Vaughn is determined to win her over. He elicits something in her that she’s never realized she was missing. No matter how hard she tries to fight it, he won’t stop until she’s his.
Until fate has a way of complicating things.
- Ghostgirl – By JB Salsbury
She was brainwashed into believing she could save man-
kind.
Now, she’s the one who needs saving.
Abandoned with his two younger brothers, Milo Vega
was placed in foster care. Now a twenty-year-old high-school senior covered in gang tattoos and working as the school’s janitor, he is living a life vastly different from the one he was destined for.
When another foster joins the family, this one from the psychiatric facility, Milo’s skeptical. A rare genetic condition makes her unlike any girl he’s ever seen, and he wants nothing to do with the one he calls Ghostgirl.
Despite his reluctance, his protective instincts flare when she enrolls in school, and eventually, an unlikely friendship grows between them. When a tragic event snaps her fragile psyche, Milo is faced with the possibility of never seeing her again.
Unless he risks it all to save her.
- That Guy - By Kim Jones - This one looks fun!
He’s That Guy.
You know, the hero in almost every romance novel. The super-rich, powerful CEO who is beyond sexy. Lives in a penthouse. Is wicked in bed. Has massive…feet. Is kind of a jerk, but really he’s not because he harbors some major secret that, once revealed, explains why he is the way he is—therefore completely redeeming himself and making all the readers who hated to love him swoon….
Yeah. That one.
Well, I found him.
I’m a writer who has spent years searching for the perfect muse.
Now that I know he exists, I have a mission.
To make him fall in love with me.
This should be easy. I mean, I have issues, but above all, I’m a great catch.
Problem is, I did a stupid thing.
And now he hates me.
Unfortunately for him, he’s my That Guy.
And he’s going to love me….
Whether he wants to or not.
- Mister Tonight – By Kendall Ryan - A single dad
falls for his new neighbor!
- Double Down (All In Duet #2) – By Alessandra Torre - The conclusion of the story that began in Even Money.
- Born to It: Hellions Motorcycle Club (Hellions Ride On #1) – By Chelsea Cameron - Enemies-to-lovers MC romance!
- Acquainted – By London Miller - Mafia romance!
- Providence – By Caroline Kepnes - Read Greg's review!
Best friends in small-town New Hampshire, Jon and Chloe share a bond so intense that it borders on the mystical. But before Jon can declare his love for his soul mate, he is kidnapped, his plans for a normal life permanently dashed.
Four years later, Chloe has finally given up hope of ever seeing Jon again. Then, a few months before graduation, Jon reappears. But he is different now: bigger, stronger, and with no memory of the time he was gone. Jon wants to pick up where he and Chloe left off . . . until the horrifying instant he realizes that he possesses strange powers that pose a grave threat to everyone he cares for. Afraid of hurting Chloe, Jon runs away, embarking on a journey for answers.
Meanwhile, in Providence, Rhode Island, healthy college students and townies with no connection to one another are suddenly, inexplicably dropping dead. A troubled detective prone to unexplainable hunches, Charles “Eggs” DeBenedictus suspects there’s a serial killer at work. But when he starts asking questions, Eggs is plunged into a whodunit worthy of his most outlandish obsessions.
- Almost Impossible – By Nicole Williams – YA romance!
When Jade decided to spend the summer with her aunt in California, she thought she knew what she was getting into. But nothing could have prepared her for Quentin. Jade hasn't been in suburbia long and even she knows her annoying (and annoyingly cute) next-door neighbor spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E.
And when Quentin learns Jade plans to spend her first American summer hiding out reading books, he refuses to be ignored. Sneaking out, staying up, and even a midnight swim, Quentin is determined to give Jade days--and nights--worth remembering.
But despite their storybook-perfect romance, every time Jade moves closer, Quentin pulls away. And when rumors of a jilted ex-girlfriend come to light, Jade knows Quentin is hiding a secret--and she's determined to find out what it is.
- Love Me, Love Me Not – By SM Koz – Forbidden romance!
When Hailey Brown is removed from her home and put into foster care, all she wants is a safe, comfortable place where she can finish school and move on with her life. It’s not easy adjusting to a new school and a new life, but Mr. and Mrs. Campbell and their teenage son, Brad, welcome Hailey with open arms.
As Hailey begins to adjust to her new life, she and Brad grow closer. For the first time, Hailey feels like she might have a real shot at a future. Soon, however, Hailey realizes her relationship with Brad has crossed the line from friendship into something more. But being with Brad would mean giving up the perfect life that Hailey has waited so long to have.
- Tattered (Lark Cove #1) – By Devney Perry
Thea Landry has always known her place in modern-day society. It’s somewhere just above the trash can her mother dumped her in as a newborn but below the class where much comes easy. With her tattered shoes and bargain-bin clothes, her life has never been full of glamour.
So when a rich and charismatic man takes interest, she doesn’t fool herself into thinking their encounter is anything more than a one-night stand. Months later, she’s kicking herself for not getting his phone number. Or his last name. She’s given up hope of seeing him ever again.
Until one day, years later, Logan Kendrick waltzes into her life once more and turns everything she’s built upside down. This time around, she won’t make the same mistake. She’s going to fight to keep him in her life—not for herself.
But for their daughter.
- The Perfect Couple – By Elin Hilderbrand
- Rainy Day Friends - By Jill Shalvis
Six months after Lanie Jacobs’ husband’s death, it’s hard to imagine anything could deepen her sense of pain and loss. But then Lanie discovers she isn’t the only one grieving his sudden passing. A serial adulterer, he left behind several other women who, like Lanie, each believe she was his legally wedded wife...
Happy Reading!
June 22nd, 2018
I’ve been on a bit of a post-apocalyptic/dystopian ride for the past few months. When I originally saw Ride On, a post-apocalyptic western, I thought, giddy-up!
Cole doesn’t really touch on the how or the why of what happened to create this post-apocalyptic world, all we know for certain is that the sun is forever hidden behind a gray sky.
What he's reading!
What she's reading!
Greg's Dailyish Blog
Shelley's Daily Blog
June 19th, 2018
New Release & Review:
Providence
By Caroline Kepnes
Caroline Kepnes has crafted a masterful mystery/thriller with a touch-o-romance, a smidgen of science fiction, combined with an homage to H.P. Lovecraft. She has paired engaging characters with a unique plot.
I love it when an author can pull me in with their characters. Kepnes’ story shifted between three characters’ points of view. Jon, Chloe and Eggs were exceptional, and I was captivated by each of their stories.
Read my full review...
June 5th, 2018
Book Review:
Hell Divers III: Deliverance
By Nicholas Sansbury Smith
I’ve been a little bit off of “the series” for a while now. I like getting into a story, and when it’s done, moving on to the next. But there is something about the characters that Smith has created that pulled me back in for another dive to Hell.
Read my full review...
May 29th, 2018
Book Review:
The Crossing
By Jason Mott
Jason Mott is a new-to-me author. The Crossing grabbed my attention, I was pulled in by the premise and I loved the tone and atmosphere created by the author.
The Crossing has to be one of the most eloquently written books I’ve ever read. There is an elevated quality to the writing that sets it apart from other books, I would almost call it poetic in nature.
Read my full review...
May 25th, 2018
Book Review:
Obscura
By Joe Hart
I don’t think you could find a more appropriate title for this book: Obscura. Is it a word? It has a meaning-ish to it. But it’s not clear. In Obscura, everything is blurred, nothing is clean and easy…Who is doing what is kept a mystery until the bitter end.
Read my full review...
May 15, 2018
Book Review:
Mr. Flood's Last Resort
By Jess Kidd
Every once in a while the right book comes along at exactly the right time. I wasn’t very far along into Maud and Cathal’s story before I knew that this was exactly what I needed. It was one part Driving Miss Daisy, with another part Hoarders and a couple parts…I just don’t know.
The relationship between Maud and Mr. Flood was magical – I laughed, I cried, and I loved them both and wanted to smack them around from time to time.
Read my full review...
May 8th, 2018
Book Review:
Waking the Ancients
By Catherine Cavendish
Whenever I crack open a book, I want to love it. I’m not someone who loves to write a scathing review. I don’t understand what people get out of that. Whenever I see a review for Dawn of the Dead that starts off with, “I really don’t like zombie books,” I think to myself, why did you waste your valuable time reading a book if you knew that you wouldn’t like it? I wanted to love Waking the Ancients, unfortunately I did not.
Read my full review...
April 17th, 2018
Book Review:
Macbeth
By Jo Nesbo
It has been quite some time since I read Shakespeare’s Macbeth; I think it must be at least a dozen years, as my wife laughs, telling me to double that…and then some. I don’t consider myself to be a Shakespeare expert, but I’ve read a handful of his plays and enjoyed most of them. Macbeth is by far my favorite.
Read my full review...
April 13th, 2018
Book Review:
Ready Player One
By Ernest Cline
Do you remember That ‘70s Show? It was a show built off of nostalgia and stereotypes that people look back fondly upon. Do you remember That ‘80s Show? No? You’re lucky, it was bad and too soon.
Ernest Cline has waited the right amount of time for people to have a fun nostalgic look back at a formative time for many of today’s adults.
Read my full review...
April 10, 2018
New Release & Review:
Devils Unto Dust
By Emma Berquist
I love a zombie western, it is quickly becoming my favorite subgenre within the zombie world. The western has taken a fabulous turn over the past few years, alright, a few decades if I go back to the Unforgiven. The black and white Stetsons don’t mean what they used to, there is a shade of gray that seems to cover all of the characters.
Read my full review...
April 4th, 2018
New Release & Review:
Rated Z: Money Shot
I’m a firm believer in mixing it up. I’ll go from a mystery to dystopian to historical; switching from dark to disgusting to laugh out loud funny. I love when an author can push my limits and make me say, “Sweet Jesus, did they just do that!?” Brahm Stroker was going to allow me to penetrate the world of Dick Shooter and Bunny Hole.
Read my full review...
March 27th, 2018
Book Review:
The Women in the Walls
By Amy Lukavics
Amy Lukavics has a knack for grabbing my attention. As soon as I finished reading the first chapter, I told my wife to grab the sample and just try to resist. The Women in the Walls reminded me of Barney Stinson’s Get Psyched mixed tape, it grabs you and never lets you down.
Read my full review...
March 20th, 2018
Greg's Old Shorts:
The Twilight Pariah By Jeffrey Ford
What goes together better than drinking and archaeology? Jeffrey Ford decided to take this concept and run with it. He tossed in a disturbing horned child in an abandoned outhouse for good measure.
The Twilight Pariah was a good little story. Ford captured my interest early on, had some intriguing characters and the story had some definite creep factor.
Read my full review...
March 16th, 2018
So here we are at the end of the trilogy. One way or another this apocalypse is coming to an end; it’s us or them.
I’ve been going through a bit of a funk with books in a series, or the never-ending series; I’ve grown to fully appreciate the trilogy, there is something to look forward to, the suspense of a great cliffhanger, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Read my full review...
March 13th, 2018
Book Review:
Quiet Places By Jasper Bark
The key to Quiet Places is the beginning. I love these stories where the author kicks me in the face with a what-the-hell-is-going-on-here start. They can then take their sweet old time revealing what causes this freakish scenario that has shocked me to the core. Jasper Bark did exactly that.
Read my full review...
March 9th, 2018
New Release & Review:
The Last Hour
By Harry Sidebottom
I don’t know why this happens to me, but it seems to occur with much more frequency than in the past. I read a synopsis, fall for a book, then when I go to read it, the book is not what I expected. For whatever convoluted reason, I was expected The Last Hour to be a sort of homage to Colleen McCullough’s The First Man in Rome, a suspenseful, intricate mystery set in the streets of ancient Rome. What Harry Sidebottom delivered was something completely different.
Read my full review...
March 2nd, 2018
Greg's Old Shorts:
Tipping By Gregor Xane
The short story is a finicky little beast. The author has such a short amount of time to captivate me and make me invest myself. For me, a short story has to do at least one of two things: grab me with a shock at the start or pull the wool over my eyes with a surprise at the end. If the author does both, they’ve got my respect and admiration as a master of the short.
Read my full review...
February 27th, 2018
Book Review:
Pandora: Outbreak By Eric L. Harry
This is a tough review to write. I’m always on the lookout
for something different and unique in the post-apocalyptic
universe. Pandora seemed to tick off all of the boxes; sometimes there is simply a failure to connect the product offered by the author to the product desired by the reader.
Read my full review...
February 20th, 2018
Book Review:
Lamb By Christopher Moore
Jesus Christ, can you think of any one person who has had more influence on two thousand years of history? I think we all know the story – born in a barn, pissed off many important people and ended up nailed to a tree. Christopher Moore has decided that there has to be more to the story. If we could sit down with Christ’s best bro from his teenage years back in Nazareth, what stories would we learn?
Read my full review...
2 Book Lovers Reviews
Midnight Crossroad
By Charlaine Harris
The Problem with Him
By Rachel Higginson
June 22nd, 2018
