Sassafrass

*3.5 STARS*

I liked this one.  I liked it more than I liked the movie I think except for one thing.  I felt like the main characters Jamie and Landon had more of a connection in the movie.  I just didn't see that as much in the book.   I did feel more hopeful at the end of the book than I did in the movie, however, I was still bawling my eyes out. 

More Than Want You (More Than Words Book 1) - Shayla Black 

*3.5 STARS*

I liked this one but I couldn't wrap my head around the plot, and then the end when EVERYTHING is revealed.  It just made me want to sigh.  Add in the psycho dad, the half-siblings...It was all just too much for me.  And I had to ding it one half star.

I did enjoy Keely and Britta, not so much did I enjoy Max and Griff's stupid feud.  I'm glad things worked out in the end but all the middle stuff got to be over the top for me.  And it seemed like all the men in the story were giant D-bags.

I will continue on with the series because I need to know what happens next.

Survivor in Death (In Death Series #20)

OMG, this one just killed me.  It was so hard to read at times.  I felt so bad for Nixie.  I also felt bad for the little girl that Eve was. I was glad that Eve is revealing more of her life to her friends.  I think it will help her get over the horrific childhood that she had to deal with.

I was really hoping that Eve and Roarke would keep Nixie, but that would have be to schmaltzy.  Everything worked out the way that it was supposed to.  

Commander Whitney brought up the fact that Eve should be Captain already again, so I'm hoping that she's going to be albe to move up rank soon.  She really is an awesome cop.

I just love this series and there is absolutely no way that I'll be able to stop reading it now.

Visions in Death (In Death Series #19) 

Nineteen books and still going strong.  This one was interesting and had a twist at the end that I wasn't expecting!  That's what I love about this series.  It still keeps me on my toes.  And poor Peabody got put through the wringer in this one.  But luckily she pulled through.

I'm slowly working my way through this series, and have loved every minute of it.  I don't think I'll be able to hold off on the next book as I got a sneak peek and have to know how this one turns out. 

Bombshell (Hollywood A-List) - CD Reiss 

This was a departure of what I'm used to with CD Reiss, but I really enjoyed it.  The drama, the overtop parents, the sex...it was like watching reality TV.  

I was glad that Brad got his head out of his you know what and made things right with his daughter.  I'm also glad he got to keep Cara as well.  The epilogues were adorable.  :)

This is supposed to be first in a series, so I'm interested on seeing where the series is headed.

This was cute, it was a bit angsty, and a whole lot cheesy, but I enjoyed it.  I needed a bit of a break from real life and it was a perfect distraction. Nate and Eva May were cute together even if a bit over the top.  I also liked their crew.  I was put off by Eva's brother's reaction when he had been absent the entire book but oh well.

Black Lies - Alessandra Torre 

Well, that was interesting!  I put things together before the big reveal, but I didn't think it was such a big secret that needed to be protected so much.

I wasn't a huge fan of our heroine but I came to see where she was coming from a bit more.  Brant and Lee...well that's just a whole other rant.

LOL, i won't spoil anything but this one was definitely unique and interesting. 

Pucked Up - Helena Hunting 

I think I enjoyed this one more than the first.  Poor Buck.  He just couldn't get anything right.  I felt so bad for him.  But, I also though that Sunny was being unreasonable at times.  Especially when it came to the camping trip.  I totally sided with Buck on it.

Anyway, he seemed to get hisself together in the end.  He definitely deserved to get the girl after everything he went through!

Ok, I thought this was good follow up. I knew these two were fifty shades of fucked up, but I think they have the power to make it work with each other. I feel as crazy as they are for saying that, but I really do believe it. I just feel hat whatever secret Hudson is hiding is huge and it's going to be horrible. I'll have to get right to the next book, because I have no know what happens.

Riveted - Jay Crownover 

*4 STARS*

I thought this was a good story but I also thought there were some problems with it too.  I liked Dixie and Church together.  I liked Church's family.  I thought it interesting that all the important women in Church's life were white.  That made me a little sad for a the young Southern boy Church was.  He had no ONE black female role model?  That stuck me as odd.

I also, wasn't a fan of the on-line dating storyline.  I thought there was enough drama without that.  But, I guess it wouldn't be one of Jay's stories without someone getting shot.

I will definitely be continuing on with this series.  I would like to see what's going to happen with Wheeler and Poppy.  CAN'T WAIT!

The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas 

*5 STARS*


OMG, the feelz I get from this book are indescribable. I had such a whirlwind of emotions when reading this book. It was hard for me to get through, and I even had to put the book down a few times and step away.

And it wasn't because I was outraged or put off or anything like that. It was that 16 year old Starr was ME in 1992. The girl straddling two worlds not really fitting in to either one. I so identified with her "Williamson Starr" and her "Garden Heights Starr". `

I also identified the utter sense of helplessness when you see injustice taking shape all around you but you don't think you have the tools to make a difference. But as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."

This book was so well-written and was so well done that I want to scream from the roof top about how everyone should read it. No matter what your perspective is.

Starr's story was one that we hear about a lot in the news, but it was so good to see it from the inside. A young man is shot, but all we hear about is that he has a rap sheet, or he's "a real bad dude". But, why does it matter what he did last week, last year, or even yesterday. In that instant he was an unarmed man who was gunned down in the back and the perpetrator who did it got away with it because he happened to have on a uniform.

Because I see that as an injustice does that mean that I don't think that cop lives matter as I see those bumper stickers cropping up on cars around my neighborhood? No, what it means is that I don't think that that a young black man's life is so insignificant that it doesn't rate more than a passing glance when he's laying dead on the street, shot down by people who are supposed to protect.

Look, I get that this is a fictional story, but for so many of us it is not. It is life. It is everyday when we kiss our husbands and our sons goodbye and we pray with everything in us that they don't get pulled over. It is everyday when I have look my loving, open, but naive brilliant son in the face and tell him that it doesn't matter that other kids were doing it. But because his skin color is different than everyone else, he's going to stand out more. And yeah, it sucks to have to have those conversations with your kid but it's better her learns it from me that have to be slapped across the face with it when he's caught aware.

As I sit here trying to type this review with tears streaming down my face, I still have hope. I have hope that books like these will start a dialogue. And one that can start at an earlier age than mine now. That young kids can make this problem better. That we can talk about social justice without the tone deaf response from either side. That we start trying to have empathy instead of stubbornness. I'm hoping one way we can get there.

The conversation that Starr had with her Dad, Maverick, about what Tupac's T.H.U.G.L.I.F.E. meant was a poignant one. It laid it out--what people mean when they talk about institutional racism. Why it's so frustrating to hear people disparage the inner cities. It's amazing to me that the man (with all of his faults, let's face it) that many of us listened to with zealous fervor growing up in the 90's is still so relevant today. Does that mean we've made that little progress in 30 years?

I'm going to end this now because I'm ranting, but this is one of those novels. One of those books that will stay with me for years. That will be on my lips to recommend when I'm trying to get a point across that I just can't do justice with my mere words.

I discussed letting my 13 year old son read this book with my husband, but I was hesitant because of the language and some sexual situations, but I think that the content is worth much more than those. I'm going to have him read this for summer reading and I hope it will open some dialogue between us too. I fear for him, I do. But I also want to light a fire in him so he wants to be on the front lines with me fighting for social justice. Each one of us has a part to play in making things better, and I want his to start now. Just like Starr.

This book was bittersweet for me.  It was the end of a series that really got me into reading erotica again.  When I found the Rough Riders Series I felt like a new world opened up for me.  The books were hot but they had a storyline and characters that I immediately fell in love with.  The McKays became a staple in my reading lists for the last seven or so years.  And I will miss them.  Miss them terribly.

It's one of the reasons I put off this novella for so long.  I read COWBOY TAKE ME AWAY finally after waiting quite some time, but I just couldn't bring myself to reading this final piece of the original McKays.

I couldn't put it off forever though and so I bit the bullet and read LONG TIME GONE and I wasn't disappointed in the least.  I thought the author stayed true to the characters and it just seems so interesting to the "parents" as young adults.

Kimi and Cal certainly didn't make things easy but I have a lot of respect for him in the fact that he let Kimi go spread her wings.  I loved that they were able to find their way back to each other.  I just wished that they were able to get more of a story once they got back together.  I had a smile on my face from what I did get of them and loved their story even though I was closing the book on the Rough Riders Series.

I listened to the audio at the beginning but wasn't a huge fan of the narrator so I ended up giving up about half way through and read the rest of the book.

Delivery Girl (A Minnesota Ice Novel) - Lily Kate 

This one was really cute.  Our hero and heroine found themselves in amusing situations time and again.  I really liked Andi and Ryan. But, what I couldn't figure out was why they needed to keep things so casual.  I was disappointed in the lack of communication, but overall I thought it was fun and enjoyable.

I was not happy with the agent character, Jocelyn. I didn't think she added anything but drama to the story but I guess that was the point.  Also, Lawrence's character was a bit weird.  

Otherwise, I loved all the other characters and loved the banter between Ryan and Andi.  I loved the epilogue especially with it being so far in the future.  That glimpse of the couple really warmed my heart.  Also, it may have just given the us a little hint into what book two of the series will be about.

I was surprised to like this book as much as I did.  I stumbled across it when searching for books, and I'm glad I decided to download it.  Lily Kate is a totally new author to me, and I really enjoyed what she did with this story.  I look forward to reading more of her work in the future.

Sin With Me (Bad Habit) - J.T. Geissinger 

This one was hard to read at times.  This author's books aren't just light and fluffy, there's real meat there and this book was no  exception. I pretty much knew at the end of book two what Brody and Grace's connection was going to be but I didn't get the full picture until much deeper into this book.  I knew it had to be a hard pill to swallow for Grace...and for Brody for that matter, but I'm glad they were able to work it out in the end.

I'm sad because it seems like the author was also wrapping up a lot of the story line with the other characters and the couples from the first two books, so I'm scared that this may be the last in the series.  But, I'd like to see what the true deal is with Ethan and Chris and the fact that they do "everything" together.

I'm really hoping that this isn't the last book in the series, because I've truly come to love Bad Habit.  I found the series while searching for something new on my KU subscription, but I've quickly come to really care about the characters.

I started listening to this one audiobook but once things got revealed I felt like the audio was too slow so I ended up reading the rest.  Gotta love whispersync!

Shacking Up - Helena Hunting 

SHACKING UP by Helena Hunting is everything that I've come to expect from this author. It was fun, sexy and very entertaining. Ruby and Bancroft were perfect for each other but let's just say that had a few troubles along the way.

Ruby Scott troubles go from bad to work because of a mystery man who spread his flu germs to her when he kissed the hell out of her at her best friend's engagement party. She never got the name of the man who knocked her off her feet with his kiss and she's glad of that now since she may very well kill him if she sees him again. Ruby is already behind on her rent, about to lose her apartment, and thanks for her flu bug, just bombed her audition when she barfs all over the director...I kid you not.

Her best friend Amie comes through for her though when she informs her of a possible pet sitting job that Amie is supposed to do for her future cousin-n-law but would be way more suited for Ruby. Funny thing is, when Ruby meets with Amie's future family, it's none other than the germ spreader!

Understanding his role in all of Ruby's problems, Bancroft feels obligated to help her out. So, he offers not only the pet sitting gig but also to let her move into his apartment while he's away on business. Now, if only he can keep his mind, not mention his hands off her...

SHACKING UP was totally adorable. It's exactly what romantic comedy should be. I love that Ruby and Bancroft kept finding themselves in ridiculous situations but that they couldn't seem to keep away from each other either.

I wasn't exactly fond of the way that Ruby handled herself when she thought that Bancroft wasn't the guy she thought he was. I felt like the extra drama could have been spared with a phone call, but I guess that would have mad things too easy.

They worked it out in the end, so it's all good. And I was able to close my kindle with a smile on my face. Bancroft had a few brothers and I was hoping that there was a hint that we could see more of them in the future, but I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

For readers that like a little silly and lot of sexy, SHACKING UP will be right up your alley!

*Advanced Reader's Copy provided by NetGalley and Publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Echo - A. Zavarelli 

This one was very convoluted and even when I kind of knew where things were going, I didn't get the whole picture.  I still don't know if I've got everything worked out, but we were left with a cliffy so I will definitely have to be following up with the next book.

I have to say that I thought there was so much going on with the BDSM, the family mystery, and the revenge plot.  But, somehow it all seemed to work.  

This book wasn't even mildly on my radar, but I picked up because I needed an E book, and I was pleasantly surprised at the way it drew me in.

This is a new author for me, but I will definitely continue on with the follow up book.  The audio of this was really good.  Narrator Tracy Marks, did a great job with all the various voices.