Category: Contemporary

Contemporary · Romance · Sports/Games · Young, New adult/College

The score – Elle Kennedy

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27252717| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: He knows how to score, on and off the ice

Allie Hayes is in crisis mode. With graduation looming, she still doesn’t have the first clue about what she’s going to do after college. To make matters worse, she’s nursing a broken heart thanks to the end of her longtime relationship. Wild rebound sex is definitely not the solution to her problems, but gorgeous hockey star Dean Di Laurentis is impossible to resist. Just once, though, because even if her future is uncertain, it sure as heck won’t include the king of one-night stands.

It’ll take more than flashy moves to win her over

Dean always gets what he wants. Girls, grades, girls, recognition, girls…he’s a ladies man, all right, and he’s yet to meet a woman who’s immune to his charms. Until Allie. For one night, the feisty blonde rocked his entire world—and now she wants to be friends? Nope. It’s not over until he says it’s over. Dean is in full-on pursuit, but when life-rocking changes strike, he starts to wonder if maybe it’s time to stop focusing on scoring…and shoot for love.

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My thoughts: I’m freaking love this series. Every book is about a hockey player in a collage team. They are cocky, funny, insanely hot and really great guys with a moral compass pointing in the right direction. I loved the first book (yes you should read them in order) and I almost loved the second book as much. But this third one. O my gosh. I think it is my favorite so far and I’m in love with both Dean and Allie.

Dean is that cocky son of a bitch, who circling around the main characters from the first couple of books. You do get to know him some and you really do not know if you are to love or hate him. He is a strong character with an open mind and easy going, natural, rich boy way of living. Not in an obnoxious way though which make me love him even more. Allie is this great, strong, funny character who is down to earth. I love how their relationship starts of as a “accident” and how grownup they are about everything. How the relationship and the feelings grow in a good, slow, realistic way and it made me not be able to stop reading. I love the bumps in the road and how it all worked out. I love the underlining meaning with the book. I love every freaking thing about it. I’m not kidding.

There is not often I feel this way about a book. In a way where I seriously can’t stop raving about it. So i’m gonna stop here. Now! Just want to say that this is a great book, and a even greater series by a talented author and if you never read this or anything by Kennedy before, I highly, with my whole heart recommend it.

Oh, and it ended in a way that I just have to read the forth book. Not cliffhanger per say, but I seriously need to know.  To bad I’m on a “buy books” ban. I need to read down my TBR before I buy anymore books. According to my calculations, this will not be able until after new years. Yeah, that is how many books I own and need to read. Will I be able to wait?

Contemporary · Mystery/Crime · Suspense · Thriller/Horror

Force of nature – Jane Harper

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34275222| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Five women go on a hike. Only four return. Jane Harper, the New York Times bestselling author of The Dry, asks: How well do you really know the people you work with?

When five colleagues are forced to go on a corporate retreat in the wilderness, they reluctantly pick up their backpacks and start walking down the muddy path.

But one of the women doesn’t come out of the woods. And each of her companions tells a slightly different story about what happened.

Federal Police Agent Aaron Falk has a keen interest in the whereabouts of the missing hiker. In an investigation that takes him deep into isolated forest, Falk discovers secrets lurking in the mountains, and a tangled web of personal and professional friendship, suspicion, and betrayal among the hikers. But did that lead to murder?

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My thoughts: I was under the impression that this wasn’t supposed to be a series. That the first book (The Dry) was going to be the only one. I don’t know why I thought that since everything nowadays is either a trilogy going on five books, a long series or god first book with a number two flopper. I should have been smart enough to foresee that it would be written a second book. Still I was quite happy when I found out that a new one about Aaron Falk was to be released. I do however feel a little let down. I do not find this one as strong as the first and maybe I’m too critical but I don’t feel it quite meet the expectations I had for it. It is not a flopper, just let me state that, but it is not a success either.

It was pretty good. I did like it but I did not love it. Nothing terrible but it was nothing groundbreaking either. A quick but not a deep read and I’m quite satisfied after all. Had trouble with connecting and Falk felt a little slow, grey and boring this time around. There was no real suspense but a good description of a reality so true in this day and age.

However Harper is a great author of the contemporary crime genre with her way of natural, soft flowing and easy rhythmic way of writing. I did enjoy it, but I don’t feel a wow factor in it. I would probably read the next one to if there will be one, but that time I will try not to have high hopes for it. Even though I know that Harper has the ability to write something really good, based on the first book, I have certainly learned I can’t expect the same each time.

Adult fiction/Erotica · Chick Lit · Contemporary · Romance

The hating game – Sally Thorne

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25883848| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Nemesis (n.)
1) An opponent or rival whom a person cannot best or overcome;
2) A person’s undoing;
3) Joshua Templeman.

Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeman hate each other. Not dislike. Not begrudgingly tolerate. Hate. And they have no problem displaying their feelings through a series of ritualistic passive aggressive maneuvers as they sit across from each other, executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company. Lucy can’t understand Joshua’s joyless, uptight, meticulous approach to his job. Joshua is clearly baffled by Lucy’s overly bright clothes, quirkiness, and Pollyanna attitude.

Now up for the same promotion, their battle of wills has come to a head and Lucy refuses to back down when their latest game could cost her her dream job…But the tension between Lucy and Joshua has also reached its boiling point, and Lucy is discovering that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua. And maybe, he doesn’t hate her either. Or maybe this is just another game.

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My thoughts: So I finally read this one. I threw myself on the hating game wagon to see what all the fuss is about. I do not often like hyped up books as much as everyone else. I’m always that pessimistic person who do not find them as perfect and wonderful as the hype states. I hate it and often avoid books just for that reason. I think the hype itself destroys it for me. And I have to be honest and say that I was very skeptical to this book and it took me some time to get into it and feel relaxed while reading. I had expected something else. Something quite angst filled and repetitive. Some juvenile actions and over the top romanticism. Well this was nothing like that and now I’m a little mad at myself for the reason that I have had this book on my kindle for like a year and kept swiping past it. Because this is goddamn one of the best books I have read this year. Yes it is that good.

Lucy and Joshua is rivals and yes the book do start out with the rival in focus, but I was pleasantly surprised about how grownup this book was. There is no big drama or angst filled actions or misunderstandings. There are two strong people who talks instead of assume and do not drive over, push or leave without giving each other a chance to explain or make right. It feels very true to my experience of real life and it made me fall in love with the characters, side characters, the plot and the book itself so hard that it hurts.

It is an easy, sweet, funny and adorable story about an office romance between two enemies who fall in love. It filled me with such happiness, joy and glowing feelings that I hardly can keep it contained. I love Lucys history and how positive she is trying to stay throughout it all and I love Joshuas history and how he really tries and how the fit together. They are like two puzzle pieces who have not realized that they fit and make the whole puzzle picture complete.

It is so cleverly written with a plot and characters who snares you in, lock you up and the outside world is forgotten. I would love to read this again. Like right now. That is how good it was.

Contemporary · Romance · Suspense · War/Military

Midnight Revenge – Elle Kennedy

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25476363| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Out of all the stone-cold mercenaries in Jim Morgan’s black ops organization, Derek “D” Pratt is the most intimidating. He is tight-lipped and covered in tattoos, and even the other guys on his team are afraid to ask him about his past. D’s been off the grid for years, but after his teammate Sullivan is mistakenly captured in his place, D is forced to come out of hiding and face his demons.

When D lands in Mexico, he’s ready to risk everything to save his friend. To complicate matters, Sofia Amaro, a feisty doctor whom D had a one-night stand with months ago, has tracked him down. And in an instant she’s unintentionally caught up in his life-threatening rescue mission.

Now D must extract not one but two people from the most violent world he’s ever encountered. And one of them is carrying his child..

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My thoughts: This is a damn good book. Pretty sure my heart stopped at least two times while reading this. Fast paced and action packed and I loved it. Not my favorite in the series however but a pretty close second, I must say. This series and Elle Kennedy is really starting to be one of my all time favorites. Her writing is so good and easy that just reading her words makes me feel god. Then we look a little deeper and reading her story and just like that I’m lost, in love and forgotten the world around me.

This book is about Derek “D” Pratt. An character who have been around for most of the series. He is a hard son of a bitch with a past darker than anyone can imagine. I didn’t like him at all the earlier books, but I do now understand why. It took me a while to really connect with him, but then I had Sofia. She is a wonderful character with just the right amount of umpf, stubbornness, quirkiness and she has a really smart head on her shoulders. There is no way you do not like her. I really liked that there was no love at first sight, no lost love or heartache in the beginning of the book between those two. I liked that they “knew” each other beforehand but the lack of sappy, fluffy love made it more believable and the suspense unbearable.

Then it is always nice to meet the characters from the earlier books. Book number 6 ended on a small cliffhanger and this one gives you all the answers you need about what happened. It’s not completely over and done with but I would not say that there are a cliffhanger so you can rest easily.

Kennedy do like to create tension in her plots and between her characters and I think it is the way she does it that makes it so good. She is always balancing on the edge and if you have not read this series, I do have to say “what, you have not read it? You just have to read it!!” 😉

Chick Lit · Contemporary · Humor/Funny · Mystery/Crime · Romance

Hot six – Janet Evanovich

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6858.jpg| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Low-rent bounty hunter Stephanie Plum reaches depths of personal experience that other women detectives never quite do. In Hot Six, for example, a sequence of new and hideous cars bite the dust; she finds herself lumbered with a policeman’s multiply incontinent dog; and she has several bad skin days. All this when she is trying to prove her distinctly more competent colleague and occasional boyfriend Ranger innocent of a mob hit; avoid the heavies trailing her in the hope of finding him; and cope with a wife-abusing bail defaulter with nasty habits, such as setting Stephanie on fire.

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My thoughts: This is, by far, the best one in the series (so far). Book number 6 totally knocked me out of the park. It is funny, quirky and the characters and plot is just over the top great. I love how easy it is but still really exciting and hilarious. How bad luck Stephanie keeps having but this time it isn’t on the border to be too much. An we get to meet a new character. Bob! I love Bob and hopes to see more of him in the future books.

Homicidal maniacs, dog poo, Ranger, Morelli, a dead guy in a lawn chair, eccentric grandma Mazur, the nemesis from hell, good friends, bad luck, mobsters and a Star Trek party. That is just some of the many fantastic highlights from this laugh out loud story where we are following Stephanie Plum and many great secondary characters like Lula, Vinnie, Eddie, Connie and many more.

The writing is great. I always forget how good the writing really is. It is easy, fast and makes you not realize how long you have been reading. You are totally eaten by the book so hear my advice and make sure you have someone to remember you about the important stuff. Like eating. Sleep you can do when you are dead.

Stephanie is an character that is easy to connect with. Her bad luck is recognizable and true and you cant do anything other than just love her. She is a bad luck charm walking and everyone around her needs to be careful. In the earlier books, all that bad luck got a little to much sometimes but in this book it is just the right amount. She is strong and funny and o I would love to see this series as an tv-show. (The movie was awful).

Contemporary · Romance · Suspense

Sinful intent – Chelle Bliss

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25151764.jpg| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Someone was after her and it was my duty to stop them.

Never cross the line. That had always been my rule. But that was before Race True.

The moment I saw her, I wanted her. But there was a problem. She wasn’t just another pretty face—no, she was my first client at ALFA PI. My take-what-I-want attitude shouldn’t include her, but how the hell can I be expected to keep my hands off?

The danger that followed her had my protective instincts in overdrive. And as the clock ticked down, the choice was laid out before me: save her career or risk everything and have her in my bed. Could I put aside my wants for her needs? Or would my selfishness destroy everything in the process?

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My thoughts: Meh! Not worth the time or money. It’s right now free on Amazon if you wish to give it a chance, but I would not recommend it and i’m glad that I didn’t spend any money on this peace of *not my kind of book*.

I can’t understand how this book has such high rating on Goodreads. I was after something easy, sexy and funny with characters to connect with. This however was not anything like that. The plot is thin at best, the hero is an asshole, the heroin is a bitch and nothing was easy, sexy and funny. There was nothing to like when it came to the characters and quite frankly they do deserve each other. There is a different between being tough girl with an attitude and a bitch. This just went in the wrong directions and nothing helped me like the characters when they are that stupid. And that the hero kept telling how much he *disliked* his sweet and caring mother just pissed me off. The story is long and filled with one cliché after another. The start was boring, the middle was just about sex and the ending I kept asking myself “is it over yet?” There was some attempts on suspense and romance but it just felled flat.

I could barely finish and if it was not for the reason that I didn’t have the energy to try to choose a new book, I would probably have DNF it. I applaud you who found this one a four-five star book. I do not know what you see in it, but apparently I missed something. My loss I guess.

Contemporary · Humor/Funny · Romance

Fire & Brimstone – R. L Mathewson

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26158415.jpg| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: What happens when a Bradford with questionable OCD, a tempter and a reputation for making his employees cry falls for the woman that refuses to accept the fact that he’s fired her and was terrifyingly more of a Bradford than he was?

Well, we can’t share that here, because it would be seriously inappropriate, but we’re sure that you can see where this is leading…

To the altar or a stint in the slammer, either one is possible when it comes to the Neighbor from Hell Series.

Author’s Note: This book along with the rest of the series is intended to make you smile, let you relax and forget the drama and stress that plagues our lives even if its just for a little while. This is a drama free book. My goal is to put a smile on your face and I hope this book does that.

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My thoughts: This is the 8th book in the neighbor from hell series and I have loved pretty much every single one of them I have read. Except this one. It really did not reach the target this time and that is too bad and even makes me a little sad. Since my accident I’m in a lot of pain and don’t sleep well. When I’m not dumping my brain into a random tv show or game on my phone, I try to read. And I really needed some kind of pick me up read that would make me happy and maybe make me feel a little better. I thought that this was the one who would not disappointed me. Unfortunately I was wrong.

The first 30% of the book is pretty funny and good. I am not denying that. There is some good characters and you got to love their reactions and counteractions to each other. Unfortunately it just got to be too much. They kept ranting and same thing happened over and over again. I didn’t fall for the heroin in the same way as I’m usually do and find her kind of annoying a lot of the times. Christopher aka Lucifer certainly has more depth than what meets the eye but that is not really showed in the story either. And there is really no plot either. It’s to loosy floosy with any real goal.

The whole book feel like something pushed out of thin air with nothing but an idea, without love or excitement for the writing of the book itself. It was weirdly written where it was not that easy at all times to know who talks/thinks and suddenly the point of view shifted to other characters from the earlier books. This has never happened before and was total surprise and I actually thought for a while that my eBook was defaulted. It just didn’t make sense at first to be there with Lucifer and Becca and then suddenly you where there with Trevor and Zoe for a whole chapter. Talk about confusing.

I’m still gonna continue the series. Just see this book as an bump in the road and that Mathewson is just human and not even she is flawless. 🙂

Contemporary · Mystery/Crime · Romance · Suspense

The Collector – Nora Roberts

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18668066| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: When professional house-sitter Lila Emerson witnesses a murder/suicide from her current apartment-sitting job, life as she knows it takes a dramatic turn. Suddenly, the woman with no permanent ties finds herself almost wishing for one. . . .

Artist Ashton Archer knows his brother isn’t capable of violence—against himself or others. He recruits Lila, the only eyewitness, to help him uncover what happened. Ash longs to paint her as intensely as he hungers to touch her. But their investigation draws them into a rarified circle where priceless antiques are bought, sold, gambled away, and stolen, where what you possess is who you are, and where what you desire becomes a deadly obsession. . . .

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My thoughts: What a utter disappointment this book was. It is sad that I had that “total waste of time” feeling after finishing it. What the heck happened? I should have DNF it and if it wasn’t for the fact that I had to spend 10 (!) hours at the emergency room, I would probably have done it to.

It is the same predictable, old, boring plot as usual, with to much details and information. It was impossible to connect with the characters and it is a long, rambling story with a lot less excitement than there should be. The characters are grey and bland with really no personality, difference or depth. There is no tension in the mystery. Nothing that makes my heart beat extra hard, the adrenaline pump through my system or giving me the feeling of “I need to know more”.

There is predictable and there is predictable. Just need to be clear about that. Because if the story and plot itself is well written and exciting it doesn’t matter to me that the story is predictable. It is the ride there who matters, not the destination. But if the story is boring, unconnectable or in some other ways just not catching me, the easy predictability will just make it worse.

I’m surprised to see that the book have such high score with so many bad reviews on Goodreads. I’m happy that i’m not the only one feeling this way but still sad because it’s Nora Roberts. I’m suppose to like her books. I’m not suppose to force myself thru it an later on describe it as one of 2018 most painfully reads.

Contemporary · Romance · Young, New adult/College

Simon vs. The homo sapiens agenda – Becky Albertalli

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19547856.jpg| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.

With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.

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My thoughts: I have been avoiding these cutesy, young adult romances as the vampire avoids sunlight. Not only because they often are to fluffy and angst filled for my taste. But also because they feel to unrealistic and predictable. It is like these teenage movies where you have 75 minutes of “funny” cringe worthy scenes and you still KNOW that the prins and princess will get each other in the end. I can see the charm, I do, and I do watch them sometimes when I don’t have the energy to use my head. At times I only want to be filled with something shallow, where I can remember or forget. Depending on the mood. And I do wish I could enjoy them, as much as so many others do. I feel I miss out a lot but the most of these YA I have tried, I have not enjoyed no matter how much I have tried.

But I did enjoy Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens agenda. It is not specially fun, it has its moments, and it brings up the storm of emotions in a young boys life who knows he is gay, but has yet told anyone. Except Blue. The mysterious, email friend Simon has but don’t know who it is. Blue is also gay and they talk a lot about how it is to still “be in the closet” and the big “coming out” thing. I loved that I could not predict who Blue was until he was revealed and it was a total surprise.

What I liked the most with the book was the day to day life. Simon is a great character. He is deeply developed, funny and sarcastic. He is grounded in the story and who is easy to relate to. I had some trouble the first 50+ pages since there is a lot of characters and it was hard to keep track of who talked when or did what. But as soon as I got used to the way it was written it was much easier and the book was a fast past read.

It is a great book but still a little to light and fluffy for my taste. But then again, YA Romance is not my favorite genre. I did like it and feel that this is a great book for all ages. Now in 2018 the movie on the book, Love Simon, have had a release and of course I want to see it. Haha. I love movies made on books. Usually not as great, “The Book was better”, you know, but still want to see them.

Contemporary · Fantasy/Paranormal · Romance

Dance upon the Air – Nora Roberts

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59829.jpg| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: When Nell Channing arrives on charming Three Sisters Island, she believes that she’s finally found refuge from her abusive husband—and from the terrifying life she fled so desperately eight months ago… But even in this quiet, peaceful place, Nell never feels entirely at ease. Careful to conceal her true identity, she takes a job as a cook at the local bookstore café—and begins to explore her feelings for the island sheriff, Zack Todd. But there is a part of herself she can never reveal to him—for she must continue to guard her secrets if she wants to keep the past at bay. One careless word, one misplaced confidence, and the new life she’s created so carefully could shatter completely. Just as Nell starts to wonder if she’ll ever be able to break free of her fear, she realizes that the island suffers under a terrible curse—one that can only be broken by the descendants of the Three Sisters, the witches who settled the island back in 1692. And now, with the help of two other strong, gifted women—and with the nightmares of the past haunting her every step—she must find the power to save her home, her love…and herself…

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My thoughts: This was the first time I read something more supernatural, written by Nora Roberts and since I do like her other books, I didn’t expect anything less. Well I shouldn’t have expected anything at all. Because this was certainly not my type of book and a complete waste of time. So why didn’t I DNF it you wondering? Well I’m a sucker for the whole “woman on the run from bad guy, find a new home, new friends, new life, new love but her past comes back and hunts her.” plot. Some old school romantic suspense. Never fails me. So I thought.

I think it is the paranormal aspect with the book that bugs me the most. It feels so unrealistic and worn-out. No real excitement or suspense. Oh and the characters. I have never seen Roberts as any less than an author who stands for strong and independent females and good, great guys. But Zack in this book, is not a great guy. He pushes and pushes even though Nell has told him that she cant get involved with anybody not even him. Then he pushes some more, they gets involved and than HE gets mad because she has not told the truth about her history. Well F*** you! She was as honest she could be from the start and Zack didn’t listen. He kept pushing. He kept taking over. Not letting her find her footing and kept stearing her the way he wanted her to go. That is not her fault. And he didn’t make her situation easier.

Oh man. Do you see my problem here? It was terrible and I’m honestly disappointed on Roberts. This is not an series I will continue to read. And from now on I will probably stay with the other type of genres by Roberts and stay away from the paranormals. I do not feel that, that is her strong suit.

And the last thing I wish so complain about is the writing. It is written in a point of view way, for every character and the chapters are to crowded. It was hard to keep track on who is talking when. Overall the book is in such a bad quality that if I didn’t already know, I wouldn’t have though this was a Roberts book. That is how different it all is.