The Dollmaker – Mary Burton

September 11, 2017September 11, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

30168629 | GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: Dr. Tessa McGowan had never seen anything quite like it. But the mutilated bodies on her exam table tell a stunningly macabre tale: someone with a twisted mind is kidnapping women and altering their faces to resemble real, life-size dolls. As a forensic pathologist, it’s her job to aid the agent leading the case—even if that agent is her estranged husband.

Twelve years ago an unspeakable tragedy destroyed Dakota Sharp’s world. Haunted by the ghosts of his past, he’s devoted himself to capturing killers. His only regret is that it cost him Tessa. Now, as the Dollmaker case brings them together—and raises his suspicions that he’s crossed paths with this deranged psychopath before—they may just have their second chance. But it seems Dakota’s not the only one who wants to make Tessa his own…

She may be the Dollmaker’s next target, but Tessa has no intention of winding up as another toy on his shelf. Can she and Dakota stop this ghastly killer before his next deadly playdate?

My thoughts: If I remember correctly I did like (not love) the first book in the forgotten files series. But this one, who have a more exciting story, do not even get as far up as to like it. It is an average book. It did not bore me to death, but it also did not do that much for me. It´s kind of blaha for me. And that´s to bad. A book with that high rating and reviews should fall in my taste more than this one did.

The books story about the Dollmaker is actually kind of good. It is gross and makes you cringe. That however is the only ting. The killers story in the book makes no sense and how it all hangs together feels a little far fetched. There is no suspense in the hunt for the killer, Dakota feels real and human but Tessa does nothing for me. She is kind of gray and mellow. Not very exciting. And to bad that the book is to predictable. It could have been so much better.

Contemporary · Humor/Funny · Romance

Double Dare – R.L Mathewson

August 17, 2017August 17, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: Marybeth still couldn’t believe that she’d survived this long with a friend like Darrin, but somehow she’d managed to beat the odds and not give in to temptation and smother him with a pillow while he slept.

Of course some days were more difficult than others…

For twenty years he’s been biding his time, waiting for the right moment to make his move and now that it was here…
He couldn’t seem to stop screwing up.

My thoughts:I Love the neighbor from hell series. I stumbled over the first book as an freebie at Amazon last year when I just had bought my kindle. Didn’t know what to expect but I laughed, cried and loved the first book and off course had to read more. This is the sixth book in the series and the journey have been great. It’s sad to think that is soon over. If I’m remember correctly there only gonna be 10 books.

This book however was not my favorite but it still was really good. Hadn’t it been for the great emotional story line, I would probably not have liked it that much. Because it was a little to much drama and deceiving. Darrin is an great character. A little to chicken for his own good. That’s the same for Marybeth to actually.

Then we have the family Bradford. Haha. You can’t do anything other than laugh. They are just so fantastic and if I ever would meet a family like that I would be terrified since I know how to cook, cook pretty well and actually likes to cook.

Mathewson says that you can read the books in the series as a stand alone, except for this one. Because Darren and Marybeth are also in the fifth book (not with a big part) and the main characters from the fifth book have a big part in the this one (makes sense?), so for your own peace of mind I do recommend that you start with the fifth book if you not want to read the others. Me however has big problem with not reading series in orders even if they are stand alone or not. But that’s just me.

One more thing, don´t let the books cover fool you. Every book in the series has something like that. I think the cover is kind of cheesy and not that appealing, but the books are so great. To bad how a cover can be destroying.

Adult fiction/Erotica · Contemporary · Romance · Sports/Games

Defying The Odds – Kele Moon

August 16, 2017August 17, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: A MMA Romance

When struggling waitress Melody Dylan gives a handsome, lonely stranger a simple gift she has no clue her life is about to take a drastic turn.

The stranger ends up being Clay Powers, a famous UFC heavyweight fighter. Clay’s large build and dangerous fists have always intimidated. People in his hometown keep their distance and Clay is fine with that. Everything changes when a new waitress at the local diner buys him a piece of pie on Thanksgiving. Touched by the gesture when it’s obvious she can barely afford to survive, her warm smile and lush body churn up powerful feelings that leave Clay wanting more from her than pie.

Melody is running from her past and the small, country town of Garnet is the perfect hiding place. With an ex-husband after her and scars from her abusive marriage etched deep, the last thing she expects is to fall for a man who makes a living with his fists, but she can’t resist Clay or the tender connection they share.

Finding love in the most unlikely of places, the passion is undeniable, but Clay and Melody know their haunted pasts and unpredictable futures leave the odds stacked against them.

My thoughts: Oh such an sweet story. You just got to love Clay and Melody. The first thing I loved was how fast the book started. There was no introduction, no page fillers or history prolog. It just started right where you want it to and it was great. It´s also great that it takes a little time before it really is starting to happen stuff between Clay and Melody. Yeah it is an adult fiction, erotica kind of book but for me as an reader i also need a story with an connection and some realism. And i do get that in this book.

And the characters around is just great and you cant do anything other than love them. What i did not like however is how short it was. According to Goodreads it is like 181 pages and that i read on one day.

Defying the odds is the first book in battered hearts serie.

Contemporary · Romance

Mark – Jessica Gadziala

August 16, 2017August 17, 2017 Book Chick2 Comments

| GOODREADS | AMAZON | My rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: Mark- Love and commitment might be great. You know, for my brothers. Not for me. But then, in a chance meeting, I came across her. Why was she different? I couldn’t say for sure. Maybe it was the fact that she was the most gorgeous woman I had ever seen. Maybe it was the the sharp edges she wore like a shield that made me want to see what was beneath. Or maybe it had something to do with whatever secret she was trying so desperately to hide.

Scotti- Love and commitment weren’t even in the realm of possibilities for me. My life had one purpose, one mission, and I couldn’t afford to let anyone get in the way. But then there was Mark Mallick – ladies man, loanshark enforcer, and very determined to know my secrets.

That was problematic any day, but especially so with him. Why? Maybe because the things he would offer me, the things he would show me were possibilities for me, could make me reevaluate the mission that had completely consumed the last ten years of my life.

But could I have those things? Could I escape the life I had been trapped in for so long? With Mark Mallick by my side, I was thinking maybe it was possible…

My thoughts: This is the third book in Gadzialas series about the Mallick Brothers and oh my! I love Gadziala. I love that every book that takes place in Navesink bank do have small connections to each other but you can still read every series for them self. I do recommend that you start with the first book in every series. So for this one it is the book Shane who you should start with. There will be one more book, one brother left and I can hardly wait. But now, lets talk Mark.

Mark was one of the characters I knew the least about before I started reading. And now after I have read his book, I feel like he is like his brothers. A good man, even tho he is an criminal. He values family, single life, women and to make stuff with his hands. There is really nothing that makes Mark more special from his brothers. They are pretty alike. But it is Scotti I totally fell in love with. She is all soft and hard balled up in one. She lives with here four! brothers *who I also cant wait to read more about* and trying to live of the grid as much as they can while they go about there revenge. And then she meets Mark and there is some serious sparklers going on.

Even though the book is about Mark and Scotti, Eli got a pretty big part in this book. I hadn’t expecting it and I was chocked, but understand now that it was needed to be read before his own book comes out (in September 2017). So here I recommend strongly that you read Mark before you read Eli.

Romance · Suspense · War/Military

Blind Fury – Gwen Hernandez

August 15, 2017August 17, 2017 Book Chick1 Comment

| GOODREADS | AMAZON | My rating: ♥ ♥ ♥ |

Goodread synopsis: When always-play-it-safe Jenna Ryan starts questioning how her brother died in Afghanistan, someone decides she must be stopped. Permanently. Her brother’s best friend—a sexy thrill-seeker she can’t stop thinking about—won’t reveal what he knows about the fatal shoot-out, putting Jenna at odds with the only man she trusts to keep her alive.

Former special forces operator Mick Fury would give his life to keep his best friend’s irresistible sister safe. He took an oath to stay silent about their last mission, but Mick’s will is tested by the white-hot attraction to Jenna he’s tried to ignore for years. Now he must risk everything—even falling in love—to protect her from the truth that could destroy them both.

My thoughts: First book in a new series for me and I was actually pretty exciting to start it. I love this kind of romance books with an “soft” alpha male, military and suspense stories. It´s an emotional book with a really good start but then it get kind ow slow and in the end when it started to get really thrilling, I was just done. Done with the slow paste between Jenna and Mick, done with the yes/no situations that are all the way through the book.

Mostly it is not a big deal for me, but Jenna was totally destroying it for me. I understand that the history between her and Mick was not that easy but come on. I just wanted to hope in the book and shout to Jenna “grow some freaking spine”. I was totally on Micks side. I understood his reasons and that it was not easy for him. She knew that. He told her, and still she had to act like a immature teenager.

But other than that I did like the story. I liked that the “mystery” was totally believable and the end made me considerably more open to read the next book in the series.