Tag: Romance

Romance

Making the cut – Anne Malcom

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25442666| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Gwen Alexandra does not need a man in her life. Especially not a man who looks like Chris Hemsworth and Joe Manganiello’s love child. One wearing leather, riding a Harley, and covered in tattoos.

Gwen can bet every pair of her Manolos that Cade Fletcher is trouble. From the moment she meets him, the attraction sizzles between them. Gwen has a problem when it comes to attractive men in motorcycle clubs. The last one she got involved with almost killed her.

After healing physically, Gwen decides to get a new start in a small town, half a country away from the man who nearly cost her her life. She isn’t in town five minutes when she runs into Cade, a man that is too sexy and dangerous for his own good.

She tries to keep away from him, to ignore the attraction between them. But the biker has other ideas, soon she is in way over her head. Her heart, and her life are in danger once again.

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My thoughts: I feel that this is gonna be an hard review to write and it will probably not make any sense but I will try my best and hope I can put words on my tougths and feelings.

I had really trouble reading the book. I did not like the way it was written. It was predictable and all the clichés you can think off, they are in the book. I did not really like the female characters either. I feel they were superficial and quite frankly a little stupid. I can’t connect with an character that think fashion is the highest reason to live and constantly thinking about how she or everyone around her looks. And it is described in detail trough out the book. I did not like the relationship between Gwen and Cade and felt that there was no depth and it all was just excessive.

So what did I like enough to give the book a two star rating. I dont know. Really! Even though I wanted to mark it as DNF (did not finish) at 40% in the book, I could not stop reading and I could not stop thinking on the book. I dont know what made me invested in the book but there is certainly something in there that makes it all worth it. I dont know if it is enough to make me read the second book in the series, but it was enough to make me finish it.

Have you ever read a book that you not really like and are on the edge to stop reading, but still there is something unexplained to make you read it anyway? Please tell me.

Monthly summary

October Summary

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October is over. November is here and my two most busiest months of the year is starting. Not only will I have a lot going on at work but private there is already a full list to be completed. And off course there is some books on that list. But first, lets talk about October.

Better reading month then what I had foreseen. Got 10 books in and one DNF book. Quite happy to finally be done with the third book of voyager and even if it was great, the favorite book of the month is The Redbreat by Jo Nesbø. Did not like the two first books but the third one, OH MY!
The least favorite book this month is, believe it or not, from Jessica Gadziala. The eight book in the Henchman Series, Pagan, is at the bottom this month.

Looking forward to November and the books I will be reading. Got some great books on the way that I have ordered and my Kindle is full of books just waiting to be read. It will be great.

Favorite book this month: The Redbreast – Jo Nesbø
Least favorite book this month: Pagan – Jessica Gadziala
Total read pages: About 4400 pages.

107769Murder List – Julie Garwood
Settings: Chicago, Illinois (USA). Pages: 425. Published: 2004.
Genres: Thriller, romance, suspense.
My rating: 4/5 stars.
Five words: Warm, great written, little slow.
Links: Review | Goodreads
Book 4 in Buchanan-Renard series.

14 Weeks – Jessica Gadziala33950707
Settings: Navesink Bank (fictional), New Jersey, (USA) Pages: 213.
Published: 2017.
Genres: Romance, contemporary, suspense.
My rating: 2/5.
Five words: Unexciting, ranting, no connection, okay.
Links: Review | Goodreads
Book 2 in Investigators.
24763130.jpgWolf Trouble – Page Tyler
Settings: Dallas, Texas, (USA). Pages: 352. Published: 2015.
Genres: Fantasy, paranormal, romance, shapeshifters.
My rating: 4/5.
Five words: Sexy, exciting, werewolf, “realistic”, more.
Links: Review | Goodreads
Book 2 in S.W.A.T. Special wolf alpha team.

The Good Daughter – Karin Slaughter33230889
Settings: Georgia, (USA) Pages: 528. Published: 2017.
Genre: Mystery, thriller, fiction, suspense.
My rating: 4/5
Five words: Dark, terrible, great written, wordy.
Links: Review | Goodreads
32331591.jpgRun to ground – Katie Ruggle
Settings: Colorado (USA). Pages: 416. Published: 2017.
Genres: Romance, contemporary, suspense.
My rating: 3/5
Five words: Sweet, somewhat repeatable, dogs, secrets.
Links: Review | Goodreads
Book 1 in Rocky Mountain K9 unit.

Pagan – Jessica Gadziala34537960
 Settings: Navesink Bank (fictional), New Jersey, (USA). Pages: 344.
Published: 2017.
Genres: Contemporary, Romance.
My rating: 2/5.
Five words: No connection, superficial, slow, over.
Links: Review | Goodreads
Book 8 in The Henchmen series.
682156Sacred Sins – Nora Roberts
Settings: Washington D C, USA. Pages: 344. Published: 1987. Genres: Contemporary, romance, suspense.
My rating: 4/5
Five words: Great characters, warm, feel good.
Links: Review | Goodreads
Book 1 in DC detective series.

The Redbreast – Jo Nesbø465226
Settings: Oslo, Norway. Pages: 519. Published: 2000. Genres: Mystery, crime, fiction, thriller
My rating: 5/5.
Five words: So good, exciting, great suspense.
Links: Review | Goodreads
Book 3 in Harry Hole series.
25711641Tyrant – T. M Frazier
Pages: 277. Published: 2015.
Genres: Romance, Adult erotica, fiction, suspense
My rating: 3/5
Five words: Mostly boring, Twists, Good end
Links: Review | Goodreads
Book 2 in King series.

Voyager – Diana Gabaldon10987
Settings: England, Scotland, France, and more. Pages: 870.
Published: 1993. Genres: Historical, Romance, Fiction, Fantasy.
My rating: 4/5
Five words: Little to long, but great.
Links: Review | Goodreads
Book 3 in Outlander series.

DNF

6049585Abandon – Blake Crouch
Pages: 292. Published: 2010.
Genres: Horror, thriller, mystery, fiction, suspense.
Links: Review | Goodreads

I could not even get myself longer than 20% in the book. This because the writing is so, so bad. It is seriously terrible.

Fantasy/Paranormal · Fiction/Science Fiction · Romance

Voyager – Diana Gabaldon

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10987| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: From the author of the breathtaking bestsellers Outlander and Dragonfly in Amber, the extraordinary saga continues.

Their passionate encounter happened long ago by whatever measurement Claire Randall took. Two decades before, she had traveled back in time and into the arms of a gallant eighteenth-century Scot named Jamie Fraser. Then she returned to her own century to bear his child, believing him dead in the tragic battle of Culloden. Yet his memory has never lessened its hold on her… and her body still cries out for him in her dreams.

Then Claire discovers that Jamie survived. Torn between returning to him and staying with their daughter in her own era, Claire must choose her destiny. And as time and space come full circle, she must find the courage to face the passion and pain awaiting her…the deadly intrigues raging in a divided Scotland… and the daring voyage into the dark unknown that can reunite or forever doom her timeless love.

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My thoughts: It took me a while before I started on the third book in the Outlander series by Gabaldon. That’s because the books are really mentally heavy with a lot of information and feelings and after both the first and second book I have felt emotional drained and need time to put myself together. I did start the third book in February 2017 but was not mentally ready yet and could not finished it. But now (October 2017) I´m trying again. The audio book is separated in three parts, probably because it is so large. I decided that I will be reviewing each part by them self. Mostly because i don’t know or probably will not Finnish this book in one go. There is a high chance of me take a break some times during the book. This review will not be public until I´m finished with the book. So I will try to name dates to make it a little easier.

Part One
27 September – 2 October. Started listening again, had to take a break to finish the hitchhiker’s guide to the galaxy, but did take it up again at 2 October. If you do not know it, there is a chance to be really confuses because the book starts 20 years in the “future” and you feel like you have missed a couple of books. But no this is correct. I have checked. And it will make a lot more sense later in the book. Even though I’m not sure that I like that way it was build. I would want it more in a chronological order. The part One is mostly about what have happen the latest 20 years and it makes my heart hurt. Off course the book is as always good written with the extreme detail work on both history and scenery. The part one ends a little on a cliffhanger so I will start the second part as soon as I get a chance. Life and work needs a place in my life to.

Part Two
10 – 11 October. Part two was a little more slow than first expected. Here we get to met a lot of the characters from the earlier books and that is just wonderful. To “see” them again and read about what they have been up to the last 20 years. I do feel that Claire in this part is a little to much of a diva. She overreact on somethings and I totally understand Jamie and I feel that a lot of what is happening, he do not deserve. Off course there is some traveling (A lot of traveling in this series) and there is some fights and the some love of course. You get to meet new characters who was not even born the earlier books and you get to meet characters that was born but still just an infant. It is wonderful. But the cliffhanger on the end. OH My! Jamie is soo “dead” or he will wish he was!

Part Three
27 – 31 October. Quite happy that I’m now finished with the book. This last part was kind of slow and not as exciting as the rest of the book. There is a lot of traveling and there is some things you just need to know and that was what kept me going.
Ends pretty great and if I use my imagination, I could stop here and not read/listening further in the series. I probably will in the future but now I need a break.

Overall a great book as usual. The first book in the series is still my favorite and this one is the least favorite so far. There is several books left in the series so that can change in the future. Still would recommend this book to anyone who needs something to read.

Contemporary · Fiction/Science Fiction · Mystery/Crime · Romance · Suspense

Sacred Sins – Nora Roberts

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682156| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: 
In the lazy days of summer, a merciless heat wave is the biggest story in Washington, D.C. But the weather is knocked off the front pages when a young woman is found strangled to death. A note left behind reads Her sins are forgiven her.

Two more victims soon follow, and suddenly every headline is devoted to the killer the press has dubbed “the Priest.” When the police ask top-notch psychiatrist Dr. Tess Court to help with their investigation, she comes up with a disturbing portrait of a twisted soul.

Detective Ben Paris doesn’t give a damn about the killer’s psyche. What he can’t easily dismiss is Tess. Tall, dark, and good-looking, Ben has a legendary reputation with women, but the coolly elegant Tess doesn’t react to him like other women he’s known — and he finds the challenge enticing.

Now, as the two are thrown together in a perilous quest to stop a serial killer, the flame of white-hot passion flares. But someone also has his eyes on the beautiful blond doctor … and Ben can only pray that if the madman strikes, he’ll be able to stop him before it’s too late….

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My thoughts: The book is from the late 80’s and actually is older than me. But you do not notice the time difference which is great. It makes the book like one of those timeless classics and a book you really notice is written by Nora Roberts when you read it.

Roberts have an huge talent for characters development and it is no difference in this book. Even though it did not happen that much for the majority of the book, it was the progress of the story that just made it all great. Unfortunately the end of the book took away one star in my rating. This because it was to predicable and really no suspense and excitement. It was boring and felt more like Roberts just wanted to be done with the book so the end got rushed.

Contemporary · Romance · Suspense

Mackenzie´s Mountain – Linda Howard

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662323| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: A small Wyoming town is about to learn a few lessons from a new schoolteacher with the courage to win the heart of a man who swore he had nothing to give….

Mary Elizabeth Potter is a self-appointed spinster with no illusions about love. But she is a good teacher and she wants Wolf Mackenzie’s son back in school. And after one heated confrontation with the boy’s father, she knows father and son have changed her life forever.

Still paying for a crime he didn’t commit, Wolf Mackenzie has a chip on his shoulder the size of Wyoming. But prim-and-proper Mary Elizabeth Potter doesn’t see Wolf as the dangerous half-breed the town has branded him. Somehow she sees him as a good, decent, honest man. A man who could love…

Wolf’s not sure he or the town of Ruth, Wyoming is ready for the taming of Wolf Mackenzie.

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My thoughts: I’m so disappointed. I did not have any high hopes for this book but I generally like Howards books even if it is almost as old as me. But here it just did not go all the way. The book it self is predictable and the characters not that great. Wolf and his son is like the same character with the same voice. And it frustrating me like hell that they keep talking about that they are Indian and half breed and the racism. I understand that, i do, but it is the same thing through out the book and nothing with it is an eye opener or that could help me as an reader and non Indian understand how it actually really is. It dose not explain anything. It is just words and excuses for them to not do anything about there situation. They feel sorry for them self and the excuses just poring out.

The book is also kind of boring and riddled with cliches that makes me cringe. No. This was not a great book and not a book I would recommend. I give it a 2 in rating just for the humor in the book and that the first 40 % of it actually was really good.

DNF · Romance · Suspense · War/Military

DNF – Renegade by Catherine Mann

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6587714| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: X|

Goodreads synopsis: Untamed and Undercover: Third in the Dark Ops series.

Tech Sergeant Mason “Smooth” Randolph lives to push boundaries. But he never anticipated how far outside the box he would land when an in- flight accident sends him parachuting into Nevada’s notorious Area 51- and into the handcuffs of sexy security cop Jill Walczak.

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My thoughts:
Nope, nix, nada, never! I did not finish this book. Reason? Well it is boring. There is really nothing that keeps me going. The characters is stereotypical with no depth. The whole serial killer story is just not as center of attention which it should be when four/five is dead. The whole “in the killers mind” is just childish and not wherry believable and I think most of it is because of poor writing skills.

Sorry Catherine but I just don’t think your books is anything for me. This was the third book. I was not that excited after the first two but when I´m not even able to finish this one, I just feel that i have tried my best and it is time to devote my reading time to something that i would enjoy.

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

The Wall Of Winnipeg And Me – Mariana Zapata

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29367958.jpg| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: Vanessa Mazur knows she’s doing the right thing. She shouldn’t feel bad for quitting. Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary.

But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she’s beyond shocked.

For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn’t find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He’s asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?

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My thoughts: I have had like three books by Mariana Zapata in my electronic library for ever and when I finally read this, I certainly do not regret it. I dont know why I hesitated so to read her books. This one for example has an 4,34 in average rating and over 30.000 people have rated it and there is over 3000 reviews on the book. It should say something. But after my experience I do not often like the stuff that “everybody else loves”. But I did love this one. Not 5 star loved it but still loved. And I shall explain why.

First of, the book is on like 700 pages, but that I hardly noticed because the story captured me from the beginning. I love the characters and the dynamic in the book. I love the fast, funny banter between them and how it all just evolves. I love the up and downs and I specially love the female character Vanessa. That is a girl with skin on here nose and when you think on here childhood and the person she has evolved till, you cant stop loving her even more. Aiden however is so silent and closed for the major part of the book that its hard to get to know him, but also he is a great characters and you will see that as soon you get to know him.

The reason the book not got a full pot is because it was kind of slow. Not boring slow really, but still slow. Some things could have happen a lot sooner and some stuff should have been said earlier. Due to this it made me not get that 100% connection with the book that I need to have to be able to give a five star review. But the book is pretty damn close and I certainly will be reading more from her.

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

Bender – Stacy Borel

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21971980| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: All Keegan wanted was a roommate who was quiet, minded their own business, and paid for part of the rent. Instead, she got Camden Brooks.

Camden, with his sinful body, sharp tongue, and the inability to stay out of Keegan’s personal space, couldn’t seem to curb his interest in the new girl who wouldn’t put up with his domineering ways.

Feelings were running rampant, sexual tension was thick, and both were struggling to let go of control.

To some people, getting a roommate simply meant living with another person. But to both Camden and Keegan it was a curve ball that neither was prepared to swing at.

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My thoughts: My good! I will not waste much more time on this one because i really hate it. Hate it!. Wow I do not say that often about books and I realize now that I should just have ended it and marked it as DNF (did not finish), but you fellow readers probably understands me when I say that I hoped that it would get better. I really did and so wrong I had. I need to start listening on my gut feeling. I saw early in the book that this would turn out to be nothing for me.

The writing is bad, the story is bad, the characters is bad. I wanted just to jump in the book, get in Keegans face and scream “GROW UP“. My god! I felt like I was back in high school there some moments and in the end all I wanted to do was:

440264.gif

Which pretty much says it all. So no more from me about this piece of crap. Over and out.

Romance · Suspense

Exposed – Suzanne Ferrell

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26164240.jpg| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: U.S. Marshal Frank Castello is on medical leave and feeling restless. While at his friends’ wedding he finds himself attracted to Sydney Peele. Problem was, the cute, sassy blonde is the photographer for the weeding. Frank hates photographers. They’re a hazard to his profession, especially when he’s on witness protection duty.

Sydney Peele enjoys teasing the grumpy Marshal at her friend’s wedding, even when the big, sexy man begrudgingly offers to take her home afterwards. Her pleasure is short lived when her home and life is literally going up in flames. Her brother had been staying at her home and there is no sign of him anywhere.

When Sydney goes into a state of frozen shock, finely honed instinct has Castello rushing her from the scene to safety at his home. A visit to the fire scene the next day confirms his suspicions when the firemen on the sight show them not only was it an arson case, but someone had guaranteed her home would be destroyed by adding in a bomb.

As Frank and Sydney search for answers about who might’ve started the blaze, questions arise about her brother, also a photographer. Was he responsible for the fire? Or has he exposed his sister to something far more sinister?

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My thoughts: This is the fifth book in the series about the Edgars family and this last book is about Frank Castello. You meet Frank in the second book about Katie who is in the witness protection program. Frank is her handler and after that book he becomes one in the family but still is a little on the outside. So it was really nice to finally be able to read the book about him.

Frank is an grumpy man of few words. He loves his job and do it well, but he is kind of lonely (in my opinion). On a wedding in the family he meets Sydney. She is the wedding photographer and Frank heats photographers. When Sydneys home goes up in flames and her brother is missing, Frank can´t let his personal opinion to stand in the way to help a fellow human being. And then there is just full speed trough out the book.

And it is really good. I love Sydney who is a great character and she brings out more of Frank and the book is really funny sometimes. The book would have been a clear five star if it was not for the loose ends and questions I had in the end. No cliffhangers but it was just some small thinks that made the story unfinished. According to Ferrells answers on Goodreads, she will write more about the Edgars family in the future, but it may be some changes to series and what nots. So i´m really excited about that.

Mystery/Crime · Romance · Suspense · Thriller/Horror

The Dollmaker – Mary Burton

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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.