Serve and protect – Lori Ryan

April 13, 2018April 13, 2018 Book Chick1 Comment

27860847 | GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: Ashley Walker was one of the lucky ones. Adopted when she was fourteen years old by a family willing to love her as their own, they stuck beside her through all the hell she put them through.

A kind of hell that would haunt her forever. But now she’s put her past behind her—or so she thought. Garret Hensley never imagined he’d be chasing the killer of the woman who’d set him on the path of law enforcement.

She’d given him reason to believe in himself, to believe he could make a difference. And he suspected her giving heart was the reason her life had been cut so short. When the evidence leads him to Ashley Walker, he knows he has to ignore the feelings she stirs in him, because getting her to reveal the truth of her past is the key to finding a killer.

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My thoughts: I feel like Ryan’s style of writing is very up and down. There is really no stability you can trust and lean on. Which is too bad because the plots are usually great and exciting. The first book in this standalone series I gave two stars. I don’t have a public review and on top of my mind I can’t remember exactly what my problem with it was. But I think it was the writing and the way the story was built. The second book I gave four stars. No public review here either, but this one I do remember. The plot was great, exciting and the characters fantastic. The book felt more alive and I really liked it. Made me think Ryan maybe was an author for me and after this one I felt that I wanted to continue the series.

This third one I give a three star rating. It started out great but it kind of flatted out in the middle and the end was just predictable and cliché. The writing got worse and it lost me and my attention. The book in its entirety is good. I liked it. I liked that it was somewhat darker and that the love/sex not was the big focus here. Not a WOW book but it is not as bad to give reason for a lower rating either.

I don’t think Ryan is an author for me. It doesn’t mean necessary that she is a bad writer. She just doesn’t do it for me and my standards. And I’m quite happy that this one was the last one in the series. Well there is one 0,5 book but I don’t like to read half books and often ignores them. So I do not feel an compelling to continue reading.

Don’t know if I will read anything more buy Ryan. Time will tell.

Neanderthal seeks human – Penny Reid

April 11, 2018April 11, 2018 Book Chick3 Comments

17673307 | GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris: 1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and 3) She doesn’t know how to knit.

After losing her boyfriend, apartment, and job in the same day, Janie Morris can’t help wondering what new torment fate has in store. To her utter mortification, Quinn Sullivan- aka Sir McHotpants- witnesses it all then keeps turning up like a pair of shoes you lust after but can’t afford. The last thing she expects is for Quinn- the focus of her slightly, albeit harmless, stalkerish tendencies- to make her an offer she can’t refuse.

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My thoughts: Sometime I wish that GoodReads had the function to choose half stars when it comes to rating. Because this is one of those books that are more a 4 star in rating than a 2 but did not quite reach all the way. So more like 3,5. It is a good book, I liked it, but the 300 + pages of self esteem rant totally destroyed it for me.

Janie is a great character. She is a little naive, stuck in her own head and do not have the best ways to handle feelings. She is witty, a lot insecure and a lot more “girl” than what you first would think. And by that I mean, that constant rant about how “big” she is, tall, big feet, big hands, big ass, big hair and so on. Everything is big with her. She is according to herself not beautiful, and definitely not in a league for a good looking man like Quinn. And when she is done ranting about her body, she goes on to her mind and personality. She is freaky, she talks to much, she can’t flirt, she know too much uninteresting trivia, she is uncontrollably gabby, and on and on and on. And when she is done with that, she starts to rant about events, what she did that particular event and what the persons there did, reacted and so on. I do understand low self esteem. Been there, done that and at some ways still are fighting with it. Everybody does! But there is a limit of how big part of a book it should take. I’m not a big fan of mental insecurity and angst. Some can be great. Too much I just feel I want to punch the character in question and say “there is more to life than this”. It should not take over. And here it takes it all.

If we scaled it back like 50% but kept the rest of the story, I would probable be a five star, freaking loved the book, book. So that’s too bad. Reid did however do a great job with not including Quinn in this rant. He did not confirm or deny her verbal rants. (The most of them was mental though). I loved that he didn’t try to change her toughs through words, but by action. And he kept asking her, pushing her out of her shell and genuinely was intrigued by her mind and personality. So the rants did ease up a bit towards the end. It is a great love story where there is more than a female with hot sexy body and a alpha caveman, with psychotic tendency. Besides, I did learn a lot of facts since Janie is a trivia nut and talk about a lot I didn’t know but now do.

Great story. Funny. Loved the way it started. The whole situation with family and friends was funny and awesome. Was some angst, but not much and it was quickly over. Loved that there was several bad situations but they had not much to do with each other. There is no cliff-hanger, nicely tided together in the end! Can be a great series to follow. Not every girl in this series is like Janie I hope. One is enough.

Contemporary · Mystery/Crime · Romance · Suspense

Slow Burn – Julie Garwood

March 19, 2018March 19, 2018 Book Chick1 Comment

| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ |

Goodreads synopsis: Every fire begins with a little heat–and in Slow Burn, bestselling author Julie Garwood provides the spark, skillfully blending pulse-pounding action, intense emotion, and characters with grit and heart. The result is an electrifying novel of romantic suspense that will have readers burning through the pages.

An unpretentious beauty who radiates kindness, Kate MacKenna doesn’t have a bad bone in her body–or an enemy in the world. So why are bombs igniting everywhere she goes? The first explosion brings her face-to-face with a handsome Charleston police detective. The second sends her into the arms of her best friend’s brother–a Boston cop who’s a little too reckless and way too charming for comfort. But Dylan Buchanan won’t let emotion prevent him from doing his job: Someone is trying to kill Kate, and Dylan is the only one standing between her and the monster who wants her dead.

My thoughts: Sometime you seek that kind of book, that gives you a feeling of comfort. That makes you want to settle down on the couch, in bed or in that favorite reading chair. With the biggest blanket (that you bought just to have when you read) with a big cup of beverage of your choice, and just stay there. The world outside does not exist and it is just you and your new friends. And for those brief moments, it all feels okay. Well, this is one of those books for me. And I hadn’t really expect anything less since this is Julie Garwood. I know what to expect and I’m so happy that I got it. It was just what I needed. Garwood is an great writer in this genre and one of my favorite authors. And I always feel so good after one of her books.

Here we get to follow Kate. After her mother’s death her life is starting to crumble around her. But she is a strong woman and refuse to give up. After she almost been blown up twice, in one week, Dylan Buchanan, Kate’s best friends brother, comes to help find out what is happening. He is on leave from his work at Boston PD and since he always had strong, secret feelings for Kate, he can’t let her fend for herself. The situation is intense and fireworks is going off right from the start.

This is a “typical” romantic suspense book. You pretty much know what is going to happen. Though I do not want to call it predictable. I couldn’t early one foresee who the bad guy was in this book. It was easy to see why and there was no secret about the reasons, but it was not as predictable to find out who it really was. It was awesome.

It is a great book. Just what I needed. There is great characters, great development, great story and plot and the way it is unfolding feels real and suitable. There is never any cliffhangers and sometime you get to meet characters that have had bigger parts earlier in the series. Mostly I would say that you can read it as an stand alone. But if you are as OCD as me, I do not recommend it.

Mystery/Crime · Romance · Suspense

Tennessee takedown – Lena Diaz

March 16, 2018 Book Chick1 Comment

| GOODREADS | MY RATING: ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: A SWAT officer in small-town Tennessee will do anything to protect the innocent beauty whose life has been put on the line in Lena Diaz’s Tennessee Takedown

It can’t be a coincidence that in the past twenty-four hours, three different thugs have tried to kill or abduct Ashley Parrish. Sexy SWAT team leader Dillon Gray saved her, but now he wonders why someone would want to murder the beautiful accountant and why he finds her so infuriatingly attractive.

Then the FBI comes after Ashley for embezzlement, and Dillon knows he must protect her from a killer and prove she’s being framed. Taking her on a hair-raising run through dangerous terrain barely fazes him. But wanting her from more than just one night scares the hell out of him.

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My thoughts: I have read Lena Diaz other series (Deadly Games) and I LOVED it. There is four books in that series, filled with hot alpha males, strong women, incredible thrilling suspense and complicated character relationships. Three of the four books got a 5/5 score and the last one, number four got 4/5. That is how good that series was. Can you imagine my surprise that I found this first book in one of her other series, extremely lacking and disappointing?

I had expected the same level of writing skill and imagination but there was nothing. Nothing! My mind is blank! I feel nothing other than disappointment toward this book. It starts right in the middle of a shootout and then there is action throughout the whole book. There is never a break and I think that is maybe the point that rubs me the wrong way. Ashley is just to TSTL (too stupid to live) and I Dillon is just a used up character with no real depth. I could not connect with them and they more irritated me than anything else. The plot was quite interesting until the end, when it just got too much. I mean, come on, can you be that stupid? I do like the whole stolen identity plot even though it was predictable right from the start.

What really saved this book is the other characters. Chris, Chief Thornton, Donna and so on. I don’t know if Diaz did it on purpose, but it did feel like she put more thought in those characters than what she did in her main ones. That is the only reason I feel I would like to read the second book in this series. The second book is about Chris and I do want to read more about him. *Wink*

Everyday things

Top 10 Romantic book <3

February 14, 2018February 14, 2018 Book ChickLeave a comment

14 February, the day of love. Cupid, hearts, roses and chocolate. A little too much for my personally taste. A little to shallow and forced. Love should not be forced like that. It should come in the small, everyday life. I have been in a steady relationship for 10 years and we have never really “celebrated” valentine’s day so this is no “I’m single and hate Valentine’s day” rant. And since I’m not going to celebrate it this year either I thought, maybe I should. But instead of celebrating cheesy love, why not celebrate books? Romantic books. Because even if I don’t celebrate the day for love, I’m a total romantic buff. And of course, I read romantic books.

I have compiled a list with 10 of my favorite romantic books from different genres. We have some dark, some happy, some suspense and some contemporary. A little bit of everything and it is all romantic. Look and see what you think and please leave a comment if you wish before you go.

Happy Valentine’s day.
❤ XOXO ❤

King by T.M Frazier. This is not a book for the faint hearted or easily offended people. Here you get some heavy and hot sex, lies and destructive behavior but still a great story. I do however have to warn you that this is not a standalone series and it will end on a cliffhanger. But it is totally worth it.

18399198 Kidnapped by Suzanne Ferrell. Here you have a strong, opinionated, headstrong and lovable nurse who gets to experience her worst night of all nights. We have a strong, alpha male who work in law enforcement but risks it all to save this young, sweet little boy. Get yourself ready for the ride of your life and a love story who sparks from the darkest ground and lights up the sky. This is the first book in the stand-alone series about the Edgar’s family.

33724 Can you keep a secret? by Sophie Kinsella. Imagine yourself in a position where you reveal your darkest secrets to a stranger and later finds out that this stranger can both save your ass or ruin your life for all eternity. What would you do? Well I would probably do as Emma does in this book. And it is hilarious.

10964 Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. If you haven’t read it, at least you should give it a try. You may not like it, but then you don’t have to hear “what, you haven’t read it?! You must read it! It is just that good!” Yeah the book Is THAT good and I totally love it and I wish everyone would just read it so the mankind can move on to other books to rave about.

25676540 Preacher by Dahlia West. The book for you with an open mind. This one took me by total surprise and became one of my favorite books of all times. Yeah that is how good this is. And the female main character is everything I want to be and the story so catching that it is hard to put it down. And there is some heavy, sexy romance in it to. 😉

11381643 Playing for keeps by R.L Mathewson. I rave about this stand-alone series to everyone who would listen. I feel that this book does not get the recognition that it deserves and it is one of my favorites. Too bad the cover is so ugly. But do not judge the book by its cover and I’m so glad that I didn’t do just that because I love this and the whole series is just so heartwarming and wonderful.

33288638 Wait for it by Mariana Zapata. Did not know what to expect but I certainly did not see myself read this book, with its 670 pages, in one go with only bathroom and some small food breaks. I love when a book gets me that wrapped up, but it is total killer on my body and head. Still worth it and you still need to read this if you not already done it.

30197979 Spotless by Camilla Monk. Friend of mine recommended this series. Right now, I only have read this but it is so good and funny that the whole world need to know about it. This is also one of those few books I feel would be great as a comedy movie with the right actors.

406849 Matilda’s last waltz by Tamara McKinley. An old-time, romantic book with family secrets, lies and love in the Australian farmland. The book that started my love for Australia and fire for historical suspense. Great read I need to read again soon someday.

27852385 The seventh hour by Tracey Ward. I’m not a big fan of the Young Adult genre so when I read one of these full score, hit me on the head and let me die, romantic books, AND no one is talking about it, it just makes me sad. This book is so good, so great and worth every penny. And it is not one of those mushy and meek type of YA romantic books either. It is just perfect.

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Contemporary · Romance · Suspense

Take the key and lock her up – Lena Diaz

February 12, 2018 Book Chick1 Comment

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

Goodreads synopsis: Lena Diaz returns with another sexy, thrilling Deadly Games novel and the darkest question of all: What do you do when your freedom could cost you your life?

Detective Emily O’Malley just stumbled upon a killer’s lair—and the remains of a woman he kept locked away for years. But this killer isn’t done yet. More women are missing, and all clues point to Devlin Buchanan—the man who seems to know just a little too much. Emily’s instincts are rarely wrong, and now they’re telling her this sexy, mysterious man is hiding something big …

As a trained assassin for EXIT Inc—a top-secret mercenary group posing as an international tour company—Devlin “Devil” Buchanan isn’t afraid to take justice into his own hands. But when the hot new detective on his trail gets too close to the organization and a contract is placed on her life, Devlin does the only thing he can: he turns rogue agent and kidnaps her to save her life.

With EXIT Inc closing in and passions running hot between them, Emily and Devlin must work together to find the missing women and clear both their names before time runs out … and the key to freedom is thrown away.

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My thoughts: I have not read that much by Diaz. Only this series and this book is the last one (as I understand it) in the series Deadly Games. I loved the first three books and they all got top score by me. These books are old fashion, romantic suspense that makes you want to stay home from work, sit in your reading nook and do nothing but read all day and night. That is how good these books have been. I must, however, say that I was a little disappointed on Diaz with this one. The story is awesome as always but I do not like the ending.

Well, it ended the only way it could have ended and that is fine. I’m satisfied by that. But since this is the last book, it should not have been as many questions (tough small) left for me as a reader. It should not imply that you will get all the answers if you start the series EXIT and then you read the synopsis about the first book in the EXIT series and there is nothing that implies that you will get your answers.

However, if you can ignore that those small questions won’t get any good answers, the book is awesome and I love all the characters. I love the story and I love how strong and fierce (in the right way) the female character is. It is just so good and I can’t say anything other than these books are so worth reading if you are a romantic suspense junky as I am.

Contemporary · Romance · Suspense · Thriller/Horror

After The Dark – Cynthia Eden

February 5, 2018February 5, 2018 Book Chick1 Comment

| GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: Former FBI agent Samantha Dark was one of the most respected profilers in the bureau, an expert on the twisted minds and dark hearts of the most depraved criminals. But when her own former lover turned out to be the serial killer she was hunting, Samantha’s career was destroyed. Blamed for the FBI’s failure on the complex case, Samantha fled Washington, DC, for the quiet anonymity of Alabama.

Now an all-too-familiar killer is hunting once again. She can catch the sadistic assassin, but that means putting her trust in her former partner, Blake Gamble. Ex-military, Blake is tough, protective, precise. With her entire life on the brink, she knows he wants her back in the FBI…and possibly more.

But someone else wants her, too. A threat is waiting in the dark, a killer who has set his sights on the ultimate trophy victim—Samantha.

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My thoughts: I don’t know if I just had to high hopes or what not for this book, but no matter what the reason, I was not happy with the result. It is so repetitive. Yeah I get it that the characters want something or need something but do you have to keep thinking it, saying it and be angry if you don’t get it and keep it on a loop even after you get it. It destroyed the story. Specially since the story could have been good, even though you get to know the truth early on.

I still liked the book enough to give it a two star. It is still not positive but since the story was intriguing even though no suspense or excitement, I got through it. It is an average read. Not something I would recommend to friends if they not specifically requested something in this line. However Eden has done a great job with capture a killer’s mind and the law enforcement work and even if the whole story was predictable, it still was somewhat entertaining.

But I didn’t like the character’s dynamic to each outer. Someone who do not trust someone, don’t just show up the next day and have complete and utterly trust in that person. And the relationship between Gamble and Dark just didn’t feel real at all and quite forced. There was nothing with it that I liked and that makes me a little sad.

So, to conclude it all, I liked the story even though it was predictable and you got to know it all already in the beginning. I did however don’t like the characters and the general dynamic in the story. Probably had higher hopes for the book, than what I should have had.

Contemporary · Romance

Dark Horse – Jessica Gadziala

January 18, 2018January 18, 2018 Book Chick4 Comments

35228953 | GOODREADS | AMAZON | MY RATING: ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥|

Goodreads synopsis: He needed it.
The new job.
The new city.
The new life.
The second chance.
And nothing could stand in his way.
Except, maybe, the sexy as hell spitfire he found himself suddenly in competition with for a job he thought was his.
Amongst trying to begin again, office politics, and a case that wasn’t quite what it seemed, he needed to try to keep his mind off the spirited Espen, a task that was going to prove extremely difficult…

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My thoughts: This is the third book in the Dark series by Gadziala and so far, my favorite. It is funny, exciting and the characters, OH wow. Enzo has been a character that just has lurked around in the background in several other books. But you haven’t gotten a god read of him and at first I thought he was a bad guy. Well he was but not that type of bad guy as I first thought. And he is so much better.

And Espen. Ooo I like Espen. (Not the name though. In my country that’s a guy’s name. :P) She is one of those “Take no shit”, kind of girls who stands on her own two legs and can take care of herself. I think she goes a little too far sometimes but then Enzo comes in and bring her back to earth. And it is just wonderful.

However, I did miss some suspense. I feel that Gadzialas books have changed and there is no real suspense anymore. It is a nice story and all, but I also want that feeling when you can’t put the book down and hardly breath and you just want, NEED, to know how it will end. Did not quite get that feeling here.

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

Blue Smoke – Nora Roberts

January 11, 2018January 10, 2018 Book Chick1 Comment

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

Goodreads synopsis: Reena Hale grew up with an intimate knowledge of the destructive power of fire. When she was a child, her family’s restaurant was burned to the ground, and the man responsible was sent to jail. The Hale family banded together to rebuild, and Reena found her life’s calling. She trained as a firefighter and then as a cop, always with the end goal in sight: to become an arson investigator. Now, as part of the arson unit, she is called in on a series of suspicious fires that seem to be connected-not just to each other, but to her. And as danger ignites all around her, Reena must rely on experience and instinct to catch a dangerous madman who will not stop until everything she loves has gone up in smoke.

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My thoughts: I have said before that my biggest problem with Roberts books, is that they often start of slow. And we do not talk about just a couple of chapters but like 1/3 or 1/4 of the book is Slow. No difference here either, but this time it did not bother me as much. Maybe because it still happens a lot even though we have like 20 years to get through before we are the ace of the book. Or maybe it is because I was so prepared on the fact that it would start slow and I just need to have patience.

The story is great and as always I love all of the characters. That is something Roberts are very good at. Writing good and alive characters. And I love Bowen and how well he fit together with Reena and she is all thorns on the outside but he manages to sneak in between without getting stung to bad and that just makes it all so much better. But I have a huge problem with this book. And that is the red thread, the ending, the answers or what not I should call it. I knew it all from the start, and I mean all, through out the book but often thought for my self that, soon it will come an curveball. Soon something will happen and my thoughts will change drastically. It just can’t be this obvious. But yeah, it is that obvious which gave me an anticlimactic feeling in the end of the book.

To know it all, from the start off the book, and hope you are wrong, but are not, is just not a good feeling for me. And that only took of an star/heart in my rating of this book. That is how much it effected me. The story is still god and if I would have been prepared that it is somewhat clear water, it would probably not have affected me as much. But yeah, nothing to do about it now. Still a good book and I can still recommend it.

Contemporary · Romance · Suspense

On the chase – Katie Ruggle

January 7, 2018January 7, 2018 Book Chick1 Comment

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

Goodreads synopsis: After witnessing a horrifying crime, Kaylee is forced to flee to a small Colorado mountain town and take on a new identity. There she becomes Grace, a dog kennel worker trying to avoid the dangerously attractive K-9 Officer Hugh Murdoch.

When an accident leaves Hugh and his K-9 partner, Lexi, on desk duty, both are anxious for Hugh to heal. Until then, the highlight of his day is teasing the beautiful but mysterious new kennel employee. Their simmering attraction fuels a passionate kiss—interrupted by a sniper’s bullet. With targets on both of their backs, Grace and Hugh will do whatever it takes to stay alive…not realizing the most dangerous threat of all is hiding right in front of their noses.

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My thoughts: I’m having a super great start on the new year with an other really good book. This one is about Kaylee who has to run for her life after witnessing something she should not have witnessed. At her new town she meets Hugh. We met him in the first book “Run to ground“. This is an series and you should really read that book first before you read this one.

I really, really liked this. Much better than the first book in my opinion. But then again, I’m a sucker for story’s with strong women’s who have to run for their lifes, are terrified, but still meet that perfect guy, who sweep them of there feets and in the end “Saves” them.

Kaylee is a little of an “Princess” but only on the surface and when you really get to know her, she is an really down to earth person I just love. And Hugh. O my, he is funny, really funny and sweet and just great. You do know that I’m still talking about fictive people here right. Haha. But the characters are great and even if I did not like the first book as much as this one, it was nice to meet all the characters again and get to know them more.

Anyway. The book is great and I can strongly recommend it, but you need to read the first book first. 🙂