BOOK REVIEW # 2015-061 - PLAYING THE GAME

This book is second of three books I’ve recently won which had been offered as part of an internet giveaway by the publisher and the following is my honest opinion for this book.

Several months ago when I began my 2^nd second as a Book Reviewer I would shy away anything erotic, especially if included any BDSM, but these days nothing fazes me in reading/reviewing any romance novels.

Ms. Barber couldn’t have picked a better for her book than “Playing the Game” because this is what the storyline is all about, two men and one woman engaging in sexual games which go way beyond the lovey-dovey love making ordinary couples engaged in.

The thing is Alice is definitely not a floozy; she’s a well-educated woman who works as a mechanical engineer, who desires to get some satisfaction and closer to her lovers something she hasn’t been able to do. If you’re interested in fantasizing about a relationship in a threesome, you can step into Alice’s shoes, throw away any notion of love you might have and discard being independent in a relationship in order to become more submissive, this book might be something you might consider reading.

But before you do, you might want to know a little about who is going to complete this threesome you about to enter in reading this book. To begin with you’ll have a dichotomy in the two guys you’re going to meet who happen to share the apartment across the hall from you.

On one side of this dichotomy you’ll meet Henry who’s a quirky kind of gentleman who will deny himself anything so he can keep to the code of honor he’s created for himself, and at the same time he wants to control anything that’s around him. On the other side you’ve got Jay who is a bit coquettish and somewhat playful, he needs to be guided to order to maintain a sense of strength, and has a strong need to please others.

Besides the graphic language Ms. Barber has used for the book; be warned she’s held nothing back as she takes you into a world of explicit sex, spanking, bondage, BDSM and even a menage a trois.

For the erotic experience Ms. Barber has created for her readers, how can I not give this book the 5 STARS I’ve given it.

US:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IGFXAHQ

UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00IGFXAHQ

BOOK REVIEW QUESTION

Hi ALL

Since becoming a Book Reviewer I've enjoy last August I've enjoyed reading/reviewing approximately 115 books; I currently have 123 book reviews listed me on Amazon, and since the sales of my two books are relatively slow I've decided to place my writing endeavors temporary on the back burner.

I'd love hearing from you guys regarding my book reviews and would like to know a little more of what you think of them?  So please leave your comments and I'll be happy to reply to them. And if anyone really likes any of my reviews, I would appreciate it if you could be kind enough to answer YES at the end of the review on Amazon.

I'd would also like to invite everyone to check out my updated biography on Amazon as well as my two books

http://www.amazon.com/author/robinleighmorgan

THANKS for being here and for your kind support. Have a GREAT WEEKEND with your families !!!  :-) :-) :-)

BOOK REVIEW # 2015-060 - IF THE SHOE KILLS

This book is one of three I’ve recently won which had been offered as part of an internet giveaway by the publisher and the following is my honest opinion for this book.

This story takes place in the relatively small tourist town of South Clove, California. Who doesn’t love these quaint small towns, I know I do; especially the small stores which populate towns like this. As I read this book images of the television program “Murder She Wrote” kept popping into my mind. I saw Jill Gardner filling the shoes of crime author Jessica Fletcher; and like Jessica, Jill is involving with books, she sells them instead of writing them.

And like Cabot Cove, Maine where Jessica is the protagonist, there’s a lot of intriguing things happening with Jill taking on the role of the protagonist.

Being well-known and liked in South Clove, the mayor finagles Jill into becoming the town’s liaison to a new work program to benefit the town’s merchants for the holiday season. Jill first has to sell everyone on the plan, because they’re fearful that it would mean hiring the undesirables, undesirables who they’d never hired on their own.  But, unfortunately, it would also mean having to work with a guy she knows all too well after a few interactions, Ted Hendricks. 

However, soon he is found dead in his car, in front of the police office station; and while her hot detective boyfriend thinks it’s a suicide, Jill, like Jessica thinks a murder has taken place and sets out to prove it.  If this isn’t enough, a ritzy blonde wants to sue the city for causing the heel on her shoe to break, interfering with the investigations to find the truth.

And like Jessica in Murder She Wrote, Ms Cahoon does a wonderful job in keeping the “surprise” murderer a secret to the end of the book. For this romantic mystery, I must now reveal my feelings for this book, which is 5 STARS.

US:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KM9O6SQ

UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KM9O6SQ

BOOK REVIEW # 2015-059 - WATERFALL

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, being a Book Reviewer and only reading/reviewing books I’ve either won from the numerous giveaways I enter or have been written by members of the internet support group I belong to can cause me, as is the case with this book, to read/review the second book in a series without reading the first one and missing the events which had transpired prior to my coming into the storyline.  The following is my honest opinion for this book.

We’ve all heard the story of Atlantis and how it had mysteriously disappeared into the sea, in Lauren Kate’s book “Waterfall” the tears of one lone girl, Eureka, has caused most of the earth to be flooded; and now the evil king of Atlantis, Atlas, is bringing Atlantis back thanks to power contained in these same tears. The king is the not the only one she needs to worry about as she several exiled sorceresses provoking her as well.

In the fantasy world the author created, Eureka is also the one with capable of returning things the way they’d been before she’d caused everything; but first she needs to learn more about the powers she possesses. She meets up with Ander, a Seedbearer, who assures her he will help her find another Seedbearer, Solon. Romance now kicks in as Eureka falls in love with him, but when she meets Solon and an exciting, heart-breaking love triangle ensues.

She finds an enchanted pond which gives her an understanding, provided Eureka has the willpower she can use her newly gained knowledge to cause the downfall of Atlas. However, if the broken heart she’s suffered rules her mind, then he’ll obtain the energy he needs to have Atlantis rise again.

I found the romantic thread in the storyline to be quite somewhat powerful at times, adding to the appeal of this book for which I’m giving 5 STARS.

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JCS2H0M

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00JCS2H0M

BOOK REVIEW # 2015-058 - EMMA JEAN'S BAD BEHAVIOR

I won an e-book copy of this book through the final giveaway for The Romance Reviews 4^th Anniversary Celebration, and the following is my honest opinion for the book.

I doubt any of us who has read this, or will read it, who can deny they’ve seen part of themselves in the author’s protagonist, Emma Jean.  Like Emma Jean we’re all flawed in one way or another. We have all lied about our ages, Emma Jean’s 48 but tells everyone following her online she’s 43.  In her, we get transported to the various places in her mind and continuous shifting religious beliefs.

We’ve all journeyed down the path life changes has in store for us. And for Emma Jean the past year has been a long one with a myriad of ups and downs, a big one is falling in love; which is only made smaller when she discovers she’s now pregnant. Being pregnant is apparently one thing she doesn’t really want as she as her life has been a big lie including the fact she hates children especially babies.

The writing is quite inviting as some might find it hard to put the book down at times. Despite Emma Jean’s apparent bad behavior she realizes something important, the love for her family.

For allowing us to share Emma Jean’s experience, I’m giving the author, Charlotte Rains Dixon, 5 STARS for her endeavor here.

US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BE7RIH6

UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BE7RIH6

BOOK REVIEW # 2015-057 - THIS SUMMER

I won an e-book copy of this book through Week 4 of The Romance Reviews 4^th Anniversary celebration, and the following is my honest opinion for the book.

Like any high school senior, Hadley before heading to college to desires to have one last thing, a summer experience like no other she’s ever experienced. She knows once the summer days have gone she’ll be in New York City, far away her family and her best friend. Hadley also knows it will be quite enjoyable, especially since she’s now out of a undesirable relationship with her ex, however her ex still desires Hadley to be his.

While working at the camp she’s worked at for so long with her father, a former boyfriend, Will Carson, who’d left her abruptly two years before, reenters her life. At the two are chosen to work together as co-counselors, and it is here their relationship gets rekindled and the discoveries of the past, the secrets Will had kept from her slowly get revealed.

The interaction between these two will at times cause you to laugh, and at times will make you almost want to cry, as the author writing makes the story to move almost continuously. I would tend, given the ages of the book’s two main characters and it’s storyline, to classify this book as a prefect New Adult Contemporary romance novel. The entire book, especially given its title, and as others have already stated, would make a wonderful book for its intended audience to read this summer.

The only thing I would change regarding the book, if I’d been the author, would be to have a more eye-catching title. Aside from this, I see no reason not to give “This Summer” the 5 STARS I’m giving it.

US:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K30MDO8

UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00K30MDO8

BOOK REVIEW # 2015-056 - THE HOUSE

I won a signed copy of this book through a giveaway on the internet, and the following is my honest opinion for this book.

At almost 450 pages this is one of the longest I’ve read/reviewed. Ms. Faragher did a wonderful with her conglomeration of paranormal characters: ShapeShifters, vampires, telepaths, super-healers, etc; and does a decent job educating her readers who aren’t familiar with these entities.

The story centers around Beatrice "Trix" SinClara and her journey as she sees her own shape-shifting and telepathic powers growing stronger and which she needs to get under control. Trix tries to unravel what is happening in The House such as shape-shifters disappearing from The House all of a sudden and without leaving a trace.

While the book is enjoyable, I feel it would be even more so if it wasn’t for its length. Too much of the beginning of the book is spent introducing us to its characters and creating the world of the book. A good review by the author coupled with a willingness to delete all of the excess verbiage would improve its readability. As an author myself I can understand the difficulty Ms. Faragher might have in wanting to deleting hundreds of words from various sections of the book, because I’ve faced the same challenge in regards to one of my current WIPs. No author, whether it be male or female, wants to delete any which they’ve given “birth” to.

Despite the wordiness of the book, I feel it still deserves the 4 STARS I’ve given it.   

US:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00C1C8JLM

UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00C1C8JLM

BOOK REVIEW # 2015-055 - SINNERS' OBSESSION

Since I don’t accept any requests to read/review books and only read books which I’ve won or have been written by a member of a support group I belong, the following is my honest opinion for a signed copy of this book which I received through an internet giveaway. The downside of this is, as is the case with this book, I haven’t had the opportunity to read the first volume of this series of books where I’d have gotten to know more about its characters.

The essence of the story is Isabeau’s struggle to save the life of her half­-breed daughter Eroica; half human, half vampire, who has a defective DNA gene which will cause her to go mad when she turns twenty. On one hand there’s Morgan D’Arcy, a famous pianist and vampire, who is Eroica’s father; and who Isabeau has stayed away from for six months, despite having given birth to his daughter. But absence makes the heart grow fonder, so she reluctantly returns        to him. On the other hand Isabeau has a former boyfriend, John, who would simply adore getting back into her good graces, but her child is a continuous jealous reminder that it’s not his.

When Lucian, the Chief Counsel of the Les Elus, the ruling body of the Vampyre, learns of Eroica, he tells Isabeau he can save her life as well as the lives of her daughter and Morgan, if she would enter in a pact with him in which when her daughter reaches the age of twenty, she’d give her daughter to him. This is something she’s never told Morgan about. If she did, Morgan would want to kill Lucian.

As Eroica become a young beautiful lady, things get somewhat complicated as there’s a lone vampire who has his eyes on killing Morgan and his family begins to stalk them. Eroica is off to college where she heads right into the hands of Lucian and the plans he has for her. The continuous twists in the storyline, adds to the enjoyment of reading this book. The book ends on a promising note with Isabeau being more committed than ever to find a cure for her daughter’s condition.

I regret not having read the first volume of this series of books by Ms. Nightingale as I’m giving Volume 2 – 5 STARS.

US:   http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MGW0AP0

UK:   http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00MGW0AP0

BOOK REVIEW # 2015-054 - BLOOD BOUND

I received an e-book copy of this book from the author through an internet giveaway and the following is my honest opinion. Please note, the author has used British English in the writing which will reflect in the spelling of certain words and terminology being used.

While the author warns readers her book that despite the age of her two main characters [their 17 years old], twins Shaun and Sarah Gallows, is that a not YA novel; I feel it might qualify as still being appropriate for the upper range for a NA [New Adult] novel.

These twins, although they’re demon trackers, a job they’re paid to do by the village by their council, they’re different as night and day. While Shaun wants to forget about the powers he has, his sister Sarah embraces them fully.

This difference comes into play when they’re confronted with another demon tracker their age, Melissa Carling, who’s abusing her powers by going after those with super-natural powers who have done nothing wrong. Sarah wants to give her what’s coming to her, but, Shaun become infatuated with her the moment he sees her in a way he has never done before with a girl his age.

If you’re into fantasy and its creature, than this book should please you as it has: demons, fairies, vampires, werewolves and for good measure, witches.

The bad thing about being a Book Reviewer is not really being able to have the luxury to continue reading the next book in the series once you’ve found one which has piqued your interest. This is why, I’m happy to give Ms. Stevenson 5 STARS for the first volume of her Gallows novel series of books. 

US:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009JBKV96

UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009JBKV96

BOOK REVIEW # 2015-053 - TMI

This review is for the third of the four signed books I’ve recently won from this author through a massive giveaway on one internet site, which had consisted of 13 individual ones, and the following is my honest opinion for this book.

The first thing any potential reader needs to know about this book is the book’s title, “TMI.”  For those who aren’t really savvy on the internet the title appears to be three random letters, lumped together. But, for who are, it means “too much information.” For those who understand this, use it as a response in TwitterSpeak to an overload of information, and in terms for this book, it means there’s been an inappropriate disclosure of personal information.

Ms. Blount skillfully explores this notion in her book when Bailey develops an online relationship with a faceless guy. Ryder West, she has yet to meet in person. When this relationship turns into almost an infatuation Bailey wants to spend more quality time with him, and in doing so winds up for the want of a better word, ignoring her best friend, Meg.

Naturally, Meg resents being casted aside like an old shoe. She doesn’t trust him, and she wants Bailey to remove the rose-colored glasses she probably wearing, and see the truth regarding who this guy really is.  As a good friend, Meg innocently posts an insignificant little secret about Ryder; but winds up creating a rift in her friendship with Bailey, a rift which eventually leads to a feud between the one-time best friends.

The dialogue the author uses it authentic, as nothing in the nature of what is being said between the characters. Problems with teens dealing with dead or missing fathers have also been brought into the mix of the book’s storyline, adding to the powerful nature to what Ms. Blount has created here. And once again, the author has included in the back of the included a discussion guide with question to be answered in a group, and self-examination questions for those who read this book.

I hope I haven’t given TMI concerning this book, as it is one which needs to be read on your own to get a better of what the book is communicating; for which I giving it 5 STARS.

US:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CA3SHE6

UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CA3SHE6

BOOK REVIEW # 2015-052 - DARKNESS BEFORE DAWN [TRILOGY #1]

I won a signed copy of book through a massive internet giveaway and the following is my honest opinion for the book.

With the apparent glut of vampire stories currently out there and more seemingly appearing each day something has to give.  One unique thing about this book is that it had been written by two individuals, and while this might not sound so it is when you consider it had been written by a mother and her son. While the mother, Rachel Hawthorne, has written several YA novels; her son, Alex London, is a recent History major college graduate enjoys creating new worlds based on Historical Fiction. The melding of these two individual seems to work well, however I believe a problem exists in elements of the storyline.

One of the elements is parts of the storyline seem to be overly contrived, such as high school still existing with the conflict which exists in the vampire dystopia the story takes place in. With the need to have a delegate to act as the go between humans and vampires, why would they select a mere teenager instead of a more mature adult?

Since the authors didn’t waste time staying on one particular scene in the storyline, the action is fast-spaced. Readers are continuously made to guess what will happen next with the tension being created as the readers make their way through the books pages. The addition of a love triangle seems to function, in my opinion, as a lure for the YA [Young Adult] audience.

Lastly, I found, the title, which should have caught a person’s eye and piqued their curiosity about the book to be flat. I wanted to give this book 3.5 STARS, but the rounding convention raises it to 4 STARS.

US:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006IE2LTU  

UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006IE2LTU

BOOK REVIEW # 2015-051 - ANGELS DAWN [DAWN TRILOGY #1]

I won an e-book copy of this through an internet giveaway on FaceBook, and the following is my honest opinion for this debut novel by Komali da Silva.

Sixteen. Sweet Sixteen, the age all girls look forwards to; the age when they take their first step towards womanhood; the age when boys taken on a different meaning.

Dawn Huntington is no exception one of best friends Nate is now her boyfriend, and everything is fine, fine that is until that fateful night when in connection with a crime she’s just witnessed.  She gets a head injury and winds up in a hospital. For some unexplained reason she starts seeing and hearing things as well as beginning things in a weird manner.  As you would imagine, all this will change Dawn personally in the future.

It is at this point the Nate’s total opposite, Angelo, walks into Dawn’s life, and the two get paired off in a glee club. From there the two fall in love despite Dawn’s finding out what he is. The thing is she doesn’t want to lose Nate’s friendship, and if this doesn’t seem to be enough a real bad girl, Bonita, walks to complicate.

All this makes for a page turning read, some might find hard to put down. I personally had a handful of minor issues with the book which shouldn’t impact on anyone enjoyment in reading this book, which is why I giving this book 4 STARS.

US:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M7H5XKG

UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00M7H5XKG

STATUS REPORT # 46

I know it’s been a while since I did my last status report, March 30^th to be precise. Since then I’ve posted four more book reviews which I’d posted on Amazon, GoodReads, LibraryThing and Shelfari. The thing is I still have two more which I didn’t post.

The reason for this is somewhat personal; my wonderful OH had been in the hospital for about two weeks then with a non-life-threatening condition. And my OH is still there. Aside from running back and forth to the hospital particularly every day, I’ve occupied my time by reading/reviewing six books so far since April 7^th. However I haven’t posted my reviews on the four sites listed above until today with the notes I took as I read each. And I’ll be posting the reviews I haven’t posted here as of yet through the rest of today.

On the bright, I’m quite pleased with my Amazon Reviewer Ranking for the 112 books I’d reviewed prior to today which is currently below 9,300, and I’d briefly dipped below 9,000 for a very brief period of time.

Hopefully, things will return to normal soon and I can return to the sites I used to visit on a daily basis.

I know your thoughts are with me and I truly appreciate them, so please don’t post any responses to this here.

THANKS and have a GREAT WEEK with whatever do you. !!!  :-) :-) :-)

BOOK REVIEW 2015-050 - FRANKENSTINK ! - GARBAGE GONE BAD

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through the Early Reviewer giveaway on LibraryThing.com and the following is my honest opinion.

As I read this book I couldn’t help but sense how the spacing of this author’s writing resembles all the wonderful books by Dr. Seuss I read growing up as a child of the 1950’s. The illustrations, which have also been done by the author, echo those by Seuss as well; which leads me to suspect it had been this well-known author/illustrator who has influenced Mr. Lightburn in writing this captivating book whose underlining theme of recycling and waste disposal manifests itself in the imagination of a little boy.

Although there’s no mention of what had precipitated the boy’s somewhat nightmarish dream on this particular night, but I think the cause of it can be explained by the surprised looks of his parents at the end of the book. The lack of the boy’s name adds to the strength of the story as it is being directed at the child who’s reading the story by the use of the word “YOU.” Boys at the age for the target audience of the book tend to ignore their parents plea to clean up their room, and this book is attempting, in addition to its message, to change their ways.

While this book seems to be directed at the boys, girls would also benefit from the book’s message by telling them what might happen if they start to act like the boys with their messy ways.

This doesn’t change my opinion of the book, but I feel a handful of pages would have been an easier read if the color selected for the font were lighter in color.

The other side of the book’s cover has a wonderful illustration for the book itself which can be used as poster.

For the delightful reading experience, I’m delighted to give this book 5 STARS.

US:   http://www.amazon.com/dp/1770496947

UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1770496947

BOOK REVIEW 2015-049 - THE BREDE CHRONICLES

I’d received a copy of this book through an internet giveaway and the following is my honest opinion.

This book is one which I didn’t really know what to expect when I became to read it. A dystopian story at its core, set in the earth’s future in the year 2017, where the overpopulation has spread throughout the planet. And I found it interesting that Ms. Barrington had chosen to set her story in New Cairo, and that references are made to her home being called the City of the Dead. But then, again, the artifact which plays a significant is called the Vessel of Beket-Re seems to harken back to the ancient Egyptians and the pyramids.

There is a relationship which goes back years between Alekzander Brede, an amphidian from the planet Amphidia and Elecktra, who’s ekes a living on the streets by any means necessary, including stealing from others. However, it’s been she who has been madly in love with him, and he has viewed her as a pesky kid.

Yet one day she conceives his son, without telling him. And years later when he sees that child and recognizes he’s the father, his anger takes over for her not telling him and he kidnaps her child.

This starts a game of cat and mouse game between Earth and his home planet of Amphidia. While he has a warped sense of vengeance towards Elecktra, she will do anything she has to in order to save or son; as well as a search for the highly prized artifact which no one seems to know the power of.

The most distracting part I found in reading the book has been the lack of a justified right margin which, I find, makes a book easier to read, as a reader’s eyes knows when to stop on each line as they read each page. 

Aside from this distraction, I’m giving this book 4 STARS for the enjoyable, page-turning experience I had.

US:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L8FM978

UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00L8FM978

BOOK REVIEW 2015-048 - SEND

This review is for the second of the four signed books I’ve recently won from this author through a massive giveaway on one internet site, which had consisted of 13 individual ones, and the following is my honest opinion for this book.

In “SEND” Ms. Blount addresses one of the most prevalent scourges which plagues our youth today, and to cut to the chase I referring to the topic of bullying. While this had been when I went to school as a child of the 1950’s, its history goes even further back. Back in my days this had always taken the physical form where vast majority of boys who participated in the practice would go after the weaker boys for the lunch money with threats of being beaten up if they’d dare tell anyone. Don’t blink because there had also been an extremely small handful of girls doing the same thing.

The author here has updated the situation because these days the bullying is no longer predominately physical it takes the form of derogation of others merely for the fun of it through the use of the internet, which is known as cyberbullying.

Unlike most stories you’ve probably heard about or read, Ms. Blount has skillfully switched the ever-present POV of the victim to that of the bully.

Bullies have no fear of what they do, the somehow go unscathed by their actions, expect as in the case of a pivotal character of this book, Dan.

Dan, whose real name is Ken, had five years earlier caused the suicide of a classmate through his bullying and a final blow when he’d press the SEND button on his computer with an extremely humiliating picture. Ken has been bullying classmates for years, suffering nothing more than a slap on the wrist, which had caused his family to be continuously moving. However, this time he got send away a juvenile delinquent for one year. Now with only his senior year in high school, he realizes he must change, and with his family having move once again he decides to change his name.

At his new school, things really did a 180, the moment he decided to step in and save a classmate from the school’s apparent most notorious bull; becoming an instant hero. And, of course, for every action there’s a reaction, while Dan wants to remains low key, keeping his past a secret, the local bully now is keeping a keen eye on him.

And at the same instant he meets Julie, and the more he sees her, the more he likes her; yet at the same time she suspects something about him he doesn’t want anyone else to know and their relationship begins.

The book is wrought with emotions, such as regret and forgiveness.

This book is not only an enjoyable read for its target audience, especially for those towards the upper end of the range for young adults; the book also has a wonderful educational message woven discussion guide at the back, with questions about the book, and through its pages. This value is once again supplemented by the questions for its readers about themselves.

For the different levels this book is representing, I’m happy to give it 5 STARS.

US:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008BWDA10

UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B008BWDA10