Day: August 19, 2014

Guest Review: Truth and Other Lies by Foxglove Lee

Posted August 19, 2014 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: Truth and Other Lies by Foxglove LeeReviewer: Tracy
Truth and Other Lies by Foxglove Lee
Publisher: Evernight Publishing, Evernight Teen
Publication Date: July 11th 2014
Genres: Young Adult
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three-half-stars

Have you ever wanted to get noticed? Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you worked or how hard you tried, nobody in the entire world cared what you did? Well, what if someone famous-and we're talking Oprah-famous, here-noticed you for the one thing you wish you could hide? For your one big secret... That's exactly what happens to 18-year-old Kenneth McIntyre when television guru Prahna Mehta hails his self-published novel as the next bestseller. Little do his new fans know Truth and Other Lies wasn't written by Kenny at all... and it isn't fiction.

Kenny's been keeping secrets for years. Sometimes he feels like he's lying to everybody he loves. When Kenny gets swept into stardom, how will he hide the secrets he's kept for years? And, if his lies are exposed, will anyone stay by his side?

Kenny and Millie are the best of friends. In fact Kenny’s mother took Millie into her home when Millie came out to her parents and they not only kicked her out of the house but stated that she was dead to them.

Millie has cancer and is the hospital – fading more every day. One day when Kenny goes to see her she states that she’s written an novel. Kenny’s not really excited about that even though he knows that he should be.  He’s actually kind of jealous as she wrote a novel that’s over 100,000 words in a months time.  He’s an aspiring author and had been self-publishing his sci-fi work for a few years with not too much notice. Now Millie says she’s written a novel and wants Kenny to read it? He knows that she’s dying but can’t work up any enthusiasm for the book.

As it turns out Kenny ends up forgetting about the book as Millie dies and he’s a bit distracted. When he finally does pull it up on his email he’s struck dumb as he realizes it’s not only good but absolutely brilliant. He makes the decision that he will self-publish Millie’s book on the same site he usually does only he’s not giving credit to Millie for it – he’s taking that credit himself.

During all of this Kenny meets June and Wyn (he is Millie’s cousin). They become friends but he’s shocked when June comes on to him. He’s even more shocked when Wyn comes on to him and he finds he loves them both. Neither Wyn nor June know that the other is cheating…with the same guy.

Truth and Other Lies – the title of the book that Millie wrote – ends up becoming a national bestseller and next thing you know Kenny is on a book tour and is becoming quite famous. June and Wyn, however, aren’t happy when they find out about the cheating, as well as the lie about the book. Kenny is devastated that he might have lost the two people he loves most besides his family and that he might be found out as a fraud. When Millie’s family gets involved it’s the end – or is it?

This was a very interesting read. There were many things about it that I liked but others that I didn’t love all that much. For the most part I felt it was really good and had some deeper issues tied into it that really made me think.

Kenny and the book – Did I feel it was ok for him to take credit for Millie’s work? Not so much. That being said I think that the book itself was one that needed to be put out there as it told of Millie’s life living in an abusive home. I couldn’t agree with his taking credit but when it came down to what he decided to do with himself and the money I loved what he did. I felt it was a huge nod to Millie and her life and was quite proud of Kenny.

Kenny and his relationship with Wyn and June…it was odd. I think that it just wasn’t fleshed out as much as it needed to be and some deeper issues between the three that needed to be worked out were skimmed over. I did like all three of them which was a plus.

Overall I liked the book and felt it was a good young adult read.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

three-half-stars


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Monthly Reads: July 2014

Posted August 19, 2014 by Holly in Features | 16 Comments

We’re a bit behind, so this is coming to you late in the month. Better late than never?

mr-big

Holly: July was a very slow reading month for me.  By the middle of the month I had only read 8 books. Many of you would say that’s a lot, but considering I average 20-25 books a month, that wasn’t many.  I managed 17 books by the end of the month, but most of them were re-reads. I may have to cut myself off from re-reading for a month or two. I need to make a dent in my TBR pile.

Alpha and Omega by Patricia Briggs (re-read) | 4.25 out of 5
Running Back by Allison Parr | 4 out of 5
Rock Courtship by Nalini Singh | 4 out of 5
Own the wind by Kristen Ashley (re-read) | 4 out of 5
The Will by Kristen Ashley (re-read) | 3.5 out of 5
Fall from India Place by Samantha Young (re-read) | 3.5 out of 5
Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh | 4.5 out of 5
Hope Ignites by Jaci Burton | 4.25 out of 5
Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs (re-read) | 4 out of 5
Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover | 4.25 out of 5
The Best Kind of Trouble by Lauren Dane | 4.25 out of 5
The Promise by Kristen Ashley | 2.75 out of 5
Rock Star’s Girl by J.F. Kristin | 2.5 out of 5
Meeting Trouble by Emme Rollins | 1.5 out of 5
Fairytale Come Alive by Kristin Ashley | 3 out of 5
Signed, Sealed, Delivered by Sandy James | 3.5 out of 5
At Peace by Kristen Ashley (re-read) | 3 out of 5

My favorite reads of the month were Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh, The Best Kind of Trouble by Lauren Dane and Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover. Rock Addiction was great, but I didn’t fall in love with it until I read it for the second time. I loved Fox and the rest of Schoolboy Choir (his band), but I also loved Molly. It wasn’t until the second reading that I really fell into Molly. The Best Kind of Trouble also features a rock star. I have  a weakness for them, anyway, but Dane does such awesome women I was totally sucked in. Ugly Love was darker and more gritty than the other two. It was just what I was in the mood for the day I read it.

My least favorite read of the month was The Promise by Kristen Ashley. It actually isn’t the worst book I read, but it was the most disappointing. I’ve been waiting years for Benny and Frankie’s book, and it was such a letdown. Dishonorable mention goes to Meeting Trouble by Emme Rollins. That book was just dumb. The premise was silly and it featured things I hate (like a chick meeting a married rock star and having sex with him the same night, sans condom, then giving up her entire life to run away with him because it’s wuv, twu wuv). My head almost exploded.

Rowena: July wasn’t a bad reading month for me. I read some new to me books and did some re-reading as well. I read 17 books so I’m just going to pat myself on the back and keep on, keeping on. Hopefully I can continue to get my read on so that I can make my reading goal this year. Fingers crossed.

Here’s what I read:

Take Me On by Katie McGarry | 3 out of 5
He’s so Fine by Jill Shalvis | 4.5 out of 5
Tease by Amanda Maciel | 2.5 out of 5
Since You’ve Been Gone by Morgan Matson | 4 out of 5
Bed of Roses by Nora Roberts (re-read) | 4 out of 5
Nine Rules to Break when Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean (re-read) | 4.5 out of 5
Dream Man by Linda Howard (re-read) | 4 out of 5
Through to You by Lauren Barnholdt | 3 out of 5
Royally Lost by Angie Stanton | 3 out of 5
Stir Me Up by Sabrina Elkins | 3 out of 5
Murder List by Julie Garwood (re-read) | 4 out of 5
Slow Burn by Julie Garwood (re-read) | 4 out of 5
Boomerang by Noelle August | 4 out of 5
Trapped at the Altar by Jane Feather | 2.5 out of 5
Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff | 2 out of 5
Necessary Force by D.D. Ayres | 3.5 out of 5
Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh | 4.5 out of 5

My favorite read of the month is tied between Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh (which I inhaled) and He’s So Fine by Jill Shalvis. Both books were fabulous reads. Fox and Cole were both super hot and the romance in both books were steamy. I’m not complaining at all about either book. My least favorite read this month goes to Trapped at the Altar by Jane Feather and Tease by Amanda Maciel. I hated the heroine in the Trapped at the Altar and hmm, I hated the main character in Tease too. Both women got on my hot damn nerves in both books.

This month we’re giving away:

Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh (to be delivered on the release date as no pre-order links are available)
He’s so Fine by Jill Shalvis (pre-order in winner’s choice of format)

If you want to be entered to win, leave a comment on this post telling us what your favorite – and least favorite – reads of the month were. Also, be sure to tell us what book you’re interested in reading. You can put your name in for more than one book, but you’ll only be allowed to win one, so choose wisely.

So…what was your favorite read of the month? And your least favorite?


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Guest Review: KCPD Protector by Julie Miller

Posted August 19, 2014 by Jen in Reviews | 0 Comments

Genres: Romantic Suspense

KCPD ProtectorJen’s review of KCPD Protector (The Precinct #22) by Julie Miller

There was no way Deputy Commissioner George Madigan was going to let his beautiful assistant fall prey to a stalker. Because Elise Brown wasn’t just another employee. Her vulnerable blue eyes triggered all of George’s protective instincts…and now her life was in jeopardy.

Working together almost 24/7 to bring the perp to justice—and sharing kisses passionate enough to ignite a Kansas City heat wave—George and Elise had forged the kind of partnership that could keep her out of harm’s way and potentially lead to happily ever alter.

Until a deadly tornado struck and Elise was taken hostage…

Elise Brown is an assistant to George Madigan, the Deputy Police Commissioner in Kansas City. Elise made some poor choices in her last job, but this time she is determined to not make any mistakes. She finds her handsome older boss awfully attractive, but getting involved with him would definitely fall in the “poor choices” category. When someone starts harassing her, though, she has to turn to George for help. For his part, George has also admired Elise from afar, but he thinks she considers him more like an uncle than a potential lover. He wants to keep her safe from this new threat, though, so he starts getting more involved in her life. They have to figure out who might be threatening Elise and figure out what to do about their mutual attraction.

KCPD Protector is book #22 in Miller’s Precinct series, set in Kansas City. This story does reference lots of previous events from the series (especially regarding Elise’s old job), and while it might have helped to have more background, it wasn’t really necessary to understanding this story. It just so happens that I have read one of the earlier books in the series (Tactical Advantage), though I actually didn’t realize that before I started KCPD Protector. The hero from this book  is the uncle of the previous hero, and George made an appearance in that earlier book. I mention all this because my previous vision of George Madigan just didn’t match up with the picture painted in this book, and it was a bit jarring. George is a 50-ish bureaucrat, and even though I don’t remember much description of him in the previous book, my brain filled in a picture of an aging, maybe slightly dumpy guy. Probably unfair, but that’s what I saw! Then I get to this book where he’s supposed to be a dashing hero and I struggled to revise my vision. This isn’t the fault of the book, but it probably did color my enjoyment somewhat.

Elise is 14 years younger than George, which isn’t my favorite trope, but I can work with it. Except he’s also her boss, and that I have a harder time with. He is in a clear position of power over her, both as her direct supervisor and the fact that he’s high up in law enforcement. Plus, she’s vulnerable because of the harassment she’s receiving and because of the trouble she had in her previous job. I also felt like Elise read a lot younger than 36ish. She acts a bit inexperienced when it comes to men. Given all these situations, I had a hard time thinking that both parties were on equal footing, and that made the story less likeable for me.

The mystery wasn’t terrible. There were lots of possible suspects. Could it be someone tied to the trouble Elise had in her last job? Could it be an obsessed admirer? A new disgruntled colleague? Or someone else entirely? I did guess the culprit before the end, but it took me a while because of all the twists and turns. While I didn’t exactly appreciate the power differential, I admit it was interesting to see a police hero who’s not just a detective. Bureaucrats need love too!

If I was invested in the Precinct series and had read the previous books that dealt with the trouble at Elise’s former job, I might be more interested in this book if only to hear from old characters. But as a (nearly) newbie to the series, I wasn’t captivated. There are worse ways to spend my time, but neither did it really grab me.

Grade: 2.5 out of 5

This title is available from Harlequin Intrigue.  You can buy it here or here in e-format.


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