Review: Fighting to Forget

Fighting to Forget by J.B. Salsbury

My rating: 3 of 5 stars






The subject matter was a little tough to stomach, but no less real or heartbreaking. Rex knows his behavior isn't normal, that not many people enjoy the pain of fighting, or the bite of a tattoo needle. As a professional fighter he is able to do what he loves everyday, and figures life and time will work out the rest. Mac has been watching Rex for months. She came to Vegas for him, even though he doesn't remember her. As children they had a special bond that was built through their shared tragedy, and she hopes to have that again. Mac has a secret, information that she thinks Rex will want, but she's not sure how to tell him what she knows. What Mac doesn't know, is that it isn't just her Rex doesn't remember, he doesn't remember anything from before they were separated. Mac doesn't want to keep her identity a secret from him, but she isn't sure bringing up a past he was lucky enough to forget is what's best for him. Now she has to make the decision of whether to be honest and carry out her plan, or keep it to herself and hope she can forget too.



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Review: Mud Vein

Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars






I seriously don't know how to feel about this book. On one hand, I couldn't put it down, and I couldn't figure it out. I would think I know the answer, and bam- nope sorry, you have no idea. On the other, Mud Vein has an emotionally fucked up everything. I say everything because the characters (all of them), the villain, the plot, pretty much everything is twisted. Not only does Senna wake up not in her own home, locked away in some cabin in the woods, but she must put all of it aside to try to figure out how to escape. Everything is connected, but after 33 years of a fucked up life, some things are buried. It's the minds way of protecting you, allowing you to forget how life can be so cruel, but those memories hold the key to her freedom.



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Review: Love, In English

Love, In English by Karina Halle

My rating: 2 of 5 stars






meh.. Love, In English was okay, not my favorite by far. I guess I expected a little more, because I loved The Artists trilogy.
Vera Miles is a young Canadian, tattoo crazy, and the black sheep of the family. When she has an opportunity to go to Spain for a summer program helping Spanish business people with their conversational English she jumps on it. Not everyday can a broke college student live abroad with free room, and board. Mateo Casalles is super sexy, married, ex-athlete, turned businessman. He & Vera hit it off instantly, but they both try to avoid the inevitable.

Well that's what Halle would have you believe. It's not cheating if it's love. You can't tell the heart who to love. Oh get divorced first? The heart can't wait! But you're married. SO I never loved her, it's been a long time coming, but I do love you. I'll wait. The heart won't!
(Sorry that was an argument between the heart & the mind.)



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Review: The Will

The Will by Kristen Ashley

My rating: 3 of 5 stars






First of all, I love Kristen Ashley & everything she writes. Well.. mostly everything. The Will.. hmm where to start. Josephine (Josie) is annoying as f*ck. At one point I knew if I read the word "alas" one more time, I might lose it. I understand some people were brought up differently, and so they speak differently. Josie wasn't, her grandmother didn't speak that way, which leads me to believe when she started making real money, she started speaking like one of Louisa May Alcott's characters. It was just annoying. Second, someone pointed out the irritating similarity between KA's alpha men. The fact that they all speak like cavemen, with one word answers if you're lucky, and grunts if you aren't. Can men who use full sentences not be manly? I like to think I would have noticed this on my own, and would have been annoyed with it by myself. Since I had already read at least 50 of her books, and didn't recognize this small detail, I think that means I am not very perceptive. Other than that it wasn't bad, just not two of my favorite characters.



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Review: Out of the Shallows

Out of the Shallows by Samantha Young

My rating: 4 of 5 stars






Out of the Shallows alternates between scenes from the present, and the past. So basically you have an idea about what's going on in the present, but have no idea why, because you're missing half of the story. I don't think they caught up to one another until at least half way or more. Not my favorite, because I felt lost most of the time.
Charley & Jake have finally gotten their past sorted out, and although they both have painful memories, the good times, and their love for one another is enough to make them give it another try. I honestly liked Lowe, and would love for him to get his own spinoff. Claudia & Beck are STILL dancing around the idea of being a couple, and how two people could be so good together, but absolutely refuse to give it a shot is kind of sad. All in all it was a good ending to the two book series. Not sure why Young decided to stop at two, but a good ending either way.



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Review: Scare Crow

Scare Crow by Julie Hockley

My rating: 4 of 5 stars






***Don't read this review if you have not read Crow's Row***
Emmy was sucked into the underworld after witnessing a murder. The druglord who kidnapped her, Cameron, also happened to be her brother Bill's best friend until he died. Bill asked him to look after Emmy and he had, for years. During that time he also fell in love with her. She finally accepts who he is, and falls for him too. When Bill's uncle, Victor a local cop, and also a secret bad guy who calls himself Shield tries to get Emmy, Cameron's brother Rocco who was only 14 was killed in the crossfire. Cameron had the brilliant idea to fake his death and force Emily out of his world. He enlists Spider to pretend to betray him, and kill him. Months later she is still reeling from Cameron's death, and focused only on getting revenge. She plans to kill Spider, and Victor for their part in his death. With a single minded focus, and no experience with the underworld, Emily is getting herself into a world of trouble.



***Spoilers***
Carly, (Cameron's best friend, and Spider's gf) wanted Emmy to have protection, and to help her heal she sent Griff her way. Griff used to work for Cameron, and has been in love with her since he met her. Carly knew that Griff was capable of protecting her, and wouldn't let anything happen to her. Though he tries to get Emmy to love him, she is still too heartbroken over Cameron to even think about it. Emmy is beyond depressed, not sleeping or eating, and losing a ton of weight. She soon finds out that she's pregnant, and doesn't change anything. She doesn't go to the doctor, or even take prenatal vitamins until she ends up getting hurt. She knows she has to keep her pregnancy a secret, because there are several people who would use her baby as a pawn. She is also scared Griff won't stick around once he finds out. Cameron is losing control of the underworld, and finally decides to get things back together. He also decides to get Emmy back, right before he sees her with Griff. He thinks she deserves better than him, and changes his mind. Emmy is desperate for money, and knows that her brother left her his fortune. She has to track down Frances (Bill's baby mama) to figure out how to find the accountant who can help her get her money. Once she does this, he sends her to the Caymen Islands. Frances goes with her, and Emily tells her she will give her a portion of the money. What Emily doesn't realize, is that Francis has already betrayed her to Victor, who is the real father of Frances' child, and they are all waiting to take her when she leaves the bank with the money. She somehow gets away, gets a flight out a few hours before Francis flight, and heads home. When she sees a cop at her door, she makes the decision to leave to protect Griff, and her roommates. With no where else to go she heads to Cameron's cabin. She notices a little blood, but has had that happen the entire pregnancy. *Side note- it's almost like she didn't even want the baby. She never went the doctor unless it was an emergency, and even then they barely checked her over. She is constantly bleeding, and continues on like this is normal.* After falling asleep she wakes up bleeding profusely and in terrible pain. She eventually passes out, only to wake up to Spider in her room. She delivered the baby, but without Spider giving her his blood, she wouldn't have made it. Cameron comes out, and of course that shocks the hell out of her. She loves him of course, but it was really selfish of him to make her mourn him for months, and then when she is finally able to move on, he pops back in. Griff pulls up frantic and the book ends as he is approaching the two of them. I have no idea if she'll go back to Cameron or stay with Griff.



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Review: Red at Night

Red at Night by Katie McGarry

My rating: 5 of 5 stars






Every year it's the same. My boys hate shopping for school clothes, new backpacks, and school supplies. Shoes though, that was always different. When they're younger, before they are too cool, they are convinced that new shoes will make them run faster, and jump higher. Those types of things we take for granted. As kids we get older and realize they really don't have super powers, and as parents it becomes just one more thing crossed off of the list before we are finally done. Imagine not being able to provide that for your kid, or worse never feeling like your faster because of a new pair of shoes.
Red at Night is a novella written in honor of Nikki Berti who founded Goodie Two Shoes. A program in Las Vegas that provides new shoes to children who wouldn't have them otherwise. Not only are they new, but they fit correctly, and the kids get to pick them out.
Although Red at Night is written to honor Mrs. Berti, it's a great read from a great author. If I hadn't been so curious about what Harlequin More Than Words meant, I would have read the book and never realized that there actually was a program like described in real life. Basically if you like her other books, you'll like this one. It doesn't read like a newspaper column giving credit to the newest charity.



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Review: Into the Deep

Into the Deep by Samantha Young

My rating: 4 of 5 stars






I was a little skeptical when I started reading Into the Deep, however Jake & Charley's story is captivating. Experiencing life changing love at such a young age, only to have it ripped away when you least expect it can easily destroy your idea of love. What's worse is thinking after four years you are over it, only to come face to face with him and his new girlfriend.. Talk about heartache. Now imagine feeling all of that love, all of that anguish, and having to play it cool while hanging out with your friends, your ex, and his girlfriend. I don't think I could do it. Charley is a much better person than I am, because I would have had to find a new group of friends.


***Spoilers***
The two of them tiptoe around one another for months, and in my opinion Jake was a real selfish bastard. He wanted to continue his relationship with Melissa, while rekindling his relationship with Charley. He thought because they weren't having a physical relationship it wasn't cheating, but just because it wasn't physical, doesn't mean it wasn't a relationship. Meanwhile Charley is growing closer to him, only to have to pretend while around Melissa. Jake was just selfish. It doesn't help that Melissa is really a sweet person, and too nice not to like. While back home in the States for Christmas break, Charley finally comes to the decision that she can't handle the heartache, and decides she has to distance herself from the two of them. No sooner does she decide that, does Jake start blowing her phone up. She finds out through a mutual friend that he broke up with Melissa. She continues with the idea of space, just because they aren't together doesn't mean that she can trust him, or be with him again. In the end she finally gives in, and agrees to try again. They both decide to wait a while before flaunting their relationship out of respect for Melissa. (???) When they finally get together at their bands show, they're all hugged up, listening to the band, and Melissa walks in. He goes to speak to her, she is visibly upset, and he tells Charley he'll be back in five minutes. At two a.m. when he finally shows up, after not returning her call, she is pissed. He tells her that he had to talk with her, blah, blah. I wouldn't have caved, that to me was a huge slap in the face, but she caved. At this point she still hasn't told her parents, because she knows they will not be happy. Claudia & Beck are still tiptoeing around one another, both of them wanting the other, but not giving in. Lowe is one of my favorites, and I hate Charley couldn't see past Jake enough to give him a chance.



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