Tag Archives: mystery/suspense

Thoughts about: You by Caroline Kepnes

Book Reviews, Series Books, ,

You by Caroline Kepnes is a mystery suspense psychological thriller so chilling you can’t help but keep turning the pages!

Recommended for readers 18 years and older.

you

Thoughts by Leisha: Five Stars!

I LOVED this book. I can honestly say that this has become one of my favorite books of all time. ‘You’ centers around Joe Goldberg who works at a bookstore in NYC, which is where he meets Guinevere Beck or just Beck as her friends call her. Beck is an aspiring writer and lives and breathes social media. I don’t want to say too much more and spoil anything about this book – it’s just THAT good. One of the things I really enjoy about this book is that it’s told from Joe’s POV, which makes it deliciously creepy. You feel like you’re right next to him, watching and listening to everything going on and everything’s he’s doing.

There is another book after this one titled ‘Hidden Bodies’ but I HIGHLY recommend reading ‘You’ first. I also own the Audible version. As a matter of fact, I joined Audible just to get this book! It’s most definitely a must-read!

More about You:

“When a beautiful, aspiring writer strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe Goldberg works, he does what anyone would do: he Googles the name on her credit card.

There is only one Guinevere Beck in New York City. She has a public Facebook account and Tweets incessantly, telling Joe everything he needs to know: she is simply Beck to her friends, she went to Brown University, she lives on Bank Street, and she’ll be at a bar in Brooklyn tonight—the perfect place for a “chance” meeting.

As Joe invisibly and obsessively takes control of Beck’s life, he orchestrates a series of events to ensure Beck finds herself in his waiting arms. Moving from stalker to boyfriend, Joe transforms himself into Beck’s perfect man, all while quietly removing the obstacles that stand in their way—even if it means murder.”

~Leisha

Into the Nothing (Broken Outlaw Series Book 1) by BT Urruela

Book Reviews, Series Books, , ,

Into the Nothing is the first solo novel by BT Urruela and is a Contemporary Romance with some Military and Mystery/Suspense thrown in.  This book has it all: wonderful writing, a sexy leading man, a strong and independent leading woman, romance, a loving family, a little mystery, amazing military men and a loving dog!!

It is intended for readers 18 years and older.

Thank you, BT Urruela, for your military service.

IntoTheNothing

My Five Star Review:

So a friend of mine asks me if I’ve read BT Urreula‘s book.  My first reaction was, “you mean the really good looking military man, with the great body, excellent tattoos, and keeps popping up all over social media?”  Yes that’s the guy.  To be honest, I’m not really sure what I was expecting when I picked up Into the Nothing, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I truly enjoyed it.  To me, it was obvious it was written by a man (because let’s be honest, they speak completely different than woman do) but it was refreshing and exiting at the same time.

From the moment I met Xander, I absolutely loved him.  He is your typical alpha male but he also has this softer caring side that was wonderful to read.  He’s been traveling for nine years working his way someplace so he can find closure on his past.  Along the way he runs into Paige Watson and her family.  Paige is a feisty woman who I immediately thought was perfect for Xander.  They did quite a bit of “dancing” with a great deal of sexual tension going on between these two characters and since this is a romance you can imagine where the “dancing” finally leads.   Paige’s written voice was very similar to Xander’s with the use of strong language and some male jargon but to me I thought it fit this woman’s personality. Paige goes through a really rough patch towards the end of this book and my heart was breaking for her but I was very happy with how the book progressed.  (And that’s the only spoiler you’re going to get from me.)

BT takes you on several twists and turns throughout the book and you meet some great secondary characters that I’m hoping pop up in the second book.  To me this book did not leave me with a cliffhanger feeling.  The initial story ends but it’s obvious BT has more story to tell.  I’m looking forward to reading the second book in his Broken Outlaw Series.

About Into the Nothing: 

“Xander Evans has been on the road for many years. Never settling. Always moving from one place to another, unable to let go of his past. He lived a tragic childhood, spending most of those years in foster care. He’s never felt like he’s had a home. That is until he stops in the small town of Truman Valley, Missouri, where he meets a woman who will change everything he’s ever known.

Paige Watson has it all. A loving family, beautiful home, and a great career. The only thing she’s missing….is love. After escaping an abusive relationship, she opens her heart up to a stranger. He is unlike any man she’s ever met. He came into her life and turned it completely upside down. Everything is perfect. That is, until one fateful night.

A night that would tear the Watson family apart, never to be put back together again.

A night that would send Xander away to prison for life.”

into the nothing teaser

Want to know more about BT Urruela?  Click here: http://www.bturruela.com/about/

You can also find him here:  Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, Goodreads

Pick up your copy of Into the Nothing on Amazon.

You can find other male romance writers over on Facebook in the Romance & Erotica Author Fraternity group page.  It currently has 8 male authors who love to interact with their fans.  It is a hilarious group, so plan to laugh a lot, and it’s also one of my favorites.

Check out BT’s first book co-written with K.L. Grayson – A Lover’s Lament

BT is also the Brand Ambassador and & Co-Founder of VetSports. Find out more here: http://www.vetsports.org/

As Always, Keep Writing/Keep Reading ~ janisf

 

shelter Me (A Shelter Novel-Book 1) by Stephanie Tyler

Book Reviews, Series Books, ,

shelter Me is the first book in a new Trilogy by the amazing Stephanie Tyler.  It’s a contemporary romance suspense/mystery and filled with secrets, well defined characters and of course romance.   shelter Me grabbed me right from the very first page, it sucked me in and never let me go!  I am in desperate need of the second book, pieces of Me!!

Recommended for readers 18 years and older.  Shelter Me is available July 25, 2016.

shelter me

My FIVE Star Review:

Cathryn “Ryn” Taylor is an up and coming artist who has no memory of the first 17 years of her life.  As with many artists, she gets lost in her painting for hours at a time and that’s just how she likes it.  She’s a strong female who can defend herself but she’s still considered the “crazy artist.” Her best friend, Brayden, owner of his own art gallery and who has been selling Ryn’s paintings for a few years, wants her to come to NYC for her very own showing.  Brayden is her family and he goes out of his way to keep her protected.

Lucas Caine is a complete mystery.  He’s gorgeous, danger vibrates off him in waves, violence surely follows him, he has alpha male written all over his body and facial features but Ryn can’t seem to get him out of her system.  It turns out, Lucas can get Ryn out of his system either.  The chemistry between these two characters is off the charts hot!

As with any of Stephanie’s novels, the writing is amazing.  She paints such a clear picture of what’s happening and weaves a story together so well that I couldn’t help but get pulled right in.  Her characters are very well developed and keep you guessing throughout the book.  Secondary characters play a very big role in this book and that’s something I truly love in a novel.

Shelter Me is the first in a trilogy and the ending left me wanting the next book immediately.  I wouldn’t say it was a “cliff hanger” ending because the story unfolds with each chapter but it definitely leaves you wanting more of this intriguing story.  I will say that it’s obvious to me that you must read this book before any others in the series.

I absolutely love Stephanie’s story telling style and I would highly recommend all of her books.

More about shelter Me:

“There are ghosts in my past—ghosts I can’t recognize.

My painting heals me, but Lucas Caine has made me come alive. My past could take both those things away forever. What started out as an undeniable need to create was quickly turning into danger as my longing for memories fed the rough canvases I filled.

Falling for Lucas will force me to revisit my lost memories—and possibly lose myself, my art, and him in the process.

And now he has me skating the thin edge between desire and fear as I use a past I don’t remember to leverage a future I’m not sure I want.”

Excerpt:

“I’m prickly with sensation as goose bumps rise on my skin.  Blood rushes, pounding a beat between my ears until it’s all I hear.  The scene in front of me plays out, wordless.  Soundless. Silent slow motion.

And there’s nothing but a palpable danger vibrating through me.  My skin crawls, throat tightens.  I’ve backed up to the bricks which scrape along my jacket, almost catching me to the surface.

It’s like I’m watching something with another layer over it, an overexposed negative of one thing superimposed over another.

In front of me, Lucas is fighting three men.

But in my overexposed memory, I’m fighting someone – something else, even though Lucas isn’t letting any of these men near me.

A sob racks through me but I stifle it.  I need to be strong.

Activity resumes at its normal volume.  The gauzy curtain lifts to reveal real life and I see and hear the fight happening inches form me.  The sounds of bodies scraping against concrete and fists making contact with flesh and bone overwhelm my already fragile senses.

I look down and realize that, at some point, I’ve pulled the knife out of my bag to protect myself in case they come near me, but Lucas was fighting like he could take all of them.

And he could. Because he did.”

Want to read more?

Head over to Stephanie’s website to read Chapter 1.  http://stephanietyler.info/books/shelter-me/

Reading Order: 

shelter Me – Book 1 – Amazon Link – releases July 25, 2016

pieces of Me – Book 2 – Releases November 2016

Book 3 – Releases January 2017

Find Stephanie Tyler Here: Facebook, Internet, Goodreads, Twitter, Instagram.

As always, Keep Writing/Keep Reading ~janisf

A Time to Rise by Tal Bauer

Book Reviews, Series Books, , , , ,

A Time to Rise is a Paranormal Male Romance.  The story takes place in Rome and Vatican City.  I learned a great deal about the Swiss Guard and their role in keeping the Pope safe.  The story has vampires, demons, revenants and basically all the things that go bump in the night.  A Time to Rise contains adult content suitable for mature readers only.

A Time to Rise releases May 2, 2016

a time to rise

My Four Star Review:

For the past 12 years Sergeant Alain Autenberg has been in charge of Special Projects for the Guard which basically means it’s his job to protect the Vatican and Rome from all the things that go bump in the night.  His partner is Father Lotario who is quite a piece of work and hard to believe he’s a father at all.  I immediately loved him.  They work together to eliminate any threat but things are starting to change in the dark world and they can’t seem to figure out why.  As a side note: Alain lost the love of his life 12 years ago and he’s been lonely but he’s sticking to the promise he made to himself to never love again.

In walks new guard recruit, Cristoph Hasse who Alain is immediately drawn to and who becomes his new mentee.  He’s never been a Mentor before and he’s not happy about it.  But he can’t say no to his boss, Commandant Best.

There are sections in the book, during the hunts, where Alain and Father Lotario destroy the “bad” guys.  Be prepared for it to be graphic and bloody.  But within all of the blood and gore, you can see a very strong friendship between these two men.

During the mentoring process, Alain and Cris form the start of a friendship.  Cris ends up finding out more then he should about Alain and what he does while he tries to find his place in the world.  Their friendship grows into something more and they start to care about each other.   At this point things start to get very crazy.  Vampires and Demons working together, someone in the Vatican wanting to “rule the world” and Alain trying to stop it all.  Let’s just say you need to hang on for this ride because it’s a rollercoaster!  There is a dramatic conclusion to this but however, the end of this story was left wide open.  Not a cliffhanger but there is definitely more story to be told and I look forward to book 2.

This is the second book I’ve read by Tal Bauer.  The first was Enemies of the State and you can find my five star review here.

Tal’s stories are a bit different.  While both these books are male romance, the romance is not really the focus of the book.  They are packed with action, adventure, some horror, some blood and gore, men saving the world and basically “stuff” that makes a novel exciting to read.   Don’t get me wrong, the romance is still there and it’s written beautify.  Tal’s writing flows smoothly, is very easy to read and also very entertaining.  I enjoyed both of these books and look forward to reading more by Tal.

More about A Time to Rise: 

History says the Knights Templar were destroyed in 1307.
History is wrong.

Vampires haunt the sewers beneath Rome, revenants desecrate graveyards, ghouls devour helpless passersby, and incubi stalk dark alleys and seedy nightclubs in Italy’s capital. Deep in the Vatican, a brotherhood exists, sworn protectors of the earth, and they stand firm against monsters from the dark depths. Operating in secret and silence, they protect our world from the sinister, the etheric, and the evils that exist beyond the Veil.

But it’s a lonely life, and Alain Autenberg knows that more than most. His lover was ripped from him years ago, and he vowed never to get close to another soul again. Even when the loneliness presses down on him, and his empty heart cries out for something more.

Something more comes in Cristoph Hasse, a new soldier arriving in Rome to serve in the Pontifical Swiss Guard. Young, brash, and fitting in at right angles everywhere he goes, Cris struggles in the murky, deceptive labyrinth of the Vatican. Propelled forward by a past he can’t understand, Cris collides with Alain, and both men crash headfirst into the darkest secret of the Vatican…and of the world.

Find Tal Bauer Here:  Internet, Facebook, NineStar Press.

Pick up A Time to Rise at Amazon – here.  Pick up Enemies of the State at Amazon – here.

As always, Keep Writing/Keep Reading ~janisf

Note:  I received a copy of this book directly from the author.

Nice Guys Trilogy by Kindle Alexander

Book Reviews, Series Books, ,

Nice Guys is a Mystery Suspense Gay Romance Trilogy by Kindle Alexander and is intended for adult readers 18+.

nice guys

Reading Order:

  1. Double Full (Nice Guys #1)
  2. Full Disclosure (Nice Guys #2)
  3. Full Domain (Nice Guys #3)

I really think you should read this series in order.  Each book contains a love story but also a mystery/investigation that continues with each book.

My Four Star Review:

Double Full is the story of Colt Michaels (College football star) and Jace Montgomery (Cheerleader.)  The two meet in college and fall in love but obstacles are thrown in their way to force them apart.  Ten years later Colt is the star quarterback for a NY team and Jace built an all-star cheerleading gym in Texas.   Major changes in their lives throw them back together but tragedy strikes by way of an accident causing Colt and Jace to make some changes in their future.

Colt’s team doctor calls in his son, Deputy US Marshal Mitch Knox, to look into Colts recent accident.  The Marshal discovers similar incidences where gay men were killed or hurt in sever accidents but will Knox be able to convince his superiors to let him open an investigation?

From the moment I started the book, I fell in love with both characters.  It was heartbreaking to watch Colt make the decision he needed to make but I think his decision really pushed Jace to follow his dreams.  When they finally got back together, it was wonderful watching Jace open up to Colt again and watching Colt change into the man he always wanted to be.

 

Full Disclosure picks up where Double Full leaves off and is the story of Deputy US Marshal Mitch Knox and Texas State Trooper Cody Turner.  This is where the investigation into the deaths and accidents really takes off due to the son of a senator becoming a victim.  Knox ends up having to work with the FBI and he’s really not happy about that.  He is so not a suit and tie kind of guy. It is extremely entertaining to watch Mitch deal with the stuffy FBI agents he works with them.  Mitch’s partner, Deputy US Marshal Kreed Sinacola, joins the investigation.

Colt and Jace make an appearance and it’s so great to see them again.  They take Mitch out drinking and dancing and that’s where Mitch meets Cody.  One night with Cody and it changes Mitch’s life.  They try to make a long distance relationship work, Cody gets stuck in the crossfire of the investigation but don’t worry, there is still a happily ever after for them. Keep reading and jump right into Book 3, Full Domain.

 

Full Domain is the final book in this trilogy and is the story of US Marshal Kreed Sinacola and Aaron Stuart, Young Computer Geek who works for the National Security Agency, joins Kreed and the FBI to infiltrate the group they think is responsible for the attacks.  Kreed has had a soft spot for Aaron the moment they meet through skype and has been trying to get into Aarons pants since the first met face to face at the airport.  The chemistry between these two is off the charts and it was an absolute joy to read the interaction between the two.

The investigation wraps up in this book and all the guys are involved.  It’s really like one big story all rolled into three books with this cast of characters becoming family.  I really enjoyed Kindle’s writing and her characters and I look forward to reading more of her work.

If you love a great mystery, strong men making the world a better place and romance with a happily ever after, then definitely pick up these books.

 

More About Double Full:

“Up and coming football hero, Colt Michaels, makes a Hail Mary pass one night in the college locker room that results in the hottest, sexiest five days of his young life. However, interference after the play has him hiding his past and burying his future in the bottom of a bottle. While Colt seems to have it all, looks can be deceiving especially when you’re trapped so far in a closet that you can’t see your way out. When ten years of living his expected fast-lane lifestyle lands him engaged to his manipulative Russian supermodel girlfriend, he decides it’s time to call a new play.
Jace Montgomery single-handily built the largest all-star cheerleading gym in the world, driven by a need to forget a life-altering encounter with a handsome quarterback a decade ago. His reputation as an excellent coach, hard-nosed business man, and savvy entrepreneur earned him respect in the sometimes catty world of competitive cheerleading. When Jace learns of his ex-lover’s plans to marry, his heart executes a barrel roll and his carefully placed resolve tumbles down without a mat to absorb the shock. Can his island escape help him to finally let go of the past and move his life forward?”

More About Full Disclosure:

“Deputy United States Marshal Mitch Knox apprehends fugitives for a living. His calm, cool, collected attitude and devastatingly handsome good looks earn him a well-deserved bad boy reputation, both in the field and out. While away on an assignment, he blows off some steam at a notorious Dallas nightclub. Solving the case that has plagued him for months takes a sudden backseat to finding out all there is to know about the gorgeous, shy blond sitting alone at the bar.
Texas State Trooper Cody Turner is moving up the ranks, well on his way to his dream of being a Texas Ranger. While on a two-week mandatory vacation, he plans to relax and help out on his family’s farm. Mitch is the last distraction Cody needs, but the tatted up temptation that walks into the bar and steals his baseball cap is too hard to ignore.
As Mitch’s case gains nationwide attention, how will he convince the sexy state trooper that giving him a chance won’t jeopardize his life’s plan…especially when the evil he’s tracking brings the hate directly to his doorstep, threatening more than just their careers.”

More About Full Domain:

“Honor, integrity, and loyalty are how Deputy US Marshal Kreed Sinacola lives his life. A former SEAL now employed by the Special Operations Group of the US Marshal Service, Kreed spent most of his life working covert operations and avoiding relationships. Never one to mix business with pleasure, his boundaries blur and his convictions are put to the test when he finally comes face-to-face with the hot computer geek he’s been partnered with. Hell-bent on closing the ongoing case for his longtime friend, he pushes past his own limits and uncovers more than he expects.
Aaron Stuart strives for one thing: justice. Young and full of idealism, his highly sought after computer skills land him a position with the National Security Agency. Aaron’s biggest hazard at his job is cramped fingers, but all that changes when he is drawn into the middle of a dangerous federal investigation. Aaron gets more than he bargained for when the FBI partners him with a handsome and tempting deputy US marshal. His attraction to the inked up, dark-haired man provides another kind of threat altogether. Aaron tries desperately to place a firewall around his heart and fight his developing feelings, knowing one misstep on his part could ultimately destroy him.
The solution isn’t as easy as solving the case, which is treacherous enough as it is. But the growing sexual attraction between them threatens to derail more than just Kreed’s personal convictions as he quickly learns temptation and matters of the heart rarely fit easily into the rules he’s lived by. Will Kreed be able to convince Aaron to open his heart and face the fact that sometimes the answers aren’t always hidden in code?”

Find Kindle here: Facebook, Internet, Twitter

As always, Keep Writing/Keep Reading ~janisf

The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon

Book Reviews, , ,

About The Law of Moses Book:

This was an emotional, inspirational, moving story that has become one of my favorite reads this year.  EVERYONE should read this story.  It’s so much more than a love story.

“Someone found him in a laundry basket at the Quick Wash, wrapped in a towel, a few hours old and close to death. They called him Baby Moses when they shared his story on the ten o’clock news – the little baby left in a basket at a dingy Laundromat, born to a crack addict and expected to have all sorts of problems. I imagined the crack baby, Moses, having a giant crack that ran down his body, like he’d been broken at birth. I knew that wasn’t what the term meant, but the image stuck in my mind. Maybe the fact that he was broken drew me to him from the start.

It all happened before I was born, and by the time I met Moses and my mom told me all about him, the story was old news and nobody wanted anything to do with him. People love babies, even sick babies. Even crack babies. But babies grow up to be kids, and kids grow up to be teenagers. Nobody wants a messed up teenager.
And Moses was messed up. Moses was a law unto himself. But he was also strange and exotic and beautiful. To be with him would change my life in ways I could never have imagined. Maybe I should have stayed away. Maybe I should have listened. My mother warned me. Even Moses warned me. But I didn’t stay away.

And so begins a story of pain and promise, of heartache and healing, of life and death. A story of before and after, of new beginnings and never-endings. But most of all . . . a love story.”

My Five Star Review:

Moses and Georgia were amazing characters to read.  Moses struggled all throughout his life and painted as a way to deal with the things he had no control over.  He didn’t have friends, he didn’t love, and he was just biding his time until he could be out on his own.  Georgia loved her horses, she loved riding them, she loved fixing troubled horses and all she wanted to do was “fix” Moses and be his friend.

This book, of course, was a love story because that’s what I love to read but it also had some mystery, a few heartbreaking emotional ups and downs and a bunch of really good lessons everyone should learn. I would encourage readers of any age to read this book.  It is well worth your time.

You meet a young man named Tag in The Law of Moses who has a different kind of troubled background.  I fell in love with this character as well and was happy to find out his book, The Song of David, is due out in June 2015.  Just a few days away.

I leave you now with the first sentence in the second paragraph of The Law of Moses:  “If I tell you right up front, right in the beginning that I lost him, it will be easier for you to bear.”  Don’t let this sentence scare you.  Jump in and enjoy Moses and Georgia’s story.  I did.

Find Amy Harmon here: Internet, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter

Pick up The Law of Moses on kindle here: http://a.co/cwUbUQN

To read more of my reviews of Amy’s books, click here: janisf Amy reviews

As Always, Keep Writing/Keep Reading ~ janisf