Indie Book Reviews

Reviews of any indie titles

Review: Hell in Heels by Alicia Dawn & Hope Daniels

Hell In Heels

Title: Hell in Heels 

Author: Alicia Dawn & Hope Daniels 

Published Date: December 12th 2015

Genre: Paranormal Romance (Adult Content)

Rating:
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Synopsis

Fate was a fickle bitch. Or at least that’s how Zoey Morgan saw it. As a witch old enough to know better, yet too sexy for any man to resist, she was tired of running. From her past. From the pain. But especially from her worst nightmare. Not being able to save her family from the clutches of a great evil.

Unfortunately, she’d been doing it so long, she wasn’t sure how to stop.

That was until an ex-military wolf-shifter crossed her path.
But to say Ryan Taylor was a jaded breed of his own would be quite the understatement. It seemed his past, too, was riddled with enough cynicism to make trusting a gal like Zoey a difficult feat. Still, his innate drive to protect an innocent was as intrinsic as the act of breathing, which made leaving her to face her demons alone harder than any covert mission.

Their fiery mutual attraction didn’t help, and it wasn’t long before the sparks and fur began to fly, all while Zoey’s past continued to hunt her. With no choice left but to combine military with magic, the two work together to take down Zoey’s nemesis, finally, once and for all.

My Review

Outstanding! I’m looking forward to reading what else fate has in store for Zoey!In this book, we meet Zoey, who’s pretty much a badass sexy witch with a really bad past and some major issues with committment. She’s fun, but she’s also one of the oldest witches in her area and she is just got tired of running, but didn’t really know any other life then no attachment, and just fun. Until we meet Ryan. He’s from the military, and he’s a wolf shifter, and their chemistry from first meeting is pretty darn powerful.

I really loved the storyline in this book, as I’ve said before, for me, paranormal romance really need to keep my attention for with story as well as romance, because it’s not all about the steamy parts. But Dawn & Daniels managed that pretty flawlessly! The plot was well thought out, had great conflict and tension, and really took us on a ride. I was on the edge of my seat for parts and I loved it! There’s a major tension and drama leading up to parts of this book, and they played it perfectly!

I think having two broken characters come together in this book really worked well. I loved both of their stories, their interaction, and their connection. They both try to fight it, but in the end it’s pointless. For the first book in a series, I think both of these authors can only go up from here! I’m excited to see more in this story, or break off storylines because the world building was well done, and so many places they can go! Great job!

GR

amazon

 

***Review first published here. I am a reviewer for NerdGirl, and Big3. For more information regarding their reviews please visit their Fan Site: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.NG***

Review: When I’m Gone by Emily Bleeker

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Title: When I’m Gone

Author: Emily Bleeker

Published Date: March 15th 2016

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Rating:

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Synopsis

Dear Luke,First let me say—I love you…I didn’t want to leave you.…

Luke Richardson has returned home after burying Natalie, his beloved wife of sixteen years, ready to face the hard job of raising their three children alone. But there’s something he’s not prepared for—a blue envelope with his name scrawled across the front in Natalie’s handwriting, waiting for him on the floor of their suburban Michigan home.

The letter inside, written on the first day of Natalie’s cancer treatment a year ago, turns out to be the first of many. Luke is convinced they’re genuine, but who is delivering them? As his obsession with the letters grows, Luke uncovers long-buried secrets that make him question everything he knew about his wife and their family. But the revelations also point the way toward a future where love goes on—in written words, in memories, and in the promises it’s never too late to keep.

My Review:
Outstanding! Emily Bleeker is a New to Me Author, but I saw this cover as a book selection for NerdGirl, and I just connected with it, so I had to pick up this book! I’m completely thrilled that I did, and would not regret reading this.This story connects with the reader on a deep emotional level, as we come into the story with Luke, a grieving husband who now has to raise kids on his own, and he receives a letter from his departed wife. As the letters continue to come, the story and mystery surrounding Natalie comes to light. There’re various aspects of Natalie’s life that Luke never knew about, and one by one, the letters start revealing the pieces to him and making his head spin. We meet Natalie and Luke, along with her friend Annie, and Jessie. Each character is written so well, and so complex that you regularly swap back and forth on if you like the character. As things get brought to light, you’re taken on an emotional rollercoaster, and it makes this book a fantastic read. I was drawn in quickly, read it in a few days, and shed a few tears. I’m impressed with the skill of the author because this isn’t an easy subject or an easy plot to write on, and she blew it out of the water. I loved the dynamic between the characters and the added tension the letters brought.

I would recommend this to fans of emotional stories, as well as mysteries because it’s got great characteristics of both. I loved how this book was slightly similar in concept to “P.S I love You” which I loved in both book and movie form, and the basic letter idea is all that it had in common, but if you enjoyed that book, this would be perfect for you. It tugs at your heart strings, makes you mind race, and makes to think of the big picture of life and death, and how to move on.

Very well done, and I look forward to reading more from this author! Fantastic!

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for honest review. All opinions are my own.

First published on NerdGirl (Proud Member of NerdGirl, Big3) For more information regarding their reviews please visit their Fan Site: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.NG***

GR

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#Review & #Giveaway for Queen of Hearts by Kristen Painter! – @Kristen_Painter

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Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

“Welcome to Las Vegas, home of the Sin City Collectors. The job description is easy: Bring the offending supernatural in to the Boss and don’t ask any questions.

Feline shifter Claudette Marchon traded life as a showgirl to become a Sin City Collector, giving up the glamour to earn some serious cash in order to buy her own business. Mission accomplished, she now runs a pawn shop specializing in gems and jewelry.

Life is good until a Collection job requiring her specific skill set lures her back in. The Queen of Hearts, a museum-worthy ruby and diamond necklace has been stolen from the Boss’s private collection and she’s his last hope to do what two other Collectors have already failed to do. Bring in the necklace. And the thief.

But gargoyle Jason Tennant isn’t quite the dangerous criminal Claudette expects. In fact, he’s not a thief at all. He’s former Special Ops and being set up by the real mastermind, forcing her to decide between the man she’s falling for and the man she works for. Proving Jason innocent may risk the Boss’s wrath, but Claudette’s heart says it’s a gamble worth taking.

What’s Collected in Vegas, stays in Vegas…”

Review:

Grade: A+ (5 Stars)

Cianna for Sunshine & Mountains

For a novel set in THE sin city, Painter lives up to the richness that the city embodies. This short novella will make you beg for a novel. Claude is a great character, rough around the edges, tough as diamonds, and fill with just the right amount of sass. She’s a retired collector pulled back into the game for a job that she’s not quite prepared for. I love it, it was lush just like Vegas, and gives you a hangover too, just like the trip! Such a good story. A solid mix of humor, action, and steamy attraction. I love the paranormal characters, and how they slide right into Vegas life, and you start to think… hmmm.. this is totally possible! 🙂 Highly recommend it! It’s the first full story by Kristen Painter I’ve read (I’m in one of her novels but not done) and I will say her voice in this novel is strong, witty and wonderful! Take a change on Queen of Hearts!

*I was given a copy for review.

Currently KP’s got two giveaways going on, so make sure to enter both! 🙂

Goodreads giveaway – Paperback copy of Queen of Hearts!

Massive Swag Giveaway on Facebook

Review: The Stories of Goom’pa: Book 1: Goom’pa and Shine by Vikrant Malhotra – Illustrations by Rachael Mahaffey

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Amazon | Goodreads

Synopsis:

She emerged as innocent as any newborn. The party of starbursts and sparkles came to a standstill. In awe, millions of heavenly beings paused. Shine Star, Princess of the Universe, was the most precious and rare of all creations. As an expression of perfect happiness, thus was the king’s daughter born.

A magical love story unfolds in Vikrant Malhotra’s wondrous debut, The Stories of Goom’pa: Book One.

Meet Goom’pa. He is a Poofy, a small furry creature who resides on Earth in a place called Palidon, on the edge of the Miron National Forest.

His world is a quiet one—until he spies Shine Star, a glorious star in the sky and the daughter of Prime Ray, the king of the universe. Enchanted by her elegance, Goom’pa knows he is willing to do anything to win the love of this celestial beauty.

As the two meet and fall in love, Shine Star’s father worries about his only daughter. Exploiting that concern is the Star Lord, Rath, who wants nothing more than to wrestle control of the universe away from Prime Ray.

Will Goom’pa and Shine Star find a way to be together? Or will Rath’s evil plan doom them all?

Review:

Reviewed by Cianna for Sunshine & Mountains

Grade: B+ (4 Stars)

I mostly enjoyed this book. I felt like it was a a unique idea for a kids book, kinda along the lines of Stardust, but more tamed down. Shine Star is a star and she wants to be with Goom’pa a little Poofy she met in the forest.

First off, I want a poofy! Actually, I’d like a whole tribe to come live in my house, I’d accept it because they sound so darn adorable.

Second, this was a really interesting book, but I did only give it 4 stars because I felt a little lost at times, as the chapters were so short and characters switched so quickly, so I worry if an adult gets lost, how will a little kid fare? That’s really my only critique of the book. I’d love to know more about Poofy’s too, but I’m hoping that might come in a later book. I felt really involved in the story, I was rooting for Shine Star and Goom’pa’s love to win over the villains and work out! There’s a lot more deep meaning to this book then compared to some children’s books. It really deals with the feelings of loneliness, which is a great for a child, because depending on life and situations, child can get lonely easily.

I felt Shine Star was a fun character, she’s always interested in learning, which lead her to Goom’pa, and I think it’s another great message for children. She had a very interesting life, but again, we didn’t get too much of her world and her people in this book, and I’d love to learn more, but her transformation at the end of the book was very beautiful.

Overall, this is a really catchy and well written kids story. It interests the reader, it’s unique, and deals with some deeper themes which would be good for the adults reading as well as the kids listening. I hope in book two we get more from the two worlds and more of their chatacters that flew by too fast in this one!

** I was given a copy from the author & Rebecca’s Reads in exchange for an honest review

Falling for Jillian by Kristen Proby – Review & Release Day – @SignetEclipse @Handbagjunkie @BerkleyRomance

Falling for Jillian by Kristen Proby

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Check it Out!

Amazon | Goodreads | B&N

Blurb

From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby comes the third romance in the Love Under the Big Sky series, featuring a veteran struggling with PTSD and the one woman who can help him recover—and learn to love again.

Jillian thought she was a city girl through and through; the fast cars, high fashion, and glamour—she loves it all. But when her ex tells her he’s having a baby with his new wife (after Jillian struggled for years to get pregnant), she hightails it back to Montana to cry on the shoulder of her best friend, Cara.

But in truth, Jillian would rather be comforted by someone else…specifically Zack, Cara’s brother-in-law. Zack is a veteran of the Iraq War who came back to the family ranch to raise his preteen son after the boy’s mother took off. He’s struggling to re-establish a relationship with his son, and warding off the demons of PTSD, which still haunt him. The last thing he needs is bold, brassy Jillian…but why can’t he keep his hands off her?

Review

by Catherine for Sunshine & Mountains

Grade: A (5 Stars)

I so loved this book, I just love anything Kristen writes.  A very sweet love story, Zack and Jillian both have major baggage from previous relationships, in spite of it all they find a true love.  They are so sweet together and Zack is just plain hot.  I love the connection they seem to have from the beginning and the relationship between them two and Zack’s son, Seth.  An amazing book.  I am so hoping that there will be more to this series.
I was given a copy by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

About The Author:

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Kristen is the author of the Amazon and USA Today bestselling With Me In Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.
Kristen spends her days with her muse in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

#Review – You Really Got Me by Erika Kelly – Five Star Read!

You Really Got Me by Erika Kelly

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Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

Synopsis:

The first irresistible novel in a hot new series about a rock star on his way up—and the woman he wants to take all the way…

Emmie Valencia has what it takes to be the music industry’s hottest band manager. She just needs to prove it. Determined to discover a killer new band, Emmie is ready to make her move. First stop: Austin, Texas.

As a sizzling-hot lead singer, Slater Vaughn has no trouble raising heart rates—but his band’s been flat-lining for years. When Emmie, his bandmate’s sister, crashes with them in exchange for some free management, her industry know-how lands them a spot in the biggest music festival in Texas. But it isn’t just her business acumen that catches Slater’s attention. Emmie is sexy and warm, and—for the first time in his life—he wants more.

But as irresistible as Slater is, Emmie is done with musicians. In her experience, a man can’t be a rock star and someone to trust with your heart—but Slater is determined to show her he’s both.

Review:
Grade: A (5 Stars)

Oh my!!!  I really enjoyed this book.  It was full of emotional turmoil and finding the one true love of your life.  Emmie and Slater were so good together.  I loved that Slater had it all figured out and knew what he wanted and that Emmie was the one that struggled with her feelings.  This was such  great book.  I loved all the characters, the writing style of the author is outstanding.  I look forward to reading more from this author.  I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a good emotional read.

Reviewed by Catherine for sunshine & Mountains

**I was given a copy by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

About The Author:

Award-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life—she just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, she didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she’s been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she’s written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she’s lived in two countries and seven states, but give her pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and she can make her home anywhere.

#Review – Falling Away by Penelope Douglas – 5 Star Read!

Falling Away by Penelope Douglas

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Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

Synopsis:

Jaxon is the guy she’s supposed to avoid.

K.C. is the girl he won’t let get away….

K. C. Carter has always followed the rules—until this year, when a mistake leaves her the talk of her college campus and her carefully arranged life comes crashing to a halt. Now she’s stuck in her small hometown for the summer to complete her court-ordered community service, and to make matters worse, trouble is living right next door.

Jaxon Trent is the worst kind of temptation and exactly what K.C. was supposed to stay away from in high school. But he never forgot her. She was the one girl who wouldn’t give him the time of day and the only one to ever say no. Fate has brought K.C. back into his life—except what he thought was a great twist of luck turns out to be too close for comfort. As the bond between them grows, he discovers that convincing K.C. to get out from her mother’s shadow is hard, but revealing the darkest parts of his soul is nearly impossible.…

Review:

Grade: A+++ (Over 5 Stars)
Oh my, I’m not sure I can put into words at how good this book was.  We are taken on a very emotional roller coaster ride.  Jax and K.C. are two broken people, hiding from their past and trying to live everyday without be dragged back down.  They are so right for one another, but are afraid what will happen if they give into the happiness they feel.  I just can’t get over how awesome this book was.  I wasn’t fully prepared for all of the emotions I felt while reading this one.  I really loved it.  The author did an amazing job, you go on an emotional ride, but it is so worth it.  Job well done, Penelope Douglas.

By Catherine for Sunshine & Mountains

**I was given a copy by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

About The Author

Penelope Douglas is a writer living in Las Vegas with her husband and daughter. She is the author of the New York Times and USA Today Bestsellers BULLY and UNTIL YOU, and the USA TODAY Bestseller, RIVAL. Look for the next book in the series, FALLING AWAY, coming January 6, 2015.

#Review – I Found My Heart in West Virginia by Chelsea Falin and Cory Hammond

I Found My Heart in West Virginia

by Chelsea Falin and Cory Hammond

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Synopsis:

Cheyenne, or Shy as she is better known, makes the huge decision to move her and her four young children to the mountains of West Virginia. Despite coming from a small town in west-central Florida, she had been living in upstate New York with her ex-husband…had been, those were the key words. After finding out her ex-husband was having an affair with a childless eighteen year old girl, Shy calls it quits. West Virginia had long ago found a special place in her heart. The mountains are beautiful, the people are friendly, and you can find a piece of the old life hidden out in the hollers. It doesn’t hurt that Cheyenne’s favorite cousin, Jace, and his family abide there either. Nor does the cheap property prices. Shy hopes she will find a new life for her and her children. She wants freedom, and a simpler way of life. What she doesn’t expect to find is a rough-around-the-edges backwoods boy with plenty of troubles of his own to entrap her heart so quickly after the end of her marriage…or ever, come to think of it.

 

Review:

Review by Kayla

Grade: A (4 out of 5 Stars)

I liked the way the language flowed in this story. It was a beautiful love story that was tastefully done and had a few sex scenes that were good but didn’t overpower the story. I liked the way you got to see how the characters really were and be able to see into how they were thinking. It was done in a first person story coming from both main characters. This was a very uplifting story and I really enjoyed reading it.

**I was given a copy of I found my heart in West Virginia by Sunshine and Mountains book blog for an honest review.

#Review: Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper – Fantastic, emotional, and well written YA! @Karen_Hooper

Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper

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 Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

 

Synopsis:

Leave it to Maryah Woodsen to break the one rule that will screw up eternity: Never erase your memories.

Before entering this life, Maryah did the unthinkable—she erased. Now, at seventeen years old, she’s clueless that her new adoptive family has known her for centuries, that they are perpetually reincarnated souls, and that they have supernatural abilities. Oh, and she’s supposed to love (not despise) Nathan, the green-eyed daredevil who saved her life.

Nathan is convinced his family’s plan to spark Maryah’s memory is hopeless, but his love for her is undying. After spending (and remembering) so many lifetimes together, being around an empty version of his soulmate is heart shattering. He hates acting like a stalker, but has no choice because the evil outcast who murdered Maryah in their last lifetime is still after her.

While Maryah’s hunter inches closer, she and Nathan make assumptions and hide secrets that rip them further apart. Maryah has to believe in the magic within her, Nathan must have faith in the power of their love, and both need to grasp onto the truth before they lose each other forever—and discover just how lonely eternity can be.

 

Review:

A+ – 5 Stars

Review by Cianna for Sunshine & Mountains

This is such a refreshing book! I’m so annoyed it took me so long to read and enjoy this story, but glad to hear that the next two books in the series are already out! That means I don’t have to wait. Elementals is a really interesting territory for a book, I like freedom it provides, diving into something that hasn’t been covered as often as other characters, and I love the backstory, the soul mates, de ja vu, and the past lives. These are all things that interest me quite a bit, so I really dived in, and loved every minute of it. I liked the way Maryah developed, and how her relationship with Nathaniel came about, which just really illustrates the very fine line between love and hate. I like that the author played around with first impressions in this book, and what we get when we look a little harder. I wish more of the major storyline was introduced into the book, but I can see the need to address Maryah before we can jump into any of the other action, but I like the places it did connect to the big storyline, and those moments where you find out something critical, and you are just picking your jaw up from the floor. In a world flooded with YA books, both great and terrible, this book shines as a well written, well thought out debut novel, which really pulls in the reader and makes them anxious for the next book, and the furthering of Nathaniel & Maryah’s story! Plus, it didn’t hurt all the mentions of Colorado and Colorado Springs, where I live. I love when books pull from things I know! It makes everything a little more real! Thank you to the author for making my life a little more exciting for a few hours, and giving me a new series to love!  I can’t wait to get my hands on the next ones!! 🙂

*I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

 

About The Author

Karen was born and bred in Baltimore, frolicked and froze in Colorado for a couple of years and is currently sunning and splashing around Florida with her two beloved dogs. She’s addicted to coffee, chocolate and complicated happily-ever-afters.

Karen has been making up stories for as long as she can remember. In high school she discovered her passion for putting her thoughts onto paper, but it wasn’t until her late twenties that she wrote her first novel. Due to her strong Disney upbringing, she still believes in fairytales and will forever sprinkle magic throughout all of her novels.

 

Novels

Tangled Tides

Dangerous Depths

 

Grasping at Eternity

Taking Back Forever

Fighting for Infinity

 

Contact

Email: authorkarenhooper@gmail.com

Website: http://www.KarenAmandaHooper.com

Twitter: Karen_Hooper

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKaren

 

#Review – Fiat by Jeffery D Schlaman – #Financial #postapocalyptic #thriller.. Definitely something new!

Fiat  by Jeffery Schlaman

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Synopsis:

By the fall of 2016, the country is already on the verge of financial collapse, despite the most aggressive actions conceivable by the Federal Reserve. When foreign debt-holders suddenly dump their debt in an act of aggression against the United States, hyper-inflation ensues, bringing the government to its knees.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fiat-Jeffrey-D-Schlaman/dp/149356093X

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20296598-fiat

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fiat-jeffrey-d-schlaman/1117760935

 

Review:

** Review done in conjunction with SayWhatSavannahMae, check out her site for more info**

** I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own**

 5 stars

Something I completely love? Books with post-apocalyptic/dystopian themes and undertones. I adore being terrified of what the future may hold for me, what technology will bring us, when the government will cause. This genre is one that allows so many authors the chance to predict the future in a way, so I hold it to pretty strict standards, because if you’re going for that genre, you need it to be a believable course of action that leads us there. Which brings me to this book… Fiat..

This book addresses a terrifying future that hits home, a little too hard considering the current economic issues our country faces. I don’t think a book with financial implications has every scared me before this novel, but this one did give me a bit of fear. Things you don’t take a lot of time to think about sometimes have a way of creeping up, and I feel that way about this book. I don’t really think too much about our economics and financial issues as country, but as I was reading this book, things started feeling more and more realistic. Look what a ruined economy did during the great depression.. Materialism is a running theme in this novel. Humankind and our need for things, newest and best.

Overall, I thought the author has a very strong skill for the technical part of the novel. Written well, flows good, and interests you pretty quickly. As for the plot, it’s good. It is set in the near future, which makes it a bit improbable, I admit, but none the less, it’s a frightening concept to think of food going up to $100 for some things. We don’t deal with one main character in this novel, rather a variety of people at all different stages in their lives. We get some high powered (or used to be) people like Chairman of Federal Reserve or a Bishop, but we also meet a stripper, police officer and some others. All these people trying to survive, and some trying to fix things, and not always honestly. I have to say, I normally don’t like books with multiple characters, because things get muddled, but in this one, I have to say it worked, and really tells the story how it needs to be told.

So, would I recommend this book?  Yes, fans of thrillers, political novels, and even some dystopian would probably enjoy this book, or at least be a little shaken up by it, and that does seem to be the author’s point, and a point well achieved.

 

What do you think?  Are you interested in picking this book up?