Thursday, June 30, 2016

Amy's 5 star Review of Scars by Jaimie Roberts





I had the perfect school, the perfect friends—the perfect life ... 

At least, that’s what I thought. 

But you changed all that. 

You are always there ... Always watching ... Always waiting in the shadows. You send me flowers and messages. You stalk me, trace my every movement... 
Until that one day, in a silly game of Seven Minutes in Heaven, when I finally get to feel you—have a taste of you ... 

It left me wanting more. 

One catastrophic day, my wish is granted. 

Just past my eighteenth birthday, tragedy strikes and I watch my family die before my eyes. 

You are there. You rescue me. You choose my life over my older sister’s, and I hate you for that. I hate you for taking me and imprisoning me. You say it’s for my sake, but I know it’s for your own. You make me see that my life could be much worse without you in it... 

You make me see true darkness. 

It is in that darkness you make me desperate for your presence, your touch, your caress. You make me need you... You make it impossible for me to live without you… And then, eventually… 

You make me fall in love with you. 

Secrets will always wound the ones twisted within their web of lies... But the ones I’m tangled in ... are deadly. 

WARNING: Although this book (overall) is not a dark read, one chapter is an exception, and contains the following triggers: childhood sexual/emotional abuse with some intensity in one particular scene.






Scars
Jaimie Roberts
5 stars

I need to give a warning as this book is not explicit except for one particular chapter. It depicts the “incident” that we find left the scars on J and Charlotte. It deals with rape, childhood abuse and it very graphic. However this is the ONLY scene in the book and if you don’t want to know then skip it and just understand something very brutal happened to the two characters. 

Lily is thrusting us into her life from the word go by introducing us to the person who has been leaving a single Lily on her doorstep for several months. She realizes this is not something being done by her best friend of any of the guys as a joke but she is intrigued. Lily is a good girl – she sets her own rules and her parents are amazing. She is trusted, loved as is her sister. With the encouragement and won't take no for an answer best friend drags her to a party – Seven Minutes In Heaven changes her life forever. 

J had revenge on his mind. It didn’t included feeling for a girl that could get in the way of what he is trying to accomplish. It wasn’t in the plan to feel alive with Lily’s touch. He was supposed to finish off what was started – there are people depending on him. The web of lies and deception is dark and runs deep. 

There are so many secrets running through these pages. I had no idea what was going on and I wanted desperately to know the end to the means BUT let me tell you what had me more – it was the writing by Jaimie and how she developed the relationship between J and Lily. I have never in my life read more compassionate, smexy, brilliant and deep seeded feelers between a couple. This was A-MAZING – and no Im not talking about the two characters having sexy time – it was simply kissing and touching – absolutely fantastic writing. 

I clicked this book up based on Tracy’s post on the blog –Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets. I am so glad that I did and I'm so glad Tracy showcased this author. I plan on going back and picking up the Deviant books by Jaimie. I hear she is the master of “secret admirer” writing. I keep saying it but you need to click up this book pending the warning --- This one is fantastic. 

Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets. Thank goodness for Tracy’s post! 

Amy's 4 star Review of Hard Core by Tess Oliver





Warning: This sexy new page turner from New York Times bestselling author Tess Oliver may lead to a serious book hangover!

-LEDGER-

Sometimes one good dose of trouble could turn your life around, put you on the right path. But I'd taken the opposite side of the forked road and headed off looking for even more trouble, like a junkie constantly searching for the next high. Never would I have guessed that turn would lead me to her

I couldn't stop thinking about her. She was an angel, a hard core, bone-fide angel and in her short life, she'd already had a taste of hell.

-JACY-

Despair. Heartbreak. Silence. That was all I'd grown to know, until he showed up next door.

The handsome, tattooed stranger had the kind of eyes that were hard to look away from, and he gazed at me as if we'd been friends or even lovers in a different life. He looked at me as if he knew me, andsuddenly I had this flash of feeling as if I was right where I was supposed to be.


Hard Core is a full-length, standalone novel.
Contains mature content. Intended for readers 18+






Hard Core
Tess Oliver
4 stars -- only because I wanted more and it felt left unfinished – I'm selfish like that. 

What a really fantastic and intriguing read! I was so glad I found this one on Tracy’s blog and clicked it up. Hard Core is a love story of a different kind. I can't say how because it would spoil some very interesting events but I'm telling you its very much worth the read. 

Jacy is starting again. Moving to the sleepy beach town of Rockwood and opening up the coffee shop was a lifeline for her. Her best friend Rachel owns the bakery next door and someday the dream of making the two shops one big place to hang your hat will make things even better. Rex was her faithful companion and between she and Rachel that was all Jacy needed. The dark sometimes pulled her back down and in those times she survived but for the most part things were okay as long as she stayed within her small circle she had spun around herself. 

Ledger (holy swooning man of men) has just walked through the gates with no looking back. Serving two years for a crime he committed when he was “out of his mind” brought him to where he is now. Rockwood Beach is the perfect place to start over and to try and make something of himself. His parents loved him and there was nothing more he wanted to do than to prove to them he was worth something. He never had the chance to tell his father goodbye. Stories he heard on the inside where the only thing that kept him going and wanting more for his life. 

The secondary characters in this book are just as special as the Jacy and Ledger. Mike is someone who I would love nothing more than to hear more about but I don’t think we will get that. Rachel – now I would love to have a book around her. She is quite the character and perfect as Jacy’s best friend. Maybe we might get something as she is a bouncy ray of sunshine wrapped up in a fresh breeze; the perfect personality combination for Jacy and her past. 

I know Tess stated this was a standalone but Im not satisfied with the ending … I want to see further into this story and know more about all the characters. Come on Tess make us a book two! 

Great easy read but does contain some violence against women. Nothing explicit as far as descriptors in any chapters but it is mentioned as well as a loss of life -- just know it's involved in Jacy’s past but it's not a length mention or brutally graphic. 

Click this one up and carry it along to the beach or lake! You won't regret it. 

Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets. Go check out Tracy’s blog! 

Amy's 4.5 star ARC Review of Originals Ride: Hellions MC (The Hellions #8) by Chelsea Camaron




Four men, four families, four originals, one club.



Go back to where it all began so long ago for Roundman, Danza, Frisco, and the late Rocky Fowler. A life choice, a road less traveled, all coming together in the name of brotherhood.



Some found love, some faced loss, and others learned real loyalty. This is the story before the chaos. This is how the originals ride.



*Each book in the Hellions Ride series can be read as a stand-alone story with NO cliffhanger endings. Contains adult language, situations, and violence not recommended for readers under the age of 18. This is not an exact depiction of life in a motorcycle club but rather a work of fiction meant to entertain. 



Series reading order is

One Ride

Forever Ride

Merciless Ride

Eternal Ride

Innocent Ride

Simple Ride

Heated Ride

*Ride With Me (Hellions MC and Ravage MC Duel)- Bonus story

Originals Ride 

Final Ride






Originals Ride: Hellions Motorcycle Club
The Hellions Ride #8
Chelsea Camaron
4.5 stars

First! Do NOT look at this book and think I cannot read this because it’s the 8th installment of a series. I actually had not read ANY of the previous books and Im so glad I had not. This is the book that tells the tale of four men and their families – the original members who formed the Hellions MC. I feel like since reading this book first I can do dive into book one of the series knowing how the characters came to be. I LOVE THAT. 

This is the story of how Roundman, Danza, Frisco and Rocky became a family bonded by brotherhood. I really loved meeting the guys and seeing how the MC was formed from the ground up. Roundman (Blaine), Danza (Rhett) and Rocky (Tommy) were childhood friends while Frisco (Richard) came barreling in on a big rig and just never left after hearing of what went down with the boys and the bravery that led them to protect their town. There is a really great character that deserves mention by the name of Clive. I don't know if he is brought to light in the other books as I have not read them but I really loved what he did for the boys. You will see when you read it. Seeing the bad is easy --- recognizing good in boys just being boys and knowing they are worthy or more --excellent message there for sure. 

Between the four families it’s a tad bit difficult in the beginning to keep everyone separated in your mind. I did have to write some things down and highlight to keep my mind in order but after I grabbed hold of who belonged to whom then it was smooth sailing. 

There is love, loss and definitely all that goes along with being an in MC woven into the pages of our “before” there was ….. There are some leaky eye moments for sure. Again we have men who stand their ground, love hard, don’t do betrayal and stand strong. Love this book and I thank Chelsea for sending us an ARC for review. I do plan on now moving on to the others. 

As taken from her page the order to read the series is: 
One Ride 
Forever Ride 
Merciless Ride 
Eternal Ride 
Innocent Ride 
Simple Ride 
Heated Ride 
Ride With Me (Hellions MC and Ravage MC Duel) - Bonus story 

Originals Ride -- I RECOMMEND READING THIS ONE FIRST.

Final Ride (coming late 2016)

Moving on and already having clicked up One Ride I am finding it's so nice to know “Dolls” background and who her parents are. Things are just meshed together in my brain – it's NICE! 

I loved Chelsea's new series Devils Due MC -- In The Red is the first release and it was fantastic as well. There is a lot to look into and click up from her. Great author! You can find that review on Tracy's blog as well. Go grab a few of these up for your summer reading. You won't be disappointed! 

Thank you again for the ARC! 
Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets! 

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Amy's 5 star ARC Review of Vodka On The Rocks (Uncertain Saint’s MC #3) Lani Lynn Vale



There are rules to life that one just obeys in order in her attempt stay on the right path. For example: 
1. You don’t wear dirty panties out of the house. You just never know who’s going to see them. 
2. A lady must always have chocolate at the ready—just in case the world as she knows it comes to an end. 
3. You don’t egg on a drunk woman who’s pissed off at life. 

Why, you ask? Because they start bar fights, that’s why. 
Casten Red, the unofficial enforcer of The Uncertain Saints MC, wasn’t necessarily trying to urge her into doing anything illegal, and he definitely wasn’t trying to get her into a fight with a group of men who were all twice her size. 
No, he only intended to give her the confidence to stand up for herself, just a little nudge in the right direction. How the hell was he supposed to know she’d go all Chuck Norris on them and put three of them in the hospital with concussions? 
He should’ve followed his gut instinct and turned around that first moment he saw her in the bar, but Casten has never liked following the rules. Why the hell would he start now? 








5 stars

OMG! This is what I have been waiting for .. along with all the other books in her series but hey … A girl needs what she needs. Casten Red and Tasha Gonzales; Annie’s sister whom we met in Jack and Coke along with Mig – her man. However that’s only book 2 in this series. You need to also pick up Whiskey Neat which is Griffin Storm’s book. 

We knew that something was brewing between Casten and Tasha in Jack and Coke but we weren’t sure just what. Both of these characters are like two Category 5 hurricanes running into each other on the coast leaving a trail of complete destruction in their aftermath. 

Starting with the Prologue and Tasha’s secret thoughts I was of course done for. Lani has used my all time favorite quote that beings with Sometimes you can't help but be a f**cker ….. YES! When you read any of Lani’s books don’t skip other the characters secret thoughts. Sometimes they are coffee mug quotes are t shirt quotes but they are 100 percent a huge part of the book and the storyline. 

Down to handing Casten a cup of coffee from the coffee shop with his name listed as “Whore-Hey” to Tasha being compared to Chuck Norris this book has everything you need in a laugh out loud courtship. I can't say too much more because there are a million fantastic moments that I had to read over and over they were just too enormous to read once. Don’t get me wrong there is suspense. Someone is stalking Tasha … and I mean spooky stalking. The man knows Tasha’s every move and although Casten sees red every time this woman comes into the air he breathes he cannot leave her unprotected. 

Casten is a magnificent man in all aspects. We get to meet his family and quickly understand why his two sisters live with him. CeeCee and Rhea --- we meet Shawshank and Donkey Kong or Kong for short and Koda. LOVE THEM ALL! There is another man involved in Casten’s family but I will leave that for you to find out who is he and what his deal is. Casten’s mom well that is another story. 

I loved that we get mention of Free, The Kilgore FD, and Free. YESSSSS! Tai is in a snippet. All of the rest of the boys are along for the ride on this one as well. Ridley, Peek, Wolf, Core … it's just a smorgasbord of wonderful glorious men. 

Lani’s stories are a breath of fresh air. Pick a series – start with it and then pick another and start again. Get caught up on any of them because you won't be sorry. Every book it worth every penny, your time and your energy – I have loved every single character I have met through her eyes and from her head. 

Thank you Lani for another 5 star read – Keep them coming – We all are ready for Bad Apple: Mr. Apple Core Drew himself. In the meantime I'm going to click on over to Flash Point. Kilgore Fire is waiting with Mr. Booth Jones. 

Thank you for the ARC Lani! It's ALWAYS an amazing day when I click up the Kindle and your name appears. 

Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets. Go give Tracy’s blog a like – she is A-mazing! 

Amy's 3.5 star ARC Review of Think Again by Isabel Lucero







 He thinks I don't know. He thinks he's getting away with it. He thinks karma won't come back to get him. He needs to think again. Men think women are vindictive, and maybe they're right. But when we get to the point of being cold, calculating, and vindictive, it's because they pushed us there. Not only is my husband unaware that he's pushing me too far, he also doesn't realize that I just met a man who's ready to catch me. I think he's just my new co-worker. I think it's just innocent flirting. I think I'll be able to keep my morals. I need to think again.




Think Again
Isabel Lucero
3.5 stars

This is a love triangle with husband and wife cheating on each other and being vindictive as all heck. Not necessarily my cup of tea. I am more of the alpha male going to do whatever it takes to keep my girl and vice versa. That love hard type of read. This is not that. I gave this book 3.5 stars because the writing is good meaning the characters are well written and the storyline is decent IF this is your type of genre. 

Aria, Aaron and Chris are in a heated mess of hell. You have a woman who loves her husband but then relents and decides enough is enough. That I can't take and I applaud but then you throw in the mix of the cheating scandal – hell no – wait until you cut your ties and then do whatever – yes I know it's fiction but it hits home with me. Seriously fix your shit and fix you before you jump into anything. Yes Im opinionated on this. --But again it doesn't mean it's NOT for you! 

Not a bad read just not for me --- click it up if this is your type of read or you enjoy a good love triangle. Thank you Isabel for the ARC! Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets. 

Amy's 3.5 star ARC Review of Into The Tomorrows (Bleeding Hearts Book 1) Whitney Barbetti



I was born in sadness, which was just the beginning of a solemn and desolate life. I'm no stranger to pain—none of us are. The night I held my best friend's hand as she died, I understood true agony. And I never thought I'd feel happiness again. 

But that was so long ago... 

Moving to Colorado to be with Colin, my high school sweetheart, was the perfect way to start over and rekindle what had begun to fizzle. I wanted that spark to ignite, to burn in passion and desire. Instead, I found myself falling for Jude, my boyfriend's roommate. He’s the only person who understands my soul, who can breach the walls I’ve built. But I can't have him. 

Because I'm Trista Kohl, and my destiny is sorrow. 

PLEASE NOTE: Into the Tomorrows is not a standalone. It is the first book in a series. The sequel, Back to Yesterday, will be published late summer or early fall.









3.5 stars

So I don’t know if I'm in a reading funk but the stories just aren’t hitting me right or well the past few days. The preface of this book is just sad. Trista is born from hate almost – not even sadness and it bothered me that her mother was such a worthless piece of shit. There was no strong female lead. We had a child basically verbally abused by her mother which lead to her lacking any self esteem in who she was. Her entire childhood from the minute she was born was “lost.” 

Her boyfriend Colin was a douche in himself. There is also a tragedy that involves drugs which if this is a trigger then you don’t need to click this up. Colin didn’t bring Trista into a good place or much less try. Trista was too busy trying to figure out who she was and instead of Colin helping her; he was hindering her in more ways than one. 

Jude is a stronger character in this book but plays a part of deceit in Trista’s life. He was a match for Trista as far as he was well grounded for the most part and gave some firm footing for Trista to stand on at moments. 

The ending is a cliffhanger but you do get a small glimpse into Back to Yesterday; the second book. Again this was not my cup of tea as it was full of sadness and heart wrenching moments .. There weren’t very many happy times in this book and not much suspense in the sense of “who is behind all this mess” type of thing. If you love a tear jerking heart breaking read then this one is for you

Thank you for the ARC! Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets. 

Amy's 5 star ARC Review of Angels and Ashes (Heavens Rejects MC #2) by Avelyn Paige



Abandoned & Broken 

Left alone to raise a family, widow Darcy Kyle’s life has spiraled out of control. When secrets about her husband’s past emerge, Darcy is forced to confront the fact her husband’s fatal accident may, in fact, have been deliberate. Forced to sell her soul to the Devil himself, Darcy must uncover the truth of her husband’s accident…before it’s too late. 

Betrayed & Bitter 

Cast into Hell, Raze has given his life as President of the Heaven’s Rejects MC, but what good is it when he can’t protect the people he cares about? His brother’s death, his wife’s betrayal… it’s too much for a mere mortal to handle. Luckily for Raze, he is the ruler of this Hell on Earth. But even the Devil has a weakness, and when Darcy Kyle sticks her nose in the club’s business he finds himself questioning his loyalty to his brother’s memory. 

How can the Devil resist an angel bathed in the ashes of the fallen? 






Angels and Ashes (Heavens Rejects MC 2)
Avelyn Paige
5 stars

This is a really great second book to the Heavens Rejects series. You meet Raze in the first book and I love that we catch up with all of our MC family and friends. This is the story of Raze and Darcy. I wasn’t sure how this was going to play out because the first couple of chapters are heartbreaking but then you realize that the story is going to be a true tale of a hard love. When I say hard I mean in the emotional sense and the mountains to climb to get there. 

Darcy Kyle loved her husband with everything she was. Her boys both adored their father but tragedy has left her alone along with her husband not knowing about the baby they were blessed with. Brent “Jagger” Kyle lived and died by the MC … the MC she vows to get revenge on and find out what really happened to her husband. 

Michael “Raze” is the president of the Heavens Rejects. He has never had a harder task than telling his brothers wife that he is gone. He made a promise to project Jagger’s widow a long time ago. But her attitude is going to get her killed. Raze loves his wife but there has never been a more beautiful woman than Darcy. When trouble enters into Raze’s life turning it upside down Darcy and he may never be the same. 

There is so much going on in this book. I fell in love with the characters once again and couldn’t be happier that we are intermixed with Dani and Hero (book one – Heaven Sent). Voodoo, Tyson, Ratchet, Irons … yup they are all here. I don’t know what is next but I am looking forward to finding out. There is good in this series; men who love their women and families, suspense, battles between getting where you want to be with those families and loyalty. 

Avelyn is a fantastic writer. The web she weaves leaves you turning the pages and saying just one more chapter. If you are up for an MC read that doesn’t have a ton of brutal or blood ridden scenes then this is your series. There is a deep connection between the brothers of the Heavens Rejects --- this is going to keep getting better and better!

Thank you Avelyn for the ARC! I loved every minute. The cover is spectacular with the deep blue and Alfie’s a perfect image of Raze. Two Fallen angels finding their way back to heaven …. Beautiful … 

Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets. Go check out Tracy’s blog! 

Amy's 4 star ARC Review of Gian (Trassato Crime Family #1) by Lisa Cardiff



I only ever had one dream—my name in bright lights for the world to see. And I had a plan to make it all happen. 

Move to New York. Find an agent. Work hard. Then with a little luck mixed in with some natural talent, I’d be a Broadway star. 

One devastating injury and a broken engagement later, I have nothing to show for my life except an empty bank account and a jaded heart. Desperate to salvage my dreams, I agree to interview for a job with my best friend’s brother, Gian Trassato. 

Gian is charming. He’s magnetic. He’s connected to the Trassato Crime Family, and everything I should stay away from, but I don’t have a choice. I need the job. 

Just when I thought I was about to get my life and career back on track, I make one thoughtless mistake. I go back to the club to pick up my purse and witness something Gian’s enemies would kill to keep secret. 

Now I’m being sucked deeper and deeper into a terrifying world I don’t understand… 

Friends and enemies are interchangeable. Honor and family are everything. And the scariest part of all…I might actually be getting lost in Gian.






Gian (Trassato Crime Family #1)
Lisa Cardiff
4 stars

Okay so – this is the beginning to a series of course but Im not sure if this is the entire book on Gian or a small snippet of something more to come. Im a little confused by the post that there is more to this story. Of course there is more but I mean is this not the end of Gian’s story or ….. but I can tell you book two in the Trassato Family series is Carmela’s book. I'm thinking we have only tipped only a small portion of what is about to go down. I know I confused you with this snippet but I'm not sure if the books are going to be a continuation of the mayhem or if we are going to get standalones. 

Evie is tossing items out of her window on to the front lawn drinking expensive bottles of alcohol when we meet her. LOVE IT! GO GIRL --- we find out that her fiancĂ© has been banging his “student” on the side and of course wants forgiveness – don’t they all. BLAH BLAH BLAH! LOL! --- Evie knew in her heart he was trouble but after her dreams were shattered she had no other choice but to throw herself towards her potential wedding as Kevin became her lifeline in her pity party. Broke, with no job lined up and on her own – her best friend comes to her rescue. Setting up an interview with her brother Gian Trassato will get her back in the game. Little does Evie know the man who just escorted her to his private office is that man. 

Holy cats – this was hilarious because you as the reader know who the man is and it only gets worse from there – 

What a great great read. All hell breaks loose after Evie goes back to retrieve her purse. Seeing things she should not see – Evie has to become the best actress she has ever been – but the question is why is Gian willing to protect her. 

Evie’s life becomes a complete wreck and I mean all out no holds barred shit storm and it's awesome! Carmela’s story is going to be a good one; especially if we get caught back up with Gian and Evie and see where they are. LOVE LOVE this series --- There is so much more to come with the Trassato Crime Family --- it's going to be good. 

Thank you for the ARC Lisa! Review to post to Ramblings From Beneath The Sheets!