Xoe (The Xoe Meyers Serise Book 1) by Sara Roethle

Synopsis via Amazon:

Xoe never thought she’d be the type of girl to contemplate murder. Of course, she never thought she’d be dealing with werewolves on top of her own strange, budding powers. She’d also never considered the possibility of her long lost father being a demon. Everything comes crashing down at once when her best friend’s life is put in peril, and Xoe will do whatever it takes to save her. On top of it all, there’s Jason. He might be tall and handsome, but she doesn’t trust him as far as she can throw him. Given that he’s a vampire, she’ll have to be able to catch him first. 

Have I ever said that Urban Fantasy is one of my favorite genres? Well it is, but it isn't always easy to find a good story that doesn't focus on shifters and vampires in a cookie cutter story.

XOE is one of those stories that has its own voice. This is a story that kept me engrossed from word to word, page to page, and twist by twist. Should I feel guilty that I stayed up too long one night to finish the book in one day? Should I feel guilty that I was really tired the next day at work and it was all my fault? Well, I did feel guilty, but it was so worth the guilt and fatigue.

 Xoe is a strong female character. She doesn't shy away from the unknown. She tackles it head on.

One of the things I liked about this story is that it defines true friendship. Three very different high school girls stick together during good times, hard times and strange times. 

I have to say, I am having a difficult time trying to put my opinion into words. I don't want to give away the story line. I was impressed with the way Miss Roethle depicted the relationship each girl had with their parents. It was realistic. They weren't left to their own devices, they were actually given rules to follow and they did. For me, the storyline with its twists and turns are what makes this story so great.

I will say that this story holds its own without sex. It is classified as YA/Urban Fantasy. I can't wait to read book two.

15 Minutes to Live by Phoef Sutton (Spoiler Alert)a

Synopsis via Amazon:

Carl moved into his childhood home after his parents died. It’s a house filled with fond memories…like when he was a teenager and his girlfriend Jesse would throw pebbles at his window at night to lure him outside for frantic sex. So he thinks he’s dreaming when late one night, he hears those pebbles hitting his window again…and there she is outside, aching for his touch. It’s only as they are ravaging each other again that he realizes it’s too good to be a dream. 

It’s her. She’s back as if nothing has changed. But it has. For one thing, it’s been twenty years since high school. And she died three weeks ago. 

Is she an imposter? A ghost? Or is the answer even more chilling? It’s just the beginning of a dangerous, unpredictable, and bizarre odyssey for them both…where nothing is what it seems… and every minute counts. 

This was not one of my favorite reads. I have to say that is was a unique read. I have never read anything quite like it. My intellectual side wants to know if you take it at face value or is there a deeper meaning?
Let's look at it from the face value side. Here is a man, Carl, who is well into his prime and he still has not, in essence, moved on with his life. He has not married, he bought his childhood home, and he wallows in the past. Okay, so this isn't very far from the everyday norm for some people. But then, all of a sudden, one night his high school sweetheart shows up, throwing pebbles at his window, acting just like she did during their high school years and they pick up where they left off. They have sex just like they did during high school, but she seems to "reset" every 15 minutes. She can't remember anything past the last 15 minutes. Oh, did I mention she was declared dead?
OK, so there are so many things wrong with this. First, she is supposed to be dead, second, she is acting just like she did in high school, third, she is supposed to have married someone else, and fourth, she can't remember more than 15 minutes of her current life.
Carl just jumps right into having sex with this woman who is clearly confused. He doesn't stop and think there is something seriously wrong with her when she can only seem to remember the past and 15 minutes at a time. This totally reeks of rape to me.
Now the deeper meaning possibility. Is the author saying that everyone lives at most 15 minutes of their life over and over? Is he intent on showing that most people are, at their core, selfish and will take what gives them pleasure without any thought?
All I know is that this was a difficult and strange read, but like a train wreck, I just couldn't quit reading in the hopes that it would get better. Well, it never did get better.

Shadow's Passion (Shadow Warder Series #0.5) by Molle McGregor

Synopsis via Amazon Kindle

He lived for vengeance, until he met her. Now he has to choose—revenge or love?Exiled by her people after an accidental death, Celeste’s power is so unstable the elegant Shadow healer is considered a deadly menace. Fifty years of isolation have left her a little lonely. And more than a little bored. When a nearby family falls victim to demon infection, she decides to go hunting. Without backup, it won’t be long before the demons are hunting her.

A dangerous assassin, Gabe has better things to do than save a Shadow from her own reckless behavior. Like find the demon who killed his brother. Sure, the Shadow is gorgeous, alluring, and she needs his help. But he can’t afford to get distracted. Everything changes the second he spies his brother’s killer among the demons after Celeste. Now, nothing will tear him from her side.

Gabe is dangerous and secretive. He’s also a skilled fighter and sexy as hell. Celeste knows better than to team up with a Warder, but she’s not sure she cares. It’s been a long dry spell since her exile. Neither of them expects their fling to turn into something more. But when Gabe’s past catches up with him, he learns that his brother’s murder was just the beginning. A new evil is rising, and its sights are set on Celeste. Now Gabe has to make a choice: revenge or love?

This is paranormal romance/urban fantasy at it's best! I was hooked from page one and could not wait to find out what was next!

While Shadow's Passion is part of the Warder Series, it is a stand alone. There is never any confusion about what is going on, who the characters are, etc. Miss McGregor is a wonderful story teller. Her words float like a breeze through the leaves of a tree. I felt like I was teleported into the book and was an invisible observer. Voyeurism at it's best in some scenes.

This story has it all-solid story-line, angst, conflict, love, and sex.

This is on my list of MUST READS!!



C791 by Eve Langlais

 

 

Synopisis via Barnes and Noble:

 

Machines aren't supposed to feel, but this cyborg can't help falling in love.

Assigned as a specimen collector for a captured cyborg, Chloe is intrigued by the machine disguised as a man. Kidnapped during his daring escape, he shows her that despite the chip in his brain, his humanity is not completely lost.Formerly known as unit X109GI, Joe is on a quest to discover his origin. While he doesn't find the answers he's looking for, he does discover that affection and lust aren't just for humans. But when it comes to a battle between logic and love, which side will the cybernetic organism-once a man-choose?Evaluating his feelings will have to wait though because the military isn't done with Joe. But their threats against him pale in comparison before the shocking discovery of project C791, the revelation of which stuns the rebel cyborgs-and ignites a fury for vengeance.

This was one book that  I could not finish. Now, I don't like to write bad reviews, but unfortunately, this was a bad book.
As any of you who have read my other reviews  know, I do not shy away from erotica. As a matter of fact, a few of my favorite authors write erotica. So what is the difference? I am glad you asked.

C791 is a book that reads and feels like the author had sex on her brain and tried to write a story around her fantasies. The story became so bad, that I would try to skip over the sex and try to find a story somewhere amongst the words. Alas, there really wasn't one.
If all you want is gratuitous sex, well, this is definitely for you. If you require a story to go along with the sex, keep looking.

Don't Lose Her by Jonathon King

Synopsis via Netgalley:

US district judge Diane Manchester has looked across the courtroom into the eyes of evil before. But today, as she presides over the extradition hearing of a notorious Colombian drug lord, she is also eight months pregnant. Her chair is uncomfortable, her robe is constrictive, and her due date is fast approaching. If she shows a single sign of weakness, Diane risks jeopardizing the biggest trial of her career and setting a vicious murderer free.

In seconds, her situation takes a harrowing turn for the worse. Walking to her favorite lunch spot, Diane is grabbed off the street, thrown into the back of a white van, blindfolded, and threatened with death. She has no idea who her kidnappers are or what they want. Maintaining a strict code of silence, they refuse to give her even the smallest glimmer of hope.

But Diane's captors have overlooked a crucial detail: Her husband, Billy, is the employer and best friend of Max Freeman, Philadelphia cop turned South Florida private investigator. Tossing off the rule of law, Freeman sets out to determine which of a rogues' gallery of suspects took Diane—and to save her and her unborn child before it's too late.

This was an interesting book. It took me from the courtroom to the marshes of Florida. It touched on the factor of danger that touches judges as well as the greediness and corruptibility that simmers just below the halls of justice.
One of the things I liked about this book was the insight into each of the characters' heads. Mr. King gives us a glimpse into how Max runs an investigation as well as the angst he feels about trying to find his best friend's wife. He also gives us a glimpse into the thoughts and fear of the kidnapped person. Between Max and Diane, he gives the reader a glimpse into the mind of the husband of the person kidnapped. Mr. King knows how to write suspense. He kept me guessing through the majority of the book. While I can say I guessed "who" before Mr. King revealed them, I can honestly say he did a great job of keeping the clues from being too obvious.
I will definitely read another book Mr. King writes.

A SEAL Forever (West Coast Navy SEALs #3) by Anne Elizabeth

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Special Operator Declan Smith was a dedicated U.S. Navy SEAL, a known player, and daredevil who loved pushing the limits. But on his last mission, an IED leaves him injured and angry as hell—and it changes everything. 

When a loud crash disturbs his neighbor, Maura Maxwell, she assumes the sailor next door is up to his usual bad behavior. But the man she finds covered in glass is far from the cocky ladies' man she'd grown to tolerate. Lying before her is a man fighting to rediscover his place in the world—and he can't do it alone.

Do you like sexy, strong-willed, determined men? Yes? Well, this is a book for you!

I once knew a Navy man who attempted SEAL training 3 times. What happened? He broke different bones each time and could not complete the training. I met him while he was recuperating from attempt #3 and he was going to go out there and do it again. SEALs are some tough, determined, and proud men. And they have every right to be that way considering what they go through to get to where they are.

That being said, I really enjoyed this book. I fell in love with Declan and respected Maura. But throughout the story, it seems that Miss Elizabeth put most of her energy into Declan. While Maura wasn't exactly an afterthought, her evolution depended on  Declan's evolution throughout the whole story. She was never really her own "person".

I was very impressed with her attention to detail when it came to the military life. The way she created each SEAL was impeccable. She left no doubt about their honor, strength, intelligence, and will. With each personality came a common denominator: they were proud SEALs serving the country they love.

There was only one little part of the book that really bugged me. There is a female sailor who comes to Maura's gym and talks to her about teaching one of her classes. Miss Elizabeth depicts the woman as timid and unsure. This is not how a woman in the military acts. I felt she should have been sure of herself and basically have more of a military bearing. But, that is just my opinion.

I really think you will enjoy the story. This will definitely make you want to explore more of Miss Elizabeth's books.

When You Touch Me by Marilyn Baxter

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Family woes bring Jillian Logan home to Mimosa Key, but she faces more trouble in her new job as a massage therapist at the Casa Blanca Resort in Barefoot Bay. Right away she’s given a special assignment: a wounded soldier who is a good-looking player with sex appeal and who threatens to throw her delicately balanced life off-kilter. 

Sam Hartman, AKA Hart Throb, views the beach as just another sandbox all too reminiscent of the hellhole where he was injured. And the alternative therapies that Jillian offers him? He considers them pure voodoo. He would rather move their relationship off the massage table and into his bed, but as much as he wants her touch, it forces him to face the demons that still haunt him. Can the heat of their unlikely connection heal them both?

This is a special book. It is a collaboration, in a way, between two awesome authors. Roxanne St. Claire has opened her fan-favorite world of Barefoot Bay to a select number of romance authors. Marilyn Baxter is one of those talented writers.
\Marilyn introduces us to two very different, yet similar characters, Jillian and Sam. They have both sacrificed a large part of who they are for their family. For Jillian it is her sister. For Sam it was a brother-in-arms. But Sam is suffering from a wartime injury, both physical and mental. While Jillian has found her peace in being a healer who believes in the power of her hands.
Jillian is a talented masseuse who finds herself back in her hometown, the beautiful Barefoot Bay. She is offered a job that allows her to focus on one client, a hero, a wounded warrior. Jillian is determined to maintain a professional relationship with Sam while Sam is determined to be as unprofessional with her as possible.
As I have said before, a military hero is one of my biggest weaknesses. Marilyn creates a perfect mix of hot male, wounded soul, and hidden vulnerability in Sam. He may be all masculinity, but inside is a child crying out for help.
And Jillian? Well, she is a woman who is empathetic and caring. Her goal is to help this wounded man and his body get well again. But he fights her every step of the way. This she can look past because of his injuries, mental and physical. But, she can't fight the attraction he evokes in her.

Marilyn has done Roxanne proud. She has brought two of her characters and placed them perfectly inside Barefoot Bay. She stays true to the essence of the world that Roxanne has created. I was kept enthralled by the relationship between Jillian and Sam. There is no way to skim over the fireworks, both sexual and hostile, that fly between Sam and Jillian. You can't help but fall in love with the characters and the Bay.
In reality, if this is the first visit to Barefoot Bay for you, you will definitely want to hurry back. If you have visited Barefoot Bay with Roxanne, you will want to visit again with Marilyn. This is a MUST READ!