Biker Chicks 2 Release – IT’S HERE!

** IT’s LIVE **
 
One Click NOW to get your copy of
Biker Chicks 2
AN ANTHOLOGY OF HOT MC ROMANCE
 
http://getBook.at/BCv2
 Add to your TBR:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31199417-biker-chicks

 

Blurb
Bikers, the ultimate alpha males. But what of women who
ride? These sexy independent road warriors shirk the conventions of lady-like
behavior and live life by their own terms – wild and free.
BIKER CHICKS is full of sexy stories about women who ride,
whether they be lone wolves or part of a gang. Some of the best authors in MC
romance along with some new names and faces to the genre tell us how these
strong women find the sexual satisfaction and romance we all long for, for one
of the best causes.
All proceeds of this anthology go to Bikers Against Child
Abuse*, so come take a ride with us.
Authors in this Anthology include…
Rachel Barnard

Bink Cummings

MariaLisa deMora

A.J. Downey

Geri Glenn

Sapphire Knight

Emma Lee

Liberty Parker

Eric Plume

K. Renee

Bibi Rizer

and Winter Travers
Text copyright © 2016 multiple authors
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses,
places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s
imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons,
living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
 All rights reserved.
*Bikers Against Child Abuse International (B.A.C.A.) is not
directly affiliated with this charity-driven anthology and use of their name to
indicate funds distribution does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or
guarantee on their behalf for the efforts of these individual authors. No
liability of any kind, implied or expressed, is given with respect to B.A.C.A.
or their activities.
Stories include…
 
A New Night by: Rachel
Barnard
 Nanette; a biker known for
her height, her lonely heart, and her trusty knife. A chance encounter by
moonlight will change everything for Nanette.
Rachel Barnard’s greatest accomplishments have been eating
an entire half gallon of ice cream in one sitting, winning a boot toss, and
writing a novel about herself (see the For the Love of Donuts Books). Rachel
wishes she were taller, that chocolate had no calories, and that books could be
eaten after they were read. Rachel resides in the Pacific Northwest and loves
to dress up, talk about writing and books, and dance. Rachel began her writing
with young adult novels, but has since branched out into romance, of which this
is her first published piece!
 
Rachel loves to hear from her readers!
 
A Road to Nowhere by: Bink
Cummings
 This hunger, these needs,
this desire–Part of me knows it’s bad, that I shouldn’t crave what I do. But
the other half doesn’t give a fuck…Join Gwen on her journey to self
discovery…. where pleasure is just the beginning.
Author Bink Cummings was born and raised part of a
biker family. Upon the incessant coercion from her sacred sisters, she has
begun her newest journey in life–writing. When she’s not shacked up in her
home writing at all hours of the night, Bink enjoys riding motorcycles, taking
care of her family, reading, and cooking huge meals–Especially her infamous
chocolate chip cookies.
 
Gun Totin’ Annie by: MariaLisa
deMora
Annie has to scramble for
answers when a club sister is brutally murdered while they were negotiating
with the local dominant MC. Domino is the handsome biker attached to that club
who seems determined to help her, but can she trust him with her grief and
fear?

 


 


Raised in the south, MariaLisa learned about the magic
of books at an early age. Every summer, with the help of a gracious librarian
who did not believe in age-restricted stacks, she would spend hours in the
local library, devouring books of every genre. Self-described as a
book-a-holic, she says “I always loved to read, then I discovered writing, and
I adored that, too. For reading … if nothing else is available, I’ve been known
to read the back of the cereal box.”
She still reads voraciously, and always has a few
books going in paperback, hardback, or on devices.
 
 
The Wild Hunt by: A.J. Downey
Nothing is what it seems.
Join The Queen of Air & Darkness on a modern take of the wild hunt of
faerie lore.
A.J. Downey is a born and raised Seattle, WA native,
and the author of the bestselling Sacred Hearts Motorcycle Club series. She
finds inspiration from her surroundings, through the people she meets and
likely as a byproduct of way too much caffeine. She has lived many places and
done many things, though mostly through her own imagination. An avid reader all
of her life, it’s now her turn to try and give back, entertaining as she has
been entertained.
You can find her:
If you want the easy button digest, as well as a bunch
of exclusive content you can’t get anywhere else, sign up for her mailing list
right here http://eepurl.com/blLsyb
Reinventing Holly by: Geri
Glenn
Holly’s monotonous life and
loveless marriage are slowly breaking her down. When her father dies, leaving
her a message of hope for her future, and more money than she knows what to do
with, Holly decides that it’s time to take her life back.
Geri Glenn is the best-selling author of Kings Of
Korruption MC Series.
Geri lives in beautiful New Brunswick, Canada. She is
a military wife, the mother of two gorgeous, but slightly crazy little girls,
and just recently was fortunate enough to quit her day job to stay home and do
what she loves most – write!




 


 


Sweet Surrender by: Sapphire
Knight
Snake’s a broken man.
Peppermint’s a strong woman. She’s just the right mix, to make his surrender
oh-so-sweet.
Sapphire’s a Texas girl who’s crazy about football.
She’s always had a love for writing, whether it’s poems or stories. She
originally studied psychology and believes that it’s added to her passion for
spinning tales.
Sapphire is the proud mom of two boys and has been
married for twelve years. When she’s not busy in her writing cave, she’s
playing with her three Doberman Pinschers. She loves to help animals and watch
a good action movie.
Connect with Sapphire:
Mail: P.O. Box 2937, Harker Heights, TX. 76548
 
Bad Boy by: Emma Lee
Angelfish has the best new
toy ever, but a possessive bitch has him wrapped around her psycho finger.
Pushing her hunky geek hard enough to let out his inner bad boy might break
him. Or it might make her fall hard.
Emma Lee is a native Californian wanderer currently
experiencing the wonder of rain in the Pacific Northwest. She loves to garden
even though she’s lousy at it, and often finds herself staring blankly while
her son discusses Minecraft. An avid reader and prolific writer all her life,
she’s recently turned to sharing the kinky, crazy stories in her head instead
of hiding them in the closet.

 

Taken by Vegas by: Liberty
Parker
Twenty years of longing for
your true love is a long time to wait. Wasp and Ashton reunited embark to
recreate their first wedding. Only this time around they add a little flare to
their romance. With help from their daughters, Ashton’s wedding day is special
and Wasp pulls out all the bells and whistles to make up for their lost time
together.

 

I have been an avid reader for most of my life. When I
was younger I use to sit and fill spiral notebooks full of stories for my
grandmother. As I got older I took the jobs needed for raising my boys as a
single mom until I met my now amazing husband. I have stopped working in the
last three years and started promoting authors, then I blogged and reviewed for
authors, which lead me down the path to writing and creating characters and
stories. I love creating behind the scenes with my writing getting to use my
imagination and write the story as it comes to me. My youngest is now a senior
in High School leaving me with some spare time on my hands to be filled. I am
loving the people I am meeting and the support system I have found.

 

You can find me at my home Facebook
or you can like my Author page or join my LadyOutlaws fan group.

 

 
Sign of the Gypsy Queen by:
Eric Plume
Kestrel Callahan is a
wandering gambler, a hard-bitten soul who’s always lived by the sword. Fate
deals her a wild card – a man who knows how to speak to her troubled heart, yet
has problems of his own in the form of a bitter ex who can’t let go.
Born and raised in the San Juan Islands, Eric Plume is
a lifelong resident of Washington State. He has worked in a variety of fields
ranging from construction to casino security. As the author of Margin Play, he
currently divides his time between his job as a timber framer and writing Amber
Eckart’s next adventure. He lives near Bellingham, Washington with his
girlfriend Jacquelyn in a house full of cats and computers. This is his first
foray into romance.
The Innocent Truth by: K.
Renee
I had a choice to make,
either I was going to lie down and let him win or I was going to fight back.
Nash took away everything in the blink of an eye and now he’s going to pay.
K. Renee started writing in 2015, but has loved
writing since she was young. She started writing because she couldn’t get the
stories out of her head, no matter what she did. She’s twenty-seven years old
and typically writes in her free time or on her lunch break. K. Renee works
full-time and tries to go to the gym every day. She reads constantly and has
hundreds of books she can’t wait to start.
Boy Blue by: Bibi Rizer 
Desi, a librarian with a
chequered past and a loving but sexless marriage, meets Jesse, a dreamy eyed
rent boy. With his irresistible charm, Jesse awakens the lost intimacy between
Desi and her husband.
Bibi Rizer (http://www.bibirizer.com)
is a mom, blogger, teacher and writer living in the Pacific Northwest. While
she’s been writing professionally for many years, romance and erotica are
relatively new pursuits.
Bibi likes writing about strong kinky women and brave
willing men living in realistic and imperfect worlds.
In her spare time Bibi sings Karaoke and hangs around on
film sets with child actors. Having the the firm belief that no one can be too
weird or too funny, she happily admits that most of her favorite people and
characters are both.
 
Wanting More by: Winter Travers
Ricki doesn’t want anything
to do with Brick.
The only problem is, Brick isn’t taking no for an answer.
Winter Travers is the best-selling author of the
Devil’s Knights Series and the Skid Row Kings Series. Hailing from the land of
cheese, Wisconsin, Winter is a wife, mother to one Karate kicking boy and in
between all of the madness, pursuing her dream of writing. Stay connected with
her!
 
Edited by A.J. Downey
Hosted by
https://www.facebook.com/MJsBookBlogandReviews/

All About the Donuts: Local Donut Shop Review – Dona Queen Donuts and Deli – Seattle, WA

Dona Queen Donuts and Deli

Seattle, WA

20160825_DonaQueen (1)

View my LIVE review HERE

7018 Bothell Way NE, Kenmore, WA 98028
(206) 496-3670

 20160825_DonaQueen (4)

Review criteria:

Most popular donut at the shop: “All of them”
Signature shop donut: NA
Most popular US donut: glazed
2nd most popular US donut: Boston crème
Donut Hole: Glazed

20160825_DonaQueen (3)

What I tried:

Maple Bar, Glazed, Boston Crème, cake donut

$15.97 total for an assorted dozen

20160825_DonaQueen (2)

What to expect:

This little shop has its own little parking lot – so don’t despair for Seattle parking as there are plenty of compact spots for you to use. It’s an easy turn to get into the lot and easy to spot this little donut place. Dona Queen Donuts isn’t just donuts! They are also a deli so you can get real food there too! This place is your run of the mill donut shop where you can get all the classics, as well as sandwiches and Korean favorites.

 

My favorite:

I liked how you can get Bulgogi and a glazed donut at the same time! You might be able to convince them to make a sandwich out of a donut if you try hard enough.

Book Review: Veneri Verbum (Figments Book 1) by Zanzibar 7 Schwarznegger

Veneri Verbum (Figments Book 1) by Zanzibar 7 Schwarznegger

A Fiction Novel published by Chizzy Press (01/15/15)

Summary:

Christopher is participating in NaNoWriMo, but he’s barely put two words on the page. He spends his writing time fantasizing about the character he’s created instead of writing anything down. When Christopher finds himself in an alternate world, one where ‘author’ is a dirty word and everything random can and does happen, he will have to journey with his character Elsa to find the way back out.

Keywords:

Writing, Imagination, Courtroom, Train, Thoughts, Characters, Authors, NaNoWriMo, Books, Literature, Craziness, Random, Puns, Footnotes, Cleverness, Humor

My Review:

This book was impossible to read in one sitting because (especially in the case of Autokorect and certain other scenes) it required some concentration. I wanted to understand every nuance and joke because they were all so clever!

If you aren’t paying attention, many of the details might seem random, when they are actually hints and references to literature, writing, NaNoWrimo, and other fun things. This book is full of every good and clever inside writing/literature joke you can think of, sometimes with a twist.

I treasured each and every footnote.

This book is a refreshing distraction from other novels and fun to read, especially if you are a writer or have participated in National Novel Writing Month, and if not it’s just a clever book full of fun situations and imagination beyond your wildest dreams.

This novel was published by Chizzy Press on January 15th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.25

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Zanzibar’s Website

Twitter

Book Review: Survivor by Renee Jean

Survivor by Renee Jean

A YA Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (09/24/15)

Summary:

Sophomore Jasmine has a best friend and aspirations as a photographer. When she meets Tyler, everything melts into the background. He is everything to her, even when his behavior isn’t understandable or nice, but he showers her with attention, even demands it. Who is she to say no?

Keywords:

Abuse, Romance, Relationships, Attention, Bad Boyfriend, Charming, Lies, Dysfunctional Relationship, Family, Hiding, Best Friends, Pain, Domestic Violence, Survivor

My Review:

While I appreciate stories like Survivor, I felt like this particular tale was missing much of the important parts of a good story. When I think of survivor stories I think of Speak and how amazing that book is. This book, though it ended well, glossed through much of the action. As can be seen by the lack of dialogue, most of the action was told to the reader. The narrator was not as detailed or forthcoming with thoughts or emotions like I think someone in an abusive situation would be, even if they were negative thoughts and emotions. I never truly felt connected to the characters or the plot, though I was mad as all get out at Tyler and him getting away with his behavior. To that end, the ending was immensely satisfying and the climax contained all the tension that the beginning and middle were trying to reach.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC on September 24th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 3.25

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Pre-order now! Charity Anthology Releases September 6 – Hot MC Romance – Biker Chicks 2

 

We’re just one week away from the release of the second installment of this charity anthology series.
 
Pre-order NOW to get your copy of Biker Chicks 2
AN ANTHOLOGY OF HOT MC ROMANCE
on September 6th.
http://getBook.at/BCv2
 Add to your TBR:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31199417-biker-chicks

 

Blurb
Bikers, the ultimate alpha males. But what of women who
ride? These sexy independent road warriors shirk the conventions of lady-like
behavior and live life by their own terms – wild and free.
BIKER CHICKS is full of sexy stories about women who ride,
whether they be lone wolves or part of a gang. Some of the best authors in MC
romance along with some new names and faces to the genre tell us how these
strong women find the sexual satisfaction and romance we all long for, for one
of the best causes.
All proceeds of this anthology go to Bikers Against Child
Abuse*, so come take a ride with us.
Authors in this Anthology include…
Rachel Barnard

Bink Cummings

MariaLisa deMora

A.J. Downey

Geri Glenn

Sapphire Knight

Emma Lee

Liberty Parker

Eric Plume

K. Renee

Bibi Rizer

and Winter Travers
Text copyright © 2016 multiple authors
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses,
places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s
imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons,
living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
 All rights reserved.
*Bikers Against Child Abuse International (B.A.C.A.) is not
directly affiliated with this charity-driven anthology and use of their name to
indicate funds distribution does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or
guarantee on their behalf for the efforts of these individual authors. No
liability of any kind, implied or expressed, is given with respect to B.A.C.A.
or their activities.
Stories include…
 
A New Night by: Rachel
Barnard
Nanette; a biker known for
her height, her lonely heart, and her trusty knife. A chance encounter by
moonlight will change everything for Nanette.
Rachel Barnard’s greatest accomplishments have been eating
an entire half gallon of ice cream in one sitting, winning a boot toss, and
writing a novel about herself (see the For the Love of Donuts Books). Rachel
wishes she were taller, that chocolate had no calories, and that books could be
eaten after they were read. Rachel resides in the Pacific Northwest and loves
to dress up, talk about writing and books, and dance. Rachel began her writing
with young adult novels, but has since branched out into romance, of which this
is her first published piece!
 
Rachel loves to hear from her readers!
 
A Road to Nowhere by: Bink
Cummings
This hunger, these needs,
this desire–Part of me knows it’s bad, that I shouldn’t crave what I do. But
the other half doesn’t give a fuck…Join Gwen on her journey to self
discovery…. where pleasure is just the beginning.
Author Bink Cummings was born and raised part of a
biker family. Upon the incessant coercion from her sacred sisters, she has
begun her newest journey in life–writing. When she’s not shacked up in her
home writing at all hours of the night, Bink enjoys riding motorcycles, taking
care of her family, reading, and cooking huge meals–Especially her infamous
chocolate chip cookies.
 
Gun Totin’ Annie by: MariaLisa
deMora
Annie has to scramble for
answers when a club sister is brutally murdered while they were negotiating
with the local dominant MC. Domino is the handsome biker attached to that club
who seems determined to help her, but can she trust him with her grief and
fear?

 


 


Raised in the south, MariaLisa learned about the magic
of books at an early age. Every summer, with the help of a gracious librarian
who did not believe in age-restricted stacks, she would spend hours in the
local library, devouring books of every genre. Self-described as a
book-a-holic, she says “I always loved to read, then I discovered writing, and
I adored that, too. For reading … if nothing else is available, I’ve been known
to read the back of the cereal box.”
She still reads voraciously, and always has a few
books going in paperback, hardback, or on devices.
 
 
The Wild Hunt by: A.J. Downey
Nothing is what it seems.
Join The Queen of Air & Darkness on a modern take of the wild hunt of
faerie lore.
A.J. Downey is a born and raised Seattle, WA native,
and the author of the bestselling Sacred Hearts Motorcycle Club series. She
finds inspiration from her surroundings, through the people she meets and
likely as a byproduct of way too much caffeine. She has lived many places and
done many things, though mostly through her own imagination. An avid reader all
of her life, it’s now her turn to try and give back, entertaining as she has
been entertained.
You can find her:
If you want the easy button digest, as well as a bunch
of exclusive content you can’t get anywhere else, sign up for her mailing list
right here http://eepurl.com/blLsyb
Reinventing Holly by: Geri
Glenn
Holly’s monotonous life and
loveless marriage are slowly breaking her down. When her father dies, leaving
her a message of hope for her future, and more money than she knows what to do
with, Holly decides that it’s time to take her life back.
Geri Glenn is the best-selling author of Kings Of
Korruption MC Series.
Geri lives in beautiful New Brunswick, Canada. She is
a military wife, the mother of two gorgeous, but slightly crazy little girls,
and just recently was fortunate enough to quit her day job to stay home and do
what she loves most – write!




 


 


Sweet Surrender by: Sapphire
Knight
Snake’s a broken man.
Peppermint’s a strong woman. She’s just the right mix, to make his surrender
oh-so-sweet.
Sapphire’s a Texas girl who’s crazy about football.
She’s always had a love for writing, whether it’s poems or stories. She
originally studied psychology and believes that it’s added to her passion for
spinning tales.
Sapphire is the proud mom of two boys and has been
married for twelve years. When she’s not busy in her writing cave, she’s
playing with her three Doberman Pinschers. She loves to help animals and watch
a good action movie.
Connect with Sapphire:
Mail: P.O. Box 2937, Harker Heights, TX. 76548
 
Bad Boy by: Emma Lee
Angelfish has the best new
toy ever, but a possessive bitch has him wrapped around her psycho finger.
Pushing her hunky geek hard enough to let out his inner bad boy might break
him. Or it might make her fall hard.
Emma Lee is a native Californian wanderer currently
experiencing the wonder of rain in the Pacific Northwest. She loves to garden
even though she’s lousy at it, and often finds herself staring blankly while
her son discusses Minecraft. An avid reader and prolific writer all her life,
she’s recently turned to sharing the kinky, crazy stories in her head instead
of hiding them in the closet.
Taken by Vegas by: Liberty
Parker
Twenty years of longing for
your true love is a long time to wait. Wasp and Ashton reunited embark to
recreate their first wedding. Only this time around they add a little flare to
their romance. With help from their daughters, Ashton’s wedding day is special
and Wasp pulls out all the bells and whistles to make up for their lost time
together.

 

I have been an avid reader for most of my life. When I
was younger I use to sit and fill spiral notebooks full of stories for my
grandmother. As I got older I took the jobs needed for raising my boys as a
single mom until I met my now amazing husband. I have stopped working in the
last three years and started promoting authors, then I blogged and reviewed for
authors, which lead me down the path to writing and creating characters and
stories. I love creating behind the scenes with my writing getting to use my
imagination and write the story as it comes to me. My youngest is now a senior
in High School leaving me with some spare time on my hands to be filled. I am
loving the people I am meeting and the support system I have found.

 

You can find me at my home Facebook
or you can like my Author page or join my LadyOutlaws fan group.

 

 
Sign of the Gypsy Queen by:
Eric Plume
Kestrel Callahan is a
wandering gambler, a hard-bitten soul who’s always lived by the sword. Fate
deals her a wild card – a man who knows how to speak to her troubled heart, yet
has problems of his own in the form of a bitter ex who can’t let go.
Born and raised in the San Juan Islands, Eric Plume is
a lifelong resident of Washington State. He has worked in a variety of fields
ranging from construction to casino security. As the author of Margin Play, he
currently divides his time between his job as a timber framer and writing Amber
Eckart’s next adventure. He lives near Bellingham, Washington with his
girlfriend Jacquelyn in a house full of cats and computers. This is his first
foray into romance.
The Innocent Truth by: K.
Renee
I had a choice to make,
either I was going to lie down and let him win or I was going to fight back.
Nash took away everything in the blink of an eye and now he’s going to pay.
K. Renee started writing in 2015, but has loved
writing since she was young. She started writing because she couldn’t get the
stories out of her head, no matter what she did. She’s twenty-seven years old
and typically writes in her free time or on her lunch break. K. Renee works
full-time and tries to go to the gym every day. She reads constantly and has
hundreds of books she can’t wait to start.
Boy Blue by: Bibi Rizer 
Desi, a librarian with a
chequered past and a loving but sexless marriage, meets Jesse, a dreamy eyed
rent boy. With his irresistible charm, Jesse awakens the lost intimacy between
Desi and her husband.
Bibi Rizer (http://www.bibirizer.com)
is a mom, blogger, teacher and writer living in the Pacific Northwest. While
she’s been writing professionally for many years, romance and erotica are
relatively new pursuits.
Bibi likes writing about strong kinky women and brave
willing men living in realistic and imperfect worlds.
In her spare time Bibi sings Karaoke and hangs around on
film sets with child actors. Having the the firm belief that no one can be too
weird or too funny, she happily admits that most of her favorite people and
characters are both.
 
Wanting More by: Winter Travers
Ricki doesn’t want anything
to do with Brick.
The only problem is, Brick isn’t taking no for an answer.
Winter Travers is the best-selling author of the
Devil’s Knights Series and the Skid Row Kings Series. Hailing from the land of
cheese, Wisconsin, Winter is a wife, mother to one Karate kicking boy and in
between all of the madness, pursuing her dream of writing. Stay connected with
her!
 
Edited by A.J. Downey
Hosted by
https://www.facebook.com/MJsBookBlogandReviews/

Book Review: The Girl and the Clockwork Cat by Nikki McCormack

The Girl and the Clockwork Cat by Nikki McCormack

A YA Steampunk Novel published by Entangled: Teen (9/02/14)

Summary:

Street rat Maeko survives on the dingy back streets of London with her friend Chaff, her fast feet and quick thinking as well as the pocketbooks of others. Will her latest escapade ever end? Mae is in the middle of a mystery involving a lovable cat with a clockwork appendage, the son of a murder suspect and pirate, and a city-wide conspiracy.

Keywords:

Clockwork, Cat, Pirate, Friendship, Streets, Fleeing, Fighting, Stealing, Hunger, Poverty, Officers, Mystery, Death, Street Smarts, London, Jail, Teenager, Female Main Character

My Review:

The setting and main character were so vivid that I was right there with Maeko on the streets of London. Maeko was written so descriptively that I felt like I knew her. I sympathized with her because she’s compassionate as well as realistic. She didn’t have the greatest childhood, but she is clever and thinks of others just as much as she does of herself. She weighs pros and cons of any given situation she finds herself in and doesn’t just let her empty stomach lead her around.

The plot sucked me right in and was entertaining and detailed. The mystery was intriguing and I wanted to find out what was actually going on as much as Maeko.

The steampunk and language were spot on and well written into the story without being overpowering or overwhelming. McCormack is a genius with world building and writing a good story.

This novel was published by Entangled: Teen on September 2nd, 2014 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 5.0

Links for more information:

Goodreads

Twitter

Nikki McCormack’s Website

Book Review: Accidental Makeovers: A Romantic Comedy (Rom-Com on the Edge Book 4) by Carol Maloney Scott

Accidental Makeovers: A Romantic Comedy (Rom-Com on the Edge Book 4) by Carol Maloney Scott

A Romantic Comedy Novel published by Amazon Digital Services LLC (03/31/16)

Summary:

“I just want to make people look pretty, for God’s sake.” (Kindle Location 2892).

Bianca isn’t satisfied with the turn her life has taken. She waitresses with her mother’s catering company and is in a relationship with her baby’s daddy. She would like to move out of her mother’s house and use her cosmetology license in her job. Her boyfriend and baby daddy Max is fine living in Bianca’s mother’s house, playing video games and playing in his rock band, until Bianca tells him it’s over this time. Now Max must grow up and show how responsible he can be or let the new beau Eric take his place in Bianca’s life.

Keywords:

Single Mother, Son, Cosmetology, Catering, Waitress, Band, Musician, Friends, Makeovers, Relationship Issues, Baby Daddy, Dating, Family, Romance, Love, 2-Year Old

My Review:

This book was difficult to read. There were very few dialogue tags and with the amount of characters it was confusing and hard to keep track of who was talking. I had to work to decipher who was talking. The characters didn’t have enough diction differentiation to tell who was speaking based on style alone. Many sentences and character thoughts were also left unfinished. There were many ellipses. I wanted most of those thoughts to be finished and not left hanging.

I didn’t quite care for the main characters. They were adults but many times acted and talked like teenagers. They would sometimes talk things out and communicate all their feelings and other times act on impulse.

Max talks bad about Bianca in his head all the time, specifically pointing out her flaws as a mother and housewife. Because of these thoughts I did not like him. His actions spoke louder than his thoughts, but he was still continuously thinking poorly about Bianca.

I forgot Bianca was a single mother for much of the book because she never really seems like a mother or a single mother because her own mother is always helping her out and she’s not worried much about her kid, unless she wants to introduce him to her new boyfriend.

Eric was perfect and then he was not because as soon as Max wants Bianca back and to make the relationship work, suddenly Eric isn’t so perfect after all.

This novel was published by Amazon Digital Services LLC on March 31st, 2016 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 2.50

Links for more information:

Carol Maloney Scott’s Website

Goodreads

Book Review: Girl on the Brink: A Novel by Christina Hoag

Girl on the Brink: A Novel by Christina Hoag

A Contemporary YA Novel published by Fire & Ice Young Adult Books (8/30/16)

Summary:

“People have to help themselves. There’s nothing you can do. You have to protect yourself from dangerous people, and that means walking away.” (Kindle Locations 4238-4239).

On an assignment for her newspaper internship the summer before senior year, Chloe meets Kieran. He is attentive and charming and wants to be with Chloe. After her last relationship that went nowhere, Chloe is alll too happy to be with Kieran, but he immediately starts to take over her life. He is with her at all times and she slowly starts losing her friends because she only wants to be with Kieran. It isn’t all roses and dates, though, as Kieran’s possessive side is also full of violence just below the surface waiting for an opportunity to lash out. Relationships are never perfect, but Chloe will soon learn that this one with Kieran is bringing her down a path she will have a hard time leaving.

Keywords:

Physical and Emotional Abuse, Reporter, Internship, High School, Friends, Boyfriend, Romance, New Relationship, Bad Relationship, Bad Boyfriend,

My Review:

I wasn’t really sure if Kieran was a bad boyfriend or not. He gets possessive early on. On their special date it’s all about him and his acting and using her to video him to get ready. When she wants him to meet her friends he cleverly manipulates the situations so they don’t meet and she doesn’t see her friends that night. This could be normal or it could be the shallow end of a bad situation. Kieran is the puppy dog lover who follows Chloe around and makes her feel special with all the attention. So what if he’s jealous? So what if he makes her do things she doesn’t at first want to do? They are made for each other like peanut butter and pickles on a sandwich, right?

Anyone who’s been in a bad relationship will see the signs, but innocent Chloe doesn’t know any better. This book was so scarily accurate I had trouble putting it down and going to bed. I was waiting for that climax. I was waiting for something truly dreadful to happen to Chloe. I was waiting to see how far Kieran would go.

The beginning was a bit slow to get to the plot of the story, but the smooth writing style and interesting insight into Chloe’s relationships with those around her will keep you reading until you get to the meat of the story: Kieran.

Much like Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, Girl on the Brink is a book people NEED to read. Chloe had few relationships herself before Kieran came along and what he did might have appeared normal or justified, but seeing it from the outside the signs are much more clear. This could happen to you. It happens every day. Domestic abuse is NOT okay, either emotionally or physically and both boys and girls need to know what it looks like.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the author and this is an honest review.

This novel was published by Fire & Ice Young Adult Books on August 30th, 2016 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 4.75

Links for more information:

Christina Hoag’s Website

Goodreads

Twitter

GirlontheBrinkPressRelease

Book Review: Chubby & Charming (Big & Beautiful Book 1) by Mary E Thompson

Chubby & Charming (Big & Beautiful Book 1) by Mary E Thompson

A Romantic Comedy published by BluEyed Press (11/29/15)

Summary:

Mandy works as a customer service rep. She has a smooth voice and likes her job and helping people. When Xander calls in, Mandy is able to help him out and her voice captures his interest. He asks her out and she says yes. What Xander doesn’t know and what Mandy lives daily with is the fact that she’s not skinny and doesn’t say no to a good cupcake. What will Xander say when he finally sees her face to face for the first time? If it doesn’t matter at first to him, won’t it later on?

Keywords:

Friends, Customer Service, Telephone, Trust, Job, Cupcakes, Meeting Up, Date, Health Insurance Rep, Attraction, Lust

My Review:

The first few chapters of this novel were amazing! Mandy was interesting and different as the main character. Enter Xander, the hottie who wants to meet her. There’s tension. There’s excitement. What will happen?! Then they meet and like each other a lot. The rest of the book is about them being together and the only point of tension is Mandy’s insecurity about being with such an attractive HWP male. It’s hard to build a story around that. I kept waiting for the complication to settle in and the story to pick up. Even the climax was all in Mandy’s head and a complete disappointment and letdown.

Halfway through the book, almost every thought Mandy had was on sex and how hot Xander is. We get it. Mandy likes Xander because he’s sexy. There are paragraphs and paragraphs devoted to her thoughts about his body and I ended up skimming through most of them after the first couple. Mandy spends so much time thinking about herself, Xander, and her worries about her weight that there is no time left for subplots or plot points.

I was disappointed in Mandy and her lack of character development. She is shown as a woman who’s trust has been broken in the past regarding men and relationships. Great place to start, but she doesn’t change. Throughout the book she drops her trust of Xander any time he remotely seems like he might be pointing out the fact that she’s overweight and that he’s not. Mandy never gets over this fear. She never gains confidence in their relationship.

SPOILER:

Mandy acts and thinks like she’s very much in lust/love with Xander and all it takes is something small for Mandy to lose confidence in Xander. Does she really love him, then? Mandy and Xander breakup over nothing (just a miscommunication) like they’re teenagers in high school. The climax scene at Xander’s friend’s house was very high school. There were even fat jokes!

Xander was unrealistic every time he showed up and said or did anything. I wanted more realism from him, not a Stepford Wives boyfriend! Only in his initial pursuit of Mandy did he seem authentic as a person.

This novel was published by BluEyed Press on November 29th, 2015 and is available on Amazon here.

TL;DR Star Rating: 3.00

Links for more information:

Mary E Thompson’s Website

Goodreads

Twitter