I cannot believe it’s already July and time for us Twinsie’s to pick our top 5 reads so far this year. This was a pretty difficult task for me, which is why my top 5 reads are actually 6. I just couldn’t boot one of these 6 off my list to make it 5. They were all THAT GOOD! Below you will find my top 6 reads for the first half of 2020, in no particular order. I hope you check them out and enjoy them as much as I did.
~Twinsie Tenise~
Throughout history, The Lady, Goddess of the Lycan world, has gifted werewolf packs with humans who carry her mark. Theodora Morrissey’s plans to return to college for her graduate degree are ended when she is awakened by an otherworldly voice on a rarely used airstrip in Nebraska. Injured and disoriented, she has no idea the discoloration on her back has marked her as a Seer, and that she is now a possession—and the prisoner—of the Novus Pack of Lycans.
To the Novus pack, the word of their leader, their Laird, is the law. With compelling gray eyes and long dark hair, Raider Black rules his pack with intelligence and ruthlessness. To cement the security of his pack, Black has committed to mate another Packleader’s daughter. But he’s finding it impossible to fight his attraction to the pack’s alluring new Seer, claiming her as his own.
Sweet, fearless, and unintentionally funny, Theo upends Black’s world and pushes the boundaries of his rules. How far is Black willing to go, and what will he sacrifice, to save both his pack and the human Seer who’s found a way not only into his bed, but his heart?
From #1 Amazon Bestseller L.J. Shen comes a new, star-crossed lovers romance about loss, love, and meeting The One when you are too young to know how to keep them.
Sometimes you meet people who are out of this world, so you make them a part of yours.
A one-night stand born from vengeance in a foreign land.
An explosive chemistry neither of us could deny.
We signed a contract on the back of a Boar’s Head Pub napkin that said if we ever met again, we would drop everything and be together.
Eight years and thousands of miles later, he’s here.
In New York.
And he’s America’s music obsession.
The intangible Irish poet who brings record executives to their knees.
The blizzard in my perfect, unshaken snow globe.
Last time we spoke, he was a beggar with no intention of becoming a king.
But a king he became, and now I’m his servant.
I’m not the same broken princess Malachy Doherty put back together with his callused hands.
I have a career I love.
A boyfriend I adore.
An apartment, a roommate, a life.
I changed. He changed, too.
But Mal kept the napkin.
Question is, will I keep my word?
For years Grant Kessler has smuggled goods from one end of the world to the next. When business turns in a direction Grant isn’t willing to follow he decides to retire and by all appearances he settles down in a nowhere town called Durstrand. But his real plan is to wait a few years and let the FBI lose interest, then move on to the distant coastal life he’s always dreamed of.
Severely autistic, Morgan cannot look people in the eye, tell left from right, and has uncontrolled tics. Yet he’s beaten every obstacle life has thrown his way. And when Grant Kessler moves into town Morgan isn’t a bit shy in letting the man know how much he wants him.
While the attraction is mutual, Grant pushes Morgan away. Like the rest of the world he can’t see past Morgan’s odd behaviors
Then Morgan shows Grant how light lets you see but it also leaves you blind. And once Grant opens his eyes, he loses his heart to the beautiful enigma of a man who changes the course of his life.
Ran Walker can’t outrun his demons. After watching the woman he loved marry another man, he’s given up on finding that happiness for himself. Until a chance encounter with a fiery redhead challenges everything he thought he knew…
Elle Sullivan is done bending to the expectations of others. Now, she’s determined to live life by her own terms. Even if that means taking a chance on the burly biker that helped her fix a flat tire. He’s the exact opposite of any man she’s ever dated—yet the heat between them is undeniable.
Can Ran and Elle shrug off the shackles of his haunting past and her constricting family name to find the freedom of a blissful life together? Or will the ill-fitting facades of who they are supposed to be force them apart?
-Shade-
She was young.
Sweet.
Feisty.
But then there was him.
We had been best friends for years. We lived together. Rode together. Shared women. Together. And it still wasn’t enough. Not for him and especially not for me.
-Sunny-
He was mine.
I was his.
She was ours.
Meadow Rodriguez strutted into our lives and looked at us like we were all that mattered.
While I wanted to dominate her, he wanted to submit, and she wanted both.
I took control, giving her everything she needed and at the same time, grew closer with Shade. My best friend. My partner. My life. Although we were close, there was still a wedge between us.
I was terrified to give him what he needed.
My heart.
-Meadow-
Sunny was intense.
Shade hid.
I was new.
They were in love but wouldn’t admit it.
Guilt resonated on Sunny’s shoulders.
The weight of Shade’s feelings rested on his.
And I was the glue that would bring them together.
But little did I know, that I would end up falling in love.
With both of them.
I would love you forever, if I only had the chance…
Kacey Dawson has always lived life on the edge–impulsively, sometimes recklessly. And now, as lead guitarist for a hot up-and-coming band, she is poised at the brink of fame and fortune. But she is torn between wanting to be a serious musician, and the demons that lure her down the glittering, but alcohol-soaked path of rock stardom. A wrecked concert in Las Vegas threatens to ruin her career entirely. She wakes up with the hangover from hell and no memory of the night before, or how she ended up on her limo driver’s couch…
Jonah Fletcher is running out of time. He knows his situation is hopeless, and he’s vowed to make the most of the handful of months he has left to him. His plans include seeing the opening of his glass installation at a prestigious art gallery…they do not include falling in love with a wild, tempestuous rock musician who wound up passed out on his couch.
Jonah sees that Kacey is on a path to self-destruction. He lets her crash with him for a few days to dry out and get her head on straight. But neither of them expected the deep connection they felt, or how that connection could grow so fast from friendship into something more. Something deep and pure and life-changing…something as fragile as glass, that they both know will shatter in the end no matter how hard they try to hold on to it.
Full Tilt is a story about what it means to love with your whole heart, to sacrifice, to experience terrible grief and soaring joy. To live life with all its beauty, and all its pain, and in the end to be able to smile through tears and know you wouldn’t have changed a thing.
***FIRST BOOK IN A TWO PART DUET***
All In (Full Tilt #2) available here: http://amzn.to/2cBvM26
Goodreads:
See Me by: M Jayne- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40601376-see-me?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=5bMZcP1G4O&rank=1
In the Unlikely Event by: LJ Shen https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48847096-in-the-unlikely-event?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=hbbWmXbtVl&rank=1
In the Absence of Light by: Adrienne Wilder- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25221242-in-the-absence-of-light?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=k6pKVjlE6g&rank=4
Mine for Now by: Cindy Tanner- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53938897-mine-for-now?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=WSEBr5ahy4&rank=1
With Us by: JM Walker- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49232974-with-us?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=X4CtcmlcLX&rank=1
Full Tilt by: Emma Scott- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30372977-full-tilt?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=D5rI7LUMUk&rank=1
Amazon:
See Me by: M Jayne- https://www.amazon.com/See-Me-Novus-Pack-Book-ebook/dp/B07DRP6PLB/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1AMVHX0LUHU56&dchild=1&keywords=see+me+m+jayne&qid=1593985737&sprefix=See+me+by+m+jay%2Caps%2C244&sr=8-1
In the Unlikely Event by: LJ Shen- https://www.amazon.com/Unlikely-Event-L-J-Shen-ebook/dp/B081MXH4MQ/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2N2JYGTVIYBWG&dchild=1&keywords=in+the+unlikely+event&qid=1593985842&sprefix=In+the+unlike%2Caps%2C433&sr=8-2
In the Absence of Light by: Adrienne Wilder- https://www.amazon.com/Absence-Light-Adrienne-Wilder-ebook/dp/B00V7MU406/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=in+the+absence+of+light&qid=1593989834&sr=8-1
Mine for Now by: Cindy Tanner https://www.amazon.com/Mine-Now-Cindy-Tanner-ebook/dp/B082XFMWXH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2A1DUVOMAA8MN&dchild=1&keywords=mine+for+now+by+cindy+tanner&qid=1593990092&sprefix=Mine+for+now+by+Cindy+%2Caps%2C206&sr=8-1
With Us by: JM Walker https://www.amazon.com/Us-Next-Generation-Book-ebook/dp/B08BY1SLF2/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1JRB7EGY0T3YH&dchild=1&keywords=with+us+by+jm+walker&qid=1593990271&sprefix=With+us+by+%2Caps%2C223&sr=8-2
Full Tilt by: Emma Scott- https://www.amazon.com/Full-Tilt-Emma-Scott-ebook/dp/B01GQFEF0S/ref=sr_1_1?crid=XDNAYLRDSK9F&dchild=1&keywords=full+tilt+by+emma+scott&qid=1593990423&sprefix=Full+tilt+by+%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-1
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️I gave all 6 books 5 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
See Me by: M Jayne
I received a copy of See Me from the author and this is my honest review.
Wolf shifters…if you would have asked me a week ago what I thought about them, I probably would have passed. Said nope- never read them- never will, they just aren’t my thing. A week ago I was oh so very wrong. A week ago I didn’t realize what I was missing.
Theodora Morrissey wakes in the cold hearing a voice, she thinks its a dream. Little does she know, when she wakes, her life will forever be changed.
Raider Black, leader of the Novus Pack is promised to another. Problem is, he is finding it quite impossible to stay away from The Human, Theodora Morrissey, The Packs new Seer.
The Novus Pack is full of SMOKING HOT werewolves. The Alpha and Beta in particular were VERY YUMMY. And don’t even get me started on the sexy as sin females in the pack. GAH! I started See Me and was addicted to the story and the characters from page 1. M. Jayne definitely changed my way of thinking. Thanks to her, I tried a new genre and fell in love with it. I’m now hooked. I will be starting the next book in this series immediately.
In the Unlikely Event by: LJ Shen
Aurora is 1000 miles from home, trying to get answers to questions she has about her father. These questions lead her to a man named Malachy, which then leads to a day she will NEVER forget.
Their encounter ends with a contract written on the back of a napkin, that states, should they meet again- no matter what- they will drop everything and be together.
Fast forward 8 years and their paths cross again. Is it just a coincidence? Or is it kismet like Mal said all those years ago? And the biggest question- will they drop everything for a silly little pact wrote on the back of a napkin?
Oh my! This book was full of angst and comedy, which aren’t really things often thought of together but it definitely worked in the telling of this story. There were many hilarious one liners- I was highlighting passages like crazy!
I had lots of questions (that were answered in time.) I laughed. I cried. I even laughed until I cried. I loved this book so freaking hard! It has been my favorite book of 2020 this far.
I give it 5 stars plus 2!
In the Absence of Light by: Adrienne Wilder
In the Absence of Light came highly recommended from a friend. I read the synopsis, was very intrigued, so I borrowed it from Kindle Unlimited.
Grant moved to the little town of Durstrand, in the middle of nowhere, to try and hide out for a while. To kill a few years before moving on to the beach life he has always dreamed of. It seems the little town of Durstrand had more to offer than just a place to lay low for a while.
Morgan is severely autistic. He has many in town who love him and would do anything to protect him. It didn’t take long at all for Grant to notice there was something special about Morgan, something he couldn’t ignore no matter how hard he tried.
I just want to say; this book was not just a book, it was a work of art. It was beautiful, heartbreaking, and spellbinding. I was addicted to the words, the characters, the unique storyline. Everything! Every once in a while, you read something so profound- you want to tell everyone who will listen to READ THIS BOOK! At the same time you also want to complain to anyone who will listen about the 5 star rating system. Because for some books, that is not a proper rating system. In the Absence of Light is one of those books. I wanted to give it ALL THE STARS!!!
Mine for Now by: Cindy Tanner
As the book starts, Elle is on a date from hell. Things just can’t seem to go right for this poor woman in the love and dating department. Everything happens for a reason though and it won’t be long before she forgets all about her date with what’s his name.
Ran has basically been mad at the world and wallowing in pity since the woman he loved married another man. Well that is until he has an unforgettable encounter with a gorgeous redhead. He just can’t seem to get her off his mind.
I read this book in less than a day. I was addicted to the words and the characters. I HAD to know what was going to happen with these two. When the book ended, I was sad. I just wasn’t ready to leave the world that Cindy created between the pages of this book. I am impatiently waiting for her next release.
I received a copy of the book from the author and this is my honest review.
With Us by: JM Walker
I received a copy of this book from the author. This is my honest review.
Honestly, I’m not even sure how to write this review. It took me 2 days after finishing this beautiful story to even collect my thoughts enough to try and write them down.
Meadow has always felt like things were lacking as far as her sex life was concerned. Plain old vanilla just wasn’t enough to satisfy her needs. One night while out with friends she meets not one but two bikers, Sunny and Shade, who are twice her age. The mutual attraction between the 3 of them is instantaneous.
This book was so freaking H-O-T!!! I mean, like you are going to need a cold shower to cool down kinda hot. There were plenty of hot moments, but lots of oh-so-sweet moments, too. The way these two men took care of Meadow was heartwarming. The three of them were perfect for each other.
With Us is one of those rare books that consumed me. It touched my soul. I will never EVER forget Sunny, Shade, and Meadow. Their story will stay with me. I may even be able to read it again. Someday.
I’m throwing out the normal rating system and giving it 5×3 stars!
Full Tilt by: Emma Scott
My heart hurts. It has been quite a while since I’ve read a book this thought provoking. Soul crushing. All consuming. No review I write can do this beautifully written masterpiece justice. Masterpiece. That’s definitely not a word I throw around. Full Tilt definitely earned its spot in that category in my book.
This story is about doing what’s right for you and not worrying about what others think. Living life to its fullest. And finding love when you definitely weren’t looking, even if that deviates from the plan.
Jonah was THE PERFECT Hero. I loved him from the first page. He is one of those characters I will NEVER forget. His time is limited but he is making the most of it. He has his routines and does not stray from them. That is, until he crosses paths with a beautiful guitarist from an all girls rock band.
Kasey was lost and troubled. She needed to find her way in life. She was a hot mess and longed for, I guess you could say, a normal life. Never could she have known how much her life would change after waking up one morning on a strangers couch.
I will say no more. Full Tilt is one of those books that you need to experience for yourself and I would hate to ruin that experience for anyone. I’m throwing the usual rating system out the window and giving this book 5 stars times 2! If you haven’t read this one yet, I HIGHLY recommend it. Just make sure you have plenty of tissues handy.
Reviews by Tenise
About M. Jayne
I live on a grain farm in Central Indiana with two mastiffs. Ginger who is the elder and thinks that she is a person. She has her own Sleep Number. Duncan Keith (named for the awesome Blackhawk and my fantasy future boyfriend) who just turned one. He knows that he is a dog and likes to sit on my feet. My husband, Mr. K. also lives with us but I’m not allowed to talk about him. He is shy and private. Please don’t try to discuss my sex scenes with him.
I started writing seriously six years ago. It takes a village to publish a book. The easiest part is getting the words out. I now work with the patient and fabulous Deliah Devlin who deals with my dislike and sometimes too much like of commas. Fiona Jayde and Sahara Kelly each work on my covers. I use three proofreaders to look for problems. I also depend on the lovely Francesca for insight and a butt kicking when necessary. Plus my incredible Admanistrative Assistant, David, who is as brilliant as he is handsome. They all help me make the most of my ideas.
I write about older characters because they are more interesting to me. They are to the point in life where they know what they don’t know. I currently have three series. The Casino Nights series is my hottest. It revolves around the members of Team 2 at the Red Rose Casino in Las Vegas. This group tends to allow their pasts to dictate their futures. The Cameron Farms Trilogy is small town based and features redemption and second chances. The Change Series is about people who are unhappy in their current place in life and when opportunity presents itself- they grab it with both hands.
I love to interact with readers and talk books. Any books. Follow me on Social Media and please come to a signing. I hope to see you soon.
Happy Reading!
About L.J Shen
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Or text SHEN to 313131 to get new releases alert (US only)
L.J. Shen is a USA Today, Washington Post and Amazon #1 Best-selling author of contemporary, New Adult and YA romance. Her books have been sold to twenty different countries.
She lives in California with her husband, son, cat and eccentric fashion choices, and enjoys good wine, bad reality TV shows and catching sun rays with her lazy cat.
About Adrienne Wilder
I am a writer of contemporary and speculative fiction and artist of all things monsters. I live to create new worlds and the people in them. Several of my books have been best sellers both nationally and internationally. I have also been a finalist in the LAMDA awards, the “Oscars” of gay literary works.
I do my best to write original stories with powerful characters and emotion as well as a fast paced plot. My goal isn’t just to deliver a good story but to take the reader into the story and let them experience the characters as if they are right there with them.
While almost all my books have a romantic element, I will be the first to admit, they are not traditional romance. In fact, I’d like to think there is nothing traditional about them. And the stories I paint are done so way outside the lines of traditional genres.
One of my favorite things to do as a writer is push the boundaries of what makes a story and to deliver the unexpected and maybe even change the perspective of the reader.
My characters are more often than not, beautifully flawed, not alway the good guy, and make mistakes. Their stories will take dark turns which, in the end, make the light at the end of the tunnel all the more brighter.
If you’re looking for something different, exciting, and unique, my books are for you.
Check out my website for updates and how to contact me. I love hearing from fans. https://authoradriennewilder.blogspot.com
FB group: Adrienne’s Darkside of the Rainbow https://www.facebook.com/groups/2083869908319333/
twitter: https://twitter.com/Adrienne_Wilder
https://www.deviantart.com/adriennewilder/gallery/
I have a Patreon for where you can get extra content as well as the webcomic Nox, based on the novel and Bitter Sweet set in the Bound Gods world.
https://www.patreon.com/AuthorAdrienneWilder
About Cindy Tanner
Growing up an only child in rural Indiana Cindy grew to rely on her imagination for entertainment. Starting at a young age she would read books to her animals and started telling her stories to anyone that would listen. Over the years her love of reading and telling stories grew into a career of her dreams. She likes to write sincere stories with unexpected twists.
About J.M. Walker
J.M. Walker is an Amazon bestselling author who hit USA Today with Wanted: An Outlaw Anthology. She loves all things books, pigs and lip gloss. She is happily married to the man who inspires all of her Heroes and continues to make her weak in the knees every single day.
“Above all, be the HEROINE of your own life…” ~ Nora Ephron
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Professional Inquiries:
I am represented by SBR Media. For inquiries regarding foreign rights, audio, and other media outlets, please contact Stephanie Phillips.
stephanie@sbrmedia.com
About Emma Scott
Emma Scott is a USA Today and Wall St. Journal bestselling author whose books have been translated in five languages and featured in Buzzfeed, Huffington Post, New York Daily News and USA Today’s Happy Ever After. She writes emotional, character-driven romances in which art and love intertwine to heal, and in which love always wins. If you enjoy emotionally-charged stories that rip your heart out and put it back together again, with diverse characters and kind-hearted heroes, you will enjoy her novels. Visit www.emmascottwrites.com
