All posts by Kelly S

#Review #NewRelease – Captivated by a Vampire by Susan Griscom

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synopsis

She’s a vampire. He’s human and the best investigative reporter in the city. Their worlds mix as well as oil and water, but their attraction to each other is electric.

Josh Barrett knows his priorities–reporting the news as quickly and accurately as possible by day, drinking himself into a self-loathing stupor by night. His workaholic tendencies can’t completely mask the broken, depressed man he is inside. The horrific night that changed his life forever and left him broken-hearted and alone is forever fresh in his thoughts. But the torture is no less than he deserves. Until a beautiful, sexy, and utterly mysterious woman enters his life and changes everything. Chelle is absolutely enchanting, her allure captivating and the reporter in him is determined to learn all of her secrets.

Newly turned vampire Chelle Masterson only wants to find her place. Her unrequited love and devotion for her maker Lane has left Chelle broken, vowing to never fall for any man again. She’s determined to find her way in the scary new world of the immortals and begs for the chance to prove herself–to prove that she’s capable of surviving without the others. Unfortunately, she meets trouble head-on with her very first victim and ends up face to face with a very charming and handsome stranger. He seems to only want to help, but can she trust him?

As Josh slowly wins Chelle over, she decides to utilize his skills as a reporter to help uncover her past–a dark past that she cannot remember, but one she desperately needs to learn. Being around him is addicting, their connection undeniable, and she finds her will to keep him at arm’s-length dwindling.

The simple act of a Good Samaritan spirals into an obsession–much more than either of them thought possible. Their love becomes unfathomable, but it may not be enough to overcome the hurdles standing in their way…

*This read is recommended for ages 18+ due to mature content.

 

TBR

Goodreads

kellys review

**I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Note: This is part of a series but can be read as a standalone.

This author has a way of getting you to like a book then giving you the second one to make you like the next one more. This is exactly what happened to me. I read Tempted By a Vampire and really, really liked it. But then I get my hands on this baby and love this story even more! This story is about Chelle and Josh. We meet Chelle in Tempted and she is the one that Lane turned into a vampire…not by choice. Chelle and Lane have lots of history and Chelle is finally getting out on her own. Josh is an investigative journalist, and a mere human, that is given an assignment that has him questioning himself. When Chelle and Josh meet they have strong connection. As things unfold, Chelle starts remembering her past, her parents, and the circumstances surrounding her parents death. As these things come to light she and Josh start confiding in each other and find that their pasts aren’t so different and they are more alike than they thought. Now they have to figure out if they can be good for each other. But this is not where this story ends. Not even close! There is a ginormous twist that will make your head spin and is absolutely worth the read. When you get to this part, you will understand completely what I mean.

“I’d never asked for the life I was handed. Not the one growing up, or the one I had now. If that’s what you could call it. In order for there to be life, there must be death. I suppose I’ve already had both. This life now, I don’t know exactly what to call it. Undead existence, I suppose. But it is, what it is. I’m happy that I still have some sort of life.  F**king Lane.”

“I smiled against her sweet, pale cheek and sighed. She may not be forcing me to stay, but I was most definitely her prisoner , bound not by ropes or shackles, and not against my will, but by the pure, unrelenting desire I felt for her . I was a goner. I’d always be forever in love with her. “Woman, you are going to be the death of me.”

There is this perfect balance of love and hate. It’s full of bada$$ery and is soooooooo HOT! A MUST READ!

 

Buy-Links

Amazon

about-the-author

My blog: http://swblog.susangriscom.com

Find me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SMGriscom

Susan Griscom writes paranormal and contemporary romance. She’s hooked on gritty romances and is a huge fan of superheroes and bad boys confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers, and abilities beyond the norm mixed with steamy romance, of course.

She loves those days when she gets to sit around in her sweat pants, doing nothing but writing emotionally charged stories about love and violence and drinking coffee.

She lives in Northern California with her romantic husband and together they have five great superhero kids and eight mini-superhero grand kids, so far.


#Review – Mercy F*ck by KS Adkins

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synopsis

You’ve seen the title of this book and now you’re curious, I get it.

I totally do.

Mercy F*uck isn’t a title that inspires smiles and you’d be right.

Let me start by saying his name was Axle Rhodes and everything about him, including his love for Metallica, made you want to offer yourself up as a sacrifice.

And believe me, I did.

My heart and v-card were his for the conquering, and because he had a pulse, twenty-four-seven erection and empty bed, he took it.

It was love, it was fate, it was our happily ever after.

Right?

Wrong.

It was bullshit.

For Axle it wasn’t any of those things.

I know this to be true because while planning our wedding while still naked in said bed, I had the misfortune of hearing him utter the two words that described what he really thought of me.

Now don’t go feeling sorry for me, okay? I learned a valuable lesson about the opposite sex that day and am all the better for it.

To Axle, I was a Mercy F*uck this is true. But, every man I would meet after him would become mine.

My name is Drew, by the way, and nine years and a lot of practice later, I like to think of myself as the ‘Mercy F*uck Master’.

Trust me, it was title I earned and was seriously proud of too.

Well at least I was, until the Mercy F*ucker came back.

 

TBR

Goodreads

kellys review

**I received this book in exchange for an honest review**

And an honest review you shall receive! Oh holy Hell are you in for a wild ride! If you read the title and you are intrigued then just keep going! I need an option to rate this higher than 5 stars. Drew is a bada$$ female lead who does NOT take any crap from anyone…including Axle. Axle and Drew become close and he takes her V card. However, she hears him talking about his mercy f*ck and she immediately nut shots him and walks the F out to never look back. Now it’s nine years later and their paths cross. Neither are the same person now and Axle is pushing to get Drew to hear his side and she wants nothing of it. This story is hardcore, funny, hot and all around bada$$! You can’t help but get sucked into this story and the way they interact is addicting. At times I was laughing out loud and couldn’t wait to see what the next insult was going to be sent Axle’s way. But at the same time I am laughing they are getting into fights, breaking up fights, and getting shot at. Absolute craziness!

“No, you’re bribing me, and not very well I might add. Your job is to track bond jumpers, mine is to serve drinks. Each was a choice, unlike you, my job isn’t trying to kill me. Also, unlike you, I don’t give a flying f*ck why that is.” “If that was true you wouldn’t have returned fire,” he says smugly. “Bullshit,” I snort in a non-lady-like fashion. “My a$$ was in the way and it’s a great a$$, it’s an a$$ that doesn’t want to get shot.” “I had that a$$ in my hands once,” he says way too softly . “That a$$ changed my life. F*cking missed it.” And before I could fire back, he grabbed the front of my Johnny Cash vintage t-shirt that took five years to break in, hauled me across the armrest and kissed me.

To this day, I was still on the fence as to which I liked better; my first fight or my first orgasm. Both were pretty fucking amazing for a lot of different reasons. Shane would have to decide for himself which he liked better, it was a guy’s rite of passage.

“I love you, Drew.” “I love you too, Axle.” “Loved you a long time.” “I know. Because I have too.” “I’m going to say it a lot.” “And I promise, I’ll do the same.”

This is the first book that I have read by KS Adkins and will not, under any circumstances, will be the last. Drew and Axle were at each other’s mercy and I was at KS’s mercy with this story. It’s a hilarious, bada$$, and cute as f*ck story….I am hooked!

 

Buy-Links

Amazon


 

The Darkness Within by Nicole L Daffurn – #TwinsieApproved

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About the book:

tdw5Everyone has a little darkness in them. A small voice that tells them to lie, to steal, to cheat… To kill. Addy Wilson sees and feels that darkness in everything around her. It consumes her, it eats at her, it terrifies her, and it excites her.
Evan Cooper believes he sees spirits. Spirits that protect him, that talk to him… That kill for him. So why is that he is always the one to wake up with blood on his hands?
Addy and Evan meet in Abby House – Asylum for the criminally insane. They do everything together. They will protect each other, they will go anywhere together… Would they kill for each other?
Can they escape the confines before they succumb to their own darkness? Can they find a love to cure each other? Can they save each other before it’s too late?

 

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About the Author:

Sunshine, surf and family are the corner stone of Nicky’s world. Being born and raised on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland Australia gave her the opportunity to chase her dream of photography and later novel writing. She fell in love with fantasy and dystopian and crafted stories with strong men and powerful women. Her debut novel Destinata was released on October 15, 2014 with several short stories following. Nicole now has more than ten stories published, with a vision for more in 2016. When she is not busy being an author, you will find her using her various creative abilities; such as photography, graphic design, and 3d game art and animation, and chasing after her two young girls.

Excerpt:

This is not my life…

This is not my world…

This is not me…

Close your eyes

Take a deep breath

Count to three

Breathe.

The sound of the waves crashing upon the shore thunders inside my head. I look up to see the setting sun upon the horizon; the seagulls are tucked in for the night, the beachgoers packing up and heading home. The water is the only constant. That and the beating of my heart, though it remains unseen as to how long that will continue. My darkest hour is upon me and just like the shadows cast by the statues that stick to the walls of the repulsive domicile I escaped from, the darkness is stuck to me. Not an inch of light filters through to my soul, only darkness… Always darkness.

I like the beach, it’s calming and it reminds me of being a child when things were simpler. When my parents still loved me, when I had friends, when I wasn’t caged in. This moment is freeing. I’m free. So why do I still feel so trapped? No matter, that’s all about to change.

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Find more about Nicole on one of her many social networking sites: 
WordPress: https://nickylouiseloveslife.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author-Nicole-L-Daffurn/240965966096004
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NickyLouise28
Website: http://smarturl.it/ndaffurnofficial

Goodreads: http://smarturl.it/ndaffurngoodreads

 

Other Books from Nicole L. Daffurn:

The Unknown Wunderkind: http://smarturl.it/TUW

The Keepers Portal: http://smarturl.it/keepersportal

Harsh Beginnings (The Valguard Trilogy 0.5): http://smarturl.it/harshbeginnings

Destinata (The Valguard Trilogy Part 1): http://smarturl.it/Destinatanew

The Pact (The Valguard Trilogy 1.5): http://smarturl.it/thepact

Night of The Demon 2: http://smarturl.it/notd2

(Please note: All anthology pieces below are currently available in The Keepers Portal)

Cogs in Time 2: http://smarturl.it/CogsinTime-Vol2

Cogs inn Time 3: www.smarturl.it/CogsInTime3

After Tomorrow: smarturl.it/aftertomorrowa

Love Sucks: http://smarturl.it/LoveSucks

Fractured Fairy tales: http://smarturl.it/FracturedFairyTales

Tales of the Fairy 2: http://smarturl.it/SteampunkFairies

Mystical Bites: http://smarturl.it/MysticalBites

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#Review – Beautifully Used, The Beaumont Brothers 2, by Susan Griscom

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synopsis

A Beaumont Brothers Series stand-alone book 2

18+ due to adult situations

Suave, handsome Brodie Beaumont has a history of using and being used by women. Playing bass in his brother’s band doesn’t hurt.

A past he doesn’t like to talk about has turned him into the type of guy he is today, but he hasn’t really cared. Until the beautiful and feisty Gabrielle Demeres comes back into his life.

Gabrielle learned the hard way what type of guy Brodie was the first time she met him. His crude seduction attempt earned him a slap to his face, and Gabrielle wasn’t exactly looking forward to another encounter with the cad. Unfortunately, her best friend was marrying Brodie’s brother, and Gabrielle and Brodie would be forced to spend time together whether she liked it or not.

As things in the small, quiet town of Turtle Lake take a decidedly dark and dangerous turn, Gabrielle and Brodie only have each other to turn to. Will they be capable of overcoming their aversion to one another while coping with their own troubled pasts and dealing with the current dangers surrounding them? Or is their hostility just skating the fine line between love and hate?

 

TBR

Goodreads

kellys review

I  adore the Beaumont Brothers! This is Brodie and Gabrielle’s story. We have two people that couldn’t be more opposite of one another. Their first encounter was not fun and they are dreading seeing each other now. Brodie has a past that makes him who he is today, a playboy that will not commit to spending two nights with the same woman let alone commit to a relationship. Gabrielle has a past that she has kept hidden from everyone and has made her a bit more reserved than most. All hell breaks loose and they lean on each other for support. To watch their relationship bloom and feel every single emotion is beautiful. The author has an amazing way with words and will rock your world when you find out about their pasts!

“There was no question in my mind, she was a goddess, and I silently cursed my stupid attempt at carelessly trying to get her into my bed last year. One does not simply just have sex with a goddess.”

“…the trees blowing in the wind outside the window caught my eye. I studied them as they swayed, the way they withstood the abuse from the wind was amazing. I wanted to be like the trees. Able to stand tall the next day after being slammed by something I had no control over; only dropping a few fragments of my self-esteem the way the trees only lost a few of their leaves.”

“I do know that when I kiss you, my entire world stops. My head buzzes and my body goes into overdrive , making me dizzy . Just like with a car, my body goes into high gear to maintain the speed my heart is pumping because of the way I feel about you.”

There is a respect that these two develop for one another. Fear and rejection have made them weary but their love is incredible!

 

Buy-Links

Amazon

B&N

about-the-author

Susan Griscom writes paranormal and contemporary romance. She’s hooked on gritty romances and is a huge fan of superheroes and bad boys confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers, and abilities beyond the norm mixed with steamy romance, of course.

She loves those days when she gets to sit around in her sweat pants, doing nothing but writing emotionally charged stories about love and violence and drinking coffee.

She lives in Northern California with her romantic husband and together they have five great superhero kids and eight mini-superhero grand kids, so far.

#Review – Destinata, The Valguard Trilogy 1 – BONUS, 2 short stories by Nicole Daffurn

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synopsis

Imagine being eighteen. You’ve just become an adult, you can do what you like when you like. You should be attending parties or studying for school. Well that’s what Charlie Dawson thought her life would be like when she turned eighteen anyway. Instead she ends up parentless, living with her best friends and working at a nearby café. That is until her curiosity about her new mysterious neighbor gets the better of her.

Following Zane into the woods that surround her home town of Tole one night, Charlie gets a little more than she bargains for when he lets her in on Tole’s best kept secrets. The human’s that reside in town aren’t alone.

Thrown into a world where humans are no longer the world’s most feared predator, Charlie is forced to become something that she has been destined to since before her own birth. Will she stand up to the test? or will she ignore what has been fated to her?

 

TBR

Goodreads

kellys review

5 stars! The story never stops! If you want something that is going to keep you on the edge of your seat, this is what you want to read. The author starts you right in the middle of a confrontation between the main characters, Charlie and Zane. Zane finally makes a choice and on a whim tells Charlie that she is the Destinata. This sets forth a series of events that she was destined to stop. She finds out she is half human, half Valguard. The Valguard are a super human type race that is using humans as experiments. Charlie finds out about her family’s past, and present, that will definitely pull at your heart strings. Her best friends are thrown into the mix of this battle as well. You will fully understand what it is to have friends as your family. She is put in the worst situations and always has to make a hard choice. She is constantly battling between what is right and what is best. You can’t help but root for Charlie and her friends in this epic battle against the Valguard.

A few of my favorite quotes:

“ The only certainty now was they could trust no one but each other and even that trust was fragile at best.”

“She may have been a coward in love, but she wasn’t a coward in war.”

“No time for regrets now, Charlie, just keep moving.”

“My life is nothing but a game to them, but they don’t realize just how well I play.”

This is an action packed, crazy filled adventure filled with friendship, love, and loss. The old saying “keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer” keeps coming to mind while I was reading this. You never know quite who you can trust. I am anxiously awaiting Book 2!

 

Buy-Links

Amazon

BONUS SHORT STORIES ON WATTPAD!!

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The Pact

Valguard Trilogy 1.5

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Harsh Beginnings

Eloise’s Story

about-the-author

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Visit Nicole on Facebook! Click here!

“If you can dream of it, you can achieve it”

Sunshine, surf and family are the corner stones of Nicky’s world. Being born and raised on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia gave her the opportunity to chase her dream of photography and later novel writing. She fell in love with fantasy and dystopian and crafted stories with strong men and powerful women. As well as her many contributions to chbb anthologies, her debut novel through Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly – Courageous Souls – was released November 6 2014. Her Second Novel – The Darkness Within was published February 5th 2015. When she is not busy being an author, you will find her walking along the water with her husband or chasing after her two children.

 

#Review – Skilled: He’s Armed But She’s Dangerous (Skilled Serial Series Book 1), by S. Reynolds

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synopsis

He’s Armed…She’s Dangerous

Chloe Justice grew up on American soil and in Old World China. When she witnesses her best friend’s murder, her life takes a drastic turn. Chloe dedicates her life to tracking her friend’s killer, and honing her own skills.

Detective Damon Delandre’ is having zero luck closing the homicide cases crossing his desk. When he unexpectedly stumbles upon the first and only piece of evidence in one of his cases, his ethics and heart are at odds.

 

TBR

Goodreads

kellys review

A badass female assassin and a hot detective….Need I say more?

Chloe is an assassin with a conciensce. She is a strong independent woman who loves her job and is not looking to settle down anytime soon. Damon is a hot detective that has been investigating murders of some pretty shady people. Chloe’s and Damon’s personal lives cross with what ends up being a one night stand. They can’t seem to stay away from each other and end up bumping into each other again. The connection they have is extremely strong and they can’t keep their hands to themselves. Soon Damon starts putting bits and pieces of his puzzles together and Chloe seems to be in the mix.

“She was still a little in shock that Damon was a Detective. That wasn’t smart on her part. Never get involved with the police if you commit murder on a daily basis.”

This is a fast paced, witty, steamy, and action packed story. An absolute page turner! Looking forward to their story being continued!

 

Buy-Links

Amazon

B&N

about-the-author

I  currently live in Charleston, WV with my two beautiful children. I do work a full time job and I have a passion for writing. My only hobby is reading.

I have been working on my first book for some time now, but I am finally making that leap. I have many stories that I want to put to paper and hopefully you all will follow me on my journey.

I like to write whatever is on my mind but I like to explore with my writing. I like to have my books feel like your inside them as the actual characters. I like my characters to be strong. Sex is important between loving people therefore all my books contain graphic scenes but are not classified as erotica. The character’s themselves have more basis.

#Review – Ultraxenopia by M.A. Phipps

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synopsis

Don’t stand out. Blend in. Remain invisible. Those are the rules I lived by—the rules I thought would keep me alive.

I was wrong.

Wynter Reeves is a law-abiding citizen of the State, a willing conformist whose daily life is haunted by terrorism and oppression. With the constant threat of death hanging over her like a shadow, she forces herself to live by a strict set of rules, all in the hope of ensuring she is never noticed. However, on her twenty-first birthday, as she prepares to take the placement exam that will determine her future within society, she begins to show symptoms of a rare and debilitating illness—ultimately attracting the attention of the State. Taken into the custody of the feared research facility known as the DSD, her worst nightmare becomes reality.

Ripped away from the life she knew, Wynter is forced to become the test subject of the mysterious Dr. Richter. Through him, she learns the true and terrifying nature of her condition: a disease called Ultraxenopia.

 

TBR

Goodreads

kellys review

A fascinating dystopian read! Regardless if you are a dystopian genre buff or not, you won’t be disappointeed. I don’t normally like to compare books in my reviews but I felt like this was a cross between Hunger Games and Divergent (I love them all). The world is set up so you feel like you are right there. The background for the characters is beautifully flawed. This author gives you just enough to be sure you continue to find out more about the others. Perfect!

Wynter is about to take her placement test when something happens to her. She is having hallucinations and is taken to the DSD and is told that she has a disease, Ultraxenopia. She is told that she will be safe but ends up being tortured by Dr. Richter for “the greater good”. She keeps seeing this man in her visions. She escapes and finds this man who is part of the rebellion group PHOENIX. As if her head wasn’t spinning while with the DSD, her whole world is turned upside down. Fear, confusion, disbelief, questioning of morals, and trying to figure out what is right and what is wrong….This story will have you all over the board and trying to figure out exactly what is going on and what the next step is. Truly captivating!

“When I enter the corridor, I notice Jenner leaning up against the wall next to the door. He’s whistling a soft tune and his eyes are closed. He looks serene, beautiful even. At peace. I envy him, wishing more than anything that I could know what that feels like.”

“Sympathy— or I guess, in this instance, empathy— can alter a person’s mindset toward just about anything, regardless of the circumstances. Or, in our case, because of the circumstances.”

“From the day I was born, I’ve been told to suppress my emotions —that by doing so I would successfully integrate into a society that it’s taken me my whole life to realize is poisonous. Humans are meant to feel. We’re meant to love. We aren’t meant to shut any of that out, and what I never grasped before is that you can’t. One way or another, they’ll find their way to the surface. One way or another, they’ll find a way to break through. Holding back all of those feelings for twenty-one years leaves me unprepared for the onslaught that attacks me now. Each emotion tears through me, burning into my soul until there’s nothing left but a pile of ashes. From those ashes, what rises up is the new me.”

This is a new author for me and I’m hooked. There is a cliffhanger and I am anxiously awaiting the next installment. A must read!

 

Buy-Links

Amazon

B&N

 

about the author

M. A. Phipps was born in Worcester, Massachusetts in 1987. In 2009, she moved to London to complete a Bachelor’s Degree in Media Communications and Journalism. It was there that she met her husband and they now live in the Southwest where she works fulltime pursuing her true passion: fiction. She enjoys writing any genre, but the majority of her work contains some sort of fantastical element. In 2013, one of her short stories was shortlisted for publication and in the following year, she submitted her first-full length novel to an online writing competition where it was rated second overall out of over two-hundred manuscripts. In 2015, she decided to self-publish her dystopian novel, Ultraxenopia, which was acquired by a publisher five months later. At it’s re-release, it became an international bestseller.

You can find her online at maphipps.com or through her various social media accounts.

www.facebook.com/authormaphipps

www.twitter.com/authormaphipps

Join her mailing list: http://eepurl.com/bwPpX9