Carries Book Reviews

Grunt
Kailee Reese Samuels
(The SOS #3)
Publication date: May 30th 2017
Genres: Erotica, Romance

Six days.

No one thought I could last

Here in the cell—I now call home

They didn’t know I grew up in the prison of my crime family’s dream.

Six weeks.

No one thought I could withstand

The loss, the drugs, the torture

They didn’t know how much I would enjoy their game.

Six months.

No one thought I could survive

Their puppet and prey—but I like to play—Hard.

And I don’t lose.

They picked the wrong guy. Their so-called ‘grunt’ would fight to get home and take revenge. I vowed to come back—for her—for Kaci. But everything changed.

My maniacal mind wrapped with a pretty mug, I am an unforgiving opponent, tough—tougher than they ever imagined.

And I will never – ever – break.

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Author Bio:

Embracing diversity. Coffee addict. Mango lover. Blueberry fetishist. Sweet peach tea crazy. Red wine devout. Whiskey deviant. Tattooed & pierced. Loves shoes. Collects rosaries. Fanatical organizer/cleaner/list-maker. Never sleeps. Hermit and recluse.

Storyteller.

KAILEE REESE SAMUELS has been spinning tales since she can remember. Her books are contemporary fiction with a no-holds-barred attitude. She adores listening to her characters ramble and putting them into situations that push the boundaries.

Creativity is the way to change.

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Girl on the Verge by Pintip Dunn
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Kanchana is a Thai-American girl that has always had a feeling of not quite fitting in. Kan has been raised in a small Kansas town where she is the only one of her descent among her classmates but when she visits her homeland she also stands out as being too Americanized.

When Kan’s mother brings home another teenage girl and informs the family that Shelly will be staying with them Kan immediately feels drawn to her. The two become good friends sharing a lot in their feeling of not quite fitting in and Kan does her best to make Shelly feel welcome. After going to school together though things start heading downhill when Shelly begins to isolate Kan from her friends and imitate Kan.

Girl on the Verge is a young adult thriller from Pintip Dunn. My first thought when getting into this book was basically a young adult version of Single White Female. I suppose that movie was twenty five years ago this is marketed towards an audience that may not know of it but for me it lacked a bit on originality.

The book however was a quick and easy read that had some good things about it. I liked that the main character was Thai and that seemed to be done well bringing that culture into the story. Kan was easily likable also with Shelly being the opposite and just a bit spooky right off the bat. I did find it odd that Kan seemed to exude confidence around Shelly though when she was anything but confident in her own school life and with friends.

In the end, I’d rate this one at 3.5 stars. The story seemed a bit predictable due to be similar to other things but it was still a somewhat engaging and creative take on the idea that I wanted to actually keep reading until the end.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Booked 4 Murder by J.C. Eaton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sophie Phee Kimball works in accounting at the police department so of course her retired mother thinks that should make her perfect to investigate a series of deaths in her retirement community. Sophie’s mother is sure that her book club has been reading a cursed book when several of the club’s members suddenly die. Sophie does her best to explain to her mother there is no such thing as curses but her mother won’t let the matter go.

After speaking with a detective friend at work Sophie decides the best thing to do is take some time off and go visit her mother, asking a few questions here and there wouldn’t hurt, would it? After arriving Sophie begins to look into the deaths of the book club members and finds herself getting deeper and deeper into a plot that she never expected and trying to prove that there is no book curse.

Booked 4 Murder is the first book in the new Sophie Kimball Mystery series by J.C. Eaton. This first edition to the series had all the great ingredients to a cozy mystery that I enjoy, a down to earth main character that follows the clues and questions those involved but with some connection to law enforcement to help with the harder aspects, likable characters and a fun environment for the story to take place.

I thought Sophie and her mother had a great relationship and often found myself chuckling at their interactions. The retirement community in Sun City West, Arizona is exactly how I’d imagine it to actually be, the residents having their own way of doing things and quite set in their ways while keeping track of everyone else. Just a fun read with fun characters and would look forward to seeing what the author has in store in the future for Sophie and friends.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Bella Italia
Camille Taylor
(Heavenly, #1)
Publication date: May 30th 2017
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense

Small-town wallflower, Adelaide Montgomery has lived an uneventful life—until she witnesses the murder of her best friend…

Adelaide clings to the simple security of a home and a wish for family—desires that sent her former fiancé into another woman’s arms.

Happy to remain in Heavenly, Australia for the rest of her life, she reluctantly gives in to her best friend, Rachel’s pleading to join her on a trip to Italy. A decision which will alter her life forever.

Gorgeous men can be deadly killers in disguise…

When her best friend returns to their hotel suite with two male companions the night doesn’t go as planned and Rachel is murdered in cold blood.

Able to identify the killer, Adelaide finds herself a target, barely escaping with her life.

In order to protect his witness, Rome Inspector Antonio Cardellini hides Adelaide at his family’s winery. Though Antonio is a professional and Adelaide is under his charge, his feelings quickly surpass the limits of his job. Knowing one day she will return home, he struggles to distance himself, but the trial and his family continue to throw him and Adelaide back together.

Will Antonio put his badge above his heart? Or will he risk it all—his career, Adelaide’s life, and the possibility of a future together—all for a chance at love?

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EXCERPT:

She stared into his deep blue eyes, feeling the warmth of them. Her stomach somersaulted. Holding him this close was dangerous. She tried to warn herself but her body refused to listen to the commands her brain was sending out. He watched her intently. What was he thinking? Her heart beat sped up until it was pounding in her chest. The heat from his body liquefied her muscles and his manly scent, so intoxicating to her filled her lungs.

Pressed up against him, she could feel every hard pane of his chest. Her breath caught in her throat as desire flooded her. She shifted, an urgent ache gathering between her legs. Her mouth dried even as her belly quivered. Moving her hands from around his neck, she cupped his jaw.

Adelaide swallowed with difficulty. He wasn’t pushing her away—nor was he encouraging her.

Insufferable man.

Whatever happened between them would be her choice she knew. She—Adelaide Montgomery—for the first time in her life needed to make the first move and the idea both thrilled and terrified her.

“Adelaide—”

She cut him off when she crushed her lips against his. She didn’t think, just felt. Allowing desire to take her where it wanted to go. While afraid of rejection, the fear of always wondering ‘what if’ overrode her reservations and made her bolder than she’d ever been before. She took what she wanted, and she wanted him.

His lips were soft beneath her own as his hand on her back pushed her more firmly into him, stoking the fires within, feeling almost brazen as she sucked on his tongue and he moaned.

She deepened the kiss, one hand sliding into his hair and tilting his head for better access. His tongue rasped against hers, sending delicious tingles down her spine. She had never kissed like this before—never had been kissed like before. What more had she never experienced before? It was one thing to be told what you were missing, it was quite another to be teased with the promise.

Antonio’s hand slowly inched up her thigh and beneath the towel, finally resting on her bottom. A hot rush of liquid heat pooled between her thighs. Every touch made her feel beautiful and cherished. Her body burned with delicious heat, a firestorm of sensation and yet she didn’t want to put it out, only to feed the flames more until it was consuming her. Until her entire consciousness was blind of all things except this burning need.

Author Bio:

Camille Taylor is an Australian sexy romantic suspense author who lives in the Nation’s Capital with her fluffy sidekick. She spends her time reading, writing, blogging

and procrastinating on Pinterest looking at nail art, books, home improvement tips and cake decorating. A bookworm, she enjoys most genres, particularly romance and mysteries and is HEA chaser so you’ll always find one in her books. She started writing at sixteen and is currently working on her Harbour Bay and Heavenly Series, both set in Australia. Camille is also an incurable genealogist and has traced her heritage to England, Scotland, Ireland and Russia. She loves scrapbooking, hockey, tae kwon do and travelling.

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The Funeral Flower
Michelle Jester
Publication date: June 2017
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Devastated by the death of her grandfather, six-year-old Kelly Rodgers barely manages to cope with the profound loss. Already facing issues at school, she finds herself spiraling deeper into despair, when a fateful interaction through the fence in her backyard gives her hope. In the years following, Kelly realizes that life’s tragedies can be dealt with through acceptance; until another series of agonizing events leaves her heart in pieces.

Finding herself thrown into new surroundings, Kelly embraces her life and resolves to never fall in love. That decision is easy to keep until her junior year when she is drawn by an unavoidable attraction to the new guy, tormented James Delaney. The moment he looks up at her and smiles, her body betrays her. And he notices. She is determined to avoid him, but soon Kelly is forced to face the inevitable truth: She doesn’t want to avoid James… and he won’t let her.

Even though tragedy always follows love.

—

This book is intended for mature audiences due to critical subject matter.

Note: Due to mature content recommended for Ages 17+

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BOOK TRAILER

Author Bio:

I am a hopeless romantic (I think this is the most important thing to know about me). In addition, I live in Greenwell Springs, Louisiana with my husband and high school sweetheart. Together we have a son and daughter.

Throughout my life writing and photography have been my main creative outlets. Especially when I am stressed, I know I can go to either of those things and pour out that anxiety into something good and productive.

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