Carries Book Reviews

The Wrong Unit: A Novel by Rob Dircks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Wrong Unit is a dystopian science fiction read that takes place about 850 years into the future. Heyoo “Hey you” is an Autonomous Servile Unit, a sort of AI in a somewhat human chassis that was meant to be a help on the farm in the area that is controlled by CORE. CORE is a computer system that has taken over and holding what humans are left in the world captive and controlling them.

When Heyoo goes in for repairs he ends up captured by some rebelling humans and transported out of the area that he knows and then finds that it was a case of mistaken identity, he wasn’t the robot meant to be captured. Along with finding himself in the middle of nowhere Heyoo finds that he was sent with a “package”, a human infant, to deliver to someone called Iceman. Since Heyoo’s job has been to serve and protect humans he does everything to keep the young child alive and complete the mission.

This was a rather lighthearted science fiction read being told from the point of view of an android in the future. Heyoo has a rather developed personality already in the beginning of the story but as he goes on his adventure his personality grows along with the infant he finds himself caring for that he cleverly names “Wah” due to the amount he cries.

Buried beneath the humorous narration though was an interesting plot to go along with the humor of the story. The whole idea behind the story is that humans created these computers but they end up eventually taking over the world and now the humans are trying to rebel. Heyoo being accidentally caught up in the rebellion is fitting due to his own rebellious nature.

Although some of the story and situations really became far fetched I could only continue the feel of the story and laugh when things went a little overboard. The book was just a rather fun lighthearted read all the way through that I couldn’t help but enjoy Heyoo and Wah’s adventure.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

The Storm
R.J. Prescott
(The Hurricane #3)
Publication date: March 21st 2017
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Sports

Marie Kelly is a survivor who doesn’t know when to quit. Against all odds, she’s living a life she never dreamed she could have. It was enough… until a stubborn boxer makes her want more.

Irish charmer Kieran Doherty has been a fighter at Driscoll’s Gym for most of his life. He’s been content to let his best friend take the spotlight, now it’s his turn to make a name for himself in the world of heavy weight champions. Falling in love is the one thing he vowed never to do, but meeting Marie changed everything.

It’s easy to imagine a happy-ever-after when the sun is shining. But when the storm comes, and all hope seems lost, they both learn that if you want something badly enough, you have to be willing to fight for it.

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EXCERPT:

When I finally plucked up a bit of courage, I peeped out of the curtains to see Kieran throwing stones at the window.

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair,” he mock shouted, when he caught my eye. I opened the window to whisper loudly back at him.

“Are you high?” I asked. “Why didn’t you just ring the doorbell or call me?”

“I thought this would be more romantic,” he said.

“If I ignore the fact that my nipples probably have frostbite, I am feeling romanced,” I replied. He looked pained. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

“You said ‘nipples’ and now I can’t think of anything else,” he replied, making me smile.

“Now I’m down here, what’s the chances of seeing an accidental nip slip?” he asked.

“Depends,” I replied.

“On what?” he asked.

“What’s in the bag?” I said.

“Hot chocolate and warm doughnuts,” he said, holding up the bag as if to barter.

“Well, I would have said slim to none, but fresh doughnuts might have just tipped the odds in your favour,” I replied.

“Yesss!” he said, fist bumping the air in victory.

I closed the window and ran to buzz him in. He bounded up the stairwell, his heavy footsteps echoing loudly in the hallway. When he got to my door, he looked me up and down, taking in my short royal blue, silk pyjamas. Dropping the sack, he speared his hands into my hair and pulled me into a kiss that had me melting. Kier didn’t kiss with just his lips; he did it with his whole body. Without shoes on, I was tiny in comparison, but inside of the cage of his huge arms, I felt protected and safe. Despite his size, his lips were so gentle. He didn’t treat me like I was fragile, but like I was precious, as though every touch was one that he was experiencing for the first time and memorizing for later.

Feeling bold, I traced the seam of his mouth with my tongue, and when he parted his lips and touched his tongue against mine, I groaned. Every sensation was too much, and not enough. Breathless, he pulled away from me to nuzzle his face in the crook of my neck. I reached up and gently stroked the short hair at the back of his neck, making him sigh.

Author Bio:

USA Today bestselling author R.J. Prescott was born in Cardiff, South Wales, and studied law at the University of Bristol, England. Four weeks before graduation she fell in love, and stayed. Ten years later, she convinced her crazy, wonderful firefighter husband to move back to Cardiff where they now live with their two equally crazy sons. Her debut novel The Hurricane was an international bestseller and finalist in the Goodreads Awards in the category of debut author.

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Excerpt:

She fought the urge like mad to scoot closer to her potential client and find out what lay beneath those blue plaid boxers. Her good sense and professionalism warred with her very long-ignored womanly needs.

“Are you having sexy thoughts about me?” Ben asked, breaking into her sexy thoughts. Because his sexy had returned.

“Huh? Of course—not.” Her eyes were unfocused.

“You are. You want to sit on my lap again,” he accused.

“That—wouldn’t be wise.” But God, it would feel so good.

“Stop it! I’m asking for help, here, and you want to climb the tower of Ben.”

“Okay, this isn’t headed anywhere good,” Sabine said.

“Make you a deal.” He appeared deadly serious.

“I’m listening.”

“You stay here tonight—” He held up a hand to stop her shocked protest. “Listen. I’m suggesting I sleep off my beers, make a call to my buddy to have your car cleaned, and we discuss plans for my therapy. And I’ll make eggs in the morning. If you still look at me like that after I’ve sobered up, then, I’ll have no choice but to kiss you again.”

She couldn’t really see a flaw in his plan. Certainly, there were many, but right now, she was seriously charmed by a stinky, post-vomitous guy with a great house. “Um. I’m not sure that’s wise.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m a little distracted by your sitting there in your underwear.”

His eyes changed, the atmosphere between them became charged. “I knew it.”

“Go take a shower and brush your teeth.”

Both laughed at that. Sabine had no idea where this might lead, but either way, she was certain it was a bad idea. Bad.

 

 

The Billionaire Shifter’s Curvy Match
Diana Seere
(Billionaire Shifters Club #1)
Publication date: September 13th 2016
Genres: Adult, Paranormal

When Lilah Murphy started serving drinks at the exclusive Platinum Club, she never expected she would be on the menu.

Biotech billionaire Gavin Stanton had one taste of the new, curvy server and his craving could never be satisfied until he had her fully. Completely.

Eternally.

Fate brought them together, but a centuries-old secret could tear them apart, for the Stanton family holds a shifter legacy that no human has ever threatened.

Until now.

Gavin Stanton is the billionaire CEO of a Boston biotech firm. He’s also a werewolf, the son of a large, ancient family with roots in the British aristocracy. His work is his life. But then he feels the Beat—an irresistible urge to mate with Lilah, a beautiful human who inflames his passions like no other—and he abandons everything he thought he knew in his need to claim her.

Lilah Murphy is broke and desperate. All she wants is a job to support herself, her sister, and her ailing mother. The last thing she needs is to get involved with a rich, powerful guy who would discard her after a few hot nights together and get her fired at her new, high-paying job. But she, too, feels the Beat. She hears him in her mind, feels him in her soul, and the urge to answer the ancient call is undeniable. Is she strong enough to embrace his secrets—and her own?

The Billionaire Shifter’s Curvy Match is the first in an all-new series of hot (did we mention *hot*?) romances about the billionaire shifters and the women they’re fated to love.

* * *

Welcome to the most exclusive club in the world. The Novo Club. Novo is Latin for “change.” Our members prefer the word “shift” though.

It’s the hottest club in town.

The price of membership is your heart and your secrecy.

All you need to do to join is to be loved beyond your wildest imagination by someone powerful with an…alpha side so primal it’s in their blood.

Are you ready?

Good. Then let’s begin.

The Billionaire Shifters Club is a new series featuring the five Stanton siblings, four brothers and one sister who are all part of an ancient shifter family living in modern America. The subterranean club-within-a-club beneath the streets of Boston, Massachusetts holds secrets only the Stantons and their fellow shifters know.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

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EXCERPT:

The sound of screeching rubber on asphalt drowned out the rest of her words. They both paused, expecting to hear cars colliding. Instead, there was eerie silence—and then the plaintive cry of a wounded animal.

A dog.

They both ran to the window. Outside, the usual neighborhood lowlifes loitered on their grubby street, where the most vibrant business was a check-cashing place. And a bar. Actually, a lot of bars.

And was that a limo? What the hell was one of those doing here?

The dog’s cries continued.

“Smoky!” Lilah gasped, turning away from the window, her heart pounding. “That bastard hit Smoky!”

Smoky was the neighborhood stray. He should’ve been ill-tempered, given his bad luck to live on the streets, but his was the friendliest face on the block, looking happy to see you, always eager for a pat, his tail wagging.

The limo might’ve killed the poor little guy. Taking three stairs at a time, Lilah flew down the stairwell to the stained security door and out the rusty gate to the sidewalk.

The usual drug dealer was standing on the corner, interrupted from talking to whoever was inside a parked silver Chevy. Under that car, only a few feet from him and still whimpering, was a huddled mass of pale fur.

Smoky.

Jess was right on her heels. “Oh, no.”

“We have to help him.” Lilah glanced up and down the street, preparing to cross, her long hair flying as she whipped her head back and forth to make sure it was safe.

Jess grabbed her arm. “You can’t! That’s the dealer who stabbed somebody last year, isn’t it?”

“Different guy,” Lilah said, although it wasn’t. She strode into the street just as the driver of the limo was getting out. She couldn’t leave Smoky to die in the street with those scumbags.

Then she saw the limo driver pull his arms back, hands on hips, revealing a barely-concealed gun on a holster around his chest. The window in the back of the limo remained up, and why shouldn’t it? Why would some rich dude want to get dirty? Why would he care if he’d run over some poor homeless dog?

The tiny scar above Lilah’s left eyebrow began to throb. It jolted her, making the scene before her look shimmery. Unreal. She pressed her fingertips into the tiny divot and hoped the throbbing would go away. The last thing she needed now was a three-day blinding headache.

And she’d run out of her meds. No money.

“What’s wrong, Lilah?” Jess grabbed her elbow and pulled her out of the middle of the street. She’d just frozen there, staring at the back windows of the limo.

Lilah could hear Smoky’s whimpering and the city traffic, but it all came as background noise through the throbbing in her head. It wasn’t quite pain. The pulsing felt like it pierced her brain, a second heartbeat she couldn’t quite follow.

Her vision was fine, and that meant it wasn’t a migraine. Then what was this?

And why did it worsen when her eyes flickered toward the back windows of the limo?

“Let’s get Smoky,” Lilah said, though her mouth felt like it was filled with cotton.

Jess had an arm around her. “I’ll get him. You’re about to faint.”

“I’m fine.” Lilah forced herself to move, shooting an icy glance at the neighborhood felon before she squatted down to the car’s rear bumper.

“Lilah, you look really pale,” Jess insisted, frowning. She looked so much like their mom when she did that.

“Here, puppy,” Lilah cooed, reaching out a hand. She knew the biggest danger was if Smoky ran away again and hid where nobody could help him, so she grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and pulled him as gently as she could out from under the car. Luckily, Smoky was a small thing, barely fifteen pounds, and she got him bundled up in her arms without having to drag him far.

He relaxed in her arms, his shivering more from fear than any injury. Thank goodness.

But as soon as she stood, the throbbing, pulsing pain returned. Her gaze was pulled to the back window of the limo, now open. To the man sitting in the shadows.

Him. Her head felt like someone had dropped a brick on it, her body filling with heat and lava.

It’s him.

What was the matter with her? She had to get Smoky inside. She didn’t know anyone who rode around in a limo, so why did she feel like she did?

Him.

It didn’t matter. She had to get closer. She had to see him.

Holding Smoky in her arms, Lilah took a step toward the limo, then another.

Jess snagged her elbow. “Lilah, no! You can’t! That driver has a gun—”

Lilah was beyond reason, the pounding turning into a word, a word that had no sound, no form, no sense.

Him.

Him.

Him.

That voice. It pounded like a hammer forging steel. She continued to advance on the shining black limo, barely noticing when the driver climbed inside and slammed the door. She was fearless in her uncontrollable need to see that face, to know he was real.

You’re real.

Jess was at her heels. “Lilah, please—”

The limo peeled out, its tires screeching as it drove past her only an arm’s-length away. Two bright blue eyes, glittering with otherworldly sharpness, met hers through the open window. Gold highlights tickled his hair, a honey brown that curved up at the neck, a little too long to be all business, with waves she wanted to sink her fingers into. A strong jaw, set firmly, and those wild, seductive eyes… oh.

Oh my.

And then the voice changed in an instant.

Mine.

Mine.

Mine.

Author Bio:

Diana Seere was raised by wolves in the forests outside Boston and San Francisco. The only time she spends in packs these days is at romance writing conventions. In truth, Diana is two New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors who decided to write shifter romance and have more fun. You can find “her” on Facebook at Diana Seere’s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/dianaseere. Sign up for her New Releases and Sales email newsletter here: eepurl.com/beUZnr

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Special Forces soldier and medic Walter River would give anything to snatch more than a few seconds of down time to see if he can rattle the no-nonsense and incredibly hot Dr. Lloyd he’s protecting, but dodging explosions, snipers, and student radicals who’ve unleashed a lethal bio-engineered microorganism have made that almost impossible. Maybe he’ll get a chance—if he can figure out how to keep them both alive.

CDC microbiologist Ava Lloyd races to find a cure for a bio-terrorism organism sweeping El Paso. The few stolen moments with her very hunky bodyguard River have been explosive, but no matter how alluring he is, she can’t afford to get distracted. The clock is ticking, people are dying by the hundreds, and once this crisis is solved, they’ll both be off on their next assignment, thousands of miles apart.

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About Julie Rowe:

Julie Rowe’s first career as a medical lab technologist in Canada took her to the North West Territories and northern Alberta, where she still resides. She loves to include medical details in her romance novels, but admits she’ll never be able to write about all her medical experiences because, “Fiction has to be believable”. Julie writes romantic suspense and romantic military thrillers. Her most recent titles include Viable Threat, the first book in the Disease Control and Enforcement series, and Viral Justice, book three of the Biological Response Team series. You can find her at www.julieroweauthor.com , on Twitter @julieroweauthor or at her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/JulieRoweAuthor

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