Carries Book Reviews

Excerpt

“Have you thought about that kiss?” she asked, as he leaned in close to fasten her seatbelt. She couldn’t control what was coming out of her mouth. “Because I have. A little.” She started laughing again. Val had warned her that she was a horrible drunk, and evidently, it was true.

“What have you thought about it?” he asked, his voice low and bristly. Her buckle snapped into place with a loud click. He could step back now, but he didn’t.

And she didn’t want him to. What was the point of being drunk if you couldn’t say and do what you wanted, and then apologize for it in the morning? No one blamed a drunk, they blamed the drink. “I thought that I liked it. The kiss. It was amazing.” She held her breath as he lingered in front of her, his hand still resting on the seat’s buckle.

“I thought the same thing.”

“You did?” She swallowed thickly, as her heart rode up her throat.

His brow lifted. “You sound surprised.”

“I’m out of practice.” She nibbled on her lower lip, drawing his gaze there. Then his gaze flicked back to her ring. Just the thought squashed the flutterings in her chest, leaving a deep ache that vibrated with the alcohol. “He’s been gone for two years,” she said.

Micah’s brows pinched together softly.

Explaining about John in her state wasn’t a good idea, though. She might start crying, which she didn’t do in front of others anymore, and right now all she wanted to do was forget everything but their kiss. That she wanted to remember. “You could kiss me again,” she said softly.

His smile deepened and, damn, he smelled good.

Leaning in closer to her ear, his hot breath melted her as he whispered, “Kat, you’ve had too much to drink. I’m taking you home now.”

Before she could process what he’d said, he stepped back and shut the Jeep’s door, the sound as offensive as if someone had crashed cymbals in her ears. A moment later, he reappeared on the driver’s side and cranked the engine, another sound that made her wince.

She closed her eyes, unsure of what to do with her drunken emotions.

“If I kiss you again, I want to be one hundred percent sure it’s what you want. Not because my almost ex is walking up and you want to help me out. Not because you’ve had too much to drink and want to escape.”

She suddenly felt very tired, as the Jeep Cherokee headed out of the parking lot. “So, you are going to kiss me again?” she asked. Before she could hear his answer, though, her eyes closed and the sounds of the road and his voice, and the blood thundering in her head, blurred

together. She remembered their kiss, the feel of his stubble roughly brushing against her cheek, and the way he had smelled like pine and fudge brownies.

No, wait. His eyes reminded her of fudge brownies. He didn’t smell like them.

Her eyes fluttered open. Yeah, she was definitely going to regret tonight in the morning.

Seduction Game
Candy J. Starr
Publication date: March 23rd 2017
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Do a overseas exchange, they said. Tokyo. It will be good for your artistic development. Yeah right. The only reason I agreed to the whole deal was so that I’d be well out of reach of my abusive ex.

The student co-ordinator even arranged for me to stay with a host family so I didn’t have to stretch my budget. Only, I seem to attract crazy – and this “respectable” family had their dark secrets. Can you believe they offered me money, a lot of money, to give their oldest son some life experience? Life experience meaning sex.

I know why they asked me. They think I’m a trashy whore.

But I’m not. Even though that money would give me an escape from my ex when I return home, I have principles. Anyway, Junichi is an uptight, arrogant jerk.

Then I discover Junichi’s secret life – and, as we grow closer, he comes far more enticing.

I’m tempted. Oh yes, I’m tempted.

This is just a game, a seduction game, and no one is going to get hurt.

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Author Bio:

Candy J. Starr used to be a band manager until she realised that the band she managed was so lacking in charisma that they actually sucked the charisma out of any room they played. “Screw you,” she said, leaving them to wallow in obscurity – totally forgetting that they owed her big bucks for video equipment hire.

Candy has filmed and interviewed some big names in the rock business, and a lot of small ones. She’s seen the dirty little secrets that go on in the back rooms of band venues. She’s seen the ugly side of rock and the very pretty one.

But, of course, everything she writes is fiction.

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Moments of Beauty
J.B. Heller
Publication date: March 23rd 2017
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Ugly. It’s the only word to describe my upbringing.

It drove my need to capture every moment of beauty I could find. A glimpse of a mother’s love. A feather floating in the breeze. A ray of sunshine emerging on a rainy day.

And then there was her, Eliza Quinn, she signified everything I didn’t deserve. She showed me more beauty than I ever thought possible. And I took it all, despite knowing I was going to leave her, and never come back.

Leaving her five years ago was my biggest mistake, and my greatest regret. Now I need to make amends. I thought leaving her was the hardest thing I’d ever have to do, but that was before I knew I had to win her back.

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Author Bio:

JB Heller is an average Aussie housewife in her late 20’s with a wicked sexy imagination. She and her super sexy husband are the parents of three minions, two Great Danes and a Cat who thinks she’s a person.

She spends her days running around after her wildling children and jotting down stories in her flower embossed leather notebook (She is very particular about her stationary.). She’s a self-confessed Stationary Junky who’s constantly on the lookout for more.

Most day’s JB can be found glued to her laptop, taking advantage of school hours- writing as fast as she can while she can. Or trolling Pinterest for her next potential muse. And when she needs a break from the voices in her head she indulges in her favourite past time, reading.

Want to know more about JB? Check her out, you’ll be guaranteed a good laugh if nothing else.

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Renegade Red by Lauren Bird Horowitz
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Renegade Red is the second book in the Light series by Lauren Bird Horowitz. The story started in the first book of the series, Shattered Blue which introduced us to Noa. She and her family were just coming to terms with the death of Noa’s older sister Isla. Her mother was barely hanging on and locked herself in her room quite often and her father was trying to return to work. That left Noa often caring for her 3 year old sister Sasha.

When a new student showed up at the school it was instant sparks between Noa and Callum. The sparks though were not what they seemed, Callum is Fae and he needs “Light” from humans which is taken through a touch or kiss. Noa and Callum grew closer as she found out they shared a similar background in which they had just both lost a sibling but Callum was afraid of hurting Noa. Things seemed to be going well until the arrival of Callum’s brother Judah.

Renegade Red picked up right after the huge cliffhanger ending of Shattered Blue in which Noa, Callum and Judah entered a portal to the Fae world in an attempt to save young Sasha. As the three fight to survive in the Fae world they also need to come to terms with their feelings for one another and discover the secrets that each had been hiding.

As with the first book in this series I found the writing to be wonderful and the story quite engaging. Shattered Blue certainly was full of twists and turns and plot twists I never saw coming and in Renegade Red that continued on but also in this installment we get a bit more into the magic and abilities with the story being set in the Fae realm as opposed to the first book taking place in the real world.

I certainly have enjoyed this series so far but I would warn to others that there is instant love and a love triangle with the brothers involved as those are sometimes huge turnoffs. With this story though I found that somehow these things just work well in the plot and before you can blink there is another twist to make you question what you know.

Overall, 4.5 stars for this installment, definitely a young adult fantasy series that is worth checking out. Looking forward to seeing where the story heads in book three.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Turn Tables
Stacey Rourke
Publication date: March 14th 2017
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

Between private jets, designer labels, and lavish resorts, Tandy Owens should be having the time of her life. Her celebrity author best friend is getting married and all of Hollywood’s elite have turned out for the event. Unfortunately, Tandy’s mood is far from celebratory.

For over a year her heart has been torn between two men: Matthew Cruz, the brilliant, well-educated entrepreneur who makes her feel like a queen, and Mateo, his womanizing musician alter ego, who is known for collecting platinum records, and the panties of his sexual conquests. Matthew assures her that Mateo’s antics are all a show. Even so, with her being the only one to witness his softer side, Tandy begins to wonder which persona is truly the act.

In the sizzling heat of Miami, Tandy reaches the breaking point with their secretive romance, and finds herself asking if a hidden love is truly worth fighting for?

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EXCERPT:

Perched on the balls of my feet, I wriggled my skirt farther down my thighs and mentally scolded myself for not dressing for this covert operation. “Can you hear anything?”

Squatted beside me, Aubrey blew a stray lock of hair—which had slipped free from her messy bun—out of her face. “Nothing over the flapping wings of my last shred of dignity fluttering away.”

“Stop complaining.” Brushing mulch from my palms, I peeked over the three-foot shrub in hopes of getting a glimpse of Matthew and Greta. Lurking around the castle made it easy to listen in on them undetected … until they wandered into the hedge maze. Our only logical plan—and I’m playing it fast and loose on the use of that word—was to follow them in and crouch out of sight. “As my best friend, you are required to love me and commit senseless acts alongside me in support of my lunacy. It was in the fine print of our friendship clause.”

Shifting her weight from one foot to the other, Aubrey tried to find a more comfortable way to maintain her hunkered posture. “I’m kneeling in foliage and lack the know-how to pick poison ivy out of a lineup of daisies. I think we need to take a second to appreciate the level of love actually happening here.”

“Shh!” I stabbed my finger to her lips to hush her, only to have her swat my hand away. “They’re coming this way! Go! Around that bend! Go-go-go-go!”

“Working the quads, and the bum,” Aubrey quietly coached herself, leading us in a duck-waddle to a more concealed spot. “You know, if they had one of those tall mazes like in The Shining we could stroll around at a leisurely pace. What we have here is a lack of proper shrubbery.”

“Talk less and shuffle faster!” I goaded in an urgent hiss, Mateo’s voice swelling behind me.

Exactly what he was saying couldn’t be deciphered over the crunches of twigs and bark under our hurried steps. Toddling around the corner, I slammed into Aubrey’s back when she came to an abrupt stop.

Rocking back and forth, she turned to face me, alarm stitching her eyebrows tight to her hairline. “It’s a dead-end!”

“What do you mean dead-end? Find a way out!”

“I don’t think you’re understanding the concept of a dead-end. There is no way out.”

Shoving my way around her, I wobbled on cramping legs to investigate for myself. I pressed my palms into the manicured greenery, ignoring the branches scratching against my skin in my desperate search for a hidden passage. “Why would they block the exit?”

“Because it’s a maze?” Aubrey offered, glancing over her shoulder at the lighthearted lilt of Greta’s laughter riding in on a breeze.

Spinning around as fast as I could totter, I grabbed her hand in both of mine and squeezed hard enough to make her wince. “They can’t find us here! I am not meeting the possible future Mrs. Greta Cruz Queen of the World after popping out of a bush like a friggin’ jack-in-the-box!”

Aubrey pressed her lips into a thin line, trying unsuccessfully to stifle a giggle. “There’s a chance you’re overreacting.”

“Wh-what? I-I—” I stammered in full huff.

“Well said,” Aubrey replied with a sympathetic nod, keeping her tone calm and soothing. “If I may offer a counter point? These hedges are literally the height of a toddler. I could stand up, and find us a way out.”

“No!” Pulling her hand down to the ground, I rooted it there with me. “They can’t find us here! Please, don’t let them find us!”

“I think you’re confusing me with your other best friend that can harness the power of invisibility.”

Author Bio:

RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel

Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012

Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013

Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner for Crane 2015

Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series, the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga, and the romantic comedy Reel Romance Series. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head.

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