Carries Book Reviews

November Rain
Shannon A. Thompson
(Bad Bloods #1)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: July 18th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Seventeen-year-old Serena isn’t human. She is a bad blood, and in the city of Vendona, bad bloods are executed. In the last moments before she faces imminent death, a prison guard aids her escape and sparks a revolt. Back on the streets determined to destroy her kind, Serena is spared by a fellow bad blood named Daniel. His past tragedies are as equally mysterious as her connection to them.

Unbeknownst to the two, this connection is the key to winning the election for bad bloods’ rights to be seen as human again. But Serena is the only one who can secure Vendona’s vote. Now, Daniel must unite with her before all hope is lost and bad bloods are eradicated, even if it means exposing secrets worse than death itself. United or not, a city will fight, rain will fall, and all will be threatened by star-crossed love and political corruption.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

EXCERPT:

“She used to tell me that a full moon is when mysterious things happen and wishes come true.” I stared at the little paper in my hands. “Do you think she tells my sister those stories?”

Daniel didn’t respond. He only listened. I had told him before I had a sister. He had probably assumed I lied, but I hadn’t. It was the truth, and it tumbled out like a story my

mom created before bedtime. I tried to picture her telling stories to my sister, but nothing came. I only saw the little girl, with Mom’s hair and Dad’s eyes, standing in the road, saying my name.

“I’ve never met her,” I confessed, staring at the writing bleeding through the folded end. “I think her name is on this, but I can’t read.”

Daniel reached for it. “I can—”

“No.” I held the note against my chest. “I want to learn and read it on my own,” I explained, softer than my previous snap.

Daniel’s head tilted. “Robert never taught you.”

I wasn’t sure if it was a question or a statement, but I responded anyway. “He can’t read.”

Daniel’s eyes swept over me. He took the time to rub his face before looking away.

“He can’t read,” I repeated, studying his reaction. “Right?”

Daniel’s hand lowered to his lap. “I can teach you,” he said, and when he faced me again, he was remarkably closer than I realized. His hand moved to rest on my knee. My heart stabilized. “What else do you want?”

It was a question I had never heard before, and the way Daniel stumbled over the sentence suggested he had never been able to say it before either. Bad bloods weren’t allowed to want anything. Not even life. So, when I was asked, my mind spiraled into obscurity, never actually solidifying an answer even though I searched for one.

“I’ve never been allowed to want anything,” I confessed.

“Me neither,” Daniel agreed, and for a brief second, I was oblivious to the fact that his lips were on mine.

Author Bio:

Shannon A. Thompson is a twenty-three-year-old author, avid reader, and habitual chatterbox. She was merely sixteen when she was first published, and a lot has happened since then. Thompson’s work has appeared in numerous poetry collections and anthologies, and her first installment of The Timely Death Trilogy became Goodreads’ Book of the Month. As a novelist, poet, and blogger, Thompson spends her free time writing and sharing ideas with her black cat named after her favorite actor, Humphrey Bogart. Between writing and befriending cats, she graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in English, and she travels whenever the road calls her.

Visit her blog for writers and readers at http://www.shannonathompson.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

One Less Problem Without You by Beth Harbison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One Less Problem Without You focuses on three women who find their lives interwoven together. Diana Tiesman has found out that her husband has been unfaithful and is desperate to escape him. Chelsea wants to be an actress but has found herself working as a living statue around the tourist sites but takes a part-time job at Cosmos. Prinny owns Cosmos, a shop that sells crystals, potions, candles, and hope and is also the step-sister of Diana’s husband but doesn’t get along with him.

The Goodreads synopsis on this one is way off the mark, possibly a rough draft with the names and details having changed since that one was put up? The read is one about these three women being connected in their lives following them along in their relationships and problems in their lives and how they deal and come to terms with them.

Told from alternating prospective between the characters along with flashbacks to give a bit of backstory the book has taken some darker topics and turned them into more of a light hearted read. Diana’s husband is abusive, he’s also the step-brother of Prinny and grew up abusing her. There’s rape also involved for those that may be bothered by it.

I went into this one thinking it was more of a romance but ended up with a deeper grittier look into these characters lives than I was expecting. Still enjoyed this read in the end though even being not quite what I expected to find.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Summer That Melted Everything by Tiffany McDaniel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fielding Bliss was living in Breathed, Ohio in the summer of 1984 with his parents and older brother. When Fielding’s father summons the devil to their little town Fielding meets a boy his age named Sal who claims that he is the devil. At first the inhabitants of Breathed believe that Sal is a runaway but after attempts to find his family fail the Bliss family take Sal into their home.

Fielding and Sal soon become best friends living together but when things start happening in Breathed that summer folks soon become suspicious of young Sal. The summer soon brings on an unbearable heat wave and soon accidents start happening making the town start to believe that Sal is exactly who he claims to be.

Wow, what a read. From start to finish this one stands out on it’s own and is a completely unique read. I really didn’t know what to expect going into this book. It’s classified as literary fiction which can leave the door open for about anything really. When you have a young boy claiming that he’s the devil and odd things start happening I really didn’t know where the story would end up. What I found with this one though was an emotional and gripping read from start to finish.

Taking place in 1984 the author did a wonderful job mentioning all kinds of things happening in that time that brings you right back to the 80’s. The thing is a lot of what is brought up in this book is the darker side of that era. Racism and homophobia are at the top of the list of topics that will make a reader cringe but as much as you think wow, it really was like that back then and it also makes you think about society today and what is going on in our news everyday so I’m not even sure we’ve made much progress looking back reading this story.

Overall, a very intense, emotional and thought provoking read. Definitely one that I’d recommend checking out.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Undecided
Julianna Keyes
Publication date: April 4th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Romance

Nora Kincaid has one goal for her second year of college: be invisible. Last year’s all-party-no-study strategy resulted in three failed classes and two criminal charges, and if she messes up again she’ll lose her scholarship. But there’s one problem with her plan for invisibility, and his name is Crosbie Lucas: infamous party king, general hellraiser…and her new roommate’s best friend.

Crosbie’s reckless reputation and well-known sexcapades aren’t part of Nora’s studious new strategy, but as she’s quickly learning, her new plan is also really boring. When Crosbie’s unexpected gestures of friendship pull her head out of her books long enough to see past his cocky veneer, she’s surprised to find a flawed and funny guy beneath it all. The muscles don’t hurt, either.

But as Nora starts to fall for Crosbie, the weight of one of last year’s bad decisions grows even heavier. Because three failing grades and two misdemeanors are nothing compared to the one big secret she’s hiding…

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

*On SALE for $2.99 for a limited time!*

Author Bio:

Julianna Keyes is a Canadian writer who has lived on both coasts and several places in between. She’s been skydiving, bungee jumping and white water rafting, but nothing thrills – or terrifies – her as much as the blank page. She loves Chinese food, foreign languages, baseball and television, not necessarily in that order, and will go to her grave swearing that “ain’t” is not a word. She has volunteered in Zambia, taught English in China, and dreams of seeing pink dolphins in the Amazon. It’ll happen.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Flesh: The Complete Series
Sky Corgan
Publication date: July 15th 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

All 17 installments ON SALE FOR ONE WEEK ONLY! Plus you’ll also get BEFORE FLESH, the sequel to The Flesh Series. There are over 500 five star reviews for this series!

Looking to explore the lifestyle for the first time? Want to experiment without having to commit to a Dominant? Then come to Flesh.

Flesh is the perfect entryway to all things kink related. Come find out what the lifestyle is all about in a safe, controlled environment.

We’ll tailor your scene to your needs. Whether you’re new to the lifestyle and just want to get your feet wet, or you’re into the hardcore stuff, we can create the perfect experience for you. Simply fill out a list of the things you want to try, and we’ll pair you with a Dominant who will fulfill your desires.

It’s all about you. Let us introduce you to the pleasures of the lifestyle without all the stresses and worries of having to attend munches constantly and search for that one perfect Dominant. At Flesh, everything is arranged for you. Safe, sane, and consensual.

Once this sale is over, the bonus book will be removed from this box set(never to be added again) and the price will increase to $9.99.

Sky Corgan is the USA Today bestselling author of Unmatchable and The Billionaires Club.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

EXCERPT:

“You can relax. I’m not going to hurt you.” He stops right in front of me. Provocatively close. Our legs are almost touching. My eyes are resting on

his crotch, but I’m staring more through it than at it. Shit, I’m starting to shut down. The intensity of the situation is too much for me, and we haven’t even started yet. “Unless you want me to.”

“No. That’s alright.” I shake my head, my mouth feeling like a desert. I’m pretty sure he sucked all the air and moisture out of the room when he stepped inside. Except for the moisture between my legs. There’s definitely something going on down there, which is why it’s imperative that I keep them closed. This stupid lingerie is so sheer that he’d probably be able to see it.

“What’s your name, beautiful?”

I feel his fingertips press beneath my chin, lifting my face up to look at him. His touch is soft yet demanding, and it sends electricity pulsing through me, perking my nipples. I don’t want him to see what he’s doing to me. But if that’s really the case, then why am I even here?

“Janice,” I lie. It’s not my name. It’s not even the fake name I had planned to use. I wanted to be Angel, but that went out the window the moment that he touched me. It was like my brain dripped into a puddle of mush on the floor, and all I could recall was my roommate’s name. Internally, I curse myself for saying it—wonder why that was the best I could come up with. Now I’m going to have to listen to him calling me her name throughout the entire session.

Author Bio:

Sky Corgan is a USA Today Best-Selling author. When she’s not typing away at the next steamy romance series, she’s busy planning for future vacations.

You can get a FREE Sky Corgan book and stay up to date on her latest releases by signing up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/v0PwX

GIVEAWAY!

a Rafflecopter giveaway