2016 Book #122 – Burning September by Melissa Simonson

Posted in Book reviews, Fiction by rebeccabook17

Title: Burning September
Author: Melissa Simonson
Date finished: 12/31/16
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Publication Date: September 8, 2017
Pages in book: 222
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: Author/Publisher NOTE: I received this book for free from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

Kat’s life is going exactly the way her sister has planned it, until a detective shows up at their front door early one morning and arrests Caroline for murder. Suddenly and utterly alone, Kat doesn’t know how to navigate a world without Caroline, the woman who raised her. During the aftermath of the crime, Kat tries to figure out who she is without her sister, but unlocking those doors only leads to more troubling questions. Kat realizes the one person she thought would never lie to her had, and quite frequently. Sorting through the skeletons and secrets might be more than she can handle, but it’s a necessary evil if she ever wants to see her sister acquitted.

My rating: 3.75 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book is about Katya (Kat) and her sister Caroline, and both their lives during Caroline’s murder trial for killing her ex-boyfriend in a house fire. Kat told the police that her sister was at the condo all day but the police aren’t listening and arrest Caroline anyway. Caroline is confident that she won’t be stuck there for very long but that confidence is apparently misplaced as after she’s transported to a mental facility for trying to cut her wrists, she’s stuck there for the next few months until trial. And while Caroline is there, Kat starts to realize that her sister has been hiding things from her. Like the fact that she somehow has a very expensive attorney representing her. And that they have a lot of money in their checking account when Caroline mostly just does freelance work. So how much can Kat really trust her sister? And what, if anything, can she believe is the truth?
Overall I really liked this book, it was a really interesting story line and held my attention throughout the book. Kat was a really interesting character, and Caroline also had a lot of interesting layers to her. I liked the way that the author built a lot tension between Kat and Kyle, Caroline’s lawyer. There was a great build up of suspense in this novel, it was almost like a cross between a thriller and a contemporary romance. This was a really good read and I would definitely recommend!

The bottom line: I really enjoyed this book, there was some great tension between the main characters and I loved Kat’s character overall as well. Great read, I would definitely recommend!

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

29Nov2016

2016 Book #114 – My Girl by Jack Jordan

Posted in Book reviews, Fiction, Thriller by rebeccabook17

Title: My Girl
Author: Jack Jordan
Date finished: 11/28/16
Genre: Fiction, thriller
Publisher: JJP
Publication Date: July 4, 2016
Pages in book: 226
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: NetGalley NOTE: I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

Paige Dawson: the mother of a murdered child and wife to a dead man. She has nothing left to live for… until she finds her husband’s handgun hidden in their house. Why did Ryan need a gun? What did he know about their daughter’s death? Desperate for the truth, Paige begins to unearth her husband’s secrets. But she has no idea who she is up against, or that her life isn’t hers to gamble – she belongs to me. From the bestselling author of Anything for Her, Jack Jordan’s My Girl is the new chilling thriller that you won’t want to miss.

My rating: 4.0 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book is about Paige Dawson, a woman who has been broken by the hands life has dealt her: her only child murdered and her husband’s suicide. Paige spends all her time in a drug and alcohol induced fog, not wanting to face reality in any way. She has multiple people who care for her though and who want her to get better, including her father, brother, and her husband’s parents. Paige starts having odd things happen to her, little things that at first she blamed on her drinking. But when every picture of her family has her husband’s face cut out of it, she starts to wonder if someone else has been in her house or if she’s truly just going mad. After the police have to get involved on two of her more recent drinking stints (including her driving into her husband’s gravestone and trying to kidnap a young girl in the department store), Paige is forced to get better or go to jail. Its around this time that Paige discovers she has alcoholic hepatitis, and if going to jail wasn’t enough of a motivation then keeping herself from dying is and Paige moves in with her brother for a few days while she transitions into being sober. And its there that Paige discovers a long held family secret that could destroy her.
Overall I really did like this book. Once I started it was impossible to put down, so it was good that it ended up being a quick read. Paige reminded me a lot of the main protagonist in The Girl on the Train, though the story lines weren’t exactly similar. This book did get pretty dark and scary so I’d just like to forewarn the reader of that. There is a great twist in the story though that I didn’t see coming and while it was definitely creepy enough to turn my stomach it was also surprising enough that I gasped. This is a great thriller/scary read and I would definitely recommend reading it!

The bottom line: This was an awesome psychological suspense read, the only reason it didn’t get a higher score is it was just a little too dark/creepy/scary for me. There is some sick stuff that goes on in here. If you’re looking for a good thriller though I would most definitely recommend.

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

10Nov2016

2016 Book #105 – The Rebel of Clan Kincaid by Lily Blackwood

Posted in Book reviews, Book series, Historical Romance by rebeccabook17

Title: The Rebel of Clan Kincaid
Author: Lily Blackwood
Date finished: 11/8/16
Genre: Historical romance
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Publication Date: December 6, 2016
Pages in book: 320
Stand alone or series: Highland Warrior series #2
Where I got the book from: NetGalley NOTE: I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD
Since childhood, Magnus has been led to believe he is the Laird Alwyn’s bastard, and raised to hate the Clan Kincaid. But when he learns he is without a doubt the son of the murdered Laird Kincaid, his life as he has always known it is shattered. Now, hiding his knowledge and his fury, he returns to Burnbryde Castle, awaiting the chance to strike against the man whose treachery robbed him of his legacy. His first act of rebellion: to steal a kiss from the redheaded beauty who’s betrothed to the Alwyn’s eldest son and heir.
Since her arrival at Burnbryde, Tara Iverach has been confined to a tower to guard her virtue before she marries. But after a surprise embrace with a lean, bare-chested Highlander who claims to be the Alwyn’s oldest son, she can’t contain her excitement over her good fate. Unfortunately, he is the wrong eldest son, and she is set to marry his cruel and lecherous half brother, Hugh. Can Magnus conquer his rivals and claim his Kincaid destiny before the woman who’s captured his heart becomes his sworn enemy’s bride?

My rating: 4.0 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book picks up right where the first book in the series left off, right after Niall discovered that Elspeth’s friend Magnus is not really the Alwyn’s bastard but his lost brother, Faelan. After the “battle” that left both their parents dead, the three brothers were split up, with the hope that at least one could survive to carry on the Clan Kincaid. Magnus had no idea who he really was though and is now full of anger and hatred at the life that was taken from him. He continues on with his life as normal in the the Alwyn clan, looking for a way to extract his revenge. The Alwyn has aligned himself with the Earl of Buchan, a son of the king. Buchan’s ward, Tara Iverach, has been living in a priory for the last five years but now is betrothed to the Alwyn’s son, Hugh. Hugh is quite the despicable human being though and Tara is so desperate to escape her fate that she asks for Magnus’ help. But with a battle with Buchan and the Alwyn versus the Kincaid quickly approaching, can Magnus extract his revenge and also keep Tara safe?
Overall I really liked this book. I was so psyched at the end of the first book when we found out that Magnus is in fact Niall’s brother, it was a great plot twist. I’m dying to find out if the third brother is still alive and where he’s been all these years. And I’m glad some justice was finally served – the Alwyn and Buchan are total asshats and I loved the sense of justice that’s instilled at the end of the book. And I just loved Tara’s character, she was so strong and brave. There are a few deaths in the book and some of the mentality of the characters can be a bit brutal, but that is fairly expected of a book about the Highlands. There was one question that kind of bugged me after the book ended that I didn’t feel was really resolved: Why would Tara’s parents have left the Buchan named as ward for her and her sister when he was so obviously a selfish asshat? Other than that, this was a great book and a great continuation of the series/story line. I can’t wait for book #3 so I can find out about the youngest son. I would recommend this one as well as The Beast of Clan Kincaid.

The bottom line: I liked this book a lot, I was hooked after the first book in the series, I can’t wait to find out what happened to the third brother! Good story line for this one too, little dark since a bunch of people die but still really good.

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

17Oct2016

2016 Book #98 – Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

Posted in Book Clubs, Book reviews, Fiction, Terryville - Fiction Lovers by rebeccabook17

Title: Practical Magic
Author: Alice Hoffman
Date finished: 10/16/16
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Putnam Adult
Publication Date: June 3, 1995
Pages in book: 317 (paperback)
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: own it

Blurb from the cover:

For more than two hundred years, the Owens women had been blamed for everything that went wrong in their Massachusetts town. And Gillian and Sally endured that fate as well; as children, the sisters were outsiders. Their elderly aunts almost seemed to encourage the whispers of witchery, but all Gillian and Sally wanted was to escape. One would do so by marrying, the other by running away. But the bonds they shared brought them back-almost as if by magic…

My rating: 4.5 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I read this book for the Terryville Library’s Fiction Lover’s Book Discussion group discussion for this month (October). This book was about Gillian and Sally Owens, sisters who go to live with their elderly aunts in Massachusetts after their parents death. Gillian and Sally are as different as two sisters can be, but it is their status in the town that ostracizes them from society and forces them to be closer than they might have otherwise. Because there’s something different about Gillian and Sally and their aunts too – they’re all Owens women and they’re all witches. As Sally and Gillian grew into women, neither of them end up where they thought they would be. Sally lives in NY with her 2 daughters and hasn’t seen her sister in years, though they talk on the phone regularly. And Gillian moves through relationships at break neck speed until she meets the one that can make her stay, even though he’s a heartless abusive bastard. And then one night Gillian shows up at Sally’s house with a dead guy in the car, and both sisters lives are changed.
Overall I really liked this book. I’ve read this one before and it was actually my book club pick for this month. This is one of my favorite books of all time, I love how magical it is. For any of you that have seen the movie, the book is very different from the movies. The story lines are very different but I’ve always felt like the idea behind the story line stayed true. I like that the book went into more detail with all of their lives, including Sally’s daughters. There is magic and danger and romance all combined in a great story about love family. This is a great read and I would recommend, especially for those who like a touch of magic in their reads.

The bottom line: I love this book, it is probably my all-time favorite book. It is very different than the movie but I love both the book and the movie! A great read and I would definitely recommend.

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

29Sep2016

2016 Book #89 – My Husband’s Son by Deborah O’Connor

Posted in Book reviews, Fiction, Thriller by rebeccabook17

Title: My Husband’s Son
Author: Deborah O’Connor
Date finished: 9/28/16
Genre: Fiction, thriller
Publisher: twenty7
Publication Date: June 16, 2016
Pages in book: 280
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: NetGalley NOTE: I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

Heidi and Jason aren’t like other couples. Six years ago, Heidi’s daughter was murdered. A year later, Jason’s son Barney disappeared. Their shared loss brought them together.
By chance, Heidi meets a boy she’s certain is her husband’s long-missing son – but Jason is equally convinced it’s not him.
Is Heidi mad? Or is Jason hiding something? And can their fragile marriage survive Heidi’s search for the truth . . .

My rating: 1.5 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book is about Heidi and her husband Jason. Heidi and Jason met because they have one very large thing in common, they’ve both lost their children in traumatic ways. Heidi’s daughter was killed while she was still a little girl and Jason’s son disappeared when he was three. But then one day Heidi thinks she sees Barney, Jason’s son who would be eight years old now. Jason doesn’t think its him but Heidi is convinced and tries to think of ways to convince Jason that this boy is Barney. Along the way though she learns some things about her husband, and herself too, that she never knew.
This story and I just did not click. Heidi’s character was utterly infuriating to me, she was just plain bat shit crazy. She’s climbing on top of dumpsters trying to get a picture of a young boy through a window, then skulking around that same boy’s house in the middle of the night, and she doesn’t think people will think anything of this. And then when her and her husband are at his ex-wife’s house and they’re in his missing son’s bedroom and Heidi randomly decides she wants to have sex with Jason? Like what the shit is that? And what the hell was her deal with that Tommy guy? She’s just like oh I’ll go meet him at an abandoned motel and hope that if I spend time with him I’ll get the chance to be around his neighbor’s nephew more? And then when Tommy starts hitting on her in an extremely forward way she doesn’t really seem to resist that much which the whole thing was screwed up. AND THAT ENDING OMG WHAT THE SHIT WAS THAT Who does something like that, like that is probably the most screwed up thing I can imagine a human being doing to another human being. Ok sorry, rant over. Suffice it to say that I didn’t care for the book.

The bottom line: This book just did not click with me, I found the main character of the book entirely frustrating and completely insance. I thought the story line had a lot of potential but I couldn’t get past certain issues that I had with the plot.

Link to author website

Click here to go to the book’s Amazon page

13Sep2016

2016 Book #85 – The Risen by Ron Rash

Posted in Book reviews, Fiction by rebeccabook17

Title: The Risen
Author: Ron Rash
Date finished: 9/12/16
Genre: Fiction, family life
Publisher: Ecco
Publication Date: September 6, 2016
Pages in book: 272
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: Edelweiss NOTE: I received this book for free from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

New York Times bestselling author Ron Rash demonstrates his superb narrative skills in this suspenseful and evocative tale of two brothers whose lives are altered irrevocably by the events of one long-ago summer—and one bewitching young woman—and the secrets that could destroy their lives.
While swimming in a secluded creek on a hot Sunday in 1969, sixteen-year-old Eugene and his older brother, Bill, meet the entrancing Ligeia. A sexy, free-spirited redhead from Daytona Beach banished to their small North Carolina town until the fall, Ligeia will not only bewitch the two brothers, but lure them into a struggle that reveals the hidden differences in their natures.
Drawn in by her raw sensuality and rebellious attitude, Eugene falls deeper under her spell. Ligeia introduces him to the thrills and pleasures of the counterculture movement, then in its headiest moment. But just as the movement’s youthful optimism turns dark elsewhere in the country that summer, so does Eugene and Ligeia’s brief romance. Eugene moves farther and farther away from his brother, the cautious and dutiful Bill, and when Ligeia vanishes as suddenly as she appeared, the growing rift between the two brothers becomes immutable.
Decades later, their relationship is still turbulent, and the once close brothers now lead completely different lives. Bill is a gifted and successful surgeon, a paragon of the community, while Eugene, the town reprobate, is a failed writer and determined alcoholic.
When a shocking reminder of the past unexpectedly surfaces, Eugene is plunged back into that fateful summer, and the girl he cannot forget. The deeper he delves into his memories, the closer he comes to finding the truth. But can Eugene’s recollections be trusted? And will the truth set him free and offer salvation . . . or destroy his damaged life and everyone he loves?

My rating: 3.75 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book tells the story of Eugene and his brother, Bill, who spend their Sunday afternoons during the summer of 1969 with a girl named Ligeia (whose real name is Jane Mosely). The first time Eugene sees Ligeia coming out of the lake, he thinks she is a mermaid, but she is so very human and very flawed. Ligeia wants nothing more than to go live on a commune and do drugs all the time, but instead she’s been forced to come live with her aunt and uncle to be kept from unsavory influences. She convinces Bill to bring her drugs from his grandfather’s medical office one time and then Eugene does it many times after that without Bill knowing. And now 46 years after that summer, Ligeia’s body is found buried by the creek where they used to meet, murdered some 46 years ago. Eugene has been a drunk his whole life but he tries to pull it together long enough to figure out what happened to his first love and why his brother said he put Ligeia on a bus to Charlotte 46 years ago if she was actually dead the whole time. Did Bill murder her? Or are there events from that summer that Eugene was just never aware of?
Overall I liked this book. The story was a bit depressing to me but also suspenseful. I wouldn’t say the book was overly thrilling because I felt like I knew who had killed her as soon as I found out how she died. So I felt like I saw the ending coming but I definitely still enjoyed the story very much. None of the characters were exactly easy to like, thought I did feel especially bad for Eugene as he made an absolute mess of his life. He wanted so badly to reconnec twith his daughter but he was too toxic for her to want him in her life. I thought that this was an interesting and thought-provoking read that was fairly quick and suspenseful. I would recommend it.

The bottom line: I liked this book, it was suspensful and thought-provoking. A quick read and I kind of saw the ending coming but I still liked it. I would recommend.

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

9Sep2016

2016 Book #83 – The Cabin by Natasha Preston

Posted in Book reviews, Young Adult by rebeccabook17

Title: The Cabin
Author: Natasha Preston
Date finished: 9/7/16
Genre: Young adult, suspense
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: September 6, 2016
Pages in book: 336
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: NetGalley NOTE: I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

There may only be one killer, but no one is innocent in this new young adult thriller from Natasha Preston, author of The Cellar, a New York Times Bestseller, and Awake
They think they’re invincible.
They think they can do and say whatever they want.
They think there are no consequences.
They’ve left me no choice.
It’s time for them to pay for their sins.
A weekend partying at a remote cabin is just what Mackenzie needs. She can’t wait to let loose with her friends. But a crazy night of fun leaves two of them dead-murdered.
With no signs of a forced entry or struggle, suspicion turns to the five survivors. Someone isn’t telling the truth. And Mackenzie’s first mistake? Assuming the killing is over…

My rating: 4.0 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. I had read another of Preston’s new releases last year, Awake, and really enjoyed the creative and original story line. I liked Preston’s voice as an author and while I didn’t necessarily connect with the characters in the Awake story, I definitely wanted to read another of Preston’s novels. So I was really glad to see this upcoming release available on NetGalley, and the description of the story line sounded just as interesting and original. This book tells the story of Mackenzie, who has an overnight trip with her and her friends to a cabin with no parental supervision to celebrate their graduation from high school and their upcoming enrollment in university. Things turn gruesome though when the group wakes up to find two of their own brutally murdered. And with the doors and windows all still locked and no indication that anyone broke in, the most likely suspects are the friends Mackenzie survived with, the ones she has known and trusted for years, or the newcomer Blake (the murdered boy’s brother) who Mackenzie can’t seem to stop herself from being attracted to. But is the attraction clouding her brain and keeping her from seeing that he’s the murderer? Or are her long-time friendships blinding her to the maniac that’s lived in their midst all along?
Overall I really liked this book. I thought the premise behind the story was different and unlike other books I’ve read. I really liked Mackenzie’s character, I was able to relate a lot to her as a person. She was a little naive because she always wanted to see the good in people and always tends to trust the people around her, which is something I suffer from as well. I thought Blake was kind of a jerk but his character turned around for me about halfway through the book. This book was creepy and suspenseful but it didn’t outright scare me which I liked. I like a little thrill in my reads but I also like being able to sleep without the lights turned on. I thought this was a great read and I would definitely recommend it!

The bottom line: I liked this book a lot, I thought it was a great YA thriller. Suspenseful, kept me on my toes, but not overtly scary where I had to sleep with the lights on. Great read, I would definitely recommend!

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

21Aug2016

2016 Book #79 – All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda

Posted in 2016, ARC August 2016, Book reviews, Fiction, Reading Challenges, Thriller by rebeccabook17

Title: All the Missing Girls
Author: Megan Miranda
Date finished: 8/20/16
Genre: Fiction, thriller/suspense
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: June 28, 2016
Pages in book: 384
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: NetGalley NOTE: I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

Like the spellbinding psychological suspense in The Girl on the Train and Luckiest Girl Alive, Megan Miranda’s novel is a nail-biting, breathtaking story about the disappearances of two young women—a decade apart—told in reverse.
It’s been ten years since Nicolette Farrell left her rural hometown after her best friend, Corinne, disappeared from Cooley Ridge without a trace. Back again to tie up loose ends and care for her ailing father, Nic is soon plunged into a shocking drama that reawakens Corinne’s case and breaks open old wounds long since stitched.
The decade-old investigation focused on Nic, her brother Daniel, boyfriend Tyler, and Corinne’s boyfriend Jackson. Since then, only Nic has left Cooley Ridge. Daniel and his wife, Laura, are expecting a baby; Jackson works at the town bar; and Tyler is dating Annaleise Carter, Nic’s younger neighbor and the group’s alibi the night Corinne disappeared. Then, within days of Nic’s return, Annaleise goes missing.
Told backwards—Day 15 to Day 1—from the time Annaleise goes missing, Nic works to unravel the truth about her younger neighbor’s disappearance, revealing shocking truths about her friends, her family, and what really happened to Corinne that night ten years ago.
Like nothing you’ve ever read before, All the Missing Girls delivers in all the right ways. With twists and turns that lead down dark alleys and dead ends, you may think you’re walking a familiar path, but then Megan Miranda turns it all upside down and inside out and leaves us wondering just how far we would be willing to go to protect those we love.

My rating: 4.75 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book will count towards my ARC August 2016 Reading Challenge. This book tells the story of Nicolette Farrell, who returns home after her brother calls and asks for her help in selling their family’s house. The other, larger reason she’s decided to come home though is that she received a letter from her father (who has dementia) mentioning the girl that’s been missing for the past 10 years, Nicolette’s best friend Corrine. Corrine’s disappearance and the other events of that night 10 years ago changed the course of Nicolette’s life, separating her from her home town of Cooley Ridge. She has a life in Philadelphia now and a wonderful fiance, Everett. But coming home opens old wounds, and with another girl who turns up missing that is also connected to Nicolette, Nic is determined to get to the bottom of things.
Overall I loved this book. I thought that the way it was told was extremely creative. It starts with an introduction to the story and then all of a sudden the story picks up 2 weeks later (Day 15) and back-tracks from there to reveal everything discovered during that time. It was creative and engaging and really well done. And the publishing company was right in the intro, it makes me want to read the book all over again. As a warning though some people might find this presentation a tad frustrating as it makes it harder to keep the timeline in order on what was discovered when. This story line had some great plot twists that I did not see coming and overall was a great thriller. I didn’t want to put it down and I couldn’t stop thinking about the puzzle and how it would all fit together in the end. This was a great read and I would most definitely recommend.

The bottom line: I thought this book ROCKED! I couldn’t stop thinking about it and I couldn’t stand having to put it down. This was a great suspenseful read and I found the presentation of the story really interesting and creative. Great book, I would definitely recommend!!

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

21Aug2016

2016 Book #76 – Sting by Sandra Brown

Posted in 2016, ARC August 2016, Book reviews, Reading Challenges, Romantic suspense by rebeccabook17

Title: Sting
Author: Sandra Brown
Date finished: 8/16/16
Genre: Romantic suspense
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Publication Date: August 20, 2016
Pages in book: 416
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: NetGalley NOTE:I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affected my opinion of the book, or the content of my review.

Blurb from the cover:

When Jordie Bennet and Shaw Kinnard lock eyes across a disreputable backwater bar, something definitely sparks. Shaw gives off a dangerous vibe that makes men wary and inspires women to sit up and take notice. None feel that undercurrent more strongly than savvy businesswoman Jordie, who doesn’t belong in a seedy dive on the banks of a bayou. But here she is . . . and Shaw Kinnard is here to kill her.

As Shaw and his partner take aim, Jordie is certain her time has come. But Shaw has other plans and abducts Jordie, hoping to get his hands on the $30 million her brother has stolen and, presumably, hidden. However, Shaw is not the only one looking for the fortune. Her brother’s ruthless boss and the FBI are after it as well. Now on the run from the feds and a notorious criminal, Jordie and Shaw must rely on their wits-and each other-to stay alive.
Miles away from civilization and surrounded by swampland, the two play each other against their common enemies. Jordie’s only chance of survival is to outwit Shaw, but it soon becomes clear to Shaw that Jordie isn’t entirely trustworthy, either. Was she in on her brother’s scam, or is she an innocent pawn in a deadly vendetta? And just how valuable is her life to Shaw, her remorseless and manipulative captor? Burning for answers-and for each other-this unlikely pair ultimately make a desperate move that could be their last.
With nonstop plot twists and the tantalizing sexual tension that has made Sandra Brown one of the world’s best-loved authors, STING will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final pages.

My rating: 4.25 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review. This book will count towards my ARC August 2016 Reading Challenge. This book tells the story of Jordan (Jordie) Bennett. Jordie has become involved in a bad situation because of her selfish brother, and now there is a price on her head (literally) because of her brother, Josh. Josh’s biggest enemy, Billy Panella, is pissed at Josh for snitching on him and Billy is ready to start taking his revenge. Shaw Kinnard is one of the men hired to take her out, but when he realizes exactly who he’s executing, he decides to try and negotiate more money out of the deal. Therefore he end sup with Jordie as his hostage while negotiating with Billy for a better price to kill her. Shaw develops a slight tendre for Jordie though, and the reader is left to wonder, will he kill her or end up loving her?
Overall I really liked this book. I have enjoyed many of the Sandra Brown books I’ve read over the years and this one was no exception. There were some great plot twists, though some of them were familiar ones based on previous Brown plot lines. There was plenty of action in the story line, though it was a tad slow about 1/4 of the way through the book. It was a momentary lull and picked right up again after that. While this wasn’t my absolute favorite of hers (which will probably always be Deadline) it was definitely high up on my list of favorites. I would definitely recommend it.

The bottom line: This was a great suspense book. The plot had some great twists, though a bit unbelievable/predictable. Overall great read though, I would definitely recommend.

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page

13Jul2016

2016 Book #69 – The Witness by Sandra Brown

Posted in Book reviews, Fiction, Thriller by rebeccabook17

Title: The Witness
Author: Sandra Brown
Date finished: 7/12/16
Genre: Fiction, romantic suspense
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (Reprint)
Publication Date: Originally 1996, Reprint March 29, 2016
Pages in book: 418
Stand alone or series: Stand alone
Where I got the book from: Target – purchased

Blurb from the cover:

Kendall Deaton pulls herself and her baby out of a wrecked car, and a mixture of courage and fear gets her to the top of a ravine, where she flags down help. But she doesn’t dare reveal her true identity to the authorities. Instead, she plans her immediate escape. Her perilous flight begins.
The best public defender in Prosper, South Carolina, Kendall had stumbled upon the town’s chilling secret, turning her marriage to one of the town’s most powerful men into a living hell. Now Kendall is a terrified mother trying to save her child’s life…a reluctant witness who knows too much about an insidious evil…and a woman surrounded by forces that will stop at nothing to protect what is “theirs.”

My rating: 4.0 stars out of a scale of 5

My review: So if you read my blog you know that overall I am definitely a fan of Sandra Brown. I’m slowly trying to make my way through her backlist and since I’ve been so good at avoiding my ARC’s lately I decided to pick up. However, I have a tip for my future self: Never pick up a Sandra Brown book on a Sunday night unless you are (1) on vacation that week or (2) have somehow discovered in the future that sleep is no longer needed. Once I start reading a Sandra Brown book it is so hard for me to put it down. I was up until midnight last night finishing it. This book was about Kendall Deaton, a defense attorney in Prosper, South Carolina, who stumbles on a horrible crime out in the woods one night. In order to survive she runs away without leaving any trace, hoping to escape the clutches of a dangerous and deadly adversary. I don’t want to go too much into the plot line because of the twists and turns, I don’t want to give anything away! Even though some of the plot twists were somewhat predictable, they were all great and the story line kept me on my toes throughout. The only plot twist that didn’t really fit for me was the one at the end, I almost felt like it was added as an afterthought. It didn’t fit well for me with the rest of the story, but that’s just me!
Overall I really liked this book. It was definitely a page-turner, and my heart was pounding throughout the book. I must warn you readers, some parts of this book were downright gruesome, but it only adds to the evil character of the villains. I really liked this book overall and I would definitely recommend it, especially to Sandra Brown fans!!

The bottom line: This was a great read. The plot line definitely had my heart pounding and I was interested in the story right through to the end. There were a couple somewhat slow parts for me but overall was definitely a great book.

Link to author website

Click on the cover to go to the book’s Amazon page