Monday, July 24, 2017

ARC Review: Wired by Julie Garwood

Wired (Buchanan-Renard, #13)Title: Wired
Author: Julie Garwood
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley; July 4, 2017
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source/Format: First to Read; eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

A beautiful computer hacker and a bad-boy FBI agent must collaborate—in more ways than one—in the sizzling new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Garwood...

Allison Trent doesn’t look like a hacker. In fact, when she’s not in college working on her degree, she models on the side. But behind her gorgeous face is a brilliant mind for computers and her real love is writing—and hacking—code. Her dream is to write a new security program that could revolutionize the tech industry. Hotshot FBI agent Liam Scott has a problem: a leak deep within his own department. He needs the skills of a top-notch hacker to work on a highly sensitive project: to secretly break into the FBI servers and find out who the traitor is. But he can’t use one of his own. He finds the perfect candidate in Allison. Only, there’s one problem—she wants nothing to do with his job and turns him down flat. What Liam doesn’t know is that Allison is hiding secrets that she doesn’t want the FBI to uncover. But Liam will do nearly anything to persuade her to join his team, even break a few rules if that’s what it takes. A temptation that could put his job—and both of their futures—on the line and longing for more . . .


My Thoughts:

When I first saw the synopsis for Wired, I was immediately interested because it sounded like a good story. Despite my high hopes for this one, Wired turned out to be just okay.

Wired tells the story of Allison Trent who was a model, college student, and hacker with secrets. She gets involved in case after being approached by the FBI. At times, this story seemed a little busy. Some of the conflicts were resolved almost too quickly, just as I was getting into that part of the story. There was the plotline with the leaks, as well as another that directly stemmed from Allison’s genius level accomplishments/creations. However, I wish that the story would have found its focus and spent more time on the first conflict. Despite that, Allison’s being a hacker was a highlight of Wired. For the most part, I liked the way Garwood portrayed her character. I particularly liked the scenes when Allison was in the zone, because she displayed a clear confidence in her abilities.

Wired was more of an average read, but I would be open to checking out other books by Julie Garwood.

Rating 3/5

This copy of the book was provided by First to Read (publisher) for this review, thank you!

About the author...

Born and raised in Kansas City, MO, Ms. Garwood attributes much of her success to growing up in a large family of Irish heritage. "The Irish are great storytellers who relish getting all of the details and nuances of every situation. Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life, I learned that self expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick," says Ms. Garwood. She began her writing career when the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young-adult books, she turned her talents to historical fiction. Her first novel, GENTLE WARRIOR, was published by Pocket Books in 1985. Since then, she has branched into other genres including contemporary romantic suspense. Today, her name appears regularly on the bestseller lists of every major publication in the country, and her books are translated into dozens of languages around the world. Her bestselling novel FOR THE ROSES was adapted for the HALLMARK HALL OF FAME television movie ROSE HILL. Ms. Garwood lives in Leawood, KS and is currently working on her next novel...

Thursday, July 20, 2017

ARC Review: A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal by Jen Waite

A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal
Title: A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal
Author: Jen Waite
Publisher/Publication Date: Plume Books; July 11, 2017
Format/Source: E-ARC, First to Read
Genre: Autobiography, Memoir
Book Summary from Goodreads

What do you do when you discover that the person you've built your life around never existed? When "it could never happen to me" does happen to you?

These are the questions facing Jen Waite when she begins to realize that her loving husband--the father of her infant daughter, her best friend, the love of her life--fits the textbook definition of psychopath. In a raw, first-person account, Waite recounts each heartbreaking discovery, every life-destroying lie, and reveals what happens once the dust finally settles on her demolished marriage.  Read More

My Thoughts     

A Beautiful, Terrible Thing: A Memoir of Marriage and Betrayal is Jen Waite’s emotionally raw story of love, betrayal and the process of healing. It’s the classic story of what the other woman endures when she is faced with the other woman. Waite includes a discussion of early indications that problems were brewing in her marriage—signs that she had overlooked. The story alternates between the beginning of Jen and Marco’s relationship and the period after she found out what he was really like. This style of storytelling was effective. It drew me in as I began to understand how she got involved with Marco and struggled to break free of his influence. Waite’s memoir sends a strong message. It serves as a prime example of the fact that when someone is faced with a difficult situation, it is possible to muster the strength to rise to the occasion and carry on.

So, yes, I would definitely recommend Jen Waite's memoir to those who want to read a candid and heartfelt story.


Rating 5/5

***I received an E-ARC of this book from First to Read for this review.***

ARC Review: Lost Boy by Christina Henry

Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain HookTitle: Lost Boy
Author: Christine Henry
Publisher/Publication Date: Berkley Books; July 4, 2017
Genre: Fantasy
Source/Format: First to Read; eARC

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Synopsis from Goodreads...

From the national bestselling author of Alice comes a familiar story with a dark hook—a tale about Peter Pan and the friend who became his nemesis, a nemesis who may not be the blackhearted villain Peter says he is…


There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan’s first—and favorite—lost boy to his greatest enemy. Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter's idea of fun is sharper than a pirate’s sword. Because it’s never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock—the kinds of playthings that bite. Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever...


My Thoughts:

Lost Boy by Christina Henry was probably one of the darkest retellings of Peter Pan that I’ve read—not to say that I’ve read many altogether, but what I said still stands. This was a dark and gritty story filled with morally gray or just downright evil characters operating under the guise of naivety. By far, Lost Boy wasn’t a bad book. However, I had a hard time deciding about how much I liked this book.

Lost Boy was easy to read after I got past the beginning. I honestly wasn’t sure if I would finish this one, but once I got farther in the book I found that I couldn’t put it down. There was something engrossing about this story. Henry presented an interesting take on Peter and Hook’s story, including a setting that was fraught with danger. The island was isolated, but there were also monsters and pirates, which added more danger to a story already filled with it.

That brings me to the plot. Lost Boy was a story about the lost boy who would eventually become Peter Pan’s greatest enemy, Captain Hook. So, right off the bat, I was interested in what Henry could do with that concept, and the result was, well, interesting. Like I said above, Lost Boy was a dark book and it dealt with characters that actually willingly did cruel things all in the name of Peter’s idea of fun. The situation on the island had such a skewed perspective. On one breath I could see how Jamie cared for his fellow lost boys, but even he wasn’t above following the rules made and partaking in activities directed by Peter. While this was really Jamie’s story, Lost Boy was also about Peter, a boy who never grew up. Peter knew how to sell his version of paradise to the lost boys who were otherwise unwanted in the “Other Place”, but his idea of fun was skewed. He was a monster. However, from what I know about the original Peter from J.M. Berry’s work, this portrayal is more in line with his actual personality.

So, yeah, Lost Boy was a total surprise. There were a lot of things I liked about the story. There were a few details that I didn’t totally agree with, but otherwise Lost Boy was good. This is the first book I've read by Christina Henry and it certainly won't be the last.


Rating 4/5

This Copy of the book was provided by First to Read (Publisher) for this review, thank you!

About the author...

CHRISTINA HENRY is the author of the CHRONICLES OF ALICE duology, ALICE and RED QUEEN, a dark and twisted take on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, as well as LOST BOY: THE TRUE STORY OF CAPTAIN HOOK, an origin story of Captain Hook from Peter Pan. She is also the author of the national bestselling BLACK WINGS series (BLACK WINGS, BLACK NIGHT, BLACK HOWL, BLACK LAMENT, BLACK CITY, BLACK HEART and BLACK SPRING) featuring Agent of Death Madeline Black and her popcorn-loving gargoyle Beezle. She enjoys running long distances, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with samurai, zombies and/or subtitles in her spare time. She lives in Chicago with her husband and son.

Website     Facebook     Twitter     Goodreads

Monday, July 17, 2017

My Thoughts: Lipton Mango Flavored Iced Tea

An Enjoyable Tropical Flavor

As I mentioned before, I’m a member of My MagazineTM Sharing Network. Over the past month, I had the opportunity to try a 12 pack of Lipton Mango Flavored Iced Tea for free.  The tea was available at my local Ralphs grocery store. When I buy Lipton’s tea, I usually select the lemon flavor. And I usually avoid teas sweetened with sucralose. I feel that it leaves a bad after taste, and it's not my sweetener of choice. However, I was pleasantly surprised by Lipton’s Mango Flavored Iced Tea. It had an enjoyable tropical flavor without the after taste that I dislike. So, even though Lipton’s Mango Flavored Iced Tea wouldn’t be my first choice, it definitely wouldn’t be my last.

Click the link to find out more about Lipton Mango Flavored Iced Tea.

Please Note: ***In exchange for my unbiased review, I received coupons from My MagazineTM Sharing Network to try the Lipton Mango Flavored Iced Tea for free.***

Monday, July 10, 2017

July Entangled Indulgence Release Day Blast

Indulge in brand new romances from Jenna Bayley-Burke and Sonya Weiss! Choose your favorite sexy seduction...and fall in love today!
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About THE BILLIONAIRE'S PRIVATE SCANDAL

Megan Carlton’s secret affair with financier Brandon Knight ended when he pulled off a hostile takeover of her family’s hotel empire and then kissed another woman. Broke and alone, Megan starts a new life and learns to stand on her own, then Brandon finds her serving coffee and surviving on tips and tries to pull her back into her old life and his arms. She thought she was over him, and she certainly can’t ever trust him again. But what her head knows and her heart feels are two different things. 

Brandon was used to always getting what he wanted, then the woman he loves disappeared without a word. When he finds her months later working as a barista, he wonders if she’s suffering from amnesia. Getting a scalding Americano to the chest proves she recognizes him, but she’s got the situation—and him—all wrong. Now all he has to do is prove it

About Jenna Bayley-Burke

Jenna Bayley-Burke is known for her fun, sexy romance novels, baking banana bread and over-volunteering. She thinks she has the best jobs in the world—mother, wife and author. When she’s not lost in her latest story, she can be found pursuing whatever hobby her characters are enamored with—photography, yoga, shoes, gardening, crafts and cooking up a storm.
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About THE MILLIONAIRE'S TEMPTATION

Holly Campbell is trying to turn her life around. But, to protect her younger brother, she has one last job to complete. All she needs to do is use her unique skills to break into the safe on a yacht—millionaire Jake Lawson’s yacht—a man Holly had a one-night stand with before she knew his true identity. 

Jake knows Holly can’t be trusted. He believes she used the one night stand as a decoy to steal from his company and he knows she’s up to something again. Jake’s determined to figure out what and stop her. He won’t let her take anything from him, least of all his heart.  

 

About Sonya Weiss

From the time she was a child, Sonya knew she was destined to be a writer. If she didn’t like the ending of a book or movie, she would write her own ending. When her children were young, she often wrote stories to entertain them. At the urging of one of her daughters, she submitted a short story and to her surprise and delight, it sold. Sonya loves writing all things romance whether it’s writing contemporary adult or teen fiction and still hasn’t lost the wonder that she gets to do what she loves. She enjoys reading, movies, chocolate, and laughter and credits her daughters as being the sweetest blessings in her life.  
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