Review: One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis

Title:  One Step Too Far  Author:  Tina Seskis Publisher/Publication Date: William Morrow; January 27, 2015 (first published April 7,2013) Genre: Fiction Format/Source:  Paperback, ARC, Publisher Amazon     Barnes & Noble Book Summary from Goodreads An intricately plotted, thoroughly addictive thriller from a major new voice in suspense fiction--a mesmerizing and powerful novel that will keep you guessing to the very end It's funny how easy it is, when it really comes down to it, to get up from your life and begin a new one. All you need is enough money to start you off, and a resolve not to think about the people you're leaving behind." A happy marriage. A beautiful family. A dream home. So what makes lawyer Emily Coleman--a woman who appears to have everything--get up one morning and walk right out of her life to start again as someone new? Deliberately losing herself in London, Emily quickly transforms herself into Cat. Along with her new name, she finds a new home in a shared house in North London teeming with an odd assortment of flatmates, and a new job as a receptionist at a hip advertising agency. Finding easy kinship with the fun-loving Angel, her savior and new best friend, Cat begins to live on the edge, giddy with the euphoria of freedom and release. Cat has buried any trace of her old self so well, no one knows how to find her. But she can't bury the past--or her own painful memories. As the days turn to months, thoughts of all she's left behind begin to consume her. She cannot outrun the ghosts that haunt her, no matter how hard she tries to elude them. And soon, she'll have to face the truth of what she's done--a shocking revelation that may push her one step too far . . . Filled with wonderfully complex characters, brilliantly plotted to ratchet the suspense, and exploring themes of family, secrets, and the choices we all must make, One Step Too Far is a mesmerizing thriller that tantalizingly illuminates just how far we may go to try and forget our sins. Review One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis is suspenseful and had an attention-grabbing start as Emily walked away from life as she knew it to start anew.  The first part of the book seemed to be dedicated to plot set up and character development. And I didn't really notice a substantial amount of clues as to why Emily walked away from everything until the latter part of the book. At that point, the story transitioned into a gripping tale in which I began to understand why Emily was experiencing so much inner turmoil and why she made the choices that she did. Emily found herself living in conditions that were much worse than what she came from, which made me think that things in her life had to be pretty bad to choose the path that she chose. After leaving her old life behind, she befriended Angel after which some chapters were dedicated to revealing events from Angel's past. Other chapters alternated between the key characters past and present day experiences, and it was difficult to understand why the story jumped around so much with few clues as to why Emily had left what seemed to be a perfect life behind. And although Ben seemed to be a loving husband, I was unconvinced that he searched very hard for his missing wife in the beginning. However, much of what Ben experienced while Emily was missing remains a mystery, because chapter after chapter was dedicated to other characters. Instead of just focusing on Emily, Ben, and their situation, there were just too many characters in the spotlight. Even though the book trailer really sparked my interest and a portion of the story was gripping—for me—the overall story was average. Rating 3.5/5 I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Review: The Kill Switch by James Rollins & Grant Blackwood

Title:  The Kill Switch Authors:  James Rollins & Grant Blackwood Publisher/Publication Date: William Morrow, May 13, 2014 Format/Source:  Hardcover, Purchased Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Summary from Goodreads Who does the U.S. government call upon when a mission requires perfect stealth, execution, and discretion? From the two bestselling masters of action and political intrigue, James Rollins and Grant Blackwood, comes the first in a groundbreaking new series, featuring Captain Tucker Wayne and his stalwart military dog, Kane, both ripped from the pages of Sigma Force for their first solo adventure. It will take this uniquely talented pairing of man and beast to discover the earth-shattering truth behind . . . The Kill Switch The mission seems simple enough: extract a pharmaceutical magnate from Russian soil, a volatile man who holds the secret to a deadly bioweapon. But nothing is as it appears to be. A desperate call from Painter Crowe, director of Sigma Force, thrusts Tucker and Kane into a frantic race to rescue the brilliant-but-deluded Abram Bukolov from a cadre of skilled assassins, a deadly team backed by a shadowy Russian general, a figure bent on revenge and power. Hunted and betrayed at every turn, Tucker and Kane must discover the truth behind a biological threat, a horror out of the ancient past that can be weaponized to terrorize the modern world. The journey of discovery will take the pair across the frozen steppes of Russia to the sun-blasted savannahs of South Africa, from the war-torn mountains of Namibia to the snowy Great Lakes of the United States. Read More My Thoughts The Kill Switch by James Rollins & Grant Blackwood will keep you on the edge of your seat with the minute by minute and hour by hour action…..Tucker is tasked with getting a pharmaceutical magnate, Bukolov out of the Russia. The mission evolved into Tucker & Kane’s race against time to protect the secrets surrounding a deadly bioweapon from Kharzin, a Russian General. There were just enough details so the reader could grasp an understanding of the biological threat and what needed to be done to stop it. Tucker's dedication to the mission at hand was clearly depicted. And I was intrigued by how he selflessly put himself in harm’s way to protect those in immediate danger. The surprises and action never ceased. At every turn there was DANGER. It was evident that when the going got tough Kane & Tucker relied on each other. In the author’s notes to readers, Rollins explains that he was trying to capture the characteristics of military working dogs. At one point Kane has to ward off a pack of African Wild dogs. And at the end of the fight between Kane and the pack leader, Tucker simply commands, “Come. Follow.” and Kane “…obeys, retreating but never backing down…” (p. 266). Although I don’t have firsthand knowledge of what they do, the descriptive text pertaining to Kane’s behavior seemed to be realistic and it captured the undying bond that couldn’t be broken between Kane and Tucker. One aspect of The Kill Switch that I especially liked was that it wasn’t riddled with romance. No there was no time for that. “…this was the wrong place and time to think about any of it” (p. 257). Sometimes romantic elements seem out of place, and The Kill Switch is the perfect example of a well-written thriller without it. Yes, the bar has been set high for finding that next book to read this summer! The Kill Switch is a phenomenal thriller jam-packed with high-speed, high intensity action—a must read. Rating 5/5

COUNT THE CAST BLAST!!! MAKE IT COUNT BY MEGAN ERICKSON

MEET TWO OF THE CHARACTERS FROM MAKE IT COUNT BY MEGAN ERICKSON CAMILO "CAM" RUIZ & DANICA OWENS Camilo “Cam” Ruiz The Player “We’re in college. We have hot girls in tight jeans and cleavage-baring shirts at our fingertips. Don’t tie yourself down.” Danica Owens The Chameleon “Monica says my idea of romance is ‘Take off your shirt.’” ABOUT THE BOOK Title: Make it Count Author: Megan Erickson Series info: Bowler University Series #1 Category/Genre: New Adult Romance Publisher: William Morrow Impulse/HarperCollins Release Date: June 3 BLURB Kat Caruso wishes her brain had a return policy, or at least a complaint hot-line. The defective organ is constantly distracted, terrible at statistics, and absolutely flooded with inappropriate thoughts about her boyfriend's gorgeous best friend, Alec...who just so happens to be her brand new college math tutor. Who knew nerd was so hot? Kat usually goes through tutors like she does boyfriends--both always seem to bail when they realize how hopeless she is. It's safer for her heart to keep everyone at arm's reach. But Alec is always stepping just a little too close. Alec Stone should not be fantasizing about Kat. She's adorable, unbelievably witty, and completely off limits. He'd never stab his best friend in the back... But when secrets are revealed, the lines of loyalty are blurred. To make it count, Alec must learn messy human emotions can't be solved like a trigonometry function. And Kat has to trust Alec may be the first guy to want her for who she is, and not in spite of it. Add to Goodreads PREORDER LINKS Amazon US Amazon UK Barnes and Noble iTunes Google Play Avon Romance                    ABOUT THE AUTHOR Megan Erickson grew up in a family that averages 5’3” on a good day and started writing to create characters who could reach the top kitchen shelf. She’s got a couple of tattoos, has a thing for gladiators, and has been called a crazy cat lady. After working as a journalist for years, she decided she liked creating her own endings better and switched back to fiction. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids and two cats. And no, she still can’t reach the stupid top shelf. WHERE TO FIND MEGAN ONLINE Author website Facebook Twitter

Cover Reveal: Autumn Rose by Abigail Gibbs

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Books-A-Million | iBookstore | Image Map About Autumn Rose In book two of her breathtakingly magical series, Abigail Gibbs draws us even further into the dangerous and romantic world of the Dark Heroines. Autumn Rose lives in a sleepy seaside town in the southwest of England, but buried deep under the surface of her quiet life are dark secrets. Her grandmother is dead, murdered eighteen months before, and the whirling social scene of London in which she was brought up is a world away. Even worse, at her new school she is shunned and condemned-all because of the swirling marks on her skin that prevent her from blending in the crowd. But the appearance of a handsome young man at her school-who has the same curious markings as Autumn Rose-sends her world into turmoil. Suddenly the marks are cool and Autumn is thrust into the limelight, but her sudden popularity brings danger as her secrets threaten to come to light. Plus, there is the fact that Autumn keeps dreaming of a human girl who is about to be seduced by a very dark Prince… and Autumn must figure out how to save her before it is too late. About the Author Abigail Gibbs was born and raised in deepest, darkest Devon, England. She is studying for a B.A. in English at the University of Oxford and considers herself a professional student, as the real world has yet to catch up with her. Her greatest fear is blood and she is a great advocate of vegetarianism, which logically led to the writing of her first novel, Dinner with a Vampire. She splits her time between her studies, stories, and family, and uses coffee to survive all three.   A special thank you to William Morrow/HarperCollins for including Reading on the Rocks as a participant in the Autumn Rose Cover Reveal. Posted 10/5/2013 @ 9:01PM PDT/10/6/2013 @ 12:01 AM EDT