Vanishing Girls

Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Publisher: HarperTeen

March 2015

ISBN: 978-0-06-222411-8

Pages: 357

Contemporary Young Adult Suspense, Romantic Elements

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable. That was before the accident that left Dara’s beautiful face scarred and the sisters estranged.

Nick thinks Dara is just playing around when Dara vanishes on her birthday. Madeline Snow a nine-year-old girl has also vanished.  Now Nick is becoming increasingly convinced that both disappearances are linked. Nick has to find her sister before it’s too late.

This is an amazing book that has so many twists and turns that the reader will be taken on a roller coaster ride. Just as the reader thinks they might have an idea of what is going on another twist is thrown in that will have reader wondering if they have any idea of just where this story is headed. It will also have readers wanting to read other books by this author as this one just doesn’t let the reader go until the very last page. This is a must read for any reader that enjoys psychological thrillers.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Love of the Game

Love of the Game A Stardust, Texas novel by Lori Wilde

Publisher: Avon

May 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-231143-6

Pages: 364

Contemporary Romance

Stardust, Texas

Dallas Gunslingers relief pitcher Axel Richmond has both major league good looks and talent and was living the good life. When he lost his young son even the roar of the crowd could never distract him from that loss. Axel is now stuck recuperating at a ranch in Stardust, Texas with an injured shoulder and his career on the line he is only striking out with this gorgeous physical therapist.

Kasha Carlyle only has a week to get Axel back in action or she will be kissing her much-needed job with the Gunslingers goodbye. She will also be saying goodbye to any chance to seek the custody of her orphaned half-sister that she never knew she had. Kasha learns quickly enough that Axel’s guarded heart also needs to be healed. It also requires all kinds of sneaky plays and sexy moves in extra innings.

This book just adds to the series and makes for a wonderful read and a chance for readers to revisit Stardust and see what is going on with the other occupants of the town. It will also have readers wishing they could really visit Stardust and meet all the wonderful people that live there. While this book can be read as a standalone the reader would enjoy the story much more if they read the other books in the series first. It will also have readers eagerly awaiting the next book in the series. The author manages to write some memorable characters and towns and will have readers that haven’t already read her other series eagerly checking them out.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Deceptions

Deceptions The Battling McGuire Boys by Cynthia Eden

Publisher: Harlequin Intrigue

April 2016

ISBN: 978-0-373-69897-4

Pages: 220

Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Texas

Once Elizabeth Snow was called wild and at one time she was. Now she is just a straitlaced librarian with no interest in the sexiest, wildest McGuire. At least until she needs him to protect her from a murderous stalker. Mac is a former Delta Force that does more than protect Elizabeth – he quickly has her untamed side unleashed and is taking their attraction to the furthest edge of desire.

Secrets from both their pasts are proving to be as threatening as “The Fixer” who seems to know their every move as they hunt this monstrous killer. But can they trust each other enough to move forward? Or will a shocking truth end up proving fatal?

This is another wonderful book in a series that will stay with the reader long after each book is read and finished. The characters are complex and move the story along at a breakneck pace that doesn’t stop until the very last page. While each book can be read as a standalone though as there is a story line that links all the books together the reader would get much more out of the series reading the books in order. This is an amazing series that will have readers wanting the next book now.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Eighth Grave After Dark

Eighth Grave After Dark by Darynda Jones

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

May 2015

ISBN: 978-1-250-04565-2

Pages: 293

Paranormal Mystery, Romantic Elemenets

New Mexico

As if Charley Davidson doesn’t have enough going on she has to worry about twelve hellhounds that are hot on her trail. She is, after all, incredibly pregnant and feels like she could pop at any moment. And just her luck the twelve deadly beasts from hell have chosen this time to escape to this plane and make Charley their target. Now Charley is living on the grounds of an abandoned convent as she thinks that is the only place that they can’t get to her. And if hellhounds weren’t enough Charley has a new case to hold her attention: a decades-old murder of a newly vowed nun that she sees in the shadows of the convent.

With her husband’s strange behavior, the still-unsolved murder of her father, and Charley’s tendency to attract the undead, her hands are full and also tied. The angry hellhounds can’t traverse the consecrated soil but that doesn’t stop them from lurking on the borders of the said ground like evil sentries so now Charley has been forbidden from leaving the sacred grounds. At least she has her loyal team with her and being the scrappy bunch that they are they aren’t about to let a few thirsty hellhounds deter them.

Charley wants answers and is powerless to get them even while the team scours the prophesies to find clues on the Twelve and how to kill them or at least send them back to hell. At least the mass of friends they have accrued helps. They show her that everyone in her recent life has been somehow drawn to her as if they are all part of a much bigger picture. Charley is comforted by their presence but that good feeling doesn’t last long. She is about to get the surprise of her mixed-up, crazy supernatural life.

This is a series that gets better with each and every book. Charley is a wonderful character that makes for laugh out loud books that keeps readers guessing just what trouble Charley will end up getting into next. With all her friends and family readers are guaranteed never to be disappointed in this series. This one will also have readers eagerly reaching for the next book to see how things turn out. Charley is one of those characters readers would love to have in their real lives as there is never a dull moment with Charley around. This is a must read.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH  

Glass Angel

Glass Angel book 4 of Family Heirlooms by Karen Wiesner

Publisher: Writers Exchange E-Publishing

August 2015

ISBN: 978-1-922233-32-5

Pages: 197

Contemporary Inspirational Romance

Peaceful, Wisconsin

A Christian woman who is young struggles to seek pardon from those she has hurt especially as she can’t seem to get past her own inability to forgive those who have wronged her. Samantha Samuels suffered under the violent hands of Ryder Feldmann three years ago. Ryder was a juvenile delinquent that was being counseled by her pastor father. With her psychiatry training now complete she plans to help other victims of violent crimes at the rape counseling clinic in her hometown of Peaceful. What she didn’t expect was to share an office building and a new church with the older brother of her attacker. A man that is a divorce counselor and also the man she had been in love with before her rape.

This is a book that takes a difficult situation and handles it delicately so that most readers can handle reading about it. The characters are very well written and move the story along very nicely. Seeing how Samantha handles the difficulties in her life and grows from what happened to her makes for an engrossing read. It is another book in a series that is proving to be very well written and takes the reader on a wonderful journey.

I give this one 4 red roses

LRH

All Chained Up

All Chained Up by Sophie Jordan

Publisher: Avon

April 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-242368-9

Pages: 368

Contemporary Romance

Sweet Hill, Texas

There are bad boys and then there are the men of Devil’s Rock which is a whole other level.

Knox Callaghan is the type of man that comes with a built-in warning label. In every lean, muscled inch of him danger radiates.  His deep blue eyes also seem to see straight through Briar Davis’s into her most secret fantasies. Briar is a nurse that is volunteering at the local prison and Knox is an inmate that should be completely off limits in every way imaginable which makes for one major problem.

Knox is driven to risk his own life to protect Briar’s by the chocking animal magnetism between them. After he is finally paroled he works on resisting her. She has no idea what Knox is capable of, not to mention she is too sweet and innocent. With a single touch that leads to a kiss and a taste and then the only crime is denying what feels so very right.

This is the start of a series that if the rest of the books are anything like this one will prove to be an amazing series. The characters are wonderfully written and complex and make for a story that moves along at a fast pace. It also has plenty of action to make for a story that keeps twisting and turning and keeping the reader guessing as to what will happen next. This is definitely a book worth checking out.

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH