Strays

Strays by Jennifer Caloyeras

Publisher: Ashland Creek Press

April 2015

ISBN: 978-1-61822-037-0

Pages: 219

Contemporary Young Adult

Santa Cruz, California

Iris Moody is a sixteen-year-old that has trouble controlling her temper. With the death of her mother, a father that is a workaholic, failing English and being dumped by her boyfriend she has a lot in her life to be angry about.

Then a single note that Iris made in her journal is taken as a threat against her English teacher Iris quickly finds herself in a lot of trouble not just with the school authorities but now with the law.

Iris not only has to deal with summer school but she is also dog-phobic and has just been sentenced to community service rehabilitating troubled dogs. Iris doesn’t believe she is anything like Roman who is a pit bull with only three legs. Roman is also struggling to overcome his own dark past.  She also doesn’t think she is like the other humans in the program either. Iris soon learns that counting on the help of others may be the only way to save Roman when his life is on the line.

This is an emotionally rich story that will really hit readers hard. The characters are relatable and readers will find themselves connecting with them.  The story takes readers on a roller coaster ride that will pull at their heartstrings.  It will also have readers hoping everything turns out well for both Iris and Roman.  Watching as both Iris and Roman grow and deal with their pasts makes for a very satisfying read.  This is definitely a book worth checking out.  It will also stay with readers long after the turn of the last page. 

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Warring Desires

Warring Desires by Wanda Ann Thomas

Publisher: Wanda Ann Thomas

October 2015

ISBN: 1518833071

Pages: 311

Historical Romance

Jerusalem & Israel

Gabriel Onias is a widowed priest that comes from a wealthy family. He is appalled with the greed and corruption that is permeating the priesthood. He reaches the point where he can no longer tolerate the deceit so he turns his back on the only life he has ever known. He then shakes the dust of Jerusalem off his sandals and joins Herod’s army fighting to overthrow the corrupt leaders.

Shoshana Ehud is a humble mule train operator.  She courageously defends her family as they travel through war-torn lands with nothing more than her determination and a wooden club. She despairs ever knowing true love as she has been abandoned by a treacherous and deceitful husband. When her husband involves her family in a scheme to double-cross Herod he pushes them too far.

Shoshana rescues Gabriel from a bandit attack and it shakes his beliefs to the core. Gabriel is soon enthralled by a woman that he shouldn’t pursue. Though he is determined to confront the Samaritan woman’s husband and demand Shoshana’s husband grant her a divorce. Shoshana urges Gabriel to master the sword rather than fight her battles out of her fear for his safety. Being a soldier priest has Gabriel soon facing his biggest battle yet when Herod threatens Gabriel’s family and demands that he forsake Shoshana for a more advantageous marriage.

This is proving to be an unforgettable series.  This is another book that adds to the series. The characters are complex and move the story along very nicely.  Readers will be transported back in time to another world as each word brings the book to life for the reader.  There are characters that show up in this book that readers were first introduced to in the first two books.  The story is rich in detail and emotion that will have readers turning the pages just to see how things will turn out for Gabriel and Shoshana.  It will also have readers hoping for more books in the series to see what happens to some very unforgettable secondary characters that manage to steal some of the scenes in the book. 

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Enslaved

Enslaved The Last Orphans Series, Book 3 by N.W. Harris

Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing

December 2015

Pages: 300

Dystopian Future, Young Adult, Romantic Elements

Georgia

Shane and his friends managed to survive the first major attack against the enemy.  They destroyed the alien ships that came to harvest the children of Earth and turn them into slaves.  The ship that Kelly was on is the one ship that managed to escape. Shane is determined to do whatever it takes to save Kelly but if he turns his back on his friends he takes the chance of jeopardizing the whole mission.

Kelly’s mind is invaded by the enemy and she is turned into a slave soldier.  Any order they give her she will follow even if that order is to kill her friends, her little sister and Shane. As Kelly performs heinous tasks under the directions of her new masters she is trapped and helpless in her own body.  With each new direction her sanity and desire to live fade a little more.

Shane is ready to make a rescue attempt as soon as he is home.  When he finally gets there it is to find that Kelly is there too commanding an army of human slave soldier and she is determined to make him join her ranks.  Now Shane has to see if he can rescue Kelly before she gets to her sister or Kelly just might end up helping enslave the rest of humanity. 

This is proving to be a very additive series.  With each book the series gets better and better.  While readers will be thrilled to find out there is to be another book they will end up disappointed to find out they have to wait for it.  The action is pretty much non-stop and makes for a book that readers won’t want to put down for any reason.  It is also a series that stays with readers long after they finish each book.  It will be interesting to see just where the series ends up and how it gets there.  The characters are very well written and move the story along very well.  This is definitely one series that should be read. 

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH

Touch Me

Touch Me Rock Royalty Book 4 by Christie Ridgway

Publisher: Christie Ridgway

March 2015

Pages: 235

Contemporary Romance

California

Rolling Stone magazine once dubbed the nine collective children of the most famous band in the world “Rock Royalty,” years ago.  All the princes and princesses are coming back to L.A.’s Laurel Canyon now that they are all grown up. They are also trying to discover if love can be found among the ruins of their childhoods that was steeped in sex, drugs, and rock ‘n roll.

There are those that believe Payne Colson has a death wish.  He likes all things hot, fast and dangerous. Until he crashed his life was on a rocket-like trajectory. Now the one woman from his past he has done everything to protect from himself is back in his life.  Payne isn’t sure he has what it takes to turn away from her a second time especially as she is more tempting now than she has ever been before.  When Rose Daily was a teen she had a crush on Payne and he is even sexier now as an adult.  Once she made play for him and ever since then she has been walking the straight and narrow.  Now Rose is ready to visit the wild side and just maybe Payne is ready too.

This story is engrossing and shows the reader more of the past of the Rock Royalty.  Seeing Payne work to get past his past issues makes for a fascinating read.  It also proves to be a hard story to put down.  Rose and Payne end up bringing out the best in each other and watching them get to their happy ever after proves to be one very wild ride that is both emotional and fun to read.  This is shaping up to be a very good series and while each book can be read as a standalone they prove to be much better if read in order plus it also gives a fuller back story to the Rock Royalty than the reader would receive reading the books out of order.

I give this one 4-1/2 red roses

LRH

Hard Love

Hard Love Hackers Series Book 5 by Meredith Wild

Publisher: Grand Central

September 2015

ISBN: 978-1-4555-9176-3

Pages: 287

Contemporary Romance

Boston, Massachusetts

Blake and Erica Landon have embarked on their honeymoon days after their wedding. It is a journey that strengthens their bond and a chance to make the scars from their past fade.

Just as it seems all their troubles are behind them a scandal surrounding would-be governor Daniel Fitzgerald’s elections happens. Now their newfound peace is threatened. Blake is at the center of the controversy.  The transgressions from his hacker past are now haunting him. It also brings back a past he has no wish to relive.

Erica will let nothing stop her from clearing Blake’s name as his freedom is at stake and their future is now in peril.  With Blake defying the authorities and refusing to find the truth Blake and Erica’s world starts to crumble. Now it is a question of whether Blake will let his past win or not.  At the same time Erica is trying to convince Blake that their life together is worth fighting for. 

This is a very satisfying conclusion to a series that proves to be unforgettable.  This book is just as good as the first four books in the series.  It has all the twists and turns readers could hope for and with it being the end of the series it has an amazing ending that will stay with readers for a long time to come.  It is also a book that readers will want to re-read over and over just for the ending alone.  Watching as Erica and Blake get past each of their pasts and grow makes for a great read.  This series will have readers wanting to read more by this author. 

I give this one 5 red roses

LRH