AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Cut & Run (Cut & Run #1)

Cut & Run (Cut & Run #1), by Abigail Roux and Madeline Urban
Publish Date: September 30, 2008
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: adult m/m crime suspense
To Buy: Amazon

Rating: 4 STARS

(Synopsis) A series of murders in New York City has stymied the police and FBI alike, and they suspect the culprit is a single killer sending an indecipherable message. But when the two federal agents assigned to the investigation are taken out, the FBI takes a more personal interest in the case.

Special Agent Ty Grady is pulled out of undercover work after his case blows up in his face. He's cocky, abrasive, and indisputably the best at what he does. But when he's paired with Special Agent Zane Garrett, it's hate at first sight. Garrett is the perfect image of an agent: serious, sober, and focused, which makes their partnership a classic cliche: total opposites, good cop-bad cop, the odd couple. They both know immediately that their partnership will pose more of an obstacle than the lack of evidence left by the murderer.

Practically before their special assignment starts, the murderer strikes again this time at them. Now on the run, trying to track down a man who has focused on killing his pursuers, Grady and Garrett will have to figure out how to work together before they become two more notches in the murderer's knife.

I've had my eye on this book for a very long time, but just never found the time to get to it until now. I love a good crime suspense novel, and the m/m romance angle was an even bigger plus for me. I finally pulled the trigger on the audio version of Cut & Run so that I could finally experience this book that I've heard so many talk about while taking my springtime walks around my neighborhood. 

On the whole, I really enjoyed Cut & Run. It centers around an unlikely partnership of two salty FBI agents as they team up to try and figure out who a nasty serial killer is in New York City. Both men come to the partnership with their own respective demons and rather large chips on their shoulders. In the beginning, they're combative, angry, insulting and all that results in them being mostly unproductive as they try to solve the case. 

I knew from talking to friends that, eventually, these two men got together, and honestly for the first 30% or so of the book, I couldn't imagine how it would happen. Ty and Zane didn't even remotely like one another. I wouldn't say there was a slow burn, because there really was no flame at all that I could tell. The beginning was spent laying the groundwork for the case and listening to Zane and Ty trade insults. 

But, as I always say, passion takes many forms. In Zane and Ty's case, it manifests in open hostility for awhile before it absolutely erupts into some toe-curling sex. After that, things take off - the murders pick up, the sexual tension increases and the danger to both men reaches critical levels. 

The pace of Cut & Run ebbs and flows along with Zane and Ty's relationship. There are times when the story speeds along, and other times when it sort of stalls a bit - almost like the book is taking a breather before gearing up for something big. There's no doubt that the ending was crazy exciting as the serial killer is revealed and Zane and Ty fight for their lives for the hundredth time. 

The audio version of Cut & Run wasn't my favorite that I've listened to. I thought that the narrator, Sawyer Allerde, sounded a bit like a newscaster. He read mostly in a monotone voice and there wasn't much inflection in his voicing of different characters. Although his performance wasn't what I would've liked, Cut & Run was a long book, so I had plenty of time to get used to it. And I did. Although, I think that when I get into the next book in this series, I may just read it instead of listen to it. And I do intend to continue with the series - something tells me that although Zane and Ty aren't even close to romantically inclined, I have a feeling there's a lot more coming for them, and I want to see where it goes. 

REVIEW: Hard As It Gets (Hard Ink #1)

Hard As It Gets (Hard Ink #1), by Laura Kaye
Publish Date: November 26, 2013
Publisher: Avon
Format: paperback, purchased
Genre: adult contemporary romance/suspense/military drama
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 4 STARS

(From Goodreads) Tall, dark, and lethal...

Trouble just walked into Nicholas Rixey's tattoo parlor. Becca Merritt is warm, sexy, wholesome--pure temptation to a very jaded Nick. He's left his military life behind to become co-owner of Hard Ink Tattoo, but Becca is his ex-commander's daughter. Loyalty won't let him turn her away. Lust has plenty to do with it too.

With her brother presumed kidnapped, Becca needs Nick. She just wasn't expecting to want him so much. As their investigation turns into all-out war with an organized crime ring, only Nick can protect her. And only Becca can heal the scars no one else sees.

Desire is the easy part. Love is as hard as it gets. Good thing Nick is always up for a challenge...

So, when I found out I was going to meet Laura Kaye at Apollycon last month, it became the perfect excuse for me to finally dig into her Hard Ink series. The first book, Hard As It Gets, had been on my TBR for quite awhile, so the prospect of meeting Laura and having her sign something for me convinced me that this was the perfect time to get into this series. I'm so glad I did, and now I can't wait to read all of them. 

Becca doesn't know why her brother sent her to seek help from Nicolas Rixey when she got into trouble. But, with the rest of her family gone, she was left with no options. Nick initially wants nothing to do with the daughter of his traitorous former commander. But, the protector in him just can't leave her alone. Good thing too, because when others get wind that Becca's brother was looking into the circumstances surrounding Nick's military team's questionable discharge, all of a sudden, she's put in big danger. 

I loved this book because it's obviously just the start of a larger, broad-scale story that will span many books. Never fear though - Nick's and Becca's story has a beginning and an end all in this book. So, it's like the best of both worlds. We get a very satisfying HEA for Nick and Becca, and an introduction to a much larger story, rife with conspiracy theories, attempted murder and lots of hot military men running around trying to save the world. What could be better than that? 

Nick is very resistant to Becca in the beginning. We find out relatively quickly that a few years earlier, his commanding officer had made some shady deals that resulted in Nick's team getting ambushed and half of them dead. Nick hasn't been the same since, as he bears the brunt of the guilt associated with the event. He didn't know how to deal with his squad mates that were still alive, so he just... doesn't. I'm a fan of avoidance too, so I get that. 

Becca is admirable in her determination to find her brother. Even when Nick turns her away, Becca is resolute in her efforts to bring him home. While she would love Nick's help, she's not the type of woman to beg for it. I loved that about her. She's strong and capable and willing to do whatever was needed to get to the truth. 

And, the truth is out there somewhere, it just isn't someplace we can get to in one book. Luckily, we get a lot of backstory, and a lot of hot and steamy romance as Nick and Becca start to work closely together to get to the bottom of things. 

Although Nick and Becca come to a good place, there's still a lot of questions left unanswered in regards to the hows and whys of the rest of Nick's team. Luckily, there's still a few hot guys left on the team to help unravel the tale (and give us super steamy covers to look at). I can't wait to see what happens next.

REVIEW: Home (Social Media #6)

Home (Social Media #6), by JA Huss
To Be Published November 5, 2014
Publisher: Science Future Press
Format: e-book, obtained from the author
Genre: adult contemporary romance/suspense
To Buy: Amazon 
 
Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) I just want my Grace back.

I want the girl I found sending me dirty tweets on Saint Thomas. I want the girl who reluctantly gave in to my charms and let me boss her around. I want the girl who sent me to my knees and made me imagine what her fairy tale would look like with me in it.

I just want to move on.

I want to plan the future and think about kids and preschools and college funds. I want everything she ever wanted, and I want us to make it happen together.

But the media needs more from us. More dirt. More pain. More payment for past transgressions.

You can’t change the past. And even though Grace is ready to put her demons to bed, mine are just starting to get restless. Because when you’ve silenced as many enemies as I have over the years, you know that secret won’t stay buried forever.

Can I offer you a piece of advice? If you were one of those people who read FOLLOW (Social Media #1) and decided to abandon the series because there wasn't enough of this or that or there was too much of this or that - please, for the love of all that is good and right in the world, try again, and this time, KEEP READING. The difference in the story line and the characters and... just, EVERYTHING... is huge between the first and the last book.

It's called a STORY ARC. And, this one is spectacular.

In HOME, Grace is dealing with the aftermath of her ordeal. Or rather - NOT dealing with it. She's not the same Grace, and Vaughn has no idea what to do about it. Meanwhile, Vaughn has another problem. He's being blackmailed by a member of the paparazzi, and if he doesn't give in to their demands, it could ruin both he and Grace. 

If you've read this far, you know that the stuff that Grace has gone through would bring nearly anyone to their knees. The fact that she's still on her feet is a testament to her strength. And the fact that Vaughn is still, not only by her side, but holding her up is evidence of how much he truly and completely loves her. But, anyone who could think that even Grace could make it through everything completely unscathed is nuts. And, I'm so glad that JA Huss didn't make it easy on her. It shouldn't be easy. 

"I feel the guilt of living. I feel the pain of knowing I am alone. That my family is dead. That my brother never got a chance to be there for me when I needed him. For my parents, who were as nonexistent at my own wedding as I was. For all the family members who turned their backs on me."

I felt... so much... for Grace in Home. She's struggling so much with the events of the past few months. She's trying to force herself to get over it all and adjust to her new life as Mrs. Vaughn Asher. She has no job at the moment, no friends - no real purpose or place to focus her time or attention. So, she focuses inward and gets stuck in her own head. 

Vaughn has no blessed idea what to do. He knows he loves her more than ever. He knows he admires her resilience and strength. And, he knows she's completely miserable. But, as to how to fix it all, he's clueless. Vaughn's used to being able to snap his fingers, and things happen. He has money, charisma and power. Yet, none of it can help in this situation. He has to put all his faith in Grace and her love. And, that's a new thing for him. 

Goodness - that man. When I think back to the Vaughn Asher in Follow and Like who was looking to break Grace's carefully hewn facade, it's clear that no parts of him are visible any longer. Everything he's learned about Grace has affected his life and shown him that having a real connection with someone who challenges you and loves you and supports you is so much better than a superficial, somewhat kinky connection with someone who is here today and gone tomorrow. 

"I can't leave here without you. I can't. I've never wanted a woman so much in all my life. And I don't want you just for sex, Grace. I want you for that and more. I want you for lying in bed naked on a Sunday afternoon. I want to cook dinners with you. I want to buy a puppy together and give him a ridiculous name, like Boris or Dave. Please be mine, Grace."

In Home, Vaughn and Grace face one final hurdle together. The paparazzi - well, one in particular - are determined to make Vaughn pay for his past transgressions. We've seen a bit of this in previous books, when some girl came out of the woodwork, claiming to be pregnant with his baby. Well, the media are out for blood now, and are prepared to take Grace out in the process. All of a sudden, Vaughn has a lot more to lose. He's trying to get his Grace back, and this could destroy all his hard work. In my opinion, Vaughn being who he is, makes some bad choices here so that he can protect Grace. He doesn't give her enough credit. To be fair, they're both still trying to figure out what their roles are in the relationship and what each other can truly handle. But, he definitely should've trusted her with all the information he had. 

Instead, Vaughn tries to go it alone, and Grace is forced to prove to him that she's got this. And, she totally does. I think he falls in love with her a little more each time she does that. No one else has ever put him in his place like she does. 

Grace's discovery of her new family - the Asher family - and her confrontation with her old one were some of the best parts of Home. She finally cut ties with the chains that were dragging her down, and discovered that, when she snagged Vaughn, that he came with a mom and a dad and a sister and a brother and a strange adopted daughter relationship thing with Felicity. And, all those people are now her people too. Grace deserves all that. 

I said it before - the story arc for this series is awesome. What started out as a story about two people getting their kink on turned out to be a psychological mind screw and an epic love story all rolled into one. With some kink on the side. Because, well, every good story needs a little kink now and again. 

"I have never felt this sure of something in my whole life. Ever. You, baby. You are the secret to life. You are my reason for being. You are my soulmate. We are tethered by a string. Some mystical string that connects us and has connected us since our inception. And the day I saw your sandaled foot step out of that dingy airport shuttle, I knew. You were my other half. It's the only explanation for how I feel about you. And I tried to deny it. tried to prove to myself that this arrangement with you was... ordinary. What we have is so far from ordinary, Grace. It's not a connection. It's a reconnection." 

REVIEW: Winter's Heat (Titan #1)

Winter's Heat (Titan #1), by Cristin Harber
Published September 25, 2013 (audio released June 6, 2014)
Publisher: Mill Creek Press
Format: audiobook, provided by Inkslinger PR for review
Genre: adult suspense/military romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating: 3 STARS

(From Goodreads) A WOMAN ON A MISSION
After putting her life on the line to protect classified intelligence, military psychologist Mia Kensington is on a cross-country road trip from hell with an intrusive save-the-day hero. Uninterested in his white knight act, she’d rather take her chances without the ruggedly handsome, cold-blooded operative who boasts an alpha complex and too many guns.

AND THE MAN SENT TO STOP HER
Colby Winters, an elite member of The Titan Group, has a single objective on his black ops mission: recover a document important to national security. It was supposed to be an easy in-and-out operation. But now, by any means necessary becomes a survival mantra when he faces off with a stunning woman he can’t leave behind.

MUST PARTNER TO SURVIVE
When Titan’s safe houses are compromised, Colby stashes Mia at his home, exposing his secret—he’s the adoptive father of an orphaned baby girl. Too soon, danger arrives and Mia lands in the hands of a sadistic cartel king with a taste for torture. As hours bleed into fear-drenched days, Colby races across the globe and through a firestorm of bullets to save the woman he can’t live without.

Reviews like this are hard for me to write. I listened to Winter's Heat on a business trip out to Pittsburgh last month. It was an audiobook, and I do find sometimes that it's hard for me to separate my feeling about the book from my feeling about the narration. If you're an audiobook fan, do you have the same problem? If the narrator doesn't do it for me, it sort of taints the whole thing a bit. 

In Winter's Heat, we meet Colby Winters who is a member of The Titan Group, a bunch of beefy military-esque secret operatives who go out on dangerous and near-impossible missions. Colby's mission is an easy one - take possession of an envelope before the bad guys get it. Except Mia Kensington gets it first. So, Colby takes both Mia and the envelope, and now he has to protect them both. As they are holed up in his house, they connect on many levels, and when Mia is taken, Colby enlists the help of his whole team to get her back. 

The narration of Winter's Heat was performed by Jeffery Kafer. I don't listen to many books read by male narrators. It's not done on purpose - it just seems like, since most of the books I read have a female MC, the narrators of the audiobooks are usually female. Mr. Kafer's voice is deep. I'm talking Barry White deep. It's extremely manly and sexy and perfect for how I picture Colby. 

The problem is, when you have a very deep voice, it's got to be difficult to inflect enough to tell the different characters apart. All the guys in the Titan group sounded exactly the same, so when they were all in a room together talking, it was confusing and hard for me to tell who was speaking. And, a guy with such a deep voice trying to sound like a female... honestly, it made me giggle more than once. Not the desired effect, I'm sure. Especially during the super sexy parts. 

Overall, I found the narration rather flat. 

As far as the actual plot went, the first 75% of the book was great. It was exciting, and I enjoyed learning more about what was in that envelope and how Mia came to have it in her possession. I liked Colby's alpha protectiveness toward Mia. Although I think the love and sex between them came on really fast - it was very instalovey - the sexual tension between them was really good. 

The last 25% of the book was just a little far-fetched for me. Admittedly, military type romances like this are not books that I read a lot. Perhaps they are all like this? But, the parts that took place in Colombia just had me scratching my head a bit. It felt like, it was pathetically easy for Mia to be taken from this supposedly impenetrable home, then equally as easy for her to be rescued. 

My dislike of the audio version seems to be affecting my ability to objectively review the book. I'm wondering if I would have a different opinion if I read the PB version instead. Perhaps for book #2...

REVIEW: The Naturals (The Naturals #1)

The Naturals (The Naturals #1), by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published November 5, 2013
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Format: audiobook, purchased
Genre: young adult suspense/crime/mystery
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Rating: 5 STARS

(From Goodreads) Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

The Naturals is different from what I usually read. It's not driven by a romance. It's not paranormal. And, it's just a little bit scary. I felt like I had gotten in a bit of a rut lately, and was looking for something outside of the box I had found myself in. The Naturals sounded interesting to me, so I decided to go for it, and I was astounded at how much I enjoyed it!

Cassie has an uncanny ability - she can tell you all about a person just by observing them. She lives with her overbearing Italian extended family after her mother was murdered and her military father threw himself into his work. When Cassie is approached by the FBI and asked to work with them to use her gift to help solve cold cases, she jumps at the chance to do some good. The four other kids in the program have similar abilities to hers, and Cassie thinks she's finally found a home and a purpose. Until a serial killer the FBI is currently tracking seems to set his sights on her. 

The Naturals was like two parts Psych and one part The Alphas.

Cassie finds herself in a house with four other kids. There's Sloane who is like a walking encyclopedia, Michael who can tell people's feelings and emotions by looking at them, Lia is like a human lie detector and Dean is also a profiler like Cassie. Dean and FBI agent Lacey Locke take Cassie under their wings to teach her how to hone her ability and use it to help the FBI solve cold cases. 

Cassie is a really strong female main character. She is ballsey, takes chances, and goes for what she believes in. Despite the grisly nature of what these kids do, Cassie remains compassionate and sensitive. She's like most other 17-year-olds - she only wants to fit in and make friends. But, with her tragic past and her ability to pick people apart just by observing them, it's a little hard for her to be "normal." She thinks she's finally found her place in the world among the other teenage freaks. 

Her reception in the house is varied. Sloane, who is, by nature, very logical and calculating, takes her arrival in stride. I enjoyed Sloane's no-nonsense attitude and the fact that she's been banned from coffee because of what the caffeine does to her. Poor girl. 

Michael loves Cassie. He's a bit of a player with a screwed up home life. He sets his sights on Cassie and sets to work wooing her immediately. But, Cassie seems to be most interested in Dean, perhaps because of all the kids there, he is the most like her. Except for the fact that Dean is a brooder. He always seems angry and withdrawn, so it's hard to get close to him. That makes the moments when he lets his guard down around Cassie all that much sweeter. There's a reason for Dean's aloofness, and when it's revealed, you can sort of understand why he is the way he is. 

Finally, there's Lia, who is the book's token mean girl. She's BFFs in a weird way with Dean and an on-again, off-again hook-up with Michael. You can't tell even a little white lie around her or she will call you out. Do you have any idea how many itty bitty fibs you tell in a day? And how hard it would be to be around someone who knew every single time you let one slip? It would get old, fast. Lia was a great mean girl. You get the impression that, perhaps, she's not really as bad as she makes herself out to be. But, the uber bitch in her always comes out, and your temporary softening toward her disappears immediately. 

The overarching mystery was awesome. There is a serial killer giving the FBI trouble. He's killing girls, and although the kids were only hired to take on cold cases, they're eventually brought in on this active one after the killer starts leaving little presents for Cassie here and there. I loved seeing the two boys in protector mode - they both care for Cassie in their way, and it was clear she was in deep. I enjoyed watching all five kids use their abilities to work together to try and get to the bottom of the mystery before another girl turns up dead. 

I'm really excited for the next book! Although the mystery was solved, the love triangle was not. I use the term "love triangle" loosely - the romance angle was not pressed hard in The Naturals. It was more of an afterthought, which was fine since the mystery took center stage. But, there was a triangle of sorts between Cassie, Michael and Dean. I have my favorite, and I'm looking forward to reading the next book to see if I will get my wish.

BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Deceived

Welcome to my stop on the Deceived blog tour hosted by YA Bound Blog Tours! Check out my review, then hop down to the bottom for a fantastic giveaway. Don't forget to visit the other stops on the tour!

Deceived, by Julie Anne Lindsey
Published September 18, 2013
Publisher:  Merit Press
Format: e-ARC, provided by YA Bound Blog Tours and the author in exchange for an honest review
Genre:  young adult suspense, romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Book Depository

Rating:  3.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) When Elle's father, a single parent and a big shot in corporate insurance, moves her to yet another boarding school for senior year, Elle is disgusted when nothing changes. Her night terrors don't go away, and, soon, despite her father's caring calls and visits, Elle starts to believe she's losing her mind. She knows she's being followed; a ribbon is tied around her doorknob, and there are those cigarette butts that keep turning up on the doormat, in violation of a strict smoking ban on campus. Then there's Bryan, an intriguing boy Elle meets at a flea market and later finds out is a student at her school. Yet on campus, he pretends he doesn't recognize her - until the day he divulges just how much danger she's in. In her search for an answer to all the madness, Elle unravels the truth about her dad's real identity, why someone has lied to her all her life, and the terrifying truth that she may be the only one who can save her from the one who's following her now.

I've always been a big fan of the "whodunit" kind of mysteries. I like the suspense of not knowing everything that's going on. Of not being quite sure who the good guys and the bad guys are. Any book that can wrap that kind of suspense up with the romance that I really need to keep me sucked it is definitely one that I want to read. Deceived has all those elements, so naturally, I was excited. 

Elle doesn't have all her memories from when she was a child, but she knows something scary must've happened because of her dreams. And, now she is away at school with the opportunity to finally shake her fears, except they seem to have followed her. Signs that she's being watched are all over. But, who's doing the watching? No doubt Brian is, but there's something different about him. His presence actually makes her feel safer, and she may need his protection if the real watcher has his or her way.

I loved not knowing what was going on. I love to be surprised. Deceived surprised me, and that's hard to do these days. The mystery in Deceived was a really good one. There were plenty of twists and turns wrapped up in a little bit of cloak and dagger and sealed with a kiss. 

The romance was a sweet one, albeit a tad unbelievable. Brian has his own secrets that come out relatively quickly, so thank goodness we don't have to wait until the end for that. He's a bit older than Elle, but the age difference never bothered me. I was never overly aware of it. I think Brian was my favorite character. He was aloof and slightly creepy in the beginning, and then brave and strong when he needed to be. He was the perfect compliment to Elle. 

Elle was the weaker character, I thought. She was very fearful and timid. I prefer my female characters to be strong and bold. Elle was mousy almost to the point of ridiculousness. Sometimes I just wanted to shake her and tell her to man up. She did have her moments, including a big one, where she does reach deep down to find the strength the situation calls for, so I did appreciate that. 

Many times, I felt like some of the things that were going on were just not plausible. I can't say too much without giving major plot points away. But, there are definitely some events and some plot elements that seemed a little far fetched. I feel like stories should be seamless - they should reflect real life and I should feel like I could take a trip to where the story is happening and really find the characters there. I didn't feel that way with Deceived. 

Overall though, Deceived was a really good book. I remained engaged and interested. I really wanted to find out which of the possible baddies was the real one. And I wanted to find out if Elle and Brian found a way to be together. The suspense was killing me - and that's a good thing. 

About the Author

Julie Anne Lindsey is a multi-genre author who writes the stories that keep her up at night. In 2013, Julie welcomes five new releases in three genres including her newest title, DECEIVED, a YA suspense from Merit Press, and her first cozy mystery, MURDER BY THE SEASIDE, book one in the Patience Price, Counselor at Large series from Carina Press (a digital imprint of Harlequin). 

Julie is a self-proclaimed word nerd who would rather read than almost anything else. She started writing to make people smile. Someday she plans to change the world. Most days you'll find her online, amped up on caffeine and wielding a book.
 
Julie is a member of the International Thriller Writers (ITW), Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI), Sisters in Crime (SinC) and the Canton Writer’s Guild.

Learn more about Julie Anne Lindsey --> Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook / Blog / Pintrest / Tumblr

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