MURDER AND OTHER UNNATURAL DISASTERS

Watch out Southern California! There's a new entertainment attorney in town and she's got game. Only problem is, it’s not the one she should be playing. Corrie Locke belongs behind a desk, not behind a Glock. She should be taking VIP calls, not nosing around a questionable suicide. Instead, she's hot on the trail of a murderer. Luckily, she's the daughter of a late, great private eye and she's inherited his love of sleuthing…and illegal weaponry. It doesn't help matters that her gene for caution is a recessive one. Corrie finds herself in the center of a murder case, unearthing suspects in shocking places. With a cold-blooded killer on the loose, Corrie will have to up her game, or die trying.

Review

Guys... I really love books. I want to spend all my time reading, and stories like Murder and Other Unnatural Disasters is exactly the type of book that reminds me why. I wasn't sure quite what I was getting into when I requested this book on NetGalley, but I'm so glad I decided to read this. MaOUS is mostly a mystery, but also a really great character driven story.

Corrie Locke is an entertainment attorney, but she quickly gets in way over her head. It's impossible not too root for this girl as she tries to balance everything she has going on while also trying to, you know, not get killed.

The writing is really engaging and smart, so I was suprised to see that Lida Sideris doesn't have any other books out yet. I'll be keeping an eye out for what she comes up with next. 

Blog Tour: Goddess of Suburbia by Stephanie Kepke

Suburbia meets scandal in this hopeful and honest portrayal of that moment in every woman’s life when it's time to make a change, even if that means risking losing it all. Goddess of Suburbia by Stephanie Kepke is a must-read for women looking to reconnect with their passions, and live authentically.

When pillar of the community and PTA mom, Max, allowed her husband, Nick, to record a sex video of them on his cell phone, she thought of it as simply a way to keep Nick interested and entertained during his frequent business trips. But suddenly, Max is trending everywhere—her video lighting up the blogosphere and Twitter, thanks to the fact that she’s a genuine, imperfect woman. Now the paparazzi are chronicling her every move; her daughter wants to disown her; and her marriage has completely fallen apart. Just as things can't get any more chaotic, Max's college boyfriend, shows up two decades after he broke her heart. Now Max must learn to stop going through the motions of her life on auto-pilot and start living authentically, or risk forever being a suburban lemming running towards the cliff of old age.

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Review: Fall Line by Tudor Robins

Fall Line

Everything’s forward.

Those are fifteen-year-old Chris Myers’ words for the year.

The next gate, the next race, his spot on the district ski team; they’re all his for the taking.

Except training is such hard work. And then there’s Jenna – the very opposite of hard work – gorgeous, curvy, and into partying. Into Chris.

Instead of moving forward, Chris is sliding back. Slower times, worse results, and his best friend, Tilly, drifting away.

“The thing you want is right in front of you,” Tilly said. Now Chris just has to figure out what that thing is – and how to get it – before it’s too late.

Fast-paced, fun, and intense, Fall Line is a refreshing read from start gate to finish line.

Review

What initially grabbed my attention when I saw this book on NetGalley was the cover, specifically the awesome colors. Then once I saw it was skiing related, I really couldn't resist picking it up. As someone who isn't especially atheletic, I sort of have a thing for sports books (and it turns out, Tudor Robins is a great author for that in particular) and Fall Line didn't disappoint.

This book follows Chris Meyers who is all about skiing, until distractions start to get in the way that is. Most of those distractions come in the form of Jenna, and romance, and all that good stuff. I really enjoyed watching Chris try to find that balance between drive/passion/ambition and building a life, enjoying being a teenager. He definitely doesn't always make the right choices, but I still always wanted to see him succeed.

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Blog Tour + Guest Post: Overexposed by Adrianne James

The bright screen shines at you in mockery. The blinking cursor that seems to scream HA-HA...HA-HA...HA-HA with every stupid flash. We have all been there. I promise. It’s not something that people say to make it you feel better. It is the truth and nothing but the truth so help me….yeah yeah yeah. You know the rest.

So, what can you do to stop the imaginary mocking of the computer screen? That’s easy. All you have to do is write. Yes. I just said to write even though you are thinking, "But I’m blocked! Stupid woman!"

I didn’t say to write what you are trying to force out. For one, it will be crap. Yup. I said it. Forcing the words out will almost guarantee that they will suck. For two, if it were that easy, you wouldn’t need me telling you anything.

What I mean is just write anything at all. Write out your stream of consciousness. Write out your thoughts on the TV show you watched or the last book you read (which you should do anyway! Review for your fellow author!). Write out that fantasy that runs through your head every time you see Joe Manganiello grace your screen (that can’t be just me). Seriously, write out anything other than your current work in progress. Just keep writing.

Then take a break and reread your story. Fall in love with the characters again. Picture their future as if they were your children. Then, write. I bet the words will flow. And if not, write something else until they do.

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In the tiny town of Willowspring, just about nothing ever happens except for layoffs, hockey games, and your average melodramatic teenage angst.

But that was before.

Vi, Ashley, and Macy are just trying to make it through the school year without one more humiliation when they team up for a simple photography assignment: create a story through a series of photographs. Can't be too much trouble, right?

Wrong.

The shutterbugs happen upon Willowspring High School's darkest secret. When everything around them starts to crumble after trying to do the right thing, their only hope is to stick together.

Blog Tour: Praying for Time by Cassandre Dayne

What if a single secret shared between friends could destroy everything?

Russell Willis adores Jake Timmons and while their relationship has its ups and downs, they are happy, healthy and living life the way they’ve always dreamed. A well-respected architect, Russell has plans for the future, which include marriage, but in a single moment, his visions are shattered—Jake is gravely ill. 

While Jake has always kept his emotions and details about his past locked away, the diagnosis shuts him down into a world of denial, a refusal to face reality. Unsure of what to do, Russell allows him space until he’s certain his lover is having an affair. Angry and confused, he flees, seeking solace, answers and possibly retribution. 

Kyle Bass knows about tragedy. His long-time lover was taken in a drunken driving accident, he’s barely on the healing track, and guilt has changed him forever. When he finds out about Jake’s condition, he offers to help, no matter what he’s asked to do. The request rattles his world. Determined to keep the secret, Kyle is led down an emotional trail until he’s unable to cope. As the scheme turns ugly and he’s accused of betrayal, he struggles with his personal demons. 

Unfortunately Jake’s health takes a serious turn for the worse. In his quest to bring Russell home, Kyle is forced to face the truth about undying love. Secrets endured from their respective pasts take a damning toll and yet one hidden treasure remains—an unexpected light in a bleak time, but would the two haunted men grasp onto the only thing able to save them? Sadly, as their respective worlds unravel, they are all praying for time.

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MY REVIEW
I've been seeing a lot of Cassandre Dayne books on NetGalley lately, and absolutely love it! Not sure why, but I've definitely been on a bit of a m/m romance kick this summer, and Praying For Time was absolutely the most heartbreaking story I've read in a good long while in any sort of romance. Now, I'm not the biggest fan of this cover, but the blurb really hooked me.

Russell and Jake are happy. Life isn't perfect, but they've got each other. at least until Jake gets sick and is faced with a very possibly terminal diagnosis. He handles it out by shutting Russell out, and everything spirals from there. Enter Kyle.

Praying for Time is packed with twists and drama, while keeping the relationship between Russell and Jake at it's core. I almost wish we could have spent more time (no pun intended) with just these two without bringing Kyle into the mis, but ultimately the story worked well and had me hooked.