The Outcast, by Eve M. Riley is the second book in the Techboys Series. I enjoyed the second book in the series, every bit as much as the first book. FThe Outcast, by Eve M. Riley is the second book in the Techboys Series. I enjoyed the second book in the series, every bit as much as the first book. Fabian, the hero of book two, was the hacker friend who helped sort things out in book one, so I enjoyed seeing his story and it turns out the hero and heroine of book two are best friends with the hero and heroine of book one. There is a lot of graphic content in The Outcast, so much so, the author pens a warning to readers up front. Not only is there graphic sex, there is content on drug use and the repercussions it has on one’s overall health. Vivid description and internal dialogue rivet the reader in every scene. Riley is a convincing writer and drags the reader through a dark mire of different forms of abusive behaviour. I enjoyed her main characters and their backstories and as a result was willing to follow along with the story line, despite some far-reaching extremes. Lots of sexual tension and angst. Fabian is the quintessential bad boy and Kate is the proverbial good girl; both push boundaries to find HEA.
Merged review:
The Outcast, by Eve M. Riley is the second book in the Techboys Series. I enjoyed the second book in the series, every bit as much as the first book. Fabian, the hero of book two, was the hacker friend who helped sort things out in book one, so I enjoyed seeing his story and it turns out the hero and heroine of book two are best friends with the hero and heroine of book one. There is a lot of graphic content in The Outcast, so much so, the author pens a warning to readers up front. Not only is there graphic sex, there is content on drug use and the repercussions it has on one’s overall health. Vivid description and internal dialogue rivet the reader in every scene. Riley is a convincing writer and drags the reader through a dark mire of different forms of abusive behaviour. I enjoyed her main characters and their backstories and as a result was willing to follow along with the story line, despite some far-reaching extremes. Lots of sexual tension and angst. Fabian is the quintessential bad boy and Kate is the proverbial good girl; both push boundaries to find HEA....more
Kelly Watt’s poems and prose shatter innocence. Her powerful imagery plucks at heartstrings and provides an emotionally charged ride with steep highs Kelly Watt’s poems and prose shatter innocence. Her powerful imagery plucks at heartstrings and provides an emotionally charged ride with steep highs and deep lows, not unlike a roller coaster. The Weeping Degree will steal your breath and make you pray for catharsis. Poignant and gut-wrenching....more
Judy Malcolm's Her Only Hero is a romantic suspense that will keep you turning pages. Her knowledge of lab protocols and police procedures add a measuJudy Malcolm's Her Only Hero is a romantic suspense that will keep you turning pages. Her knowledge of lab protocols and police procedures add a measure of realism to the text. While the chemistry between the hero and heroine combusts, an interesting medical mystery unfolds and keeps the reader guessing right until the end. Highly recommend....more
CRUSHING, by TR Simmons, is a timely YA novel with a unique voice. Atarah is a high-school senior who navigates a mine-field of popularity problems in CRUSHING, by TR Simmons, is a timely YA novel with a unique voice. Atarah is a high-school senior who navigates a mine-field of popularity problems in order to find HEA. A daunting task for any student, but even more so when her decisions could mean life or death. Buckle up while TR takes you on an interactive AI journey through this futuristic world of self-discovery....more
How to Love your Neighbor, by Sophie Sullivan is a rom-com that delivers. The protagonists are well drawn and working hard to figure out their lives; How to Love your Neighbor, by Sophie Sullivan is a rom-com that delivers. The protagonists are well drawn and working hard to figure out their lives; both stem from dysfunctional families which have skewed their perceptions and given them tons of spunk. The scenarios are believable and the dialogue is quirky and cheeky. A pleasure to read from start to finish. Some of the secondary characters in this book were the main characters in Sullivan’s book, Ten Rules for Faking It. The ties added another level of familiarity and growth which was as welcome as the growth exhibited by this book’s main characters, while they battled the skeletons in their closets....more
What’s Not Lost, by Valerie Taylor is the third book in what I assume is a ‘stand-alone’ trilogy. It may be the continuation of Kassie O’Callaghan’s sWhat’s Not Lost, by Valerie Taylor is the third book in what I assume is a ‘stand-alone’ trilogy. It may be the continuation of Kassie O’Callaghan’s story, and readers may easily step into the story, but not without missing a few important links. Initially, the abundance of hard ‘K’ names (Kassie, Karen, Chris) made differentiation repetitive and somewhat difficult and the story lacked a basic picture of each of the protagonists. Granted, these descriptions may be well-drawn in the previous books, but since I did not read those, I have no clear picture of either the hero or heroine, their history or their previous plights, and as a result, was really not invested in their stories. Taylor deftly keeps the action rolling and the dialogue is snappy and rings true. I did enjoy watching the train-wreck of circumstances which opens Kassie’s eyes and sets her on a course of self-discovery. ...more
Rated 3.5/5 The opening scene of this book is one of my favourites--when Everly tells her friend about her cheating ex on the air. The book was writtenRated 3.5/5 The opening scene of this book is one of my favourites--when Everly tells her friend about her cheating ex on the air. The book was written in 3rd person past tense and at times the humour seemed a bit forced to me. Although the book was well-written, the scenario created (a heroine with such severe social anxiety) was a bit unsettling. I think someone with these tendencies would need some kind of medical intervention. This and the hero keeping his attraction concealed for so long, made the story a bit over the top for me....more
Rating 4/5 Sixteen Summers opens with tragedy and goes into the various stages of the protagonist's grief. Moss writes in first person past tense from Rating 4/5 Sixteen Summers opens with tragedy and goes into the various stages of the protagonist's grief. Moss writes in first person past tense from three point of views. The characters are well defined and the plot illustrates the grieving process ad infinitum...in my opinion a bit too much. A lesser job was done introducing the new love interest. I wanted to feel more for the new man in her life. ...more
Rated this book a 4.5/5 The Refusal begins with a believable scenario in corporate America today. A profitable company has been hacked and damage contrRated this book a 4.5/5 The Refusal begins with a believable scenario in corporate America today. A profitable company has been hacked and damage control must be initiated. In some cases, I find stories written in first person present tense a bit jarring, but in Riley's case, I found the prose very true to life. I loved the heroine who is very kick-ass and comes in to save the day...I also enjoyed that the story illuminated the marginalization that still exists today. The hero and the heroine were well defined and on occasion their voices were hard to differentiate, but I was willing to go with it because both were IT techs and self-professed nerds....more
A Whopper of a Red Herring Rated 4.25/5 The Amsterdam Deception is the story of a ballet dancer who falls victim to a questionable science experiment whA Whopper of a Red Herring Rated 4.25/5 The Amsterdam Deception is the story of a ballet dancer who falls victim to a questionable science experiment which allows him to access the memories and capabilities of a master spy--a very interesting premise! The book is well-written and fast-paced. The action catapults the reader through Amsterdam, Paris and later, California. Lots of well-choreographed fight scenes and one hell of a huge red-herring....more
Cold from Coldwater Confession Rating 3.5/5 Ross creates a vivid setting in Pocket Island with its Frank Lloyd Wright house, its muddy bogs and its creeCold from Coldwater Confession Rating 3.5/5 Ross creates a vivid setting in Pocket Island with its Frank Lloyd Wright house, its muddy bogs and its creepy underwater caves. This fortuitous location has been used as a safe haven for slaves, booze and now, stolen munitions. The Morgan brothers team up to solve three local murders. Ross delivers a bare-bones story and often leaves the reader hanging to connect the dots between chapters. I wanted to be invested in the protagonists plight but since very little internal dialogue and emotion is shared, I found the story very cold indeed....more
Sandra Brown is one of my all time favorite authors. Overkill is a solid example of her skill in delivering plot twists. Just when you think you know Sandra Brown is one of my all time favorite authors. Overkill is a solid example of her skill in delivering plot twists. Just when you think you know what's going to happen, you're hit in the face with another path to follow. I enjoyed this book, but sometimes fiction can trigger real life Ordeals that you've recently dealt with, or are dealing with. I think that's why I didn't love it. It hit a bit too close for comfort. Having said that, I will likely reread this book in a month or two for time has a way of putting things into a clearer perspective....more
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