First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

"There is one mirror in my house."

~ Divergent by Veronica Roth

The movie premieres in theaters today! Are you going to see it? Watch the trailer below.

After I'm Gone

"When destiny wants to fuck with you, it can afford to be patient. Destiny has all the time in the world." ~ pg. 32

Felix Brewer disappeared on July 4, 1976, leaving behind a wife (Bambi) and three daughters. His mistress, Julie Saxony went missing almost ten years to the day on July 3, 1986. It was assumed Julie had gone to join her old lover Felix...until her remains are found. Fast forward 26 more years and a retired Baltimore detective, Sandy Sanchez, is working the cold case for extra cash. He discovers a tangled web of deceit, lies and jealousy revolving around five women (faithful wife Bambi, dead mistress Julie and three very different daughters) bound together by one man: Felix.

Lately I have jumped on the bestseller wagon by immediately reading newly released popular books. After I'm Gone is featured in a few magazines and on a few bookish sites. The synopsis seemed mysterious enough to read right away. At a quick glance, the six sections sounded interesting too: Hold Me, Kiss Me, Thrill Me, Miss Me, Tell Me, and Never Let Me Go.

"You can rewrite life all you want. It's still a play where everyone dies in the end." ~ pg. 159

Some people argue that if you've read one mystery, you've read them all. Not so. But in this case (pun intended), the same detective mystery recipe was used. The alternating points of view between present-day (2012) and back-in-the-day (starting in 1959) tended to slow me down in After I'm Gone. The cliché of the retired cop trying to solve one more big cold case. The same cop who lived an ain't-shit life but can solve cases better than anyone. Same ole, same ole.

Title: After I'm Gone
Author: Laura Lippman
Published: February 2014
Pages: 275
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥

 

Raw

"His brand of sex comes with a warning label." ~ pg. 35

What a perfect title to a love story gone wrong. Raw begins with a six-year-old girl saving a hurt eight-year-old boy. They exchange names and go separate ways. Twenty years later, they meet again except Lexi does not realize Twitch is the boy she once saved. Lexi only sees him as he is now: her stalker.

I was emotionally involved in the characters of Raw. I really cared about their lives and the outcome of their unconventional love. How is it possible to fall in love with your stalker? Only a moron, right? And this, along with a few other twists, made it interesting to see unfold. It is very well written and I was pleasantly surprised to learn the author is only in her mid-twenties. This standalone novel is evidence that readers make the best writers. So per the author's message at the end of the book, I am proud to write and share my review of Raw. I hope you follow my recommendation (and the other 10,000+ positive reviews).

Note to Author: Hey, Belle! (We are on a first-name basis in my head.) You are definitely on my radar now. I will read whatever you release next. Thank you for stepping outside of the romance box and writing a novel that earned a spot in my best books of the year.

Title: Raw
Author: Belle Aurora
Published: January 2014
Pages: 252
Edition: eBook
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

Missing You

"Does pain happen if you don't remember it?" ~ pg. 45

NYPD Detective Kat Donovan is shocked when scrolling through profiles on an online dating site. It's not just any profile pic that makes her heart skip a beat. It is the picture of her ex-fiancé Jeff, whom she hasn't seen in 18 years. But when she reaches out to him, she is left confused by his reaction. Any hope Kat had of reuniting with Jeff disappears as an investigation unfolds, making her question the love of her ex-fiancé, her boss, her mother and even her father, whose murder was never fully explained.

New York Times bestselling author Harlan Coben never disappoints. Missing You has elements of a great mystery: dead bodies, intense scenes, engaging dialogue, suspense and conspiracy theories. There are layers to the story told in separate chapters that when put together, creates quite the mysterious story. Not to mention two words that I thought would never be seen in a Harlan Coben novel—twerking and catfish—made its way into the story.

Whether you are a Myron Bolitar fan, a Mickey Bolitar fan, or just a Harlan Coben fan...you need to read this new thriller. It releases today (March 18). Start your day off right by purchasing or downloading it. You don't want to miss out on reading Missing You.

DISCLAIMER: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Title: Missing You
Author: Harlan Coben
Published: March 2014
Pages: 416
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

Series Sunday: Deceptive Innocence, Part Three

(Pure Sin #3)

Series Sunday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Read an installment of a series.
• Share your review/recommendation below.
• Include the title, author and series name.

"I'm seeking comfort from the man I want to destroy, and the reason I need comfort is because someone is trying to keep me from destroying him." ~ pg. 22

My Series Sunday selection is Deceptive Innocence, Part Three in the Pure Sin series by Kyra Davis. Still focused on revenge and destroying the Gables family, Bell is falling fast in love with Lander, the youngest son. She is doing the forbidden and falling for her mark. The sexual chemistry is strong between Bell and Lander. Off the charts hot! Meanwhile, their individual agendas just may clash.

Deceptive Innocence, Part Three is my favorite of the Pure Sin series so far becomes it combines Kyra Davis' new (erotica) and old (mystery) writing skills. It delves deeper into Bell's pysche and the Gables brothers motives. I was hoping part three was the end of this trilogy. Silly me, huh? But it is apparent from the ending that this story is far from over. A full length novel (300+ pages) titled Dangerous Alliance will finish the series. I am not yet sure whether this new structure of three novellas and one final novel is preferred, but it seems to have worked for the author.

Deceptive Innocence, Part Three is available tomorrow (March 17, 2014). Be sure to download this third installment that is sure to have you panting for more passion, lust and revenge.

Title: Deceptive Innocence, Part Three
Author: Kyra Davis
Published: March 2014
Pages: 192
Edition: Galley
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

DISCLAIMER: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

 

First Lines Friday

First Lines Friday is a bookish meme hosted by Literary Marie of Precision Reviews. I encourage all of my fellow book bloggers and bookhearts to play along.

• Grab your current read(s).
• Share the first line(s).
• Include the title and author.

"The statutory definition of homicide is the 'unlawful killing of one human being by another.'"

~ K is for Killer by Sue Grafton

 

The Comfort of Lies

 
"More than anything, she knew she should say no. More than anything, he tempted her to say yes." ~ pg. 203

When I received a review copy of The Comfort of Lies, I was eager to dive in reading. The title alone piqued my interest. Aren't we all comfortable with lies? I was drawn in from the first page.

The Comfort of Lies has an alternating point of view between three very different women all connected to a five-year-old girl: Tia, the birth mother; Caroline, the adopted mother; and Juliette, the wife of the birth father. Five years ago, Tia was in love with an unavailable man. He broke ties when she became pregnant so she gave the baby up for adoption. Caroline felt pressured to please her husband and adopt a baby despite being a workaholic. Juliette thought she had a picture-perfect life with a loving husband, two sons and a thriving business...until she learned of Nathan's affair and intercepts a letter containing photos of his daughter. Upset and in search of the truth, Juliette's actions lead her to Caroline and Tia's door looking for answers. None of the characters are prepared for the consequences of lies told.

Sharp writing. Emotional story. Complex characters. Layered drama that kept me flipping the pages. The Comfort of Lies was just published a few short weeks ago, making it a prime pick for a book club (discussion questions/readers guide included). You will not be disappointed if you purchase this novel; get snowed in with this good read from an award-nominated author Randy Susan Meyers. Watch the trailer below and read an excerpt here.

DISCLAIMER: This book was received directly from the publisher for review purposes only. In no way does it influence my review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Title: The Comfort of Lies
Author: Randy Susan Meyers
Published: January 2014
Pages: 326
Edition: Paperback
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥