WENDY DARLING by Colleen Oakes

My November reviews:




Title: WENDY DARLING by Colleen Oakes

First the blurb:

Wendy Darling has a perfectly agreeable life with her parents and brothers in wealthy London, as well as a budding romance with Booth, the neighborhood bookseller’s son. But while their parents are at a ball, the charmingly beautiful Peter Pan comes to the Darling children’s nursery and—dazzled by this flying boy with god-like powers—they follow him out of the window and straight on to morning, to Neverland, a intoxicating island of feral freedom.

As time passes in Neverland, Wendy realizes that this Lost Boy’s paradise of turquoise seas, mermaids, and pirates holds terrible secrets rooted in blood and greed. As Peter’s grasp on her heart tightens, she struggles to remember where she came from—and begins to suspect that this island of dreams, and the boy who desires her—have the potential to transform into an everlasting nightmare.

What I thought:

This story started out slow for me, but I connected with some of the characters (namely Wendy, Booth, & Michael.) There was a lot of page space devoted to developing the setting and less devoted to character development. I had a hard time finishing this and, when I did finish, I'm still shaking my head wondering what I just read.

I don't usually do spoilers in reviews, but...I'm going to here, because I don't know how else to convey why I'm giving this two stars. (Highlight blank space below to view spoilers.)


Peter Pan shows up around the 30% mark and the Darling children head off to Neverland. I expected the action to pick up, and it did. Momentarily. There were pages and pages of scenery--the vegetation described in exacting detail, the lost boys, the tree--and I put the book away for a few weeks. Good instincts, I think.

Peter starts out charming and doting on Wendy. The go on an *adventure* to steal wine from Hook and Wendy starts to see more of the real Peter. Things quickly decline. Wendy remembers where she's from and her parents and all the things she'd forgotten, and wants to go home. Peter gets all possessive and rapey and WTF. He threatens to kill her brothers unless she agrees to love him.

So...basically, that's the plot. Oh, and Tink's in it too. She tries to kill Wendy a few times; after the last time, Peter beats the crap out of her.

I don't mind difficult themes in fiction. But I think it should have a purpose. This seems plot driven to me--as in there wasn't a plot and this stood in for one.

Overall, there were some parts I liked. Some of the scenes were beautifully detailed, but this book was not for me. I gave it two sad stars **

There are some glowing reviews for this title, so maybe it's just me. If you want to give it a try, find it on Goodreads and let me know what you thought.

*I received a free eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

Happy reading,
Chelly

P.S. I love comments. Give me some book recommendations or just say hi. You can find me on twitter: @ChellyPike

THE UNFORTUNATE DECISIONS OF DAHLIA MOSS by Max Wirestone

Books, Books, and More Books for October:



My review of THE UNFORTUNATE DECISIONS OF DAHLIA MOSS:

First the blurb:

Meet Dahlia Moss, the reigning queen of unfortunate decision-making in the St. Louis area. Unemployed, broke, and on her last bowl of ramen, she's not living her best life. But that's all about to change.

Before Dahlia can make her life any messier on her own, she's offered a job. A job that she's woefully under-qualified for. A job that will lead her to a murder, an MMORPG, and possibly a fella (or two?).

Turns out unfortunate decisions abound, and she's just the girl to deal with them.

And from Amazon:

For fans of The Guild, New Girl, Scott Pilgrim, Big Bang Theory, Veronica Mars, or anyone who has ever geeked out about something.

The odds of Dahlia successfully navigating adulthood are 3,720 to 1. But never tell her the odds.

Meet Dahlia Moss, the reigning queen of unfortunate decision-making in the St. Louis area. Unemployed broke, and on her last bowl of ramen, she's not living her best life. But that's all about to change.

Before Dahlia can make her life any messier on her own she's offered a job. A job that she's woefully under-qualified for. A job that will lead her to a murder, an MMORPG, and possibly a fella (or two?).

Turns out unfortunate decisions abound, and she's just the girl to deal with them.

What I thought:

The voice in this is delightful. I know some don't like when the narrator addresses the reader directly, and there is a little bit of that here, but I enjoyed it immensely. The story is well-plotted and the pacing is quick. The characters are fully fleshed and fun. This book hooked me with the voice from the first page and I had a hard time putting it down. I definitely recommend this book and am adding this author to my must-read list.

*I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and I honestly loved it.

I give THE UNFORTUNATE DECISIONS OF DAHLIA MOSS five glowing stars ***** and hope you pick it up when it comes out on October 20th.

Preorder it at Amazon or go to Goodreads for more links and reviews. And then let me know what you think. I love comments, so drop me a comment and tell me what you're reading or tell me what I should be reading.

Happy reading,
Chelly

FIRSTS by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn / BLOOD AND SALT by Kim Liggett / A THOUSAND NIGHTS by E.K. Johnston / HUNTER by Mercedes Lackey

Here are my reviews for September:



My review of FIRSTS by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn:

First the blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Mercedes Ayres has an open-door policy when it comes to her bedroom, but only if the guy fulfills a specific criteria: he has to be a virgin. Mercedes lets the boys get their awkward, fumbling first times over with, and all she asks in return is that they give their girlfriends the perfect first time- the kind Mercedes never had herself.

Keeping what goes on in her bedroom a secret has been easy- so far. Her absentee mother isn’t home nearly enough to know about Mercedes’ extracurricular activities, and her uber-religious best friend, Angela, won’t even say the word “sex” until she gets married. But Mercedes doesn’t bank on Angela’s boyfriend finding out about her services and wanting a turn- or on Zach, who likes her for who she is instead of what she can do in bed.

When Mercedes’ perfect system falls apart, she has to find a way to salvage her reputation and figure out where her heart really belongs in the process. Funny, smart, and true-to-life, FIRSTS is a one-of-a-kind young adult novel about growing up.

My thoughts on FIRSTS:

I read this book in less than a day, which--to me--means the pacing is flawless. The characters are delightfully fleshed out, and Mercedes (a.k.a. Mercy) is perfectly flawed. Seriously flawed. Flawed in a way that makes girls unlikable to other girls and, really, everyone else, and I loved her. Damaged. Her logic is twisted in a way that makes sense only to her. And this book. Wow. I've lost the ability to craft sentences.

No spoilers, so just read this book. You get a gold star if you like unlikable characters because there is definitely a thick layer of unlikability here. And it's done in the best possible way--with all the feels. All of the characters are layered and real. The pacing makes this book a thrill-ride to the end, where you're waiting for the train to crash, because it has to crash, right?

I give this one all the shiny stars ***** and insist that everyone reads it. Insist. So pre-order it. Go to Amazon  or find it on Goodreads for more reviews and links. And since it's mean to taunt you with a book that you can't have until January 5, 2016, here are links to books you can buy that are perfect and out right now:

INK AND BONE by Rachel Caine

THE WRATH AND THE DAWN by Renee Ahdieh

HIT by Delilah S. Dawson

* I received an eARC of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and I honestly loved it.



My review of BLOOD AND SALT by Kim Liggett:

First the blurb:

Romeo and Juliet meets Children of the Corn in this one-of-a-kind romantic horror.

“When you fall in love, you will carve out your heart and throw it into the deepest ocean. You will be all in—blood and salt.”

These are the last words Ash Larkin hears before her mother returns to the spiritual commune she escaped long ago. But when Ash follows her to Quivira, Kansas, something sinister and ancient waits among the rustling cornstalks of this village lost to time.

Ash is plagued by memories of her ancestor, Katia, which harken back to the town’s history of unrequited love and murder, alchemy and immortality. Charming traditions soon give way to a string of gruesome deaths, and Ash feels drawn to Dane, a forbidden boy with secrets of his own.

As the community prepares for a ceremony five hundred years in the making, Ash must fight not only to save her mother, but herself—and discover the truth about Quivira before it’s too late. Before she’s all in—blood and salt.

My thoughts on BLOOD AND SALT*:

The cover is delightfully creepy and the book definitely delivers on that promise. I mean, really, you had me at romantic horror, so I went into this with unrealistic expectations, but was continuously taken aback at the myriad twists and turns. This story is one of a kind, but thankfully not for long, because the next book in this duology will release next  Fall.

I loved Ash. I love her voice.

And she has a twin. Yes. I love the sibling aspect to the story. I love their banter.

The early interactions with her mother, well, I don't want to give anything away, so I'll just say that the set-up is very well done.

The corn, sigh, is setting personified. The creepy thrills keep coming right up until the ending. The romance is weaved into the story--like cornhusk wreaths and ropes and dolls--forbidden but fated, and seemingly doomed from the start. I wanted more at the end, but it's not really the end.

My only complaint is that there's a bit more narrative distance in the writing than I like in first person. Yes, the distance exemplifies the main character's struggle to feel like herself in light of everything happening to her, but I wanted to feel closer to the story. I wanted every aspect to be more visceral, more immediate.

I loved this book. I give it four perfectly creepy, romantic stars ****, and can't wait to devour the second book.

It releases on Sept. 22 and you can find it on Amazon or go to Goodreads for more reviews and links. Fair warning: you're going to want the hardcover as this one belongs on your keeper shelf.

*Thanks to Penguin's First To Read for a free eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.




My review of A THOUSAND NIGHTS by E.K. Johnston:

First the blurb:
Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to her village, looking for a wife. When she sees the dust cloud on the horizon, she knows he has arrived. She knows he will want the loveliest girl: her sister. She vows she will not let her be next.

And so she is taken in her sister's place, and she believes death will soon follow. Lo-Melkhiin's court is a dangerous palace filled with pretty things: intricate statues with wretched eyes, exquisite threads to weave the most beautiful garments. She sees everything as if for the last time. But the first sun rises and sets, and she is not dead. Night after night, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, and day after day she is awoken by the sunrise. Exploring the palace, she begins to unlock years of fear that have tormented and silenced a kingdom. Lo-Melkhiin was not always a cruel ruler. Something went wrong.

Far away, in their village, her sister is mourning. Through her pain, she calls upon the desert winds, conjuring a subtle unseen magic, and something besides death stirs the air.

Back at the palace, the words she speaks to Lo-Melkhiin every night are given a strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. With each tale she spins, her power grows. Soon she dreams of bigger, more terrible magic: power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to the rule of a monster.

What I thought:

I have many feelings about this book.

First, the language is beautiful. Very atmospheric. Clever dialog. Wonderful characters. The level of storytelling is so well-executed that I'm ashamed at how long it took me to notice that--with the exception of the king--the characters aren't named.

I loved the sister aspect of this story and the mc's selfless act. I loved the relationships she develops with the women. Loved the magic and the mystery.

I usually have problems with slower stories. But the beautiful way this story evolves kept me engaged to the end and the imagery pulled me through scenes that might've felt slow and plodding.

The end left me wanting more. I think that's the only aspect that left me a bit unsatisfied. The ending felt too rushed and maybe a little incomplete.

Overall, I really liked this and recommend it, but don't expect a romance,  because it's not.

*I received a copy of this title from Netgalley  in exchange for an honest review and I honestly enjoyed it a lot.

I give this one 4 stars **** and will very likely read it again. If you want to pick it up, it releases on October 6, 2015 by Disney Hyperion. Find it on Amazon or go to Goodreads for more reviews and links. And then tell me what you thought. Pretty please.



My review of HUNTER by Mercedes Lackey:

First the blurb:

Centuries ago, the barriers between our world and the Otherworld were slashed open allowing hideous fantastical monsters to wreak havoc; destroying entire cities in their wake. Now, people must live in enclosed communities, behind walls that keep them safe from the evil creatures constantly trying to break in. Only the corps of teen Hunters with lightning reflexes and magical abilities can protect the populace from the daily attacks.

Joyeaux Charmand is a mountain girl from a close knit village who comes to the big city to join the Hunters. Joy thinks she is only there to perform her civic duty and protect the capitol Cits, or civilians, but as cameras follow her every move, she soon learns that the more successful she is in her hunts, the more famous she becomes.

With millions of fans watching her on reality TV, Joy begins to realize that Apex is not all it seems. She is forced to question everything she grew up believing about the legendary Hunters and the very world she lives in. Soon she finds that her fame may be part of a deep conspiracy that threatens to upend the protective structure built to keep dark magic out. The monsters are getting in and it is up to Joy to find out why.

My thoughts:

HUNTER started off great for me. The premise drew me in, and the promise of it kept me reading. I found Joy, the MC, very engaging. She's in a new place--a turnip--and she's adjusting to city life. She befriends some of her fellow hunters. The author does a great job of fleshing out a few of the main players here and the landscape. There's a love interest, which I liked. About halfway through, the set-up started to feel less like a promise and more like a tease. The big bad Folk Joy encounters in the opening pages is hinted at over and over again. I get that this is likely the first in a series, but I wanted more to happen in this book. So as not to give too much away, I'll just say that the plotting and pacing began, for me, to deteriorate around the 75% mark--maybe a little sooner. The plot points toward the end were too obvious for my liking, and the first person narration flattened out a lot, to the point where the action felt like a list of things that happened. I did finish and I'm curious as to where this goes, but I was disappointed in the too-easy ending.

*I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If I could give 2.5 stars, I would've, but I rounded up to 3 stars *** because I did enjoy the beginning of the story a lot.

You can find it on Amazon or go to Goodreads for more reviews and links to buy. And then tell me what you thought.

I love to hear from fellow readers. Drop me a comment or find me on twitter @ChellyPike.

Happy reading,
Chelly

RIDING DIRTY by Jill Sorenson & THE HEARTBEAT THIEF by AJ Krafton

Books, books, and more books for August:



My review of RIDING DIRTY by Jill Sorenson:

First the blurb:

He's her weapon of choice...

Psychologist Mia Richards wants revenge. Her new client, tattooed Cole "Shank" Shepherd, provides the perfect means. She just has to manipulate the felon-turned-informant into eliminating her husband's killers—members of Cole's rival motorcycle club. The first step, seducing Cole, is simple. As for walking away before she falls hard—it's already too late.…

Dirty Eleven practically raised Cole, and he plans to double-cross the cops rather than sell them out. But smart, sexy Mia is an irresistible distraction. While she's evaluating his mind, all he can think about is her body… until he discovers her true intentions. Walking a fine line between desire and betrayal, they'll have to outrun her past, his enemies and the law for a love that's dangerously real.

What I thought:

This was my first read by Jill Sorenson, and I'm hooked. Compelling characters. The sex is smoking hot.  It's fast paced and loaded with all the feels. I will definitely pick up the next one in this series. I highly recommend for those who like their romance on the steamier side.

I give it four red-hot stars **** and can't wait to devour the next in the series.

Buy it on Amazon or find more links and reviews on Goodreads.





My review of THE HEARTBEAT THIEF by A.J. Krafton:

First the blurb:

Haunted by a crushing fear of death, a young Victorian woman discovers the secret of eternal youth—she must surrender her life to attain it, and steal heartbeats to keep it.

In 1860 Surrey, a young woman has only one occupation: to marry. Senza Fyne is beautiful, intelligent, and lacks neither wealth nor connections. Finding a husband shouldn’t be difficult, not when she has her entire life before her.
But it’s not life that preoccupies her thoughts. It’s death—and that shadowy spectre haunts her every step.

So does Mr. Knell. Heart-thumpingly attractive, obviously eligible—he’d be her perfect match if only he wasn’t so macabre. All his talk about death, all that teasing about knowing how to avoid it…

When her mother arranges a courtship with another man, Senza is desperate for escape from a dull prescripted destiny. Impulsively, she takes Knell up on his offer. He casts a spell that frees her from the cruelty of time and the threat of death—but at a steep price. In order to maintain eternal youth, she must feed on the heartbeats of others.

It’s a little bit Jane Austen, a little bit Edgar Allen Poe, and a whole lot of stealing heartbeats in order to stay young and beautiful forever. From the posh London season to the back alleys of Whitechapel, across the Channel, across the Pond, across the seas of Time…

How far will Senza Fyne go to avoid Death?

What I thought:

I wanted to love this. The cover is gorgeous and the premise sounds great, but it was just too slow for me. The writing is edited--no typos--but the narrative is mostly exposition. I kept waiting for action that never happened. The pacing never picked up and I just couldn't get into it. For someone who likes a slower pace, maybe this would be a good fit, but for me it was only two stars.

To check it out, find it on Amazon or go to Goodreads for more reviews and links.

And then tell me what you think. I'm always looking for recommendations, so drop me a comment with your favorite reads or find me on twitter @ChellyPike.

Happy reading,
Chelly

GLASS HOUSES by Rachel Caine

GLASS HOUSES by Rachel Caine:

The Blurb:

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life, but they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood. Will she be able to face the town's terror or will she drown like everyone else?

What I thought:

Okay, so I'm super late to the game on this one, but I read INK & BONE and loved it, so I'm starting in on some other Rachel Caine titles.

Even though everyone has likely already read this, I'm going to attempt to review this without spoilers because I hate, hate, hate spoilers. Super-smart Claire is easy to like. She's so smart that she's the youngest freshman on campus. I worried since I prefer older YA, but my worries were quickly put to rest. Ms. Caine is a master at storytelling and this novel proves it. The story is fast-paced, well-crafted, and full of twists and turns. A Great example of a great start to a series. I'm hooked.

I give it 4 1/2 glittering stars and recommend to all YA readers, young and old.

Find it on Amazon or go to Goodreads for more links.

Have you read it? Tell me what you thought. Do you have a favorite Rachel Caine title? Drop me a comment. I love comments.

Happy reading,
Chelly

INK & BONE by Rachel Caine

My Review of INK AND BONE by Rachel Caine:

OMG, y'all.  Words fail me. Not really, but how can I do justice to this book?

Having never read anything by Rachel Caine before, I didn't know what to expect. Now that I've finished INK AND BONE, I want to read everything she's ever written. How did this happen? I blame everyone who has ever read one of her books for not smacking me across the head and forcing one of them into my hands.

The pacing is dynamic, effortless, and I couldn't put it down. The story is brilliant, complex, and perfectly executed. The layers of character and conflict are so well handled that I'm in awe. Speaking of characters, I love them all. Each and every one of them is alive on the page. The book has everything. I plowed through it at warp speed, because I had to know what happened next, and now I want to read it again to savor the details. And I will read it again. It's going on my keeper shelf. INK AND BONE is the book by which I will judge all future books!

This one gets ALL THE STARS ***** and I need extra stars. I want to cover it in STARS.

*I received an electronic arc of this title from FirstToRead in exchange for an honest review and I honestly loved it.

Yes, you absolutely need this book in your life, so find it here on  Amazon or go to Goodreads for more places to buy.

As always, I hope my reviews help books find happy grabby hands, so let me know if you pick it up and what you think about it. :)

Happy reading,
Chelly

P.S. Thoughts and comments are always welcome and appreciated. Drop me a comment with recommendations or find me on twitter @ChellyPike

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INK AND BONE by Rachel Caine/ABOUT A GIRL by Sarah McCarry/THOSE GIRLS by Lauren Saft/COLD MOON by Alexandra Sokoloff/RAISONNE CURSE by Rinda Elliott

My Review of INK AND BONE by Rachel Caine:

My first review of the month and OMG, y'all.  Words fail me. Not really, but how can I do justice to this book?

Having never read anything by Rachel Caine before, I didn't know what to expect. Now that I've finished INK AND BONE, I want to read everything she's ever written. How did this happen? I blame everyone who has ever read one of her books for not smacking me across the head and forcing one of them into my hands.

The pacing is dynamic, effortless, and I couldn't put it down. The story is brilliant, complex, and perfectly executed. The layers of character and conflict are so well handled that I'm in awe. Speaking of characters, I love them all. Each and every one of them is alive on the page. The book has everything. I plowed through it at warp speed, because I had to know what happened next, and now I want to read it again to savor the details. And I will read it again. It's going on my keeper shelf. INK AND BONE is the book by which I will judge all future books!

This one gets ALL THE STARS ***** and I need extra stars. I want to cover it in STARS.

*I received an electronic arc of this title from FirstToRead in exchange for an honest review and I honestly loved it.

Yes, you absolutely need this book in your life, so find it here on  Amazon or go to Goodreads for more places to buy.

As always, I hope my reviews help books find happy grabby hands, so let me know if you pick it up and what you think about it. :)

Happy reading,
Chelly

P.S. Thoughts and comments are always welcome and appreciated. Drop me a comment with recommendations or find me on twitter @ChellyPike

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My review of ABOUT A GIRL by Sarah McCarry:

I received of ABOUT A GIRL from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and started reading with two false assumptions. First, based on the glorious cover, that it was a contemporary romance, and second, based on my own lack of research, that it was a stand-alone. I was obviously wrong on both counts.
Twists and turns. Fantastic elements. Smoking hot romance. Check. The voice, especially in the beginning, is a little bit of a smarty-pants roller coaster. I held on and went along for the ride. Once the story really gained momentum, holy crap, did it move.
The characters were complex and real. Love, love, love the diversity. I will read the first two, but this book definitely stands alone.

I rate this one FIVE STARS *****

Find a copy at Amazon or go to Goodreads for more reviews and links.

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My review* of THOSE GIRLS by Lauren Saft:

I started this book without any expectations and found myself staying up late to finish it. Told from the POV of three female MCs, this book gets both the insecurities of teenage life and that of toxic relationships completely right. Are they unlikeable? Yep. Did I enjoy reading about them? Yep. Did they seem like real people? Yep. Lauren Saft nailed the complex world of the dysfunctional teen in THOSE GIRLS. I can't wait to see what she does next.

I give THOSE GIRLS four and a half shiny stars and recommend for those who love an unlikable protagonist. I mean really unlikable, but so fun to watch. It was a like a magically entertaining train wreck.

If you like THOSE GIRLS and/or unlikeable MCs you might enjoy PRETTY LITTLE DIRTY by Amanda Boyden and SWAY by Kat Spears.

*I received an eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Find it on Amazon or go to Goodreads for more links and reviews. Have great books to recommend? Drop me a comment or find me on Twitter @ChellyPike and send me review links. Thanks and there are more reviews below.

Happy reading,
Chelly

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My review* of COLD MOON by Alexandra Sokoloff:

COLD MOON is the third book in Alexandra Sokoloff's The Huntress series and it was worth the wait.

It's dark and riveting and I enjoyed the hell out of it. The pacing is quick, the dialog is sharp, and the tension, wow. The characters, well, it's damn near impossible not to root for the murderers, which says a lot about how complex and compelling are characterization are.

If you haven't read HUNTRESS MOON and BLOOD MOON, definitely read them first.

Alexandra Sokoloff is a master of the genre and is on my must-read list. And for writers, her books on writing are excellent tools of the craft.

This one gets all the stars: ***** and I highly recommend it and all of Ms. Sokoloff's other titles.

Find it on Amazon or go to Goodreads for more links and reviews.

What are your favorite thrillers? I'm always looking for recommendations.

Happy Reading,
Chelly
*I received a copy of this title in exchange for an honest review and I honestly loved it.

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My review of Raisonne Curse (The Brothers Bernaux, #1) by Rinda Elliott:

I'm on the fence about this one. It's hard to review novels set in and about New Orleans written by non-natives. There were some moments that had me nodding and saying, "yep, she totally nailed it" and others where I was like, "wait, what? No. No. No."  

There's a bit of French/Cajun woven in, but, much as I love the language (I have fond memories of my grandmother hollering at me in French.), there was too much for my taste. It's for seasoning, yes, but I think a few one or two word expressions would have spiced this up just fine. As is, there are long strings of it and then--sometimes--a line that semi-sorta explains it. It just slowed things down for me and there were already enough bumps to slow me down.

I liked Elita and Pryor. They were great. Very likable. Very memorable. And the chemistry was hot, but I found the pace rather slow. Lots of telling and plenty of interruptions to pull me out of the narrative and I was just about ready to write this one off...

But then about 3/4 of the way through,  the pace kicked up into high gear. The story slowed to a lazy summer drawl, steamy and hot, and I was in it with Elita and Pryor. All the action. All the details. And I got sucked in--stayed up reading until it was done.

So I wanted the start to match the ending. More fleshed out scenes in the beginning, I think, would've help me connect with the characters sooner. Overall, a good story. I liked it, but I didn't love it. I give it three stars *** and recommend for die-hard PNR lovers. The premise is great, so I'm hoping the next one picks up where this one left off--with the same fast pace and steamy characters.

See for yourself. Find it on Goodreads and let me know what you think.

What are you reading? Drop me a comment with thoughts or recommendations and find me on twitter @chellypike.

Happy reading,
Chelly