Monday Mish Mash

Random things going on in my life . . .

Two words: Orphan Black!

The short synopsis? "A streetwise hustler is pulled into a compelling conspiracy after witnessing the suicide of a girl who looks just like her." ~IMDB

The longer synopsis? Clones and one talented actress that can pull that off!

I finished Season 1 in a flash and am on Season 2. It's a BBC show filmed in Canada, and the 3rd and final season will be airing in 2015. It's a nail biter! I highly recommend it!


On Being a Survivor . . .
With all the Bill Cosby talk in the news lately, and with the 14-year anniversary of a bad event in my life occurring the week before Thanksgiving, I've had a lot on my mind.

While there are many things I can say about surviving sexual assault (and stalking), I want the following to be known:

1. Just because a victim doesn't report her assault doesn't mean it didn't happen. There are many reasons why this may not happen.
a. The victim may be terrified of retribution from the perpetrator or their friends or family.
b. They may be afraid of public opinion.
c. They may feel that people will judge them and say, "Well, you were wearing this or you shouldn't have been drinking or or or . . ."
d. The perpetrator may have been grooming (pg 16 of the doc) the victim for a long time and the victim may feel that they are complicit in the situation.

2. Psychopaths/Sociopaths are very good at what they do. While a lot of assaults are a one time deal, I was stalked/abused for several years by someone. The key to this, and to why I STILL don't speak of it, was mind control. Psychopaths are mind control machines. There is brainwashing involved so that you believe you are a willing participant in events that you don't want to do. This has happened to me. I don't talk about it, because I don't think the vast majority of people would understand or even try to understand that. In their minds, you either fought your abuser or you wanted it. Abuse is not that simple.

I don't feel like writing anymore right now. I hope someone who reads this will at least listen and try to understand.

French Kissed by Chanel Cleeton - Release Tour & Review!

French Kissed by Chanel Cleeton

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Published by: Chanel Cleeton - December 1, 2014
Genres: NA Romance
Rating: 4 Stars

NOTICE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


SYNOPSIS:
On the surface Fleur Marceaux has it all—if only the façade matched reality. With one year left at the International School in London, Fleur’s struggling to graduate, her love life is a mess, and she can’t stop thinking about Max, her ex-boyfriend’s best friend. But all of that pales compared to the blackmailer determined to destroy her.

There’s a social hierarchy at the International School, and Max Tucker is outside the velvet ropes. After watching Fleur break his friend’s heart, Max knows to stay away from trouble—despite the crush he’s had on her since freshman year. But when they’re partnered on a project, Max learns there’s more to Fleur than meets the eye, and she just might be worth the wild ride.

The more time they spend together, the further Max falls. And when a kiss awakens a passion Fleur never imagined, she’s unable to resist Max, who she thought was wrong for her, but might be the only thing that’s right.

But will he stand by her when her secrets are revealed?

Have you ever read a story that had you so captivated, you re-read it right after completing it the first time? For me, that story was I See London and my introduction to the intensity that is Maggie & Samir. Not only are they the hottest couple in the literary planet, but they're each well-drawn, unique characters that could hold my interest even if they weren't together. Combined, they are a big fireball of heat. 5 stars!

After I completed (and greedily re-read) I See London, I was granted a sneak peak at the London Falling arc, the sequel and end to the International School books. I couldn't wait to see how the intense love story between Maggie & Samir ended. I finished their sequel in no time and was thoroughly pleased with the result. 5 more stars! It's SUPER rare that I like a sequel at all, let alone rate it with 5 stars. I usually find that they're so off-base in the reprise of the character's personalities they ruin the first installment for me. I tend to not read them and leave my favorite characters behind in that happy after-glow (of reading) one gets when they loved a book.

During what was supposed to be the final book in the series, a strange energy emerged between two of the secondary characters: Fleur and Max. He called her "The Ice Queen" and she hated him for it. A lot of fans felt like there was a story there and one we wanted to read. The author was only too obliging and created a third (and seriously final) book to the International School series, French Kissed starring Fleur and Max.

When I began the book, I wasn't sure if I was going to love it. In between the sparse dialogue between the MCs was a ton of exposition and inner-thought. If what was written truly happened in real life, it would've taken 15 minutes to spit out 6 sentences of dialogue, there was so much introspective thinking written in. That was a bit off-putting and I greatly hoped the rest of the book didn't read like that. Fortunately for me, it didn't!

Fleur and Max are pushed together as partners for a project in one of their classes that will make up 80% of their grade. Fleur needs the class to graduate and Max needs good grades for his future in banking. It's clear that this is the main antagonistic curve ball in the story - two people that "hate" each other forced to get along to pass the class (even though we know they really like each other). The second is the mysterious blackmailer who plagued Fleur in the previous book. Will her secrets threaten the relationship she eventually has with Max?

Although I love Chanel's writing and enjoyed the plot line, I wanted their push/pull to last a bit longer than it did. I guess I wanted a bit of Maggie and Samir, which probably isn't fair as they're different people. Regardless, after one kiss, they pretty much become a couple. I wanted a bit more of a struggle before that happened. I also felt like the reader knew who the blackmailer was (it was pretty obvious in the prior book) and although the things the blackmailer did to Fleur were embarrassing, they weren't anything (I think) that would ruin a relationship between Max and Fleur. I didn't find Max's initial reaction plausible and like his character at all. I felt like the author was trying to create more tension in the story but used a tactic or a reaction that didn't really fit in line with her characters.

Those two critiques aside, I loved the book and devoured it within a day. I loved that we found out what happened to Maggie & Samir as well as Max & Fleur down the road. A very satisfying ending to the series. It also makes me want to re-read London Falling. I think I just might!

There is also a Rafflecopter giveaway of a $10 Amazon GC, 1 Ebook of I See London, and 1 Ebook of London Falling (US winner only due to gifting constraints- sorry!).

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Forced Disappearance by Dana Marton

Forced Disappearance
by Dana Marton
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Published by: Montlake Romance - November 18, 2014
Rating: 4 Stars

NOTICE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

When wealthy American businessman Glenn Danning goes missing in Venezuela, investigator Miranda Soto volunteers to track him down. It’s her first assignment for the Civilian Personnel Recovery Unit, but this mission is about more than salvaging the remnants of her shattered military career. Glenn was Miranda’s best friend and first lover, and she’ll do anything to save him from danger…especially since she just lost everything that mattered to her.

Glenn barely survived being kidnapped and tortured as a suspected spy, but the shock of seeing Miranda again gives him a new lease on life. Their still-simmering attraction grows hotter as the couple races through the treacherous jungle. Determined to reach safe ground, they must stay alive long enough to stop the terrifying enemy who still hunts Glenn. And even if they survive, Miranda’s dark past could jeopardize their future together…

Billed as a romance, this book was all action. There was romance (and sex), but it was truly an engaging action book with a lot of research and hard work put in by the author. She gave a lot of detail about the setting and really made you feel like you were interned somewhere in the middle of the rain forest yourself.

The action was non-stop, the foils many, and every time the heroes had freedom within reach, there was a wrench. I loved it.

If you can get past the fact that Miranda just happened to get assigned a missing persons case for her long-lost love or the sex scene that takes place after Glenn hasn't showered in over a month (ew), you will love this book! It has romance, action . . . it has it all!

When Joss Met Matt by Ellie Cahill

When Joss Met Matt
by Ellie Cahill (YA author Liz Czukas)
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Published by: Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine - February 24, 2015
Rating: 3.75 Stars

NOTICE: I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

What if after every bad breakup, there was someone to turn to “cleanse your palate”—someone who wouldn’t judge you, who was great in bed, someone you were sure not to fall in love with? “Sorbet sex” could solve everything—as long as it never got too sweet.

Joss and Matt have been friends since freshman year, meeting one night after Joss is dumped by her high school boyfriend. After few drinks, Joss nearly gives it up to an even drunker frat boy. Matt humors her with a proposition: that he’ll become her go-to guy whenever she needs to heal a broken heart. In return, she’ll do the same for him. The #1 Rule: They’ll never fall in love with each other. People scoff at the arrangement. But six years later, Joss and Matt are still the best of friends . . . with benefits.

Through a string of boyfriends and girlfriends—some almost perfect, some downright wrong—Joss and Matt are always there for each other when the going gets tough. No strings. No attachments. Piece of cake. No problem. After all, since they wrote the rules, surely they can play by them. Or can they?

A better title for this new adult novel would be, "Sorbet," in my opinion. The given title was a bit long and didn't capture the essence of the story. That said, I really enjoyed the book and would definitely keep Ellie Cahill on my list of authors to read new material from.

The story moves back and forth between the past and present in a very clear way. Sometimes authors don't know how to use this technique to its full benefit, but this author certainly does. She captured the initial sorbet contract between Joss and Matt as freshmen coeds and weaved it in well with a dinner at Matt's house, several years in the future. Joss is all set to tell Matt (FINALLY) that she's in love with him at dinner, when the next words out of his mouth are that he's moving away. After six long years of soothing broken egos and hearts, has Joss lost her own?

You'll have to read to find out, and I highly recommend you do!

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Best-Sellers Turned Movies

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Series You've Wanted to Start

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After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.
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$1.99! Love’s her name, but it’s not her whole story . . .

Love Bukowski is a new sophomore at Hadley Hall, the posh prep school where her father is now principal. Raised by her single dad (with more than a little help from her funky aunt Mable), almost-sixteen-year-old Love is strong willed, with a wry sense of humor—but will she fit into the world of Hadley Hall? In the made-for-TV version of her life, she’s got cool friends and hot guys galore. But being a “fac brat” makes new friends hard to come by, and the guys—well, that remains to be seen. Now Love’s got to step it up if she’s going to overcome her less-than-glamorous reality and get that walk-on role in her own fantasies.


$1.99! (Sequel) Fall is in the air and Love is back at Hadley Hall

For Love Bukowski, summer’s over and school is about to begin. But it seems like Love’s going it alone: Her aunt Mable has been acting weird, her dad (who happens to be principal of the school) is preoccupied, her ex is pouting in Europe, and her former friend Cordelia has bonded with the evil Lindsay Parrish. Enter Arabella Piece, the new exchange student from London, who’s staying with Love and has some secrets of her own. Love’s summer may have called it a wrap, but her fall semester dramas have just begun.



99 cents! Jackie Dunn and Matt Stewart barely knew each other in high school, back when she was a blue-haired alterna-kid and he was a preppy jock. High school rules dictated they'd never hang out, or sit at the same lunch table, or God forbid, date.

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Jackie’s just starting to get used to curfews and term papers again, when Matt hits her with the biggest surprise of all: he’s fallen in love with her. He’ll change the past however he has to if it means a future with Jackie. But Jackie’s terrified they’ll not only alter their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.

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Cal Armistead’s remarkable debut novel is about a teen in search of himself. Hank begins to piece together recollections from his past. The only way Hank can discover his present is to face up to the realities of his grievous memories. He must come to terms with the tragedy of his past to stop running and to find his way home.

New Adult

$1.99! How do you share the soundtrack of your life?

Just out of grad school, Laney is ready to embark on a new phase of her life. Leaving California to head back east, she’s got three thousand miles to reflect on her past before moving ahead to the future. With a box of mixed tapes at the ready, she envisions a trip spent reminiscing about first crushes, high school, family issues, and college loves and losses—her most precious memories. What she doesn’t picture is her mother in the seat beside her—which is exactly what happens when her mom invites herself along for the ride. Soon, Laney’s giving her mother a crash course in retro hits from her formative years—and a history of her life that her mom never knew about. As they roll through the American landscape, Laney and her mother discover that their lives are no one-hit wonders.


FREE! A Moment...

I killed myself tonight.

Or at least I tried. But a woman I do not know refused to let me die. Liliana Delgado wrapped me up in her slim arms and told me things would be okay. But she doesn't know the demons I live with. The things that have happened to me. Every morning is a struggle just to get out of bed, and the nights are even worse. But the way she smiles at me... I feel something I've never felt before. Hope.

...will change our lives

I should not have gone to that burlesque bar on Valentine's Day, but I did. My life isn't easy. I had a child when I was only fourteen, now I'm in college and things should have been easier. But they aren't. My life is spiraling out of control. Then I see Ryan Cosgrove sitting at a table with an empty, broken look in his beautiful blue eyes and something inside of me feels like he knows. He understands what it is to hurt, to struggle. So when I bump into him later that night, bloody, broken, and dying I know I'll do everything in my power to save him and maybe in the process, I'll save myself too.

forever...

FREE! Katrina Mahoney lives in Western Sydney, Australia. She has a very full life attending university to study a law degree, training for triathlons and now she is working part time as well. She couldn't possibly find time for a relationship, especially after her last one ended so catastrophically.

Right now she is content focusing on work, study and training while hanging out with her best friend David Taylor, a womaniser with a heart of gold that would do anything for Katrina - except watch her get hurt again.

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Jane Austen Contemporary Fiction

$2.99! Beth Pride really can’t stand William Darcy: he snubbed her at the Hartford College Children’s Benefit Auction; he has an infuriating propensity for pushing her buttons; his actions are frequently at odds with his words; and even his melting chocolate eyes and impressive physique don’t quite make up for his deficient personality.

Beth’s plan to avoid William backfires when her roommate falls for his best friend. As the unlikely duo are thrown together time and again, Beth begins to second guess her earlier assumptions about William.

Will Pride’s prejudice keep her from a happy ending, or will Beth discover that first impressions aren’t always what they seem?


99 cents! Rachel Daughtry has a 10-year plan that leaves no room for mistakes. Or not-so-serious boys--including Oliver Wentworth, the freshman boyfriend she's never forgotten. Now she's back in San Francisco with an awesome-slash-scary new job. Unfortunately, The Plan doesn't cover things like meeting her best friend's new "secret" guy...Oliver.

Fortunately, no one knows that Rachel and Oliver were ever together, and endless bikini wax torture couldn't make Rachel hurt her friend. But it's killing Rachel. She's not over him. Not even a little. And as her 10-year-plan crumbles around her, Rachel realizes that maybe--just maybe--Oliver feels the same way.

Now Rachel is on the verge of losing all control. And her best friend. And the love of her life...


$2.99! Hanna Elliot had worn the ring faithfully at first. Some part of her still clung to the hope that all was not lost. As the days turned into weeks, she finally took it off and set it atop her dresser. When weeks gave way to months, the ring finally went back into its box, where it gathered dust until it was moved to Hanna’s unmentionables drawer. For the first few years, she had taken it out on the anniversary of the day she’d received it, allowing herself to wallow in what might have been.

She had been all but stamped out of Derick Wentworth’s mind.
Sure, he thought about her occasionally, especially on cloudless nights when he lay on the bow of the Laconia looking up at the stars. But as time went on, Derick began to feel grateful that it hadn’t worked out, for one thing was certain: if he ever did settle down, it would be with someone who knew her own mind. Someone who went after the thing she wanted without hesitation. Someone who would never allow herself to be persuaded otherwise.