Another month went by way to fast. But at least I seem to have gotten my reading rhythm back. I hope I can keep it up and maybe add a few extra next month, so I can hopefully get my reading goal for 2015 done :p 

All in all it was an okay month for October, I had a few review copies that I got done which got me caught up so far .

I don't have a plan for November yet, just read what ever falls in my lap and or been sitting here for a while. 

Okay now to my October round-up, the buy links can be found in the reviews that I also linked. 

Thanks for stopping by and as always: Happy Reading :) 

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Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

 

Synopsis:

 

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

 

 

 

5★ 

 

My Review

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Cowboy Proud by

 

 

Synopsis:

 

Cade Covington is struggling with turning his family’s beloved ranch into a tourist attraction. It’s not just the mortgage big enough to choke a horse, or the invasion of his home by strangers. It’s also the arrival of a city slicker PR professional who doesn’t understand ranch life…and puts every beautiful woman he’s ever seen to shame. Cade wants her.

With her company on the line, Emma can’t afford any mistakes. Especially if that mistake is a broad-shouldered, blue-eyed cowboy who drives her crazy with hunger. But all it takes is one small wager and their chemistry explodes. When the dust settles, will Emma have obliterated her career…or captured her cowboy?

 

 

 

5 ★

 

My Review 

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Gambling on the Bodyguard by Sarah Ballance

 

 

Synopsis:

 

He’ll guard her body all night long…

Ski instructor Ellie Montgomery hits Vegas during a romance convention to meet the man of her dreams…only, the man of her dreams isn’t the cover model she’s there to see. He’s the hot-as-sin bodyguard who catches her sneaking in the back door of a meet-and-greet, and he seems more than ready to do what it takes to prove he’s twice the man her pretty boy crush could ever be.

Jax Mathis couldn’t resist snagging a date with Ellie, but he didn’t count on the attraction being more than physical. They connect on a level he didn’t think possible—and he can’t run fast enough. She makes him want things he thought he’d never have, and maybe, just maybe, they’re within reach. But to have it, he’ll have to face the one mountain he swore he’d never climb…and with no guarantee she’ll be waiting on the other side.

 

 

 

1★

 

My Review

 

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Rogue’s Son by Darcy Flynn

 

 

Synopsis:

 

Tough and driven, Kit Kendall replaced frills and dresses with no-nonsense haircuts and wranglers years ago. As owner of Sage Brush, the once-thriving West Texas bed and breakfast ranch, she now struggles daily to keep her business afloat. Since McCabe Lodge reopened next door as a multi-million-dollar resort, her financial difficulties compound, as she suffers one cancellation after another.

Just when she thought things couldn’t get any worse, Kit’s former neighbor and childhood nemesis returns as the new owner of the resort that’s now putting her out of business.

Sam Dawson, cowboy turned entrepreneur, has returned to Sugar Creek after six years of exile with a secret that could destroy Kit’s happiness. He left town because of it and for the past two years has secretly tried to make it right. Having failed, he now returns to make one last attempt to undo the tangled web created by his father.

Set in motion by his father’s will and with the clock ticking, Sam has only weeks to convince Kit to sell him her ranch or reveal the truth that will break her heart.

 

 

 

3 ½ ★

 

My Review 

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Dying for a Living by Kory M. Shrum

 

 

Synopsis:

 

On the morning before her 67th death, it is business as usual for Jesse Sullivan: meet with the mortician, counsel soon-to-be-dead clients, and have coffee while reading the latest regeneration theory. Jesse dies for a living, literally. As a Necronite, she is one of the population’s rare 2% who can serve as a death replacement agent, dying so others don’t have to. Although each death is different, the result is the same: a life is saved, and Jesse resurrects days later with sore muscles, new scars, and another hole in her memory.

But when Jesse is murdered and becomes the sole suspect in a federal investigation, more than her freedom and sanity are at stake. She must catch the killer herself—or die trying.

 

 

 

3 ★

 

My Review 

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The Bull Rider’s Keeper by Lynn Cahoon

 

 

Synopsis:

 

Jesse Sullivan isn’t afraid of any thing, any man, or any bull. But when he decides to take a chance and carve out a life outside his rodeo career, he feels like he’s walking on shaky ground. In typical Jesse style, he jumps at a chance to purchase Main Street Gallery, a Boise tradition in the art world.

Taylor DeMarco has two goals for the next year. Getting the gallery on sound financial ground to prove to her parents that she can keep her grandfather’s legacy alive is the first one. Moving out of the house and into her own condo by the Boise River is the second. When she finds her folks are selling the gallery to Jesse, she vows to stop the sale, no holds barred.

When sparks fly between Jesse and Taylor, family gets in the way of reason, and they have to decide what is more important, their desires or keeping Main Street Gallery open and successful.

 

 

 

3★ 

 

My Review 

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The Memory Chair by Susan White

 

 

Synopsis:

 

Thirteen-year-old Betony has always hated going to her cranky great-grandmother’s house. It’s old and stuffy and boring and the woodstove in the kitchen is always burning too hot. But her Gram doesn’t have any other family living close by on the Kingston Peninsula, so Betony ends up being dragged along all the time.

She’d rather be pretty much anywhere…until one day Betony sits on her Gram’s fav

ourite chair. She is suddenly transported into the past, and is experiencing her Gram’s life as if it were in her own memory. At first Betony is excited and curious, and begins to develop a close relationship with Gram, even learning to cook and quilt.

 

 

4 ★

 

My Review 

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Fall of the Seven Cities by Jay Brenham

 

Synopsis:

 

Perfect for fans of The Remaining and No Easy Hope, this is the first story in an action-packed new series that is impossible to put down!

Matt Hess has failed at almost everything: his real estate career is in shambles, his engagement is over and he’s in debt up to his eyeballs. But his past problems pale in comparison to what he’s about to face—an infection so deadly it takes out a hospital waiting room before his very eyes.

Along with a patrol cop, a maternity ward nurse, and a newborn infant, Matt manages to escape the first wave of infected. But the disease spreads so rapidly that soon the entire city of Virginia Beach is overwhelmed. Now Matt and his companions must figure out who they can trust and fight their way out before they join the ranks of the infected horde.

 

 

 

3 ½ ★

 

My Review 

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Exodus from the Seven Cities by Jay Brenham

 

Synopsis:

 

Perfect for fans of Run and The Remaining, this is the second story in an action-packed new series that is impossible to put down!

After five years painting ships in the Navy, Sam Connor has big plans for his life after the military…but no plan for surviving a pandemic. With his wife and infant son away visiting relatives, Sam struggles to find them in a world gone mad. In order to survive in a city that’s quickly become unrecognizable he must become unrecognizable himself.

With no gun to protect him and no special skills to show for his military service, Sam‘s ability to adapt and his will to survive are soon put to the test in a city that’s become a nightmare.

 

 

 

3 ½ ★

 

My Review 

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Maggie and the Mercury Retrograde by Anya Monroe

 

 

Synopsis:

 

My life is spinning out of control faster than I can say sorry for all the things I’ve done since this whole planetary shift began.

Like apologize for the fact I made out with my soon-to-be stepbrother. And his stepbrother. And that I’m crushing on the one guy I swore I’d never be into…while keeping it all from my BFF.

Mom says I think the world revolves around me, but the truth is, I’m just trying to survive the worst week of my life.

The universe is legit out to get me. It started when my gaming nemesis deleted my AsteroMine galaxy and it’s only gone downhill from there.

It isn’t my fault. I swear.

 

 

2 ½ ★

 

My Review 

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The Memory Chair - Susan White

 

Synopsis:

 

Thirteen-year-old Betony has always hated going to her cranky great-grandmother’s house. It’s old and stuffy and boring and the woodstove in the kitchen is always burning too hot. But her Gram doesn’t have any other family living close by on the Kingston Peninsula, so Betony ends up being dragged along all the time.

She’d rather be pretty much anywhere…until one day Betony sits on her Gram’s fav

ourite chair. She is suddenly transported into the past, and is experiencing her Gram’s life as if it were in her own memory. At first Betony is excited and curious, and begins to develop a close relationship with Gram, even learning to cook and quilt.

 

 

My thoughts:

 

This was a fast but sweet and great read.

I liked the idea of experiencing your family history as it was your own.

But of course not everything was so great, there were a few things Betony learned that were less pleasant.

The book was well written and took you straight into Betony’s and her family’s world and you can’t help to see it as she does.

It was very easy to read and follow and it a great book for all ages. 

The Characters were easy to relate to and likable.

Overall, it was a great read and I rate it at 4 ★

 

   

 

*I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

 

 

 

Available NOW 

 

  

Susan Rebecca White

ISBN-13: 9781451608892

Publisher: Touchstone

Publication date: 3/4/2014

Edition description: Reprint

Pages: 368

My Rating:  (5 Stars) 

 

 

"A Place at the Table" was much more than 5 stars – if I could give 10, I would! The story was brilliantly written, and if you are from the south, you will definitely appreciate.

 

As a native of NC Bible belt, leaving a small town and narrow minded ways, relocating to Atlanta years ago, can relate. I loved the mentions of the different parts of Atlanta which are very familiar– and oh my Bobby was my favorite character! 

The narrator of Bobby on the audio book was superb, as I had to continue going back and listening to the part once again, as he was so charming. You will laugh and cry; everything about this book is epic – from the Baptist, the south, NY, racism, and the yummy gourmet cooking and the lifestyle! 

The sweetest part of all was the relationship between Bobby from Georgia and his MeeMaw – it was priceless how she took him under her wing when everyone else turned their back on him --- and his letters to her. (Ahhhh!) 

Three outcasts longing for home come together at Manhattan’s Café Andres, a chic gathering place for New York’s cultural crowd . . . and so yummy! Southern charm meets city chic NY. 

In summary, this book belongs on the NY Times Bestselling list and would be so fitting for a blockbuster movie. I would highly recommend Rebecca's previous two books: "Bound South" and "A Soft Place to Land", both 5 star quality.

Book lovers craving Southern fiction will need to keep an eye on this talented Atlanta author! 

Such a good read! Really enjoyed it. i loved how the stories and characters were parts of one another. Bobby's story was just so perfectly told and of course it makes me want to visit New York again.

This book showed so much promise in the first 50, but alas fell short for me in a lot of ways. The characters of Ruthie and Julia are initially so interesting, as they bond on the death of their parents, you peek a bit into their souls and their relationship with one another. But instantly the story begins to jump around. Things happen, but then they're over - on to the next. Yet is there any fall out from these incidents? They seem like bombshells, yet the author glosses over them time and time again. Julia becomes a virtual stranger to both the reader and her sister. There is no real exploration of the hurt between them, just shallow reasons why. Honestly, the end of the book is nothing at all. It didn't leave me satisfied, like all of a sudden everything was magically cured? I was just glad it was over.The other thing that BOTHERED me about this book was the number of stereotypes the author portrays and how she divides them into "good" and "bad" categories. Liberals, good. Christians, bad. Gays, good. Housewives, bad. Pro-choice good. Pro-life bad. Obama good. Bush bad. I really HATE contemporary books that bring current politicians into the story by name - especially because it was totally unnecessary to the story. No, I didn't care that Ruthie was cheering that Bush was in office for only 6 more days. It only says something about the author - something she made clear throughout the book. She marginalizes Ruthie's abortion at 18, and their is no fallout from this action. Ruthie is totally unaffected, except when her pro-life boyfriend finds out about it. And the only good Christian in the whole world is Gabe, who is Catholic and therefore unable to be connected with the Southern Baptist stereotypes the author paints throughout the book. And the Christian Rehab Center she mentions. Not sure I've ever heard of anything quite like that (and I live in Virginia), so I'm not sure if that is a fabrication of her anti Christian fantasies. The irony of all of this is that a quote on the back cover from author Todd Johnson says, "She whacks through stereotypes with a machete, ultimately rejecting them all, and finding instead deep compassion for the flaws that make us human." Nope. Not even close. Again, these things say much about the author, more than the story. Does she really dislike people because they make a certain lifestyle choice (like stay at home Mom, Jesus freak or pro life)? I don't recommend this book to anyone. If you can get past the political drivel, there is neither character nor plot to fully entertain.