...although it's already February. *coughs sheepishly*

 

Hopefully everyone's doing well. I've been sooooo busy, it's not even funny. Besides trying to find a job (that wasn't a Christmas gig because I was away at Christmas at Disney World and Universal Studios Harry Potter World). I've been mainly doing errands and a bunch of things for people around the house and helping with various chores and whatnot. I won't bore you with the details because it was draining--both mentally and physically, hell even emotionally. As you might have guessed, I did not nab a job although I was close multiple times. I just keep getting the short end of the stick and bad luck mainly. But I haven't given up yet, I will get something at some point! And it will have been worth the struggle...I hope? o-o;

 

Also November I finally participated in NaNoWriMo and yes, I did complete 50K of words (actually 52K but that's besides the point). Although I'm not done with it, I'm still trying to finish it. Unfortunately my brain's been on vacation along with all the pressure and stress I've been getting concerning job-wise among other personal issues (very emotionally draining kind, I'm sure you understand).

 

BUT I am starting to write again despite everything. Sure, it may be my crappiest but at least I'm writing and making some progress even if it's only a few sentences here and there plus ramblings, lots and lots of ramblings. But I digress, I feel like Anna (from Frozen) right her every time I write because I am persevering regardless of everything, and hopefully it's only going to improve and get better.

 

 

On the other note, I'll be taking a Librarian Tech course(s) soon as I figure out what college is best for me, whether in person or online is the best course of action. I'm leaning towards online so I can have a job and do everything at my own pace (to a degree). Not sure where I'm squeezing in reading and writing, etc into it but I'll manage somehow I'm sure.

 

Also 2015, gosh, it really had quite a few surprises, a shock among other things, but I've survived them thankfully. One major one was mainly a misunderstanding and my being so busy over the course of 2 months. And others, let's just say I'd love to shove them aside and go "NOPE" but I can't...as well as other matters...

 

BUT any ways, moving on!

 

 

Yes, it's February 2015, but I'd figured it was time to update this with what I've been doing and will be doing over the course of the year. I do have some goals I want to reach and achieve by the year's end, but it's only the beginning still. Lots of things can change at a moment's notice--both good and bad. I'm looking forward to a lot of new things to happen this year, it's a good feeling staying positive and whatnot.

 

Hopefully my next update is soon, not late like this one was, just NOPE.

 

 

 

A Little tigher plotted than the first book, with stronger characterizations and a huge uptake in the wierd. Can't wait for book three to see how it all ends.

This is the second book of the Hell or High Water series though I have NO idea why it's called that way :) I breezed this one in two days and really enjoyed the ride though I must say that the both of them annoyed me WAY too many times with not being able to actually talk to each other - not about their feelings for each other GOD FORBID - but about what happened to them, their past.. Really enjoyed the ending and how it put everything together.

 

I did something wrong.. and I do apologize.. I re-read my reviews of the 2nd and 3rd books of Cut & Run by Abigail Roux to remind myself how it ended for them in those books. See, as I was reading this one I had a feeling we are going to get to the ending and feel like shit, l mean, like in the first book when they don't really end up together but apart. When I started reading Cut & Run there were 7 books out so it was obvious I'll get my happy ending if not in that book then the next though I was cursing them for how long it took them.. But here I just have these two books.. I got worried I'm going to be left to dry... So trying to reassure myself I went to see how it went down there.. I'm not sure I got reassured or if I could have actually been reassured anyway but as I wrote above I really happy with the ending. 

 

With both these series I love that the relationship keeps building and unlike most romance books I read that the characters fall for each other in 2 days and on the third day swear their undying love, here it feels more real to me, these two alpha males, each with their own baggage, well, it takes time! I'm not disappointed at all, finished this one with a smile on my face  feeling I can bare to wait 4 more months till the 3rd one gets released.

 

BTW! SE writes on her website that there are going to be 4 books + 2 novellas in the series and that's it. I'm pleased with it because as I see it, it means she has 'a story to tell' and she's not going to keep it going till we get tired. As much as I love getting attached to characters and series knowing there is an end, a planned one is a good thing. 

 

Enough about that! While the previous book was mostly about Prophet's past and dealing with it, this one is of Tom's past. I got a little confused until I got it all and understood what / where / when / who but that's SE's way of keeping us guessing.

 

There's a hurricane in New Orleans and since Tom is having problems leaving what he is doing and returning to help his aunt he sends Prophet there while not really knowing if he's going to show up or not. No guessing here - of course he does! and don't bullshit me it's by chance, it isn't! both these guys have a sixth sense so in my eyes, Prophet got it exactly at the right time was more of him sensing he has to listen now to Tom (I'm trying to be vague here not to spoiler though you'll get it in the 3 first chapters or something like it). Them getting together after 4 months apart - Prophet disappearing into the horizon and Tom working with Cape - was like the hurricane outside.. WOW! 

 

But the fact that they are great in bed doesn't mean that anything changed between them, Prophet doesn't want to return to EE and he thinks Tom should stay with Cape. and yeah.. all the secrets and all the things they are not telling each other that you feel like shooting them somewhere annoying and letting them bleed in the same room until they actually talk to each other without being able to leave. I was quite pleased with them in the end, I must say :)

 

Hurricane comes and goes but the past doesn't.. while going to help a neighbor Tom stumbles into the warm body of a very significant person from his past.. someone he has every reason to hate and have a good reason to kill (if he went that way..) so it's so very NOT convenient when the sheriff arrives into the scene and arrests Tom for the murder.. After getting released because of lack of evidence it's up to Tom and Prophet to clear Tom's name (since it's obvious the Sheriff will do anything to pin it on him..) and understand what the hell is going on. 

 

This book was really action packed, moving fast forward while we got to know the pieces of the puzzle little by little. Don't think it means it was lacking in sex.. actually a little on the contrary.. There were so much sex I was close to being exasperated wanting to know what's up next with the plot :P 

 

All in all a great book, a great series, really looking forward to the next ones and the next series of Cillian and Mal ("Dirty Deeds"). Can't think of a couple I would want to read about more. Also we got a glimpse of Blue and Mick together which also made me want to read the novella about them (called "Free Falling").

 

Recommended! :)

I think if I would have had to wait any length of time between the end of Catch a Ghost and the beginning of this book, I would have been a very frustrated reader.  It was such a gnarly ending, with our heroes deciding to each go their own way. But as this installment begins, Tom is already regretting the decision.  He is desperate to find Prophet… to let him know that he still cares, that he made a mistake. But Prophet is nowhere to be found. What only the reader knows, is that he has thrown himself into his work, taking dangerous missions, and is nearing the point of no return.

 

Until he finally decides to read Tom’s emails.  Dozens and dozens of them, that talk about his life, his regrets, and his concern over his aunt who is refusing to evacuate her New Orleans home during an impending hurricane.  Tom’s boss won’t let him go to her, so Prophet takes it upon himself to do the job and keep her safe.

 

Tom, of course, has no idea. He decides to walk off the job and go to her, himself.  And that’s when the magic happens.

 

Their reunion is like a microcosm of their entire relationship. It’s explosive and sexual; angst ridden and emotional.  Yet, for all that they clearly pine for one another, they still can’t quite put all the pieces in place.  Prophet simply can’t open himself up.  Tom’s kind of hesitant too, but the circumstances force him to do it anyway.  Years of built up animosity in his old hometown are coming to a head.  Some of his old enemies are turning up dead and all of the blame is falling on Tom.  He finally opens up to Prophet, as all of his old hurts come back to bite him.

 

I’ll grant you that just about everything about Tom and Prophet are over the top: their histories riddled with abuse and torture; their extreme reactions to each other and the world around them; even their phenomenal sex.  Everything is big.  You just kind of have to take it all with a grain of salt and let go of the fact that it’s larger than life. Because it’s just so gripping. I was totally invested in their angst and passion, anger and love.  I want these two to make it work. I NEED these two to make it work.

 

I got frustrated a little at times, because they seem to go round and round with each other.  Then, I would try to remind myself that these are two royally screwed up people, and that would help some.  It was often a step forward and then another step back, but in the end, I feel like we made progress.  And in the interim, had a decent mystery and a lot of great sex.

 

Now, I am not only hungry to see how their story plays out, but how Mal and Cillian make a go of it.

 

Rating: B

This was a solid follow-up to [b:Catch a Ghost|18278085|Catch a Ghost (Hell or High Water, #1)|S.E. Jakes|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1375491930s/18278085.jpg|21986908]. It had a different feel for me though, I found it a bit more emotional as more of Tom's background was revealed.

It picks up where the last book left off, Prophet has cut ties with EE and Tom is partnered up with Cope. Tom hasn't heard from Prophet in months even though he has been pouring his heart out to him in daily e-mails. When the two finally get back together, it is intense and hot. They soon find themselves partnering up to clear Tom's name when he is accused of a murder in the town where he grew up.

The two men are still gun shy about getting too emotionally involved regardless of the fact that they can't keep their hands off each other. Both men want to take care of the other and stake their claims, yet each are still contemplating pushing the other away to keep them safe.

There are more conversations between the two, and the source of Tom's demons is soon revealed, while Prophet is still keeping some of his issues deeply buried from Tom (although Tom's voodoo is still eerily accurate). Of course there is also plenty of creative alpha on alpha sex to keep things interesting.

There is plenty comic relief here, between the banter of Tom and Prophet and the appearance of Mick and Blue, but the focus is really on Tom's facing his past in order to move forward. While it appears the two men are making strides with each other personally, there is still a lot of ground to cover. The ending is not as much of a cliffie as the last book and there is a hopeful note for the two to move forward