Maryse's Book Blog

BIG awesome new year release day!!! LOTS and LOTS that so many in our reading group are loving, listed below, plus, here’s the new release that I’m reading right now —> Brutally Beautiful by Christine Zolendz.

I conked out late last night so I wasn’t able to finish it even though I was on a roll, but it’s good!! So good. She’s running away from… well, let’s just say a BAD beating (you’ll get the details later), and he’s a famous horror author running away from his own real-life horror story. They meet… and it’s not so “meet-cute”. SO gooooood and he’s SUCH a gorgeous, arrogant, unapproachable, recluse of a jack-ass that I just LOVE to fall in love with. Think Matt Sky from “Night Owl“. If you’re in the mood for another like him (although not as dirty-mouthed, but definitely hard-to-love on purpose), then this is your man!

I’m almost done and will be reviewing shortly. You’ll see. On our Facebook page, were all in a bit of a frenzy together over it, too.

P.S. Let me know if I’m missing any or if you loved any (from this list or elsewhere).

BARGAINS (NOTE: bargain priced when I added them, but prices can change on Amazon, so make sure to check before you finalize your order).

• Mystery Man (Dream Man) by Kristen Ashley <— One of my all time absolute FAVORITE K.A. books (and one of my all time favorite alpha-jerks!!). LOVE LOVE LOVE HAWK!!!!!!! *whooooo* (here’s my review from back when it was indie). This is a MUST READ!!!! I may even love him more than Tack. Er… yah, I do. But not more than Tate. But maybe equally. Either way, TOTALLY a read-read for me! Actually I love them all, equally. But especially Hawk. And Tate. And Tack. And Ham! Don’t worry about the nicknames ;), these guys rock ’em!
• When We Collide by A.L. Jackson <— M just recommended this one – “When We Collide by AL Jackson is 99 cents. I loved Take This Regret and thought this was too good to pass up!”
• Lucky Number Four by Amanda Jason <— Debbie recommends this deal. “Just finished “Lucky Number Four” This was a great book…It had a great story line and made me laugh. I read it all in one day. I didn’t want to put it down.” Reviews are a little bit all over the place but oh my!!! Look at this part from the blurb: “Being a celibate (not by choice, mind you) full-time college student, and working as an almost full-time barista, Pandora can’t afford to lose anymore sleep. So, she decides to seek out a new place to lay her head. Enter three ‘drool worthy’ male models that are looking for a fourth roommate, and they want her…and won’t take no for an answer. “
• Shooter (Burnout 1) by Dahlia West <— has come ups few times on recent lists and it looks so good! That disgruntled ex-army ranger that doesn’t like her! Tracey recommended it saying: “25% in and im completely hooked……reading Shooter by Dehlia West , biker and ex military combined wooho that my Sunday afternoon sorted.” and then finished it saying: “Finished it….def 4star has a bit of everything in it really , funny bits , a few omg bits , some blushy bits, a couple of shocked bits and quite a few ahh bits “
• Tears of Tess (Monsters in the Dark #1) by Pepper Winters <— DARK READ LOVERS!! This one has been frequently recommended over the last year! Catherine just commented saying: “Maryse, HAD to recommend Tears of Tess and Quintessentially Q by Pepper Winters. AMAZING dark read….its like Fifty Shades of Grey and Captive in the Dark…soooooo good! Major hook hangover from this one!”
• Quintessentially Q (Monsters in the Dark #2) by Pepper Winters <— and there are no cliffhanger (even though  book #3 is coming) and Catherine says: “… and book 3 is due out early 2014. Book 2 was awesome…so.intense!” <— I am so going to get on this series!!
• Walking Disaster: A Novel by Jamie McGuire <— my #1 guy in the book-world. (thank you Nancy!!)
• Price of a Kiss by Linda Kage <— and I so have to read this one too. It’s in my “Want to read now” tbr list (I have a few of ’em). 😉 He’s an escort and Lisa just reminded me of it saying: ” Just finished Price of a Kiss. Wow…absolutely loved it!” — “Being around him makes me feel more alive than I’ve ever felt before. I even like bickering with him. He could be my soul mate…except for one teeny tiny glitch. He’s a gigolo. Boy, do I know how to pick them.“
• Forever & Always (The Ever Trilogy: Book 1) by Jasinda Wilder <– Angel highly recommends: “anyone read Forever & Always and After Forever by Jasinda Wilder? I thought they were both AMAZING but I need a support group like now.”
• After Forever (The Ever Trilogy: Book 2) by Jasinda Wilder <– and Louise agrees! “I just finished the second book in the forever and ever serie by jasinda Wilder and I must say I loved both books! It is not a typical love story in begins in their teenage years and then… omg you have to read this!” (book #3 – Saving Forever (The Ever Trilogy: Book 3) will be out on February 14th!)
• Meant for Me (A Second Chances standalone) by L.P. Dover <— okay THIS one has to be my next on my TBR list. I spotted it last week as a “new release” PLUS he’s an MMA fighter, you know i had to read. But the reviews look amazing for it, so no more “squirreling” of rme. This must be my next. Remind me if I divert again, okay? 😉
• SECRETS: The Complete Series (Omnibus Volumes 1-5) by H.M. Ward <— Jean recommends this one saying: “H.M. Ward’s “Secrets” series (the complete collection of 5 books) is bundled today on Kindle – great savings and love her books! Very addictive!”

           

PARANORMAL

• Dark Wolf (Carpathian) by Christine Feehan
• Forsaken: The World of Nightwalkers by Jacquelyn Frank
• Fury of the Demon (Kara Gillian) by Diana Rowland
• Prince of Tricks (Demons of Elysium) by Jane Kindred
• Return to Tradd Street by Karen White <— looks good and kind of spooky!
• Shiver (Recast) by Yolanda Sfetsos <— “Though Eniell and Lian’s mutual attraction explodes off any known star chart, there’s something her dreams left out—he’s been bitten by a monster. Which means if he turns into one, the first thing on his menu could be her neck…”
• Lord of the Hunt (Annwyn) by Shona Husk
• Eternal Hunter (Night Watch) by Cynthia Eden
• Fearless (The Survival Race) by K.M. Fawcett
• Gilded Hearts (The Shadow Guild Series) by Christine D’Abo
• His Untamed Desire: A Moon Shifter Novella (A Penguin Special from Signet Eclipse) by Katie Reus
• John Rain: Hell Hath Fury (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Celeste Easton <— short story but looks good!! “A former Marine sniper and full-time hell-raiser, Dox has been in trouble before—in the ungovernable Middle East and Asia, not to mention a few dangerous parts of Texas. But this time out, it looks like the you-know-what has really hit the fan. The Third World has gone nuclear, and for reasons Dox doesn’t yet understand, the Marine is drawn home to settle matters on the domestic front. Dox holds up in a tiny gulf-coast town in Louisiana, with enough beer and ammo to keep him going until he can figure out how to make it the rest of the way home. And that’s when his toughest enemy yet comes sashaying into his life. Her name is Tig—a category four hurricane packaged in a perfect hourglass figure. She can’t be real, Dox figures, tumbling out of bed empty and sore. Turns out he’s right again! Sometimes demons haunt you, Dox comes to realize. Other times they wear perfume and visit in person.“
• Cursed By Destiny: A Weird Girls Novel by Cecy Robson
• Alone (A Bone Secrets Novel) by Kendra Elliot
• Accidentally…Cimil?: An Accidentally Yours Novella (The Accidentally Yours Series) by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

              

CONTEMPORARY

• Brutally Beautiful by Christine Zolendz <— what I’m reading right now! 🙂 Chrissy says: “I started reading new release Brutally Beautiful by Christine Zolendz and I gave it 5 stars. A must read also!!”
• Ethan (Alluring Indulgence) by Nicole Edwards <— This series is LOVED by our group. I can’t wait to try it! Here’s the Club Destiny Series Reading Order
• The Professional: Part 2 by Kresley Cole <— part two in the ex-MMA fighter/russian mob enforcer saga!! (here’s the series reading order)
• Before Jamaica Lane (On Dublin Street) by Samantha Young (loved book #1 (On Dublin Street <– my review), and here’s the On Dublin Street Series Reading Order)
• Rome: A Marked Men Novel by Jay Crownover <— here’s the Marked Men Series Reading Order
• Wanted: A Most Wanted Novel by J. Kenner
• Come to Me Quietly: The Closer to You Series by A.L. Jackson <— looks good! She’s always crushed on her brother’s best friend, tried to forget him (even as an adult) until she comes home one day to him on her couch. Tortured and tattooed (just like we like ’em). LOL! 😛
• Awaken: A Spiral of Bliss Novel (Book Three) by Nina Lane <— oh I LOVED book #1 in this series (LOVED!!) and it’s now on book #3!!?? YAY! (here’s my review of Arouse (book #1)
• At Last by Ella Stone <— She get’s left at the altar and “Susan finds herself in paradise, on her honeymoon, but with Kevin, not her groom. After some crying, paragliding, frozen margaritas and bad advice from her other best friend Liz, Susan decides to seduce Kevin and get rid of her pain with a rebound fling.”
• The Fireside Inn: The Billionaire Bachelors by Lily Everett
• Masquerade: Book 3 in The Games Series by Nyrae Dawn <— oh he’s a hot biker/bouncer/aspiring tattoo artist. 😉 “…on his own and working security at a night club, Maddox wants to become a tattoo artist-a dream that comes closer to reality when he falls for the hottest, most tatted woman he’s ever seen. She’s wild and beautiful, and Maddox will do anything to be with her.“
• The Destiny of Violet & Luke (Callie & Kayden) by Jessica Sorensen (here’s the series reading order).
• River Road by Jayne Ann Krentz <— “The last time she visited her aunt Sara there, as a teenager, she’d been sent home suddenly after being dragged out of a wild party—by the guy she had a crush on, just to make it more embarrassing. Obviously Mason Fletcher—only a few years older but somehow a lot more of a grown-up—was the overprotective type who thought he had to come to her rescue. Now, returning after her aunt’s fatal car accident, Lucy is learning there was more to the story than she realized at the time. Mason had saved her from a very nasty crime that night—and soon afterward, Tristan, the cold-blooded rich kid who’d targeted her, disappeared mysteriously, his body never found.”
• Cravings (Close to the Heat) by Dee Carney
• Ruined: An Ethan Frost Novel; A Loveswept New Adult Romance by Tracy Wolff <— ohhhh the cover alone has my attention (and the name of the book, too). Let’s see what it’s about… “Ethan Frost is a visionary, a genius, every woman’s deepest, darkest fantasy—even mine. And, somehow, I am his. He stole into my life like a dream. Turned my reality upside down and made my every desire come true—especially those I never knew I had. He demanded everything I had to give and gave me everything of himself in return. But dreams don’t last forever, and ours is no exception. Because my nightmares are darker, and my wounds deeper, than I could ever reveal. And as much as Ethan wants to protect me, the secrets we we share will only tear us apart.” <— Eh… okay that doesn’t tell me much, but it sounds angsty!
• Perfect Stranger (Novella) (Serendipity’s Finest) by Carly Phillips
• Boots Under Her Bed by Jodi Thomas, Jo Goodman, Kaki Warner, Alison Kent
• The Expert’s Guide to Driving a Man Wild (A Bluebonnet Novel) by Jessica Clare
• Single by Saturday (Weekday Bride Series) by Catherine Bybee <— I like the sound of this one! “Karen Jones: The petite blonde married a Hollywood star, yet she’s the one who spends every day playing a part: the part of a happy wife. A year ago, she agreed to wed a famous actor to diffuse rumors about his personal life. Now, her divorce sits just around the corner, along with a five million dollar payout. However, as she prepares to exit her fake marriage gracefully, her drop-dead-gorgeous brother-in-law walks through the door…and into her heart.“
• The Last Man on Earth by Tracy Anne Warren <— oh just by that cover (and title) I can tell he’s going to be  and obnoxiously pompous! 😉
• The Only One Who Knows by L.A. Witt <— M/M romance (Navy SEALS!) “Despite their discretion, another SEAL catches on and threatens to expose their relationship, forcing Josh to bend to a blackmailer’s demands to avoid strife within the team just before a dangerous mission.“
• His to Possess #4: True Lies by Opal Carew
• Blitzing Emily: A Love and Football Novel by Julie Brannagh <— NFL star!!
• Hope Flames (A Hope Novel) by Jaci Burton <— hot police officer romance! “When a series of local break-ins leaves Emma vulnerable, she seeks help from the first man to spark her desire in years. And now they’re giving each other something they thought they’d lost forever…hope.”
• Champagne Life: A Novel by Nicole Bradshaw
• The Consequence: The Chronicles of Katrina Book Four by Karin Tabke
• Back to You (A Coming Home Novel) by Jessica Scott <— emotionally tortured military hero “Army captain Trent Davila loved his wife, Laura, and their two beautiful children. But when he almost lost his life in combat, something inside him died. He couldn’t explain the emptiness he felt or bridge the growing distance between him and his family-so he deployed again. And again. And again…until his marriage reached its breaking point. Now, with everything on the line, Trent has one last chance to prove to his wife that he can be the man she needs …if she’ll have him“
• All Things Hidden by Tracie Peterson <— historical romance set in the Depression era.  “… Dr. Jeremiah Vaughan finds his life suddenly turned upside down when his medical license is stripped away after an affluent patient dies. In a snowball effect, his fiance breaks their engagement. In an attempt to bury the past, Jeremiah accepts Dr. Hillerman’s invitation to join his growing practice in the isolated Alaska Territory.”
• After the Storm (A KGI Novel) by Maya Banks
• Draw Me In by Megan Squires <— Oh oh… I think this one sounds angsty, too! “But there’s always more to a relationship than its beginning and ever after. In life, there’s a whole lot of backstory. There are ex-fiancés and hot roommates and family members whose advice continues, even beyond the grave. When you say you love someone, it’s never just that one person you’re saying it to. And it’s never just that one moment that sets everything in motion. There is always more that draws you in.“