Shelter Mountain by Robyn Carr (Virgin River #2)

 

John "Preacher" Middleton is about to close the bar when a young woman and her three-year-old son come in out of the wet October night. A marine who has seen his share of pain, Preacher knows a crisis when he sees one—the woman is covered in bruises. He wants to protect them, and he wants to punish whoever did this to her, but he knows immediately that this inclination to protect is something much more. Paige Lassiter has stirred up emotions in this gentle giant of a man—emotions that he has never allowed himself to feel.

But when Paige's ex-husband turns up in Virgin River, Preacher knows his own future hangs in the balance. And if there's one thing the marines' motto of Semper Fidelis—always faithful—has taught him, it's that some things are worth fighting for.

Why I decided to read this book: I signed up to try to win a copy of Promise Canyon on Goodreads and I decided to start at the beginning of the series so that book 11 would makes sense to me.  I was also able to download the first 4 books of the series on to my Nook as a book bundle! :)

Likes?.....: I really liked Preacher.  He's a big ole burly badass former Marine who doesn't think that he's capable of loving or being loved.  I also enjoyed Paige and Chris who bring out the best and at some points in the book, the worst in Preacher.  I also really enjoyed how the town rallied around Paige and Chris to make sure that they were safe from Paige's abusive ex-husband.  Oh and let's not forget about "unlovable" Preacher turned lover extraordinaire Preacher.  Everyone calls Preacher by his nickname rather than his given name in town, then Paige comes along and starts calling him John and to me that was pretty sexy in it's VERY simple way.

Dislikes?.....: Paige's brother and ex husband....They BOTH deserve to be beaten to within an inch of their lives in my honest opinion.  There were a couple of odd breaks in the story that seemed a little off to me but not enough to be distracting.

Overall: I think that this book was even better than the first book in the series.  Another one that once I started reading I had a VERY difficult time putting down.  I think that the series builds really nicely from one book to the next with the inclusion of new characters as well as reoccurring roles of the "regulars."  I can hardly wait to keep reading!  I'm just soooo mad at myself for not reading this series before now!

Virgin River By Robyn Carr

 

 Wanted: Midwife/nurse practitioner in Virgin River, population six hundred. Make a difference against the backdrop of towering California redwoods and crystal-clear rivers. Rent-free cabin included.

When the recently widowed Melinda Monroe sees this ad she quickly decides that the remote mountain town of Virgin River might be the perfect place to escape her heartache, and to reenergize the nursing career she loves. But her high hopes are dashed within an hour of arriving: the cabin is a dump, the roads are treacherous and the local doctor wants nothing to do with her. Realizing she's made a huge mistake, Mel decides to leave town the following morning.

But a tiny baby, abandoned on a front porch, changes her plans…and a former marine cements them into place.

Melinda Monroe may have come to Virgin River looking for escape, but instead she finds her home.

Why I decided to read this book: I signed up to try and win a copy of Promise Canyon on Goodreads and thought that I should probably start at the beginning so book 11 might actually make sense to me...provided I was able to win a copy. :)  Lucky me...I was able to find the first four books bunched together in a bundle available on my Barnes and Noble Nook.

Likes?.....: I really liked the premise of the story....Jack and Melinda (Mel) are both damaged souls looking for a change....and Boy Howdy do they get it in spades!  I also enjoyed the mostly good hearted turmoil between Doc and Mel....everyone thinks he needs some help and he doesn't.  I also enjoyed picturing Jack helping out the town as well as helping with a an abandoned newborn baby....Here's this big burly badass former Marine who is actually a gentle giant underneath all that big burly badassness.  I also enjoyed the reunion with Jack and his fellow Marine buddies and Jack's "fall from Grace" as a result of the reunion.

Dislikes?.....:  I think that the reason for Mel to stick around at times was a little thin.  Sure Mel's a midwife and babies are her thing but once she made sure that the baby was safely placed she could have easily taken off.  I also thought that in some places (not very many, just a few) that the story was a little bit rushed.  Another small thing that kind of rubbed me the wrong way a little bit at the beginning of the story was how Jack became almost instantaneously possessive of Mel.

Overall:  I think that this was a pretty good start to the Virgin River series.  Minus my few quirks with the book I think that it was a VERY good. Once I started reading it I was pretty much sucked in and could NOT put it down.  But my quirks prevented this story from getting a 5/5.  Jack and Mel's story is very sweet and it makes me wish I had a big burly badass Marine who's just a big ole gentle giant underneath all that badassness!

Falke's Peak by Anna Leigh Keaton & Madison Layle ~ Contains Adult Content

 

She couldn't believe her eyes.


Stressed out ad-exec Dakota wandered into Catamount Outfitters in search of a guide for a wilderness excursion. She didn't expect to be greeted by not one, but five of the most ruggedly delicious-looking men she'd ever seen. Not to mention a live cougar guarding the shop.

The Falke brothers have more than just good looks in their genes.

Eldest brother Axel agrees to guide Dakota on her mountain trek. In cougar form, Axel's twin, Gunnar, was there as a protection from predators—but he had his eye on the sexy client instead.

Into the wild...

While the rule with clients was "paws-off," both Axel and Gunnar couldn't resist Dakota's seductive Native American beauty and determination. As cold days led to hot nights in the cabin, Axel and Gunnar wondered if they'd finally found a woman strong enough to tame them...



Why I decided to read this book: I was looking through all the new releases on Netgalley and saw this one and as you can see from the reading the synopsis, it really tripped my trigger.  That and the cover I think is pretty neat too.

Likes?......: What really drew me into the story was Dakota.  The way she's described you think "fluffy city girl," but the farther you read into the book you definitely start to change your tune about her.  I also liked the premise of "modern day" shapeshifters....Especially extremely HOT "modern day" shapeshifters who give one hell of a back rub!  Is it wrong that I really liked the internal struggle of Axel and Gunnar?  Cause I REALLY did.

The sexual stuff?!?!?!?...Just as HOT as the "modern day" shapeshifters!

Dislikes?......: I don't have very many....I didn't particularly care for the "deception" scene.  I did feel that at certain points the story was a little bit rushed.  Overall, not too many dislikes.

Overall: I really enjoyed this story.  Even with the couple of dislikes that I found in the story I think that this is a VERY good beginning to the author's series.  I can hardly wait to check out the rest of the series!  Hopefully each of the remaining brothers and Heidi will get their own stories!

The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dog and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption by Jim Gorant

NOTE: There is the use of cuss words in the review that follows.

Title: The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption

Author: Jim Gorant

Series:

Genre: Non-fiction, animals, sports

Publisher: Penguin

Release Date: 2010, September 16

Format: E-Book, 488 pages

Source: Bought for my Barnes and Noble Nook

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Smuttiness: N/A

 

Synopsis (from Goodreads):

 

An inspiring story of survival and our powerful bond with man's best friend, in the aftermath of the nation's most notorious case of animal cruelty.

Animal lovers and sports fans were shocked when the story broke about NFL player Michael Vick's brutal dog fighting operation. But what became of the dozens of dogs who survived? As acclaimed writer Jim Gorant discovered, their story is the truly newsworthy aspect of this case. Expanding on Gorant's Sports Illustrated cover story, The Lost Dogs traces the effort to bring Vick to justice and turns the spotlight on these infamous pit bulls, which were saved from euthanasia by an outpouring of public appeals coupled with a court order that Vick pay nearly a million dollars in "restitution" to the dogs.

As an ASPCA-led team evaluated each one, they found a few hardened fighters, but many more lovable, friendly creatures desperate for compassion. In The Lost Dogs, we meet these amazing animals, a number of which are now living in loving homes, while some even work in therapy programs: Johnny Justice participates in Paws for Tales, which lets kids get comfortable with reading aloud by reading to dogs; Leo spends three hours a week with cancer patients and troubled teens. At the heart of the stories are the rescue workers who transformed the pups from victims of animal cruelty into healing caregivers themselves, unleashing priceless hope.

Review:

I was checking out the new releases on Barnes and Noble the other day and I saw this book.  I'm an animal lover and I thought that the premise of this book sounded really interesting, so I downloaded it onto my Barnes and Noble Nook.  I started to read it at about 2 am Sunday morning and I could NOT stop reading it until I had read all 488 pages e-book pages (the print version is 304 pages).  I was absolutely FLOORED by some of the things that I had read.

Now if you are going to read this book I must warn you in the beginning there are a few graphic scenes that show just big of an fucking jackass Michael Vick truely is. And they let this fucker BACK into the NFL! The author of this book doesn't hold anything back really.  He goes into the gorey details of how Vick and his "crew" disposed of dogs that just didn't have it in them to fight.
Once the bust is made on Vick's property and the dogs are confiscated then there is a big hoopla about if the case is going to be a state/local case or a federal case.  In the end it became a federal case but the state/local attorney did slap some charges on about 5 months AFTER the case started.

While the case is going on there is much discussion about what should be done with the dogs.  There were many who said that they should ALL be destroyed because they were taken from a fighting situation, which makes them steriotypical "killers" naturally....I mean hell...even PETA said destroy them.  In the end, after much discussion and bringing in outside help.  It was decided that they would evaluate each dog individually.  After all the evaluations were done, of the 51 dogs that were seized, only 1 was deemed to dangerous to even evaluate.

Because I don't want to give away too much of this book away I'm not going to go into very many more deatils.  All I'm going to say is that there is a happy ending for the remaining dogs...They actually get to learn how be a dog and do dog things and many of them have been adopted out and several are even therapy dogs.  I hope that if you read this book you learn as much about this breed that is known as the "nanny dog", because it was originally bred to be a family pet as well as a protector of the farm, as I did.  I can honestly say that after reading this book, it has definately changed my opinion on the American Pit Bull Terrier.

Review ~ A Proper Suduction

Title: A Proper Seduction

Author: HelenKay Dimon

Series: N/A

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Release Date: 2010, May 18

Format: eBook

Source: Bought via My Barnes and Noble Nook

 

Rating: 5/5

 

Smuttiness: 5/5

 

 

Synopsis:

 

Don't get even. Get everything...

 

Even before her bad marriage ended, Lauren MacDonald lost everything—her job, her friends, her self-esteem, and her sexual appetite. Now that she’s finally free, she’s struggling to regain control of a life her ex did his best to destroy.

 

The plan: sex with Justin Scott, her ex’s business partner. The man her husband invited into their marital bed, forcing her to realize it was time to get out. Justin was the star of the fantasies that helped her endure her marriage, so she can’t deny she wanted him—but not like that. She wants him like this—alone. In her bed. For exactly three nights.

 

Justin screwed up with Lauren, and in the past she’s made no secret of the fact she loathes him. So when she walks into his office flashing miles of long, lean legs, his brain cells misfire. Three nights of meaningless sex? He’s all over it. Not only does he have the chance to unleash his desire for her, it’s the opening he’s been waiting for—to convince her to give him more.

 

 

Review:

 

I saw a review for this e-book on another blog that I follow and it sounded VERY interesting. I checked to see if it was available for Barnes and Noble Nook owners and low and behold it was! So naturally, I downloaded it and devoured it!

 

The premise of the book is about a woman who just got out of a TERRIBLE marriage and is looking to gain a little bit of control back in a certain part of her life....The Bedroom. So Lauren makes a proposition to Justin.....3 nights of mind-blowing, no-kissing-on-the-lips, business like sex. Which he isn't comfortable with but agrees to because he has a "thing" for Lauren. Actually, they both have a "thing" for each other if I'm being honest here.

 

Anyway, this is one of the shorter e-books I've read but I really enjoyed it. The plot and premise were really good in my opinion. The hero....A HOT SEX GOD! The heroine....a little beat down but comes out on top (in more ways than one) by the end of this book. The sex scenes....SCORCHING HOT!

 

Review ~ Extreme Exposure

Pub. Date: August 2005
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Format: E-Book, also available in paperback

Rating:

Smuttiness:

Description:

Sparks fly when a hardboiled reporter meets a handsome senator. But a political scandal-and attempts on her life-could drive them apart. Or maybe adversity could draw them into a bond even more intense than their steamy sexual embraces.

Review:

OMG! This is a "new to me" author and in the description it says that sparks fly.....soooooo inaccurate......More along the lines of BIG flames from flame throwers! Kara is a single mom as well as an investigative reporter who is tipped about a story that involves MANY environmental crimes as well as crime crimes. Along the way she meets UBER SEXY Senator Reece Sheridan, who in his past career was a teacher.

The BIG flames from the flame throwers start flying which leads to MANY moments of UBER HOT sex. Then Kara finds out that Reece may possibly be involved in this scandal, which leads to a few tense moments, which includes attempts on BOTH Kara and Reece's lives. But in the end cool heads prevail and all the bad guys lose and all the good guys win.

I definately will be reading more of the books by this author. The characters are well written and very real. The author herself is a former investigative reporter! The story line AWESOME! Once I started this book I really had a VERY hard time putting it down and the worst part of the book was when it actually came to an end!

For Barnes and Noble Nook owners

If anyone out there who owns a Nook would like to follow each other's My B&N profiles, e-book reviews, and save a little money with the LendMe feature please feel free to drop me an e-mail. I'll send you the e-mail address that you can find me under. And just like with the blog....if you follow me I'll follow you (ok so I try to make good on that one on the blog, but for sure on BN).

The Time of My Life review **Tiny Spoiler**

Pub. Date: September 2009
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing Group
Format: Hardcover, 256pp, e-book, paperback, compact disc, MP3

Rating:

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):

In a career spanning more than thirty years, Patrick Swayze has made a name for himself on the stage, the screen, and television. Known for his versatility, passion and fearlessness, he's become one of our most beloved actors.

But in February 2008, Patrick announced he had been diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. Always a fighter, he refused to let the disease bring him to his knees, and his bravery has inspired both his legion of fans and cancer patients everywhere. Yet this memoir, written with wisdom and heart, recounts much more than his bout with cancer. In vivid detail, Patrick describes his Texas upbringing, his personal struggles, his rise to fame with North and South, his commercial breakthroughs in Dirty Dancing and Ghost, and the soul mate who's stood by his side through it all: his wife, writer and director Lisa Niemi.

A behind-the-scenes look at a Hollywood life and a remarkable love, this memoir is both entertainment and inspiration. Patrick and Lisa's marriage is a journey of two lives intertwined and lived as one—throughout their years in Hollywood and at home on their working ranch outside Los Angeles, and culminating in the hope and wisdom they've imparted to all who know them. This book will open the door for families, individuals, and husbands and wives to grow, bond and discover entirely new levels of love and sharing, proving that life shouldn't be lived as a series of endings, but rather as the beginning of greater strength and love.

Review:

I had heard great things about this book so when I found out that it was available on my nook I went ahead and downloaded it. I can honestly say that of the books that I've read recently this one is pretty close to the top. This is an awesome story of the roller coaster life (personally and professionally) that Patrick and his wife Lisa lived while he was still alive. Seriously, check this book out...It made me laugh, cry and cringe. Oh a little random fact for you....The most famous line in the movie Dirty Dancing "Nobody puts Baby in the corner" is the one that Patrick thought was ultra corny and wanted cut from the script entirely.

The Cougar Club

Pub. Date: January 2010

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Format: eBook, 336pp

Rating:

Synopsis (from Barnes and Noble):

Meet three women who aren't about to run and hide just because the world says they should be on the shelf and out of circulation.

Kat

Her life seems perfect until she loses her high-powered advertising job and catches her live-in lover in a compromising position-with his computer!

Carla

This sexy TV news anchor is in danger of being replaced by a twentysomething blond bimbo. Wasn't it just yesterday that she was the up-and-coming star?

Elise

A married dermatologist, Elise thinks her plastic surgeon husband is playing doctor with someone else.

Kat firmly believes that aging gracefully isn't about giving up; it's about living life with your engine on overdrive. So this unofficial "Cougar Club" quickly learns three things about survival of the fittest in today's youth-obsessed society: True friendship never dies, the only way to live is real, and you're never too old to follow your heart.

Review:

I read Reading with Tequila's review of this book and I decided that I would check it out. I'm glad that I did because I really enjoyed this book a lot. It was fiction that was written in a way that addresses so many "real life" issues that women encounter in this day-n-age.

The three main characters in this book are not written like your typical cougar (predator). They just happen to be three hard working women "of a certain age" who just happen to like their men on the young side. There really isn't anything wrong with that right? They also are best friends who have unfortunately lost track of each other for a while, but once life starts kicking the crap out of them, they are reunited to take on the enemy (life) together.

This is a well written book about finding your true self after you've turned 40. There's humor, romance, there's a little bit of everything. The thing that really drew me to the story is how the "hot younger guys" are there but they defiantly take a backseat to the friendship of these three women.

I, Alex Cross

I, Alex Cross

James Patterson

Pub. Date: November 2009
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Format: eBook

Genre: Thriller

Rating:

Synopsis:

Alex Cross's niece is found brutally murdered. Overcome with grief, Alex vows to take down her killer before he strikes again. But shortly after he begins the investigation, Alex discovers that his niece had gotten mixed up with some very important, very dangerous people. And she's not the only one who has disappeared.

The hunt for the murderer leads Alex and his girlfriend, Detective Brianna Stone, to Washington's most infamous club--a place where every fantasy is possible, if you have the credentials to get in. The killer could be one of their patrons, one of Washington's elite who will do anything to keep their secrets buried.

With astonishing plot twists and electrifying revelations that will keep readers on the edge of their seat, I AM ALEX CROSS is James Patterson's most suspenseful Alex Cross novel yet.

Review:

This was my first ever James Patterson novel and it won't be my last either (even though it only got 3 boots). Alex Cross is a very interesting character....one that I am so going to learn more about by reading more of this series. He's also VERY relateable.

The grisly death of his estranged niece is not the only tragedy that Alex faces in this book and the way that he hands all the blows and hard knocks that keep coming at him is in my opinion AWESOME. He's a man's man. You'd want to be pals with Alex Cross. Life keeps kicking him when he's down and he keeps getting back up and saying "Kiss This!"

I guess my only complaint with the book was that there seemed to be moments in the story when there would be a "magical" break in the case. Meaning basically, Alex doesn't really do anything and another piece of the puzzle falls in their lap. I guess that might be a major contributor to why this book didn't rate higher. That and the ending just kind of fizzled out...didn't care for it.

I do enjoy that the chapters are short and easy to track. I do enjoy the writing style very much also. The supporting characters are all very well written as well and they complement Alex nicely. Overall, it wasn't a horrible book...it just didn't rock my socks off.