Publisher: Rita Stradling
Published: January 2017
ISBN: 9781540684462
Culter Fuller came back into my life on the day my mother died, as if losing my mother wasn't bad enough.
We hated each other since childhood. Well, I hated him. He had a very different story.
When
I moved to my dad's house to finish my last semester of high school, we
went from bitter enemies to. . . something else. He was suddenly
everywhere, occupying my space, determined to pull me into his life,
filling me with thoughts I knew were wrong.
I knew that soon we would cross a line that should never be crossed.
I
knew crossing that line could have very serious consequences; because
Culter Fuller wasn't just any irresistible boy, Culter Fuller was my
stepbrother.
But, I was always very bad at making the right choices.
My review
Well, the blurb and the caution "Recommended 16+ this is a mature YA" made me quite curious. This had to be good. And I a few ways, it was. Rita Stradling describes in an excellent way how Cassie is struggling with her feelings and emotions after burying her mother. After years of taking care of her sick mother, Cassie now moves back in with her father, her stepmother, and her two stepbrothers.
It must definitely be hard to watch your mother struggle with cancer, chemo's and losing weight. And finally losing the battle. You can feel the grief and despair of Cassie, who had to endure this during her teens. It marks her and that's why she acts differently than most teens. So, that part was very interesting. Culter on the other hand, was a bit less interesting. Oh, definitely interesting in the 'look-at-that-handsome-Full-of-yourself-Fuller' kind of guy. But he is a much less in depth character as Cassie.
Furthermore, the history of the love-hate relationship between Cassie and Cutler was a bit unclear to me. What happened precisely and why was Cassie still so angry about this?
However, the story unfolds nicely, with a definite twist in the plot at the end. You don't see that one coming, so that's very nice.
The caution and the bad choices in the book are a bit overrated in my opinion. I've read books where even my ears turned deep pink, but it is not one of those. So just sit back and enjoy this one. Four out of five stars from me. With a thank you for Netgalley for providing the ARC.
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Published: February 2017
ISBN: 9781492637165
Three alpha men and a baby.
What could possibly go wrong?
From
boot camp to the Iraqi desert, best friends Collin, Max, and Gavin have
been through hell and back. But these rugged Marines might need help
facing their biggest challenge: raising Collin's nine-month-old
daughter, Chloe.
After the death of his girlfriend in an
accident, Collin Montgomery has sworn off serious relationships. His
buddies have his back-and convince him it's okay to cut loose sometimes.
Enter the hottest, smartest girl he's ever met. But what he really
needs is a nanny.
Addison Booker needs a job desperately-and
fast. She shows up to interview for the nanny position only to find the
sexy, cocky man she can't get out of her head. Collin knows hiring her
is a bad idea-they disagree about almost everything-but Addison is so
good with little Chloe. And there's no substitute for chemistry, right?
My review
The storyline of Heather van Fleet in Reckless Hearts is definitely prone to some hilarious situations. A single (hot) marine dad with a cute babygirl, living together with two army buddies? Yeah, the banter between them is funny and contagious. So, Heather does a very fine job in describing the very real characters of Collin, Max and Gavin. If I'm honest, I found the broody Gavin and the flirtatious Max even more interesting characters than main character Collin. Of course, he is the alpha man, with a sad past (if your girlfriend dies and leaves you an adorable baby, you indeed have a sad past). But other than that, Collin is mostly in constant battle with his conscience.... and with Addison. Sparks are certainly flying between Addison and Collin. But since they both don't really know what to do with the situation (technically Collin is Addison's boss, since she's Chloe's nanny): there is a lot of struggling between them.
At sometimes it is even a bit frustrating and longwinded: do you like each other? Or not? But fortunately we also have Max, Gavin and Lia (Collin's sister). They keep the story flowing, and you can feel that there is something brewing between Max an Lia. But what? I suppose we will find out in the next book? I can't wait. As for Collin and Addison: if you want to know if opposites attrack: read Reckless Hearts.
Four out of five stars from me, with a thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing the ARC.
Publisher: KR Press, LLC
Published: January 2017
ISBN: 9781942447962
He broke her heart.
Graysen’s betrayal nearly destroyed Isa a year ago. Now that
she’s working for Red Stone Security, she’s managed to piece her life back
together after a rough year and a broken heart. Then he appears back in her
life and makes it clear he’s not going anywhere until she gives them a second
chance. A chance she refuses to take.
Now he’s back to claim what’s his.
Graysen’s never gotten over Isa and he knows he never will.
It’s his fault she walked away, but he can’t seem to let her go. He quit his
job with the CIA and called in every favor he had to get hired by Red Stone
Security just to be near her again. But Isa doesn’t care that he’s desperate to
make things right between them—she wants nothing to do with him. He doesn’t
blame her, but he’s not willing to give her up. When they’re cornered by lethal
terrorists, everything changes. Graysen and Isa will have to find a way to work
together if they want to survive. Only then will he be able to convince her to claim
the chance at happiness the past stole from them.
My review
This is the 15th (and final) book of the Red Stone Security series of Katie Reus. Not having read any of the previous 14 titles wasn't a problem though. We meet Isa, a determined, independent woman who is working undercover for Red Stone Security. We meet her as she just finishes a job.
And we meet Graysen. A very fine specimen, who is head over heels in love with Isa. But he screwed up. Big time. And so Isa has left everything behind a year ago, to start fresh. Without Graysen. And although she doesn't want to admit that she still has some feelings for him, she is determined to guard her heart and not be involved with man ever again.
Graysen has pulled every string to have a job together with Isa, just to be able to talk to her again. Of course, Isa is not amused and definitely not in the mood to make amends with him. But everywhere she turns, she runs into Graysen. And then their undercover job for Red Stone Security gets dangerous. Because Isa en Graysen stumble onto some very dark secrets of the company they are investigating. But the suspect isn't willing to let them reveal the truth. He will stop at nothing, not even to kill innocent people or kidnap bystanders. Like Emerson, one of the few friends Isa has left.
So now, Isa and Graysen have to work together to stay alive. Will the succeed in stopping the bad guy and will they have a shot at a second chance?
A very exciting and thrilling read. Now I still have to read all the other 14 parts, I guess. Four out of five stars from me.
Publisher: Sourcebook Landmark
Published: October 2016
ISBN: 9781492637257
A vivid and mesmerizing novel about the extraordinary woman who
married and worked with one of the greatest scientists in history.
What
secrets may have lurked in the shadows of Albert Einstein’s fame? His
first wife, Mileva “Mitza” Marić, was more than the devoted mother of
their three children—she was also a brilliant physicist in her own
right, and her contributions to the special theory of relativity have
been hotly debated for more than a century.
In 1896, the
extraordinarily gifted Mileva is the only woman studying physics at an
elite school in Zürich. There, she falls for charismatic fellow student
Albert Einstein, who promises to treat her as an equal in both love and
science. But as Albert’s fame grows, so too does Mileva’s worry that her
light will be lost in her husband’s shadow forever.
A literary historical in the tradition of The Paris Wife and Mrs. Poe, The Other Einstein reveals a complicated partnership that is as fascinating as it is troubling.
My review
Off course I know of the famous Albert Einstein and his theory E=mc2. However, more than his wild hair and his tongue sticking out on the famous picture was not known. So I was real curious about the wife of Albert Einstein.
Marie Benedict did an outstanding job in describing the academic world in the eighteenth century. Generally speaking, women were not allowed to be educated and only the few talented ladies, such as Mileva, were able to study. I was mesmerized by the descriptions of Mileva's struggles to gain acceptance in class and from her professors. How hard it must have been for those few women to face all those challenges. And I really wanted to knock some sense in Mitza when she got pregnant from Albert before they were married. All that her father had fought for and how he tried to give her a better future than just a housewife just went down the drain.
And indeed, it went downhill from then for Mileva. Albert proved himself a selfish bastard, by taking off her name on the papers they had written together. So, Mileva never got the credit for her work on the relativity theory, which made Einstein famous. As Mileva gets degrated more and more as a simple hausfrau by Einstein, it really upset me. How could a briljant physicist like her let someone reduce her to a mere housekeeper?
After reading this historical fiction, I found myself looking up facts about Albert Einstein and his first wife. Could it be that Marie Benedict was right? Was Albert the bastard she describes him to be? And did he really steal the work of Mileva as his own? Although there is not enough evidence to support the fact that Mileva really was the author of one or more papers of Albert, I think Marie has done an outstanding job in weaving the known facts about Albert's life (like the illegitimate daughter born before their marriage) with a story from Mileva's point of view. Even if she was a bit of the truth, I think it shows in a wonderful way how women had to work so hard to be recognized in history.
Four out of five stars from me. With special thanks to Sourcebooks for the ARC.
Publisher: Harlequin TEEN
Published: January 2017
ISBN: 9780373212170
Seventeen-year-old Violet has always been expected to sit back and let the boys do all the saving
It's
the code her father, a member of the Reign of Terror motorcycle club,
raised her to live by. Yet when her dad is killed carrying out Terror
business, Violet knows it's up to her to do the saving. To protect
herself, and her vulnerable younger brother, she needs to cut all ties
with the club—including Chevy, the boy she's known and loved her whole
life.
But when a rival club comes after Violet, exposing old
secrets and making new threats, she's forced to question what she
thought she knew about her father, the Reign of Terror and what she
thinks she wants. Which means reevaluating everything: love, family,
friends…and forgiveness.
Caught in the crosshairs between loyalty
and freedom, Violet must decide whether old friends can be trusted—and
if she's strong enough to be the one person to save them all.
My review
I received a sneak preview from Netgalley for this third book on the
Reign of Terror, a motorcycle club with all it's members and secrets.
Since I've read both the first and second book, I had already met Chevy
and Violet, the main characters of this book. Violet blames the Terror
for the death of her father and therefore wants to have nothing to do
with the club. This includes her former best friend and lover, Chevy,
who is being torn between becoming a member of the club at eighteen, or
pursuing his football career at school. Being the grandson of the
president of the club does create some expectations, therefore it is
hard for Chevy to decide what to do.
Especially since the Riot (a
rival club, we already met at Nowhere but Here) is on a vengeance tour.
The sneak preview ends on a cliffhanger where Chevy and Violet are
kidnapped by members of the Riot. So, can't wait to read the rest. Four
out of five stars from me.
Publisher: Waldorf Publishing
Published: September 2016
ISBN: 9781943276028
Grant Whitus joined the
Colorado SWAT in 1992. His 17 year career was one of constant
headlines. Among leading countless drug raids and hostage situations, he
was on the front lines of the Columbine Massacre, the Platte County
Tragedy, the Albert Petrosky shooting, and the Granby tank rampage.
Speaking
for the first time, Whitus gives the unvarnished truth of those, and
many other, major SWAT operations. Now retired, he opens up about his
time behind the shield. Bullet Riddled is the full unabridged
disclosure of what happened during his storied career; including the
brutal morning of the Columbine Massacre. More than just a retelling, Bullet Riddled is an in-depth look at the day-to-day of SWAT and focuses on the men and women who inherit so much pain to keep us safe.
Nowhere
is this more apparent than in the aftermath of the Columbine tragedy.
The following days saw major changes within SWAT: Men cracked, leaders
folded and the entire country demanded changes. But these changes, like
all reforms, met with stiff resistance from the old guard. Friendships
turned into rivals and the infrastructure of SWAT began to unravel. As
resignations piled up, Grant rebuilt the entire team from hand-selected
recruits. He finally had his elite team, one that would face new demons
and disorders.
My review
First of: if you are faint of heart or do not like foul language, you better think again before reading this book. Officer Grant gives you an insight into a day in the life of a SWAT member. And what a day: you not only are taken inside of Columbine, but also at some other horrific days where brain matter is splashed across the ceiling and poor girls are shot point blank in the head. So, definitely make sure your lunch or diner is properly digested before starting this book.
Whitus is brutally honest in his autobiography. Some would say he is an arrogant jerk, and a lot of people take offence on his language and rampage on bad guys. But although you may not agree with him, the book will give you an idea what the police goes through during those kinds of shoot-outs or tragedies.
As a European I can't imagine why there are people in the United States still pro-guns after reading the tragedy at Columbine. Of course we have our share of horrible tragedies, but since we are not allowed to own a gun, these kind of situations as at Columbine are very foreign to me. To read about it (even as it is horrific) is very educative and informative. The writer takes you on a trip on memory lane, with every chapter a new phase or incident in his life. He takes you by the hand and leads you by all the tragedies step by step. He explains why they do what they do and how. And also what was changed in their working methods after each incident. It's a lot of food for thought, and no matter your opinion on officer Grant as a person, I think you can not disagree with me that this guy (with his row of honours and prizes) has been a valuable member of the police force. And next time you see or hear about a hostage situation or a shoot-out, you can relate to how the officers at the scene must feel and act. A deep bow for Grant Whitus. And four stars for Bullet Riddled.
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Published: February 2017
ISBN: 9781510705067
Still mourning the loss of Lucas Nelson, the boy she loved in secret for
years, seventeen-year-old Emmy Martin turns to her passion for mountain
biking to try to fill the empty void in her life. But just when things
start looking up, Emmy discovers her mom has been diagnosed with
early-onset Alzheimer’s. Confused and angry that her parents didn’t tell
her sooner, she throws herself into mountain biking like never before.
When
Cole Evans, the rich boy who usually doesn’t care about anything but
himself, offers to train her for the biggest mountain biking race of the
season, she accepts, determined to beat her nemesis, Whitney, and prove
she’s good enough for a sponsor. The more time she spends with Cole,
the more she realizes he’s different than she’d expected, and, to her
surprise, she’s falling for him. Torn between the deep feelings she
still has for Lucas and her growing ones for Cole, she knows she must
choose a path: one offers her the chance to love again, while the other
is blocked by the overwhelming heartache for the boy she lost.
As
she drifts further away from her family and closer to her dream of
being sponsored, a terrible accident threatens any semblance of peace
and happiness she has left. Instead of closing herself off to the people
she loves, Emmy must learn to rely on those she has pushed away if
she’s going to have any chance of getting her life back again.
My review
The blurb of this book made me curious. Since I'm currently working for a company in bike supplies, this book was right up my alley. Bikes, romance, drama, definitely sounds interesting. And yes, the book started of great. You are swept into the mourning of Emmy over losing her neighbour and best friend Lucas and the determination of Emmy to beat her nemesis Whitney. Chantele Sedgwick certainly knows how to describe her characters and make you feel their pain and sorrow. And of course their laughter. Kelsie, Emmy's BFF is a wonderful girl, trying to keep Emmy from sliding back into the dark feelings of depression she felt when her secret love Lucas died of cancer.
However, Em's life isn't getting on track yet. Her mother gets diagnosed with early Alzheimer's and she discovers that her parents have known this for over 6 months, before telling her and her brother Gavin. Angry, confused and sad, she tries to keep everybody at a distance. Especially Cole, her rival teamcaptain from the bike team. But Cole doesn't let her. He keeps popping up and tries to help her train and cope with her frustration.
So, Cole kind of grows on you. And that's the moment when I kind of lost the feeling with the book. Chantele did an excellent job in creating the tension between Cole and Emmy, the heartbreak of Emmy over Lucas and the banter between Kelsie and Emmy. But when the end of the book was coming nearer, the story sort of drizzled to an end. It was kind of when you bike up an enormous mountain, barely missing all kinds of obstacles, sweating all over the place and then arrive at the top of the mountain, where it's all foggy. All this hard work, and no view. So, three out of five stars from me. The climb to the top was awesome, unfortunately the view was obscured by fog.
