8 Heart Review: He Will Be My Ruin by K.A. Tucker

He Will Be My Ruin
K.A. Tucker

Page Count: 340
Release Date: February 2nd, 2016
Publisher: Atria Books (Simon & Schuster)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by tour publicist via publisher in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, TLC Book Tours and Atria Books!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

A woman who almost had it all...

On the surface, Celine Gonzalez had everything a twenty-eight-year-old woman could want: a one-bedroom apartment on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, a job that (mostly) paid the bills, and an acceptance letter to the prestigious Hollingsworth Institute of Art, where she would finally live out her dream of becoming an antiques appraiser for a major auction house. All she had worked so hard to achieve was finally within her reach. So why would she kill herself?

A man who was supposed to be her salvation...

Maggie Sparkes arrives in New York City to pack up what’s left of her best friend’s belongings after a suicide that has left everyone stunned. The police have deemed the evidence conclusive: Celine got into bed, downed a lethal cocktail of pills and vodka, and never woke up. But when Maggie discovers a scandalous photograph in a lock box hidden in Celine’s apartment, she begins asking questions. Questions about the man Celine fell in love with. The man she never told anyone about, not even Maggie. The man Celine believed would change her life.

Until he became her ruin.

On the hunt for evidence that will force the police to reopen the case, Maggie uncovers more than she bargained for about Celine’s private life—and inadvertently puts herself on the radar of a killer. A killer who will stop at nothing to keep his crimes undiscovered.

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-a-Million | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play | Publisher

Review

The car hits an especially deep pothole, rattling my bones. I've been trapped in here for so long. Hours. Days. I have no idea. Long enough to run through every mistake that I made.
How I trusted him, how I fell for his charm, how I believed his lies. How I made it so easy for him, by letting him get close.
How Celine made it so easy for him, by letting him get close.
Before he killed her.
Just like he's going to kill me.

Maggie's life has always been a privileged breeze, being the sole heiress to Sparkes Energy and all. Money has never been a roadblock for her because she's always had it. Her best friend from childhood on the other hand, Celine, led a different life. A life so veiled and desperate that Maggie knew nothing about until discovering her old diaries in the wake of her purported suicide.

Upon hearing the news, Maggie uproots herself from her charity work—a self-professed duty only to combat the immorality of her family's money-grubbing energy empire—and moves into Celine's Manhattan apartment to help pack up her belongings. An antiques fanatic at heart and appraiser by trade, Celine left behind pieces that must amass to a fortune, and it's Maggie's responsibility to take care of it all. It isn't until she discovers tidbits of Celine's private life and the things she did to survive in the nasty slew of the city, that Maggie's suspicions that Celine's death was not a suicide are confirmed. Celine had so much going for her, so much to look forward to, both in her professional and personal life. Immediately, Maggie points her finger in the direction of murder, and sets off to find out everything she can about Celine's secret lover—the man she claims was her ruin.

He Will Be My Ruin spins the tragedy of an unexpected death into a murder mystery that unfolds with a furor. Maggie is determined to go to any length to find out the truth about her best friend, unknowingly stepping straight into the high-risk, greed-fueled minefield that got Celine killed in the first place. K.A. Tucker knows how to tell a suspenseful story; the plot moves quickly with surprising discoveries and dark revelations peppered throughout, as Maggie enters this unfamiliar, dangerous game.

I had no trouble getting through this book, and was definitely satisfied with its unpredictable outcome and frequent red herrings. So many complicated facets of Maggie's and Celine's lives are introduced to the backdrop of the crime, so while reading, there is no knowing of what matters in the case, and what has no relevance at all. A sizzling romantic distraction muddles Maggie's focus and creates a conflict of interest, while the emotional disaster she experiences when finding out about Celine's secret life almost destroys her.

That said, I wasn't particularly affected by most of the layers of the story. The emotional tragedy, I understood, and the unraveling of Celine's murderer, I found chilling, but after I finished the book I felt like not much stuck with me. The characters are rather simple and formulaic (with the exception of the late Celine, who always finds a way to surprise the reader), and Tucker's writing style rather gratuitous with lots of superficial details. Regardless, it's an enjoyable story overall that will have you squirming in the moment as Maggie narrows down the harrowing possibilities in her crime-solving spree.

In the end, she is forced to confront the scariest reality of them all: that the one person she trusted could be the person she should most fear, and that when it comes to murder, money, and sex, nothing is really what it seems to be on the surface.

Pros

Detailed and thorough in narration // Characters are deeply explored // Suspenseful, fast-paced // Lots of factors introduced that make the mystery unpredictable and complicated // Simple and easy to navigate structurally

Cons

Writing style, while effective, is slightly amateurish // I felt like I understood the characters well, but didn't really like any of them

Verdict

He Will Be My Ruin combines a blazing tumble of a romance with an emotionally charged murder mystery. Brimming with shocking discoveries and an ominous "sleeping with the enemy" vibe, K.A. Tucker's newest novel grapples with themes of morals and guilt, despair and desperation, and the fine hazards of money and art. While I didn't find this book to be mind-blowing, I guarantee it will keep you glued to its pages until Maggie's mission is complete... if it even ends well, that is 

8 hearts: An engaging read that will be worth your while; highly recommended (x)

8 Heart Review: After I'm Gone by Laura Lippman

After I'm Gone
Laura Lippman
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Follow the Tour!

Page Count: 352
Release Date: February 11th 2014
Publisher: William Morrow (Harper Collins)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by publisher via tour publicist in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you, Harper Collins and TLC!)
Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

When Felix Brewer meets Bernadette “Bambi” Gottschalk at a Valentine’s Dance in 1959, he charms her with wild promises, some of which he actually keeps. Thanks to his lucrative—if not all legal—businesses, she and their three little girls live in luxury. But on the Fourth of July, 1976, Bambi’s comfortable world implodes when Felix, newly convicted and facing prison, mysteriously vanishes.

Though Bambi has no idea where her husband—or his money—might be, she suspects one woman does: his mistress, Julie. When Julie disappears ten years to the day that Felix went on the lam, everyone assumes she’s left to join her old lover—until her remains are eventually found.

Now, twenty-six years after Julie went missing, Roberto “Sandy” Sanchez, a retired Baltimore detective working cold cases for some extra cash, is investigating her murder. What he discovers is a tangled web stretching over three decades that connects five intriguing women. And at the center is the missing man Felix Brewer.

Somewhere between the secrets and lies connecting past and present, Sandy will find the truth. And when he does, no one will ever be the same.

Buy the book from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-A-Million | Sony eStore | Kobo | iTunes | Publisher

Review

Dead is dead. Missing is gone.

Inspired by the Salsbury fraud scandal of the 1970s, After I'm Gone explores how the enigmatic Felix Brewer's sudden disappearance echoes through lives of his wife, daughters, and mistress—the five women he loved and left behind. Both a legal thriller and dazzling sashay through a span of decades, Lippman's newest novel is elaborate, emotionally charged, and deeply probing.

In present-day Baltimore, as retired cop Sandy Sanchez reviews a cold case involving the murder of Julie Saxony—Felix's woman on the side—he notices there are discrepancies from every angle, from every testimony, and he can't help but grow intrigued by the seductive, unsolved story of Felix Brewer, his family, and how it could all be connected to a dead Julie Saxony. The novel slips in and out of each eventful decade, from the fateful Valentine's Day of 1959 when Felix and young, fresh-faced Bambi first met, to Felix's unannounced departure and the aftermath thereof, and finally, to Sandy's determined investigation. The toll Felix's desertion takes on Bambi—both financially and emotionally—as well as the way each of his well-fleshed daughters are affected, will raise great sympathy within readers, but will inevitably keep them on edge, itching to find out: how did Felix manage to leave without a trace, and why did he go without seeing to the well-being of his beloved family?

After I'm Gone is such a well crafted, well explicated mystery novel. It combines an elaborate, arduous tangle of lies, secrets, and even sacrifice, with a sharp, fast-paced procession of revelations. These continuous shifts, shocking discoveries, and impending truths never stop surprising you until the very end, which I think is a fabulous ploy. It's one of those books where you think you have everything figured out until—bam!—something happens halfway through and changes the entire plot, and then, at the last few chapters, the same thing happens again—and again, and again—bam! bam! bam! The intimate, perplexing glimpses into the lives of the Brewer women through the years of a husbandless and fatherless development really bring the story to life. The way Felix's betrayal affects his daughters' marriages, senses of dignity, and identities transforms this high-stake detective novel into one with human disparities—faults of the flesh—and that's what made it so powerful for me.

There's a purposefully vague, but consistently dark and pressing tone to the novel that's both eventful and stylistically entertaining. Readers remain in the dark about Felix's character, which makes him even more puzzling; but then again, it doesn't really matter because it's his reverberations that make up this book, not the man himself. This is the first Laura Lippman mystery I've read, but based off her commanding voice and complicated, wrenching storylines, she's an author I'm now more than eager to try again.

Pros

Rich in historical detail and legalese // Addictive // Reminiscent of the extravagance and flair of the '50s and '60s // Contrived, complicated, original plot // Bambi and daughters are so well portrayed, so lifelike // Mystery seems impossible to solve, and remains unpredictable even until the very end // Weaves complex emotions about family and love within the crime // Will surprise you multiple times—not your average linear whodunnit // Thrilling, engaging

Cons

Sandy isn't likable // Too detailed and slow-moving at times // Timeline gets confusing to keep up with

Love

It wasn't pitiable to love someone who didn't love you, or to love someone who didn't love you in the same way you chose, or to love someone more than he loved you. One could even argue that it was brave and pure.

Verdict

Sandy Sanchez doesn't know what he's in for when he takes on two details of a cold case that at first glance, other than the painfully obvious and quickly dismissed suspicions, have no plausible relation: the untimely appearance of Felix Brewer's mistress's dead body, and the means of survival the man's family turned to in his wake. Equal parts murder mystery and narrative family drama, After I'm Gone contains surprisingly touching wisdom about the tragedy of idealism and how nobody, no matter how beautiful their face or honest their soul, ever really gets what they want. Full of unstable alibis, tenderly guarded secrets, and the buildup of multiple unexpected but long-dreaded twists, Laura Lippman's latest crime novel provides soul-searing, electrifying insight on not only greed, selfishness, and cowardice, but also on identity, the gray areas between marriage and unfaithfulness, and the meaning of fatherly love 

8 hearts: An engaging read that will be worth your while; highly recommended (x)

Why I Set The Texas Twist in Austin by John Vorhaus and Giveaway!

The Texas Twist (Radar Hoverlander #3) by John Vorhaus

Page Count: 272

Release Date: 11 June 2013

Publisher: Prospect Park Books
Genre: Crime, Humor, Adventure, Texas

Money Is Just How You Keep Score

For world-class con artist Radar Hoverlander and his gang of gifted grifters, making money has never been much of a problem. If anything, the game has gotten too good—and taking candy from babies is starting to wear thin. Besides, there are other things to think about. Allie Quinn, Radar’s girlfriend and key con partner, is pregnant, and his quirky sidekick, Vic Mirplo, has decided to write a tell-all exposé about life on the razzle. But "life is what happens while you’re making other plans," and before they know it, Radar and the crew find themselves defending a cute, sexy neighbor against the advances of a scam artist selling fake medical miracles. It’s when they discover who the scammer’s real target that things take a real turn for the weird.

Readers of The California Roll and The Albuquerque Turkey know what to expect from a Radar Hoverlander adventure: deft prose, rampant laughs, taut plotting, and enough twists and turns to make the head explode. Climb aboard—the double-cross express is about to get underway!

 
Buy the book at: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Books-A-Million

Click "Read more" to discover why and how John chose Austin—my hometown!—as his setting for his newest book, and to enter one of three copies! 

♥♥♥♥♥: Nette by Barbara Rayne

Nette
Barbara Rayne

Page Count: 158
Release Date: 21 March 2012
Publisher: CreateSpace (self-published)
Source: Complimentary copy provided by author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)

In a world where gender was distinguished by the eye color, blue for female and brown for male, she had the misfortune of being born as brown eyed girl. Being ugly and a freak to everyone was the least of her troubles. Immortal and destined to be a queen, her mere existence was a threat to the king. After everyone she loved was brutally murdered, she had no choice but to pursue the path she was destined. In a world that made it clear there was no place in it for her, immortal Nette will have to make room even if it means killing them all.

Review

Nette, whose biological makeup defies every rule of the norm, directly experienced the harshness of law and society since the day she was born. Her only crime is existing.

It isn't just her brown eyes that set her apart, however. She was born with great power, as a prophet stated, the power of immortality, whose purpose is to overrule the unjust King Garlid. Because of her differences, no one will accept her. And this, we readers learn, takes a turn for the worst on not only her self-esteem, but also on her morality. Innocent, adventurous Nette goes through hell and high water and soon transforms into a merciless, indestructible Queen.

The journey Nette goes on in order to fulfill her prophecy takes place in an ambitious fantastical world; the adventure is the perfect dangerous blend of suspense, betrayal, and companionship. I loved the plot Rayne creates, but the writing, not so much. The simple, first-person style reads almost in a formal fashion, except it uses contemporary diction. I wouldn't have minded the informal language, considering Nette takes place in the future, but I would have liked the style to match. There is absolutely no showing; the language is all telling—from Nette's irritatingly unworldly and unskilled point of view, at that. This stylistic flaw, along with the countless grammatical mistakes and typographical errors, made Nette a difficult read; I really had to work to comprehend it.

I do like the characters Rayne creates. King Raul, the love interest, in particular, was a pleasant character, though he isn't particularly deep. I wish the author would have elaborated upon the characters better. The good characters are likable and the bad characters dislikable, but that's about as far as characterization goes. Nothing from Nette will be haunting me tomorrow.

The theme of societal brutality and the effect it has on human compassion is especially strong, but again, I wish it had been analyzed more thoughtfully. The overall structure and flow of this book are kind of a mess, but I can tell it has its high points. Albeit, they're rather cloaked by the thick, awkward dialogue and impenetrable narration, but I promise they're there. With a bit of cleaning up, Nette might have potential to be a hit among dystopian thriller aficionados.

Pros

Interesting dystopian premise // Nice love story // Well-depicted characters; protagonists are perfectly lovable while antagonists are detestable // Doesn't lack action and gore // Feelings of frustration and injustice are portrayed well

Cons

Narration is off-key: passive and shows rather than tells // Tone is unfeeling and unmoving // Needs an editor badly // Characters are not explored deeply; I felt detached from them // Dialogue too stilted and actions too fantastical; I couldn't imagine any of this playing out in front of me

Love

"You lost your memory, so you don't know I can kill you with a single move, throw you on the floor..."

"I choose the second option."

Verdict

I didn't hate Nette, but I certainly didn't enjoy reading it either. The dystopian society Rayne immerses readers in is fascinating, and the characterization accurate, but stylistically, this one is terribly unfulfilling. There were aspects I really liked, such as the naturally flowing plot, but can't say I recommend it.

5 hearts: Doesn't particularly light any of my fires; I feel indifferent about this book. ♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: Turn to Me by Tiffany A. Snow

Turn to Me (Kathleen Turner #2)
Tiffany A. Snow

Release Date: April 13th, 2012

Publisher: self-published

Page Count: 439

Source: Complimentary copy provided by author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)

When Kathleen Turner, office runner for the prestigious Indianapolis law firm of Kirk & Trent, started dating the boss, she knew the risks. Senior Partner Blane Kirk is known for being a notorious player—the Baskin Robbins of dating with a different flavor every month. Kathleen is the happiest she’s been in a long time, especially as Christmas approaches, but she’s always known there was a termination date on her relationship with Blane.

She just didn’t expect that termination to be her funeral.

A festive afternoon of Christmas tree shopping turns life-threatening when Kathleen and Blane become targets for an unknown gunman. They make it home alive, but Kathleen realizes her boyfriend has been keeping secrets. The deadly kind. Blane’s current case is drawing heated debate and stirring the pot of public fury. Kathleen is horrified by the threats—and worse—being directed at him. A former Navy SEAL stands accused of the wrongful death of an American citizen during a military operation overseas. The case has far-reaching political and military implications. Someone with a lot of money, and even more clout, wants Blane to lose.

As dead bodies of people connected to the defense start piling up, it becomes painfully obvious that disappearing witnesses and altered testimony are no longer enough for whoever is intent on guaranteeing the SEAL gets convicted. Kathleen and Kade, Blane’s brother and ex-FBI-agent-turned-assassin-for-hire, are on the trail of the killer.

Unfortunately for Kathleen, he’s already moved for the end-game—by painting a target on her... and pulling the trigger.

[QUICK NOTE] Read my review of No Turning Back, the book that started the Kathleen Turner series, by clicking here.

What Stephanie Thinks: I was first introduced to Kat Turner when I reviewed No Turning Back in July—I absolutely adored it! So I definitely had high hopes for Turn to Me, and I can say with confidence, this is a sexier, more dangerous, and much more intense sequel. Kathleen Turner fans, beware: you're in for a seductive albeit vicious ride.

The first part is a little slow and lovey-dovey, mostly showing how happy Kat is with Blane. In the first book, she only fantasizes about him and eventually does win his affections, but in this one, readers watch as her official relationship with him blooms and struggles to stay afloat. Nothing fancy—just the vanilla drama of regular relationships—slightly dull. The suspense picked up after the first few chapters though, for sure.

The circumstances of Kat's very vulnerable position by Blane's side in a recent lethal legal case may lead to her demise, but she can't help but stay loyal to her lover. That's Kathleen Turner for you: our (often foolishly) stubborn protagonist. She's one of both the weakest and strongest characters, especially when in the presence of men, which is interesting to watch play out.

What's most penetrating about Snow's novel is her passionate characters, namely, the two male protagonists: Blane and Kade. To Kat, even despite the immediate risks of dating him, Blane is the perfect man, the perfect boyfriend, the light to her day. Kade, his half-brother, the is the dark to Blane's light, but that doesn't make him any less appealing. Thought Kat will only admit to loving her boyfriend, she can't deny her dangerous attraction towards Kade. I know, I know. You may be cringing. But hear me out. This isn't a smutty soap opera love triangle; it's very real, very forbidden, and thus, very painful. Kat's already been in a sticky situation by dating Blane, so she's only set herself up to get her heart broken from the start, but that doesn't mean the relationship—or its downfall—will be any easier. Snow perfectly shows the difficulty of real-life relationships through Kat and Blane's interactions, and there just happens to be a troubled, troubling, and delicious half-brother added in. 

However, I do have one major problem: Kat's flitting mind. She knows to be the good girl and stay with Blane—the one who easily displays his affections for her, the one she fell for hard—but her heart's going out to Kade. I don't blame her, because he's sexy as sin, but I wish she wouldn't have kept insinuating feelings for him, SPOILER then ultimately settling with Blane. Kathleen's too wholesome to let herself succumb to her attraction to Kade. I mean, no doubt she and Blane have chemistry, but what she and Kade have are explosions. I personally admire her for not consummating her relationship with Kade (Lord knows I wouldn't have been able to resist myself to him LOL), but am disappointed by the increasing tensions that fell flat in the end. I felt like I was being led on because my Kat/Kade fandom was becoming so enthusiastic. Does that make me the biggest fangirly geek ever? Yes, and I'm proud, but only because of how much I loved Turn to Me. I kid you not; Kat and Kade share one of the hottest, most heartbreaking dynamics I've ever read in contemporary romance, and it is without a doubt, my favorite part about this book.

The only reason I hold myself back from giving this one my full 10 hearts is because, while it is the kind of story I felt like I didn't even have to work at—the pages turned themselves!—the chick-lit-y voice detracts from overall substance, whether the particular reasons be Kat's indecisiveness, her fickle mind, or the predictability of the happily-ever-after. No way am I saying the book is predictable, on account of its countless twists and shocking revelations, but the man she ends up with, well, I expected as much. It's just that Kathleen puts herself in a stupid amount of unnecessarily dangerous situations; you'd think she'd learn her lesson and just stay put after the first few times of nearly getting killed. I understand she's being 'rescued' by Blane or Kade to propel the strength of her trust in each of them, but this directly contradicts her determination to be a strong and independent woman. This was my main complaint about No Turning Back as well: the irritating fact that she would be seething in her socks because of a betrayal by or insult from one of the brothers one moment, then quivering in sexual desire the next... flighty much? I'm not tearing her character apart, really (BY NOW YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS BOOK), but her annoying attitude is the main reason Turn to Me doesn't hit home completely.

Regardless, I was mesmerized by this intoxicating, excruciating second installment of the Kathleen Turner series. If you like your suspense novels breezy—if you like high heels with your high crimes—this series, and Turn to Me in particular, will rock will world. Kat's character may stray sometimes and exasperate often, but it's the story that counts, right? In my opinion, the story is the perfect mixture of chick-lit and thriller, of scorching romance and heartbreaking impasses, and that's what makes it one you certainly won't want to miss. Despite being irked, I still loved it (is that tragic or what?) and am counting on Snow for the next in the series.

[QUICK NOTE] Read my review of the aaahhmazing third book, Turning Point, by clicking here.

Stephanie Loves: "'Don't worry,' Blane whispered to me, settling his hand on the small of my back. 'You'll be fine. I promise, I'm the only one who'll bite you.'"

Radical Rating: 9 hearts: Loved it! This book has a spot on my favorites shelf. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: The Magruder Transplant by Jack Chase

The Magruder Transplant
Jack Chase

Release Date: May 19th, 2011

Publisher: CreateSpace (self-published)

Page Count: 276

Source: Complimentary copy provided by Katherine Stone (the author's beautiful wife and partner in crime) in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thanks, my dear!)

A dying cardiologist is in desperate need of a donor heart that no one believes will become available in time to save him. An innocent young woman is brutally raped and murdered in a crime whose trail has long-since grown cold, and the state's most powerful political figure, its senior United States senator, hides his son from the authorities investigating the crime.

It is the relentless convergence of these disparate threads, that drives the narrative of this emotionally-intense romantic thriller, unraveling a web of deception, blackmail, and murder and ultimately revealing the tragic secret that lies at the heart of The Magruder Transplant.

What Stephanie Thinks: Medical thrillers shine proudly with books like The Magruder Transplant paving the genre. I enjoyed this book profoundly. Jack Chase, who is a doctor himself, really does well with its medical aspects; they're very realistic and accurate. He explains medical phrases and conflicts in Layman's terms to make them not only understandable, but also compelling. Chase's voice is descriptive, but only to a necessary point; it definitely isn't overly flowery, which is just the way I like it.

The mystery of Pace Magruder's shady heart transplant donation emerges and becomes troublesome, not to mention suspicious, when he won't just give the issue up, like the doctors and the donor's family will him to. In wanting to repay the donor's family, he discovers a scandalous inconsistency that puts the power over the state's most powerful man straight into his hands. Pace is a cardiologist, so he knows his stuff; his expertise, wit, and collaboration with Courtney, an investigator who herself, won't let go of a case that everyone else wants closed, propel him to solve the obscure secret once and for all... if he can even make out alive.

I love how there are a several different plots, including Pace's heart transplant, Courtney's determination to solve the rape and murder case, and the corrupt senator's scheme to cover up his tracks, as well as his own shocking revelation along the way. All of these little storylines come together to create the big picture of The Magruder Transplant seamlessly. 

The minor romance thread was a little far-fetched. I feel Pace's relationship with Courtney should have developed way further before they went at it as lovers. It does show well their character traits—Pace, the lady killer and Courtney, the attractive, lovable girl—but frankly this novel would have good even with the romance storyline spared.

Deep in subject matter, but simple in structure, this book is fast-paced, clever, and a solid, engaging read. The mystery, like I said, is extremely complicated, but Chase's effortless tone prevents it from being confusing; his style is very clear, which I was impressed by. With delightful plot twists, wry humor, scintillating suspense, and realistic, scary-yet-real-life dialogue, The Magruder Transplant is a gripping novel that surprises until and satisfies at the very end.

Stephanie Loves: "'I'm afraid it might be over,' [Courtney's father] said [of his latest love interest, Widow Johnson].
'I'm sorry. Anything I can help with?'
'I doubt it. She was really into kinky sex.'
'Dad...'
'I mean a woman who weighs more than two hundred pounds.'
'Dad...'
'You'd think she'd try to be a little genteel about things.'
'Dad!'
'What?'
'There is no Widow Johnson, is there?'
'I have wonderful memories of your mom, sweetheart. That's all I need.'"

Radical Rating: 8 hearts: An engaging read; highly recommended. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: No Turning Back by Tiffany A. Snow

No Turning Back
Tiffany A. Snow

Release Date: June 10th, 2011

Publisher: Self-published

Page Count: 385

Source: Complimentary copy provided by author, via Romancing the Book, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you both!)

After the death of her parents, Kathleen Turner leaves small town life for Indianapolis to pursue her dreams the best she can. Young and alone in the world, she works as a lowly Runner at the prestigious law firm of Gage, Kirk and Trent and bartends at night to make ends meet. Her ignominious introduction to Blane Kirk, partner in the firm and local playboy, has her diving under desks to avoid him. Unfortunately, when her friend is murdered and attempts are made on her own life she doesn't know where to turn—except to Blane. Kathleen’s journey begins in the halls of justice where she finds not everyone is as they seem and what you don’t know can get you killed. Though a far cry from her Midwestern upbringing, she poses as a prostitute in the intriguing circles of high-priced escort services in a reckless bid to uncover the murderer. Little does she know that the murder of her friend was only a small part in a high-tech plan to rig an online election. She must race against the clock in a desperate ploy to sabotage the scheme in a dangerous game of political espionage. In No Turning Back, Kathleen struggles to bring a killer to justice, even if it may be the man with whom she's falling in love.

What Stephanie Thinks: It's two in the morning and I'm staying up to write this review, which is saying a lot, considering I'm driving to an charity event at the orphanage tomorrow morning at 7. No Turning Back is seriously one of those books that make me go asdfhgkjdf;afsdj. (The pronunciation of that is up to you). It's everything I love in a novel: sweet, suspenseful, sinfully, sinfully sexy, humorous, and dangerous but still light-hearted; it's one that I literally couldn't put down!

First, I'll throw it out there that Kathleen's voice is breezy, klutzy, and adorable, which reads very chick-lit-y, very entertaining. It does kind make it difficult to take the peril of the situation seriously—after all, this is supposed to be a gripping Mission Impossible-like novel—but all in all, I like it because while it is unmistakably girly, in times of adrenaline and danger, it cuts the crap, and shifts to edgy and bone-chilling. Snow makes these transitions of voice very smoothly, which I was impressed by. 

Kathleen's seemingly mundane and "normal" life is turned upside-down when she is caught up in this murder case—one that's far more than a murder, stretching as far as a lethal nationwide political fraud—and somehow, she knows she has bigger ties to it than just being a friend of the victim. Through awfully awkward but delightfully hilarious mishaps, high-tech computer hacks (much to the fluster of the technology-retarded Kathleen), and even an unprecedented romance (or two), Kathleen bends over backwards to bring justice to the sudden tragedy once and for all—or at least, hopefully, to come out alive.

The storyline, I love love love. There's nothing more accurate I can say about it. The circumstances under which Kathleen is presented are believable, easily followable, and in the end, all fall into place faultlessly. This book is the perfect composition of enthralling suspense, scorching romance, and witty, warm, perfectly-played-out moments. As for her posing as a prostitute, I thought it would be a large part of the book based off the blurb, but it's actually just one scene. Nonetheless, it's an entertaining (because of her ironic predicament!), indulgent, and significant scene I adored.

Tiffany Snow has a way with words; she's amazing at creating situations that range from intense and critical, to blithe and comical. More importantly, her polished, contemporary style make No Turning Back an easy read, not only because of its unchallenging material, but also because the story just progresses effortlessly.

I was not fond of how Kathleen seems to be some sort of temptress, even though she swears to being, and comes off as, the cute and clumsy type. I mean, she is attractive, and has a great personality, but she's clearly not used to being so desired. Guys can't keep their hands off her—five different male characters (three of which are leading characters) either make passes at her or are infatuated with her, which isn't only grossly unrealistic, but also unconvincing, considering she's the type of girl who never whores herself out, and has only been with one other boy before—and that was in high school. I rolled my eyes at times. While the love triangle is steamy, the other guys hitting on her suddenly are too much. I also was a bit unsettled by the constant betrayal by and Kathleen's fickleness towards Blane. One moment I wanted him and Kathleen to be together, the next, I wanted him out of the picture. He continuously disappoints, sporadically revealing shocking tidbits of his involvement in the life-threatening scheme. Kathleen seems to recognize this. She's a smart, level-headed girl: she knows Blane is trouble, and that he's keeping his own secrets. But then he touches her arm or something and she melts and reconsiders her feelings about him...?—this happens more than a few times throughout the book, and it is not only confusing, but also slightly irritating. However, the conclusion is satisfying—a good ending to a good book—so I can't complain too much. The very last line leaves me hanging, even though full closure is provided; I'm now eager to try the sequel, Turn to Me!

Okay now it's 3am woohoooo but I'm not even tired. Just writing about No Turning Back is invigorating. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who would like a fast-paced, amusing romance that also contains heavier, disturbing facets (such as an attempted rape scene, gruesome murder descriptions, and frightening instances of combat). This, to put it in the best of words, is a law/crime thriller for the ladies: we've got hot heroes and wardrobe malfunctions, gunshots and very very unwelcome hunger pangs, break-ins and breakups... oh yeah. If suspense and chick-lit are your genres, this is the book for you.

[QUICK NOTE] Read my review of Turn to Me, the equally absorbing and fan-fucking-tastic second book in the Kathleen Turner series, by clicking here.

Read my review of the aaahhmazing third book, Turning Point, by clicking here.

Stephanie Loves: "Kade's words echoed in my head and I tried not to let the overwhelming fear and despair drown me. I would do what I could and the rest was in the hands of Fate, the fickle bitch."

Radical Rating: 9 hearts: Loved it! This book has a spot on my favorites shelf. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: The Goodbye Man by Chad Barton

The Goodbye Man
Chad Barton

Release Date: July 6th, 2011

Publisher: AuthorHouse (self-published)

Page Count: 208

Source: Complimentary copy from Bohlsen PR in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you!)

"As more people filled the packed church, Jack was forced to move down the wall toward the front, until he was very near the altar. From that vantage point, he could see the young mother's face.

He found himself staring at her, unable to look away. He didn't know why. Perhaps it was the terrible sadness in her face. He watched her intently as she clutched a little brown teddy bear and a picture of her daughter, who now lay only feet away in a small casket. The size of it made him wince. Jack felt the anger rise within him."

At sixty years old, Jack Steele has long since retired from putting criminals—especially those that hurt children—in prison. Following his retirement from law enforcement, he built a successful multimillion-dollar company, allowing him financial freedom in his golden years. Following the unexpected loss of his wife, Sarah, however, he withdraws into himself. He becomes a loner whose only companion is his German shepherd, Sadie.

Sick of a court system that lets monsters out of prison to torture and kill again and again, he decides there is only one way to stop them. Using his own resources, his credentials as a retired police officer, and his .380 Walther, he and his dog begin to hunt—bringing justice to those whom the system cannot control.

AFTER ALL ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.

What Stephanie Thinks: Child serial killers, their gruesome felonies, their absurd prison releases, and Jack Steele's determination to put and end to them once and for all, constitute the intense and astonishing The Goodbye Man. Details of the grotesque crimes will shock readers, and the repercussions will tear at hearts. This is an action-packed, gripping murder novel that you don't want to miss.

I like Barton's edgy, yet still soulful style of writing. He cuts the crap—nothing ever drags on, allowing the story to move along marvelously—but he also takes the opportunity to offer insights in Jack Steele's experiences, many of them surprisingly tender, sort of as a balm to soothe the blow of the atrocities described. The concept of the Goodbye Man is also original and realistic in an ideal way, in that carnage that Jack harbors certainly could happen, but probably never would.

The definition of and flaw with criminal rights in America is a large theme throughout the book, one that interests me highly. Barton presents it in a way, through Jack's near-justifiable mass slaughters, that makes the nation's legal system seem incredibly corrupt, but not completely hopeless.

More than a narrative on the highly-profiled crimes and the unfair law system of the US, this novel sheds light upon a bigger, brighter message in the matter of what it means to be human. Barton does this by displaying Jack's personal relationships, those that involve his loyal and lovable dog, Sadie (funny, but she is absolutely my favorite character!!! Even if you don't like dogs, you will love Sadie), as well as his love interest, Jen. I'll also go off on a tangent and say I usually don't like romances within crime/thriller novels because they're so cliché (big tough law enforcer man makes love to gorgeous smart sexy woman—I mean, come on), but this one serves a better purpose than heat-of-the-moment sexualization, so it was something I actually appreciated.

The Goodbye Man is a book about honor—not about morals, not ethics—but about what should be done and what stands should be taken when the rest of the world sins by remaining helpless and silent, even at the risk of creating another one of those monsters entirely. Jack's final realization that killing killers isn't ethical is a weighty, character-shaping discovery, one I'm glad readers will be able to discover on their own. However, we still consider Jack's deeds as the dutiful actions to take for our society. We recognize that people like the Goodbye Man are who put such virtue place. For a riveting and agonizingly compassionate crime thriller not only about a blind country's legal justice system, but also about the one man who aims to vindicate its exploitations, give this one a try. Warning: not for the faint of heart or weak of mind—brutal kidnapping, rape, and murder scenes exhibited.

Stephanie Loves: "He remembered [the night] like it was yesterday. Horrendous things are like that, he had since learned. They simply don't leave you. You think they do, and for a time, they actually might. But then something triggers them and they're back, just as horrible as they day you experienced them.

Sometimes worse."

Radical Rating: 8 hearts - An engaging read; highly recommended. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥: Devious by Lisa Jackson

Devious (New Orleans #7)
Lisa Jackson

Page Count: 432
Release Date: 29 March, 2011
Publisher: Kensington
Source: Complimentary ARC provided by publisher, via SOS Aloha, in exchange for an honest and unbiased review (thank you both!!)

Detectives Rick Bentz and Reuben Montoya return in Devious. The crime scene at St. Marguerite's cathedral in New Orleans is shocking. A novice nun has been found dressed in a yellowed bridal gown and viciously garroted, her body covered with an alter cloth.

For Montoya, the brutal crime scene is disturbingly familiar—his aunt, also a nun, was murdered. And the connections don't end there. Montoya knew this victim in high school. But the deeper the investigation goes, the more twisted the case becomes. St. Marguerite's is far from the tranquil retreat many believe, and everyone, from handsome Father Frank O'Toole to the mysterious Mother Superior, has their own agenda...

What Stephanie Thought: Being a Lisa Jackson fan, I was more than happy to get to review her newest Bentz and Montoya novel. True, I haven't read the first six books in the series, but like most good books should, Devious makes a fine stand-alone novel. Actually, it's better than a fine stand-alone novel; it's the kind of sequel that makes me want to go back and read all the previous titles too.

Camille Renard is your typical party girl: gorgeous, smart, a little deceptive... okay, make that a lot deceptive. Notorious for getting around and stealing husbands (specifically, her sister, Val's), it's to everyone's shock that she decides to enter a convent and become a nun. But this is not her story. Devious is not Camille's story, because she is brutally murdered within the first chapter—ironically, right in the church.

No one else is more devastated than her sister, Valerie Renard. Though the two have been on edge with each other for the past few months (I mean, that is what will happen if you try to sleep with your sister's husband), Val's ready to forgive and forget—after all, her divorce with Slade is now nearly final. But of course, that can't happen now, because well, Camille's dead. Beautiful, vivacious, rambunctious Camille is dead.

Which is the perfect time for Val's soon-to-be-ex to show up at her doorstep, right? Slade Houston is in New Orleans, hotter and feistier than ever, and Val's not sure she can handle his company. But it turns out, she just might not be completely over him... and him over her, for that matter.

The story gets weirder, though. One of the detectives assigned to the murder case, Reuben Montoya, happens to be Camille's high school boyfriend; her first, in fact. It's probably not best for him to deal with the issue since it's so personal, but he can't help but desire to solve this deranged murder mystery.

Even worse? An autopsy reveals Camille was pregnant—and suspicions arise that Father Frank O'Toole, the charming but suspect priest at St. Marguerite's, is the dead baby's father.

The case gets more and more screwed up as the book goes on, to the point where some things are utterly shocking—others, entirely inconceivable.

Lisa Jackson never fails with the suspense. I didn't have to sift through Devious, wondering when I'd be finished with it, at all; the pages seemed to turn themselves. Even better, romance (read: steamy love scenes!) is incorporated into the story's cutting tension, making it all the better, and entertaining, of a read.

No question goes unanswered in Devious, which says a lot, because it begins raw, millions of questions sprouting out to know what's going on at St. Marguerite's. I enjoyed the relationship developments, specifically the romances, between the various characters: Camille and Reuben; Reuben and his wife, Abby; Camille and Father Frank; Camille and her murderer; Val and Slade; and other minor relationships throughout.

Though Jackson's writing is easy to follow and well-written, it isn't without flaw. Her similes are painfully cliché ("Outside, it was as dark as night") and her details, annoyingly repetitive. Maybe she was just trying to give reader cues throughout the novel to keep confusion to a minimum, but I feel there were too many scenes that were repeated unnecessarily. Her ideas however, are completely genius. The plot she comes up with gets better and better by the sentence, and the story she creates is one not any reader will be able to predict or even possibly imagine.

Devious will thrill your senses, and keep your eyes wide and spine tingling throughout the night. It will make you tremble in fear at times, but also keep you eagerly reading on, awaiting the fate of the murder case, as well as the vindication of Camille Renard. 

Stephanie Loves: "'Hey, boy,' Val said, her heart melting as she squatted down to pet the dog's sleek head and receive exuberant licks on her face and hands. 'Yeah, I missed you, too.' The hound couldn't get close enough to her, and for a second she remembered bringing him home from the pound, a small black and tan puppy with bright eyes and ears that nearly hung to the ground.

'And me? You miss me, too?' Slade asked as he slammed the truck's door shut ...

'You're kidding, right? Miss you?' She almost laughed, except nothing about their meeting was funny. 'Like I miss the plague.'"

Radical Rating: 9 hearts: Loved it! This book has a spot on my favorites shelf. ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥