BANG BANG

BANG BANG                                               RACHEL VAN DYKEN

He was my best friend.
Until he became my enemy.
All within the span of one night.
Bang, Bang, Bang, Bang.
The rapid fire of gunshots became the soundtrack to my life.
This is the Mafia. Lines are blurred. Choices are never black and white. And the life you thought you knew is... one giant lie.
He was dead.
And I didn't want his life to be in vain, so I tried to make something of myself. I tried and failed.
Now he's back. Alive. And he wants something...
Me.
Nobody ever said the mafia played fair.
Welcome to The Family.

MY REVIEW:
  This is the story of Amy De Lange and Axton Abandonto, part of the Eagle Elite Series.  They are from two opposing mafia families.  Yet, somehow they had managed to keep their friendship separate.  Her father is a cruel man who would beat her and her mother for his failings of wanting to be a Made Man in the organization.  To escape she would end up next door at Ax’s bedroom window.
     On this fated night she was sleeping over because her dad was on a tear.  They went through their routine of Ax saying she should move already so he could keep her safe.  Ames, says no how would that look to the mafia families?  Ax saying no father no matter what has a right to put hands on his daughter.  That even him a worthless mechanic knows better and she should be around better than him.  She tells him that No one who loves, protects, and cares for her the way that Ax did could be better.
     Then they changed for bed.  They were no sooner getting into their REM sleep when bullets start flying.  She hears Ax say in her ear to keep quiet, stay down, and don’t move yet.  She realizes that he is covering her with his body.  He reaches into his nightstand and pulls out something.  When it catches the outside light she sees it’s a gun.  She starts to speak he covers her mouth.  When his bedroom door flies open and it’s his brother Sergio.  Telling Ax “Our covers been blown.  They know we’ve been watching them.  Get ready we got to go!”
     Bullets still flying, he gets out of bed, starts getting dress tells her to do the same but stay low.  Sergio comes back in says, “We got to go now!”  Ax says, “She’s going with us.” Sergio says, “No!  She’s the enemy!”  Ax says, “She’s not he beats her.  If she doesn’t go then I stay too!”  When his door flies open again and Sergio grabs Ames from Ax with Ax yelling, “Take her protect her.”  Shots ring out he’s hit but he gets this person.  She and Sergio go out the window.  He tells her let’s go she says no we need to wait for Ax.  He says, “No he’s more than likely dead if not he will be.  You did this.  You killed him.”  Five years later…

     Nope not going there!  Started this to just see what it was about really because it’s an author I enjoy and it was free on Amazon.  Damn I couldn’t put it down especially since I found out it was an extension of a series I had read part of.  Which I loved.  This was a non-stop fast pace story.  About the new American Mafia but done with a bit of humor.  Along with the heartache.  I give this 4 stars.

THE CONSEQUENCE OF LOVING COLTON

THE CONSEQUENCE OF LOVING COLTON          RACHEL VAN DYKEN

My name is Milo Caro and I have a confession to make.

I’ve been in love with Colton Mathews since I was five. He should have known that sharing a cookie with a sugar obsessed little monster would do the trick–it sealed his fate. So really, the fact that he’s sporting a black eye, a limp, almost got ran over by a car, and was nearly responsible for another person’s death? Right. HIs fault. Not mine. 

I made a pact with myself–this weekend would be different. I’d come home for my brothers wedding, smile, and Colton would naturally melt into my arms, we’d get married have five kids, live in a house by the river, and get a dog named scratch (clearly I’ve thought this through).

What really happened? I punched my brother in the face, Colton kissed me and apologized, I lied about having a boyfriend, oh and everyone wants to meet the mystery man. 

They say laughter always comes before insanity–ha, ha. All I wanted was my brother’s best friend…instead I’m sitting in prison. 

Let this be a lesson to you all…life rarely happens the way you want it to. 

Damn cookie.

MY REVIEW:

     When your heart falls in love with the boy you loved your whole life or at least since you were 13.  But couldn’t have what him what would you do to get over him?  You would at least try to get over him, yet still living with the feelings.  When you have to keep interacting with your old love that never gave you the time of day, when he did he was sorry he did.  How do you move on?
     Milo Caro, 21, has been in love with her brother Jason’s friend Colton Mathews, 23 since she was 13.  But he never saw her as anything other than a friend and little sister to his best friend.  Colton used to be her super-hero.  He used to play in the attic where they had a box castle.  She was always the princess.  Colton always played the dragon and the dragon slayer, with a wooden sword and all.  He told her it not only warded off dragons but all the mean girls too.
     Milo always wanted Colton to kiss her but he never did until her graduation party in the pool.  But then he said he was sorry and said if he could take it back he would.  It crushed her.  She felt that she had been crushing on this guy since she was 13 for nothing but no more.  She never let on.  But she made sure to time her visits home from college when she knew he wouldn’t be around.  Or that she could eliminate the amount of times they would run into each other.
     Her first days at school she meets her best friend Max Emory.  He tried 3-4 times to get into her pants but all she could think about was he was gay because he was such a metrosexual.  Little did she know that he was not gay.  But for the last 4 years they have been the closes friends.  More like brother and sister.  Truly best friends.  She liked Max because he was so fun and outgoing.
     Four years passed and she has one more month of school left.  She would be home except her brother Jason is marrying the crazy Jayne Harrison.  Milo had always disliked her but she was who made her brother happy.  Or did she?  What made Milo unhappy was having to see Colton again.  Colton was always around her and Jason it was always the three of them.  She loved Star Wars and he would ever put up with that.  But, when she because a girl he just stopped, he dropped her and stopped slaying dragons for her and he stopped even watching movies with her.  He made it out like due to her age it wasn’t cool then one night at his and Jason’s graduation party Milo caught Colton kissing Jenna “Ugly Face” Urtin behind the garage.  He came after her but she outran him and hid.  Her heart broken.  Why Jenna and she were in the in the exact same class, which meant he was just not into her but still interested in girls her age.  It broke her.
     Yet, she secretly wanted him to see her and love her.  After all these years that wasn’t going to happen.  She tried dating but her heart wasn’t in it.  Her heart loved Colt.  No sooner did she arrive home when Colton was knocking on her window.  She figured she would have a little time to acclimate before she had to see him.  No such luck.
     Milo was an emotional young lady all she could remember was the last party he threw her before she left for college.  Where they went skinny dipping he kissed her then said he didn’t mean to do it.  And if he could he would take it back.  He had regretted it.  Which not only hurt her.  It had devastated her.  Because she loved it, loved the feel, and loved him.  After an heated challenge of ping pong that resulted in a game of slap hands that ended with Colt kissing her again.
     Yet, the results didn’t change as they were out in yard at night and were interrupted by Jason.  Once Jason left he again apologized.  This time she started crying which he didn’t notice because it was dark.  This time she spoke up and said not to worry.  Then he noticed a tear.  She said she was feeling bad because she was cheating on her man.  Which in turn shocked him since he thought she broke up with her last boyfriend, Max Emory.
     She told him No!  They had a on again off again relationship and they were back on again.  So, since she now feels like she cheated on him she would have to tell him.  He jumps to her aide which only makes it worse saying call him and I’ll tell him the truth.  It was totally my fault.  Way to go Colt.  Add injury to insult.  She yells out NO!!!  When all of a sudden her phone starts ringing.  She was going to ignore it but he remembered the ring from when she got home earlier and said, “Hi Max.”
     He tells her to answer it.  She says no he says it’s him and I can talk to him.  He reaches for it but she grabs it up.  She talks to her best friend as if he’s her boyfriend he played along.  That is one good friend.  From here on the story becomes fast paced.  So funny that once I started cracking up out loud my hubby wanted to know what was going on.  Finally, after several outburst we just took turns reading the book out loud to each other.

     The family saga was heartwarming as well as fun as hell.  The characters were totally engaging but Max made this book, for sure.  I give this book 5++++ stars.

SERVING PLEASURE

SERVING PLEASURE                              ALISHA RAI

Hungry for a touch…

Rana Malik is over being her family’s resident black sheep. She’s on a mission: ditch the casual hook-ups, revamp her bad-girl image, and fall in love with a proper Mr. Right even her conservative mama can’t find fault with. Not on the menu? The beautiful, brooding Mr. Right Now who lives next door, and all the ways he whets her appetite.

Starving for love…

Artist Micah Hale had it all–women, success, friends and family–until his world changed in a single act of senseless violence. Now struggling to conceal his scars and get his life and career back on track, he knows he has nothing to offer a woman except his body. He’s not looking for love…but he can’t control his craving for the sexy bombshell voyeur he’s caught looking at him. 

Just one bite.>

Their attraction boils over, and their defenses are stripped off along with their clothes. They promise they’ll walk away if it gets too hot. But it’s hard to do the right thing…when being wrong feels so good.


HUBBY'S REVIEW:

Rana Malik, is 32 and by her account is the black sheep of her family. She has decided for some reason now is the time to find the right man and settle down with him and start a family. She is doing this while she is looking across the way at her neighbor who has his window open and is walking around with just his pants on while he does something to the canvass that is on the easel, he then walks away and into the bathroom and takes a shower coming out of the shower and sitting on the couch naked in front of the window. Closing her blinds and really not sleeping the next night she sees him leaving his house as she is getting back from another awful blind date. Her brilliant idea is to follow him which leads to a gallery, and then takes her 20 minutes before she goes inside. Not realizing that he is the artist that is having the show, he meets up with her and the banter between them starts. Besides the banter there is also an attraction and soon she finds out thru one of her sisters that he is a famous artist who was attacked two years ago in London. He tells her that he wants to paint her as in her model for him naked. They come up with rules because she does not want her face to be shown because they own a restaurant in town. He agrees and also tells her of the attack and she sees some of the scares. Of course they are not to fall in love with one another. This goes on for a while until after getting into an argument with her mother that when she gets home he is there and they start making out on her couch when her mom walks in and the argument starts up again and after that he has heard her tell her that she loves Micah, and that he is an artist. Of course the mom wants her to marry a doctor, lawyer, etc. she does not know that Micah in the art world is famous and rich just does not live that way. Upon entering her home they now get into an argument because she broke their agreement and fell in love with him. After a day of her sister’s not hearing from her they go to her house and have a girl’s night which actually brings the three of them closer but when Micah decides to pull his head out of his ass he has to go thru both of them before they allow him to speak to Rana. That does not happen for a while because he realizes he needs help getting over the attack still. The first part of this book is full of passion and sex scenes the last part is about the love they have for each other and making it work if it can by fixing themselves first. I found this to be a quick read and a very good story. I liked the characters and the way it was written.. I got this book from net galley.   I give this 5 stars.

Double Agent: The First Hero of World War II and How the FBI Outwitted and Destroyed a Nazi Spy Ring

DOUBLE AGENT: THE FIRST HERO OF WWII                   PETER DUFFY

The never-before-told tale of the German-American who spearheaded a covert mission to infiltrate New York’s Nazi underground in the days leading up to World War II—the most successful counterespionage operation in US history.

From the time Adolf Hitler came into power in 1933, German spies were active in New York. In 1937, a German national living in Queens stole the blueprints for the country’s most precious secret, the Norden Bombsight, delivering them to the German military two years before World War II started in Europe and four years before the US joined the fight. When the FBI uncovered a ring of Nazi spies in the city, President Franklin Roosevelt formally declared J. Edgar Hoover as America’s spymaster with responsibility for overseeing all investigations. As war began in Europe in 1939, a naturalized German-American was recruited by the Nazis to set up a radio transmitter and collect messages from spies active in the city to send back to Nazi spymasters in Hamburg. This German-American, William G. Sebold, approached the FBI and became the first double agent in the Bureau’s history, the center of a sixteen-month investigation that led to the arrest of a colorful cast of thirty-three enemy agents, among them a South African adventurer with an exotic accent and a monocle and a Jewish femme fatale, Lilly Stein, who escaped Nazi Vienna by offering to seduce US military men into whispering secrets into her ear.

A riveting, meticulously researched, and fast-moving story, Double Agentdetails the largest and most important espionage bust in American history.

HUBBY'S REVIEW:
This is a fascinating story about a spy ring that started here in the U.S. by Germany in 1933. The main goal besides information was any plans that were being used for building any new equipment for the war in Europe. A German from Queens working in a plant that developed and made our most advanced invention, the Norbert Bomb-sight, was able to steal the blueprints. BY 1939 a naturalized German American by the name of William G. Sebold, went to the FBI after a trip he took to Homburg, Germany and told them he was approached by the Germans to be a spy on the U.S. Taking being an American very seriously he felt it was his duty to inform them of what happened. What happened was he became the first double agent we ever had and throughout the war was able to get information on people from the U.S. in Europe, and even a women in South Africa, just to name a few. In all he was able to bring 33 people to trial for espionage and they were all convicted. The story is amazing, and is still to date the largest arrest and conviction on record. The other part of the story that got me is that I had never heard of this man before. Being a WWII history buff because of my father fighting in Europe, I would have thought somewhere along in my reading I would have seen his name somewhere, but no. Not even a movie about this man. The book though is good, I don’t get into all of the writing part. Look it is history some of it is interesting and some is boring for some people, but for me I wish I knew about this man sooner. This is a good story and though you may know what happens the people in the book are real and so is the suspense and mystery. Overall a good book. I got this book from net galley.   I give this 4 stars.

WRITE IT OFF! DEDUCT IT!

WRITE IT OFF! DEDUCT IT!                    BERNARD B. KAMOROFF

Are you paying more taxes than you have to? There are more than 19 million home-based businesses in the United States 56% of all businesses in the United States and they generate $102 billion in annual revenue. As far as the IRS is concerned, a home business is no different than any other business. But there is a difference: not only can you deduct the business expenses that every business is entitled to, you can turn personal, non-deductible expenses into tax-deductible business expenses if you are careful to follow the rules. No tax software or accountant knows the details of your home-based business like you do, and the IRS is certainly not going to tell you about a deduction you failed to take. This invaluable book not only lists the individual items that are deductible in your home-based business from utilities to that part of the home where you work but also explains where to list them on your income tax form."

HUBBY'S REVIEW:
I know that this review is late for this book is for tax season, but this was for me a very informative book. I do have a home business with my wife and together we are always trying to find the proper way of handling our receipts, mileage, and expenses. This book goes into all of that and tells you the best way to take the deduction on all of the items and if you do not have good records don’t take the deduction but start planning for the next year so you can take more deductions in the future. The author worked for the IRS and knows what they are looking for on the forms and if you put down a higher deduction without being able to verify the expense when or if you get audited you will be expected to pay back the amount plus you could pay an additional penalty. He also walks you through the steps for how much you can take off for your home if you should have a separate entrance and the different forms you need for the different deductions. This book has a lot of information and is a good book to have on hand and even by reading this now would be helpful for not all tax people know these business regulations. I should know we had one who did not but was good with other tax information and another lady who was good with all of the taxes. Overall a helpful book. I got this book from net galley.  I give this 4 stars.

AMERICA'S BEST BBQ

AMERICA'S BEST BBQ                             ARDIE A. DAVIS & CHEF PAUL KIRK

Only Ardie A. Davis and Paul Kirk, the go-to sources on barbecue, can earn the trust and the recipes from the nation's barbecue legends, from Texas to Memphis, the Deep South, Kansas City, Oklahoma, and even a few joints outside of the traditional barbecue belt.

Tasty sides include tips, tricks, techniques, fun memorabilia, 365 full-color photos of the joints and their food, and firsthand recollections of tales from the pits culled from over a century of combined barbecue experience. There is even a section of barbecue basics for those who are just getting started.

With more than 100 recipes for mouthwatering starters (Fried Cheese Stick Grits, BBQ Egg Rolls), moist and flavorful meats, both classic and inventive side dishes (BBQ Cornbread, Grilled Potato Salad), a slew of sauces and rubs, and even some decadent desserts (Fried Pies, Root Beer Cake, Pig Candy), this book should come with its own wet-nap.

HUBBY'S REVIEW:
This was a fantastic cook book about BBQ, first the pictures were excellent, but there was a little write up about each place they visited. History of it and the people. The owners of all of the recipes inside of the book shared one of their own and I thought that was very unique since a lot of people don’t like to share recipes. They traveled to the normal places you would think for BBQ Texas, Memphis, Kansas City, Oklahoma, but also in the South and in the West. I will say living in California I still think the BBQ is different once you get to Oklahoma and pass the Mississippi River, at least for me. I will need to go to Texas and try theirs, but back to the back. There are different kind of recipes for you to try like fired pickles, and they have rub and sauce. Each one comes with pictures and instructions if you want to try them yourself. So overall this is a great BBQ or cookbook, but also shows you that if you travel you can meet some very nice people while eating some good food. Igot this book from net galley.  I give this 5 stars.

BEAUTIFUL CRIMINAL

BEAUTIFUL CRIMINAL                           SHADY GRACE

Long days, precious nights…

Mima Etu lives a quiet life with her sled dogs in the stunning Canadian Rockies. But that all changes when she stumbles upon a plane crash while out on a supply run. She’s shocked to discover the pilot is still alive—though barely. With the sun setting and the temperatures quickly dropping, Mima knows he’d never survive the trip to the nearest hospital. So she takes the stranger back to her cabin. As he heals, his vague answers to Mima’s questions about the flight tell her he has secrets. But more disturbing is the consuming, immediate attraction she senses between them.

Before he lost control of his Cessna and plunged into a pilot’s hell, Gabriel Miller was on a deadly mission with precious cargo. Now he’s awakened in the comfort of a log cabin with a gorgeous woman tending to his every need. Her soft-spoken beauty sparks his longing for a different kind of life….and it isn’t long before they surrender to a blazing passion. But their blissful days are numbered. For the owners of the cargo are bent on finding Gabriel—and once they do, they don’t intend to leave any witnesses behind.

HUBBY'S REVIEW:
Gabriel Miller is a piolet flying a Cessna through the Rockies on his way to make a delivery for his boss something he really does not want to do any more but realizes that this is his own doing so he makes the best of it. Part way on the trip he runs into a storm and all he remembers is going down. Mimi Etu, is out dog sledding practicing for a race with a friend and they hear the plane and the crash and to help. Looking inside she finds that he is still alive but they must get him down and back to her place before dark or he will freeze to death. Getting him to her place was difficult but they did it and then she took care of his wounds. She is by herself because her family passed away years ago from an avalanche, so it is her and her dogs. Once he recovers and is up and about they begin to find out about each other but he does not tell her until later that he was flying drugs. After they start to fall for each other and go to the plane he finds out that the drugs are missing and then he knows that his boss is going to send someone out to find where he is. This is where the story takes a different turn, for a man inside the organization thinks now is the perfect time to make his move to take out most of the people. So as the shot out and what follows in the woods you have to find out by reading the book what happens. This is a good story full of suspense and some mystery, I did like it very much. I got this book from net galley.   I give this 4 stars.

SHOUT OUT: AN AUTHOR'S PLACE: SHARLENE ALMOND BOOK: INITIATED TO KILL

SHOUT OUT:
An Author’s Place


Sharlene Almond


Initiated to Kill




Annabella Cordova quickly becomes embroiled in the conspiracy involving the university she studies at. When her roommate goes missing, it becomes very personal. Her ability to read facial and body language in people leads her to discover parallels from an earlier century.


Two men, centuries apart, initiated for violent purposes, unmasking an organisation long-forgotten, and reviving a criminal mastermind never apprehended.
In the time in which one man roams the streets of Whitechapel in the 19th century, and the other stalks the halls of Seville University in the 21st century. My debut international thriller, Initiated to Kill, takes the reader from past to present, connecting these two men in a way only one organisation can control.
As an author of historical/21st century psychological, international thrillers, my books challenge readers to think beyond what they believe, as well as taking the reader on a journey throughout Europe and abroad. 

Having studied in Criminology and Neuro Linguistic programming; in addition to doing a diploma course in body language, enables me to give an authentic feel to my characters, and the crimes committed. Because I’ve always been fascinated with human psychology, especially criminal psychology, I always include that element in every book I write. 

My books don’t just cover the crimes committed, but what drove that person to commit those crimes? Examining their past, their weaknesses, and childhood; all building up to why some of the most infamous crimes were committed. 




Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Initiated-Kill-Sharlene-Almond-ebook/dp/B00RF0SGDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421873962&sr=8-1&keywords=initiated+to+kill+by+sharlene+almond 



Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sharlenealmond.co.nz?ref=aymt_homepage_panel 

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