The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton

Cameron Winters has always been different-she has a secret. She has the ability to read minds. Who doesn't at one point-wish they would be able to read the thoughts of others, be it out of curiosity or selfish needs? It isn't that way for Cameron. She has never wished for it and to her, it is not a gift, but a disability; something that causes her feelings of exclusion and not being able to belong-there will never be anyone who truly understand her, and be able to accept her for what she's capable of ... and who she really is. It wasn't until she met Lucas-the handsome new student in her class-who she feels an unexplainable attraction towards and who shares the same secret as her, did she felt a sense for belonging for the first time. And so Cameron allows Lucas to show her the world of mind reading-a new place, and an escape from those who labeled her as a "freak". But what she was not expecting was another prison, obstinate love, and betrayal.

Although I found the synopsis attracting, I honestly have to say that I was not expecting too much from a FREE kindle book. But this YA, was like a hidden gem in a pile of rocks. I went through many kindle Young Adult novels-searching for a good book and most of the time end up disappointed. That isn't the case for The Mind Readers; the saying "you get what you pay for", does not work for this piece.

The pace of the book was okay. It was also a very quick read-207 pages or so-as I stated above it may vary, depending on the device.

Ending wise, to some people it may seem as an erupt closure, because some of how the secondary characters were left without a conclusion; I however view it as one of those captivating ending or "cliff hangers" that is meant to keep the readers wanting to know more and purchase the second book. Though unlike many other books, where this kind of strategy may end up being a downfall ... it works well for me here.

I was charmed by this read and would definitely recommend it!

The Last Survivors (The Last Survivors #1) by T.W. Piperbrook

Alright, so this wasn't the zombie story I was expecting.

For the gamers among you, the "zombies" are like the fungal zombies from The Last of Us.

The book takes place well after the initial chaos of the apocalypse to where survivors are already safely inside walled cities. The story mostly revolves around the people involved rather than the zombies themselves. There's little of "Survival" or the fear of being eaten so if that's what you're looking for, you won't find it here.

That being said, I think this was an actually decent book as far as things go. At first I was completely uninterested in the lives of the people involved, but I found myself continuing to read anyway just to find out "What happens next?" You get the feeling that somethings wrong with the society, that things aren't all that they seem and that is what kept me reading.

I look forward to the next book! 

Fading (Fading #1) by E.K. Blair

Candace Parker is starting her senior year of college, hoping/planning for a career in ballet. She spends most of her time working at an indie coffee shop, studying, or practicing ballet. She does not have a good relationship with her wealthy parents, who view her ballet dreams as a fanciful whim and regularly ask when she's going to get married. They're constantly comparing her to their friends' children and she doesn't feel like she measures up. Candace decides maybe she's been too serious and standoffish and decides to accept a date from Jack, a friend she knows through her parents. Although she's not really `feeling it', she accepts a second date with Jack in the hopes that she's just not giving him enough of a chance. She ends the night in the Emergency room, brutally raped, beaten and unconscious. Fading is the story of After.

After... Candace takes refuge with her BFF Jace and his boyfriend Mark. She's trying to forget her attack; some days she succeeds, but most days she fails miserably. She's withdrawn from her friends and is having trouble with ballet. Then she meets Ryan (a friend of Jace and Mark) and slowly gets to know him over a period of months. He's patient with her (she has a lot of PTSD), and she likes him, but she knows if he ever finds out what happened to her won't want her. As Ryan's feelings grow into more than friendship, he knows she's got secrets and he's patient because he knows she's worth it. The problem is, does Candace know she's worth it?
I can't remember how I stumbled across Fading. I think I was just in the mood for a dark read and it caught my eye. At first I was all, "Nah - not another New Adult book with this same theme", but I took a chance and am so glad I did. It's an amazing story of pain and fear and the long, difficult road to achieving a new normal.

I'm not going to lie - the beginning of the book is brutal. It's painful to read. But the way Ms. Blair writes, I found myself unable to turn away. While I have never been in her situation, I still found Candace relatable and fell right into her story. I can't say I felt her pain, because again, I have not had been in her situation, but I can say it was portrayed in a way that made me believe it was real. Did I find myself frustrated with her character? Absolutely - I wish she would have made some different choices than the ones she did, but I thought the author did a good job of explaining why she made the choices she did.
There may have been a loose end that was tied up little too neatly, and sometimes I thought to myself, "she's crying AGAIN?", but other than that I have no complaints. I had so many feels while reading Fading: horror, sadness, hope, and happiness, and the ending made the journey so very worth it.

AMAZON

Heir Untamed (Latvala Royals, #1) by Danielle Bourdon

I read a LOT of books, but this series is truly one deserving of at LEAST a ten star rating. The books are truly in a class of their own and hold your interest like only a very few of the truly great authors are able to achieve. They have intrique, great romance, wonderful scene setting, a wonderful continuity throughout the entire series and the characters are extremely well developed. You find yourself developing a "relationship" with the characters and they draw your emotions forward like only a very few have been able to achieve. You feel love, hatred, anger, fear and more feelings than I've felt in a long time from a truly great read.

When I say I read a lot.....I'm talking dozens of books a year. Normally, I find so many errors that even though I read on, I've basically become more embroiled in what the "next" error will be than in the story line, but truthfully, I've read all five of this series and am now going to to the author's companion series to follow even more of the characters from this series, and I can only recall one really glaring problem in the whole series! Well, maybe two since I'm finding myself "wanting more" and not wanting this series to end.

Once you try this series by this fantastic author I am sure you'll be every bit as hooked as I am.

AMAZON

The Taste of Fear by Jeremy Bates

What begins as an attempt to rekindle her relationship with her husband Sal turns into a nightmare for actress Scarlett Cox. They travel to Ngorongoro Crater in Africa for a little relaxed time, but their vacation is anything but. Salvador Braaza, a very rich man, has invisible enemies. He trusts his life to Danny, his right-hand man, but Scarlett isn't so sure about Danny's loyalty. Their vacation turns into a struggle, and Scarlett finds herself torn between two men. This novel is filled with great characters and adventure that kept me turning the pages to see what happened next. The author's description of the scenery allowed me to picture the story as I read it. The action was great, especially the way the author portrayed the scenes from different points of view.

Twist Me (Twist Me #1) by Anna Zaires

This book is...difficult to explain. In a way, for me it was a horror novel. It was terrifying and heart wrenching. But strangely, it was utterly captivating. The whole time I was reading this novel I felt like the girl. Captured against my will and forced to finish what I started. There were points in this novel that I would freeze and look away from the page. My finger would linger on the X at the top of the screen. I did not want to read anymore. I would feel almost sick, and I would have tears in my eyes. But I couldn't stop reading. My eyes would drift back and I would continue along this journey. The male in this book is not your normal "alpha male". He is possessive and controlling, and he doesn't know how to take no for an answer. He is borderline sadistic, he enjoys giving pleasure and pain. But there are moments where he is so sweet and understanding, the transition is almost shocking. You almost can't help but be drawn to this character.
I will put out this warning for others: this book contains some serious triggers. The sex scenes are not the issue, it is the emotional moments that can cause problems for some. That is weird to say. I am giving this a high rating because this is the first novel I have read that has put me at the characters side in a long time. I never review novels but I felt like I had no choice on this one. This author is very talented, but I will be careful about what I read of hers in the future. I am just cowardly that way.

A Hidden Fire (Elemental Mysteries #1) by Elizabeth Hunter

How the heck did this sweet gem almost slip under my radar? And at no cost!

A Hidden Fire is probably the smartest book in it's genre that I have read all year. It's intellectual but lacks pretense. It's sexy with a lot of class. The characters are intense and complex sans all of the annoying drama.

I simply fell in love with this book and let me tell you why. It takes its time and doesn't rush the reader from one action packed scene to the next. The romance develops very slowly, but not too slow that you're just fed up with all the tension. I found that I too wanted to slow down and take my time with this book. Just sit back and take it in slowly like a fine wine. And at 449 pages, it does not disappoint. Are you hooked yet? You should be!

I appreciated all of the research, hard work and dedication that it must have taken to write this novel. The richness of history, language and literature, was so refreshing. I was very impressed . Like I stated before...smart!

A Hidden Fire is a para-romance but it also falls into the Mystery category. Gio, being a finder/ tracker of lost and hidden treasures is on the hunt for his own lost piece of personal history. B is a librarian and helps Gio in his research and investigation. B also has a haunted past and hopes Gio can help her gain some understanding and closure so she can move on with her life. I loved the pacing of trying to locate Gio's lost past personal treasure as well as his struggle with his heart. These problems weren't solved over night, and kudos for that. I mean why rush a good story, right? B and Gio's working relationship, investigative work and developing romance spanned over a period of months. For me, that just made the story feel so real.
When I read quality of work like this it tells me that Elizabeth Hunter is a mature and confident writer.

The characters B and Gio were so multi-faceted and alluring. They are very three-dimensional. I honestly I felt like I knew them and that I was right along side them through their whole journey.

The supporting characters are quick witted and lovable. Almost like a favorite aunt or uncle. As a reader, I felt connected to the characters. I cared a lot about them. I wanted them to be successful. I wanted them to triumph. I felt heartache for Gio when... (oops I won't give it away). Sorry, no spoilers here :)

Basically, A hidden Fire is a big fat hit in my book. Check it out! It's free for on Kindle at the moment. Why wouldn't you?

It's All In My Head by Kristen James

This was hands down one of the most interesting books I have ever read, and I mean that in the best possible way. The whole concept was so unique and I loved it! Waking up and hearing another person in your head would surely freak anybody out but Marcus can come a visit my brain any day. I loved the dynamic between Avery and Marcus. They had something so special. There were so many twists in this story and I seriously almost cried at the end. This book is really special and I'm so glad I read it.

Until the End of the World by Sarah Lyons Fleming

I will be honest; I finished this book actually crying. I went through all of the characters' emotions with them, and I was very happy at the end of the book.

This story starts out with the main character, Cassie, in New York City. She has had a recent traumatic life experience, and she's barely scraping by. On one Friday, everything changes. A virus is spreading rapidly throughout the world, and it kills 100% of the people whom it infects. Unfortunately, it also brings them back to life... as zombies. The rest of the story is about Cassie and her friends trying to survive the end of the known world.

The story started out and finished strong. The characters all have well-developed back stories, and they are believable. I strongly recommend reading this book, unless you have something important to do, because you won't put it down.

The Vigilante's Lover (The Vigilantes #1) by Annie Winters, Tony West

It doesn't matter what name she's writing under, just be forewarned Annie Winters likes leaving us hanging and always dying to know more at the end of a book. So if you're in to instant gratification, may I suggest waiting til the entire series is done and reading it all at once, otherwise, you might go crazy. In the Vigilante's Lover, you'll learn about Jax, a sexy, studly, hunk of a man who has, for years, been involved in an underground network of Vigilantes, a society almost beyond comprehension. Mia has become involved with Jax, who was a prison inmate, when his coded messages started arriving at her door via mail. Innocent Mia thought she was only livening up her boring life, while bringing some spice to a prison inmate, safely locked away. Little did either of them know what they were getting into when Jax is able to escape and finds Mia. Jax is convinced Mia is a lying, treacherous double-agent, like the last girl he fell in love with, who double-crossed him and ruined his life as he knew it. Mia hasn't been able to figure what her role should be in all this, but she knows she wants to be involved. Jax and his world makes her feel alive. As expected, this book leaves you hanging, and totally clueless as to what will happen to Jax and Mia. What does the future hold for them: sexually, romantically, and individually. Even if they can gain each other's trust, will they have the chance, or will the Vigilante society give them any sort of chance?

Deeply Devoted (The Blue Willow Brides #1) by Maggie Brendan

This was the first book that I read by Maggie Brendan. It was very well put together. Peter and Catherine were meant for each other. Catherine went through a lot before she met Peter byway of being a mail order bride. The loss of her folks and her baby by her first husband who drank. But all this she kept from Peter in the letters she wrote him. She also forgot about telling him that her sisters were coming with her. Peter kept some things from Catherine as well. Peter's mother was very protective of him, and she thought Catherine was out to take her son for all he was worth. They went through their share of trials but they had great friends to stick with them. Peter's mother came to love Catherine and her sisters. I'm looking forward to the other two in the series!

The Gifting (Gifting #1) by K.E. Ganshert

I was pleasantly surprised that I liked this book so much. Reading the description, it sounded a bit like a cliche coming of age story. Plus, being YA as well, I was a little skeptical. I'm a grown up and all, so a YA book has to be pretty exceptional to grab my attention. But it was free, so there was no risk in giving it a shot.

This is beautifully written, and it grabbed me from the first page. The only thing I didn't care for was how Tess was so down on herself all the time. I kept waiting for some pivotal moment where she would begin to change in that aspect. I think that's just a character trait I naturally don't care for in people though, and not necessarily discrediting to the author's work. Tess did eventually become bolder and more courageous, and I was glad to finally see it happening.

There were suspenseful moments that were tense for me. That's a true quality of a good book, if it makes you feel like you're living through it.

All in all, I'm excited to see what happens next!

Never Never by Colleen Hoover, Tarryn Fisher

I didn't know anything about the plot of this story when I bought it. Only that I love anything written by Colleen or Tarryn so I was willing to give it a try. I can't honestly say that I don't know anything about the story after reading it! There are so many questions and no answers. I'm left with a major cliff hanger and all I can do is think about what I don't know so that I can walk away with SOMETHING! I cannot stop thinking about the clues and attempting to put them together into something meaningful. Mind blown. Regardless, I loved reading the work of these two authors that was flawlessly put together. Silas and Charlie are hilarious and fun. I guess I'll just spend the next several months coming up with my own conspiracy theories. Looking forward to continuing this one in May!

The MacKinnon's Bride (The Highland Brides #1) by Tanya Anne Crosby

I love it when I discover a “new to me” Scottish Romance author! I know! I know! Tanya Anne Crosby has been around….how is that I didn’t discover her until now? The most important thing is that I did! What made my discovery of Ms. Crosby’s book, The MacKinnon’s Bride even sweeter….it’s part of a four book series! I am looking forward to discovering more from this writer.

From the very first page of this story I was hooked! The storyline was extremely engaging and the author has an amazing sense of humor that is sprinkled throughout the read, but never deviates from the seriousness of the plot. I can openly admit to giggling out loud!

Iain MacKinnon is every women’s dream. I loved that the author gave him a bit of maturity behind all that brawn. Personally, Iain’s best feature was the graying at his temples. It gave him that seasoned warrior feel. So sexy!
I loved the heroine! Page’s character is vulnerable, but she is very practiced at hiding those feelings. This character’s emotions were very realistic, and I loved that she channeled that into an inner strength and wit in order to survive.

Iain and Page's relationship is pure sexiness and sass! Absolutely, adored this well-written story and can’t wait to read more from this author. The MacKinnon’s Bride by Tanya Anne Crosby is a must read for Scottish Historical Romance lovers!

The Grave Man by David Archer

I REALY enjoyed this book. I am not sure about the name, but the book itself was great. I read a lot, and I read this in two sittings. I could not put it down, it kept me interested from page one, to the end. I like the fact that God is not pushed at you, but at the same time, there is respect by the main character for God. Don't get me wrong, this is NOT a religious book, it is a thriller. And a good one. I would say the pace was steady, the first half, and fast towards the end. I can't wait for the next one!