Forgiving Lies (Forgiving Lies #1) by Molly McAdams

Forgiving lies are “usually lies you tell people to protect them or be polite…They’re the kind of lies that people forgive and forget about because they are so minor.”

Sent to Texas along with his partner, Mason, to work on a murder case after their cover is blown and drug dealers order a hit on their lives, Logan “Kash” Ryan can’t afford any distractions. He has a job to do – catch a serial murderer before he finds his next victim.

What he doesn’t expect is to fall hard and fast for his next-door neighbor, Rachel Masters. He is drawn in by her feisty attitude and soon discovers it is really a shield behind which she hides dark secrets. As Kash works to break down Rachel’s shields, his guilt grows. Kash has to keep his real identity and job secret from Rachel. It’s the only way to protect her, but he also knows that the longer he goes without telling her the truth, the greater the chance he has of losing her.

Rachel Masters’s goal for the summer is just to survive and move on. After being violated by someone she knew and trusted, Rachel would rather be alone than trust another guy. There is just something about Kash that she can’t resist. He sees through all her shields, makes her feel things she never felt before. 

"But when people tell harmful lies, or ones that can shatter trusts, and the other person finds out about them…they always say what they did was unforgivable."

As Rachel’s past and Kash’s current case clash, Rachel’s safety is threatened and all the secrets and lies are revealed. Rachel’s trust is shattered and she finds that she doesn’t know Kash as well as she thought she did. Will she forgive him for lying? Can she learn to trust him again? Or will he lose her forever

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While I love Molly McAdams, I am always hesitant to pick up one of her books, as they usually contain a torturous love triangle and cause me to out and out ugly cry. Don’t get me wrong - I love that. I usually just have to mentally prepare myself for an emotional roller coaster ride. Not the case with Forgiving Lies. In fact, this book is quite a departure from all the previous novels that I have read by Molly. I really enjoyed this novel and Kash is quite the leading man. What can I say? I’m a complete sucker for tattoos and a lip ring. He was the perfect match for Rachel, whose feisty attitude and sarcastic comments made her the perfect counterbalance.She is a character that I could see myself hanging with. Rachel was by far Molly’s most developed female character.

The plot was somewhat predictable, but there were some surprises thrown in that I didn’t see coming. It was still emotional, but not torturous, and had just enough sexual tension and angst to make it worth reading. I liked how it switched perspectives, giving us insight into both Rachel’s and Kash’s heads.

There is an ominous cliffhanger, which has me excited for the next one. However after reading the synopsis (see below), I am a little worried that a love triangle will be introduced, which I’m pretty sure will ruin the experience of this series for me. Rachel and Kash are clearly meant to be together and I hope that she doesn’t completely unravel this couple. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until March to find out...

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Coming Soon…Deceiving Lies (Forgiving Lies #2)

Expected release: March, 2014

Rachel is supposed to be planning her wedding to Kash, the love of her life. After the crazy year they've had, she's ready to settle down and live a completely normal life. Well, as normal as it can be. But there's something else waiting—something threatening to tear them apart.

Kash is ready for it all with Rach. Especially if all includes having a football team of babies with his future wife. With his line of work, he knows how short life can be, and doesn't want to waste another minute of theirs. But now his past as an undercover narcotics agent has come back to haunt him ... and it's the girl he loves who's caught in the middle.

Trent Cruz's orders are clear: take the girl. But there's something about this girl that has him changing the rules and playing a dangerous game to keep her safe. When his time as Rachel's protector runs out, he will turn his back on the only life he's known, and risk everything, if it means getting her out alive.

Allegiant (Divergent #3) by Veronica Roth

The world Tris grew up in no longer exists. The factions are shattered. A struggle for power has Chicago on the brink of violence. The revelations revealed in the message from Tris's ancestor has her looking for answers outside the fence surrounding the only world she has ever known. She, Tobias, and a small band of friends, set out to discover the truth about what lays beyond the fence. What she finds will shatter everything she thought she knew. It will cause her to question herself and those she loves, to face hard truths, and forever change the course of her life.

The finale of this series left me completely heartbroken. I loved the first two books. They were action packed and I couldn't put them down. I loved the characters - Tris, Tobias, Christina, Uriah, all of them. I found myself rooting for them, crying along with them, and hoping that everything would be okay in the end. I knew there would be sacrifices; there always are in these books, but I was unprepared for the ending of this book. The pace of this book moved slower than the others, almost like it was dragging it's feet towards an ending it didn't want to face. I felt like it took forever for something to happen, but when it did, I found myself wishing that it didn't. There were a lot of revelations and a lot less action in this book. I anticipated this book and had high expectations for it after the other two. I wanted a happy ending. I always want a happy ending. And while the ending brought peace, I'm not sure that it really brought happiness. In the end, I was left disappointed. I so badly wanted a happy ending for this series and these characters, but unfortunately, that's not what I got. And maybe that's the point. You don't always get what you want. 

Mine (Real #2) by Katy Evans

"The heart is a hollow muscle, and it will beat billions of times during our lives. About the size of a fist, it has four chambers: two atria and two ventricles. How this muscle can house something as encompassing as love is beyond me. Is this heart the one that loves? Or do you love with your soul, which is infinite?"

Brooke Dumas never imagined that she would find love with the man every woman wants – Remington “Riptide” Tate, the golden boy of the underground fighting scene – but she did. For better or worse, Remy is her “Real.” As the new underground season begins, Brooke and Remy are determined to take back what Remy gave up for her last season – the championship and the chance to defeat Remy’s archrival, the Scorpion. 

But sometimes happily-ever-afters aren’t so happy. New challenges, old demons and insecurities will threaten to tear Brooke and Remy apart. Nevertheless, they are both determined to hold on to the only thing that is real.

"Mind. Body. Soul. All of you for me. All of you mine."

I only have 3 words…Remington F’ing Tate! This man is my every fantasy wrapped up in one and definitely makes the top 5 on my book boyfriend list. I cannot get enough of this series and these characters. I LOVE Remy. He is a ball of contradictions. Powerful, yet vulnerable. Hard, but soft. Dominating, yet giving. He’s beautifully broken and I can’t help but get all fan girl when I think about him.

The plot of Mine was fairly predictable, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t put it down. All my favorite characters were back and Katy delivers a surprising poignant and profound love story. Talk about unconditional love….Brooke and Remy are enough to make anyone believe in soul mates and true love, and deliver that warm and fuzzy feeling that a good romance always leaves me with.

Mine delivers on all the things that I loved in Real. There is plenty of action, some angst, and plenty of steamy scenes. All in all, it is an excellent sequel that only left me wanting more. Good thing Katy plans on releasing at least 3 more books in this series. I’ve already pre-ordered mine and I am especially impatient for Remy (Real #3) which is Real from Remy’s POV. My love for all things Remy has my expectations sky high, so I’m hoping that it will be as epic as I imagine.

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Coming Up…

Remy (Real #3) - Real told from Remy’s POV. Release date: November 26th
Underground fighter Remington Tate is a mystery, even to himself. His mind is dark and light, complex and enlightening. At times his actions and moods are carefully measured, and at others, they spin out of control.

Through it all, there's been one constant: wanting, needing, loving, and protecting Brooke Dumas. This is his story; from the first moment he laid eyes on her and knew, without a doubt, she would be the realest thing he's ever had to fight for.

Ripped (Real #4) – Pandora’s story - expected release April, 2014
Pandora, the gothic friend of Brooke (Real, Mine, Remy) thought that getting her heart broken by her bad boy rocker ex could only happen once. But now, he’s back in town with the biggest concert of the year. Pandora hates him so much that she gets Melanie to come with her and play a prank on him at his gig. But when they are caught by security, and her ex himself is summoned, he decides not to press charges if she’ll follow certain conditions. Pandora likes none of his rules, or that he’s in charge of her, especially since they seem designed to make sure she’s in close contact with him again. But the closeness reignites the passion they once shared, and soon no matter how much she wants to hate him, it’s clear she’s still hung up on him. And worse: he knows it too.

Raw (Real #5) - Melanie's story - expected release September, 2014

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time tells the story of 15-year-old Christopher John Francis Boone, an autistic boy, who discovers the dead body of Wellington, his neighbor’s dog. Following in the footsteps of his favorite detective, Sherlock Holmes, Christopher sets off to solve the mystery of who killed Wellington. In the process, he will uncover an even greater mystery that will rock his carefully ordered world.

I really enjoyed this book. Haddon does a fantastic job creating a believable character with Christopher. Seeing the world through his eyes was intriguing and added a unique element to the narrative. There were some surprise twists in Christopher’s investigation that took me by surprise and the mystery surrounding the death of the dog, Wellington, turns out to be much more complex than I expected it to be, bring to light some interesting insights on relationships and family.

Down To You by Addison Kline

Holly Edgemont thought she had the perfect life – a beautiful home, three wonderful kids, and an adoring husband. She never imagined the turn her life would take. Two years later, Holly finds herself divorced and facing a Christmas (her favorite holiday) utterly alone, as her children are going out of town with Holly’s ex-husband, Brant.

Sloane, Holly’s best friend, is determined that Holly have a little fun this Christmas and drags her to a holiday party where Holly meets up with Chris, the best man at her wedding to Brant. Holly is still very much in love with Brant, but finds herself wondering if it isn’t time to start moving on from him.

Two years ago, Brant made the worst mistake of his life. Unable to deal with devastating news, he walked out on his family. He never stopped loving Holly and has tried to reconnect without success. Now he fears he is running out of time. Desperate, Brant plots to make one more grand gesture, in the hopes that he can win his family back.

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I am a sucker for a good romance. Add Christmas to the mix and you pretty much have me hook, line, and sinker. This was not the case with Down To You. I wanted to LOVE this book, but I just didn’t. I loved the idea of the story line and I loved Holly and Brant. I thought their love story was very sweet, but somewhat lacking and underdeveloped.

I was expecting (and wanting) a whole lot more angst. These two people, who are clearly soul mates, spent two years apart, but their reunion was just a little too simple for me. There was no heartfelt conversation during which Brant explains himself and Holly expresses the betrayal she felt. This just didn’t feel right to me. You spend two years apart – pining for each other and miserable – but when you finally reconcile you don’t talk it out? Really? It felt like Holly just shrugged her shoulders and said, “Okay,” and the two of them moved on without addressing the enormous elephant in the room.

The whole story line with Chris also seemed somewhat forced and unnecessarily dragged out. It was clear that he was never really a contender for Holly’s affections and yet he suddenly turns into a creeper who can’t take a hint? His reappearance towards the end of the novel just seemed superfluous. It might have been an attempt to infuse some much needed angst into the novel, but to me, it just fell a little flat.

The saving grace of this book is the ending. Just like any hopeless romantic, I like my romances to end with a happily ever after that leaves me feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Down To You currently delivers in this aspect. So in the end, this book was just okay for me. If you are looking for a simple, sweet holiday romance, then this will probably be up your alley. If you are like me and prefer your romances to be a bit more complex and angst filled, then you may be disappointed.

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cover Reveal ~ Seeking Her by Cora Carmack

Book Lover's Paradise is thrilled to bring you the cover for Seeking Her by Cora Carmack. If you are anything like me, then you fell head over heals with Jackson Hunt in Finding It. Now, we get to see things through his eyes. I'm super excited for this one! Is it January 28th yet??

ABOUT SEEKING HER by Cora Carmack

A few months after being honorably discharged from the military, Jackson Hunt is still struggling to adjust back to the real world. He needs to get a job and find a sense of normalcy if he’s going to keep his own demons at bay. The job that falls into his lap, though, is anything but normal.

Bodyguard (and baby-sitter) to spoiled-rich-girl Kelsey Summers isn’t exactly what he’d been looking for, but it’s a chance to travel, to get away from the home that has felt stifling ever since his return. It would be a pretty sweet gig if it weren’t for the fact that Kelsey’s father doesn’t want Kelsey to know she’s being followed. Hunt feels guilty (and a little bit creepy) as he watches her from afar. She’s vibrant and infuriating, exciting and reckless, mysterious and familiar. When he sees her falling into the same patterns that he suffered years ago, he decides it’s time to stop watching and help her instead. But getting to know her is more difficult than he thought, especially because the more he knows her,the more he wants her.

The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson

The Devil in the White City weaves together the story of the World's Fair that was held in Chicago in 1893 and the tale of a serial killer who used the Fair to lure in his victims. This is the second book that I have read by Erik Larson and I have to say that I really enjoy his writing style. Some people criticize this style of writing as sensationalism and question it's historical value. I, however, find it entertaining and engaging.

Let's face it. History can be boring. I think all of us can recall a high school history teacher who spent their time boring us to tears. We are always looking for ways to make history "come alive," and I think that Larson accomplishes this quite well. Yes, I do think that there is some sensationalism and I'm sure that Larson had to take some creative license. Nevertheless, his work is also meticulously researched. His citations are primary sources and he mentions in his notes that he does not use the internet to do research. The result is a book that reads more like a mystery novel than a dry historical narrative.

For all you history buffs out there, I recommend that you give Larson a chance.

The Stranger by Albert Camus

The Stranger by Albert Camus is a French existential classic about a man named Meursault. Meursault is a man who lives on the fringes of society, who values the truth and refuses to lie. This novel is the perfect example of Camus's philosophical idea of absurdity, meaning that individual lives and human existence have no rational meaning or order, despite our attempts to seek and create meaning and order. The idea that humans can create order when none exists is where the term "absurdity" comes from.

"Absurd" is the perfect word to describe this novel. There is no rhyme or reason to this book or Meursault's behavior or thoughts. When I finished reading this book, I was left with a feeling of indifference, which could have been the whole point. It would be very easy to become frustrated trying to figure this book out, but to me it wasn't worth the effort of even trying to understand it. I can appreciate the literary value of this novel, but I can't say that I really enjoyed this book. I felt no connection to the characters and therefore had a hard time engaging in the story and the lives of the characters. Because of this, I was not invested in the story and at the end all I could do was shrug my shoulders and move on. There was no lingering sentiment. Closing this book was as easy as changing the TV channel. 

Blog Tour ~ Now Or Never (Fight or Flight #2) by Jamie Canosa

Book Lover's Paradise is happy to host a stop on Jamie Canosa's Now Or Never blog tour. Keep reading to learn more about Jamie, a review of Now Or Never and an awesome giveaway!

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Meet Jamie Canosa - author of Now Or Never

About the Author

Jamie Canosa is a full time author of YA literature, which she absolutely loves. When she’s not writing or spending time with her family, she can usually be found with her nose in a book. She currently resides in Ravena, NY with her wonderful husband and three crazy kids . . . plus the dog, the bird and the rabbit.

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To move on,
Leave the past behind,
And build a new life with Jay.

That’s all Em wanted. After everything they’d been through together, they were both overdue their ‘happily ever after’. Too bad the world doesn’t work that way. Memories last longer than dreams and Em’s fears continue to plague her both day and night, interfering with that new life she so desperately craves.

To start over,
Secure a future,
And give Em the life she deserves.

That was Jay’s plan, but the past isn’t done with them, yet. While Em still struggles to overcome the ghosts of her past, Jay is forced to come face to face with his. When the skeletons in his closet step back into the light, Jay must decide what he will do—and what he will sacrifice—to protect Em from them.

Against all odds, Em and Jay are on the verge of having everything they’ve ever wanted. They’ve fought for it before, but is their love strong enough to endure any more heartache? The time has come for each of them to choose for themselves whether or not they will allow the past to continue to corrupt their future. And, together, they must decide, will it be . . . NOW OR NEVER?

Purchase Links

Amazon buy link
Goodreads link

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They were the missing pieces of each other. She needed him just as much as he needed her. 

Jay and Em thought their troubles were behind them. They had escaped their worst nightmares and come out on the other side together. But reality always has a way of stepping in and things are not as easy as they dreamed. Working themselves to the bone to make ends meet is nothing compared to the old fears that will not release them.

Em struggles daily with the fears of her past, which continue to interfere with the future she is trying to build with Jay. Jay is desperate to provide the future that he promised Em and can't help but feel that he is failing her. Their relationship is put to the ultimate test when Jay's past resurfaces and threatens Em. Jay is forced to make a painful decision, a decision that will leave both him and Em shattered. To Jay, protecting Em is more important, even if that protection means that he could lose Em forever.

His only chance, his only hope of protecting the truly fragile thing that love was, was to keep it as far from him as possible. In Jay's fucked up world, the only true, undeniable power love held was the power to destroy.

As their pasts close in on them, both Jay and Em find themselves plagued by old insecurities and fears. Each struggles to prove that they are strong enough on their own, failing to realize that together they are stronger than they ever will be apart. Can they realize this before they completely shatter each other hearts? Or will the past steal their future forever?

Just when I thought I couldn't love these characters anymore, Jamie delivers this heart-wrenchingly beautiful tale. After finishing Fight Or Flight, I wanted nothing more than to see Jay and Em ride off into the sunset. They deserved the sunset, the happily-ever-after. Hell, they deserved the castle complete with moat, a fairy godmother, magic lamp, and so much more for what they had been through. Unfortunately, life isn't a fairy tale, even in fiction. I knew it was a matter of time before the past caught up with Jay and Em. Pasts like theirs don't simply disappear. They demand to be faced, to be defeated.

"We've both been trying so hard to prove to ourselves that we're strong enough to do things on our own, but I think we were wrong. We're not strong enough alone. And that's okay, because we're not alone. I have you, and you have me, and nothing is going to change that."

This book had me all tied up in emotional knots. It was painful to watch these characters almost lose everything, but beyond gratifying when they realized that all the strength they thought they lacked could be found in the other. Finally, these two characters who deserve nothing but the best, have a real chance. There are many characters who are near and dear to my heart, but Em and Jay are in a category all their own. I never wanted characters or a couple to succeed so much. Love is a complicated thing. Nothing else has the power to both strengthen you and make you vulnerable all at the same time.

"I looked at you and I...I swear I saw a piece of myself. A piece I'd been missing. I can't explain it any better than that...You'd taken this dank, dilapidated hole in the wall unfit for human occupancy and turned it into a home. My home. Simply because you were there."

Jamie had me from the very first word, on the very first page. Now or Never is proof that even the most truest of loves can be tested, that sometimes faith isn't enough, that sometimes relying on someone else isn't a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. Once again, my only criticism is that it was too short. I'm not ready to say goodbye to Em and Jay. I want more!!

Up next in the series...
Find out whether Ashlyn and Mason find their own happily-ever-after in Win or Lose

*Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review

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And now...A Giveaway!!

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