June Reading Log & Monthly Wrap Up

This is my June Reading Log, for a swap that I do at Swap-Bot.  It was another good month of books for me.   Hope you all enjoy reading about what I've been reading!  Reviews for the books I received are below the list.  ~ ImzadiRose

June ~ 
New Color Coding  ~  5★,  4★,  3★,  2★,  1★

1 ~ Scars & Stripes (The Last Good Knight 01) by Tiffany Reisz

Completed 6/2

4 of 5 stars

               This is an the first part of a 5 part erotica novella that I received from NetGalley for my review (see below).  Not much to really review on its own but what it did have was good.

2 ~ My Lucky Life in and out of Show Business by Dick Van Dyke

Completed 6/3

4 of 5 stars

               I’ve been a DvD fan since his days on Diagnosis Murder (as I’m too young to have seen The Dick Van Dyke show).  It was neat to hear about his life and in his own words, as I listened to the audiobook.  Really enjoyable!

3 ~ Splintered by A.G. Howard

Completed 6/6

4 of 5 stars

               An Alice in Wonderland retelling, that’s popular right now.  It was pretty enjoyable.  Plus, the cover is amazing. 

4 ~ Relentless by Anna Wells

Completed 6/7

1.5 of 5 stars

               I received the erotica from NetGalley for my review, and it was honestly bad.  The writing was weak, the editing was non-existent, the characters awful… It was just bad.

5 ~ The Sybian Club by Selena Kitt

Completed 6/8

4 of 5 stars

               An erotica, so no details, though a lot of details are in the title.  It was a really enjoyable book!

6 ~ The Saint by Tiffany Reisz

Completed 6/8

2 of 5 stars

               After reading the first part of the Last Good Night novella, I decided to request and I received this book from NetGalley and found out this series is NOT for me.  It’s quite a bit darker than what I like and the story was pretty shocking.  Beyond finishing up the novella, I don’t think I’ll revisit the series, though I do like the characters.

7 ~ The Immortal Crown (Age of X 02) by Richelle Mead

Completed 6/8

4 of 5 stars

              I received this book from NetGalley for my review.  Justin investigates religions, determines if they are “real” or not, meanwhile he has his own religion.  Mae is his bodyguard.  It’s sooooo weird but really enjoyable.

8 ~ Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates

Completed 6/8

3 of 5 stars

               I received this book from NetGalley for my review.  It was pretty enjoyable.  It’s about a group of college kids who played a game in college that turned out deadly.  Now, 14 years later, they are getting together to finish out the game.  There was a lot of crazy and insane stuff going on in it, some of it confusing but overall it was a good and interesting story.

9 ~ Dream Huntress (Dream Seeker 01) by Michelle Sharp

Completed 6/11

4 of 5 stars

               I received this book from NetGalley for my review.  In it, Jordan Delany is a detective undercover at a seedy bar, trying to catch the owner during some of his suspected drug deals.  She also has a “gift” of seeing victims of crimes in her dreams.  She meets Tyler at the club, who is there for his own reasons.  The story is well written and enjoyable.

10 ~ The Witness by Nora Roberts

Completed 6/12

5 of 5 stars

               Another amazing book by Nora Roberts!!  In this one, Elizabeth witnesses a crime and is placed into protective custody, but then things go wrong.  The story picks up many years later when Elizabeth is now Abigail, who leads a quiet and sheltered life, until she meets the town sheriff.  The story is awesome, the characters so great.  I related a lot to Elizabeth.

11 ~ The 50/50 Killer by Steve Mosby

Completed 6/18

3 of 5 stars

               In this one, a killer stalks couples who are supposedly in love.  After knowing everything about them, he takes them and tortures them, leaving one to go free and killing the other.  The story was ok, not the best serial killer book I’ve read but not awful.

12 ~ Her Last Whisper (Charlotte Stone 03) by Karen Robards

Completed 6/20

5 of 5 stars

               I received this ARC (it’s not due out til Aug) through NetGalley for my honest review, and was soooooo thrilled when I was approved for it.  I LOVE this series, though it’s an odd one.  Definitely needs to be read as a series, and not a standalone, Charlotte Stone studies serial killers.  She also is able to see ghosts after a violent death, and she has her own ghost.  In this story she goes out to Vegas to try to find the missing sister of a colleague.  It was a really good and enjoyable story!!

13 – 16 ~ The Last Good Knight Parts 2-5 by Tiffany Reisz

Sore Spots, The Games Destiny Plays, Fit to be Tied, The Last Good Night

Completed 6/20 & 6/21

3 stars, 4 stars, 4 stars, 2 stars

               The rest of the 5 part erotica novella that I received for my review.  I wouldn’t even count them on their own but GoodReads does, so oh well.  It was ok.  There was a part in it that wasn’t for me.  I likely won’t revisit the series.  The covers were hot though!! 

17 ~ The Dark Side of Disney by Leonard Kinsey

Completed 6/21

3 of 5 stars

               I needed to read a non-fiction for a GoodReads group, so I read this.  It was super funny, and pretty accurate, at least for the stuff I know about or have done.  This is not the Disney for your kids, it’s how to get around things in Disney, some legal, some not so legal, even places to find alcohol and drugs ~ which I don’t have any knowledge of so can’t say if it was accurate.  Other stuff was funny and brought back memories though.

18 ~ The Wicked We Have Done (Chaos Theory 01) by Sarah Harian

Completed 6/21

4 of 5 stars

               I read this for part of a GoodReads challenge I needed to do, and it was great!  Eva is put into an experimental prison called the “Compass Room”.  The CR tests the inmates to see if they are actually evil or if there in good in them, despite them having committed crimes.  It was a really enjoyable book, and I look forward to seeing where the next one goes.

19 ~ On his Terms by Sierra Cartwright

Completed 6/22

2 of 5 stars

               Erotica.  It was meh. 

20 ~ Inkdeath (Inkworld 03) by Conelia Funke

Completed 6/23

3 of 5 stars

               The last of the series on this one, I listened to all three on audio.  This one wasn’t done by Brendan Fraser (at least the one I listened to) and it wasn’t nearly as good of a narration.  The story overall was ok.  Not my favorite series, but an enjoyable read.

21 ~ The Promise (Thunder Point 05) by Robyn Carr

Completed 6/24

5 of 5 stars

               One of my favorite authors and series.  I LOVE Thunder Point.  This one was another wonderful.  This one was about the town doctor and a newcomer to town.  Really wonderful.

22 ~ When Day Breaks (KGI 09) by Maya Banks

Completed 6/25

4 of 5 stars

               Another great KGI, also one of my favorite series.  Her repetitiveness of Instalove is getting a little old, plus the insecure characters get on my nerves, but the underlining plot is always so good.

23 ~ The Homecoming (Thunder Point 06) by Robyn Carr

Completed 6/26

5 of 5 stars

               OMG I was soooooooooo excited.  I received this as an ARC from NetGalley (review below) the day after I read The Promise.  This one isn’t due out until August.  I stayed up til 2am reading it!!  LOVED it as well.  A new set of characters this time, instead of characters we’ve already known at least one of, but it was still good. This one involves Seth, who comes back after years away and Iris, the high school guidance counselor. 

24 ~ The Prince of Mist (Niebla 01) by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

Completed 6/27

4 of 5 stars

               This is CRZ's first book.  I discovered him with The Shadow of the Wind, which I love.  This is a YA book, the first book he ever wrote.  It was a bit different for me, with paranormal aspects, but it was still completely enjoyable.

25 ~ Game of Fear (Montgomery Justice 03) by Robin Perini

Completed 6/28

4 of 5 stars

               An ARC of a romantic suspense that I received from NetGalley for my honest review.  Deb asks Gabe for help when her sister goes missing, and they find out that many smart kids who played a certain game, have gone missing.  Really enjoyable.

What I posted in June

Books I Reviewed in June ~

• The Prediction by Darren Sugrue
• Relentless by Anna Wells
• The Immortal Crown by Richelle Mead
• Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates
• Dream Huntress by Michelle Sharp
• Her Last Whisper by Karen Robards
• The Last Good Knight by Tiffany Reisz
• The Homecoming by Robyn Carr
• Game of Fear by Robin Perini

My "It's Monday! What are you Reading?" posts ~

• Monday June 2nd
• Monday June 9th
• Monday June 16th
• Monday June 23rd
• Monday June 30th

My "Top Ten Tuesday" posts ~

• Top 10 Books I've Read so far in 2014
• Top 10 New Releases I'm looking Forward To

Other bits of Randomness ~

• Update on my Current Challenges
• How my 48 Hour Read-a-Thon went
• An A-Z Bookish Survey
• Video Game Review of Batman Arkham Origins
• Life of a Blogger: My Favorite Sports Teams

It's Monday! What are you Reading?

It's Monday! What are you Reading? ~ Hosted by BookJourney


It has been a great week of books!! :) I've read a lot of great books and I have more lined up that I want to read. Currently I am reading ~

 Audio


Since last Monday, I read some awesome new releases, and an ARC, of 2 of my favorite authors ~ Robyn Carr & Maya Banks. I always love Tuesdays that have a bunch of great new releases!! Links to reviews below.




My review of ~ The Homecoming by Robyn Carr
My review of ~ Game of Fear by Robin Perini

What have you been reading lately?
Anything wonderful? I sure hope so!
Leave me a link, and I'll come visit!

ARC Review ~ Game of Fear by Robin Perini

Finished ~ Game of Fear (Montgomery Justice 03) by Robin Perini
Expected publication ~ August 26, 2014
Completed 6/28/14
4 of 5 stars
372 page eBook

I received this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

This is the 3rd in the Montgomery brothers series, I read and enjoyed the first one months ago. I haven't read the 2nd one yet, as I hadn't seen any info about it.

Deb Lansing is a helicopter rescue pilot who goes to Gabe Montgomery for help when her younger sister, Ashley, disappears. No one but Gabe believes that she is missing, and as Deb and Gabe begin to investigate they find a series of exceptionally smart kids have been reported missing. The further they investigate, the more they realize how many people are tangled up in the mysterious disappearances and how long it has been going on.

Game of Fear was a great book. A really good storyline with a game at the core of the disappearances. A cast of great characters that are really likable. The Montgomery brothers are all strong and good guys who take care of the people around them. Deb and Ashley are strong willed women who don't give up, even when things are looking bleak.

I highly recommend this book, and series, to fans of romantic suspense. It's well written and has a great story. It really kept my attention the whole time. I look forward to reading more in this series!!

Setting = A
Plot = A
Conflict = A
Characters = A+
Theme = A

ARC Review ~ The Homecoming by Robyn Carr

Finished ~ The Homecoming (Thunder Point 06) by Robyn Carr
Expected publication ~ August 26, 2014
Completed 6/26/14
5 of 5 stars
400 page eBook


I reviewed this ARC from NetGalley for my honest review, and fangirl moment ~ I was SUPER excited!! I had JUST finishing up The Promise the day before, which had just been released and here the publisher is giving me The Homecoming?!?! I squealed like a girl, and stayed up until 2am finishing it!! Another wonderful Thunder Point book, can I go live there?!

This was the first Thunder Point book, where we meet all new people. In the first book, The Wanderer, we know Cooper from the Virgin River series. In the books after that, we either know both main characters, as in the case of Mac & Gina in The Newcomer, or we know one of the characters and a new one comes to town. In this one, there are 4 new to us main characters. It took me just a little bit to get into the flow of this one, but once I did, Thunder Point grabs me in.

We learn about Seth Sileski in The Promise. He's coming to town to take over a job and he's known to those who grew up around there, as he did as well and then left but now is coming back. Iris is his childhood best friend and he's looking forward to rekindling their friendship, if not more. Iris, on the other hand, harbors a life long resentment towards Seth, though in her heart she's never stopped loving him. Can they move on together, after so much weighing on their past?

I adored Iris and Seth, though their situation of resentment is different, I very much related to them, in opposite ways!! I related to Seth, a guy who goes to his best friend with talks of other girls, honestly not knowing that it's breaking her heart into pieces because she wants him to notice HER as more than just a friend. I did this same thing, to my male best friend. Talked of the guy I was dating, treated him like a pal, and unknown to me, broke his heart in tiny pieces to the point where by graduation he was no longer speaking to me!! I didn't get it, or understand it, until years later when I reached out to him (only 7 for us, not 17) and found not only my best friend again, but a man who had been in love with me for over 11 years. Again like Seth, I realized that being in love with your best friend is the best thing in the world!! You don't realize it at first, you think it's just a friend thing, but as you grow older, you realize it's the purest and greatest love there is!!

I'm glad that Seth too his time with her, and when she was ready, told her how he truly felt, instead of not being honest. Love backed by friendship does that, and it's a wonderful wonderful thing!!

Some of the side story, with the Delaney's, was hard to read, but still very well written, as Robyn Carr is known to do.

This was another wonderful Thunder Point book, it makes me want to pack up and move there, to find these wonderful people!! It was neat to meet some other people in town, but still get a peek at old friends we've loved through the first 5 books.

Setting = A+
Plot = A
Conflict = A-
Characters = A+
Theme = A

I LOVE this series!! If you haven't yet tried it, I highly recommend it, and the series it spun off from, Virgin River. Robyn Carr's books soak into you, really make you feel you are on this rocky coast with this town of lovable people. I grab her books up, every time a new one comes out and I'm grateful to have been given this one, as an ARC. I'm a huge fan, and if just one person (hopefully tons more) discover Robyn Carr by the help of this post, then I'm really thrilled!! You won't be disappointed!!



The other books in the Thunder Point series, read them today!!

Life of a Blogger: Favorite Sports Teams

A Life of a Blogger is hosted weekly by Novel Heartbeat

Ohhhhh, a subject I love, almost as good as books and video games. Sports!! I am a sports fan, and I don't just SAY I'm a fan. I actually KNOW my sports. I am a lifelong football (American Football, not that World Cup crap ~ no offense intended for soccer fans) fan, diehard baseball fan, occasional watcher of Nascar, Golf, both Winter and Summer Olympics, Winter X-Games and even Monster Jam!! I don't watch any soccer, basketball, wrestling/MMA.

My main sports loves are Football and Baseball. We pay for cable for sports, it's almost all we watch on TV. Having lived the first 13 years of my life just an hour north of Pittsburgh, I am a diehard STEELERS fan.



Some of my favorite all time players ~ Hines Ward, Jerome Bettis & Troy Polamalu. I took this photo of Hines at Magic Kingdom in 2005 after their Super Bowl win.



Though I also grew up with the Pirates, I didn't watch baseball as religiously growing up. It wasn't until my hubby and I got together that we both really started watching baseball again and were able to go to 3 games. So, we've been following our team since 2006. But then, in 2012, we moved from FL to NC and had to have a second team, one we can watch daily up here. Of who we can get, it was an easy choice. So now we have one AL team we've followed since 2006 and our NL team since 2012.



Favorite current players ~ Longo, Zorilla (Rays) ~ Rendon, Desmond, LaRoche (Nats)
Favorite former players ~ John Jaso, Carlos Pena (former Rays)


Nascar's a bit trickier. It's a sport I can take or leave. I mainly love the big tracks ~ Daytona & Talladega, and a few others. I don't have one favorite driver, but like 3.



I'll admit it, I rarely watch Golf, and only when Tiger is playing. I especially love the Winter Olympics and Winter X Games, but I enjoy some Summer Olympics as well. It'd take too long to go through all the ones I do like. It's enjoyable when it comes around.

Finally, what's sports without a little MONSTER TRUCKS?!
And, I'm a sucker for the best.


Though my heart always has room for a few Mutts too!!



I wish Football was on everyday. It stinks how fast football season goes by. I should mention, by the way, that I also feel obliged to root for my husbands team, the Bucs. He swears I won't, but I hope someday to sway him to the Black and Gold side. This season is only the 2nd time our teams have played against each other since we've been together. It's not a pretty day!! :) At least, in the meantime, I have my Nats and I can occasionally watch the Rays when they are playing the O's. I love love love Football and Baseball!!

Hmmmmmmmm. I understand this Meme is popular, but I don't understand doing this particular week if you aren't a sports fan. I wouldn't join in, if it was only about wrestling or if it was a discussion on art ~ two random things I have NO interest in whatsoever. So why post, when you aren't a sports fan?! Here I was, all excited to visit and comment at all the blogs and it was fun but I'm left shaking my head too. It's sad to have the negativity for such a positive, to those who WANT to post about it, subject.


Tell me about your favorite sports teams!
I promise to try to be nice! Love the person,
not their crappy choices in teams!
Disclaimer ~ can't be nice to Yankee, Red Sox, Bengals or Ravens fans! :)
Disclaimer 2 ~ Kidding!! :D

It's Monday! What are you Reading?

It's Monday! What are you Reading? ~ Hosted by BookJourney


Hello Readers!!

Here is what I am currently reading ~

Kindle & Audio


Here are the books I FINISHED since last Monday (review links below) ~






My honest review of ~ Her Last Whisper by Karen Robards
My honest review of ~ The Last Good Knight novella by Tiffany Reisz

What are you reading?
What have you finished, and what's next?
Leave me a link, and I'll come visit!

Book Review ~ The Last Good Knight by Tiffany Reisz

I received this 5 part novella through NetGalley for my honest review.

Since reading the first one, a few weeks ago, and finishing up the others, I tried another book in this series and found that the series is not for me. I love BDSM erotica, but I prefer the softer side, and this series is more dark with elements that just don't appeal to me. That being said, I did still enjoy this novella, for the most part, and what I didn't like was personal to me, not because of the book.

Each of these 5 books made up one novella, so it's really hard to rate each individual section, but I'll do my best.




The book starts with Nora in the bar of the club. Nora is the main character of the rest of the "Original Sinners" series, a Domme who also writes novels. She's sitting with a friend, trying to face the fact that she's turned 30, when a newcomer arrives at the bar. Instantly intrigued, she takes Lance to play, breaking her own personal rules of having sex with a client, when they are interrupted by Kingsley, owner of the club, informing Nora that another Domme has been attacked.

4 stars




Nora, other Dommes and subs converge at Kingsley's. He fills them in on what happens and encourages them to stay together in groups to be safe, and to cancel any clients they have. Privately Nora objects and Kingsley gives in, only after telling her he's assigning a bodyguard, one that she can't have sex with. Surprise surprise, it's Lance, and both of them have to ignore their attraction and desire for each other, so that he can keep her safe and not get fired by Kingsley. Since she can't have Lance, and she learns secrets about him that break her heart, she runs for her fall back guy, Soren.

3 stars




Nora has been in love with Soren for years, a story we hear in The Mistress, which is also the book that made me uninterested in reading any more of them. Nora and Soren have this on again off again thing going on since she left him, sometime years prior. She has her fun time with Soren and goes back home for another day of being watched by Lance, who she actually wants. At the end of this one, Nora receives a call that the attacker has broken into her dungeon.

4 stars




With the attacker caught, Lance is no longer her bodyguard and they fall in bed together. The sex and play together is a lot of fun. Lance is sexy, loving, compassionate, strong.... and so on. After, she figures out a way to help in Lance's problem.

4.5 stars




Personally, I didn't like this section of the story. After the book, she makes a statement about it and I understand that she was just trying to bring awareness, I guess, but personally, I did not like the whole thing about Lance's issue. It was heartbreaking and difficult to read. But again, it's personal preference, and I don't want to give anything away. But almost the entire last section dealt with all of that, then the aftermath of that. At the end, we see Nora, back at the bar again with her friend.

2 stars



The covers of this novella are sexy as hell, though the same. They are still so appealing and really catch the eye which was what made me interested in the books in the first place. Overall a good novella, if you like BDSM erotica with a little more of a harder (impact) play. Good characters with a good main story and a sad unappealing side story.

Setting = B
Plot = B+
Conflict = B
Characters = A
Theme = B