The One by John Marrs

4 Stars!!  “To love or have loved, that is enough. Ask nothing further. There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life.” —Victor Hugo, Les Misérables”  How far would you go to find The One?  A simple DNA test is all it takes. Just a quick mouth swab and soon you’ll be matched with your perfect partner—the one you’re genetically made for. That’s the promise made by Match Your DNA. 10 years ago, the company announced that they had found the gene that pairs each of us with our soul mate. Since then, millions of people around the world have been matched. But the discovery has its downsides: test results have led to the breakup of countless relationships and upended the traditional ideas of dating, romance and love. Now five very different people have received the notification that they’ve been “Matched.” They’re each about to meet their one true love. But “happily ever after” isn’t guaranteed for everyone. Because even soul mates have secrets. And some are more shocking than others… This is my second John Marrs book. I just recently read The Good Samaritan by him and if you haven't read it - what are you doing?!?! GO READ IT- anyways I now want to read all his books!! I came across this one and ... The premise was so intriguing - I couldn't help but get my hands on it and I was not disappointed!!  This is one of the most unique books that I have read in a while. It is told from multiple POVs - but dont let that get you down because it worked! It flowed nicely and keeps you on the edge of your seat!! You become completely addicted to the drama that is unfolding in each characters life and its all consuming. I could not imagine this happening in real life. I see the benefits of it but I feel like this would be more of a disaster than anything. It sounds nice until it starts screwing with peoples lives and families. It is a crazy concept and I absolutely loved all the twists and turns!!  HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

A Dark Lure by Loreth Anne White

4 Stars!! 

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But sometimes people are broken and don’t know how to mend because they aren’t able to say what they need or deeply want. Sometimes you get to a point in life where you realize you’ve made a terrible mistake and you desperately need to fix it, but it’s so deep and bitterly ingrained you can’t start.” 

12 years ago, Sarah Baker was abducted and assaulted for months before escaping. Her captor was caught, but Sarah lost the life she loved, her family and a child. 

While struggling with PTSD, Sarah changes her name to Oliva and finds a job and sanctuary living and working at Broken Bar Ranch. As soon as her scars are finally beginning to heal. All hell breaks loose. The cop involved with her case all those years ago, remains convinced that the real killer/abductor is still out there. He sets a lure for him and a new body is discovered. Now Olivia has to face the past again- could it really be him?? Did he come back to finish the Job?

As winter approaches the ranch, only one person can help Olivia. Cole McDonough, a writer, and the ranch heir. He stirs up something inside Olivia that she didn't even know she craved. But this time, Olivia's fight to shut out the past may ruin her chance at love and cost her- with her life. 

I enjoyed this book so much! It was full of twists and turns- and had me hanging by the edge of my seat. The last 100 pages were crazy intense and I loved it! I thought the characters were great and the story and plot were well thought out. Each character had their own issues to deal with so there was a great bit of depth to them and they all end up intertwined with one another. 

The ending was great and you are holding your breath right till the last word. I thought Sarah/ Olivia was a fantastic MC. We get to go inside her head and watch as things unfold for her, and see her growth as the book progresses. 

Overall I recommend this book! And thought it was a great mystery/thriller with the perfect amount of emotional pull.

The Good Samaritan by John Marrs

5 Deranged Stars!!

 

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“When you’re not considered to be a threat, you can get away with much, much more.” 

If you like plot twists and turns, unreliable narrators, and books that take off at the speed of light and don't stop until the end....The Good Samaritan is for you. This was my very first John Marrs book, and it will not be my last. 

Laura has the picture perfect life. She is a wife, a mom, and works at The End of The Line. At End of The Line, Laura volunteers and loves raising money and "helping" people that call the suicide hotline. 

"Good afternoon, you've reached the End of the Line, this is Laura speaking. May I ask your name?" 

She's calm and collected. Sounds like the mother next door....You can trust her right? Why else would she be working at a suicide hotline? But something is off about Laura... she has her own way of handling things. 

when you’re not considered to be a threat, you can get away with much, much more. 

The volunteers at EOTL, go through training and are taught the tools they need to talk to the people who call in. They are only supposed to be there to listen- not offer anything but a friendly voice. 

‘You could be the last voice this person ever hears. Make them believe that you care.’ 

Laura doesn't think what she does is wrong, no one would ever think her to be a threat she's just helping people along, just like she is supposed to...little do they know she is BATSHIT crazy. 

In fact, during our training we are given the emotional tools to be there right up until their last breath, if that’s what the caller requests. We listen, we don’t act. 

But Laura is enticed to act. She gets a call one day, with a request/offer that she has never had before and not wanting to pass up. She is excited and nervous and can not stop thinking about the call....

Will she go through with it??

THIS BOOK WAS NUTS!! And I'm a little ashamed that I loved it so much because it really is that crazy.

This book wont be for everyone it may even trigger some.***TRIGGER WARNING: SUICIDE ***

You'll read the first chapter and realize its going to be a dark book. It was a visceral read and sinks hooks into you. You will feel like you need a shower after it... a drink perhaps.. hell, why not both... 

I was intrigued from the start and did not want to put it down until I got answers. You wont stop guessing the whole time and Marrs will definitely take you on a spin around the loony bin.

I highly recommend this book!! I read Verity by Colleen Hoover not too long ago and that book blew my mind.. I didn't think that I would ever read anything as crazy as it... Boy was I wrong. If you have read Verity and liked the Mind-screw - Go get this one ASAP. You will either love or hate it but I don't think you will regret it- until maybe the end when your pores are screaming to be clean. Its worth it!! 

Initial Reaction : *laughs hysterically* This was INSANE and uncomfortably captivating.. 

Full RTC 😱

NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

4 Stars!! 

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“Fantasy was always only a reality waiting to be switched on.” 

Who doesn't love Christmas time?? Well after reading this... Christmas may never look or feel the same.....



Victoria McQueen has a secret gift for finding things. On her Raleigh Tuff Burner bike, she makes her way to a rickety covered bridge that, within moments, takes her wherever she needs to go, whether it’s across Massachusetts or across the country.

Charlie Manx has a way with children. He likes to take them for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the NOS4A2 vanity plate. 





With his old car, he can slip right out of the everyday world, and onto the hidden roads that transport them to an astonishing – and terrifying – playground of amusements he calls “Christmasland.”



Then, one day, Vic goes looking for trouble—and finds Manx. That was a lifetime ago. Now Vic, the only kid to ever escape Manx’s unmitigated evil, is all grown up and desperate to forget. But Charlie Manx never stopped thinking about Victoria McQueen. He’s on the road again and he’s picked up a new passenger: Vic’s own son.

What a ride!!! This was my first Joe Hill book and honestly- It did not disappoint!! Although sometimes, it would shift from a 5 star book to a 4 just because I dont normally read horror, and there are a few parts that were too much for me personally. It was creepy as hell and a totally unique concept. The characters were so great, even the creepy ones!! if you're looking for a creepy read that keeps you on the edge of your seat- I highly recommend this one! 

Looking forward to checking out the new tv show NOS4A2 on AMC!!

One Word Kill by Mark Lawrence

4 Stars!! 
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In 1986, 15 yr old- boy-genius Nick Hayes discovers he’s dying. And it isn’t even the strangest thing to happen to him that week.

Nick and his Dungeons & Dragons-friends are used to living in their imaginations. But when Mia, joins the group reality becomes weirder than the fantasy world they visit in their weekly games. A strange—yet familiar—man is following Nick, with abilities that just shouldn’t exist. And this man claims: Mia’s in grave danger, though she doesn’t know it yet. She needs Nick’s help—now.

He finds himself in a race against time to unravel an impossible mystery and save the girl. And all that stands in his way is cancer, and the laws of physics.

I know absolutely nothing about physics- nor do I really care. I dont really like sci-fi either.. while this book had a sci-fi stranger things type feel to it- it wasn't. The characters talk about things that went over my head- but again, I didn't care because something about these characters cling to you while reading. 

Lawrence has a way of writing characters that you love and you do not even care what the big picture is. The depth of them keeps you moving. I found this book to be character driven but also had a great plot and beginning. I felt it was interesting without being boring- even with subject matter I could care less about. There was so much more happening in this story!! I absolutely loved MC Nick, Mia and Demis :P And look forward to seeing what else this series has to offer!

THe Delphi Effect by Rysa Walker

4 Stars!! 

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Anna Morgan has no choice. Resting on a park bench, touching the turnstile at the Metro station—she never knows where she’ll encounter a ghost. She doesn't have a choice. The ghosts are the reason that Anna is thrown from one foster home to the next and in and out of psych wards. 

When a touch of the hand leads her to pick up the ghost of a girl who was murdered- things start to get real serious for Anna. Shes thrown into a government conspiracy, which causes Anna to throw up every wall she has ever built around her mind. But they really cross the line when they kidnap her friend, causing her to be pushed to the limits. 



This was a really cool YA book!! It reminded me of the show The Gifted- and X-Men. It has a paranormal vibe to it more than anything.



I felt immediately drawn to Anna and really enjoyed being in her head. Although- I could not imagine having to live with her ability, it was neat to read it. The book starts out with this girl Molly getting in her head. She was murdered and wants Anna to help her solve it before others can get hurt or killed. 

What starts out as a murder mystery, quickly morphs into a paranormal thriller. I loved that aspect of it. There were more characters than the synopsis provides. The story is about more than just Anna. I really enjoyed a few of the side characters. There is a love interest in this installment and I am totally rooting for my ship to sail!!



I cant wait to see what happen in the next couple books!

The First City by Joe Hart

4 Stars! 
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Zoey is not the girl she once was. She’s watched too many of her friends die at the hands of their captors, been hunted, and returned from the brink of death. Now she is on a journey to find the truth about who she is.

In search of the family she never knew, Zoey learns of personal records in another facility. Zoey and her new friends travel to the missile facility, but among the records, they uncover information that leads to a new foe: the Fae Trade, a carnival of slavery and pain.

Zoey’s journey into the darkest parts of a humans mind- brings her close to the line between good and evil, and the final cost in her quest for justice might be her own humanity. 

This second book was so much better than book 1! There was action and a steady moving pace. There were a few twists, and it was a lot of fun to read. Zoey still jumps the gun on most decisions and shes always finding trouble. 

This time Zoey finds the Fae Trade. A gruesome carnival where men fight to the death to claim one of the remaining women that have been collected. There are new characters introduced. Some you love and some you love to hate. 

Overall I think everything I had issues with in the first book, were redeemed in this one! This is a pretty good series so far and looking forward to The Last City!

The Final Trade by Joe Hart

4 Stars! 
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Zoey is not the girl she once was. She’s watched too many of her friends die at the hands of their captors, been hunted, and returned from the brink of death. Now she is on a journey to find the truth about who she is.

In search of the family she never knew, Zoey learns of personal records in another facility. Zoey and her new friends travel to the missile facility, but among the records, they uncover information that leads to a new foe: the Fae Trade, a carnival of slavery and pain.

Zoey’s journey into the darkest parts of a humans mind- brings her close to the line between good and evil, and the final cost in her quest for justice might be her own humanity. 

This second book was so much better than book 1! There was action and a steady moving pace. There were a few twists, and it was a lot of fun to read. Zoey still jumps the gun on most decisions and shes always finding trouble. 

This time Zoey finds the Fae Trade. A gruesome carnival where men fight to the death to claim one of the remaining women that have been collected. There are new characters introduced. Some you love and some you love to hate. 

Overall I think everything I had issues with in the first book, were redeemed in this one! This is a pretty good series so far and looking forward to The Last City!

The Last Girl (The Dominion Trilogy) by Joe Hart

3 Stars  🌟🌟🌟 Fear feeds the worst in all of us. It drives the most despicable of our natures to the surface.  A mysterious epidemic happens worldwide that causes the reduction in the births of baby girls. Scientists and Governments scramble to find the reason for this. Fast Forward 25 years and there is still no answer and an entire generation grows up with a population of fewer than a thousand women. Zoey and 6 other women are housed in a scientific compound that claims to be doing research on the girls. For 20 years, she’s been removed from her family, treated as a test subject, and locked away—told only that the virus has wiped out the rest of the world’s population. Captivity is the only life Zoey has ever known, and escaping her heavily armed captors is no easy task, but she’s determined to leave before she is subjected to the next round of tests…a program that no other woman has ever returned from. Even if she’s successful, Zoey has no idea what she’ll encounter in the strange new world beyond the facility’s walls. Winning her freedom will take brutality she never imagined she possessed, as well as all her strength and cunning—but Zoey is ready for war. I really love a good dystopian novel. I enjoy reading about how people become survivors and learn to live without all the spoils that we have in reality. This book had a great plot but a lot of holes. It had parts that were really good and others that moved pretty slow. The last 100 pages or so got really exciting and thats what gives me hope for the rest of the series.  I did enjoy this book for the most part. I did not like the fact that these 6 women could not all get along. The more I read it didn't bother me much but initially it sorta didn't make sense for them to fight, rather- maybe have them ban together and team up?? I dont know... but that was my main issue. The characters also lacked something Im not sure what maybe a little depth? It took most of the book for me to care a whole lot for these characters.  I think this was a decent enough start to what could be a great series. I am looking forward to trying the next book and see where it goes!

The Butterfly Project by Emma Scott

5 Stars!! 
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“I once read that you fell in love like how you fell asleep: slowly at first and then all at once.”

Zelda, is running from her past- but at the same time trying to make a future. She goes to New York to try and get her Comic Book published. It means the world to her because it is based on something very important to her. One night- she runs into a guy named Beckett, a guy who needs a second change- forgiveness and freedom of his past. 

Emma Scott - You are a Genius! This book was amazing, and so very different! I loved seeing the comic book strips through out the book and seeing how it would change, as the story developed. The characters were swoon worthy and lovable. The Butterfly Project was a story about two tortured souls- Zelda and Beckett, finding love, friendship and something neither of them would have expected. 

This was a 2019 TOP FAV- I recommend this one to the masses :P And all of Emma Scotts books!

A Wish For Us by Tillie Cole

5 Violet Blue Stars!! 
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I think my heart is ready to review this... 



Tillie- Tillie - Tillie cant you see... Sometimes your words just hypnotize me. I swear, I think she is a Wizard when it comes to words...



Its like she takes her time, sprinkling in all the feels... 

A Wish For Us is something that will stick with you forever. I usually give a little preview of what the book is about but Im not doing that with this one. See, I've been needing to read this for a while but, I know how Miss Coles books work. So I put it off for a while but here we are... in the aftermath and I am just so glad I went into this one blind. And for that reason, I feel like you should too. You can thank me later. 

This book wrecked me, but in a good sort of way. It captures you from the start and doesn't let up until the very end. Fair warning- you will cry... or at the very least, you will want to. You will want to snuggle up and have no distractions. You'll be transported into this story, and not want to come out. 

The writing is beautiful, and the characters are filled to the brim with depth. A lot of the story line is based on music and I am a music junkie. So that made it even better for me. And the way Cole writes about the music- took my breath away. There is also an amazing physical condition talked about in this book that I have never heard of and that made this book come alive. Im not telling you what it is- just go read it. I promise you wont be disappointed!! :P

The Fall Up by Aly Martinez

4 Stars!! 
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They met on a bridge- it was raining, Levee in her designer shoes and Sam with his cigarette hanging out of his mouth- looking like a dream. She wanted to jump... to fall into nothing... little did she know, she could also fall up. 

Pretty sure this was my first Martinez book. And it didn't disappoint! From the first line of the book, I was hooked. The main characters were lovable and I loved their chemistry, wit and banter.

The Fall up deals with mental health issues and depression. It talks about what happens when we overload ourselves and don't come up for air. What it feels like when we feel the walls close in around us and we think we have it under control- until we don't. Thinking we can do everything on our own without the help or love from others. 

This book made my heart lurch - it was beautiful and it will steal your heart, give you all the feels and leave you wanting more! I highly recommend it :P

Defy Me by, Tahereh Mafi

3 Stars!!
“Happiness does not happen. Happiness must be uncovered, separated from the skin of pain. It must be claimed. Kept close. Protected.”

So....where do I begin? I liked it for sure... but pretty sure this is the Shatter Me series from another dimension cuz.... WOW.



Yeah so everyone is just so watered down now. Warner is like a totally different person. Not to mention Juliet...



Whoops... I mean Ella?!?!?



Honestly I feel like what happened in this book probably could have been shortened and made into a novella. I miss the feel of the old peeps and...



Kenji was in this one because he is just what is needed when having to deal with Juliet's errr Ella's emotions- constantly all over the place.

So yeah- Im here for the long haul but I wasn't very excited with this installment. It fell flat for me. Really hoping the last book goes out with a BANG!!

Limerence book 2 by, Claire C Riley

4 Stars!!
When you see life through the eyes of a vampire, you see the true colors of the world.



Well.... this was SOOOO not what I was expecting. Just like book 1 - thought I had an idea how this would go and well HAHAHA Jokes on ME!



Mia has almost let her humanity go



and she has started to embrace the vampire side of herself. The whole book she struggles to fight off her inner vampire, who calls herself Maya. A little alter ego action.



Then there is Evan - her trainer.... SWOON- they both want one another but its off limits.



There is a ton of chemistry between the two. He also is supposed to help Mia keep Maya at bay. That really doesn't work out too well.

The ending of this book had me BUG EYED.



I was like WHAT HUH??? WTAF just happened?? I don't know if this series will have another book or not. But either way- the ending was like so unexpected that I could almost be satisfied with its conclusion....maybe...