Phone Kitten by Marika Christian

Shy, funny, loveable Emily’s a pretty unlikely candidate for a phone sex operator. She’d die if she had to talk dirty face-to-face—especially to her hot cop boyfriend. She sure didn’t set out to do phone sex—she wanted to be a writer. But when her BFF framed her for plagiarism, she got in a tiny financial hole and saw this ad for a “phone actresses”…

Hey, it’s not nearly as bad as it sounds. No pantyhose or pantsuits, no regular hours, you’re your own boss, and lots of people to talk to. Guys, that is. But here’s the odd thing—lots of them want to talk about more than Emily’s imagined attributes; they start to think of her as the best friend they’ll never have to meet. Next thing you know, one of her customers gets killed. What’s a phone kitten to do? Solve the murder herself, of course!

***

This was another cozy mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed. Emily is this shy, meek girl that lets people walk all over her in the beginning of the book. But as the story progresses, you see her come into her own skin - become more assertive, more sure of herself. She even finds herself a hunky Latin boyfriend (Go Emily!)

I liked the mystery aspect of the story too. For me, it was a nice little twist when we find out who the guilty person is. I honestly thought it was someone else entirely. But I like that in a story. And it's not like the murderer was such a far-fetched reveal - it made sense.

I did have some issues with grammar. The story was good enough that it didn't bother me so much in the beginning, but during the second half of the book they became more noticeable. 

Overall though, it was a good book. Good, believable characters, entertaining plot, sweet romance sub-story. Highly recommend it.

 

Killer Cupcakes by Leighann Dobbs

Things are going great for Lexy Baker. She's finally opened her dream bakery, gotten rid of her cheating boyfriend and settled into her grandmothers house with her perky dog Sprinkles at her side.
 
But her blissful life doesn't last long. When her ex boyfriend is found poisoned with cupcakes from her bakery, Lexy finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation headed up by her hunky neighbor detective Jack Perillo.
 
With the help of a gang of iPad toting, would-be detective grandmothers, Lexy decides to take it upon herself to find the real murderer in order to clear her name and get her bakery back in business.
 
As things heat up on the murder trail, in the kitchen and between Lexy and the hunky detective, it's a race against time to put the real murderer behind bars and get back to baking.
 
Will Lexy get her man? 

***

I've been on a bit of a hiatus - my brain was in summer vacay mode and I just didn't feel like doing anything. But now that summer is coming to an end, and fall weather is sneaking up on us (yay), the urge to read is growing. Killer Cupcakes was the perfect read to jump back into things.

It's a cozy mystery which is right up my alley these days (already getting in the Halloween mood) and it wasn't long - about 150 pages. It's the first book in the Lexy Baker Cozy Mystery series but I feel like it also works as a standalone book.

We're introduced to Lexy, who recently moved into her Nan's house - who is now living it up in the senior retirement home - and has opened up her own bakery. Lexy is a bit quirky. A little dimwitted in my opinion, but she's cute, funny, and determined. Lexy is very likable, even if at time I got frustrated with thing things she did or didn't do. 

Aside from Lexy, we are also introduced to some secondary characters. Cassie, is Lexy's best friend. Detective Jack Parillo, Lexy's hunky next door neighbor. And Lexy's Nan, Mona, who along with some of her senior pals have started the Ladies Detective Club. All of these secondary characters were written very well - they came alive for me. All except for Cassie. I don't know why, but her personality didn't come through like the others. But there was a hint of it at the end of the book, so there's hope for her yet.

As I stated before, even though this book is part of a series, I feel comfortable suggesting it as a standalone as well. I feel like you get a pretty decent story, with a good resolution. There's closure by the end so you can walk away after this book.

I myself don't know whether or not I'll continue with the series. Even though I really enjoyed the first book, I felt as though Lexy was a bit incompetent in solving the mystery. I don't see her doing a better job with future mysteries, especially if they're not about her. I can see her getting herself into deep trouble and complicating things for Jack who would have to clean her messes up.

That being said, if all the mysteries revolve around Lexy (being framed for murder, using her baked goods to do the deed, etc) like this first one, then it would work better. And if the Ladies Detective Club have a more active role, it would work even better! So out of curiosity as to which direction the author decided to take this series in, I will (at some point) read the second book in this series. Plus I am a bit curious if Cassie's character gets better developed - especially with the googly eyes she was giving Jack's partner, and vice versa.

Uncensored Comments Straight From Kindle:

1. ...she's gonna wear heels to work...at a BAKERY!?
2. Worse, stilettos!
3. My first guess is the best friend, Cassie. It's always the best friend.
4. *Gasps* OMG, what if it was the grandma!?! LOL naw...
5. Damn. Those old broads are more hooked up than I!
6. Hmm, maybe the brother did it. Thinking he could somehow "rescue" Lexie from being framed for Kevin's murder and that then she would finally fall in love with him - making the brother the winner of the rivalry.
7. Loving her eye twitch!
8. Uh, HELLO! Grungy booze guy...like the one that threatened you...somebody give this lady a lightbulb.
9. THAN.
10. GOT.
11. Really feel like brother Jason is behind this. He probably made that part up about Kevin mentioning Lexy...ooor maybe he did, to throw Jason off. Then again, he may be fishing to see if Lexy has something.
12. Pendeja, you dont omit things to the old ladies trying to solve the crime! Oy.
13. Dude, call your neighbor!
14. Jason is definitely behind this and it definitely has to do with embezzling.
15. Uh, probably his partner or sister - don't run, give him the book!
16. Wait, how does she have a smartphone, if she flipped it close earlier in the book?
17. Oh my god, give the book to the cop!
18. And I bet you aren't going to give it to the detective.
19. Nan, please call the detective.
20. Snapping the smartphone shut again...are there flip smartphones in existence that I don't know about???
21. WHAT? WHAT? WHAT!? YOU TURNED YOUR CELL OFF!?! EFFING MORON. Sabes que, I won't even be sad if you get killed. That's what you get for being dumb.
22. Thank you Nan. I'm glad somebody in that family has brains. 

Killer Cupcakes is currently FREE on Amazon, so check it out!

Fangs Of Anarchy 2 - Outlaw Alpha: The Ultimatum (Part 4) by Dakota Cassidy

How much trouble can one woman get into? Especially when her favorite past-time is quilting? Well, Freya Ashe is turning out to be an atypical ex-litigating ex-werewolf. There’s the newly turned vampire thing and the murder thing and the going-on-the-lam thing. Oh, and the sex thing with the hot-on-hot Liam McConnell, her new vampire mate.

And when a terrifying demon drops by and issues a few friendly death threats, Freya discovers just how clueless she’s become, how disconnected to everything and everyone around her. That’s was all those Law & Order marathons will get you. Seems her would-be werewolf mate, Courtland Dodd, is nice and tight with the demon Angus Sweeten. The very pile of nasty Liam has been trying to meet with. And he’s this close.

With intrigue around every corner and a slew of alleged misdeeds piled on Freya’s slender shoulders, she and Liam better be careful. If you make a deal with a devil like Angus, everyone might go up in flames. 

***

Ouch. Ouch ouch ouch OUCH. That was a damn of a cliffhanger. Part 4 brought us some more hot vampire sex - thank you, Dakota, can never get enough of those. We also got to see Angus Sweeten again, which I admit, is my favorite villain from the Fangs of Anarchy serials. He kind of reminds me of Sweet from the Buffy musical episode, Once More With Feeling.

Totally picture this guy every time Angus shows up.

As always, I can't really get into the details of the story, seeing as it's super short. I WILL say that Sweeten is one evil, demonic mothersucker and his reputation is well earned, in my opinion.

Uncensored Comments Straight From Kindle:

• Now that Dakota got me into Jane The Virgin, I wonder if Petra from the tv show was the inspiration for Petra in her book. Either way, that's exactly who I'm picturing in my head now. LOL.
• Thumbs. Eyes. Ewww
• Clarenceeeee!
• Duuuh, Freya. Sheesh, you really did win your cases with your looks back in the day, didn't ya?
• Maybe it wasn't meant for Claire after all. Mayyybe, Petra knew Freya and Liam had the hots for each other and that was her way of getting rid of Freya, so Petra could become alpha.
• Honesty time? Ooooh, is this where he tells her she's the bee's knees? That she's his sunrise to his sunset???
• Oooooh this is the part where he makes YOU confess that your panties were constantly wet whenever he was around.

Scandal by Carolyn Jewel

The earl of Banallt is a reformed rake determined to win the heart of the only woman he’s ever loved.

Two years after the death of her husband, Sophie Mercer Evans still has no use for Banallt. It’s true she knows him better than anyone, and that’s why she'll never forgive him his past and the mortal insult he dealt her. And yet, when her life is falling apart, it’s Banallt who stands by her. 

***

This book was the first of many books I have been exploring from kindle. I love it. It has turned me on to reading independent authors. Carolyn Jewel did an amazing job; this story is typical of what I love to read. A good historical romance set back in the 1800s when things were simple and complicated at the very same time. The characters really grabbed me. The love story between the Earl of Benallt and Lady Evans was spun in a way I've not experienced in novels yet. Benallt loved to have affairs with married women but wanted the only one he was sure he couldn't have: His best friend's wife. The story goes back and forth between present day 1800s and a few years before. 

Sophie Evans is well aware of her husband's ways. Out gallivanting with Lord Benallt and whoring with numerous women despite both men having wives at home. Usually, the woman would be resentful, even hateful of the man who encouraged a husband to be unfaithful. But in this particular story, Sophie developed an unusual friendship with Benallt. It is interesting to see the development of this friendship as well as what happens next with these two. 

There is a wow moment in this novel right at the end that was very well placed. I enjoyed this novel a lot. I am glad I gave this author a shot, and am looking forward to reading more of her work. 

Mail Horror Bride by Raymond Lee

From Russia, With Love...

How do you destroy your enemy? Go for the heart, then take over the brain. 

The Z1219 virus, created by Russia's most skilled scientists, is the deadliest biological weapon in history. Harbored in the human bloodstream, it remains undetected until detonated. Once detonated, the host becomes a walking corpse with only one goal: Eat everyone. 

And now it is in America, packaged in the mail order brides the Russians shipped over to destroy us all. 

With the disease now running rampant and no cure yet discovered, it is every uninfected person for himself.
Homes are destroyed and the families inside them torn apart. Relationships can help or hurt as those left uninfected discover they are not entirely untouched by the disease. 

Follow a group of strangers as they struggle to do anything necessary to survive without losing their humanity in the process. Some will win this challenge. Most will lose.

It's a new world and the zombies aren't the only monsters. They're just the easiest to recognize in a country gone horribly wrong.

***

I am a huge fan of the paranormal and paranormal/supernatural books. I am not, however, that big on zombies. I haven't been able to jump on the zombie bandwagon, and I don't watch TWD. I'll watch a zombie movie once every couple of years; I really have to be in the right mood for it, and it doesn't come by often. This is the only reason why it took me so long to read and finish Mail Horror Bride. When I wasn't reading it, I was forcing myself to get into one of those zombie moods because I really really really wanted to continue the book. Even with my aversion to zombies, I was totally, 100% into this book.

Why even read it if you don't like zombies, you may be asking. Well, a friend of mine insisted I'd read it - that I would love it. They're usually spot on with their suggestions. Plus the premise and cover intrigued me. I decided if anyone was going to make me like zombies it would be this person. So I got myself a copy and I read it, and I am so glad I did. The book is split into two sections, the outbreak of the zombie virus and then a longer section on the survival. The book (the first in the series) follows a handful of characters through their experiences on discovering the virus and surviving it. Eventually these characters form two groups and the story jumps back and the forth between the two groups of people who are unaware of the other's existence.

What I love about this book is the reality of it, which sounds weird because the book is about a zombie apocalypse, but hear me out: The zombies aren't there because of voodoo or anything supernatural. It is a virus, generated in a lab by the Russians who then injected the virus that they can detonate themselves into a bunch of mail order brides. Those brides then came to the States and infected anyone they had sexual relations with. One the Russians pushed their big red button, the virus was activated and every mail order bride and every person that slept with them and the people that slept with those people turned into zombies. I can totally see a country trying to bring down the US a la Trojan Horse method - from within.

On top of that, the characters are some of the realest characters I have ever read. It's not a bunch of goody goody hero types, trying to survive. You've got people like Maura, a jilted ex who got dumped for a mail order bride. That lady is more than a few crayons short of a pack. Heck, the pack may be empty cept for one broken crayon. The white one. The one nobody uses. You also have Raven, a 19 year old who is on vacation with her little 9 year old sister when the outbreak happens. She's a good kid with a good heart, but just a kid, trying to protect her little sister. There's Cruz Thomas, the big action movie star who is a total Diva, all about himself...or is he? And is he as sane as he appears? The cast makes the situation a lot more real by what each character chooses to do during the exact same circumstance. Because the story jumps from character to character, most everyone's thoughts are shared at some point. You can see what they're thinking, what their motivations are, who they truly are as a person. They're all flawed, even the younger ones, and that makes this story all the more realistic in my eyes. There's black, white, and grey areas, and I absolutely love that about this book. I also love the relationships that are developed. They're not always good relationships, just because the world is full of zombies doesn't mean that everyone can put their differences aside and work together. Crazy, evil assholes will still be crazy evil assholes. But there's a few relationships in the story that I absolutely love. *ahem* Raven/Cruz and Raven/Damian

Uncensored Comments Straight From Kindle:

• Apparently zombies sink, they don't float
• “Then we don’t need one. We’ve already got people-eating monsters chasing us. The last thing we need is for one of us to shoot the other in the ass.” - LOL
• Why don't zombies ever try to eat one another?
• A few times during the first half of the book the dialogue felt a little fake at times. Maybe too much talking - zombie apocalypse, don't nobody got time for a monologue.
• "I killed Miley Cyrus!" - ROFLMAO OMG!!!! I laughed so hard. Probably the funniest section of the book.
• “I mean, as she died, did she … twerk?” - OMG! BAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Tears, I'm in freaking tears!
• Would a 19 year old in 2014 know who Quincy Jones is?
• CROSS stuff isn't my cup of tea... I had the thought towards the beginning of the book, by the end of it, I was more intrigued and kind of thought the author set things up to do a CROSS spinoff.
• Bitch still insane!
• Ooooh, that wasn't sketchy at all.
• Really hope a zombie eats Maura's ass!
•  Somebody hand me a gun, I'll shoot Maura myself!!
• Damn straight! No need to add MORE blood to the equation. Plus you avoid the painful cramps and stuff. #TeamBirthControl
• Ooh, is he schizo? Dammit, not knowing is KILLING me!
• Oh shit oh shit oh shit!!! Hank is gonna kill her!
• The movie star needs them!
• Kill her ass!
• Oh, this bitch hella crazy! Hope that zombie bites her in the ass! (Apparently, I really wanted Maura to get it in the ass. LOL!)
• Oh no, I hope there isn't a kitty zombie roaming around! Oooh, maybe the kitty will be the one to bite Maura in the ass!!!
• YES, HE'S DEAD!
• “I’ll swing fast and pray hard .” - Favorite line. Should be a tagline, "Swing fast and pray hard."
• HAHAHAHAHA - Miley... *snorts*
• I really didn't like Cruz in the beginning, but I really love him now. He's the reluctant hero. Reminds me of David Boreanaz's character on Angel.
• ...oooh shit. Is Angela undercover bonkers?
• Nutso!!!
• Hilarious Twilight burn. (Won't spoil it for ya)
• Bet you Maura's crazy ass has Daniel's head in her backpack buried in some litter. Putting money on it now.
•  Hell yea - go Hal!
• Ooh I hope Angela kills Maura
• Oh my god, I need somebody, ANYBODY to take this lunatic out!
• ...and that was your mistake, talking before killing.
• (SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!) Ding dong the crazy bitch is dead!
•  Oh, nice. Lighter than a head. Lol
• LMAO - Oh Damian, how I love your comedic relief.
• No. No no no no no. Do not kill her!!!!
• FUDGING CLIFFHANGER!!!!

What a cool roller coaster ride. I am eagerly awaiting the second part because I am hooked. The first installment ended in a cliffhanger and I need need NEED to know what the heck happens next.

Also, the award for most hated character in 2015 goes to Maura. Gawd, I don't think I have ever wanted someone to die as much as I wanted her to die. Every time she opens her mouth I pray for her demise. A zombie, one of the survivors, a dog, a tree, anything. Just kill her, plllllease!

Mail Horror Bride by Raymond Lee - GET IT!