The Turkish Connection by Rik Stone 

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Reecaspieces

  

The Turkish Connection

By Rik Stone

Genre: Thriller

Book Description

Mehmet battles to survive the murky Istanbul of 1951 on a daily basis while being forced to learn the skills of thievery and violence alongside the other street children. Evenings come and he curls up under a stinking jetty in a waterway off the Bosporus Strait, yearning to break free from the life inflicted on him by his drunken, womanizing father, little knowing that his rotting body lies at the bottom of those same waters.

Adulthood comes before Mehmet finds out that it wasn’t fate that had taken control of his life as a boy, but a very real nemesis. Is it too late? Can he yet turn things around and get his life back?

Review

What a chilling read.  This book will make you think and keep you coming back for more. 

Mehmet is an amazing character. All that he goes through and endures, is truly heart wrenching!! 

This is a very well researched and compelling novel that stays with you long after you turn the last page. 

Author Bio

Rik Stone worked in the shipyards on a local river, spent time in the merchant navy, and then went on to work in quarries in South East England.

The time came he yearned for change and began studying. He worked through the lower level stuff and went on to gain a BSc. degree in mathematics and computing.

But he loved reading and because of it, fiction writing had always been his want. After an early retirement he was able to pursue the dream seriously and from that dream came his debut novel, Birth of an Assassin, the first in a series.

Available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1DG9Siw

Website: http://rik-stone.com/         

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rik-Stone/602289653148840

Twitter: https://twitter.com/stone_rik

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Who I am With You by Melody Anne #XOXperts 

Posted on May 26, 2015 by Reecaspieces

  

Overview

A spinoff of Melody Anne’s New York Times bestselling Billionaire Bachelors series, this entrancing e-novella features motocross racer Taylor Winchester and little sister to Hawk, the hero of “Safe in His Arms” from the romance anthology Baby, It’s Cold Outside.
As a motocross rider, Taylor Winchester has made a career out of throwing herself headfirst into danger, as fiercely as any of the guys racing against her. But after a brutal crash, she takes a little forced R&R while her injuries heal. Her mom wishes she’d settle down, find love, maybe have a baby or two…but all Taylor wants is to get back on her bike.
She heads to her brother Hawk’s cabin to get a little peace and quiet—but is shocked to discover she’s not the only inhabitant. Ex-military man Travis, her high school crush, has also borrowed the cabin, and the two of them are each too stubborn to let the other one win. Nothing left to do but share the cabin…which quickly leads to sharing a bed! As Taylor and Travis discover that the heat between them is far more than a fling, they both struggle with letting go of control. But if they learn to give a little, what they could win is worth more than any prize.

Review

Let me start by saying…I hate this cover. Never judge a book by its cover, right?! RIGHT!! 

Taylor and Travis clash right off the bat. But, gradually, the two learn to co-exist and even become friends. The attraction quickly ensues and the story takes off. 

This is a perfect read for one sitting. I have never read Melody Anne. I will definitely put her other books on my list!!  Grab this one for your next beach trip!! 

I received this book from Simon and Schuster as part of #XOXperts


  Purchase here
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The Immortal After Dark series by Kresley Cole – BOOK SPOTLIGHT – #XOXperts 

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Reecaspieces

 
This seductive paranormal series continues with a brutal Highland werewolf and an exquisite young witch, adversaries with a blood vendetta between them.

Her breathless kiss haunts him…

Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed—until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

His slow, hot touch is irresistible..

Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It’s rumored that no one can tempt Bowen’s hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

No deed is too wicked for her seduction…

If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul—or will she risk everything for her fierce protector? 

 
 Bestselling author Kresley Cole continues her seductive Immortals After Dark series with this tale of a vampire shunned even by his own kind and a beautiful phantom, bound together by a passion they cannot resist.

A RAVEN-HAIRED TEMPTRESS OF THE DARK…

Naomi Laress, a famous ballerina from a past century, became a phantom the night she was murdered. Imbued with otherworldly powers but invisible to the living, she haunts her beloved home, scaring away trespassers — until she encounters a ruthless 

A VAMPIRE WARRIOR CONSUMED BY MADNESS…

To prevent him from harming others, Conrad Wroth’s brothers imprison him in an abandoned manor. But there, a female only he can see seems determined to drive him further into madness. The exquisite creature torments him with desire, leaving his body racked with lust and his soul torn as he finds himself coveting her for his own.

HOW FAR WILL HE GO TO CLAIM HER?

Yet even if Conrad can win Naomi, evil still surrounds her. Once he returns to the brutality of his past to protect her, will he succumb to the dark needs seething inside him? (less)

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Christmas In May!

Posted on May 23, 2015 by Reecaspieces

 
I used a stamplistic stamp…amazing stamps!! Mounted it on a spellbinders die added ribbon and stickles. 

THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!!!

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Off Balance by Terez Mertes Rose 

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Reecaspieces

Off Balance, Book 1 of Ballet Theatre ChroniclesBy Terez Mertes Rose

Genre: Women’s fiction (with YA crossover), performing arts related

Book Description:

Alice thinks she’s accepted the loss of her ballet career, injury having forced her to trade in pointe shoes onstage for spreadsheets upstairs. That is, until the day Alice’s boss asks her to befriend Lana, a pretty new company member he’s got his eye on. Lana represents all Alice has lost, not just as a ballet dancer, but as a motherless daughter. It’s pain she’s kept hidden, even from herself, as every good ballet dancer knows to do.

Lana, lonely and unmoored, desperately needs some help, and her mother, back home, vows eternal support. But when Lana begins to profit from Alice’s advice and help, her mother’s constant attention curdles into something more sinister.

Together, both women must embark on a journey of painful rediscoveries, not just about career opportunities won and lost, but the mothers they thought they knew.

OFF BALANCE takes the reader beyond the glitter of the stage to expose the sweat and struggle, amid the mandate to sustain the illusion at all cost.
Review

I love reading dancing books. I like to critique and see if the author actually knows anything about dancing. This author does! She is very much in the know about ballet and how a ballet career works. I also like the title of this novel. It fits the story very well. 

Alice and Lana have experienced life altering changes. This throws them both off balance (see, fits!!!). Through these experiences, both women discover many aspects about themselves and their families. 

This novel started a little slow but, picked up nicely and was extremely enjoyable. 

Author Bio:

Terez Mertes Rose is a writer and former ballet dancer whose work has appeared in the Crab Orchard Review, Women Who Eat (Seal Press), A Woman’s Europe (Travelers’ Tales), the Philadelphia Inquirer and the San Jose Mercury News. She reviews dance performances for Bachtrack.com and blogs about ballet and classical music at The Classical Girl. She makes her home in the Santa Cruz Mountains with her husband, son and too many cats. She loves good food, good wine, and a good (but not too hard) adult ballet class. She also publishes under the name Terez Rose.

Author website: http://www.terezrose.com 

Author blog site: http://www.theclassicalgirl.com 

Author Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/terez.rose

Blogger Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/TheClassicalGirl?pnref=lhc

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ClassicalGrrl

Amazon order page: http://amzn.to/1bEGmmY

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13853310.Terez_Mertes_Rose

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Beach Man by Annabel Foxx 

Posted on May 21, 2015 by Reecaspieces

  

Beach Man

By Annabel Foxx

Genre: Sexy Contemporary Romance; steamy romance

Publication Date: MARCH 30, 2015

Book Synopsis:

Kim is a former dancer, who feels trapped in a loveless marriage to a jealous wealthy older man. He blames her for crippling him in an auto accident that he himself caused. They live in a gorgeous beach house in the town of Scorpio Beach, an up-and-coming beach town on Long Island.

Kim strives to make the marriage work, despite her husband’s blame, verbal abuse and bitterness.

During a heat wave, Kim meets a wickedly handsome man on the beach. She fights not to want him, not to want a new life and not to fall in love. But Derek is seductive and irresistible—a former soldier who recently comes to town to start a landscaping business. Kim falls hard for him, and he becomes addicted to her.

Although Kim wants a divorce, her husband finds out about their affair, and devises a plot to destroy them both. They must struggle to survive a web of lies, deceit and dangerous passion.*

*(Due to adult themes and sexual content, this book is recommended for mature readers.)

REVIEW

This one hot, steamy read! A 10 on the heat meter!!

Kim and Derek have a special attraction that Kim fights from the very beginning. She cannot fight it for long. Kim falls hard and fast! When her husband finds out, things get dicey!

The characters seemed a little one demensional, the conversations were a little stiff. But, if you are looking for a good,hot beach read….THIS IS IT! 

Annabel’s bio:

  
I love to read and write novels. I’m also a loner, who loves to drink copious amounts of coffee–and I won’t turn down a good bourbon if it’s offered by a handsome man… or indeed, by any kind and generous man.

​

I’m a Scorpio, and I love the beach. I have a background in graphic design and creative writing. My mother kept diaries and wrote short stories about Christmas, old lovers and travel.

 

My cat, Count Elvis, loves cognac and Pop Tarts.
Reading on the beach is one of the great delights of life. Sun, sea and sand. Ahhh… and then I pick up a book and dive into a story. I love everything gold: golden tans, golden hair, golden sunsets and golden earrings.  
My husband, Dane, is a diver and sun worshiper. 

Follow the author:
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1IvrKS0
Website: http://annabelfoxx.wix.com/annabelfoxx 

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The Summer’s End by Mary Alice Monroe #XOXperts

Posted on May 19, 2015 by Reecaspieces

 
Overview

 

In the powerful and heartwarming conclusion to her bestselling Lowcountry Summer trilogy, New York Times author Mary Alice Monroe brings her readers back to the charm and sultry beauty of Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, to reveal how the pull of family bonds and true love is as strong and steady as the tides.

It is summer’s end and Sea Breeze, the family’s beloved estate on Sullivan’s Island, must be sold. It is an emotional time of transition as Mamaw and the three sisters each must face loss and find a new place in the world.

Harper, the youngest sister, arrived at Sea Breeze intending to stay only a weekend, but a rift with her wealthy, influential mother left her without direction or a home. During this remarkable summer, free from her mother’s tyranny and with the help of her half sisters, Harper discovered her talents and independent spirit.

But summer is ending, and the fate of Sea Breeze hinges on Harper’s courage to decide the course of her own life. To do so she must release her insecurities and recognize her newfound strengths. She must accept love fully into her life—the love of Mamaw, Carson, and Dora, the love of Sea Breeze and the lowcountry, and most of all, the love of a Wounded Warrior who has claimed her heart.

The third book in Mary Alice Monroe’s trilogy that brims with “stories that touch the mind and heart of her readers” (Huffington Post), The Summer’s End follows three half sisters bound by love for their grandmother and the timeless beauty and traditions of the lowcountry.


Review

I fell in love with this series on the first book, The Summer Girls.  When I started this novel, I felt like I was reuniting with old friends. 

 Harper, Carson and Dora are three half-sisters who experience many life changing issues and continue to grow in strength.  Relying on the love of family, these three overcome many obstacles.  

I love how Mary Alice Monroe keeps her characters so genuine. The sisters fight and get on each other’s nerves,  just like all families!  Then, they make up and build on the strength of each other to survive.

The setting is another favorite. I can just smell the marshes and the sea. I can picture the wildlife and feel the sun! I am visiting this place SOON!!

If you are looking for the perfect beach read, this is it!!  Excellent characters and the low country setting make it a great summer read! 

I received this novel from the author for an honest review.   


Purchase here 

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Graduation 2015!!!

Posted on May 15, 2015 by Reecaspieces

  

This is a sizzix flip it card. I also used a stamp from Close to My Heart for the banner. I cut the banner to match the stamp from Close To my Heart Artiste cricut cartridge. 

  
THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!!!!

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The Dream Lover by Elizabeth Berg 

Posted on May 14, 2015 by Reecaspieces

  

Overview

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER


Elizabeth Berg has written a lush historical novel based on the sensuous Parisian life of the nineteenth-century writer George Sand—which is perfect for readers of Nancy Horan and Elizabeth Gilbert.
 
At the beginning of this powerful novel, we meet Aurore Dupin as she is leaving her estranged husband, a loveless marriage, and her family’s estate in the French countryside to start a new life in Paris. There, she gives herself a new name—George Sand—and pursues her dream of becoming a writer, embracing an unconventional and even scandalous lifestyle.
 
Paris in the nineteenth century comes vividly alive, illuminated by the story of the loves, passions, and fierce struggles of a woman who defied the confines of society. Sand’s many lovers and friends include Frédéric Chopin, Gustave Flaubert, Franz Liszt, Eugène Delacroix, Victor Hugo, Marie Dorval, and Alfred de Musset. As Sand welcomes fame and friendship, she fights to overcome heartbreak and prejudice, failure and loss. Though considered the most gifted genius of her time, she works to reconcile the pain of her childhood, of disturbing relationships with her mother and daughter, and of her intimacies with women and men. Will the life she longs for always be just out of reach—a dream?
 
Brilliantly written in luminous prose, and with remarkable insights into the heart and mind of a literary force, The Dream Lover tells the unforgettable story of a courageous, irresistible woman.
 

Review

I am ashamed to say, I have never read a book written by George Sands.  I have added her to my never ending TBR list and will be reading her very soon.  She was an amazing woman, ahead of her time.

George Sands accomplished so much during a time period when women were not supposed to succeed. She lived outside the constraints of society and her achievements were astounding. 

While this is a very well written novel, I found it a little boring.  I much preferred to read about her triumphs and less about her sexual exploits. 

  I received this novel from Netgalley for an honest review. 

 

Purchase here

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Amazon

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The Bone Tree by Greg Iles 

Posted on May 11, 2015 by Reecaspieces

 
OVERVIEW

 

#1 New York Times bestselling author Greg Iles continues the electrifying story he began in his smashing New York Times bestseller Natchez Burning with this highly anticipated second volume in an epic trilogy of blood and race, family and justice.

Southern prosecutor Penn Cage is caught in the darkest maelstrom of his life. The heartbreaking but seemingly straightforward death of his father’s African-American nurse, Viola Turner, has fractured Penn’s family and turned Dr. Tom Cage into a fugitive from justice. And in the search for his father and his reasons for running, Penn has unwittingly started a war with a violent offshoot of the KKK, the Double Eagles, whose members seem to know much more about Tom’s past than Penn or his mother ever did.

Desperately following his father’s trail, Penn finds himself in a maze of mirrors, beset on all sides by a family of criminals and corrupt police whose power reaches into the highest levels of state government. To even the odds, Penn must rely on allies whose objectives are very different from his own. FBI special agent John Kaiser sees Tom Cage as the key to closing not only countless civil rights murders, but also the ultimate cold case: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Penn’s fiancée, journalist Caitlin Masters, is chasing the biggest story of her career and believes Tom can lead her to evidence of America’s most secret, shameful history. In the end, all roads will lead to the mysterious Bone Tree, a legendary killing site that may conceal far more than the remains of the forgotten.

Penn now knows that the death of Viola Turner is a door to the darkest chapters of America’s past. In the civil rights battleground that was 1960s Mississippi and Louisiana, powerful men had audacious, sweeping agendas, and their violent race murders concealed a conspiracy that ran wide and deep, involving the New Orleans Mafia, a Double Eagle hit squad, and a world- altering murder in Dealey Plaza in 1963. And if the FBI can be believed, somehow Dr. Tom Cage stands at the center of it all.

Enthralling, captivating, and utterly engrossing, The Bone Tree is a masterpiece of modern suspense and the next novel in the monumental trilogy that Greg Iles was born to write.

REVIEW

I don’t know where to start….this series just keeps getting better and better!

This is not a beach read. This is not a normal, fast-paced Greg Iles tale. This is what I call a “smart” read.   It is an intricate, sophisticated plot. If you blink you will miss something important. You can’t let your guard down for a minute. And for the life of me…I cannot figure out what Tom Cage is hiding. I have suspicions but no real proof.  

Greg Iles’ characters are exceptional. They make mistakes, make wrong decisions, are judgemental. In other words, they are so real!! I think this is why his stories take on a life of their own and pull the reader in so quickly.  Everyone makes mistakes in judgement and therefore, there is a true connection between the character and the reader. 

The intricate details intertwined throughout this story,  along with the characters, leave the reader contemplating long after the story is finished.  This is not a tale soon forgotten!  I cannot wait for the final installment. Sadly I must wait a year!! 

I want to give this 10 stars!!! But, five will have to do! 

  

PURCHASE HERE 

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Amazon

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