BOOK REVIEW: Double Strike by Gretchen Archer

Double Strike (Davis Way #3)

by Gretchen Archer (Goodreads Author)

Trade Paperback, First, 260 pages

Expected publication: October 21st 2014 by Henery Press

Goodreads synopsis: Bellissimo Resort and Casino Super Spy Davis Way knows three things: Cooking isn't a prerequisite for a happy marriage, don't trust men who look like David Hasselhoff, and money doesn't grow on Christmas trees. None of which help when a storm hits the Gulf a week before the most anticipated event in Bellissimo history: the Strike It Rich Sweepstakes. Securing the guests, staff, and property might take a stray bullet. Or two.

Bellissimo Resort and Casino Super Spy Davis Way has three problems: She's desperate to change her marital status, she has a new boss who speaks in hashtags, and Bianca Sanders has confiscated her clothes. All of which bring on a headache hot enough to spark a fire. Solving her problems means stealing a car. From a dingbat lawyer.

Bellissimo Resort and Casino Super Spy Davis Way has three goals: Keep the Sanders family out of prison, regain her footing in her relationship, and find the genius who wrote the software for futureGaming. One of which, the manhunt one, is iffy. Because when Alabama hides someone, they hide them good.

DOUBLE STRIKE. A VIP invitation to an extraordinary high-stakes gaming event, as thieves, feds, dance instructors, shady bankers, kidnappers, and gold waiters go all in. #Don'tMissIt

That has to be the longest synopsis in history. Wow. #LargeSynopsisROCKS!! You might notice my hashtag there. This book is full of them. One of the characters was like Daffy Duck, the Tasmanian Devil and Speedy Gonzales all rolled up into one and on a helium high She was constantly using hashtags not only in all her social media posts but in her real life convos as well. Who can think of so many hashtags that would apply so quickly. Not me, that's for sure. 

The hashtags were to announce this Casino game that was the main focus of the entire book. Davis Way is one of a few casino spies who go around trying to keep customers from putting one over on the casino. She, Fantasy, No Hair and a few others make up her team. The owners of the Casino send her in to infiltrate this game and try to see what is what. Somehow they have a new Casino floor manager who is keeping everyone out of fray of his game. And Davis is trying her best through hair color changes and clothing changes to get in anyway.

This book just cracks me up. There are so many times when Davis comes into harms way. She nearly fries her hair off once due to a wayward spark from the roaring fireplace lights her newly spray colored hair. She jumps into a nearby pool that is located inside the building. I guess all casinos have this? But to make matters worse, Davis was dressed up as Bianca, who is the wife of the owner of the casino. Have I mentioned that Davis and Bianca look exactly alike except for the color of their hair. And Bianca takes total advantage of this sending Davis in to deal with her wayward son who shows up unexpectedly at the casino, not to mention refurnishing her entire apartment which was ruined at the beginning of the book.... twice. Bianca gets on my last nerve. I don't think the woman deals with anything in her life. She just sits in obscurity in her big casino apartment twidding her thumbs and thinking of things that Davis needs/has to do for her.

What I have related here is only the chocolate sprinkles on the top of a tasty, wonderfully flavorful book that everyone needs to check out....PRONTO! 

Definitely deserves the 5 star rating I gave it. Amazing.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I thank the publisher, Henery Press, NetGalley and the author for allowing me to read this title.

BOOK REVIEW: E-Squared: Nine Do-It-Yourself Energy Experiments

E-Squared: Nine Do-It-Yourself Energy Experiments That Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality

by Pam Grout

Paperback, 163 pages

Published January 28th 2013 by Hay House Insights

Goodreads synopsis: Don’t face reality. Create reality!  E-Squared could best be described as a lab manual with simple experiments to prove once and for all that reality is malleable, that consciousness trumps matter, and that you shape your life with your mind. Rather than take it on faith, you are invited to conduct nine 48-hour experiments to prove there really is a positive, loving, totally hip force in the universe. Yes, you read that right. It says prove. 

      The experiments, each of which can be conducted with absolutely no money and very little time expenditure, demonstrate that spiritual principles are as dependable as gravity, as consistent as Newton’s laws of motion. For years, you’ve been hoping and praying that spiritual principles are true. Now, you can know. 

      E-Squared proves the following: 

1.       There is an invisible energy force or field of infinite possibilities.

2.       You impact the field and draw from it according to your beliefs and expectations. 

3.       You, too, are a field of energy. 

4.       Whatever you focus on expands.  

5.       Your connection to the field provides accurate and unlimited guidance.

6.       Your thoughts and consciousness impact matter. 

7.       Your thoughts and consciousness provide the scaffolding for your physical body.

8.       You are connected to everything and everyone else in the universe.

9.       The universe is limitless, abundant, and strangely accommodating.

I read 60% of this book last year and I do remember being more negatively mind set and had a harder time manifesting due to my own unbelief. I tried the find the specific color car experiment (I chose orange) and I did not see one. I think my mind was on expecting to "not" see an orange car and so I did not.

I read the latter 40% of this at the same time I read E-Cubed. And I had much more success in my manifesting abilities during this time. This is a great book that everyone needs to embrace. And if you were like me in the beginning, you need it even more. Give yourself time to manifest. Don't try going  on to the next experiment until the first one is accomplished. You will only overwhelm yourself.

This is a fabulous book and you need to read it no matter who you are.

5 Stars!

BOOK REVIEW: E-Cubed: Nine More Energy Experiments by Pam Grout

E-Cubed: Nine More Energy Experiments That Prove Manifesting Magic and Miracles Is Your Full-Time Gig

by Pam Grout

Paperback, 248 pages

Published September 16th 2014 by Hay House, Inc

Goodreads synopsis:  E-Squared , the international hit sensation described by one reader as “The Secret on crack,” provided the training wheels, the baby steps, to “really getting it” that thoughts create reality.

     In E-Cubed (don’t worry—there will never be E to the 10th Power), Pam Grout takes you higher and deeper into the quantum field, where you’ll prove that blessings and miracles are natural and that joy is only a thought away.

     With nine new experiments and more tips on how to keep the gates of the world’s largesse and abundance wide open, this book is chock-full of incontrovertible evidence that the universe is just waiting for us to catch up, just waiting for us to begin using the energy that has always been available for our enjoyment and well-being

This book is a follow up to her über popular ebook from last year called E-Squared. I have also read that and found it equally awesome as this book was and is.

This book makes you take these experiments seriously. Each one takes a commitment of time.  And I would suggest you at least try one of them because you can't seriously see how amazing this is if you don't put in the time and effort.

One of the first experiments I got results on was to get a message from a butterfly. I think the experiment was to see a certain color of butterfly but I wanted to make it interesting. Less than a day went by and someone posted on my Facebook feed about a large amount of butterflies leaving such a huge impact that they looked like a storm in doppler radar. I spoke about this in one of my oracle/tarot readings on YouTube and I then pulled a card that not only had a butterfly on it but it also had a message that related to yet another experiment Pam Grout had posed. I got two for one on that one. And then someone posted a comment to my video saying that my mentioning of the butterflies looking like a storm on doppler radar was a sign to her! How awesome is that? 

This book makes you realize exactly how powerful you can be if you direct your mind in these unique ways and  focus on what you want to manifest instead of complaining about what you don't have.

Become a manifesting superfreak like me. Come on. I know you want to.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking to manifest wonderful experiences into their lives.

5 Stars. Yes, it is "that" amazing!

I received this book as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from Net Galley in return for an honest review. I thank Net Galley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read this title.

BOOK REVIEW: Escape (Kindle Worlds - Wayward Pines story) by T.R. Ragan

Escape

by T. R. Ragan

Kindle Edition

Published September 2nd 2014 by Amazon Publishing. Kindle Worlds

     Synopsis: This story is a sort of fan fiction for the 3 book series Wayward Pines. This story features Ashley and Dan and how they plan to escape the town after Pilcher has let the abberations in past the gates.

The beginning seemed a bit amateurish but about halfway through the writer got into the swing of the story. I wish the author would have said at what point in the 3 book series this story takes place. I have read all three books in the Wayward Pines trilogy so I already knew what was going on in the real reality of the series. This alternate reality seems to have taken off right before Ethan Burke makes his big decision after the death of Pilcher and the release of the abbeys into the city.

Although, this ending wasn't as satisfying as the ending of the real series, I think this is a good representation of the series and what it stands for.

5 Stars 

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from Net Galley in return for an honest review. I thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read this title.

Note: Sorry for the blurry photo. I took a photo of my Kindle and it isn't quite up to par.

BOOK REVIEW: Hard Return by J. Carson Black

Hard Return (Cyril Landry #2)

by J. Carson Black (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 321 pages

Published September 9th 2014 by Thomas & Mercer

     Goodreads synopsis: Cyril Landry has been a dead man since he escaped a firefight off the coast of Florida three years ago. In all that time, the former Navy SEAL has been living off the grid to protect his wife and teenage daughter, who have mourned him and moved on.

     Five days a week, Landry watches from a distance as his daughter Kristal leaves school, his only chance to see her. One day a shooter in black unloads his M-16 on the students, killing eight kids, including Kristal's boyfriend, Luke. Landry takes out the gunman with a single sniper shot before melting back into the city. But this wasn't a typical massacre, and the clues add up to only one conclusion: someone knows Landry's alive, and wants him dead again. Teaming up with Detective Jolie Burke, a homicide cop who plays by her own rules, Landry must find a way to protect his family, and avenge Luke's death.

I don't really think the cover of this novel does it justice. Just based on the cover, I would not have picked up this book. But based on the blurb, that is what will hook people. You don't need to read Cyril Landry book 1 entitled: The Shop in order to read this one. The author does a good job of getting the reader up to speed about what is going on and who it all concerns. I do think the revelation of the killer was a bit on the "ah, come on" side of annoyance. The man didn't step into the novel beyond what people said about him until he was revealed the killer. 

Besides that little niggle, the book had me captivated right from the start. I understand the man, Cyril, wanted to keep his family safe so he pretended to be dead but why go to such lengths? He lost three years of his life that he could have spent with his family. Couldn't he have done something else to maintain this needed structure in his life? But that is neither here nor there. Another thing that I just didn't get was that Cyril had a relationship with a lady at the beginning of the book and then had similar relations with the lady cop, Jolie Burke. I guess I don't understand his devotion to his wife and kid if he can so easily rush into relationships that go nowhere.

I could definitely see this book on the big screen. It has everything a great thriller movie is all about. So if  you love a mystery and a thriller all rolled up into one, check out Hard Return. You won't be sorry.

After reading this I picked up book one in the Cyril Landry series called The Shop.

5 Stars.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from Net Galley in return for an honest review. I thank the author, publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read this title.

BOOK REVIEW: Made for You (The Best Mistake #2) by

Made for You (The Best Mistake #2)

by Lauren Layne (Goodreads Author)

Paperback, 320 pages

Expected publication: October 28th 2014 by Forever

Some mistakes are worth making...

Lauren Layne's Best Mistake series continues with MADE FOR YOU.

Brynn Dalton is all about lists and always doing the right thing and she believes these lists will bring her to the right man. She soon discovers that these lists are what is keeping her from true love.

Will Thatcher is a name from the past for Brynn. He is her old nemesis. They would throw verbal insults back and forth sort of like boys pulling girls pigtails in grade school. Will has been in love with Brynn since he first laid eyes on her in high school. So he devises a plan to make Brynn finally notice him as a man.

I did not understand Will and Brynn's relationship. They threw verbal insults around and never once really spoke to each other saying how they really felt. Then they were both upset when they didn't know why the other didn't love them. If these two had just broken down and spoken to each other in high school, none of this would have had to happen.

Will was the man responsible for Brynn turning to her lists to keep her life in check. And Will was the one mistake that Brynn couldn't stop thinking about. 

Once I got past the absurdity of it all, I really enjoyed this book. I was finding myself wondering when they were just going to get on with it already and realized they loved each other. I almost thought they might never allow themselves the luxury of kissing because they both were so obstinate. 

Great read if you enjoy romance. I didn't not really like the flashback parts and skimmed through them to get back to the real story of now.

4 Stars.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I thank the publisher, author and NetGalley for allowing me to read this title

BOOK REVIEW: Take Down (Men of the Sisterhood #3) by Fern Michaels

Take Down (Men of the Sisterhood #3)

by Fern Michaels (Goodreads Author)

ebook, 94 pages

Published January 1st 2014 by Zebra Books

Goodreads synopsis: Christmastime is here, and justice is the gift that keeps on giving for the Sisterhood and their menfolk in the third part of an exhilarating series by #1 "New York Times "bestselling author Fern Michaels.Victory is sweet, but for the Sisterhood and their allies, it s also short-lived. Now that they ve convinced some coldblooded slum landlords to pay very dearly for their crimes, they re ready for another mission. While Jack Emery prepares a Christmas feast at his house, the gang gathers to provide one of their own with a yuletide miracle.

     Nikki, Jack s wife, has been handling class-action lawsuits filed by victims of Andover Pharmaceuticals. A new leukemia drug was supposed to save children s lives. Instead, it destroyed them. Andover is fighting the suit with all its wealth and influence, and Nikki is losing hope. It s time for Jack and his crew to give Andover a taste of its own medicine and show them that messing with the Sisterhood s other half has all kinds of unpleasant side effects

In respect to the other two books in this series, I have to say that this one was the best of the bunch. I think this series might have been better served if it was put into a sort of bind-up that publishers do when sticking all stories into one book. I think this would have made a lot more sense that way. I know that since I was not familiar with the Sisterhood series, of which this is a spin-off, I had a heck of a time getting up to speed with everything in the beginning.

I like how book two and three focused more on Jack Emery and how he was taking charge of this new business and what he was putting into place to help his wife (and the wives of a few other Men of the Sisterhood) get a couple of the court cases they were working on to come to a good conclusion. This series reminds me of the show Leverage where a group of people come in and pretty much force the bad guys to do good even when they don't want to.

Book three made up for the slowness of books one and two and I found myself really looking forward to what the outcome would be. Was I the only one that kept seeing Aaron Hotchner from Criminal Minds as Jack Emery? In my mind that is who I visualized when reading this series.

This was a fun ride even with the slow places in the plot.

4 Stars.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from NetGalley in return for an honest review. I thank the publisher, author and NetGalley for allowing me to read this title