#OctobeRecFest Review ~ First Grave on the Right ~ Darynda Jones

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones
Charley Davidson #1
Release Date: February 1, 2011
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance/Mystery
Source: Paper ARC from publisher sent to B&N
Rating: 5 Bookworms
Challenges: #BloggerShame, #OctobeRecFest, #ShelfLove
Recommended by: Robyn @robgirlbooks (honestly, a better question is who *didn't* recommend it but Robyn did the arm twisting)
Goodreads

Synopsis
This whole grim reaper thing should have come with a manual.
Or a diagram of some kind.
A flow chart would have been nice.

Charley Davidson is a part-time private investigator and full-time grim reaper. Meaning, she sees dead people. Really. And it's her job to convince them to "go into the light." But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (like murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she's been having about an entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out her might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely. But what does he want with Charley? And why can't she seem to resist him? And what does she have to lose by giving in?

With scorching-hot tension and high-octane humor, First Grave on the Right is your signpost to paranormal suspense of the highest order.

If I could literally kick myself, I would. As it is, I'm figuratively kicking myself for letting this absolute gem of a book languish on my shelf for soooo long! Egads! This was a good time!

• love Charley's sarcasm
• love that her Jeep is named for a Stephen King novel - Misery
• those early scenes with Reyes were smokin'! LOL Literally

These were my notes from just the first few chapters. The mystery set up was fantastic and entertaining...on all counts. The characters are all supremely developed - I'm so eager to get better acquainted with everyone, particularly Cookie and Uncle Bob. Everyone was such a hoot! And yet also deep. There was humor galore courtesy of Charley's wit and snark. I want to be Charley! Especially because REYES! But maybe not so much because of all the getting beat up. ;)

I'm thrilled I had the foresight to know I was going to love this series and therefore purchased book #2...when it released! ;)

Thanks, Robyn, for the arm twisting. This was a  really, really good read! (In fact, I kept finding myself thinking "Oh, I'll just go read more Charley," except I'd already finished. :D

Review ~ The Secret Sister ~ Brenda Novak

The Secret Sister by Brenda Novak
Fairham Island #1
Release Date: July 28, 2015
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance, Mystery
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the author in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
Did she once have a sister? Has her mother lied all these years? Why?

After a painful divorce, Maisey Lazarow returns to Fairham, the small island off the North Carolina coast where she grew up. She goes there to heal - and help her brother, Keith, a deeply troubled man who's asked her to come home. But she refuses to stay in the family house. The last person she wants to see if the wealthy, controlling mother she escaped years ago.

Instead, she finds herself living next door to someone else she'd prefer to avoid - Rafe Romero, the wild, reckless boy to whom she lost her virginity at sixteen. He's back on the island, and to her surprise, he's raising a young daughter alone. Maisey's still attracted to him, but her heart's too broken to risk...

Then something disturbing happens. She discovers a box of photographs that evoke distant memories of a little girl, a child Keith remembers, too. Maisey believes the girl must've been their sister, but their mother claims there was no sister.

Maisey's convinced that child existed. So where is she now?

Can you imagine starting to have vague memories of someone - possibly a sibling - but someone you don't really recall? Someone no one has ever mentioned? And having those memories corroborated by the sibling you did grow up with? This was just one of the many things Maisey Lazarow faced up her return to Fairham.

Maisey has returned home after a 10 year absence, in order to support her brother as well as heal her own wounds following her divorce. In coming home, she's putting herself in the firing line of her mother, who has never been happy or supportive of how Maisey's chosen to live her life. Being home also puts her in the path of Rafe Romero, a man she knew when she was a teen and would rather not see at this point in time. Being home pits Maisey against her mother once again, leaving her to buck against her mother's strict demands, expectations, and rules.

There's so much going on in The Secret Sister, with both Maisey and Keith trying to carve out new lives for themselves and hold their won against their formidable mother. Then there's the mystery sibling - did she or did she not exist? And if she did exist, what happened to her? And finally, there is the romance between Maisey and Rafe. I think Novak brilliantly balanced all the elements of the story. I enjoyed watching as Maisey made decisions on living her life even when they went against what her mother wishes. When we first meet Maisey, she's rather broken. I enjoyed seeing her blossom, become so vibrant and full of life.

It was difficult to watch Keith struggle with his issues and act so horribly at times. I was happy when he seemed to get his life on track.

Maisey and Keith's mother, Josephine, was a piece of work. Coming from a wealthy family, she was so focused on appearances, reputations, etc., and wasn't a nurturing type - at all. The events that transpired over the course of the story had definitely effects on all the characters - good effects.

My favorite part though was seeing Maisey and Rafe connect. Although Maisey is divorced and suffered terribly during her marriage, seeing her light up and regain her confidence as she spent time with Rafe and his daughter, Laney, left me feeling warm and fuzzy. :) Rafe is such a kind and gentle man. He's settled down since his wild youth and witnessing how he is with his daughter was heartwarming.

I did feel like a few resolutions were too easily gained. But overall, The Secret Sister was exceptional.

**Review ~ Mister Black: A Billionaire SEAL Story ~ PT Michele**

Mister Back: A Billionaire SEAL Story
Series: In the Shadows #1
Release Date: June 14, 2014
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Mystery/Thriller, Romance
Source: I purchased an ecopy from Amazon (Naomi made me do it! ;)
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms

Synopsis
We all have someone who crossed our path and fundamentally changed us. That one person who blew through our lives, their presence forever stamped on our psyche. They linger in our thoughts, in our hearts, and in the decisions we make. A soul crusher or a dream maker, depending on the perspective.

My person is MISTER BLACK.
I didn't know him by that name when I first met him.
I didn't know him at all, but the impression he left behind was just as powerful as the name I call him today.

He is Black: A deadly enforcer and masterful seducer.
I am Red: a justice bleeder and willing participant.
Together we are passion. Colors colliding through each other's lives.

When our secrets converge in a passionate encounter, stepping out of the shadows just might be worth the risk.

*Note: Mister Black is part 1 of a serial and is approximately 125 print pages.

**Mister Black is currently only 99 cents**

Holy wow! Mister Black was an exciting introduction to In the Shadows - which is a serial - and I'm hooked! There's mystery, intrigue, sexy banter, and smoking sexy times. :)

Talia first meets the enigmatic Mr. Black when they're teens. Although she never thought to see him again, he left an indelible mark on her. Now, as a college senior, she's working at a story that could make her journalistic career once she graduates. At a costume party, where she hopes to score the interview of all interviews, she once again meets Mr. Black. Talia, however, is hiding from her past, so despite the sexy repartee and the time they spend together, she's rather determined to keep their meeting to just that.

Talia is head-strong and driven young woman...just my kind of heroine. Mr. Black is mysterious, protective, domineering, and sexy. Together, their chemistry makes them combustible. They each have secrets and I'm very excited to see what happens when those secrets see light. I don't know where this is going to go but I'm thinking that Talia isn't going to be able to hide from Mr. Black. After all, it was he who taught her to "look for rainbows".