Tag: Kindle

Yes, I’ll Have Cherry Pop

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Brings a tear to your eye or a hammer to your heart but kind of the author to go first with all of her poetry as short as it was, but if you’re expecting here comes the sun, well Moses saw a burning bush. Yes, I’ll Have Cherry Pop

Maybe I should say I’ll have a “coke” before my southern roots finally disappear; I was born up north near Boston, and while I’m not a huge tea drinker and I’m further from England now, the books are still pretty good indeed. One such book is “Cherry” by Courtenay S. Gray, and this book of poetry is more than a cherry pop I would say this is a cherry bomb and no not like that.

Four out of five stars, with poems that range from sweet to tart, from a somewhat unknown writer, I found her by accident, to be honest, sort of like Moses seeing the burning bush, and I wonder how the rest of the world isn’t hearing her yet. Maybe she’s like the first cherry blossom blooming, and soon we’ll all be getting rained on by her words as I believe this is only her second book but speaking as a fellow writer we all start somewhere. I don’t know where, to begin with, her words though if I just had one word to define the theme of her work somehow, then that word would have to be… one guess *ahem* LOVE.

I can see that she loves her work but where there is love there is also hate, and I couldn’t begin to tell you the demographic for her work, you’ll leave it with your conflictions of love and hate. She’s also a person that seems to be crying out for love, the thing is, does she want it for herself or does it come as a desire for someone else, trading her broken heart for something new, because she may break your heart? Maybe it’s more of an affair; there’s even a poem called “The Two-Month Love Affair” but no worries you can finish the book in one sitting and isn’t the point of a one-night stand, okay maybe an hour to make sure all parties are honestly satisfied completely?

Yes, this book will fill you up, but I’m not sure if it’s with wisdom, the nostalgic feeling of a broken heart or a taste of Nightlock… The Hunger Games, anyone, okay a touch of poison. It will probably be a bit of all three and a whole lot more; with Cherry, you’ll feel like a kid again to a senior in no time flat.

I can’t begin to tell you which was my favorite poem of Courtenay’s though I found myself highlighting a few passages here and there that go from lovely to downright depressing and speaks about “Things That Make You Go Hmmm.” Now I’m still trying to find out who would be the right fit for this book, other than a guy who happens to be searching Goodreads or Twitter at just the right time of day.

The first line of “False Gods” which I found to be inspirational for some reason in a do you step or do you leap XBOX type of way, and who am I to say what the author was thinking, other than risk. Her work “The Last Farce” had me looking at her bio, she’s probably the youngest author I’ve read as she’s twenty years old and once you wrap your head around that a lot of her work makes a smidge more sense. “Blue Moon” and “Many Strings Attached” are tied for highlights and had me parodying Peter Griffin when he spoke of Lionel Richie’s “Hello”; you wonder who’s more in the wrong, the girl doing the chasing or the guys that she is chasing.

Speaking as someone who knows a few broken hearts I can relate, anyone with a broken heart will, and maybe that’s who should read this but don’t look for solace or consolation here, I think this is for the author alone. It doesn’t have that I’ve known such hurt and now here I am standing tall empowerment that most women are into nowadays, this is an acknowledgment of pain trying to escape in these words. Now, this probably will sound quite sexist but maybe this was written for her lovers to see and understand, she’s apparently angry in The Two Month Love Affair, but still in love, no question there.

If I were to tell you every poem that spoke to me, that carries such pain or longing, hell a few even turn me on, meaning I might be like one of the guys she talks about which is a bad thing but I still bought it didn’t I? Without a doubt, I’ll be buying her next one, and I still need to buy her first one, call me curious, was she already hurt then or will those be more sunshine and rainbows, highly doubtful.

Four out of five stars easy only two things keep it from greatness and should brevity count as one, that’s just me being a writer I guess, I could crank out a hundred poems and a book by tomorrow which is probably why this is so unheard of now. There is also let’s say the promise that the author makes to the reader, again I’m a guy, getting turned on doesn’t count but what about ladies who pick this up?

I keep going over in my head the purpose for this book if the author was trying to console herself or inform those who hurt her, why take it so far with this book; honestly I think that the world should see this and there are plenty of unknowns just waiting for their discovery. In 500 Days of Summer, I heard “to get over a girl turn her into literature,” and I guess it works with getting over a guy but the purpose of this is not to get over but to never be forgotten. Maybe it was only a test run, and if that’s the case, I might want my money back; yes, I enjoyed the book, but it was over so incredibly fast.

As for the promise that the author says this collection seeks to unearth your deepest desires; I see a tiny bit of the erotica I read but if that’s the case, what is it you’re looking for, young love but most women might be too mature for this. I can see a mom buying this for their daughter and every dad eyeing any potential suitors suspiciously but hoping this keeps their kids locked in their rooms. As the song goes how “it’s only love.” Will this author find it professionally or dare I say personally? In both cases, I do have high hopes for her, but he better be a million times smarter than whoever she’s writing about in this.

It’s worth the price but know what you’re getting into or look her up on Twitter, honestly, I hope I’m helping her because “Cherry” is so good, and now that song she’s my “Cherry Pie” is playing in my head, don’t I wish. She’s still a bit of a “new” author, and we all know another word for that don’t we, so I think maybe Yes, I’ll Have Cherry Pop.

Preparation H, Hello Hostage Hotel

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From Prisoner to Hostage, and in both I would say the word you’re looking for is obsession or Stockholm, either way, Hostage will hold you and refuse to let go for a while, and by then you won’t want freedom. “Preparation H, Hello Hostage Hotel”

Preparation H, Hello Hostage Hotel

“You don’t really know somebody if you don’t know their name, right”
Skye Warren, Hostage

I can’t tell you exactly when I began reading Skye Warren… Annika Martin too but I’ve got plenty I’ve seen from Skye Warren’s solo novels, and she has become a name synonymous with kickass reads. Hostage is yet another in a long list of winners, and I should probably start looking up Annika Martin’s novels as well because when you put these two women together.

Speaking of which it looks like Abby is going to get some company; a swing and a missed opportunity by this dynamic duo but I’ll give it five stars anyway, but I think Abby and Brooke might have been something to see. Also, are you telling me you haven’t read “Prisoner” (Criminals & Captives #1), if you have welcome aboard, and if you haven’t… you don’t necessarily have to, but I highly recommend it just because it’s as impressive as Hostage. In any case, you’ll probably see what’s coming regardless, but I’m already wondering will there be a book three; I read this with my erotica reading group, but I would have bought it regardless.

So long story short, Hostage begins near the start of Prisoner and then carries on from where that book ended, and no I don’t want to say conclusion there are several paths left I feel. While Prisoner was a story of the youngest of the crew, Grayson, and his love Abby, Hostage is about the oldest of the squad Stone Keaton and his passion Brooke Carson; stop me if you heard this one, rough criminal, and the golden virgin princess. I mean that family going broke, in high school for most of the story, with a famous name and of course Stone is just flushed with cash, criminal and all.

Common themes but I can say that about the entire genre as well, and these two writers know how to work it into something brand new, once, twice, I want to see more of the crew. I was a bit surprised at the ending myself which is strange, but you can always tell where these stories are going and still you stick along for the ride; you can’t help it.

“It’s like catching fucking sunlight in a jar. I don’t want to let her go.”
Skye Warren, Annika Martin, Hostage

Maybe that’s one of the things I like best, as I once heard in a commercial “between love and madness lies Obsession” and that’s what it was like for both Stone and Brooke; enough that Brooke’s age is a teasing point until she turned eighteen. There was the idea of how much grief Stone gave Grayson when he found love and now that Stone has; well that escalated quickly between him and his crew, the men he calls brothers, but let’s focus on the lovers.

Sadly, there’s nothing new to either of them but names and the circumstances of the situation, Stone Keaton, another victim of the rich who fought his way free and is now looking for revenge not just on one but an entire lot of tormentors. You also have to give him the noble goal of wanting to rescue kids and eventually Brooke, though he took his time with her, nothing but slow seductive time since this is a bit of two books in one and her age. Let me just say for the record it always ends up like this, take away the money and the noble pursuit, and being a guy that has read so many stories from this genre, pull any of this in the real world fellas and no happy endings for you.

Brooke Carson, of course, is in her gilded cage, whether it be from a mother’s expectations, imagine Rose in Titanic just younger and prettier or the criminal that just so happens to have millions of dollars that gets her knocky in the knees and elsewhere. Honestly, you can’t say that her life changed much and that might seem a bit short-sighted but one cage to another, from being a tool of her parents to belonging to Stone, and the world is still the world with just a few less horrible people. The only thing Brooke had to do was choose, and that was a bit of newness since most of the stories I’ve read from Skye Warren the heroine merely is taken but again age, instead of sex he almost murders her the first time.

There was less death, seeing how Prisoners ended; maybe it’s a sign of the times. I won’t give that away, though if you want a taste; Samurai Champloo (Artistic Anarchy) “Tsutchie – Sincerely.” At least that’s how I felt if they made this book into a movie I think. As for the other characters, wealthy parents, mother worried about her reputation, standard rich people, and of course Stone’s crew, bad boys galore and how many times can I say this, money.

“There should be some smooth and nice things left in this world.”
Annika Martin, Hostage

I’m not trying to make it sound dull seeing as how I’m giving it five stars, and that’s almost all nearly storytelling, and you can leave it at that because, spoiler alert. Did the book have flaws, other than things I wish happened; this is novel writing at its best, and there was plenty to like besides the things continually resting in my depraved imagination?

For example, this is the first book I might have seen honestly use the term “fake news,” and that’s just the tip of the iceberg as it plays to today’s lexicon. Anybody who reads this might think the author has something against the rich unless they are undoubtedly hard-working or playing a bit of Robin Hood. I’m not saying that Stone and his crew didn’t deserve every last dime they had after everything that they all endured together. There’s even a bit of Brooke’s weight involved, not being allowed to eat then Stone letting her scarf down a burger and cutting her overly tight fancy dress, or the fact that she didn’t want the discovery of her naked form after.

Brooke’s first time, that scene held a bit of everything, the difference between making love and anyway, though the phone sex was a bit dirtier and raunchier, and the authors made her a uniformed schoolgirl to boot, my weakness. Again I wish something could have taken place between Abby and Brooke; you have close quarters, mostly men and two beautiful women, there are days I tell you that these stories are better than porn visual porn. The ending, I was picturing something else, to be honest not that this ending wasn’t great itself, but sometimes you’re expecting fire and brimstone, but a slow trudge to Hell also works I guess.

Nate’s life is one thing, but it would be amazing to keep following Brooke and Stone and don’t I sound like Detective Emilio Rivera now, talk about an obsession with this story and these two authors. So I hope you are ready if you pick up this title because you’ll be on your backside for a while, hours on end, Preparation H, Hello Hostage Hotel.

Definition Of Flawed, Madness, Love

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What would be the British equivalent of the Jerry Springer show, do they have Starbucks in England, shouldn’t I be asking questions about the book, it would be like having Thanksgiving dinner with my family. “Definition Of Flawed, Madness, Love”

“You’ve gotta give me more than ten minutes, sweetheart.”
― Lia Peele, Definition of Flawed

How about a week and two hundred and thirteen pages, so am I ready to talk about it now… four out of five stars seem to dictate that I sort of want to don’t they. I think this would be more suited for The Richard Bey show or maybe Jerry Springer, hell you could throw in a few more talk show host like Maury or maybe Steve Harvey because I’m going to make plenty of mistakes with this just saying.

This book wasn’t a mistake though it certainly lived up to its name, a drunk father, college girl, a son around her age, I swear it took me right back to those chants of Jerry, Jerry, from the talk shows. Speaking of the talk, not to sound like you know who and Norway but it’s always nice to read an author from across the pond, meaning England, to be honest, this is probably the third book I’ve reviewed from a Brit that I know some. It’s sort of cool to look up words you see one way, and they regard another, but better you be prepared for it right now because it could get confusing.

Plot-wise you could see what was coming rather quickly, but then there’s the portion of the book where chairs start getting thrown and fists start swinging, glad there was a bit of that in there. That’s how real the characters feel, and you can’t help but wonder what you would do in that situation, for me this touched on a personal level, but I don’t want to spoil it yet… Don’t judge a book by its cover either, while it’s a bit racy inside and out this is more family drama, sort of like Thanksgiving all year, they could have stood to drink that much more.

Seeing as this was just the prequel to a series, I can only imagine it’s going to crank up the sex factor and that we may get even more secrets from the whole family and I will admit that it’s somewhat tempting. You’ll have fun trying to guess who indeed is the most flawed and it was surprising that a woman isn’t always right, well at least one of them.

“hot ‘n spicy loving, hmm.”
Lia Peele, Definition of Flawed

Paul Jackson is probably not the typical bad boy women think about, criminal, billionaire, ex-soldier, a prisoner with a good heart. He’s a regular working man with a penchant for alcohol. Though older than Scarlett I’ve read through all the types. Of course, you know right off the bat that he won’t win, then again who knows, the start of the series but yeah no, he has plenty of fun.

Scarlett Trent drifts between that young, have fun college girl and homemaker mentality, knows what she’s doing in the bedroom and honestly tries in the kitchen, she stocks the fridge. I couldn’t see myself falling in love with her, but there is somebody for everyone and her and Paul… seriously whoever wants to tell their parents their right about relationships.

Then we have Dev, and cue Taylor Swift, I knew you were trouble when you walked in, but that could also mean Paul as well, like father, like son I guess but you knew at least the Scarlett and Dev portion of the story in seconds. Having read a preview of the next book, well maybe it’s a bit too soon to start making those sort of predictions.

As for other characters, you got the college friends, the boys looking at Scarlett like a MILF, and the typical mommy and daddy dynamic, which was a bit too reasonable to be believable but maybe that’s just me. The only other most damaging character is Stacey, and again I’m not trying to give anything away, but I think the term ratchet should apply to her. Sort of an avalanche of exposition, a moment of remembering who the real enemy is, and that’s sad when it comes to her but a quick break from the sexual tension. For all the rapid sex scenes between Paul and Scarlett it does cool down rather quickly, but the story is intriguing.

“I took one look at him and went in the opposite direction.”
Definition of Flawed

Hopefully, as the song goes, you’ll follow me, as I was telling the author my Kindle tends to lose everything or maybe it’s a trick from Amazon to get me to buy more books, but I became invested enough to see how this turned out. It is a solid four out of five, and any significant gripes; the ending is a bit lacking, and the story like most trailers nowadays gives up, too much, too soon, and an overflow of revelations doesn’t exactly make up for anything, like Dev you’re like what the hell happened.

You might want to turn around now because I’ll try not to spoil a lot but there were plenty of things to like such as you guessed it, the sex scenes, short but dirty and Scarlett is a woman coming into her own, and then a kiss… The revelations scene while being a bit much will bring out your inner drunk, thanksgiving relative nature, or talk show persona, I can’t stress that enough. I’ve also stated that you’ll be looking up things like does England have Starbucks, just thinking of Scarlett’s coffeehouse profession, and of course a bit of language.

The ending, the timeframe goes from a coffeehouse girl to now, and I suppose the author wasn’t interested in a few weeks of crying, but there had to be a better way to transition. When Paul talks to Scarlett about Dev, it’s like okay and then but wait there is so much more, and it’s just rammed in, tying up Dev in a cute bow and lead to something big? In an unoriginal fashion and strangely enough I believe in love at first sight maybe you have to be a woman to understand what goes through the mind of any girl seeing a man and suddenly it’s just okay dibs.

Other than this I haven’t read any of Lia Peele’s work but this one I will be on the lookout for more of her books, not waiting in line, first day on Amazon, but more like, okay I got this oh look another Lia Peele novel. Now if you’ll excuse me since I don’t drink coffee and I’m not a big drinker I’ll drown in more words to be sure, Definition Of Flawed, Madness, Love.