M.L. Sparrow's Blog, page 23

The Devotion of Suspect X

The Devotion of Suspect X, by Keigo HigashinoBlurb:Yasuko lives a quiet life, a good mother to her only child. But when her ex-husband appears at her door without warning one evening, her comfortable world is shattered.When Detective Kusanagi of the Tokyo Police tries to piece together the events of that night, he finds himself confronted by the most puzzling, mysterious circumstances he has ever investigated. Nothing quite makes sense...First of all, I love this cover! Second, I loved this book!Knowing who the killer was right from the beginning, I thought it might get a little boring, but I was so, so wrong. There were so many twists and turns in this story and even though you technically know everything, you quickly realise that you know absolutely nothing.I always enjoy multiple view points and it worked really well in this book as all the pieces of the puzzle came together. I have to say I guessed what Ishigami had done quite early on, but I was still amazed by the depth of detail and cunning in this book. It was all very elaborate and yet everything was done for a reason, not just for added drama, which I liked.I came to care for all the characters, even Ishigami - being a genius with limited people skills he was hard to relate to, but I could sympathise with him and felt really sorry for him at the end. Which brings me to the only gripe I have about this book - the ending. On the one hand I loved it because it was so unexpected and abrupt, on the other hand, I wanted more information about Misato. Despite that though, this is an amazing book which held my attention throughout and which I would definitely recommend!My favourite quotes from 'The Devotion of Suspect X':' "You'll never get rid of me. You know why? Because you'll give in before I will, every time." '' "Murder is murder. Everything else is just detail." '' "It wasn't me she murdered, so I don't see how it's any of my business." ''... men who were good listeners and truly cared about people's problems generally came from happy homes.'' "There are many couples in the world, and a lot of divorces, and none of them fall apart exactly the same way. If every unhappy couple could just break it off cleanly, become total strangers in the space of a day and never see each other again, well, then we wouldn't have stalkers. Unfortunately, that's not the case. Often one party breaks off a relationship, but the other party doesn't. Even after the divorce papers have been filed." ''Murder isn't the most logical way to escape a difficult situation. It only leads to a different difficult situation.'' "... You're my friend, but you're also a detective." '' "He has made a terrible sacrifice in order to protect you, you know. A sacrifice so great, ordinary people such as you and I can't even imagine doing such a thing. ..." ''Yasuko didn't think her heart was strong enough to accept such a sacrifice."'He had given her a choice. A spitefully cruel choice.''If you are not happy, all I have done will be for nothing.''Sometimes, all you had to do was exist in order to be someone's saviour.'

Dear Nobody

Dear Nobody, by Berlie DohertyBlurb:The moving and very real story of two teenagers and an unplanned pregnancy. It is told from two viewpoints - that of Helen as she writes her thoughts in a series of letters to the unborn baby, the Dear Nobody of the title, and of Chris as he reads the letters and relives events as Helen is in labour.Meh. I didn't dislike this book, but I can't really say I enjoyed it either. I didn't really feel anything, to be honest. For such an emotions subject, there was a certain lack of emotion I felt and I couldn't connect with either of the characters, though I could sympathise with Helen.There were certain passages that struck a cord, especially the final passage in 'October,' and I liked that we also got Helen's POV through the letters.All in all, I liked the idea of this book, but not the execution.My favourite quotes from 'Dear Nobody':'It's hard to say the things that matter,''I don't know what love is. It's a con trick to keep the human race going, that's all it is.'' "This will change your life," Hippy had told me. Well, it needed changing.''We have no choice about being born, little Nobody. I've made up your mind for you.''Helen is right. I'm not ready for you, or her. I'm not yet ready for myself.'

Bully

Bully, (Fall Away Series, Book 1), by Penelope DouglasBlurb:My name is Tate. He doesn't call me that, though. He would never refer to me so informally, if he referred to me at all. No, he'll barely even speak to me.But he still won't leave me alone.We were best friends once. Then he turned on me and made it his mission to ruin my life. I've been humiliated, shut out, and gossiped about all through high school. His pranks and rumors got more sadistic as time wore on, and I made myself sick trying to stay out of his way. I even went to France for a year, just to avoid him.But I'm done hiding from him now, and there's no way in hell I'll allow him to ruin my senior year. He might not have changed, but I have. It's time to fight back.I'm not going to let him bully me anymore.This is the second book I've read by Penelope Douglas and it won't be the last. I didn't enjoy it as much as Punk 57, but I was still hooked. Tate was a great character, especially when she started fighting back. However, I had real problems with Jared. It was like there were two completely different characters in the beginning and the end, with not enough transition time in the middle. He just changed from a complete arsehole to a pretty decent guy and though I could sympathise with what he went through I don't think it justified how he treated Tate. And I didn't think Madoc's reasons were great either.Despite that though, I still loved this book. The banter was great and there was so much feeling, especially in the last few chapter. I won't give anything away, but I was grinning ear to ear when Tate got her revenge, even if it was a misunderstanding!I can't wait to read more of this series, especially the last book which I believe is once more about Tate and Jared.My favourite quotes from 'Bully':"Survival is the best revenge,""No wonder guys acted like jerks. Girls like that let them.""I'd been called a bitch before, and it didn't hurt the way being called a slut did. Being a bitch could be a survival technique. They get respect. There was no honour in people thinking you were a slut.""Acting like you don't care is not letting go.""We can be confused about what is good for us but not about what we truly want.""He'a like one of those piggy banks that you have to break to get anything out of.""No one could really hurt me if I could hurt them, right?""I was kind of worried about my anger issues, but now I'm kind of worried about yours.""We'd never forgotten how to be together."

Punk 57

Punk 57, by Penelope DouglasBlurb:MishaI can’t help but smile at the words in her letter. She misses me.In fifth grade, my teacher set us up with pen pals from a different school. Thinking I was a girl, with a name like Misha, the other teacher paired me up with her student, Ryen. My teacher, believing Ryen was a boy like me, agreed.It didn’t take long for us to figure out the mistake. And in no time at all, we were arguing about everything. The best take-out pizza. Android vs. iPhone. Whether or not Eminem is the greatest rapper ever…And that was the start. For the next seven years, it was us.Her letters are always on black paper with silver writing. Sometimes there’s one a week or three in a day, but I need them. She’s the only one who keeps me on track, talks me down, and accepts everything I am.We only had three rules. No social media, no phone numbers, no pictures. We had a good thing going. Why ruin it?Until I run across a photo of a girl online. Name’s Ryen, loves Gallo’s pizza, and worships her iPhone. What are the chances?F*ck it. I need to meet her.I just don’t expect to hate what I find.RyenHe hasn’t written in three months. Something’s wrong. Did he die? Get arrested? Knowing Misha, neither would be a stretch.Without him around, I’m going crazy. I need to know someone is listening. It’s my own fault. I should’ve gotten his number or picture or something.He could be gone forever.Or right under my nose, and I wouldn’t even know it.Wow! So I think it's fair to say that I loved this book! It's the first book I've read by Penelope Douglas and it definitely won't be the last. It was hot and sexy with a good plot and great characters.Ryen was a real bitch to begin with but I'll admit she intrigued me; mainly because I wanted to see if the author could make me like her by the end of the book. And she did. Misha redeemed her, making her a better person, and though I don't condone her reasons for being the way she was, by the end I could understand them.Misha is my new book-boyfriend-crush. He ticked every single box. Talented. Gorgeous. Tough. Kind. But with just the right amount of bad-boy! At times he could be a jerk, but it was obvious he was doing it for a reason not just to be horrible.I love the fact that Misha and Ryen had years of shared history and though they knew so much about each other there was also a lot they didn't know. And when they find out those things fireworks went off and I think it's fair to say that for a while they hated each other, but slowly their relationship grew and developed.There were several great scenes in this book, but I have to say my favourite was when Ryen, Ten, Manny and J.D all got together. Call me sappy, but it was heartwarming. Also, I just need to give a quick mention to the sex scenes in this book, which were seriously hot! I went into this book believing it was a YA novel and expecting only PG sex scenes if any, so I was really shocked at first, but I definitely can't say that I was disappointed!The only thing that disappointed me a little was that Trey never really got his comeuppance - it was implied, but I wanted to see it! All in all though, a great book with a brilliant message about being yourself despite wha others think.My favourite quotes from 'Punk 57':'... it's better to stand alone and be right than stand in a crowd and be wrong...''... do the demons she keeps buried start playing with her when there's no one else to play with?''I may not need a ring on my finger to have fun with someone, but I also don't want to be a notch on his belt.''She didn't want to go underground, but my father said we needed a place to visit her as if her wishes weren't the most important thing.''... he's in no hurry to be someone by a certain age.'' "And here I thought you ate children," ...... "Well, I do like to play with my food a bit before I eat it." '' "I won't say anything. Your secrets are yours. You have to live with them." ''Stuck up Ryen Trevarrow is learning how to play in the mud...''There's no one like you, and I can't love you if you stop being you.''This is a big ass world, and when we leave our small towns, we're going to find our tribe. If we don't stay true to ourselves, how will they recognise us?''Eventually we all have to weigh what we want more: wanting back what we had or wanting what could be. To stay or risk everything to move forward.''I was so caught up in my own loss and anger, I never stopped to think how suddenly abandoning her after seven years would hurt her. Not that I'm responsible for her actions, but I am responsible for mine. She relied on me.''He has an entire life and history with people who aren't me.''... the more I know about him the more I'll feel like he's real and the more I'll be a part of his life instead of him just being a part of mine...''We were perfect for each other. Until we met.''I charged over here to beat up a guy who's probably more attracted to me than Ryen.''I'll be anything you want, even gone if that's what you need.''I'm a wolf in sheep's clothing. They have no idea what I'm capable of until it's too late.''Speak your mind, and you give others permission to do the same.'

Warm Bodies

Warm Bodies, (Warm Bodies Series, Book 1), by Isaac MarionBlurb:'R' is a zombie. He has no name, no memories, and no pulse, but he has dreams. He is a little different from his fellow Dead. Amongst the ruins of an abandoned city, R meets a girl. Her name is Julie and she is the opposite of everything he knows - warm and bright and very much alive, she is a blast of colour in a dreary grey landscape. For reasons he can't understand, R chooses to save Julie instead of eating her, and a tense yet strangely tender relationship begins. This has never happened before. It breaks the rules and defies logic, but R is no longer content with life in the grave. He wants to breathe again, he wants to live, and Julie wants to help him. But their grim, rotting world won't be changed without a fight...I can't even tell you how much I loved this book! Despite the fact I've written one, I'm not usually a huge fan of zombie book, but this story was just so unique and from page one I was hooked.R is an amazing main character and I think Isaac Marion showed real skill in making his readers fall in love and sympathise with a zombie. Being inside his head and listening to all the deep thoughts going on was fascinating - wry, humours and yet so, so true.By the end I was rooting for the zombies more than the humans!Julie was also a good character and easy to relate to. She seemed to portray everything that was good about humanity, whereas you could say that the zombie state is a way of symbolising all that is bad about modern humanity - we go about everyday sticking to our routines, working all day just to live instead of actuallyliving.After thinking this was a standalone novel and pouting because I wanted more from these characters - though the ending is satisfying and it could be read as a standalone despite a few loose strings - I discovered that is actually part of a series and not only is there a prequel but there will also be a second book. Needless to say I've already preordered the next one! I can't wait to see how the relationship between R and Julie progresses and I'm also intrigued by the idea of M and Nora and can't wait to see where that goes. There are also unanswered question niggling at me which I can't wait to be answered...My favourite quotes from 'Warm Bodies':'The future is as blurry to me as the past.I can't seem to make myself care about anything to the right or left of the present, and the present isn't exactly urgent.''Once you've arrived at the end of the world, it hardly matters which route you took.'' "Just remember her," my dad says. "As much as you can, for as long as you can. That's how she comes back. We make her live. ..." ''What you are, I once was.What I am, you will become.''I find myself praying to the ghastly mouth of the open sky that Julie never changes. That she never wakes up one day to find herself older and wiser.'' "I got nineteen years with your mom. But do you think I would have turned down the idea if I'd known I'd only get one year? One month?" ''There is no ideal world for you to wait around for.''It didn't take much to bring down the card house of civilisation.'

The Killer Whale Who Changed The World

The Killer Whale Who Changed The World, by Mark Leiren-YoungBlurb:The fascinating and heartbreaking account of the first publicly exhibited captive killer whale — a story that forever changed the way we see orcas and sparked the movement to save them.Killer whales had always been seen as bloodthirsty sea monsters. That all changed when a young killer whale was captured off the west coast of North America and displayed to the public in 1964. Moby Doll — as the whale became known — was an instant celebrity, drawing 20,000 visitors on the one and only day he was exhibited. He died within a few months, but his famous gentleness sparked a worldwide crusade that transformed how people understood and appreciated orcas. Because of Moby Doll, we stopped fearing “killers” and grew to love and respect “orcas.”I've been anticipating this book for ages, because ever since I first heard about Moby Doll I was absolutely fascinated. There was so much information in this book and I definitely wasn't disappointed in that regard. It was also good to read a book that wasn't entirely anti-caps; though I'm whole-heartedly against captivity, I do believe that early orca captivity helped to change the world view of these creatures. We went from thinking they were man-eating monsters and bombing/shooting them, to fighting to protect them, which we never would have done before whales in captivity changed our perspective of them. I'm not saying it's right; it's not, it's cruel and immoral, but at first it did serve a purpose other than just to entertain and this book tells that side perfectly. On the one hand I fell in love with Moby Doll and felt so, so sorry for everything he suffered, on the other I could understand Newman's motivation in the end.The only problem I had with this book contradicts the thing I liked most about it. I found that it was so factual that in places it lacked emotion, as if he author were simply repeating the story told to him without putting anything of himself in it.Also, I do just want to mention that in another review someone said a few of the facts were wrong. Personally, I didn't notice anything wrong, but then I'm not an expert on this subject - yet ;-). I've contacted the other reviewer to ask and will update this review if I get an answer.However, the final chapter of this book more than makes up for any small faults. It is something everyone should read and I know I will be re-reading it over and over. In this chapter at least, the author showed passion and everything he said made perfect sense.My favourite quotes from 'The Killer Whale Who Changed The World':' "Above everything is God, above God is the killer whale." ''Moby Dick did for whales what Jaws did for sharks almost a century later.''Is it too much of a stretch to wonder if they can sense friend or foe? Some longtime whale watchers are convinced that orcas will perform when they have the chance to endear themselves to humans who are working to save them.''Killer whales know how to work with humans - and save them - but humans have rarely been inclined to help the killers.''... unlike our species, orcas would never harm another creature they considered intelligent.'' "You only had to look and not have your mind contaminated by previous nonsense." '' "Is there no authority in this highly regimented world to prevent people from playing at useless research while inflicting until tortures on a defenceless animal?" ''The day may come when man will confront different looking creatures on other planets and it'll probably be the same.''... orca culture is more ancient than ours and, apparently, more civilised.''Orcas fit every definition for humanity humans have come up with that doesn't require opposable thumbs.''... this monarch of the se may serve only as a symbol of man's sometimes sadistic impulses to conquer and crush the spirit of other creatures who share occupation...''... the whales will only be saved when we humans no longer regard them as resources to be exploited and 'managed', but rather as fellow creatures...''For a long time, humans have wondered about the possibility of intelligent life on other planets while ignoring the intelligent life on this one.'

The Complete Short Stories: Volume One

The Complete Short Stories: Volume One 1994-1953, by Roald DahlBlurb:In 27 stories, written between 1944 and 1953, we encounter such classic tales as 'Man from the South', featuring a wager with appalling consequences; 'Lamb to the Slaughter', in which a wife murders her husband yet has a novel idea for throwing the police off the scent; and in 'The Sound Machine', the horrific truth about plants is revealed.Enter the sinister, twisted world of Roald Dahl: whether you're young or old, you'll never want to leave.I found it so, so hard to get into this book, which surprised me since I love some of Roald Dahl's children's books. Some of the stories were good, though none really, really hooked me, but some were just meh. They weren't bad, they just didn't interest me. However, I will just give a quick mention to the ones I did enjoy.Firstly, Beware of the Dog and The Soldier. These two stories intrigued me, but I thought they were too short and I wanted them to be developed more, it almost felt like I'd just read a random chapter out of a larger novel.Madame Rosette was good too and I also enjoyed Edward the Conqueror and The Great Automatic Grammatizator. My favourite though was The Sound Machine; the descriptions and story were just so haunting and may even be possible.However, I will say the one thing Dahl does amazingly well in his short stories are endings. There were some truly twisted, didn't-see-that-coming endings and I loved them. My favourites were the endings for Taste, Dip in the Pool and Lamb to the Slaughter.My favourite quotes from 'The Complete Short Stories':'Men were foolish and were made only so that they should die, while mountains and rivers went on for ever and did not notice the passing of time.''If I die now I will miss all that, and I will miss everything else. I will miss the things I don't know about. ... I think the reason I don not want to die is because of the things I hope will happen.''He became gentle like a wounded child.''A child plays the same game when he reaches out and closes his fingers over the biggest chocolate eclair on the plate and then says, 'Can I have this one, Mummy?' He's already got it.''...he seemed to be somewhat embarrassed, almost ashamed, to find that he had made so much money with so little talent.''... I'm a nasty person. And so are you - in a secret sort of way. That's why we get along together.''You wouldn't refuse to undress before your doctor, would you?... I would if I'd gone to him for ear-ache.''There are better ways of catching a bird than by chasing it through the woods.'

Poet of the Wrong Generation

Poet of the Wrong Generation, by Lonnie OstrowBlurb:“It’s not that I don’t love you, and my tears are yet to dry.But you can’t go back and forth forever and we’ve already said goodbye.”Through these words, a young poet unearths his musical soul while severing ties with the woman he loves after her stunning betrayal. Unknowingly, in writing this ballad of liberation, he will soon evolve as one of the fastest rising stars on the pop music landscape.The year is 1991; the place, New York City. Here we meet Johnny Elias, a college student from Brooklyn with boundless adoration for two things in life: timeless popular music, and the heart of a sweet, complicated young woman who is clearly out of his league.Megan Price not only is the object of Johnny’s affection, but also the only daughter of New York’s most powerful PR woman: the indomitable Katherine Price.Projecting that her daughter’s boyfriend will never live up to the family standard, Katherine cleverly perpetrates a series of duplicitous schemes to rid Johnny from her high-class world. But in her callous disregard, she inadvertently sets him on a determined course to his improbable musical destiny - while sending her own daughter spiraling down a path of despair.Poet of the Wrong Generation tells the symmetrical story of a lovable underdog and his meteoric rise to stardom, his humiliating downfall and his unprecedented attempt to reclaim his place as the unlikely musical spokesman for his generation. At the heart of Poet is a tale of star-crossed lovers and their struggle with unforeseen success and disillusionment, in an attempt to rediscover lasting harmony.Uniquely integrating a variety of original song compositions, Poet projects the epic clash between true contentment and the fable of stardom’s rewards; a nostalgic journey through the major events of the 1990s, with a cherished cast of characters and a stunningly unpredictable conclusion.Audio soundtrack of the original music from Poet Of The Wrong Generation can be heard on the author website, LonnieOstrow.comHere's a quick excerpt for you guys...Johnny Elias stared at the photograph with bittersweet regret. Four suntanned faces smiled back at him; a precious memory from the best day he could ever remember. The blazing sunshine. One enormous stage. Soaring music. Scores of people dressed in summer clothes lined up for miles on the Great Lawn. A perfect day when all was right with the world. If only life could again be so invigorating. So free.The snapshot was date-stamped August 15th, 1991: the day Johnny had keenly anticipated that whole summer. His last college summer. A fleeting moment when life seemed full of endless possibilities. A time when a ballad was a three-minute escape into someone else’s melancholy. When friendships were real. When love was more than a crippling game of insincerity.Johnny’s eyes momentarily broke away from the framed photo and over to a heap in the center of the room. Twelve cardboard boxes contained mementos of the last few tumultuous years. The framed gold records. The press clippings. The fan mail. He drew a heavy sigh then refocused on his own bronzed face in the picture. How young he looked at twenty-one. His hair thicker. His smiling green eyes without a trace of sadness. He was so naively happy. So very much in love with the young woman whose shoulders his arm was draped around. Ah, love… whatever that was.Johnny spotted his CDs and vinyl records stacked haphazardly against a wall. The Beatles. Paul Simon. Bob Dylan. Jim Croce. Joni Mitchell. Elvis Costello. A plethora of songwriting legends, most of whom had reached their creative apex long before he was born. Back in 1991, this collection was Johnny’s only meaningful possession inside his tiny Brooklyn apartment – the address he departed from on that celebrated August morning en route to Central Park.Suddenly, another wave of glorious memories came flooding back. Megan’s “borrowed” green blanket. A maze of revelers jockeying for prime position. The blistering sun setting perfectly behind the midtown skyline. The deafening roar of the crowd. A crowd in which he was just one anonymous voice, blending in, cheering on one of his boyhood heroes.Anonymity, what a concept!Of course, that was long before the impossible balancing act. The late night rehearsals. The early morning laryngitis. The amphetamine haze. The mounting expectations. The in-band politics. The covert enemies. The media bombardment. The endless demands.Disillusionment.Johnny’s eyes shifted to the right hand side of the treasured snapshot. Andy Raymer was squinting through his studious, horn-rimmed spectacles, a Cheshire-cat grin etched on his face. Andy: his loyal partner-in-crime. His Cobble Hill High compadre, and later the man who would manage the madness that became his career.A pained expression spread across Johnny’s face. Damn! All that Andy had sacrificed! All those hours he sat in a lonely, cluttered guestroom, fanning the flames of his unlikely stardom. And for what? If only he had found a way to enjoy the ride… and the words of gratitude for everything Andy had done along the way.It was on that brilliant summer day in the photograph when Andy improbably met the lovely woman to his left, Jacqui Spencer. Johnny smiled at the memory. The socially awkward Andy had never been much of a ladies-man. And yet look how comfortably he and Jacqui interacted, only hours after randomly meeting.Jacqui: Johnny thought. Andy’s soul mate, but my own personal sounding board. In fact, his spiritual advisor too. His perspective provider, and of course, the artist whose album cover would help launch one of the most legendary debuts in pop music history.Ah, but a short-lived career, Johnny reminded himself. More like a two-year whirlwind that saw him evolve from a directionless, novice poet to a national megastar in a drumbeat. From a one-room Brooklyn hovel to a doorman building overlooking Central Park. From dingy nightclubs to theatrical euphoria. It was breathtaking. His ultimate rock and roll daydream. And yet nothing like he could ever have envisioned. Nothing at all!The last pair of eyes in the photo that Johnny's were drawn to belonged to Megan Price. Megan, Johnny sighed. Sweet, fragile, complicated Megan. The first girl he ever loved. The only one he ever loved. The woman who embraced him for who he was, who shaped his impression of loving stability - and whose haunting betrayal inspired the painful, creative storm that would evolve as the musical soundtrack of a generation. If only she had the courage to stand up for what mattered most, how different things would have been… for both of them!Johnny fell back in an easy chair, clutching the framed photo, closing his eyes. He could feel the warmth of that bright summer day. A symphony of boom boxes echoed across the Great Lawn through the corridors of his mind. The smell of freshly cut grass and cold beer filled his sinuses. And suddenly the years melted away. He was twenty-one again, racing ahead of his friends, hoping to score a prime viewing location for the massive free concert.Long before the boisterous cheers. Before his infamous fall from grace. Long before he understood the consequences of success, the agony of betrayal, or the origins of lyrics and melodies.Long before he became poet of the wrong generation.A bit about the author:My name is Lonnie Ostrow. I have been an innovator, storyteller, promoter and celebrity-insider for more than two decades. Since 2001, I have been the publicity/marketing director & researcher for the iconic best-selling novelist Barbara T. Bradford. I also serve as an editorial and marketing consultant for a collection of first-time authors through The Editorial Department. Previously I worked as a PR executive, promoting an assortment of first-time celebrity authors including Ray Manzarek of The Doors. From 1995 - 2001, I was widely credited with inventing the "living celebrity postal phenomenon." In all, I have worked with more than 40 legendary personalities from Bob Dylan to the Bee Gees, Sylvester Stallone to Jackie Chan, creating high-profile media events to celebrate their postal recognition by an assortment of foreign nations.I am excited to share that I have my first book coming out on November 10 2016 called Poet Of The Wrong Generation.  With Poet of the Wrong Generation I am hoping to have combined all my unique experiences to bring you a novel of love & betrayal, music & fanfare, downfall & redemption -- a fable of stardom's rewards, set in New York City during the 1990s.Website:LonnieOstrow.com, HarmonyRiverPress.comGoodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show... Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd67... page:https://www.facebook.com/PoetOfTheWro...

Idol

Idol, (VIP Series, Book 1), by Kristen CallihanBlurb:LibbyI found Killian drunk and sprawled out on my lawn like some lost prince. With the face of a god and the arrogance to match, the pest won’t leave. Sexy, charming, and just a little bit dirty, he’s slowly wearing me down, making me crave more.He could be mine if I dare to claim him. Problem is, the world thinks he’s theirs. How do you keep an idol when everyone is intent on taking him away?KillianAs lead singer for the biggest rock band in the world, I lived a life of dreams. It all fell apart with one fateful decision. Now everything is in shambles.Until Liberty. She’s grouchy, a recluse—and kind of cute. Scratch that. When I get my hands on her, she is scorching hot and more addictive than all the fans who’ve screamed my name.The world is clamoring for me to get back on stage, but I’m not willing to leave her. I’ve got to find a way to coax the hermit from her shell and keep her with me. Because, with Libby, everything has changed. Everything.Firstly, I just want to say I love the cover - it's very eye catching!Secondly, a lot of people will say this book is stereotypical and it is. But that really doesn't bother me as long as it's done well, which this book is.Now onto the review!I'll admit, at first I found it hard to get into this book. There were several eye-roll moments right at the start and I was prepared to dislike it, but then something happened... I don't know what, but by the end I loved it and desperately found the authors website to find out when the next book would be out - there isn't a release date yet for Managed, by the way :-(.I think the main thing I enjoy were the two main characters. I didn't feel like I bonded with Libby to begin with, (which is surprising since we're actually quite alike in certain ways!) but she definitely grew on me and her feelings near the end were so real and understandable that it was hard not to sympathise with her. However, Killian amazing! He's the perfect man, strong, funny, charming, the typical rock star, but then he's also so vulnerable and in need of love. He literally made my heart melt!There was also a good cast of supporting characters. I'm intrigued by Rye, I loved the big brother vibe he had going on, and I want to know more about what he has going on with Brenna. But my favourite was definitely Scottie, even if he was a bit of a dick at times and I can't wait until Managed is released! Whip didn't really interest me at all, but then we didn't hear all that much about him, though Jax was an entirely different matter. I really, really, REALLY didn't like him. However, in a way that's made me more excited about his book when it comes along because I want to see if the author can make me like him!So, despite a rocky start, I ended up seriously enjoying this book and I'll be looking out for more info on Managed because I'm going to snap it up as soon as it's released!My favourite quotes from 'Idol":'Music can be your friend when you have none, your lover when you're needy. Your rage, your sorrow, your joy, your pain. Your voice when you've lost your own.'His current state seemed more a choice than a situation.''Elly May is kind of plain. Until she opens her mouth. Then it's one long stream of colourful bitch.'' ... here's the world. It's yours if you don't fuck it up.''Was I the cause of my father's bad choices? No. But some days, it sure felt like it.''I don't thin he's capable of that level of deceit. I don't think he'd bother, truth be told.'' "That's the thing with endings in real life. You never really know when they're going to happen." ''A person can get... stuck, for lack of a better word, in a life. It's surprisingly easy, really. Hours bleed into days; days fade into months. Before you know it, years have passed, and you're just this person, someone your younger self wouldn't even recognise.''I backed off, gave her space. And it feels like a mistake.''I want to give him normal, but I don't know how. Not when I've left my normal behind to be with him.''I could assert my manly dominance, thump my chest, and declare you mine. But it wouldn't mean a damn thing if I'm not yours in return.'' "I'm not a star."... "You're already halfway there. You just don't see it yet." '' "... You can have the world. Just reach for it.""I don't need the world," ...."What do you need?" ...... "You." ''You are the best of my day,''Sexy can be both a weapon and a wall of defence.''I have the urge to crawl back into my shell. But I've outgrown it. I'd be miserable there too.''... both shot to fame with dizzying speed, and both unable to handle it.''... the woman gives me shit on a continuous basis. And I've made grown men cry.'

Devil Out Of Texas

Devil Out of Texas, by Roger RaffeeBlurb:In the summer of 1973, a fourteen year old kid spends time with his grandfather and his friends, George Burns, Jack Benny, Georgie Jessel, and others, as they play cards at the Hillcrest Country Club near Beverly Hills, California. He later sits down to listen as his grandfather tells him the action-packed tale of his great-grandfather, the first Jewish Texas Ranger, and how his grandfather came to Hollywood to become one of the pioneers of the movie industry.The young man learns about how his grandfather came to be friends with the early stars of the silver screen, like Tom Mix, William S. Hart, Lionel Barrymore, and Doug Fairbanks, and his grandfather's association with the great Mexican revolutionary leader Pancho Villa, the famous lawman Wyatt Earp, and other fascinating characters.Here's a short excerpt for you..."We walk back inside and the Presidente is now saying maybe I'm right. Maybe there is going to be a king of Mexico someday. He then says maybe I can help him with something. Trade between Mexico and England has been bad lately. England isn't trading with Mexico because some of the English nobles were ripped off by some Mexicans. The Mexicans took their money but didn't send the ships full of goods that the English paid for. It happened years ago. The Presidente has been apologizing, offering to cover the losses, inviting the royal representatives to Mexico to talk it over, but nothing is working.So he asks me, how would I like to go to England and straighten it out? I tell him no problem. I'm the future king of Mexico. I can straighten this out, easy. You see, I tell him, I'm your perfect solution. The real reason they won't do business with you is because you got no royalty. They don't trust you. I'll go over there and introduce myself as the future king of Mexico. They'll love me, because I'm one of them, and we'll be then doing deals left and right, and their ships will be trading with you again.The Presidente gets what I'm telling him. He gets excited. Yes, you're right, he says. How come I didn't see it before? We need a royalty to talk to royalty. I shrug and say, of course, it's a sure thing.So he calls in this assistant fellow to help get me all set up. He gives me a letter of introduction, saying that as the future king of Mexico, I am authorized to negotiate trade for Mexico with England. Then they tell me that if I fail, I'll suffer the same fate as the others who failed to get things done for the Presidente.They take me over to a window that looks out over a courtyard. There's a guy tied up to a pole. Ten seconds later there's a loud retort from about fifteen rifles, and the man slumps over dead.I think about it for a couple of seconds, then I think, hell, if I don't get the deal then I am not coming back to Mexico. They won't be able to do anything to me when I'm back in the USA."A bit about the author:I was born in 1959, one of the last of the baby boomers. I grew up in San Diego, California, and obtained a degree from the University of California, San Diego in micro-economics. Despite my best efforts at keeping it alive, an internet business I started in 1994 went belly-up in the summer of 2015. Since then I have turned to something I always wanted to try, writing. Devil Out Of Texas is my first book.Interested?As always just click on the cover image to be taken to the Amazon page!