Book Recommendations

I know I've been really lax in posting or blogging, but I have been reading up a storm and I can't seem to stop. I mean to the point where I barely leave the house and my ereader is constantly in my hands. Thankfully I can stop for minutes at a time to clean up around the house and delegate chores to the kiddies.

We did have one major problem here a few weeks ago involving my dog. She developed a pretty nasty skin infection on her back and I had to rush her to the vet. My poor dog was so miserable, I just didn't know what to do. Vet thinks she might've gotten poison ivy and with the bacteria on her tongue just exacerbated the problem til she had a full out infection. With some antibiotics and antihistamine spray, she survived, but then last week she had a mild seizure that scared the hell out of us. Back to the vet where they did some blood work and everything came back fine.

So anyway, back to my original reason for finally posting! Like I mentioned I wanted to recommend some books for my readers that I think they'll enjoy. Not all of these are young adult titles, but they could be crossover hits.

The number one book I recommend is COLLISION COURSE by S.C. Stephens. She is fast becoming one of my favorite indie authors. I've already talked about her other mature young adult series THOUGHTLESS & EFFORTLESS. CC is the third book by her that I read. This book just took my breath away and made me cry at times. I'm such a sap when it comes to well-written heartfelt books. This one has so much heart it's  crazy.

The second one I recommend is PUSHING THE LIMITS by Katie McGarry. What a brilliant book. Another one that made me cry. I love stories that push that envelope and make me realize that there are people out there who may come across as bad ass, but are really just seriously damaged and need help. When two of those people find each other, it becomes an explosive love story that just pulls you in.

Another one I highly recommend is by another indie author, Georgia Cates, GOING UNDER. Similar in themes to PUSHING THE LIMITS, with a different outcome. I found myself completely enjoying this book and enjoying Georgia Cates' writing. She has a lot of talent.

I finally finished the PERFECT CHEMISTRY books by Simone Elkeles. I read the first one probably two or three years ago and just never got around to the last two. Even though I got to meet the model for the first book at BEA and Simone, I just never picked up the books. Silly me. I was crazy! I think out of all three of the books, Carlos' story was my favorite. Luis was a close second.

FLAT-OUT LOVE by Jessica Park is another great story that I totally enjoyed. And not because it takes place in Boston and the opening scene is in my hometown! Jamaica Plain never gets any love in books! This story crushes the heart, but then it fills it up with so much love that you finish the book completely breathless. Julie, Celeste and Matty and even Finn are amazing characters that will have you begging for more. While sighing through tears.

SLAMMED AND POINT OF RETREAT by Colleen Hoover has just been picked up by Simon & Schuster and I'm so glad that good things are happening to Colleen. This story has everything. Love, poetry slams, teachers, high school, love and death. Layken and Will are amazing characters whose love is totally not acceptable. Even though Will is 21 and Lake is 18. There are unforeseen circumstances that pull them apart and one very serious reason that keeps them together. The sequel wraps up everything in a nice package.

The next two books I recommend is more for the older crowd. SEDUCING CINDERELLA and THE SIREN. Two very different books, but both are extremely well-written. I find myself liking books where the male character is a sports person. There's just something so alpha male about sports figures. SEDUCING CINDERELLA is about a UFC fighter who is undergoing rehab for a shoulder injury and it turns out that the rehab therapist is his best friend's younger sister. She's lusting after the orthopedic surgeon who doesn't even look in her direction. So when Reid offers to help Lucie get her doctor, things happen between these two that they never expected to fall for each other. It's a great take on MY FAIR LADY and CINDERELLA.

THE SIREN is a literate version of erotica I guess. Basically Nora is a writer of erotic books and is looking to have her books mainstreamed by a well-known publishing house. Because she is a good writer and the house wants her, they give her MS to the prickiest asshole who could get a damn good story out of her. Her editor is a hard-ass from London who is called the London Fog. But see Nora also has a secret. She is a dominatrix at a club that was all but created for her. Zach offers to help Nora rewrite her book in six weeks, and then he may sign her contract. This book has everything. It's literate, it's sexy and it's well written it makes 50 Shades look like drivel (which it totally is!).  Nora's secret and her housemate (the absolutely lovely and virginal Wes) threaten to ruin everything she could have with the publishing house. Plus with Zach's marital issues, everything can be blown wide apart. Which knowing Nora, is exactly how she likes it.

Of course I also recommend KA Linde's AVOIDING COMMITMENT. This book hit such a nerve with me that at times I had to put the book down because it cut close to home. I had a tempestuous relationship from 18-28 with the same person one that nearly destroyed me and I knew how intricate a devastating relationship like that is. If you've never had a relationship like that, you might find the story a bit annoying, but it happens. All to much.

I hope all of you enjoy my recommendations and I hope to write some reviews soon. I also have some books to mail out. I haven't been to the post office. I also have a book I've been sitting on for a few weeks to give away. I'll try to get that posted soon.

Listen, I love comments and people who just stop by to say hello. So if you want, why don't you recommend a book to me that I haven't read. you can always check my goodreads page to see what I have read and what I haven't. I don't care if its YA, Mature YA, New Adult, Erotica (well-written please!), etc... I've still read a bunch of crap too. I know that I have to get through the crap to find the diamonds in the rough.