Blue Lines (Assassins #4)

 

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Opposites do more than just attract in Toni Aleo’s latest Nashville Assassins novel about a very bad boy and the good girl he can’t resist.
The instant Piper Allen sees Erik Titov, she wants him—wants his rock-hard body, sure, but the strength and mystery that lies behind that superstar hockey jock demeanor, too. So when he sidles up to her at a bar and slinks his arm around her waist, she’s lost. What follows is the wildest night of her life . . . followed by inevitable heartbreak the next morning. And then, a few weeks later, a very big surprise: two blue lines on a pregnancy test.
Only a check to the head could make Erik fall for a nice girl like Piper. But since their crazy-sexy night together, he’s been trying to forget about her alluring body by falling into bed with every woman in Nashville, and it’s not working. So when Piper shows up at his house with a baby-bomb to drop, it doesn’t take much for Erik to suggest the nuclear option: marriage. While it’s supposed to be all for show, the second they say “I do,” the ice between them starts to melt into sizzling steam.
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, and Empty Net.

Review

****Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept through NetGalley provided me with a copy of this book for my honest review****

Piper is the nice good girl, Erik is a playboy hockey star the two of them are attracted to each other, neither one has made a move until now. After one night together Piper is heartbroken, Erik can't forget her but believes he can't have her. They are both in for a big surprise when that one night together results in more than just emotional repercussions, with a baby on the way Erik goes for broke and here comes the bride. The marriage is supposed to be for show, but the chemistry between the two of them makes it hard for both of them. Can Piper help Erik realize what he is missing? Can Erik be the person Piper and their baby need him to be? This is book four in the Assassins series you don't have to read the other books to know what is going on but you anyways just because they are great. I love Piper she didn't have any illusions that Erik was going to all the sudden change for her, when he messed up she called him on it and when she messed up she tried to make up for it. Erik was a hero that I was rooting for yet at the same time I was kinda hoping Piper would slap the taste out of his mouth. He was selfish a lot of the time, he hurt Piper, and while I get why he did some of the things he did, I still think he was a bit of a jerk. My favorite part of the entire book was the birthing scene, some of the words the author had coming out of Pipers mouth had me laughing till I couldn't breathe. I loved Blue Lines it was a wonderful book and a great addition to my favorite hockey series.

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The School of Ministry

 

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TO CHOOSE, IS FATE! A young man named Ziv struggles to find his place in life after both of his parents are murdered. Orphaned and alone by the age of six, he bounces in and out of foster homes hopeless and afraid, wondering if he will ever find a path to happiness. He resolves to accept a life of depravity, until one day he discovers he possesses the gift of sight: to see creatures from the afterlife, but not angels…demons! Ziv is recruited by The School of Ministry, a secret society that promises to help him find his best friend Stephanie, who has gone missing. But there is one catch: he must agree to join them in their quest to eradicate evil and protect the weak. Ziv learns that he is a "Conduit," which allow him to cross over into the spirit world and transcend time itself. When he is partnered with two other young men who have similar gifts, the unlikely trio is trained in the mastery of weapons and the art of Shouting, during treacherous challenges of the tortuous Quad in preparation for their mission: to secure the Windgate. Entrenched in a quest of identity and love, he will eventually come face to face with pure evil itself-Akabod, the spiritual prodigal son to the School of Ministry and a master of talents.

Excerpt

Mr. C. takes a deep breath and spits it out. "It is Stephanie. She's here. We found her."
Time seems to stand still as Stephanie's name rang through my eardrums. My heart rate increases.
"She…Stephanie's here? Well, where is she? When can I see her?" I head toward the door.
"She's safe." Maxwell halts me. "She's being detained in one of the fifth floor containment units where she will be under close surveillance. She is not to come out until we have assured our own safety."
My voice cracks. "What do you mean detained? Is Stephanie considered a threat?"
"She was picked up by one of our scout teams in the northeast. We think she may be involved in witchcraft."
I lean back in my chair, snickering. "Witchcraft? Come on. You've got to be kidding me, right?"
"We would certainly hope not," he warns, not sounding the least bit confident. "But there is only one way to be sure. We have to put her through the Purge."
"No," I scream, as my heart pounds against my chest wall.
"It's the only way to be sure, son." Mr. C. places his hand on my shoulder.
I drop my head, struggling to hold back the tears welling up in my eyelids. "Can I see her?"
"No!" Maxwell's tone scorches my ears. "Unequivocally—no! Not under any circumstances. She must go through the Purge first. Then there will be time to visit her. If she survives, that is."
I storm to the window and look down at the cross. My mind drifts to thoughts of freedom, away from this place: just me and Stephanie, all alone. This is what I came here for—to free her. My hands fist at my sides. She can't go through the Purge. All I want is for things to go right for once in my life. But it hasn't and never will if I don't start dictating back. I didn't want any of this for her. I didn't ask for my family to be torn apart. I didn't ask to be born an orphan. Yet, for some reason, I continue to be a doormat.
I want more than this!
"Ziv," Mr. C. says.
If only I could see her again. Her eyes would tell me the truth.
"Dr. Ethridge will be conducting the interrogation. She will be in the best care. You have my word on that."
A surge of heat pours through my stomach and I ask, "Is that the complete truth?"
"Yes," Maxwell warns, "and don't question the authority at hand. Be mindful to stay in your place."
"Fifth floor, huh?" The words spill from my mouth.
I face Mr. C. and Maxwell, who stand blocking the door. A heap of air gusts from my mouth and I shout, "Sit Down!"
My voice, covered in thunder, explodes throughout the room and bounces off the walls. A small vase on the table shatters, sending ceramic shards everywhere. Mr. C. and Maxwell tremble and collapse to the floor, landing on their backsides before crossing their legs.
I storm past them.
Maxwell reaches out a hand and sarcastically utters, "Nice…technique!"
Breaking to the back corridors, I run to avoid guards. I know I only have a few seconds to spare before Maxwell and Mr. C. are back on their feet. The elevators would be too slow, so I take the stairs, skipping multiple steps as I float down, using the handrails to propel me. The jolts of my knee joints are barely noticeable as I land and quickly pounce to the next level below. As I reach level five, the alarm blares overhead, along with an unfamiliar announcement about some code that I haven't invested enough time in to recognize. I race past a crowd of onlookers before they can identify me, bumping a young man off his feet as I turn the corner and head toward the detainment room.
I fling the doors open, where a pack of burly built men stand waiting for me. They are unarmed, but more than husky enough to take me out with one or two well-placed punches.
Then I would not see her again, wasting this adrenaline filled romp.
"Stand down sir," one of the men yells, pointing a weighty fist at me.
The air is pregnant with potential. I bite down on my bottom lip, straining to hide a smile.
Steady, the words pour out, "Don't you mean," and I shout, "Sit Down!"
All five men stagger and fall to the ground, one at a time like dominoes. I step over them, lifting the set of keys from one of their hands, while I whistle. Pressing forward, I reach the room and insert the key. The swooshes in my chest have suddenly merged, creating one large rhythmic pulsation as I anticipate seeing Stephanie again. I open the door and there she sits, alone on a bench with her head in her hands.
She looks up at me and asks, "Ziv, is that you?"
Her mouth seems to move in slow motion and her voice travels through the air in asynchronous fashion.
"Yes, it's me!" I slam the door behind me.
Thoughts of hugging her transform my brisk walk into a run as I pull her close. The softness of her body is pure kryptonite to me and I melt away like ice. Time stands still as my heart stops and my emotions freeze. I'm not quite sure if it's the safe or something else at work, but my fear and doubt have completely left me. Nothing else matters at this moment—nothing but Stephanie. All those words of truth and trust have been cast aside as well. And it's going to take a miracle to bring them back.

  Author Info
 Multi-Award-Wining Author Braxton A. Cosby is a dreamer who evolved from concepts on pen and paper to pixels and keyboards. He tells stories that evoke emotions and stimulate thought. Protostar: Book 1 The Star-Crossed Saga and The School of Ministry: The Windgate are currently two Young Adult series he created. Braxton lives in Georgia with his wife, three children and a troop of crazy African Cichlids
www.braxtoncosby.com
 www.theschoolofministry.com
www.cosbyscorner.com

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Secret Designs

 

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When Ari Mitchell had an unexpected one-night stand with her best friend's future brother-in-law, she had full intentions of moving on from it without any dramas. But Dylan Summers was someone she couldn't stop thinking about -- and wanting again. Problem was, he didn't do relationships.
Dylan Summers only allowed himself one-night stands for reasons only he and his two best friends knew about. But after his night with Ari Mitchell, he admitted to himself he had to be with her again, even if it meant making things very complicated.
Their mutual attraction was simply too strong for them to ignore. But how could Ari find a future with a man who avoided commitment? And how could Dylan open up to the woman who could heal his heart, when he feared her true motives for being with him?
*****
This is a stand-alone novel that would give you enjoyment on its own. However, to enhance your experience of this series, the author recommends reading them in order.
Secret Designs is the second of four steamy and sweet books from the Secret Dreams Contemporary Romance series.
Book 1: Secret Words (The love story of Jasmine Allen and Kane Summers)

Review

****The author provided me with a copy of this book for my honest review****

Ari and Dylan had a one-night stand neither one of them expected to have problems moving on. Now both of them can't stop thinking about the other one, Dylan doesn't do relationships for a good reason but now he finds himself wanting more with Ari. Ari finds herself wanting more with Dylan can he get over his past? Can Ari make Dylan see why she is really with him? This is the second book in the Secret Dreams series you won't be lost if you don't read the first book in the series they are stand alone books, but you do get to see what is happening with characters from the first book and it gives more background if you do read the first one. Secret Design starts out after the one-night stand between Ari and Dylan, so you get to see the fallout from what happened between but them not the deed so to speak. They can't avoid each other because Ari is best friends with Dylans brothers fiancee. I really liked Ari she was a strong woman, she was a clothing designer when she lost her job she tried everything she could to make things work. She didn't pity herself or say why me and she didn't want or need Dylan to save her, she worked hard and put everything she had into doing things herself. Dylan was a charmer without even trying; he just had this natural ability to flirt with women and everyone loved him. I understand why he had issues with trusting women, his inability to recognize what his feelings for Ari whether it was denial or self preservation were at times frustrating, sad and down right funny. I liked both of Dylans friends; they acted like jerks and treated Ari pretty bad but in all fairness they were trying to protect their friend, it's excusable. This was a great read with two adorable main characters and some naughty scenes thrown in to steam up the pages; I'm looking forward to getting my hands on book 3.

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Program 13

Program 13 by Nicole Sobon
316 pages; published August 15th, 2012
Young Adult, Sci-fi

Two identities. One Body.17-year-old Emile Reed, may have died, but she isn't dead. Her body now belongs to Program Thirteen, where her every thought, every movement, is controlled. Until Emile begins to find her way back inside of Thirteen's core, where she manages to fend off Thirteen’s programming to reclaim the life that she lost. But Charles McVeigh, the owner of Vesta Corp, isn’t willing to let Thirteen go. And he will stop at nothing to reclaim control of Thirteen's programming. Because without her, McVeigh has nothing.
What makes you human?

Amazon

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The leather straps constricted my wrists forcing me to endure the electric current soaring through my body. With each jolt of energy, the wires beneath my skin buzzed, sending a shrill throughout my core. Programmed to respond to pain, my body flung forward involuntarily.

“Pain is a natural reaction,” they told us. “It’s a part of being human. It is something you will better understand once your human identity is finally installed.”

But no matter how much I might look human, I was not.

I was a Program, a machine built to appear human.

The straps dug into my skin, tearing it slightly. I could feel the cold brushing against the metal surrounding the wires beneath the break. The tearing didn’t hurt, but my Program reacted as though it did. The scientists wanted to see how we react to pain. They wanted to believe we were capable of acting human.

This body, this skin, it was a cover for what I truly was.

“They do not have enough experience with your kind,” the White Coats said. “We just want to make sure you are safe out there. This is your world, too.”

At least, that was what they told me.

“Program Thirteen,” a harsh voice called from behind the glass. I could faintly make out a shadow of the man as he held his clipboard in his hand, carefully checking each box indicating I’d passed my daily inspection. I was making excellent progress, or so I’d heard.

“Your Program is coming along quite nicely,” McVeigh had told me. “I can only imagine how well you will do once your human identity is programmed into your core.”

I knew that McVeigh was happy with my progress here at Vesta Corp, but I did not comprehend much of what he said. What I did know was that as long as my treatments continued to work, I’d remain activated. I’d retain a purpose. That was all that mattered.

Looking down, I could see that the leather straps were hanging down, no longer constricting my wrists. Even without the straps to hold me down, I did not move. I remained seated, waiting for a White Coat to come strolling in through the door. As I waited, I noticed that my skin where it had been torn from the pressure of the restraints was flapping around. I’d have to pay a visit to the doctor again so that she could tend to the tear.

“You must find a way to fight the pain, Thirteen,” she’d tell me, just like she always did.

And then I’d nod, because that was what I was expected to do.

The truth was that I had no control over how my Program reacted to pain. Everything I did, everything I was – it was all controlled by the scientists. I didn’t choose to react. My Program, the one which they’d built, did. I twisted my wrist so that my palm was facing up, and I gazed down at the open skin. No blood. No bone. Only exposed metal.

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Nicole Sobon is the author of The Emile Reed Chronicles (Young Adult Science Fiction), the Outbreak duology (Young Adult Dystopian), and various short stories.

Her novel, Program 13, was quoted on an episode of Criminal Minds (season 8, episode 13, "Magnum Opus"). 

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The Art of Forgiving

The Art of Forgiving by Anna Bloom
The Uni Files - Christmas short
New Adult Contemporary Romance
Published December 11th, 2013

Benjamin Chambers found the girl, won the girl, and then lost the girl all in two months. It wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t that girl. The one that had already got away once.

Left to his own devices, wallowing in self-pity, drinking whiskey and killing ballads on his guitar Ben is looking forward to the worst Christmas in history. That is until an unexpected offer of help arrives.

Given the best Christmas gift he could ever wish for, the chance to spend one more day with the girl that got away. Ben knows he just has one day to convince Lilah that they are meant to be together, before he has to make some big decisions about his own future. Just one day to set right the mistakes that he has made, but will it be enough?

Ben may end up finding out that The Art of Forgiving isn't something you can teach, it is something that you have to earn.

“Thanks for saving Christmas dinner, Ben.” Lilah swirls last dregs of wine around her glass and drains it down.

“You’re very welcome.”

She bites her lower lip a little and then pushes back from the table, rising unsteadily to her feet. “Uh, my god I need to go to bed.” She makes some awful groaning noise and reaches one hand for the table to steady herself.

Her eyes catch mine and I shift uncomfortably. Come on Ben. . . This is what you have been waiting for. . . You complete arse.

“Can I grab the couch?” The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. Smooth Dick of the Year Award goes to me.

“Nah, it’s cool you can share with me,” she says. I stare open mouthed but she avoids all eye contact and zig zags to her bedroom.

“Night guys.” I say to the others and then chase after her.

“Keep it down hey?” Tristan calls after me.

I wave my hand at him, and as I shut Lilah’s door behind me I can hear them both shouting “Aaaah.” Luckily she does not hear. She is just standing in the middle of the room. It’s the first time I have ever been in here and I take a moment to pivot on my heel and look about, whistling as I do. It’s massive with just a bed. Nothing else. Just a giant bed.

My brain is instantly bombarded by about a million dirty thoughts all at once. “Minimalist huh?” I manage to say around a smile which I hope does not look leery.

“Yeah, I am a no fuss kind of girl,” she says turning to face me.

She so is. I take my eyes off the room and focus on her. It might be the unnecessary bottle of wine but the air seems so heavy it feels like I can’t fill my lungs with it. “I know,” I say eventually.

The next moment happens in slow motion because I swear I am not expecting it at all, but Lilah just hikes her T-shirt up over her head and slides her jeans down her legs revealing a mind-blowing hot pink underwear set.

What the fuck? Did I miss something?

She dives under the duvet and for a moment I stand there wondering what it is she wants me to do. She says nothing, so in lieu of instructions I strip off my own jeans and unbutton my shirt, leaving on just my boxers and T-shirt. Then with the stealthy motions of a jungle cat I slide myself onto the bed before she can change her mind and tell me to sod off.

She doesn’t. “You can come under if you want.”

Two seconds later I’m under the duvet and I physically can’t stop myself from sliding my body alongside hers. The warmth of her skin seeps into mine and I wonder just how long it has been since I last felt warm. She stretches herself a little and we fit into all the little grooves that are unique just to us. I take a deep breath and the smell of her skin fills my head, it is far more intoxicating than the wine. “You know that song,” I whisper into the darkness.

“Yes.”

My fingers sting with the need to reach out and touch her, but for once I try and use words to talk to her, not actions. “It’s all I can think about, it is all I can play. I just don’t know how to move on from this.” The whole truth would be that I don’t want to move on from this and I definitely don’t want to make a move that does not involve her, but I keep that to myself.

Instead I kiss my favourite spot on the back of her neck.

Her body freezes after my kiss, but before I can apologise she relaxes back against me and says. “Neither do I.”

I close my eyes and wait for her to add something else. Shame I can’t close my ears along with my eyes.

“I don’t know how to be with you now,” she says. I hold my breath for her to finish whatever it is she is battling to say. “But I also don’t know how to not be with you.”

I somehow manage not to grab her and pull her into me, to try and convince her to be with me again. I don’t have to. She turns to face me, her body so close to mine it hurts. I make a resolution, a promise in the dark, which I plan to keep for the rest of my life. “I will do whatever it takes to make you want to be with me.”

I lean forward ever so slightly and kiss her on the lips. I wait for her to tilt her mouth up to mine but she doesn’t. Instead I move my hand around her back and start to trail my fingers up and down her spine.

What the hell am I going to do? Lilah McCannon does not know how to be with me anymore, and I don’t know how to be without her. How will this ever work?  What can I do to make her understand that she is literally the only girl that I have ever been interested in? Ever. I thought I’d made her understand. I thought she knew how I felt, but now I’m beginning to realise that I never convinced her of my feelings. Not enough for her to realise that she is the one that I put above all others.

Anna Bloom is a contemporary romance writer who writes about life as it happens. Combining a busy schedule of looking after two small children whilst working in a local school and completing The Uni Files series she also spends a lot of time imagining kissing hot guys – all in the name of her art.

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