Review: Caged by Sophie Davis

Title: Caged
Author: Sophie Davis
Pages: 380
Format: Paperback
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Summary: After her brush with death at Ian Crane’s compound, Talia Lyons feels like a prisoner, confined in her childhood home. Plagued with seizures- the result of an unidentified drug injected in her neck by Crane’s men- Talia must put her dream of becoming a Hunter on hold. So when Agency Director McDonough asks Talia to go undercover at the School for the Talented, to find the spy who set the trap for her in Nevada, Talia jumps at the opportunity. 

Soon she learns that her new-found freedom comes with a price- working with Donavon on a daily basis. As if that isn’t awkward enough, her former teammate, Erik, also shows up at the School. But at least Talia has the unexpected company of her best friend Penny; to not only assist her in uncovering the spy, but also to deal with the complications that the guys create.

As Talia becomes more entrenched in her assignment, she quickly learns the lengths that the Agency and Mac will go in the name of war. With Crane’s influence spreading, Talia learns that there are few Operatives without ties to the Coalition. Forced to face hard truths and dangerous conclusions, Talia realizes that it is those closest to her who are hiding the biggest secrets. As the task of finding the traitor becomes more problematic, desperation and frustration rule Talia’s world. It becomes clear that Talia can’t do this alone. But who can she trust, when everyone around her is lying?
Review: So I love Sophie Davis and Caged is another reason why. I love her writing style and I love how detailed she makes everything. I did find Caged a bit slower than Talented but I realize that t was to give us backstory and I was still at the edge of my seat. I loved finding out the secrets right along with Talia. I did guess who the spy was and I kind of figured out the bad guy at the end but that didn't make it any less exciting or shocking when I got to those parts. 
I feel like a lot more of the characters are showing their true colours. Donavan is still a butt head (hello, I need to know why he did what he did), Mac is turning into a big douche bag (power is going to his head) and Erik is getting sexier everyday. Talia just needs to get her crap together and stop feeling bad for herself. 
I just love this series and everything about it. The writing is so amazing and the story is addicting. I can't wait to delve into book three.

Review: Sekret by Lindsay Smith

Title: Sekret
Author: Lindsay Smith
Pages: 337
Format: e-Arc
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary: An empty mind is a safe mind.   Yulia's father always taught her to hide her thoughts and control her emotions to survive the harsh realities of Soviet Russia. But when she's captured by the KGB and forced to work as a psychic spy with a mission to undermine the U.S. space program, she's thrust into a world of suspicion, deceit, and horrifying power. Yulia quickly realizes she can trust no one--not her KGB superiors or the other operatives vying for her attention--and must rely on her own wits and skills to survive in this world where no SEKRET can stay hidden for long.
Review: I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this book. I love that it took place in the USSRand had political idols as characters. But what I really loved were the psychic aspects thrown into that area in history. I loved all of the secrets and lies that are found out and that are told. I really like that as the reader we don't know who can be trusted, who is the bad guy? I also enjoyed the academy feel even though some of the characters were "forced" to be there. I loved Yulia, she was street smart and smart in general, plus she was a kick-ass character. She is a strong woman who was use to both hiding who she is and using her powers to benefit her family. But there is so much more that I want to know about everything and everyone. Overall I found this book almost perfect. I will absolutely pick up the next book in the series because I am dying for more of these characters and their stories. I would recommend this novel to readers who are interested in the USSR and the history of it as well. Also anyone who likes stories about psychics.

About this author

Lindsay Smith's love of Russian culture has taken her to Moscow, Saint Petersburg, and a reindeer festival in the middle of Siberia. She lives in Washington, DC, where she writes on foreign affairs. SEKRET is her first novel.

Review: The Fawn by Susan Griscom

Title: The Fawn
Author: Susan Griscom
Pages: 302
Format: Ebook
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Summary: After a not-so-wonderful young adulthood—shuffled from one foster home to another—Lena Benton had hoped marriage would be her ticket to happiness. Wedded a year after high school graduation, Lena was certain she’d found her knight. But when Troy Harington’s true colors surface shortly after their glorious day of elopement, things aren’t quite as rosy as Lena had envisioned. When an unforeseen event turns ugly, all she can do is ... run!

But does she run far enough?

Jackson Beaumont prides himself on being a nature-loving, guitar-strumming carefree sort of guy, known for his eagerness to help injured animals find their way back into the wild. When Lena Benton walks into his bar, he’s once again swept off his feet with concern and desire to help the wounded. Will he risk having his heart torn apart again when the memory of the fawn he rescued as a child resurfaces?

18+ due to sexual content and mature subject matter.

This will be a two book series, but both books in The Beaumont Brothers can be read as a standalone.
Review: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second book by the amazing Susan Griscom that I have had the privilege of reading. And again she surpassed my expectations and blew this out of the park. Despite this book having darker subject matter, it was also lighthearted and a romantic read. While reading this novel I had a roller coaster of emotions. I even teared up a bit. And I liked how it showed the difference between a good relationship and a bad one.
Lena was such a damaged character that i couldn't help but to love her. I wanted her to escape and become independent. I'm glad everything worked out for her. Jackson is a great guy. I'm so glad he helped Lena with her more than one aspect in her life. Rufus was my favourite character because much like Jackson he is a protector. I'm really curious to learn more about Brodie, I can't wait until book two.
This was very well written book that keeps the readers heart pounding. I would recommend it to New Adult lovers.

About this author

My blogs: http://swblog.susangriscom.com
http://SMGriscom.blogspot.com
Find me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SMGriscom

I daydream often and sometimes my daydreams interrupt my daydreams. So I write to remember them. If I didn't write, I think my mind would explode from an overload of fantasy and weirdness. To the annoyance of my friends and family, my characters sometimes become a part of my world. During my childhood, I would frequently get in trouble in school for daydreaming. Eventually, my vivid imagination paid off and I had the privilege of writing and co-directing my sixth-grade class play—a dreadful disaster, though not from my writing, of course, I must blame it on the acting.

I enjoy writing about characters living in small quaint towns and tend to lean toward the unusual and spooky.

My paranormal playing field delves into a different milieu, abandoning vampires and werewolves, but not discounting them. Someday I might like to write a novel about vamps and those furry creatures. But for now I like the bizarre mixed with romance. A strong hero or heroine confronted with extraordinary forces of nature, powers and capabilities gets my blood running hot.

Review: Thief by C.L. Stone

Title: Thief
Author: C.L. Stone
Pages: 420
Format: Ebook
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary: Kayli Winchester is a dirt-poor girl living out of a hotel, forced to be the parent for a drunken father and teenage brother who she’s desperate to keep in school. The only way she scrapes by is to utilize her one skill: pickpocketing. But even though she’s a thief she has a moral code: no kids or old ladies, only targets who can defend themselves. Not that they see her coming…  Thinking she’s been working under the radar, Kayli has no idea The Academy has been watching and taking notice. Now a team that needs her skill has offered her a way out of her predicament and it’s her last chance: work with them, or face jail time. Kayli resists at first, but slowly the boys reveal they can be trusted. With Marc, the straight man, Raven, the bad-boy Russian, Corey and Brandon the twins as different as night and day, and Axel their stoic leader, there’s a lot Kayli can learn from these Academy guys about living on the edge of the law. If only she can stay on the good side instead of the bad.  Especially when the job they offer her is more than any of them bargained for. After it’s done, the hunters have become the hunted and their target is now after Kayli. The Academy boys do their best to keep her hidden, but a thief like Kayli will never sit still for long.  Meet an all-new Academy team in Thief, the beginning of the Scarab Beetle series.  Warning: This is a new adult series. Readers of the other Academy series may need some caution as this series will contain mature sexual and violent situations and themes.
Review: I received this book free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book! I was looking for an awesome contemporary and I found it in this novel. This book was more than I thought it was going to be. I wasn't expecting all of the secrets and lies that evolved throughout this book. I also loved all of the action, it had me on the edge of my seat the whole book.  I fell in love with all of these characters except Kayli, she made me want to hit her a few times. She was kind of a slut and I get that she was confused about what guy she liked but she needs to choose and cut the others loose not lead them on and most likely their friendships in the future. But who am I to say I wouldn't have done the exact same thing ahaha. Those boys are all hotties. All in all, I really loved this book and I will absolutely be continuing the series. Also I will be stalking C.L. Stone. I would recommend this book to fans of The Heist Society.