Running into the Darkness by D.A. Bale

DESCRIPTION AS ON AMAZON:

Samantha never intended to kill the President. As a doctor, she swore an oath to protect life – not take it. But that was before he ordered the murder of her family. 

Swept from the frigid New York City winter, Dr. Samantha Bartlett returns to the Midwest to once again confront the sting of death – and face those she left behind. But she’s not alone. A strange man she dubs “Shades” haunts her every step as she seeks answers to the inferno which claimed her grandmother’s life, an eerie reminder of her parents’ deaths. The secrets Samantha uncovers forever shatter the image of those she only thought she knew. 

Confronted by Shades, Samantha joins a secret underworld known only as the Elite, where a web of power and control is woven deep within governments worldwide. Their sights are set on the seat of domination behind the Resolute desk that is the powerhouse of nations – the presidency of the United States of America. Samantha becomes the Elite’s unlikely key to infiltrating the White House at its most intimate levels. 

The Hippocratic Oath. All doctors swear by it. But the most despicable deeds must be avenged. The quest for blood swallows Samantha in a veil of darkness and threatens to destroy everything she once stood for. 

And from the darkness there is no escape. 


MY REVIEW:

I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. Teetering on the edge. I feel like I almost liked it, except the parts I couldn't get over. I feel like I'd need to read the next book to decide if I really liked it,(or maybe it would leave me in limbo if there was a third book), but at the end I wasn't saying 'I have to read the next book to find out what happens.'

There is a lot to take in with this story. Historical, political, and even medical conspiracy machinations; those were actually the interesting part. Very cool, I thought, but uncovered rather conveniently by a "rookie" after so many years of investigating and searching by top notch teams with sophisticated equipment that hadn't come up with the answers. Some characters and some of the scenarios were rigged like in a comic book superhero type movie. A lot of action - if unbelievable in many ways. The whole underground world was fascinating.

WARNING- There is an element in the book I had a hard time dealing with, and that is incest. Even though it made no sense, I kept reading diligently thinking it must be a "mistake" or explained by the end of the book, but it wasn't. I can't give much more information without spoilers. There are many graphic scenes detailing the incestuous acts which I couldn't force myself to read. The reader knows the character is committing incest. The character knows they are committing incest, and goes as far as saying they like it. I found it to be too gross, disturbing.

You will probably have ideas about particular characters, and certain things will be wrapped up by the end of the book. However, I was disappointed with no answers about Marcus. Why did he join the elite? He had me conflicted all through the book. The scenes with him and Samantha were weird. I don't know how else to describe them.

I guess this book just went in a totally different direction than I'd expected from reading the first chapter with Samantha in medical residency, fighting for the life of the prostitute against her superior's orders. Although I wanted to find out the truth about Samantha's life, I am not sure I'd read the next book.

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Deadly.com: The Unbridled Series by Cindy McDonald

DESCRIPTION FROM AMAZON:

Make a note: never agitate a madman. Successful Thoroughbred trainer Mike West just made that mistake-and he’s gonna pay-more than he ever realized. But it’s all in the family; his sister, Kate, has been the object of the madman’s desire on the social network “My Town”. Her constant rejections have infuriated him! People who seem to be in the way start turning up dead, and he’s got Mike and Kate next on his list! In the first book of The Unbridled Series, Cindy McDonald introduces you to the world of Thoroughbred racing, while taking her cast of characters on a wild ride through a maniacs mind.


MY REVIEW:

Cindy McDonald has delivered on her promise of not having a lull in the action. The drama is drawn out by going from place to place, visiting different characters in the same story in order to see all the details of how it will play out. I previously read one of her novels which made me interested in the whole West family and all the characters in their world. I enjoyed this book and I'm sure I'll read more in the series. If you love a story with a bad guy that just keeps coming - even when you think its over and done, somehow they manage to take another stab - you'll love this one. Poor crazy George, I almost felt like it wasn't really his fault with the life he endured.

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Forty 2 Days by Georgia Le Carre

DESCRIPTION ON AMAZON:

Devastatingly handsome billionaire, Blake Law Barrington was Lana Blooms first and only love. From the moment they touched his power was overwhelming. Their arrangement quickly developed into a passionate romance that captivated her heart and took her on an incredible sexual journey she never wanted to end.

The future together looked bright until Lana made a terrible mistake. So, she did the only thing she could... she ran.

Away from her incredible life, away from the man of her dreams, but she should have known a man such as Blake Law Barrington was impossible to escape. Now, he's back in her life and determined that she should taste the bitterness of his pain.

Shocked at how rough the sex has become and humiliated that she is actually participating so willingly in her punishment, she despairs if she will ever feel the warmth of his touch--the solidity of his trust again? And even if she can win his trust, loyalties are yet to be decided, and secrets to be revealed--secrets that will test them both to their limits.

Will Lana be able to tear down the walls that surround Blake's heart, and break him free of the brutal power of immense wealth?

Can Blake hold on to Lana's heart when she discovers the enormity of the dark secrets that inhabit the Barrington family?


Lana has always believed that love conquers all. She is about to test that belief...


MY REVIEW:

I read the first book in this series a while ago, and it ended with a cliff hanger. I wasn't aware before reading it that it would do so, but was taken in by the story. I was glad to pick it up in this second installment, but beware - it doesn't end with this one either. The life of Lana and Blake seemed to repeat a little in the beginning - a little more intensely and kind of cruel on Blake's part, but after a while there were some very dark and wicked twists. The sexual content became strange (well, stranger than I usually read) and evil secrets about Blake's family came to the surface that actually made my stomach turn, but at the same time made me want to know how it would be overcome. At the end of Forty 2 days, there is a minor victory, but there are still some things I didn't see resolved from the first book that I was hoping for, and it still leaves you wanting to know more about how they will be together in spite of Blake's family secrets that are revealed. Because of that, I would read the next book.

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"Sakura - Lesbian Romance" by Theresa Carter

DESCRIPTION AS ON AMAZON:

Sakura is an innocent, beautiful student hiding a secret...
Her uncomplicated life is about to be tipped upside down and her heart turned inside out

with the arrival of the mysterious Kate, a gorgeous English teacher transplanted from Canada to the megalopolis of Tokyo, Japan.

What lengths will those closest to them go to in their mission to keep them apart as 

Kate's scorching desire for Sakura threatens to burn them both...

Sakura's best friend Chiaki will stop at nothing to get what she wants. 

Kate's ruthless fiance Paul is hatching his own secret plans.   

Join Sakura and Kate as they are tested to the limits of their lesbian love in part one of

their lesbian romance.

MY REVIEW:

I am the first reviewer of this book. The cover is beautiful and what drew my eye to start with. It is put together well, but as I began reading the story of Sakura and Kate, it made me a little uncomfortable - not because it is a lesbian romance - but because of their age difference and because Kate is a teacher having a sexual affair with a teenage high school student. I found it difficult to get past that as their relationship developed and they visited some pretty shady establishments to continue their affair. The plot would have been more intriguing if Paul's true colors were hinted at earlier in the book. I had a hard time feeling sympathy for Kate when she was cheating on Paul. It went on for so long that when the truth was revealed, I still couldn't muster much feeling for her.
I did feel for Sakura. She was a well developed persona, very likable in the way she handled others' feelings. Her crush and all her emotions were painted well. I empathized with her jealousy, and her confusion. I felt she was taken advantage of and put in a bad situation by Kate. Over all, the book was an okay read, between 2 and 3 stars.
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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"Edna in the Desert" by Maddy Lederman

DESCRIPTION AS ON AMAZON:

Edna is a precocious trouble-maker wreaking havoc at her Beverly Hills school. Her therapist advocates medication, but her parents come up with an alternative cure: Edna will spend the summer in the desert with her grandparents. Their remote cabin is cut off from cell phone service, Internet and television. Edna naturally finds this arrangement unacceptable. She’s determined to rebel until she meets an older local boy and falls in love for the first time. How can she get to know him from the edge of nowhere?




MY REVIEW:

"Edna In The Desert" certainly was a hit. I was able to relate to the main character, not because I was like her, but because I have been graced with children like her in my life. That whole 'chip on the shoulder - smart aleck' attitude grows tiresome very quickly but there is always a reason behind it and it's usually not what you'd expect. Once the layers of Edna are peeled away and her heart is revealed, you see a glistening of hope there. She comes a long way in the book and I'd like to read the rest of her story.
My favorite character is Grandma. Strong and rather stoic, she carries on, taking Edna for the summer. She can usually see right through Edna, and does what's best for her without too much of a fuss. Edna is used to being able to debate and manipulate people and situations to get what she wants. She is stumped by Grandma.
It is definitely something I would have enjoyed as a young teen because of the relationship Edna has with Johnny - the crush on the older boy.  
I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review. I would recommend it.

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