Tara Moss - Fetish

Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd

ISBN: 978-0843956337

My rating:  2/5

Tall, blonde and beautiful – It’s no surprise that Canadian Makedde Vanderwall is a model. What is surprising is her street-smart ways and her own recognition that modeling is only a stopgap career, a lucrative means to fund her tuition for a degree in forensic psychology.
But more surprising – and disturbing – is that while on assignment in Sydney, Australia, Makedde finds herself in the middle of a grisly, sensational hunt for the “Stiletto Murderer” – a serial killer who brutally murdered Makedde’s best friend – and may see Makedde as his next fashion victim. Who is this murderous monster with the penchant for sexy shoes?
The world of fashion takes on sinister tones – a photographer who get off on snapping photos of dead bodies; beautiful women with rich but mysterious sugar daddies; and bottom feeders who cruise the murky ocean of high fashion and low morals. And now, seemingly deserted by the one cop who can save her, Makedde is a girl on the edge of unimaginable terror, in a place where perfect beauty is transformed into darkest death… (TaraMoss.com)


My thoughts

Okay - first mistake was listening to the audio version, which is narrated by Tara Moss. Without wanting to be over-criticising, it was irritating to listen to. Everyone sounded the same, which was confusing, there was hardly any difference in the accents either.

Second clue - my friend, who likes these kind of books, couldn't really remember the story. Bad sign.

Makedde Vanderwall (love the name!) is a psychology student who works as a model to pay for her tuition. Soon after she arrives in Sydney, she finds her very good friend Catherine dead at the beach. Murdered by the so-called "Stiletto Killer".

Bottom line, it was an okay story. The plot was interesting, but the story had more downs than ups. Too much information about the modeling scene, too many condescending remarks. The relationship between her and the lead investigator Andy Flynn was iffy and somewhat confusing how they went from not liking each other to being in bed together. Lastly, I couldn't really figure out, how the killer's interest had moved onto Makedde.

Not my kinda read - sorry!

My Guest today - Nell Dixon

Have you ever had a song that keeps going around and around in your head, and you can't stop humming along?
Welcome to my life over the last few days!
The Song: Radio Gaga
The Culprit: Nell Dixon!

In all seriousness, Nell has just released her latest book "Radio Gaga" and it's a wonderful story! I loved it, especially in hindsight that I, too, sit behind the mic once a week :-)

Please make her welcome!


Radio Gaga is my first mainstream single title release for quite a while now. It’s a story I’m quite excited about as it’s a fun, upbeat chick lit suspense. I’d finished the book and was deciding what I should do with it when the story broke all over the news about the Australian radio presenters who had a practical joke go badly wrong! Talk about weird timing! Chloe, in Radio Gaga also has things go wrong for her but I don’t want to spoil the surprises too much. For those of you who follow my snippets of my works in progress on my facebook page this is the book with the snake. I got so many messages after that little excerpt went up.

Over the airwaves everyone can hear you scream!

Radio researcher and part-time presenter Chloe Lark is certain her big show biz break is just around the corner. Live it Up radio may not be the big time, but surely - one day soon - fame will come her way. And, if she could convince the hunky guy next door to give her a chance, her love life might improve too.

Ex-soldier Ben isn’t sure if his new ‘Z’ list celebrity neighbour is crazy or on medication. Either way he’s looking for a quiet life out of the spotlight. The last thing he needs is an accident prone media hungry blonde complete with mystery stalker. Problem is - Chloe doesn’t seem to have received that particular memo…

Here’s an excerpt!

I knew it wasn’t burglars when I noticed the large empty space next to the bay window. No self-respecting burglar would break into someone’s home just to steal a life size cardboard cut-out of Darth Vader would they?

No, it wasn’t burglars who’d nicked Darth or who’d cleared the shelf of the Queen CDs. It was Neil. He’d finally moved out, and taken Freddie Mercury and the Dark Lord with him as he went.

For a moment I stood trying to decide how I felt. Angry? Broken-hearted? In the time it took me to cross the room, enter the kitchen and dump my handbag on the worktop I decided my overwhelming feeling was relief.

Neil had raided the kitchen too: his state of the art coffee maker which I hadn’t been allowed to touch was gone, along with his juicer and his super fancy wok. Only a couple of spilled coffee beans on the countertop showed where they had been. I looked at the clippie magnet on the fridge to see if he’d left me a note. We’d always left messages for each other one there. A few months back they had been little love notes with kisses and pictures of hearts. Now the only thing on there was the ratty message I’d left for him yesterday asking him to pick up some milk on his way home.

I walked back through the lounge to what had once been our bedroom. The wardrobe doors were open showing the empty hangers and his rack of immaculately arranged ties had gone. My mobile vibrated in my trouser pocket telling me I had a text as I sank down onto the edge of the bed. I knew what it would be before I even fished it out of my pocket.

‘Chloe, guess you know by now have moved out, thought would be better this way. U know it wasn’t working, sorry, N’

© Nell Dixon 2013

 

Available from

http://www.amazon.com/Radio-Gaga-ebook/dp/B00BK7TY7C/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_1_GS4P

And

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Radio-Gaga-ebook/dp/B00BK7TY7C/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_t_2_6E46

 

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/nelldixonauthor

Twitter - @NellDixon

Blog - http://nelldixonrw.blogspot.co.uk/

Website - http://www.nelldixon.com

 

Jill Shalvis - Under the Mistletoe

Publisher: Grand Central
 
ISBN:  978-1455544905
 
My rating: 4/5
 



There's no place like home for the holidays. And the Lucky Harbor Bed & Breakfast is bursting with festive lights and good cheer. But for Mia, Christmas is turning out to be anything other than merry and bright. Her recent break-up with her boyfriend Nick has made her return bittersweet. But then a surprise arrives, when Nick follows her to town bearing gifts-and asking for forgiveness.

Nick grew up without a family of his own so he's overwhelmed by the love that Mia receives from all her relatives, gathered together to celebrate the season. Under their watchful eyes, Nick finds earning back her trust the hardest thing he's ever had to do. If he succeeds, he will receive the greatest gift of all, Mia's love for a lifetime.  14,000 words (JillShalvis.com)


My thoughts

Short and sweet, but it has everything - the conflict, the love scene, the drama and the whole gang from the first three Lucky Harbor series. Yippeeeeee.

Must read for any Lucky Harbor fan, but also for those loving Jill Shalvis!

PS - Yeah, loved it :-)

AUDIO - YES, My Books are now available as Audio

I am absolutely thrilled and over-excited that "Journey to Her Dreams" and "Innocent Tears" are now available as audio books, through Audible.com and Audible.co.uk. If you enjoy audio books as much as I do, why don't you check them out? There a little button where you can listen to a sample!

Hey, and I don't mind if you spread the word either :-)

  

Chris Versace - An Outback Chance

Publisher: self published?

ISBN:  9781458004482

Rating: 4/5



Sally Bailey is haunted by her past - literally - and she wishes her mother's ghost would give it a rest.

Isn’t it bad enough that her personal and professional lives have collided disastrously and she’s been forced to move home to the Australian Outback?

Why should she have to deal with over-enthusiastic ghosts wanting her to make friends with the man she dumped at the altar 20 years ago?

But Sally’s out of money, friends and options.

Will Sally make it as the world's worst farm hand? What kind of business do her brother and his best friend need her accounting skills for? And just what is Connor Land going to do when he finds out she's back in town?

Along with her family and friends (dead and alive) Sally is about to find out just what happens when you are forced back into your past and maybe get a chance to make things right. (amazon.com)


My thoughts

This was a lovely change of read from what is on the market at the moment. I really enjoyed it!

It's a book about love, friendship and family - entwined in a beautiful tale spinning over more than twenty years. The main character's Sally who grew up on a farm in outback Australia, and running away from it all shortly before her wedding to Connor. But unfortunate circumstances bring her right back to the farm twenty years later.

As a foreigner living in Australia (though not the outback), I often chuckled at expressions which I believe are truly Australian. Replies by Sally's brother or his friend seemed real and believable. I liked the friendship Sally/Emily and Sally/Nolene - so different in characters, but close in their bond. And not for everyone, but I loved it, was the paranormal side to the story, of the dead mother appearing to Sally. Great touch!

The POV change between Sally and Connor were good in intend, but sometimes somewhat confusing and doubling up on the story. And the end seemed rushed.

All in all - a lovely story, which made me think that I should read more Australian based stories, instead of looking over to the American or English market.

On a side note though: Very disappointing for me indeed was the fact that Chris Versace put so much effort in making this story truly Australian that the US spelling throughout the book was painful to look at, and a better edit would've made this story shine even more - IMHO!



DISCLOSURE:
The author sent this book to me free of charge, requesting a review