Private Down Under: (Private 6) - James Patterson

P.I. Craig Gisto, head of the latest branch of Private, is enjoying the glamorous launch party with his new team when their celebrations are interrupted by the bloodied arrival of a boy with his eyes gouged out.

The boy is the kidnapped son of one of Australia's richest men - but investigating his death isn't their only pressing case. The rock star Micky Stevens is convinced someone's trying to kill him, and believes Private are the only ones who can help.

As if that wasn't enough, someone is murdering the wealthy wives of the Eastern Suburbs, in the most brutal way imaginable. And if they don't catch the killer soon, the next victim could be someone close to Private.

This started as a weird concoction of a book lol. There are 3 murders in the book. I loved the main characters and the way that they helped all the investigations. There is even a twist to some characters being related in the book which was a bit of a turn point. Not keen on the way the book kept going back and forth between murders and the past for Craig Gisto.

Not a bad book for a series. Looking forward to reading more in the series.

Private Berlin: (Private 5) - James Patterson

A history lesson they'll never forget . and neither will you.

Mattie Engel is one of the rising stars at Private Berlin, and believes she's seen the worst of people in her previous life with the Berlin police force. That is until Chris, her colleague - and until recently, her fiancé - is found dead, brutally murdered in an old slaughterhouse outside the city.

The slaughterhouse is filled with bodies. But just as Private begin their investigations, the building explodes, wiping out all evidence of the crimes, and nearly killing Mattie and her team.

Mattie soon realises that a masked killer is picking off Chris's childhood friends, one by one, and destroying the trail. But who wants the past buried so badly? What is the truth about that slaughterhouse? And will Mattie become the killer's next victim?

James Patterson still has the touch with these books. He had me gripped at parts with the slaughterhouse and wondering who it was. I even thought it was one of the police officers lol. But as the story got further on, it made me think who and what was so tragic in these lives.

I found Chris to be a great person, but not much was known til they delved into the tragic lives of his and some other children he grew up with in Berlin. It's all to do with what happened on either side of the fence as they say (before the wall came down).

A Country Kitchen Christmas: Sometimes Love Comes One Recipe at a Time - Leanne Tyler

Penelope Anders can't cook, yet she writes the very successful Country Kitchen Cooking blog for the Southern Cooking Channel. Everything is going fine until she's informed that the new CEO ran a contest giving one lucky winner the opportunity to spend Christmas with her at the Anders farm in Crater's Corners, Tennessee. But there is one big problem. Penelope doesn't own the Anders farm anymore. Derek Smythe does. And she still hadn't forgiven him for buying the place.

Derek Smythe needs a new roof and a new septic system at the farm so he can sell the place and move on with his life. When the producer for the Southern Cooking Channel shows up wanting Penelope Anders to return to the farm to fulfill a contest he believes his prayer has been answered and agrees for the price of the repairs. The producer calls his bluff and agrees. But is he ready for Penelope Anders to walk back into his life only to walk out again?

I finished this in the early hours of this morning. It was a nice Christmas love story. Penelope who can't cook, but can write a Food blog (from her childhood memories) has to go back to Anders Farm for 1 week. The CEO did a competition for 1 lucky winner to have Christmas with Penelope at the Anders Farm without telling her or the Food Network Producer. Penelope goes back to her childhood home, but is not keen on who she sold the farm to. He teaches her how to cook and they she starts to think differently about him. 


I loved the love story and the background of why she sold the farm in the 1st place. There is a twist in the story too.

The New Year's Masquerade (Masquerade Series) - Elise Marion

Orlando Sanchez is a player. “No strings attached” is the motto of his life, and even when his best friend and wingman gets married, he doesn’t intend for that to change. Women are trouble and the only one he cares to spend time with is Sasha, who’s quickly become his friend and confidant. But a rash decision and a night of mindless passion makes their relationship complicated, causing Orlando to face his fears of commitment head on and to consider all he’s been missing out on in life. 

Sasha is in love with Orlando and has been since they met. She knows she’s not his type. The bad boy would surely break her heart, yet she can’t help but want more than friendship. After Orlando calls their night together a mistake, Sasha is determined to show him that it wasn’t. At a New Year’s Masquerade party, Sasha throws her insecurities and inhibitions aside in one last attempt to show Orlando that they belong together. When the clock strikes midnight, Orlando will face a decision. Will his kiss ring in the New Year with the promise of a new future? Or will Orlando run, using his bachelor lifestyle and player ways as a shield against everything he thought he never wanted?


I was given a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

Well, I can truly say that even though this is book 2 in the Masquerade series, it can be read alone. 


Well 2 friends who take it to the next level. A lovely story of what love and friendship can do between 2 friends. How determination will usually win in the end. I loved Orlando's way he tries to go about his everyday life and the way Sasha keeps going after him. A lovely love story between 2 friends.

My Savior Forever - Vicki Green

‘With all my heart, 
With every inch of my Soul, 
With every breath I take, 
I promise to love you forever’

Cassie can’t remember being loved, being wanted. At a young age she was placed in Foster care that moved her around from one place to the other. Finally being freed at 18, she was left with no money and nowhere to go until she finds a small town in Kansas where she can start over.

Little did she know her life was going to be uprooted again when she is kidnapped and brutally raped.

Jesse is considered HOT in most women’s eyes, but has little time for Romance. While searching for his Mother’s killers, he witnesses a young girl being kidnapped. He now faces decisions that he must make quickly.

Will Jesse rescue Cassie? Will Cassie ever find the happiness she longs for?

*Due to a graphic rape scene, strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.


I was given this book in exchange for an honest review. Well I can honestly say I have never read a book like this. Last time I stayed up til 1.30am was quite a while ago (and no it wasn't because of a book, it was a programme I was watching lol).

Vicki Green pulled out all the stops in this book. I will admit the 1st 2 chapters wasn't nice, I managed to get past that and once I got into the story, I LOVED every bit. Jesse and Cassie were amazing characters and the way they came together all because of what had happened to them both. The love story in it made me laugh at times. They both cared for each other, but took nothing for granted. I liked Jesse's sister Allie and his step dad was sometimes obnoxious, but understanding in the end.

I highly recommend Vicki Green's book as long as you can get past the 1st 2 chapters (you can skip to Chapter 3 instead).

Witchy, Witchy - Penelope King

Introducing book #1 in the enchanting SPELLBOUND trilogy...

When Calista McCoy moves from the slums of the Louisiana Bayou to an illustrious beach community in California, she knows her life is going to take a drastic turn. But once she arrives at the beautiful mansion by the sea, dark secrets are revealed...secrets that become even more complicated when she meets the gorgeous neighbor boy, Nicholas, and she feels an unexplainable--and undeniable--attraction. He's everything she's ever dreamed of. Literally.

Her new life seems almost too good to be true. But as everyone knows, when something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

...And in Calista's case, it could be deadly.

Witchy, Witchy is a full length paranormal romance novel. Book #2 in the Spellbound trilogy, Kiss the Crystal Sun, will be available spring 2012.

I was given a copy of this lovely book by the author in return for my review.

Well, I loved the characters, loved the way the story came along with Calista McCoy, grandmother and father. Who is the mysterious Nicholas and why is Calista so attracted to him.


All will be revealed in this magical and entrancing Paranormal book.

Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens - Joseph V. Ciarrochi

If you could only get past feelings of embarrassment, fear, self-criticism, and self-doubt, how would your life be different? You might take more chances and make more mistakes, but you’d also be able to live more freely and confidently than ever before.

Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens is a workbook that provides you with essential skills for coping with the difficult and sometimes overwhelming emotions that stress you out and cause you pain. The emotions aren’t going anywhere, but you can find out how to deal with them. Once you do, you will become a mindful warrior—a strong person who handles tough emotions with grace and dignity—and gain many more friends and accomplishments along the way.

Based in proven-effective acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), this book will arm you with powerful skills to help you use the power of mindfulness in everyday situations, stop finding faults in yourself and start solving your problems, how to be kinder to yourself so you feel confident and have a greater sense of self-worth, and how to identify the values that will help you create the life of your dreams.

I wanted to understand my teenagers, but I don't think I will lol. I didn't find this book helpful for me. But it was an interesting read and some things were helpful.

White Magic Woman by Ju Ephraime

Newly married, Todd Montgomery was happy with his life. He had a job he loved and a wife he adored, life couldn’t be better. Or so he thought, until he became the obsession of a White Magic Woman. His work as a research scientist took him all over the world, but now stationed on the tiny island of St. Lucia in the Caribbean, he had become the night-time plaything of one of the most powerful sorceress on the island.

Simonia was passionately in love with her husband, Todd, and lived for the moments they could spend together, whenever he got a break from his demanding job. But, when on one of his trips home, he could not perform his husbandly duties; Simonia was beside herself. She thought he was cheating on her. Not knowing how to handle such deception, Simonia became very despondent and cold to her husband.

But when Todd came home suddenly and told her he was the object of a sorceress’ obsession and it had gotten so bad, he had to leave his job and return home to seek help. She believed him, especially since the witch had followed him all the way to New South Wales. Todd was helpless to fight the witch, so it was left to Simonia to save her man, and her marriage. Together these two lovers set out on an adventure of a life time, to capture and destroy a powerful witch who was hell bent on destroying their marriage. Will they succeed against the power of evil?...

I was asked to review this for the author in exchange for a copy of this book.

I started reading this last night and I was wondering where all the sexual talk was leading. I am still unclear where it was going, but I tried to understand the concept of the story.

I am sorry if this doesn't help, but I feel I can't connect to the characters in this book as I have no idea who the woman is in the story.

Rouge - Isabella Modra

Hunter Harrison is no superhero. She doesn't wear a cape, or a lycra suit, or prance around dark alleyways looking for punk-ass kids to torment. But Hunter has a power; the power to control fire. And it is one nasty flame brewing in her soul.

In the midst of her senior year, uncovering the truth about her parent's death and how she came to inherit such abilities, and falling in love with a nerdy activist from her school, Hunter finds herself in a battle with a supernatural flame that reacts to her every emotion. Anger, fear, even passion arouse the flame within and Hunter fights to keep her identity secret whilst also protecting those she loves. 

But being a hero is easier said than done, especially when tragedy strikes and Hunter is forced to make a choice; let the fire take control and seek revenge for her loss, or walk away. But mercy is a bitch, especially when there’s a fire boiling inside her hotter than the darkest pits of hell.


I was asked to review this book.


Well, what can I say. The characters were weird at the beginning until Hunter (main character) came along. Loved the start of the story to show you how Hunter is how she is. Hated Joshua as the way he was being. But the storyline is immense and LOVED Eli and Jack. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves YA and a good story.