Showing posts with label Suspense. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Suspense. Show all posts

Friday, February 13, 2015

MFH Presents~ Jenna Fox's Conceiving Evil One Day Blitz & Giveaway!


Welcome to my post on Jenna Fox's Conceiving Evil One Day Blitz & Giveaway presented by My Family's Heart.

Title: Conceiving Evil
Author: Jenna Fox
Genre: Erotic, Suspense, Light BDSM, Horror
Publisher: Dark Hollows Press
Publication Date: October 16, 2014
Length: 35 pgs/10,577k
Cover Artist: 3 Rusted Spoons
Goodreads
Shelfari

Blurb:
A dark, chilling romance.  Fall in love with the ultimate bad guy.


Like everyone else after the economic crash, Abby Torrance was struggling financially. But then Dorian Lincoln, a political and business icon, sweeps her off her feet and into a life of promise. He’s a man who has enough power to change the world for the better, a man who can give hope to the masses, a man who can give Abby a baby.

But the road to Hell is paved with good intentions and Abby is having strange dreams that seem both a warning and a prophesy. How can she give the evil undertones of her dreams any notice when she’s busy focusing on conceiving?
 


Buy Links:
Amazon US: Conceiving Evil
Amazon CA
Amazon UK
ARe
Barnes & Noble 

Excerpt:
Dammit to hell. I can’t even enjoy a movie.

The nighttime air bit at my skin as thoughts of him chomped at my brain. He’d polluted me like a poison that spread throughout my mind and body, seizing every thought, leaving no rest. I loved horror movies and yet I couldn’t recall a single scene. Jimmie kept glancing at me, concern etching his face all the way through the ninety-minute show.

Soon Jimmie and I walked out of the theater, my hand resting in the crook of his elbow. Bitterness raged inside, heating my face against the breeze when I saw the limo roll toward us. He found me like he always said he would, but three fucking hours late.

I knew I wasn’t Dorian’s top priority, and I’d made some progress at keeping my jealousy under control, but no woman wanted to be shoved to the side every time it was convenient for a man. I tightened my grip on Jimmie’s sleeve and pulled him along just as the driver stepped into our path. I gave the chauffeur a shotgun-glare as he motioned me to the car. “Miss Torrance, Mr. Lincoln is waiting.”

My heart skipped ten beats, I couldn’t tear my eyes away when the dark window lowered and Dorian tousled his ebony hair with his fingers. He wasn’t in his usual attire, a business suit. Tonight he presented himself in casual wear. His sharp, handsome features were expressionless.

I closed my eyes, digging deep for the strength to tell him to get lost for standing me up, but I knew the words would never make it past my lips. I was a fool to entertain the thought. One look from those black eyes sifted me like wheat. Dorian practically owned me. That man was my tempter and my savior wrapped into one.

I met him at the lowest point of my life, after my mother died of cancer. The three jobs I was working to keep my head above water and pay off her medical bills were about to do me in physically. While I was waiting tables at the country club, Dorian swooped in from out of nowhere and rescued me like an injured bird. His amazing sixth sense alerted him that life was too much for me, and he offered me a strong shoulder to cry on. The floodgates opened and I unloaded my personal problems. Dorian Lincoln promised those problems would disappear with a simple acceptance of his proposition: give him power over my body, something Bianca wouldn’t allow.

Lifting my palm to Jimmie’s cheek, I smiled. “Thanks for the movie. I’ll call you next week.”

“He’s a prick. You deserve better, Abby!” Jimmie yelled, as I eased myself inside the limo.

Dorian opened a small refrigerator under the seat, his hands cupping the base of a champagne glass. “You’ve wasted no time finding another way of entertaining yourself this evening.”

“You wasted no time in standing me up,” I scoffed.

When I left his office that afternoon, Dorian said he wanted me for some ‘quality time.’ Eight-thirty rolled around before I realized he was a no-show. The food got cold and eventually the long stemmed candles I lit for dinner burned out, along with my patience.

“Meetings...clients,” he said.

Top secret meetings and clients were always the excuse. The coldness in his voice was a sword to my heart, a reminder of my temporary ranking in his life. I held on tight to his promise of our relationship becoming more when the time was right.

His stony expression broke into a devious grin. “You look beautiful in that dress and your enthusiasm is charming. But watching you masturbate will reimburse me, Miss Torrance.”

My stomach dropped and quivered as I pressed my thighs together. He was going to punish me.

I tugged at the straps of the red shoes he’d bought me, eyeing him as he sipped from the flute and moved his gaze toward the window. Overtaken by the need to be the object of his fascination, I almost begged him to turn those onyx eyes back on me. His attention was the only thing that kept me from going under.

“Dorian, please I-”

My words were cut off with the sharp turn of his head. Relief came in a warm caress, but suspicion moved in with a lift of his brow. The small amount of light coming through the tinted windows deepened the masculine angles of his face, lending them a sternness that echoed in his voice.

“No other men. I thought I was quite clear about that when we discussed the terms of our agreement, three months ago.”

“Jimmie is just a friend.”

“Jimmie is a man. A distraction.”

“A distraction from being pissed. I don’t like being stood up.”

I sounded so offended, but I had no right. Closing my eyes I regrouped, reminding myself that I freely agreed to make myself available to him. Dorian kept up his end of the arrangement. He took care of me, changed my life for the better. My phone stopped ringing from creditors, he gave me a great job at his company, and I had food on the table in a fabulous apartment. He seemed to know my every need before I voiced them. I could push aside my hostility and take his punishment and occasional negligence.

“You are mine, all mine.” he announced.

His words, saturated with power and ownership, sustained my hungry heart. I could hold out as long as it took, accepting the way things had to be until Bianca was more emotionally stable, and Dorian could ask her for a divorce. I had waited longer on losers, lazy assholes who wouldn’t work in a pie factory. This time I had struck gold.

Reaching over, I grabbed the seat when Dorian impatiently knocked on the divider and the limo picked up speed.



Jenna Fox is a civilized hillbilly, mother, wife and multi published author of erotic romance residing in Eastern Tennessee. She enjoys reading and jotting down poetry in her spare time.  Besides juggling a busy family life, Fox reviews and critiques for other authors and crafts her own dark erotic tales. Stories always feature a mysterious alpha male with unexpected twists to shock the reader. She believes in HFN and HEA endings, although not always in a romantic or conventional way.

Her work is born from real life experiences, an overactive imagination and a consuming caffeine addiction.  Sometimes she finds herself writing sex scenes on fast food napkins and store receipts while waiting in traffic, but she’s always guilty of keeping her mind in the gutter.  Fox is a listener of hard rock music and a watcher of classic slasher films. In short, she’s a writer, a storyteller, able to make a boo-boo all better with just one kiss and a proud, world class expert at screwing up recipes and scaring away closet monsters.  She believes in ghosts and God and is absolutely convinced chocolate soothes the savage beast.


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 The Giveaway:
Two free eBook copies of Sealed in Blood (erotic thriller)



a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

Monday, November 24, 2014

GGR Presents~Gregory Jonathan Scott's Take To The Sky Book Blog Tour & Giveaway!


Hi and welcome to For Whom The Books Toll. Today I'm hosting Gregory Jonathan Scott's Take To The Sky Book Blog Tour & Giveaway presented by GGR Promo Group.




Title: Take To The Sky
Author: Gregory Jonathan Scott
Publisher: Gregory Jonathan Scott
Genre: Gay Romance/Fantasy/Suspense/Erotic
Book Length: 257 pages

Blurb:
 An angelic romance that’s Powerful, Suspenseful, Sexy, Uniquely Erotic, and Romantic
    
In a secret Michigan Laboratory, an experiment developed a superior creation that was anticipated but not expected.
He was the ultimate conception, a core life-being merged with avian. He was born with a gift, a rare one; the ability to fly.  
    
His wings instinctively brought out the urge in him to fly, and Kellan's need to be free became his obsession.
    
When the dark, swirling clouds loomed one night, Kellan abandoned the place he had called home, taking to the sky in search of his freedom and to seal his heart that seemed incomplete.
    
Because Kellan's secret was too great for anyone outside the institute to know about, TC unleashed genetically altered Maniacs to bring him back.
    
Through independence, his amazing reality brought riveting adventures to a man he found and couldn't seem to live without. They get tangled with hair-raising suspense that adds heart-pounding tension to every attempt they make at living their unique affair. They faced uncertainty so
hectic that staying together was the least of their challenges, and it caused many of their bouts with passion to spiral in and out of chaos.
    
Along their frenzied path to survive, hidden secrets surface about Kellan, prompting each move they make in order to truly set him free.
    
Could Kellan's one true love and passion to fly be the death of him?
    
It's a magnificently inventive adventure of menace, romance, and extreme erotic pleasures.

Buy Links:
Amazon US: Take To The Sky
Amazon UK
ARe
Barnes & Noble

Excerpt
“Okay, I’m sorry,” Kellan said. “I only wanted your first flight to be memorable. Next time I’ll  go easy on you.”

“Ppphh! Next time?” Neil spat and started to walk away. “I don’t think so, there isn’t going to be a next time.”

“Get over here.” Still chuckling in a playful manner, Kellan reached for Neil’s wrist and  tugged. “Yes there will be, and I promise I’ll go easy on you.”

Neil jerked and spun into Kellan’s arms, hitting his chest hard. It seemed warmer this time and what Neil liked most of all was when Kellan wrapped his feathery wings around him for that added hug. And then there was the kiss. Another beautiful kiss that transported them to a world of their own and just like before, it was perfect.

Hardly a minute had passed when the thrill of the other’s touch set off definite arousal inside both their jeans that fought like hell to bust loose and connect in a way that only two men could. 

Neil brought his hands to Kellan’s bare chest and stroked it. If he wasn’t mistaken, his chest wasn’t as smooth as it was before, maybe superfine feathers like the downy growth found on a newborn bird. It was shadow black where they were at and the darkness kept Neil from being able to tell for sure, but his exploring hands that roamed Kellan’s chest made him grow much harder than he was just seconds ago.

The low moans that came out of Kellan told Neil that whatever was happening between them needed to continue. When he felt Kellan’s tongue push between his teeth, he took that as proof that the angel wanted more of him. 

Was it a good thing or a bad idea?   

The night air was still, too still, almost peculiar enough to be a bad sign. It was like the calm before an approaching storm. 

Neil longed for more of Kellan, but wasn’t sure it was the best thing for them to do. The idea of getting wrapped up with an angel who just escaped a top-secret government facility might not be a good one. He desperately tried to put his mind elsewhere, anywhere but on the man he was kissing. Anywhere in the universe would do fine, but the thought change wasn’t working to save his ass – he was hooked.



Gregory Jonathan Scott was born and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan where he met and shared a life with Scott that began just out of high school. Meeting by chance in Grand Rapids before relocating to South Florida where they live now with their lovable Shetland sheepdog and a sweet stray cat that showed up one day and decided to make their house a home. As a child, Gregory was always told he had a creative imagination and the artistic ability to turn a blank canvas into a beautiful work of art. Shortly after high school graduation, and together with his true love Scott, discovered the thrill of pottery and ceramic art. Here is where they opened a business for ceramists that quickly exploded before their eyes as the number one location for any hobbyist, storefront and scholastic industry looking for supplies related to ceramics and pottery. During this time, Gregory was approached by art magazines to write short articles and educational columns pertaining to the ceramic artistry. Captivating readers by his writing style grew fast, which ignited his desire to express himself further. From there, it began. Finding a love for writing, alongside his artistic hand, gave him inspiration to design and write this M/M romance Novel. Gregory and Scott are still together and are currently enjoying home life in South Florida.

Author Contact Links:
Email:  GregoryJonathanScott@gmail.com
Website   
Facebook  
Twitter  @GregoryJonScott 
Google+  





Giveaway:
Grand Prize (US Only):  Kindle Fire HD 6 Tablet and a Signed Paperback Copy of, Take To the Sky

First Prize:  E-copies of Take To The Sky, The Plantation Affair and Heartbreak Beat.

Second Prize:  E copy of Take To The Sky

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Saturday, August 9, 2014

~~Review for Dark God Descending by Tony-Paul de Vissage~~



Title: Dark God Descending
Author: Tony-Paul de Vissage
Publisher: Class Act Books
Genre: Paranormal/Suspense/Contemporary
Publication date:
ISBN: 978-1-938703-07-2
ASIN: B00GRL7GL2
Length: 381 pages
Book Series and number: N/A
Rating: 5
Heat Rating: No Heat

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

Reviewed for For Whom The Books Toll
5, No Heat


Two men…separated by thousands of years, cultures, and customs…and in love with the same woman…

All grad student James Tucker Upchurch wanted was to earn summer credit on an archaeological dig to Central America…and to marry his fiancée, Shannon. All Semris wanted was to escape the monotony of a millennia-old life, and the burdens being a demon king, and the son of the Mayan God of Death, have placed upon him.

For five thousand years, the misplaced Dark Lords of Hell have been trapped in this world, ruling the Mayan city of Nikte-Uaxac. While elsewhere civilizations rise and fall, they and their subjects remain unchanged, until Twenty-first Century intruders appear, stealing from them their most precious possession, the Emperor himself…

Tuck never expected to lose his girl to a demon nor to be given immortality, and Semris never thought he’d experience mortal love, but when the current world meets a more ancient one, everything and everyone they know will be changed.
Forever.


My Review:
I wasn't sure if I was going to like Dark God Descending, by the end of page one I was captivated by the story. It's spellbinding and nothing about the book is predictable. I never knew what was going to happen next and that kept me on the edge of my seat and turning the pages.
This book has it all, characters that are thrilling to read about, just enough history and detail and a villain that makes the reader want to choke him.

The unlikely friendship of James Tucker Upchurch (Tuck) and Semris works because of Mr. de Vissage's fantastic world building and the way he writes it. It's very engaging and I wanted Tuck to succeed in helping Semris escape.

All the characters do a great deal of growing throughout the book and the story moves along nicely. There's never a dull moment and a lot of action.

Dark God Descending has such a different take on vampires that makes it so unique. It's really a love story that the reader doesn't know how it will end until the very last page. I would really love to read more about Shannon, Semris, David, Tuck, Ne'all and his wife. You don't want to miss the magnificent book, so grab your copy today.


Sunday, May 25, 2014

Review for Twisted Vine by Toby Neal



Title: Twisted Vine
Author: Toby Neal
Publisher: Mythic Island Press
Genre: Suspense/Crime/Contemporary
Publication date: July 16, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-9891489-2-4
ASIN: B00DZZ2KYG
Length: 241 pgs
Print length: 300 pgs
Book Series and number: A Lei Crime Novel # 5
Rating: 5
Heat Rating: No Heat

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

Reviewed for For Whom The Books Toll
5, No Heat

The island of Oahu is skyscrapers and rainforests, beaches and boutiques—but Special Agent Lei Texeira is drawn into a shadow world connected by death and the Internet.

Mysterious suicides draw Lei and her team, including tech specialist Sophie Ang, to hunt a criminal who plays with the thin gray line between right and wrong. Lei stirs up a hornet’s nest on the investigation as her past reaches out in a twisted vine of old loves, new technologies and dark vendettas.
Toby Neal scores a royal flush in this fifth of an unmissable crime series for mystery fans!” J.C. Martin, author of Oracle


My Review:
Once again, Toby Neal has written a book that grabs the reader and doesn't let go until the end. Even after I finished the story, the characters and plot bounce around in my head.

For the first time, Ms. Neal doesn't give the reader a list of possible suspects in the murders of the terminally ill victims. Kudos for writing a novel with such a unique story line that not only touches the readers but the characters too.

The FBI is called in when a series of suicides turn out to be murders instead. With the help of their information technology specialist, Sophie Ang, they find a common thread between the victims. An online site called DyingFriends. Determined to find who's running the site, Sophie creates a profile and delves into the world of the terminally ill. It was really nice to learn more about what makes Sophie tick. And that despite the fact she is very complicated and keeps mostly to herself, there's more to her.

Lei and her partner Ken Yamado interview several people who are very active on the site. Their stories and pain touch a place in Lei and Ken's hearts. The tears flowed several times while I read about Betty, Robert, Mr. Woo's plight and their decisions to take matters into their own hands.

Ms. Neal has penned another fantastic read that keeps the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end when the mastermind is revealed. So hang on to your hats as you embark on another journey into the life of Lei Texeira and her friends. You're in for a wild ride!


Buy Links:

Saturday, May 24, 2014

Review for Stolen In Paradise by Toby Neal



Title: Stolen In Paradise
Author: Toby Neal
Publisher: Mythic Island Press LLC
Genre: Suspense/Crime
Publication date:
ISBN: 978-0-9891489-0-0
ASIN:B00CBAIBX0
Length: 244 pgs
Book Series and number: A Lei Crime Companion Novel #1
Rating: 5
Heat Rating: Warm

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

Reviewed for For Whom The Books Toll
5, Warm


Blurb:
One betta fish, two dead biologists, three trysts, four suspects and thirty-five pairs of shoes add up to complicated days in paradise for Special Agent Marcella Scott.

Marcella gets into sand way over her Manolos investigating the death of a prominent scientist washed up on a Waikiki beach with a bullet hole between the eyes. BioGreen, a genetically-engineered algae that could solve the world fuel crisis, has been stolen from the development lab—a hotbed of intrigue where everyone on the project has something to hide.
Marcella also has a secret vice, more dangerous than expensive shoes—and it leads her into arms that are too close for comfort.

“Toby Neal’s usual breathless suspense plus Agent Marcella Scott’s sexiness feed this reader’s addiction!” Noelle Pierce, author of upcoming Constellation Series




My Review:
I'm really glad Ms. Neal wrote these companion novels. It gives the reader a little more insight into a secondary character that usually isn't seen. Stolen In Paradise is a fantastic read that fills in a lot of the blanks for me.

Marcella is a work-a-holic, so she doesn't have much time for relationships. She's more of a one night stand type of girl. She runs into a local cop while working on a high profile murder case, and he makes her heart go pitter-pat.

Ms. Neal creates a lot of sexual tension between Marcella and Marcus Kamuela that makes the pages sizzle. I believe Marcus is the man who can tame Marcella into a serious relationship.

There are several people who are prime suspects in the murder of biologist, Dr. Trudy Pettigrew. Just when I thought I could figure out who the murdered was, Ms. Neal shifts gears and throws me for a loop. I'm never able to figure out who the guilty ones are until they are revealed in the story.
A lot of action and surprises makes this story a real page-turner and unable to put down.

Stolen In Paradise can be read after Broken Ferns for the most enjoyment. If you like suspense, the Lei Crime series is for you.

Buy Links:

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

~~Review for Black Jasmine by Toby Neal~~



Title: Black Jasmine
Author: Toby Neal
Publisher: Toby Neal
Genre: Crime/Mystery/Suspense/Contemporary
Publication date: November 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-9839524-6-6
Length: 274 pgs
Book Series and number: A Lei Crime Novel book 3
Rating: 5
Heat Rating: Warm

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

Reviewed for For Whom The Books Toll
5, Warm


Blurb:
The island of Maui is turquoise ocean, stunning vistas, and whalesong—but organized crime has a hidden hold, and Detective Lei Texeira tracks evil that hides behind a beautiful face.

Lei and Stevens find a haven on Maui—until their new life as a couple is interrupted by murder. When a nameless teenage girl dies in an apparent vehicular suicide, Lei can’t rest until she finds out what really happened. She blazes through all the wealth and poverty of island society in her quest for justice, rousing a deadly foe—even as she faces the personal demons of commitment and revenge that threaten the only real love she’s ever known.



Black Jasmine by Toby Neal is another great page turner with some unforeseen twists.
The action is fast paced and the characters as always are well written with depth and dimension.

Ms. Neal's writing is so descriptive that I believed that I was in Hawaii feeling the breezes in my hair. She gives just enough insight into the people and culture, the sights of the islands that allows the reader to transport themselves into the pages of the book.

Michael is very patient with Lei and all of her problems, he loves her deeply and it shows in everything he does for her. Although there are times I believe that he gets frustrated with Lei's inability to move past certain obstacles.

Lei is strong willed and a survivor but sometimes her past comes back to haunt her. I admire Lei's determination. I wish she could get over her commitment issues and be happy with Michael. I think he's very good for her. Lei is still jumping first and looking later in her cases, she has learned to trust her gut feelings which makes her methods a little unorthodox but in the end she always gets the bad guy.

Lei and Michael go on a roller coaster ride that starts out with trying to bust a cock fighting ring, to trying to find out who is trafficking people. And if that isn't enough, someone is trying to kill Lei.

Ms Neal's secondary characters compliment the story well and help it move forward.
I had one 'aha' moment that didn't last long as Ms. Neal surprised me again with another curve in the plot. I was very surprised by the ending and I applaud Ms. Neal for making the reader think. The Lei Crime series is a must read series for any reader who likes a lot of action with surprises thrown into the mix. And remember just because a place is beautiful and tranquil like Hawaii, danger and ugliness can lurk in the background.


Buy Links:

~~Review for Torch Ginger by Toby Neal~~



Title: Torch Ginger
Author: Toby Neal
Publisher: Toby Neal 
Genre: Crime/Mystery/Suspense/Romance/Contemporary
Publication date: July 12, 2012
ISBN: 0-983952-44-2
Pages: 247
Series: Lei Crime Series, Book 2
Reviewer: Julianne


I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.  I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

Reviewed for TwoLips Reviews LLC
5, No heat 


Torch Ginger also earned a Reviewer's Choice Award

Lei Texeira transfers to the island of Kaua'i as a detective with the Kaua'i Police Department, because she needs to move on with her life after calling off her engagement to Michael Stevens. Among the lush jungle landscapes, beautiful beaches, and a culture steeped in tradition, Lei is once again pitted against an evil that is hard to comprehend.

Lei and her partner, Jack Jenkins, are investigating a series of break-ins at homes owned by Paradise Realty. A distraught woman contacts Lei about her missing boyfriend who has traveled to the beautiful island to find himself. As the two detectives delve into the man's disappearance, they uncover a meth lab and other people who have gone missing. It seems someone is taking people from the hippie population.

Lei meets the charming Alika Wolcott, who is also a real estate magnate. Lei finds herself attracted to Alika, but she can't seem to get her ex-fiance out of her mind.


Toby Neal has done it again! Torch Ginger, the second in the Lei Crime series, takes Lei on a merry chase of crime, murder, missing people, drugs, and a bizarre cult. Ms. Neal writes with such flair and finesse, bringing her characters to life. I felt as if I was right in the book, following along watching all the drama unfold. She weaves a story of deep emotions, intrigue, mystery, and a little bit of fun. The secondary characters are also mysterious, colorful and add so much to the overall story. As each new character was introduced, my mind went into overtime trying to figure if he or she was the one doing the killing.

Lei is such a kick-butt woman that it's almost too much to think of her as being somewhat vulnerable. Ms. Neal is able to get that vulnerability across with flying colors. As Lei and Alika's relationship progressed, I wasn't sure who I really wanted her to be with. I thought both Alika and Michael were sexy, hot men and would be good for Lei. Michael seemed like he was less likely to be able to let Lei go; he was still trying to get back together. Alika was a playboy and enjoyed living life. I so enjoyed Jack's character, he was so much fun and I really hope that some day he will get his own book and be happy.

The suspects in Torch Ginger were written so well that it was truly difficult to solve who the killer was. I really enjoyed reading Torch Ginger as much as I did book one, Blood Orchids. If Ms. Neal were to write 50 books in this series, I would happily read them all. If you like a good suspenseful plot, laced with some twists and turns, this book is for you.

Buy Links:
Amazon:  Torch Ginger (Lei Crime Series) 
Paperback:  Torch Ginger



~~Review for Blood Orchids by Toby Neal~~



Title: Blood Orchids
Author: Toby Neal
Publisher: Toby Neal 
Genre:  Crime/ Mystery/ Romance/ Contemporary
Publication date: November 27, 2011
ISBN: 0-983952-41-1
Pages: 314
Series:  A Lei Crime Novel, Book 1
Reviewer: Julianne


I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review. I rated it 5 out of 5 stars.

Reviewed for TwoLips Reviews LLC
4 1/2 kisses, 1/2 pepper implied rape, implied romance

Leilani Texeira has had to overcome a lot of obstacles from her past, but she persevered and is a cop on the Hilo Police Department. While she is on patrol, Lei finds two dead teenage girls who appear to have been murdered. And one of the girls, Lei recently busted for drugs. Lei wants to solve this case and becomes obsessed with finding justice for the girls. Lei's friend Mary has also been kidnapped and murdered. Are the two related or separate cases?

Lei is also being stalked. But among all this, Lei feels herself falling for Michael Stevens who has been helping with the case. The killer is closing in and closer than Lei can imagine, but she is determined to solve it. Will Lei be able to catch the killer before the killer catches her?

I normally don't read murder/suspense books; I just don't like graphic details that would make me shudder. I was very leery of starting Blood Orchids, but I quickly found out it wasn't what I expected. Blood Orchids, the first Lei Crime Novel in a series by Toby Neal knocked my socks off. When I wasn't reading the book, I couldn't wait to get back to it—I was that caught up in the story. Ms. Neal’s descriptive writing kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what was going to happen next.

All of the characters were very three dimensional and so well written that I felt like I was part of the book. Lei was a great heroine, strong willed and determined, but also with a vulnerable side that was believable. I really admired Lei's strength and liked that she wasn't a whiny, self-centered person. Michael was a little bit more of a secret. He had his own skeletons in his closet to overcome. I would have liked just a little bit more insight to Michael.

The killer was very slick and well prepared to keep his identity a secret. Ms. Neal’s ability to create characters for the reader to place suspicion on is fantastic. I was very surprised when the killer was revealed; I never would have guessed who it was. The story flowed well and takes the reader on a wild ride of emotions, twists, turns, and lots of surprises. Blood Orchids is a debut novel for Ms. Neal and it is magnificent. I encourage everyone to read it.

I also gave Blood Orchids a Reviewer's Choice Award.

Links:
Amazon:
Blood Orchids (Lei Crime Series)
Paperback: Blood Orchids
Barnes & Noble