Mini Review, Spotlight & Giveaway: On the Chase by Katie Ruggle

On the Chase (Rocky Mountain K9 Unit #2) by Katie Ruggle
Publisher:  Sourcebooks Casablanca
Publication date: September 5th 2017
My rating: 4 Stars
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"Vivid and charming.”—CHARLAINE HARRIS, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

Injured in the line of duty,

His orders are simple:

Stay alive.

But when a frightened woman bursts into his life, Hugh and his K9 companion have no choice but to risk everything to keep her safe.

The sole witness to a horrific crime, Kaylee Ramay flees to the Colorado Rockies to start a new life. There she becomes Grace, a dog kennel employee desperately trying to avoid attention—especially from dangerously attractive K9 Officer Hugh Murdoch.

Because Hugh is tall, dark…and nothing but trouble.

Hugh is anxious to get back in the field after an act of heroism left him warming the bench. Until then, he and his K9 partner Lexi spend their hours teasing the town’s mysterious newcomer. But when their simmering attraction is nearly cut short by a sniper’s bullet, Hugh’s mystery woman must come clean about the secrets she keeps…

My Thoughts:

Kaylee’s life is turned upside down in one night when she stumbles upon a gruesome scene.  Afraid for her life she flees California with the help of Mr. Espinosa, the mysterious character who helped Jules (from book one) in the last book. Kaylee takes on the identity of Grace Robinson, posing as Jules’ old high-school friend. She attempts to stay low, but that’s easier said than done in the small town of Monroe, Colorado.  Especially, when nosey cop Hugh takes an avid interest in her. He teases, and annoys, but he also makes Grace laugh and forget the seriously scary situation she’s landed in.

On the Chase was a non-stop thrill-ride! I felt like once Grace and Hugh escaped a close brush with death, another would be upon the them.  It’s a mystery whether the threat comes from someone after Grace or Hugh, either is possible.  Hugh wants Grace and Grace (begrudgingly) wants Hugh so of course, they stick together to figure it out.  Their bickering was pretty funny, you can’t help but laugh when Hugh’s around. Even better, their banter would often turn heated:  as in sparks flying, hungry kisses, and more!  Loving this series! 

Excerpt:

About the author:

When she’s not writing, KATIE RUGGLE rides horses, shoots guns, and trains her three dogs. A police academy graduate, Katie readily admits she’s a forensics nerd. While she still misses her off-grid home in the Rocky Mountains, she now lives in a 150-year-old Minnesota farmhouse near her family.

Connect with Katie Ruggle:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter

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The Readers Den Weekly Wrap Up #8

Hello everyone, so sorry for not keeping up with these posts in a while, I know Rachel shared a catch up with you guys recently, I had family visiting so couldn't post for a while, but Rachel and I really enjoy sharing these posts with you, so here's hoping we can go back to making this a regular thing on the blog!

WHAT I READ/REVIEWED 

Jasprit 

(Click on Book for Goodreads link).

Not one of the greatest reading weeks for me, the above books were two and three star ratings for me, I was a little disappointed with Rhythm, Chord and Malykhin as I've been such a fan of Zapata's books in the past. And it seems like I'm a black sheep when it comes to Reid's books. On a more positive note, I started Irresistible You by Kate Meader and I'm loving the heck out of it! 

Rachel:

 (Click on title for Goodreads link)

I had a great reading week! I loved Changless up until the 90% and then I was fuming!  There's a cliffhanger, but fortunately the whole series is out and I can pick up the next book soon.  The story is hilarious and the audio is fantastic!  The Good Daughter was amazing! I just discovered Karin Slaughter and read her Will Trent series one right after next. Sooo, so good! Part Time Cowboy was a fun romance and audio. More emotional depth than I expected. I'll get to the next one soon.  The Duchess Deal was clever, funny and touching.  Tessa Dare is one of my all-time favorite historical romance writers!

BOOKS RECEIVED 
Jasprit 

(Click on title for Goodreads link)

Ever since I heard about Wonder Woman I knew I had to get my hands on a copy, the cover is just gorgeous! And I definitely need to try and make time to read it soon! And it feels like such a long time since I last read a book by Katie West, I'm in the mood for something cute and fluffy, so I think both of these books will be right up my street!

Rachel:

 (Click on title for Goodreads link)

I loved the first Iris Ballard mystery last year so I'm looking forward to Darkness at the Edge of Town.  I've read two Kristan Higgins books, one I really liked the other not so much. Now That You Mention It sounds exactly like my kind of story, though, so we'll see. Susan Mallery's writing has been described as sort of like Robyn Carr, and I love her stories!  I saw a great review for A Gentleman Never Surrenders over on Alyssa's blog so I quickly snatched it up on Netgalley.

NEW TO MY TBR
Jasprit 
(Click on Book for Goodreads link)

It feels like so long that I've read a book by Ally Carter, I adored her Heist Society series, and when I heard about Not if I Save You First I added it to my to read list immediately!

Rachel:

 (Click on title for Goodreads link)

I've just started the audio of The Forgotten Girls. The narrator is not using a Danish accent (the story is set in Denmark) so that's a little odd, but still, it's pretty good so far. I want to continue The Copper Ridge series by Maisey Yates after enjoying Part Time Cowboy. I'm not usually into Romeo/Juliet romances, but my friend Brandie loved this one so I put in a request at the library for an audio copy.

WHAT I'M WATCHING:

Jasprit 

I'm finally getting back to Game of Thrones, I stopped watching it after Season 4, but after so many people told me to get back on it, I just knew I had to give it a go. I had to stay away from social media this week because of spoilers for Season 7, I'm hoping to be up to date with this show soon, I just hope it doesn't break my heart again like it usually does! 

Rachel:

I'm still on my Longmire and Justified series binge.  I switch back and forth, but I haven't had a whole lot of time to watch TV lately.

EVENTS OF THE WEEK

Jasprit 

I finally went to an author event, it seems like the last one I went to was years ago! There's never that many signings or events where I live, so I usually have to travel to see some great authors. I was happy to find out that Victoria Aveyard was doing a signing nearby and I wasn't working for once either! Victoria was absolutely lovely to chat to, despite me being a nervous wreck as I usually am when I meet famous people (at one point Victoria waved at me when walking past and I just stood there doing nothing back!). 

Rachel:

I signed up for a Half Marathon in Wine Country! This is the 1st marathon I'll be running even though I signed up and trained for one last year. I had to bow out because I got deathly ill two weeks before the event. 

13.1 miles is a big deal for me, because historically I've hated running, but now I find it addictive! I'll be into my third week training tomorrow (Sunday).  This is one of the reasons I haven't much time for reading or TV watching. I viewed the course with Google Maps street view and it looks beautiful! I'm both nervous and excited!

How was your week?

Review: The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter

The Good Daughter by Karin Slaughter
Publisher:  William Morrow
Publication date: August 8th 2017
My rating: 4.5 Stars
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Two girls are forced into the woods at gunpoint. One runs for her life. One is left behind…

Twenty-eight years ago, Charlotte and Samantha Quinn's happy small-town family life was torn apart by a terrifying attack on their family home. It left their mother dead. It left their father — Pikeville's notorious defense attorney — devastated. And it left the family fractured beyond repair, consumed by secrets from that terrible night.

Twenty-eight years later, and Charlie has followed in her father's footsteps to become a lawyer herself — the ideal good daughter. But when violence comes to Pikeville again — and a shocking tragedy leaves the whole town traumatized — Charlie is plunged into a nightmare. Not only is she the first witness on the scene, but it's a case that unleashes the terrible memories she's spent so long trying to suppress. Because the shocking truth about the crime that destroyed her family nearly thirty years ago won't stay buried forever… 

My Thoughts:

The Good Daughter was everything I’ve come to expect from Karin Slaughter: addictive, compelling, well-plotted, with a twist or two.

Twenty-eight years ago, tragedy struck the Quinn family. The unraveling of what happened was riveting, disturbing, and heartbreaking.  Samantha and Charlie were forever changed, but never lost their passion for life.  Forty-one-year-old Charlie, described as “relentlessly happy” as a teenager (before the attack) has been increasingly angry and depressed.  The effects of the attack after years of putting it all away in a box, are spilling out, overflowing into her current life, and it’s not pretty. To make matters worse Charlie’s caught up in a school shooting. Bad choices, shitty cops, and an estranged husband (I was really hoping that would work out!) makes this a difficult, but very consuming mess.  A dangerous one, too!

Samantha thought she’d never return to Pikeville, but she comes back, because Charlie needs her. Finally facing past demons; the guilt, blame, and grief over what happened and what was lost. It was interesting reading from their different perspectives, some of the memories were different depending on which sister was narrating.  I was fascinated by Samantha and Charlie’s dynamic, and their relationship with Rusty, their father.  So many reasons to be bitter with that man, but there was love underneath it all. I can definitely relate to the all the mixed emotions they felt.

We get the story alternately through the eyes of the Quinn sisters: Samantha and Charlotte. At times, they had a very contrary sisterly relationship, but Ms. Slaughter sold it, flaws and all, making them likable in the process, even with all their personal screw-ups. Samantha and Charlie are just the kind of complex women I love to read about: independent, intelligent, yet with all those strong qualities they each had to deal with a lot of emotional damage from a terrifying attack that left the family in tatters.

Karin Slaughter has become a favorite author after blazing through her Will Trent series earlier this year.  I was a little worried that The Good Daughter might not measure up, but I had no reason to worry. This book is long, but I got through it relatively quickly and would’ve gladly read straight through if I didn’t have real life commitments. I literally just wanted to shut the world out and get to the bottom of the school shooting, the past, and have Samantha and Charlie move on together.

 

Connect with Karin Slaughter:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads