Midnight Sun

A review by Alex

First off, I've been reading Jo Nesbo for a few years now, specifically his Harry Hole series. Nesbo is a Norwegian writer who pens mostly dark crime novels that are typically set in Norway. The books are translated from Nesbo's native language and I have to applaud his translator, Neil Smith. There's no doubt you are reading a foreign book set in a foreign location (for me at least), and yet nothing feels lost in translation. At times I can even hear the accent in the characters' dialogue.


Midnight Sun is a story about salvation and redemption.

"How are we to start this story? I wish I could say that we'll start at the beginning, but I don't know where it starts."

And so begins the story.

Ulf, as our main character has now decided to call himself, has just arrived in a rural village in northern Norway during the middle of summer. This means twenty-four hours of daylight, hence the book's title.
A fixer who it turns out wasn't very good at fixing, Ulf is now on the run from his former boss. As he contemplates his next move, Ulf finds himself reflecting on the choices he made that landed him in the deep shit he's currently in.
While in Finnmark, he reluctantly befriends a few locals including a mother and son bearing a burden of their own.
With the walls of his crappy world closing in on him, Ulf begins to wonder if he deserves the fate waiting for him. And if it's time accept his penance.

This was the first stand-alone novel I've read by Nesbo and while it wasn't as dark or gruesome (but trust me, there's still enough to go around), his writing is as solid as ever.
It was a bit slow in the beginning while you're collecting the first few pieces of the story, however it picks up by the end just like any decent suspense novel should.
Nesbo does a good job of working in the landscape and culture without interrupting the reader with too much descriptive content ( a pet peeve of mine). I loved feeling like I was getting a glimpse of this territory that is fairly unfamiliar, even for most Norwegians.
There is a religious aspect to the story, but it acts more as a character or setting in the book rather than a message the author is trying to share with you.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys suspense. I give it four out of five cups because of the slow start.

If you do read the book and enjoy it, you should try his Harry Hole series.

Fame & Obsession (Lords of Lyre Book 2) by Cora Kenborn

Review by Cattigan

Book Blurb:
An empty house in Hollywood isn’t what Phoebe Ryan envisioned when she said “yes” to a rock star’s proposal…

Phoebe is pregnant and alone in Tinseltown. She had hoped for a fresh start, but instead gets flashing cameras and tabloid gossip while her famous fiancé is on tour. Then the body of a young woman surfaces, bearing the same scars Phoebe has kept hidden for years. Phoebe fears the nightmare she can’t forget has come to collect an overdue debt.

Julian Bale struggles to balance his life as a touring rock star and his new role as a family man…

Everyone wants something from him, but he just wants to go home to the woman he’s fought so hard to keep. When inside information comes to light, threatening his fiancée and unborn child, he’ll do whatever it takes to protect what’s his, even if it costs him everything he’s worked for.

Phoebe and Julian thought they left the drama and danger behind, but they thought wrong…

When the monster from Phoebe’s past claims the most innocent of victims, accusations and grief shred what they’ve fought to build. Some say tragedy can make or break a family, but can Phoebe and Julian unite to fight for what was taken from them, or will fame and secrets ruin everyone?


I had a hard time getting lost in this book at first.  Our heroine Phoebe is pregnant and it seems that her pregnancy hormones are affecting everything, including the story.  This book didn't have  Kenborn's usual style of banter between characters.   Julian and Phoebe's relationship is filled with angst and animosity which confused me since Fame and Obsession ended with them working a lot of their crap out together and now we jump back to square one. 

 

Then BAM! They start acting like the couple I remember from the original book.

 

The suspense and climax had me reading faster and feeling disappointed when it ended.  

 

Parts I loved: Phoebe's colorful cursing at Ryker and the doctor while in labor (this is the Kenborn  styleI know and love!).  I love the made up jumble of obsenities. I also love Cletus the Fetus, the use of the word "snarkism", and our hero and heroine's special line about traffic.  I was also thrilled to see a blurb about the next book in this series and am looking forward to it. Overall though I think I have to give this installment three out of  five cups.

Beautifully Broken by Laura Lee

Review by Cattigan

(ARC book)

I never knew reader/book events existed until I put myself into the middle of Alex Strong's life.  I just bought my books at the store or online and went on my merry way.  Never had I ever followed anyone on social media.  I had no idea what I was missing! You meet authors, pick up their awesome swag, get their autographs, meet cover models... I've become the ultimate fangirl!

At Passion in Portland 2016, I chatted with just about every author and assistant who would listen. I looked at covers, read the backs of books, name dropped other authors, who I worked for, and what other events I had been to.  I hate to admit it but I seriously judge a book by its cover.  I have a thing about covers... I'm trying to change.  It's a 12 step process really.

One author was so nice when I drooled over her covers AND her and her assistant Jamie talked to me.  Complete sentences and a full conversation! Laura Lee's cover for Beautifully Broken fits perfectly with the story.  And what's not to love about her Deal Breakers' cover.  The foot kicked out signifying what I can only imagine as a really deliciously fabulous kiss. <sigh>


Book Blurb:
I KNEW HE WOULD RUIN ME FROM THE MOMENT WE MET.
Everything about the man screamed confidence. Sensuality. Intelligence. Worldliness. But it was how he saved me that ruined me most.

Through him, I learned to end my path of self-destruction. I no longer needed to numb the pain with mindless one-night-stands and drunken blackouts. He made me feel worthy. Treasured. Optimistic about my future.

Here I stand four years later, in a coffee shop a world away, still broken…but beautifully so. My scars no longer hold me back. Instead, they give me strength and enrich my appreciation for the good things in life. I have hopes and dreams…faith that anything is possible. I am no longer the lost little girl fighting for survival. I have direction. I have courage. I am not without possibility.

I’ll always have Gavin to thank for that—Mr. Cooper, I remind myself. That’s who he is to me now: just a former teacher. I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry. I was eighteen when we first met. Legally, we did nothing wrong. Morally? Well, I guess that depends on how flexible your morals are.

My name is Kat and this is my story.

 

Boy, did I ever need caffeine the morning after reading Beautifully Broken! I started and finished this book in one night…well, early morning. Can 2:53am really be considered night?

Kat has had curveball after curveball thrown at her to where she is beautifully broken. Her focus is to come out ahead of it all. Author Laura Lee’s Kat is a character I had mixed emotions about; loved her, related to her, was puzzled by her, rooted for her.  I was a little nervous at first considering the age difference between our lovers and a few non-truths as to how the story was going to play out.  There are quite a few “awwww” and “I’m so glad that happened” moments. I was really cheering for Kat at the end. The story completely came together really nicely… hence the 2:53 am end time.  I just had to know what happened and needed to read just one more chapter until I got through all of them!

 

 

Fame & Obsession by Cora Kenborn

Review by Cattigan

When the Book Hangover blog and Facebook page went public, I watched it a little.  I wanted to see who read it, who liked it, what was said about it, who liked me, and who shared it.  As Sally Field said “I can’t deny the fact that you like me, right now, you like me.” My best friend, my sister, my aunt, a girlfriend from college were all on the list.  THEN I saw those other names…. AUTHORS I had just met at an event and was stalking myself.  (HAPPY DANCE!)  THEN Lo and behold, a name I didn’t recognize.  I had my first non-related, never met in my life fan! I had to casually peruse my fan’s Facebook page and (that favorite word of mine) STALK!  

Cora Kenborn’s Facebook page claims she is a “Romantic suspense writer living on coffee & box wine. Autocorrect thinks I’m obsessed w/ ducks.”

 How could she not be my bestie?!? I messaged her, we chatted, she turned down my bestie offer because hers is KA Ware (remember her?!). I looked up her book on my favorite online retailer and was bummed to find out that it wasn't released yet. You mean I'd have to wait a few weeks to read this awesome woman of marvelous words?!? I forgot I review books and can sometimes have an “in” getting books early.  It was so nice of Cora to remind me!

Blurb:

Struggling writer Phoebe Ryan abandons her southern roots and heads to New York, determined to leave her nightmarish past behind…

She was not expecting to meet a famous rock star, or to be coerced into ghostwriting his autobiography. But she tries to maintain focus on her dream of becoming an author, despite the attraction she feels for the sexy rocker, not to mention the baggage that comes with him.

Julian Bale’s world was shattered one drunken night, and it almost ruined him…

Weighed down by guilt, he blames himself for an accident he could’ve prevented. He will play the game, but swears his hot little ghostwriter will never get that story out of him. As much as he wants her, if he has to choose between his dream and hers, it’s no contest.

Phoebe and Julian give in to a forbidden attraction, and their public romance risks both their lives…

An obsessive fan is on the loose and now that the secret’s out, it’s made them both targets. The psychotic stalker is determined to have Julian for herself, even if she has to reveal their sordid pasts and eliminate Phoebe to do it.

He lives for fame. She lives to hide. Obsession lives to ruin them both.

I fell in love with the author even more when I read her dedication. Author Cora Kenborn has a remarkable way with words and was meant to write.

“This book is dedicated to the little girls everywhere who had a dream and grew up to find that life got in the way of it. You may be wondering now if your time has passed.

It hasn’t. Close your eyes and leap.

To those who said I’d never push past the first few chapters and that I’d have an easier time being struck by lightning than being published.

I’d take cover if I were you."

Finally, to those who’ve read my articles, social media posts, texts, or emails and giggled with repeated responses of, “When are you going to write a book, girl?”

You’re holding it.”

I usually highlight my favorite lines or passages in book as I read.  Fame and Obsession had me so caught up in the story that I forgot to do it. 

I love books that have strong female leads who challenge the alpha male with suspense and sexual tension thrown in.  Writer Phoebe catches the eye of rocker Julian with her sass and fire. Both have their own issues that their juggling while keeping each other at arm's length. This book has sarcastic banter in spades which I love! The plot thickens with a stalker lurking and I was kept guessing until the very end as to their identity. My guess was off! I would have had the wrong person arrested.

As soon as I finished Fame and Obsession, I contacted Cora with “Oh my god! When does the next one come out?!?” It was 12:27am.  There are characters I want to know more about! Gage? Faith? Zane? Oh my! A sign of a great read is when I can’t wait to read the next one.  Bring on more books, Cora Kenborn!

Tattoo Thief by Heidi Joy Tretheway (Books 1 & 4)

Tattoo Thief by Heidi Joy Tretheway
Review by Alex


I first met Heidi in New York City in July of 2015 as we waited outside the hotel for our rides to the airport. We had just wrapped up at the Romance Writers of America National Conference and Cattigan was complimenting her adorable Kate Spade typewriter bag. Cards were exchanged and later Cat and I were gushing over the sexy cover of her book Tattoo Thief on the way to JFK. Cattigan being the good fangirl that she is read the book shortly after we got home.


I’m ashamed to admit I didn’t start reading it until last Friday. It’s Monday and I’m more than halfway through the second book. Beneath my review for the first book you will find Cattigan’s review for Say It Louder, the fourth and final installment of the Tattoo Thief which I plan to have finished by the end of this week at the latest. Probably much sooner since my husband is out of town so there’s no one to complain about me reading in bed all night.


Back cover:
The white-hot front man for the band Tattoo Thief trashed his penthouse, abandoned his dog and fled the country. Now New York newbie Beryl Sutton is stuck with his mess. As his house sitter, she must pick up the pieces, but a fragile connection drives her to uncover the real man behind the mic. Why is he running? And what can bring him back? TATTOO THIEF is a full-length novel (no cliffhanger) with deliciously steamy scenes intended for mature readers


Beryl Sutton is a small-town Oregon girl who always does the responsible thing and won’t take any course of action without thinking it through as much as possible first. But now she’s stuck. After discovering that her dream job wasn’t that dreamy (she hated it in fact), she doesn’t know what to do with her life. Then opportunity walks into the coffee shop she’s working at and, with a little coaxing from her best friend, she decides to seize it before she can talk herself out of it.


So then she moves to New York and it’s just as she imagined it would be! As if.


Her arrival in the Big Apple goes horribly wrong and I found my heart breaking for Beryl as she tries to hold it all together, determined to make this work, if only to prove to her mom that she made the right choice. I’ve been to New York a couple times, exploring more of the city each time I get to visit and it felt obvious to me that Heidi Joy has as well. More so. Her description of the crazy, non-stop city made me want to visit it yet again.


I’m not going to lie, Gavin is an asshole when we’re first introduced to him. Knowing that he was the hero of the story, I was curious how Heidi Joy was going to bring him around and I’m happy to say she pulled it off brilliantly. The connection that develops between them felt organic.


Tattoo Thief had humor, steamy scenes (as promised), and moments where my blood pressure spiked as the newly brazened Beryl found herself in some not so pleasant situations. It’s also the source of my new favorite description; “Freshly fucked.” I cannot wait to use that in a sentence.





Say It Louder
Review by Cattigan


I started stalking Heidi Joy Tretheway after meeting her Kate Spade bag in NYC for the Romance Writers of America convention. Anyone that had a bag in the shape of a typewriter and really sexy business cards was pretty memorable. I went home, read everything the woman wrote, and my obsession began... I mean, a friendship was born.


When I ran into her again on my own coast at a book event, it was right before Say It Louder was to be released. Shamelessly, I gushed all over her. She offered me an ARC copy of the book, we took a picture together, AND became Facebook friends. If that doesn't say BFF's, I don't know what does!


Back Cover:
Dave faces an ultimatum—dump his toxic girlfriend Kristina or break up his band Tattoo Thief. But Kristina won’t go quietly. She has enough dirt to ruin each member of the band, and enough on Dave to send him to jail. This stinking, bloody threat has haunted him for years. As Dave hangs in limbo, a new star emerges: Willa, dubbed “The Parking Lot Picasso” by the modern art world. When a magazine feature catapults her to sudden fame, Dave helps her cope with the spotlight when all she’s ever known is the shadows. Life as a runaway jaded Willa, and it leaves her deeply in doubt of her fifteen minutes of fame. Nothing good lasts forever. Especially not love. It seems like everyone wants a piece of Willa now. When their music and art worlds collide, Dave's the one person who isn’t trying to take something from Willa, and who might have something to give. As Dave’s secret is laid bare, a mystery unravels, pointing to his guilt and its dangerous intersection with Willa’s old life on the streets. Both must risk their success and the intense connection to each other to prevent their pasts from defining their future


Get ready for another installment of Heidi Joy Tretheway’s Tattoo Thief series! Say It Louder is a standalone. You’ll want to read the first in the series as to not reveal any spoilers. An impromptu journey to find himself and figure out where he belongs, Dave leans on Willa; a pink haired tattoo artist that calls him on his shit.


The verbal barbs between the protagonists become foreplay. Author Heidi Joy paints a picture of sexy time, literally. At one point, Willa says that her “toes actually fucking curl!” My girlfriends think this is fallacy but I know better!


My favorite parts about Say It Louder are the savory descriptions that transport me into the world of Dave and Willa. “I inhale his scent, mint and cut pine. It transports me from a sweaty August to the December tree lots where I pretend to escape the city for a walk in the woods.”


Heidi Joy Tretheway tells us hers are “Deliciously wicked stories, pull up a chair.”

Hot Mess: a dirty bitches novel Review by Cattigan

Hot Mess

by K.A. Ware

Why don’t I start at the beginning; the cover is absolutely cheeky and matches the clever title!


Book Blurb:
Briar is a mess.

After a disastrous one night stand, she is unceremoniously canned from her job of three years and forced to give up her adorable condo. At twenty-five her life is circling the drain and in desperate need of a change. With her entire universe upended she decides to reinvent herself and finally get her shit together. There’s just one problem, she has no idea who she wants to be.

When a series of chance meetings with a guy who is the complete opposite of everyone she’s ever dated turns into more does she have the guts to break the cycle and give different a chance?

This is a hilarious story about finding yourself, falling in love, and every mistake along the way.

The prologue says it all. My thought while I read it is that I have been there, done that. I related, I laughed; I literally laughed out loud.

Briar has got her “bitches” as her cheerleaders, calling her on her crap, and showing up with junk food and alcohol when warranted.  And they have her back no matter what.

My favorite line:


 “At least that way I’d get a nice padded room, three meals a day, and a cute jacket that made me hug myself so that I’d never be lonely.”

KA Ware writes a flirty, spunky, and sharp book about what to do after college, your best bitches, one night stands, and that one guy that challenges you and you can’t live without. This really is one of my absolute favorite books.  I definitely used my thesaurus writing this review looking for appropriate adjectives.  Just read it!

What is a book hangover?

We've all done it. We've all told ourselves that little lie.

"I'll just read one more chapter and then go to bed."

 And sometimes you keep that promise. Or maybe you sneak in only a couple more before turning off the light. But then there's those books. The ones that are just too good to put down, no matter how heavy your eyelids may feel. And when you finally reach the end, you dare a glance at the clock to realize sleep is no longer an option. For the moment, you don't even care, it was so worth it. Until you find yourself dragging through the day. Caffeine is a must. That, my friends, is what we like to call a book hangover. But do you regret it? Not one bit.

Here at Book Hangover, we let you know what books are keeping us up all night, helping you to find your next book hangover.

Happy reading!