Review: Private L.A. by James Patterson

Private L.A. by James Patterson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Private really has their work cut out for them this time. Two major cases that have very strong implications to the community. First, there are four dead and burned bodies that have been found on the beach. They carry a sign that says 'No Prisoners'. Days later there are more dead bodies, another sign, and promises that this is not the end. Then they have the case of the Harlows. A Hollywood couple who make great movies and do amazing philanthropy work all over the world. When they go missing without a trace, it's up to Private to find out why they were taken and where they could be.

Another interesting book by James Patterson. This is the third book for the Los Angeles Private offices series and the sixth book for the entire Private series. I think next I'm going to read Private Games that has to deal with the Olympics in London since the Olympics are going on right now.

For the first few chapters of this book, I wasn't sure what was going to happen or if I was going to continue to read the book. But after a while, the action got going and my attention was held. Let's start with the first case of dead bodies showing up on the beach. There is a group out there who is looking to get revenge, but for what? And who are these people. They want the city of Los Angeles to pay them big money or they will continue to kill people. One more person per day than the day before. How are they going to be stopped if they can't be found. When one of Private's own investigators gets seriously injured on the job, Jack, the head of Private is even more determined to find out who these people are.

For the Harlow's, on the surface they seem like your typical Hollywood couple, but they have some skeletons in their closet. Skeletons their closest team members do not want to let the whole world know about. So, when they ask that Private not involve the police or the FBI in this case, this make the situation even more difficult. When the skeletons come to the surface, it's easy to see why the Harlow's wouldn't want this getting out to the public.

Packed with adventure around every corner and a few funny bits along the way, this was a great Private book by James Patterson.

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Review: Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughn

Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

When you marry a person, you think you know who they are. Sure, we all have our pasts, but those pasts make us into the people we are today. Sophie and James Whitehouse have known each other for a long time. They met and dated in college, went their separate ways and then met and dated again and eventually got married. They started a family had two beautiful children and James embarked on a political career with his long time friend who is now the Prime Minister.

James comes home one night with some devastating news for Sophie, he has cheated on her and the news will be all over the papers in the morning. He claims this is the one and only time this has happened during their marriage, but when more news breaks a few weeks later, Sophie begins to question everything she has ever known about her husband. Will she be able to stay with him after all of this? Will she ever be able to trust him again?

Thank you to NetGalley, Emily Bestler/Atria Books and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was very excited to read this book. The premise of the story had me hooked from the start. Cheating husband with secrets...I wanted to know what those secrets were and how his family would handle them. Unfortunately this story fell flat for me. It was easy to guess what the twist in the story was although it may not have been obvious the character behind the twist. Once the biggest reveal was made the secret was never exposed in a way I would have like for it to have been. I was waiting for the bomb to drop which was why I kept reading. It was more like a BB Gun went off instead.

I give this 3 stars for the overall story was interesting and it kept me reading, but in the end, I was disappointed.

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Audiobook Review: Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia

Everything You Want Me to Be by Mindy Mejia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Henrietta 'Hattie' Hoffman is starting her senior year in high school. She lives in a small farming town and Minnesota and knows this is not the place for her. She has big hopes and dreams and she will stop at nothing to achieve them, even if it means deceiving others. But when Hattie turns up dead after opening night of Macbeth, there are all kinds of speculations as to why this could have happened and who could have done it. Told from the perspective of Hattie; Dell, the Chief of Police and; Peter the new English teacher. We are taken on a journey from the months leading up to Hattie's death to the months following it. Who killed Hattie and why?

From the very beginning of the book you can see that there is going to be a twist to this case. Everything is not going to be so easily spelled out for you. Just when you think you know who did it, you will find that you are wrong. I was wrong from the beginning. When it got down to the confession part I was jumping for joy because I had nailed the killer, but later I found out it was not so.

This is the first book I have read by Mindy Mejia. If her other books are similar to this, I will be reading them all.

To put it lightly, Hattie is a sociopath. Just at the title suggests she is everything everyone else wants her to be, but no one really knows her at all. She lies to her parents and her friends, being the good student, the good daughter, the loyal girlfriend, but Hattie has secrets. The first thing that shocked me about this book was not that Hattie had an affair with her high school teacher, it was how she laid out her plans to fool the whole town into believing she was the perfect girl next door. No one could have imagined what she had in store in her own mind.

I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a twisty tale.

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Review: Copycat by Kimberla Lawson Roby

Copycat by Kimberla Lawson Roby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Traci Calloway Cole is about to release her 3rd book called Copycat, when she meets Simone Phillips. Simone is an aspiring writer herself and she loves Traci's books. After Traci agrees to read a few chapters of Simone's book and introduce her to a few people that could help get it published, Simone becomes obsessed. She wants to be just like Traci, but how far will her obsession grow?

This was a quick read for me. I have read a few books by Kimberla Lawson Roby and I have enjoyed them all. She is a great Christian Fiction author.

There are a few people in this world that I look up to and aspire to be, but I don't think would go to the same extremes that Simone goes through. She has quite the troubled past and has never truly discovered who she is as an individual. She already has so many positive things going on in her life. She has a decent job, a fiance and according to Traci, her book is going to be a hit. So why would she need to resort to the antics she pulls throughout this book? It makes her look weak and needy. Will she be able to see the error of her ways and turn things around before it's too late and everything she has worked for blows up in her face?

There are times where I felt sorry for Simone and other times I wanted to smack her and say, can't you see what you are doing is ridiculous and makes you look insane. Unfortunately the one person who told her this, she refused to listen to.

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Winning Wednesday--Bookish Giveaways!!

Don't have a Valentine??  Here are some LOVEly giveaways for you!!

  Pre-order Hello Stranger through Premiere Collectibles, and Lisa Kleypas could answer your question during her live signing on February 26th – or you could even receive a phone call during the event! Pre-order now. If you do the pre-order, you will received a hard cover of the book, signed by Lisa Kleypas as well as a Certificate of Authenticity.  Brought to you by Avon Romance.

Order by Feb. 26th



Enter for your chance to win a Romance Prize Pack from Avon Books.  You could win:

• A one-year subscription to Passionflix
• Delsey luggage
• Guylian chocolates
• Library of Avon Romance novels, including:
  The Duke of Her Desire by Sophie Barnes
  The Pretender by HelenKay Dimon
  The Art of Running in Heels by Rachel Gibson
  Beautiful Lawman by Sophie Jordan
  If Ever I Should Love You by Cathy Maxwell
  Chasing Christmas Eve by Jill Shalvis
  Cowboy, It's Cold Outside by Lori Wilde

Open to US Residents Only(except Rhode Island). Ends Feb. 28th


  Enter for your chance to win either a $25 Amazon Gift Card or one of 5 signed copies of Deeper Water by Lauren Stewart.

Ends on Feb. 18th.  Not sure if it's international or not, give it a try.



Enter for your chance to win the Ultimate Pierce Brown Sweepstakes.  Brought to you by Out of Print and Penguin Random House. You could win:

• 1 Iron Gold Print
• 1 Enamel Pin
• 1 Howlers tee by Out of Print
• Signed copies of Red Rising, Golden Son, Morning Star, and Iron Gold by Pierce Brown

Open to US Residents only--Ends Feb. 28th


  Enter for your chance to win one of 5 copies of Don't Blink by James Patterson.

Open to Residents of the US & Canada(except Quebec)--Ends Feb. 16th



Want to read the blockbuster novel of the summer before anyone else? Enter for a chance to win an early copy of The Summer Wives by Beatriz Williams! This contest is on Facebook, so you will have to long in to win. They are giving away 400 copies before the book is released on July 10th.
Open to US Residents--Ends Feb. 20th



  Enter to win an afternoon tea on the river!

To celebrate the publication of The River Maid by Dilly Court we are offering one lucky winner the opportunity to have afternoon tea on the Thames with City Cruises and win a copy of the book. Brought to you by Harper Collins Publishers.
Open to UK Residents only--Ends Feb. 22, 2018

  Enter for your chance to win an autographed copy of The Rooster Bar by John Grisham.  Brought to you by Penguin Random House.
Open to US Residents Only--Ends Feb. 15, 2018

      Enter for your chance to win a Romantic Cruise for Two.  Prize include a 7 day cruise to the destination of your choice, plus 9 Romance books listed below.  Brought to you by Harper Collins BookPerk.

Open to US Residents only(except Hawaii, Alaska & Rhode Island)--Ends Feb. 15, 2018

Book Riot Giveaway Page -- Click here

Giveaways from Goodreads

**These giveaways are not sponsored by What 'Cha Readin'? Please see each giveaway for official rules.**