Book Review: Play Me Series

Katie November 11, 2014 0 Comments

The Play Me series is a set of 5 books – all coming in at about 50 pages or less, that make up one larger story between Las Vegas casino cocktail waitress Aria and the head of the casino she works in, Sebastian.

Book #1 – Play Me Wild

Play Me Wild sets up the story. Aria is working in a Vegas casino and over sees a high roller (a “Whale”) assaulting another woman who is at the casino.  She talks to security several times but when they won’t do anything, Aria takes matters into her own hands and hits the guy, hard, with her serving tray.  She ends up getting fired and the whale wants all sorts of comps from the casino.  When Sebastian, the head of the casino while his father is ill, finds out about what happens he watches the tapes and decides that not only should Aria not have been fired and this Whale should be asked to leave the premises, he also decides that he wants nothing more than to hook up with Aria.  Will she go for it?

Book #2 – Play Me Hot

Play Me Hot picks up where Play Me Wild left off and with what Wild is lacking as far as an erotic romance novel goes, Hot more than makes up for it as most of the 44 pages are about Sebastian and Aria’s escapades in Sebastian’s office on Aria’s break. (Which ends up going over so he calls to her direct-boss and tells him that she is filling out paperwork from the incident the night before!)  After their time together is over, Aria is a bit out of it and Sebastian doesn’t want her going home alone.  Aria seems like she wants to get herself home herself, but Sebastian isn’t offering that as one of his options.

Book #3 – Play Me Hard

The third book picks up with the aftermath of Aria and Sebastian’s hookup.  Aria’s phone is dead and Sebastian is mad he can’t get a hold of her.  Aria misses texts from her mom and sister and arrives at their home to find they are not there.  Sebastian’s friend from college shows up with a story about his brother.  In the middle of their chat – Aria comes in demanding for Sebastian to take her now. This book ends with a cliff hanger when Sebastian brings Aria back to her apartment after her shift.

Book #4 – Play Me Real

In Book 4 we hear Sebastian’s side of the story based on the cliff hanger in book 3. He is sure that Aria will want nothing to do with him after he reveals the truth, but that is not the case. In fact, she doesn’t leave and they have quite the evening together.  I think it is in this book that Aria and Sebastian begin to realize that what is going on between them is real.

Book #5 – Play Me Right

After their last night together, Sebastian and Aria have been distant.  They know they need to talk but keep avoiding each other.  Aria has to tell Sebastian about her past, but she thinks that he won’t want to be with her after she does.  After putting it off, her sister finally convinces her that she is in love with Sebastian and has to tell him.  She explains who her family is (which I had an inkling based on mentions earlier in the book) and why she left the rich life that she knew 14 months ago to get away from her family.  Sebastian seems a bit shocked at first, and enraged, but at the end of it all, tells her that he loves her.

I’m not sure why these were 5 books instead of one, and at first I was kind of annoyed with it – but in the end I kind of liked it. It was less overwhelming for me – and 4 extra books on my reading list that otherwise wouldn’t have been there!  Once I got through the first one which really had no juicy scenes, of course 😉

I received free e-copies of these 5 books in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Books

In the seductive first installment of an eBook original serial from the New York Times bestselling author of Ruined and Addicted,a woman running from her past has finally found a bit of control . . . until her powerful new boss makes her go wild.

My name is Aria Winston. I’ve fought desperately to escape the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas. Now I’m on my own, in control of my own life and my own destiny . . . just the way I like it. Until Sebastian Caine changes everything.

Working as a cocktail waitress at one of Vegas’s hottest five-star casinos means putting up with a ton of bad behavior from the big spenders. But it pays the bills—and that’s all that matters to Aria, who needs every last dollar to escape from her father’s destructive grasp and the brutal man he expects her to marry. But when she lashes out against a billionaire who won’t take no for an answer, she nearly loses everything—until Sebastian steps in. The owner’s son and handpicked successor, Sebastian is dark, sexy, and kinder than any rich man should be. And when he apologizes and offers to keep her job safe, Aria can’t help the way her body reacts to his. Suddenly her job, and the security it brings her, isn’t the only thing Aria wants.

Play Me is an erotic serial intended for mature audiences. Aria and Sebastian’s story continues inPlay Me: Hot.

Return to a world of secrets and desires. In the sultry second installment of an eBook original serial from the New York Timesbestselling author of Ruined and Addicted, Aria and Sebastian turn up the heat. But will they get burned?

My name is Aria Winston. I’ve fought desperately to escape the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas. Now I’m on my own, in control of my own life and my own destiny . . . just the way I like it. Until Sebastian Caine changes everything.

If getting tangled up with her new boss is wrong, Aria doesn’t want to be right. Powerful men usually have a way of thinking they can take whatever they want while giving nothing back, but Sebastian is different. He’s gentle with her body. Rough in all the right places. And hot enough to make Aria break every last rule she’s set for herself. But with her history, it’ll take more than mind-blowing sex to heal the pain deep inside . . . no matter how good Sebastian’s intentions are. She’s spent her entire life fighting for control of her own life, and no one’s going to take that from her. But the more time she spends in Sebastian’s world, the deeper she’s drawn into his sensual games.

Play Me is an erotic serial intended for mature audiences. Aria and Sebastian’s story continues inPlay Me: Hard.

No one ever said love is easy. In the third installment of an eBook original serial from the New York Times bestselling author of Ruined and Addicted, Aria and Sebastian discover that building trust might be harder than they ever imagined.

My name is Aria Winston. I’ve fought desperately to escape the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas. Now I’m on my own, in control of my own life and my own destiny . . . just the way I like it. Until Sebastian Caine changes everything.

Ever since taking Aria under his wing and into his seductive domain, Sebastian hasn’t been able to think straight. Their chemistry is intoxicating. Their power exchange is exhilarating. And the sex leaves them both absolutely exhausted. But if there’s one thing Sebastian does know, it’s that he needs to protect this strong yet vulnerable woman. Because she has depths that are unknown—even to her. Aria has worked hard to establish herself as anything but submissive. That isn’t who she is, or who she wants to be. So why does it feel so sweet to give up control . . . and so intense when Sebastian takes care of needs she doesn’t even realize she has? But he has needs of his own—and secrets that run just as dark and deep as Aria’s.

Play Me is an erotic serial intended for mature audiences. Aria and Sebastian’s story continues inPlay Me: Real.

How do you know when something’s real? In the steamy fourth installment of an eBook original serial from the New York Timesbestselling author of Ruined and Addicted, a devastating betrayal unravels a fierce yet tender connection.

My name is Aria Winston. I’ve fought desperately to escape the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas. Now I’m on my own, in control of my own life and my own destiny . . . just the way I like it. Until Sebastian Caine changes everything.

Aria has learned to play Sebastian’s game. She’s given him control, taken it back, and let him push her farther than she ever imagined she could go. But when Sebastian’s past comes to light, Aria receives a glimpse behind the facade—a revelation that disturbs her even as it makes her feel closer to this simmering, complicated man. Finally she comes to understand the real reason why Sebastian feels the need to dominate everything in his path. But Aria has a tortured history, too. And together they’re a dangerous combination. Now she’s the one pushing Sebastian to the breaking point . . . and if one of them burns up, they’ll both go down together.

Play Me is an erotic serial intended for mature audiences. Aria and Sebastian’s story concludes inPlay Me: Right.

Good things never have to end. Tracy Wolff, the New York Times bestselling author of Ruined andAddicted, brings her eBook original serial to an unforgettable climax in Play Me’s sensational finale . . . for now.

My name is Aria Winston. I’ve fought desperately to escape the seedy underbelly of Las Vegas. Now I’m in control of my own life and my own destiny . . . but my future belongs to Sebastian Caine.

Technically, Aria may still be in one piece, but she’s feeling pretty damn close to broken. While she knows Sebastian would die before hurting her, their intense, steamy encounters have opened up old wounds in them both. Now Aria is considering the unthinkable: walking away again—this time to save Sebastian from the pain she knows her past will cause him. But Sebastian’s the one who set her free in the first place—how can she not show him the same care and compassion? Because, in the end, being together forever is the only thing that feels right.

Play Me is an erotic serial intended for mature audiences.

Book Review: Modern Sci-Fi Films FAQ

Katie November 7, 2014 0 Comments

Another FAQ book that really has no questions.  All that’s left to know about time travel, alien, robot, and out-of-this-world movies since 1970.  The book breaks down Sci-Fi into several sub categories and then basically tells you everything you could ever want to know about them, and more.  It starts with the literary roots of sci-fi and focuses on the authors and their books that became movies.  Also featured in the book are chapters on technology and the future, alternate worlds, time travel (my fave), space, aliens, experiments and my other favorite, robots.

It focuses only on the science fiction movies from the last 40 years – which is a lot. Way more than you’re probably thinking that there are – or at least way more than I was thinking that there are…  If you love Sci-Fi and want to know more about the movies of this genre, then this is the book for you.  It is about 400 pages with a lot of other great resources in the indexes at the end. Anything and everything you’d ever need to know! Everything is broken down too which is great if you’re looking for something specific – just find it in the index and you’ll be good to go!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

Many science fiction movies from the last 40 years have blazed new vistas for viewers. They’ve reached further into the future, traveled longer into the past, soared deeper into the vastness of the cosmos, and probed more intently inside man’s consciousness than any other period of film before. And audiences ate them up, taking four of the top ten spots in all-time ticket sales in America while earning more than $2 billion at the box office.

Modern Sci-Fi Films FAQ takes a look at the genre’s movies from the last 40 years, where the dreams of yesterday and today may become tomorrow’s realities. This FAQ travels to a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away… visits a theme park where DNA-created dinosaurs roam… watches as aliens come to Earth, hunting humans for sport… and much, much more. Filled with biographies, synopses, production stories, and images and illustrations – many seldom seen in print – the book focuses on films that give audiences two hours where they can forget about their troubles, sit back, crunch some popcorn, and visit worlds never before seen… worlds of robots, time travel, aliens, space exploration, and other far-out ideas.

Book Review: Pumpkin Cinema

Katie November 7, 2014 0 Comments

I’m really not sure why I decided to check out this book. I am a HUGE scaredy cat, Halloween is probably my least favorite time of year (aside from all the awesome candy, of course) and scary movies give me nightmares for days. (And in rare cases – severe arachnophobia that I’ve yet to be able to kick…)  So reading a book about “The Best Movies for Halloween” was probably not my greatest idea ever, but at least there were only a few photographs of the movies and their posters throughout the book and I was able to flip to the next page rather quickly if I thought it might freak me out! 😉

Each movie has its own listing which includes the  Title, Director, Cast, Length, Rating and then a Synopsis.  I was happy to see that movies that seemed rather harmless like Abbott and Costello and Daffy Duck were also included.  Perhaps there are some movies out there that I can watch and not be up all night for 14 days after! I was also surprised that I had seen around 10 of the movies that were listed! (I mean – Casper? I don’t even consider that a Halloween movie – it’s hardly scary and while they are ghosts they are the cutest ghosts I’ve ever seen…)

In addition to movies there is also fun-sized mini series included, TV episodes and then some Top 5 lists.

If you love yourself some Halloween and scaring the bejesus out of yourself every year – then this is the book for you. Or, since I am posting this in November and you want to spend time making Halloween never end – pick up the book now and see how many of the movies you can watch before Halloween time rolls around again!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

People celebrate the magical holiday of Halloween in a wide variety of ways, but most will, at some point, turn off the lights and allow a movie to take the excitement to the next level. Pumpkin Cinema recommends over 100 titles that are guaranteed to make your Halloween fun and frightening! Halloween only comes once a year, so you can’t afford to waste precious thrill time on a lousy movie! However, a great horror movie doesn’t necessarily translate into a great Halloween flick, and Pumpkin Cinema uses a simple set of guidelines to help you avoid the “boo!” blues: the films included here are fast paced, have essences of autumn (if they aren’t set on Halloween itself!), and have a trim run time (under two hours). Avoiding the mean-spirited and cruel movies more typical of horror offerings, Pumpkin Cinema also includes Halloween treats from multiple genres, in addition to horror: comedy, animation, science fiction, silent era, and foreign films, all ranging in popularity from blockbusters to the obscure. The films included are, above all, fun to watch and share with others! In addition to descriptive film reviews, you’ll also find plenty of quirky trivia, various top 5 lists, and a special chapter devoted to the greatest Halloween television episodes of all time.

Book Review: A Timeline History of the Thirteen Colonies

Katie November 7, 2014 0 Comments

This book is pretty neat because in addition to your typical book with paragraphs, it also tells the story through a timeline which is a bit easier to read and more to the point than reading tons and tons of books.  This book is just over 50 pages so it gives you a LOT of information in not a lot of space. I always like the history books geared more towards kids because that has always been my worst subject and while I’d like to learn more it’s just something that I can not retain the information in your typical text books.  These kids books make things a bit more fun and interesting and help me retain more information.  If only college text books were written for younger kids – I’d have done much better in my history classes! 😉

The book tells about the original Thirteen Colonies and the timeline for which they were settled.  Most of them are around here (Connecticut is one of them, if you weren’t sure) so it is always interesting to see names that are relatively local.

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

In the spring of 1607, an English ship landed at modern-day Virginia. The ship’s passengers quickly built shelters and a fort. Their settlement, Jamestown, was the first permanent English colony in North America. 

This event marked the beginning of an important period in US history. Over the next 150 years, thousands of Europeans—men, women, and children—journeyed to North America. They came seeking wealth, religious freedom, or a fresh start in life. The thirteen colonies they created became the foundation for a new nation.

Explore the history of each of the thirteen colonies. Track the important events and turning points in the creation of the United States.

Book Review: Prince Harry

Katie November 7, 2014 0 Comments

Prince Harry: Brother, Soldier Son is a biography about Prince Harry (my fave of the Princes, by far) by royal family biographer Penny Junior.  It’s kind of sad that it is pointed out in the beginning of the book that Harry will never be king – as the line is his father, William and eventually, Prince George.  I mean, I think we all know that anyway, but seeing it written down was a bit of a bummer.  The book goes on to talk about how wild and unpredictable Harry is now at 30 years old and how it might be better that he won’t be King!  It also talks about how when he was younger he was not nearly as outgoing as he is now.

Also, for a book about Harry, there was an awful lot of talk about Diana.  I actually ended up skimming through most of it.  While I know she is obviously important to Harry’s story, if I wanted to know more about her life I’d read a biography about her.  I’m here for Harry! It also talked a bit about how his family has as good relationship with the media and not a lot of stories get out and not a lot of his girlfriends “kiss and tell” which could be because he treats them well. (I’d looove to find out! haha)  I also liked how the book had quotes from people who know Harry best to tell the story of his life, military career, etc.

Overall a pretty good book though I could have done without the Diana talk and perhaps cutting that out would have made it a bit shorter as I think it came in at over 400 pages!

I received a free e-copy of this book in order to write this review. I was not otherwise compensated.

About the Book

The authoritative biography of Prince Harry by noted royal family biographer Penny Junor, author of Prince William: The Man Who Will Be King and The Firm: The Troubled Life of the House of Windsor. 

Prince Harry, one of the most popular members of the British royal family, has had a colorful life. After losing his mother at 12 years old, he spent his teenage years making questionable choices under intense international media scrutiny, becoming known for his mischevious grin, shock of red hair, and the occassional not-so-royal indiscretion. As he’s grown, he has distinguished himself through military service, flying helicopters for the RAF. He served in Afghanistan and continues to devote himself to his military career. He also follows in his mother’s footsteps with charity work–he is the founder of Sentebale, a charity to help orphans in Lesotho, and works with many other charitable organziations to help young people in society and to conserve natural resources. As he reaches his thirtieth birthday, Prince Harry is proving himself a prince of the people. 

With unprecedented access to the most important figures in his life, Penny Junor is able get the truth about who this mercurial and fascinating royal son really is. A modern biography of a modern prince, this book offers an insider’s look at the life of the man who is fourth in line to Britain’s throne.