Abducted.

So, I couldn't stay away from the thriller novels this time around. Especially at an enticing $.99 on the Amazon Deals... I was very pleased with my purchase: Abducted by T.R. Ragan.

Lizzy Gardner, now a grown young woman working as a private investigor, still cannot sleep through the night without reliving her abduction. As a teenager, she was taken off the street in the middle of the night by Spiderman, a serial killer who thinks of himself as some kind of vigilante, ridding the streets of girls whom he considered to be disrespectful or too provocative. Lizzy was able to escape, but not before watching him torture a number of girls right in front of her. The police believed they had the real Spiderman incarcerated, despite Lizzy's claims they had the wrong guy.

Now, years later-- he's back, and he wants revenge.

Lizzy must find Spiderman before he kills more innocent girls, and his taunts draw her closer to him. With the help of her past high school boyfriend, Jared, a now handsome-in-uniform FBI agent, Jessica, her assistant who has secrets of her own and Hayley, a girl with enough troubles of her own who takes it upon herself to help Lizzy hunt down the man hunting her.

T.R. Ragan draws you in with the mystery, and keeps you there with Lizzy's determination, fear and a little bit of sexual tension between her and Jared.

It was a page turner, but a warning to the weak-stomached-- obviously, there is a lot of torturous, grueling situations in this book, as with most serial killer themed novels. Additionally, there is some sadistic content. If that's not a subject you can handle, don't bother picking this book up.

I was definitely excited to find out there is a Lizzy Garner series. I am in the middle of the second book, "Dead Weight." Look for that review coming soon.

Faking It

Although my preference is thrillers and crime mysteries, every once in a while I soften it up. "Faking It", written by Elisa Lorello, was a funny take on a not-too-over-the-top-trashy novel.

Andi, a virgin, had just broken it off with her fiance after she found him in bed with another woman. As if she wasn't self-conscious before about her body and sexuality... Needless to say, the after effects of the situation amplified existing nerves. Then one night, she's out with a few co-workers and spots Devin, a male escort whose charming behavior and super-hot looks give Andi mixed feelings of pleasure and disgust. 

We'll cut to the chase of the plot here-- Devin "works" for women who have lots of money and only value having his hottness on their arm at public functions. Poor Mr. Gorgeous wishes they enjoyed his company also because of his intellects. Um, except he's limited in that area. And Andi, wants to be sexy and without inhibitions not only to herself-- but to other men. Throwing caution to the wind, the two draw up a "contract." Andi will teach Devin how to write and speak like a real gentleman, and in return he will teach her the ways of her own body.

At this point, you think it's predictable. You've seen "The Ugly Truth" with Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl, and you think you know the remaining story line in this novel. But here's the deal...

So give it a chance! I laughed, I cringed at the awkwardness and might have even been inspired by Andi's journey.  A book on sex, love and becoming more than people think you can be... What's not to enjoy?

I know I've been slacking...
More books to come this weekend...