Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Review: There is No Light in Darkness (Darkness #1) by Claire Contreras


There is No Light in Darkness (Darkness #1)
by Claire Contreras
Published on: 1/10/13
Genre: New Adult/Contemporary Romance/Mystery

A past hidden in darkness. Her present cloaked in secrets. The future holds the only truth that cannot be escaped.

After the mysterious and violent death of her parents, Blake Brennan finds comfort with an unconventional family. As the dramatic loss of her parents continues to haunt her—and hinders her from reciprocating love that others give freely—Blake embarks on a harrowing journey in search for the truth.

Living in a constant state of fear and need for control, vivid nightmares reveal details that lead to perilous situations. The past begins to collide with the present, and Blake must decide if the truth is worth losing the ones she loves.

Can love conquer all as her past comes to light? Or will Blake realize that there is no light in darkness?


My Rating 4 1/2 Coffee Cups!!

This book hooked me in the opening paragraph of the prologue it was that good. It had the perfect amount of romance, suspense and familial love. 

The book opens with the murder of a 4 year old Blake Brennan's parents and her subsequent kidnapping and continues to grip you from there. It goes seamlessly from Blake's present: a law student in Chicago, living with her best friend Aubry; to her past: what happened to her after the events of the night before her 4th birthday. She only has a handful of people she cares about because she learns at a young age that loved ones can be taken from you. Amid the nightmares of the horrific night that took everything from her are the answers she is so desperately seeking to find. Why did they take her? Why did they kill her parents? And most of all, who exactly is "they"? As the story progresses and memories resurface things begin to unravel themselves and Blake and everyone she cares about are put into even more danger than she could imagine.

Everything Blake has been thru has shaped her. Everything from having to lock her bedroom door when she is asleep, to carrying a baseball bat around with her in her car. She's lost too many people and doesn't want to take chances. She can't even verbalize the words "I Love You" for fear that it will make them too essential in her life and they will be taken away from her like everyone else has been. And you see how sad a life it is she's living because of this.

Also, among her stories of the past is the foster home she was put into when she was 13. This is where Blake finds her true family and the only people she cares about (present day included). A mom named Maggie, her adopted son Aubry, niece Becky, Becky's boyfriend Greg and Maggie's foster son Cole Murphy. Oh Cole. Blake and Cole's relationship starts off as friends and then protector and protectee and then swoon (yeah I said it- swoon!) romance. They are one of those couples that you want to go thru the book and hug and scream YES! That's not to say they're not without their issues. If they didn't have their fair share this book wouldn't be quite so good.  You see their progression and development as this story flip flops back and forth in it's timeline and I especially like how the author does this to mirror the events of their past to the reason something is happening in their present.

"I love you. I love you more than anything else in this world. It'll always be you. I love you to the moon and back." 

Be forewarned this has a pretty epic cliffhanger- but fear not! Because the next book Darkness Before Dawn comes out on May 31st! As in this Friday! As in the day after tomorrow!! Can you tell I'm excited?

  
  

Monday, May 27, 2013

Cover Reveal!! Into the Deep by Samantha Young


And without further ado...


Into the Deep 
by Samantha Young
Release Date: 8/20/13
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Live young. Live hard. Love deep.



Charley Redford was just an ordinary girl until Jake Caplin moved to her small town in Indiana and convinced her she was extraordinary. Almost from day one Jake pulled Charley into the deep and promised he was right there with her. But when a tragic incident darkened Jake’s life he waded out into the shallows and left Charley behind.



Almost four years later Charley thinks she’s moved on. That is until she takes a study year abroad in Edinburgh and bumps into none other than Jake Caplin at a party with his new girlfriend. The bad-boy-turned-good attempts to convince Charley to forgive him, and as her best friend starts spending time with Jake’s, Charley calls a truce, only to find herself tumbling back into a friendship with him.



As they grow closer, the spark between them flares and begins playing havoc with their lives and relationships. When jealousy and longing rear their destructive heads, Charley and Jake struggle to come to grips with what they mean to one another.



And even if they work it out, there is no guarantee Charley will ever trust Jake to lead her back into the deep…

I want this ASAP. August is a long time to wait :(  Seriously! 
Add it to your Goodreads TBR Pile Now!!

Tidbits on the Author:

Samantha Young is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. She's been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Author and Best Romance for her international bestselling novel ON DUBLIN STREET. For more info on Samantha's adult fiction visit http://www.ondublinstreet.com

Other Ways to Stalk Her:
Twitter:  



Thursday, May 23, 2013

Cover Reveal!! Subject to Change (Picturing Perfect #2) by Alessandra Thomas


And without further ado...



Subject to Change (Picturing Perfect #2)
by  Alessandra Thomas
Release Date: 6/25/13
Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Joey made her dad a deathbed promise that she would become a doctor, and dedicate herself to fighting the very cancer that took his life. There’s just one problem -three years into her pre-med classes, she's struggling to stay on top of the curve, let alone prove she's dazzling enough to earn a spot in an Ivy League medical school. In a Hail Mary move, she throws a basic Business 101 class into her semester schedule, banking on a perfect score to boost her GPA.
That is, until she’s paired for a final project with Hawk, the bartending, motorbike-riding, gorgeously bedheaded loser who falls asleep in class and communicates in one-word sentences.
Hawk does whatever he wants, whenever he wants, which sets Joey on edge – in every possible way. As they get to know each other, her urge to scream at him is curbed only by her fantasies of tearing his clothes off. Soon those fantasies become reality, and Joey realizes Hawk makes her feel more fully herself than any of the rich boys her mother and sorority sisters approve of.
But the promise to her father hangs over her head, and the harder Joey tries to succeed in her chosen career, the faster everything falls into a hopeless tailspin of bad grades, broken promises and guilt. It doesn't help to have Hawk sitting like a devil on her shoulder, insisting she should be free to live however she wants to live - like he does.
The only thing Joey knows is that her neatly organized life is crushing her - and Hawk's bad attitude might be the only thing that can save her.

Add to your Goodreads TBR Shelf HERE!

And as an extra added bonus the cover for the first book in the series Picture Perfect has had a revamp. Check it out!


 And if you haven't checked this one out yet, here is the synopsis:


Fashion design major Cat Mitchell has a closet full of gorgeous clothes - and not a single thing fits. After two years of runway modeling for easy cash, an accident shattered her lower leg bone and her self-esteem in just one swift fall. Ten months of no exercise, prescription steroids, comfort eating and yoga pants meant returning to campus as a size twelve instead of her former size two. When her gorgeous long-time friend with benefits sees her for the first time after her accident and snubs her in front of all her friends, Cat’s self-image hits rock bottom. Her sorority sisters all insist that she looks gorgeous, but all Cat sees is the roll of her stomach when she sits down, or the dimpling at the back of her thighs that wasn't there last year. Cat’s therapist prescribes something radical to stop the downward spiral - nude modeling for a nearby college's human form drawing classes. When Cat faces her fears and bares it all for the class, she realizes that she's posing naked in front the most gorgeous, buffest guy she's ever seen in her life. He asks her out after the class, and after one steamy night together, Cat's absolutely smitten.

Nate’s pretty close to perfect – he takes Cat rock climbing when he discovers that it makes her feel strong and becomes a great chef after he learns that the perfect pesto sauce makes her swoon. Cat starts to feel like her old self again - confident and beautiful - as long as Nate's around. Even when he discourages her from entering the Real Woman Project, a design competition for plus-sized apparel, she reasons that he's just trying to prevent old body image wounds from splitting wide open again. But when Cat goes home with Nate for Thanksgiving, she discovers something shocking from his recent past that proves that he hasn’t always been so encouraging of women of all shapes and sizes. Cat has no idea what to think, but she does know one thing - this might destroy their relationship before it's even had a chance to get off the ground.

Before Cat can figure out whether the real Nate is the sensitive, adoring guy she fell in love with, or an undercover asshole, she'll have to finally feel comfortable in her own skin - even if it means leaving him forever.
 Sounds interesting? Want to give it a read? Here's the Amazon and B&N links:



Tidbits on the Author:

Alessandra Thomas is a New Adult writer who swears she was in her twenties yesterday. Since she's not, she spends her time looking back on her college years fondly, and writing sexy stories about guys and
girls falling in love and really living life for the first time. When she's not writing, you can find her with a spoonful of ice cream in one hand and the newest New Adult release in the other.

Ways to Stalk Her:








Wednesday, May 22, 2013

"Waiting On" Wednesday


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
 
 
This week's choice is:


Fear of Falling
by S.L. Jennings
Release Date: 7/18/13

“Don’t worry,” he smiled, pulling me into the hard warmth of his chest. “I’ve got you. I’ll always catch you when you fall.”

And just like that, Blaine had staked his claim on the untouched part of me that no living soul had ever moved. He had captured every fear, every reservation, and crushed them in the palm of his inked hand.



I can’t remember the last time I felt completely safe. Security seemed more like a luxury to me, reserved for those who were fortunate enough to have picture perfect childhoods. For those who didn’t bear the ugly scars that keep me bound in constant, debilitating fear. I’ve run from that fear my entire life. But when I met him, for once, I couldn’t run anymore.

He scared the hell out of me in a way that excited every fiber of my being. It wasn’t the tattoos or the piercings. It wasn’t the warmth that seemed to radiate from his frame and blanket me whenever he was near. It was just…him. The scary beautiful man that threatened to alter 23 years of routine and rituals, and make me face my crippling fear.

My name is Kami and I am constantly afraid. And the thing that scares me the most is the very thing I want.

***Inspired by true events***

Add Fear of Falling to your Goodreads TBR Shelf

So, I've never hidden or denied my unfailing love for S.L. Jennings and this is no exception. I love her Dark Light Series and this looks COMPLETELY different, yet still pretty amazing. I can't wait for this. And in my impatience I pilfered a few awesome pics from her FB page. Take a look-see... :)



 

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Review: Tangled (Tangled #1) by Emma Chase


Tangled (Tangled #1)
by Emma Chase
Published on: 5/20/13
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Drew Evans is a winner. Handsome and arrogant, he makes multimillion dollar business deals and seduces New York’s most beautiful women with just a smile. He has loyal friends and an indulgent family. So why has he been shuttered in his apartment for seven days, miserable and depressed?

He’ll tell you he has the flu.

But we all know that’s not really true.

Katherine Brooks is brilliant, beautiful and ambitious. She refuses to let anything - or anyone - derail her path to success. When Kate is hired as the new associate at Drew’s father’s investment banking firm, every aspect of the dashing playboy’s life is thrown into a tailspin. The professional competition she brings is unnerving, his attraction to her is distracting, his failure to entice her into his bed is exasperating.

Then, just when Drew is on the cusp of having everything he wants, his overblown confidence threatens to ruin it all. Will he be able untangle his feelings of lust and tenderness, frustration and fulfillment? Will he rise to the most important challenge of his life?

Can Drew Evans win at love?

Tangled is not your mother’s romance novel. It is an outrageous, passionate, witty narrative about a man who knows a lot about women…just not as much as he thinks he knows. As he tells his story, Drew learns the one thing he never wanted in life, is the only thing he can’t live without.


My Rating: 4 Coffee Cups

This book is hilarious. It was exactly what I needed at exactly the right time. I've been reading a lot of the dark and heavy lately- not to say I don't enjoy it, because I really do, but every once in awhile a lighthearted, sweet, awesomely funny book is just what a gal needs to break up the heartbreak and tragedy.

The book starts with you meeting a "Flu- Ridden" Andrew "Drew" Evans. He's depressed and watching Will Ferrell movies like they are some sort of twisted version of crack. His sister, "The Bitch" as she is nicknamed, and his best friend end up threatening their way in to his apartment and he decides to spill his guts and tell his story to both us and them.

We learn early on that Drew is kind of a douche. He is your stereotypical spoiled, playboy, bachelor, rich kid. He doesn't do relationships, he does one night stands and he brags about them to his buddies. Everything from getting a quickie in the bathroom to having at it in a cab ride home. He's not ashamed of his lifestyle, it's who he is. This is completely in his point of view as he narrates the story to you. So you get lots of fun guy tidbits like:

I bet you didn't know this, but lots of guys have a thing for Ariel. You know, from The Little Mermaid? I've never been into her myself, but I can understand the attraction: she fills out her shells nicely, she's a redhead, and she spends most of the movie unable to speak.

Yup, and that's one of his tamer insights. Every Saturday night him and the guys go to whatever is the new "hot" club of the hour in NYC and pick up their conquests for the night. And on one of said nights he runs into a woman at the bar who stops him in his tracks. She doesn't fall for his one liners and she flashes him an engagement ring and it still doesn't discourage him. But low and behold she laughs him off and walks away. Enter in Monday morning at the office. He is one of the most accomplished investment bankers in his father's firm and he loves his job. It's one of few things in his life he truly takes seriously. He is informed of a welcoming party for a new employee...and yup you guessed it, it's the girl from the club. 

Kate Brooks is smart and promising and still not falling for Drew's come-ons. They have their harmless banter, until Drew's dad pits them against each other to land a huge deal for the firm. Then the claws come out. From both of them. Watching them each act like petty 5 year olds trying to humiliate, prank and even possibly maim each other is pretty freaking hilarious. The father, of course, does the most annoying thing possible for the both of them and decides that they should work together on this project instead. And here is where the love story builds. Tons of things stand against them though. There's the fiance, the fact that they work together and then the biggest one. Despite all of his pieces of advice and insight into the mind of a guy Drew is still just that- a guy- and guys tend to do stupid, stupid, nonsensical things. So we get to watch him try to amend his douchebag ways in the most "Drew-like" fashion (and once you read this you'll know exactly what that phrase means. 

Hands down my favorite character in this book is Mackenzie. Drew's 4 year old niece. With her parrot-like tendencies and her ever ready swear jar she is a mini force to be reckoned with. 

So if you need lighthearted, laugh out loud funny in your life definitely snatch this one up!

One of my favorite Drew-isms:

No man wants to fuck a skeleton- and nibbling crackers and water like a prisoner of war at dinner isn't attractive. It just makes us think about what a cranky bitch you're going to be later on because you're starving. If a guy's into you? A cheeseburger deluxe is not going to scare him away. And if he's not? ingesting all the greens on Peter Cottontail's farm isn't going to change that, trust me.

  

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Review: Unbeautifully (Undeniable #2) by Madeline Sheehan


Unbeautifully (Undeniable #2)
by Madeline Sheehan
Published on: 5/13/13
Genre: New Adult/Contemporary Romance

Warning: This is not a story about fate or destiny. This is a story about pain, sorrow, and suffering. This is an impulsive whirlwind romance between two lovers that are not meant to be together. Theirs is not a world with sunshine and roses. Instead, their love blossoms in a secret world full of crime, violence, and death. Their story is about what can be born from nightmares.

Danielle “Danny” West is the daughter of Deuce West, President of the Hell’s Horsemen Motorcycle Club. A sweet and beautiful girl, she loses her way, searching for things that are always out of her reach. Erik “Ripper” Jacobs is the Sergeant of Arms in the Hell’s Horsemen. Once a man who always had a smile on his face, his life takes a turn for the worst when a tragedy befalls him, leaving him scarred and broken. During a midsummer night, Danny and Ripper’s paths cross, forever changing their lives. Hastily, their lust turns to love until another tragedy forces them apart. On a journey that is marred with ugliness and chaos, Danny and Ripper must discover if their unforeseen connection can find the beauty in their world.

This is Danny and Ripper’s story.

Everything has beauty. Even the ugly. Especially the ugly.
Because without ugly, there would be no beauty.



My Rating: 5 Coffee Cups!!


Holy Hell. That's the only real way I can start my review for this book. Have you read Undeniable yet? Please tell me you have. I reviewed it a couple of months ago so take a look before continuing on: My Review of Undeniable. I loved Undeniable. I loved Eva and by the end I loved Deuce, but I loved this story so much more. Madeline Sheehan does it again. I may have a slight girl crush on her. She knows how to hit you HARD, where it hurts and makes you like it. The woman turns you happily into a masochist. And I love her for it. I properly meditated and OHMMED before reading this book which helped to minimize the damage caused to my Kindle this time around, because let me tell you this book gets you pissed.

So on to the actual review. This story begins exactly where the previous one left off. At the Club BBQ with Deuce and Eva happy and relaxed and married (I know, freaking finally right!). And then there is Danny, Deuce's 21 year old daughter. We see early on that she's been thru a lot, but it's foggy what exactly that "a lot" actually is. But you realize right off the bat that, although she has Hell's Horsemen's brother ZZ on her arm, he is not at all in the equation. Ripper, the brother that she is a mixture of eye-screwing and eye-beating the crap out of most definitely is. And then we flash back to 3 years prior. 

Ripper, is the brother who was tortured and mutilated by Eva's psychotic ex Frankie in the last book. So to say he's got some issues and baggage is probably the understatement of the century. He's 32 and angry with the world and into all of the things Bikers are: sex, violence and alcohol. Danny is innocent, has an unhealthy obsession with pink and when we first see her she is at her high school prom. They shouldn't fit, but they do and we see this right from the beginning. They balance each other out. They need what the other provides- a shelter from the shit storm that is each of their lives. I won't get overly mushy though, because this connection does begin due to a major case of lust, alcohol and weed. And the lust definitely lingers. And begins to turn suspiciously into love. But they have to keep it a secret. Because, you know Deuce IS her father and all and he can be a crazy dude.

Speaking of Deuce, I guess I didn't stalk Madeline Sheehan enough because going into this I had no idea how much of a role Deuce and Eva had in this book. Let alone them each having major time in their own POVs separate of what was going on between Danny and Ripper. This was a continuation of their story. It showed you what happened in between the time of the last chapter of Undeniable- when Eva was forced to kill Frankie- and the happily ever after Epilogue. It wasn't all rainbows and kittens. Like the first book, they had to work for what they had. And also like the first book, the major obstacle was Deuce. But I can't really blame it all on him (amazingly enough for me), it was an EXTREMELY tough situation to be in. Deuce could not get over what Frankie made him sit through. He is an alpha male through and through and to make him feel helpless while his love is brutalized is more than anyone should have to go through. But then to watch her get off sexually from it.... There are a lot of debates that it's a body's chemical reaction, that some people have no control over it. But it could have very well been that she still had love for Frankie. I don't know and I'm not going to try and dissect it. Whatever the case may be, it left a large, gaping, festering wound for Deuce that wasn't quite healing properly. And this left him escaping his life. Not paying attention to his family, his club, even himself. Eva also sunk into a deep depression. She was a hallowed out, non-cognizant version of herself. Which left Danny and her brother Cage to fend for themselves and their little sister Ivy.
  
Deuce and Eva's mental and physical absence from her life allowed Danny to keep seeing Ripper. It was brief, but powerful. And just when everything is looking good and everyone is happy the proverbial shit hit the fan- and not in the way that you would think. Ripper plays martyr and runs away leaving Danny dealing with the mental toll of a domino effect of harsh consequences. She changes, she suffers and she hurts and Cage and ZZ are the ones that are there to help her pick up the pieces of herself. 

“Coulda fuckin’ told me, little sister,” he said quietly. “Would never let you go through all this shit by yourself.”
Grabbing my hand, he threaded his large fingers through mine and squeezed. “This is what big brothers are fuckin’ here for … To pick their little sisters up when they fall the fuck down.”


(PS - Can't wait for his book) 

Of course when she begins to be someone recognizable again is when Ripper decides to come back. Which, in turn, sets off a WHOLE OTHER crazy, intense domino effect of consequences. Some of which that are completely separate from Deuce, Eva, Ripper and Danny. Setting up what's to be the awesome remaining 3 books of the series. 

I needed both a hug and a nap after I was done reading this book. I loved it, but man oh man was it an emotional ride. One that I am hopping right back in line to eagerly take again when Unattainable, Unbeloved and Undying come out. Psst, check out the pic below that I pilfered from Madeline Sheehan's FB page ;)



         
 

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

"Waiting On" Wednesday


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
 
This week's choice is:
 
 
 
Cautious (Disastrous #2)
by E.L. Montes
Release Date: 5/23/13

Marcus and Mia share a LOVE stronger than others, but their relationship was built on LIES and deceit.
Cautiously, they continue to struggle for what they desire more than anything, each other.
Though, that comes with a price … one that involves more HEARTBREAK and deception.
Can they survive another disastrous path?
Is their love strong enough to defeat all the obstacles, all of the BETRAYAL?
Not all broken relationships are repairable, but Marcus and Mia try their hardest to fight for themselves and for each other.

So I haven't done a "Waiting On" Wednesday in awhile, but this one has me jittery like a crack fiend with anticipation. Only 8 more days!! I cannot wait for this!! Have you read Disastrous yet? If you haven't it's only $0.99 on Amazon right now so Go Pick It Up!
 
Add Cautious to your Goodreads TBR Pile

Oh and here is a teaser that the awesome-sauce Ms. Montes posted on her blog last month... Yeah not helping my utter impatience for this book...

MARCUS POV TEASER 
UNEDITED VERSION
Copyrights @ Cautious by E.L. Montes
The six of us moved closer toward Lou, forming a U surrounding his desk. Lou placed his wallet and revolver on top of a stack of papers and then eased down into his chair. Once he was situated, he took a long hard look at each and every one of us. Not saying a word – just taking his time to scrutinize the six men before him. I straighten my shoulders as I shoved my hands into my front pockets. Jimmie, to the right of me, had his arms crossed, intensively focusing on Lou while the others waited patiently.
Lou leaned back in his chair, laying an elbow on the armrest, as his index finger and thumb framed his face. Crossing his leg, he let out roguish laugh. “I call bullshit,” He spat out. All of us gave each other questioning glares and then turned our attention back on Lou. His smile widened. “I call bullshit because it’s come to my attention that someone in this very room has been lying the entire time.”
My breathing maintained steady, but I felt a rush of heat course through my veins. Jimmie slightly shifted uncomfortably beside me. As I quickly glanced over at him, I could see his forehead becoming damp. It was warm in the space we occupied, but I knew my brother, he was fuckin’ nervous. No one seemed to notice the change in his demeanor but me.
Come on Jimmie, don’t fuck this up.
 “For years, I truly thought my men were loyal.” Lou sucked his teeth three times as he slowly shook his head. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Shame on me for believing there were still devoted men in this world.” After one hard look at each of us, he uncrossed his leg and leaned into the desk. His elbows were placed on top of the wooden surface. He pointed an index finger and brought it toward his lips as his thumb rested beneath his chin. He sat in deep thought for a short period of time.
“What to do?” Lou questioned in a low voice. Then as if something lit up in his head, he spread his arms wide with a cocky grin. “Ah, that’s right. If I need something done, I must do it myself!” He stood from his chair, straightened his shoulders, and cracked his neck. Reaching for his revolver, he tightened his grip around the handle, twirling and examining the black metal piece in his hand. Everyone straightened, adjusting their position.
Lou walked around the desk until he was in the center of us. He slowly walked back and forth with his left hand behind his back. He gestured with his right hand, tightly holding the gun, as he spoke, “See what I don’t understand is while thinking back on it all, I truly thought, I took very good care of my men.” Stopping to face me, he angled his head and asked, “Do you think I do, Marky? Take good care of my men, that is?” I gave a curt nod in response. With a crooked grin, he tapped the cold metal gun in his hand along the side of my face, turned and made his way back to the center. All traces of humor washed away from his features as he stood tall and eyed every one of his men before him. “If I take good care of my men…then tell me? Why the FUCK am I having this fuckin’ conversation!” His arms spread wide as he glanced around the room like a lunatic.
“Tell me!” Lou’s face was slowly turning red as his anger built. It was dead silent. The drop of a pin could be heard a mile away. Landing his glare on Vinnie, he pointed his gun. “Vinnie, you got something to say?”
Vinnie shook his head. “No boss.”
“Hmm.” Then Lou’s arm shifted over to Buddy. “Buddy…what about you?” Lou asked.
Buddy raised a brow. “I’m the most loyal to you, Lou.”
Amused by that statement Lou smiled mockingly as he approached Buddy. “Is that so?”
Buddy stood his ground and nodded. “Yes, it is.” With both hands folded behind his back, Lou leaned into him, their faces mere inches away from one another as Lou drilled his eyes into Buddy’s for an awkwardly long time.
As if another idea just popped into his head, Lou swirled around and made his way back toward the center. Raising his gun, he aimed it at Buddy. “Eeny.” Lou smirked and then began pointing at each and every one of us, as he continued. “Meeny. Miny. Moe. Catch a Rat.” He landed the gun on Jimmie. I stiffened. My body damped with sweat as my heart thrashed against my chest. All sound went faint, expect for my breathing that grew hasty. Everything around me felt as if it was going in slow motion. I showed no sign of uneasiness as I exhaled when Lou took the aim off of Jimmie and began to go down the row of men again. “By his toe. If he squeals.” Mischievously, his smile grew lopsided. “Then let the fucker go.” Without a second thought, Lou pulled the trigger.