13 REASONS WHY Season 2 got it WRONG

I'll admit, even as a 33 year old married woman, I was pumped for Season 2 of 13 Reasons Why. And after binge watching the entire season in twenty-four hours I can definitively tell you that I wont be for Season 3. 

Here are MY reasons why....

1. They butchered Hannah’s character. In Season One, her monologue tapes were riveting, painting an experience that many High School kids have unfortunately been a victim of. They were her raw truth and although it was tough to watch her suicide, it was her story to tell. Then in Season 2 they turned her into a liar, a ghost liar no less. A. LIAR. A stereotype that women who are victims of sexual assault have to battle. Why add in the secret sexual relationship with Zach and her side ‘conversations’ with Bryce? Why leave that out of her tapes? Maybe this would have come across differently, more powerful if her ghost character wasn’t lurking awkwardly in the background. It just didn’t translate for me.

2. Clay’s blatant mental illness was seemingly ignored until Episode 11, then only given three minutes of screen time. The kid is under a microscope, talking to a dead girl and no one notices? Come on. Enter eye roll.

3. Clay’s parents are the perfect example on how not to raise a teenager. A lock on his bedroom door? Letting him leave all hours of the night? Ignoring his constantly beat up face? Rewarding his terrible behavior with a new car? 

….I cant.

4. The hints of a school shooting plot were borderline irresponsibly handled. Tyler either needed to be the focus of more episodes or cut out altogether. Such a relevant topic should have been hit head on, like Hanna’s suicide in Season 1. Instead Tyler shows up with an arsenal of weapons and is treated like he just showed up armed with a bad attitude.

(I'm not ready to touch on the mop scene yet)

5.   Are all High School Baseball Coaches this douchie? Yes, I know this isn’t a reason.

6. What was the point of the introduction of Skye into the equation? To show that Clay is drawn to broken females? It was forgettable filler bullshit in the first few episodes for me. I never felt their connection and was happy to see that storyline fade out.

7. Why didn’t Clay make copies of the Polaroids? A petty plot complaint, I know, but it still annoyed me. Come on kid, scan that shit!

8.Why is Justin forgiven and suddenly the heroin addict anti-hero of the story? Barf

9. Why is ghost Hannah’s hair long?

10. They ripped the power from Season 1 and left a weak trail of side stories in its path. It lacked the focus that each tape episode provided and tried to combine to many character plots.

11. How do these teenagers have such easy access to guns? Now that could have been in important and controversial story to tell.

12. The underlying message this season was that adults have failed us. Principals. Teachers. Parents. Coaches. Guidance Counselors. Judges. It missed the mark by a mile and screams to younger viewers that you can’t trust the people who are supposed to protected you and that school isn’t a safe place but a war zone.

13. I wouldn’t watch it again, and to me, that is the only reason I really need.

ARC of Manipulating The Assassin: A Twisted Tales Short Story!!

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She’s running for her life.

He’s the assassin hired to hunt her down.

A dangerous game of manipulation will twist their lives together.

Kimber Wellington skipped town with a USB drive that could collapse her family’s empire. After her sadistic step-brother, Marco, hostilely takes over the business from her father, he makes it his only priority to find Kimber and the information that could ruin him. Kimber has strategized how to stay out of Marco’s clutches, but she didn’t plan on the monster that finds her.

Rye Anderson is ruthless. He kills without regret, collects the paycheck and enjoys a solitary life. The last hassle he wants to deal with is tracking a socialite across the country, a job he accepts as a favor. Rye assumes that delivering the twenty-three-year-old college student will be a quick, easy payday. He soon realizes that his underestimation of Kimber could be a game changer.

WARNING: This is a sexually explicit, foul language filled non-traditional dark romantic suspense. It is not intended for sensitive readers or anyone under the age of 18.

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Thank you!! xoxo

Coming March 17th!!!

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MANIPULATING THE ASSASSIN

COMING SOON!!

My Election 2016 thoughts....

....Just kidding!

But I do think everyone should take a breath, a shot of Vodka and read one of the following books.

1. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales - Seriously. It's hilariously silly and a great escape from reality.
Link to Amazon

2. Where the sidewalk ends - If you don't own this one, you really should. These poems will calm your soul. Link to Amazon

If those suggestions fail at helping you feel better, please watch Elf. I dare you to be in a bad mood after watching it! Link to Amazon

You're welcome! :)

Outlining is for crime scenes

Most authors are outliners. They completely plot out a novel on paper before attempting to type the actual words. I am NOT one of those authors. Outlining, for me, is as painful a process as writing a book blurb. I don't enjoy it, nor is it how my brain works. I write in scenes, usually completely out of order, then I work to mesh them together into a story.

The best plot twists for me come at night, usually right before bed. This is equal parts awesome as it is annoying. If I’m beyond exhausted and don't bother to write the idea down, it floats away never to be remembered again. But when laziness fails to win, and the words flow into my bedside notebook, it almost always results in magic. 

My process has been different for all 3 of The Deceptive Lovers Series books.

With Web of Deceit I started in the middle. I know the exact scene I needed to perfect before moving back and forth to create the story. 

With Deadly Omissions I started toward the end. Those characters spoke to me about a certain scene that had to happen in order to set up book 3, Twisted Denial, so I wrote away. 

With Twisted Denial, my current work in progress and book 3 in The Deceptive Lovers Series, I started at the beginning. I knew how Morgan's story would start and felt that needed to be established first.  Then I jumped right into the middle, which is what I’m currently working on.

There is no specific flow that I follow, but I never, ever, ever write a story in chapter order.

Moral of the story: I'm a weido writer with a wacky process.

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Michael Myers is my homeboy

October has always been my favorite month of the year. Not only is it my birthday month, but it is also my Moms as well. The temperature starts it’s slow descent here in Florida, and my t-shirts get a much needed break from the sweaty armpit summer heat. With the cooler nights also comes a much needed cheaper AC bill.

These things all help build my love, but what really excites me about the tenth month of the year is Halloween.

No, I don’t mean the trick or treating with the neighborhood kiddos. I mean the movie Halloween.

I am a HUGE scary movie buff and Halloween, Halloween II and Halloween H2O are my absolute all-time favorites. All of the Scream movies and Friday the 13^th are a close second, but there’s something about the spine tingling, jump inducing, genius theme music of Halloween that gets my blood pumping like no other.

When AMC plays all day marathons right before the 31st, I feel the need to call in sick to work.

Seriously. My obsession is that strong.

My fiancé also shares my love of the horror genre, and we make Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights an annual event each year. Our favorites haunted houses this time were Halloween II and American Horror Story, but we really loved all 9 that they had.

Moral of the story: Michael Myers is my homeboy.

Halloween Horror Nights 10/12/16

 

www.laurenreign.com

Web of Deceit

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I now pronounce you stress free

I am convinced that any woman who raves that she loves the wedding planning process is a liar.

Yes, a LIAR.

Okay. Okay. Put your pitchforks down, stop the eye rolls and hear a girl out.

I’m accustom to dealing with stressful situations. I went to college, which was no picnic. I’ve given speeches in front of hundreds of uninterested students and not even broken out into a sweat. Hell, In my hotel management days, I battled guests who, unknowingly to me, had a gun pointed at my head from the other side of the closed door. Seriously.

Nothing, and I do mean NOTHING in my life has been as stressful as planning a wedding. I’ve never been that girl who dreamt about her wedding. There was no fantasy meticulously plotted in my mind, and maybe that’s the problem. I hate small details...actually ALL details. They are the devil.

But by far the most annoying battle yet has been the wedding cake. I was asked what kind of cake I wanted. My response was FunFetti. This was met with scrunched faces of confusion and rapid head shaking. First of all, Funfetti cake is the shit. Second, it’s my damn wedding and if I want to eat a Funfetti cake, then that’s what we are having! I couldn’t care less that it’s not traditional. I’ve been with my fiancé for over 6 years, and 4 years ago we bought our house. I think it’s safe to say that traditional isn’t our jam.

Moral of the story is ELOPE.

P.S. My rehearsal dinner party just became a book release party too!! Deadly Omissions comes out December 9^th, 2016. This is the day before my December 10^th nuptials.

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True Life: We don’t live in a romance novel

A good friend once told me that she no longer reads romance novels because it conjured unrealistic expectations of men. They made her picky to the point where she wasn’t dating at all because Mr. Billionaire, alpha male McHottie hadn’t shown up at her front door with his grand gesture and devastating dimpled smile.

She is, of course, completely right! Here are some fun true life facts that are totally ignored in most of the romance novels that we love.

Snoring. None of the big, burly, hot heroes ever snore! This is not real life.

Morning Breath. I don’t care if you're Brad Pitt, nothing sexy happens until after teeth have been brushed. That’s just gross.

Farting & Pooping. These bodily functions simply don't exist in the romance literary world. If only!

Money. Private jets are not common among bachelors, no matter what an author tells you in their story.

Virgin status. Your first time is never awesome, and if you say it was then you’re a liar.

Man parts. Sooooo over exaggerated. Like breasts, they are not all perfectly shaped and large.

As true as these points may be, I still can't resist the escape a great romance novel can provide.

On that note, check out my debut novel, Web of Deceit, where the men are hot FBI Agent twins with dimples to die for!! :)  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BBBZV8W

10 things you probably don't know about me!!

I’m scared of big waves. Yes, ocean waves. I know, I’m nuts.

I’m addicted to all kinds of sour candy.

I hate Subway and the way all their stores smell the same! Ick.

I could live off of pizza if my metabolism and cholesterol allowed it.

I hate doing the dishes. Thankfully my fiancé doesn’t mind getting his hands dirty!

Talking on the phone is a last resort for me. I completely despise it.

I need the background noise of the TV when read or write.

I hate coffee and never drink it. It makes me shaky!

However I am a total diet coke addict! 

Public speaking makes me want to barf.

Web of Deceit is LIVE!!!!

Tyrannosaurus Rex. The best game you’ve never played!

Every human, man or woman, at some point in their lives has had the joy of fielding off unwanted requests by interested parties while enjoying a night out with friends. Let’s be honest, getting hit on can be extremely flattering and exciting but it can also be annoying and completely uncalled for.

Hence why the Tyrannosaurus Rex game was created.

For this blog post I’m going to explain it from a woman’s point of view. Now, this isn’t a game you play with the shy gentleman who stops by your table and cordially introduces himself to you or the current eye candy you’re crushing on big time.

No, you save this gem for the slobby drunk loser who needs to grip his sweaty palm on the back of your chair just to stay upright. The guy whose breath screams hotdog eating contest winner, and whose saliva shots in your direction with every slurred word.

THAT is your perfect contestant.

This game requires two to play because you should always have backup, but it can be enjoyed by up to six!

The rules are simple. When said loser approaches you table like his shit don’t stink, slinging his alcohol induced anti-charm, someone in the group yells out ‘Tyrannosaurus Rex!’ then another whispers ‘if you don’t move then he can’t see us’ and everyone playing closes their eyes and freezes all movement. Whoever cracks up laughing first buys the next round of drinks.

Sure, it will undoubtedly result in your group getting called a few unimaginative adjectives by said guy, but the laughs are worth it and I guarantee he will dejectedly walk away leaving you to enjoy the rest of your night in peace.

This game can also be modified to work for ruthless sales associates, rude dinner guests and even your own children when their asking for money.

In my debut novel, Web of Deceit, my main character, Kalli, uses this technique often!

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You don't always marry your soulmate

Any avid reader of romance has, at one point or another, read a story where childhood best friends fall blissfully in love. He’s been protecting her for years, warning all other men to back off from her. She’s never been interested in anyone else, spending every free moment with only him.

Soulmates meant to be.

But what happens when these kindred spirits stay just friends?

I’ve had the same best friend since adolescence. We were born one month apart and next door neighbors in a rural Massachusetts town. As kids we had a rare, instant bond that some never feel with another human being. All of our free time was spent together and even with the distance of me heading off to The University of Tampa, the deep friendship remained intact.

This person means the world to me and he happens to be a man.

Growing up, it was assumed that he and I would end up together. My parents loved him and joked of our impending marriage often. His family didn’t blink an eye when they saw me in their house hours on end daily because it was our routine.

But we aren’t in love and never have been. We kissed only once when we were sixteen and partaking in some underage adult beverage debauchery. It's a fuzzy memory that felt all kinds of wrong and it never happened again.

I love this man fiercely. I would take a bullet for him and I would be on the next flight out of Tampa if he ever needed me, but he will only ever be my amazing best friend.

Ryan, who is a twin, was my inspiration for Colton, one of the main characters in Web of Deceit. The friendship Colton has with the heroine, Kalli, is very similar to how ours is to this day. His brother, unfortunately, wasn't my inspiration for Jaxxon....sorry Craig!

Above is a picture of us at his wedding in July. Yes, I did crop out his beautiful wife, so hopefully she doesn’t see this blog post!!

GIVEAWAY ALERT: Comment with the name of your best friend to enter to win a signed paperback of Web of Deceit.

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REVIEW: Dirty Ride by Chantal Fernando

Overall I thought this was a very well written, engaging MC story! The Prologue was fantastic, sucking me right in. Arden (Irish), love the name Arden by the way, was a sexy biker with a bit of a softer side. Valentina (tina) is on the run from her past and the last thing she needs is another bad boy entering her life. I enjoyed their dialogue and felt in when Tina started to fall for Arden. I thought they were great together!

 My only complaint keeping this story from being a 5 star read to me is that the ending felt rushed! I needed more from it and I was disappointed by the Epilogue.

Regardless, this is definitely a must read MC series!

4 Stars

Link to Ride Dirty on Amazon

Coming soon!

Quick Reviews!

Baller by Vi Keeland

Now I'm in the minority with this book because I didn't love it! I couldn't connect to any of the characters and didn't appreciate the extra point of view (when you read it you will understand). Unfortunately this book didn't hit the mark with me, and I LOVE a football romance. 3.5 stars

Club Whore by Kim Jones

I thought this was a very original idea. The club whore is usually the villain in MV novels, so it was a great change of pace to root for the whore for once. The writing was great, and the characters were well developed. If you like a gritty MC, then this is your read!

4 stars

REVIEW: Stolen Flame by D.W. Marshall

I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

After I finished reading Stolen Flame, I took the night to contemplate my review. This is not your typical formula, cookie cutter novel and it shouldn’t be expected to be. What it is is erotica at its best with a sensitive subject. This author was able to take a story, which had dark undertones (not uncomfortable dark at all), and turn it into an erotic forbidden fantasy that is rarely touched upon. Is it over the top and slightly unbelievable? Yes. Is it supposed to be that way? Yes!!! The writing was awesome, and the sex scenes were hot! If you are a true fan of erotica, then there is not way you wouldn’t love this story.

5 STARS!!

FREE on KINDLE UNLIMITED  

Web of Deceit teaser!!

Review: Sebring (The Unfinished Heroes Series 5) by Kristen Ashley

Sebring, the final novel in the Unfinished Heroes Series, is by far my absolute favorite! We read about Nick’s fall into douchebagness in Knight, and I’ve craved for his story to be told ever since. Having his history highlighted in Knight and sporadically mingled into Creed, Raid and Deacon made me feel connected to him in a more intense way than any of the other characters in this series. I wanted Nick to get his shit together, I believed that he could find his HEA and I needed him to become the man I hoped he could be.

And who is the perfect heroine for Nick to fall for? A gangster princess named Olivia! The way he and Olivia meet is mouthwatering in a - make sure you’re reading this in the privacy of your own home - kinda HOT! And when Olivia calls him Nicky?? And he lets her?? Swoon! Pass the tequila while I attempt to get myself together.

Nick's back story/past is brutal, but it's almost as if he's earned himself that brutal with his past behavior over the years.

KA hit it on the bulls-eyes, but lets be real, when does she not?

Nick Sebring earned his spot on your Kindle, and your bookshelf! 

5++++ Stars

Link to Sebring on Amazon
Link to the entire Unfinished Heroes Series on Amazon