Review: Nemesis

Title: Nemesis
Author: Anna Banks
Released: October 4, 2016

Synopsis:

The princess didn't expect to fall in love--with her nemesis.
Princess Sepora of Serubel is the last Forger in all the five kingdoms. The spectorium she creates provides energy for all, but now her father has found a way to weaponize it, and his intentions to incite war force her to flee from his grasp. She escapes across enemy lines into the kingdom of Theoria, but her plans to hide are thwarted when she is captured and placed in the young king's servitude.
Tarik has just taken over rulership of Theoria, and must now face a new plague sweeping through his kingdom and killing his citizens. The last thing he needs is a troublesome servant vying for his attention. But mistress Sepora will not be ignored. When the two finally meet face-to-face, they form an unlikely bond that complicates life in ways neither of them could have imagined.
Sepora's gift could save Tarik's kingdom from the Quiet Plague. But should she trust her growing feelings for her nemesis, or should she hide her gifts at all costs?

My Review:

I am upset. Oh my gosh, so upset. But only because I WANT MORE. It ended so suddenly (at least to me) because I just wanted more and more of the story, but alas, I need to wait until the sequel comes out, which will be a while because this book is not out for a few months.

 Nemesis took me less than four hours to read because I was so into it. I really enjoyed the story, I have been wanting a good royalty story, and though Sepora is not in the role of a princess, she was still one at heart and Tarik was a king so I just got all the royalty.

The world building was oh so good. I love Egyptian mythology and Theoria looked to me like it was based off of Egypt. It probably was, I just don’t want to make assumptions.

Okay, so Sepora. I can’t really decide if I like her or not. She seemed so naïve and innocent. She really didn’t understand the world and needed to have a better grasp on it, especially if she was going to be a queen. She was also very entitled and stubborn. She wanted to get her way and would do anything she could to get it. I wanted to smack and shake her half the time. She was also a teenage girl. She needed to get a grip on her emotions and be less of an annoyance.

I really enjoyed Tarik, though he was just as naïve sometimes. He was suddenly thrust into his role as king and he was trying to make the best of it. I think if he was given more respect by his advisor, he would be able to do an amazing job. BUT THAT ADVISOR WAS SO ANNOYING. I honestly hated him and I wished Tarik would just get rid of him. I wish that I could’ve seen more of the real Tarik, he was so guarded that it was hard to see the boy that he really was.

Nemesis is the book y’all have been waiting for. Anna Banks did such a freaking good job writing this book! It is the perfect mix of fantasy, romance, and teenagers finding their ways.

Teaser Tuesday: 6/14/2016

  Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books And A Beat.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teaser: 

"I was afraid she wasn't going to ask. Or that her mom might hate me so much she wanted me nowhere near her prized turkey, let alone her daughter."

- Never Let You Go, Monica Murphy, Page 227

Review: Princess of Tyrone

Title: Princess of Tyrone
Author: Katie Hamstead
Released: March 31, 2016

Synopsis:

Apolline is happy hunting magical creatures on her pirate infested outer-perimeter planet. She is a fantastic shot, and doesn’t flinch at the blood and guts of her kills. Never once did she consider she could be the missing Princess of Tyrone.

All her life, she has heard the story of the Princess, cursed to sleep for eternity, unless her betrothed, the Prince of Oran, gave her true love’s kiss. Although Apolline knows she is betrothed, she thinks her fairy guardians arranged it out of ignorance of human ways. The thought she could be a princess is inconceivable.
Then Allard appears. Handsome, charming—but he’s not hers to have. He’s betrothed, too. Her guardians warn her against her new found friendship, but she and Allard meet in secret anyway. Despite her rough exterior, he sees beyond her gun-slinging bravado, and their love blossoms.
But the deadline for the sleeping curse is approaching. If Apolline falls in love with the wrong person, she could end up sleeping forever.

A quirky, adventurous retelling of Sleeping Beauty, with a less than princess-ly princess!

My Review:

So I made a mistake. The mistake wasn’t reading this book, because this book was anything but a mistake. The mistake was starting this book at midnight and staying up until three in the morning to finish it, during finals week. Yes, I am full of bad choices during finals week. Every time I would look at the clock and notice it getting later, but I just couldn’t put this book down, it was so good.

Princess of Tyrone was what I needed in my life. I was in the mood for a princess book and sure did I get one. Well, not quite, but still, it had everything I was looking for and more. The plot was very fast-paced and I couldn’t stop myself from continuing to read, if you couldn’t tell by my staying up until all hours of the night reading. I was never bored, sure there were times when I wanted it to speed up a little and to stop keeping me in suspense, but other than that, I loved all the aspects of this book.

Apolline is such a badass. She lives out in the words with her three fairy protectors (who she calls her aunts) and instead of just sitting around doing nothing, she learned to hunt and make herself useful. She is a strong independent women who don’t need no man and she was absolutely great. She never backed down, was stubborn as hell, and could protect herself if need be. She was also sweet, kind, and intelligent, but she didn’t show it off. I want to either be Apolline or have a friend like her in my life.

Allard is a little deceiver. All he wanted was a normal friend and he found that in Apolline, sure he was betrothed, but he never betrayed his vow with her. He just wanted to talk to someone who didn’t know about his title and that was Apolline. He was strong, kind, intelligent, and all those other things that a prince should be, but he didn’t act like a stuck up royal. He was very down to earth and charming as hell. I loved reading from his point of view.

Okay, this book is freaking great. If you don’t have a thing for New Adult, I would try this one out. It’s not your typical new adult book. The only thing really new adult about it is the fact that the characters are in their twenties. Other than that, it’s pretty close to a YA. Go pick this one up as soon as possible, you won’t regret it. 

Book Tour - Excerpt & Review: The Wedding Wager

 

Title: The Wedding Wager (Weddings in Westchester #2)
Author: Barbara Deleo
Released: May 16, 2016

Synopsis:

Nick Katsalos has a foolproof plan to save his parents' floundering wedding venue. The last thing he expects is for Erin O'Malley, the captivating daughter of his parents' biggest rival, to waltz in and charm the client who could finally get the family business back on track. Nick would be furious--if only he could stop thinking about her.
When Erin and Nick enter into a wager to determine who will win the contract she prepares for the worst...and is surprised by the glimpses of warmth she sees in the man behind the numbers. But Erin isn't about to forfeit what could be the biggest wedding of the decade to a man as cold as Nick. Especially since securing it means she could finally prove to her father she's just as capable of handling the family business as him.

But as the competition heats up, Erin and Nick must decide what's more important—winning or love.

My Review:

SO SO GOOD! I’m tempted to end my review right there, but that won’t do this book justice. I enjoyed The Wedding Wager so freaking much. It was so great. It is a quick read, my copy was only about 146 pages, but it was still so worth it. I binge-read it in about 2 hours when I should’ve been sleeping, but I wasn’t. This book is worth every second of your time.

So the plot was a little fast-paced, but that was because it is such a short book. There seemed to be some aspects that were rushed and at moments it was a littler hard to tell the timeline, but it was eventually cleared up and my understanding of the book never diminished. I was so into this book that I was very upset when it ended. I WANTED MORE! I NEEDED MORE! Can I please have some more?

Erin is just trying to prove herself. She is the first-born of a very proud Irish man who wanted a son. When her father’s health goes down, she steps up to take over the company and gain her father’s approval. She was so stubborn, which I guess she had to be when she was trying to gain her father’s approval and couldn’t back down against him. But there was moments when I wanted to reach in and shake her. Yell at her to stop being so stubborn and just accept what is happening between her and Nick. She is also so intelligent. She was quick-witted and fierce. I hope to be as good of a businesswoman as she was.

Nick looks like a freaking Greek God. That is all you need to know about him. Just kidding, there is more to him than just looks. He is a very closed off, cold, logical person. He is also extremely intelligent and sweet when he wants to be. It was great watching him take over his families business to try and bring them back together. I wish I could know more about Nick because we didn’t learn a lot about him. I want more Nick in my life!

All in all, this book is a great read. If you’re looking for something short and sweet, this is the book for you. Also, don’t be fooled by its length, it packs a great story into those few pages and it is worth your time! 

Excerpt #1:

As she neared the secluded part of the garden with the paper bag of birdseed in her hand, she stopped still. There was movement behind a tree, and she thought she could see the toe of a man’s business shoe poking out. Her skin prickled. Had someone come here to have a secret cigarette? Had a groomsmen wanted a stolen moment with one of the bridesmaids?
The doves were roosting on the dovecote, so whoever it was hadn’t disturbed them, or else the person had been there for some time. On a hunch, she stayed perfectly still.
One minute went by, then two, the only noise the cooing of the doves and some garden irrigation switching on in the distance. And then the foot moved out, followed by a leg, and then a body. Nick Katsalos in all his perfect, arrogant gorgeousness stood before her. A wave of heat swept through her before she tried desperately to work out why he was here, alone in her garden.
“Oh,” he said as his face dropped, then he took a deliberate step away from the tree. “I thought you’d gone.”
She folded her arms and pressed them close to try and stop the delicious tremble in her body. “Obviously. Please don’t say you were hiding from me.”
He cleared his throat. “Not hiding exactly.”
She swung her shoes by their straps. Enjoying the feeling of having him cornered. “Skulking, then.”
“Pardon?”
“Skulking. It means wandering around trying not to be noticed, most commonly without good intentions.” She tipped her head on one side. “Were your intentions in lurking behind that tree good, Nick?”
He pulled at the collar of his shirt, and she couldn’t help the burst of satisfaction inside that he really did look like he was squirming. “I thought I’d come over and take a look at what my competition was,” he said, holding her gaze defiantly. “I didn’t jump any fences or run a security patrol, if that’s what you’re asking. Did you bring me some supper?” he said with a grin, nodding at the bag.
He looked so perfect, like he was the prize on “The Bachelor,” and she had to remind herself just why she had to keep her distance. She lifted her chin. “So, you’re cheating then. You’ve come to look at what we’ve got going on here so you can copy it and win? I’m sure Wedding World would be interested in the fact that you’d resort to such underhanded tactics.”
He slid a hand into his pocket and crafted himself into a position of indifference. He looked so hot and in control, and it killed her.
“No, not cheating, either. Any smart businessman will want to have a realistic understanding of how his opposition works. Nothing wrong with that.”
“Then why didn’t you just walk up to the front door like any normal person would and ask to be shown around?”
Excerpt #2     

“So, how was the movie?” he asked.
She frowned and looked at him sideways. “Which movie?”
“Pretty Woman. I know you’d have gone and watched it after I told you about all the mistakes.”
Her eyes narrowed. “As a matter of fact I did watch it again and you’re totally, one hundred percent wrong.”
He shrugged. “Am not.”
She put her hands on her hips defiantly and heat flared through him. “Vivian could totally have been eating so quickly that she went from a croissant to a pancake, to another pancake in the place of a few minutes while Edward was talking.”
He smiled to himself. He’d been right. She was competitive enough that she’d want to prove him wrong. “Why would she do that? Unless she wanted a pretty mean case of heartburn.”
“She’d never been in a hotel room like that, not eating breakfast, anyway.” She waved her hands in the air as if she were speaking about a real woman, a friend, someone who she’d talked to at length about this. “Maybe she hadn’t eaten for days. Maybe she’d never seen so much food on the table before and she wanted to eat as much as she could before they took it away.”
“Maybe she’d burned up so many calories when she slept with Edward that she was starving.” He couldn’t resist, and the blush it brought to her cheeks was worth it.
Her eyes flicked to his, then suddenly away, and in that second Nick had never wanted anyone or anything more in his life. He cleared his throat. Living in a wedding hall must have caused his logical brain to stall. He kick-started it just in time. “Or the continuity guy was sleeping on the job.”
She made a growling noise. “I’ve never met someone so infuriatingly cynical.”
“You’re just angry because I pointed out a fact to you and now you can’t unsee it. In fact, you voluntarily watched the movie again, and you’re pissed because you know I’m right.”
She moistened her lips. “You still haven’t proven any of those mistakes, and until you do, I’m not going to believe any of them. Besides, the Rockwell painting is old and so is Pretty Woman. With all the advances in technology, mistakes aren’t going to be a problem anymore.”
He paused for a moment, wondering how far he could push her. No, it wouldn’t be fair, would it? But she was glaring at him, challenging, and he couldn’t resist making an excuse to have the same sort of passionate discussion with her again. “Seen The Fault in Our Stars?”
She spun back to him. “Oh no you don’t! I cried through that entire movie, and I am not going to have you destroy that for me. You’re sick, Nick Katsalos. Sick, sick, sick.”
He grinned. “I wouldn’t dream of telling you if you don’t want to hear. But you did ask.”
Excerpt #3

“Erin, I do respect you. Obviously way more than I’ve made clear. Your professionalism, your drive, your determination—I don’t mind admitting it’s those things that are driving me a little crazy for you.”
He wasn’t joking. She knew by the tone in his voice and the set of his body that he meant every word. And it melted her from the inside out.
“You’re an interesting equation, Erin O’Malley.”
“What does that mean?”
He tilted his head and gave her a look that made her feel as though he could see right into the most secret parts of her. “It’s pretty easy to get most people’s number, work out what makes them tick, how the sum of their parts will add up to a neat solution. Not with you.”
“That’s an original pickup line.” Her fingers drummed rapidly against the bowl of her wineglass.
He chuckled and shrugged. “I’m a mathematician. What can you do? But at the very least you should take it as a compliment. I will work you out, Erin. I’ll find your variables and your points of differentiation. By the time we’re through, I guarantee I’ll have you summed up.”
He stepped closer and still she held her ground, but now her cells were screaming for her to lean into him, to taste his mouth and to feel his body beneath her fingers.
Instead, she squared her shoulders. “That’s just about as arrogant as anyone could possibly get. Being so certain that just because you work with numbers and percentages you can work people out. I can tell you now, a guy like you would never understand a woman like me.”
Instead of bending his face toward her as her body wished he would, he reached out and twined his fingers with hers. “If you really don’t think there’s anything happening here, then I’ll accept it, but no matter what happens, I don’t ever want you to think that I don’t respect you, Erin. You couldn’t be more wrong.”
She swallowed as he squeezed her hand and all her blood seemed to pool where they touched. He was smiling at her, and all she could think was how much she wanted his mouth on hers. There was something about Nick Katsalos that drove her crazy, and she didn’t know how to stop it. And then she squeezed his hand back.
Before she could think about what she was doing, they were kissing, her hands around his neck, his arms around her waist.
She’d imagined he’d taste heavenly, but she’d expected the bitterness of beer on his lips, not the sweetness of ginger and honey. When his tongue pressed along her bottom lip she thought she might crumble. As if she were in some sort of vacuum, the noise of the bar around them disintegrated, and all she could hear was his breathing and the rush of blood in her ears. He pulled her closer, his hands splayed across the bare skin of her back and she pressed herself to him.
Moments later, when they sprang apart, it was as if they’d broken the surface of a pool and the noise of the bar, and the heart-pounding reality of what she’d just done came rushing up at her.
Find it online:

Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | Goodreads

About the author:

Barbara DeLeo’s first book, co-written with her best friend, was a story about beauty queens in space. She was eleven, and the sole, handwritten copy was lost years ago, much to everyone’s relief. It’s some small miracle that she kept the faith and is now living her dream of writing sparkling contemporary romance with unforgettable characters.

After completing degrees in Psychology and English then travelling the world, Barbara married her winemaker hero and had two sets of twins.

She still loves telling stories about finding love in all the wrong places, with not a beauty queen or spaceship in sight.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

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Book Blitz: The Neverland Wars

The Neverland Wars
Audrey Greathouse
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: May 9th 2016
Genres: Fairy Tales, Retelling, Young Adult

Magic can do a lot—give you flight, show you mermaids, help you taste the stars, and… solve the budget crisis? That’s what the grown-ups will do with it if they ever make it to Neverland to steal its magic and bring their children home.
However, Gwen doesn’t know this. She’s just a sixteen-year-old girl with a place on the debate team and a powerful crush on Jay, the soon-to-be homecoming king. She doesn’t know her little sister could actually run away with Peter Pan, or that she might have to chase after her to bring her home safe. Gwen will find out though—and when she does, she’ll discover she’s in the middle of a looming war between Neverland and reality.
She’ll be out of place as a teenager in Neverland, but she won’t be the only one. Peter Pan’s constant treks back to the mainland have slowly aged him into adolescence as well. Soon, Gwen will have to decide whether she’s going to join impish, playful Peter in his fight for eternal youth… or if she’s going to scramble back to reality in time for the homecoming dance.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes / Smashwords

EXCERPT:

A flash of lightning electrified the sky, shooting light through the forest with a jarring pang. The boom of thunder followed immediately after. The sky was grey and the clouds shifted like a swarm of dark fish in a pond. Gwen feared she would be caught in a storm, but not a drop of rain had fallen yet.
All at once, Gwen found herself in a meadow. She had never been here before; she knew that. Wildflowers cropped up in sporadic clumps, and the long, green grasses were uncut at her calves. The tree line had suddenly broken. One minute, she was racing through the forest, the next, she was floating here. Pausing to catch her breath, she ironically felt safer in this open area than in the claustrophobic security of the forest. She landed gently, unthinkingly. Turning her head to the sky, she saw the faint grey clouds blowing and rolling away. Darker clouds seemed to be coming to take their place.
On the other side of the meadow, Peter burst into the clearing. Bramble was leading him, guiding the boy to poor, lost Gwen. If Gwen had understood the fairy language, she would have already known that.
“Gwenny!”
“Peter?” Gwen shouted. She ran to him, and between her bounding strides and his quick flight, they met in the middle of the meadow, cornflowers and lilacs growing up around them. Perhaps if he had been on the ground initially, she would have hugged him. Peter lingered in the air for just a moment though, and by the time he landed, the impulse to hug each other had melted away into urgent discussion. “What are you doing out here?” His voice carried the sort of anger that only accompanied concern.
“I got lost in the woods; I was trying to come back. Is something wrong, Peter?”
Bramble flitted back and forth, pacing in the air, objecting to Peter and Gwen having this conversation now, rather than when they were safely underground.
“The opposition, they’ve launched an attack. We’ve got to get to cover.”
“What? No, it’s just a storm.” Gwen didn’t understand what Peter was telling her, but she had already made up her mind that she didn’t believe it.
“Gwen-dollie, we’ve got to go. There’s—”
The sky was suddenly drained of light. The thin, grey clouds that had blocked the sun were eclipsed by darker, brooding storm clouds, and as the daylight faded, small, grey flecks began to rain down. As they drifted softly, Gwen knew it wasn’t rain. Her attention was as captivated as Peter’s was, but she did not understand what it was the way he did. “Snow?” she asked quizzically, looking at the grey and dirty powder as it started to fall around her.
Peter held out his hand and caught a flake of it, crushing it in his hand. It left a smoky residue on his palm. “Ash.”
The winds picked up, and more of the ash furiously fluttered down. It became larger, and Gwen could hardly comprehend the charred flecks of paper that were plummeting down. Peter zipped up into the air, jumping more than flying, to grab a large square of it. He came back down immediately, a look of horror on his face.
“Peter, what is it?” Gwen pled, hoping that her fear was born of her unknowing, that if she only had answers she wouldn’t be afraid, but from the look on his face, she knew that answers would only bring more fear.
The invisible hand of the wind grabbed the paper from out of Peter’s hold. It blew straight to Gwen. Catching it, she realized it was a page from out of a newspaper; the title read—ISIS ATTACK ON ERBIL; HUNDREDS DEAD.
She had seen newspaper headlines before, but this news did not belong here. Not in Neverland. It was too dark, too terrifying of a thing to read amid the lilacs and cornflowers. Again, she begged, “What is this, Peter?”
The page was torn out of her hand by the vindictive wind. Peter answered her, with a word she had never feared so greatly. “Reality.”

Author Bio:
Audrey Greathouse is a lost child in a perpetual and footloose quest for her own post-adolescent Neverland. Originally from Seattle, she earned her English B.A. from Southern New Hampshire University's online program while backpacking around the west coast and pretending to be a student at Stanford. A pianist, circus artist, fire-eater, street mime, swing dancer, and novelist, Audrey wears many hats wherever she is. She has grand hopes for the future which include publishing more books and owning a crockpot. You can find her at audreygreathouse.com

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Review: The Rule Book

Title: The Rule Book
Author: Jennifer Blackwood
Released: May 9, 2016

Synopsis:

Starr Media Second-Assistant Survival Guide
1. Don't call your hot boss the antichrist to his face.
2. Don't stare at hot boss's, um, package or his full sleeve of tattoos. (No. Really. Stop!)
3. Don't get on the malicious first assistant's bad side.
4. Don't forget to memorize the 300-page employee manual.
5. If you value your cashmere, steer clear of boss’s dog.
6. Boss’s dimples are lust-inducing. Do. Not. Give. In.
7. “The elevator ate your clothes” is not a valid excuse for showing up to important meetings half dressed.
8. Don't break seven of the rules within the first week of employment if you, ya know, are in dire need of money to support your sick mom.
9. Whatever you do, don’t fall for the boss. See rule eight about sick mom.
10. Never forget the rules.

My Review:

Well, those rules were definitely broken. I loved reading about a rule breaker since it is so different from my everyday life. I am a follower of the rules (for the most part) and watching both of the characters break the rules was hilarious. The Rule Book is full of witty banter, heart-wrenching plot twists, and of course, some sexy scenes thrown in. I absolutely adored this books and I was not ready for their story to end.

The Rule Book was very fast paced. There was not a moment of down time or filler chapters to move the plot along. Each chapter had a point and was there to further the plot, but also very entertaining and kept me immersed in the book. I loved every chapter of this book and I couldn’t put this book down for a second, which really pissed off my bosses. :P

Lainey was freaking great. She has her MBA in advertising with a focus on Social Media, which is pretty much what I want to do with my life, so I instantly connected with her character. Her entire world right now is focused on her mom who is sick with cancer. She is working herself to the bone to help her mother pay the hospital bills. She is so dedicated to her mother and wants to help her out as much as possible. With the weight of the world on her shoulders, she is not giving anything up. She fights for what she wants and doesn’t let herself be walked over.

Her character was very refreshing. I am so used to female characters just letting themselves be walked over and giving into a guy in a matter of seconds. Not Lainey, though. She is strong and I actually mean that. She earns the readers respect through her actions and also by being freaking hilarious. She is not someone to mess with and I was proud of her character in the end.

Brogan is gorgeous. Let’s just get that out of the way. He is also a very successful business man who has a good head on his shoulders, but also a lot of rules. He owns his own company, so of course there will be rules, but these rules include things like “no eating garlic” and outrageous things like that. His is also a workaholic. His company is his baby and he will do anything for it, which is very sexy, but also annoying. Other than that, he is one of the nicest alpha males I have had the pleasure of reading about. He has this behemoth of a dog that he loves dearly and loves to cook, what is better than that?

The downside to Brogan, besides his workaholic tendencies, is that he tends to be quick to judge and to draw conclusions. Which caused SO MANY conflicts in the book. He would jump to conclusions without thinking things though and researching things and every time he did that, I wanted to smack him. BOY! You’re an MIT grad, think things through, dude.

I absolutely adored this book. If you are looking for a good book to just sit down and enjoy, this is your book. It was not a heavy book by any means, but it did have some sad aspects to it. For the most part, it was just a good read with a great story that draws you in and makes you want to break some rules. 

Review: Never Let You Go

 

Title: Never Let You Go (Never Tear Us Apart #2)
Author: Monica Murphy
Published: May 3, 2016

Synopsis:

Darkly sexy, emotional and forbidden, a woman unwittingly falls in love with the son of her abductor. The conclusion of a two-book contemporary romance series by New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy.
Lies hurt. Lies destroy. I tried my best to understand why Ethan kept his secrets but it was so hard. Until I realized that I couldn't deny myself any longer -- I needed to be with him. We needed each other. Despite my family's wariness, the media's fascination with us, the fact that his father still has a stranglehold on our lives, we belong together. No matter what. I will never let Ethan go. But sometimes love destroys us too, and we're too weak to banish the demons. Especially when our demons are determined to ruin us... 

My Review:
I don’t know where to start with Never Let You Go. It was a hard story to read, but it was easier than the first one. I feel that this book was meant to give the reader the hope that humans have the capability to move on after a tragedy. That we are capable to grow stronger and find it within ourselves to carry on even during our darkest days. That’s what these books represented to me and I hope that you can find something within them to make you feel something.

I usually don’t read dark stories. Never Let You Go is the story of a women who has survived being kidnapped and raped as a pre-teen. There were definitely some hard themes within these two books and they should not be read if you have a difficulty with these subjects. But, Monica Murphy handled them really well. She built her story with an undertone of hope. Hope that one can move on and past these horrible events and become stronger. The writing really was excellent. I thought the story was handled well and now the book was about moving past terrible events and growing stronger.

Katie or Katherine, she is referred to as both, has had a difficult life. Nothing has been easy for her since she was 12 and things still are not easy for her. But, she is willing to move on and past the events that hurt her as a child. During this book, I truly watched Katie grow and become more of the person she was meant to be instead of the meek character that she has been for the past eight years. It was inspiring to see her struggle but still be able to try and live life differently than she has been. She was tired of being scared and not doing anything with her life. Instead, she was strong enough to take it into her own hands and make a change. Katie’s character was really well written. I do not know any rape survivor’s, but from what I understand, it is not easy to continue on with life like normal. Murphy wrote Katie trying to get her life back really well. She also didn’t let her character hide from the hard things in life. She made Katie work towards her troubles and it was beautiful to watch the story progress.

Ethan or Will, whatever you want to call him, kind of annoyed me. I don’t do well with over-protective characters well. They bother me. I wouldn’t want anyone hovering over me constantly and that is the kind of person Ethan is. For Katie, that personality worked. I don’t know how she put up with him though. The constant worry that Ethan’s character portrayed in the book was annoying enough, I would hate to see it in real life. Ethan also had this hot and cold thing going on. That was just plain annoying. If you can’t tell, I did not like Ethan’s character that much. Though one thing I will commend him on, he was always respectful of Katie. He was slow and careful with her, respecting her past, and making sure that she was okay with everything going on between. Sure, he’s a guy and sometimes does stupid things, but for the most part he was really good about being respectful.

We also got to see inside Aaron’s head this time around. If you have not read the first book, I would recommend stopping here. Aaron is one sick bastard. That is the only way to describe him. Reading his thoughts and seeing his actions actually disgusted me. Though, it did give some insight into a rapists head and what their motivations are. Reading how he thought about his victims and how he twisted everything was slightly frightening. I know why he was locked up in jail and I wish his death row would have come a little faster. I know that that sounds terrible, but this man is horrible and you will understand once you read this book.

All in all, the book was really well written and it handled delicate subject matter really well. The underlying tone of hope throughout the whole book really helped the story with what it was trying to accomplish. That tone kept things from being too dark and terrible so that it was still an enjoyable story to read. Don’t get me wrong, the story had its sad, depressing moments where I understood what Katie was really going through, but it also had happy moments where Katie prevailed and helped herself. I would recommend this book wholeheartedly, just be careful of the subject matter. It deals with the subject well, but it could cause some bad feelings if you are uncomfortable with this type of subject matter.

Cover Reveal: Damage Me by Shana Vanterpool

Damage Me
Shana Vanterpool
(Crystal Gulf #2)
Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication date: July 5th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

*** AUTHOR’S NOTE and CONTENT WARNING: This story contains triggers for rape victims and soldiers. I did my best to remain respectful to the healing process for both. Hillary’s feelings are hers alone and ONLY represent how she feels about her attack. Dylan’s emotions about his time at war are his ALONE. You are all strong and beautiful, and you will soar again! ***
A broken soldier …
Dylan Meyer lived his life fast and hard, doing anything to keep his emotions masked. In Crystal Gulf, Texas, women, drugs, and alcohol are in abundance. After all, it’s a college town. But eventually, his lifestyle caught up to him. The birth of his daughter, Aubrey, forced him to grow up and take responsibility for his actions. He let his vices go, cleaned up his act, and allowed himself to fall for Harley Evans.
But Dylan is a liar.
He lied to himself. To Harley. To his best friend, Bach. And then he lied himself right into a U.S. Army uniform. When he went to war, he left Harley with his best friend in hopes that he’d look out for her while he was deployed. Not in his darkest nightmares did he think Bach and Harley would fall in love.
A fallen angel …
Hillary Hayes is an eighteen-year-old sophomore in college who understands the importance of rules. She’s followed them her entire life. She gets perfect grades, avoids dating, and won’t stray from the future her mother mapped out. On the outside, she’s perfect. Inside, she’s drowning.
That carefully crafted future disappears when she downs a beer at a party. What’s left of that night is the wreckage of the girl she used to be.
Until she meets Dylan. Her brother’s best friend.
When Dylan returns from war, he can’t move past the betrayal. His daughter’s growing up without him. Flashbacks and PTSD from his time in Afghanistan consume him. He loses himself in a dark depression. There is no light in his darkness …until he meets Hillary. His best friend’s little sister is the only good thing among all the bad.
He’s her safe place.
She’s his light.
Can two damaged souls ever find peace, or is the damage too much to overcome?

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Crystal Gulf #1:

Author Bio:
When I walk into a book store I feel at home. When I smell the pages of a brand new book things make sense. When I read I am who I always wanted to be. I read to escape and I write so others can as well. My family, my actress dog Bella, coffee, and a steamy love story are a few of my most precious things. My Sweet Demise is my debut new-adult contemporary romance novel. Keep up to date with future releases: shanavanterpoolauthor.wordpress.com

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Review: Love Walks In

 

Title: Love Walks In
Author: Samantha Chase
Released: April 5, 2016

Synopsis:

Book #2 in New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Samantha Chase’s dazzling new series.
The Shaughnessy Brothers are back
He lives by a schedule. Aubrey Burke is on the run from an about-to-be-disastrous mistake when resort owner Hugh Shaughnessy catches her climbing through his office window. Until Aubrey tumbled into his life, Hugh had relied on work and discipline to safeguard a heart damaged by family tragedy. Now his careful world will never be the same.
She lives for the moment. Hugh’s approach to life and love is the opposite of Aubrey’s, but she soon finds herself falling hard for the handsome hotel mogul. There’s a darker reason behind her “live for today” attitude than Hugh could possibly know, but for the first time Aubrey dares to hope this man’s love might make it worth taking a chance on the future.

My Review:

Oh my gosh. I am in love with this book. The story was so freaking good. I could not put this book down for a minute it was so amazing. The story drew me in and kept me in its grasp until I got to the last page. I have yet to read the first book in the series, but it is on my list to read as soon as possible. I understood the story as if it was a stand-alone, so there is no need to read the first one if you already have Love Walks In.

The plot was so good. The story just kept getting better and better as it progressed, which I have probably now repeated a few times. The writing was hilarious, the characters had witty banter back and forth and of course a few steamy romance scenes that just made the story so much better.

Aubrey is so great. I keep reading stories with amazing female characters, and it is making me so happy. She has been kept locked up by her family and just wants to break free and live her life, which she does quite well. She isn’t afraid to take chances and all she wants to do is enjoy the things she was never able to do under her parent’s watchful eyes. She is such a free character who is just trying to grow up on her own and does she grow. She doesn’t let anything hold her back once she decides what she wants, she goes for it. She has such a creative mind and watching her work was great. She fought for what she wanted in her life and it was quite beautiful.

Hugh is a freaking control freak! I wanted to reach into the story and shake him until he loosened up a bit. Gosh, was he a frustrating character. I know a bit about being a control freak, being one myself, but he took it to a whole new level. It was quite annoying. His whole was based on this one characteristic trait and did he make his life difficult with this controlling attitude. He didn’t want anything to mess up his perfect schedule and boy, did Aubrey do that. When he let his guard down, he was downright great.

READ THIS STORY NOW. Please and thank you. You won’t regret it. It will be a great read to add to your TBR list or just buy it and read it automatically. The second option would be the best option. Because you would be reading a great book right away. Go forth and enjoy!

Review: Fall with Me

Title: Fall with Me (Wait for You #4)
Author: Jennifer Armentrout or J. Lynn
Published: March 31, 2015

Synopsis:

Eleven months ago, bartender and weird-shirt-wearing extraordinaire Roxy and Officer Reece Anders had a one night stand. Well, kind of. She’s been in love with him since she was fifteen, and he wishes that night they shared never happened. She’s sworn him off forever, but the past and future collide, forcing her to rely on the one man who broke her heart not once, but twice.
Her best friend since birth has been in a long-term care facility since he became a victim of a hate crime years ago, and the person who put him in there is out of prison and wanting to make amends with him and Roxy. She’s not sure she has room for forgiveness in her and when she begins to receive frightening messages and is on the receiving end of escalating violence, she thinks she knows who is to blame. The man who already destroyed one life already.
But Reece isn’t convinced. The threats are too personal, and even if Roxy doesn’t believe him, he’s not willing to let anyone hurt her. Including himself. He’s already messed up more than once when it comes to Roxy and he’s not going to let history repeat itself.

Review:

God…. I love Jennifer Armentrout’s writing. I don’t think anyone understands the love I have for her books, and her latest one out, Fall With Me, was no exception. My love for her books knows no bounds. So when Fall With Me came out, I had to read it. The overall reading took me less than 24 hours and I loved every second of that time. Yes, I understand my excessive use of the word love…

Armentrout is keeping with her fourth spin off in the  Wait For You series. Fall With Me stars two characters mentioned in the previous book, Reece and Roxy. Boy, I loved those two. It also features cameos from other characters in the previous books that honestly, just made me jump up and down with excitement! I never want to see a book end, so adding a few of the main characters just makes me a very happy camper.

Roxy is a spit-fire of a girl who has been dealt a bad hand in life. Yet, you can’t help but love her personality and interesting choices in shirts (read the book, you’ll understand). Her best friend is incapable of speech and functioning on his own, and Roxy feels as if she is to blame for that. Not to mention the guy who was in jail for hurting her friend, was just released. Piled on top of all that of crap, she has a stalker. It’s a wonder this girl was even functioning. She kept going strong and powered on through all the bad in her life. She was a character who was resilient and adorable. I couldn’t help but find a little piece of me in her, which might have to do with the fact that she has purple hair and glasses.

Then there is Reece, the sexy cop and ex-military. He has seen his fair share of violence and jumps right back into the force when he comes home to his small little town to protect the people he grew up with. Reece was an open book throughout the entire story, no matter how much Roxy did her thing and got scared (NA commonality), Reece was always there to make her stay and protect her. He also had that caveman vibe going on that readers can’t decide if they want to smack him or get all giddy over that protective side. He’s a cop, it’s in his nature to be protective. Reece was one of the best male characters Armentrout has written in my opinion. He never failed to protect and just be there for Roxy when she needed him. He was a very good guy. I want a Reece.

Armentrout keeps you entertained from cover to cover. I was laughing at the hilarious banter that Armentrout is known for, scared for the characters, and maybe even a little teary-eyed at certain points. It was a little predictable, I will admit that. Most romance books nowadays are. It was the type of predictable that makes you want to keep reading just to make sure that your predictions are correct and the happy ending comes about.

If you have yet to read anything by Jennifer Armentrout or J.Lynn (which is her pen name) I would definitely recommend the Wait for You series. The books can be read alone, but there are characters and stories mentioned in Fall With Me that could spoil other aspects of the books before. This series is worth the read! 

 

Review: Defy

Title: Defy
Author: Sara B. Larson
Published: January 7, 2014

Synopsis:

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.
The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

I do not know how to explain Defy. It was part romance, part adventure with a magical twist, and part betrayal. The story kept me very entertained the entire way through. Honestly, I read the entire story within a day. It hooked me that much.

Alexa, or Alex as she was called, immediately captured my attention. After her parents were murdered in front of her, she does everything she can to protect herself from going to a breeding house. Her twin, Marcus, cuts off her hair and they both go into the army. She exudes the confidence of a male, playing the part perfectly. Of course, she isn’t without her struggles, such as romance.

The romance aspect annoyed me. In Defy it seemed forced and unnatural to say the least. I hate love triangles. Unless well written, they get in the way of the story and it distracts from the real story. The love story in Defy was not well executed. All it did was make Alex more annoying. Plus, the boys who were fighting over her were very stupid! Seriously, who confesses their undying love for you while you are being held hostage and taken half-way across the country. (I guess that is a normal plot line in YA fiction….) Apparently Rylan and Damian, that’s who. Those boys made me want to reach into the book and smack them silly.

Damian’s whole character was based on him keeping secrets from Alex. He said he wanted to trust her, but how can you ever trust someone if you don’t first put your trust in them. It seemed that each chapter, a new secret that Damian was hiding would pop up and hurt Alex. I’m all for secrets in books, they do help move the plot along and give the book some mystery, but the amount of secrets that Damian had was annoying. I might be exaggerating, and I get it, he’s a prince, he’s gonna have some secrets! But enough is enough! Just tell the girl the truth every once in a while.

Rylan wasn’t really any better. He just didn’t keep secrets from Alex, besides loving her. Oh, and the fact that he knew she was a girl the entire time. Rylan is the silent brooding type. I don’t know what book or movie made that sterotype sexy, but I am personally not a fan. He gets upset when he shocks Alex with the truth and she doesn’t know exactly how to react. Who could blame her? Her only friend knows she’s a girl and is also in love with her. What’s a girl to do?

Alexa is still awesome though. While reading, you have to keep in mind that she has been hiding as a male for the last three years. SHE DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO HAVE FEELINGS! JUST LIKE ANY GUY! Especially any 17 year-old male. Gosh, are they stupid. They keep everything inside to put on this façade of machoness. It doesn’t work. This is coming from an 18 year old. IT DOESN’T WORK! You just push people away keeping everything inside, and that is what Alex was trying to do. She didn’t grieve properly (ever) and she had to act like a male. So her character was a little hard to get behind sometimes with the actions she chose, but it all worked out in the end. She was a badass. That’s all that matters. She was her own hero. She learned how to fight and protect herself so she would never be put into a breeding house. She was the best fighter that the palace had, beating all those males in strength, something they do not like. If she isn’t the embodiment of girl power, then I don’t know what is.

If you like fantasy with a romance aspect, and of course, unrequited love, then Defy is the book for you. Even if you don’t like those things, I would recommend checking it out. Defy was very well written and had a good story line that was easy to follow and kept me engaged. I might hate love triangles, but I finished this book in less than a day and immediately bought the sequel.