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booksabrewin's reviews
496 reviews
Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I consumed Obsidian in the matter of a few hours when I read it. It was an amazing story and I hoped Onyx would be much of the same. Jennifer L. Armentrout did not disappoint. Onyx carrying on where Obsidian left off. Katy is still fighting her feelings for Daemon, but Daemon has flipped the switch and instead of keeping Katy at a distance he is pursuing her... hard. Daemon finds their connection to be proof that they should give a relationship a shot, while Katy believes that the connection has fogged Daemon's mind into believing he likes her when he doesn't.
Katy is sometimes a very frustrating character to read. She is constantly fighting the feelings she has for Daemon and constantly trying to play the hero despite her being a puny human among a bunch of superhero-esk aliens. She throws herself into situations that could end terribly for her in hopes of saving those she cares about, but it always backfires on her. She is left being forced to once again play the damsel in distress and wait to be rescued by one of her Luxen white knights.
Of course, Katy is not all bad. She does have her appealing parts such as her being a book reviewer. That connects me to her character exponentially. It is possibly why I am so addicted to this series. I can actually see myself slipping into Katy's shoes easily. She is as stubborn as I am told I am (I still don't believe it). And her connection with Daemon? Where have all the hot Luxen men gone and where can I find one?
Nice segue into Daemon. In Onyx we see not just Daemon's cocky know-it-all side, but also the kind and heavily burdened side. Daemon is faced with a lot of stress. Keeping him, his Luxen family, and Katy all out of the cross-hairs of the DOD and Arum alike, is a full-time job. That coupled with his growing emotions for Katy, his determination to find his brother, and keeping an eye on a new stranger, Blake, who seems to have his eye not only on Katy but possibly on the rest of his family as well. Daemon handles all this with a couple flare-ups in temper and a few moments of shutting down and pushing people away, but better than most would.
Onyx shows it's readers a new side to the DOD and the United States government. What once was thought of as the Luxen's saving grace is now questionable. Is the DOD really helping the Luxen? Are they being selfless by allowing the Luxen to live freely among humans? Or is it all some greater conspiracy that has Katy and Daemon smack-dab in the middle of it?
As with Obsidian, I devoured Onyx in the matter of a few hours. I went on a book binge the likes of which I have only heard about. I had forsaken food, fresh air, sunlight, and any other menial diversions to continue through the pages of this book. Onyx dragged me back into the world where hot aliens lived, the government was once again called into question as friend or foe, and a love story unfolded that can only be conjured up through the literary prowess of a genius author. If you haven't read the Lux series, your library and life in general is not complete.
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5.0
I consumed Obsidian in the matter of a few hours when I read it. It was an amazing story and I hoped Onyx would be much of the same. Jennifer L. Armentrout did not disappoint. Onyx carrying on where Obsidian left off. Katy is still fighting her feelings for Daemon, but Daemon has flipped the switch and instead of keeping Katy at a distance he is pursuing her... hard. Daemon finds their connection to be proof that they should give a relationship a shot, while Katy believes that the connection has fogged Daemon's mind into believing he likes her when he doesn't.
Katy is sometimes a very frustrating character to read. She is constantly fighting the feelings she has for Daemon and constantly trying to play the hero despite her being a puny human among a bunch of superhero-esk aliens. She throws herself into situations that could end terribly for her in hopes of saving those she cares about, but it always backfires on her. She is left being forced to once again play the damsel in distress and wait to be rescued by one of her Luxen white knights.
Of course, Katy is not all bad. She does have her appealing parts such as her being a book reviewer. That connects me to her character exponentially. It is possibly why I am so addicted to this series. I can actually see myself slipping into Katy's shoes easily. She is as stubborn as I am told I am (I still don't believe it). And her connection with Daemon? Where have all the hot Luxen men gone and where can I find one?
Nice segue into Daemon. In Onyx we see not just Daemon's cocky know-it-all side, but also the kind and heavily burdened side. Daemon is faced with a lot of stress. Keeping him, his Luxen family, and Katy all out of the cross-hairs of the DOD and Arum alike, is a full-time job. That coupled with his growing emotions for Katy, his determination to find his brother, and keeping an eye on a new stranger, Blake, who seems to have his eye not only on Katy but possibly on the rest of his family as well. Daemon handles all this with a couple flare-ups in temper and a few moments of shutting down and pushing people away, but better than most would.
Onyx shows it's readers a new side to the DOD and the United States government. What once was thought of as the Luxen's saving grace is now questionable. Is the DOD really helping the Luxen? Are they being selfless by allowing the Luxen to live freely among humans? Or is it all some greater conspiracy that has Katy and Daemon smack-dab in the middle of it?
As with Obsidian, I devoured Onyx in the matter of a few hours. I went on a book binge the likes of which I have only heard about. I had forsaken food, fresh air, sunlight, and any other menial diversions to continue through the pages of this book. Onyx dragged me back into the world where hot aliens lived, the government was once again called into question as friend or foe, and a love story unfolded that can only be conjured up through the literary prowess of a genius author. If you haven't read the Lux series, your library and life in general is not complete.
Shadows by Jennifer L. Armentrout
I read this book at the second most perfect time one could. Of course, the obvious best time is at the very beginning before diving into the other books of the series. I knew it was about Daemon's brother and I honestly didn't see Dawson playing more of a roll than just some back story. I figured I would just read it once I finished with the series as a fun side story. Well, Opal features a LOT about Dawson and I chose to read Shadows right before I jumped into Opal. Wise choice, really. A wiser choice would have been to stay with Shadows and go through the books in order but... I digress.
Shadows starts with Dawson and Bethany meeting and falling in love. Their relationship almost seems too easy when you compare it to the relationship between Kat and Daemon. I almost like the teasing insults between Kat and Daemon to the confessions of love and devotion from Dawson and Bethany. Bethany is the first human to form a relationship with the mysterious Luxen people. Her relationship with Dawson causes the Luxen to be completely up in arms and resentful of Dawson rocking the boat, so to speak. Why can't he just fall for a nice Luxen girl, they demand, instead of essentially mixed species dating?
I see Daemon's hatred of humans in Shadows and it really makes me want to go back through the first two books I have read and watch how his opinion slowly changes. How ALL the Luxen change due to Dawson's romance with Bethany. Do they become more accepting? More resentful? More cautious? I seem to remember some of these changes when they were made obvious but not with the same fine-toothed comb analysis that I could possibly do after reading this prequel.
Of course, I liked Shadows. Was there any doubt? While it didn't feature my favorite book blogger character, Kat, it still had some Daemon snippets and I got to acquaint myself with a new book boyfriend, Dawson. It was very similar to Obsidian but Kat and Daemon definitely have more fire between them that is irresistible. There were some sexual innuendo in the book that made me choke on my drink once or twice. All in all, another A+ for Jennifer L. Armentrout's witty and robust writing.
Shadows is the perfect beginning to a perfect series. It sheds light on situations in the sequential novels that the reader may not have gotten without it. It features a less than prominent character and shows how significant his appearance in the books truly was. Masterful.
4.0
I read this book at the second most perfect time one could. Of course, the obvious best time is at the very beginning before diving into the other books of the series. I knew it was about Daemon's brother and I honestly didn't see Dawson playing more of a roll than just some back story. I figured I would just read it once I finished with the series as a fun side story. Well, Opal features a LOT about Dawson and I chose to read Shadows right before I jumped into Opal. Wise choice, really. A wiser choice would have been to stay with Shadows and go through the books in order but... I digress.
Shadows starts with Dawson and Bethany meeting and falling in love. Their relationship almost seems too easy when you compare it to the relationship between Kat and Daemon. I almost like the teasing insults between Kat and Daemon to the confessions of love and devotion from Dawson and Bethany. Bethany is the first human to form a relationship with the mysterious Luxen people. Her relationship with Dawson causes the Luxen to be completely up in arms and resentful of Dawson rocking the boat, so to speak. Why can't he just fall for a nice Luxen girl, they demand, instead of essentially mixed species dating?
I see Daemon's hatred of humans in Shadows and it really makes me want to go back through the first two books I have read and watch how his opinion slowly changes. How ALL the Luxen change due to Dawson's romance with Bethany. Do they become more accepting? More resentful? More cautious? I seem to remember some of these changes when they were made obvious but not with the same fine-toothed comb analysis that I could possibly do after reading this prequel.
Of course, I liked Shadows. Was there any doubt? While it didn't feature my favorite book blogger character, Kat, it still had some Daemon snippets and I got to acquaint myself with a new book boyfriend, Dawson. It was very similar to Obsidian but Kat and Daemon definitely have more fire between them that is irresistible. There were some sexual innuendo in the book that made me choke on my drink once or twice. All in all, another A+ for Jennifer L. Armentrout's witty and robust writing.
Shadows is the perfect beginning to a perfect series. It sheds light on situations in the sequential novels that the reader may not have gotten without it. It features a less than prominent character and shows how significant his appearance in the books truly was. Masterful.
Covet by Tracey Garvis Graves
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have been attempting to branch out in the types of books I choose to read. A paranormal lover to the core, I didn't know how I would feel about a book that's main focus was the struggle to remain faithful in a failing marriage performed by a suburban house wife and the token sexy police officer. I am not the type of person who generally goes for those types of books, but I was drawn in by the eppervesent cover and the question of whether the tempted soccer mom goes through with her torrid affair or if she shows restraint that most women in her situation would be physically, mentally, and, above all, sexually unable to do so.
The love triangle of Chris, Claire, and Daniel starts with the presentation of a marriage that has seen happier days. Chris is a workaholic with no work to speak of after being laid off for a year from his job as a software sales manager. Despite having the picture perfect family, Chris is unable to find the happiness he needs to enjoy his life. Bills are piling up and the recession has put a hurtin' on the job market. Chris takes the first job in his field that comes along. The drawback? He is to be spend almost all of his time traveling without seeing his wife or his children. Chris's philosophy is to do what needs to be done to provide for his family and fix the emotional ramifications once they are back in the black financially. What he doesn't count on is the fact that his family may not be satisfied with "hold on a little longer".
Claire, the lonely and forgotten housewife, finds her way into a friendship with a police officer that pulls her over one day for a broken taillight. The "ridiculously good-lookin' officer" quickly starts plaguing her thoughts and her bruised heart. She reluctantly enters into a comfortable friendship with the man, telling herself that it will not go any further than just that. What she doesn't count on is how quickly and easily Daniel starts to take the place of absentee Chris. Staying away from Daniel is starting to become harder and harder. Can she continue to resist the officer who has his own loneliness and abandonment to deal with? Can two kindred spirits find solace in each other while not finding their way into a scorching hot affair?
I am absolutely and completely against cheating. It's something I am as passionate about as most people are about religion and politics. It is simply my belief system. With the premise of this book, I was so worried it was going to become something I just couldn't deal with. I even made grumble that I knew I was going to have to rate this book poorly once it came to reviewing it. Surprisingly, I found myself completely consumed by this absolutely plausible read. I felt for Claire, Chris, and Daniel alike. There was not one that I couldn't understand their point of view and feel exactly how they were feeling.
Covet is an all-American read of temptation, romance, family, and the resilience of love. Garvis-Graves has a way with words that causes the reader to feel exactly what the characters themselves are feeling at any given point in the story. It's a skill not many authors have been able to accomplish. This is a contemporary work of masterful fiction that even hardcore paranormal buffs like myself could enjoy.
4.0
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have been attempting to branch out in the types of books I choose to read. A paranormal lover to the core, I didn't know how I would feel about a book that's main focus was the struggle to remain faithful in a failing marriage performed by a suburban house wife and the token sexy police officer. I am not the type of person who generally goes for those types of books, but I was drawn in by the eppervesent cover and the question of whether the tempted soccer mom goes through with her torrid affair or if she shows restraint that most women in her situation would be physically, mentally, and, above all, sexually unable to do so.
The love triangle of Chris, Claire, and Daniel starts with the presentation of a marriage that has seen happier days. Chris is a workaholic with no work to speak of after being laid off for a year from his job as a software sales manager. Despite having the picture perfect family, Chris is unable to find the happiness he needs to enjoy his life. Bills are piling up and the recession has put a hurtin' on the job market. Chris takes the first job in his field that comes along. The drawback? He is to be spend almost all of his time traveling without seeing his wife or his children. Chris's philosophy is to do what needs to be done to provide for his family and fix the emotional ramifications once they are back in the black financially. What he doesn't count on is the fact that his family may not be satisfied with "hold on a little longer".
Claire, the lonely and forgotten housewife, finds her way into a friendship with a police officer that pulls her over one day for a broken taillight. The "ridiculously good-lookin' officer" quickly starts plaguing her thoughts and her bruised heart. She reluctantly enters into a comfortable friendship with the man, telling herself that it will not go any further than just that. What she doesn't count on is how quickly and easily Daniel starts to take the place of absentee Chris. Staying away from Daniel is starting to become harder and harder. Can she continue to resist the officer who has his own loneliness and abandonment to deal with? Can two kindred spirits find solace in each other while not finding their way into a scorching hot affair?
I am absolutely and completely against cheating. It's something I am as passionate about as most people are about religion and politics. It is simply my belief system. With the premise of this book, I was so worried it was going to become something I just couldn't deal with. I even made grumble that I knew I was going to have to rate this book poorly once it came to reviewing it. Surprisingly, I found myself completely consumed by this absolutely plausible read. I felt for Claire, Chris, and Daniel alike. There was not one that I couldn't understand their point of view and feel exactly how they were feeling.
Covet is an all-American read of temptation, romance, family, and the resilience of love. Garvis-Graves has a way with words that causes the reader to feel exactly what the characters themselves are feeling at any given point in the story. It's a skill not many authors have been able to accomplish. This is a contemporary work of masterful fiction that even hardcore paranormal buffs like myself could enjoy.
By Blood by Tracy Banghart, Tracy Banghart
I received an e-copy of this book for a book tour in exchange for an honest review.
This was one of the first book tours I joined when I first started blogging. The premise was intriguing and unique. I had never read anything that referenced Druid practices nor had I read anything that had an air of psychological studies that completely enthralled me as a Psychology major.
Emma is being shipped off for the summer away from her friends and the father she is extremely close to in favor of spending time with her mother who left her father for another man and had saw fit to create a whole new family without her. The animosity Emma carries from the airplane to the quaint home she will now share with her absent mother, her mother's new family, and an attractive research assistant to her new stepfather, is incredibly thick and suffocating.
Needing an escape, Emma starts exploring her new surroundings in fantastic England. Along the way she meets an odd but sweet girl, named Ash, who introduces Emma to a new world of Druid rituals and a togetherness she never imagined possible. Among Ash's friends is the dark and mysterious, Simon, who Emma feels inexplicably drawn to from the very start.
As Emma dives further into the depths of her Druid family, she starts to wonder if Simon truly is as wonderful as he seems, or if the love of her life may just be spending the summer under the same roof as her. Josh or Simon? Welcome to the wonderful world of love triangles!
I didn't know what to expect when I started reading By Blood. I thought there would be more mystical magic as is usual in paranormal reads, but what I got was more of a mystery. What is real? What is only in Emma and her friends' minds? It was surprising how much psychology was found in the book instead of the paranormal being the main focal point. I was pleasantly surprised.
What I had issue with was Emma's boy hopping. She ultimately danced between Josh and Simon as is usual in a love triangle. But there were also other points in which she flirted and delighted in the company of others. I understand that she was struggling with her family dysfunction and was looking for some sort of comfort in any arms she could find, but that left me feeling like any sort of connection she feels with the two main male characters was false. When something went wrong with Josh, Simon was the one she was fawning over and vice versa. I have never liked girls that used men in that manner. My feelings for Emma were lacking, but my love for preppy and studious Josh made up for it a bit.
By Blood is the perfect mesh of ancient history and modern psychology. It causes it's reader to question the reality of the paranormal as well as embracing the importance of family and having a strong support system. Sometimes the people one thinks care the least are actually the people who care the most.
4.0
I received an e-copy of this book for a book tour in exchange for an honest review.
This was one of the first book tours I joined when I first started blogging. The premise was intriguing and unique. I had never read anything that referenced Druid practices nor had I read anything that had an air of psychological studies that completely enthralled me as a Psychology major.
Emma is being shipped off for the summer away from her friends and the father she is extremely close to in favor of spending time with her mother who left her father for another man and had saw fit to create a whole new family without her. The animosity Emma carries from the airplane to the quaint home she will now share with her absent mother, her mother's new family, and an attractive research assistant to her new stepfather, is incredibly thick and suffocating.
Needing an escape, Emma starts exploring her new surroundings in fantastic England. Along the way she meets an odd but sweet girl, named Ash, who introduces Emma to a new world of Druid rituals and a togetherness she never imagined possible. Among Ash's friends is the dark and mysterious, Simon, who Emma feels inexplicably drawn to from the very start.
As Emma dives further into the depths of her Druid family, she starts to wonder if Simon truly is as wonderful as he seems, or if the love of her life may just be spending the summer under the same roof as her. Josh or Simon? Welcome to the wonderful world of love triangles!
I didn't know what to expect when I started reading By Blood. I thought there would be more mystical magic as is usual in paranormal reads, but what I got was more of a mystery. What is real? What is only in Emma and her friends' minds? It was surprising how much psychology was found in the book instead of the paranormal being the main focal point. I was pleasantly surprised.
What I had issue with was Emma's boy hopping. She ultimately danced between Josh and Simon as is usual in a love triangle. But there were also other points in which she flirted and delighted in the company of others. I understand that she was struggling with her family dysfunction and was looking for some sort of comfort in any arms she could find, but that left me feeling like any sort of connection she feels with the two main male characters was false. When something went wrong with Josh, Simon was the one she was fawning over and vice versa. I have never liked girls that used men in that manner. My feelings for Emma were lacking, but my love for preppy and studious Josh made up for it a bit.
By Blood is the perfect mesh of ancient history and modern psychology. It causes it's reader to question the reality of the paranormal as well as embracing the importance of family and having a strong support system. Sometimes the people one thinks care the least are actually the people who care the most.
Bad Kitty by Eliza Gayle
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Another day, another paranormal romance novella waiting to be read. Of course, again, who could resist? I am a slave to the paranormal smut, what can I say? I am also a big fan of shapeshifters so the synopsis really interested me. Werewolves are normally the only shifters known to be discussed in fiction, it was nice to see a feline type of shifter for once. With the mention of pack politics I had to wonder how they would compare to the shifter politics in the Anita Blake series. Could the two series be similar at all?
Kitty is not well liked in her cougar shifter clan. Her father, a radical, and often crazed, believer in purity within the bloodlines has made Kitty's life miserable and it didn't stop until the man who raised her went too far and tried to steal the clan's leader's daughter for some nefarious reason. Kitty stopped him but the fact that she had had knowledge of it beforehand and told no one warranted her a banishment to the neutral territory. Her arrival to this new land was met with a vicious attack and her inadvertent escape into wolf territory.
Rafe meets Kitty after stopping a few pack members from defiling her already beaten and bloodied form. The impending Alpha of the pack manages to secure Kitty's safety by taking her to his place and helping to mend her wounds. From the moment he touches her the only word coursing through his mind is 'mate'. For some reason, this little cougar speaks to him and his wolf alike. But mating between species is not allowed. Products of that mating are usually cast out to the neutral territory and forgotten... or worse.
Kitty and Rafe are sworn enemies. How can they be destined to be together? Better question, how can the find a way to be together despite all the things telling them not to?
Another short and fun read. I liked the world Eliza created. It was interesting that there were sections of the world which belonged to various shifter groups and then neutral territory for those who didn't fit perfectly into any one clan or pack. What I wondered though was where were all the humans? With all this land sectioned off for shifters, what room is left for us lowly supernaturally challenged humans? Were we just planted on an island and left to rot? Either way...
I liked the fact that while Rafe was pretty easy going about all the oddities throughout the story, Kitty was a bit more weary. She didn't just accept everything at face value. She needed to know everything was alright before she proceeded in any endeavor. The two characters balanced each other out well and their love scenes were hot enough to scorch.
Bad Kitty may have been more adequately named Bad Wolf because Rafe was a very naughty canine who was absolutely scrumptious. This book was a new take on shifters and how they coalesce in a normally human dominated society. It was a breath of fresh air where shapeshifter fiction is concerned.
4.0
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Another day, another paranormal romance novella waiting to be read. Of course, again, who could resist? I am a slave to the paranormal smut, what can I say? I am also a big fan of shapeshifters so the synopsis really interested me. Werewolves are normally the only shifters known to be discussed in fiction, it was nice to see a feline type of shifter for once. With the mention of pack politics I had to wonder how they would compare to the shifter politics in the Anita Blake series. Could the two series be similar at all?
Kitty is not well liked in her cougar shifter clan. Her father, a radical, and often crazed, believer in purity within the bloodlines has made Kitty's life miserable and it didn't stop until the man who raised her went too far and tried to steal the clan's leader's daughter for some nefarious reason. Kitty stopped him but the fact that she had had knowledge of it beforehand and told no one warranted her a banishment to the neutral territory. Her arrival to this new land was met with a vicious attack and her inadvertent escape into wolf territory.
Rafe meets Kitty after stopping a few pack members from defiling her already beaten and bloodied form. The impending Alpha of the pack manages to secure Kitty's safety by taking her to his place and helping to mend her wounds. From the moment he touches her the only word coursing through his mind is 'mate'. For some reason, this little cougar speaks to him and his wolf alike. But mating between species is not allowed. Products of that mating are usually cast out to the neutral territory and forgotten... or worse.
Kitty and Rafe are sworn enemies. How can they be destined to be together? Better question, how can the find a way to be together despite all the things telling them not to?
Another short and fun read. I liked the world Eliza created. It was interesting that there were sections of the world which belonged to various shifter groups and then neutral territory for those who didn't fit perfectly into any one clan or pack. What I wondered though was where were all the humans? With all this land sectioned off for shifters, what room is left for us lowly supernaturally challenged humans? Were we just planted on an island and left to rot? Either way...
I liked the fact that while Rafe was pretty easy going about all the oddities throughout the story, Kitty was a bit more weary. She didn't just accept everything at face value. She needed to know everything was alright before she proceeded in any endeavor. The two characters balanced each other out well and their love scenes were hot enough to scorch.
Bad Kitty may have been more adequately named Bad Wolf because Rafe was a very naughty canine who was absolutely scrumptious. This book was a new take on shifters and how they coalesce in a normally human dominated society. It was a breath of fresh air where shapeshifter fiction is concerned.
Gift by Andrea J. Buchanan
I received an e-copy from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Another one of my NetGalley impulse reads. I had read a few reviews from other bloggers that I follow who were quasi-impressed with the book. I was curious whether this shortie (155 pages) would live up to the praises. I actually thought this was going to be more of a witchy-type of book instead of being about a ghost. When you think of gifts that is what you think of naturally, right? When I started to realize while reading that it wasn't what I thought, I had to completely go into it blind. I didn't reread the premise to refresh my memory on what it was about after my misunderstanding. I simply kept going to see how I would feel about it without any refresher course.
This story starts with Daisy finding Vivi in a bathroom after taking a fair amount of pills. She quickly finds out that Vivi was attempting to reconnect with her ghost boyfriend that she claims is her soulmate. Daisy, always the skeptic despite her own otherworldly attributes, doesn't quite believe Vivi but she is willing to listen anyway due to an overwhelming draw to her. She feels like Vivi and her are supposed to be friends and she wants to know why.
Not long after that, Daisy's best friend, Danielle, is dragged into things. Danielle and Daisy start sharing an interesting psychic connection that they never had experienced before. They chalk it up to the physical body challenged friend of Vivi's. Eventually their world just completely gets consumed by the paranormal to the point where they start having to delve into the past to understand their present. Along the way, Daisy inadvertently draws in the handsome, odd, senior Kevin. There are, quite literal, sparks from the moment they meet and she confides in him rather easily.
Now it is up to Vivi, Danielle, Daisy, and Kevin to figure out how to help Vivi's ghost friend, but what do they truly know about him and what is his connection to all of them?
This book kind of read like it would fit more into the middle grade genre than the young adult. Some of the situations seemed a bit more like a PBS special than anything. The overall theme of the book seemed more a lesson in "don't talk to strangers" than any real spooky ghost story. I did, however, like the back story of how the girls have been connected in the past. That was the book's saving grace as far as I was concerned. The rest of it was just... not there for me. The conversations between the characters were supposed to be funny but it was that comedy that, once again, younger individuals would relate to or find humorous. I just kept wincing and hoping they get past it fast to get back to the meat of the story. I had to muscle my way through the book because I really wanted to set it down and read something else for a while. I am never one to start something I don't plan to finish and so... I did finish... reluctantly.
Gift is a book that would appeal to the younger generation of the young adult genre.
2.0
I received an e-copy from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Another one of my NetGalley impulse reads. I had read a few reviews from other bloggers that I follow who were quasi-impressed with the book. I was curious whether this shortie (155 pages) would live up to the praises. I actually thought this was going to be more of a witchy-type of book instead of being about a ghost. When you think of gifts that is what you think of naturally, right? When I started to realize while reading that it wasn't what I thought, I had to completely go into it blind. I didn't reread the premise to refresh my memory on what it was about after my misunderstanding. I simply kept going to see how I would feel about it without any refresher course.
This story starts with Daisy finding Vivi in a bathroom after taking a fair amount of pills. She quickly finds out that Vivi was attempting to reconnect with her ghost boyfriend that she claims is her soulmate. Daisy, always the skeptic despite her own otherworldly attributes, doesn't quite believe Vivi but she is willing to listen anyway due to an overwhelming draw to her. She feels like Vivi and her are supposed to be friends and she wants to know why.
Not long after that, Daisy's best friend, Danielle, is dragged into things. Danielle and Daisy start sharing an interesting psychic connection that they never had experienced before. They chalk it up to the physical body challenged friend of Vivi's. Eventually their world just completely gets consumed by the paranormal to the point where they start having to delve into the past to understand their present. Along the way, Daisy inadvertently draws in the handsome, odd, senior Kevin. There are, quite literal, sparks from the moment they meet and she confides in him rather easily.
Now it is up to Vivi, Danielle, Daisy, and Kevin to figure out how to help Vivi's ghost friend, but what do they truly know about him and what is his connection to all of them?
This book kind of read like it would fit more into the middle grade genre than the young adult. Some of the situations seemed a bit more like a PBS special than anything. The overall theme of the book seemed more a lesson in "don't talk to strangers" than any real spooky ghost story. I did, however, like the back story of how the girls have been connected in the past. That was the book's saving grace as far as I was concerned. The rest of it was just... not there for me. The conversations between the characters were supposed to be funny but it was that comedy that, once again, younger individuals would relate to or find humorous. I just kept wincing and hoping they get past it fast to get back to the meat of the story. I had to muscle my way through the book because I really wanted to set it down and read something else for a while. I am never one to start something I don't plan to finish and so... I did finish... reluctantly.
Gift is a book that would appeal to the younger generation of the young adult genre.
Breaking the Storm by Sedona Venez
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have really been on a paranormal romance/new (or debut) author kick recently. I have never heard of Sedona Venez before nor anything about her type of writing and was interested to see if she was well versed at the art or whether she needed a bit more practice. As I have been reviewing books I have tried not to fall into the habit of only reading books by authors I recognize. That just closes me off to great authors that could really take the literary world by storm. So, I chose to give the unfamiliar Sedona a gander and my love for shifters just sweetened the temptation.
This new world of shifters and mystical creatures created by Sedona opens on a 19-year old, Storm who has fallen head-over-heels for the lead singer of a band named Knox. She knows she is forbidden from engaging in more than just superficial relationships with men due to a centuries old curse that causes any human she falls in love with to ultimately die. With a heavy heart, she tries to wade through the turbulent waters of her emotional ties to Knox. Ultimately she forces herself to leave the man she loves in order to save him from the peril her love would inflict on him.
Five years later she is running her mother's Other (races 'other' than human) escort service. Through a series of bad luck, she is forced to fulfill an escort contract for one of her clients which brings her face-to-face with her lost love again... and he is still ticked over their parting. What is Storm to do when thrust upon the drool-worthy Knox once more? Can she hold her heart together or will it crumble into a million pieces once again?
I really dug this book. There were aspects of BDSM that was kind of sugar-coated. It was nothing like the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, so I won't even make the reference. It was very mild-mannered and more about submission and dominance than the bondage aspect. I tend to like that type of subject matter. Which is probably why I am such a fan of shifter books. I like the whole dominance thing. What can I say? I like manly men for my book boyfriends.
The world that Sedona created and the story-line that particularly encompasses the Credence curse was absolutely engrossing. I went on a book binge and didn't put the thing down until I go to the end. Normally I skip over any excerpts or snippets of future books when the expected publication date is so far away (the next book comes out in April 2014), but I found myself dying to read more. Sedona crafted her characters into swoonworthy masculine men and strong, yet utterly feminine, women. I loved the women meant to be loved and I crushed heavily on pretty much any man introduced. This book is definitely being added to one of the better paranormal romance books I have read this year and Sedona Venez is an author I will definitely be watching for.
Breaking the Storm weaves a world of paranormal beings with nail biting action, heartbreaking romance, and awe-inspiring fantasy.
5.0
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have really been on a paranormal romance/new (or debut) author kick recently. I have never heard of Sedona Venez before nor anything about her type of writing and was interested to see if she was well versed at the art or whether she needed a bit more practice. As I have been reviewing books I have tried not to fall into the habit of only reading books by authors I recognize. That just closes me off to great authors that could really take the literary world by storm. So, I chose to give the unfamiliar Sedona a gander and my love for shifters just sweetened the temptation.
This new world of shifters and mystical creatures created by Sedona opens on a 19-year old, Storm who has fallen head-over-heels for the lead singer of a band named Knox. She knows she is forbidden from engaging in more than just superficial relationships with men due to a centuries old curse that causes any human she falls in love with to ultimately die. With a heavy heart, she tries to wade through the turbulent waters of her emotional ties to Knox. Ultimately she forces herself to leave the man she loves in order to save him from the peril her love would inflict on him.
Five years later she is running her mother's Other (races 'other' than human) escort service. Through a series of bad luck, she is forced to fulfill an escort contract for one of her clients which brings her face-to-face with her lost love again... and he is still ticked over their parting. What is Storm to do when thrust upon the drool-worthy Knox once more? Can she hold her heart together or will it crumble into a million pieces once again?
I really dug this book. There were aspects of BDSM that was kind of sugar-coated. It was nothing like the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, so I won't even make the reference. It was very mild-mannered and more about submission and dominance than the bondage aspect. I tend to like that type of subject matter. Which is probably why I am such a fan of shifter books. I like the whole dominance thing. What can I say? I like manly men for my book boyfriends.
The world that Sedona created and the story-line that particularly encompasses the Credence curse was absolutely engrossing. I went on a book binge and didn't put the thing down until I go to the end. Normally I skip over any excerpts or snippets of future books when the expected publication date is so far away (the next book comes out in April 2014), but I found myself dying to read more. Sedona crafted her characters into swoonworthy masculine men and strong, yet utterly feminine, women. I loved the women meant to be loved and I crushed heavily on pretty much any man introduced. This book is definitely being added to one of the better paranormal romance books I have read this year and Sedona Venez is an author I will definitely be watching for.
Breaking the Storm weaves a world of paranormal beings with nail biting action, heartbreaking romance, and awe-inspiring fantasy.
Hidden Wings by Cameo Renae
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I had actually heard good things about the author, Cameo Ranae, before I ended up putting in a request for this book. I had seen this book several times while looking through the Amazon Kindle books and had bypassed it thinking I didn't want to purchase the book from an author I only recognized from word of mouth and perhaps end up regretting my purchase. So I waited. I had all but forgotten about the book when it showed up on NetGalley. Here was the PERFECT opportunity to try out a new author's writing and see if I liked what she produced. It was a choice I definitely don't regret.
Emma's work is rocked to it's core when she awakens in a hospital bed and is told that the parents she has loved her whole life were killed in a car crash. No matter the amount of times her survival is deemed a miracle, Emma wishes she had died along side her loving parents. Emma can't understand what has happened to her life nor what will come of it now.
It is only in the darkest recesses of Emma's grief that she learns she does have one more living relative. An aunt who lives in Alaska and will do anything to be given the chance to take care of Emma. Emma is hesitant since she has never heard mention of this aunt and she doesn't want to leave her life in sunny California for the an unknown destination in frigid Alaska. However, left with no other choice, she relents to starting her life over.
It is only after she meets her devastatingly handsome escort that she becomes a bit more accepting of her destination. That is until she comes face-to-face with a creature of nightmares. Deathly pale, smelling of rot, and with bloodlust in it's eyes, Emma realizes that her move to Alaska may not be as boring and safe as she first believed.
I hope I am not giving anything away but... this book is about angels. Yes, I am sure most caught that from the title. There are hundreds of books (especially in fiction) about angels. So, it's a pretty tough task to find angel books that are original. Surprisingly, this book was fairly unique. It incorporates a new breed of create into the typical angel story line that gives it a little something extra. The Darklings, while not a main focal point, were one of my favorite new races I have read about. Their appearance in an otherwise structured angel character cast set the book apart for me. Their creation along with the blossoming romance (that I absolutely love in almost all books I read, hopeless romantic that I am) in this book made for a fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Hidden Wings will show its readers that even when you feel you're plummeting to your death in times of tragedy, someone, or even a group of someones, will always be there to give you wings to soar.
4.0
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I had actually heard good things about the author, Cameo Ranae, before I ended up putting in a request for this book. I had seen this book several times while looking through the Amazon Kindle books and had bypassed it thinking I didn't want to purchase the book from an author I only recognized from word of mouth and perhaps end up regretting my purchase. So I waited. I had all but forgotten about the book when it showed up on NetGalley. Here was the PERFECT opportunity to try out a new author's writing and see if I liked what she produced. It was a choice I definitely don't regret.
Emma's work is rocked to it's core when she awakens in a hospital bed and is told that the parents she has loved her whole life were killed in a car crash. No matter the amount of times her survival is deemed a miracle, Emma wishes she had died along side her loving parents. Emma can't understand what has happened to her life nor what will come of it now.
It is only in the darkest recesses of Emma's grief that she learns she does have one more living relative. An aunt who lives in Alaska and will do anything to be given the chance to take care of Emma. Emma is hesitant since she has never heard mention of this aunt and she doesn't want to leave her life in sunny California for the an unknown destination in frigid Alaska. However, left with no other choice, she relents to starting her life over.
It is only after she meets her devastatingly handsome escort that she becomes a bit more accepting of her destination. That is until she comes face-to-face with a creature of nightmares. Deathly pale, smelling of rot, and with bloodlust in it's eyes, Emma realizes that her move to Alaska may not be as boring and safe as she first believed.
I hope I am not giving anything away but... this book is about angels. Yes, I am sure most caught that from the title. There are hundreds of books (especially in fiction) about angels. So, it's a pretty tough task to find angel books that are original. Surprisingly, this book was fairly unique. It incorporates a new breed of create into the typical angel story line that gives it a little something extra. The Darklings, while not a main focal point, were one of my favorite new races I have read about. Their appearance in an otherwise structured angel character cast set the book apart for me. Their creation along with the blossoming romance (that I absolutely love in almost all books I read, hopeless romantic that I am) in this book made for a fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Hidden Wings will show its readers that even when you feel you're plummeting to your death in times of tragedy, someone, or even a group of someones, will always be there to give you wings to soar.
Breaking Nova by Jessica Sorensen
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Jessica Sorensen is truly a household name when it comes to contemporary fiction, so it's not surprising that when I was alerted to a new series I was desperate to try it out. From the synopsis it sounded like a troubled girl who would ultimately tame the wild and broken boy. Seems like a light and fun little read, doesn't it? And then I got to page 1...
Nova's story opens on her discovering her childhood best friend and love of her life in some sort of traumatic situation. It is only to be assumed he died in some manner and she was the one who found him that way. (Okay... not so light and fun) Nova doesn't know how to coup with her existence without Landon. She tries to distract herself from the pain by counting things obsessively. Number of cracks in the street, number of rocks in a path, number of limbs in a tree, and so forth. She sets a routine for herself to keep her panic attacks and break downs manageable. She knows she will never love again and is merely surviving each day because she doesn't have the strength of will to end her suffering. Her life and routines are rocked to their core when she meets Quinton.
Quinton also has issues. He has also confronted a devastating loss that he can't seem to recover from. Guilt and shame eat away at him until the only way he can numb the pain is through drugs. He, also, swears to never love again. Enter Nova.
Nova and Quinton rock each others steadfast law to never enter into a relationship with another person. They are instantly drawn to each other. Perhaps because they are both suffering from the same sort of pain that is eating away at their souls, or maybe it's simply because they see their lost loved ones in each other and are hungry to experience that connection again. Either way, whatever is happening between Nova and Quinton can either mend their shattered lives or destroy it even further.
I have not had a book that rocked me to the core as much as this one did. I started it directly before bedtime thinking I'd get a chapter in and call it a night. I stayed up for 6 hours and finished the entire thing without stopping. I was sobbing my eyes out almost the entire book. Sorensen made the characters' devastating plights and their tragic stories believable. She made me want to root for Nova and Quinton to finally find happiness again and pull themselves out of the downward spiral they were headed. I wanted them to heal through each other's combined strength.
I will not give away the ending but... that didn't happen and I am MAD! I am mad that the book was so intoxicating and I have to wait until February 2014 to find out what happened with it's epic cliffhanger (why do you hate us, Jessica, why?). I am mad because when I could finally breath easy for the characters something happened and they started to backslide. I am mad because I will not be able to get over this book for many, many days/weeks/months! You are a genius, Jessica. An evil, diabolic, cruel genius of literature!
Breaking Nova will completely break your heart into a million tiny pieces and Jessica Sorensen will own at least a fragment of it even after it is finally put back together.
5.0
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Jessica Sorensen is truly a household name when it comes to contemporary fiction, so it's not surprising that when I was alerted to a new series I was desperate to try it out. From the synopsis it sounded like a troubled girl who would ultimately tame the wild and broken boy. Seems like a light and fun little read, doesn't it? And then I got to page 1...
Nova's story opens on her discovering her childhood best friend and love of her life in some sort of traumatic situation. It is only to be assumed he died in some manner and she was the one who found him that way. (Okay... not so light and fun) Nova doesn't know how to coup with her existence without Landon. She tries to distract herself from the pain by counting things obsessively. Number of cracks in the street, number of rocks in a path, number of limbs in a tree, and so forth. She sets a routine for herself to keep her panic attacks and break downs manageable. She knows she will never love again and is merely surviving each day because she doesn't have the strength of will to end her suffering. Her life and routines are rocked to their core when she meets Quinton.
Quinton also has issues. He has also confronted a devastating loss that he can't seem to recover from. Guilt and shame eat away at him until the only way he can numb the pain is through drugs. He, also, swears to never love again. Enter Nova.
Nova and Quinton rock each others steadfast law to never enter into a relationship with another person. They are instantly drawn to each other. Perhaps because they are both suffering from the same sort of pain that is eating away at their souls, or maybe it's simply because they see their lost loved ones in each other and are hungry to experience that connection again. Either way, whatever is happening between Nova and Quinton can either mend their shattered lives or destroy it even further.
I have not had a book that rocked me to the core as much as this one did. I started it directly before bedtime thinking I'd get a chapter in and call it a night. I stayed up for 6 hours and finished the entire thing without stopping. I was sobbing my eyes out almost the entire book. Sorensen made the characters' devastating plights and their tragic stories believable. She made me want to root for Nova and Quinton to finally find happiness again and pull themselves out of the downward spiral they were headed. I wanted them to heal through each other's combined strength.
I will not give away the ending but... that didn't happen and I am MAD! I am mad that the book was so intoxicating and I have to wait until February 2014 to find out what happened with it's epic cliffhanger (why do you hate us, Jessica, why?). I am mad because when I could finally breath easy for the characters something happened and they started to backslide. I am mad because I will not be able to get over this book for many, many days/weeks/months! You are a genius, Jessica. An evil, diabolic, cruel genius of literature!
Breaking Nova will completely break your heart into a million tiny pieces and Jessica Sorensen will own at least a fragment of it even after it is finally put back together.
Rule by Jay Crownover
I received a physical copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for participation in a blog tour as well as an honest review.
I had only ever done one blog tour with the girls at TLC Book Tours, and the one I had done was fabulous. I loved the book, the host was very efficient on getting us the books on time for our reviews, and they just seemed to know what I would like without having really conversed with me first. So, when I was approached again about Rule and it's sequel, Jet, I shifted things around in my review schedule to make sure I had room to read these two books for review. I had a feeling they would be more new adult books, the genre I am just starting to get to know, that I would come to love.
Shaw has loved Rule since she first met him after his sweet and docile twin rescued her from a life of overbearing parents and expectations. She has been by Rule's twin, Remy's, side since the very first day. To an outsider, it may have appeared that Shaw and Remy were the ideal couple, but one look at the longing glances she shoots Rule's way and that idea would be smashed to smithereens. Shaw loves Rule for marching to the beat of his own drum, something she has longed to do herself for years. She hides the fact that every time she has to scoop him out of his tosseled bed with another fluzy adorning it's sheets for family Sunday brunch, a piece of her heart breaks. She knows Rule is unobtainable but she can't get her heart to stop flip it gives with just a single smile from the rebellious man.
Rule thought he was living the good life. He had all the women, booze, and money he could really ask for. He did what he wanted, with whomever he wanted, and enjoyed every minute of it. That was until he looked up from his debauchery and noticed the girl that had been there for years. He wasn't allowed to find Shaw attractive because of his twin's supposed claim to her even from the grave, but one look at her in a sexy referee uniform and he suddenly noticed her in a totally different way. After a night of too many drinks, he winds up acting on his blossoming interest for Shaw and it shakes his world to the core.
Shaw and Rule are complete polar opposites. She is cashmere and Chanel, he's grungy boots and Axe body spray. Rule is everything parents dread in a child. A tattooed, pierced rebel with a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas. Shaw is the prim and proper privileged girl set on toeing the line. These two would most often chew off their own limbs before spending more time together than they needed to. But behind both of their personas breathes a man who desperately wants to be approved of and a girl who wants to be free to be herself.
I don't want to sound like a cover snarker but when I saw the cover of the book, I was a little put off. The cover model looks too wholesome to be the rebel Rule is described and it's kind of obvious the tattoos are mainly one of those fake tattoo stockings. I was nervous going into the book for that fact. But boy, did the cover play second fiddle to the actual story. I was drawn in from the first page and couldn't put it down for a second. I wandered the house doing daily tasks with the book in one hand and my nose firmly pressed to its pages. I wept with the characters, I laughed, I generally got sucked into their world. I found myself longing for a tattooed rebel to sweep me off my feet and prove to me that life is worth living every day as if it's your last. Rule became my ideal book boyfriend. Shaw became the girl I could sympathize with. With the introduction of the rest of the supporting characters I couldn't help but pray to all that is holy that I had agreed to read not just the first book but the second too for the tour.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and aside from initial cover impressions, there wasn't a thing I could find wrong with it. It was eloquently written, sassy and fun, and a love story that would make any red-blooded female heave a dreamy sigh.
Rule rocked my world and made me believe that in matters of the heart, opposites do attract and when they do there is no amount of water to put out the flames.
5.0
I received a physical copy of this book from the publishers in exchange for participation in a blog tour as well as an honest review.
I had only ever done one blog tour with the girls at TLC Book Tours, and the one I had done was fabulous. I loved the book, the host was very efficient on getting us the books on time for our reviews, and they just seemed to know what I would like without having really conversed with me first. So, when I was approached again about Rule and it's sequel, Jet, I shifted things around in my review schedule to make sure I had room to read these two books for review. I had a feeling they would be more new adult books, the genre I am just starting to get to know, that I would come to love.
Shaw has loved Rule since she first met him after his sweet and docile twin rescued her from a life of overbearing parents and expectations. She has been by Rule's twin, Remy's, side since the very first day. To an outsider, it may have appeared that Shaw and Remy were the ideal couple, but one look at the longing glances she shoots Rule's way and that idea would be smashed to smithereens. Shaw loves Rule for marching to the beat of his own drum, something she has longed to do herself for years. She hides the fact that every time she has to scoop him out of his tosseled bed with another fluzy adorning it's sheets for family Sunday brunch, a piece of her heart breaks. She knows Rule is unobtainable but she can't get her heart to stop flip it gives with just a single smile from the rebellious man.
Rule thought he was living the good life. He had all the women, booze, and money he could really ask for. He did what he wanted, with whomever he wanted, and enjoyed every minute of it. That was until he looked up from his debauchery and noticed the girl that had been there for years. He wasn't allowed to find Shaw attractive because of his twin's supposed claim to her even from the grave, but one look at her in a sexy referee uniform and he suddenly noticed her in a totally different way. After a night of too many drinks, he winds up acting on his blossoming interest for Shaw and it shakes his world to the core.
Shaw and Rule are complete polar opposites. She is cashmere and Chanel, he's grungy boots and Axe body spray. Rule is everything parents dread in a child. A tattooed, pierced rebel with a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas. Shaw is the prim and proper privileged girl set on toeing the line. These two would most often chew off their own limbs before spending more time together than they needed to. But behind both of their personas breathes a man who desperately wants to be approved of and a girl who wants to be free to be herself.
I don't want to sound like a cover snarker but when I saw the cover of the book, I was a little put off. The cover model looks too wholesome to be the rebel Rule is described and it's kind of obvious the tattoos are mainly one of those fake tattoo stockings. I was nervous going into the book for that fact. But boy, did the cover play second fiddle to the actual story. I was drawn in from the first page and couldn't put it down for a second. I wandered the house doing daily tasks with the book in one hand and my nose firmly pressed to its pages. I wept with the characters, I laughed, I generally got sucked into their world. I found myself longing for a tattooed rebel to sweep me off my feet and prove to me that life is worth living every day as if it's your last. Rule became my ideal book boyfriend. Shaw became the girl I could sympathize with. With the introduction of the rest of the supporting characters I couldn't help but pray to all that is holy that I had agreed to read not just the first book but the second too for the tour.
I thoroughly enjoyed the book and aside from initial cover impressions, there wasn't a thing I could find wrong with it. It was eloquently written, sassy and fun, and a love story that would make any red-blooded female heave a dreamy sigh.
Rule rocked my world and made me believe that in matters of the heart, opposites do attract and when they do there is no amount of water to put out the flames.