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booksabrewin's reviews
496 reviews
Changes and Chocolates by Heather Long
In the second installment a lot of secrets were put to rest or realized and it completely upended Frankie's life. Some of them were good like discovering the mystery man who was sending Frankie roses was someone who she could only hope would be a good friend in the long run. Others were terrible like when Frankie discovered the seriousness of the relationship her mother was forming with a married man. She has been used, abused, taken for granted, and made to believe she was unworthy of any less. Her best friends are starting to get the full scope of how terrible things have been that Frankie has locked away and refused to acknowledge.
The bullying at school is starting to reach a new high and the culprit of a particularly malicious attack remains unknown despite the subject pool seemingly being only the girls scorned by the guys when they chose Frankie over them. But there is someone new who also finds Frankie detestable and is bent on destroying her.
The boys and Frankie are getting closer and they're starting to realize they're not that jealous when it comes to her being with the others. In fact, some of them are starting to realize that watching her with the others is titillating. Which opens the relationship to a few different possibilities down the road. It is great to see how devoted they are to her and how willing they are to do anything to make her happy.
Changes and Chocolate addresses the tumultuous relationship between Frankie and her mother as well as deepening the feelings between her and her boys. It shows that Frankie didn't get the mousy personality naturally and that it was cultivated by neglect and even doses of abuse from her family life. She suffered in silence even from her best friends but now she has the support she could only have dreamed of. The problem lies in the fact that with feelings deepening the potential of making a choice between the boys draws closer and more prominent.
I haven't found a series in a while that has sucked me in so thoroughly. The slow building of a relationship on top of the friendships is realistic to the point where I can actually feel cast in Frankie's shoes. This makes the story that much more beautiful to dive into. I am anxious to read the next one in the series as soon as I finish this review!
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4.0
In the second installment a lot of secrets were put to rest or realized and it completely upended Frankie's life. Some of them were good like discovering the mystery man who was sending Frankie roses was someone who she could only hope would be a good friend in the long run. Others were terrible like when Frankie discovered the seriousness of the relationship her mother was forming with a married man. She has been used, abused, taken for granted, and made to believe she was unworthy of any less. Her best friends are starting to get the full scope of how terrible things have been that Frankie has locked away and refused to acknowledge.
The bullying at school is starting to reach a new high and the culprit of a particularly malicious attack remains unknown despite the subject pool seemingly being only the girls scorned by the guys when they chose Frankie over them. But there is someone new who also finds Frankie detestable and is bent on destroying her.
The boys and Frankie are getting closer and they're starting to realize they're not that jealous when it comes to her being with the others. In fact, some of them are starting to realize that watching her with the others is titillating. Which opens the relationship to a few different possibilities down the road. It is great to see how devoted they are to her and how willing they are to do anything to make her happy.
Changes and Chocolate addresses the tumultuous relationship between Frankie and her mother as well as deepening the feelings between her and her boys. It shows that Frankie didn't get the mousy personality naturally and that it was cultivated by neglect and even doses of abuse from her family life. She suffered in silence even from her best friends but now she has the support she could only have dreamed of. The problem lies in the fact that with feelings deepening the potential of making a choice between the boys draws closer and more prominent.
I haven't found a series in a while that has sucked me in so thoroughly. The slow building of a relationship on top of the friendships is realistic to the point where I can actually feel cast in Frankie's shoes. This makes the story that much more beautiful to dive into. I am anxious to read the next one in the series as soon as I finish this review!
Rules and Roses by Heather Long
Frankie is a delightfully unique character. Don't get me wrong, the mousy, nerd girl who catches the attention of all the most popular boys? That has been done but there is so much more to Frankie that I relate to. She is neglected by her mother and is forced to go it alone but instead of taking advantage of all the alone time to get into trouble she spends it studying and spending time with her platonic group of predominantly male friends. She is an overachiever but also has emotional damage that makes it so her wants and feelings are never taken into account of. She suffers a betrayal and instead of confronting the perpetrator she isolates herself until she can swallow all the emotions she felt. She never allowed herself to want for anything other than a way out of the life she was living. So she buckled down, stuck her nose in her books, and left the dating and relationship stuff to her best friends. However, she always thought that the reason nobody asked her out on dates was because they just didn't find her at all interesting. Come to find out, she had been marked as an untouchable by her friends so that any guys who wanted to ask her out her deterred. This gave Frankie the first taste of anger at those she felt closest to until she snapped and finally let loose her emotions. It was met with shock until the smoke cleared and her best friends saw being with her as an actual option. Now she is dating all four of them: Jake, Archie, Coop, and Bubba/Ian. As with any relationship there are pitfalls, secrets to be discovered, trust to be earned, and firsts to explore. In Frankie's case she has all that... times four.
I liked that each of the male characters had their own set role in Frankie's life and the vastly different personalities.
Jake: He is the protector. He is the first in a fist fight and the first that would jump in front of a bullet for Frankie. He is very possessive and only relinquishes that possession where it pertains to the other friends. He is the strength Frankie lacks.
Archie: He is the man with no filter. He says what he means and doesn't mince words. His words can be scathing and he will do what he thinks is best for Frankie whether she agrees or not. He is the person who speaks up for Frankie when she can't do it herself.
Coop: Is the calm golden retriever best friend. He has known Frankie the longest and is the one who can mellow her out when her life feels crazy. He will always make things easier for Frankie however he thinks he can.
Bubba/Ian: He is the most selfless of all the guys. He will do anything for Frankie. I think even though they all love her to a degree, Bubba/Ian has a very selfless love. He shows her the beauty in herself and around her. He give her the passion to do anything and everything she could ever desire doing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this first installment of the series, especially the text message back and forths between the boys while they tried to make the five way relationship work best for them and Frankie without stressing her out by involving her. The lengths they would all go for Frankie is phenomenal and made me love them even more (But Archie will always be my favorite).
Take it from someone who reads a lot of reverse harem. This is a very unique take. It's more realistic in them having to negotiate dates so everyone is accommodated, argue boundaries, discuss jealousy and feelings so that it works for them. Most reverse harems simply just exist with no discussions or pitfalls in the heroine dating more than one guy at a time.
Rules and Roses is a phenomenal first book in a series I have a feeling I am going to love.
5.0
Frankie is a delightfully unique character. Don't get me wrong, the mousy, nerd girl who catches the attention of all the most popular boys? That has been done but there is so much more to Frankie that I relate to. She is neglected by her mother and is forced to go it alone but instead of taking advantage of all the alone time to get into trouble she spends it studying and spending time with her platonic group of predominantly male friends. She is an overachiever but also has emotional damage that makes it so her wants and feelings are never taken into account of. She suffers a betrayal and instead of confronting the perpetrator she isolates herself until she can swallow all the emotions she felt. She never allowed herself to want for anything other than a way out of the life she was living. So she buckled down, stuck her nose in her books, and left the dating and relationship stuff to her best friends. However, she always thought that the reason nobody asked her out on dates was because they just didn't find her at all interesting. Come to find out, she had been marked as an untouchable by her friends so that any guys who wanted to ask her out her deterred. This gave Frankie the first taste of anger at those she felt closest to until she snapped and finally let loose her emotions. It was met with shock until the smoke cleared and her best friends saw being with her as an actual option. Now she is dating all four of them: Jake, Archie, Coop, and Bubba/Ian. As with any relationship there are pitfalls, secrets to be discovered, trust to be earned, and firsts to explore. In Frankie's case she has all that... times four.
I liked that each of the male characters had their own set role in Frankie's life and the vastly different personalities.
Jake: He is the protector. He is the first in a fist fight and the first that would jump in front of a bullet for Frankie. He is very possessive and only relinquishes that possession where it pertains to the other friends. He is the strength Frankie lacks.
Archie: He is the man with no filter. He says what he means and doesn't mince words. His words can be scathing and he will do what he thinks is best for Frankie whether she agrees or not. He is the person who speaks up for Frankie when she can't do it herself.
Coop: Is the calm golden retriever best friend. He has known Frankie the longest and is the one who can mellow her out when her life feels crazy. He will always make things easier for Frankie however he thinks he can.
Bubba/Ian: He is the most selfless of all the guys. He will do anything for Frankie. I think even though they all love her to a degree, Bubba/Ian has a very selfless love. He shows her the beauty in herself and around her. He give her the passion to do anything and everything she could ever desire doing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this first installment of the series, especially the text message back and forths between the boys while they tried to make the five way relationship work best for them and Frankie without stressing her out by involving her. The lengths they would all go for Frankie is phenomenal and made me love them even more (But Archie will always be my favorite).
Take it from someone who reads a lot of reverse harem. This is a very unique take. It's more realistic in them having to negotiate dates so everyone is accommodated, argue boundaries, discuss jealousy and feelings so that it works for them. Most reverse harems simply just exist with no discussions or pitfalls in the heroine dating more than one guy at a time.
Rules and Roses is a phenomenal first book in a series I have a feeling I am going to love.
Sweet Retribution by Callie Rose
The cliffhanger from the last book was terrible! Not knowing whether Marcus had been killed or not was torturous and being as the love connection was so fresh it could have gone either way. Then he disappears. Ayla is left reeling with his two friends and decides she will run herself into the ground if she has to in pursuit of finding out what happened to Marcus. However, as far as the story goes, Marcus disappearing was the best thing for the overall storyline. This gave Ayla a chance to explore her connections with Theo and Ryland without the obsessed man, Marcus, hanging over her head.
I already said in the previous review that Ryland was my favorite. This book only helped me reaffirm that initial instinct. He is the strong, silent type that would die for the people he loves without question. He broods and scowls but Ayla can melt that stoic personality with a simple smile and turn him to putty. I loved watching them form their bond as well as seeing her forge one with Theo.
This installment was more so focused on the mystery of the games and trying to find Marcus. It did harken back to a bit of Ayla's past that hadn't been discussed previously, but the main focus was on finding Marcus and once found, finding a way to win the games. It was interesting to see a book where the main antagonist of the story was the storyline itself. The reason they are having to dull their relationships or keep their distance periodically is because of the dangers that come with the games as a whole; not a single entity itself.
I didn't find this book as enjoyable as the first book. I did like seeing Ayla grow closer with the other two guys but it felt like the romance was kinda shoved to the side to make room for all the other twists and turns of the plot. I like my books heavily laden with romance so that was a downfall just for me as a particular reader. If you like books that have spice but as an afterthought to the mystery in the plot this would be a favorite.
2.0
The cliffhanger from the last book was terrible! Not knowing whether Marcus had been killed or not was torturous and being as the love connection was so fresh it could have gone either way. Then he disappears. Ayla is left reeling with his two friends and decides she will run herself into the ground if she has to in pursuit of finding out what happened to Marcus. However, as far as the story goes, Marcus disappearing was the best thing for the overall storyline. This gave Ayla a chance to explore her connections with Theo and Ryland without the obsessed man, Marcus, hanging over her head.
I already said in the previous review that Ryland was my favorite. This book only helped me reaffirm that initial instinct. He is the strong, silent type that would die for the people he loves without question. He broods and scowls but Ayla can melt that stoic personality with a simple smile and turn him to putty. I loved watching them form their bond as well as seeing her forge one with Theo.
This installment was more so focused on the mystery of the games and trying to find Marcus. It did harken back to a bit of Ayla's past that hadn't been discussed previously, but the main focus was on finding Marcus and once found, finding a way to win the games. It was interesting to see a book where the main antagonist of the story was the storyline itself. The reason they are having to dull their relationships or keep their distance periodically is because of the dangers that come with the games as a whole; not a single entity itself.
I didn't find this book as enjoyable as the first book. I did like seeing Ayla grow closer with the other two guys but it felt like the romance was kinda shoved to the side to make room for all the other twists and turns of the plot. I like my books heavily laden with romance so that was a downfall just for me as a particular reader. If you like books that have spice but as an afterthought to the mystery in the plot this would be a favorite.
Sweet Obsession by Callie Rose
As far as books based on a male's absolute obsession with his the female protagonist at least this one was more than a scent (usually in paranormal romance) or just insta-love. Likely, if she hadn't saved his life he would have carried on in her life and not thought about her except perhaps in a missed connection sort of way. But seeing her almost die for him with no reason what-so-ever for it that he could ascertain but that she had a good soul, his obsession was born. Normally books like this give me the creeps. Men lurking in shadows waiting for the woman to fall into peril so they can swoop in and white knight her to safety? Pass. But some how the addition of two other men, one who hates everything about their mission to protect her and the other with crazy golden retriever energy, kind of balances it out perfectly. Inevitably they all admit they are obsessed with her to some degree, but the varying personalities make it more concise and enjoyable.
Ayla is the first female protagonist that I have read about who had a disability to the extend of an amputated limb. Usually the females I read about have internal scars, not external. But damn is she a warrior. She refuses to give into social pressure to wear her prosthetic if she is able to function better without it. She doesn't hide her scars, she embraces them, even placing tattoos on her amputated arm to make something she sees as unpleasant to look at beautiful. She entered her connection with Marcus and his men with a healthy dose of resistance and weariness which only made me love her more.
The author did a good job of making sure each of the men were different so they could stand out as their own characters while also maintaining that trio feel to them. I am always a sucker for a broody bastard so Ryland is by far my favorite of the three. He also tried to resist Ayla the most projecting a hateful aura towards her which poorly masked how he truly felt.
I think that the first part of the series was stellar. It had an air of mystery in it which the games get mixed into the romance between the four. Sweet Obsession tackles dark pasts, selfless acts, danger, and love in a beautiful and unique way.
4.0
As far as books based on a male's absolute obsession with his the female protagonist at least this one was more than a scent (usually in paranormal romance) or just insta-love. Likely, if she hadn't saved his life he would have carried on in her life and not thought about her except perhaps in a missed connection sort of way. But seeing her almost die for him with no reason what-so-ever for it that he could ascertain but that she had a good soul, his obsession was born. Normally books like this give me the creeps. Men lurking in shadows waiting for the woman to fall into peril so they can swoop in and white knight her to safety? Pass. But some how the addition of two other men, one who hates everything about their mission to protect her and the other with crazy golden retriever energy, kind of balances it out perfectly. Inevitably they all admit they are obsessed with her to some degree, but the varying personalities make it more concise and enjoyable.
Ayla is the first female protagonist that I have read about who had a disability to the extend of an amputated limb. Usually the females I read about have internal scars, not external. But damn is she a warrior. She refuses to give into social pressure to wear her prosthetic if she is able to function better without it. She doesn't hide her scars, she embraces them, even placing tattoos on her amputated arm to make something she sees as unpleasant to look at beautiful. She entered her connection with Marcus and his men with a healthy dose of resistance and weariness which only made me love her more.
The author did a good job of making sure each of the men were different so they could stand out as their own characters while also maintaining that trio feel to them. I am always a sucker for a broody bastard so Ryland is by far my favorite of the three. He also tried to resist Ayla the most projecting a hateful aura towards her which poorly masked how he truly felt.
I think that the first part of the series was stellar. It had an air of mystery in it which the games get mixed into the romance between the four. Sweet Obsession tackles dark pasts, selfless acts, danger, and love in a beautiful and unique way.
The Plan by Ruby Vincent
How the mighty have fallen. Zee went from being tapped for the exclusive Elite ranking to walking the halls of the F ranking class with her best friend. Lucky she has Adam because having to deal with the severe lack of privileges and the dumbed down education of the Fs she would have gone crazy. Eventually, even while having been sequestered to the F class the Elites are still out for revenge. They want to make her suffer for betraying them and Zee takes it at first. The Elites start battling her knowing she has no hope of winning to steal what meager possessions she has to her name. Eventually Zee can't take it anymore and she starts studying harder and practicing longer so she can start winning her possessions back. But that is not her ultimate goal. However, her ultimate goal may push the Elites too far and they may retaliate in the worst ways possible. Can Zee stay strong?
If it was possible I liked this book even less than the other. I kept waiting for the heat. The marketing for the series was a Bully High School Reverse Harem. I saw the Bully. I saw the High School. I see no Reverse Harem. I mean, I could see the making of one but the book was so focused on that battle system and harping on how it worked and how Zee was going to manipulate it to get what she wants, it got tedious. The Bullying didn't even come from the potential love interests like most Bully Reverse Harems tend to be. It was from an outside antagonist. This installment really put the romance on the back burner and made it hard to continue reading. There was just soul to the book. If someone read this book without the prequel they'd have no idea what was going on. That's not really good for a first book the series.
That being said, I was very weirded out by Zee's obsession with Derek. I had no idea why she was hot to trot for him other than him being hot. They waffled between affection and almost a familial bond which made it very unclear whether he was going to potentially be a part of the harem later down the road or if he was gonna be a best friend and Adam would become the love interest. I guess that was good to keep readers guessing but...
The Plan should not be read without reading Orientation Week first or the battle system will be completely confusing. Unfortunately, it was more about plot points and less about the romance genre we all want.
2.0
How the mighty have fallen. Zee went from being tapped for the exclusive Elite ranking to walking the halls of the F ranking class with her best friend. Lucky she has Adam because having to deal with the severe lack of privileges and the dumbed down education of the Fs she would have gone crazy. Eventually, even while having been sequestered to the F class the Elites are still out for revenge. They want to make her suffer for betraying them and Zee takes it at first. The Elites start battling her knowing she has no hope of winning to steal what meager possessions she has to her name. Eventually Zee can't take it anymore and she starts studying harder and practicing longer so she can start winning her possessions back. But that is not her ultimate goal. However, her ultimate goal may push the Elites too far and they may retaliate in the worst ways possible. Can Zee stay strong?
If it was possible I liked this book even less than the other. I kept waiting for the heat. The marketing for the series was a Bully High School Reverse Harem. I saw the Bully. I saw the High School. I see no Reverse Harem. I mean, I could see the making of one but the book was so focused on that battle system and harping on how it worked and how Zee was going to manipulate it to get what she wants, it got tedious. The Bullying didn't even come from the potential love interests like most Bully Reverse Harems tend to be. It was from an outside antagonist. This installment really put the romance on the back burner and made it hard to continue reading. There was just soul to the book. If someone read this book without the prequel they'd have no idea what was going on. That's not really good for a first book the series.
That being said, I was very weirded out by Zee's obsession with Derek. I had no idea why she was hot to trot for him other than him being hot. They waffled between affection and almost a familial bond which made it very unclear whether he was going to potentially be a part of the harem later down the road or if he was gonna be a best friend and Adam would become the love interest. I guess that was good to keep readers guessing but...
The Plan should not be read without reading Orientation Week first or the battle system will be completely confusing. Unfortunately, it was more about plot points and less about the romance genre we all want.
Autumn by Sierra Dean
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Strictly based on cover appeal and my lack of knowledge where the author was concerned was a bit of a worry of mine. I really expected this to be another low rated book because there hadn't been much buzz that I had seen around my fellow book bloggers. Regardless, I went into the book with an open mind. The synopsis was interesting since normally the young adult paranormal reads are centered around werewolves not coyote shifters. But the story was so much more than just about coyote shifters as I had first thought.
Eloise ("just call me Lou, please") didn't want to move away from all she had ever known in California. Add to that the fact that she is still grieving the loss of her father who had just recently died of cancer and you get one incredibly unhappy teenager. With the shear volume of medical bills, her mother sold most of their worldly possessions, packed a U-Haul, and dragged Lou, kicking and screaming, to Poisonfoot, the hometown of her deceased father. It is there where Lou starts to wonder if there is more to this town then she had first thought. It would seem that everyone feels it is there duty to warn her off of a certain boy whose family is the town outcasts. Lou, not to be deterred by simple hatred via word of mouth, she sets out to get to know the strange boy, and from the moment she laid eyes on him, she couldn't imagine staying away.
Cooper was used to being hated by everyone in his school, and even his town. He didn't know if it was his secret they all knew or if it was simply an ingrained instinct. All he knew was it sucked royally. He played football because the games were the only time anyone would acknowledge him, let alone cheer him on. Football is important to Texas inhabitants and it is the only time Cooper feels normal. When he is on the field he doesn't have to think about his brother's absence, the taunts from fellow students, or the fact that townsfolk would sooner cross the street than venture near him. He knows he only has a few short months until he is eighteen and then he won't have to worry about these people anymore. The curse almost seems a blessing in those terms. Until he meets Lou. Then the curse truly is a curse being as it means he'd have to leave her, just like his brother left him.
As the couple grows closer its only a matter of time before they both will have to face a town with secrets and Cooper's own personal family secret if they have any hope of remaining together.
I liked the overall format of the book. From one scenario to the next it flowed effortlessly. There was no point where I felt the story rushed or was drawn out. It was believable and that is hard to do as an author writing someone like paranormal or science fiction. I could see the blossoming romance happen exactly as described and I could even imagine that, with the way the curse tied into the history of Lou and Cooper's families, it actually could be plausible. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't particularly believe in curses, magic, or the like, but with the way Dean wrote Autumn I started to question whether it could be a possibility. It's a mark of a good author.
One of the only problems I had with the story was the fact that in the story's timeline, Lou had just lost her father a month ago. She states she was very close to him and yet, she hasn't mourned him at all in the story. She is all giddy of her new romantic interest and trying to find out Poisonfoot and Cooper's secrets, but shouldn't there be some time in between all that where she remembers her father has just passed? In the story, her father is referenced numerous times and whereas I would have crumbled into tears at the mention of my recently deceased loved one, Lou simply takes it in stride. I would think that mentality would be reserved for having lost her father several months ago and not just one. That was my own draw back.
Autumn is a new type of paranormal literature in which coyotes and magic are at the forefront. A welcome break from the werewolves and vampires that seem to be the height of popularity at this time.
4.0
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Strictly based on cover appeal and my lack of knowledge where the author was concerned was a bit of a worry of mine. I really expected this to be another low rated book because there hadn't been much buzz that I had seen around my fellow book bloggers. Regardless, I went into the book with an open mind. The synopsis was interesting since normally the young adult paranormal reads are centered around werewolves not coyote shifters. But the story was so much more than just about coyote shifters as I had first thought.
Eloise ("just call me Lou, please") didn't want to move away from all she had ever known in California. Add to that the fact that she is still grieving the loss of her father who had just recently died of cancer and you get one incredibly unhappy teenager. With the shear volume of medical bills, her mother sold most of their worldly possessions, packed a U-Haul, and dragged Lou, kicking and screaming, to Poisonfoot, the hometown of her deceased father. It is there where Lou starts to wonder if there is more to this town then she had first thought. It would seem that everyone feels it is there duty to warn her off of a certain boy whose family is the town outcasts. Lou, not to be deterred by simple hatred via word of mouth, she sets out to get to know the strange boy, and from the moment she laid eyes on him, she couldn't imagine staying away.
Cooper was used to being hated by everyone in his school, and even his town. He didn't know if it was his secret they all knew or if it was simply an ingrained instinct. All he knew was it sucked royally. He played football because the games were the only time anyone would acknowledge him, let alone cheer him on. Football is important to Texas inhabitants and it is the only time Cooper feels normal. When he is on the field he doesn't have to think about his brother's absence, the taunts from fellow students, or the fact that townsfolk would sooner cross the street than venture near him. He knows he only has a few short months until he is eighteen and then he won't have to worry about these people anymore. The curse almost seems a blessing in those terms. Until he meets Lou. Then the curse truly is a curse being as it means he'd have to leave her, just like his brother left him.
As the couple grows closer its only a matter of time before they both will have to face a town with secrets and Cooper's own personal family secret if they have any hope of remaining together.
I liked the overall format of the book. From one scenario to the next it flowed effortlessly. There was no point where I felt the story rushed or was drawn out. It was believable and that is hard to do as an author writing someone like paranormal or science fiction. I could see the blossoming romance happen exactly as described and I could even imagine that, with the way the curse tied into the history of Lou and Cooper's families, it actually could be plausible. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't particularly believe in curses, magic, or the like, but with the way Dean wrote Autumn I started to question whether it could be a possibility. It's a mark of a good author.
One of the only problems I had with the story was the fact that in the story's timeline, Lou had just lost her father a month ago. She states she was very close to him and yet, she hasn't mourned him at all in the story. She is all giddy of her new romantic interest and trying to find out Poisonfoot and Cooper's secrets, but shouldn't there be some time in between all that where she remembers her father has just passed? In the story, her father is referenced numerous times and whereas I would have crumbled into tears at the mention of my recently deceased loved one, Lou simply takes it in stride. I would think that mentality would be reserved for having lost her father several months ago and not just one. That was my own draw back.
Autumn is a new type of paranormal literature in which coyotes and magic are at the forefront. A welcome break from the werewolves and vampires that seem to be the height of popularity at this time.
Forged by Fate by Reese Monroe
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have not had a lot of experience with Entangled's imprint, Embrace, so when a few of them popped up on NetGalley I was intrigued. Especially once I saw the beautiful purple cover of Forged by Fate and laid eyes on the handsome man adorning the cover. I have been traipsing into the demon vs. angel or good vs. evil type of reading material lately. Perhaps with the holidays approaching I am giving more thought to that sort of thing. We all know that Santa does not look kindly on to evil individuals (or demons I would imagine). So, fun little Christmas time read, I imagined. And a new author to explore to boot!
Monroe's debut novel starts with Theo discovering his destined Mate started her transformation after 900 years of waiting. Theo has kept his mind and body focused only on her and his job as Gatekeeper to Hades. No other woman even registered in his mind except her. To say he is a little nervous to introduce her to his world and finally seal their connection, is an understatement. But he feels the draw of her before he even lays eyes on her. He had hoped to draw his Mate into her role as such slowly with lots of time for her to adjust to the idea of being with him for eternity, but it would seem the demon hordes have other ideas. One demon in particular, one that Theo has vanquished before, seems to have his sights firmly set on his Mate and it is up to Theo to protect her at all costs.
Sadie was not prepared to meet Theo. She was not prepared to feel drawn to him in a completely scary, yet undeniable, way. She was eighteen, finishing her finals, and starting a six-figure salary job. That was her reality. Fighting off demons and learning that she is stuck to this dangerously handsome man is enough to drive her into a white jacket and padded room. Sadie must learn who she is and where she came from in order to full embrace her new life with Theo and the rest of the Shomrei warriors.
Theo and Sadie may be destined for each other but are they ready to accept their destiny in order to stop evil from taking over the world?
This is the part I don't particularly like. The part where I have to point out areas in the book that I just didn't like. The writing was a bit choppy. Something pertinent would happen and it would be described in one or two sentences rather chaotically and when I continued reading I would have a "wait, what?" moment and have to go back and reread. I had to do that on several occasions.
The love scenes were forced. I understand that being a virgin, Sadie may have... reservations about giving that up so quickly. But the parts where they WEREN'T having sex were confusing. They'd get half naked and I assume they'd do some heavy petting and yet they always had this intense euphoria afterwards like they had just done the deed. There was no sexual frustration that you would think those sort of situations would produce. I think if the author wanted to keep her characters from having sex the reason for them staling should have been a bit better. What man gets blissed out with no release?
This is the first novel written by the author so there are going to be issues. There are going to be tricks of the trade to learn and steps to be taken to make the story better. Overall, the structure of the story and the character development was good. It was just scenarios in the story that didn't work and writing issues. I think with some tweaks the story could be even better.
Forged by Fate features romance, mystery, and the ultimate battle of good vs. evil.
2.0
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I have not had a lot of experience with Entangled's imprint, Embrace, so when a few of them popped up on NetGalley I was intrigued. Especially once I saw the beautiful purple cover of Forged by Fate and laid eyes on the handsome man adorning the cover. I have been traipsing into the demon vs. angel or good vs. evil type of reading material lately. Perhaps with the holidays approaching I am giving more thought to that sort of thing. We all know that Santa does not look kindly on to evil individuals (or demons I would imagine). So, fun little Christmas time read, I imagined. And a new author to explore to boot!
Monroe's debut novel starts with Theo discovering his destined Mate started her transformation after 900 years of waiting. Theo has kept his mind and body focused only on her and his job as Gatekeeper to Hades. No other woman even registered in his mind except her. To say he is a little nervous to introduce her to his world and finally seal their connection, is an understatement. But he feels the draw of her before he even lays eyes on her. He had hoped to draw his Mate into her role as such slowly with lots of time for her to adjust to the idea of being with him for eternity, but it would seem the demon hordes have other ideas. One demon in particular, one that Theo has vanquished before, seems to have his sights firmly set on his Mate and it is up to Theo to protect her at all costs.
Sadie was not prepared to meet Theo. She was not prepared to feel drawn to him in a completely scary, yet undeniable, way. She was eighteen, finishing her finals, and starting a six-figure salary job. That was her reality. Fighting off demons and learning that she is stuck to this dangerously handsome man is enough to drive her into a white jacket and padded room. Sadie must learn who she is and where she came from in order to full embrace her new life with Theo and the rest of the Shomrei warriors.
Theo and Sadie may be destined for each other but are they ready to accept their destiny in order to stop evil from taking over the world?
This is the part I don't particularly like. The part where I have to point out areas in the book that I just didn't like. The writing was a bit choppy. Something pertinent would happen and it would be described in one or two sentences rather chaotically and when I continued reading I would have a "wait, what?" moment and have to go back and reread. I had to do that on several occasions.
The love scenes were forced. I understand that being a virgin, Sadie may have... reservations about giving that up so quickly. But the parts where they WEREN'T having sex were confusing. They'd get half naked and I assume they'd do some heavy petting and yet they always had this intense euphoria afterwards like they had just done the deed. There was no sexual frustration that you would think those sort of situations would produce. I think if the author wanted to keep her characters from having sex the reason for them staling should have been a bit better. What man gets blissed out with no release?
This is the first novel written by the author so there are going to be issues. There are going to be tricks of the trade to learn and steps to be taken to make the story better. Overall, the structure of the story and the character development was good. It was just scenarios in the story that didn't work and writing issues. I think with some tweaks the story could be even better.
Forged by Fate features romance, mystery, and the ultimate battle of good vs. evil.
World of Ash by Shauna Granger
I received an e-copy of this book from the blog tour host for participation in the tour and an honest review.
With the threat of the world ending just last year still heavy in my mind (not that I believed such things, of course), I have found my way into a lot of post-apocalyptic reads. I find the devastation of a world destroyed or life as we know it being threatened to be of particular interest. Watching characters turn to their most basic instincts and fight to stay alive. Isn't that what makes for a good read? To watch a life decimated only to look up and realize everything is right in the world of reality? Makes people grateful for what they have, and I with Thanksgiving having just past, I was in the mood for a book that made me grateful for an easy existence.
World of Ash hits the ground running from the very first sentence. Kat is a young girl who is on her own. Her parents are lost to the disease that has claimed a majority of the world. She only knows of an uncle who lives off the grid and in the safety of his "hippie" lifestyle on Washington. She is desperate to get to him and his hydroelectrical oasis of a state. She is forced to face groups of survivors who have decided to take whatever they can from whomever they please without any regard for those people they leave stripped of all their supplies. After one particular incident leaves Kat even more frightened than before, she chooses to avoid people as a whole. That is until Dylan stumbles up to the doorstep of the house she is squatting in.
Dylan is desperate for help for his last surviving friend, despite the clear evidence that his friend is already infected. He made his way to a town doctor's house for help and only finds Kat in the physician's place. Soon after he loses his friend to the pox and is left to wonder what to do now. Kat is his lifeline. She is the first person his is confronted with after losing everyone he knows and he clings to her. He begs her to let him come along with her to which she reluctantly agrees.
After that moment, Dylan and Kat are in it together. They are a unlikely duo set on reaching Kat's uncle in hopes of finally being safe. But the world is harsh and dangerous and they must trust in each other more than ever. With a budding romance cementing their connection to each other Dylan and Kat are on a trip for salvation that may just be their doom.
I had heard superior things about the author Shauna Granger. Her Elemental series is still resting heavily on my TBR and I was anxious to see how her writing was. I was sucked in pretty quickly. There was danger around every corner. I found myself squealing a few times over a few of the close calls Dylan and Kat had in their journey. My heart raced, my brain became scattered with scenerios and how I would handle them myself, and my finger could not dance quickly enough across the screen of my e-reader.
I did not know the book was going to leave on a cliffhanger so that was a big disheartening. I saw the percentage on my e-reader growing higher and higher and I knew there wasn't going to be a resolution in the last 3% of the book. I was devastated. I wanted to continue on further. I wanted to see what happened next. Cliffhangers can be the worst... but then there's the joy one can feel with knowing another full-length book is on the horizon.
World of Ash will rivet its readers with a tangible fear for the characters in the story and the reality that a world of devastation is not such a far off concept.
4.0
I received an e-copy of this book from the blog tour host for participation in the tour and an honest review.
With the threat of the world ending just last year still heavy in my mind (not that I believed such things, of course), I have found my way into a lot of post-apocalyptic reads. I find the devastation of a world destroyed or life as we know it being threatened to be of particular interest. Watching characters turn to their most basic instincts and fight to stay alive. Isn't that what makes for a good read? To watch a life decimated only to look up and realize everything is right in the world of reality? Makes people grateful for what they have, and I with Thanksgiving having just past, I was in the mood for a book that made me grateful for an easy existence.
World of Ash hits the ground running from the very first sentence. Kat is a young girl who is on her own. Her parents are lost to the disease that has claimed a majority of the world. She only knows of an uncle who lives off the grid and in the safety of his "hippie" lifestyle on Washington. She is desperate to get to him and his hydroelectrical oasis of a state. She is forced to face groups of survivors who have decided to take whatever they can from whomever they please without any regard for those people they leave stripped of all their supplies. After one particular incident leaves Kat even more frightened than before, she chooses to avoid people as a whole. That is until Dylan stumbles up to the doorstep of the house she is squatting in.
Dylan is desperate for help for his last surviving friend, despite the clear evidence that his friend is already infected. He made his way to a town doctor's house for help and only finds Kat in the physician's place. Soon after he loses his friend to the pox and is left to wonder what to do now. Kat is his lifeline. She is the first person his is confronted with after losing everyone he knows and he clings to her. He begs her to let him come along with her to which she reluctantly agrees.
After that moment, Dylan and Kat are in it together. They are a unlikely duo set on reaching Kat's uncle in hopes of finally being safe. But the world is harsh and dangerous and they must trust in each other more than ever. With a budding romance cementing their connection to each other Dylan and Kat are on a trip for salvation that may just be their doom.
I had heard superior things about the author Shauna Granger. Her Elemental series is still resting heavily on my TBR and I was anxious to see how her writing was. I was sucked in pretty quickly. There was danger around every corner. I found myself squealing a few times over a few of the close calls Dylan and Kat had in their journey. My heart raced, my brain became scattered with scenerios and how I would handle them myself, and my finger could not dance quickly enough across the screen of my e-reader.
I did not know the book was going to leave on a cliffhanger so that was a big disheartening. I saw the percentage on my e-reader growing higher and higher and I knew there wasn't going to be a resolution in the last 3% of the book. I was devastated. I wanted to continue on further. I wanted to see what happened next. Cliffhangers can be the worst... but then there's the joy one can feel with knowing another full-length book is on the horizon.
World of Ash will rivet its readers with a tangible fear for the characters in the story and the reality that a world of devastation is not such a far off concept.
Born in Blood by Alexandra Ivy
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Alexandra Ivy is a name I have come to know from being involved in a paranormal romance book club and finding the genre to be one of my favorites of all time. I had never read any of her work and was hungry to sink my teeth into the first in one of her new series. The synopsis brought to light a whole new world of fantasy that was moderately unique. Other authors have done similar things with worlds were humans and superhumans coexist and are aware of each other, but not to this extent. I was anxious to wrap myself in a new world with new rules and new fantastical creatures to learn about.
Duncan is a cop first and foremost. Nothing else matters to him except his drive to bring justice to those harmed in his hometown of Kansas City. He is one of the few humans that hold no true animosity to the high-bloods (a group name for superhumans such as psychics, diviners/necromancers, and witches). He would rather keep his cases from involving the freaks, but he understand that sometimes his department needs a bit more help than mere humans can offer. Enter Callie Brown. She is a diviner who can enter the minds of the recently dead and view their last moments of life in hopes of finding the animal that murdered them. Duncan has always found Callie irresistible and is determined to coax her into his bed. Freak or not, she is the most dynamite woman he has ever laid eyes on. He can almost forget the dead girl with the missing heart and no signs of trauma to explain the disappearance. Almost.
Callie is called in on another of Duncan's case. With her tattooed mountain of a guardian following her every move it's hard to really get to know the handsome cop... especially when they only ever meet when some poor soul has lost their life. She is inside the mind of the dead, heartless woman when she comes face-to-face with a necromancer of great power. She realizes this is not an ordinary case. She must find this necromancer and stop him before his ability to turn corpses into walking, talking zombies threatens not just the human world but the world of the high-bloods as well.
Callie and Duncan are forced to wade the tranquil waters of a horrifying case set in motion by a psychotic high-blood and a budding romance between them. Humans and high-bloods are not supposed to mix, but there may be more to this particular human than meets the eye. Can Callie and Duncan find a balance between the mutual hatred of their kinds to both stop a madman and nurture the connection growing between them?
Let me first say, I am a romance fanatic. If a story doesn't have at least a hint of romance in it, I rarely want to read it. This book did not have that problem. There was plenty of romance to go around... in fact, too much romance to go around. The romance between Callie and Duncan ruined the reading experience for me, to be frank. I hated the fact that Duncan always said EXACTLY the right thing. It was always poetic and heartfelt and that just doesn't happen in reality. Sure, men can be sensitive, but from the moment they were alone Duncan was confessing how deeply he felt for her and the had only really talked this one time. Too fast, too corny, and too unbelievable. Callie's reserved nature was a bit more spot on as far as romances go, but even she had her moments of eye-rolling antics.
Now, the single saving grace that kept me reading and kept me moderately interesting despite speed reading through the romantic scenes was the world created. I liked that humans and high-bloods tended to look down their noses at each other as if they were more superior than the other. I liked the various mystical races created. I liked Fane's hard ass personality more than the author probably intended. In short, everything but the two main characters and their relationship.
I would recommend Born in Blood if you prefer sentimental romances where the characters are the epidemy of perfection in their relationships.
2.0
I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Alexandra Ivy is a name I have come to know from being involved in a paranormal romance book club and finding the genre to be one of my favorites of all time. I had never read any of her work and was hungry to sink my teeth into the first in one of her new series. The synopsis brought to light a whole new world of fantasy that was moderately unique. Other authors have done similar things with worlds were humans and superhumans coexist and are aware of each other, but not to this extent. I was anxious to wrap myself in a new world with new rules and new fantastical creatures to learn about.
Duncan is a cop first and foremost. Nothing else matters to him except his drive to bring justice to those harmed in his hometown of Kansas City. He is one of the few humans that hold no true animosity to the high-bloods (a group name for superhumans such as psychics, diviners/necromancers, and witches). He would rather keep his cases from involving the freaks, but he understand that sometimes his department needs a bit more help than mere humans can offer. Enter Callie Brown. She is a diviner who can enter the minds of the recently dead and view their last moments of life in hopes of finding the animal that murdered them. Duncan has always found Callie irresistible and is determined to coax her into his bed. Freak or not, she is the most dynamite woman he has ever laid eyes on. He can almost forget the dead girl with the missing heart and no signs of trauma to explain the disappearance. Almost.
Callie is called in on another of Duncan's case. With her tattooed mountain of a guardian following her every move it's hard to really get to know the handsome cop... especially when they only ever meet when some poor soul has lost their life. She is inside the mind of the dead, heartless woman when she comes face-to-face with a necromancer of great power. She realizes this is not an ordinary case. She must find this necromancer and stop him before his ability to turn corpses into walking, talking zombies threatens not just the human world but the world of the high-bloods as well.
Callie and Duncan are forced to wade the tranquil waters of a horrifying case set in motion by a psychotic high-blood and a budding romance between them. Humans and high-bloods are not supposed to mix, but there may be more to this particular human than meets the eye. Can Callie and Duncan find a balance between the mutual hatred of their kinds to both stop a madman and nurture the connection growing between them?
Let me first say, I am a romance fanatic. If a story doesn't have at least a hint of romance in it, I rarely want to read it. This book did not have that problem. There was plenty of romance to go around... in fact, too much romance to go around. The romance between Callie and Duncan ruined the reading experience for me, to be frank. I hated the fact that Duncan always said EXACTLY the right thing. It was always poetic and heartfelt and that just doesn't happen in reality. Sure, men can be sensitive, but from the moment they were alone Duncan was confessing how deeply he felt for her and the had only really talked this one time. Too fast, too corny, and too unbelievable. Callie's reserved nature was a bit more spot on as far as romances go, but even she had her moments of eye-rolling antics.
Now, the single saving grace that kept me reading and kept me moderately interesting despite speed reading through the romantic scenes was the world created. I liked that humans and high-bloods tended to look down their noses at each other as if they were more superior than the other. I liked the various mystical races created. I liked Fane's hard ass personality more than the author probably intended. In short, everything but the two main characters and their relationship.
I would recommend Born in Blood if you prefer sentimental romances where the characters are the epidemy of perfection in their relationships.
Gideon by Jacquelyn Frank
After being exposed to Jacquelyn Frank's world of fabulous fantasy in Jacob, I found myself absolutely ravenous for the next installment in the book. So, I took myself down to my local used bookstore (that also happens to be my work) and bought out the entire Nightwalkers series. That's right, I am hooked. I met Gideon a bit in the first book, but was curious to see how this closed off man who had a distinct air of snobbery could ever allow himself to find a place not just in the Demon society but in the heart of the female. I had to find out.
Gideon is the oldest of his kind. The oldest surviving demon. He has been Siddah (essentially godparent) to countless demon fledglings, including the race's very own king, Noah. He is astute at being a fundamentalist. He knows how to act and what to do in certain situations, but he is not well versed in how to interact with others. The people around him that are supposed to love and respect him only seem to fear him. They think he has gone mad after locking himself away for 8 years with no public interaction. He only came out of hibernation after Jacob was injured. He had no choice but to start to face the world he had long since abandoned. And that includes the woman he abandoned too.
Legna knew Gideon as nothing more than an Ancient demon. She respected him as she was supposed to be she couldn't hide the frustration and hurt she also felt whenever he entered the same room as her. It was before his 8 year hiatus that he and her had shared a passionate encounter to which he ended quickly and retreated. Only a year after abandoning her to her ruminations on what went wrong, Gideon was caught stalking a human female and was swiftly brought to justice by Jacob, the Enforcer. People believe he left the public eye because of humiliation, but Legna suspects its her fault entirely.
Gideon and Legna know there is some draw they both have for each other but the distance in their ages and Gideon's social retardation keeps them apart. It is up to Legna to see if she can teach the elder how to once more feel and experience the world she so adores.
When I met Gideon in the first book, I didn't care for him. I felt he was one of those older characters who think they know everything and everyone else is just simpering idiots. After his snarky ways with Isabella I was ready to write him off entirely. It did not stop me from grabbing this book and hoping for the best. I am extremely glad I did. Gideon really altered my perception of him. I saw behind the mask that was plastered across the pages of Jacob and learned of Gideon's pain and the role he has to play as the oldest of their kind. I also got to know Legna a bit more and she was just as delightful as I first thought she would be.
The love entanglement between Legna and Gideon had a lot more bumps along the road than the first couple. I liked the fact that Frank maintained her poetic sonnets of love when Gideon and Legna spoke to each other, but also found a way to bring humor to situations. In one such instance, Gideon was discussing how he hadn't felt attracted to a woman in quite some time, Legna replied that she did not want to know about it if it happened within the last 1000 years (how old Gideon is). Gideon feigned innocence and replied, "Did I mention I was a virgin?" I had a good giggle and the reservations about Gideon as a character were long gone.
Gideon is the second installment in a fantastic series of the love shared between creatures of the night. Even the boogymen of lore need a little lovin'.
5.0
After being exposed to Jacquelyn Frank's world of fabulous fantasy in Jacob, I found myself absolutely ravenous for the next installment in the book. So, I took myself down to my local used bookstore (that also happens to be my work) and bought out the entire Nightwalkers series. That's right, I am hooked. I met Gideon a bit in the first book, but was curious to see how this closed off man who had a distinct air of snobbery could ever allow himself to find a place not just in the Demon society but in the heart of the female. I had to find out.
Gideon is the oldest of his kind. The oldest surviving demon. He has been Siddah (essentially godparent) to countless demon fledglings, including the race's very own king, Noah. He is astute at being a fundamentalist. He knows how to act and what to do in certain situations, but he is not well versed in how to interact with others. The people around him that are supposed to love and respect him only seem to fear him. They think he has gone mad after locking himself away for 8 years with no public interaction. He only came out of hibernation after Jacob was injured. He had no choice but to start to face the world he had long since abandoned. And that includes the woman he abandoned too.
Legna knew Gideon as nothing more than an Ancient demon. She respected him as she was supposed to be she couldn't hide the frustration and hurt she also felt whenever he entered the same room as her. It was before his 8 year hiatus that he and her had shared a passionate encounter to which he ended quickly and retreated. Only a year after abandoning her to her ruminations on what went wrong, Gideon was caught stalking a human female and was swiftly brought to justice by Jacob, the Enforcer. People believe he left the public eye because of humiliation, but Legna suspects its her fault entirely.
Gideon and Legna know there is some draw they both have for each other but the distance in their ages and Gideon's social retardation keeps them apart. It is up to Legna to see if she can teach the elder how to once more feel and experience the world she so adores.
When I met Gideon in the first book, I didn't care for him. I felt he was one of those older characters who think they know everything and everyone else is just simpering idiots. After his snarky ways with Isabella I was ready to write him off entirely. It did not stop me from grabbing this book and hoping for the best. I am extremely glad I did. Gideon really altered my perception of him. I saw behind the mask that was plastered across the pages of Jacob and learned of Gideon's pain and the role he has to play as the oldest of their kind. I also got to know Legna a bit more and she was just as delightful as I first thought she would be.
The love entanglement between Legna and Gideon had a lot more bumps along the road than the first couple. I liked the fact that Frank maintained her poetic sonnets of love when Gideon and Legna spoke to each other, but also found a way to bring humor to situations. In one such instance, Gideon was discussing how he hadn't felt attracted to a woman in quite some time, Legna replied that she did not want to know about it if it happened within the last 1000 years (how old Gideon is). Gideon feigned innocence and replied, "Did I mention I was a virgin?" I had a good giggle and the reservations about Gideon as a character were long gone.
Gideon is the second installment in a fantastic series of the love shared between creatures of the night. Even the boogymen of lore need a little lovin'.