Take a photo of a barcode or cover
hawaiirican808's reviews
374 reviews
Shadows in the Dark by Anise Storm
5.0
Anise does not disappoint with her books!
Shadows in the Dark is probably my favorite book so far by her. From the first page, she pulls you into "Club Lotus" and all that comes with a BDSM club. It oozes sex appeal, mystery lurks around the corners and there's a sense of finding one's true self. There were a lot of plot twists that really added a sense of thrill to the storyline and the spice alone was well worth the 5 stars. Anise done a beautiful job really showcasing the different sides to BDSM and showing the dom/sub relationship perfectly. There were things I learned from her in this book! Brynn and Adrian had amazing chemistry and I'm curious to see how it plays out with book 2. It was a relatively quick read that did end on a cliffhanger, but sets up the beginning of book 2 perfectly and will be a series I continue because it was SO GOOD.
Shadows in the Dark is probably my favorite book so far by her. From the first page, she pulls you into "Club Lotus" and all that comes with a BDSM club. It oozes sex appeal, mystery lurks around the corners and there's a sense of finding one's true self. There were a lot of plot twists that really added a sense of thrill to the storyline and the spice alone was well worth the 5 stars. Anise done a beautiful job really showcasing the different sides to BDSM and showing the dom/sub relationship perfectly. There were things I learned from her in this book! Brynn and Adrian had amazing chemistry and I'm curious to see how it plays out with book 2. It was a relatively quick read that did end on a cliffhanger, but sets up the beginning of book 2 perfectly and will be a series I continue because it was SO GOOD.
From Here to Eternity by A.L. Jackson
5.0
From Here to Eternity was my introduction to A.L Jackson and the reason I read her entire backlist.
Her writing style blew me away, this book kept me in a chokehold from beginning to end and will be a read that I get in physical form for my indie author trophy shelf. I went into it judging it based on the cover and troupes (touch her and d** vibes, ex mc and a HOT cover) and she did not disappoint. I'm punching myself for not knowing who she was and the magic she writes sooner. From Here to Eternity was a book that became a top 10 read of 2024 for me. I read over 460 books this year, but this one alone was something so different and unique for me. She wrote the perfect amount of emotions that will pull your heart strings, light on the spice side and the storyline moved through at the perfect pace. The little details of Charleigh's story made the whole storyline for me. There are some triggers so I advise to check the trigger warning list, but I can say this book and all that she threw into it really left a lasting impression on me. Thank you Valentine PR for having me on the team and AL Jackson for this majestic read!
Her writing style blew me away, this book kept me in a chokehold from beginning to end and will be a read that I get in physical form for my indie author trophy shelf. I went into it judging it based on the cover and troupes (touch her and d** vibes, ex mc and a HOT cover) and she did not disappoint. I'm punching myself for not knowing who she was and the magic she writes sooner. From Here to Eternity was a book that became a top 10 read of 2024 for me. I read over 460 books this year, but this one alone was something so different and unique for me. She wrote the perfect amount of emotions that will pull your heart strings, light on the spice side and the storyline moved through at the perfect pace. The little details of Charleigh's story made the whole storyline for me. There are some triggers so I advise to check the trigger warning list, but I can say this book and all that she threw into it really left a lasting impression on me. Thank you Valentine PR for having me on the team and AL Jackson for this majestic read!
The Tattoo Artist by Kassandra Marie Lopez
5.0
"The Tattoo Artist".
First, thank you Kassandra for a great read! This one was a DARK, THICK READ.
I enjoyed the mafia romance aspect of it and how down right SMUT it got. The spice alone was 5 chilis and made this whole read probably one of my top 5 reads of October. I love that she kept me guessing til the very end with the whole storyline, it added a great thrill aspect for me as a reader. I literally broke my neck on the rollercoaster of plot twists and WTF moments, but have no regrets! She has a great writing style and even though the book was on the thick side, it didn't feel like it was getting lost within the storyline, everything moved smoothly for me. This will be another book that I add to my indie author trophy shelf & I can not wait to see where book 2 goes!
5 stars for spice
5 stars for suspense/thriller aspect/ mystery
5 stars for the storyline
First, thank you Kassandra for a great read! This one was a DARK, THICK READ.
I enjoyed the mafia romance aspect of it and how down right SMUT it got. The spice alone was 5 chilis and made this whole read probably one of my top 5 reads of October. I love that she kept me guessing til the very end with the whole storyline, it added a great thrill aspect for me as a reader. I literally broke my neck on the rollercoaster of plot twists and WTF moments, but have no regrets! She has a great writing style and even though the book was on the thick side, it didn't feel like it was getting lost within the storyline, everything moved smoothly for me. This will be another book that I add to my indie author trophy shelf & I can not wait to see where book 2 goes!
5 stars for spice
5 stars for suspense/thriller aspect/ mystery
5 stars for the storyline
Summer Haze & Tokyo Craze by Hailey Frost
4.0
Hailey Frost is one of my favorite contemporary romance indie authors.
"Summer Haze & Tokyo Craze" was the perfect palette cleanser for all of my dark romances lately.
As if I didn't need more book boyfriends, Hailey introduced Adam Walker and it was all over for me at that moment. She really takes her time with molding the PERFECT book boyfriend with every single book she writes. I loved the natural chemistry between Adam and Lily. They could be seen as enemies since they're CEOS of opposing companies, but all bets are off when the spice starts happening. I say it would be a 3 on the spice scale. Not straight smut but still tasteful to add to their connection and storyline. They gave me more of a cinnamon roll/golden retriever vibes. As always, it was a super cute read & I can not wait to meet more Walker brothers! :)
"Summer Haze & Tokyo Craze" was the perfect palette cleanser for all of my dark romances lately.
As if I didn't need more book boyfriends, Hailey introduced Adam Walker and it was all over for me at that moment. She really takes her time with molding the PERFECT book boyfriend with every single book she writes. I loved the natural chemistry between Adam and Lily. They could be seen as enemies since they're CEOS of opposing companies, but all bets are off when the spice starts happening. I say it would be a 3 on the spice scale. Not straight smut but still tasteful to add to their connection and storyline. They gave me more of a cinnamon roll/golden retriever vibes. As always, it was a super cute read & I can not wait to meet more Walker brothers! :)
The Queen's Denial by Christina B. Rose
5.0
The Queen's Denial was fast-paced, with so many plot twists, spice for days, insane chemistry and so much more. I LOVED every minute of Andy and Chi's story. Andy is always looking out for her (like her own personal guard), but Chi is so feisty and wants to do what she wants to do, and don't like to be told no. She can come off a bit bratty, but I loved how sassy she was and so strong-minded as the female lead character. Her inner thoughts made me LOL so much.
The spice was a 5/5. So many smutty scenes that had my jaw on the floor. Their chemistry was obvious and made for some DELICIOUS spicy scenes. Andy was by far, my favorite character of Christina's mafia world. He truly cared and wanted what was best for her, even if it couldn't be him. Their unconventional pairing reminded me a lot of Romeo and Juliet. Star-crossed lovers that had a forbidden love. Chi's dad wasn't a fan, but I'm rooting for these 2 HARD. It was so fast paced, I finished it within a few hours. The action scenes were so good! BUT THAT CLIFFHANGER?!!!!
THREW MY WHOLE DAMN KINDLE. Christina is the queen of them and I was not prepared for that ending AT ALL. So many questions of where this duet will go! 5/5 recommend for those loving mafia romances with all the spice and action!
The spice was a 5/5. So many smutty scenes that had my jaw on the floor. Their chemistry was obvious and made for some DELICIOUS spicy scenes. Andy was by far, my favorite character of Christina's mafia world. He truly cared and wanted what was best for her, even if it couldn't be him. Their unconventional pairing reminded me a lot of Romeo and Juliet. Star-crossed lovers that had a forbidden love. Chi's dad wasn't a fan, but I'm rooting for these 2 HARD. It was so fast paced, I finished it within a few hours. The action scenes were so good! BUT THAT CLIFFHANGER?!!!!
THREW MY WHOLE DAMN KINDLE. Christina is the queen of them and I was not prepared for that ending AT ALL. So many questions of where this duet will go! 5/5 recommend for those loving mafia romances with all the spice and action!
Deceptive Surrender and the Devil's Dominion by Christina B. Rose, Christina B. Rose
5.0
Book 4 to the "Devil's Dominion" and the ending to one of the best mafia series I got to read this year.
Christina wrote a series that kept me on the most wild rollercoaster I've been on with a mafia series yet. She kept me guessing until the very last page of this series, not knowing where she was going to take it, how it was gonna end or how I was going to feel when it was all over. You ever watched a show for 10+ seasons and get to the last few minutes of it just for it to end and you don't know what to do with your life? That was me with this whole series. the slump was REAL. Deceptive Surrender was filled with so much action, plot twists and truly was a masterpiece ending to the whole storyline and series. Cas and Mara's character growth in book 4 was a 5/5. You could see how they grew individually and as a couple. 5/5 world-building with the whole storyline, everything tied up perfectly to where I didn't feel like there were questions left unanswered or plots that weren't tied up either. Christina really saved the best book for last and Cas and Mara's HEA was one that I was so happy I stayed through to see happen! This entire series will be on my personal shelf to dive into again relatively soon. Thank you Christina for putting your heart and soul into this whole series. IT was truly one of the best mafia books I've read!
Christina wrote a series that kept me on the most wild rollercoaster I've been on with a mafia series yet. She kept me guessing until the very last page of this series, not knowing where she was going to take it, how it was gonna end or how I was going to feel when it was all over. You ever watched a show for 10+ seasons and get to the last few minutes of it just for it to end and you don't know what to do with your life? That was me with this whole series. the slump was REAL. Deceptive Surrender was filled with so much action, plot twists and truly was a masterpiece ending to the whole storyline and series. Cas and Mara's character growth in book 4 was a 5/5. You could see how they grew individually and as a couple. 5/5 world-building with the whole storyline, everything tied up perfectly to where I didn't feel like there were questions left unanswered or plots that weren't tied up either. Christina really saved the best book for last and Cas and Mara's HEA was one that I was so happy I stayed through to see happen! This entire series will be on my personal shelf to dive into again relatively soon. Thank you Christina for putting your heart and soul into this whole series. IT was truly one of the best mafia books I've read!
Vital Struggle and the Devil's Dominion by Christina B. Rose
4.0
Book 3 to the "Devil's Dominion".
Vital Struggle & the Devil's Dominion was perfectly titled for this book. The struggle was real. Compared to the first two books in the series, Vital struggle was a bit more slow in pace, which was nice because of the sheer rollercoaster that the first two were. It was still a crazy ride for emotions (Christina is the QUEEN of cliffhangers and putting her readers on crazy emotional rollercoasters).
I can definitely see Cas and Mara's relationship eventually blossoming, but love that Christina is making it happen in a slow-burn way and you can really dive into their own thoughts/feelings through the dual POV aspect. As the storyline continues, I'm left with more questions than answers (which is good! You always want to be left thinking). That's one positive to her writing ability to have me lose my absolute mind trying to figure out where she's going with this series, I'm 3 books in at this rate and still don't know. Usually, I relate more to the female characters in mafia romances in one way or another, but with the Devil's Dominion series, I'm relating more to Cas. His character growth from book 1 to now has been incredible to see. Mara is slowly growing on me. I really want to find out who/what the Wraith is, and how Christina is planning to tie up this series because it could go any direction!
Vital Struggle & the Devil's Dominion was perfectly titled for this book. The struggle was real. Compared to the first two books in the series, Vital struggle was a bit more slow in pace, which was nice because of the sheer rollercoaster that the first two were. It was still a crazy ride for emotions (Christina is the QUEEN of cliffhangers and putting her readers on crazy emotional rollercoasters).
I can definitely see Cas and Mara's relationship eventually blossoming, but love that Christina is making it happen in a slow-burn way and you can really dive into their own thoughts/feelings through the dual POV aspect. As the storyline continues, I'm left with more questions than answers (which is good! You always want to be left thinking). That's one positive to her writing ability to have me lose my absolute mind trying to figure out where she's going with this series, I'm 3 books in at this rate and still don't know. Usually, I relate more to the female characters in mafia romances in one way or another, but with the Devil's Dominion series, I'm relating more to Cas. His character growth from book 1 to now has been incredible to see. Mara is slowly growing on me. I really want to find out who/what the Wraith is, and how Christina is planning to tie up this series because it could go any direction!
Tragic Bindings and the Devil's Dominion by Christina B. Rose
4.0
Book 2 of the "Devil's Dominion" series!
The cliffhanger from book 1 really set up the tone for "Tragic Bindings & the Devil's Dominion" perfectly! I already knew it was gonna be a wild ride with that cliffhanger, but the emotional rollercoaster that this book put me through was absolutely insane. Christina did an incredible job writing Cas and Mara's storyline with more action, plot twists, and tension. At one point I was TIRED OF IT with Cas and Mara. It really felt like I was getting pulled on a yoyo between these two so much in this book. The miscommunication troupe was PERFECT for this book and will have you aggravated when it comes to Cas and Mara because so much could have been avoided had they talked to one another. Like the first book, Christina kept me guessing where the storyline was going. As we learn more about Cas and Mara, I find myself really enjoying where the story is potentially going and having so many questions at the same time. A lot has happened so I was definitely curious and ready to continue the series.
The cliffhanger from book 1 really set up the tone for "Tragic Bindings & the Devil's Dominion" perfectly! I already knew it was gonna be a wild ride with that cliffhanger, but the emotional rollercoaster that this book put me through was absolutely insane. Christina did an incredible job writing Cas and Mara's storyline with more action, plot twists, and tension. At one point I was TIRED OF IT with Cas and Mara. It really felt like I was getting pulled on a yoyo between these two so much in this book. The miscommunication troupe was PERFECT for this book and will have you aggravated when it comes to Cas and Mara because so much could have been avoided had they talked to one another. Like the first book, Christina kept me guessing where the storyline was going. As we learn more about Cas and Mara, I find myself really enjoying where the story is potentially going and having so many questions at the same time. A lot has happened so I was definitely curious and ready to continue the series.
Idle Hands and the Devil's Dominion by Christina B. Rose
5.0
I was introduced to Christina's "Devil Dominion" series early this year and have reread this series at least 3 times since I learned about it in April. I love mafia romances and will read them religiously.
Christina's writing style in "Idle Hands & Devil's Dominion" is one of my favorites in a mafia romance. She wrote a great storyline that was filled with action, plot twists, and chemistry and was perfectly paced (it wasn't a full slow burn or a crazy fast read either). Cas and Mara had insane chemistry and I really liked that Christina didn't make them a regular mafia romance couple. Mara has been through a lot and had to overcome a lot and Cas had me swooning like a mad woman. One thing I loved is that she made me think hard of what was coming next (and I still had no idea what was coming in the storyline). When an author can keep me in the dark and guessing until the very end, they end up on my forever reading list (Christina is one of them). I will say, that I hate cliffhangers with a passion, but she set up the cliffhanger perfectly for book 2 to dive into. 10/10 recommend devouring this series! An AMAZING mafia romance! :)
Christina's writing style in "Idle Hands & Devil's Dominion" is one of my favorites in a mafia romance. She wrote a great storyline that was filled with action, plot twists, and chemistry and was perfectly paced (it wasn't a full slow burn or a crazy fast read either). Cas and Mara had insane chemistry and I really liked that Christina didn't make them a regular mafia romance couple. Mara has been through a lot and had to overcome a lot and Cas had me swooning like a mad woman. One thing I loved is that she made me think hard of what was coming next (and I still had no idea what was coming in the storyline). When an author can keep me in the dark and guessing until the very end, they end up on my forever reading list (Christina is one of them). I will say, that I hate cliffhangers with a passion, but she set up the cliffhanger perfectly for book 2 to dive into. 10/10 recommend devouring this series! An AMAZING mafia romance! :)
Arizona Volume by H.N. DeFore
5.0
Haley never disappoints in her book and Arizona Volume was one hell of a steamy novella!
A really quick read with 5/5 spice between Magnus, Asher and Julianne. A chance encounter leads to some intense play time with these 3! This is definitely a series I will devour as she writes them. Julianne is ONE lucky girl! 🌶️😈
A really quick read with 5/5 spice between Magnus, Asher and Julianne. A chance encounter leads to some intense play time with these 3! This is definitely a series I will devour as she writes them. Julianne is ONE lucky girl! 🌶️😈