Everywhere I looked, I saw Fourth Wing. It's a fantasy about a military school that trains young people to become dragon riders. It's very dangerous. WaEverywhere I looked, I saw Fourth Wing. It's a fantasy about a military school that trains young people to become dragon riders. It's very dangerous. Watch out! Because the other cadets are extremely cutthroat (as in, your classmates will cut your throat), the dragons will incinerate you if they think you're weak, and you have a 50/50 chance of falling off a cliff or somesuch during training. Kind of like a mash-up of How to Train Your Dragon and Red Rising. THAT SOUNDS FUCKING COOL AS HELL. And it is.
[image]
But. And here's the secret: this is a cringy romance. Ahhhhhh. See, I didn't know that when I started reading. And I feel that it's pertinent information. So after listening to it for a bit, I thought oh well, this must be young adult because the heroine (Violet) is a bit annoying. She's not strong, her body is fragile, and yet she's wah wah wah in her attitude towards people helping her. Plus, she's in life and death situations and she's still seemingly ruled by hormones. That's fine. I was a youngster myself back in the day. I had the urges. And I love cringy romance. I'm reading a bodice ripper right now. But what I don't love is stepping into what I think will be a badass fantasy story and then hearing things like he's all sharp lines and barely leashed power or how he's always saying something "harshly" that sends a shiver down her spine. And make no mistake, there are lots of dark & growly things coming from Xaden Riorson (that name! as soon as I heard it I knew what I was in for) over the course of the story. But probably if I hadn't read this same story a million times, I'd be just as enamored as a lot of the other reviewers.
[image]
Sadly, I've read too many books for this one to hold any surprises for me. Even the shocking twist at the end was something I expected to happen. That's not even something I fault the author for, I just didn't have my expectations lined up in the correct order. And I guess that's what I'm trying to convey. THIS IS A NEW ADULT ROMANCE. Set against a fantasy-lite backdrop. The whole book revolves around Violet and Xaden rolling around in angst while working their way toward each other's panties. It's not Young Adult because they drop the f-bomb and have the dirty sexy times. But New Adult is typically coated in as much relationship cheese as YA, and this one is no exception. So. Strap in for big declarations, reading every encounter with each other wrong, cravings for abs and bottom lips, ridiculous trust issues, and sexual attraction that must. be. fought. at. any. cost. This kind of book really isn't my jam, but for the kind of book that it is, it does its job well.
[image]
I actually did really enjoy the underlying plot and world-building. Yarros has some excellent ideas and I would love to see what she could come up with in a setting where romance doesn't take center stage.
Audiobook review: I listened to Rebecca Soler's reading of this and...no. I think she's supposed to have that generic young girl voice but it sounds like she's holding her nose when she talks or something. I tried listening to the book at all different speeds to see if maybe that would help, but I finally gave up and went back to my normal 1.5 speed. I haven't seen any other complaints, so this may just be a me thing.
Recommended for fans of NA/YA fantasy romance....more
This isn't one I want to come back to, but if you enjoy the angst of the New Adult genreDNF 8%
Rock stars with addiction issues aren't my cuppa.
[image]
This isn't one I want to come back to, but if you enjoy the angst of the New Adult genre and emotionally draining men, then this might be right up your alley....more
I don't know how the modern American/Indian family functions, but I think this was a very sweet romance that (maybe) gave a pThis was so fucking cute.
I don't know how the modern American/Indian family functions, but I think this was a very sweet romance that (maybe) gave a peek into the inner working of some of those families. And that, to me (<--white bread) was kinda cool. There is not only so much room for other viewpoints and experiences in romance, but a really need for them, as well. So, this was an amazing breath of fresh air.
[image]
The blurb tells you the gist of the plot, but it doesn't adequately explain how adorkable Dimple is or how loveable Rishi turns out to be.<-- Pssst! Very and very. I'm not saying it was perfect, but it was sweet and fun. Definitely Recommended!...more
Huh. So this was a lot more fluffy than I was expecting. Like everything else I've broken down and read lately, this was one I'd been avoiding3.5 stars
Huh. So this was a lot more fluffy than I was expecting. Like everything else I've broken down and read lately, this was one I'd been avoiding for a long time. I kept hearing the word rape when someone mentioned this, and it sort of put me off. I figured Easy would be all tear-jerking & angsty, and that's not something I actively seek out in my reading material.
[image]
And then I read the blurb.
When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he's hiding secrets of his own.
So, I'm thinking that maybe Lucas played a part in her getting attacked or something! Ewwww! Nooooo! I don't wanna read a romance with THIS dude as the love interest!
[image]
I'm mentioning this, because if you're weird like me, then I want to put your mind at ease. Lucas' secret isn't that he's sneaking into her laundry basket to sniff her panties, or hiring guys to attack her so he can play hero. Sure, his dark past haunts their relationship at some point, but it's nothing he did. Which means, he's not a creeper, he's just a bit damaged.
[image]
Anyhoo, if you're fond of the fixer-uper (read: Tragic Hero), then you will most likely loooove Lucas, because usually my crusty heart isn't swayed by these types of guys, and even I (grudgingly) found him somewhat adorable. So. Yeah. Short, sweet, and it tackles some dark subject matter without getting too heavy.
[image]
It also made me realize that I need to make sure my girls have taken a good self defense class before they head off to college, and I need have a few more talks with my boys about stepping in and putting a stop to any hinky behavior from other guys. And if you're looking for something to show your boys, I really like this one: Tea and Consent It's a (can't believe I'm saying this) fun way to talk about sex & consent with tween and teen boys.
This is (yet another) book that I didn't really like all that much, but I think it may just be not my particular taste, and not that the book2.5 stars
This is (yet another) book that I didn't really like all that much, but I think it may just be not my particular taste, and not that the book itself was bad. I mean, New Adult is an iffy genre for me at the best of times. However, urban fantasy is normally a winner, which is what prompted me to snag this one. Unfortunately, this just...eh...I wasn't feeling it.
[image]
The fae have come out of hiding and live among humans, but there rules that must be followed. If you touch them, they take part of your essence. This is what sustains the fae, but it also bespells the human they touch. Not right away, but after a few Touches, the person getting Touched becomes an addict.
The story revolves around Alina & a tousled Rockstar fae that she meets (and helps) when the book opens. Confession: Musicians are not my thing.
[image]
So. I'm betting that tainted my feelings on the somewhat do-they-don't-they romance that was running in the background. Then there was the Other Woman that (maybe) still had a hold on Rockstar's heart. Love Triangles are not something I typically enjoy, either.
[image]
Oops. The Detective that is assigned to Alana and Rockstar's case, (maybe) feels something for her. Love Quadrangles are even worse...
[image]
There are supernatural REASONS that Alana & Rockstar can't be together. Reallyreallyreally not fond of that sort of thing in books.
[image]
And, last but not least, I guessed Alana's SECRET waaaaay before the big reveal. Which kind of sucked a bit of the life out of the story for me.
[image]
I'll give the author this, the story didn't feel regurgitated. There were a few things about the fae that I found familiar, but the plot itself felt mostly fresh. I haven't seen this story told in this way before, and that counts for something. Also, it wasn't a hard book to read, if you know what I mean. Even without particularly loving the characters, I still found it easy to finish it out.
If you think this looks like something you'd enjoy, then just take my review with a grain of salt. 'Cause, you know...I could be wrong.
[image]
I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!
Huh. I had no idea that Viv Daniels was Diana Peterfreund's alter ego. I probably would have read this earlier, but then again, I probably wouldn't haHuh. I had no idea that Viv Daniels was Diana Peterfreund's alter ego. I probably would have read this earlier, but then again, I probably wouldn't have gotten quite what I expected, either. Hear Me is a New Adult (urban?) fantasy novella with a great big heaping spoonful of romance. It's short enough that I could easily ruin the plot if I explain too much, but it centers around two childhood sweethearts from different...backgrounds...that find their way back to each other.
I'm not a huge fan of books that center around the sex, but this one had an interesting story to go with it. And Hear Me also felt pretty well thought-out for a novella, so I was mostly happy with it. If you're looking for something a little different in a short romance novel, then this would fit the bill nicely.
I will say there's a part about his semen being evil that sort of freaked me out, but if you want to know any more about that, you'll just have to read the book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy of the book, in exchange for an honest review.
Um... So. I didn't love it. Basically, you have the Angel/Demon thing going on. And, unfortunately, those stories aren't my favorite. I'm not saying I nUm... So. I didn't love it. Basically, you have the Angel/Demon thing going on. And, unfortunately, those stories aren't my favorite. I'm not saying I never like them, but I sort of groan inwardly when I realize that's what the story is about.
I'm not telling anyone not to read it, but it just wasn't for me. There was never actually a point in this book where I was really interested in what was happening, or what would happen. I've been a Frost fan for years, and she one of the few writers that dips into the PNR genre without bothering me. And by PNR, I mean the heroine has a moment when her WOMB CLENCHES from desire... Can I ask a question? Have any of you ladies ever experienced a clenching womb? Outside of labor and delivery, I mean. Am I doing something wrong? Is the clenching womb some kind of Big-Time 'experience' that I need to add to my bucket list? Or is womb just a euphemism for something else? *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* If so, then I'm good...
Anyhoo, for some reason, this story just felt like it was kinda Paint By Numbers. I'm not saying she phoned it in, but I couldn't connect with the characters or the plot. Was this an attempt at the New Adult market? I'm assuming yes, but I can't say that for sure. The heroine was a 20something idiot, who has powers she doesn't understand. The hero is a 150something idiot, who did the old HidingMySpookyPastSins thing for waaaaaaaay too long. There's a FATE vs CHOICE storyline. And there's an Angel... Who plays the role of the I'mNotTellingYouShitForYourOwnGood guy. There's nothing really Wrong with it, I've just read it all before.
Ok, and speaking of I've read it before... I'm sick to death of these guys like Adrian swooping in to some girl's life, and 'kidnapping' them for their own good. I mean, if the stupid girl won't listen to you after you explain that you're there to save her life? Fine. Toss her ass in the trunk. But do us all the courtesy of at least trying to explain. Showing up unannounced in someone's room, and cryptically mocking them while shrouded in darkness? Well, I'm just thinking that shouldn't be Plan A.
I was really excited for this one, especially since I loved the first book, Shadows. Maybe my expectations were just too high, or maybe it's suffering for Second Book Syndrome? Whatever the reason, I wasn't quite as blown away this time around. Don't get me wrong, this was still a good read, but it just felt like there wasn't much happening. The storyline seemed to be stuck in a loop. Rafa wants to find Jude, but Gaby is too freaked out by what they may find, so she keeps making up excuses to stay in town for one more day. Rafa gets mad, but agrees to wait. Mildly interesting stuff happens that usually ends up in some sort of battle/brawl/fight. Lather, Rinse, Repeat. Same thing goes for whatever mysterious thing happened between Gaby and Rafa before she lost her memory. She wants him to tell her why he's so reluctant to act on his feeling towards her, and all he'll say that if she gets her memory back, she'll be pissed at him Lather, Rinse, Repeat. By the end of the book, I was ready to tear my hair out over both plotlines. Just get off your ass, and go find Jude, Gaby! And while you two are searching, fucking tell her what happened, Rafa! And while she finally did get off her ass, Rafa never would tell her what awful thing went down between them in the past. So. Guess we'll find out in the next book? Grrrr.
There's a little bit more to the story, including Rafa's old teammates, hillbillies with RPGs, magic that can stop Rephaim's from shifting, and some fanatical crazy ladies from Jason's past. But none of it seemed to move the plot forward as much as I would have liked. At the end you get a few Big Game-Changers, but...since it does all happen towards the end, I can't say anything without spoiling the book.
I'd say this is a decent second installment. There was nothing glaringly bad, and if it weren't for the GetOnWithItAlready stuff, I would have liked it more. But it didn't turn me off of the series, so I'll definitely read the next book if I get the chance.
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
Even though I didn't particularly love this one, I didn't hate it, either. Normally, anything by McCarthy is a winner, but this was, for me, one of her weakest romances. That doesn't mean Shatter is a stinker, by any means, it's just sort of meh. I'm sure lots of other readers with enjoy it, but I had several problems getting into it. And here's why: Kylie has no real problems. Her family is beyond wonderful, she's well-liked, and she even manages to get knocked up by a nice guy. The only 'bad' thing that seems to have happened to her is that one of her best friends (during a blackout drinking episode) slept with her (now) scuzzy ex-boyfriend. Um, ok? Oh, and she's not super-smart when it comes to math and science. So? I still add on my fingers?! Maybe if you're a genius who's never been cheated on, you might feel bad for her. The unplanned pregnancy that was supposed to be the big THING didn't really evoke much of a reaction from me, either.
And speaking of getting pregnant... Kylie gets knocked up because Jonathon touched her with his wiener for half a second without a condom. Not a full thrust, just an Oops! Thought you were on the pill! Let me move my penis away from you! kind of thing. Could you get pregnant because a boy's naughty bits 'touched' your naught bits? It's possible. But not likely. I guess McCarthy wanted to paint them both in a fairly good light, hence the condom use. But lets face it, that's not why/how most unplanned pregnancies happen for college age girls. Stupidity happens. Irresponsibility happens. Unprotected sex happens. I'm not hating or looking down my nose at those girls. I am one of those girls. My stupidity led to the biggest and best mistakes of my life, and I happen to love that Little Oops with all of my heart. There's nothing like looking at a squishy-looking goo-covered infant that you didn't want, and realizing that you just lost all of your heart a human being for the first time. It feels something like getting punched in the throat, quite frankly. However, I didn't get pregnant because his biological father 'accidentally' touched my vajayjay. And, as a charter member of the Irresponsible Club, I'm a bit insulted that the author copped out on this subject. So, Kylie getting pregnant in some After School Special kind of way, turned me off big time. It felt like McCarthy was writing some Oooga-Booga-Booga! pamphlet for an evangelical church. If the boy's penis comes near your vagina, God will strike you down with PREGNANCY! Obviously, this wasn't McCarthy's intent, but I felt like she took some easy 'magical' route in order to save her characters from looking culpable.
Of course, with all the baby drama, they have to decide whether or not they actually love each other. *spoilery stuff happens* After some time apart to figure out what they want, Kylie decides... She really wants, is to be a Homemaker. I should be jumping up and down, right? Hey! That's me! That's what I do! Except when she decided this, she didn't have any kids, so it felt sort of...odd. Yeah, she loves Jonathon, and realizes that she wants to make a home with him, but... Ehhhhhhhh. In all fairness, it looks like she maybe plans to finish college. It's just...? I don't know, it felt off. Housewife is a valid life choice, but if either of my girls end up going that route, I want them to have a really solid backup plan.
The romance lacked any real (can't believe I'm going to say this) angst. I know, I know, that should have been a good thing, right? But their love story seemed to play out a little too blandly for me to get all worked up over them. Sure there were a few obstacles and misunderstandings, just not anything that made me hold my breath or worry. They were both nice kids. And they both acted in a fairly responsible manner. Sooooo. I guess their romance played out more like a side romance, and less like a main character romance to me. Does that make sense?
This was an easy read, and I had no problem finishing it, but there were a lot of things I thought were either too vanilla or too iffy, for it to be truly enjoyable. ...more
I have to admit I was a teeny bit pissed off when I finished this one. Not that it wasn't excellent, but I missed one little word in the blurb...one word...and it nearly killed me. What word? First. From Scarlett Dawn comes the stunning, sexy, sensual, surprising, spell-binding conclusion to the best-selling first Forever Evermore trilogy. I thought this was it. The End. Bye-bye. No more. Over with. Adios. Close the door on your way out. So when a few things didn't get wrapped up to my total satisfaction? Hulk sad. Hulk SMASH! 'Cause this series is in my top 5 favorites of all time. Yep, right up there with Moning's Fever series, and Briggs' Mercy Thompson series. So. If this was the end, then I wanted every little thing sorted out. Yeah, yeah, yeah. The ending was good. But there was this BIG thread of the story that still wasn't FIXED. And the worst part was, I couldn't even stomp around like I wanted to! I mean, how would I explain that to my husband? See, there's this book about a sexy vampire and a hybrid shifter/vampire. They'loved each other, but it had to be all hush-hush, because it's against their laws to mix species. Also, they both happened to be the rulers of their particular species. There was this big war going on with the Coms (that means humans, Hon), and they'd both been mind-wiped as punishment for falling in love. Oh! And they had a baby! But she didn't know who the father was due to the mind-wipe. It all worked out, but I'm just pouting and throwing things, because there was still something that they needed to fix! And it's OVER! It's just OVER! And... Hey! Are you laughing at me? NO, this isn't like the time I thought Mac had killed Barrons. Seriously? How can you even bring that up right now?! Did you just mumble 'hormones' under your breath? I do not have PMS! In other words, I had to be mature. Damn it. But now that I've correctly read the blurb, it appears that there may be more books coming. If there's a first trilogy, then there must be a second trilogy, right? Right?! *soothing music plays in the background* Ahhhh. Much better.
Ezra. Give me a minute here.... ------- K, I'm back. He is hands-down one of the sexiest men in literature today. And for those of you who are just now discovering these books, don't even bother trying to add him into your book-boyfriend harem. He's MINE! ALL mine! Don't worry about what happened at the end of the last book, ladies. The author doesn't keep them apart for long, and she doesn't drag out the who-are-you thing for any longer than necessary. I'm not say they get their memories back, I'm just saying... Well. Read it. Ezra and Lily sizzle.
Alrighty. The war with the Coms is in full swing, but other than a few scenes, it mostly fades to the background of the story. Everything is mainly about Lily and Ezra trying to figure out...all the stuff they need to figure out. You know, there's not a lot I can tell you without spoiling the story. And it's a great story. These are books that I will definitely re-read again, and probably again-again. Like I said, these are a favorite.
So why not go whole hog, and give this 5 stars? Ehhhh. It kills me to say this. I mean that, but... The last 10% of the book was iffy. There was a time-travel thing that wasn't very well explained, and felt almost smooshed in there to...I don't know...include time-travel? I got nothin'. I, quite literally, made a WhatTheFuck Face throughout the whole scene. Yeah, it served a purpose, but it just didn't seem all that coherent or well planned. Almost like an afterthought?
Ok. I already whined about the untidy thread at the end, but I didn't knock any points off for it. But there BETTER be more books on the way.
The next thing on my ververyvery short Didn't-Like-It list, was the way Lily seemed to turn into a sadist. Sorry, but that turned me off. I absolutely love bad-ass heroines. And if they gotta kill a shit ton of villains to save the day? *shrugs* That's just fine by me. But this was something...else. Lily had been put through the ringer in every sense, so I totally get that she was hardened. But there was a line, and she crossed it several times. Torture for sport? To prove a point? Because it's fun? No. Kill who you gotta kill, and move on. And don't think I'm going easy on you, either, Ezra! Just because I have a shrine built to you in my closet, doesn't mean you get off scott free! I'm ashamed of you, young man!
Moving on. The last thing I wanna say isn't so much a complaint, as it is a 'preference'. Jack and Pearl were such a huge part of the first two books, that this one felt bare without them in it. They do show up, eventually, but I wanted more time with them. However, I will reluctantly concede that since I'm not the author of this book, my 'preference' counts for shit. Then again, I will also not-quite-so reluctantly, reiterate that there better be more books!
Even with those complaints, I still love these characters, love this world, and love this author. Fans of the previous books will love seeing the chemistry flare back to life between Ezra and Lily, and learning a few shocking secrets about some of the other characters in the series. I'm satisfied....for now.
I received a digital arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review....more
It's ok. If you are a fan of books that have abused and dysfunctional characters, then this might be more to your thiAlso reviewed at Addicted2Heroines
It's ok. If you are a fan of books that have abused and dysfunctional characters, then this might be more to your thing than it was mine. Josephine had one of those horrible childhoods that included being passed from one awful foster home to another. It's never actually stated, but it's pretty obvious she was sexually abused when she was young. I mention this because it played into her love story with Luke, and there were a few times I felt uncomfortable with their relationship because of it. It's hard to explain, but I don't feel completely comfortable with the idea that falling in love can fix things like that. Yeah, yeah, love is great and all, but... I'm not saying the author had them jump into the sack, and then all her problems disappeared. In fact, they waited a decent bit, but I just wasn't digging it. She was simply too much of a psychological mess for me to get behind the love story. Again, those of you who like tortured heroes/heroines will probably not have as much of a problem with this.
In this world, everyone is given some sort of a vaccine that prevents them from getting angry. Somehow, Josephine didn't get the cure, and one day a year she goes crazy. Sort of like a werewolf during the full moon or something. Her body gets all hyped up on adrenaline, she blacks out, and then goes on a rampage and kills everyone in the vicinity.
M'kay. It was interesting enough that I wanted to find out what was going to happen in the end. But for me to get fully invested in a dystopian novel, I need to feel like that world could actually happen. The world-building needs to be complete, you know? Not so much with this one. There's some sketchy background about famine and riots that happened in the past, but not enough that I fully understood why they felt the need for this Cure. Riots happen all the time, don't they? Yet, I don't imagine taking away part of our personalities (to ensure they never happen again) would go over very well with the vast majority of the population. Soooo? Why did anyone agree to this to start with? Because in this world most people thought it was a good idea. Maybe I could buy it if the government put something into the water supply, or even released it as an airborne virus. But for folks to just line up and get a shot? No.
The whole thing about Josephine's Fury was...weird. I mean, I kept waiting for something to happen to explain how she could put it to good use. Hulk Smash bad guys! Nope. Nothing. She's just a got a bad problem. To make matters worse, her body is seriously breaking down because of her condition. Why she's like that is eventually explained, but there doesn't seem to be anything useful about someone who loses their mind and randomly murders people. So, I really don't see how her FURY is going to save anyone...including herself. And according to the blurb: When emotions are erased from the world, creating a civilization of mindless drones, only those with fury can survive. After reading that, can you blame me for thinking that maybe she just didn't have a good grasp on her powers yet? Like maybe she was the key to saving everyone...or something?
The writing wasn't bad, and the story was intriguing enough for me to finish it, but I really doubt I'll read any more of these books.
Digital review copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher. ...more
So this novella introduces us to Armentrout's new Dark Elements series. Going strictly off of the novella, I doubt I would be interested in re2.5 stars
So this novella introduces us to Armentrout's new Dark Elements series. Going strictly off of the novella, I doubt I would be interested in reading the first book. To me, this was horribly boring. No real action, no real plot, no characters that I really loved. With the exception of a smirking demon who showed up for a few minutes toward the end of the book... Jasmine and Dez were just kind of blah, and I had to make myself to keep reading about their not-very-interesting love story.
However, since I did find the demon-guy interesting, and the excerpt for the next book was included on this one... Read an excerpt for Armentrout's new book White Hot Kiss to find out more about Layla, Zayne, and the cute demon guy! Or something like that... So I read it. Now that book sounds like it might have some potential.
I snagged this when it was free on Amazon, but that's not the case anymore. My opinion says it's not worth spending money on. Skip to White Hot Kiss unless you're a completionist....more
I received a digital arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Wicked We Have Done is a good example of a great way to utilize the relatI received a digital arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Wicked We Have Done is a good example of a great way to utilize the relatively new genre of New Adult books. Instead of just hyper-angsty romance novels, authors can make hyper-gritty stories for what would have normally been classified as the 'mature young adult' audience. I think I originally gravitated toward YA because they tended to have more innocence and hope sprinkled in the story. The good guys still (mostly) won, and the hero or heroine typically got to have a Happily Ever After. But with the things I enjoyed, I also had to put up with a lot of teen drama and virginity issues. New Adult has the potential to be the best of both worlds for someone like me. And although NA is getting pretty well-know for it's overblown drama, I think that in the hands of the right authors, you could have a truly winning combination.
So why only 3 stars for this one? Well, I think maybe the author hasn't quite found her voice yet. It's definitely a readable book, and I flipped the pages fairly quickly for the first half of the story. And then about two-thirds of the way into it, she just lost me. I realized that I didn't like any of the characters, and nothing seemed to be coming down the pike to make me change my mind. In fact, the opposite was happening. In the beginning, I had cautious optimism that Evalyn was a character I could root for, but by the end...ehhhhh. I didn't hate her, but I didn't care what happened to her, or for that matter, what happened to the rest of her friends.
The plot itself had some wonky points to it, as well. It seemed like a giant waste of money to put criminals through an elaborate test to find out if they were 'moral' or not. At first I went along with it, because I assumed it was all a virtual reality simulation that was being run inside their minds. Read: Not exorbitantly expensive. Nope. Evidently, the government decided to spring for shape-shifting robots to decide the fate of iffy felons. Riiiiight.
The lurve story that unfolded between Evalyn and Casey felt a bit awkward and weird. I never felt a real connection with them as a couple. The romance smelled like two people who were both desperate and needy. Which, I guess they were...but that knowledge didn't exactly help me enjoy reading about them.
Ok, while I don't think I will continue with this series, I do think I'll keep the author on my To-Watch list. There are some good ideas in the book, but not enough to make me want to go back for more.
I really loved the first book in the Demon's Gate series, but this one was a little harder for me to get into. Maybe I just had a lot of stuf3.5 stars
I really loved the first book in the Demon's Gate series, but this one was a little harder for me to get into. Maybe I just had a lot of stuff going on while I was trying to read it, but for some reason it took me longer to get through this one.
The vast majority of the story focuses on Amaranth, Dham, Cat, and Trick/Patrick's journey to Rome. Trick is the demon (or spirit) who is in possession of Amaranth's best friend Patrick's body. After a particularly nasty run-in with the Inquisition, Trick drops the bomb that he will have to let Patrick take back control of his body, in order to avoid being tracked by another demon. Sounds good, but the downside is they are not sure whether Patrick's mind has been damaged by the possession. Also, they're going to have to convince Patrick to let Trick take him over again, in order to complete their mission. Awkward!
I was a bit surprised by the people who bit the dust at the end, and I wonder how that will impact the next story. So even if this one didn't blow me away like the first, I'm still interested to see what happens in the next book.
All in all, this was a very good self-published novel.
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
Not that this was bad, but it's definitely not the best in this series. It's (my opinion) an ok romance with decent characters.
There's not mu3.5 stars
Not that this was bad, but it's definitely not the best in this series. It's (my opinion) an ok romance with decent characters.
There's not much to say about this story that the blurb doesn't already tell you. And Robin and Phoenix don't really have any obstacles in their relationship that aren't fairly easy to overcome with a little bit of communication. They have a tiff at the end over what happens after the truth about Nathan and Robin comes out, but it's not anything that felt insurmountable. They met. They liked each other. They fell in love. They both had baggage. And they both were fairly understanding of the other person's issues. Kinda like real life...
I'm a big fan of McCarthy, but this one was lacking the trademark humor that draws me to her books. Without the usual dose of funny, this is just a Plain-Jane romance novel. Good writing, good story, good cover. It's...good. But it's not my favorite.
In case you were wondering, I received a digital arc from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'd seen some really high praise for these books, so I jumped at the chance to read McGarry's newest book in the Pushing the Limits series. And I likeI'd seen some really high praise for these books, so I jumped at the chance to read McGarry's newest book in the Pushing the Limits series. And I liked it, but it didn't blow me out of the water. I'm thinking that either these particular characters just weren't my cuppa, or maybe I need to take a break from the angsty stuff. I should also note that I'm a bit sick of the Good girl/Bad boy thing at the moment.
[image]
So Rachel has a weird life. Sure, her family has money, but they're beyond strange. ALL of them. Let's start with her oddly overprotective brothers, ok? I've never seen a group (I believe there's 4 of them) of older brothers act like they have nothing better to do than escort their little sister around so that no guy ever speaks to her. A lot of brothers tend to get pissed when guys mess with their sisters. Especially if the guy in question is a douchebag. That's normal. What's not normal is screaming death threats at every male that attempts to talk to her. You would think at least one of them would be on her side, right? But, no. Protectively eyeballing her date...SANE. Acting like a psycho over a conversation between her an a random dude at a wedding...INSANE. Yeah. So I had a problem buying into the over-the-top dynamics with her brothers. Then there's her parents. Years ago they lost their oldest daughter to Leukemia. Very tragic, no? Yes, yes it is.
[image]
But. In an effort to make the mother happy again, they kept having children until Rachel was born, so that the mom would have a replacement daughter. Wha...? Unfortunately, kids aren't replaceable, so Rachael lives in the shadow of her perfect older sister. Worse, she's expected to speak at charity functions on her dead sister's behalf. Or she was until she started having panic attacks when she was younger. The panic attacks took the form of severe vomiting, and eventually she was hospitalized because she was throwing up blood.
[image]
Skip to present day, and Rachel is supposedly over her fear of public speaking and panic attacks. Of course, she's not. She's only pretending to feel better about it so that everyone will stop treating her like she's breakable. And now Dad wants her to start speaking at her mother's fundraising events again...so that mommy won't be sad. Again, I felt the parents were overblown caricatures of people, and not realistic enough for me to sympathize with or even hate. To keep Rachel from seeming like she was made out of some boring jello mold, we find out that she loves cars. Reallyreallyreally loves cars.
[image]
And that's how she meets Isaiah...who also reallyreallyreally loves cars. He protects her when she wanders out of her element and into an illegal street race. Naturally, there's an evil guy who run the race. This same evil guy blames Rachel for selling them out to the cops/stealing his money. And also (naturally), they have to find a way to pay him back...or else! That whole plotline felt like something out of a 50's movie, and I kept expecting them to break out into some sort of a dance-off to settle the score. Or some such nonsense. As the fear for their lives increased, the obvious answer just sat there staring them in the face. Call the cops (who are actively looking for a reason to arrest the guy) and report him for threatening to kill you! But wait. They can't do that. Rachel doesn't want her parents to find out she was involved in illegal street race! Well. That's an awesome reason to get killed by a scummy wannabe mobster. Sorry I questioned your logic, Einstein.
Ok. Sorry, I'm making it sound like this book is total crap, but in reality it's not. I didn't have a hard time getting through the story, and there are tons of absolutely glowing reviews out there for this one. New Adult is a genre that thrives on drama and angst, so I'm not going to fault an author for giving readers exactly what they came to the party looking for. So. My personal opinion is that this one was overly...everything. But even I know that my opinion doesn't count for much. It will probably be a great read to someone who isn't burned out on virgin heroines and damaged heroes.
[image]
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review....more
Reading King Cave has made me a better parent. You heard me, reading this has done more for my maternal skills than all of those Parenting books writt Reading King Cave has made me a better parent. You heard me, reading this has done more for my maternal skills than all of those Parenting books written by so-called 'experts'. Mainly because I've never read any of them. I meant to, I swear! But they just looked so boring... So how did a book about magical creatures make me a better mom? Well, I am now far more tolerant of my girls screeching, squealing, and crying every time one of those poofy-headed boy bands comes out with a new video. *shudder* I used to point out that the one in the middle is quite obviously gay and could care less about the panties being thrown at him. The one on the far right is going to blow all of his money and end up living in a trailer park. But that's still better than the one on the end, who's probably going to end up face-down in a pool of his own vomit in five years. That was the old me. Now? I just smile, pat my sweet babies on the head, and tell them that one of those guys might end up being a Justin. Why the change of heart? Because I had a similarly goofy reaction to getting King Cave. I did this embarrassing tappy dance, I grinned till my cheeks hurt, and I made giggly sounds. There were also rumors of a weird humming noise coming from my general vicinity while I was reading...but I think my kids were just trying to mess with my head. I'm not kidding. They do shit like that to me all of the time. Anyway, I was beyond excited to get my grubby little paws on this, because absolutely loved King Hall. If you haven't read it yet, you honestly don't know what you're missing. Read it! But then I got nervous. What if my expectations were too high? What if the first book was a fluke? I mean, I've got too much stuff to read as it is, so it's not very often that I actively stalk a book's release date. And I stalked this one. Oh God! The creeper hanging out in the bushes at Barnes & Noble?! It was me! Noooo! I thought it was all just a bad dream! But that does explain the sudden appearance of all of those kitschy new bookmarks... So. Now that we've established that I ramble, let's get on with this review.
King Cave picks up at the exact moment the last book left off. King Hall is under attack, Pearl and Jack are unconscious, and everything is going up in flames. Let me tell you something, this book takes off right out of the gate and never stops. It's packed full of twists, turns, and shocking revelations. Packed! It's also got something that was notably absent in the first book. Sex. Oh Ezra... Sweet lord, he is the smexiest thing ever! I'm totally calling dibs on him as my book-boyfriend, so the rest of you bitches can just back it up! See, I was wondering if maybe Ms. Dawn didn't write it into the last book because it wasn't her forte. Apparently that was not the reason. And in fact, it might actually be the cause of the mysterious humming noises. Just a theory... Alright, back to the twisty-turny stuff. Every time something BIG would happen I'd be like, Aha! So that's the THING! The BIG THING that happens in this story to change everything! Bzzzt! Wrong! Because then the next huge shocker would come outta nowhere and knock me on my ass. It never stopped! By the time I got to the end, I was shaking like a freaking leaf! Although, I've never actually seen a leaf shake. Quiver? Yes. But not really shake. However, it wouldn't really be PC of me to say I was shaking like a fat kid in a candy store, so we'll just go with the leaf analogy. Anyhoo, I don't like to give spoilers, but I've just got to give you guys a hint. Ezra and Lilly. EZRA and LILLY! And you know what, that's not even the tip of the iceberg! That's right, ladies and gentlemen!That is a teeny-tiny piece of crap spoiler that doesn't even begin to touch the scope of this amazing plot. Oh shit. The kids were right! I'm making this obnoxious humming noise. What the hell?!
So what have we learned here today? 1. These books are so awesome that they are going to be part of my exclusive Hardback collection. 2. I would leave my husband for Ezra. 3. I may need to see someone about the fact that I unconsciously make annoying noises. 4. If you haven't picked up on this series yet, you need to remedy that situation immediately! 5. Um. There's not really a 5, but the list just kinda looked like it needed an extra number.
But seriously, go get this book.
Huge thanks to NetGalley for a digital arc of this book in return for an honest review.
I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Hmmm. I loved Covert Assignment, which was the 1st book in the seI received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Hmmm. I loved Covert Assignment, which was the 1st book in the series, but this one just felt like a filler. I'm not saying it was a bad book, it was just missing that sumpin' sumpin', you know?
I think the majority of the problem lies with the introduction of a new love interest. Lyle. The Southern gentleman. I didn't like him. At all. My hope is that he turns out to be a terrorist, and Preston shoots him...while he's drinking his sweet iced tea. Anyway. Elle takes a bunch of personality tests, gets put into dangerous (but not too dangerous) situations, and has to decide whether or not she really wants to be part of the Agency. Like I said...filler.
I still want to read the next book, because a lot of series seem to struggle with the dreaded Second Book Syndrome, and a lot of times the 3d book comes back strong. I'm hoping Elle will bounce back, get tough, and find a guy who doesn't make me want to vomit in my mouth.
P.S. I have no idea why I hated Lyle so much. He was a nice guy who introduced Elle to his mamma, held open the door, and pulled out her chair for her. What's wrong with me?! ...more
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in return for an honest review.
I'm always shocked when I start looking for a book's publisher, only to findThanks to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in return for an honest review.
I'm always shocked when I start looking for a book's publisher, only to find that it's a self-published title. Well, not always. But in this case, I had no idea. Seriously, keep an eye out for this author in the future.
Covert Assignment was an easy breezy read for me. Elle was adorable, her friends were awesome, her ex was deliciously icky, and Preston was a hottie. The CIA vs. terrorist stuff wasn't really nail-biting, but it added a bit of fun to an otherwise normal story about the decisions that leave their mark on our journey to become an adult.
Elle's got a Plan. Finish grad school, go to her father's alma mater for her JD/MBA, marry her college sweetheart, and live happily ever after. Her parents split when she was very young, then both remarried and started families over again. Elle was a reminder of their failure, and was treated accordingly. Her lifeline to acceptance and a family that loves her is her boyfriend, Adam. Even though there's not much chemistry between them, he's her best friend and she loves him. Besides, sex is overrated. Right? Evidently not, because when she comes home from a particularity awkward Christmas with her mother, she finds out that he's been screwing a bimbo from one of his classes. And the skank posted pictures on the internet. Visual imagery is always a nice addition to betrayal... Adam swears he was seduced by her evil charms because he was drunk, and it will never happen again. All he wants is a chance to prove himself! Blah, blah, blah... Fortunately for Elle she has two awesome girlfriends to help her navigate this rather massive speed bump in her life. 'Cause if there's ever an appropriate time to get shit-faced with your girls, it's after you see the guy you thought would be the father of your children humping a troll with ginormous titties.
Meanwhile, an opportunity to work with the CIA on a short-term basis comes along. Turns out, the information data she's been collecting on a bunch of gamers for her thesis, is somehow related to a group of terrorists. And they could use her expertise to help them continue gathering data on a sub group within the chat rooms. Again, the spy stuff was ok, but don't go into the book expecting a hard-core thriller. Of course, they're not just going to give a grad student a CIA laptop, and turn her loose to ferret out the bad guys. And it wouldn't be a romance novel if she got partnered up with a paunchy old fart, right? No. No, it would not. So say hello to our young hot spy dude, Preston, aka the operative who will be dealing with all of the classified stuff. Growr! Once Preston makes it known that he's interested in more than just Elle's computer skills, she's got to decide whether to give Adam a second chance, or to totally deviate from the Plan. Deviate! Deviate, you idiot!
Anyway. This book is a good choice for someone looking for a light romance to break up the monotony of a Sunday afternoon. Apparently Elle's story is also going to continue in Marciassa's next book, Covert Interview. Good news for me, because the ending (while complete) left me wanting to find out more about these characters.
I'm going to start by saying that I am definitely not the target audience for this book. I see lots of high reviews here, so obviously others have reaI'm going to start by saying that I am definitely not the target audience for this book. I see lots of high reviews here, so obviously others have read...and loved...this story. I did not. I thought it was a book about a chick who falls for a guy, then gets tempted by another guy. With some paranormal stuff thrown in for good measure. Urban fantasy stuff, you know? Um, I don't know what this is, but it's not urban fantasy. It sort of dances on the edge of erotica, in my opinion. Nothing wrong with that! It's just not what I was expecting. Or like. The plot basically revolves around this chick and two cursed brothers. She falls in love with both of them. Has lots of sex with both of them. (view spoiler)[Naturally, it's the fact that she's fucking both of them that eventually breaks the curse. And naturally, these guys are hunky-dory with the fact that they get to share her for all eternity. (hide spoiler)] I am soooo not the target audience for this.
Beyond the ick factor, I thought the story was laughable. Nora meets Alec at a vampire-themed masquerade ball. When they meet up again, she notices that he's still wearing his fangs. She thinks it's odd, but he's so smexy that she's ok with it. Maybe I could have bought that if she were into fantasy role-playing, but she's not. I don't care how hot a guy is, if he wanders around with fake fangs, and you are not ALSO wearing fake fangs, you would not find him sexy. In fact, I'm willing to bet money that the words pathetic and dork would scroll though your head, right before you hop in your car and squeal the tires. But here's the best part: She has a moment of uncertainty about their relationship when she finds out that he (maybe) didn't go to college. WTF?! That he's not in school is a deal-breaker, but the fact that he plays dress-up isn't? *snort* Bwhahahahahaha! This was just... No.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review....more
Loading...
