Review: The Deal by Elle Kennedy

Title: The Deal
Author: Elle Kennedy
Series: Off-Campus, Book 1
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 24 February 2015

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy...

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

...and it’s going to be oh so good.

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

What in the name of hell took me so long to read this?? I would say I don't know what I was thinking...but the truth of the matter is that I do. I was going to say that New Adult and me don't really get along, but the truth of the matter is that I'm incredibly gun-shy about it. First, I've read a MILLION reviews of NA books from friends, and they horrify me. Second, NA is - primarily - contemporary romance; not my favorite genre. Third, I'm not a fan of angst, and there's usually plenty of angst to go around in New Adult. So, I get them, because they sound good, but then they languish on my shelf for ages until I finally pick them up.

No matter how much I love Elle Kennedy's Out of Uniform series (and I seriously love that series - don't judge me that it's more sex than story, at least for the first half dozen books - it's fun AND sexy as fucking hell), it still took a friend's amazing updates to make me excited to pick this up. I have mentioned that I'm not a fan of NA, right? I want to be, I swear I do, and I've actually had pretty good luck - but that's probably because I'm incredibly picky, and only read the NA that my trusted friends vouch for.

And then, even when I'd decided to read it, I waited until I had some buddies to read it with. Because I'm a coward. And, if it sucked, I needed someone to bitch with and commiserate with.

First things first, because when I opened the book and read this sentence - on the first page - I wish I'd had a little warning.

***TRIGGER WARNING***:

The heroine in this novel was raped, five years before the start of the book, but it is mentioned fairly frequently. She's still dealing with it, and it comes up in discussions, thoughts, and memories in regards to some situations. And I'll talk about it a lot in my review below.

Review: Girl From Above: Escape by Pippa DaCosta

Title: Girl From Above: Escape
Author: Pippa DaCosta
Series: The 1000 Revolution, Book 2 (Serial)
Genre: Sci-Fi Erotica Romance
Release Date: 19 June 2015

"There’s no quicker way to get yourself killed than trusting someone in the black." ~ Caleb.

Caleb Shepperd knows Fran has her own motives for helping him escape prison, but he’s not about to let a little thing like past betrayal stand in the way of his next paycheck. Until he’s forced to meet with the sexy and psychotic pirate, Adelina Cande. They’ve met before. When he seduced her, cleared out her credit account, and left her for dead in-the-black.

Caleb figures Adelina holds a grudge when she plants a bomb on his ship and demands he steal a fleet freighter for her, that is, if he ever wants to fly again. Get him drunk enough and he’ll try anything once, but this time, he has to balance his own greed, with the needs of a vengeful pirate and the scheming of his dubious second-in-command, Fran. What could possibly go wrong?

In the heart of Chitec headquarters, #1001 enlists an eager young technician to aid in her escape. But it’s not freedom she wants. It’s revenge. The memories of a life that don’t belong to her demand she finishes what she started. She believes she killed Caleb, now she's targeting Chitec CEO Chen Hung, and not even the hopeful technician can dissuade her.

Synthetics don't make mistakes.

She thought she knew the truth.

She was wrong.

It's not often that a second book in a series (or serial) will get a higher grade than the first from me. This one does. And earns it. Partly because it blew through all my expectations and gave me something that I wasn't expecting - more than once.

Everything I said in the first one still holds. Our protagonists are not heroes - they're not good people, and yet....I still root for them. I think that probably says more about me than it does about them.

There's a HUGE twist at one point in the book. Something I did NOT see coming, and still really shocks me with its simplicity and I-should-have-known moment. Then there's the moment when I start to complain about something, thinking that one thing is going on, thinking that it should go a different way, and something even better than I imagined happening, happened. Hell yes. Loved it.

There's a lot of sex, or near sex, in these books. It's usually angry sex, without a lot of "good" emotions behind it. But it's freaking hot as hell. And, to quote my friend Navessa:

Also, I figure in a near-lawless space setting, sex would be as common as violence, which seems to be the case in these books. Now that I think about it, I tend to feel that way about any setting in which humanity breaks down.

It's a good point, and I definitely agree. Violence and Sex are BIG in this series. So is self-recrimination, questionable actions, double-crossing, and lawlessness. For a society that's supposed to be "perfect" with Fleet and Chitec...it's pretty fucking grim.

And the ending? I saw it coming, I knew it would happen from the moment the scene started, and still - I read that last sentence and groaned that I have to wait (at least) a month-and-a-half for the next book. I needs it, precious. I needs it, NOW.

Grade: A

Review: Girl From Above: Betrayal by Pippa DaCosta

Title: Girl From Above: Betrayal
Author: Pippa DaCosta
Series: The 1000 Revolution, Book 1 (Serial)
Genre: Sci-Fi Erotica Romance
Release Date: 21 April 2015

WARNING: 18+ only. Adult content. Including sex, drug use, violence, & swearing.

"My name is #1001, and I am not ready to die." I’d only just begun to live.

When Captain Caleb Shepperd is released from prison, all he wants to do is keep his head down and earn a living smuggling illegal cargo through the nine systems. So when a synth stows away on his ship, and brings with her a crap-ton of problems, including guilt-ridden secrets he thought he’d escaped, he’d prefer to toss her out the airlock. The problem is, she’s priceless tech, and he’s fresh out of credit.

#1001 is not meant to exist. Created for a single purpose, she has one simple order: to kill. But not everything is as it seems. Buried deep inside, she remembers... Remembers when she was human. And she remembers what Shepperd did to her. She’s not ready to die, but she is ready to kill.

Novel length: Approximately 43,000 words. 155 Kindle pages. 177 paperback pages. (Not including sample chapter)
Genre: Space opera.

I feel awkward reviewing this because it's not an entire story. It's the beginning of the story. It does have a nice arc - for which I'm thankful - but it's so clearly just the start that I almost want to wait until I've read the next 2 books (which should finish it out, I hope) before I review and grade it. The ending can make a huge difference in how I feel about the earlier sections. However, this part of the story still made a really big impression on me and I have to talk about it.

One of my best friends recommended this book to me - in all CAPS - and we usually are on the same exact page when it comes to awesome books. So I immediately bought this one, and the second one from Amazon. (Sidenote: $2.99 for under 200 pages? Not cool. I'm going to end up paying around $9 for a full-length novel. Ugh. Do not like. Anyway.)

I flew through it. Read most of it on my lunch, and then did some sneak-reading because I just couldn't stop.

The world is interesting, but a fairly light background to the story and characters. It's a prop for them to play in front of. And I'm okay with that here. I would like to see it further explored, and see the implications of the characters' actions dig deep into that world, but that's for the second and third parts to live up to, I think.

What really shines here are the characters - which is kind of ironic, because none of the characters are what you would consider "good" people. Caleb (I love this name, I hate when it's shortened to Cale) is our "hero." And I use that term incredibly loosely. He's a womanizer, smuggler, asshole. He thinks with his dick, and has little regard for consequences. He also has a TON of guilt and self-recrimination (justly and rightly so).

Fran, Caleb's second-in-command (and only crewmate, so the title confused me a bit) fascinated me. She's Caleb in a female body. Everything I hate about him, I hate about her. They have little regard for anyone, including themselves. They're destructive and assholes. But...I love them. They're the kind of characters that I want to see - not redeemed exactly, but whole. I want to see them have the contentment they deserve, whatever that may entail. I want to see them stop hating themselves.

#1001 was a mystery for most of the book, though I began to guess about a third of the way in, so I don't want to spoil too much. Suffice it to say that I'm most interested in her. She has a hell of a story, and I'm really, really, really looking forward to seeing how Pippa DaCosta brings it all together.

The plot doesn't seem like much of anything until you get near the end - which is why I say that this is a starter story. It doesn't finish much of anything. What it does do is pull you in, sit you down, tie you up and demand that you finish. It builds beautifully, and upon finishing I immediately grabbed part two. I'm already lamenting the fact that the third (and final) part isn't available until December 2015.

Grade: B+ (I reserve the right to change this)

Review: Princess of the Sword by Lynn Kurland

Title: Princess of the Sword
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: Nine Kingdoms, Book 3 (Trilogy 1, Book 3)
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Release Date: 6 January 2009

The Nine Kingdoms Trilogy now explodes in the fiercest battle yet as the fate of a kingdom lies with a man and woman bound by love, magic, and a legendary—and perilous—sword.

When darkness falls...

As the mercenary daughter of Gair, the black mage of Ceangail, Morgan is the only one who can stop the terrible sorcery her father unleashed. To do so, she must race against time and find the spell that will allow her to close the well of evil he opened. But that quest will lead her to places she never dreamed existed and into a darkness she would give anything to avoid.

The magic rises.

With the fate of Neroche intertwined with the closing of Gair’s well, the archmage Miach must help Morgan find what she needs, not only because the safety of the Nine Kingdoms hangs in the balance, but because he will do anything to protect her. Now, as they search out the mysteries of Ceangail—and the dangers of Morgan’s own bloodline—Morgan and Miach have only each other to trust, heart and soul…

How to review this book....Hmm....

Here's the thing. I don't feel comfortable even talking about the events of the first two books in detail - because this is really one, long story. It should be handled as such. So I feel like it's really:

Spoiler spoiler spoiler, spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler. Spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler. SPOILER.

Spoiler, spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler. Spoiler spoiler, spoiler spoiler; spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler. Spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler.

Spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler. Spoiler, spoiler, spoiler. SPOILER!!!!

You get the point. I guess I could just say: I loved it.

This trilogy - the first in the overall Nine Kingdoms series - is definitely fantasy romance. However, the fantasy world - while built enough for its purposes - is light. It's a stage for the story of the romance to take place. The entire trilogy, a single story as I said, is fun, light, sweet, and romantic as hell. The first book builds it nicely. The second book is a bit slower and more focused on the romance. The third book brings it all together: romance, action, plot.

This series is such a comfort read for me. The characters (especially Morgan and Miach) are just wonderful - and though some might consider them Mary Sues, well, I simply didn't care. I love following their story over and over and over again.


Grade: A

Amazon | BN | kobo | Book Depository | Goodreads

Review: The Mage's Daughter by Lynn Kurland

Title: The Mage's Daughter
Author: Lynn Kurland
Series: Nine Kingdoms, Book 2 (Trilogy 1, Book 2)
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Release Date: 2 January 2008

Please see my review of Star of the Morning, Book 1 in the series if you haven't read it already.

Lynn Kurland’s trilogy of love, intrigue, and fantastic destiny continues as a female mercenary fights for her life, her future, and the one man who can save her...

Darkness in the kingdom...

Neroche is under assault by a magic that has stripped its king of his powers and unleashed nightmarish creatures in a war of evil in which Morgan of Melksham is fighting for her life. Recovering from a near-fatal attack, Morgan realizes that she must decide between two fates: that of being a simple shieldmaiden or accepting her heritage as an elven princess. If only she could ignore that she was the daughter of the perilous black mage of Ceangail...

Magic in the blood...

Duty bound to aid his king, Miach of Neroche is torn between what his responsibilities demand and what his heart desires. He is willing to risk his life to rescue Morgan from the darkness that haunts her, but he must do so at the peril of his realm. Forced to choose between love and the burden of his mantle, Miach sets out on his most deadly quest ever.

I said in my review of the first book that I have a hard time reviewing these. And I do. I think this one may be even harder for me.

There are flaws - these books would not pass a Bechdel test by any stretch of the imagination. Miach tries to make decisions for Morgan, which nearly results in tragedy (thankfully she quickly puts him in his place). And it's a transition book - there are things happening, but really it's all about getting to the final act of the story.

That all being said, I still love this book. It's FULL (to bursting) of romance. If the romance was light in the first book, it's here in abundance. I love watching Morgan and Miach figure out the definition of their relationship and how they're going to be going forward. It's sweet, and sigh-worthy, and absolutely beautiful.

Morgan may seem like a bit of a different person in this book than the first. But it's really just her getting to know herself. She has a bunch of shocks (you might remember from the end of the Star of the Morning), and most of those are dealt out in the first 30% of the book. That the hits and needs keep coming throughout the book does nothing to really let Morgan gain her balance. But she does, as she always has, through determination and strength. I think what I appreciate most about her in this book is that she is intensely vulnerable (after her convalescence) and yet she's never treated as inferior in any way.

Miach continues to be one of the best male characters I've ever read. He consistently makes it on my top 5 list of heroes, but it's not because he's an ALPHA, or a BARRONS, or an ass (which, let's face it - those guys definitely can be). It's because he's absolutely honorable, stead-fast, and kind. He's funny, down-to-earth, and honestly cares. He gives and worries little for himself. Though he does make me mad at one point in this book (listed earlier), he quickly realizes the error of his ways. I can forgive him. I get why he did it, even when I didn't like it. So when he finally realizes that it wasn't the right decision, and honestly apologizes, I'm good again.

Characters tend to be the number one reason I read. They'll keep me engaged when all else is failing. And there are a number of secondary characters here that I truly enjoy (Sosar, Turah and Weger to name a few). They added to the tapestry of Morgan and Miach's world in such an interesting way.

I did say that this was pretty much a transition book. While reading it, I am never bored. There's always battles and rushing from this to that, or something happening that needs to be seen to. But looking back? Not so much happened. We delved deeper into characters' histories, and learned more about the task to come. We traveled and had misunderstandings. We had a few battles, gained a few enemies, saw a few taken care of. And, of course, we had the incredibly satisfying romance of Morgan and Miach.

Don't worry, if the romance and middle-book-syndrome turns you off, the last book is well worth it. There's a LOT that happens in it, and I can't wait to dive into it again.


Grade: A-

Amazon | BN | kobo | Book Depository | Goodreads

Review: Radiance by Grace Draven

Title: Radiance
Author: Grace Draven
Series: Wraith Kings, Book 1
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Release Date: 13 January 2015

THE PRINCE OF NO VALUE

Brishen Khaskem, prince of the Kai, has lived content as the nonessential spare heir to a throne secured many times over. A trade and political alliance between the human kingdom of Gaur and the Kai kingdom of Bast-Haradis requires that he marry a Gauri woman to seal the treaty. Always a dutiful son, Brishen agrees to the marriage and discovers his bride is as ugly as he expected and more beautiful than he could have imagined.

THE NOBLEWOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE

Ildiko, niece of the Gauri king, has always known her only worth to the royal family lay in a strategic marriage. Resigned to her fate, she is horrified to learn that her intended groom isn’t just a foreign aristocrat but the younger prince of a people neither familiar nor human. Bound to her new husband, Ildiko will leave behind all she’s known to embrace a man shrouded in darkness but with a soul forged by light.

Two people brought together by the trappings of duty and politics will discover they are destined for each other, even as the powers of a hostile kingdom scheme to tear them apart.

Wow. Just wow. I'm so glad that Kaynan urged me to read this RIGHT NOW. This is an incredibly good book, and I had a really hard time putting it down to deal with (very necessary) tasks, like: getting kids ready for school, helping with homework, making dinner, bedtime routines, and playing with the kids...Oops.

The very best part of this book is the two main characters, Brishen and Ildiko (how the hell do you pronounce her name?? Every time I see it in the text I took 5 seconds to try to reason it out before moving on. I'm quite sure I'm saying it wrong in my head).

Brishen is the spare prince of the Kai. Ildiko is the niece of the Gauri king. Both are unimportant in their respective kingdoms. Left aside to be used as pawns in some negotiation or another. A negotiation, it turns out, that finds them wed to each other.

I don't think there's anything particularly spectacular about either character alone. They're both nice, kind, honorable people. They face life rather than bemoaning their circumstances. They don't take their frustrations out on those that are undeserving of them, and the genuinely try to be good. In fact, it's kind of hard to find a flaw with either of them. But that's okay. Because the true love that I have here is them together.

Together, Brishen and Ildiko are amazing. They are one-hundred-percent honest with each other. Their love is built on friendship and mutual care and respect, not attraction and the desire to have sex at every other turn. They learn each other, they are honest with each other, and - to start - they find each other hideous.

"You find me ugly, don't you?"

Brishen had faced abominations on the battlefield without flinching, leapt into the thick of the fighting against creatures born from the nightmares of lesser demons. Not once had he been tempted to run away in fear. Now, his leg muscles rippled with the urge to flee. He clenched his teeth instead, prayed he wouldn't start a war with their newest ally and answered honestly.

"Hideous," he said. "A hag of a woman."

Another peal of laughter met his words. Brishen wilted, relieved she took no insult in him so bluntly validating her assumption. He didn't even know her name, but he liked her and didn't wish to hurt her. Assured she wasn't planning to flounce off and send a pack of offended relatives after him, he turned the same question on her.

"And you," he said. "You don't think me a handsome man?"

She shrugged. "I've only seen your hands and eyes. For all I know, you're hiding the face of a sun spirit in that hood."

Brishen scoffed at the idea. "Hardly." He'd never lacked female company, and his people thought him well-favored. Certainly nothing as wretched as a sun spirit. He slid the hood back to his shoulders.

The woman's eyes rounded. She inhaled a harsh breath and clasped one hand to her chest. Her mollusk skin went a far more attractive shade of ash. She remained silent and stared at him until he raised a hand in question. "Well?"

She exhaled slowly. The space between her eyebrows stitched into a single vertical frown line. "Had you crawled out from under my bed when I was a child, I would have bludgeoned you to death with my father's mace."

How could I *not* love them after that meet-cute??

Because their marriage is to secure and alliance there's obviously some other machinations going on in the book, but really this is the story about Brishen and Ildiko growing to love each other. Two outcasts that find true love and companionship in each other.

The slow burn of their budding relationship was so refreshing. Without attraction and sexual desire mucking up the works, they form their relationship organically - on friendship and respect. Who'd have thought that could work so well? Don't get me wrong, I love the attraction and sexual tension as much as anyone (and you get some of that here too, don't worry), but can't there be a time and place? Can't our characters have something more to fall back on than ... well, their backs?

This book says, emphatically, YES!

I said that this is really the story of Brishen and Ildiko's falling in love, and that's probably where my only real complaint lies, too. I love their story. A LOT. But I do wish that we'd gotten more of the world, more of the threatening war, more of the politics, more of the cultures of both peoples.

And then we get to the ending. After such a sweet moment between our heroes, that epilogue hit me over the head and shocked the hell out of me! What? Where did that come from?? Things just got real!

I NEED to see what happens next. Eidolon, please. Gimme.

Grade: A-

Amazon | BN | kobo | Book Depository | Goodreads

Review: Archangel's Enigma by Nalini Singh

Title: Archangel’s Enigma
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Guild Hunters, Book 8
Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 1 September 2015

Naasir is the most feral of the powerful group of vampires and angels known as the Seven, his loyalty pledged to the Archangel Raphael. When rumors surface of a plot to murder the former Archangel of Persia, now lost in the Sleep of the Ancients, Naasir is dispatched to find him. For only he possesses the tracking skills required – those more common to predatory animals than to man.

Enlisted to accompany Naasir, Andromeda, a young angelic scholar with dangerous secrets, is fascinated by his nature—at once playful and brilliant, sensual and brutal. As they race to find the Sleeping archangel before it’s too late, Naasir will force her to question all she knows...and tempt her to walk into the magnificent, feral darkness of his world. But first they must survive an enemy vicious enough to shatter the greatest taboo of the angelic race and plunge the world into a screaming nightmare...

**Disclaimer: I am a HUGE Nalini Singh fangirl. I’ve loved her books since I first discovered Slave to Sensation back in . This means that I tend to love her books, but it also means that I measure each of her books against her other books, so the competition is stiff.

**Spoiler warning: There will be spoilers from the previous 7 books (and various novellas) in this review. If you haven’t read the previous books, please go see my review for Angels’ Pawn and Angels’ Blood

Cover Reveal: Cam Girl by Leah Raeder

I fell in love with Leah Raeder when I read her first book Unteachable. It made me think, made me love, made me uncomfortable. It made me feel.

Ever since I've been closely following her releases, looking forward to each and every one.

Now. Even though it's not coming out until November 3rd, 2015, is Cam Girl. The newest story by this wonderful author. And I'm pleased to be a part of the cover reveal here!

Vada Bergen is broke, the black sheep of her family, and moving a thousand miles away from home for grad school, but she’s got the two things she loves most: her art, and her best friend and soulmate, Ellis Carraway. Elle and Vada have a friendship so consuming it’s hard to tell where one girl ends and the other begins. It’s intense. It’s a little codependent. And nothing can tear them apart.

Until an accident on an icy winter road changes everything.

Vada is left deeply scarred, both emotionally and physically. Her once-promising art career is cut short. And Ellis pulls away, unwilling to talk about that night. Everything Vada loved is gone.

She’s got nothing left to lose.

So when she meets a smooth-talking lothario who offers to set her up as a cam girl, she can’t say no. All Vada has to do is spend a couple hours each night taking off her clothes on webcam, and the “tips” come pouring in.

It’s all just kinky fun till a client gets serious. “Blue” is mysterious, alluring, and more interested in Vada’s life than her body. Online, they open up to each other intimately. Blue helps her heal. And he pays well, but he wants her all to himself. No more cam shows. She agrees, because she’s starting to fall for him. And when he asks to meet, she says yes. Because she’s dying to know the real man behind the keyboard.

Even if one of his conditions is to bring Ellis. The girl who wants nothing to do with her anymore.

Now Vada must confront the past she’s been running from. A past full of devastating secrets—those of others, and those she’s been keeping from herself...

Review: Shards of Hope by Nalini Singh

Title: Shards of Hope
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Psy/Changeling, Book 14
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 2 June 2015

The “smoldering heat, epic romance, and awesome action” of Nalini Singh’s New York Times bestselling series continues as two Arrows find themselves caught in a chilling conspiracy that spans all three races...

Awakening wounded in a darkened cell, their psychic abilities blocked, Aden and Zaira know they must escape. But when the lethal soldiers break free from their mysterious prison, they find themselves in a harsh, inhospitable landscape far from civilization. Their only hope for survival is to make it to the hidden home of a predatory changeling pack that doesn’t welcome outsiders.

And they must survive. A shadowy enemy has put a target on the back of the Arrow squad, an enemy that cannot be permitted to succeed in its deadly campaign. Aden will cross any line to keep his people safe for this new future, where even an assassin might have hope of a life beyond blood and death and pain. Zaira has no such hope. She knows she’s too damaged to return from the abyss. Her driving goal is to protect Aden, protect the only person who has ever come back for her no matter what.

This time, even Aden’s passionate determination may not be enough—because the emotionless chill of Silence existed for a reason. For the violent, and the insane, and the irreparably broken...like Zaira.

Review: Six Brothers by Lili St. Germain

Title: Six Brothers
Author: Lili St. Germain
Series: Gypsy Brothers, Book 1.2
Genre: DARK Contemporary Romance (??)
Release Date: 16 February 2014

I have lied.

I have cheated.

I have given my body and my life to the man who destroyed my family and left me for dead.

I have killed, I have sinned, and worst of all, I have enjoyed the misery of others.

I have licked the salty tears of a father mourning his firstborn son, and nothing has ever tasted so sweet.

I have died, and I have been resurrected, a phoenix from the ashes.

I know I’m going to hell. I’ll burn in the fiery pits alongside Dornan and his sons for the things I’ve done, and for the things I’m about to do.

But I don’t care. It will be worth every lick of the devils flames on my guilty flesh to destroy Dornan Ross.

One down, six to go.

I didn't think it was going to be a good idea for me to continue this series, but I just couldn't stop without seeing if the author was going to do something spectacular.

Which did *NOT* end up happening for me.

Pretty much everything I had an issue with in the first part (my review) is still here in this one. Only exponentially worse.

**!!SPOILER AND TRIGGER WARNING!!**

Review: Seven Sons by Lili St. Germain

Title: Seven Sons
Author: Lili St. Germain
Series: Gypsy Brothers MC, Book 1.1
Genre: DARK Contemporary Romance(?)
Release Date: 2 January 2014

My father was most certainly NOT an innocent man. As the leader of the Gypsy Brothers MC, he was guilty of many things. But he died for a crime that he didn’t commit, framed by an enemy within who then stole his club and everything he had ever worked to protect.

Including my innocence.

When Dornan Ross framed my father, he set into motion a series of events that could never be undone. My father was murdered by Dornan Ross and his sons when I was fifteen years old.

Before my father died, Dornan and his sons stole my innocence, branded my skin and in doing so, ensured that their lives would be prematurely cut short. That they would suffer.

I’ve just turned twenty-one, and I’m out for blood. I'm out for revenge.

But I didn't expect to fall for Jase, the youngest brother in the club.

I didn't expect that he would turn my world upside down, yank my heart out of my chest and ride away into the sunset with it.

Now, I'm faced with an impossible choice - Jase, or avenging my fathers death?

How do I rate a book that disturbed me on a cellular level? I don't know.

On the one hand, I want to give it one star - because JFC, this woman is a sociopath, nearly everyone around her are assholes, and I wish everyone would die. On the other hand...I couldn't stop reading. At 20 percent the book disgusted me beyond measure - and then it kept going. I was so horrified and disturbed, and ended up hate-reading it from about the middle of the book.

HEAVY TRIGGER WARNINGS: This is a DARK story. So dark. The heroine was raped when she was fifteen, by seven men (father and sons). This story is about her revenge.

Review: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith

Title: The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight
Author: Jennifer E. Smith
Series: Stand-Alone
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 2 January 2012

Four minutes changes everything. Hadley Sullivan 17 misses her flight at JFK airport, is late to her father's second wedding in London with never-met stepmother. Hadley meets the perfect boy. Oliver is British, sits in her row. A long night on the plane passes in a blink, but the two lose track in arrival chaos. Can fate bring them together again?

There's a lot to like in this book, unfortunately I think some of my personal history came to bear and left me feeling less than enamoured with The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight. Usually when I start a review I have a pretty good idea where I'm heading, what rating I'm going to give it, and how I - ultimately - feel about it. Here, I'm just not so sure. I know I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it either. And honestly it was a bit too short for me to really develop any strong feelings at all. The upside of that is that it's a quick, easy read.

My biggest problem was Oliver, the hero. He has this ... belittling sense of humor that hit a little too close to my abusive past. It could just as easily be read as playful ribbing, but having been made to feel stupid over and over and over again - well, I know the damage those little comments can do on a person's self-esteem. He never had a serious conversation, all his responses were glib and sarcastic, and I don't think he ever really gave a truthful answer. That can make for fun encounters, laughing or whatever, but it's not something to help one get to know a person.

Then there's Hadley herself. She came across as self-centered, spoiled, and heedlessly cruel. Her parents have divorced and she's so mad at her father for leaving her family, and she takes it out on everyone around her. Her father - by refusing to see him, talk to him, or acknowledge that he's getting married; her mother - by being short, cruel and unthinking in her interactions with her. And then there's Oliver himself, whom - once she finds out what he's going through - can only think of herself and how he's reacting to her.

I enjoyed how the relationship was healed between Hadley and her father, and her mother for that matter. Even if it was a little too neat and pat. I feel like I would have enjoyed this story a whole lot more if the romance wouldn't have been the sole focus, and the family angle would have been given a bit more depth.

The really nice thing is that this was an incredibly quick read. Though close to 50% of the book is either taking place real-time on the plane or in flashbacks to the plane, and I thought the flight was never going to end, it still read really quickly and easily. I like Jennifer E. Smith's writing style and am looking forward to reading something else by her - where maybe I'll like the characters a bit more.

Grade: C-

Amazon | BN | kobo | Book Depository | Goodreads

Review: Queenie's Brigade by Heather Massey

Title: Queenie's Brigade
Author: Heather Massey
Series: Stand-alone
Genre: Science Fiction (Romance)
Release Date: 2 July 2011

Captain Michael Drake desperately needs an army to save Earth after a crushing defeat by alien invaders. When his damaged starship docks at a remote prison colony, he discovers Earth’s last best hope—an army to replace the one he lost.

But, Queenie, the feral goddess ruling the prison, has other plans for the rugged star ship captain. After imprisoning Drake and seizing his ship, she prepares to lead her blood-thirsty band to freedom before the invaders track them down.

Despite her intentions, Queenie secretly falls for the sexy, hotshot captain. Drake makes it plain he wants to win back Earth with her by his side. But is following her heart worth betraying her people?

DNF at 38%

I was going to say that I feel badly for giving this such a low rating, because the writing and the premise is pretty intriguing. Plus there's an interesting dichotomy within Queenie herself. I think if I were reading about her alone, instead of adding in some manufactured love interest, I would be enjoying this more. As it is I find it hard to care what happens to either character.

Captain Michael Drake: Last surviving military captain in a war against the Calinthians - who have invaded Earth. He jumps his battered ship to a prison outpost, proceeds to be captured by the prisoners (who've taken over the prison), and then doesn't act anything like a decorated military captain.

The leader of the prison gang (and I'll get to her in a minute) is, of course, statuesque, beautiful, and has her breasts falling out of her jumpsuit (literally). So, naturally, he's distracted and attracted. He gives himself some grief about this, but in the end he needs her and her army to try and take back Earth. Then she brings out a member of his crew (a doctor), and proceeds to have her fingers broken, threatens to break other things, and this after the crew-member already looks pretty beat to hell. All so she can get the codes to his ship.

Which he then gives up. Seriously? This is the kind of military Earth has? One that caves without a qualm? He gives up his codes, and then he expects her to work with him, team up with him. If I were her, I'd scoff too. What kind of partner would he be? Not a good one, that's for sure.

Queenie: leader of the prison gang. She was brought up, by her mother and others, to unite the prison gangs under one leadership so they could take over, free themselves, and stop being used as cannon-fodder in a losing war. I understand that, and even empathize with it.

So, she rules with an iron fist (sometimes - I'll get to that later), and that's explains the torture of the captured crew (I guess). I have no patience for torture. Like sexual assault, and abuse, it's pretty much a final straw for me. I don't care the circumstances, I'm not really going to be able to root for you once you do something like that.

The problem with Queenie is that she's alternately portrayed as ruthless and smart - which would be awesome - and vulnerable and silly. She rules the gangs, but they're all just waiting for a chance to stab her in the back. She protects and wants to help her people. She demands obedience and that they not do anything to interfere with her mission, but she doesn't concern herself with them doing drugs. Lack of discipline, lack of order, is as much a problem to any real mission as any lack of obedience. And if a leader doesn't realize that, then they don't deserve to be leader any longer.

Every other character is a non-issue. They may as well be placeholders to give the two main characters something to react against.

Manufactured Love Story: Michael can't seem to keep his eyes off Queenie's gorgeous body - even when his crew's being tortured. Nor can he keep his libido under control. Queenie is, of course, drawn to the captain - who is like no other military person she's seen before.

She punches him in the face, several times. During her exertions her (ample) breast falls out of her shirt and all he can think about is taking it in his mouth. She flushes (Ugh. Why the need to be embarrassed. If she's the hardass that she's being portrayed as, why does she have to be virginal too - and I bet she ends up being a virgin). And then what's he do - strokes her thigh. She responds. He thinks that for her to respond like that she must still have a heart.

They're both idiots. And if they're humanity's last hope...well, we're doomed.

Grade: DNF

Amazon | BN | kobo | Book Depository | Goodreads

Review: Break Out by Nina Croft

Title: Break Out
Author: Nina Croft
Series: Blood Hunter, Book 1
Genre: Paranormal / Science-Fiction Romance
Release Date: 1 July 2011

The year is 3048, Earth is no longer habitable, and man has fled to the stars where they've discovered the secret of immortality—Meridian. Unfortunately, the radioactive mineral is exorbitantly expensive and only available to a select few. A new class comprised of the super rich and immortal soon evolves. The Collective, as they're called, rule the universe.

Two-thousand-year-old Ricardo Sanchez, vampire and rogue pilot of the space cruiser, El Cazador, can't resist two things: gorgeous women and impossible jobs. When beautiful Skylar Rossaria approaches him to break a prisoner out of the Collective's maximum security prison on Trakis One, Rico jumps at the chance. Being hunted by the Collective has never been so dangerous—or so fun.

I'm so tired of these same, tired, bad tropes being brought out to play.

First - I'm not a fan of deception between my heroes, and the heroine here is hiding something BIG. Ugh. Gross.

Second - We're how many thousands of years in the future, and we're still calling women "whores". Give me a break.

Third - the hero has no common sense and does things that are likely to get him killed, apparently for the story. The heroine is unreliable, and apparently an idiot who doesn't even know what she's doing in her own training simulation.

Fourth - Get the heroine drunk trope, but not too drunk. Have hero check, several times, to be sure he's not taking advantage. Distraction. Heroine gets pissed at hero because she gave into her own desires. And then punch him.

And now - at 27% - I'm done.

Grade: DNF

Amazon | BN | kobo | Book Depository | Goodreads

Review: Straddling the Line by Jaci Burton

Title: Straddling the Line
Author: Jaci Burton
Series: Play by Play, Book 8
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 1 July 2014

Trevor Shay has it all—a successful football and baseball career, and any woman he wants. But when he finds out his college mentor’s daughter is in trouble, he drops everything to come to her aid.

Haven Briscoe has finally landed a dream job as a sportscaster for a major network. But she hasn’t been able to move past the recent death of her beloved father, and it’s affecting her career. A plum assignment following the daily life of sports superstar Trevor Shay might be just the inspiration she needs…

Trevor will do anything to spark life back into Haven, including letting her into every aspect of his world. The chemistry between them flames higher than one of Trevor’s home runs and faster than his dashes to the end zone. But as they grow closer, Haven stumbles onto Trevor’s closely guarded secret, one he’s hidden his entire life. And despite his protests, now it’s Haven’s turn to put everything on hold to help Trevor. Will he let her in and trust her with a secret that could blow his professional and personal world apart?

I don't even have the inclination to write a real review for this so here's (essentially) a Play-by-Play of my thoughts while reading this book.

I'm a bitch. Chick's grieving her father, who died about a year ago, and all I can think is 'Stop feeling sorry for yourself.' Yes, I know that grief takes its own time. I'm still grieving my aunt (she was more like a sister to me), who passed nearly a decade ago. But I still participated in my life. I didn't just let my career fall by the weigh-side, as Haven seems to be doing.

Oh. He plays two professional sports. Huh. That's pretty rare. I know, I know. I really should pay more attention to those damn blurbs (and in this case, cover art). But who has time. I'm reading here.

Football AND baseball. Wow. Wonder which team is understanding. There's quite a bit of overlap there. Hmm. *goes to look up schedules for baseball season and football season* This is really, really unlikely. He must be amazingly good. Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders are two notable athletes that competed in both baseball and football, showing that it does happen. However, I stick to my assessment that it's incredibly rare.

Boring interview is boring. Thank goodness he cut that short. I know she's supposed to be doing a report piece on him, but blah. What a crappy way to have them get to know each other. His 'Can I interview you, too' line. *rolls eyes*

Oh. Surprise. Vaguely sexual pool play. At least she's not overly virginal or puritanical about her body. I like that. I'm still not sure where any attraction between these two is going to come from.

Ugh. Have I mentioned that I hate baseball? I think it's boring. Watching it is boring. Reading about it? Good god. Kill me now.

Wait. He doesn't seem that good. *frowns* How isn't he better than this? Maybe it's not an awesome game. I do have to hand it to Jaci Burton, she knows her sports (at least I assume she knows baseball, it feels as boring as it is in real life).

O.M.G. I have to read about another frakking game?!

Obligatory catch up with previous novels' characters. Haven't read their books. Don't care about their impending marriages, children, or any other 'Look at how happy and perfect we are' moments. I feel like a romance-scrooge here.

Oh! So he plays the full season of baseball, and then joins his football team. He must be really good at football. Most teams won't be that understanding. Not only is he missing the first several games of the football season, but he misses the entirety of training camp, and pre-season. O___O

He's gotta have one hell of an agent.

Really? A couples wedding party (or was it baby party)? Whatever. It's a time for the 'heroine' to sit down with some other women and talk about the 'hero.' Couldn't they talk about something else? Like, maybe their careers - and not how it led them to getting married? Ugh.

Talk about not-sexy. She watches him jerking off, on the chaise by the pool, from her bedroom window. Then is awkward about it the next morning. Blah. Boring. I don't see why he wants her, and I don't see why she wants him either.

Oh Christ. More boring interview stuff. I'm really not a fan of this method of get-to-know-you.

Says something about how (not) invested I was in the "romance" that I spent nearly the entirety of the time considering how his schedule worked. I think it's better for me to quit while I'm not so far behind.

Grade: DNF

Amazon | BN | kobo | Book Depository | Goodreads

Review: Whisper of Sin by Nalini Singh

Title: Whisper of Sin
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Psy/Changeling, Book 0.6
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 25 February 2014

New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh returns to her phenomenal Psy-Changeling world as a woman in peril finds herself in the arms of a dangerously beautiful shapeshifter…

San Francisco is under threat from a violent gang…a gang that has no idea who they’re challenging. The DarkRiver pack of leopard changelings has already claimed the city as their territory, and they will fight with wild fury to protect its residents. Emmett, a lethally trained leopard soldier, isn’t about to let outsiders muscle in on his home ground—especially when they target a human named Ria.

Emmett has one word for the smart stranger with her curvy body and tough spirit: mine.

Possessive, dominant, unyielding in his demands and desires, Emmett is unlike anyone Ria has ever before met. But while the sexy leopard changeling makes her body ignite, his kisses molten and his touch addicting, she’s no pushover and she has a few demands of her own. This leopard has met his match…

"Please note that Whisper of Sin is a reissue. It was first published in the multi-author anthology, Burning Up. This is the worldwide stand-alone ebook release for those who wanted to buy only this novella from the anthology.

For those of you who have Wild Invitation, this novella wasn't in that collection." - Nalini Singh

I read this originally when it first came out in the Burning Up anthology and, as always, adored any time that we get to spend within the Psy/Changeling world.

This novella takes us back and shows how DarkRiver began to exert it's claim on San Francisco, slowly - and more importantly, subtly - eroding the control of the Psy. When Ria's attacked one night on her way home because her family refused to pay the protection money of a new gang in town, Emmett steps up. After he and Dorian rescue her while on their patrols, it's clear that DarkRiver's right to hold the city is being threatened. If they don't take care of the gang, and soon, they'll lose their right and other predatory changelings can come in, trying to take over.

Ria thinks that's all Emmett wants to be close to her for - to protect her. But he has far more delicious thoughts in mind.

I enjoyed the banter between them, the progression of their relationship, and the fact that Ria stands up to Emmett - not letting him run all over her. Emmett, for his part, is eminently sweet.

I also really love the way Nalini Singh slides in little tidbits on how the relationships work between Humans and Changelings (or Psy and Changelings, Psy/Human, etc) - things like perfume, or how to have private conversations. Small details that make everything seem so much more real.

Nalini Singh is one of the few authors that I have consistently trusted to provide me with a fun, romantic, and sexy novella. This is no exception to that rule.

Grade: B

Amazon | BN | kobo | Book Depository | Goodreads

Review: Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh

Title: Heart of Obsidian
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Psy/Changeling, Book 12
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 4 June 2013

A dangerous, volatile rebel, hands stained bloodred.
A woman whose very existence has been erased.
A love story so dark, it may shatter the world itself.
A deadly price that must be paid.
The day of reckoning is here.

From “the alpha author of paranormal romance” (Booklist) comes the most highly anticipated novel of her career—one that blurs the line between madness and genius, between subjugation and liberation, between the living and the dead.

I didn't have words enough to write a proper review of this the first couple of times I read it. And I'm not sure it's going to be much better this time. The problem that I'm having is that I refuse to spoil who the heroes are. No one knew prior to cracking open the book and diving in - did we have our suspicions? Heck yeah, and I was happy that I was right - but I think the joy of each reader discovering that for themselves is something beautiful.

I'll do my best though. With everything fresh in my mind, I think I can manage something other a bit more specific than my previous thoughts.

For eleven books now we've been watching as the battle for the very lives of the Psy in the PsyNet was fought - in shadows and secret, against humans and changelings and even the Psy themselves - this war was touching everyone, every group, on the planet.

It all comes to a head in Heart of Obsidian.

Nalini Singh skillfully brings us to the main resolution of the overriding story-arc that's driven each story in the books (including this one). There's still story to be told - have no fear - but this is the climax. Everything comes to a head, loyalties are tested, results are gathered, moves are made and nothing will ever be the same.

I've always loved Nalini's ability to build such an intricate and real world that I'm invested in it completely. How they're all tangled up together and actions taken by one can affect so many. There's no isolated group that's not affected, but a whole - depending on the careful and fair balance of the world that is their own as well.

The main characters are amazing - probably my favorites of all time. My heart broke for them many times - as expected - but was also filled to bursting as they came closer together, healing each other and themselves of hurts that were previously thought to go too deep.

We get a lot of little glimpses of other characters that we fell in love with in previous books, but even saying much more than that will be a hint as to whose story this is.

If you love the Psy-Changeling world, you're going to read this and you're going to (likely) be as excited as I was for it...and you're going to love it.

If you haven't read the Psy-Changeling series - why not? Give it a try, it's well worth it.

I guess this isn't much better than my previous review. I may as well end it the same: Nalini Singh's best novel yet. My favorite book in the series. Period. No contestation. I loved every minute. Easily in my Top 10 favorite books of all-time.

Grade: A+

Amazon | BN | kobo | Book Depository | Goodreads

Review: Archangel's Shadows by Nalini Singh

Title: Archangel's Shadows
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Guild Hunters, Book 7
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 28 October 2014
Source: From publisher in exchange for an honest review

Return to New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh’s sensual and painfully beautiful Guild Hunter world in her new novel of sacrifice, loyalty, and the choices of love that can shatter the heart.

In the wake of a brutal war, the archangel Raphael and his hunter consort, Elena, are dealing with the treacherously shifting tides of archangelic politics and the people of a battered but not broken city. The last thing their city needs is more death, especially a death that bears the eerie signature of an insane enemy archangel who cannot— should not—be walking the streets.

This hunt must be undertaken with stealth and without alerting their people. It must be handled by those who can become shadows themselves…

Ash is a gifted tracker and a woman cursed with the ability to sense the secrets of anyone she touches. But there’s one man she knows all too well without a single instant of skin contact: Janvier, the dangerously sexy Cajun vampire who has fascinated and infuriated her for years. Now, as they track down a merciless killer, their cat-and-mouse game of flirtation and provocation has turned into a profound one of the heart. And this time, it is Ash’s secret, dark and terrible, that threatens to destroy them both.

Look at that cover? Isn't it GORGEOUS? I love the art for this series - so much that I've bought a print of one of the covers. Tony Mauro does excellent work, capturing the feel of the books along with the little details - enough to make me believe that I'm looking at the characters I'm reading about. I love that. This one has a ton of little details that come directly from the book and it made me giddy after I was done reading to go look at it and see them there. So much fun.

Ever since Angels' Pawn I've been looking forward to reading more about Ashwini and Janvier - even while I loved every single book in between, I still asked each time I met Nalini Singh when we were going to get more of these fantastic characters.

Giveaway & Excerpt: Desert Bound by Elizabeth Hunter

Title: Desert Bound
Author: Elizabeth Hunter
Series: Cambio Springs, Book 2
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: 14 October 2014

Book Release and Giveaway: He's So Fine by Jill Shalvis

Happy Release Day!!

Scroll down to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway

Title: He's So Fine
Author: Jill Shalvis
Series: Lucky Harbor, Book 11
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: 30 September 2014