Demons in Disguise

Demons in Disguise by A&E Kirk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nex, Thugs, and Dead Souls Roll

I see what you did there...

4.5 stars

I loved the new characters. Horus was a hilarious addition and Cristiano was quite yummy. Ayden better watch out because I sense some competitive vibes coming from Armani. Shoot me, but I think Cristiano is way more badass, sexy, and mysterious (it must be the assassin thing).

"Romeo and Juliet?"Cristiano frowned. "Not one of my favorites."
"That's surprising." I gave him a mocking glance. "Considering it's an Italian story and sell of lies, betrayal, murder, and mayhem, I would've though it was right up your alley."

I still wish we would have gotten a few questions answered! Where was Gloria this whole book? Who the hell is the Bellator?! But I do have some thoughts...

P.S. I finally decided my favorite Hex Boys are Jayden and Blake! It will probably change again though lol

"It's just Jayden," she said and kept walking down the hall.
"In our daughter's bed? Half-naked!"
"But it's just Jayden," Mom said. "It doesn't count."
"Thank you, Mrs. Lahey," Jayden said. "I appreciate your vote of confidence in my lack of coitus with your daughter."
Dad's face went slack. "Oh. My. God."
Jayden smiled. "And Mr Lahey, I am also appreciative of your confidence my virility of carnal pursuits with your daughter. Wrong as your conclusion may be, your accusations provide an illogical yet robust appeal to my masculine ego."

Hopefully we find out the approximate time book 4 comes out because I need answers and more Cristiano! <3


View all my reviews

King

King by T.M. Frazier
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GAWD DAMN that is how you end a book!

This book hit all the marks for me: Sexy, suspenseful, dark, gritty, funny, sweet. Apparently it is possible to have of those rolled into one good book! And by funny I mean laugh out loud! I was reading between classes and got some weird looks. I was just like "Sorry, but Preppy really gets to me!"

Speaking of my Preppy... I have a thing for books with male characters that aren't a love interest. Kind of like Kenji in Shatter Me, Roar in Under the Never Sky, or Aedion Queen of Shadows to make a few. Sorry thats my YA plug for today... But seriously I love that in a book and it is just hard to find in these types or "more adult" books.

My only complaint would be that I predicted some important events of the story.[Preppy's death (they always seem to kill off the funny guys...) & the trade (even though it didn't technically go down) (hide spoiler)]

Also, what kind of people don't look for a loved one when they go missing? That's just fucked up. Book two should be interesting, especially with the damn cliffy. I mean, WTF?!?! Not sure how I feel about that....

This book is packed with great quotes brought to you by the one and only, Preppy.

View all my reviews

December and January Preview!

Happy December! 

I will be combining both my December and January posts in this one. I look forward to catching up on my tar shelf, November did not turn out as well as I had hoped reading-wise. I have so many books sitting on my book shelf just calling my name and yearning to be read. (Seriously, those 20% off Barnes and Noble coupons get me every time, not to mention the awesome deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday!) I have many unread ebooks, but for winter break I plan to binge on my physical books. There is nothing like cracking open a good book with a nice lit candle, snow falling outside, my puppy curled up next to me, and a hot cup of tea steaming on the side table. Here is the line up for this holiday season:






The Fifth Wave #2





The Iron Fey #4


The Shadow Campaigns #1








Covenant #1


White Rabbit Chronicles #1

December Releases

December 17

Don't judge me. I am not what you see. I am the opposite. -Nadia's lipstick note on Bo's mirror. Indie-rocker Bo Lindgren is worshipped for his looks and musical genius. It's been lonely at the top since his ex left. Bo will never take a girlfriend again though, because he doesn't have the chops to love. He knows he's poison, a heartbreak waiting to happen for anyone he allows too close--like his ex. Bo screws his way through the fangirls until he's sick of it all. Until the dark gaze of Nadia Vidal appears in the door to his dressing room. Saved from an arranged marriage by Jude, the love of her life, Nadia eloped and got married at nineteen. But now, two years later, life is wilted, dead, and not what anyone should have to endure. Nadia, with her secret-keeper eyes and instant understanding of who Bo is, attracts and fascinates him without even trying. The ring gleaming on her finger should keep them apart, but morals can't always resist destiny. When brokenhearted meets heartbreaker, whose heart is really at stake?

Ink Mage

Ink Mage by Victor Gischler
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

2.5ish stars

The city of Klaar has never fallen. No enemy has crossed the Long Bridge or penetrated the city’s great walls. No one could have foreseen the betrayal from within the fortress’s walls. After a dramatic turn of events, the young duke’s daughter, Rina, finds herself a duchess and an army of one. Rina sets out on a quest to reclaim her city through whatever means necessary, even if that includes strange magic inked on to her skin.

I had mixed feelings while reading. There were huge gaps in the story because the POV changed every chapter. I felt like we missed a lot of the story when we switched characters and it just made the story's sense of time more confusing. I didn't care for a few characters and felt disconnected. I was indifferent to the romance! That is a downer. ):

A story with multiple POV is usually a hit of miss. I think this story could have benefits from more chapters from Rina. It was spread so thin amongst the characters that I lacked the kinship with the characters. We didn't really get very deep into the characters; it was all surface. What is driving the characters; why do they fight for the cause?

There were other gaps in the story that just seemed random. Like when did Alem learn to shoot a bow? There is freakin no way he was able to hit a target on his first try! When/How did this romance start to develop? It seemed a bit random.

I'm not so sure I'll be continuing the series because I have so many books on my TBR.

*Available on Kindle Unlimited*




View all my reviews

November Preview!

November is here and I hope everyone had a frightful Halloween!

I am currently devouring the Fever series by Karen Marie Morning. It's officially one of my favorite series, so I am reading them almost as fast as I can buy them. Book three is in transit to my house, and I expect it by Friday around noon. I know I'll finish book two sometime tomorrow (Tuesday) and there is a three day gap in between! Yikes! I'll probably pick up an ebook or try to complete an unfinished work. Or get ahead on my homework... haha nah.

November Lineup:

(Fever, book three)


(The Warrior Chronicles, book four)


(The Dark Duet, book one)

(The Nocte Trilogy, book one)


(Significance, book one)


(Blood of Eden, book one)

November Release Dates!

November 10th

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana. Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weal as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepdaughter's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long. Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?


From Richelle Mead, the #1 internationally bestselling author of the Vampire Academy and Bloodline, comes a breathtaking new fantasy steeped in Chinese folklore: For as long as Fei can remember, there has been no sound in her village, where rocky terrain and frequent avalanches prevent residents from self-sustaining. Fei and her people are at the mercy of a zipline that carries food up the treacherous cliffs from Beiugo, a mysterious faraway kingdom. When villagers begin to lose their sight, deliveries from the zipline shrink and many go hungry. Fei's home, the people she loves, and her entire existence is plunged into crisis, under threat of darkness and starvation. But soon Fei is awoken in the night by a searing noise, and sound becomes her weapon. Richelle Mead takes readers on a triumphant journey from the peak of Fei's jagged mountain village to the valley of Beiugo, where a startling truth and an unlikely romance will change her life forever.

November 30th

With dead bodies piling up on this side of the Waiting World and the Mandatum closing in, Aurora is so over being prey. So the hunted becomes the hunter. Targeting the dangerous traitor who wants her dead catapults Aurora out of Gossamer Falls and way past her comfort zone. But the master of deception won't go down easy, armed with a diabolical plan and a legion of evil to take down anyone who gets in their way...including the Hex Boys. Aurora and her six Hexy Knights dive into the belly of the Mandatum beast and wade through murky moral waters where trusting the wrong people is the only way to make things right. What could possibly go wrong? In Aurora's case...everything.

Rogue

Rogue by Karen Lynch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 stars

I'm just going to stick with my initial feelings because I still don’t know how to rate this! :/ I can’t give this anything above 4 stars and I seriously debated 3 stars there in the middle. I'm sticking with 3.5.

Through the entire book, I was going back and forth with my feelings. I was like: “Wow this is an interesting beginning, okay, okay, I see you… This middle is SO SLOW (I even picked up a book that I stopped in order to read this one sooner, and finished it)….Woah I didn't expect them to be the Master and DAMN did Sara finally kick some ass."

First of all, let me say that I loved the first 3 books in this series (both 5 stars). Book 1 may still be free for amazon kindle. If you haven’t already checked it out, I definitely recommend doing so. That being said, book 3 left me a bit disappointed.

The beginning was good. I loved Jordan, Roland, and Peter (always have, always will). I liked the idea of Sara discovering herself as a Morhiri without Nikolas. I also liked the dreaded wait for Nikolas to appear again (I guess its the masochist in me). All in all, a solid first 25% of the book.

The middle of the book is where it really hit me. I wanted so bad to rate this 5 stars, I really did, but I didn’t love it! It dragged in the middle 50% and I actually was bored! Sara’s training sessions, for one, were tedious and wasn’t that the whole premise of book 2?! Didn’t we read this already? Not to mention, once again, Sara had to connect with her demon (I thought she did that already..hello book 2??)

But the last 25% picked up a bit. Honesty, I had no idea how I was going to end up rating this. The ending definitely saved it.

For some reason, Sara and Nikolas felt different in this one. They spent so much time apologizing for their actions that I got really annoyed. Just owe up to your decisions! Nikolas was SO overprotective; he had so little faith in Sara! I love you dude, but I’d tell you to get over yourself. The reunion was a bit of a disappointment for me as well. On the plus side I loved the addition of Eldeorin and some new demon friends!

I just could not bring myself to love it as much as the other books in the series. I just didn’t get the same reaction reading this as I did other books I’ve recently read (which earned the 5 stars). My slump could be a reason why I’m being so grumpy. I’ve had a hard time getting through some books lately, so I’m just glad I finished this.

View all my reviews

Childstar 1

Childstar 1 by J.J. McAvoy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for honest review

Hard to rate because its only a novella.
3.5 Stars

Amelia London is America's sweetheart. Noah Sloan is America's bad boy. Both are former child stars and once were lovers. When they are cast as the leads in the upcoming erotic suspense blockbuster—Sinners Like Us—they are forced to come to terms with the issues that tore them apart to begin with.
As the whole world watches, can they keep their secrets hidden? After all, everybody is a sinner…

This is nothing like Ruthless People. The sex wasn’t as steamy. I thought the fake sex on set was hotter than the real stuff…and there wasn’t even a happy ending! I was excited about the sex scenes on set because those have always been interesting to me. What is it like to film one of those?? All I kept thinking was… lots of dry humping?? I guess I will never know because my answer was never answered… There was just a bunch of whipping (which I am all for). There should have been more of a build up to the sex, using the movie scenes as a catalyst. That being said, I wish the movie scenes were more detailed. I have to keep reminding myself that this was just a novella, but there could have be more details. I mean there has to be good descriptions in the sex scenes!! Maybe the next part will be better?Hard to rate because it is only a novella.

View all my reviews

Candidate

Candidate by Rachel E. Carter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

ARC won via author's giveaway

When given the option of an ARC or a free ebook upon release, which did I choose? The ARC of course! I couldn't wait to get my hands on this title. And boy did it not disappoint!

Riyah is only one year away of fulfilling her dream of becoming the Black Mage. Will Ry be able to beat the one person she has never been able to defeat: her rival, future husband, the non-heir?

Perhaps the gods will surprise us and it will be neither.”
“A true tragedy,” he agreed.
“Of epic proportions.”
His smile was just the faintest line in the shadows. “Two longstanding rivals.”
“And only one robe to bear.”
“Who will win?” Darren’s tone was wry. “The handsome prince?”
I grinned. “Or his valiant betrothed?

Her new life with Darren was supposed to be perfect, but she has only met complication after complication. Of course the King still loathes Ryiah. He'd rather she didn't exist. But what's done is done and Ry just wants is to stay under the radar and avoid his wrath. He really is a sick bastard. As the war seems to be coming closer and closer, Jerar is desperate for allies.

...This entire kingdom will fall to Caltoth. And when it does? Your lowborn wife will be the first blood I spill.

But Ry is taking full advantage of the time she has before her wedding and her princess duties call her. With Darren stuck at the Palace, Ry sets out to Ferren's Keep in hopes of some action and additional training before the Candidacy tourney. Rebels are on the rise and everything is not what it seems....

When the actually Candidacy started I think it was only 60% into the book. I remember thinking: what the heck else could possibly happen?? The answer: A LOT.

But seriously, that ending was mean! What is gonna happen?!?!

I knew I was going to love this book but it turned into much more than just a rivalry between two loves or the quest to become the next Black Mage. It was SO much more. And that made it oh so much better. I love me some betrayal, action, and suspense!

How many times can a person shatter?

View all my reviews

Ecstasy Unbound

Ecstasy Unbound by Setta Jay
My rating: 3.5  of 5 stars

*ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

3.5 Immortal stars

Centuries ago, a mating curse was cast to prevent the evil Gods from breeding Immortals for Apollo's army. Although the spell saved many lives by preventing Apollo's destruction, no immortal can breed unless it's with their true mate, which are practically impossible to find. This left the remaining Immortals with a minuscule population. The Gods, both good and bad, are banished, along with their families.

Alex is the daughter of Athena, making her a Demi-Goddess. Technically Alex and her brothers are not allowed on Earthly Realm. They should be banished along with their mother and father, but have survived under the noses of the Guardians, who are the protectors of the Realm.

Alex has had unusually erotic desires for one particular Guardian. Never have the spoken to each other. But he knows as she hides in the shadows and watches as he gives other pleasures. Uri knows she is a Demi-Goddess and also knows he is duty bound to banish her out of this Realm. He figures as long as she stays in the shadows and out of his way he doesn't have to banish her. Because he likes when she watches and wishes it was her writhing underneath him instead of these puny humans.

When Alex seeks help, Uri is the only being who can provide what she needs. What will happen when the two finally meet?

The story itself was intriguing. And the sex scenes.... WOW. Those were some of the hottest pages I've ever read! It was smokin hot.

My only complaint was that some elements of the story felt similar to something else I read, although I can't place it. But I loved the characters and the mind connection thing. Plus I'm a sucker for a well-done mate plot.

I think I will continue the series so long as the POV is from the same characters! I need to find out what happens with Cyril and the couples

View all my reviews

A Shade of Vampire

A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Available on KU

Sofia Claremont’s life has never been normal. As a child, her father was barely home and her mother… well her mother wasn’t exactly normal either. Eventually she was taken away and Sofia was left with her neighbors and the occasional check from her father. At least he hasn’t completely forgot about her.

On the evening of her seventeenth birthday, Sofia goes from walking the beach as a tourist in Cancun to being a captive of dangerous pale creatures who want more than just her blood. She is kidnapped and wakes on an inescapable, untraceable island known to the vampires as the Shade. She has no allies and her death in certainly in the future, it’s just a matter of who.

For five hundred years, the Shade has shielded the most powerful vampire coven from the sun. And for four hundred years their prince has been asleep. Now he is awake and Sofia is chose to be one of his. Despite his vast power and obvious thirst for her blood, his quarters might just be the safest place on this godforsaken island. Especially when Derek’s brother wants to claim Sofia as his own.
———————————————————————————
For starters it’s a nice story, but I feel like I’ve read it before. It was like a combination of Twilight and Captured. That being said, I was not a huge fan of Twilight and I really like Captured (The Captive series, by Erica Stevens) so you can see how confused I am! Having like Captured as much as I did, I found it difficult to get into the rhythm of this story because it was so similar! Captured was just done better in my opinion.

I also had some trouble with the characters; I felt disconnected from them! There was an insta-love vibe coming from Derek and I did not dig it (when do I?). I think I was hoping for Derek to be a darker and more mysterious character. He is described as the Dark Prince but the only thing he had going for him was that he was the legendary prince. I think the book could have gained from a POV from just Sofia instead of the dual POV with Derek. That would have made Derek’s character more mysterious and we would be right there with Sofia questioning his motives. It would have made it so much more interesting!

The relationship between Sofia and Derek seemed very abrupt. As I mentioned before, Derek fell really fast and really hard. The next thing I realized was Sofia had him wrapped around her puny human fingers. I felt liked we were jipped of the love story between them. I wished the author would have gone into more detail on this, especially when Sofia always described him as brooding and stoic. There was a short paragraph that described her teaching him to use a camera and they spent hours taking pictures and laughing. It was the first time she experienced this bit of humanity from Derek and we only got a measly paragraph about it! That disappointed me.

There were a few holes in the story, especially with Sofia’s family. What ever happen to her parents? What was her mother? I don’t think she was just crazy, which means she had to have some type of paranormal powers. There are so many unanswered questions and I assume they are all solved in many many books that follow this novel.

I really wished I could’ve like this one a bit more, but it is what it is. I liked the last 15% of the novel the best and will probably continue the series because it just ended! I needed more than that!

View all my reviews

The Naked Duke

The Naked Duke by Sally MacKenzie
My rating: 2.5 of 5 stars

Very predictable plot and naive characters. The main character was just too innocent for me. She didn't even know what a penis was or how a baby was even made. I just wanted to shake her. Or maybe slap some sense into her. Seriously? I know she grew up without her mother but she couldn't have been that oblivious to the world, could she?

And the whole thing from the beginning with the mixup of rooms and such, I thought it was just too unlikely. But apparently she is that dumb to not understand what was happening. I saw from a million miles away!

The story was just okay. I have a horrible ability to predict the outcome of some books. What can I say? It's a sixth sense. Or maybe its just that predictable?

Audiobook by Abby Craden
4 stars

I had to add this extra review of the audiobook narration because it was my first audiobook ever! At times I liked it, such as when I was walking across campus, I liked that I was able to continue the audio where I left off in the book. But the pace is just so much slower than what I am used to! And it just got awkward when the steamy parts came....(which by the way weren't all that hot and heavy to begin with.)

The only complaint I have about the narration was James' voice. It was just creepy in my opinion! He was supposed to be funny, and the voice just did not fit his personality.

View all my reviews

October Preview!

A lot of exciting things are happening this month! Of course it's October which means Halloween! In honor if this Holiday I'm going to up the ante by reading more horror and paranormal books! Who needs romance anyways, am I right? Blood, guts, and horror all the way!

Here's a list of books I am planning to read this October:

Of course this list will grow throughout the month. Feel free to send me any recommendations in these genres! Also I'm currently reading

October Release Dates

October 6th

Lo-Melkhiin killed three hundred girls before he came to her village, looking for a wife. When she sees the dust cloud on the horizon, she knows he has arrived. She knows he will want the loveliest girl: her sister. She vows she will not let her be next. And so she is taken in her sister's place, and she believes death will soon follow. Lo-Melkiin's court is a dangerous palace filled with pretty things: intricate statues with wretched eyes, exquisite threads to weave the most beautiful garments. She sees everything as if for the first time. But the first sun rises and sets, and she is not dead. Night after night, Lo-Melkhiin comes to her and listens to the stories she tells, and day after day she is awoken by the sunrise. Exploring the palace, she begins to unlock years of fear that have tormented and silenced a kingdom. Lo-Melkhiin was not always a cruel ruler. Something went wrong. Far away, in their village, her sister is mourning. Through her pain, she calls upon the desert winds, conjuring a subtle unseen magic, and something besides death stirs the air. Back at the palace, the words she speaks to Lo-Melkhiin every night are given a strange life of their own. Little things, at first: a dress from home, a vision of her sister. With each tale she spins, her power grows. Soon she dreams of bigger, and more terrible magic: power enough to save a king, if she can put an end to the rule of a monster.

While America Singer's heart was torn between Aspen and Prince Maxon, her friend Marlee knew exactly what she wanted--and paid the price. Revisit the captivating world of Kiera Cass's #1 New York Times bestselling Selection series in this digital original novella. Told from Marlee's point of view, this all-new 64-page story returns to the fateful Halloween when Marlee and Carter were discovered, and reveals how that night--and Prince Maxon--changed their lives forever.

Gavin tells Delilah he's hers--completely--but whatever lives inside that house with him disagrees. After seven years tucked away at an East coast boarding school, Delilah Blue returns to her small Kansas hometown to find that not much has changed. Her parents are still uptight and disinterested, her bedroom is exactly the way she left it, and the outcast Gavin Timothy still looks like he's crawled out of one of her dark, twisted drawings. Delilah is instantly smitten. Gavin has always lived in the strange house: an odd building isolated in a stand of trees where the town gives in to mild wilderness. The house is an irresistible lure for Delilah, but the tall fence surrounding it exists for good reason, and Gavin urges Delilah to be careful. Whatever lives with him there isn't human, and isn't afraid of hurting her to keep her away.

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother's mysterious death, he's lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers. One day, he's tracked down by a man he's never met--a man his mother claimed was dangerous. The man tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god. The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years. When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision. Sometimes, the only way to start a new life is to die....

October 13th

It's been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring's king, Angra, disappeared--thanks largely to the help of Cordell. Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria's lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity--with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses--the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell order the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm's secrets, Meira plans on using the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe--even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves? Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Jannuari--leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell's growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter's security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken Kingdom and protect them from new threats? As the web of power and deception is woven tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom--and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter but for the world.

October 15th

There are few things superhero Angel wants in life. World peace. Unlimited chocolate banana milkshakes. Spandex outfits with pockets. What she doesn't want is the attention of the Executioner, a supervillain who kills with his touch. But the moment she survives a caress--and a kiss--at the mercy of his lethal skin, Angel realizes her problems just got a whole lot bigger. Because the only thing worse than a supervillain who wants to kill you is one who wants to keep you.

October 16th

Piper is feeling a bit overwhelmed. With Seiya and Lyre missing Ash recovering from near fatal injuries, and the Gaians picking fights with daemons all over the city, a girl can't help but think she might be in over her head. And this time, she's on her own. Before she even has a chance to investigate the Gaians' new stockpile of mysterious, high-tech weaponry, and old enemy ambushes her: Samael's henchman Raum. He wants Ash's help and won't take "get lost" for an answer. She doesn't know if she can trust Raum, but even more that that, she can't trust herself with Ash. Sooner or later he'll catch up to her, and she fears she won't be able to walk away from him a second time. Despite her feelings, it will take their combined strength to face a frightening discovery about the Gaians. She and Ash begin to realize that the daemon war is coming to Earth, and they might be the only ones who can stop it--if it's not already too late.

October 20th

This morning, Kady thought breaking up with Ezra was the hardest thing she'd have to do. This afternoon, her planet was invaded. The year is 2575, and two rival megacorporations are at war over a planet that's little more than an ice-covered sick at the edge of the universe. Too bad nobody thought to warn the people living on it. with enemy fire raining down on them Kady and Ezra--who are barely even talking to each other--are forced to fight their way onto an evacuating fleet, with an enemy warship in hot pursuit. But their problems are just getting started. A deadly plague has broken out and is mutating, with terrifying results; the fleet's AI, which should be protecting them, may actually be their enemy; and nobody in charge will say what's really going on. As Kady hacks into a tangled web of data to find the truth, it's clear only one person can help her bring it all to light: the ex-boyfriend she swore she'd never speak to again. The novel is told through a fascinating dossier of hacked documents--including emails, schematics, military files, IMs, medical reports, interviews, and more.

October 25th

The Hunter wasn't trained to admit defeat. With the title of Chosen secured, Shanti and Cayan must look to the next steps in ripping back their freedom from the most deadly tyrant in the land. Unfortunately, they aren't the only ones with an agenda. Without mental power to defend themselves, the Westwood Lands are trapped within their own walls. Under the threat of torture and eventual death, a new power rises. To be discovered will mean death. But doing nothing is not an option.

October 27th

Welcome to the Candidacy! Where dreams go to die.... Twenty-year-old Ryiah is a black mage of Combat, but she is not the Black Mage. Yet. She's had her eyes on the legendary robe for as long as she can remember, and in just one year she will have a chance at her country's prodigious--and only--tourney for mages... Too bad she is going up against a certain non-heir. The one person she has yet to beat. Meanwhile Py has a year to prove herself in her new role as a war mage and the prince's betrothed. Neither is quite what she expected and complications arise on both fronts. War is on the horizon, and with so many enemies the kingdom of Jerar's fate is more than ever at risk. The Candidacy finally arrives, but it's only the beginning. Nothing can prepare her for what comes next.

Sara Grey is done hiding and done being afraid. The Master thinks he has her running scared, but she's taking matters into her own hands and taking her life back. With the help of her friends, she sets out to find the one person who can answer her questions about her past, and who may be able to lead them to the Master. On her journey, Sara faces new challenges and dangers, and learns that the world of good and evil is not clear cut as she had believed. She makes new friends, unexpected allies, and reconnects with people from her past. As her powers continue to change and grow, she transforms from a struggling girl into a strong young warrior. But at what cost? How much is Sara willing to sacrifice in her need for independence and her quest for the truth?  And will her newfound strength be enough to save her and the people she loves when she finally comes face-to-face with her powerful nemesis? Nothing could have prepared her for what is to come, and it will take everything in her to survive the final test of courage and love.

Hope City, Antarctica. The southernmost city in the world, with only a glass dome and a faltering infrastructure to protect its citizens from the freezing, ceaseless winds of the Antarctic wilderness. Within this bell jar four people--some human, some not--will shape the future of the city forever:
Eliana Gomez, a female PI looking for a way to the mainland.
Diego Amitrano, the right-hand man to the gangster who controls the city's food come winter.
Marianella Luna, an aristocrat with a dangerous secret.
Sofia, and android who has begun to evolve.
But the city is evolving too, and in the heart of the perilous Antarctic winter, factions will clash, dreams will shatter, and that frozen metropolis just might boil over....

I know that was a lot of information but I promise this month is going to be awesome! Feel free to leave a comment and share what you will be reading this month.

Happy Reading!

xoxo Rach

The Scorpion Rules

The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

*ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review*

Once Upon a Time, at the End of the World...

Great Gustafsen Stuart, Duchess of Halifax and Crown Princess of the Pan Polar Confederacy. She is a future ruler of a superpower and has been a hostage since age 5. Under the Children of Peace program each ruler must forfeit their child in order to insure peace. Don't have a child? Sorry, you aren't qualified to rule! When a leader acts out of turn, such as starting disputes/wars with other countries, the children pay for it. Greta's country is on the verge of war. When it comes she knows her life will be over. She will be taken to the grey room, just as the others before her and no one knows what happens after.

Greta's world has been the same for 7 generations. It is just the way things are; her duty. So when the Children see the plume of dust on the horizon they know that one of them is next. But when a new hostage arrives, he threatens to change everything the Children thought they knew about their lives, especially Greta. She will see her life from an entirely different perspective.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So this was't what I expected.

The first half of the book was promising, but I just didn't care for the way it went the last half. I really had to push myself to read it. Certain parts of the book I could have done without. The goats are one. I just seems unnecessary to talk about the sexuality of a goat. That's right people, goat hormones.

Greta was a strange character. She is very set in the world she lives in. And I think she has accepted her death sentence, until Elian comes and shows his rebellion to the system. And she doesn't quite change in the way that you would think, but I think she becomes more regale because of it.


I wasn't a huge fan of the love triangle. Greta knew Xie all their lives and is just now seeing her as more than a friend? Of course there's Elian. Dear sweet, rebellious Elian, whom I found to be quite the idiot at times.

No these main characters were not the best.

The Holy Utterances of Talis and the character himself were the highlights of the book. He is a strange guy, but clearly brilliant in order to come up with the whole idea. He basically is training them as children to became puppets to his liking. The thing is, it actually worked. He was able to get the entire world to play his game, his way, and her ended up ruler of the world. I like that his writings were shared because I found them quite entertaining. Through them we are able to determine what kind of person the ruler of the world really is. He is calculated but also has a very laid back was of thinking, along the lines of: Yeah I bomb cities, but its not a big deal; doesn't really work (other than kill millions of people!!).

There's a math to it, blowing up cities. When you're strictly interested in the head count, when that's your currency, blowing up cities gets expensive. You can do it once in a while, but you can't make a regular habit of it. Costs too much.
No blowing up cities doesn't work, not in the long term. You've got to find something that the people in charge aren't willing to give up. A price they aren't willing to pay. Which leads us to Talis's first rule of stopping wars: make it personal. And that, my dear children---that is where you come in.

Overall, I'd say it's a pretty average book. I liked the world that was created and Talis was an awesome villain for creating this strange yet brilliant Children of Peace. I still love that idea.

View all my reviews

Darken the Stars

Darken the Stars by Amy A. Bartol
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Book 3 of Kricket

*ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.*

Also available on Kindle Unlimited.

Seriously? That's how the series ended! It just seems so.... anticlimactic. I loved every other aspect of this book except that ending.

So here's the thing... I read a couple reviews prior to reading and learned about a shift in the romance (view spoiler)[aka Kricket and Kyon (hide spoiler)]. And I was like what the fuck?

First of all, how dare that reviewer not warn about spoilers in their review! If you are going to write a review, make it spoiler free or hide/warn of the spoilers! That really pisses me off. It just ruins the experience for other readers, especially when the review was an ARC and no one else had the chance to form their opinions. For that reason I hid or left out certain aspects of this review that I wouldn't have wanted to now prior to reading this book.

And after I learned about this particular spoiler I though seriously, (view spoiler)[Kricket is just gonna leave Trey after everything they went through and did together?? *replay shower scene from book one in mind repeatedly* (hide spoiler)] The change just seems so..random. But I actually enjoyed it! Anyways, I ended up putting the book off and stewing about this new turn of events (keep in mind I haven't even read it). It kept eating at me and I was wondering WHY?!? But then I realized that I was letting this particular reviewer's opinion skew my own before I even had a chance to create my own! So I manned up and finally read it. I was so glad I did.

I absolutely will read anything Amy writes. I love her story telling ability, the worlds she exhibits, and the characters she creates. It angers me that people give this book such low ratings, just because what they read was unexpected and unsatisfactory. Would you rather read a book when you know exactly what happens? It's actually one of the reasons why I loved this book. It, and Amy, deserve so much more than the grumpy 1 and 2 star ratings I've seen.

I felt like Kricket was different in this book. She seemed more independent and strong. Part of me thinks its because Trey was not there holding her hand, but who knows. Kricket has always done well accommodating to her surroundings. She's a survivor and a fighter.

I wish we had more time to get to know this new side of Kricket. It just felt so short and I flew through the story. Before I knew it, it was the last page! Plus new characters were introduced and I wanted to dive deeper into those relationships.

Can I just say that I was all for Trey in the first book, but in the second I just didn't feel it anymore. That being said, I didn't mind one bit the way things turned out romantically in this third installment. However, the ending is a different story....

UGH it was so frustrating!! I had about 7% left in the book and I just kept thinking "Where is this going? Something else has to happen!" But nothing did! I felt no real closure. It was like jumping off a cliff. Honestly, the ending was probably the only thing keeping this from being a 5 star for me.

Just because a book isn't what is expected doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a chance. I say go for it, this book was awesome!

View all my reviews

Everything, Everything

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

ARC received in via NetGalley in exchange for honest review

4.5 stars

This is the probably the best contemporary I've read all year!

All her life Maddy has been content with staying Inside. She is allergic to the world, meaning she has not been Outside is a very very long time. She cannot remember the smell of fresh air, the wind blowing in her face, or even the feeling of driving in a car. Everything we do daily, she hasn't in her last 17 or so years of life. But she is content in her life; her white room, white walls, white tees, and white Keds, with her book spines providing the only source of color in her room (reminded me a bit of a hospital, if you ask me). Her only companions include her mother who is also a doctor, and her nurse/only friend Carla.

Her books are the main source of companionship outside of the Carla and her mom. Here is a brief excerpt of Maddy describing her process when she receives a new book:

When a new book arrives, my first task is to remove the wrapping, a process that involves scissors and more than one broken nail. My second task is to write my name on the inside front cover:

PROPERTY OF: Madeline Whittier

I don't know why I do this. There's no one else here except my mother, who never reads, and my nurse, Carla, who has no time to read because she spends so much time watching me breathe. I rarely have visitors, and so there's no one to lend my books to. There's no one who needs reminding that the forgotten book on his or her shelf belongs to me.

REWARD IF FOUND (Check all that apply):

This is the section that takes me the longest time, and I vary it with each book. Sometimes the rewards are fanciful:
~Picnic with me (Madeline) in a pollen-filled field of poppies, lilies, and endless man-in-a-moon marigolds under a clear blue summer sky.
~Tea with me (Madeline) in a lighthouse in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in the middle of a hurricane.
~Snorkel with me (Madeline) off Molokini to spot the Hawaiian state fish- the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a.

Sometimes the rewards are not so fanciful.
~A visit with me (Madeline) to a used bookstore.
~A walk outside with me (Madeline) just down the block and back.
~A short conversation with me (Madeline) discussing anything you want, on my white couch, in my white bedroom.

Sometimes the reward is just:
~Me (Madeline)

One day everything in Maddy's world changes. She has new neighbors. And a perfect view right from her window seat. And she see him. His mother calls him Olly. He wears a black t-shirt, black jeans, and a black knit hat. He catches her looking and stares right back. Everything changes from here on out, Everything. Just when Maddy thought she was content in being alone and void of illness at the moment; she realizes being alive doesn't necessarily mean you are living.

Spoiler Alert: Beware the Queen of Hearts. She'll have your head.

Things I loved:
1. Maddy & her inner monologue
Her POV is compelling due to how she tells parts of the story through health logs, diary entries, schedules, emails, diagrams, etc. It was different, and I loved it.

2. The Romance
It was simple and not overbearing. Olly is going through a tough time and they connect in a real way. It does't feel like insta-love because the connection is so strong and realistic. Also, it was pushed. The story mainly focuses on Maddy and how Olly changes she

3. The Chapter Titles
It may sound stupid, but its true. The titles provided an added humor to the book and really showed Maddy's personality. I just loved that added creativity.

4. The Writing
This author is going on my to-watch list. Seriously, there were SO many beautiful quotes and her story telling ability is amazing!

Overall I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for a good contemporary.

This book is going to be on the top of many readers lists this year!

View all my reviews

Demons at Deadnight

Demons at Deadnight by A&E Kirk
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I really needed this 5 star! I struggled for a whole month *gasp* to find a new book for me to obsess over. I was seriously debating reading my favorite books again just to get my spirits up. Part of the struggle was coming down from a major book high from the Queen of All that Dies. I added this book when my friend Ashley read it a few months back and it just sat in my TBR shelf waiting for the day to be read. And after a subtle nudge from said friend, I decided to pick up this book. At this point I was desperate and quite honestly hopeless.

Let me just say that ever since TMI I have been obsessed with demons, angels, and demon hunters. I tried to find books that were along the same lines, all of which fell short. But this. This is right up there with TMI. There is a Jace & Clary type relationship. And I love that!

Speaking of Jace, let's do book talk with book boyfriends in honor of this 5 star & our new groupie!
Me: Welcome to the group Ayden! Boys say hello to Ayden.

boys: Another one? Seriously?!?

Jace: Hey bud, I'm still the number one demon hunter got it?

Ash: At least it's not another guy named Ash...

Ashtaroth: Watch it, asshole! And just so we are clear, Ayden, this is one demon you are not gonna kill. I will snap you in half, like the flaming stick you are.

Me: Hmm the rest of you are are being suspiciously quiet...

Trey: I'm gonna go feral wolf on your ass

Liam: No, I'll take care of him...

Me: Liam! Trey! Knock it off! Wolfe, Montes, Raffe & Warner stop brooding! There is enough of me to go around! This new love doesn't take away from what we have!

Ayden: Just be glad she didn't bring the rest of the Hex boys... Although I have been told I am the most smokin' of us all...

Me: Enough. Yes it is true the other Hex boys are also hawt!! They are charming, mysterious, funny--

Ayden: Hey I'm your favorite not them!

Me: Hehe sorry, but they are all great! Except for Matthais, he was kind of an asshole. But he surprised me in the end a bit. I really liked how all of you have like a superpower! That's awesome! And the book was freakin hilarious! So many one liners! I was smiling through the whole book! I loved that each of the Hex boys are unique and have something different to offer in your team dynamic. I loved how loyal you treated Aurora too! Even when all of you were having trust issues, you guys still cared about her. I love the kind of books were the girl has a main crush but has other boys-that-are-friends around. I was hoping for one of the boys to stick out from the group as more of a best friend title, but there is still time for that... it might even be Matty in the future...

Ayden: *laughs* Oh you went there!

Me: Haha just a hunch! Well I have to say I am hoping that you will be the Bellator to her Divinicus. Unfortunately, it's not looking so good for you right now... I mean WTF WAS UP WITH THAT ENDING?!
I probably looked a little something like this after finishing the book:

I expected something similar but damn not that at all.

Ayden: My thoughts exactly. I promise, I was not pleased about it either. If I knew what Aurora was seeing I would have been very upset at the time.

Me: Well we don't want to spoil any of the rest of the story. The bottom line is if you readers like action, ass kicking, demon hunters---

Jace: check out the City of Bones!

Me: No! The book is Demons at Deadnight. Jace stop finding plugs for your book! You've had enough time in the spotlight. It's time for the Nex to shine.

Jace: I can't help if the ladies love me!

Me: *sigh* Anyways, if you liked TMI I think you would like this too! There's ass kicking, humor, demons, some slight steamy romance, and the sexy Hex boys!! Plus its on Kindle Unlimited! Check it out!! Now if you will excuse us, Ayden and I have a date to read the next book in the series! Until next time boys!

Before reading: Come on, book. Be my next 5 star!

View all my reviews

Ugly Love

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Hmm... I don't know, something about it spoke to me, but another part was just average. I really suck at these reviews where I'm not sure how I feel.

It's the typical story of boy meets girl and they agree to a friends with benefits type of relationship. No strings attached.
Only it is more difficult than it seems, and clearly we know it will end in heartbreak. Hearts intertwine and love gets ugly.

Love isn't always pretty Tate. Sometimes you spend all your time hoping it'll eventually be something different. Something better. Then, before you know it, you're back to square one, and you lost your heart somewhere along the way.

I loved Tate's relationship with Cap. Cap is a bit of a mystery but he sure was entertaining. He, more than anyone, understands Miles.

"What do you think would make a man never want to experience love again?"
"I suppose if a man lived through the ugliest side of love he might never want to experience it again. Tate, sometimes a man's spirit just ain't strong enough to withstand the ghosts from his past. Maybe that boy just lost his spirit somewhere along the way."

It is definitely heartbreaking, but I found it predictable. And there were a few things I just could get over in the story, Rachel (the character in the book not me lol) is one.

Whatever he did to Rachel, at least he loves her enough to regret it.

I know we understand Rachel by the end of the book but I still hate her for how she made Miles feel and suffer for those 6 years he was alone. That was just cruel. I mean she wasn't the only one that it affected! And Poor Miles suffered all those years while she moved on with her life and basically forgot about him.

What threw me off in the book was how the POV changed. It is told from both Tate and Miles, but Miles tells his side from 6 years ago. This made me feel disconnected from Miles because he is telling the story of him falling in love with another girl! And I mean hard. He becomes obsessed with her (not in the creepy stalker way). Here was Tate falling head over heels for Miles, and Miles was still hung up with self-pity from his past.

All in all this was a nice story about learning to love again and overcoming hardships.

This was my first Colleen Hoover book and I will definitely give her other books a try!
>>>this one is calling my name!

View all my reviews

Storm Siren

Storm Siren by Mary Weber

Type: book 1 of Storm Siren
POV: 1st person~ Nym
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

*1 Special Snowflake Star*

Here is why (that's right. I made a list)

1. Nym. She feels nothing but pity for herself. She may have awesome powers that control the elements but she is weak. Emotionally. Physically. She has no backbone and people inferior to her walk all over her. The way I see it is this: Someone piss you off? Zap 'em with a lightweight bolt. There is no reason why Nym would let someone like Adora treat her in such a way. AND her inner monologue about the love interest was SO ANNOYING. Plus the moment she lays eyes on the love interest, she decides she has never seen anyone quite as beautiful. Insta-love. *barf*. She also seems to the special snowflake syndrome. All the men fall all over her because of her beauty, and I hate that in a character. She is no badass, but an ignorant coward.

2. Eogan. Now about this love interest. He is NOT swoon worthy. I have no attraction to him whatsoever. He is dull and there is nothing special about him except for his looks. It went a little something like this: She is attracted to him because he is SO handsome. I mean he is just handsome. His dark exotic skin, his beautiful hair and green eyes. Handsome, handsome, handsome. NOOOO. Be more descriptive! We needed to have more scenes with him and Nym that connected us to him and make him likable. Yes we can create a picture in our head, but as readers we fall in love with the characters themselves not looks!! Lack of character depth is another major issue.

3. Nym + Eogan. When they kissed I FELT NOTHING. No butterflies. No chemistry. I think that pretty much sums that up.

4. The lack of world building. The storyline itself has so much potential!! The characters and descriptions just ruined it. The whole concept of the magic was never explained and the High Court was poorly described and explained. I wanted to learn more about the King, and who exactly Nym is fighting for. A lot of things were just thrown at you as a reader, as if you were expected to know everything about the world. It is the author's job to explain the world so that it is not confusing. Yeah a few thing should be left a mystery to be revealed later, but come on, not the whole damn thing.

For anyone still on the fence about this one, I'd say skip it. Now I will continue to rant in the foul mood this book put me in, while I try to find a book to pull me out of this damn reading slump.

View all my reviews

Stray

feisty, female...and feline

Stray by Rachel Vincent

Type: book 1 of the Shifters series
POV: 1st person~Faythe
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Why is it so hard to find a decent shifter book?!

This is another difficult book to rate. The plot had so much potential, but it just fell short. If I didn't read this a little everyday instead of all in one day, I probably wouldn't have finished. The characters drove me absolutely nuts. Summary of characters:

Faythe was so freakin annoying with her feminism rants. I felt like these rants were the entire book. We get the idea, Faythe, they treat you special because you are a female. Get over yourself. She was so stupid and immature for a 24 year old. It really didn't help her case that she still called her father Daddy.... *cough* spoiled brat *cough*. Did I mention that is one of my pet peeves? And no; I do not have Daddy issues!

The love triangle pissed me off and confused me. Faythe was so indecisive with the two men, it drove me insane. And I cannot understand how she chose who she did[Marc (hide spoiler)]?!? He is controlling and exactly what she ran away from to begin with, so why?!

There is a very small chance of me continuing this series unless anyone liked the next better?

View all my reviews

Taming Lily

by Monica Murphy

Check it out on Goodreads!

*ARC received in exchange for honest review*

Check out my review of the youngest Fowler sister's story Stealing Rose here!

This title is now available!

Type: Book 3 of 3 of the Fowler Sisters (May be read as a standalone)

POV: Dual 1st person~ Lily & Max

Rating: 2/5 stars

The evil Pilar is out to destroy a Fowler heiress again. She wants the company for herself and will stop at nothing to get it. This time Lily is the subject of her wrath, and Lily is not exactly as everyone puts her out to be.... 

As before, Monica Murphy writes some steamy sex scenes. But to be honest, that was all that I liked in the story, and even that eventually got boring. I was kind of hoping for the wild Lily to be the real Lily. It is called Taming Lily and I thought that would be what Max does, which is tame her and change her partying ways. In reality, Lily makes herself out to be the partier, wild child of the Fowler family, but she isn't. She's actually a hacker, and hates the person she is. I hate characters like this, because all they do is whine and whine when they are the only ones who can make the change. I was just disappointed in Lily's character. She fell so fast for Max, that it was almost unrealistic. I am so sick of the insta-love (or in this case insta-lust/love-in-disguise). Gross. I am all for angst and enemy turned lover. Which bring a different topic: the banter. Can it even be called banter?

I also struggled to connect with Max. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he wanted her. This type of relationship is way overdone and made the book too predictable. And Max was so obsessed with Lily's looks. That is like a pet peeve of mine, when the character's inner dialogue is constantly talking about how hot, or beautiful, or damn sexy the other character is. It just had me rolling my eyes. Seriously dude. She's not a piece of meat, even though she puts herself in those type of situations.

Overall the plot reminded me a lot of the second book, Stealing Rose. It takes place out of the States. Also in both books, the guys are trying to steal something from the girls!! Seriously!? It felt way too familiar to book two for my taste. Book two still remains my favorite of the series because Lily and Max drove me off a cliff. Or maybe I drove myself off it...

Feral Sins

by Suzanne Wright

Cover #1

Cover #2

This title is available on Kindle Unlimited!

Type: Book 1 of the Phoenix Pack series

POV: 3rd person~ Taryn & Trey

Rating: 5/5 stars!

I have gone back and forth with this book regarding the rating but I have settled on 5 because I just cannot find a book that exceeds this shifter book. I am always comparing similar books to this one and no other alpha male beats Trey and certainly no other alpha female trumps Taryn.

A lot of books claim to have an alpha female but really they don't, I just never realized that. Taryn is 100% alpha and the only person she bows to is her alpha, who has a hard enough time getting her to behave as it is. That being said, another alpha named Roscoe believes he has the ability to tame her and wants to see her on her knees in front of him. Sick bastard. But they are not true mates. Taryn has believed her whole life that her true mate and best friend died when she was young. She has always envisioned her life without love because he is dead, and she will not have another. Her father does not care for her opinion one bit. 

He was perfectly content with the idea of handing her over to someone who would beat her, and he wouldn't even be angry with Roscoe for doing it.

She is latent, meaning unable to shift into her wolf form. Because of this her father sees her as an inconvenience to the pack; although she is an alpha female, he does not see anything but her inability to shift which is seen as a handicap in his eyes.

Trey is known to be crazy. Every pack knows when he shifts wolf, he goes feral and is unable to contain the beast of his wolf. 

This guy was a psycho. He was kind of like the black mamba snake: fiercely aggressive, had a bad reputation, and was respected, admired, and feared all at the same time. That had a lot to do with the rumor that at the delicate age of fourteen he challenged and almost killed a mature Alpha male. A mature Alpha male who had also been his father.

His dangerous past is about to knock on his from door. His pack looks up to him and trust him, which is why they left their old pack to join Trey's. They are the Phoenix wolf pack, a pack that rose from nothing, and now rules a large portion of land with an iron fist. Because Trey has yet to lose to another alpha.

Trey wishes to reunite with his lost pack under the rule of his uncle. But Trey needs a mate to secure an alliance and Taryn needs a way out of her permanent arrangement with Roscoe. 

A few months in a mating with psycho boy versus a lifetime with Roscoe....

When the two meet under strange circumstance, they come to a mutual agreement and Taryn has an unusual reaction to meeting the so-called feral wolf.

Give that she was in the company of--or, more accurately, being confided by--a person who wasn't at all mentally stable, you would think her wolf would be at least a little nervous. Taryn certainly was beneath her anger. Oh, not at all! Her wolf wanted to rub against him enticingly, recognizing his scent as the one from the bedroom. Tramp.

Trey has no room in his life for cosmic soul-moving, imprinting shit, and is fairly certain he doesn't even have the emotions that it takes to keep the mating alive. The plan is to stay "mated" until the battle is over, while everyone on the outside believes they are mated for life. Because all of Taryn's pack believed her true mate died, she will have to convince everyone of this lie. But with both inner wolves calling to each other, it may be impossible to avoid the call.

"It will be a real mating, just not a forever-after one." A big issue, though, was that Taryn was sure her wolf would be accepting of his mark and wouldn't understand that this was to be a short-term thing.

I seriously love this book. I read it a few months ago and still can't stop thinking about it. The characters were awesome, both main and side. I loved the loyalty of the enforcers and I can see a few spin offs in the future! Taryn was hilarious! She called Trey Cujo which made me crack up! Or she would call him Fred Flintstone and his 2nd in command Barney Rubble. She had so many great lines in this book and her banter was very entertaining. 

But what I loved most about her was her inner alpha. She had a way about her that she made the others follow her lead and look up to her as their alpha even when they knew it was only temporary. And knowing that her situation was temporary, Taryn struggled to let herself feel content and comfort when she does't know what will happen to her once all of this action blows over.

Taryn and Trey's wolves have a reaction to each other that is completely unexpected to them. And the attraction between the two is clear:

"How's your wolf doing? Did she want to fight me off when I marked you?"
She shook her head. "She likes you."
Trey smiled crookedly. "You say that like it makes her stupid."
"She's impressed by your level of dominance."
That surprised him. "Not intimidated?"
"No. She thinks you're string enough to take her on; she doesn't like weaklings. It's your scent she likes most."
His wolf really liked hers. Trey inhaled deeply, taking that exotic scent into his lungs. "My wolf's riding me hard. He want to complete the claiming." Grinding against her, he spoke into her ear, "And I need to be inside your hot little body."
It was true that the mating technically wouldn't be compete without them consummating it, but as it wasn't a mating in the truest sense, Taryn had figured that the drive to have sex wouldn't be as strong. Instead, her wolf and her body were craving that completeness.
Trey slipped his hand under her dress and boldly cupped her. "This is where I'll be very, very soon, Taryn," he promised--more like threatened. "Inside you, filling you with my come, and making you scream."
"I've met guys like you before. They talk the talk but, well... talking doesn't exactly get people to orgasm, does it?"
Trey smiled wickedly. "When I fuck you, Taryn-- and make no mistake about it baby. I will fuck you--the only talking you'll be doing is begging me to let you come. And don't doubt that I'll make you come. Not just the once. You'll come over and over again until I decide that I've had enough."
"Hmm. That's all very fascinating but you're forgetting one very important thing."
"And what's that?"
"My guess, Tarzan, is that you're very used to Janes; you don't want total obedience, you expect it. I'm not sure you'd know what to do with a woman who would bite you, scratch you, and curse you to hell and back if she wasn't getting her one way. You want my submission, you're going to have to battle for it."
He hadn't though he could get any harder. She was right in her assumption that he was only used to submissive women; females were to cautious around him to fight him for dominance. He didn't crave submission, but he liked the though of Taryn, his mate, submitting to him. The idea of having to fight for and earn the right to her submission...Fuck. "I'll look forward to the upcoming battle."
"And just so you know in advance, big boy, I never beg."

 And the battle for dominance in the bedroom begins. That was my favorite part of the book because Taryn is truly an alpha and wants Trey, boy does she, but she also needs him to assert his dominance and show her wolf that his is the alpha and more dominant.

Taryn is my favorite character in this one. So let me grace you with a few of her one liners:

"Ah so you're a resident of La La Land. I bet your sultan there too."

"I can sense how hard you wolf's riding you.""Jealous that she is and you're not?"

"Hey, I have a suggestion, why not put a condom over your head--if you're going to act like a complete dick then it makes sense to dress like one." 

"I'm stubborn. If you want absolute obedience, get a Labrador. I'm not quite the delicate flower people tend to take me for. Now let's go." 

"If I want your opinion, I'll kick it out of you okay?"

You mockerfucking, asslicking, son of a goddamn cocksucking bitch! READ THE DAMN BOOK!

My tags: shapeshiters, romance, mates, werewolves, adult, alpha-male, alpha-female, arranged-marriage, badass-female-character, book-boyfriends, favorites, paranormal, funny

Spirit Bound

by Richelle Mead

Check it out on Goodreads!

Type: Book 5 of the Vampire Academy Series

POV: First person~ Rose

Rating: 4/5 stars

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's and to her best friend Lissa. At last, it is graduation, and the girls cannot wait for their real lives beyond the academy gates to begin. Rose is finally going to become a guardian, and live up to her dreams. 

Well, you've finally got a license to kill. It's about time.

But Rose knows that Dimitri is still out there, somewhere, doing who knows what. Her failure to kill him haunts her. And now that he has tasted her blood, he hunts her and will do anything to get her. Including going after Lissa if necessary.

I'll find you. There is no place in this world you can hide from me. I'm watching. Love, Dimitri.

Having chose Lissa over the undead Dimitri, Rose will do anything to keep Lissa safe from Dimitri's wrath. Because a Moroi is no match for a Strigoi, especially one as powerful as Dimitri.

But Rose can't help the love she still feels for Dimitri. Love isn't an emotion that is easily turned off. When there is a possibility of saving him, she can't pass it by. But is it really possible to bring the undead back or just some fairy tale?

That which is dead doesn't always stay dead.

Rose knows someone with information, but that person is Victor Dashkov, who just so happens to be in a high security prison in Alaska, a place Lissa and Rose helped lock him into. With some help from her friends, Rose sets out on an impossible journey, one that breaks almost every law Rose is supposed to live up to as a guardian.


The beginning was very slow. It really didn't pick up until the prison break and then again at the battle with Dimitri. It was really up and down, which I found annoying after the last two books which I loved and rated 5 stars. The most annoying aspect of this book was the relationship between Adrian and Rose. WHY are they together?! I feel like Rose was just using Adrian to fill the emptiness that Dimitri left in her heart. Obviously it isn't working because Rose still has very deep feelings for Dimitri and it shows in her actions. Adrian must really love her to put up with all this ex-boyfriend drama. Don't get me wrong, I am 100% team Dimitri, but I just feel bad for Adrian with the way Rose is going between the two.

As always, Dimitri was my favorite part of the book. It killed me when Dimitri turned, but at the same time I liked seeing him as the darkling/bad guy. It was interesting that his affections for Rose carried over through the change. As a dhampir, he loved he. As a Strigoi, he was obsessed with her.

If I could dream, I know I'd dream about you. I'd dream about the way you smell and how your dark hair feels like silk between my fingers. I'd dream about the smoothness of your skin and the fierceness of your lips when we kiss. Without dreams, I have to be content with my own imagination--which is almost as good. I can picture all those things perfectly.

But Rose failed to kill him when given the opportunity. She has accepted that it is impossible to save him. He is the undead. Lissa is alive, and that is what Rose must focus on. But Dimitri knows how Rose works and what he has to do to get to her, or who he has to take to get to her: Lissa.

"You're beautiful in battle," said Dimitri. His voice carried to me clearly, even above the roar of combat. "Like an avenging angel come to deliver the justice of heaven."

"Funny," I said, shifting my hold on the stake. "That is kind of why I'm here."

"Angels fall, Rose." 

I loved that the events finally changed and it effected almost everyone involved. It changes the aspects of different relationships: Rose & Dimitri, Dimitri & Lissa, Lissa & Christian, Dimitri & the entire vampire race (lol that sounds a bit dramatic).

Living as a Strigoi had hardened his heart, killing any chance of him loving anyone. Killing any chance of him loving me. And I was pretty sure that if that was the case, then part of me would die too.

There is just something with Dimitri that every conversation with him, my heart gets heavy. It is really hard to explain, but his character just speaks to me and I am in love with him. Which was why these last 3 books have been difficult for me. This one was especially hard because of what Dimitri told Rose! I was already for a happy reunion but no.

I've given up on you.... Love fades. Mine has.

WAY TO BREAK MY FUCKING HEART RICHELLE MEAD. 

Lissa is what surprised me most in this book. It took all of 4.5 books for me to finally like her. She is finally becoming stronger and independent, especially now that her and Christian have broken up. Lissa is more serious about her future and has definitely matured (minus the green eyed monster of jealousy). Her power is growing and I am pleased with her determination to help Rose with her impossible quest to save Dimitri. She really does owe Rose with as much as Rose dedicates to the relationship. It has always been about Lissa and now Lissa has the opportunity to turn the table and help Rose. My prediction is that Lissa becomes queen after the end of this series, and I think she would be a decent leader and queen.

This book was probably one of the most political of there series, because the majority of it took place at Court. We see more of the queen and actually an unexpected side of her. Overall, I was a bit disappointed with some aspects of the book. A few questions were left unsaid. Such as how Lissa was able to charm the stake or how Rose learned to control the spirits. The last ¾ of the book was amazing and full of plot twists. It definitely made up for the rocky start. Everything is building up for an epic final book.

My tags: vampires, best-villans, badass-female-character, darkling, death, action, paranormal, YA, book-boyfriend, fantasy, deep-feels, watch-out-for-that-cliff, politics