Hidden Huntress (The Malediction Trilogy, #2)

by Danielle L Jensen 

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*ARC received in exchange for honest review*

This title is available on June 2nd, 2015!

Cover ~ B

Plot ~ A

Sometimes one must accomplish the impossible

 The troll king's reign is absolute under the mountain and the troll with the capability to overthrow him is imprisoned for treason. Cecile has recovered from her injuries and soon learns that she is not out of the king's reach.  In order to find the witch and destroy the witch whose curse holds her love captive, Cecile must delve into magic both dark and deadly.  She must be careful that the hunter does not become the hunted.

Characters ~ B

So much character growth in this!  Now I know we were all broken hearted when Tristan sent Cecile away, but I really believe this time apart was necessary!  Cecile was able to discover how she feels away from Tristan, the trolls, and all that she discovered while in Trollus.  

I was a fallen prince.  Twice a traitor, having betrayed both my father and my cause in a single moment, ensuring that I would remain an outcast for whatever remained of my life.  All for a human girl who I loved above all things, and all, it seemed, for nothing.

Tristan has to drag himself away from his self-pity to become a king and a selfless leader.  Trollus is in far worse shape than before.  The half-bloods are restless, leaderless, and have turned to the king.  The fight for the crown has never been more complex.  The king has outwitted Tristan at every turn and Tristan has to figure out a new strategy, and maybe even win over his father once again.

"Do you still wish to play?"  "I will play. But only because there is no other worthy opponent."  "You're losing."  "But I haven't lost."

I missed the characters from Trollus, like Marc, Victoria, and Vincent!!  I wished they played a larger part in this book.

Writing ~ A

Honestly, I found myself annoyed with Cecile in this one! She seemed distracted and too busy being a performer than trying to save Tristan.  I know that is probably a bit harsh, but I just wanted them to reunite!! The best part of the book was Tristan's growth into a true leader.  Then of course the reunion and the growth of their relationship!  I just love these two together!

He loved me, and I loved him.  And I'd love him as long as I lived, and if my soul endured, I'd love him for eternity.

The book is filled with betrayal, a swoon worth Tristan, character deaths, dual POV (found myself preferring Tristan's), a fight for the throne, answers left unsaid in the first are answered, and a major cliffhanger!! ):

Overall Rating ~ 3 stars!

My tags: best-world-building, trolls, book-boyfriends, fantasy, mythology, fey, witches, magic, adventure

Check it out on Goodreads!

Stolen Songbird (The Malediction Trilogy, #1) 

Check out book one if you haven't done so already!

Wrecked (Forever, #4)

by Priscilla West

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*Free copy received in exchange for honest review*

Cover ~ B

Excellent job drawing the attention of the reader and captures the fighter in Hunter.

Plot ~ D

Lorries mother was murdered two years ago.  The trial was widely publicized and drove her father to suicide.  Now Lorrie is returning to college in hope of feeling anything more than numbness.  Enter Hunter "the Hammer" Jensen, a cage fighter who takes an interest in Lorrie after an accidental meet.  But Lorrie has no room in her life for a new relationship, getting her heart broken in this state would shatter  her completely.  But Hunter is fighting internal demons of his own, one that will be the end of him.  As Hunter and Lorrie grow closer together, will they be able to overcome their pain and heal each other? Or will they both end up wrecked?

Characters ~ D

Lorrie was another typical girl who has a dark past.  She has some serious problems and I'm pretty sure she should be on some type of depression meds.  I honestly feel like she gives up way too easily is not a fighter.

I don't know what it was about Hunter, but I just did not have a connection to him.  He wasn't really the bad boy that he was described to be.  We never really see that side of him.  The whole book he is a sweetheart and a teddy bear.  Plus, I wanted to see more of the fights because they play such a large role in the story!

My favorite thing between the characters was them recognizing that they were both weirdos because normal was boring.

Writing ~ D

West's writing is compelling at first, but then the story drags.  I had to force myself to continue and not shelf this book as DNF.  But I pushed through, and alas, the last 15% of the book was when all the shit went down.  The book needed more depth to the story! Honestly the best part of the book for me were the kittens.

This book is way too similar to Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire and I preferred that book much more (4 stars).

Overall Rating ~ 2 stars

My tags: first-in-series, romance, college, new-adult, MMA, drama, erotica

Slumber

by Samantha Young

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 As of 4/13/15 this title is available on kindle for just $1.14!

Cover ~ A

*singsong voice* Mysterious!

Plot ~ A

*Retelling of Sleeping Beauty!*

Scarred by a tragic childhood, Rogan, now 19, has grown up in the castle.  Her best friend and future Queen, Haydyn, saved her from her past.  Now Haydyn is dying of the Sleeping Curse and the whole realm is falling apart now that Haydyn's magic is dying along with her.  Rogan sets off on a journey to retrieve the very rare plant that will cure Haydyn and save the realm from falling into turmoil.  But Rogan is stuck traveling with the Captain of the Guard, and Rogan's enemy and a person she distrusts above all others, Wolf Stovia.  At a constant battle of wills, Rogan knows this journey will be a difficult one, not to mention the whole realm is breaking out in violence.  When the quest doesn't go quite as expected, she finds herself being forced to trust the one man she could have sworn was her number one enemy.

Characters ~ B

Rogan. "Daaaam girl, I'm loving' your sass!" is basically what I was thinking the entire book.  I loved me some fierce and sassy MC and Rogan totally fulfilled!  Sure she does some idiotic things that almost get her killed and a few other nasty things, of course that drove me crazy.  She is very independent and untrusting towards other people. 

Wolfe Stovia is the Captain of the Guard. He is young and has climbed his way up the career ladder quickly.  Also the son of the man that destroyed Rogan's family.  Gained total respect for this guy by the end of the book.  Loved him!

I loved the characters we met along the way, especially L!

Haydyn, the Princess, was the worst character in the whole book.  She was a pain in my ass.  In my opinion, she was annoying, immature, and had no confidence or governing skills to be the future Queen.  Plus, it really bugged me about the magic keeping the people in order because that just seemed like brainwash.  Hayden refused to listen to Rogan and it just pissed me off.  If there is a second book (which I doubt), it will be interesting to see what happens.

Writing ~ A

I loved the writing in this book!  I tend to look for new adult books that have a young adult fantasy feel because it seems all the good fantasy books are geared towards YA (Game of Thrones you are the exception).  So this one was good for me because it had romance that didn't stop once it got to the mature parts but also didn't do into details like in erotica.  Some people consider this YA, but I would say more NA because of certain topics in the book and descriptions that may be scary for younger readers.  The Mountain Man sure did scare the living shit out of me (and made me wanna vomit)!  I will definitely look into other works by this author!

Overall Rating ~ 4 stars!

Totally worth the $1.14 I spent on amazon and would have bought it for more!

My tags: cover-lust, best-world-building, retellings, new-adult, stand-alone, fantasy, magic, book-boyfriends, world-map

Say My Name (Stark International Trilogy, #1)

J. Kenner

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*ARC received in exchange for review*

This title will be available on April 14th, 2015.

Cover ~ B

I like this cover. Simple, yet sexy. Plus the guy reminds me of James Franco (lol).

Characters ~ D

It's average for the character rating. I just didn't have a strong feeling one way or the other. Personally, they were a bit dull. I wish they would have had a more fun banter back and forth.

Sylvia Brooks is the typical girl who has a dark past. She pushes all of her feelings and memories of that time into a small corner of her mind.

Jackson Steele is an up-and-coming architect. Likes to dominate in the relationship. Has major family issues. I did not find a connection with Jackson. He was crass, blunt, and frankly I was not turned on by him. It also drove me crazy in the beginning of the book when he keep walking away from Sylvia.

Plot ~ C

Five years ago, Sylvia spent a weekend with the unforgettable Jackson Steele. The two found something together neither had been expecting: a future. But, in order to save herself, Sylvia had to sacrifice a relationship with Jackson. Now, as an assistant to the rich and famous Damien Stark, Sylvia needs the architect Jackson has become. Both are still nursing a broken heart. Jackson is set on revenge and Sylvia is just trying to avoid the feelings that have come rushing back. But Sylvia needs Jackson the Architect, not Jackson the lover.

Writing ~ C

I was a bit unsure of the idea of a spin-off from the Stark Trilogy, but I enjoyed seeing a few characters again. Not sure how this series is International, but whatever. This one was not nearly as good as Release Me. I was bored for most of the book, because it seemed repetitive and predictable. I did enjoy the flashbacks both from Sylvia's childhood and when the couple met.

My main issue was with the "past relationship". That is in quotation marks because I'm not sure you can call knowing each other less than 48 hours a real relationship in this situation. The whole build up seemed anticlimactic after you figure out the relationship was two freakin days. I just don't get how Jackson can feel so strongly when in reality, he doesn't even know Sylvia, just her body from 5 years ago. And it must have been the best freakin 2 days of their lives, because 5 years later neither of them are over each other and still nursing a broken heart! I think it would have been more realistic if the "past relationship" (not even sure you can call it a relationship) was longer, even a week or a month would be better. That's just my opinion. I have a difficult time understanding how you can fall for someone you barely know. But thats just me.

Overall Rating ~ 2 Stars!

Not sure if I will continue this series.

My tags: adult, spin-off, first-in-series, erotica, romance, drama

Propositions

by Tania Joyce

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*I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*

Title available on March 26th!

Cover ~ C

Meh. Mixed feelings about this cover.

Plot ~ B

Setting = Australia <-- I loved this

No strings attached... HA yeah right!

After years of hard work, sacrifice, and struggle, Jessica Mason successfully co-owns a marketing agency in Sydney. Now her goals are to continue growing the business and maintain her lifestyle. What she didn't expect was scoring a huge contract deal and scoring a hot new client. Not to mention he has an attraction to her.

But now an ex-boyfriend is in the picture. He broke her heart years ago and well-hidden secrets unravel quickly. With her business at stake and hearts at risk, Jessica's future is about to change forever. Who will make Jessica a proposition she simply cannot refuse?

Characters ~ D

Jessica Mason's husband left her for a much younger women; she is 36. She is career driven and has not had much of a romantic life since her divorce.

Enter: Nate Somers. He says his job will always come first.; even before his little girl. He is determined to fix his family name after his father tarnished it with his scandals and affairs.

**I had a difficult time with the characters. I think this is because I could not relate to their experiences. I am 19 years old and the characters are closer to 40. An older audience would be more appreciative of this novel.

Writing ~ C

The book is in third person which I tend to hate specifically in romance or erotic novels. If the author does not do a good job writing than third person just does not work. Also, POV changed often and that is another pet peeve of mine. Unfortunately, I found most of the plot a "been there, done that". Overall, I struggled to get engaged in the story, and it took me a few chapters to gain interest. 

Overall Rating ~ 2 stars! It was OK, but not my cup of tea, but an older reader may find this to their liking.

Get a copy from BN here for nook at $3.29!

My tags: adult, stand alone, Australia, romance, love triangle, erotica, adult

V is for Virgin (V is for Virgin, #1)

by Kelly Oram

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This title is available on Kindle Unlimited.

Cover ~ B

I'm glad the necklace was apart of the cover because it was such a large part of the story.

Plot ~ B

Val Jensen gets dumped by her boyfriend for her decision to stay a virgin until marriage. The breakup goes viral making her the latest internet sensation. The last thing a girl wants is for the whole world to know about her sex life.  After days of taunting and ridicule from her peers (and the world for that matter), Val starts a school-wide campaign that soon turns world-wide. As her campaign grows across the nation, bad boy Kyle Hamilton takes her virginity as a personal challenge. How will Val be able to stay true to herself when this year's Sexiest Man Alive

Characters ~ C

"Virgin" Val Jensen has got spunk and major guts, I'll give her that. She is not ashamed of who she is or her choices. Just for that she got my immediate respect. Plus she's got a can do attitude which was how she was able to accomplish everything she did. What bugged me the most about her, was all the guys chasing after her... I think the total was three or four throughout the course of the book. I just do not like when a character is indecisive.

Kyle Hamilton. Rockstar. Bad boy. Sex god. Takes an interest in Val's story, when she wants his band to play for a festival. He was a real dick is this book, but matures 100x by the second book (details below).

Writing ~ 

"Have toy ever made a promise to yourself?" I asked. "One that was important to you? That you weren't going to break no matter how many people thought it was stupid or said you couldn't do it?" 
I loved that quote. I liked that this book wasn't too preachy about abstinence. I felt as though it was more of a statement on staying true to yourself and your values. The campaign was also more of a statement to outsiders to respect people's decisions and values. Just because you are doing it, does not mean everyone has to do it. This book is not all about being abstinent, but is more about standing up for yourself and what you believe in.

Overall Rating ~ 3.5 Stars

My tags: YA, romance, high-school, humor, heroine-kicks-butt, abstinence, virginity, bullies, making-a-difference, values

Check it out on Goodreads!

A is for Abstinence (V is for Virgin, #2)

Kyle & Val: The Sequel. It is from Kyle's POV, and is an interesting insight to his thoughts and actions. He is not such a douche in this one, which is why I like it so much better.  I don't want to say too much without spoiling the first book, but this one is something to look forward to after reading the first in the series!

Also available on Kindle Unlimited.

My Rating ~ 4 stars

Stealing Rose (The Fowler Sisters, #2)

by Monica Murphy

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*I received an ARC in exchange form my honest review.*

This book contains graphic sexual content and is intended for those 18 and older.

Cover ~ B

It is a nice cover! It does a nice job representing Rose and Caden's first meeting.

Plot ~ C

Rose Fowler's family is used to the spotlight. They have been on public display all her life.  But Rose isn't like her sisters, she does not care for the attention and the limelight.  Rose is sick of her family sweeping the imperfections of life under the rug, like her mother's suicide. She works her butt off at Fleur Cosmetics, her family's business, trying to gain a promotion through her hard work, not her last name. She's been pushed to the side one too many times, never being recognized for her hard work. Now the promotion she has been reaching for, is seeming to be given to her father's conniving girlfriend Pilar Vasquez, who has Daddy wrapped around her little finger (and her tight little body).

Rose decides it time to make a statement. Put her foot down. Her newfound courage inspires her to wear a scandalous dress that will shock everyone as her last hurrah before she gives her father her two week notice. But the infamous Poppy necklace she wears around her neck draws the eye of Caden, a jewel thief. But the jewel is not the only thing that catches his eye.

Characters ~ C

Rose Fowler calls her father Daddy which automatically set off red flags in my head. Spoiled! Rich kid! Privileged! This constantly drove me crazy, with her complaining Daddy doesn't appreciate me! Daddy doesn't understand! blah blah blah. It was difficult for me to connect with her.

Caden Kingsley is a jewel thief after Rose's aunt's one-of-a-kind diamond necklace. But he expects Lily to be wearing it and for the steal to be a simple one. He just didn't expect the beautiful youngest sister to be wearing it. The whole overprotective dominant male is so over done. So characters like Caden each have something unique about them, but then again, they are all the same.

Writing ~ B

I have mixed feelings about the POV because it was told from both Caden and Rose's POV.  On one hand, I liked being inside Caden's head, but not so much during the love scenes.  Also, the way the author switch POV, sometimes, was awkward because the character would backtrack (and almost get off focus)

But hey the descriptions in this book were great! I was like daaaamn

I am very intrigued with Lily and may read the third book, Taming Lily. I found myself feeling sorry for Lily in Stealing Rose because of the way Violet and Rose spoke of her.  But when we met her, she did not seem that bad! She wanted to help Rose and obviously loves her.  Although I do not think I will read Owning Violet, the first in the series, because I just found myself not liking Violet very much. She was just too noisy, pushy, and motherly. It pissed me off that she was friends with that bitch Whitney. However, I am still open to the idea of reading that one.

My major issues with this book was never meeting Pilar or Daddy. I would have liked to see this encounter (however, I think this is possibly covered in the first book). These two characters were spoken of quite frequently and I would have like to actually meet them.  Also, we never discover what happens with Rose's job!! This was the entire basis of the novel and we are left in the dark. I wish she would have gained independence by branching out from Fleur. Maybe by doing something that makes her happy like giving makeovers.

Overall Rating ~ 2.5 stars!

My Tags: NA, adult, romance, erotica, london, businesswoman, con artist