Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Drawn Togerther (Brown Siblings #6) by Lauren Dane: Review

Drawn Together (Brown Siblings #6)
By Lauren Dane
Published October 1st by Penguin Group USA Pick up your copy at Amazon, B&N, or your local indie today!
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

Beauty is more than skin-deep…

Tattoo artist Raven Smith is blunt and hard, broken and jaded, dark and beautiful. While she doesn’t hide her painful past, she does keep a wall around her heart. She’s free sexually—but no one gets to the real Raven beneath the prickly exterior.

With a voice like smoke, Jonah Warner is a smooth-talking, highly successful attorney, with a body that should never be hidden by a suit. He’s the kind of man who never takes no for an answer and always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Raven. She’s a survivor, and he finds that incredibly alluring.

Jonah gets under her skin in a way Raven has never experienced. He makes her break all her rules—including her no-monogamy rule.

But when a figure from Raven’s past shows up at the tattoo parlor and drops a bomb into her life, their relationship will face the ultimate challenge…

Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
As usual Lauren Dane does NOT disappoint!!

Raven has always been independent to a fault. She likes things her way and that's that. And of course we can't forget that monogamy scares the crap out of her. That is until she meets Jonah. He's everything she wants in a man, and a few things she didn't even know she wanted. Like total ALPHA male! Could this be it for Raven? Could she finally fall in love?

OMG THIS WAS SO HOT!!! I've been dying to get into Raven's head for a while now. I wanted to know what made Raven the way she was and Lauren Dane didn't disappoint! I loved every minute of it. It's Hot, sexy, funny, and will even make you cry a few times. I totally see Raven with a new light now and I'm loving it. I just want to hug her. I'm so glad that she found Jonah.

Overall this was another great addition to the Brown Siblings series and I am sad to see it end.


Lymi...



Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Unfed (Undead #2) by Kristy McKay: Review

Unfed (Undead #2)
By Kristy McKay
Published August 27th 2013 by Scholastic
Pick up your copy at Amazon, B&N, or your local indie today!
Synopsis borrowed from Gooderads:

Fresh meat! From a hospital of horrors to a runaway zombie train, it's an all-new onslaught of the slavering undead in the sequel to Kirsty McKay's killer debut!

Just when you think you're out...it's the morning after the night of the return of the living dead. Or something like that. After running/bus-driving/snowboarding for her life alongside rebel Smitty, geeky Pete, and popular Alice, Bobby thought she'd found the antidote to the Carrot Man Veggie Juice that had turned the rest of their classmates into zombies. When Smitty (mmm...nom, nom) got chomped, Bobby pumped a syringe full of it into him herself.

But now Bobby's a prisoner in some hospital of horrors, with no clue how she got there. And Smitty is missing. What if he isn't cured after all? Bobby knows she's got to find him, even if it means facing Scotland's hungry hordes -- plus Alice's buckets of snark -- again. And this time, zombies aren't the only evil stressing her out. The brain-dead are bad enough, but how can Bobby stop the big pharma business behind the epidemic? Especially when her own mom works for the company?

Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
Holy zombies Batman!!

Zombie birds, zombie cows, zombinos...and they are all smarter and faster now too?! WTH?!! How is Bobby and the gang gonna get out of this one?

Bobby wakes up in a hospital only to find out that she has been out cold for about 6 weeks. Not only that but her doctor tells her that only four people survived the crash and her mother wasn't one of them. Neither was Smitty. But she refuses to believe that. It isn't long before the zombies take over the hospital and Bobby makes a brake for it. Meeting up with Alice, Pete, and a new guy named Russ she is dead set on finding her mom and Smitty before it's too late. Can she pull it off without becoming zombie food?

This was even better than the first one. It had me laughing so hard I almost cried a few times. Bobby's character is simply hilarious. I loved all the twists and turns and the action packed pace this book has. Once you start you won't be able to put it down! The only thing I wish is that Smitty would have came into the picture a little sooner. I missed him throughout the book.

Over all this is a zombie read that you don't want to miss! Chop, chop, chop
 


Lymi...

 

Monday, August 26, 2013

Take Me (Take A Chance #4)
By Diane Alberts
Published August 26th 2013 by Entangled Publishing: Ever After
Pick up your own copy at B&N or Amazon today!
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:
Married in the morning…

Professional heartbreaker Mike Worth thrived on the chase—and dancer Morgan Collins represented the ultimate prize. But there was no way he was going to throw away his single-man status…not even for an elusive redhead with sparkling eyes and mile-long legs. So how did he let one drunken Vegas night end with I do instead of hell no?

Morgan’s life revolved around her career and she had no intention of letting a man interfere—even if Mike made her question all her rules about love. At his urging, she reluctantly agreed to give their spur-of–moment marriage a chance. But once their trial-honeymoon ended, would she choose to follow the dance and leave her unforgettable husband behind?

Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
This was another great addition to this series!

Mike is NEVER getting married. Never! But picking up a girl for a one night stand after his best friends bachelor party....now that he can handle. But what happens when Morgan and Mike end up drunk on the Vegas strip? Not everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas and to his surprise that just might be what he needs.

Now I don't want to give away anything so I can't go into much, but this was a smoking hot, heart warming read that I LOVED! Although book 3 in this series is still my favorite this one is a close second. I love how stubborn Mike and Morgan are together. How neither one of them wanted to be the first to give in. It made the banter between them comical at times.

Overall Diane Alberts hits another homerun with this addition to the Take A Chance series.
 


Lymi...
 
 



Thursday, August 22, 2013

Shadows (The Rephiam #1) By Paula Weston: Review

Shadows (The Rephaim #1)
By Paula Weston
Published July 2nd by Text Publishing
Pick up your copy at B&N or Amazon today!

Synopsis borrowed form Goodreads:

It’s almost a year since Gaby Winters was in the car crash that killed her twin brother, Jude. Her body has healed in the sunshine of Pandanus Beach, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn’t help that every night in her dreams she kills demons and other hell-spawn.

And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who’s been appearing in Gaby’s dreams—he claims a history with her brother that makes no sense. Gaby is forced to accept that what she thought she knew about herself and her life is only a shadow of the truth—and that the truth is more likely to be found in the shadows of her nightmares.

Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And most importantly, who can she trust?

Fast-paced and gripping, Shadows, the first book in the Rephaim series, is a standout paranormal romance for fans of Richelle Mead and Cassandra Clare.

Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
This was simply a book I couldn't put down!

It's been a year since Gaby and her twin brother Jude were in the terrible accident that took his life. Gaby is constantly haunted by the details of the accident. Not to mention the crazy dreams she has about fighting demons alongside a guy she's never met. That is until he shows up at the bar she hangs out at. And everything changes. She doesn't even know who she is much less who she can trust.

It's been a LONG while since an angel book has been able to snag my attention but this was grabbed me from the first page! I loved Gaby and her voice along with Rafa. I and totally Team Rafa! I hope these two get together for good. But aside from the apparent romance there was action, suspense, and everything you could ask for in a paranormal ya book. I just loved it!

Oh yeah and did I tell you that I Loved it yet? lol

Overall this is the best angel book I've read in a long time and I can't wait for the next book to come out!
 
Lymi...
 
 


Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Working it Out
By Rachel ANderson
Published July 13th 2013 by HEA Publishing
Pick up your copy at Amazon today!

Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

A chance encounter . . .
Grace Warren's life is safe and predictable—exactly the way she likes it. But when she gets roped into going to an auction to help out a friend, everything changes. She meets Seth Tuttle—a guy who unexpectedly kisses her then disappears, leaving her flustered and upset. If she never sees him again, it will be too soon.

A chance for love . . .
Weeks later, when Seth limps into Grace's rehab clinic post surgery, he's every bit as frustrating and annoying as she remembered. Yet there's something about him that makes her second-guess her carefully placed boundaries even though he's everything she's sure she doesn't want in a man. But maybe Seth is exactly what Grace has needed all along—assuming she's willing to risk safe and predictable for a chance at love.



Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
What a perfect, sweet summer read!

Grace lives a pretty mundane life. Work, friends, home, repeat. That is until she gets roped into going to a charity event and gets kissed by a complete stranger. I completely hot stranger that both flusters her and excites her at the same time. Who would have guessed that stranger would walk into her physical therapy office a few weeks later? And then he doesn't even remember her?! The nerve! Not to mention that everything that comes out of his mouth his a pick-up line.

This was a fast paced great summer read. I loved both Seth, with his teasing ways, and Grace with her down to earth, grounded mentality. It's a constant push and pull between these two and I loved it! The chemistry and drama are perfect and not over the top.

Overall this is one of those cute romances that should just can't put down.


Lymi...

 

Friday, August 9, 2013

Crave (Billionare Bachelors Club #1) by Monica Murphy: Review

Crave (Billinare Bachelors Club #1)
By Monica Murphy
Published August 6th 2013 by Avon Impulse
Pick up your copy at Amazon, B&N, or your local indie today!

Synopsis borrowed from Gooreads:

Billionaire Archer Bancroft always gets what he wants—and he’s wanted Ivy Emerson, his best friend’s sister, for far too long. Being forbidden and untouchable only makes her more tempting. When a million-dollar bet with his friends throws down a challenge—last bachelor standing takes all—Archer knows he can win. That is, until one enchanted evening with Ivy takes his heart for a ride.

Ivy knows Archer is nothing but bad news: Infuriating, arrogant…and completely intoxicating. But despite her best efforts, she can’t seem to keep away. When a stolen kiss leads to a night of heated passion, Ivy realizes she’s in trouble and in head over heels.

But in the light of day, everything seems clearer and Archer’s not so sure a one-night stand is all he wants. Concocting a plan to keep Ivy by his side, Archer might just be willing to lose this bet…and win the jackpot instead.

Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
Sizzling hot and steamy right from the start!

Archer is a wealthy businessman, and he always gets what he wants. That is until he takes a bet with his friends to be the last bachelor standing, and Ivy, his friends little sister, crosses his path. He can't help it. He just can't stay away from her. But when what was supposed to be one night of hot sex turns into something more can Archer hold out and win the bet? Or will he even want to?

I Loved, LOVED this book! This is the first book I've read by Monica Murphy and it surely won't be my last. In fact I think I might die while waiting for this sequel. I loved that this book was told from both Archer and Ivy's POV. It just really let me get inside both characters. And Archer with his crass, no nonsense, pushy ways was so believable.

Ivy was definitely a girls, girl. I felt her character and she made me want to cry a few times. Although I think I may have just been crying because I wanted these two together so badly.

Overall the plot was solid, the characters were well rounded, and I just couldn't get enough!
 


Lymi...



Tuesday, August 6, 2013

The Redemption of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorenson: Review



The Redemption of Callie & Kayden
By Jessica Sorenson
Published August 6th 2013 by Sphere
Pick up your copy at Amazon or B&N today! Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

The dark secret Kayden has kept hidden for years is out. Worse, he's facing charges for battery. The only way he stands a chance against the charges is if Callie speaks up, something he'll never ask her to do.

Callie knows Kayden is going back to his dark place and desperately wants to save him. But saving him means admitting her secrets aloud. Callie and Kayden are stronger than they think, especially when they're together. Together they move forward, face their demons, and finally start to heal from their traumatic pasts.





Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
It completely broke my heart and then put it back together again!

Callie and Kayden haven't had any easy time since they got together. If it hasn't been one thing it's been another keeping them apart. Now Kayden is in the hospital trying to overcome being stabbed by his dad and the wounds he inflicted on himself. Everyone is saying that he tried to kill himself and that all of his wounds are self inflicted. They won't let anyone but family in to see him and it's driving Callie crazy. Can their love overcome all that's happened? Or will it finally crumble under the weight that is their life.

I cried, and I cried, and I cried some more! I just couldn't help it. I love these two so much. I completely fell in love with them in book one and I did it all over again here in book two. Callie is so strong and really stands up for Kayden when he needs her most. Even when he is pushing her away she never backs down and I love her for that.

I hate all that these two have had to go through but I couldn't be happier that they found each other in the end. Overall this is a series that will rip your heart out and make you fall in love with the idea that hope really exists.



Lymi...
 

Monday, August 5, 2013

Q&A With author Emily Croy Barker/ Giveaway!!

Thanks for stopping by for our Q & A with the author of A Thinking Woman's Guide To Real Magic, Emily Croy Barker!!
 
 
So sit back and relax with us and one lucky winner will win a finished copy of her new book!!
 
A Conversation with
Emily Croy Barker, author of
THE THINKING WOMAN’S GUIDE TO REAL MAGIC
Pamela Dorman Books/Viking; on-sale August 5, 2013; 9780670023660; $27.95
 

Q. Which of the characters in THE THINKING WOMAN’S GUIDE TO REAL MAGIC did you most enjoy writing?
 
A. Aruendiel, no question. He says exactly what he thinks, and he doesn’t mind giving offense to anyone. Not something that most of us can get away with in our daily lives.
 
Of course, Ilissa was also a lot of fun, too. Because she’s also honest—Faitoren can’t tell lies—but at the same time, she’s thoroughly deceitful.
 
 
Q. Are any parts of this novel autobiographical?
 
A. You mean, is it about the time I stumbled into an alternate world and started studying magic? Sadly, no.
 
There were things in my life that I deliberately borrowed for the novel. The way Aruendiel talks about other magicians—I was thinking of how my father, who was a painter, used to talk with his artist friends about other artists, about who was doing good work and who wasn’t. My dad was the kindest and most gentle person ever, but he was ruthless when it came to criticizing bad art. It’s the idea that you have a calling that you have to follow and you don’t sell out.
 
I gave Nora some of my interests—a penchant for memorizing bits of poetry, a love of cooking—although she’s much better at both things than I am. She’s also braver than me. You could never get me to go up a cliff like the one at Maarikok, even with a levitation spell! And I let her take a path that I considered but never took—going to grad school in English.
 
 
Q. Your heroine, Nora Fischer, is swept away by magic into a kind of too good to be true existence.  Even though a part of her knew it wasn’t right she stayed.  Why would she allow herself to be easily enchanted?
 
A. As Aruendiel himself would point out, Faitoren enchantments are very hard to fight, because they give you something you want. Nora was feeling bruised and defeated, and suddenly she had everything that she thought she was missing.
 
I also think the kind of idealized femininity that Ilissa offers Nora—being beautiful, being the belle of the ball, having this perfect romantic love—is a very seductive thing, even for someone like Nora who has read all the feminist theorists and has really chosen the life of the mind. Maybe especially for someone like Nora.
 
 

Q. You have so many literary references, John Donne, Miguel de Cervantes, William Carlos Williams, Alice in Wonderland and Grimm’s Fairytales, but it’s Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice that Nora ends up with as her only possession in the alternate world.  What is the significance of this particular book?  Any personal connection to it?
 
A. Well, Pride and Prejudice is so modern in many ways, although written and set in a premodern time. So it seemed like a good match for A Thinking Woman’s Guide, where a contemporary woman is thrown into a world where women are still second-class citizens, at best. And Pride and Prejudice reflects some of the themes that I was interested in—an intelligent woman engaging with a man who has both higher status and worse manners than she does—without being too closely parallel to the plot of my story. Finally, I love Pride and Prejudice! And so do many other readers. So I hoped it might resonate with those who read my novel.
 
 
Q. Words are a powerful tool and language is a very important status symbol in Nora’s new world. Women are uneducated and don’t speak to men the same way Nora does; something she is repeatedly frustrated by.  How did you develop Ors, the language Nora must learn in order to communicate?
 
A. Language reflects society, so as I thought about Aruendiel’s world, I tried to imagine what sort of linguistic rules it would have to help keep women in their place. And as anyone who has studied a foreign language knows, there are all kinds of subtleties that you don’t pick up right away. You can make blooper after blooper, sometimes for years. So Nora keeps bumping up against things like the feminine verb endings, which she never noticed until Aruendiel rather officiously points them out to her.
 
I was also inspired by how Tolkien, who was a philologist, essentially began imagining Middle-Earth by inventing various Elvish names. He wrote poems about these characters and, eventually, fiction. I thought, wow, what a powerful tool to create a believable fantasy universe, to develop some kind of logical linguistic framework that underlies your story.
 
 
Q. You’re a journalist by trade. What was it like, switching to fiction? Where do you write? Do you set hours or just put pen to paper when inspiration strikes?
 
A. It took me a while to feel comfortable writing fiction. It’s a different kind of narration. Suddenly, after years of having to be super-careful about collecting facts and double-checking them, I could make everything up. That felt wonderful! But what exactly do you include, what do you leave out? Beginning writers are always told, “Show, don’t tell.” Well, in fact there’s a lot you have to simply tell, or you’ll write twenty pages and your character will still be finishing breakfast.
 
The journalistic skill that I found most useful in writing fiction was simply the ability to sit in front of the computer and write. Even if you’re just trying to write, even if what you’re writing isn’t great at the moment or if all you have to show after three hours is three sentences. And then to do it again the next day. It doesn’t matter if you have to rewrite it all over again—because you’ll find something that’s worth keeping, or you’ll learn what not to do. The important thing is to keep going.
 
Usually I write at home on my laptop—sometimes on the train when I travel. I write best during the day. If I try to write at night, I’m usually too tired to get very far. Or occasionally I’ve had the opposite problem—I get really into it and then suddenly it’s way past my bedtime and I’m useless the next day. So starting out, I wrote for a couple of hours every weekend. Then it became every spare moment of every weekend. I still owe huge apologies to so many of my friends for turning down all their lovely invitations to go to museums, parties, movies, et cetera, over the past seven years.
 
 
Q. Who would be in your dream book club? Where would you meet and what would you talk about?
 
A. Henry James, Charlotte Brontë, Scott Fitzgerald, Mary McCarthy, Zadie Smith, and couple of my friends. We’d meet at Florian’s in the Piazza San Marco every third Tuesday in the month—this is a dream, right?—and talk about whatever I happen to be reading at the moment. I imagine it would be a lively group.
 
 
Q. Are you a fan of other fantasy novels?
 
A. Yes, although I certainly haven’t read everything that’s out there. I tend to like the denser, more literary kind of fantasy. Unlike Nora, I love Tolkien. Also Neil Gaiman, Susanna Clarke, Alice Hoffman, Margaret Atwood, Ursula LeGuin, and Kelly Link. Kate Atkinson is best known now for her Jackson Brodie mysteries, but I’m really glad that I didn’t read her Human Croquet until after I wrote The Thinking Woman’s Guide, because in some ways that’s the book I wanted to write.
 
 
Q. Your writing is loaded with references from history, literature, and fantasy. What sort of reader did you envision for this series?
 
A. I tried to write the kind of novel I would want to read, so I guess in that sense I wrote it for myself. And as the book took shape and it became clearer that I would actually finish a draft at some point, I decided I would send it first to one of my oldest friends to see if she thought it was any good.  She and I grew up watching Star Trek and Monty Python, reading Sherlock Holmes and The Black Stallion and Jane Eyre, and doing the ultimate in geekdom—taking Latin—so I trusted her judgment. She liked it, so that encouraged me to keep revising.
 
Beyond that, I was thinking that it might appeal to some of the adults who loved Harry Potter but who wanted more of a adult perspective and a strong female character at the center of the novel.
 
 
Q. The Thinking Woman’s Guide To Real Magic ends on a cliffhanger. Can you hint at what’s next for Nora and Aruendiel?
 
A. I’m pretty sure that Nora will find her way back to Aruendiel’s world. The two of them really need to talk and to be straight with each other, don’t you agree? And of course she has a lot more to learn about magic—and how to use it properly.
 
Thank you so much for hanging out with us here at the wastelands today!
And now for the givesaway...
 
One lucky US winner will win a finished copy of The Thinking Woman's Guide To Real Magic!
This giveaway is hosted my Penguin Publishing and is open to US residents only.
 
All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Ravenous by Eden Summers: Review

Ravenous
By Eden Summers
Published August 1st 2013 by Escape Publishing Pick up your copy at B&N or Amazon today!
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:
She’s a small town caterer, he’s a big city chef, but they don’t need a kitchen to make things sizzle...

Erin McDonald likes her simple life in her small town: no drama, no fuss, no uncertainty...until Jesse Hackett breezes back into town. Erin never quite got over how he left for the bright lights of the big city, and took her heart with him.

Jesse never regretted his decision to leave small town life behind and chase his big city dreams, but he’s always regretted leaving Erin behind. No woman has ever compared, and once he convinces Erin to let him touch her again, he’s never going to let her go.

Sparks fly and fires are rekindled, but the basic divide still remains: what really matters in life — location or love?

Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
What a quick and steamy read!!

Erin likes living in her small town with her little catering business with her sister. Small town life suits her just fine. That is until he highschool sweetheart Jesse comes back in town. The flames that burned bright before he left her 8 years ago, spark back to life. Can she spend time with Jesse without getting her heart broken again?

This was a great novella. I loved every moment of it! It had everything you would want to find in a steamy read without feeling rushed. That's the problem with most novellas. They seem rushed and gloss over stuff, but not here. It was done perfectly! The chemistry between Erin and Jesse is undeniable! them to together could start a fire they are so hot.

Overall this is a great and smoking out read that shouldn't be missed by all romance lovers!
 

Lymi...
 



Monday, July 29, 2013

Play Me (Taking Chances #3) by Diane Alberts: Review

Play Me (Taking Chances #3)
By Diane Alberts
Published July 29th 2013 by Entangled Publishing
Pick up your own copy at B&N or Amazon today!
Synopsis borrowed from Gooreads:

Even the best-laid plans can go awry.

Single-mom Kiersten Worth knows a bottle of champagne and night of hot, no-strings-attached sex is the perfect solution to her jilted bride blues…and Garrett Kelly, long-time friend and her teenaged son’s sexy basketball coach, is just the stud for the job.

Garrett wants more from the elusive temptress than a casual affair, but he never expects it to come in the form of an unexpected pregnancy. When he proposes an unorthodox solution—move in and raise their baby together—Kiersten has to decide whether to let down her guard and open her heart to the man who secretly loved her for years, or risk losing his tender embrace for good.


Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
What a great, steamy romance!

Kiersten has been a single mom to her nephew ever since his mom passed away and she isn't interested in anything else. Especially since she caught her fiancé sleeping with his secretary. But can one night with her brothers best friend, Garrett, change her mind? Or will she stay stubborn and push him away?

You know what I liked most about this book? I didn't have to wait for the steamy hotness to come around. Normally you don't get the sex scene until after 50% of the book as come and gone. Not here. Nope. We jump right into it and it totally works for this story. I will say that Kiersten was driving me a bit nutty about half way through. I mean Garrett is sweet, sexy, hot as the sun...just give in already! lol Still I liked how this story was totally believable and not all Too Good To Be True.

Overall this was a hot read that I look forward to reading again in the near future!
 


Lymi...
 



Friday Night Alibi by Cassie Mae: Review

Friday Night Alibi
By Cassie Mae
Published July 29th 2013 by Flirt
Pick up your copy at Amazon or B&N today!
Synopsis Borrowed from Goodreads:

Rising star Cassie Mae introduces New Adult readers to a practical soon-to-be college freshman who seems to have everything—until a special guy shows her what she’s been missing.

In the wealthy town of Sundale, Kelli Pinkins has hatched the perfect plan to capitalize on her sweet reputation. For a generous fee, she will be every trust-fund baby’s dream: a Friday-night alibi, the “girlfriend” or “BFF” that parents dream about. With college approaching in the fall, Kelli’s services are in demand more than ever, which means that her social life is nonexistent. But Kelli is A-okay with that. She’s raking in cash for school. Besides, relationships are tricky, and sometimes very messy. She’d rather be at home on Xbox LIVE, anyway. Then the unexpected happens: She meets college stud Chase Maroney.

Chase isn’t like the preppy, privileged guys Kelli usually meets in Sundale. For starters, he’s twentysomething, always wears black., and he shoots back one-liners as fast as she can dish them out. But Kelli’s attempts to drive Chase away falter when she realizes that he treats her like he really knows her, like he cares about knowing her. When Kelli finally gives in to the delicious kiss she’s been fighting for so long, she faces a tough decision: make Chase a real-life boyfriend and risk her heart . . . or keep her clients and lose her first true love.

Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
This was a super cute read!! Not at all what I expected but sooooo cute!!

Kelli seems to be the perfect girl. The type of girl you can bring home to the family. That's what lead to her business of being the alibi. If you looking to sneak out with someone your family won't approve of then she's your girl. Which leads to a lot of Friday nights spent alone in her room. That is until she meets Chase and everything changes.

So first off while these characters are college age this felt like more of a YA read. It's sweet, perfect, and innocent. There's no fade to black moments because all they do is kiss. But OMG is it swoon worthy when you finally get there. This was a refreshing beach read. A book that demands you don't put it down till you're finished. And I totally fell in love with Chase! I mean once you meet him how could you not?! And then you have Kelli. She's snarky, witty, and at the same time you can't help but feel sorry for her. With both the way people use her for their alibi to the way her parents act like she's not even there.

Overall this was a great beach read and I love Chase and Kels!
 


Lymi...
 



Friday, July 19, 2013

Tough To Love: Saving Avery (Novella) by Ava Catori: Review



Tough To Love: Saving Avery Novella
By Ava Catori
Published May 28th 2013 by Ava Catori Books
Pick Up your copy at B&N or Amazon today! Synopsis borrowed from Gooreads:

Hardened from past hurts, can Avery West and Steel Brickman find the strength to heal one another? Steel’s intensity is overbearing and strong, crushing Avery’s ability to breathe. Avery’s wall is so thick – it seems almost impenetrable. Tangled in a mess of pain and desire, the two must learn to trust one another to find their own salvation.







Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
 
This was a fast good read that I really enjoyed and wanted more of.

Avery works at a bar struggling to make it through college. Her life is anything but glamorous. That is until a Tall dark and mysterious Steel walks into her bar. He's hot and seems to have a soft spot for Avery. But is his need to save her going to push her away?

I loved Avery! She was tough. She stood up for herself. And she wasn't one of those girls that is stuck on material things. In fact she lived in a disgusting one room apartment and never complained. Well maybe she complained a little bit about the disgusting shared bathroom but who wouldn't?

I loved how it wasn't all love at first sight for Avery and Steel. She made him work for it and even after he finally won her over she still made him work to keep it. The only complaint I had is that I wish it was longer. But then again I wish all novella's were longer. lol
 


Lymi...
 



Thursday, July 18, 2013

Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover: Review

Losing Hope
By Colleen Hoover
Published July 8th 2013 by Atria Books
Pick up your copy today at B&N, Amazon, or your local indie!
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs.




Darkfallen' s thoughts:
 
This book was dark and twisted in the best/worst of ways.

Holder has spent his whole life looking for the little girl that was abducted as a kid. He's always felt guilty for her disappearance because he left her alone. Him and his twin sister, Les, have never forgotten Hope. But when his sister Les takes her own life Holder can't hold it together anymore. Then he meets Sky and everything starts to change. He just knows that she is Hope from all those years ago but can proving that do more hurt than good?

This book was a roller coaster of emotions. I admit that in the beginning it's a little boring and dry, but then he meets Sky and everything changes! Holder is a broken mess and you can't help but like him. I was rooting for him and Sky the entire time. And poor Sky. I can't really say much more than that without giving away the plot so I'm going to keep my mouth shut. Lol

Overall this is a great read that will haunt you long after it's over!
Lymi...
 
 
 
 


Torn By K.A. Robinson: Review

Torn
By K.A. Robinson
Published May 7th 2013 by Atria Publishing
Pick up your copy at Amazon B&N, or your local indie today!
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

Chloe hasn't had the best life. With a mother who is gone more often than not, she has had to raise herself. After graduating high school, she leaves to start a new life away at West Virginia University with her best friends Amber and Logan, determined to leave her demons in the past.

On her first day, she meets a stranger who takes her breath away at first sight. Until she met Drake, no one had ever sparked her interest. Now this tattooed and pierced bad boy is all she can think about, no matter how hard she fights it.

Falling for Drake was never part of her plans, but when it happens, things seem to do anything but fall into place.

Dealing with a tragic past, Drake has never cared about anyone else but himself and his band. But when Chloe takes the empty seat next to him in class, things start to change. Instantly drawn to her, he begins to wonder if one girl can take a cold hearted womanizer and change every part of him?

Long hidden feelings are revealed and friendships tested to the brink.

Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
This is going to be hard review to like. The book was just blah which makes for a blah review. lol

Chole and her friends all are finally away at college. Which is good because Choles mom is basically a piece of abusive crap. Finally not worry about her mom showing up Chole is finally starting to be able to relax. That is until she meat hot bad boy Drake. Not only does she not know what to do with him then she finds out that one of her best friends in in love with her and wants more than friendship. What will Chole do? Who will she choose? Either way hearts are bound to get broken...

Ok...alright...this was just not a very good read. It was overly predictable. Flat and two dimensional. And then there was the whole cheating factor that I just didn't like at all. Overall this book just made me roll my eyes....A LOT!


Lymi...


Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Deja Voodoo by Elle James: Review

Deja Voodoo (A Cajun Magic Novel)
By Elle James
Published June 24th 2013 by Entangled Suspense Pick up your copy today at Amazon or B&N today!
Synopsis borrowed from Goodreads:

A little magic goes a long way… Alexandra Belle Boyette is closing in on the big 3-0 and her mama has made it her mission to marry her off. In the tiny parish of Bayou Miste, deep in the Louisiana swamps, finding suitable hubby material can be a challenge—and Alex would rather not rely on magical spells to do the trick. But there is a sexy new man in town who might fit the bill... Ed Marceaux is in Bayou Miste to safeguard a key witness to a Louisiana Mafia murder. He must keep an eye out for suspicious characters—but the place seems to be full of them! What could be stranger than a woman dressed in a sexy nightgown chasing a naked man down the street? The enchantingly gorgeous Alex Boyette certainly makes it worth his while to find out… Add a Voodoo spell gone wrong, and voila! madness—and love—ensues.

Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
What a great fun read!

Alex is approaching thirty and her mom is determined to set her up and marry her off. So far Alex hasn't liked any of the guys that her mom keeps throwing at her that is until she meets Ed. But Ed has some secrets of his own. Will she be able to accept him after the danger he puts her in? Or will she stay single forever?

Ok so this was a fast paced read that keeps you attached from beginning to end. But the whole dog turned man thing kept me laughing out loud on several occasions and then it made me cry. I just LOVED Sport so much!! And he's just a supporting character. Alex and Ed together was HOT hot. I couldn't get enough of them. I loved that Alex is independent and struggles to stay that way while Ed and her mother are both pushing her in the other direction. Ed is strong and I loved the way he loved Alex.

Overall this was a great romance with a bit of magic mixed in that you don't want to miss.
 


Lymi...



Undone by Sharron Richard Giveaway!

Today we are here to celebrate the debut release by Sharron Richard!
 

Undone
By Sharron Richard
Published July 2nd 2013 by Forever Yours
Synopsis borrowed from Gooreads:

Things Paige Morrison will never understand about Mirabelle, Florida:

Why wearing red shoes makes a girl a harlot Why a shop would ever sell something called "buck urine" Why everywhere she goes, she runs into sexy-and infuriating-Brendan King

After losing her job, her apartment, and her boyfriend, Paige has no choice but to leave Philadelphia and move in with her retired parents. For an artsy outsider like Paige, finding her place in the tightly knit town isn't easy-until she meets Brendan, the hot mechanic who's interested in much more than Paige's car. In no time at all, Brendan helps Paige find a new job, new friends, and a happiness she wasn't sure she'd ever feel again. With Brendan by her side, Paige finally feels like she can call Mirabelle home. But when a new bombshell drops, will the couple survive, or will their love come undone?

And what better way to celebrate than by giving away a copy?!
Thanks to the wonderful people over at Forever Yours Publishing one lucky winner will win a copy through Netgalley! Don't have a Netgalley account? No Worries! You can join Netgalley for free!
 
Due to publisher request this is open to US residents only and you have to have a Netgalley account.
 
Fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter:-)
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, June 28, 2013

Duality by E.R. Pierce: Reivew

Duality (Cordelia Kelly #1)
By E.R. Pierce
Published April 21st 2013 by Fused Publishing Pick up your copy at Amazon, Sony, B&N , Kobo, or Amazon UK today!
Synopsis borrowed from Gooreads:
This is a darker paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy hybrid. You'll find no fluffy bunnies, or shooting stars, or unicorns walking on rainbows.

Cordelia Kelly is running from her past and her destiny. She is a dual-natured empath - meaning she is receptive to the emotional aura, positive and negative, of those around her. Cordelia struggles to create harmony between the light and dark sides of her existence. She's also an elemental, but her inherent powers are slowly manifesting with age and time. The scales of good versus evil are tilting in the wrong the direction.

Will she succumb or evolve to fulfill her destiny? Sol Winterborn is not your typical hero, if anything he's an anti-hero. Moral indecision riddle his path to redemption, but the undeniable truth he holds onto is his search for his lighthouse - his soul mate. When fate throws Cordelia in his path, he's unprepared but can't stay away. Her siren call sings a song he can't ignore. He sees in her a kindred spirit, and possibly the one he's searched long nights to find. Will Cordelia be the key to unlock his heart?

When his own dark past catches up with him, will he risk his life for love?

Darkfallen's thoughts:
 
This book was PERFECT!!

Cordelia is an empathy so life in her shoes isn't easy. She's never even met another empathy like her. that is until she meets Sol. He is everything she is plus he has a few special powers that intrigues Cordelia. Especially since for as long as she can remember she has always felt like two different people. One light and one dark. But when she is around Sol she feels balanced between the two. But when Sol disappears can she keep her darker side at bay before lives are put in danger?

Speaking as someone that has read some of E.R. Pierce's older works OMG has her writing gone to a whole new level!! It's polished and refined and this story was just simply perfect. I got so lost in the world Pierce created it was like the words were jumping off the page and coming to life around me. I loved the world that she created. It's been three days since I've read Duality and I just can't seem to get into any other books because my mind is still enraptured by the world E.R. Pierce created. All I want to do is jump back in and spend some time with Cordelia and Sol.

I loved both sides of Cordelia but if I have to chose then I would go with her dark side. She is fun and a risk taker, and a whole lot naughty; whereas her good side is quiet and plays by the rules. I loved Sol and especially loved the twist at the end. (NO!! I will NOT tell you. I am not a spoiler bunny. You'll just have to read it for yourself to find out. lol)

Overall this is a dark paranormal romance that shouldn't be missed! In a word...FLAWLESS!
 


Lymi...