Tuesday, December 15, 2015

REVIEW: Perfect Ruin (Unyielding #2) - Nashoda Rose


Title: Perfect Ruin
Series: Book 2
Unyielding
Author: Nashoda Rose
Release Date: December 14, 2015

5 Always Stars
ARC received from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review

"I want all of you, London."

 The first time Kai made an appearance in the Tear Asunder books, he caught my attention and I was instantly under his spell. Something about his aura, the mystery, and coldness about him stuck with me and I was already intrigued. Nashoda Rose did not fail in living up to my expectations. If any, she actually hypnotized me even more.

Kai grew up tortured, stripped of emotions, a criminal but when he saw London, the daughter of the scientist who Vault, where Kai grew up in, creating a drug for them, things changed for him. London brought him light in his darkness and reading how she affected and slowly chipped away at Kai's steel walls was so sweet in its own way.

Nashoda Rose made me feel like I was watching a fast-paced, thrilling movie instead of reading it. The characters felt alive and the journey of their story was so exciting that I was buzzing until the very end and even at that point, the author still didn't let my attention go because now I'm looking forward to Connor's story!


Perfect Ruin perfectly ruined my sleep, but it was also perfectly worth it because Kai and London's bumpy story was the perfect story for them. And okay, I would say there were some tear-marks on my pillow from that one scene with London and her dad. The author just had to touch my sensitive feelings. The grit and darkness of Perfect Ruin were balanced by the sexy and romantic aspect of it making it a perfectly enjoyable read for me. Now, I'm looking forward to Connor's story! 


Monday, December 7, 2015

REVIEW: Lawless (King #3) - T.M. Frazier


Title: Lawless
Series: Book 3
King
Author: T.M. Frazier
Release Date: December 7, 2015

5 Bear Stars
ARC received from T.M. Frazier for an honest review

“I wanted you because of who you are, not regardless of who you are.”

If you've read King and Tyrant, then you've met Bear. At least some parts of him. For me, those parts were enough to make me want to get to know about him more. I felt there was a story for him and I'm so happy when I found out that he's having his own book. Excited. Curious. Giddy. His parts in Tyrant sealed my interest in him even further and Lawless was more than I expected it would be. IT WAS UHH-MAY-ZING-LY ADDICTING!

T.M. Frazier wrote a hypnotic story between Bear (a.k.a Abel) and Thia (a.k.a Cynthia), as a reader, I was left flipping the pages or tapping the screen, if I may so, like there was no tomorrow. I was instantly hooked on the meeting of two young Bear and Thia and how they talked with each other. It may seem somewhat strange to feel the chemistry between two young character especially if one of them is just 10-years old, but believe me, it's so adorably innocent but cute enough to make me smile and picture them together in the future.

Now years later after their first encounter, Thia is ready to cash in on the help that Bear promised her after a tragic incident happened but what she got isn't what she expected at all. No Bear, no help, just more pain and more trauma. What I liked about Thia though, is that she's one tough cookie. One really tough cookie. So thank you, T.M. Frazier for writing yet another heroine that's sweet yet still kicks ass. When Bear finally came in to the rescue, it wasn't easy. He was drowning in himself without the MC but I admire his sticking with his decision about the Beach Bastard leadership under his old man and he wants nothing to do with it. However, now that he's out of the club, he doesn't know what to do but when Thia showed up in his life again, the protective and caring (in his own way) Bear resurfaced. 


I loved Lawless, I loved how the author wrote her characters with a good amount of spunk, fierceness, action, thrill, and sex. I am a huge sucker for age gaps and Bear and Thia had 10 years between them but it's like *sigh* I love everything about them! And that ending is a cruel cliffhanger ohmygoodness! But it looks like T.M. Frazier can write all these cliffhangers and I will still read and love them all as long as they are as brilliantly written as the King series. All the wait is totally worth it!

Stars: 5 stars
Recommended to: Readers who want to get thrilled while swooning for the hero, this is for you. And let's not forget about the kick ass heroine. Not a pushover doormat.
Series: Book 3 in the King series but the first of two in Bear's story.
POV: First person. Dual POV.
Extra Comment: There's a whole lot of King and Doe appearance and they're beautiful!!!


Friday, December 4, 2015

BLOG TOUR, REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Forgetting August (Lost & Found #1) - J.L. Berg

Berg_Forgetting August_E-Book

Title: Forgetting August
Series: Book 1 of 2
The Lost & Found Series
Author: J.L. Berg
Release Date: December 1, 2015


She can forgive, but can she forget? 

Some days, Everly still thinks she sees him. In the food court at the mall, or in a car speeding past as the light changes. It only lasts a second, but when it happens, she slips back to a time when she was ruled-and nearly ruined-by August Kincaid. And it doesn't matter that she's moved on, that she's about to marry another man. In those moments the only thing she can do to regain control is take a deep breath and remind herself that August can't hurt her-because he's in a coma. Except that he's not anymore. 

August is awake. With no memories, he sets out to solve the mystery of his lost life. He unearths a photograph of a beautiful redhead named Everly and knows instinctively that she's the key. But when he finds her, the August she describes is more monster than man. Tortured by the thought of having hurt her, August wants only to become the man Everly deserves. As the new August emerges, Everly glimpses the person she first fell in love with. But can she trust that this August is real? When the final secret of their shared past is revealed, one of them will make a choice that changes their future forever . . .
4 August Stars
ARC received from InkSlinger PR for an honest review

"Could the heart remember what the mind couldn't?"

There is not one book of J.L. Berg's that I didn't love right off the bat. She always had that magic touch for me in which she introduces her characters and their stories in a way that intrigues me and makes me fall slowly in love. So, excuse me while I flail around and throw objects at the wall because...

WHAT THE FLIPPING BATMAN DID I GET MYSELF INTO WITH FORGETTING AUGUST?!

...

(and that's me yelling in a loving way, by the way)

Okay, now that I've let that out, let me explain. If you've read my reviews and you've seen the kind of books I read, you would know that I am not big about love triangles. A little background or a snippet, maybe I can do, but that's not to say I haven't read and even ended up loving a book or two with love triangles, but I do try my best to steer clear of them especially if they are ARCs. But come on, since this is J.L. Berg and she's never failed me once, I wanted to give this a try. The cover was stunning, the synopsis was intriguing, and the author is one of my favorites, why not read this new duet?


I dove right in. The Prologue hooked me but to be honest, I struggled with the first few chapters. Not because it was horrible or boring but because my emotions couldn't handle all that's going in. And that just proves how effective the author is in her storytelling. You would know that this is not my normal cup of tea, but my brain couldn't stop trying to figure out the whys, the whats, the hows, the whos. As much as I would love to ramble (believe me, I can ramble on and on about how this book made me feel), I couldn't do that without possibly giving out spoilers. That would be a shame because Forgetting August is best experience blindfolded and once that blindfold is removed, you'll experience one hell of a surprise!

So for now, I'm leaving you all with little pieces of advice:

- If you are not a fan of love triangles, August and Everly's story is a bit complicated with lots of history, and try to stick it out because it will be worth it

- Cliffhangers are the bane of our reading experience, I know, so be prepared to handle a good cliffhanger with this one. And by good, I mean good enough to pull our hairs out until the next book comes out next year

- Everly frustrated the heckles out of me but August? August got to me right away. So, get ready to fall in love with August, as unlikely as it may seem from what the synopsis implies

- Chocolates, wine, or whatever comfort food you love. Keep them handy, you'll need them while reading and while waiting for the second book

This is a thrilling, emotional, thought-provoking first book and if this is anything to go by, I am looking forward to how August and Everly's happily ever after will conclude. I don't even know how I managed to survive this and that just goes to show how beautiful of a writer J.L. Berg is. Cheers!

Stars: 4 stars
Recommended to: If you enjoy some suspense and twist in your stories, grab your copy of Forgetting August now!
Series: Book 1 of 2 of The Lost & Found series
POV: First person. Dual POV.
Extra Comment: I'm ready! Give me the second book now! ;)


Get FORGETTING AUGUST now: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | GooglePlay | Kobo | BAM

Preorder the second book in the Lost & Found duet, REMEMBERING EVERLY:

Watch the Trailer

We're OBSESSED with this trailer for FORGETTING AUGUST!



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Want to win a $50 Amazon giftcard? Enter via the Rafflecopter below! 

Join us for the FORGETTING AUGUST Release Party!

Forever Romance and J.L. Berg invite readers to join them for a Facebook party on December 9 from 7 – 10 PM EST to celebrate FORGETTING AUGUST, on sale December 1. In addition to fun guests and giveaways, there will be a great discussion about the book as J.L. Berg takes fan questions. RSVP here.

About J.L. Berg

Author J.L. Berg is a California native living in the South. She is the author of the self-pubbed Ready series, which has sold over 100,000 copies. Married to her high school sweetheart. She and her husband have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis. When she's not writing, you can find her with her nose stuck in a romance book, in a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate. 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Newsletter


Thursday, November 26, 2015

BLOG TOUR & GIVEAWAY: Perfectly Imperfect - Harper Sloan

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Meet Willow and Kane in the newest stand alone by Harper Sloan!
NOW AVAILABLE on the following retailers:
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Blurb
Mirror, mirror ... who's the fairest of them all?
I still cringe when I hear that line. A fairy tale that had girls pretending they were the fairest, the most beautiful, and the most entitled. A fairy tale most couldn't grow out of turned my haunted childhood memories into a living nightmare. Girls who grew up believing that pile of garbage became the meanest of all 'mean girls.'
And those mean girls were right - it was a line meant for all the beautiful people in the world - and I knew the answer would never be me.
The women with long legs, flat stomachs, and perfect chests.
The type of women Kane Masters gravitated toward.
Well, that's definitely not Willow Tate.
No. That will never be me.
Because I'm completely imperfect.
And ... I hate myself.
I have no idea what Kane could possibly see in someone like me when he could have them.
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Excerpt
“Are you nervous right now?”
I nod.
“Tell me why.”  His demand, steady and calm, gives me the courage I need to tell him.  To open a vein and bleed my insecurities.
“I’m not perfect,” I whisper.
“And neither am I, Willow.  I don’t want perfect.  What so many see as perfect, to me, is fake.  Perfect isn’t achievable naturally.  No one, and I mean no one, is perfect.”
I’m shaking my head before he’s even done speaking, but one long finger comes up and presses against my lips before I can speak.
“No, let me finish.  There isn’t beauty in perfection.  It’s as fake as the image the word projects.  Beauty is found in imperfection, Willow, because to admit you’re not perfect means you’re admitting you’re not whole and absolute.  When I think of myself, I see someone willing to admit he’s as far from complete as it gets because, in order to get to that perfection, I need to find the other part of me who will make my life better.  To take all the faults I have and fill them, and only then will I be there.  You see, the way I see it, the only way to become perfect is to find that perfectly imperfect person who brings it out of you.”
When he stops, I swear I might have stopped breathing.  How am I supposed to respond to that?
“Do you trust me?” he asks, his voice strong and sure.
“Yes, Kane.  Nerves or not, I do.”
“Then let me show you what I see when I look at you.”
He brings his hands up, framing my face once again in a way I’m quickly becoming addicted to the feeling of.  His warm eyes implore, begging me without words to let him continue.  I do not intend to stop him, regardless of the butterflies currently taking over my system.  I’m all in.
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About the Author:
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Harper lives in small town Georgia just a short drive from her hometown of Peachtree City. She (and her 3 daughters) enjoy ruling the house they dubbed 'Estrogen Ocean', much to her husband’s chagrin. Harper has a borderline unhealthy obsession with books; you can almost ALWAYS find her with her eReader attached. She enjoys bad reality TV and cheesy romantic flicks. Her favorite kind of hero--the super alpha kind!

Harper started using writing as a way to unwind when the house went to sleep at night; and with a house full of crazy it was the perfect way to just relax. It didn't take long before a head full of very demanding alphas would stop at nothing to have their story told.



GIVEAWAY
$50 Amazon Gift Card





THANK YOU!

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Monday, November 23, 2015

REVIEW: Fighting The Fall (Beyond The Cage #2) - Jennifer Snow


Title: Fighting The Fall
Series: Book 2
Beyond The Cage
Author: Jennifer Snow
Release Date: October 20, 2015

3.5 Tyson Stars
ARC received from Penguin Group Berkley via NetGalley for an honest review

"Why is it that you're the last thing I need right now, but the only fucking thing I want?"

Who can say no to a sexy MMA fighter and celebrity romance? Definitely not me. Fighting The Fall easily got my attention with its cover -- Sexy. Then I read the description -- Count me in!

I liked the premise of this book and I loved Tyson and Parker. However, I found myself struggling to stay with the characters at times and how their problems were resolved felt rushed for my taste. I loved Tyson, though. He really was that tough fighter with a good heart type of man. Parker's sass and attitude added "flavor" to the story, I don't think I would enjoy Fighting The Fall this much without Parker's personality. The characters' chemistry is undeniable, I had no problems with how they interacted or their super steamy scenes, it's just that as I go along the story, I found myself disconnecting sometimes. But when it's good, it's good and Tyson and Parker together are adorably sexy.

Stars: 3.5 stars
Recommended to: Fans of MMA/fighter romance.
Series: Standalone series.
POV: Third person. Dual POV.
Extra Comment: I want Connor!


REVIEW: Forbid Me (The Good Ol' Boys #2) - M. Robinson


Title: Forbid Me
Series: Book 2
The Good Ol' Boys
Author: M. Robinson
Release Date: November 24, 2015

4 You Little Sh*t Stars
ARC received from M. Robinson for an honest review

"I'm a part of you, baby, and I'm not going anywhere."

If you've read my Complicate Me review, you would know that that one didn't really work out for me and I had to DNF at 34%. Now with the second book, Forbid Me with Jacob and Lily's story, I got past that 34% mark and boy was I relieved. This is my second book from M. Robinson and I enjoyed this way better than I did with Alex and Lucas' story. 

I'm writing this review a couple of days after I finished reading because I honestly struggled with some aspects of the book. The constant back and forth of past and present from beginning to end had me a bit exhausted. I loved it the first few chapters, it was enough for me to hold on and get excited. I felt like I needed to stew on what and how I should rate and review this and now that the book is almost releasing, I'm giving this a 4 amidst the issues I had. 

Why? 

Because Forbid Me left me with that "waiting for the next story already" feeling. Seriously, that ending killed it. That's what got me thinking.

Because the story overall is something I would really eat up in one sitting, and even though Jacob has his moments for me, Lily is the hero in this book. She's feisty, she goes after what she wants, she's determined, and she's mentally older than Jacob even with their 7-year age gap. An age gap which I also love in my books, by the way.

Stars: 4 stars
Recommended to: Readers of forbidden romance, age gap, second-chance stuff. 
Series: Second book in The Good Ol' Boys series. Interconnected characters.
POV: First person. Dual POV.
Extra Comment: Lily rocks and that ending wins.


Saturday, November 21, 2015

REVIEW: Command (Storm MC #7) - Nina Levine


Title: Command
Series: Book 7
Storm MC Series
Author: Nina Levine
Release Date: November 18, 2015

5 Crinkle Stars
ARC received from Nina Levine for an honest review

You would think that an MC read wouldn't make you cry yet I ended up with discarded tissues and wet spots on my pillow. Damn, Nina! You sure know how to make your readers heed your command and devour Scott and Harlow's story... again!

This is the second book which Scott and Harlow are the main characters, we've already met and loved them in Fierce (book 2 of the Storm MC series). However, we've seen glimpses from these two throughout the entire series and it is just perfect to end the series with them! I think Nina is a genius for teasing us about these two, building up more excitement and anticipation about how everything will turn out for everyone in the Storm MC. I don't know what I expected exactly from Command, but what I got was way more than I was ready for. I wasn't ready to cry, I wasn't ready to fall in love with Scott Cole, I wasn't ready to adore a new character, and I guess I wasn't really ready for the Storm series to end. But I got all of that and I was more than happy that I did.


Command made me laugh and fall in love with Scott more than I did in their first book, but more than that... I cried both sad and happy tears for him and for Harlow. I don't know if it's because this is the last Storm MC book, but I don't remember feeling like my heart was being prickled by dozens of needles and needing tissues for my tears. The excitement, emotions, and the thrill of rounding up the club's issue was amazing! It was like watching an episode of a TV show and this is the series finale. 

For all the Storm MC babes, you do not want to miss this! I'm glad I didn't. 

Stars: 5 stars
Recommended to: Everyone who loved the Storm dudes and everyone looking for an MC series that won't make you want to stop reading!
Series: Book 7 of the Storm MC.
POV: First person. Dual POV.
Extra Comment: Scarlett is a firecracker!!


REVIEW: Crush (The Tainted Love Duet #2) - Kim Karr


Title: Crush
Series: Book 2
The Tainted Love Duet
Author: Kim Karr
Release Date: November 16, 2015

5 Crushed Stars
ARC received from TRSoR for an honest review


Kim Karr can do no wrong when it comes to writing mysterious, thrilling, steamy romance. Have you noticed how she makes you think, guess, and then second-guess, and doubt but at the same time thrilled and excited about where her stories' twists and turns will lead you? It is always an exciting experience once you start with her books. And this duet, The Tainted Love, didn't disappoint. Crush completely had me clutching at my chest and my head in wonderment and amazement, the author crushed it with this conclusion!

In Blow, we met Logan and Elle and were introduced to their complicated situation and the circumstance in which they've met, fallen in love, and struggled to survive. With all the guesses and questions I was left with in Blow, Crush gave me the answers. But in true Kim Karr fashion, the answers weren't easy to get. I was taken on a rollercoaster ride, a lot of "woohoos!" and "oh noes!", but like with all the amusement rides, I know there's an end and it will be worth it. Crush was that. Logan and Elle's story was worth all the heartaches and headaches I endured because everything they went through -- their journey apart and together, is what made their love story unique and strong.


Crush is an absolutely perfect conclusion to everything that was Elle, Logan, and even little Clementine. 

Get ready to read the answers to all your questions from Blow; what happened to Elle's sister?, are they still in danger?, who is the villain in all of this?, will they get their happily ever after?, what is Michael's connection to everything?, yes, yes, a lot of questions indeed but the experience in getting all these answers is worth the suspense of it all.

Stars: 5 stars
Recommended to: Everyone who read Blow. Everyone who loves mysteries, suspense in their steamy romance reads.
Series: Conclusion to The Tainted Love Duet. Book 2 of 2.
POV: First person. Dual POV.
Extra Comment: It might be just because I'm a cry baby when it comes to books, but you might need a box of tissues. There were some scenes that had my eyes water.