Review: The Devious Dr. Jekyll

The Devious Dr. Jekyll by Viola Carr
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Steam Punk/Fantasy
Release Date: October 27th, 2015
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

Dr. Eliza Jekyll, heroine of the electrifying The Diabolical Miss Hyde—an edgy
steampunk retelling of the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde—investigates a bizarre
murder case in an alternate Victorian London while battling her treacherous secret
half: Lizzie Hyde.

Solving the infamous Chopper case has helped crime scene physician Dr. Eliza
Jekyll establish her fledgling career in the chauvinistic world of Victorian law
enforcement. But the scrutiny that comes with her newfound fame is unwelcome
for a woman with a diabolical secret. And there is the mercurial Royal Society
agent and wolf man Remy Lafayette. Does he want to marry her, eat her, or burn
her at the stake? Though Eliza is uncertain about Remy, her dark and jealous
shadow self, Lizzie, wants to steal the magnetic and persistent agent, and usurp
Eliza’s life.

It’s impossible to push Remy away when he tempts her with the one thing she
can’t resist: a bizarre crime. The search for a bloodthirsty ritual torturer dubbed the
Pentacle Killer draws them into a terrifying world of spies, art thieves, and evil
alchemy, where the price of immortality is madness—or damnation—and only
Lizzie’s dark ingenuity can help Eliza survive.

As Eliza and Remy race to thwart a foul conspiracy involving the sorcerous
French, they must also overcome a sinister enemy who is all too close: the
vengeful Lizzie, determined to dispose of Eliza for good.

♥ ♥ ♥

"The Devious Dr. Jekyll" by Viola Carr was a bit of a different read for me. Although I'm familiar with the aspects of the Steam Punk genre, I've never actually read any before. It took me a bit to get familiar with the culture and language being used, but once I was properly acclimated I was able to enjoy Carr's story.

This is actually the second book in Carr's "Electric Empire" series. This is another series that I'm not starting at the beginning, but it was enough of a standalone book that I was able to read the second in the series and not feel completely lost. However, there were a lot of characters in this electric Victorian world that sometimes seemed to all run together for me. This is possibly something that would have been easier to keep track if I had read the previous book.

Review: Buy a Whisker (Second Chance Cat Mystery #2)

Buy a Whisker (Second Chance Cat Mystery #2) by Sofie Ryan
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: April 7, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Things have been quiet in the coastal town of North Harbor, Maine, since Sarah Grayson and her rescue cat, Elvis, solved their first murder. 

Sarah is happy running Second Chance, the shop where she sells lovingly refurbished and repurposed items. But then she gets dragged into a controversy over developing the waterfront. Most of the residents—including Sarah—are for it, but there is one holdout—baker Lily Carter.

So when Lily is found murdered in her bakery, it looks like somebody wanted to remove the only obstacle to the development. 

But Sarah soon discovers that nothing is as simple as it seems. Now, with the help of her cat’s uncanny ability to detect a lie, and her senior citizen sleuth friends, Sarah is narrowing down the suspects. But can she collar the culprit before the ruthless killer pounces again?

♥ ♥ ♥

This second book is the in the Second Chance Cat Mystery series. Fans of the first book in the series, “The Whole Cat and Caboodle, won’t be disappointed with this one. Cozy fans who haven’t yet discovered this delightful series by Sofie Ryan can easily enjoy this book without having read the first one.

Review: Wildfire In His Arms (Callahan-Warren #2)

Wildfire In His Arms (Callahan-Warren #2) by Johanna Lindsey
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Romance, Western
Release Date: June 16, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon
Book Description:

With his work in Montana completed now that the Callahan-Warren feud has ended in marriage rather than bloodshed, Degan Grant sets out for California because it is far away from the home he wants to forget—until the US Marshal who saved his life calls in a favor. All Degan has to do is apprehend three outlaws on the marshal’s list and turn them over to the law. Easy enough, he figures, for a man no one wants to tangle with.

But then a bold young woman crosses his path. Maxine grew up so pretty and attracted so much unwanted attention in her Texas hometown that events spiraled out of control. She will try anything to escape the handsome, enigmatic gunfighter who intends to turn her over to a corrupt sheriff who will hang her instead of putting her on trial.

Saddled with a sassy, spirited young woman who insists she is innocent, Degan must hunt down a vicious killer and keep an old enemy at bay. But forced into intimate proximity with his beguiling prisoner, he finds his desire sparking into a wildfire of passion, and he can no longer deny that it is time for them to risk confronting their pasts so he can have a chance at a future with her in his arms forever.

♥ ♥ ♥

I admit that I have been a fan of Johanna Lindsey since I first discovered her book “Fires of Winter” many years ago. That book fostered my love for the historical romance genre.

Review: The Lilith Links (The Avalon Relics #1)

Lilith Links (The Avalon Relics #1) by J.L Clark
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Sophia Bennett is looking forward to celebrating her eighteenth birthday with her best friend Angie.  

After graduating high school and enjoying the last days of her summer vacation the most important things on her mind are getting ready for college and catching the eye of her high school crush Jake...at least, until the night of her birthday party.

Suddenly, Sophia is thrust into a world that she never knew existed and finds herself in the middle of an ancient struggle between good and evil. 

Time is against her as she and her new friends struggle to take possession of a powerful magic before it falls into the wrong hands.

Can Sophia solve the mystery of the Lilith links in time to save her loved ones, or will the
enemy triumph and destroy all that she holds dear?


♥ ♥ ♥
My favorite type of fantasy is the type where the main character is new to the fantastical elements in the world. This way, the character is able to learn all about this new world that he or she has been introduced to, and the reader is able to learn about it right along with them. The author is able to build the world and make all of the rules for it in a natural way that doesn't seem forced or artificial in any way.

This is how J.L. Clark's first book in her Avalon Relics series, The Lilith Links is. Sophia Benett has lived a normal life for eighteen years, until her world gets flipped upside down at her eighteenth birthday party. All of a sudden, these beautiful strangers are in her life, her best friend isn't who she thought she was, her parents are missing, and Sophia is forced into a whole new world.

Review: The Witches of BlackBrook (Witches of BlackBrook #1)

The Witches of BlackBrook (Witches of BlackBrook #1) by Tish Thawer
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: June 23, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Through space and time, sisters entwined. Lost then found, souls remain bound.

Three sisters escape the Salem witch trials when the eldest casts a spell that hurtles their souls forward through time. After centuries separated, fate has finally reunited them in the present day.

One the healer, one the teacher, and one the deceiver.

Will their reunion return their full powers, or end their souls journey forever?




♥ ♥ ♥

It has been quite a while since I read a book about witches that I really loved, but I am so incredibly glad that I picked up The Witches of BlackBrook! It was everything I could have possibly asked for. The Witches of BlackBrook by Tish Thawer follows three sisters through their journey to find each while navigating the past, preset, and future.

I thought Thawer did a great job with the backstory and I love the spells and the different angles that the story was told from. I really enjoyed Trin and I think that because she was probably one of the more developed characters in the book. 

Madison's Song by Christine Amsden
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: September 15, 2015
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

Her voice is enchanting; his soul is black...

Madison Carter has been terrified of Scott Lee since the night he saved her from an evil sorcerer – then melted into a man-eating monster before her eyes. The werewolf is a slave to the moon, but Madison's nightmares are not.

Despite her fears, when Madison's brother, Clinton, is bitten by a werewolf, she knows there is only one man who can help. A man who frightens her all the more because even in her nightmares, he
also thrills her.

Together for the first time since that terrible night, Scott and Madison drive to Clinton's home only to discover that he's vanished. Frantic now, Madison must overcome her fears and uncover hidden strengths if she hopes to save him. And she's not the only one fighting inner demons. Scott's are literal, and they have him convinced that he will never deserve the woman he loves.

♥ ♥ ♥

When I was asked to read Christine Amsden's new book, Madison's Song, I was excited. I had previously read and reviewed all of her books in her Cassie Scot series and was sad to see it go. So this spin off book was just what I needed to get back into that world.

Madison's Song is meant to be a stand alone book, so it's not necessary to read the series that it's spinning off from. However, if you do ever plan on reading Cassie Scot's story (which I do recommend), that should be read only because Madison's Song has some spoilers that are mentioned.

That being said, if you have read the Cassie Scot books, you'll see some of the characters returned. Obviously the main character is Madison who was featured as more of a background character before, as well as another sideline character - Scott, Evan's werewolf friend. Both of those characters get a lot more flushed out and developed in this book, and the chapters even alternate between the two of their point of views.

There are also small glimpses into the world of Cassie Scot- mostly through Evan who is in the book a bit. Cassie, however does not make an appearance, but I was OK with that. This is Madison and Scott's story, so they shouldn't be overshadowed by another main character.

Review: Serial Vengeance

Serial Vengeance by Melissa Wren
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Suspense, Thriller
Release Date: June 6, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post reporter Olivia Penn already lost her baby and her best friend. She's not about to lose the biggest story of her career. With the help of her police contact, she's on the case of what appears to be a random string of high-profile suicides sparked by guilty consciences.

But there's something strange about the suicide notes: They all say, "I deserve to die." Olivia is determined to break the story that the deaths are the work of a serial killer. She gets her big break when the killer commits a sensational double murder. "The Punisher" is on the hunt, and adulterers among the elite of Washington, D.C. are his prey. The further Olivia pursues her story, the further her life unravels.

And the more she uncovers, the more she begins to think that solving this case will also lead to discovering the truth behind her best friend's mysterious disappearance two years earlier. Willing to do anything to unveil the identity of the psychopath who is behind the successive murders, she finds herself embroiled in a psychological game, and it's become chillingly personal.

A stalker has been breaking into her home and sending threatening messages. Someone is trying to scare her away from her attempts to bait The Punisher with her news stories-someone close to her. It's a dangerous game she's playing, and it all leads up to a magnificent twist ending. Will Olivia's search for truth turn up anything? Or will her tenacious investigation cause her to lose her job, or her marriage-or her life?

♥ ♥ ♥

I really wanted to love this book, but it just didn’t happen.

I didn’t seem to care about the characters. Olivia often came across as a selfish and pouty child, especially when she was around her husband, Cameron. Nor, did I care for the interaction and conflict between Olivia and Cameron. Their relationship felt flat.

Review: The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts (The Unbelievables #1)

The Girl Who Ignored Ghosts (The Unbelievables #1) by K.C. Tansley
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal
Release Date: August 1, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

She tried to ignore them. But some things won’t be ignored.

Kat Preston doesn’t believe in ghosts. Not because she’s never seen one, but because she saw one too many. Refusing to believe is the only way to protect herself from the ghost that tried to steal her life. Kat’s disbelief keeps her safe until her junior year at McTernan Academy, when a research project for an eccentric teacher takes her to a tiny, private island off the coast of Connecticut.

The site of a grisly mystery, the Isle of Acacia is no place for a girl who ignores ghosts, but the ghosts leave Kat little choice. Accompanied by her research partner, Evan Kingsley, she investigates the disappearance of Cassie Mallory and Sebastian Radcliffe on their wedding night in 1886. Evan’s scientific approach to everything leaves Kat on her own to confront a host of unbelievables: ancestral curses, powerful spells, and her strange connection to the ghosts that haunt Castle Creighton.

But that’s all before Kat’s yanked through a magic portal and Evan follows her. When the two of them awaken 129 years in the past with their souls trapped inside the bodies of two wedding guests, everything changes. Together, Kat and Evan race to stop the wedding-night murders and find a way back to their own time—and their own bodies—before their souls slip away forever.

♥ ♥ ♥

It’s been a while since I had some uninterrupted time to read and after taking a bit of a break I’m more than happy with the fact that The Girl Who Ignore Ghosts by K.C. Tansley was my first book back. This book follows Kat Preston as she does her best to unravel mystery from the past that she never saw coming. I’ve read a lot of books that involve magic and things, but I have to say I really like the approach that Tansley took with this book.

Kat doesn’t just one day start seeing ghosts, this is something that’s sort of been with her since she was young and the fact that she has to “not believe” in ghosts to keep herself safe is an interesting way to look at things. But all of that changes when the past and present collide.

Book vs. Movie: The DUFF

The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Romance
Release Date: September 10, 2010
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Piper is cynical and loyal, and she doesn’t think she’s the prettiest of her friends by a long shot. She’s also way too smart to fall for the charms of man-slut and slimy school hottie Wesley Rush. In fact, Bianca hates him. And when he nicknames her “the Duff,” she throws her Coke in his face.

But things aren’t so great at home right now, and Bianca is desperate for a distraction. She ends up kissing Wesley. Worse, she likes it. 

Eager for escape, Bianca throws herself into a closeted enemies-with-benefits relationship with him. Until it all goes horribly awry. It turns out Wesley isn’t such a bad listener, and his life is pretty screwed up, too. Suddenly Bianca realizes with absolute horror that she’s falling for the guy she thought she hated more than anyone.

♥ ♥ ♥

The DUFF
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Release Date: February 15, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Movie Description:

A high school senior instigates a social pecking order revolution after finding out that she has been labeled the DUFF - Designated Ugly Fat Friend - by her prettier, more popular counterparts.











♥ ♥ ♥
There's always a bit of anxiety whenever a book is adapted into a movie. Will the characters be the same ones you fell in love with, will the movie cut out your favorite scenes, will the actors deliver the lines the way the author intended (see Michael Gambon as Dumbledore asking Harry if he put his name in the Goblet of Fire for a failure on this one)? This, however, is not the case when it comes to the movie adaptation of Kody Keplinger's The DUFF. Not because the movie is an exact copy from the book, but the complete opposite in fact. The movie is a different story than the book, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

I admit that I actually broke my "Read the book before watching the movie" rule for this one. My sister and I went to see it when it was still in theatres, and loved it to the point where I just had to read the book. The movie was this great mix of Mean Girls, Easy A, and even a little bit of Taylor Swift's "You Belong with Me" music video. In other words, it's a cute and light hearted high school comedy designed to make you laugh and entertain you for the length of the movie. Both my sister and I came out of the theatre with big smiles on our faces because it was so enjoyable, and I turned to her and said, "Let's watch it again!"

Review: Grey (The Romany Outcasts Series, Book 1)

Grey (The Romany Outcasts Series, Book 1) by Christi J. Whitney
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Release Date: April 30, 2015
Buy Links:

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Book Description:

Sebastian Grey always thought he was a fairly normal teenager – good friends, decent grades, and a pretty sweet job in his foster brother’s tattoo shop.

But when strangers arrive in town, Sebastian soon realizes that his world is nothing at all what it seemed. Secretive gypsies surround him, shadowy figures stalk him, and the girl he’s been dreaming about turns up at school.

  Now Sebastian must protect this girl at all costs, even if it means he will never be normal again.



♥ ♥ ♥

Grey by Christi J. Whitney was a different read than what's been out in the YA market so far. While most YA authors focus on high school girls and the vampires they fall in love with, Whitney makes her narrative character a high school boy who starts going through a lot more than puberty. There's also no vampires to be seen, but instead Whitney takes us into the colorful world of Gypsy culture (as well as some other elements, that you'll just have to read to find out about!). It's a breath of fresh air when everything seems so mass marketed right now in the YA aisles at book stores.

I enjoyed reading Grey. Sebastian was a likable character who didn't spend pages and pages whining about his star crossed love, or about the changes he was going through. Yes, he had questions (and lots of them), but he doesn't waste the reader's time by making his own problems the story's full focus. Instead Whitney makes sure there's a lot going on to keep the reader's interest peaked so that the pages keep turning with the need for more story, more answers.

In fact, Whitney doesn't even reveal the big secrets of what is happening in Sebastian's life until about halfway through the book (and I'm not going to reveal them either, so you'll just have to deal with a spoiler free review), while the first half is all about Sebastian and how is everyday life is becoming not so normal without him knowing what is exactly causing the changes.

Review: Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold (Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency #1)

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold (Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency #1) by Iain Reading
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Action, Adventure
Release Date: December 2012
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is the thrilling first installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This first book of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Agency Series introduces Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot with her own De Havilland Beaver seaplane and a nose for mystery and intrigue. A cross between Amelia Earhart, Nancy Drew and Pippi Longstocking, Kitty is a quirky young heroine with boundless curiosity and a knack for getting herself into all kinds of precarious situations.

After leaving her home in the western Canadian fishing village of Tofino to spend the summer in Alaska studying humpback whales Kitty finds herself caught up in an unforgettable adventure involving stolen gold, devious criminals, ghostly shipwrecks, and bone-chilling curses. Kitty's adventure begins with the lingering mystery of a sunken ship called the Clara Nevada and as the plot continues to unfold this spirited story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept along through the history of the Klondike Gold Rush to a suspenseful final climatic chase across the rugged terrain of Canada's Yukon, the harsh land made famous in the stories and poems of such writers as Jack London, Robert Service and Pierre Berton. It is a riveting tale that brings to glorious life the landscape and history of Alaska's inside passage and Canada's Yukon, as Kitty is caught up in an epic mystery set against the backdrop of the scenery of the Klondike Gold Rush.

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold is a perfect book to fire the imagination of readers of all ages. Filled with fascinating and highly Google-able locations and history this book will inspire anyone to learn and experience more for themselves as Kitty prepares for her next adventure - flying around the world!

♥ ♥ ♥

Kitty Hawk and the Curse of the Yukon Gold, book one of the Kitty Hawk Flying Detective Series for young adult readers, is exactly the kind of story I would have enjoyed as a teenager and one that I will purchase for the young adult readers in family.

As with many books that I review, there are things that I love about this book and things that I didn’t care for as much.

The story seemed a bit confusing for me in the beginning and I felt that a few things could have been left out of the first quarter of the book, but it didn’t take long before I was engrossed in Kitty’s adventures as she travels to Juneau, Alaska for research on humpback whales. The story took off once Kitty is kidnapped by four brothers transporting stolen gold across the Chilkoot Pass.

Review: Homecoming (The Hundred #3)

Homecoming (The Hundred #3) by Kass Morgan
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Weeks after landing on Earth, the Hundred have managed to create a sense of order amidst their wild, chaotic surroundings. But their delicate balance comes crashing down with the arrival of new dropships from space.

These new arrivals are the lucky ones - back on the Colony, the oxygen is almost gone - but after making it safely to Earth, GLASS's luck seems to be running out. CLARKE leads a rescue party to the crash site, ready to treat the wounded, but she can't stop thinking about her parents who may still be alive. 

Meanwhile, WELLS struggles to maintain his authority despite the presence of the Vice Chancellor and his armed guards, and BELLAMY must decide whether to face or flee the crimes he thought he'd left behind.

It's time for the Hundred to come together and fight for the freedom they've found on Earth, or risk losing everything - and everyone - they love.

♥ ♥ ♥

I'm gross sobbing right now excuse me while I wipe my keyboard off.

Homecoming, the third book in The 100 series by Kass Morgan was perfection. To be honest I'm not entirely sure how to describe it any other way. Morgan outdid herself with this one. Homecoming, like the two books before it was impossible to put down. The pacing was fast, brutal and extremely well put together. From the second the rest of the colony hit the ground drama was afoot and my favorite character were smack dead in the middle of it.

Review: Day 21 (The Hundred #2)

Day 21 (The Hundred #2) by Kass Morgan
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction
Release Date: September 16, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

No one has set foot on Earth in centuries -- until now.

It's been 21 days since the hundred landed on Earth. They're the only humans to set foot on the planet in centuries...or so they thought. Facing an unknown enemy, Wells attempts to keep the group together. 

Clarke strikes out for Mount Weather, in search of other Colonists, while Bellamy is determined to rescue his sister, no matter the cost. And back on the ship, Glass faces an unthinkable choice between the love of her life and life itself.

In this pulse-pounding sequel to Kass Morgan's The 100, secrets are revealed, beliefs are challenged, and relationships are tested. And the hundred will struggle to survive the only way they can -- together.

♥ ♥ ♥

I’m speechless.

I am absolutely loving The 100 series by Kass Morgan. Day 21 was the perfect follow up to book one. I loved learning more about the earthbounds. Sasha has me smitten. I find her to be refreshing and playful and I absolutely love the side of Wells that she brings out.

But before I get all “ship” happy, which by the way I totally am with this book, there are so many plot filled things to mention. Day 21 was super-sized on the plot. We learn so much about the characters in this book that my head is spinning.

I kind of wish I wasn’t currently at work so I could start book three because oh my god, drama! I wasn’t Wells’ biggest fan in book one. But I liked him a lot more in this story. I also liked learning more about what things were like for him on the Colony and how his past is tangled with the other characters.

Review: The 100 (The Hundred #1)

The 100 (The Hundred #1) by Kass Morgan
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia
Release Date: March 18, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

No one has set foot on Earth in centuries -- until now.

Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth's radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents -- considered expendable by society -- are being sent on a dangerous mission: to recolonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life...or it could be a suicide mission.

CLARKE was arrested for treason, though she's haunted by the memory of what she really did. WELLS, the chancellor's son, came to Earth for the girl he loves -- but will she ever forgive him? Reckless BELLAMY fought his way onto the transport pod to protect his sister, the other half of the only pair of siblings in the universe. And GLASS managed to escape back onto the ship, only to find that life there is just as dangerous as she feared it would be on Earth.

Confronted with a savage land and haunted by secrets from their pasts, the hundred must fight to survive. They were never meant to be heroes, but they may be mankind's last hope.

♥ ♥ ♥

As a fan of the TV show The 100, it was only a matter of time before I picked up the books and boy am I glad I did. The 100 by Kass Morgan is turning out to be one of my favorite books series so far. Getting able to see where my favorite characters derived from has probably been one of my favorite things about starting the series of books. I’m almost sorry I didn’t read them first.

The 100 follows Clarke, Bellamy, Wells, and Glass as they navigate through a post nuclear war society where humanity has lived in spaceships above earth’s radioactive atmosphere for decades. At the beginning of the book 100 juvenile delinquents from the colony are being sent to earth in hopes of finding out if it’s survivable due to the fact that the colony is running out of air. With their hopes of survival resting on the shoulders of the 100, the chancellor ships them off to earth in the dropship hoping for positive feedback and if nothing else at least some extra time with the 100 gone and no longer using oxygen on the ship.

Review: The Hazards of Sleeping with a Friend (Hazards #5)

The Hazards of Sleeping with a Friend (Hazards #5) by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 26, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Warning: Sleeping with a friend might change your life forever.

Sleeping with Kyle was never in the plans. Pretending to be his girlfriend was one thing, but letting our relationship become anything but platonic was another. 

The problem with mixing friendship with sex is that inevitably feelings get involved, and when that happens there's no turning back.

When Kyle's life fell apart around him, I needed to help, but doing that meant opening myself up to the most terrifying thing in the world—falling in love.



♥ ♥ ♥

The Hazards of Sleeping with a Friend by Alyssa Rose Ivy is the fifth book in the hazards series and it might just be my favorite yet. This book follows Jade and Kyle on a mission to trick his family into thinking he’s in a serious relationship to get his marriage happy family off his back. But things get a bit more intense than the two bargained for when they have to spend the week together in close quarters.

One of the things I love most about all of Alyssa’s books is that she creates such realistic characters that you can’t help but get attached and want to know more about their stories. And The Hazards of Sleeping with a Friend is no different. I love Jade. She’s the perfect mix of sassy and uncertainty. She’s got very real fears and we can all relate to being hurt in love at one point or another, so it’s easy to see where she’s coming from.

Blog Tour: Fake Boobs

Fake Boobs by Ryan Ringbloom
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 1, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Tori Albert is eighteen. Her confidence level is zero. A girl lost in the shuffle, hiding in the shadows craving attention, but no one ever seems to notice her. If only someone, anyone, would notice her, she’d be happy.

Grant Donavan is Tori’s older brother’s best friend. Suddenly he can’t stop noticing Tori, but that is not a good thing. She’s young, inexperienced and naïve. The best thing he could do is walk away. So why the hell is he not walking away?

Tori’s small boost of confidence gets torn down and she makes changes to build it back up. But maybe her new confidence isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Unfortunately some things you just have to learn the hard way.


♥ ♥ ♥

This story was beautiful. I honestly don’t know how Ryan Ringbloom does it. Each book by her I read is better than the last and Fake Boobs is no exception. It deals with a subject that I think everyone can say they’ve had issues with at least once. Despite how beautiful and smart Tori is she has issues with confidence and dozens of insecurities that plague her through the story and we can to see her deal with these issues while learning how to overcome them.

I really liked Tori’s character. She was a bit down on herself and yes sometimes I wanted to throttle her and Grant both to be honest, but that’s only because I was so invested in what was happening. Ringbloom has a way of creating her characters in such a realistic way that you can’t help but identify with them.

Review: Lure (The Allure Chronicles #1)

Lure (The Allure Chronicles #1) by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: February 16, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

There's danger in the beauty...

Two years, six months, and twenty-five days. That's how long it had been since I'd seen my winged hero— not that I'd been counting. 

I'd suffered through years of counseling just to convince my friends and family that I wasn't crazy and knew he didn't exist.

But he did. And I was done waiting.

Days after college graduation I headed back down to New Orleans to retrace my steps and find Owen again only to find my life was about to get even crazier...thanks to the most beautiful and dangerous of all paranormal creatures, the Allures.


♥ ♥ ♥

“Inevitably those thoughts always went to Daisy, the girl I knew I could never have, but who had trusted me so much.” – Owen ‘Allure’

The Allure Chronicles are fast becoming one of my favorite series by Alyssa Rose Ivy. Allure picks up a little over two years after Seductions Kiss and starts off with Daisy planning a trip back to New Orleans. I did mention how much I love that the French Quarter is involved with this series right? Because it’s awesome. Ivy always creates such a well-developed setting. It truly sucks you in.

We got to meet quite a few new people in this book, but I think one of my favorite parts, and I say one because I had many favorite parts, was getting to know more about Owen. He was a lot more fleshed out in this book and we got to meet people involved in his life and see more of what was going on with him. One of the things that’s always great about Ivy’s writing is we get to see things from two perspectives, which allows us to see things from both character’s eyes.

Review: Seduction's Kiss (The Allure Chronicles 0.5)

Seduction's Kiss (The Allure Chronicles 0.5) by AUTHOR
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: January 29, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Prequel novella to Lure (The Allure Chronicles #1)*

Never agree to a road trip to New Orleans with your roommate. 

At least not when your roommate is dragging you along while she reconnects with an ex-boyfriend. Possible consequences of failing to take my advice:

1) Unknowingly going out with a vampire stripper
2) Getting kidnapped by said vampire's nest mates
3) Falling head over heels for your winged hero

Believe it or not number 3 is the worst one, especially when no one believes you that he exists.



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New Orleans!

I absolutely adore the French Quarter even though I’ve never been there and the fact that Seduction’s Kiss by Alyssa Rose Ivy takes place there is awesome. Daisy is dragged to New Orleans by her roommate and friend Reyna, so she can spend the weekend of Halloween with the boy she likes. While Daisy doesn’t exactly want to go, she sucks it up and takes one for the team so her friend can see the boy she likes, but what happens in New Orleans is worse than anything Daisy could have dreamed up.

I’m a huge fan of Alyssa Rose Ivy and I’ve gotta say this was an incredibly strong start to a new series. I loved Daisy. Who can’t relate to having a friend who you do stuff for even though you don’t really wanna? And Halloween as the setting was perfect. I love Ivy’s character’s they are always so relatable and well thought out. She does such a good job with the banter as well.

Blog Tour: The Angel Killer (The Watcher Saga #2)

The Angel Killer (The Watcher Saga #2) by AUTHOR
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal, Angels
Release Date: January 5, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Now that she’s found him again, all Mia Crawford wants is some downtime with her fallen angel boyfriend, Michael. But the call of duty keeps him away—from school and from her—with more demons to smite than ever.

When Michael is mortally wounded by a cursed sword, Mia must perform an ancient blood ritual to save him. But the spell exacts a price. 

Haunted by visions of war, torture, and despair, Mia discovers the world is in more danger than she ever imagined. Behind the scenes, an evil adversary pulls all the strings.

After redemption, there’s Hell to pay.



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I have been waiting for this story ever since I read The Watcher and good god it did not disappoint. The Angel Killer by Lisa Voisin picks up a couple of weeks from where The Watcher left off. I really like Voisin’s style of writing and the way her characters develop throughout the story. But I think what I loved most was the story jumped right into things. The action started right in chapter one and just kept on growing in intensity until the very end.

Review: Panic (Flaw #2)

Panic (Flaw #2) by Ryan Ringbloom
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 7, 2014
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

There are always two stories.

Robin fell in love with Kent, the boy next door, a long time ago. Once their romance is rekindled, getting married and starting a family seems like the obvious next step. 

But fate throws a wrench in that plan. Now Robin is tempted to walk away from their relationship rather than settle for anything less than perfect with the man she loves.

Bailey is certainly not the boy next door, yet Shayna fell for his well-played act. But real love only exists in the movies. 

When a chance encounter binds them together, Shayna finds herself relying on Bailey more than she could ever have expected. And while their resources are slim and their circumstances are far from perfect, she and Bailey slowly discover that they do have something special to give...

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I love Kent and Robin!

Okay, so I have been patiently waiting for Kent and Robin to pop in another book and I was not disappointed. Panic by Ryan Ringbloom was perfection. It has been a while since one book made me feel so many things at once. Panic was emotionally charged and I love how it dealt with some incredibly real issues.

Did I mention we got to see Ashley and Patrick? And that there’s a wedding? Squee! But again, I digress. I absolutely adore the way Ringbloom writes her characters. She takes such care developing these interesting, relatable, very real people that you can’t help but root for. In Panic we also get a chance to meet two new characters, Bailey and Shanya, who right off the bat capture your heart with the obstacles they face within the book.