Category: ARC

Blood Type (Blood Type: Book 1) by K.A. Linde

5 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: April 24th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Fantasy

Series: Blood Type

Blood Type – Book 1

Blood Match – Book 2

Blood Cure – Book 3

Where you can find Blood Type: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A startling new vision of paranormal romance: When a human ventures into the world of vampires—a decadent milieu of blood-bonds and betrayal—she discovers that not all is what it seems.

For Reyna Carpenter, giving up her body isn’t a choice. It’s survival.

In a civilization laid waste by poverty and desperation, Reyna accepts a high-paying position with the wealthy and hungry vampire elite. Her new job is as the live-in blood escort for the intimidating, demanding, and devilishly handsome Beckham Anderson. He’s everything she expected from a vampire, except for one thing—he won’t feed off her.

Reyna soon discovers that behind Beckham’s brooding, wicked façade lies a unique and complex man. And that, in a dark and divided world, she is more valuable than she ever would have believed.

For with each passing night, Reyna can’t shake the sensation that it’s Beckham who’s afraid of her.

Note: Reyna and Beckham’s story continues in Blood Match.

My review:

When I saw that this book was up for review on NetGalley, I almost passed it by. But something about the blurb caught my attention and made me look twice. I thought it was going to be your typical Twilight knockoff. Not only am I glad that I requested (and got) the book, I am glad that my assumption was so wrong. This book is nothing like the Twilight knockoff. NOTHING like it. So don’t expect a book like that. Expect something that is much darker and grittier. These vampires don’t glitter.

Blood Type takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. Vampires came out to the humans years before, sending the world into a tailspin. After the dust settled, the vampires had taken over the world. People were left fighting for food, shelter, and jobs. Reyna grew up during that time and is struggling to survive in the new world the vampires created. Her way out is to become a blood escort. Someone who lets the vampires feed off of her in exchange for money. But, she gets chosen to test out a new role. A role as a live-in escort. Her sponsor is the VP of the escort company, Beckham Anderson. As heat and lust sparks between Beckham and Reyna, she can’t feel that there is something off. Something that she doesn’t know about. Something that could make or break her world if she finds out.

Like I mentioned above, this book was gritty. It was not written to make you think that vampires where nice people who happened to want to drink your blood. Nope, these vampires were evil. Even if they had good intentions, like Beckham. I loved it!!! It was a refreshing read and different from other vampire books. I was not bored reading it.

I felt bad for Reyna. She tried everything in her power to get out of where she was staying. The escort service was her last resort. She didn’t want to be known as a blood whore. She was ashamed of it. I did get a laugh out of her wardrobe and her reaction to it. What was running through my head was Julia Roberts wardrobe before Richard Greer picked her up in Pretty Woman. Except Reyna had the opposite reaction.

I couldn’t get a feel on Beckham until almost the end of the book. Normally, that bothers me but in this case, it only added to how much I like the book. He is a vampire. I shouldn’t be able to read him like a book. I should have to work, like Reyna did, to see what he was like underneath. It wasn’t until the bombing that I even began to understand him. I loved it!!!

The sexual tension in Blood Type was through the roof. Reyna and Beckham do not actually have sex until towards the end of the book. I thought that the author did a great job keeping the sexual tension up until then. When they finally had sex, it was explosive. I swear my Kindle’s screen fogged up a few times.

The end of the book was insane. Not going to get into it, but I was not expecting what happened. There is a cliffhanger. I don’t like cliffhangers but this one made me eager to read book 2.

What I liked about Blood Type:

A) Vampires were what I thought they should be. Not glittery freaks.

B) Reyna and Beckham’s sexual tension

C) The plotline

What I dislike about Blood Type:

A) Reyna being forced into being a blood escort

B) The other live in blood escorts. They annoyed me

C) The judgey peeps that Reyna met

I would give Blood Type a rating of Adult. There is explicit sex, explicit violence, and language. This is a book that no one under the age of 21 should be reading.

I wouldn’t give this book any trigger warnings.

I would recommend Blood Type to family and friends. I would give a warning about the sex, violence, and language. This is a book that I would reread. This is also a series that I am going to enjoy reading.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Loveswept for allowing me to read and review Blood Type.

All opinions stated in this review of Blood Type are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Bella Cove: A Second Chance Romance by Rochelle Katzman

Bella Cove: A Second Chance Romance

4 Stars

Publisher: TCK Publishing

Date of publication: April 24th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Where you can find Bella Cove: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

She Gets a Second Chance at Love, But Her Family’s Secrets Could Ruin Everything 
Kayla Conway is devastated when she is forced to leave her life and her fiancé behind in California to take care of her family. She must return to her hometown of Bella Cove, a small, charming town on Long Island to visit her grandma on her deathbed. Just before her grandmother dies, Kayla promises that she will help put the pieces of her family’s life back together. 

But when she makes that promise, she has no idea of the lies, deceit, and betrayal she will have to deal with. The grief from grandma’s death brings out the worst in her family. 

Two years later, her family is stronger, but Kayla’s passion for life seems to have died the day grandma left. 

When her ex-fiancé, Gabe Wademan, walks back into her life—not as her partner, but as her new landlord and neighbor—Kayla feels more alive than she has in months. 

But getting back together with Kayla is the last thing Gabe wants—he never forgave her for leaving him so suddenly. He demands explanations for her behavior two years earlier, but Kayla refuses to reveal her family’s deepest, darkest secrets. 

So instead, she makes it her mission to show Gabe she’s the same woman he fell in love with back at school—just a little older and a lot less naïve. And if he gives their relationship a second chance, she promises she’ll never leave him again. 

But when Gabe gets close to her family, Kayla is terrified that he will discover their secrets. How could he ever trust her again if he found out? 

He’s only been back in her life a few weeks, but Kayla doesn’t think her heart could handle losing him a second time. Especially since this time, it would be forever.

My review:

I had mentioned in another review how much I love second chance romances. It wasn’t any difference with Bella Cove. I loved reading about Kayla and Gabe rediscovering their love. After reading (and reviewing) a few books that were intense. So reading this romance was the thing I (and my brain) needed.

I liked Kayla. Her passion for anything that she did in life was a breath of fresh air. When the book starts, she had taken over a toy store. She threw herself into it so it could continue making a profit. What I liked is that behind that happy façade was a woman who was the backbone of her family. A woman who had to be tough. A woman who suffered immense heartbreak and loss. She had been tried by fire and came out this amazing person. But she was also tired of it all. She wanted her own life without the responsibilities of being the “family matron.” My heart broke for her because she couldn’t tell her family to start solving their own problems. She felt that she would let her Nana down.

I didn’t like certain members of Kayla’s family. Her mother, her brother, her SIL, and her father. For various reasons, they all earned my dislike. From the drama queen of a mother to the father who had no backbone, I felt bad for Kayla.

I wasn’t sure what to make of Gabe at first. All Kayla’s flashbacks of him made him out to be kind of a control freak. Also, the way he treated her when she told him that she was ready to come back was awful. She was going through a lot and he added to it. He also ran hot and cold with her, which confused me as much as it confused her. But, towards the middle of the book, I could see he was coming around. By the end of the book, I liked him. He was everything that he wasn’t when they broke up. I felt that he was worthy of Kayla.

The chemistry between Gabe and Kayla was intense. From the minute they first saw each other, after two years, you could see the sparks. The more interactions they had, the more the heat there was. I was surprised that they didn’t have sex sooner in the book.

The sex scenes were deliciously hot. I swear my Kindle fogged up from the heat that they generated. Kayla was also a bit of a horn dog later in the book. She had a liking for outdoor/public sex. I mean, they got it on behind boards at the house Gabe was building, which was right next to her parents. They also had sex in the front seat of Gabe’s truck.

The end of the book was everything a romance novel should be. Certain things should have come sooner, in my opinion. I loved the epilogue!!! Total happy ending there. I am hoping that there is a book 2. Kayla’s sisters and her unmarried brother need some action.

What I liked about Bella Cove:

A) Complex and well-written characters

B) Interesting storyline

C) Great world building

What I disliked about Bella Cove:

A) Certain members of Kayla’s family.

B) Gabe at the beginning of the book

C) Too much responsibility put on Kayla

I would give Bella Cove an Adult rating. There is language. There are explicit sexual situations. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

There are no trigger warnings with Bella Cove.

I would recommend Bella Cove to family and friends. This is a book that I could see myself rereading.

I would like to thank Rochelle Katzman for allowing me to read and review Bella Cove.

All opinions stated in this review of Bella Cove are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

The Perfect Duchess (The Macalisters: Book 2) by Erica Taylor

The Perfect Duchess (The Macalisters, #2)

3 Stars

Publisher: Amberjack Publishing

Date of publication: April 17th, 2018

Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance

Series: The Macalisters

A Suitable Affair – Book 1

The Perfect Duchess – Book 2

Where you can find The Perfect Duchess: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Andrew Macalister, oft regarded as the Stone Duke of Bradstone, hates his annual birthday ball tradition. He dislikes facing those around him who only see him for his title, and has given up on a chance to live a normal life. That is until he spots Lady Clara Masson across the ballroom. Clara’s twin sister is the woman who infamously jilted Andrew at the altar five years ago, but little does Clara know, Andrew had been smitten with her since childhood, and he finds her presence a ray of sunshine in a dreary dukedom. 

When Clara’s life is threatened by her evil brother, Johnathan, Andrew must do the only thing he can think of to save her: propose marriage. Between Clara’s trust issues and Andrew’s battle with societal norms, two find romance under dangerous circumstances.

My Review:

I’m going to admit, I read the reviews for The Perfect Duchess before I decided to review the book. With the majority of the reviews being favorable, I decided to take my chances with it. While I am glad that I read it, I was left feeling a little overwhelmed by everything that went on in the book. I felt that some of the action should have been cut. The storyline with Clara’s abusive brother was more than enough to carry the book. Anything else cluttered the plotline and dragged it down.

The Perfect Duchess was set in my favorite era, Regency England. Like I have stated in other reviews, I love this era. Something about it calls to me. I enjoy reading about the exploits of the ton. I love it when the bluestocking gets the Duke, Earl, or Count. I love reading about the different activities that the upper class did. I find reading about the Season fascinating. If you can’t tell, I have a passion for this era.

I liked that the author made Clara the underdog in the book. Her reputation was in tatters because of horrendous (for that time) rumors. She also carried the scandal of her sister jilting Andrew at the altar. So she was persona non grata in the ton, even though she was the daughter of an Earl. I thought that she handled the abuse thrown at her with grace. I know that I wouldn’t have been as gracious as her if I heard what people were saying about me.

I couldn’t get a handle on Andrew for a good part of the book. The author chose to make him unreadable. I don’t have a problem with that but she made him so unreadable that when he did certain things, it took me by surprise. I also didn’t get how him becoming a Duke had an effect on anything until Clara and Andrew had a talk about her brother. Then the lightbulb went over my head. I don’t know how I didn’t put two and two together.

I actually felt bad for Clara’s brother, Jonathan. I know, feeling bad for the bad guy. He didn’t ask to feel the way he felt and it was bad timing that things happened the way they did. I couldn’t imagine being gay during that time. But, my feeling bad for him only lasted through that part of the book. He did some awful things to Clara and her sister for money. Any pity I had for him was washed away when it was revealed exactly what he put her twin through.

Clara did drive me up a wall. I could understand her trust issues. But there was a time in the book where I was eye-rolling and going “Seriously“. I did like her but still. She should have trusted Andrew. She knew that he wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.

I loved the excerpts at the beginning of each chapter of the gossip rag. I laughed at how the full names of everyone talked about were not used. But you knew who they were. I did feel bad for Clara. It was like she was living her life under a microscope and this column was picking her apart.

I didn’t get the storylines of Clara’s sister, her secret and the inheritance being introduced so late in the story. While it showed why Jonathan was doing what he was doing, I felt that it dragged the book down. Made it murky and confusing. I had to reread those parts to get them straight in my head. That is not something I like doing.

The sex between Clara and Andrew was hot but I felt that it was also a bit forced. I would have been fine with them not having sex and letting their chemistry continue to the end of the book. I do feel that them having sex did let some of the oomph out of their relationship.

The end of The Perfect Duchess was your typical historical romance ending. A HEA (which I liked). I am wondering which sibling the author will write about next!!

What I liked about The Perfect Duchess:

A) The excerpts for the gossip magazine

B) Set in Regency England

C) Clara’s underdog status

What I disliked about The Perfect Duchess:

A) Plotlines introduced in the last half of the book.

B) Mark was too unreadable

C) Sex killed the chemistry

I would give The Perfect Duchess an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is not any language. I wouldn’t let anyone under the age of 21 read this book.

There are trigger warnings in The Perfect Duchess. They are: abuse (emotional and physical) and bullying

I am on the fence if I would reread The Perfect Duchess. I am also on the fence if I would recommend this book to family and friends. If I did recommend, I would give a heads up about the trigger warning.

I would like to thank Amberjack Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review The Perfect Duchess.

All opinions in this review of The Perfect Duchess are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

On the Line (Milwaukee Dragons: Book 1) by Liz Lincoln

2.5 Stars (bumped up to 3 stars for NetGalley, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads)

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: April 17th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Sports

Series: Milwaukee Dragons

On the Line – Book 1

Swagger – Book 2

Where you can find On the Line: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Is this man: A) a super-hot NFL player, B) the guy you’re sexting, or C) your new boss?

If you’re Carrie Herron, the answer is all of the above. First Carrie starts exchanging steamy text messages with the sexy single dad she meets in line at the grocery store. Then she lands a job—and a bedroom—as the live-in nanny for the daughter of the Milwaukee Dragons’ newest star. But when Carrie shows up for work and realizes that they’re actually the same guy, she has no choice but to try to keep things professional. After all, Seth Chamberlain is her boss now. Her chiseled, charismatic, oh-so-tempting boss. . . .

After getting traded from Houston to Milwaukee, Seth’s having a tough time keeping his head in the game, let alone setting up his daughter in a brand-new city. So if the only nanny his daughter will tolerate while he’s on the road is the gorgeous, cosplay-loving redhead he’s had his eye on, well, so be it. Surely he can resist Carrie until football season is over. But with her knowing glances and kissable lips driving him wild, Seth must decide whether he’s ready to put everything on the line.

My review:

Image result for you're my zing memes
Picture credit

I went into reading On the Line thinking that it would be a great romance. And it was, for the first chapter. After that, the book bored me. I struggled to finish reading it. There was no zing with the main characters. To me, that is the most important part of a romance novel. The characters have to have a least some attraction to each other. Also, I like it when there are no dropped storylines. I can understand, and deal with, one dropped storyline. Things happen. But when there are more than one, then I start to get frustrated.

Image result for love drama memes funny
Picture Credit

Carrie drove me bat-poop crazy during the entire book. She collected more drama than a drama llama. First, she got fired from her job as a science teacher. Then her landlord is selling her apartment. Next, she cannot find a job. She keeps putting off the nanny job that her well-meaning friend keeps offering her. I was irritated with her then. But when she started working for Seth, my irritation levels went through the roof. She should have listened to her BFF or wised up sooner in the book. I did like some parts of Carrie. I like that she dressed up for LARP at Comic Cons.

I liked Seth. If Carrie was a drama llama, Seth was the exact opposite. He was a single parent trying to raise a 13-year-old girl alone. That alone bumped him up in my eyes. Then he met Carrie and I thought to myself “Did you lose your ever-loving mind?” For some, strange, unknown reason, he wanted her. He did try to keep her at arm’s length until the middle of the book. Then it was like he said “Eff this” and started banging her.

Maddy, Seth’s daughter, deserves a mention here too. I alternately felt bad for her and thought she was a spoiled brat. I felt bad for her because she wanted to know about her mother. Any questions she had, Seth refused to answer. No wonder she started to look for her herself. She did have a connection with Carrie but it didn’t stop her from having a fit when she found out about Carrie and Seth. The total 180 that she did on that subject made my head spin.

Image result for lack of sexual chemistry memes
Picture Credit

I felt that there was a lack of chemistry between Carrie and Seth. Everything seemed forced up to sex. It made me sad because the sex scenes were actually pretty hot. I couldn’t get into them.

I had an issue with the dropped storylines in On the Line. There were a few. Carrie’s brother and his connection to Seth. Carrie’s last job. Seth being unsatisfied in his career. I felt that the book could have been so much better if those had been resolved. Because, to be honest, it made the book very hard to read. I feel that those storylines could have helped flush out the plot and the characters.

The end of On the Line was a very typical romance novel ending. The plotlines were brought together and ended in a way that should have satisfied me as a reader. But with the way I felt about Carrie and the lack of chemistry between Carrie and Seth, I kind of groaned.

Now saying all this about On the Line, I am looking forward to reading book 2.

What I liked about On the Line:

A) Carrie LARP’d. I don’t think I have ever read a romance novel where the main character LARP’d. Very refreshing.

B) Carrie’s education background. Came in handy several times in the book.

C) Seth’s dedication to his daughter

What I disliked about On the Line:

A) The book bored me.

B) Lack of chemistry between Carrie and Seth

C) Too many dropped storylines

I would give On the Line a rating of Adult. There are language, mild violence, and explicit sexual situations.

There are no trigger warnings in On the Line.

I would not recommend this book to family and friends. I would not reread On the Line but I would be open to reading other books by the author. I would also be open to continuing the series.

I would like to thank Loveswept, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review On the Line.

All opinions stated in this review of On the Line are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

In Her Skin by Kim Savage

In Her Skin

4 Stars

Publisher: Macmillian Children’s Publishing Group, Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux (BYR)

Date of publication: April 17th, 2018

Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Suspense

Where you can find In Her Skin: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Sixteen-year-old con artist Jo Chastain is about to take on the biggest heist of her life: impersonating a missing girl. Life on the streets of Boston these past few years hasn’t been easy, and Jo is hoping to cash in on a little safety, a little security. She finds her opportunity in the Lovecrafts, a wealthy family with ties to the unsolved disappearance of Vivienne Weir, who vanished when she was nine. 

When Jo takes on Vivi’s identity and stages the girl’s miraculous return, the Lovecrafts welcome her back with open arms. They give her everything she could want: love, money, and proximity to their intoxicating and unpredictable daughter, Temple. But nothing is as it seems in the Lovecraft household—and some secrets refuse to stay buried. As hidden crimes come to the surface, and lines of deception begin to blur, Jo must choose to either hold onto an illusion of safety or escape the danger around her before it’s too late.

Continue reading “In Her Skin by Kim Savage” →

Starswept (Starswept: Book 1) by Mary Fan

Starswept (Starswept, #1)

5 Stars

Publisher: Snowy Wings Publishing

Date of publication: August 29th, 2017

Genre: Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Series: Starswept

Starswept – Book 1

Wayward Stars – Book 2

Where you can find Starswept: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Some melodies reach across the stars.

In 2157, the Adryil—an advanced race of telepathic humanoids—contacted Earth. A century later, 15-year-old violist Iris Lei considers herself lucky to attend Papilio, a prestigious performing arts school powered by their technology. Born penniless, Iris’s one shot at a better life is to attract an Adryil patron. But only the best get hired, and competition is fierce.

A sudden encounter with an Adryil boy upends her world. Iris longs to learn about him and his faraway realm, but after the authorities arrest him for trespassing, the only evidence she has of his existence is the mysterious alien device he slipped to her.

When she starts hearing his voice in her head, she wonders if her world of backstabbing artists and pressure for perfection is driving her insane. Then, she discovers that her visions of him are real—by way of telepathy—and soon finds herself lost in the kind of impossible love she depicts in her music.

But even as their bond deepens, Iris realizes that he’s hiding something from her—and it’s dangerous. Her quest for answers leads her past her sheltered world to a strange planet lightyears away, where she uncovers secrets about Earth’s alien allies that shatter everything she knows.

My review:

When I was approached to review Starswept, I was kind of “eh” about it. But a friend and fellow blogger, Kristin at Simply Enchanted Life, had reviewed it and she loved it. I trust her opinion when it comes to books, so I made the decision to review it. I am glad that I did because this book was fantastic.

Starswept takes place in the 2157 North Carolina. It did take me a while to realize that the book was set in North Carolina. I was so engrossed with Iris and Damiul’s romance that it didn’t register. It was only when the author makes a point of mentioning Charlotte, that my radar went off.

Iris was a gifted violist who, at the beginning of the book, more than anything wants her ranking to go up. She wants to attract an Adryil patron and be able to find her parents. She meets Damiul as he was running from security bots. He gives her a strange device and tells her not to tell anyone about it. It is soon after that she is able to see and hear him through telepathy. She is soon falling in love with Damiul even though he is hiding something from her. At the same time, she attracts an Adryil patron and is soon off to their planet. But, she comes to realize that what she knew about the Adryil race is not what she thought. There are truths revealed that will shatter her. Can she pull herself together to help the one person who needs it?

I liked Iris and I enjoyed watching her character growth throughout the book. She went from being a music-obsessed teenager desperate to attract a patron to a mature young woman who was able to roll with the punches. Her personality came off the pages. I also liked that she was a typical teenager. Well, as typical as a teenager could be while trying to outperform her peers. I couldn’t believe the pressure that she was put under to find a patron. Insane, knowing what I know now.

I am glad that Damiul was only shown through telepathy. At first, I wasn’t. I like my romantic characters to be together and interact like couples do. Having Damiul so far away and only so Iris could see him was excellent. What also added to his allure is that I didn’t know anything about him. He didn’t talk to Iris about his family. When things were revealed about him to Iris, I was right there with her being stunned.

Music is a huge part of this book. Everything revolved around it. From the school that Iris lived and trained at to going to Adryil. I am not an expert on musical instruments or even the type of music that a viola plays. But, I did my research while reading. If you want to hear a fantastic violist, google Nobuko Imai and watch a few videos of her playing. Beautiful!!!

The romance between Damiul and Iris was a slow burn. It was also different because he was only available to her through telepathy. I got caught up in their romance.

The end of Starswept was not what I expected. I will leave it at that. If you want to know more, read the book.

What I liked about Starswept:

A) Great storyline

B) Relatable characters

C) The music

What I disliked about Starswept:

A) The school

B) The insane pressure that Iris was under

C) Damiul only being available to Iris through telepathy

I would give Starswept a rating of Older Teen. There is no sex or sexual situations in this book. There is a couple of kisses but that’s it. There is some mild violence sprinkled throughout the book. There is also mild language.

There are trigger warnings in the book. Because these would be considered spoilers, I will white them out. Highlight if you want to read them. They are slavery.

I would recommend Starswept to family and friends. I would give them a heads up about the trigger warning. This is a book that I would reread.

I would like to thank Snowy Wings Publishing for allowing me to read and review Starswept.

All opinions stated in this review of Starswept are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

The Snowtiger’s Tale by Watson Davis

The Snowtiger's Trail (The Windhaven Chronicles) by [Davis, Watson]

5 Stars

Publisher

Date of publication: April 12th, 2018

Genre: Dark Fantasy

Series: The Windhaven Chronicles:

The Devil’s Library – Book 1 (review here)

The Shepherd Girl’s Necklace – Book 2 (review here)

The Archbishop’s Necklace – Book 3 (review here)

The Snowtiger’s Trail – Book 4

Where you can find The Snowtiger’s Trail: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Amazon):

Welcome to Windhaven and the Wrath of the Wizard-King!

A deposed Wizard-king leads his ragged band of followers to the last town before the Far Waste and hides there from his vengeful queen while building an army to re-take his rightful kingdom. A regular army won’t do for the Wizard-king. He needs something deadlier, something magical, something demonic.

When Wallak of the Bright Fox tribe wakes up from a night of carousing in Ancliff, he can’t find his nephew. He can’t return to his tribe alone, but if he discovers his nephew whereabouts, he may never return to his tribe at all.

This is a swords and sorcery tale of dark, soul-twisting magic where no-one is safe.

My review:

I have become a huge fan of Watson Davis. I have enjoyed reviewing his The Windhaven Chronicles. So when he asked me to read and review The Snowtiger’s Trail, I jumped on it. This book exceeded my expectations!! It also answered some questions that I had about the other books in the series.

The Snowtiger’s Trail follows Wallak of the Bright Fox clan as he tries to save his nephew from an evil king. This evil king is using dark magic to transform the people of the village that he took over. Wallak is captured while looking for his missing nephew. He is then transformed and used to fight the other villagers who were also transformed. Wallak needs to find a way to defeat the evil king. That way everyone who was transformed by the evil king can be free. But will Wallak be able to do it? Or will he be doomed to be enslaved to a monster for the rest of his life?

I liked Wallak’s character. He was such a wise guy. He was also a tough bugger too. I mean, he got beat on during the book. There were chapters where I wondered to myself “How on Earth is he still alive“. He was a dedicated uncle, brother, lover, and tribesman. I will say that I was not expecting what happened to him to happen.

I thought that the fantasy aspect of the book was wonderfully written. The author did a great job of gradually introducing King Thrune’s magic. He didn’t get into the transformation. That was left up to my imagination and I loved it. All I knew is what Wallak and Brida felt after each transformation.

The monsters that made up a good part of this story were creepy. There were minotaurs, centaurs, and Valryke type monsters, to name a few. The author also made up a few. The crab creatures and the flying snow tigers are ones that stood out in my mind the most.

I liked the secondary storyline of Wallak and Brida’s romance. I thought that it was skillfully woven into the main storyline. It was written in such a way that it didn’t take over the main storyline. It actually added to it.

I will admit, I was surprised at who those tribes ended up being. Thinking about it, after reading the book, it does make sense. I couldn’t wrap my head around it at the time.

There is a fair amount of violence in The Snowtiger’s Trail. Saying that I wasn’t turned off by the violence. The violence was needed to make the reader understand what Wallak, Brida, and the other changed people were going through. What I also liked is that no character was spared when it came to being killed off. It was another way of keeping me glued to the book.

The end of the book, which I mentioned above, was surprising. Like I mentioned above, I wasn’t expecting what happened to happen. The end of the book made me smile because it was fitting. It came around in a full circle.

What I liked about The Snowtiger’s Trail:

A) Rich, complex world

B) 3D characters

C) the fantasy aspect of the book was very well written.

What I disliked about The Snowtiger’s Trail:

A) King Thrune

B) The children being abducted and changed

C) The gladiator scenes

I would give The Snowtiger’s Trail a rating of Adult. There is explicit violence. No language. There are sexual situations but they were not graphic.

I would give The Snowtiger’s Trail trigger warnings. They would be attempted rape, abduction of children. If you are triggered by those, I would suggest not reading the book.

I would recommend The Snowtiger’s Trail to family and friends. I would include a warning about the explicit violence and the trigger warnings. This is a book and series that I would reread.

I would like to thank Watson Davis for allowing me to read and review The Snowtiger’s Trail.

All opinions stated in this review of The Snowtiger’s Trail are mine.

**I received a free copy of this book and volunteered to review it**

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon (The Embraced: Book 3) by Kerrelyn Sparks

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon (The Embraced, #3)

4 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Date of publication: March 27th, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Series: The Embraced

How to Tame a Beast in 7 Days – Book 1

So I Married a Sorcerer – Book 2

Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon – Book 3

Where you can find Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon: Amazon | Barnes and Nobles

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

From the brilliant imagination of Kerrelyn Sparks comes a bold new fantasy romance series in which passion and magic collide. Behold the Embraced…

Gwennore has a talent. An Elf able to track down the cause of an illness and heal it, she’s a valuable asset to her people. When the kidnapping of a young girl thrusts Gwennore into the very heart of the realm of the dragons, she discovers not only a place of power and magic but also a haunted land, plagued by an ancient curse that all but ensures extinction to the royal family. But when she meets the smoldering General Silas Dravenko, they strike a bargain—save the country from its cursed illness, and he will return the kidnapped girl. She’s been raised never to trust a dragon, but never did making a deal with the devil feel so good…

Silas has no way of curing the family he’s loyally served for years. But when a beautiful elf, long considered the enemy of the dragons, comes bursting into his world, Silas is awakened to passion and desire in a way he’s never felt before. But can he trust a sworn enemy to save the very existence he holds dear? And can their love survive those that threaten to tear them apart?

My review:

First off, I want to comment on the model for the cover of the book. Can we say “Yum?” He is what I pictured Silas would look like. Thank you to whoever had to good sense to choose this model. He will help boost sales on this book.

I had an “Oops, I did it again” type of hiccup when I signed up to review this book on NetGalley. Usually, if I get the hint that the book is part of series, I look it up on Goodreads and make my decision. As it turns out, I didn’t see the “A novel of the Embraced” on the blurb that NetGalley puts up. Or the series list that Goodreads has. I was distracted when accepting this book. I am glad I did. Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon was a great read. I did get lost with some of the references made about the plotlines of the earlier books and the Chameleon.

Image result for the chameleon tuff puppy
Picture Credit

The plotline for Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon was interesting. Gwennore is an Elf who was raised on a secret island with 4 other girls. They all have had the misfortune of being born when the two moons of their world eclipse. Any child who is born when that happens is born with a magical power.

Gwennore was watching her adopted sister’s 3-year-old daughter when a dragon suddenly appears and snatches the toddler up. Gwennore clings to the dragon in a desperate attempt to rescue her. After being thrown from the dragon and being caught by another, Gwennore is brought to the land of Novreshka. A land that is dangerous. A land that Gwennore will fight for her life, to get to the bottom of an ancient curse, to heal the people of Novreshka, and for the love of a man who has many secrets. What Gwennore doesn’t know is that her secrets, secrets that have been hidden from her, could be the undoing of everything that she has fought so hard for.

I liked Gwennore even though I felt bad for her. She was not accepted outside of her sisters because she was an Elf. That whole scene with those Lords made me mad. She was too sweet to even stick up for herself and she refused to let Brody shift and bite them. I did think that when she spoke Novreshkaish, it was a little odd. But when she told Silas where she learned it from, I laughed. She was speaking like they did centuries before. I liked that she was willing to do anything to find a cure for the curse that was affecting Novreshka. I figured out her parentage fairly early in the book. I did think it took her a little longer to figure out the connection between Puff and Silas. I figured it out before her…lol.

I loved Silas. I thought he was awesome the entire book. He would do anything for his family. But if it crossed a line, which kidnapping Gwennore’s niece did, he was willing to right the wrong. He was such a mystery in the first half of the book. I liked how the author gradually leaked his background. His biggest secret, though, I guessed halfway through the book. I like it when the main character can make me laugh. Silas certainly did. He was a cheeky bugger.

There is Instalove in Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon. I don’t like Instalove. I know most people do but I like a believable romance. One where the love is built up. Not one where all it takes is one look and bam, you are in love. Strangely, it does work in Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon. But just because it works, doesn’t mean I will start liking Instalove.

The chemistry between Gwennore and Silas was off the charts off. The author did a great job of maintaining that spark between them until they had sex. And let me tell you about the sex. Holy crap was it good. Silas couldn’t have picked a better place to deflower Gwennore. At their version of the North Pole, under the Northern lights. It was beautiful and unbelievably sexy.

What I didn’t like was that past books were referenced. While the author did a great job of following up with an explanation about what the characters were talking about, I still felt that I was out of the loop.

I loved how the author kept the secret of the dragons a secret until almost the end of the book. Saying that I did guess the secret halfway through the book. I also liked how the author connected that secret to the issues that had befallen the kings and queens. It made for a very interesting read.

The end of the book was not what I expected. It was a bittersweet ending. Silas’s happiness was tempered by something that happened towards the end of the book. The author ended Silas and Gwennore’s romance in a way that satisfied me. But she didn’t end all the storylines. She left enough leeway that you know there will be a book 4. I am wondering if it will be Maeve or Sorcha???

What I liked about Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon:

A) A fun, flirty storyline

B) Gwennore and Silas’s romance

C) Plot twists were kept secret until they were revealed

What I didn’t like about Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon:

A) 3rd book in a series

B) Instalove

C) Past books were referenced and leaving me confused

I would give Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon an Adult rating. This is a book that I wouldn’t let anyone under the age of 21 read. There are explicit sex and violence. No language. There is one scene where a man is pushed into a boiling hot spring and boiled alive. I didn’t easily get that scene out of my mind.

There are trigger warnings in this book. They would be kidnapping, murder, and attempted murder. If you are triggered by any of these, I would suggest not to read the book.

I would recommend Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon to family and friends. I would include a warning about the triggers. I would reread this book and I would happily read the rest of the series.

I would like to thank St. Martin’s Paperbacks, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon.

All opinions stated in this review of Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Scoring off the Field (WAGS: Book 2) by Naima Simone

4 Stars

Publisher: Entangled Publishing LLC, Entangled: Brazen

Date of publication: March 12th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: WAGS

Scoring with the Wrong Twin – Book 1 (review here)

Scoring off the Field – Book 2

Where you can find Scoring off the Field: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Tennyson Clark is getting a life. First step: quitting her job as assistant to Dominic Anderson, star quarterback for the Washington Warriors, her best friend … and the man she’s been secretly in love with for years. But since the gorgeous, if overprotective playboy has only ever seen her as his BFF, she’s finally ready to relinquish her tattered fantasy and move on. Enter steps two and three: new job and new man.

Football is Dominic’s life, and with his contract soon up for renewal, all his focus needs to be on the game. But Tennyson—dependable, logical Tennyson— is making that next to impossible with her mysterious new job and her sudden interest in online dating. He doesn’t do relationships. But the thought of another man touching her sexier-than-hell curves has him suddenly wanting more from his best friend.

Indulging in hot, dirty, what’s-my-name sex with no strings and lots of benefits is simple, uncomplicated…until it’s not.

Each book in the WAGS series is STANDALONE:
* Scoring with the Wrong Twin
* Scoring Off the Field

My review:

I was excited to read Scoring off the Field. I had enjoyed reading Scoring with the Wrong Twin and I figured that Tenny and Dom’s romance would be next. I wasn’t wrong and what a romance it was.

Scoring off the Field had a pretty straightforward plot. Tenny is Dom’s PA and best friend. She also has been in love with him for years. She decides that she has had enough and that she needs to go on with her life. That leads to her giving her notice to a very surprised Dom. Dom realizes that Tenny means more to him than he cares to realize. But can he convince her of it? Can he make her realize that his feelings for her are genuine?

What made this book fun to read is that the characters had a friendship of many years before they took things to the next level. The ease that they both have with each other made the romance more believable. I like it when the main characters have a history together. It adds a depth to both of their characters that aren’t there if there are two strangers meeting. Dom and Tenny’s relationship was one of those relationships.

I liked Dom, even if I wanted to shake some sense into him for about 90% of the book. He was your typical man. Can’t see what he had until he almost loses it. I didn’t like that he ran hot and cold with her at points in the book. Kept measuring every woman up to his college girlfriend. Again, I wanted to shake some sense into him. His backstory made me want to cry. Having lost a parent the same age he did, I can understand his feelings. I can also understand why he felt the need to protect a young Tenny and how that molded his life.

Tenny was such a doll in this book. She was sweet, kind and she was heads over heels for Dom. I thought that her background was tragic. I can’t even begin to comprehend how a mother could do that to a child. Made me angry to read that. No wonder she had a fear of hospitals!! I also understood why she was afraid to let Dom know how she felt about him. She got rejected when they were in college and she did that. So she wasn’t willing to let herself get embarrassed like that again.

The romance was cute but I wish more time was spent building it up. The book went from Dom and Tenny being best friends to lovers within a few chapters. I kind of felt cheated that there wasn’t any more build up. But, Dom and Tenny were friends before lovers so I can get why the author chose not to have an extended build up. Still, I wish it was there.

The sex was beyond hot. Once the weirdness of being together like that wore off, Dom and Tenny were like freaking bunnies. The sex they had wasn’t boring sex, it was adventurous sex. They did it everywhere. My Kindle was fogging up from the heat those two generated.

The end of the book was great. I loved the way that Dom apologized to Tenny. Talk about perfect!!!

What I liked about Scoring off the Field:

A) Hot sex

B) Relatable characters

C) Dom and Tenny’s relationship

What I disliked about Scoring off the Field:

A) Dom being clueless about how Tenny felt about him

B) Tenny’s and Dom’s childhood

C) Dom’s treatment of Tenny in the hospital.

I would give Scoring off the Field a rating of Adult. There are graphic sex and language. No violence.

There are trigger warnings in Scoring off the Field. They are the death of parents and child abuse by Munchausen’s Syndrome. There are no details given about Dom’s parents’ death other than they died in a car crash. But there are details given about Tenny’s child abuse. So if those trigger you, I suggest not reading the book.

I would recommend Scoring off the Field to family and friends. I would give a heads up about the trigger warning. This is a book and a series that I would reread.

I would like to thank Brazen, Entangled, Entangled Publishing LLC and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Scoring off the Field.

All opinions stated in this review of Scoring off the Field are mine.

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Wonderblood by Julia Whicker

Wonderblood

2 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

Date of publication: April 3rd, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Post Apocalyptic, Dystopia

Where you can find Wonderblood: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A dystopian fantasy about war, faith, and waiting for space shuttles. 

Set five hundred years in the future, Wonderblood is Julia Whicker’s fascinating literary debut, set in a barren United States, an apocalyptic wasteland where warring factions compete for control of the land in strange and dangerous carnivals. A mad cow-like disease called “Bent Head” has killed off millions. Those who remain to worship the ruins of NASA’s space shuttles and Cape Canaveral is their Mecca. Medicine and science have been rejected in favor of magic, prophecy, and blood sacrifice.
When traveling marauders led by the blood-thirsty Mr. Capulatio invade her camp, a young girl named Aurora is taken captive as his bride and forced to join his band on their journey to Cape Canaveral. As the war nears, she must decide if she is willing to become her captor’s queen. But then other queens emerge, some grotesque and others aggrieved, and not all are pleased with the girl’s ascent. 

Politics and survival are at the center of this ravishing novel that will delight fans of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road and Jeff VanderMeer’s Acceptance.

Trigger Warning: child abuse, pedophilia, and graphic violence

Continue reading “Wonderblood by Julia Whicker” →