Category: ARC

Love Taker (Nashville Nights: Book 3) by Erin McCarthy

Love Taker (Nashville Nights, #3)

Title: Love Taker

Author: Erin McCarthy

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Loveswept

Date of publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 182

POV: 3rd person

Series: Nashville Nights

Heart Breaker – Book 1

Dream Maker – Book 2 (review here)

Love Taker – Book 3

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

The Nashville Nights series is burning up backstage in this sensual friends-to-lovers novel featuring a good-guy cop and a woman who’s been looking for Mr. Right in all the wrong places.

Pretty-boy musicians are a fixture of the Nashville country scene—and Elle Hart, a hairdresser to the stars, is beginning to think that they’re all total pricks. Elle’s dating choices have been a disaster, but at least she has Tucker. Though he’s easy on the eyes, no one would ever accuse Jason Michael Tucker of being a pretty boy. The humble and handsome sheriff’s deputy from Elle’s hometown has always been there to comfort her—until the evening their friendship unexpectedly leads to the best sex Elle has ever had.

Tucker has been lusting after Elle since they were an item as teens, but he knows that their wild night of passion is a one-time thing. He’s an old friend, nothing more, and they’re too different to become a couple just because they’ve knocked boots. After all, she hates being back in their hometown, and he’s not so fond of the big city. But when Elle comes to Tucker with the news that changes everything, he must help her come to grips with her traumatic past—or risk losing her forever.

My review:

I had waited anxiously for this book to come out and I haunted Loveswept’s NetGalley page until the ARC came up. I was a huge fan of Dream Maker that I had to read this book. I needed to see if Elle got her happy ending. When she appeared in Shane’s story, Elle had caught my interest and I was curious to see who she was going to end up with.

I was pretty happy with who she ended up with. Tucker was the opposite than her in so many ways and to be honest, with her wild child ways, she needed him. He balanced her out. But until that one night, she kept it solely as friends.

When she does have sex with Tucker, it was off the pages hot and very sweet. Of course, the morning after was kind of awkward and they did stop talking to each other for a month because of that. The only reason that they started talking was that one night of passion had unexpected consequences. Elle got knocked up…even with using a condom.

What I liked the most about this book was how real Elle and Tucker were, well for the most part. The whole Las Vegas and Tucker quitting his job were a tad too much. Only for certain events to happen a little later in the book and then Elle change her mind.

The humor in this book got me too. Elle had a mouth on her and I loved her one-liners. I was literally dying laughing on the couch and BK was just looking at me like I had 3 heads. My favorite line was (and this is not an exact quote) “sweating like a hog eating soup in August.” Oh, the images it conjured up for me.

The end of the book was very sweet and the epilog was perfect. The series was ended beautifully and happily!!! A perfect HEA. Oh, and I loved the name Elle and Tucker gave the baby ;).

How many stars will I give Love Taker: 4

Why: This book was great. Had a great storyline, humor and two unforgettable main characters (as well as secondary ones)

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

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

Dead Letters by Caite Dolan-Leach

Dead Letters: A Novel by [Dolan-Leach, Caite]

Title: Dead Letters

Author: Caite Dolan-Leach

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Random House

Date of publication: February 28th, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, General Fiction

POV: 1st person

Number of pages: 353

Series: No

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

A missing woman leads her twin sister on a twisted scavenger hunt in this clever début novel of suspense for readers of Luckiest Girl Alive and Reconstructing Amelia.

Ahoy, Ava! Welcome home, my sweet jet-setting twin! So glad you were able to wrest yourself away from your dazzling life in the City of Light; I hope my death hasn’t interrupted anything too crucial.

Ava Antipova has her reasons for running away: a failing family vineyard, a romantic betrayal, a mercurial sister, an absent father, a mother slipping into dementia. In Paris, Ava renounces her terribly practical undergraduate degree, acquires a French boyfriend and a taste for much better wine, and erases her past. Two years later, she must return to upstate New York. Her twin sister, Zelda, is dead.

Even in a family of alcoholics, Zelda Antipova was the wild one, notorious for her mind games and destructive behavior. Stuck tending the vineyard and the girls’ increasingly unstable mother, Zelda was allegedly burned alive when she passed out in the barn with a lit cigarette. But Ava finds the official explanation a little too neat. A little too Zelda. Then she receives a cryptic message from her sister.

Just as Ava suspected, Zelda’s playing one of her games. In fact, she’s outdone herself, leaving a series of clues about her disappearance. With the police stuck on a red herring, Ava follows the trail laid just for her, thinking like her sister, keeping her secrets, immersing herself in Zelda’s drama and her outlandish circle of friends and lovers. Along the way, Zelda forces her twin to confront their twisted history and the boy who broke Ava’s heart. But why? Is Zelda trying to punish Ava for leaving, or to teach her a lesson? Or is she simply trying to write her own ending?

Featuring a colorful, raucous cast of characters, Caite Dolan-Leach’s début thriller takes readers on a literary scavenger hunt for clues concealed throughout the seemingly idyllic wine country, hidden in plain sight on social media, and buried at the heart of one tremendously dysfunctional, utterly unforgettable family.

My review:

Dead Letters is one of those rare mysteries that have you guessing what exactly happened until the end of the book.  This book will suck you in while Ava goes on a scavenger hunt that was orchestrated by her twin sister, Zelda. What the scavenger hunt reveals and what it forces Ava to face is what makes this book so good.

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This isn’t one of those fun mysteries with likable characters and a happy ending. Not even close. This has to have been one of the saddest, complex books that I have read to date. Ava’s family has to be one of the more dysfunctional ones in all the books that I have read to date.

What I liked about this book was that it truly was a mystery and that the author had no qualms about throwing out red herrings left and right. Just when I thought I had the mystery of what happened to Zelda pegged, the book went in a totally different direction and totally screwed me up. This happened two times and both times, I had to put my Kindle Paperwhite down because the shock just got to me…both times. Well done, Caite, well done.

I was truly on the fence about liking Ava. She came across as so uncaring with her mother, father, and grandmother (but she does have her reasons why) but when it comes to Zelda, the emotions just can’t stop. I do think that the scavenger hunt was maybe a little unfair to Ava but Zelda wanted to make a point. And oh boy, did she.

Marlon and Nadine were detestable as parents. Whenever Ava started to think about her past, all she could think about was how her father was checked out most of the time (and I mean checked out mentally) and how she had to walk on eggshells around her mother. No wonder the girls turned out the way they did.

I also should point out that the author did a great job portraying what living with an alcoholic is like and what growing up as a child of a functioning alcoholic is like and what it is like to be a caregiver to someone with dementia. Not easy subjects to talk or write about but she did it beautifully.

The end of a book was a huge surprise in two ways. Not going to ruin it for anyone but I had to get up and walk around after the 2nd surprise came around. Then I sat down and went “W.T.H.”

How many stars will I give Dead Letters: 4

Why: I really enjoyed reading this book. I couldn’t put it down. I had to find out about what happened to Zelda, why Ava was the way she was and everything else in the book. Truly captivating.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Language. Also scenes of verbal abuse (which could be triggers in some people), drug use and some mild sex scenes

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

Spectra by Ebony Olson

Spectra

Title: Spectra

Author: Ebony Olson

Published: Inkitt

Date of publication: February 22nd, 2016

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Number of pages: Unknown

POV: Alternating 1st person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

One touch of Spectra’s fingers leaves the predator Bay craving more.

Spectra is a Balance; a decadent of angels whose soul has been intertwined with that of sorcerer Alexander, although her heart belongs to Mercury, the son of an archangel.
Bay is a predator de Sang and sorcerer, who runs his own private security company, fighting the purist organization Essence. Seeking out Spectra for her special abilities the last thing he expected to find was a Balance strong enough to withstand his potent energy. With her heart and soul already claimed, could there be room for another in her life?

When Bay’s infatuations bring Spectra to the attention of Essence and put her life at risk, he must learn that sometimes sacrificing the ones you love is the only way to save them.

My review:

When I started reading Spectra, I went into it thinking that it was going to be one of those paranormal romances that focuses more on the sex than the story. Boy, was I wrong. While sex does get mainlined for a while, the real story ends up being the relationships that Spectra has with Bay, Merc and Alexander and, of course, the Essence storyline (which was fascinating).

Spectra was a tough chick. She was dealt a crap hand in life. Her sister was killed by a predator (think vampire/were animal), her mother just couldn’t deal and committed suicide when Spectra was 14. Then she is date raped after her college boyfriend slips her a Rufie and she dies from an allergic reaction to it. She is brought back to life and she makes it her life’s mission to help those who can’t help themselves (victims be it of abuse or other things).

Alexander was so sweet at first and then he morphed into a jerk. I was kinda taken aback when he did the 180 because it went against how he was portrayed. But when it was revealed why he morphed into a jerk, I wanted to reach into the book and smack him. Put it this way: Can’t have your cake and eat it too!!!

Next to Spectra, Merc was my favorite character in the book and he was a perfect fit with Spectra. Their relationship was a little strange (totally open, both were able to see/sleep with other people) but it worked for them because they didn’t get jealous. I mean, the first time we meet Merc, he is nailing a girl in Tommy’s bar……lol.

I wasn’t too sure about Bay at first. But the more I read, the more I started to like him and by the end of the book, I loved him. He also was a good fit with Spectra but, and stress but, because he was a predator (aka vampire) and a sorcerer (which is the first time I think that I have read those two being combined). He was the one the uncovered the wrongs that Alexander was doing to her, thinking that he was protecting her, and he was the one that was there, along with Merc, when Spectra needed him the most.

The whole storyline as to who Spectra’s father was and the storyline about exactly what she is was played out beautifully. I kinda felt bad for her when it was revealed who her father was, and a little shocked, to be honest. Then when Bay finds out exactly what she was, again it was a huge surprise to me. There were hints dropped throughout the book but I didn’t exactly put two and two together until Bay found out.

I would be a fool if I didn’t address the sex scenes. They were all hot. Very hot but what ruined them for me is that Spectra would go from one man’s bed to another in the same day. Also, the whole cumming in her until she was married. It was great (and that she insisted on condoms was awesome) until well, you have to read the book. I wish that it was carried out until the end because it was kinda different.

The ending was good but I couldn’t tell if there was going to be a book 2? I am so torn because there was so much left in the air.

How many stars will I give Spectra: 4

Why: A great paranormal/fantasy with hot sex scenes. The ending I was a little torn on and I wish there was better clarification on if there is going to be a book 2.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, and language

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

Jerk Bait (The Sloane Spadowski Series: Book 1) by Emigh Cannaday

Jerk Bait (The Sloane Spadowski Series Book 1) by [Cannaday, Emigh]

Title: Jerk Bait

Author: Emigh Cannady

Publisher: Silver Popular Press

Date of publication: February 22nd, 2017

Genre: Romance

Number of pages: 214

POV: 1st person

Series: The Sloane Spadowski Series

Jerk Bait – Book 1

Slip Sinker – Book 2 (expected publication date March 15th, 2017)

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Sloane Spadowski has never kept a job (or a boyfriend) for more than a few months. The last thing this temp worker wants is a long-term commitment to either–until she hooks the ultimate trophy. Not only does her new office have a stunning view of Downtown Chicago, but her sexy new supervisor makes it clear from day one that he’s a boss with benefits. Andy is funny, smart, rich, and has Ken-doll good looks, making him the perfect catch. Just when Sloane is about to reel him in, she finds herself caught on a snag the size of Texas–his best friend Barbie.

* The Sloane Spadowski series is a whimsical, rowdy, dirty blend of Contemporary Romance and Romantic Comedy, with occasional adult language and adults behaving badly. This is the first installment of a complete series.

My review:

This book was just what I needed after reading two books that were not light reading and dealt with some pretty heavy issues. It was refreshing!! It was a salve for my brain and recharged it…..lol.

I really liked Sloane. I liked that she was kinda commitmentphobe about jobs and relationships. She changed men almost as much she changed her underwear (and maybe more). The only serious relationship she had been with Jack, her roommate, best friend, and ex-boyfriend.

Andy came across as a horndog from the minute he was introduced to Sloane in his office. Not that Sloane helped any with her deliberate leaving up the corset page and then having him look at it. Then he buys them for her with a condition that she wears them for him. But I do like that he held off from actually doing the deed with her, a few times. That he opted to get to know her better. Kinda brought down his perviness a little.

The whole Barbie storyline had me going until the end. When it was revealed who Barbie was, I almost died and I can’t wait until the next book to see where that is going to go.  Put it this way, I think Jack would be a great hook up for Barbie….lol!!!!

I also think that I figured out the Andy Jr storyline and if it is what I think it is, well Sloane is going to be proven wrong….haha. The phone conversations alone tipped me off.

The make-out scenes with Andy were pretty hot and I can’t wait to see when they actually have sex. It is going to beyond hot.

Like I said, the end of the book was a cliffhanger with a huge surprise. I was kinda taken aback by the surprise and it did hook me into reading the next book.

How many stars will I give Jerk Bait: 4

Why: This book was a balm on my brain after reading a couple of books that dealt with some pretty heavy issues. The characters were quirky but likable and the romance was off the hook steamy. I cannot wait to read the next book.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sexual situations and some language

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

Beautiful Broken Girls by Kim Savage

Beautiful Broken Girls

Title: Beautiful Broken Girls

Author: Kim Savage

Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group

Date of publication: February 21st, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult

POV: 3rd person

Number of pages: 333

Series: No

Where this book can be found: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Mira and Francesca Cillo—beautiful, overprotective, odd—seemed untouchable. But Ben touched seven parts of Mira: her palm, hair, chest, cheek, lips, throat, and heart. After the sisters drown themselves in the quarry lake, a post-mortem letter from Mira sends Ben on a quest to find notes in the seven places where they touched. Note by note, Ben discovers the mystical secret at the heart of Mira and Francesca’s world, and that some things are better left untouched.

My review:

Beautiful Broken Girls is a gripping novel about one boy’s quest to find out exactly why his ex-girlfriend killed herself. Told in 3rd person and between Ben and Mira, Beautiful Broken Girls takes the reader on a heart wrenching and mystical journey as Ben uncovers clues about why Mira and Francesca committed suicide.

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I went into reading this book not knowing how deep or how mystical this book was going to be. I certainly wasn’t ready to read, from Mira’s perspective, the events that lead up to her and Francesca’s suicide. I also wasn’t ready to read about what happened to Ben when he was 9. Talk about being blindsided by that (want to know what, read the book). I also wasn’t ready for the reason behind Connie’s death. That was definitely something that took me by surprise.

Honestly, I felt awful for Ben. What a shock it must have been to get a letter from Mira after she died and then to go on that quest to the 7 places where they touched (palm, hair, chest, cheek, lips, throat, and heart) would have done a number on me too. And the way those notes were written!!! If the author hadn’t of included Mira’s side of the story, I would have jumped to the same conclusion as Ben did.

I did feel bad for Mira. She did seem like all she wanted to be was a normal girl but she had Francesca to take care of. Francesca who spoke in tongues, who had fits and who developed an unhealthy crush on their church’s youth advisor. Mira was the one who took care of her and I could see it draining her. Which kinda explains why she committed suicide. The real reason was heartbreaking once it was revealed (again, read the book if you want to find out). I will say that I did think it was kinda mean to send Ben on that quest to find the notes. But at the same time, she wanted someone to know the truth. I think she chose Ben because a) she was in love with him (or in love with him as she allowed her to be) and b) she knew that he would go the distance to get the notes.

The end of the book was very surreal and left me with more questions than answers. I wish that there was an epilogue or something to show what happened to Ben after he got the notes and did what he did. But at the same time, I am glad that there isn’t one and I get to use my imagination about what happened to him.

How many stars will I give Beautiful Broken Girls: 4

Why: This book was heart-wrenching to read. It outlines the events leading up to a double suicide while also telling about Ben’s quest to find Mira’s notes and to find out the reason the girls committed suicide. This is definitely a book to read with a tissue and an open mind.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Older teen

Why: Mild Violence, language, and the suicide theme

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

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

Roam by Erik Therme

Roam by [Therme, Erik]

Title: Roam

Author: Erik Therme

Publisher: Thecker Books

Date of publication: February 21st, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense

Number of pages: 244

POV: 3rd person

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Book synopsis (via Goodreads):

Three strangers, each searching for something out of reach.

Sarah Cate, celebrating her twenty-first birthday, is pushed over the edge after car trouble strands her in the middle of nowhere with an angry, unstable boyfriend.

Kevin Reed, a troubled adolescent abused by a loveless father, roams the night in his black Camaro, looking to pay forward one of the few acts of kindness he’s ever received.

Scotty Mason, plagued by profound guilt and completely detached from his world, is haunted by the unshakable fear that something inside him is dangerously broken and cannot be fixed.

When their lives intersect in an unsavory hotel with a bloody history, all three will struggle to exorcize their personal demons, unaware that a bigger threat is looming . . . and waiting for the right moment to strike.

Like Joshua Gaylord and Daniel Kraus before him, author Erik Therme explores the angst of disconnected youth in his enthralling and powerful Roam. Therme’s darkly tinged novel is an unforgettable tale of three errant souls brutalized by life’s cruel circumstances, and a remarkable night of discovery and violence that will change them forever.

My review:

I like mysteries/thrillers/suspense books that carry all the way through the book (ie they don’t fizzle out by the halfway point) and Roam certainly does that. From the first page, when we meet Sarah and Marc to the very last page where a surprise twist is revealed, Roam kept me on my toes, wondering what was going to happen next.

What I enjoyed about this book was that the characters were real. Sarah was in a relationship where her boyfriend was slowly isolating her, Kevin was abused by his father and Scotty was dealing with some pretty serious issues that were affecting him mentally.

I will admit that Sarah kinda annoyed me at first. She was super impulsive (hello, getting into a car with people she doesn’t know) and made emotional decisions (the confrontation with her mother). But the more I got into the book, the more I started to not only like her but felt bad for her at the same time.

Kevin, I actually liked. He was such a sweetheart. I mean, who would take a girl that he barely knew on a mission to find her long-lost friend? Plus, he was tough. I mean, he took on 3 people outside a bar and barely got hurt. When I read that, I thought to myself “Dayum. Sarah, he is a keeper”.

Scotty scared me. But at the same time, while he frightened me, I felt really bad. He was dealing with so much and it seemed like no one in his life, even his girlfriend could care less that he was hurting and that there was something going on with him mentally. The more his story went on, the more fragmented it became if that makes any sense.

The climax of the story (not the end, the climax) was very frightening and the author did a great job hiding the identity of the mystery man. I wasn’t surprised at who it was but I was surprised at what happened (want to know what happened….read the book).

Now the end of the book took me by surprise and I went “No way”. All I am going to say about that!!

How many stars will I give Roam: 4

Why: This book is truly one that will keep you guessing until the end and then some. The ending was a huge surprise and to be honest, it is what made the book!!

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sexual situations, language, and violence

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

Evening’s Land by Pauline West

Evening's Land

Title: Evening’s Land

Author: Pauline West

Publisher: Self Published

Date of publication: February 20th, 2017

Genre: Gothic, Romance, Mental Health, Mental Illness, Fantasy

POV: 1st person and 3rd person

Number of pages: 376

Series: No

Where you can find this book: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

The dark elegance of Anne Rice’s THE WITCHING HOUR meets the lush parallel worlds of Neil Gaiman’s SANDMAN series.

Reeling after her best friend’s suicide, Ada Walker falls under the spell of the collective subconscious, the EVENING’S LAND, searching for Faye’s soul with a rakishly hypnotic ghost named Christopher.

Richly preternatural and spine-tinglingly erotic, EVENING’S LAND is an exploration of love, loss, and loyalty that will haunt you long after the last page is turned.

My review:

This review is going to be so very hard to write. Not because the book was good, it was very good, it is because I am going to have a hard time not giving away some major that happens in the book. So I am very carefully editing what I am writing here (I have already deleted 3 starting paragraphs but will be keeping this one).

I think the author did a great job highlighting what happens after someone commits suicide. What happens to the people who are left and how it strains relationships/friendships. I really wanted to hug Ada because of that trauma. No one should find their best friend dead.

I also wanted to hug Faye. She had a crappy home life. A father who seemed to disdain her and a mother who went along with it. The whole hiking trip in the cave nailed that for me and showed me why Faye took the risks she did and why she basically clung to Ada. I think that’s why she broke when she was raped.

Not that Ada had it any better. Her mother slept around, her father was an enabler and Ada started cutting as a direct result of that. So, when she found Faye, it pushed her over the edge. I think her parents did the right thing by moving her across the country so she could heal. Too bad that they couldn’t fix their own issues.

I think if I fell into the Land like Ada did, I would have done the same thing. I would try to find Faye’s soul and try to pull her out of her Purgatory. And I think I would have been as surprised as Ada was if I met a boy in the Land and I would have been even more surprised when he appeared in my bedroom and started to seduce me.

Speaking of Christopher, I was so wrong about him. So wrong and I got so mad at myself for being wrong. I really wish that he didn’t do what he did because it really pole-axed me and definitely changed the story. Want to know what it was??? Read the book, you won’t be disappointed.

The Oliver Roamery storyline was truly scary. I got goosebumps when he appeared in the story. He is one of the most genuinely creepy characters written. Evil just poured off of the pages when he appeared.

When all 3 storylines (plus the secondary storyline with Mary and Jupiter) meet, it is explosive. Again, read the book if you want to find out how/why it was explosive.

This book was told in 1st and 3rd person but the author did a great job of distinguishing not only who was speaking but what time frame. The whole first half of the book was basically flashbacks starting 3 years previously and alternating between Ada and Faye. Once Faye commits suicide, no more flashbacks, obviously but then the author switches to 3rd person to start the Oliver Roamery storyline.

This book is erotic but I liked that the author chose not to go into the details of when people were having sex. Just flashes of memory, which actually conveyed more than a whole paragraph would. The only time she got wordy was when Ada and Christopher were making out/Mary and Oliver (belch).

The end of the book wasn’t what I expected, at all. I am still shaking my head over it.

How many stars will I give Evening’s Land: 5

Why: This is the first Gothic fantasy that I have read and I have to say, I loved it. The author has an almost lyric style of writing and she keeps you very engaged throughout the book. The story and sub-storylines were brought together with a bang and the book ended with a bang.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes but with a warning about the suicide scene and the rape scene

Age range: Adult

Why: Language, Sex (forced and consensual) and mild violence

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

Reaper’s Claim by Simone Elise

Reaper's Claim

Title: Reaper’s Claim

Author: Simone Elise

Publisher: Inkitt

Date of publication: February 15th, 2017

Genre: Romance

POV: Alternating 1st person

Number of pages: Unknown

Series: No

Where this book can be found: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

In my motorcycle club I’ve earned the name ‘Reaper’ and now I have my claim on Abby Harrison.

Reaper:
I didn’t know what love was, but I knew what want was, and I wanted Abby. When I walked out of the club and saw her I was stone cold sober. She was quietly beautiful and unlike any other woman I’d had before. But she was the daughter of the president of Satan’s Sons MC and completely out of my reach.

Abby:
Everyone knew The Reaper and how he got his name, so I never expected him to be my salvation when my sister’s drunk boyfriend wanted to lay hands on me. I thought my innocence would be lost in that alley until he showed up and saved me. I know being with Reaper will lead to trouble, but I don’t know if I have the strength to stay away.

Being together might be dangerous, but outlaws are meant to break the rules.

My review:

What I liked about Reaper’s Claim:

  1. It was a motorcycle club book. I am slightly obsessed with them since getting an ARC last year. I don’t know why. Maybe it is the allure of a bad boy or maybe it is the romance that comes with the story. I really don’t know why I am obsessed with them.
  2. The realistic look on motorcycle clubs. I said above that I am slightly obsessed with motorcycle club books. But it doesn’t mean that I am blind to when they are being shown as bikers with hearts of gold. It might be true for some clubs but let’s face it, motorcycle clubs in real life are not all good. They actually do very bad things to people and that is what makes this book refreshing. The author didn’t hide that Reaper, Roach, Kim, Abby and the rest of the club were bad people.
  3. Reaper and Abby being portrayed as real people. What I mean by that is that they have real issues. Abby has Daddy issues (Roach wasn’t exactly father of the year), anger issues and makes some not so great decisions in her life. Reaper has anger issues and when he fights with Abby, he ends up sleeping with a club girl (a woman who lives at the clubhouse and sleeps with everyone there….aka a whore). Together they had communication and trust issues. Major trust issues. To be honest, there was a point in the book where I thought that they needed to see a therapist.

What I disliked about Reaper’s Claim:

  1. The numerous 1st person POV’s. I love reading different point of views. It adds flavor to the book to read from another perspective. But, and stress but, there is only so many POV’s that you can have in a book before it starts to get confusing. Not only did we have Abby and Reaper’s POV but we had Trigger, Kim, Roach, Brad, Vivienne and a couple of other people whose names I can’t remember. Too much, way too much. It should have just been left with Reaper and Abby. The story wouldn’t have seemed as bogged down as it is.
  2. Abby. I couldn’t stand her. She was given a rough deal in life with her mother dying at such a young age, her father being who he was and her sister sleeping around. I get it but it didn’t excuse her actions after she was forced to go live with her aunt. Honestly, she acted like a 3-year-old trying to get her father’s attention (which I really think she was). She never listened to reason. If Roach or Reaper were trying to tell her something that might save her life, she would take off. By the end of the book, I was pretty sick and tired of her.
  3.  I couldn’t tell where this book took place. I know it is a petty thing to dislike but I couldn’t flipping figure out if the book took place in Australia or the UK and it drove me absolutely crazy. I know people are going to be reading this and going “Ok”. Here’s the reason it was driving me nuts. I read with accents and I couldn’t figure out what accent to give to the characters. I know, petty and weird, but it totally threw me off stride when I couldn’t do that.

How many stars will I give Reaper’s Claim: 3

Why: I was so torn on giving this book a lower star rating. I actually liked the book and found it refreshing that it gave a pretty realistic view on what motorcycle clubs are really like. But between the multiple 1st person POV’s and a very unlikable main character, I couldn’t get into the book and that affected my rating.

Will I reread: Probably

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes but I would warn them about the sex, language, and violence in the book.

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, violence, and language.

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

Always by Sarah Jio

Always: A Novel by [Jio, Sarah]

Title: Always

Author: Sarah Jio

Publisher: Random House Publishing – Ballantine

Date of publication: February 7th, 2017

Genre: Romance, Women’s Fiction, Contemporary Fiction, Chick Lit

POV: 1st person

Number of pages: 289

Series: No

Where this book can be found: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

From the New York Times, bestselling author of Blackberry Winter and The Violets of March comes a gripping, poignant novel about the kind of love that never let’s go, and the heart’s capacity to remember.

While enjoying a romantic candlelit dinner with her fiancé, Ryan, at one of Seattle’s chicest restaurants, Kailey Crane can’t believe her good fortune: She has a great job as a writer for the Herald and is now engaged to a guy who is perfect in nearly every way. As they leave the restaurant, Kailey spies a thin, bearded homeless man on the sidewalk. She approaches him to offer up her bag of leftovers and is stunned when their eyes meet, then stricken to her very core: The man is the love of her life, Cade McAllister.

When Kailey met Cade ten years ago, their attraction was immediate and intense everything connected and felt “right.” But it all ended suddenly, leaving Kailey devastated. Now the poor soul on the street is a faded version of her former beloved: His weathered and weary face is as handsome as Kailey remembers, but his mind has suffered in the intervening years. Over the next few weeks, Kailey helps Cade begin to piece his life together, something she initially keeps from Ryan. As she revisits her long-ago relationship, Kailey realizes that she must decide exactly what and whom she wants.

Alternating between the past and the present, Always is a beautifully unfolding exploration of a woman faced with an impossible choice, a woman who discovers what she’s willing to save and what she will sacrifice for true love.

My review:

A bit of a warning, this book is a tear-jerker from the beginning. I was a bit surprised at how early the tears started in the book for me. I went into reading Always knowing that it was chick lit and chick lit always turns me into a mushy mess. I just wasn’t expecting it by Chapter 2.

While I sympathized with Kailey, I was kinda annoyed with her. She should have told Ryan what was going on with Cade from the beginning, instead of keeping secrets. I mean, her boss (who was super supportive and unlike any boss I have known) and her best friend were voices of reason. “Tell Ryan. He’ll understand.” She doesn’t and then gets upset when Ryan finds out and he gets upset. What was he supposed to be? Happy that she is devoting all her time to helping the one man who disappeared on her 8 years earlier. The fact that he was at least understanding showed what a great guy he was.

Even before she realized it, I could tell that Kailey was still in love with Cade. I mean, she went and hunted him down after she saw him outside the restaurant. She became his advocate when the hospital decided that people who had insurance and were rich had more priority over those who were poor and didn’t have insurance (which is an unfortunate reality for most people these days).

Speaking of that, the love story between Cade and Kailey took my breath away. They loved each other so much and it just came off the pages. Like any couple, they had their problems. So when he disappeared, I could see why Kailey was devastated.

But what sold me on the book was the realistic insight to homelessness. People who are homeless are treated like they are below other people. All because they don’t have the money or a place to live. People are under the incorrect assumption that most homeless people are drug addicts. Not true. A huge majority of people homeless are people who used to have a house and a job and through unfortunate events are living on the street. There are not enough shelters to keep up with a growing homeless population….which was correctly portrayed in the book also. As was people’s views of them. A little compassion can go a long way because you never know, you could be that person on the street. At the end of this review will be a link to the National Coalition for the Homeless. Click on it to learn more about how to help shelters in your community.

I did like the ending of the book and felt that the story had come full circle.

How many stars will I give Always: 5

Why: This was a genuine tear-jerker of a book. Like I said above, I started crying about the 2nd chapter and didn’t stop. The love between Cade and Kailey was so real, so raw that it came off the page.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and language

National Coalition for the Homeless

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

Mage of Legend (Dragon Highlands: Book 1): A Kal’brath Novel by Jennifer Amriss

Mage of Legend (An M/M Gay Fantasy Romance): A Kal'brath Novel

Title: Mage of Legend

Author: Jennifer Amriss

Publisher: Magelight Press

Date of publication: February 3rd, 2017

Genre: Romance, Fantasy, LBGTQIA

POV: 3rd person

Number of pages: 352

Series: Dragon Highlands

Mage of Legend – Book 1

Kal’brath Novels

Race Against the Dark – Book 1 (review here)

Healing Wounds – Book 2 (review here)

Twilight’s Children – Book 3 (review here)

Can be read out-of-order from series: Yes, the first book in the Dragon Highlands series

Where this book can be found: Amazon

Goodreads synopsis:

Dimensional Rifters Were Nothing But Legends.
Until now…

Ages ago, one of the old gods threw Minuvel, the last Ivari, into a dimensional prison. She was too powerful to kill and too dangerous to let roam free. But her vault was lost.

A Spoiled King and A Skilled Hunter.

After a beautiful stranger saves his life, Xastrian, the new Dragon King, owes Velithor a life-debt. But as the two join forces to battle the crazed Ivari who shares their prison, he discovers he wants so much more. Soul-bonding with the shy, resourceful hunter would be worth anything. Even facing death a second time.

Trapped and Hunted.

Xastrian must rely on Velithor’s knowledge of the forest. Velithor must help Xastrian regain his power. And one of them must tap into the magic of legend to become a dimensional rifter before the Ivari drives Xastrian mad and ruins their chances of ever finding their way home.
Reading Order

Mage of Legend
Lurir: Going Home (Short Story)- COMING SOON!
*Dragon Court- COMING SOON!

Dragon Highlands Book 1.

This side duology to the Kings of Kal’brath series is set in the same universe where Mother, the sentient planet, cradles the races of three parallel worlds: Adradis of the elves and other magical races where the continent of Kal’brath resides, Earth of the magicless humans, and Morka of the magic-negating bashkai. If you loved the Kal’brath books, this duology brings back Velithor for more fun, romance, and gripping adventure.

These light fantasy romps are sure to be favorites you will want to read again and again.

Please note that this is book contains an M/M (Gay) Fantasy Romance subplot.

Want to know the reading order for the entire universe? Here you go!

1. Race Against the Dark (Kings of Kal’brath Pilot) [Het]
2. Healing Wounds: Mother Book One (Kings of Kal’brath 2) [Het]
3. Twilight’s Children: Mother Book Two (Kings of Kal’brath 3) [Het]
4. Mage of Legend (Dragon Highlands 1) [Gay]
5. Lurir: Going Home (Dragon Highlands Short) [Clean]
6. Dragon Court (Dragon Highlands 2) [Gay]

My review:

I was so excited when Jennifer contacted me to let me know that not only did she have another Kal’brath novel coming out and it was going to have Velithor in it, I was super excited. I didn’t come out and squeal like a teenager at a boy band concert but it was pretty close.

I am going to admit, I wasn’t a fan of Xastrian at first. He takes off after an assassination attempt (hello, an unknown person wanting to kill you!!) to practice his magic, which he isn’t very good at and not only did he end up blasting the area he was in (with everything in it) in between dimensions but he also almost died. After Velithor saves him, he acts like a spoiled brat. There were times I wanted to smack him. But he did start to grow on me. Slowly but he grew on me. By the end of the book, I really liked him.

Velithor, oh Velithor. I was so happy to see that he had a love interest that worshipped him. I actually cried a few times in the book. Once when Niral died saving him from the harpies (which, btw were not what I thought they would look like. WoW totally ruined that for me…..lol). Once when the mama grizzly died, leaving the cubs orphans and once when Velithor explained why he has white hair and Xastrian told him that he should feel cherished. Ahhhh…waterworks.

The sex scenes between Velithor and Xastrian were beyond hot and so sweet. The feelings between both of them just came off the pages and to be honest, it made the sex even sweeter to read. What I really liked, though, was that they had sex twice. The rest of the time, it was them making out and letting their feelings grow between each other.

The storyline involving Minuvel was awesome. She was a witch with a capital B and didn’t fail to pull out all the stops when he flat-out told her no. I was neutral about her at first (I mean, I would be little witchy if locked in a prison for as long as she was) but when she tortured Xastrian in the tunnels, I hated her. But she did get what was coming to her so I felt vindicated.

The storyline with the sithak was interesting. Mainly because how he was connected to both Velithor and Xastrian. I wasn’t expecting to like him that much or for him to actually care about them both. From the last book, I thought that he was a monster and I am glad that my image of the sithak was changed. I hope that he makes appearances in other books!!

The end of the book was pretty open-ended. I do have some questions that I hope will be answered in the next book. Like how will a certain engagement end up? And who is the assassin? Will the cubs stay with Velithor and Xastrian?

How many stars will I give Mage of Legend? 4

Why: I really liked this book. I couldn’t put this book down. I had to find out if Xastrian and Velithor defeat Minuvel and escape the prison. I couldn’t put the book down and finished it within a day and a half. It was that good.

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex and violence

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