Project Prometheus (Assassin Fall: Book 2) by Aden Polydoros

Project Prometheus (Assassin Fall, #2)

4 Stars

Publisher: Entangled Publisher, Entangled: Teen

Date of publication: August 28th, 2018

Genre: Young Adult

Series: Assassin Fall

Hades Rising – Book 0.5

Project Pandora – Book 1 (review here)

Project Prometheus – Book 2

Where you can find Project Prometheus: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

The Academy stole everything from Hades, their perfect assassin. Angry and leaving bodies in his wake, he finds two other ex-assassins doing the same thing.

Tyler and Shannon once killed for The Academy. Now they’re tracking and hunting down its scientists. So why is The Academy only after Hades?

Shannon will do whatever it takes to protect Tyler, even if it means teaming up with a former rival. While she seeks answers to her past, Tyler wants to learn the truth about the mysterious white room, which no one has ever seen except him.

As for Hades? He simply wants revenge.

They all need answers, even if it means returning to the organization where it all started.

My Review:

Excited didn’t even begin to come close to what I was feeling when I saw that book 2 in the Assassin Fall series was up for review. I had read and reviewed Project Pandora and was sucked right into the world that was created. A world that was intense and surreal. A world where teenagers were trained to be the perfect assassins. A world that was flawlessly carried over to Project Prometheus. So, yes, I was excited.

Project Prometheus starts off shortly after the end events of Project Pandora. Hades was taken from the hospital and is being held in the basement of Six’s father’s house. Tyler and Shannon are tracking down the scientists that worked for The Academy. After Hades takes care of business with Six’s father, he tracks down the other scientists to get answers. Will they get the answers that they want? Will Hades get his revenge? You need to read the book to find out.

Hades is one of the most charismatic characters that I have read to date. His personality came off the page. I wondered as I read the book if Six hadn’t been killed if he would have been as focused on revenge. Part of me says “No” but a big part of me says “yes“. He loved Six and would have done anything for her. His reaction to her death was exactly what I thought it would be. He became cold-hearted. But, underneath that cold exterior, you could see peaks of a decent person coming through. Just a peak, here and there. It gave me hope.

Tyler was an enigma. After he was shot, I was expecting him to die. Instead, he defied the odds and lived. His memories of that white room piqued my interest. And his terror at that one Dr chilled me to the bone. Out of the 3 teenagers, Tyler was the more relatable to me. He connected with Caroline, even protecting her when the gunfight happened. I wish that more information was given about the white room and Project Prometheus. I have a feeling that he is going to be even more dangerous than Hades.

Shannon was a loyal friend (or is it girlfriend??) to Tyler. She had some interesting flashbacks too. Makes me wonder if she is part of another project. Her loyalty to Tyler was insane. She went out of her way to make sure he got medical attention when she could have dumped him at a hospital. She found Dr. Miller, a scientist who worked at The Academy and forced her to administer aid to him. I can’t wait to see where the 3rd book goes with her.

Dr. Miller shocked me. I was not expecting the two major bombshells that went along with her plotline. One, I should have seen coming. Because of the hints that were given in both books. But the other one blew my mind away. It actually made me a little sad to see her go down that road. Only because I got a glimpse at a different person than what was exposed.

The end of the book was a whirlwind of activity. I am not going to go into the ending but I will say that there was a huge twist. A twist that I am not too sure if I am completely happy with it. Guess, I’ll have to read book 3 to find out what is going to happen.

What I liked about Project Prometheus:

A) Hades. I kinda had a crush on him

B) Tyler.

C) Shannon

What I disliked about Project Prometheus:

A) Just base information is given about the white room

B) Couldn’t figure out if Shannon was part of yet another project

C) Dr. Miller. Was NOT expecting what happened with her storyline

I would give Project Prometheus an Older Teen rating. There is no sex but there are sexual situations. There is language. There is violence, some of it graphic.

I would reread Project Prometheus. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank Entangled Publishing, Entangled Teen, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Project Prometheus.

All opinions stated in this review of Project Prometheus are mine.

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

The Last Straw (Pigeon-Blood Red: Book 2) by Ed Duncan

The Last Straw (Pigeon-Blood Red Book 2)

4 Stars

Publisher: Creativia

Date of publication: November 25th, 2017

Genre: Suspense, Mystery, Thriller, Crime

Series: Pigeon-Blood Red

Pigeon-Blood Red – Book 1

The Last Straw – Book 2

Where you can find The Last Straw: Amazon

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

When a teenage girl witnesses a carjacking gone bad, she is marked for death by a crime boss with no apparent motive. A black lawyer and a white enforcer with an unlikely history forge an uneasy alliance to protect the girl from a hitman with an agenda of his own.

After they find out that the crime boss is the father of the black teenage carjacker, Paul Elliott – lawyer and close friend of the witness’s family – begins counseling them.

As the long-simmering feud between Rico and John D’Angelo reaches boiling point, bodies start to pile up in rapid succession… and old scores will be settled.

My review:

I like suspense/mystery/thrillers/crime books. I like them because most of the time they can get my pulse running. Also, I am unable to put the book down. That was the case with The Last Straw. This book had me hooked. You know a book is good when you start dreaming about the characters.

As much as I liked The Last Straw, I felt lost at times while reading it. I didn’t understand the connection between Rico and Paul until Paul explained it. I don’t like being in the dark about backstories. I don’t like starting a book and thinking to myself “What are they talking about? What happened?” Unfortunately, that happened in this book. So, if you are to read The Last Straw, you need to read Pigeon-Blood Red first.

I thought the characters were well written. They were 3D and had depth to them. I liked Rico. He was an uneasy anti-hero. He came across as first as an unfeeling killer but as I read the book, he definitely had feelings. He had a strong moral compass. He had no problem killing people but drew the line at killing children. He didn’t have any friends yet he felt compelled to protect Paul against a rival hitman. If there is a 3rd book, I can’t wait to see where the author takes his character.

I didn’t get that same sense of development in Paul. I didn’t feel the connection to him that I felt to Rico. I do think that Paul wouldn’t want to be a person to tick off. That’s for sure. Because he can definitely take care of himself. The end of the book showcased that perfectly.

The Last Straw’s plot was intriguing. Teenaged girl witnesses a botched carjacking. The carjacker is the illegitimate son of a notorious crime boss. She is marked for death but the first attempt takes out her father instead. Paul is determined to protect her from whoever is killing her. Rico is on the hunt for the person who attacked his escort girlfriend when his boss pulls him aside and asks him to take a job. The job: To take out a girl who will be testifying at the murder trial of his son. Rico passes, only to be brought back into it when he realizes that the girl’s protector is Paul. Determined to protect Paul and the girl from the hitman contracted, Rico has to go against a hitman who hates him. And one who is willing to do whatever it takes to finish the hit and take Rico down. Can Rico thwart him?

This book is bloody. So, if you don’t like violence and blood in a book, don’t read it. I liked it because it was a no holds bars books. It didn’t hold back or pussyfoot around things. Instead, it was in your face and made you think about things. It also made me value the boring life that I live…haha. I also did wonder at one point in the book how the police were dealing with all the bodies.

The secondary characters definitely made the book. But the one that stands out for me was Beverly. She loved her son but she also wanted to see justice done. She went out of her way to make sure that the girl wasn’t going to be touched by her son’s father (which was a lie). She made herself into something from nothing. A strong woman who tried to instill right from wrong in her only child. I liked her.

D’Angelo was freaking nuts. When it was revealed why he hated Rico, I laughed. All that hatred over a woman….smh. He held onto that hatred like a dog with a bone. I could see that he was becoming unhinged towards the end of the book. I did wonder if he was going to go after Rico or try to harm Rico’s charges (can’t say, friends, because Rico didn’t have any). You have to read the book to what he does. I will say that he deserved what was coming to him at the end of the book.

Speaking of the end of the book, it was an explosive bloody end. There were a lot of deaths. Some deserved, some not. But it was the end of the book that put a smile on my face. A classy way to end the book!!!

What I liked about The Last Straw:

A) Well written characters

B) Intriguing plotline

C) Secondary characters that made the book

What I disliked about The Last Straw:

A) Need to read book 1 first

B) Paul’s character wasn’t as developed as Rico’s was

C) D’Angelo

I gave The Last Straw a 4-star rating. This book was a great read with well-developed characters. But you do need to read book 1 first to understand the relationships between Rico and Paul.

I would give The Last Straw an Adult rating. There is sex. Not explicit but it is there. There is graphic violence. There is language. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread The Last Straw. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

I would like to thank Kelsey from BookPublicityServices for allowing me to read and review The Last Straw.

All opinions stated in this review of The Last Straw are mine.

**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**

Blood Match (Blood Type: Book 2) by K.A. Linde

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: July 26th, 2018

Genre: Romance, Paranormal, Fantasy

Series: Blood Type

Blood Type – Book 1, review here

Blood Match – Book 2

Blood Cure – Book 3, expected publication date August 21st, 2018

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

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

As the provocative, sensual Blood Type series continues, the rare bond between Reyna and Beckham is threatened by betrayal, greed, and twisted secrets.

A desperate human. A powerful vampire. A world divided.

Reyna Carpenter was promised paradise. She was delivered into hell.

Giving up her body for money was supposed to be the hardest part of becoming a blood escort. She never expected to lose her heart to her dark, enigmatic boss, Beckham Anderson. After being taken by a depraved captor who plans to rule the world, Reyna will do anything to return to Beckham.

She just has to find the will to survive this game.

From the pawn, rises a queen.

Note: Reyna and Beckham’s story begins in Blood Type and continues in Blood Cure.

My review:

I was beyond thrilled when I saw that Blood Match was up for review on NetGalley. I had loved Blood Type and was waiting for Blood Match to come out. I had hyped this book up in my head. I am glad that it lived up to my internal hype because I would have been mad if it wasn’t good. Let me clarify, mad at myself. I try not to let myself get all hyped up over books. But in this case, because Blood Type was so good, I let myself do it.

Blood Match starts off 56 days after the ending events of Blood Type. Reyna has been kidnapped by William Harrington, the president and CEO of Visage. Reyna was kidnapped because of her very rare blood type, RH null negative. Harrington needed Reyna for her blood but he wasn’t above torturing her when she wouldn’t comply. One of those times, he left her alone with a deranged vampire that he called B. Reyna is soon broken out of Visage by Elle. Reyna soon learns that not everything is what it seemed. That enemies can be allies and allies can be terrible enemies. Can she overthrow Visage with the help of her friends or will she be forced to watch people that she loved die?

Blood Match was as dark and gritty as Blood Type. There was an undercurrent of violence that ran throughout the book. That is what made the book so good. You never knew when violence was going to explode. What I also liked, and what made this book dark, was that the “good guys” weren’t necessarily good guys. The author had those characters walk a thin line between good and evil. I loved it!!

The sex in this book was great. But, what I liked was that there wasn’t a ton of it. But, when Reyna and Beckham did bump uglies, it was explosive. Even Reyna’s dream sex was amazing!!!

The plotlines in Blood Match were not resolved. If anything, more depth was added to them. I cannot wait to read book 3 to see how this story ends.

The end of the book was insane. I didn’t expect what happened to happen. And it ended with a small cliffhanger. I was mentally yelling “NO” when I read it.

I rated Blood Match with a 4-star rating. Why did I do that? I liked the plotline. I liked the characters. The sex scenes were hot. Now, with the good, there is the bad. There were parts of the book that I didn’t like. I didn’t like William Harrington. I didn’t like what Visage was doing behind the scenes. I didn’t like the cliffhanger (as small as it was).

What I liked about Blood Match (to recap):

A) Plotline. Thought it was great.

B) Characters.

C) Sex scenes

What I disliked about Blood Match (to recap):

A) William Harrington

B) What Visage was doing behind the scenes

C) the cliffhanger

I would give Blood Match an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is violence. There is language. I would suggest that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Blood Match. I would also recommend this book to family and friends.

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

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

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

Hot & Heavy (Lightning: Book 2) by Tracy Wolff

Hot & Heavy (Lightning, #2)

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: July 17th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: Lightning

Down & Dirty – Book 1 (review here)

Hot & Heavy – Book 2

Where you can find Hot & Heavy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

When a daredevil football stud tries to get into your yoga pants, you know class is about to get interesting. The New York Times bestselling author of Down & Dirty returns with Hot & Heavy.

Sage: Although I come from a long line of free-spirited yoga teachers, sometimes I wish my life could be just a little more normal. More ordinary. More boring. Easier said than done, especially since it’s on me to keep my family’s studio up and running every time my mother wanders off to find herself. But that’s when my best friend sends me a sexy new student: Shawn Wilson, a slick wide receiver with a death wish and a chip on his broad, muscular, irresistible . . . wait, what were we talking about again?

Shawn: They say I’m an adrenaline junkie. The truth is, I only really feel alive when I’m risking my life: Snowboarding, parachuting, BASE jumping . . . the kind of fun team management considers a breach of contract. When my coach orders me to take yoga to “center myself,” I’m pissed—until I get an eyeful of delectable, flexible Sage Kaufmann. Unfortunately, she’s determined to keep things between us strictly business. But if Sage can get me to enjoy downward dog, maybe I can convince her that scorching hot sex could be the perfect shot of adrenaline.

With their own sweet HEAs, Tracy Wolff’s red-hot Lightning novels can be read together or separately:
DOWN & DIRTY | HOT & HEAVY

My review:

You know when a book starts with the two main characters getting their freak on in a bar outside the bathroom, the main focus will be sex. So I wasn’t surprised by the amount of sex in this book. What I was surprised by was how involved I got with the characters. I thought this book would be heavy on the sex and light on the plot. Instead, I got surprised. The plot was as good as the sex.

I loved Sage. She has to be one of my favorite fictional characters to date. She had a childhood that left her craving for stability. So, what does she do? Becomes an accountant. Nothing more stable than that. She kept people at arm’s length, unwilling to let anyone in. The only person she let in was Emerson. That was until she met Shaun. I felt that meeting Shaun was good for her. He made her go outside her comfort zone. He made her reevaluate what was important in her life. I loved watching her interact with Shaun. She didn’t know how to act with him. He threw her off-center. Loved it!!!

I thought Shaun was an idiot for most of the book. He did high-risk, daredevil antics that put him in danger. He didn’t care. Then he hurt his shoulder and met Sage. But even then, he didn’t slow down. I mean, after Sage did a deep muscle massage and taught him some yoga moves, he flipped mountain climbing and REINJURED his shoulder. I did a facepalm when he did that. He acted like a child. Did what he wanted, when he wanted, and forgot everyone else. It wasn’t until he scared Sage and his friends free diving that he kind of woke up. I say kind of because I didn’t feel he would stop. Tone down, yes. Stop, no.

I wish that there the romance was built up between Shaun and Sage. While I appreciate, like any red-blooded woman, hot sex in a book, I do like romance first at times. Sage and Shaun could have benefited from a romantic build-up instead of banging each other. I felt that any romance that could have happened was overshadowed by the sex. I did yell at my book and say, “Take her out to dinner, Shaun. Not to your bed,” a couple of times…lol.

Speaking of sex, holy moly, was it hot. This author loves having her characters do the dirty in public places. Hunter and Emerson (from Book 1) had a famous BJ while Emerson showed him a house. Shaun and Sage have sex in a bar outside a bathroom. Yes!! Plus, pool sex (which isn’t my thing, personally) was made fantastic and somewhat doable. Shaun and Sage also had insane sexual chemistry. INSANE!!! A look could get either of them going. Or, in Shaun’s case, a touch when doing yoga…haha.

I need to talk about what I didn’t like about both characters (besides the obvious). Sage’s mother was a piece of freaking work. Who, in their right mind, would take money out of a business and use it to pay a guru in India? And what got me was that she didn’t care. When Sage opened up to her about how her upbringing affected her, her mother first said, “I make no apologies for how I lived my life” (or something along that line). I was like, “Seriously, lady, your daughter has ISSUES because of that”. I loved that the author didn’t try to change Sage’s mother and didn’t make excuses for her.

What I didn’t like about Shaun was that he was feeling guilt over his mother and sister’s death. Yes, he was in a rush, but he was also a child. Guess what? Kids make parents rush. I wanted to hug him when he told Sage that. He also revealed why he did extreme sports. Which was also heartbreaking.

The end of the book was what I expected. Total HEA. I read it with a huge grin on my face. I couldn’t wipe it away. Loved it!!

What I liked about Hot & Heavy:

A) Sage. Loved her

B) The plot of the book

C) The sex

What I disliked about Hot & Heavy:

A) Shaun. He acted like a child for most of the book

B) Almost no romance. Wish there was more

C) Sage’s mother. Couldn’t stand her

I would give Hot & Heavy an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

I would reread Hot & Heavy. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept, and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Hot & Heavy.

All opinions stated in this review of Hot & Heavy are mine.

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

Moon Blood (The First Blood Son Series: Book 2) by Carol McKibben

Moon Blood (Book 2)

3 Star

Publisher: Troll River Publication

Date of publication: May 1st, 2018

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal

Series: The First Blood Son Series

Moon Blood – Book 1

Moon Blood – Book 2

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

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

Two vampires battle against the werewolf nation

Hybrid-wolf “Moon” and her human vampire master, Kane, fight for their lives against a stalking shifter network out to destroy them. Each battle may be their last as vampires and werewolves edge ever closer to war.

While Kane and Moon work to unravel the looming threat, more and more questions surface. But one thing is for sure; the real motives behind the werewolves’ plot against them include destroying the vampire race.

Only an act of bravery and trust will stop the werewolf species from destroying what Kane and Moon love the most. Vampire teeth flash and wolf claws clash as supernatural beings fight for life, love, and family.

My review:

I liked this book, even if I felt confused during the first few chapters of the book. Why was I confused? Because it is the 2nd book in the First Blood Son Series. There were references to the first book that made me go “Ok“.

The plot of Moon Blood is simple. Moon and Kane head to Italy to battle werewolves after getting word that the werewolves are mounting an attack against the vampires. While there, Kane meets a beautiful woman who is the direct descendant of the first werewolf. She, more than anything, wants peace. But she realizes that sometimes you have to fight for what you want. Even if that means fighting against your own kind.

I liked that the book was told from Moon’s perspective. She was an interesting narrator. I did like her ability to shift but didn’t understand how she got that ability. Because she wasn’t a werewolf. I have a feeling that it had something to do with Kane and that it was explained in the first book.

The big battle scene between the vampires and werewolves gave me a Twilight flashback.

I am not going to go into the end of the book because I will give away some major spoilers. Let’s say that I thought Moon was an interesting narrator and that her abilities were pretty awesome!!

What I liked about Moon Blood:

A) Moon.

B) Moon’s abilities

C) The lore. Loved it

What I disliked about Moon Blood:

A) Not a stand-alone book

B) The Twilight feel to the book

C) Not knowing how Moon got her abilities

I would give Moon Blood an Adult rating. There is sex. Nothing graphic but it is there. There is explicit violence. There is language.

There are no trigger warnings in Moon Blood.

I am on the fence if I would reread Moon Blood. I am also on the fence if I would recommend it to family and friends.

I would live to thank Troll River Publications for allowing me to read and review Moon Blood.

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

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

Malevolent Sadness: A Paranormal Suspense Thriller (The Prophet’s Mother: Book 2) by Julian Coleman

Malevolent Sadness: A Paranormal Suspense Thriller (The Prophet's Mother Book 2) by [Coleman, Julian M.]

4 Stars

Publisher:

Date of publication: June 24th, 2017

Genre: Mystery, Horror, Suspense, Paranormal

Trigger warning: Kidnapping

Series: The Prophet’s Mother

Stolen Prophet – Book 1

Malevolent Sadness – Book 2

Where you can find Malevolent Sadness: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

A new paranormal suspense thriller from the WINNER of The Independent Author Network 2016 OUTSTANDING BOOK of the YEAR. Can a detective save a Prophet from a monster? Harry is an Army veteran who survived a childhood tragedy and tough years in foster care. Today, he’s a pragmatic and no-nonsense Homicide detective investigating the Victor Adamson kidnapping. As he digs for leads, Harry realizes that he’s in the middle of a dark conspiracy and that his life is in jeopardy. His only option is to save Victor. But to do that, he must understand and then embrace the supernatural. He has to believe that monsters are real. If he doesn’t, then both he and Victor may die.

My review:

I wish, wish, wish that I had read Stolen Prophet before reading Malevolent Sadness. I would have had a better understanding of some of the back story of the book. Other than that, I enjoyed reading Malevolent Sadness. This is a fast-paced book that kept me on the edge of my seat the entire book. The twists and turns in the book made it. As did the supernatural aspect.

With the good, there is the bad. I didn’t like how little I knew about the Orisha (Evie) and how she manifested. I also didn’t like how little I knew about the religion that the Orisha came from. My other complaint was the secret that Evie kept from Harry. That was pretty awful.

Malevolent Sadness’s plotline pretty simple. Harry starts working on a kidnapping case. This case ends up turning into something much more. Harry learns that everything he has known for the past 10 years has been a lie. That it was part of a plot to keep him hidden from sinister forces. Harry’s world is turned upside down when he learns that the things that go bump in the night are real. But nothing compares to what he finds out about Evie and what she has kept from him. It soon becomes a race against time to find Evie’s son before something horrible happens to him.

I liked Harry. He was a no-nonsense cop that did his job well. I thought he was treated horribly by his fellow officers. The nicknames that they called him. “Cap’n Eunuch” was one. I also felt bad for him. He had a bunch of life-changing information sprung on him at once. While on the job. I was surprised that he didn’t blow a gasket sooner than he did. He did give his all to solving the case.

I couldn’t put this book down. Even though it is not a stand-alone book, I was still sucked in. That very rarely happens with me when I am reading a nonstandalone book. Most of the time, I am stuck wondering about the earlier book or the characters relationships than focusing on the book.

Also, the twists and turns in the book were fantastic. The author had no qualms about injuring off what I deemed important people to the plot. Loved it!!!

I do wish that I had a better understanding of Evie and her religion. There were explanations but it sounded like the characters were giving footnote versions. I have a feeling that everything was explained in book 1. I thought it was interesting how she manifested and wished that I had a better understanding of how she did it.

What I also didn’t like was the secret that Evie kept from Harry. How he was told/found out was awful. I would have spit nails, I would be that mad. I did think that he dealt with everything pretty well.

The paranormal angle of the book was fantastic. I loved the idea of an avenging goddess. She was badass in all the scenes. I also liked that the author touched upon other paranormal beings. The shapeshifter/demon was one.

The suspense angle of the book was fantastic also. Like I stated above, I was kept on the edge of my seat with everything that was going on. I love it when a book does that to me!!

The horror angle fell a bit short for me. I was scared during certain scenes but I wasn’t scared enough. I am thankful that the paranormal and suspense angle was more than enough for this book.

The mystery angle was very well written. I was as surprised as Harry was at who had Victor. It wasn’t who I thought it was.

The end of the book was intense. Everything came together in a way that satisfied me as a reader. I was a little put off that the book ended as a cliffhanger. But, it makes me want to read book 3.

What I liked about Malevolent Sadness:

A) 3D characters

B) twists and turns in the plot

C) Harry. He was a tough guy

What I disliked about Malevolent Sadness:

A) Almost no understanding of Evie and her religion

B) The secret that Evie kept from Harry

C) Horror angle fell a bit short.

I would give Malevolent Sadness an Adult rating. There is no sex but some sexual situations. There is language. There is violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

There is a trigger warning for Malevolent Sadness. It would be kidnapping. If that triggers you, I would suggest not to read the book.

I would reread Malevolent Sadness. I would also recommend it to family and friends.

I would like to thank the publisher for allowing me to read and review Malevolent Sadness.

All opinions stated in this review of Malevolent Sadness are mine.

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

The Girl in the Tower is now in paperback

Yes, you read that right. The Girl in the Tower by Katherine Arden is now in paperback. So run, not walk, to your computer and grab it. It’s well worth the read!!!

Where you can find The Girl in the Tower: Barnes and Noble | Amazon

My review of The Girl in the Tower – here

Knocked Up (Crazy Love: Book 2) by Stacey Lynn

3 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group, Loveswept

Date of publication: June 12th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: Crazy Love

Fake Wife – Book 1 (review here)

Knocked Up – Book 2

Where you can find Knocked Up: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes baby in a baby carriage. Just not necessarily in that order. . . .

Braxton: I should probably be dead or in jail right now. Instead, thanks to some tough love, I worked my ass off and now I own a string of tattoo parlors throughout the Pacific Northwest. And yet the one thing I’ve always wanted—a family—still seems out of reach. When my best friend gets married, I’m just hoping to blow off some steam with the super-hot maid of honor. But after Cara Thompson tracks me down to tell me she’s pregnant, she’s more surprised than I am when I tell her I’m all in.

Cara: For the first time in my life, I’m living for myself—not for my parents and their ridiculous expectations. I gave up on my MBA, dropped out of the Ivy League, and moved to Portland to pursue my dream of becoming an artist. And what’s the first thing I do? Get knocked up. For a tatted-up sex god, Braxton Henley seems way too eager to “be there for me.” Is this guy serious? Maybe. He sure is patient. Because he won’t back down until I admit what I know in my heart: that our one-night stand might’ve led me to the one.

The steamy standalone novels in Stacey Lynn’s Crazy Love series can be read together or separately:
FAKE WIFE | KNOCKED UP

And don’t miss her passionate Fireside series:
HIS TO LOVE | HIS TO PROTECT | HIS TO CHERISH | HIS TO SEDUCE

My review

I was excited when I saw that Knocked Up was out. I had enjoyed Fake Wife, so I figured that I would enjoy this book. Which I did, for the most part. My issues with the book are that there was so much extra going on that I couldn’t enjoy Braxton and Cara’s story. Plus the drama was too much. I also didn’t like the way that Braxton kept jumping to conclusions about Cara. That added more drama to the book. All those reasons are the reason I gave Knocked Up a 3-star rating.

Cara drove me crazy. There is being independent and then there is being over the top independent. Braxton wanted to take care of her and the baby but she refused. My eyes almost rolled out of their sockets, that’s how much I was eye-rolling. There was one point in the book where I wanted to shake her and say “Duuuudddde, let him take care of you. Stop being so stubborn“.

Besides driving me crazy with her über independence, I did like Cara. She was sweet. She loved her friends. She loved her job. She loved her unborn child. I felt awful that her brother died. I felt even more awful at how her parents treated her. I thought, at first, that it was all in her head. Until they showed up at her apartment and said what they said. Then I understood why she was so independent. She was shoving her lifestyle in her parent’s face and telling them to take a flying leap.

I liked that Cara had far from a picture perfect pregnancy. Her having hyperemesis gravidarum made her more normal in my eyes. I didn’t like that she was so sick but I loved that she became more relatable. Most romance novel pregnancies are all sunshine and unicorns. So it was refreshing to see one that I could connect with.

Where do I start with Braxton? I liked that he stepped up when Cara showed up at his tattoo parlor and told him she was pregnant and it was his. I liked that he wanted to date Cara. I liked that he wanted to be in this baby’s life. But, he came with baggage. So. Much. Baggage. I almost couldn’t handle it.

He was a **reformed** man whore. I say reformed because he stopped sleeping around the minute Cara told him she was pregnant. That’s wonderful. But his past didn’t stay in the past. Cara and he had an uncomfortable confrontation with his last one night stand. I don’t know how Cara didn’t freak the heck out on him after what that chick said.

His relationship with Stella made me wonder exactly what was going on with them for a while. She got as salt AF when Cara showed up. She tried to destroy their relationship. She warned Cara off him. She was the one that showed Braxton those pictures of Cara with her friend. I didn’t understand why he still employed her or even was her friend after all that. And her apology was lukewarm. Again, don’t know why he stayed her friend. Anyone tried to mess with my relationship would have had a foot up their butt while going out the door.

The chemistry between Braxton and Cara was insane. The sparks were between them from the moment Cara showed up at his tattoo parlor. It deepened the more the book went on. Which is why it sucked when Stella did what she did. And it was also gratifying when Braxton and Cara talked. Because you could see the feelings there. It wasn’t just sex.

Speaking of sex, it was hot. Scorching hot. Braxton and Clara didn’t hold back because she was pregnant. What impressed me was that he still used condoms even though Cara was pregnant. Because he was a “reformed” man-whore who hadn’t been tested. But once he was, it was bareback all the way. It’s not like he could get her pregnant….lol.

The end of Knocked Up was cute. The book ended the way I thought it would. The epilogue was fantastic. I figured out the baby’s name pretty early on. So it wasn’t a surprise to me.

What I liked about Knocked Up:

A) Cara. She had a backbone and stood up to Braxton. Not a lot of female main characters do that

B) Cara’s relatable pregnancy

C) Braxton taking care of his responsibilities

What I disliked about Knocked Up:

A) Cara being over the top independent

B) Stella’s behavior.

C) All the other drama in the book. Took away from the main plotline.

I would give Knocked Up an Adult rating. There is explicit sex. There is language. There is mild violence. I would recommend that no one under the age of 21 read this book.

There are no triggers in Knocked Up.

I am on the fence if I would reread Knocked Up. I am also on the fence if I would recommend Knocked Up to family and friends. I would read other books by the author.

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

All opinions stated in this review of Knocked Up are mine.

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

The Memory of Fire (The Waking Land: Book 2) by Callie Bates

The Memory of Fire: The Waking Land Book II (The Waking Land Series) by [Bates, Callie]

4 Stars

Publisher: Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Del Rey

Date of publication: June 5th. 2018

Genre: Fantasy

Trigger Warning: Child Abuse

Series: The Waking Land

The Waking Land – Book 1 (review here)

The Memory of Fire – Book 2

Where you can find The Memory of Fire: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

With The Memory of Fire, Bates expertly deepens her tale, spinning glittering threads of magic and intrigue into a vibrant tapestry of adventure, betrayal, and romance.

Thanks to the magic of Elanna Valtai and the Paladisan noble Jahan Korakides, the lands once controlled by the empire of Paladis have won their independence. But as Elanna exhausts her powers restoring the ravaged land, news that the emperor is readying an invasion spurs Jahan on a desperate mission to establish peace.

Going back to Paladis proves to be anything but peaceful. As magic is a crime in the empire, punishable by death, Jahan must hide his abilities. Nonetheless, the grand inquisitor’s hunters suspect him of sorcery and mysterious, urgent messages from the witch who secretly trained Jahan only increase his danger of being exposed. Worst of all, the crown prince has turned his back on Jahan, robbing him of the royal protection he once enjoyed.

As word of Jahan’s return spreads, long-sheathed knives, sharp and deadly, are drawn again. And when Elanna, stripped of her magic, is brought to the capital in chains, Jahan must face down the traumas of his past to defeat the shadowy enemies threatening his true love’s life, and the future of the revolution itself.

Continue reading “The Memory of Fire (The Waking Land: Book 2) by Callie Bates” →

All Night with the Cowboy (River Ranch: Book 2) by Soraya Lane

All Night with the Cowboy (River Ranch, #2)

3 Stars

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

Date of Publication: May 29th, 2018

Genre: Romance

Series: River Ranch

Cowboy Stole My Heart – Book 1 (review here)

All Night with the Cowboy – Book 2

Where you can find All Night with the Cowboy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Book synopsis (from Goodreads):

BACK IN THE SADDLE. STRAIGHT TO THE HEART….

At the Ford family ranch, getting thrown from a horse is a part of growing up. But one cowboy is still learning the ropes when it comes to falling in love.

Tanner Ford has been riding bulls and busting broncos his entire life. So when he takes a hard spill—and sustains serious injuries—he refuses to believe his rodeo days are behind him. He’s determined to restore his body and revive his career. There’s just one problem: the finest physical therapist in town just happens to be the only woman he’s ever loved.

Lauren Lewis knows she made a huge mistake when she walked away from Tanner. But she was young, ambitious, and focused on her medical career. Now, after all these years, Tanner’s back—and, in spite of his injuries, looking better than she allows herself to admit. She agrees to work on Tanner’s big bruised muscles until he’s back in bull-riding shape again. But how can Lauren resist the smoldering attraction between her and her old flame….and find a way to live without him?

Continue reading “All Night with the Cowboy (River Ranch: Book 2) by Soraya Lane” →

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