Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Late in the Day (The Vault #2) [Darius & Efrem] by Mary Calmes

Like the previous book in the series, this one felt a bit short for a full length novel. I would have LOVED for a more substantial re-connection between the two MCs. This book was engaging with a great pace, and yet it was mostly about Darius' current position as "The Vault" and a lot of recollection of Darius and Efrem's live together when they were a couple 16 years ago when they were both serving in the army together. 


Monday, October 30, 2017

Hammer & Air by Amy Lane

I didn't have patience for this one at all. The language was strange so it was difficult to read at times, our MC Eirn tells us his and his best friend Graeme story. Their lives was pretty horrible even if he just told it "as is" (I guess because that was just life for them). 

Eirn's thoughts are consumed by Graeme or as nicknamed - "Hammer", mostly on the sexual side. Up till where I got (25%) it was about 90% sex thoughts or acts with A LOT of possessiveness from Hammer's side.  This one feels more like an Erotica (PNR?) novel. I"m not even sure how old they are because as Eirn tells it, he runs a bit from past to present and he sounds a bit "childish" to me. 



Saturday, October 28, 2017

The Servant by Mary Calmes

I liked he idea behind this one, but I gotta say, like the previous book I've read by Mary it was all over the place where POVs were concerned. Each paragraph could be right around anyone's POV and it kept changing. I don't like this style of narration though it wasn't that difficult to understand who was "talking". The world building was all over the place as well, though I don't fault Mary for it, there was a lot to build in very few pages.. I've read the synopsis a while back so actually I wasn't sure what is going to happen or rather who our "cat in a hat" is going to chose. That was fun!


Friday, October 27, 2017

The Guardian by Mary Calmes

Though I enjoyed this book it was  a bit too tangled for my liking. It felt rushed at times, disorganized and the relationship buildup was on the verge of insta-love. Yet the story was fun and engaging and I was interested to see how Jude and Eoin would find a way to build a life together. 

Jude Shea had a good life, a job he enjoyed, a gorgeous boyfriend he hopes to build a future together with when he finds himself with no boyfriend and no job in one night. For the past two weeks he isn't sure what to do with himself and then comes a restless night he goes for a walk and stumbles upon a huge dog mauled by a group of stray dogs. Not sure what drew him to the situation he takes the dog to the vet and makes him his own. "Joe" doesn't look or behave like a regular dog but for Jude he's a companion he enjoys having even though his life is so uncertain at the moment.



Monday, October 23, 2017

A Dangerous Invitation (The Rookery Rogues, #1) [Kate & Daniel] by Erica Monroe

I don't read many Historicals which is why starting is always a sort of a struggle to get used to the archaic language. With this one it was no different and yet as the story progressed I realized I'm having a hard time mainly because I'm not interested enough in the MCs. After reading about a third I decided I'm not invested enough in the story and the difficult language was not making it any better..

Kate Morgan's life changed in a blink of an eye. She was wealthy, the daughter of a successful merchant. She and her father were a team, working together and having each other's backs since she was a little girl when her mother left them. She fell in love with Daniel O'Reilly who also worked for her father. They were already engaged to be married when all hell broke loose. Daniel was charged with murder of another worker, from there the business crumbled, her father's health deteriorated until he died and she was left with nothing except for her father's great coat and handgun. To take care of herself she needed to learn a trade - thieving. But she has made it work for the past three years since Daniel escaped from prison before his trial. 



Thursday, October 19, 2017

Bountiful (True North #4) [Zara & Dave] by Sarina Bowen

I always gets excited when there's a new release by Sarina. I love her writing and enjoy her realistically flawed characters. I truly enjoy the journey they take, on their own and together before they can find their HEA with one another. This was no different and yet it was. It was a romance story but it was also HEAVILY focused on raising a toddler which is NOT my cup of tea AT ALL. I know for a fact most women would totally swoon at everything little Nicole did. I found it to be tiresome. I guess she WAS cute but what she was for me was a distraction from the main issue as I see it - Zara and Dave's story. 


Monday, October 16, 2017

Bolt-hole by Amy Lane

I've very little to say about this book because I haven't read most of it. I'll start  by saying something important - It's not the book, it's me. I just couldn't connect to the MC (and our sole POV) Terrell. His mind constantly tells him he is poor from the worst side of the side, with the worst background, not to mention he is black and also - gay. Though he won't allow himself to actually BE gay because that's more than not "allowed" where he comes from. I feel for him, truly. That's horrible to be "dismissed" or looked down upon because of things you have no control over and really shouldn't be put against you because they shouldn't even be an issue nowadays. But sadly - they are. That's not just the book, it's reality (even if things ARE changing). 


Thursday, October 12, 2017

A Seditious Affair (Society of Gentlemen #2) [Dom & Silas] by K.J. Charles

I gotta say this one was not what I expected it to be, or rather, I enjoyed it far more than I thought I would considering two things that mostly put me off - BDSM and politics. Unlike the previous one we were thrown right into the game, maybe because we've already known all of the characters and the interaction between them so we could start with where it all began with Dom and Silas sharing a bed as a brute and a Tori. Not realizing just yet that they are sworn enemies, or at least they're suppose to be.

Wednesday, October 11, 2017

Midnight Unleashed (Midnight Breed #14.7) [Trygg & Sia] by Lara Adrian

The "Midnight Breed" used to be my all times favorite PNR series though lately its place have been taken. Yet I still get excited when I hear there's a new novel in the series, even though it's just a short novella which doesn't feature most of the known characters in the series. These novellas are a nice way for people to try this series and see if it works for them, because it doesn't reveal too much and allows people who don't know any of things that happen in the 10+ books to enjoy a short novella and also be tempted to grab the first one and immerse themselves in the Midnight Breed world. 


Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Finding Home by Garrett Leigh

Math was never my strong side so when I put on the equation - a new book by Garrett vs. a Young Adult novel I did and didn't know what to expect. Thing is, I LOVE Garrett's books, I enjoy the misery she puts me and mostly her characters (!) through, I love the feel of the story, the uniqueness of the characters, the emotional ride that is SO worth it even when my heart is breaking. Yet I dislike Young Adult novels.. I just don't have the patience for it. Not for their issues which seem too far away for me, and not for their interests which seem even MORE distant from the place I am in today and that without mentioning how miserable I was at these ages, which means I have NO desire to revisit these times in someone else's head. Nope! 

That being said, it's no wonder really I LOVED LOVED LOVED this story. For me, the fact that Charlie and Leo were teens is such a non significant detail. It was about love and trust. It was about life disappointing you for too many times for you to expect something wonderful that you couldn't even imagine would happen to you. It's about finding a home in the most unexpected place, it's about finding love when you thought you don't have anything more to give or to feel. I really don't think it matters what genres you read, and if you've ever read a YA or MM novel before you SHOULD give this one a go. It's beautiful and it's different than the usual YA with the issues it deals with that make it not about age but about experience and the MM part is there naturally but there is very little sexual interaction which makes it appropriate for younger reader or ones who feel uncomfortable with (gay) sex. 



Sunday, October 8, 2017

Unloved, a love story by Katy Regnery

This book was SUCH a beautiful heart breaking read! I read it literally in one gulp, it was impossible to put down and frankly, why would I?! Cass and Brynn we the sweetest thing together. They both wanted, no, craved for a chance to love, to care, to have a meaningful person in their lives, yet life has brought them so much pain it's not an easy thing to surrender themselves to. For Cass it's MUCH more complicated.. He can't tell her, he won't tell her and by it break both of their hearts. Yet this IS a love story and the ending, the whole rap of the story was quite surprising in the best possible way. 


Saturday, October 7, 2017

Gummy Bears & Grenades (THIRDS #9.5) [Dex & Sloane] by Charlie Cochet

It's always nice to come back to the THIRDS world, get my fix of my favorite PNR characters and get a taste for how much I want to read MORE about them. Dex manages to try and hitch 3 (!) couples together and I can't wait to get all of their stories! As usual Dex gets into trouble and almost breaks Sloane's heart with how close he brushes with danger even in the most casual day. 


A Fashionable Indulgence (Society of Gentlemen, #1) [Harry & Julius] by K.J. Charles

This book started a bit slow for my liking. It was interesting and even though the the pace was decent for the time frame it was still slow going. There was much to unravel, mostly about Julius and a lot needed to happen for them to build a true relationship which made for a rather slow going of the first third of the book. After that it started get VERY engaging in a way I truly didn't want to put the book down. 

Harry Gordon Vane grew up to a revolutionist parents intended on showing their democratic ideas as loud as they can. He hated this life. One of constant fear with food being scarce on the table. When he was 12 after a certain riot they needed to flee the country. He returned at the age of 17 after their death. Not knowing what to do he found his way to their revolutionist friend Silas Mason. Silas might be a true radical but he also has a good heart, he couldn't refuse taking Harry in, even though food and jobs were as difficult as they were back then. A few years went by and even though Harry still hates this sort of life, he also understand (at least in his heart) that Silas is right in what he is saying even though he hates the way it needs to be demonstrated with the constant risk it puts on everyone's lives.


The Ruin of Gabriel Ashleigh [Gabriel & Fancis] (Society of Gentlemen, #0.5) by K.J. Charles

WOW, hotness! All it takes is one afternoon between Gabriel Ashleigh and Francis Webster. There is so sort of animosity between Gabriel and Francis, it started with the rivalry between Gabriel obnoxious brother and Francis, years and years ago, but somehow Gabriel got in the mix when he was stupidly drunk, come to think about it, 5 years later he does no better when he gambles his life away and loses EVERYTHING. 

Francis offers to meet him the day after. Gabriel isn't sure what exactly for, and as they return to playing he is even more unsure of Francis's intentions yet when they become clear, they are both desperate for one another.