Book of the Week { 08 }

From Dec 8th 2013 to Dec 15th 2013, I've had a slow week and only read 6 books :0( Though limited in quantity, I got to read some quality books! I got to read a few ARCs that I have been itching to read forever! So it's quite hard to pick a book of the week for last week. 

I would say it's a tie between Out of Turn by Tiffany Snow, Kaleidoscope by Kristen Ashley and The Sharpest Blade by Sandy Williams! All 3 are ARCS and due to be released by Dec 17th 2013, Feb 4th 2014, and Dec 31st 2013th respectively.

I did post reviews on GR to which I will post here as well for the 3 botw picks :0)

Out of Turn by Tiffany Snow
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Kathleen Turner { 05 }

Keeping his brother’s ex-girlfriend alive isn’t something new to assassin-for-hire Kade Dennon, but this time can he protect her from himself? She’s a woman he can’t convince himself to walk away from, no matter what it costs him.
Regret is a constant companion for Blane as he realizes the truth behind the lies he’s been told. Can love heal the past, or can some mistakes not be undone?
Murder reunites Blane, Kade, and Kathleen as the police put Blane in their crosshairs. Blane may lose everything unless he and Kade can find the real murderer before it’s too late. But if they can’t set aside their love for the same woman and work together, it will tear them apart.
In Out of Turn, Kathleen is caught between two warring brothers, and the consequences may be fatal

My review as posted on GR:

*Received an ARC Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. What to write. This one was a doozy.
I've been itching to read this since I knew it was coming out. I'm a big fan of the series. Love it. Love, love, would-so-kill-for-them love the brothers. I loved the previous books.
This one took a different turn however. And I didn't like it as much. It has to do with the person Katherine has become so nothing to do with the brothers. Though if you've read the previous books and I'm hoping you did (because I'm OCD about reading things in order and it stands to reason that it would be logical to assume you read in order) she was a great character. The character building was there. This time, it was more of a character break down.
I like that we saw her break down due to the break up with Blane (who somewhat redeems himself). I could definitely understand how she's no longer who we know. What's not understandable is how she puts herself in the situation to become one of those "oh, how will I ever choose between the two" women. There were certain situations in which she could've removed herself to prevent escalation, but she never did. Said she should leave herself so as not come in between brothers yet she's always still there! She hurts them ... But yet she loves them. Right.
So I feel like I no longer like Katherine. I feel for her, but she .... Ack. I still love Blane, but I have to say, Kade in this book? LOVE.
It was definitely still a good read and the teaser for the next book? *squeals* can't wait again! For other Kathleen Turner fans, I don't know how much you'd love this one. You'd love the turn of events... But not the whiney girl Katherine has become.

Kaleidoscope by Kristen Ashley
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Colorado Mountain { 06 }

When old friends become new lovers...anything can happen.

Sexy, gifted, and loyal, PI Jacob Decker is a tall, cool drink of perfection who had Emmanuelle Holmes at "hello." His relationship with Emme's best friend kept them apart for years, but things have changed. Now that a case has brought him to Gnaw Bone, Colorado, the road is wide open for Emme and Deck to explore something hotter and deeper than Emme dreamed possible. So why is she sabotaging the best thing that's ever happened to her?

It isn't easy to catch Deck off guard, but Emme does just that when she walks back into his life after nine long years. The curvy brunette had her charms back in the day, but now she's a bona fide knockout . . . and she wants to rekindle their friendship. Deck, however, wants more. Emme's always been the one; she excites Deck's body and mind like no other woman can. But a dark chapter from Emme's past overshadows their future together. Now only Deck can help her turn the page-if she'll let him . . .

And my review as posted on GR:

* Received an ARC. 

Omg. Love Jacob! Eeeee. Love Emme as well. I love how she carries herself and how Jacob is straightforward with her.

The plot was great. Surprising that there's no big drama one after another, but so much as happened with the other characters that I can see why KA would step away from that plot line this time.

I loved the ending and the tantalizing epilogue. I enjoyed it tremendously, but when do I not enjoy a KA novel?!

For those who were a bit disappointed with Jagged, I think this is a step back in the right direction. The only thing is .... When is she going to go back to her longer length novels? Sure, the indie stuff hasn't been diminishing in length, but all her works through the publisher has at less than 300 pages. That just sucks booty. I don't like that and I sincerely hope that from now on, all her new published stuff won't keep being so short!

The Sharpest Blade by Sandy Williams
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Shadow Reader { 03 }

Torn between two worlds.
Torn between two lives.

McKenzie Lewis’s ability to read the shadows has put her—and …those she loves—in harm’s way again and again. The violence must end, but will the cost of peace be more devastating than anyone ever imagined?

After ten years of turmoil, the life McKenzie has always longed for may finally be within her grasp. No one is swinging a sword at her head or asking her to track the fae, and she finally has a regular—albeit boring—job. But when a ruthless enemy strikes against her friends, McKenzie abandons her attempt at normalcy and rushes back to the Realm.

With the fae she loves and the fae she’s tied to pulling her in different directions, McKenzie must uncover the truth behind the war and accept the painful sacrifices that must be made to end it. Armed with dangerous secrets and with powerful allies at her side, her actions will either rip the Realm apart—or save it.

My review as posted on GR:

*Received an ARC

Eeeeeeeek. I've loved this series since I picked up the first book when it initially came out. The second book pissed me off. This one, this one was just a fantastic and sad ending to the series.

Sosch! Why?! Why?!

It's like Hedwig all over again! *ugly cry* well at least the author wasn't afraid to kill people while writing a book about war. *mutters* not afraid to kill innocent cute little critters either which is JUST WRONG!

I'm not 100% happy with how everything wrapped up, but she did finish out the series nicely.

The smut scene leaves much to be desired. The love triangle ... It's not reciprocated so technically not a triangle.

I love the heroine in this book. She literally says, she does NOT need a man. She has lived through heartbreak before and she will do it again. She doesn't want to so she will fight for Aren, but She can also be alone if she has to. Love that!

Lots of action in the book. Lots of death. Some unnecessary. *pets my cats* great conclusion. Loved the trilogy. Happy with the ending :0)

So that's it for the book(s) of the week! Other books I've read during the week that didn't make the list are:
Arrow of Time by Lina Andersson - 3/5
True by Laurann Dohner - 3.5/5
Dominated by Desire by Barbara Donlon Bradley - 3/5

I have linked to my reviews on GR if applicable. I didn't review True by Laurann Dohner at all. So that's it :0) Hopefully this week will be more successful as far as numbers of books I read. Who knows since it's a busy time of year and I haven't done my Christmas shopping yet :-\  As always, happy reading everyone!

M.I.A. & Return

I've been M.I.A. for the longest time. A year! I've never stopped reading, just got too busy I suppose. I read faster than I can ever review. Reviewing takes a lot of time and energy and same with blogging. I guess I just didn't want to put the effort into it.

I think I can possibly handle it now, lmao. I am working now, so I'm still not sure if I have the time to put into blog tours, giveaways, author interviews and whatnot. I think I will stick to the weekly wrap ups. I can't do full reviews for every book I read. To write a full review takes a lot of effort and with the amount of books I read per week is just too much - 7-14 books on average for just one week. Sometimes it's even more that that. I know, I'm crazy, haha. So you can imagine, it takes a lot of time to do full reviews for that many books!

I don't usually do other memes that other bloggers do and I won't. I feel like it's just copying content. Feel free to ask if you want to know. Otherwise, this is just here for people to follow my reviews, thoughts, and rants and whatnot. For those like me, there's never "too much" content that has to do with books.

So thanks for sticking with me if you haven't deleted me off your "following" lists and welcome to those who haven't stopped by before :0) I have to update everything else now. *le sigh* This is so much work already for a bum like me, haha.

Book of the Week { 07 }

It's been a while since I've done one, but I'm back now! I've had one hell of a sick week so it was nice to be able to lie down and read the whole time. Well, it would've been nice had it been without the pain of a hideous ear infection, but that's life. Thank gawd for Extra Strength Tylenol.

Anyways, for the last week, I read 14 books :0) Only a few were really ... "worthy" enough to recommend I suppose. I know one series really stuck out and that's what I'm choosing for this week's pick.

Book of the week for week 07 is....

Afterlife saga by Stephanie Hudson
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Afterlife Saga { 01 }

Afterlife… just some gothic nightclub where gossip is fuelled by the presence of a rich and unearthly, handsome family or Afterlife…the strange place where time seems to stand still and guests feel the presence of something more powerful held within the confines of the VIP.

Keira is new to this small, cold town and is running from a past that seems to feast on her darkest memories. She finds living with her sister away from English soil to be just the ticket to the new life she is trying desperately to find. So when the offer of a job at the infamous Gothic nightclub Afterlife comes along she thinks that lady luck has finally found her. That is until its seductively dark and forbidding owner Dominic Draven sets eyes on her. All at once she is captivated and plunged into a world she never knew existed but the deeper her obsession with Draven becomes, the harder it is to decide…should she stay and continue to work within the shadows of the supernatural or should she run from a madness she thinks may consume her?

Warning: This book is amazingly addictive, with its dark mystery, haunting horror, seductive twists and one sexy dark lord that has the reader drooling every time the name Draven appears on the page!

I don't know why this book stuck with me so much. It could be because when I first got back into reading, I started out with all the good adult PNR/UF stuff like Karen Marie Moning, Richelle Mead, Gena Showalter, Kresley Cole, Lora Leigh, Patricia Briggs, Rachel Vincent, etc. etc. I could go on and on. It just feels like whatever great adult PNR/UF there are out there, I've read them all. The only new books that are released are continuations of all these old series so to pick up a new book/author/series from this genre is...exhilarating. Brings me back.

It's very reminiscent of 50 Shades except with the addition of a paranormal world. The concept is nothing new (demons, angels, half-breeds, etc. & forbidden love with humans), but the story is! It's a nice, easy, romantic read.

{ Characters } I love most of the characters in this series. Keira, though, is very annoying. She's the typical weak girl character where she has to depend on others to save her. She does have certain strengths... and she is a strong person because she overcame a situation in which most women would never be able to move on from. But to go through that and try to move on, she gets very insecure and just immature at times. It's understandable and it's not. Really, it just annoys me. Draven and his brother and sister, I love them! Their personalities fit for what their characters are (demons, angels, etc.) It works. I like it.

{ Plot } Eh, like I said, the plot is nothing new, but the story is interesting. If you're not the type to like PNR/UF adult romance then, this is nothing you'd like because there's nothing special to it. But if you're usually into this genre, then sure. You're not missing anything, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! The story was a bit drawn out, but at least it wasn't rushed! There were just some aspects where it's been overdone in tons of other books that this plot was predictable. There were some aspects that were new and interesting... and I really like some concepts of the supernatural powers in this book so that was a nice tidbit. The plot is getting very interesting now that I'm awaiting the third book in the series. Honestly, not much has happened until now so... there's that info. for you.

{ Overall } Nothing amazing, special, nor does it have a "must-read" feeling to it. I honestly think it really stuck with me because I like the story and that it brings me back to the old days when I would fill up on adult romance & PNR/UF stuff. It seems like I've read everything in that genre so to come across something new was nice. If this is something you like, I really do think you'd enjoy this. I really liked it. I know this review wasn't thorough (I blame it on my meds) and that it seems like I'm saying over and over that it's an okay read... but I really, really enjoyed this book & it stuck with me & I'm definitely finishing the whole series - however many books it will end up being. I enjoyed it THAT much. That is why I'm recommending it. So there :0)

Other books I've read & rated from October 7 - October 13 2012
The Two Kings by Stephanie Hudson - 4/5
Down for the Count by Christine Bell - 3/5
Saving Grace by Christine Zolendz - 4/5
Hotter after Midnight by Cynthia Eden - 3.5/5
Devoured by Emily Snow - 3.5/5
Redemption by Susannah Sandlin - 3/5
The Mayfair Moon by J.A. Redmerski - 3/5
Kindred by J.A. Redmerski - 3/5
Moonsong by Lisa Olsen - 2/5
Malice Striker by Jianne Carlo - 3/5
The Bear and the Bride by Jianne Carlo - 3/5
Trained for Seduction by Mia Downing - 4/5
The Dragon Slayer by Jianne Carlo - 3/5

I definitely recommend Saving Grace, The Mayfair Moon, and Trained for Seduction. I think those are all around great books for most readers. Of course, check out the rest on GoodReads & if they sound great to you... definitely check them out! I certainly enjoyed most of them.

Until next week :0) Happy readings!