Book Review: Promise The Moon by Hailey Edwards

Author: Hailey Edwards
Series: Lorimar Pack #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: 29 Oct 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

War is a constant threat on Dell Preston's horizon. As beta of the Lorimar pack, her job is to maintain the peace on the new border between Faerie and Earth at all costs. Even if that means playing nice with her ex, Isaac, the fae who savaged her wolf's soul, and Enzo Garza, the flirty witch who ought to be focused on building up their magical defenses instead of tearing down the walls around Dell's heart.

Butler, Tennessee is a pinprick on the map with a diverse population of supernaturals. It's also chockful of humans who are unaware of the magical rift bruising the sky or the otherworldly insurgents raining down into their zipcode.

A local fae's disappearance catches Dell's attention, but she dismisses it as an isolated event. Until it happens again. Unable to ignore the strange happenings in her town, she begins an investigation that uncovers so much more than a simple rash of kidnappings.

Now Dell finds herself at the sharp end of a pointed ultimatum. Find the missing and return them to their families or get ready for prime time. Botch this job, and forget coming soon. The war will become tomorrow's featured attraction instead.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from Netgalley and CrushStar Multimedia LLC in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of the book in any way.

I honestly can't get tired of the world of the Black Dog and connected series. I was super happy when I saw that Dell was also getting her own story.

We met Dell in the Gemini series, as Cord's friend, packmate and protégé. I love that in the Lorimar pack she gets to be her true self. In her old pack, she had to hide who she really was, and you could tell that it was getting really difficult for her to do that, so I was really happy to see her explore who she was really meant to be. I felt sorry for Dell at times, reading about her having to make decisions that she really didn't want to make, but that's because it was easy to see how uncomfortable she was in that role. I like how loyal she is, and how, no matter the danger, she's willing to do anything to protect those she cares about.

One thing I loved about this book is that it gives the readers a very different idea of what being a werewolf means. I loved the duality of this creature, how the woman was not the same entity as the wolf. I think that's a pretty unique approach to the image of the werewolf, and it explains so much of what happened in the Gemini series.

The plot was fast-paced, and I enjoyed reading more about the fae. There were some really funny scenes in this book, that had me giggle like a loon. As per usual with a book by Hailey Edwards, expect a big cliffhanger at the end. I am really curious to see how the next book in the series will continue this story, to see what will happen to Dell and her friends and packmates next.

Book Review: Mistletoe Games by Jaci Burton (ARC)

Author: Jaci Burton
Series: Play by Play #6.5, 8.5. 10.5
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: October 18th 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

No one brings the sexy out in sports like Jaci Burton, the author of the New York Times bestselling Play-by-Play novels. Now, she puts together a holiday hat trick with three novellas featuring the hottest sports around: baseball, hockey, and surfing—because hard bodies are always in season...

Holiday Games
For the high-achieving Elizabeth and her husband, baseball player Gavin Riley, failure is not an option. So when it comes to making a baby, they’re not about to let any holiday distractions get in the way of their necessary pleasures...

Holiday on Ice
It’s the season for giving and superstar hockey player Patrick “Trick” Niemeyer is ready to give dancer Stella Slovinski his heart wrapped up in bow. But he’ll have to melt the ice surrounding her heart to keep her from walking away...

Hot Holiday Nights
Christmas in Hawaii brings sports agent Tori Baldwin two presents: a young surfer at the top of his game and his business manager. But this hot threesome has to decide if the romantic wave they’ve caught is nothing more than a vacation fling, or the kind of love that could change their lives forever...

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Berkley in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of this book in any way.

Jaci Burton's Play by Play series is the first series that made me fall in love with sports romance, so when I saw this book on Netgalley I might have danced and made a few raptor noises, due to my excitement.

Holiday Games was absolutely adorable, mainly because of Elizabeth. I love Gavin, don't get me wrong, but Elizabeth is my girl. She's such a badass character, and she's actually someone I'd love to meet in real life. I love that she's a woman who made it in a career that's dominated by men, and she's good at her job. And Gavin is such a sweetheart, like always. I loved reading about them, about how their story continues. I also love reading about Liz being more open to other people. I remember that when we first meet her, she's this cold woman, that will do anything to do her job as she sees fit, which sometimes wasn't a good decision. But Gavin changed her in a way, and I really enjoy reading more about this Liz.

Holiday On Ice is one story I've been dying to read for a long time. I've always been curious to know more about Stella. It's probably one of my favorite things about this series, the fact that there isn't just one sport that it's explored. In this case, with Stella, we see a glimpse into the world of professional dancing. Stella and Patrick are really great characters! Their chemistry is amazing, it's just the type of relationship that I'm used to reading in one of Burton's books. My favorite scene is when Patrick sees Stella dance for the first time. There's just something so incredibly sweet in that scene, I just love it.

Hot Holiday Nights is the last novella on this collection. Victoria, the heroine of this book, is another female sports agent and, if my memory isn't playing tricks on me, she actually appears in the second book of this series, alongside Elizabeth. I have to say though, I wasn't as in love with this novella as I was with the other two. I can't explain it, but to me it felt more like a holiday fling than a beginning of a love story. I do have to say I really enjoyed reading about surfing. The two heroes, Alex and Ben, are surfers. Ben was actually a professional surfer before he had an accident that prevented him from even playing the sport at a competitive level, while Alex is currently a professional surfer. I loved reading more about this sport, and I hope there will be more books in this series that include surfers. Like I said though, I didn't feel as if this was the start of a romantic relationship, but a really hot holiday affair.

As always, Jaci Burton knows just how to write a hot relationship, and how to get me interested in finding out more about certain sports. I am curious to see which character will get their stories told next, as well as which sport will be featured in future books.

Book Review: Fish Out Of Water by Hailey Edwards

Author: Hailey Edwards
Series: A Gemini Novella
Audience: +18
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Publisher: CrushStar Multimedia LLC
Release Date: September 18th 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Harlow Bevans was a changeling mermaid working as a diving consultant for the Earthen Conclave. Then he came along. Charybdis. A serial killer who possessed her body and wrecked her mind. Now she's an inmate—patient—at Edelweiss Mental Institution.

When a haunting song lures her to the scene of a brutal murder, the calm of the past few months is shattered. A fellow patient is dead, and Harlow is caught standing over his body by a mysterious guard who hides his own secrets behind a pair of aviator sunglasses her fingers itch to remove.

Unwilling to be a pawn in another psychopath's game, Harlow sets out to discover the real killer. What she uncovers makes her a prime target, and the next song she hears could be her last. Curiosity may not have killed the cat, but it just might fillet the mermaid.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this copy from Netgalley and CrushStar Multimedia LLC in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of this book

The world of the Black Dog and the other connected series keeps getting bigger and bigger, and that makes me insanely happy. The latest book in the series brings you the story of Harlow, after she is rescued from Charybdis, and it shows her road to recovery.

What I love most about this book is that the story takes place in the facility where Harlow is recovering at. She's still struggling with what Charybdis did to her, she's not healed yet. Actually, this book shows Harlow go from the mute girl who would only make sounds as she's having gruesome nightmares about what happened to her, to the adventurous girl who will try to save everyone around her. So it's actually a book about healing, which I enjoyed a lot.

I feel like Harlow still has a lot to deal with, and there's a lot she still needs to face, to be fully healed, but she's getting there. Maybe she'll never again be that pink-haired mermaid that she was before being used as a pawn in a serial killer's sick game, but at least she won't be a living ghost anymore. She'll have a life, as normal as possible. I'm actually really proud of how much she's managed to accomplish in this book.

A character that intrigued me a lot was Lam. He's a mystery, and it isn't until very close to the end of the story that we get to find out more about him. I'd really love to know more about him, and more about his past.

We also get to learn what happened to the pregnant werewolf from the Gemini series, Bianca. Her story is still heartbreaking, it's still painful, and it seems that, at least for now, it will continue to be that way. However, I have hope. I love the little twist at the end, and what that kind of means for her future, so I have hope for her. I do wish we get to read more about her in the next books, especially in the Lorimar Pack series.

Speaking of series and future books, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for more Harlow books. I love her so much, and I'd love to see how she recovers from being kidnapped and possessed, as well as learn more about Lam, and the patients at the Edelweiss Mental Institution.

The book was pretty well paced, and I read it pretty quickly. I'm very happy Harlow is on her way towards a happy ending, and I can only hope we'll get to see more of her in future series. If you still haven't started reading this series, trust me, you're missing out on a lot of fun.

Book Review: Lure Of Obsession by Lisa Kessler

Author: Lisa Kessler
Series: The Muse Chronicles #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: August 1st 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The Prophecy - “Every generation the nine daughters of Zeus are reborn, and with their rebirth are also nine Guardians. They will be marked by the gods, and given gifts to protect his treasure. Their abilities will only be unlocked when they find their muse.”

Melanie Jacoby teaches English at Crystal City High School. She’s also the reborn Muse of Tragic Poetry, but she isn’t prepared for the tragedy of finding her roommate dead at the bottom of the stairs.

Nate Malone is the detective assigned to the case, but as the evidence points to an accidental fall, the visions begin. He sees a killer in a gold Kronos mask.

Mel is the next target.

The Order of the Titans are eager to bring about the return of the Golden Age of Man, and they’re prepared to kill the Muses to complete their mission. But Nate’s desire to protect Mel is almost as strong as his hunger for her.

And tragedy isn’t part of his plan.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC from Netgalley and Lisa Kessler in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of the book in any way.

My search for new voices in the paranormal/urban fantasy genre has made me stumble upon Lisa Kessler's book, Lure Of Obsession. I was very excited about the book, because it seemed like it had a fresh feel about it, and I am very happy that I wasn't wrong.

This new series focuses on Muses. As someone who loves urban fantasy, this is such a great change, because I don't think the Muses have been used in fiction all that much. I'm also really happy to see how the idea of the Muses is used in this book. I'm also really curious to see if the other creatures in the Ancient Greek mythology will also play some tiny part in the future books.

Mel is a really great heroine. I loved seeing how her human side battled with her Muse, how that influenced her life in general. I also liked how she tries to not let her Muse take over her thoughts sometimes, how she's trying to not be overcome by doubts and by seeing everything through a negative lens. I also loved seeing her in her teaching role. She's an amazing teacher and I loved how she managed to find ways to support her students, but also to help them find ways to heal themselves or express themselves through art, through poetry.

Nate was a pretty intense hero. He's a dedicated guy, and I liked how, although he was kind of freaked out by his visions, he did his job. He's also a sweetheart with Maggie, a little girl that broke my heart. I loved seeing his softer side, and I hope we get to see more of Maggie.

I enjoyed the thriller/mystery aspect of the book. The pacing of the book was good, and it was interesting to see how the tension of some of the chapters was broken apart by scenes from the villain's POV, but that also kind of made me sit on the edge of my seat, wanting to see what will happen with Mel and Nate, and the rest of the gang.

I loved this book and I'm curious to see what happens next, to learn more about the bad guys, about the history of the Muses in general.

Book Review: Playing By Her Rules by Amy Andrews

Author: Amy Andrews
Series: Sydney Smoke Rugby #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Publisher: Entangled Publishing, LLC (Brazen)
Release Date: July 11th 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

In this grudge match, the first to score…

When style columnist Matilda Kent accidentally lets slip that she was once involved with the captain of the Sydney Smoke rugby team, she suddenly finds herself elevated to the position she’s always wanted – feature writer. The catch? She’s stuck doing a six-part series on her ex. Still, there’s no way she can turn down a promotion…or the chance to dish the dirt on the guy who so callously broke her heart.

…could win it all!

Tanner Stone wants to be involved in a feature series about as much as he wants to snap an Achilles. But the thought of seeing Tilly again is a bonus—and has him more worked up than he wants to admit. Only he’s not prepared for how different she is – all cool and professional. His Tilly is still in there, though…and he still wants her, now more than ever. All he has to do is charm her into giving him a rematch. And this time, winner takes all!

*Disclaimer: I was offered an eARC from Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC in exchange for an honest review. 

It seems that second chance romances are popular again, which I don't mind in the least, let me tell you.

Matilda and Tanner have an explosive relationship, one that isn't just going to go away, no matter how much they want it to. I liked their interactions. At times it felt like watching a tennis match, wondering who will render the other one speechless first, who will make the other one mad, or laugh like a lunatic.

I have to say, for about half of the book I was confused about my feelings for Tanner. I understood what he did, why he did it, but I wasn't really sure why he couldn't have done it any other way. Some wisdom from Matilda's grandmother, as well as a great scene between the two love birds made me change my mind about him. I'm actually really happy with how the story ended for these two.

Matilda has a pretty unique sense of humor, if you ask me, especially in the articles she wrote about Tanner. I didn't exactly agree with her search to find something that will "expose" Tanner, but I did like her professionalism and how she didn't let her personal feelings ruin what she was writing.

I like that this story is about Aussie characters. That was a change for me, and a very good one, too. I would want that the focus would fall a little bit more on the sport itself too, to be honest. I was also very pleased with how this book opens the door for the series focusing on the other rugby players from Tanner's team. I thought it was a good introduction to a new series, and I'll definitely be checking out the rest of the books when they will be published.

Book Review: Ecstasy Unbound by Setta Jay

Author: Setta Jay
Series: Guardians of the Realms #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Self-published
Release Date: January 18th 2014
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

As one of the twelve Guardians, Urian has spent the last several centuries in a constant battle to keep the inhabitants of Earth’s Realms under control. Humanity has to evolve, hell beasts need to die, and Immortals need mates. But lately, Uri's mind is overrun with thoughts of when his sexy voyeur will find him again, watching him from the shadows, continuing their wicked game. All Guardians are forbidden contact with the little goddess and her brothers, but his need for her escalating, he finds it increasingly difficult to keep from pinning her down on the nearest surface and making her his.

Alexandra has managed to evade the Guardians and being cast out from the human Realm for centuries, ever since the Creators sent the Gods to sleep for their sins against humanity and banished all Immortals. Always sensing that she was needed on Earth, only once has Alex gone against her instincts and the price she paid will forever haunt her. It is for that reason she forces herself to stay away from the only male who has ever truly enticed her. The only one who has ever made her long for what she knows is dangerous.

In a desperate need to help her beloved brother, she will have to go to the enthralling Guardian, her dark obsession, and even though he will surely attempt to exile her, she won't go easily…

Warning: This book contains explicit and sizzling sex scenes with big dominant males. MFM, ménage, and light bondage.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Setta Jay in exchange for an honest review. This odes not influence my rating or my opinion of the book in any way.

Discovering new authors is such a fantastic feeling, especially in the realm of urban fantasy/paranormal romance. If the stories also happen to have even the smallest tie to mythology and ancient gods, then I'm the happiest reader ever.

I loved the concept of this series. The idea that the Greek Gods were punished due to them being mostly villains is so interesting. I liked reading about how the realms are divided, how the Guardians all have to protect them and make sure that the gods don't wake up. I also liked the story of who the Guardians are. My inner history geek squealed, to be very honest. I also loved the story of how the Gods came to be, or the little part of that story that the readers gets to read about. I am curious to see if the rest of the books in the series also show that and if they explore that aspect more.

I really liked Alexandra. Her backstory is really painful, and it's interesting to see how it still affects her, both physically and mentally. I found that her story was pretty unique, which I loved. Seeing how she had all that power, and yet there were things she couldn't prevent herself from doing or going through was an interesting aspect of her story. I liked her relationship with her brothers. She loves her brothers a lot, and you can really see that, especially with how she's willing to sacrifice herself to save them.

I liked Urian. I liked reading about his struggle to keep from contacting Alexandra, but I also enjoyed the twisted game they seemed to play with each other. It felt almost like a dare, like they were pushing themselves to see who would give in first. Urian is a pretty great Guardian, and I liked how dedicated and how loyal he was to his brothers and sisters. I liked how he helped Alexandra overcome some of her issues, but I would have also enjoyed seeing him teach her how to control what was happening with her.

There's a secondary plot line developing in this book, that I can only hope will be explored in the next books, involving one of Alexandra's brothers. I'm very curious to see what will happen with him in the future. The pace of the book was pretty good, and I am so, so excited to read the next books in the series. The book is also very sexy, which is always nice, and it didn't feel forced or over the top. The physical aspect of Alexandra and Urian's relationship was very interesting and I'm curious to see how that aspect will be explored with the other characters, if it's going to be similar, or if it's going to be very different. Basically I loved this book and I need more. If you're a fan of paranormal romance, you definitely need to read this book.

Book Review: Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen (ARC)

Author: Sarina Bowen
Series: Brooklyn Bruisers #1
Audience: +18
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
Release Date: 06 Sep 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

The first novel in a sexy new series featuring the hockey players of the Brooklyn Bruisers and the women who win their hearts—from the USA Today bestselling author of the Ivy Years series.

In high school they were the perfect couple—until the day Georgia left Leo in the cold...

Hockey player Leo Trevi has spent the last six years trying to do two things: get over the girl who broke his heart, and succeed in the NHL. But on the first day he’s called up to the newly franchised Brooklyn Bruisers, Leo gets checked on both sides, first by the team’s coach—who has a long simmering grudge, and then by the Bruisers’ sexy, icy publicist—his former girlfriend Georgia Worthington.

Saying goodbye to Leo was one of the hardest things Georgia ever had to do—and saying hello again isn’t much easier. Georgia is determined to keep their relationship strictly professional, but when a press conference microphone catches Leo declaring his feelings for her, things get really personal, really fast...

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.

Sports romance is becoming one of my top 5 romance subgenres. This paired with my newly discovered love of hockey, made me desperately need to read Rookie Move. Let me tell you, it was an awesome decision.

It's always interesting to read about second chances, about high school sweethearts getting a second chance at a relationship, mostly because it's interesting to see how they evolved and how the relationship can grow, but also because it's cute. I admit it! My inner romantic goes giddy over second chance stories, I think I've already told you that. Georgia and Leo's story is particularly beautiful because of what happened to make them break up. It's a sad story, really.

Georgia was a great character. Her story is heartbreaking. There's a beautiful scene between her and her roommate, Becca, where she realizes that fear and courage aren't mutually exclusive, and I loved that scene. And it also touches on the fact that some crimes affect your loved ones as well. Georgia is fearless even with her past, and I loved reading about that.

Leo was such a sweetheart. I loved him so, so much. I think even as a teenager, he was a great man, and I was so happy that he got to find his happy ending, because a guy like that deserves that and more. We don't get to see much of his life from the time he was apart from Georgia, aside from a few mentions here and there. I would have wanted to see more of that, but this is probably due to the fact that Brooklyn Bruisers is a spin-off to Bowen's Ivy Years, and there's a possibility that some of those scenes are in those books.

I was also glad that there was a lot more sport in this book. The sport wasn't just something some of the characters did, but at times it kind of felt like another character in the book, which was nice. I am curious to see how the author will approach the various aspects of the sport in the future books, depending on the main character's involvement in the team. And, yes, I may be very happy about who the hero of the next book is.

This was my first Sarina Bowen book, but I'll definitely check her other titles out while I'm waiting for the next Brooklyn Bruiser book to come out.

Book Tour Book Review: Reaper's Fire (ARC) by Joanna Wylde

Author: Joanna Wylde
Series: Reapers MC #6
Audience: +18
Genre: Erotic Romance, Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: August 9th 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: TRSOR Promotions/Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

It’s time for more men and motorcycles in the latest from the New York Times bestselling author of Reaper’s Fall...<br />
The club comes first.

I’ve lived by those words my whole life—assumed I’d die by them, too, and I never had a problem with that. My Reaper brothers took my back and I took theirs and it was enough. Then I met her. Tinker Garrett. She’s beautiful, she’s loyal, and she works so damned hard it scares me sometimes . . . She deserves a good man—one better than me. I can’t take her yet because the club still needs me. There’s another woman, another job, another fight just ahead.

Now she’ll learn I’ve been lying to her all along. None of it’s real. Not my name, not my job, not even the clothes I wear. She thinks I’m nice. She pretends we’re just friends, that I’ve still got a soul . . . Mine’s been dead for years. Now I’m on fire for this woman, and a man can only burn for so long before he destroys everything around him.

I’m coming for you, Tinker.

Soon.

Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | Nook | Kobo | Google Play

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Berkley and TRSOR Promotions in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion or rating of the book in any way.


I have been waiting for a very long time for this book. One of the things I liked about this book is that it somehow completes some details from the previous book in the series.

Tinker is a great heroine. I felt sorry for her a lot of times, especially when it came to her ex and her relationship with him. I did wonder a few times why she spend so many years trying to make that relationship work, but I'm glad that eventually she got out of that relationship. I really liked some of her scenes, and I giggled a lot because of her.

Gage is really loyal to his club brothers, and that alone made me forgive him for some of the things he did. In a strange way, I actually admired him for that loyalty. Just as I admired Picnic, the club president, for showing that that loyalty was not misplaced or unfounded. I think Gage is a bit different than the other Reapers, probably because of his background. I don't want to spoil anything, but there's a great scene where he talks a little bit about his past and he lets Tinker understand the real Gage a little bit more than I previously expected.

I mentioned Picnic earlier, and I have to do it again. Each and every book makes me fall in love a little bit more with him, and I cannot wait to read more of his scenes. He was insanely funny in this book, and I am hoping his sarcasm makes an appearance in the next books.

I have to say that the ending was not what I expected. There were a few things that were not answered in this book and I was kind of left with more questions than I would have wanted. That being said, based on how previous books were written, I have a feeling that these things will be addressed in future books. Or at least I hope so. The ending was sweet and I wonder what it means for the future of the series. Not going to say more, because of spoilers, but let's just say that if it means what I think it means, I'll be extremely happy.

All in all, a good story, and I cannot wait for more stories of the Reapers.

Excerpt

         “I can’t believe how late it is,” Tinker said, yawning, and I realized the movie had ended. Now she stretched upward, the blanket falling to her waist as her boobs pushed forward. 

         God, how much should a man be expected to take? 

         I should’ve stayed away from her completely—that’d been the plan—but something had snapped when I’d seen her out in the courtyard. Couldn’t remember the last time I’d met a woman like Tinker. She was smart and sexy and funny, and she worked damned hard to take care of her family and business. Sure, I wanted to fuck her—you’d have to be gay not to—but I respected her, too.

         “I should probably get going,” she said, offering me a smile so sweet I wanted to bite her lips. “I like to check on Dad before going to sleep, and I’ve got to be up early in the morning. I’ve got to package orders for the courier tomorrow—if they aren’t ready by two p.m., I’m screwed.” 

         I considered rolling over on top of her. Pushing her down into the couch cushions, shoving my leg between hers, and showing her what a real man feels like. 

         “Cooper?” she asked, looking confused. I blinked a couple times, forcing myself to focus on her face. 

         “I’m going to watch another one,” I told her, because I’m a goddamn masochist. “You sure you’re ready to head out?” 

         She frowned, and I could almost read her thoughts. Yes, she should leave. But she wanted me as much as I wanted her. And yeah, I realize that makes me sound like an egotistical ass, but this wasn’t my first rodeo. I saw the lust in her eyes, and the way she licked her lips and stared at my mouth. This wasn’t a one-way street, not even close. 

         “I guess I could stay a little longer,” she whispered. Christ, she was so sweet and soft. I wanted to bite her even more now. Suck that pouty lower lip into my mouth and shove a finger up her ass. 

         Break her. 

         You’re one sick fuck. 

         Why yes. Yes, I am. Thanks for noticing.

         I managed to control the urge, catching her hand instead, giving it a friendly squeeze like some kind of pathetic tool. Her fingers tightened on mine, then she pulled away and snuggled back down under the blanket, raising her feet to rest on the coffee table. I grabbed the remote and clicked through the menu.

         Tomorrow I’d do my job. I’d fuck Talia and spy on Marsh and look for any kind of weakness that might end this situation, the faster the better. Tonight, though . . . Tonight I’d pretend this wasn’t a waste of time. 

         Goddamn, but my dick hurt. 

         The next hour was torture. 

         Tinker sat next to me, all cute and classy and absolutely refusing to make any kind of eye contact. I don’t know how she felt, but to me the sexual tension hanging in the air was thick and heavy. I kept thinking about her hand in mine—small, but strong. The hand of someone who knew how to work hard. So far as I knew, Talia had never held down a job, let alone supported herself. 

          The couch shifted, and I glanced over to find Tinker sliding deeper into the cushions, drawing the blanket up to her chin. Our legs were maybe six inches apart. She shifted again, and then her hand bumped mine under the blanket. She jerked it back quickly, and I caught the hint of a flush on her cheeks. That was another thing I liked about her—her skin was so pale that I could see every hint of arousal. 

         Grabbing her hand, I pulled it over to rest on my thigh. This was a really bad idea, so I pointedly refused to think it through. Her hand tensed at first, then relaxed into my strength.            My cock swelled against the fabric of my jeans, just inches from her fingers—it’d be so easy to push her hand toward it, wrap it around my painfully swollen dick, and just go to town. 

         Tinker’s fingers gave a quick squeeze—almost more of a spasm—and I bit back a groan. 

         Yeah, okay. Really, really bad idea. I should get off the couch and shut this shit down right now, because I couldn’t afford to blow things with Talia just yet. Instead I found myself leaning toward Tinker, bumping shoulders. 

         God. 

         I’d grown a pussy. No other explanation, because I couldn’t figure out why the hell else an adult man would sit holding hands under a damned blanket like a kid. 

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About the Author

Joanna Wylde is a New York Times bestselling author and creator of the Reapers Motorcycle Club series. She currently lives in Idaho.

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Book Review: Holding Up The Universe by Jennifer Niven (ARC)

Author: Jennifer Niven
Series: N/A
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Penguin
Release Date: October 6th 2016
My Rating: 4 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

From the author of the New York Times bestseller All the Bright Places comes a heart-wrenching story about what it means to see someone - and love someone - for who they truly are.

Everyone thinks they know Libby Strout, the girl once dubbed 'America's Fattest Teen'. But no one's taken the time to look past her weight to get to see who she really is. Since her mum's death, she's been picking up the pieces in the privacy of her home, dealing with her heartbroken father and her own grief. Now, Libby's ready: for high school, for new friends, for love, and for EVERY POSSIBILITY LIFE HAS TO OFFER. I know the part I want to play here at MVB High. I want to be the girl who can do anything.

Everyone thinks they know Jack Masselin too. Yes, he's got swagger, but he's also mastered the art of fitting in. What no one knows is that Jack has a secret: he can't recognize faces. Even his own brothers are strangers to him. He's the guy who can re-engineer and rebuild anything, but he can't understand what's going on with the inner workings of his own brain. So he tells himself to play it cool: Be charming. Be hilarious. Don't get too close to anyone.

Until he meets Libby. When the two get tangled up in a cruel high school game which lands them in group counseling, Libby and Jack are both angry, and then surprised. Because the more time they spend together, the less alone they feel. Because sometimes when you meet someone, it changes the world - theirs and yours.

Jennifer Niven delivers another poignant, exhilarating love story about finding that person who sees you for who you are - and seeing them right back.

Praise for All the Bright Places:

'If you're looking for the next The Fault in Our Stars - this is it' Guardian

'[A] heartbreaking love story about two funny, fragile, and wildly damaged high school kids' Entertainment Weekly

'A do-not-miss for fans of Eleanor & Park and The Fault in Our Stars, and basically anyone who can breathe' Justine Magazine

'At the heart - a big one - of All the Bright Places lies a charming love story about this unlikely and endearing pair of broken teenagers' The New York Times Book Review

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Penguin in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of this book in any way.

Do you ever find yourself surrounded by one book and one book only? Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, even other blogs and booktubers at one point or another featured this book, so I got so curious I had to try it out.

The book is about Libby and Jack and their road to acceptance. Of themselves, of each other, of other people. It's also about standing up to bullies, which is a theme I don't get to read about that much.

Libby was an interesting heroine. She talks about her struggles with being overweight, her fear for her health for something that happened when she was a kid, and she's also talking about fitting in, in a society that equals thinness with being cool, smart, and "the way to be". It was interesting to read about her struggles, but what I loved most was reading about how she dealt with bullying. I also liked that she tries to understand the people around her, even with people that don't honestly deserve it.

Jack suffers from prosopagnosia, which means he can't recognize faces. I was actually more excited to read about his POV. This is because while I studied this disorder, back in university, I never got to learn what people that suffer from this disorder actually go through, how they deal with it, how it affects their everyday life. So it was a unique experience for me, and also a way to learn more about this disorder. I liked reading about his journey especially towards accepting what he's suffering from.

The book is pretty fast-paced, and I liked the way the focus shifted from Libby to Jack. I also liked the way the book ended, because it gave me the feeling that everything was possible for Libby and Jack moving on. I didn't get the feeling of Libby getting "better" and finding herself because of Jack, but I definitely got that feeling with Jack, that he got to accept himself because of Libby. It didn't bother me as much as I thought, because in the story it makes sense, and also because sometimes you just need another person to wake you up. My only issue with the book, and really the only reason why my rating isn't the highest possible, was with most of the adults in the book. I don't want to spoil anything, so I won't talk about it, but let's just say that some of the adult figures in this book let me down. Not all, some were actually pretty cool.

All in all, a really good book, and I'll definitely be checking the author's books out in the future.

Book Review: #Static by Eric Laster

Author: Eric Laster
Series: N/A
Genre: YA, Mystery & Thrillers
Publisher: Automatic Publishing
Release Date: 19 Apr 2016
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

When Curtis Brooks starts receiving phone calls from his older brother Wilt, who’s been dead a week, he’s sure it’s to help him find evidence that will lead to a murderer’s arrest. But Wilt claims he wasn’t murdered; his calling, meant to help him adjust, is standard protocol for newly deceased at the Aftermart—a kind of inescapable, ever-expanding Walmart filled with discontinued products.

Wilt’s death ruled a homicide, Curtis embarks on a dangerous plan to find the killer, which soon has him scheming against a billionaire and floundering toward love with his brother’s ex-girlfriend Suzy, all while struggling through high school and his single mom’s poor choices.

Why does Wilt help Curtis win over Suzy, even as he organizes a rebellion at the Aftermart? Who’d wanted him dead? Curtis risks his life to answer these questions, in the process forging a bond with his brother unlike any they’ve ever had.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley and Automatic Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of this book in any way.

As soon as I saw the description on Netgalley I was intrigued, because the theme of a dead person being able to call a loved one is one that I haven't read much about. I was also a bit confused by the genre, because surely a book that talks about receiving phone calls from the dead has a little bit of fantasy in it, right? Or horror, depends on how you look at it.

It was interesting to read an entire story from a boy's POV. I found it a bit strange at times, but I definitely found it an interesting and good change from what I normally read.

I thought Curtis was a fascinating character. He had moments when he frustrated me, but for the most part I rooted for him and hoped he'd succeed in what he was doing. The story reveals a lot of things about Curtis that made me question some of the things about the story. I feel like, in the end, he does the best he can with the cards he was dealt. His parents are far from perfect, his life in general sucks. The fact that his brother died is important, but I feel like the fact that he got these phone calls from Wilt helped him cope or at least ignore the fact that Wilt isn't physically there for him when he needs him the most.

Remember when I said that I was confused by the genre? Well, the story itself left me with a lot of doubts regarding these phone calls. I kept wondering, mostly because of some of the details that emerged about Curtis throughout the book, if those phone calls were real. Which in a way I thought was brilliant, because then, depending on what you want to believe, there's two ways in which you can see the book. Either Curtis was completely delusional, or he really was talking to his dead brother on the phone.

I felt like the pace was a little too slow for my taste, and the ending turned out to be completely not what I imagined. Not necessarily a bad thing, just not what I expected.

My only issue was with the parents in this book. I would've wanted at least one of the parents to be somewhat normal, or at least true, mature adults. Actually, now that I think about it, all of the adults in this book weren't exactly role models, or even adults per se.

Anyway, I thought the book was okay and if you're fans of YA mysteries, you should definitely check it out and let me know what you think.

Comic Book Tuesday #12: Monstress #1 by Marjorie M. Liu

Author: Marjorie M. Liu
Series: Monstress
Genre: Comic Books, Graphic Novels
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: November 4th 2015
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Steampunk meets Kaiju in this original fantasy epic for mature readers, as young Maika risks everything to control her psychic link with a monster of tremendous power, placing her in the center of a devastating war between human and otherworldly forces.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Image Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.

My latest foray into the world of comic books takes me into somewhat familiar waters. I was a bit familiar with Marjorie M. Liu's work as a graphic novelist, and I've liked what I've read so far, enough that I didn't hesitate to request the Monstress books when I saw them on Netgalley.

The story is really intriguing. The focus moves from past to present, as we get to see Maika before and after being captured and sold into slavery. We get to see a little bit of her past, enough to know her mindset in the present time, but not enough to understand why she did what she did or how she got captured. I think that's pretty interesting, from a storytelling perspective, to have the story developing on two separate timelines, yet ultimately not answering any questions, at least in this first issue.

Maika seems like a very angry young woman. She's desperate enough to do some extreme things in order to reach her goals, which at the time the first issue ends, the reader knows nothing about. Or at least I couldn't figure out much. What she's looking for is just as much a mystery as the girl herself. I think it's related to her past before the war, or maybe to when she was a little girl, but I'm not sure at this point. The mystery though didn't bother me, as it kept me on my toes and it made me want to read the first issue pretty fast, to find as many things about Maika's backstory as I could.

The graphic part of this book is also pretty awesome. The art is beautiful, with mostly dark colors and harsh lines at times, but that made it even more beautiful. I found it intriguing how the illustrator put some vivid, rich colors into some of the more darker scenes. In a way, it makes sense when you read the book, because it seemed to me that those colors underlined the differences between those who won the war and those who lost it, or at least that's how I interpreted it.

I did have a bit of an issue with how this first book ended, in the sense that it felt a bit too easy, in a way. But based on how the book ended, I'm not sure Maika will have an easy future, at least for now. I'm curious to see how the story moves on from that point. I'm also interested to see if the story will reveal how she got captured. I can't wait to pick up the rest of the issues and see how the story ends.

Book Review: Hell Or High Water (ARC) by Hailey Edwards

Author: Hailey Edwards
Series: Gemini #3
Audience: +18
Publisher: CrushStar Multimedia LLC
Release Date: July 30th 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Camille Ellis has gone rogue agent, and there’s no turning back now. The conclave might have put the Charybdis case to bed, but Cam isn’t willing to let it lie. No badge doesn’t mean no backup these days.

As mate to an alpha warg, she has access to new and lethal resources. A whole pack full of them. And they all want justice for the sins committed against them.

But the stakes are higher than she knows, the secrets exposed darker than she feared, and the cost of winning higher than she ever imagined.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley and CrushStar Multimedia LLC in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of the book in any way.

Here it is guys, the end of this series. We finally get to see who the killer is, as well as who lives and who dies.

Camille goes through a lot of stuff in this book, some of which blew my mind a bit. I was shocked, but now that I think back to the previous two books, it makes a lot of the things that happened to have more sense, and it puts them in a different light. It doesn't make me like certain characters at all, but it makes sense.

I feel like this discovery also opens a lot of doors and raises a lot of questions for the world of this series and the other connected series as well. Aside from that, I'm also curious to see how a certain something that happened right at the end of the story will impact the world of the series.

Speaking of future...I like how Graeson and Cam's story ended. Graeson did something for Cam that made me want to cry happy tears, it was so cute and so romantic in a Graeson way.

The pace is really good, and the action keeps you on the edge of your seat. There was a...let's just say there was something at the end of the book that makes me super happy and giddy and excited, that I cannot wait to see how it develops. All in all, a good way to end a trilogy and a good way to make way for new stories and new characters.

Book Review: Once Upon A Dream by Liz Braswell

Author: Liz Braswell
Series: Twisted Tales #2
Publisher: Disney Press
Release Date:April 5th 2016
My Rating: 3 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

What if the sleeping beauty never woke up? Once Upon a Dream marks the second book in a new YA line that reimagines classic Disney stories in surprising new ways.

It should be simple--a dragon defeated, a slumbering maiden, a prince poised to wake her. But when said prince falls asleep as soon as his lips meet the princess's, it is clear that this fairy tale is far from over.

With a desperate fairy's last curse infiltrating her mind, Princess Aurora will have to navigate a dangerous and magical landscape deep in the depths of her dreams. Soon she stumbles upon Phillip, a charming prince eager to join her quest. But with Maleficent's agents following her every move, Aurora struggles to discover who her true allies are, and moreover, who she truly is. Time is running out. Will the sleeping beauty be able to wake herself up?

*Disclaimer: I received an ecopy of this book from Netgalley and Disney Press in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion of this book or my rating in any way.

Sleeping Beauty has always been one of my Top 3 Disney animated movies. As a little girl, I remember being captivated by Aurora's relationship with the animals, but also by the three fairy godmothers. One thing I've always been attracted to, that I don't think I've ever told anyone before, was Maleficent's raven. I had a soft spot for that animal, even though he did ultimately belong to Maleficent, making him one of the bad guys, but he was a pretty bird. I was always sad when he ended up being turned into stone. Anyway...

I was very excited to see how the author would remake this story and make the villain win. There have been many remakes of the story, but I was really curious to see if this book could match the original movie's lavish world, with the medieval-looking drawings and details.

I have to say, I was a bit disappointed with the first quarter or so of the book. The plot was slow-paced and the language used made me think the book was intended for middle-grade aged readers. Which is not bad, except I was expecting more, for some reason.

I have to say though, I'm glad I pushed through and kept reading. Around the middle of the book, the story started picking up and it became the dark story I hoped it would be. It touched on some really delicate themes, like suicide and child abandonment, and I'm really happy the story went there. It was also really interesting to see that Aurora/Rose isn't shown as the delicate princess with the pretty voice and gorgeous hair that the movie shown, but she's more than that. She basically becomes the hero in this story, and I liked that very, very much.

I can't say I liked Prince Phillip very much. Probably because we see him mostly from Aurora's perspective, and he is yet another person who hid things from her. Even so, I was expecting more from the daring prince who faced a dragon for a girl he didn't even know.

The world-building was good. I liked how the story is told from the lens of a war won by the villain. Unlike the previous book in the series, I felt like Maleficent really was a villain in this story. She was cruel, she was ruthless, and she was deranged. Far more dark than the movie allows the audience to see. I still feel that, for a story where the villain wins at first, there were so few scenes told from her perspective.

I did enjoy this book more than the other one, however I think the first part of the book, as I said before, could have been a bit more fast paced, and maybe used a more mature language. I saw that the next book in the series is about Beauty and the Beast, and I can't even explain how much I want to read about that library that Beast has in his castle. So I'll definitely read the next book in this series.

Early Book Review: The Devil In Disguise by Cynthia Eden

Author: Cynthia Eden
Series: Bad Things #1
Audience: +18
Publisher: Hocus Pocus Publishing, Inc.
Release Date: June 28th 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Don’t make the devil angry…

Luke Thorne loves having one hell of a good time. As the ruler of every dark creature to walk the earth, he certainly has more than a bit of a bad side. He lives for danger and isn’t the type to lose his heart—mostly because he doesn’t have one. Then she walks into his life.

Mina James is seduction in the flesh, a perfect temptation that the devil himself couldn’t pass up. Too late, Luke realizes he’s let a real siren into his life, a woman who is bent on using his dark powers to free herself from hidden enemies. Since Luke isn’t the type of man to be used, he should walk away from her, but…something about Mina draws him close.

Soon he’s realizing that she isn’t who she appears to be. Not dark and cold, but burning red hot. Mina is a woman fighting for her life—and the Lord of the Dark suddenly finds himself in an unlikely role…hero. Luke isn’t going to let her enemies destroy Mina. He will fight heaven and hell to keep her. But in the end, the secrets they both carry may just rip apart a love that should never have been…

There are Bad Things in the world…very, very bad. Are you ready for them?

*Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC of this book from Netgalley and Hocus Pocus Publishing, Inc. in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion of the book or my rating in any way.


In the last two weeks or so I've been having the need to read some urban fantasy, which is when I stumbled across this book on Netgalley. Between the cover, the blurb and my recent obsession with the TV show Lucifer, I just had to give this book a try. And I'm so, so happy I tried it out.

I really loved the premise of this book. The ruler of all things dark is brought to his knees my a single, little siren. It was interesting to see the inner conflict that Luke has. He's been brought up to believe there's nothing good about him, that he can basically destroy anything and everything good around him, so seeing him struggle with his feelings and with his actions towards Mina was interesting. I feel like by the end of the book a lot of the things he believed in regarding himself and the world in general were put under a microscope and examined really well, and I feel like that will help him grow a lot as a character. I feel like he needed that.

Mina is one of those characters that manage to somehow  break my heart a little bit. She had a tough life and when I got near the end of the story, the irony of it all wasn't lost on me. I would want to explore her world more, since something that happened at the end was quite... strange and something that doesn't make sense. It kind of broke the rules, so to speak, but in a good way.

I have to say though, I would have loved it if the book explored the reasons for Luke's reaction towards Mina. Maybe it will be explored later on, as the series explores other characters, but it would be interesting to know why his instincts told him he needed to protect her, and why he reacted the way he did in certain situations.

All in all, a good start to a new paranormal series and I am very anxious to read the next book in the series.

Book Review: Viking Warrior Rising by Asa Maria Bradley

Author: Asa Maria Bradley
Series: Viking Warriors #1
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: November 3rd 2015
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Immortal Vikings are among us.

Leif Skarsganger and his elite band of immortal warriors have been charged to protect humanity from the evil Norse god Loki.

Under attack from Loki’s minions, Leif is shocked to encounter a dark-haired beauty who fights like a warrior herself. Wounded and feverish, the Viking kisses her, inadvertently triggering an ancient Norse bond. But when Naya Brisbane breaks away and disappears before the bond is completed, Leif’s warrior spirit goes berserk. If Leif doesn’t find her fast, he’s going to lose himself to permanent battle fury.

But Naya doesn’t want to be found...and he’ll do anything to find her. Because they’re both running out of time.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review


This book had me hooked when it mentioned Vikings. I've been searching for fresh urban fantasy/paranormal books and Viking Warrior Rising is just what I needed.

I really liked Naya. It was kind of difficult at first to experience the story through her eyes, since her past is really gruesome and it made my heart break into tiny pieces. But she's one of those heroines that I adore, because she turned her past into a weapon for her to use against her enemies without losing her humanity along the way. And I kind of understood her way of thinking and why she chose to do certain things, even if I wanted to strangle her sometimes.

Leif was an interesting hero to read about. I liked the fact that he's not your typical domineering alpha male hero that's so common these days. Yes, he had his moments where it was a mystery how Naya managed to not stab him, but he eventually understood that she could defend herself and that she didn't need to be treated with kid gloves and locked away in a room, to be safe. I wish we could've gotten a little more information about Leif's past, just a tiny sneak peek into his past before becoming the Viking king he is at the start of the book.

I'm not very familiar with Norse mythology, so this book was a great way to get my interest piqued. I felt a bit lost at times because of that, since the book mentions a few very new-to-me elements from the Norse mythology. I did enjoy the world-building and the fact that the book was fast paced enough to keep me interested.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and I cannot wait for the next book in the series, which comes out this fall.

Comic Book Tuesday #10: Heroes Haven by Mario Simone

Author: Mario Simone
Series: Heroes Haven
Publisher: Gotham City Films, LLC
Release Date: May 10th 2016
My Rating: 3 Cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Heroes Haven is set in a post-apocalyptic Los Angeles, where scientists are developing a drug — called V-1 — designed to awaken 'Superhero DNA Code' in the human body. As V-1 testing commences to enlighten and heal the dregs of LA, the drug begins to ‘synergize,’ awakening gifts like healing, super strength, visions and telekinesis in its subjects.

These gifts, however, come with a price: side effects include madness, acute psychotic episodes, body altering paralysis, degeneration, suicide and insane fits of rage that lead to murders.

In the dark shadows, a secret society is stealing the drug to test on death row inmates and create immortal super soldiers. As the power of this secret society grows, the imminent dangers of tyranny and oppression now face all of mankind. The battle begins to control the drug that will create a new world order.

The only hope to save humanity? The societal outcast test subjects from Heroes Haven who managed to escape the facility and survive the psychotic, emotional and physical altercations, becoming 'The Awakened Ones.' It’s up to them to decide if they will 'Awaken Their Inner Hero' and fight for the freedom of mankind.

*Disclaimer: I received an ecopy from Netgalley and Gotham City Films, LLC in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my rating of this book.

I really enjoy reading about the cruelty of some people. It might sound weird, I know, but there's something really interesting in seeing just how far an author will go to show how cruel and purely evil some people are. Themes like super-soldiers and human experiments are themes that will always be explored, in many, many different ways, but it's always interesting to see how different people approach them.

I liked the idea of trying to create superheroes. I also liked that a comic book explored that theme, the creation and testing of a virus that would ultimately create superheroes. The thing I liked most is that the story explores the negative side effects of this virus. I liked the symbolism, that as much as people try to create perfect, more powerful version of themselves, they lose something in the process.

At times it seemed like the story is told from one of the test subjects' POV, because the story seemed messy and not easy to follow. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but at times I did have a hard time keeping up with the story. That said, I liked that the tone of the book is as dark as I expected.

The art was actually beautiful. I liked the darker tones, the fact that some panels were crowded when the story became darker. At times the crowded panels fit the description of the poor people who were part of the experiments, conveying the same feeling of being on the verge of insanity.

I did however find that the different chapters, at times, showed only a small part of the story. It was difficult to follow the storyline, mainly because a lot of characters were introduced and not a lot of backstory was offered. I feel like the story would have felt "cleaner" with more backstory or with fewer characters. I'm hoping that if there's a second volume, it will explain better the history of the characters and that not a lot of new characters will be introduced before the storyline for the current ones is finished. All in all I did enjoy the story, and I'm hoping there are more installments in the future.

Book Review: These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly

Author: Jennifer Donnelly
Series: N/A
Publisher: Random House Delacorte
Release Date: October 27th 2015
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

A wealthy family. A deadly secret. A young woman with more to lose than she knows.

Josephine Montfort is from one of New York's oldest, most respected, and wealthiest families. Like most well-off girls of the Gilded Age, her future looks set - after a finishing school education, she will be favourably married off to a handsome gentleman, after which she'll want for nothing. But Jo has other dreams and desires that make her long for a very different kind of future. She wants a more meaningful and exciting life: she wants to be an investigative journalist like her heroine Nellie Bly.

But when Jo's father is found dead in his study after an alleged accident, her life becomes far more exciting than even Jo would wish. Unable to accept that her father could have been so careless, she begins to investigate his death with the help of a young reporter, Eddie Gallagher. It quickly becomes clear he was murdered, and in their race against time to discover the culprit and his motive, Jo and Eddie find themselves not only battling dark characters on the violent and gritty streets of New York, but also their growing feelings for each other.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and Bonnier Publishing in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my review of this book.

I've been meaning to read this book ever since I heard about it last year, during BEA. I was in love with the original cover, but I was also very intrigued by the premise of the book. It's also been a while since I last read a historical novel, and I've been meaning to find some historical novels to read.

The first thing that comes to mind as I'm writing this review is how multifaceted Jo Montfort, the heroine, is. She's really brave and witty in some situations, and then she's shy and innocent, bordering on naive. This was actually one of the most interesting things to read about, but also one of the aspects I struggled with the most. I think this is because I myself don't have to face a lot of the social rigors that she had to struggle with, as well as with the various ways in which women from a higher social class were, basically, uneducated. I had to wrap my head around that aspect of the story. At the same time though, it was a very interesting piece of history to read about, to try to understand how women were educated and how society dictated they should act like, how they should dress, walk, talk, even dance or study. So from that point of view it was very interesting.

As I said, Jo was a really interesting character. I have to point out that at times I struggled a bit to accept how she did things, but in the end I think she proved to be much braver and smarter than I initially thought. I also admired her a lot, especially since she really did go against everything society told her polite young women should be like.

Eddie was a character that, for some reason, I felt wasn't as explored as I wanted him to be. Granted, the book was told from Jo's perspective, but I also wanted to know more about Eddie. I feel like there's a story there, one that deserves to be told. I'm mostly interested about his childhood more than anything.

There's another character that I feel the need to talk about, that I can't however talk about as much as I wanted, because of spoilers. The only thing I can say is that I was a bit disappointed with how his story concluded. I felt like someone who went through what this character had to face, for 20 years, could have had a different epilogue.

All in all, this was a really entertaining story, one that I feel manages to educate readers a little bit more about pioneer women, like the journalist Nellie Bly. I can only hope there's going to be a story from Eddie's POV, because honestly, he is a character I really want to see get more page time.

Book Review: Head Above Water by Hailey Edwards

Author: Hailey Edwards
Series: Gemini #2
Publisher: CrushStar Multimedia LLC
Release Date: April 30th 2016
My Rating: 5 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Camille Ellis has tracked many killers during her career,but this time it's personal. Cut off from conclave resources, she won't let a small thing like a suspension keep her from accepting Cord Graeson's offer of help.

Pretending to be mated to him is one way to secure allies, but the best that can be said of the Chandler Pack is they haven't killed or eaten her. Yet. Between the alpha's displeasure and the pack's distrust of fae, she's working overtime to keep her head above water.

Just when the fur starts to fly, a tip cracks her case--and her life--wide open.

*Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley and CrushStar Multimedia LLC for free, in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or my review of the book.

Picking up right where Dead in the Water ended, this book was amazeballs. I love it when authors manage to make it seem like no time has passed between books, which is what I felt now.

More and more is revealed about Cam's backstory, which I love. She's still heartbroken by her twin sister's death, years ago, but I got the feeling she is mending. She's on the road to becoming the woman she should've been all along, had her sister lived, which makes me equally sad and happy. Happy, because Cam deserves it. Sad, because poor Lori. I love the risks Cam is taking in this book, I love how fiercely protective she gets of the people she cares about, and I love how she manages to let people in, to make friends.

Graeson is still hot. Infuriating too, which is something I'll admit I forgot about him. It was interesting to see the dynamic between the two of them, just as it was interesting to see Graeson become stronger and go towards a more dominant role in the werewolf pack.

Speaking of werewolves, I'd love to see the dynamics within the pack, the bonds, the mental connection, from Graeson's point of view. I saw how Cam experienced it, but I can only imagine that Graeson has a stronger, more defined experience with all of those aspects.

I'm curious if certain characters will get together, just as I'm curious to see if they'll have their own series. Just as I'm curious to finally find out who the killer is. I'm suspecting a certain someone, which would be mindblowing if that person is the killer, but I'm not yet 100% sure.

As with the previous book, this installment ended with a biiiig cliffhanger, and I cannot wait to see what happens next. I am keeping my fingers crossed that there are more spin-offs in the work, because this is a world I am not yet ready to say goodbye to.

Comic Book Tuesday #8: Blood Stain Volume 1 by Linda Sejic

Author: Linda Sejic
Series: Blood Stain
Publisher: Image Comics
Release Date: 19 Apr 2016
My Rating: 4 cups
Source: Netgalley
Blurb (from Goodreads):

Mad science at its finest. Chemistry major, Elliot Torres has been unable to keep a steady job and eventually accepts a job by a rumored mad scientist Dr. Vlad Stein. Humorous hijinks ensue as their collaboration becomes epic.

*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and Image Comics in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my rating or my opinion of the book.


This book had me at "mad science" and "chemistry major". I am always interested in seeing what people deem "mad science", so I was very curious about this comic book. That and I was sure I've seen the author's name before, but more on that at the end of the review.

I adored the art in this comic book. I spent a huge amount of time just staring at each panel, they were so gorgeous. The lines were well defined, the colors used were rich and vibrant. I also liked how the colors used seemed to emphasize the mood of the scene. We see most of the panels involving Elliot, the heroine, in light, bright colors, while the panels for the doctor are dark and cold.

Elliot was such a relatable character. I felt her despair at not finding a job that fulfills you, I understood her feelings toward herself when a job offer fell through or when she just couldn't hold a job that had nothing to do with her intelligence or her studies. I feel like most people are Elliot at one point or another. So it was easy for me to like her. Not just that, but I completely understand her tendency to overreact and to interpret stuff in the creepiest way possible. Another character that I liked was Serge, which you meet later in the story.

One thing Linda Sejic did that I completely enjoyed was to include some extra material at the end of the book regarding her creative process. I knew even before reading those pages that creating comic books can be difficult, but I never imagined just how much. Between the pencil sketches and the drawing and the creation of the story itself, it takes an incredible amount of time and effort to put together a good comic book, so I'm really grateful the readers get to have a little sneak peek into that process. As to why I knew the author's name, it's because her husband is the author of the Death Vigil comic, among other comic books as well. In case you're wondering, my opinion of Blood Stain has nothing to do with my feelings for Death Vigil, it was just a detail that got my attention towards this book.

All in all, I'm really happy I got to read this book and I cannot wait to see how the story continues. I hope we get to know more about the doctor, so I'll definitely be waiting impatiently for volume 2.