REVIEW - Tangled by Emma Chase

Drew Evans thinks he has it all. A top job, the perfect bachelor pad, and enough charm and good looks to make sure he gets any woman he wants - just for one night, of course.  All that changes when he meets Kate Brooks.  No one has intrigued – or infuriated – him more, and the sparks that fly between the two of them are something he has never experienced before. Told entirely from Drew’s point of view, Tangled by Emma Chase is a hot and hilarious read that will leave you smiling.

Do you see that unshowered, unshaven heap on the couch? The guy in the dirty grey T-shirt and ripped sweatpants?

That’s me, Drew Evans.

I’m not usually like this. I mean, that really isn’t me.

From those first lines, I knew this book was something different.  The way he talked to the reader, the male’s point of view – I had to know how this was going to play out, and how he ended up as a heap on his couch.  The resulting story was nothing short of entertaining – watching the banter and competition between Kate and Drew had me laughing out loud constantly. But more than that, through all the antics I got to know them.  I wanted them together, could see how they were just right for each other.  I didn’t realize that was happening, until it came to the point that I just FELT for them and what they meant to each other.  This book wasn’t just funny, it had my heart wrapped up in the characters. Sneaky you, Emma Chase!! How’d you do that so easily???

While sometimes I didn’t appreciate the asides breaking up the story, one of the best parts of the book was getting inside Drew’s brain. A romance entirely from the male’s point of view, and a cocky male at that, make this book really unique.  We know the reasons behind every word, stare, and action – whether we want to or not, lol! His thoughts and his defence of said thoughts are more often than not funny or crude, yet they ring of truth.  

Like a guy’s going to say to his friend, “Dude, she was one fugly chick, but once I saw her chomping that romaine, I just had to nail her.”

No man wants to fuck a skeleton – and nibbling crackers and water like a prisoner of war at dinner isn’t attractive. It just makes us think about what a cranky bitch you’re going to be later on because you’re starving.

I was dying laughing! My husband was asking me what was going on and I was all " chomping romaine!!" and he didn't understand. 

Plain and simple, read this book. It was funny, enjoyable, and feel-good all at the same time. You will fall for the characters and root for a happy ending. You will not be disappointed! 

Catching up on Reviews, Speed Dating Style!!

Life. It happens. Unfortunately it’s been happening to me and has taken time away from my reviewing and blogging. I have still been reading though, I could never give that up, LOL!  At this point I’m so far behind on my reviews that I’m sure I could never catch up properly, so here’s what we are going to do – book reviews, speed style!  You know speed dating? Where you get 5 minutes to talk, a bell goes off and then you move to the next person in line?  When I hear that bell I’m going to stop talking and move on to another book. Are you ready for this? Here we go…DING!

Off Limits by Sawyer Bennet – I just finished this one last night, and I enjoyed it. It’s the usual boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, girl tries to get through to boy and past his issues.  The story alternates between the point of view of the two main characters, Emily and Nix, and this allowed a lot of insight into both their characters, and allowed for a different sort of anticipation and relationship build up. The romance was definitely hot in this one!  DING!

Rocked Under by Cora Hawkes –  Scott is the bad boy, womanizing lead singer in a band, Emma is the new girl in town.  Both come with emotional issues and together they struggle with keeping the friendship line intact.  The romance is decent, the characters alright, but something was missing for me in this book. I struggled to put my finger on just what it was – maybe pacing? Too many jumps in time – it was Christmas, it was now February, that continued until March? I’m not sure, but while this book was okay, it wasn’t awesome for me. DING!

The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden by Jessica Sorensen – I enjoyed this one.  I was intrigued by the characters and really wanted to get into their backstories. Both Callie and Kayden come with some heavy baggage which impacts their relationship with themselves and with each other.  The author did a great job of showing how the trust and love grows between them, and how it changes each of them as a person. The ending though – ugh!!  That’s a good ugh, lol, but it’s one of those endings where you need the next book – Right. Now.  DING!

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare – I love the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare. It’s a YA series, but the writing is superb and the characters are incredible. Clockwork Princess was no different, and it was an amazing ending to the series.  I’ll be honest, the first 75% off the book is somewhat dark and dreary – but it was essential to the development of the story.  Then that last 25%?  OMG.  Like OMG to the point that I don’t even have any adjectives to adequately describe its awesomeness.  It was perfect.  DING!

The Trouble with Spells (Of Witches and Warlocks #1) by Lacey Weatherford – A decent YA read about a girl who finds out that she is…you guessed it, a witch.  Portia thinks she has it all figured out, but when she finds out the truth about her heritage and abilities and becomes involved with the bad boy warlock Vance,  she struggles to define herself and her own views of love and loyalty. Does she take the safe route, or fight for that which she cares about? DING!

Into This River I Drown by TJ Klune – WOW, is what I have to say about this book. This is not the usual sappy romance read. Yes, it has romance, but that is not all that the book is about. It is highly emotional and meaningful  with its commentary on love, loss, grief, and new beginnings.  Beautifully written, I FELT every  mile of Benji’s journey – I laughed, I cried, I had those moments where your heart literally jumps into your throat. I don’t know how anyone could read this book without examining their own life and priorities, and gaining new appreciation for what they have.   Five stars amazing.  DING!

Lover At Last by J.R. Ward – The Black Dagger Brotherhood is one of my unabashed guilty pleasures.  I love this series – I love the men, I love the romance, I love the action packed storylines.  Add to that J.R. Wards incredible writing, and you can’t go wrong.  This book though – it was special. BDB fans the world over were waiting for Qhuinn and Blay’s story – we’ve watched them change and grow for so long now, we needed to know how it would play out!  This book doesn’t disappoint in that regard, and although I would have loved to see more of the title couple I feel they got a just and complete story.  This book did have an excess of side stories I found, and with the available members of the Brotherhood dwindling I have to wonder if the sole purpose of so many side stories was to ensure more books for the series.  I wanted to see much more of the brothers I have come to love – and instead got barely-there glimpses. DING!

Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire – I read Beautiful Disaster when it first came out, and while it was an okay book, I didn’t quite understand the Travis love that I saw going on everywhere.  When Walking Disaster came out, I decided to give it a chance to see if I could “get” the excitement.  Maybe hearing about Travis’ and Abby’s romance from Travis’ point of view would help me understand. Unfortunately, I found this book to be somewhat disappointing.  There were a few new scenes and a few new insights from Travis, but for the most part it seemed quite redundant to me. There was a lot of skipping over some key building scenes, so that the main parts of the story could be rehashed.  If I hadn’t of read Beautiful Disaster first, I would have been lost and the story and flow of the book would have been lacking. Well. It was lacking, but I could make it make sense because I had the backstory, know what I mean? Overall this book didn’t do much for me at all, but I did like the epilogue at the end.  DING!

Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines – I enjoyed Fallen too Far, and liked Never too Far, so I decided to give this spin-off book a try and I was so glad I did. I loved getting to know Woods and his backstory, and Della was a believable and relatable character. The story flowed well, the romance was steaming hot, and the writing was good. This just might be my favourite Abbi Glines book! DING!

Twice Tempted by Jeaniene Frost – The second book of the Night Prince series, Twice Tempted does not disappoint!  Vampires and intrigue (although I figured out the antagonist immediately in this one), and lots of hot and steamy scenes between Leila and Vlad. Total and complete guilty pleasure, and the sneak peek of the new Cat and Bones book was an added bonus! DING!

Existence Trilogy by Abbi Glines (Existence, Predestined, Ceaseless) I really enjoyed this YA series and devoured it over a day.  It had everything I enjoy – a unique idea, interesting characters, and an excellent dose of “just how is this going to work out?”  I’ll admit, I have a total book crush on Dank – but who doesn’t like a motorcycle driving, man of mystery, lead singer in a rock band?  I’d expound on the man of mystery, but that is one of the best twists in this series. I would definitely recommend these books to any older teen who likes supernatural/paranormal. DING!

What Really Happened in Peru by Cassandra Clare and Sarah Rees Brennan – I absolutely love the character of Magnus Bane in Cassandra Clare’s books. (Did you know he is the only character to appear in every Infernal Device or Immortal Instruments book?)  Honestly, he would likely be in my top 5 book characters I would like to meet.  Through the books we are told over and over that he cannot return to Peru, and I jumped at the chance to find out why! I’m sorry to say that I was disappointed. While the short “clips” were entertaining, I found them lacking.  While true to the character of Magnus, they were missing Cassandra Clare’s flair with words and just seemed thrown together. BING!

You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me by Sarra Manning – I thought the premise of this book sounded interesting – a formerly fat and unpopular girl, Neve,  dealing with all the emotional issues that stemmed from her bullying, finds the man of her dreams and decides that she needs to prepare herself to date him.   You know how when you make pancakes the first one often turns out uneven, maybe not cooked properly as the pan heats up? Well apparently the same applies to relationships and Neve does not want the man of her dreams to end up being the wonky first boyfriend. Enter Max – hot, successful, and cocky…and the perfect “pancake boyfriend. “  It’s nothing serious, or is it? While I did find this book quite long and sometimes in need of some editing to keep the flow going, I did enjoy it and the complete realness of the character of Neve.  DING!

Taking Chances by Molly McAdams – This book was highly recommended to me, and I was so disappointed. I hate leaving an unfavourable review, but this book drove me nuts in the worst way possible.  The main character is Harper, and she starts the story somewhat naive and inexperienced – but everyone loves her. Everyone. All the time. No matter what she does or how she acts, she is always forgiven and everyone raves about how special she is and how much they love her.  Seriously, the word “love” is just about as commonplace in this book as the word “the” and more often than not it is directed at Harper.  There are even characters whose sole purpose seems to be to show just how desirable, wanted and loved Harper is.  Throughout the book Harper does some pretty questionable things, and she never has to truly deal with the fall out. Everything works out perfectly for her.  It is completely and totally unrealistic. Add to that a number of clichéd story plots and the whole book just rubbed me the wrong way. DING!

This Girl by Colleen Hoover – This is how a point of view book should be done! Book three in the Slammed series, This Girl focuses on Will’s point of view during the time period of Slammed. Colleen covers the book well, balancing new insights and past events in a way that we get a new, complete version.  Even the familiar scenes seemed new and interesting, so kudos to Colleen Hoover! Definitely a solid addition to the trilogy – loved it! DING!

REVIEW - Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper (Nice Girls series)

Jane Jameson is an average girl – she works in the children’s department at the local library, lives in an historical home in her  Southern hometown of Half Moon Hollow, and has an overbearing mother who would love to see her get married and settle down.  However when she becomes fired from the library, it sets off a chain of events including potato skins, getting rip-roaring drunk, being mistaken for a deer, and waking up undead in the home of her handsome sire, Gabriel Nightengale.  As she stumbles her way through her new life, er…death,  she learns to deal with coming out of the coffin to her family, renews a relationship with the ghost of her dead aunt, and struggles with her growing attraction to Gabriel  - all while being framed for vampire murders!

A friend of mine gifted me the first book in Molly Harper's Nice Girl series, Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs, after she read it and loved it.  I started it and was hooked – in fact the worst part was waiting the week for the next books in the series to become available from the library!  It’s not the deepest read, but it is incredibly entertaining. The characters are slightly over the top, but in that way that they remind you of someone who is just like that, you know?  The main character Jane?  Well, I just love her.  She’s secretly insecure on the inside, endearingly accident prone, still trying to find her place, and totally and completely sarcastic.  Her mind and feelings were real to me, and I could totally see myself in her – except for I’m not nearly as fabulously sarcastic, lol.  Jane had me hooked on the series within the first chapter – I had to see what happened with her. 

The Nice Girl series continues with Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men, Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever, and Nice Girls Don’t Bite Their Neighbours.  We get to see Jane continue to grow and change all while charging through increasingly impossible situations – and the supporting characters get their lives nicely wrapped up as well.  I found that while I enjoyed the series, I was glad it ended where it did.  I found myself giving a bit of a “Really? Come on!” at the events of book 4 as it was starting to be just a little too much, but it was easy to put aside in order to see how the lives of everyone turned out.

Overall I give  4.5 stars to the Nice Girl series. The books are funny and entertaining, with enough suspense and romance to keep things rolling. Purely enjoyable, feel-good books – which I think we all need more of sometimes. All of the books in the series are available from major retailers, and you may even find them at your local library as I did. 

REVIEW - Never Too Far by Abbi Glines

I was so excited to get my hands on Never Too Far by Abbi Glines! I really enjoyed Fallen Too Far, the first book in the series, and while it was what I could consider an “indulgent” read, the ending hooked me in and made me consider the book as more than just a basic romance.  When Never Too Far came out, I was hoping for an extension of that ending and a fight for true love.  While I believe this was the intent of the author, for me the book just fell flat.

I totally fell for cocky and hot Rush in book one, and he just didn’t have that same appeal in Never Too Far. He was tamer, more complacent, and without the drive that attracted me in the first place.  Now don’t get me wrong, he had drive and motivation in book two as well, but it just wasn't as intense and fiery as it was before - or maybe intense but for a different reason and in an entirely different way?  I’m finding it hard to explain, but the bottom line is he just didn’t grab me in like he did in the first book. I didn’t have that “Rush Crush”.

Blaire, now where can I start with her? At the end of book one I saw a change in her. She made a decision that intrigued me and I wanted to see more of that strong and determined woman and watch Rush fight for her. I wanted to see her intense reaction to that fight, I wanted to see her inner struggle and growth.  Instead I found her regressing almost – she came across as immature, closed minded and wishy washy. I got annoyed with her too many times to count, and not in a good way either.  It was just a feeling of “enough already!”

Maybe the fault lies in me for expecting too much from this book. The ending of book one gave me high hopes for Never Too Far, I could see a direction for it to go and Abbi Glines just didn’t take it there.  Instead I got some cookie cutter unimaginative problems, quick fix reasons for the main characters to interact, and unsatisfying results.  *SPOILER ALERT* When Blaire finally lets Rush close because she was horny (yes, that’s why),  I nearly gave up on the book.  There was no fight for love, Rush didn’t have to convince her, she wanted sex and so got back with him.  Up until that point, Blaire had convictions – and while I did not agree with them, I had to respect her for them.  Well. Until she just threw them all away to get laid. It was incredibly disappointing, to say the least, almost as if Abbi Glines couldn’t figure out a way or reason for Rush and Blaire to get back together. 

I honestly have to wonder if this book was hurriedly churned out after the success of book one. It just didn’t have the feel, depth or insight that I was expecting. Unfortunately, I just can’t give this book any more than 2.5 stars. It was a basic, somewhat bland romance that could have been much, much more.

Review - Betrayed: Days of the Rogue by Nicky Charles

If you haven’t read Nicky Charles’ Laws of the Lycans series,  go start it now! All her books are available FREE for download from her website, and they are too good to miss! Her latest instalment is Betrayed: Days of the Rogue, and oh, did I ever enjoy this one! I’d have to say it is my favourite so far.

When I started this book, I thought it would be more centred around Damien, the werewolf who has gone rogue after the loss of his mate.  While it is in fact a continuation of Damien’s story, the book belongs truly to Eve – a young woman who not only recently discovered that she is part Fae, but also has begun to come into her gift as an empath.  Escaping the busy city and all the noisy minds there, she finds herself in Grassy Hills, renting a cabin in the woods from the gorgeous Rafe McCrae.  As far as she knows,  Rafe is an impossibly frustrating man busy fixing up a series of cabins in the woods to rent – when in reality he has taken a sabbatical from his work rehabilitating rogue werewolves. When he realizes the rogue Damien is sniffing around Eve,  Rafe immediately takes action to both protect her and get to the bottom of what Damien is up to – but can he do it without falling for Eve, a dangerous prospect for more than one reason,  in the process?

 

As I said, this is my favourite book of the Laws of the Lycans series. It was very involved with many twists and turns, varied connections between characters, and a story line that kept me guessing everyone’s motives right up to the end.  Not only did it have great suspense,  this book in particular I found had me feeling deeply for many of the characters as I hoped they made the choices I *knew* were in them.  The romance, as always from Nicky Charles, is top notch with lots of build up and steamy scenes.  (I will never look at a front entrance wall the same way again. ;) )

Even if this book was regularly priced I would be recommending it,  but since it is free, you have absolutely nothing to lose! Give the whole series a go – while it is heavy on the romance,  it is more than just an indulgent read.  Four solid stars from me, for both the book Betrayed and the entire series. Click on the book below to be taken to Nicky Charles' website and get downloading!

TBR - Betrayed: Days of the Rogue by Nicky Charles

Believe it or not, I have done no reading this week. I know, I know, what is the world coming to? I blame a full work week  and a new addiction to Candy Crush Saga.  I think it’s out of my system now, so instead of telling you what I read this week, I’m going to share with you what’s on my TBR (To Be Read) list and give an excellent Canadian indie author a little pimp. ;) What’s next for me? Betrayed: Days of the Rogue by Nicky Charles.

From Nicky Charles’ website:  

His mate killed in a horrific explosion, ex-Enforcer Damien Masterson now lives as a rogue werewolf.  Grief stricken and filled with rage, what depths will he sink to in his search for revenge?  And who will be caught in the crossfire?  Will it be Eve, a Fae just entering the Awakening stage?  Or Rafe McRae, part empath and part wolf?  It’s been said that a rogue Enforcer is too dangerous to be allowed to roam.  A suspense driven story of love, betrayal and revenge, this latest addition to the Law of the Lycans series is a sequel to Bonded.

I started the Laws of the Lycans series a few months ago on a recommendation from a friend, and I enjoyed them. The first book, The Mating, was good and the characters hooked me enough that I kept going – and I am so glad I did! These books are great paranormal romance, with strong Alpha males (literally, lol), suspenseful stories, and steamy scenes.  Each book is better than the last for me, especially since we get updates on the characters from the past books.  In a way, this series reminds me of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, in that we get to see the story of a different character in each book, but the supporting players are familiar favourites.

When I got notification that Betrayed was published, I downloaded it immediately and moved it to the top of my TBR list. I HAVE to know what happens to these wolves, and it is said that Betrayed is the grittiest novel of them all. I can not wait!!  Come and join me with this series – Nicky Charles offers all her books for free (Yes, ALL OF THEM. FREE) on her website. Just click the book cover below for the link!

REVIEW - Tell Me It's Real by TJ Klune

Tell Me It’s Real is a m/m romance with a premise so many of us can identify with  - Paul Auster, who sees himself as plain and ordinary, with no exemplary characteristics,  simply can not believe it when Vince  Taylor, perfect hunk of man meat he is, is interested in a relationship.  Certain he’s just being “Freddy Prinze Juniored” (a la She’s All That) Paul reluctantly gives things a chance, afraid to follow his heart in case he gets hurt.

I was so excited to get my hands on this book! There is something about TJ’s writing that I just love – the writing is adult, the language can be dirty, sarcasm and quick wit abounds. I also love his tendency towards slightly neurotic, yet totally real in their craziness, characters. (*coughs* Otter…) Tell Me It’s Real totally delivered.   Paul is so quirky, I love the tangents his mind takes and how his thoughts just come out of his mouth. I was laughing constantly throughout the book, not only because Paul was hilarious, but because I saw so much of myself in his thoughts. (Although mine aren’t quite as cool, quirkily, and sarcastically articulated, lol) 

Vince was just the sweetest thing I could imagine. He saw and knew Paul’s heart immediately and never stopped to question it. His unassuming and calm manner was such a compliment to Paul’s high energy. Yet when it came to sex, Vince he was so forward , his confidence so totally swoon worthy, that Paul couldn’t help but stop fighting and be taken along for the ride. (HA! Pun intended. ;) )

I also have to say I loved the relationship between Paul and his best friend Sandy/Helena Handbasket.  You could feel the love and deep caring even through all the traded barbs, and the quiet scenes between the two of them were some of the most touching scenes I have read in a book in a very long time. Bravo TJ for this, you perfectly captured the love and deep affection that exists between tried and true best friends. 

My only drawback to this book is that sometimes it seemed to be a little over the top. At first I just chalked it up to just not being completely in tune with the world of gay men and drag queens – and truth be told, that is likely a large part of it. The more I read however, I think some things were exaggerated a little too much in order to make a point or get a laugh.   Now, please don’t get me wrong, this happens all the time in romantic comedies – and the instances in Tell Me It’s Real certainly don’t detract from the story. They did make me laugh, exactly as they were intended. It was only after I finished reading that I looked back and realized that they weren’t necessary. The book would have been just as funny and sweet without it, and perhaps just a little more real.

So overall?  3.5 stars, plus one star named Paul James Auster, for 4.5 stars. Wait. Make that  4.75 stars for the sneaky ending that had me screaming in frustration!   (TJ Klune, you know what I’m talking about, and I was ready to go bat-shit crazy all over your Facebook page for that.  Luckily, I kept reading. ;) )  

Bookophiles, go give this book a try. It may not seem your thing at first, but a love story is a love story – and this one will drag (queen, ha!) you right in. Tell Me It's Real is available for download  from Amazon (link below, click the pic), Barnes and Noble, and Dreamspinner Press.