What I Read This Weekend…Rogue by Karen Lynch (PLUS ITS RELEASE DAY)

DESRCIPTION:

Sara Grey is done hiding and done being afraid. The Master thinks he has her running scared, but she’s taking matters into her own hands and taking her life back. With the help of her friends, she sets out to find the one person who can answer her questions about her past, and who may be able to lead them to the Master.

On her journey, Sara faces new challenges and dangers, and learns that the world of good and evil is not as clear cut as she had believed. She makes new friends, unexpected allies, and reconnects with people from her past. As her powers continue to change and grow, she transforms from a struggling girl into a strong young warrior.

But at what cost? How much is Sara willing to sacrifice in her need for independence and her quest for the truth? And will her newfound strength be enough to save her and the people she loves when she finally comes face-to-face with her powerful nemesis? Nothing could have prepared her for what is to come, and it will take everything in her to survive the final test of courage and love.

REVIEW:

I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

I LOVED the first two book in this series. It is a trilogy so this was the last one. This one was a bit of a disappointment. The ending and climax I was happy with, the beginning was done well, the middle not so much.

There just wasn’t much that happened in the middle. It seemed like 70% of the book was her training. There was so much focus on her learning and training. It would have been great if there was going to be more books. There is not. There may be a spinoff, but that’s it. I was happy it was going to be a trilogy till I actually read the book. This is the end.

Since it is the last one I think her training should have have taken up so much time. It really just felt like a majority of the book.

I was also looking forward to Sara and Nikolas doing something normal with the meet the parents thing. Didn’t happen.

The ending also came up very quickly. I was reading and realizing it was almost at the end and we still hadn’t gotten far then BOOM here is an ending! There wasn’t buildup to the finale unlike the last two books. I loved the beginning of this book and the end, but not the middle. It seemed like a huge break was taken in the middle and then as an afterthought, here is the ending you have been waiting for.

The ending was great. I liked what Karen Lynch did with the master. I am dying to read Nikolas POV for that final scene though because you aren’t clear what happens there.

Overall I do love this series, this is just my least favorite book. The pace of the first two books and the beginning of this one all matched. Then the middle of this book happened and we slowed way down on pacing and as a reader I felt that interruption. That interruption was picked up again in the very end, but it does happen.

 

Overall 3.5 stars. Still one of my favorite series, but this did kill my excitement a bit.

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Karen Lynch grew up in Newfoundland, Canada – a place rich in colorful people and folklore to which she attributes her love of the supernatural and her vivid imagination. She moved to Charlotte, North Carolina years ago and was immediately charmed by the southern people but she says she will always be a newfie.

Though she loves supernatural fiction, she has a soft spot for Charlotte Brontë and Jane Austin. She is a fan of classic rock, country and classical music but her favorite music is the sound of a good thunderstorm or a howling blizzard. Two of her favorite past times are baking artisan breads for her friends and spending quality time with her two German Shepherds.

A voracious reader, she fell in love with books and writing at an early age and it grew into a lifelong passion. Relentless is her first published work and she hopes it is the first of many.

Check out her website here!

What To Read This Weekend….REAP OF SHADOWS by Annette Marie Release Day + Cover Reveal of Book 5!

Happy Release Day for Reap of Shadows! 

 

Description:

Piper is feeling a bit overwhelmed. With Seiya and Lyre missing, Ash recovering from near fatal injuries, and the Gaians picking fights with daemons all over the city, a girl can’t help but think she might be in over her head. And this time, she’s on her own.

Before she even has a chance to investigate the Gaians’ new stockpile of mysterious, high-tech weaponry, an old enemy ambushes her: Samael’s henchman Raum. He wants Ash’s help and won’t take “get lost” for an answer. She doesn’t know if she can trust Raum, but even more than that, she can’t trust herself with Ash. Sooner or later he’ll catch up to her, and she fears she won’t be able to walk away from him a second time.

Despite her feelings, it will take their combined strength to face a frightening discovery about the Gaians. She and Ash begin to realize that the daemon war is coming to Earth, and they might be the only ones who can stop it—if it’s not already too late.

Review:

This books starts about 10 days after Yield the Night. Piper is once again trying to handle things on her own, even though she has friends that will help! Drives me crazy.

 

And the most important thing WHERE IS ASH!

 

Thankfully he shows up and the world gets a littler brighter, or darker however you want to look at it! Ash is completely my favorite right now. Piper is a little, I don’t want to say mean to him, but they really work out some problems that you knew were coming. I really liked that. You knew they were going to have to deal with these issues and they do. Ash handles it really well. Maybe its because you are in Piper’s head the whole time, but she does not. Ash is there to help her though, it was wonderful!

 

I have to say that this author writes fighting scenes really well. They are not confusing nor too long.

 

One of my favorite things about this series is that you can really see Piper grow and mature the further along you go. Things got even more intense in this book. Her relationship with her father reaches a breaking point and I am hoping that in the next book that is able to be repaired.

 

There were a couple unexpected twists which is always fun. The scene was really set for the next book. All the groundwork is there, we just have to wait and see how it ends!

Overall, absolutely amazing, 5/5 stars!

 

 

I can’t wait to see how it all ends. Which speaking of book 5 and the grand finale…

****I RECEIVED AN ARC OF THIS BOOK FROM THE AUTHOR IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*******

 

Here is the cover for book 5, Reap the Unleash the Storm!

 

 

Piper and Ash’s story concludes in the fifth and final installment in the Steel & Stone series, Unleash the Storm, coming March 4, 2016.

 

Now available for pre-order!

Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.ca

The Steel & Stone Series:
Book 1: CHASE THE DARK
Book 2: BIND THE SOUL
Book 3: YIELD THE NIGHT
Book 3.5: FEED THE FLAMES
Book 4: REAP THE SHADOWS
Book 5: UNLEASH THE STORM

About the Author:

I wrote my first piece of fiction outside a classroom when I was fourteen. Nowadays I shudder to think of it and can’t actually stand to read it as an adult, but it got me started on the road to over one million words written in the last 12 years. My passions in fiction haven’t changed since that first story. I love characters with spunk, intense relationships that challenge those involved, dark and mysterious worlds, and lots of kick-butt action.

I published my début novel and the first book in the Steel & Stone series, CHASE THE DARK, on October 17, 2014. The next two books followed in January and March 2015, and the fourth book in the series, REAP THE SHADOWS, is coming this fall. I plan to publish prolifically and with dedicated enthusiasm, and I hope my readers will share that enthusiasm.

You can find more at http://www.authorannettemarie.com, including a sign up for new release alerts and exclusive giveaways!

What To Preorder This Week…Soul Scorched by Donna Grant!

Now this is a full book, it just releases in four parts before the complete book releases. The first two parts are already out. The second one came out yesterday actually, but the last two and the complete book will be out later. 

Part 3: July 3rd

Part 4 AND complete book: July 10th

This cover is for the complete version of this book! Isn’t it gorgeous!

Description:

Darcy was floating on a cloud of pure passion. Everywhere he touched, Warrick was leaving a mark on her, forever changing her. She could feel it through her skin and muscle, through bone and into her soul. It was as if he was changing her. And she welcomed it…

Her power is a blessing.

Born on the Isle of Skye, Darcy is a beautiful woman of many gifts. Fortune-telling is her forte, and she remains the only Druid who could unlock the secrets—and desires—of a Dragon King. His name is Warrick. And now that Darcy’s seen into his dragon heart, nothing will ever be the same…

His passion is a curse.

Warrick never intended to put Darcy in harm’s way. But ever since she revealed a shocking truth, Darcy has been hunted by the Dark Fae, who want to use her powers for their own evil purposes. Now it’s up to Warrick to do whatever it takes to keep the woman who sets his soul on fire safe. But protecting Darcy means putting himself—and his entire race—in jeopardy. Is his desperate longing for one woman worth the risk of losing everything… for eternity?

Dive into Soul Scorched, the sizzling next novel in the Dark Kings series from New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant.

 

Note: My review is for the complete book which I received from the publisher in return for an honest review! Also all of these books can be read as a standalone. 

Review:

I really do love these books. I have only read a couple of them, but I know that I need to start from the beginning so clarify characters and more of the backstory. That’s not to say you can’t read this as a standalone, you can, but the further the series goes the less you get out of the series as a whole if you start with the newest book. I do love this series though and this one did not disappoint. It was fun to have a heroine that wasn’t human and had her own powers. I was hoping to learn more about the Isle of Skye, but did not. One thing that does bother me is that all of the sex scenes and characters are honestly starting to blend together. There is a struggle for each character to have their own voice and personality. It’s just getting harder to tell them apart. The backstory and who you know who’s guy is keeps getting deeper! I have NO IDEA and its driving me CRAZY! Hopefully all will be revealed soon. Not sure how many are coming, but can’t wait to see what happens next!

4/5 stars!

 

 

What I Read This Weekend…Dark Watcher by Lilith Saintcrow

Synopsis

The Lightbringer: Theodora Morgan knows she’s a little strange. Her talent for healing has set her apart, marked her as different all her life-a life spent moving from town to town when too much notice is taken of her abilities. Unfortunately, her talent for healing has brought her to the attention of the Crusade-and the Dark. The Crusade wants her dead because she’s psychic, the Dark wants to feed on her talent-and then there’s Dante. Tall and grim and armed with black-bladed knives, guns and a sword, he says he’s here to protect her. But what if Theo needs protection from him? The Watcher: Dante is a Watcher, sworn by Circle Lightfall to protect the Lightbringers. His next assignment? Watch over Theo. She doesn’t know she’s a Lightbringer, she doesn’t know she’s surrounded by enemies-and she doesn’t know she’s been marked for death by a bunch of fanatics. Perfect. He can’t protect her if she doesn’t trust him, but how can she possibly trust a man scarred by murder and warfare-a man who smells like the same Darkness Theo has been running from all her life?

Review

I was looking for a good new paranormal book and found this one. It sounded intriguing so I was excited to read it. This book is apparently a revised edition of a book that came out years ago. I haven’t read the first edition. This edition I thought was good. I have only read her Strange Angel novels, which I loved. They are YA though so I was interested to read one of her adult novels. This book was a very light romance. By that I mainly mean there is only about two kissing scenes so its a clean romance if that’s what you prefer. I usually prefer not as clean romance novels, but it worked really well for this novel. The paranormal aspects of this novel were a little confusing to me. I have a feeling that that is less so with the other books in this series as long as you read the previous ones. That is how it was with her Strange Angel novels too. Those were confusing at first, but the more books I read the clearer and better everything became. It was a steady introduction to a new series. It was more predictable at times, but I didn’t mind it. The pacing was fine. Pacing is a key factor for me if I like a book or not.

Character development was sorely lacking for me in this novel. I saw that with the Strange Angel series as well so it wasn’t a huge suprise, but I can see it disappointing other readers. You get no background information about the heroine and almost nothing about the hero. There was a little more with the hero, but still nothing of significance. You also get no information really about the paranormal society besides what things are. You don’t really know how it works together.

Overall I did like this book and would love to read the next ones.

4/5 stars!

What to Read This Weekend…Rivulet by Jamie Magee

 

Synopsis:

In life he haunted her…in death she haunted him. Love is eternal…

Weeks away from her twenty-first birthday, the date where she would assume control over her family legacy, a night terror robs Indie of the balance she was clinging to. Like the dream she had before she lost her family, it predicts a fatal catastrophe on the horizon. The fight between life and death, good and evil, began the moment her thundering heart awoke her.

Everything changed after that dream. The one thing that keeps her curse at bay is stolen, and then her enigmatic boy arrives in the flesh. Face to face with her fiery born-again lover Indie realizes that the only way she can prevent the tragedy before her is to surrender everything she was, is, and could be.

Can she bend the laws of nature and fight the improbability that fire and ice could ever be one? As far as Indie is concerned, there is not a myth, spoken fate, or curse that is stronger than her stubborn desire to have it all … including him.

 

Review: I have read a previous work by Jamie Magee, Edge, and really loved it so I was excited to get to read something else from this author. The style of this book was similar to Edge in that it was paranormal, but took it to the extra level. This novel though was so much more confusing to me than her other work. That’s not to say I didn’t like it. I did. It was just very confusing at times.

I think some of my issues were just that some things seemed to move very quickly and I kept having to re-read parts to understand. It seemed like there was a continuation of problems arising and they would then to get pushed aside then more would arise. Indie just kept saying they would deal with everything later and it got a little annoying. Again, it was just really confusing to me. If I read it again, it might make more sense.

I did like this book, I just don’t know if I could tell you why I liked it. I read the entire thing and I wanted to keep reading, mainly because I was hoping some things would be cleared up. The story was also sorely good, its just that I really didn’t get it sometimes. Some parts were confusing on purpose and I get that. I really liked the secondary characters and those relationships. Sebastian and Indie relationship was different and I didn’t like that there really wasn’t a process of showing how they fell in love, just that Indie had seen it over the years. The dual dimensions were confusing. I think by the end of the book there are questions that were answered, but some were not. Hopefully in the sequels more questions will be answered. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

3/5 stars!

 

To learn more about Jamie Magee, check out her Goodreads page!

What I Read This Weekend…Alpha Divided by Aileen Erin

This is the third in the series and I loved the first two so I was very excited about this book. I thought that it might be a trilogy, but at the end of this book you do find out that there will be a fourth and I am so excited for it!

 

Once again I really liked the author’s pace and her writing. The story is just complicated enough and well thought out for the most part.

 

Tessa irritated me more in this book than previous ones. There were things that were just so obvious to me or how things were connected and she didn’t see them. She just seemed to make some stupid decisions sometimes and it’s a little irritating. Since she does spend a lot of this book at the compound that means not a lot of progress was made on her relationship with Dastien.

 

I do love Dastien. He is French, which is awesome. He stands out from guys in other books, which is always good since sometimes they blur together.

 

I understood that Tessa needed to go and learn how to be a witch at some point, but she didn’t seem to learn that much. There didn’t seem to be any growth for her as a witch while she was there. The climax scene was a little short for me and I am excited about Claudia’s book because I liked the idea of getting some of the story from another perspective. I think this book could have been better if done with other perspectives included. Especially what is going on with the pack while she is at the compound which you could have scenes from Dastien or preferably Meredith’s’ perspective and it really would have added to the story in my opinion. I really like the pack so I wanted to know what was happening while she was gone.

 

3.5/5

 

Note: I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

What To Pre-Order This Week…Marked by Rebecca Zanetti

I apologize again for the second week of What to Pre-order This Week where is it is one in a longer series, but both of these series are amazing I PROMISE! I have been eager for this book since I figured out what was going on in the first couple books! This is the last in the series (supposedly), but who knows. I do love this series, but I like it when a good series ends to especially when its been so long! This is the seventh one so you have a couple weeks to read the rest of the series before this one comes out on December 22!

It is important to read the others in this series before this one. Mainly because you just miss some other fun stuff. Here is the series order list:

Fated, Claimed, Tempted, Hunted, Consumed, Provoked, Twisted, Shadowed, Tamed and Marked!

There is a description and buy links for all books. Here is Rebecca Zanetti page for all the books: http://rebeccazanetti.com/bookshelf/dark-protectors/

Here is the blurb for the series: The Kayrs family leads not only the vampire nation, but also the Realm, which is a coalition of vampires, shifters, and witches.   Years ago, an evil vampire race called the Kurjans declared war on the Realm by creating a deadly virus that infects vampire mates.  The virus attacks chromosomal pairs and takes mates from immortal to human, and maybe down to death.  No cure for the virus has been found for mates, and the vampires, who are male only, know that time is running short.

 

Blurb for Marked: Janie Kayrs has known Zane almost her whole life. He was her friend in the dream world. She trusted him. But that was before he kidnapped her, spiriting her away to an isolated cabin to learn what her dreams never told her. Like how dangerous he looks. How he got on the wrong side of the negotiating table. And how much sexier he is in real life…

Zane is a battle-hardened warrior, used to command and solitude. But Janie has drawn him from the minute they met. His need for her could destroy everything he’s worked for, but the risk is too sweet not to take it. They call her the Chosen One. But when it comes down to the questions of peace or war, life or death, safety or passion, it will be Janie who makes the choice…

Now I received an ARC of Marked in return for my honest review.

I reread the entire series before starting this book. I was so excited for the finale of the series and it did not disappoint! This story was amazing! In the series overall it is one of my favorites. The whole series has been leading up to this book. Even since Janie and Zane’s first meeting at the beginning of the series, the reader can tell there will be a story about these two and you are automatically wanting that story. Unfortunately (or not) you had to wait a LONG time to get this story. However it was better than I thought it would be, and I had very high expectations!

The whole series there is a mystery surrounding what exactly Zane is. Janie knows he is a vampire, but is he also something else. Of course this questions gets answered, plus its in the first couple chapters! I was SHOCKED by the reveal. It took me a bit to process, but I loved it and couldn’t wait to see what happened!

Zane definitely became one of my favorite guys. Not that I didn’t love the Kayr brothers, but I really liked Zayne. We get so little of him throughout the series and to finally get his story and inside his head in this book was wonderful.

Janie was also interesting to read. You get more in her head before this book than Zane, but still you have read about this girl for years and to finally see her as an adult is really neat. I just think Rebecca Zanetti is one of the best storytellers in this genre.

The writing for this book was just as well-done as the previous books in the series. Rebecca Zanetti knows how to tell a story, and tell it well. This entire series was so well thought out which just put the series above my expectations every time.

I love series and have read lots of them. I loved this series just as much as Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter books, which for me is a hard series to beat. Just the thought, time and creative energy that Rebecca Zanetti had to put into this series boggles my mind. I can’t imagine writing a story this in-depth. The pace was wonderful and we got to catch up on all of our previous heroes and heroines. That is always the bittersweet part of the end of a series, but it was really well done. I thought that the series ended on a great note. Again to me its hard to end a series well sometimes, but this was was beautiful. Plus there is more to come of this world which is very exciting.

Refuge (Relentless Volume 2) by Karen Lynch Release Day!!!!

Description: To keep the people she loves safe, Sara left everything she knew behind. She soon learns this new world is nothing like her old one, and she struggles to make a place for herself among the Mohiri. But it soon becomes apparent to Sara and to everyone one around her that she is not your typical warrior. As the weeks pass, Sara builds new relationships, copes with her new trainers, and tries to manage her ever-changing powers, while keeping her unique heritage a secret. Looming in the background is the constant shadow of the Master who will do anything to find her. Sara finds herself on a journey of self-discovery that uncovers her true strengths and awakens a part of her she never knew existed. She experiences the delight of new friendships, the sweetness and pain of first love, and a loss so deep it could be the thing that finally breaks her. At the end of it all, she discovers that the one place she was supposed to be safe might not be the refuge she thought it was.

 

 

Review: I LOVED this book! I found the first one randomly on Amazon one day and once I finished I was hoping there would be a sequel and there is! This was wonderful. It was a really great continuation of the story of Sara. The school is so cool! I loved that Sara got some new friends. There is a betrayal that you don’t see coming (at least I didn’t). There are finally some secrets revealed and there are so many amazing things that happen!!!! Also, can we talk about Nikolas! If you thought you loved him in the first one, you will fall even harder for him in this one!!! You learn so much about them and their relationship and it just makes you crave even more!!!!

I don’t have anything bad to say about this book. I wish you got more answers to questions and the ending is a huge cliffhanger, but I am hoping everything will be revealed/resolved in the final books, because YES THERE IS GOING BE ONE MORE!!! It’s going to be a while, which sucks, but I will wait with patience because this story is too amazing to miss!!!

5/5 stars!

 

 

~I received and ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review~

Some Good Books I Read Recently!

Here are a couple books that I have read recently, but didn’t have much to say so I wanted to put them all in one post. They were both good though so I wanted to feature them!

What A Bride Wants by Kelly Hunter: This book was cute. There was not deep or particularly insightful, but it was a good cute afternoon read. I liked the strength of the main character Ella was a strong, cowgirl. She was sassy and I liked her. Sawyer was fun. I liked that he was Australian. What girl wouldn’t? The relationship was a bit too easy for me, but I still enjoyed it. The writing style was good. The flow and pace were good. Overall I enjoyed it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Desired True Alpha 1 by Alisa Woods:

Since this is the first in a serial it is hard to write much about it. This first one gave you a good sense of the story. The writing was actually a lot better than from other first in serials that I have read. I thought that the flow of the story and the pace were great. The main characters were established enough that you can feel a connection with them. The story was well set up and I can’t wait to find out what happens!

 

I received free copies of each book in return for an honest review!

What To Pre-Order This Week…The Darkest Touch by Gena Showalter

If you have never read a Lords of the Underworld book you have about a week to go read ALL of them before The Darkest Touch comes out! I have been waiting for this book since I first read these books like six years ago! I am so excited for Torins book and it is out on November 25!

Blurb:

From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter comes the long-awaited story of Torin, the most dangerous Lord of the Underworld yet… 

Fierce immortal warrior. Host to the demon of Disease. Torin’s every touch causes sickness and death—and a worldwide plague. Carnal pleasure is utterly forbidden, and though he has always overcome temptation with an iron will, his control is about to shatter.  

She is Keeleycael. The Red Queen. When the powerful beauty with shocking vulnerabilities escapes from a centuries-long imprisonment, the desire that simmers between her and Torin is scorching. His touch could mean her end, but resisting her is the hardest battle he’s ever fought—and the only battle he fears he can’t win.

 

Lords of the Underworld books seem to come out very rarely so this is a special treat! This is a great series, but Gena Showalter has many other series that are just as good! I have read 95% of all her books and have always loved every book! Even if this series doesn’t interest you go look at her others because she is a fabulous writer!