Book Review: Hard Limit By Sybil Bartel

Hard Limit
(Alpha Antihero #1)
By Sybil Bartel

One f*cking breath.

That's all I needed.

Air in my lungs so I could exhale through the pain.

My ribs broken, my face in the mud, one leg useless, I tried and failed to lift my head. Mosquitoes swarmed, and the sun dropped. I wasn't gonna die out here. No f*cking way. I was Tarquin Scott, and that was a hard limit. One arm crawl after another, I needed to man up.

I wasn't dead yet.

But then I heard her voice, angel soft and breathless, and I wondered if I'd been kidding myself. I didn't have time to figure it out. A small hand landed on my back and I fisted my bloody knife.

I wasn't gonna die tonight. But someone else was.

*HARD LIMIT is the first book in the Alpha Antihero Series.

The Alpha Antihero Series

HARD LIMIT

HARD JUSTICE

HARD SIN

Available At:

| Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks |

Check Out The Other Books In This Series:

(Linked to my review)

My Review:

* This book is part of the Wanted: An Outlaw Anthology along with 19 other full novels that were released January 8th, 2019 as a boxset for charity. It has been released on its own as of December 20th, 2019

Anti-heroes aren't something that I look forward to reading about. Especially considering the part Candle AKA Tarquin plays in a few other novels in this author's other series. His redemption ARC started quite a few books ago and I'm not sure how to feel about him as a character.

**Spoilers**

I was glad that this series picks up right after the cult leaves him for dead. So he technically hasn't done anything bad to anyone, in this particular time and place. I wonder what happens from now on that makes him end up in a place where the events of the Uncompromising Series takes place.

**End Of Spoilers**

Tarquin (who eventually becomes Candle) is different than I imagined him to be with all his future appearances in the other series. He may not be evil, as of yet, but he's not candy canes and gumdrops either. There's a balancing act that the author is trying to hold and I can't say I hate it.

Shaila was sassy and had a backbone when things needed to get done. I imagine she's going to be quite a match for Tarquin in the future. Though why she saved a dying man on her so-called father's land is still beyond me.

With all that being said, this still felt like half a story and not in a good way. The way it ended to give room for a cliffhanger felt way too abrupt and almost panicked. I understand this is going to be a trilogy but there had to be a better for-now ending other than where the author left off. 

My Rating:

Audio Book Review: Stealing Embers By Julie Hall

Stealing Embers

(Fallen Legacies #1)

By Julie Hall 

Narrators: Vanessa Moyen & Adam Gold

Length: 9 hours and 19 minutes

A realm of monsters. A world of lies. She belongs to both.

My name is Emberly, and everything I’ve ever been told is a lie.

Monsters don’t exist. Wrong.

The nightmarish spectrum world is just my imagination. Wrong.

In a few months, I’ll finally be free. Wrong.

It takes being dragged to a secret training academy in the mountains to unravel the truth. My captors--an elite race of angel-born warriors called Nephilim.

The deadliest of them all is an arrogant shape shifter, Steel. He’s gorgeous, lethal, hot-headed . . . and convinced I’ll be the death of them all.

Maybe he’s right. As soon as I show up, the monsters that have haunted me my entire life breach the academy walls. My only hope of saving my new friends is learning how to control my powers, but when a stunning betrayal hurts someone I care about, I have an impossible choice.

Stay and fight for a place to belong . . . or decide once and for all that I’m better off alone.

Enter the spectrum world, a realm in-between worlds where shadow beasts draw blood, reality is a maze of twisted lights and sounds, and life goals are whittled down to just one: survive.

Fans of Jennifer L. Armentrout and Cassandra Clare will love this Crescent City meets Crave mash up!

Available At:

| Amazon | Audible |

My Review:

 

I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did from the beginning! Most angel stories have been a huge miss for me for the last few years, so I was glad that this one ended up being an exception. Though that did change somewhat by the end.

Emberly started off as a strong and sympathetic character. She was in a rough situation due to other circumstances. She was taking life one day at a time while dealing with something that was clearly out of her control. I liked how she took a little while to warm up to the characters that ended up "taking her in". She was ready to leave at the drop of a hat while still trying to make the best out of what she was being offered.

Steel was very standoffish throughout the entire book. There were moments when a little bit of emotion would seep through but those were far and few between. I wish that hadn't been the case. By the second half of the novel things seem to have progressed with him but right away he goes back to his hot and cold thing. I was starting to like him but then he went off on his own. It left a sour taste in my mouth.

The ending had me slightly angry. Steel is going off on his "mission" and Emberly still knows almost nothing of actual substance about what she is. Everything is being put on a gamble and relies on finding someone else to varify the information. If that someone else can even be found at this point. I think I just wanted more information on what Emberly is, how she fits into the world the author created, and who Steel will eventually end up being to her. Turns out I just wanted more answers, plain and simple.

 

The Audio Book:

The narration was great! There were quite a few laugh-out-loud moments and the narration just enhanced that. All the characters were distinguishable from each other and there were no weird noises in the background.

My Rating:

Audio Book Review: Hissy Fit By Lani Lynn Vale

Hissy Fit
(The Southern Gentleman #1)
By Lani Lynn Vale

Narrator: Ava Erickson & Jacob Morgan
Length: 6 hours and 4 minutes

He is the one that never looks her way.

He is handsome and strong.

He is rough around the edges and mean.

He is everything she’s ever wanted.

He doesn’t even know she exists.

Her life is a joke.

She doesn’t step on cracks in the sidewalk.

She laughs at inappropriate times.

She talks when she shouldn’t.

She is clumsy and trips on air.

She is finally on his radar.

God help her now.

Available At:

| Amazon | Audible | Kobo | iBooks |

My Review:

This author's books are usually a hit or miss for me. I've read a few sample previews on amazon on her past few books and most don't keep my attention after the synopsis grabbed my eye. Though I think I finally figured out a workaround: listening to the audio book. If you've been here for any length of time you've probably seen me rant about how impatient I am and some writing styles tend to bring out the worst of it. If I choose to listen to the audio book that's no longer a problem because I can't skim read ahead and ruin the experience for myself.

Let's not kid ourselves and call Raleigh a realistic portrayal of a clumsy person but it did make for hilarious and improbable situations. As clumsy and accident-prone as I am I seem to have only scratched the surface where Raleigh is concerned. She was a sweet person who liked to take other people under her wing. I'm glad she finally got her dream guy!

Erza was kind of blind when it came to Raleigh. He never really noticed her before even though they went to the same school. Though to be fair it was probably a big school and it's impossible to know everyone. The amazing thing is that it was one of Raleigh's clumsy moments that finally made Erza see her as a person and want to get to know her.

The ending was interesting, to say the least! Who knew glow-in-the-dark clothes could be accident inducing. I'll be looking forward to future audio books by this author because this one proved to be great!

The Audio Book:

The narration was great! Everyone had a relatively distinct voice and I never got lost in any conversations between characters.

My Rating:

Audio Book Review: Fallen Academy: Year One By Leia Stone

Fallen Academy:
Year One
(Fallen Academy #1)
By Leia Stone

Narrator: Vanessa Moyen
Length: 7 hours and 19 minutes

Brielle Atwater isn't sure of much, but she knows a few things:

1. Having black wings is not normal. 

2. Selling her soul to the demons was a mistake. 

3. Lincoln Grey is the biggest *** she's ever met … but not falling in love with him might prove impossible. 

When angels fell from the sky to war with the demons that ravaged Earth, their combined powers infected humanity. Now, the humans are assigned one of two fates, being either demon gifted or angel blessed.

After wings sprout from Brielle's back at her awakening ceremony, she's sure she's an angel blessed celestial. It's not until she sees black wings that she realizes something is terribly wrong.

Having sold her contract at a young age to save her father's life means she should be bound for Tainted Academy. That is, until a fallen angel unexpectedly fights for her to be accepted into Fallen Academy, the elite school for those that inhabit Angel City.

She's immediately matched with her impossibly handsome celestial teacher, Lincoln Grey. Laying eyes on him, her first thought is that her time at the academy might actually be fun, but this theory quickly fades when she and Lincoln clash on day one. To further prove her admission into Fallen Academy is cursed, the entire school is thrown into chaos when an Abrus demon reveals that he knows Brielle's secret. Now, above all else, Lincoln must fight to protect her.

To his surprise, the only thing more difficult than trying to save her … is trying not to fall for her.

Available At: | Amazon | Audible | B&N |
My Review:

This book proved to be very entertaining in a train-wreck sort of way. The concept for the world the author created with all the different creatures, powers, and hierarchy was awesome. It's what kept me invested in this book in the first place. The characters made it lose a little bit of its shine by the end though.

Brielle was something alright. I liked that she was stubborn, loyal, and sassy to a fault but her repetitive inner monologues got annoying the longer it progressed. I disliked that she was this special never-before-seen being and how everything came SO easy to her. I would have liked to see her struggle to control her powers or maybe even *gasp* lose a battle here and there and make it so it had real-world consequences.

I didn't see the appeal Lincoln had. He's bossy and knows how to sass her back but that's about it. He's interesting and all but I just don't see or feel the chemistry he supposedly has with Brielle.

I will say that even though things didn't happen one after another in the story, because there were time passes mentioned in between, it did feel back-to-back in a rushed, coincidental, and not-good sort of way.

This novel felt like it was missing something crucial for me to fully be submerged in it. It felt like everything was go-go-go all the time that the characters never took a breath and that ended up affecting my reading experience in a not-so-positive way.

The Audio Book:

The narration was great! I could tell all the characters apart while 3 or more were having a conversation. Though I would've liked to see more of a variety in male voices/tones.

My Rating:

Book Review: Bartered To The Fae Lord By Rylee Winters

Bartered To The Fae Lord
(Fated Mates #1)
By Rylee Winters

Elise’s life sucked; she was stuck in a dead-end job as a check-out girl at the local grocery store, she didn’t have enough money to go to college to better her life, and her father who’d abandoned her and her mother when she was only a small child keeps reappearing in her life to screw it over.

But now things have just fallen to a whole new level of crappiness even she couldn’t imagine!

Her dead-beat father has struck a bargain with a Fae lord and offered her up as his bride to save his own worthless skin.

Unfortunately, she discovers once a deal is struck with one of the immortal folk, there’s no way out…

Callum, the mysterious Fae lord, comes for her personally, spiriting her away to his cold, wintry realm. She’s given no choice but to marry him and remain his captive. But Elise isn’t about to give up––she’s concocting a plan to escape. Only she’s in danger of losing herself heart, body and soul, to this brooding, chiselled, Fae warrior before she can realize her plan.

Meanwhile, war is brewing in the Kingdom, and Callum has been ordered to ready the army of troops in his garrison to march for battle.

There are enemies in the shadows and conspiracies happening behind closed doors, and he and Elise will find themselves caught in the crossfire. Will Elise be able to find out Callum is her fated mate before war erupts around them and tears them apart? Or will she abandon him in his greatest moment of need, when she’s unexpectedly given a chance to return home?

*Bartered to the Fae Lord is a standalone steamy paranormal romance with a HEA. Each book in the Fated Mates series will feature a different couple with a complete story.*

Available At:

| Amazon |

My Review:

This book had a lot of potential but it didn't manage to blow everything out of the water. Another round of two of editing would have also done this book a lot of good. One thing that I hadn't come across in books that I figured out with this one that bothers me to no end is consistent exclamation points in inner monologues. Is the person supposed to be screaming in their own head? That doesn't sound fun. Also ending a sentence with an ellipsis has become a grammar pet peeve of mine from this book forward.

Elise started off like a character who was going to wreak havoc on the prince but that never came to fruition. Instead, she ended up liking where she was at and falling for him after a few days of stewing in her anger at the situation. Personally, I found it strange how she never inquired about visiting her mom (who had done nothing wrong and only tried her best to help her) or having her mom visit her. She was just forgotten in the story.

Callum got off to a very villain-esk start. Let's call what he did what it actually was: kidnapping. It was all due to Elise's father throwing her under the bus but we find out a bit of titillating information (which is a spoiler I won't be mentioning here) and it kind of put him in an icky light if you ask me. Their chemistry didn't come off correctly through the writing. It was just something that one day wasn't there and then *boom* there it goes.

The ending was a little too rushed. I would have loved to have been present when Elise went to the king and the conversation they had. I also would have liked a little more motive for the villain (whose name escapes me now) to have done what he ended up doing. There was one interaction that was creepy and everyone on edge and then *boom* everyone is proved right. I would have liked more of a lead up to it, is what I'm trying to say. Overall, it was an enjoyable book! Though, I think this author and her writing have great potential it's just not there yet for me.

My Favorite Quotes:

"Bad things can happen unexpectedly - it's a part of life."

"You don't need to feel guilty or ashamed for pursuing something you are passionate about - even if others may not understand; if it brings you joy, you should do it. "

My Rating:

Audio Book Review: Pestilence By Laura Thalassa

Pestilence
(The Four Horsemen #1)
By Laura Thalassa

Narrator: Susannah Jones
Length: 11 hours and 22 minutes

They came to earth--Pestilence, War, Famine, Death--four horsemen riding their screaming steeds, racing to the corners of the world. Four horsemen with the power to destroy all of humanity. They came to earth, and they came to end us all.

When Pestilence comes for Sara Burn’s town, one thing is certain: everyone she knows and loves is marked for death. Unless, of course, the angelic-looking horseman is stopped, which is exactly what Sara has in mind when she shoots the unholy beast off his steed.

Too bad no one told her Pestilence can’t be killed.

Now the horseman, very much alive and very pissed off, has taken her prisoner, and he’s eager to make her suffer. Only, the longer she’s with him, the more uncertain she is about his true feelings towards her … and hers towards him.

And now, well, Sara might still be able to save the world, but in order to do so, she'll have to sacrifice her heart in the process.

Available At:

| Amazon | Audible |

* I know the cover I used in this post isn't the cover the latest edition of this novel has. That's because I like it better than the updated cover. This cover is perfect for this novel, I don't understand why they changed it to a cover that resembles an erotica novel but that's only my humble opinion on the latest cover.

My Review:

The moral quandaries embedded in this novel while trying to redeem a villain proved to be very interesting. Though I understand what this novel tried to do it wasn't enough to convince me to put aside my morals. 

The first thing this novel wasn't capable of was making me care about both main characters. I would have loved a lot more character development throughout this novel as well. We're told the most on the surface information about both and that's all we get until the almost very end. By then I don't care enough about them to make a difference in how I experience the story. 

I also would have liked to see more of a story element that wasn't just about the couple and them wandering aimlessly around the world. Halfway through this novel, I would have been happy with a vague story running in the background if I'm being honest. 

As interesting as a book redeeming a villain sounded to me it turns out it's not something I enjoy reading about. I don't think it's the book's fault though. This was something I've seen going around on twitter and wanted to see if it lived up to the expectations I built based on what other people were saying. My final answer is no, it wasn't worth it for me.

The Audio Book:

The narration was fine. The narrator doesn't have a very big range of male voices but it wasn't a problem considering this story revolved the majority of time around the couple.

My Rating:

Audio Book Review: Tempting Titus By Michelle Dare

Tempting Titus

(Paranormals of Avynwood #6)

By Michelle Dare

Length: 6 hours and 23 minuutes

Narrators: Troy Duran & Sarah L. Colton

Life seemed to be moving in the right direction at last. Then the fires started.

As a wolf shifter with vampire gifted powers, Titus was better equipped to handle emergencies than others. But he wasn’t invincible.

Imogen was a typical senior in high school—except she was a powerful mage hiding in plain sight. When Titus showed up after class to help a pack brother, Imogen’s world was rocked.

Never had she met someone like him.

With the paranormal community under threat, their homes and businesses going up in flames, Imogen wasn’t worried. Too bad her abilities didn’t equal safety.

The magnetism between Titus and Imogen was potent from the start. Both tried to fight it. But fate had a different plan for them—a perilous one.

The world was burning around them. Everyone Titus and Imogen loved was at risk. When the ashes cooled and the dust settled, they would find out if their love survived fate’s test.

Available At:| Amazon | Audible |

My Review:

I'm pretty sure I went into this book with the wrong expectations because what I actually got compared to what I thought I was getting just rubbed me the wrong way. For example: The age gap. I usually don't mind an age gap of a decade or so, unless one of the parties is barely legal (or has been raised by the hero since they were a kid. That's a different rant for a different book). I fully understand that this is a paranormal story. Therefore the age gap should be fine. BUT the heroine is 18 going on 19 and SO damn innocent and childlike.

Something else that rubbed me the wrong way was how against finding her mate the heroine was. It became this whole thing where her mom had to almost physically drag her or trick her into being in the same room as the hero. After it finally happened, she was in love and happy and blah blah. I think it was more the way it was written that turned me off of this aspect of the story. It was almost like the heroine was throwing a tantrum for the sake of it.

The hero was an okay guy. I didn't love him but I didn't dislike him either. I appreciated his small effort at the beginning of trying not to let anything happen because she was so young compared to him. It's pointed out multiple times in the story that shifter society doesn't really care about the age gaps because it's destiny and mates are their perfect paring and age gaps are only a human construct.

I just wasn't as invested as I should have been in the world the author created to fully enjoy this novel. Some aspects of the world rubbed me the wrong way and I didn't really like any of the characters to make it worth my while. I'd also like to point out that this was also far from adult PNR. At best this is YA PNR targeted at the younger side of that demographic. Had I known that I would not have picked up this novel in the first place.

*PNR: Paranormal Romance
*YA: Young Adult Genre

The Audio Book:

The narration was fine. There were no strange noises in the background and the characters were distinguishable from each other in both narrations. Though I wish this has been dual narrated.

My Rating:

Book Review: The Rose Witch By Chandelle LaVaun

The Rose Witch

(The Coven saga)

By Chandelle LaVaun

A Coven Old Magic Stand-Alone Novel

His magic lurks in the shadows…

I feel his eyes on my back with every step I take. He’s following me. Chasing me. There’s nowhere for me to go, nowhere to hide that he won’t find me. He moves in smoke and shadows. He is the darkness. He tracks my every move like a predator with gold glowing eyes in the night. I know he’s going to catch me, the only question is…why do I want him to?

I have no idea who he is or what he wants. I know I should be terrified…but I’m not.

There are things happening to me…things I can’t control or explain…things that only I can see. Magic pours from me like a scarlet river and this locket around my neck pulses with dark, electric energy. I think it’s what he wants…but he isn’t the only thing on the hunt for it. Demons hide around every corner, they attack mercilessly and relentlessly - the only thing they seem to be afraid of is him.

That should be a warning, except there’s something inside me that begs to be near him. I feel it like a magnet, drawing me closer and I’m running out of reasons to fight it.

He is the Prince of Hell…and he’s either my savior or my damnation…

The Rose Witch is a novel set in The Coven saga but is designed to be read as a stand-alone.

Available At:| Amazon |
My Review:

I judged this book by its cover and I was burned. As interesting as the world the author created is there was something that just didn't click with me. In the beginning, it was a lot of descriptions for everything. I just kept thinking why the author just can't let me use my own dang imagination. A short while after that were the info dumps for how the universe worked and boy! were those boring and long. 

The heroine overreacted a lot. So much of the beginning of this novel could have been resolved had she just stopped panicking and spoken to the guy for like five minutes. I disliked how she was supposed to be this powerful witch but found herself incapacitated every time things got going. As you can tell by now, I wasn't a fan of hers.

The hero is a 700+ year-old who blushes at even the slightest innuendo. I'm not mad at it but it also didn't really match well with who he was supposed to be (at least for me). Other than the rough beginning, he was very sweet and charming. Granted he had his own reasons for doing what he was doing but at least he was transparent about them considering the life-or-death stakes.

The last quarter of this book lost its steam for me. I'll be honest and say that I skimmed a lot of it. I was just ready to get it over with. The miracle that happened with the heroine was really weird and strangely weaved into the story as well. I don't think I'll be reading any future books in this series/universe.

My Rating:

Audio Book Review: Broken By J.L. Drake

Broken
(Broken Trilogy #1)
By J.L. Drake

Narrator: Elizabeth Klett
Length: 10 hours and 1 minute

My name is Savannah Miller.

My father is the mayor of New York. One day after my twenty-seventh birthday I was grabbed from behind. A cloth sack was quickly pulled over my head, and I was taken from everything I’d ever known.

I was beaten, starved, treated like an animal, and forced to live in a room with no windows. With no sense of time and no dignity left I finally gave up hope and made a promise to myself to end it all. Unfortunately, it was going to be a slow process.

Then one night an elite group of US Army soldiers came to my rescue. I was brought to a safe house and given two options:

One—Stay under their protection and follow their rules or...

Two—Leave and be guaranteed to be returned to the savages within a week.

I chose option one.

As I work with a therapist and begin processing my hellish ordeal things slowly begin to surface. With the help of new friends and a potential new love I fight to get my life back and make choices that will forever alter my future.

This is my story…

Available At:

| Amazon | Audible |

My Review:

I don't know how I feel about this book. I can assure you it evoked a lot of emotion, but they're probably not the ones the author meant to have present. 

I found the heroine very wishy washy. One moment she was strong and in control and the next she was crying and not explaining to anyone what was going on. Her first answer to everything is to runaway. Instead of getting someone she trusts aside and talking about what happened to her (e.g. the York situation) she hides it and has everyone questioning what the heck happened. The first time it happened I understood, every other time after that was annoying.

I liked Cole overall. He was sweet and attentive, but had a very violent and arrogant side to him. The arrogance was over done and also started getting on my nerves by the end of the novel. He also got in the habit of trying to boss the heroine around which did nothing for the story or their relationship (it only made me more annoyed).

**SPOILERS**

(Please highlight the text to read it)

I despised the pregnancy twist. It only added drama to an already dramatic event. It didn't do anything for the story. Has anyone in this book ever heard of using a condom while on birth control? Is that a new concept and I'm the only one that bothered to know about it?

**End of SPOILERS**

The end was something I saw coming. I hoped I would be wrong, but the cliché cliffhanger happened. It wasn't all that surprising. The villain telling all about how they did it and why wasn't very impressive either. I think it would have been more interesting if the heroine had talked to York. It would have made for a much more exciting mind-f*ck.

The Audio Book:

I didn't love the narration. Elizabeth seemed monotoned (which didn't help me connect emotionally to the story or characters) with the exception of the dialogue. I could differentiate between characters, but there were times when the male voices would all become one and I was left confused for a few lines.

My Rating:
 
& ½

Audio Book Review: Ask Me If I Care By Lani Lynn Vale

Ask Me If I Care
(SWAT Generation 2.0 #4)
By Lani Lynn Vale

Narrated By: Lidia Dornet & Brett Galliford
Length: 6 hours and 32 minutes

Ares saw him for the first time at a Kilgore Police Department benefit dinner. She’d gone with her dad as his plus one. Hayes Greer had gone by himself and brooded silently across the same table as her, drinking whiskey and not saying a word.

It only took that one time for her to become interested.

The next time she saw him, he was doing another benefit—but this one requiring a whole lot fewer clothes. And that was when she knew. She wanted him. Badly. But the morose Hayes was too busy thinking about his sins to see what was right in front of his face—Ares.

***

Hayes Greer knew the moment that he saw the feisty Ares Downy again that he should’ve stayed away. Maybe if he hadn’t done the stupid calendar, he wouldn’t be questioning every single woman’s intentions.

Maybe if he’d listened to that niggling feeling telling him to stay away, he would’ve been able to do his job a little better. But seeing her with a knife to her throat, in the middle of a building set to blow, made his usually well-wired brain start to malfunction.

Because nobody was allowed to touch her like that—only him. Nobody was allowed to scare her, either. Not and live to tell the tale.

Available At:

| Amazon | Audible | B&N |

| Kobo | iBooks |

My Review:

For what it's worth this book did what I wanted it to do which was pass the time I had between major book releases faster. So because of that, this was an average book. Nothing was really mind-blowing or shocking about it or the story. 

Ares was a great character! She was sassy, sarcastic and a total klutz. She had a strong personality and didn't take anyone's crap. I loved the relationship she had with her parents and brother. It was a refreshing take on a good family dynamic. 

Hayes was okay. He was the stoic and soft-spoken type except when push came to shove, which I usually enjoy reading about. There were opportunities to develop his character more but most of it was pushed into the background. I would have liked to have explored his PTSD more and how he deals with it on a daily basis. The "solution" Ares thought of isn't a solution. It's a remedy to help with the symptoms that he's probably going to deal with for the rest of his life. It isn't something that just goes away with time and I disliked how the author glossed over it all.

Even though I didn't see the ending coming I didn't really like it. It was a rushed mess. It felt like the author thought the book needed more action and decided to slap it carelessly at the end of the novel. This seems to be a trend with the books this author writes. I've been tolerant of it in the past but this one was one of the worst ones (at least out of the books I've read by this author).

The Audio Book:

The woman's narration was fantastic! The guy's narration sounded muffled and grated on my nerves by the end of the book. I'm still on the fence on whether or not I'd recommend this audio book.

My Rating:

Book Review: Her Dragon Protector By Roxie Ray

Her Dragon Protector
(Black Claw Dragons #2)
By Roxie Ray

Can I really trust a dragon with my heart?

When I show up in Black Claw with bruises on my face and a split lip, I’m not looking for another man - I’ve made enough bad choices in that department. I’m ready to lie low with my best friend and pray to god that my ex doesn’t come to find me.

But Axel isn’t like any of the guys I’ve been drawn to before.

I’m not ready for a new relationship. I know that. But Axel sneaks inside my heart before I’ve even realized he’s there, and his touch sets my body alight with desire. But still... there’s something off about him. And when I find out his secret, I’m not sure I can stand the heat.

If my human ex was terrible, could a dragon be any better? He says it’s fate. Still...I’m scared to risk my heart again. But when danger comes knocking, I know Axel’s the one I need to protect me.

If my human ex was terrible, could a dragon be any better? He says it’s fate. Still...I’m scared to risk my heart again. But when danger comes knocking, I know Axel’s the one I need to protect me.

Available At:

| Amazon |

My Review:

This started out as an average story in the paranormal romance genre. The writing was good but the pacing was on the slow side. This was definitely more of a slow-burn romance. That wasn't a problem though.

My problem was with the heroine towards the end. In the beginning, she came off as a smart and headstrong individual. I understood her need to not be in a relationship and take things very slowly. It was all within reason. That being said, the way she runs away from their secret (after it finally being revealed) made me dislike her so much. She did this all the while knowing her ex was out hunting her down and she knew very well what he was capable of. If she had dug her grave I was happy to let her lie in it if it were up to me in the last few chapters.

Axel was so understanding, caring, and patient with her. It came off a tad bit unrealistic in some points in the story. This guy didn't push for anything and initially truly wanted to get to know her as a person. It was sweet and endearing and he deserved better with what she did to him in the last few chapters. 

Things all work out in the end and they have a happily ever after. I still wanted her to not exist so I was not as excited about this as the characters were. Overall this was a good story but the heroine made it shine a little less for me. I don't think I'll be reading any future books in this series.

My Rating:

Audio Book Review: Release By Aly Martinez

Release

By Aly Martinez 

Narrator: Andi Arndt, Jason Clarke
Length: 7 hours and 31 minutes

From USA Today Bestselling Author Aly Martinez comes an emotional new standalone.

Growing up, Ramsey Stewart branded my soul in ways time could never heal.

At twelve, he asked me to be his girlfriend.

At thirteen, he gave me my first kiss.

By sixteen, we’d fallen in love, planned a future together, and had our eyes set on the horizon.

Love never fails, right?

But for Ramsey, it did.

Love failed him.

I failed him.

The entire world failed him.

At seventeen, Ramsey was convicted of killing the boy who assaulted me.

Move on, he wrote in his first and only letter from prison.

Start a new life, he urged.

I don’t love you anymore, he lied.

There was no such thing as giving up on Ramsey. Love may have been our curse, but he was mine—then, now, and forever.

So here I am, twelve long years later, waiting for a man I don't even know to emerge from between the chain link gates

Available At:| Amazon | Audible |

My Review:

This book is the first book since I listened to The Fault In Our Stars By John Green that made me sob. It wasn't necessarily that the story was THAT level of sad. Certain aspects of this novel just hit too close to home in a way I wasn't expecting which made the waterworks come out surprisingly uncontrolled. 

Thea was a very complex character. As a kid, she was so angry and bitter with the world until Ramsey wore her down. As an adult, she's learned and, more importantly, has gone to therapy to understand herself and her reactions to the situations and people around her. Though everyone will forever be broken, she knows her faults and how to deal with them. 

My heart broke for Ramsey. He was dealt one heck of a bad hand all his life. His sister is the only shining light left until he met Thea. He complemented her so well as kids and teens. 

The twist involving Ramsey and his sister is something I didn't see coming. I hate that everyone around her lied to Thea about it but at the same time I understand. Putting that on Thea at such a young age would have done more damage than anything else. I just hate that Ramsey paid for it. As for the crime that was committed, all I have to say is good riddance. 

My Rating:

Audio Book Review: Guardian's Bond By Rhenna Morgan

Guardian's Bond
(Ancient Ink #1)
By Rhenna Morgan 

Narrator: Nicole Poole
Length: 9 hours and 31 minutes

For decades, he’s been alone.

Now, she’s here. His fated mate.

His to win. To protect.

To provide for and pleasure.

Priest Rahandras has lived with the darkness trapped inside himself for years. Betrayed by his own brother and forced to watch his clan’s brutal annihilation, the only thing Priest wants more than to escape the curse that haunts him—as both man and beast—is to rebuild.

Until the mate he’s longed for walks into his life with an elder from his past. She’s everything he’s wished for, and the key to the clan’s very survival.

Kateri Falsen is a woman of logic and facts. While Priest’s cat can sense her arousal, telling her they’re fated won’t be enough. He’ll have to show her his love: with his words, with his actions, and with his body.

Protecting Kateri from the evil trapped inside him is paramount. But when lost clan members are systematically murdered, he’ll have to choose between exposing his mate to his black magic, or risking her as the next victim.

Available At:

| Amazon | Audible | B&N | Kobo | iBooks |

My Review:

Truth be told I didn't love this book. I read this for all the wrong reasons. I was lead to believe (from reading reviews on the second book in this series) that by reading this I would be setting up the overall world building for the rest of the series. I'd like to ask where all this world building can be found because it was barely there in this novel. The way people were talking about this made me think I was going to miss a critical concept or something of the sort if I didn't read this first. 

The characters were great! They had individual personalities and helped push and develop the story along. I loved how Katie (the main heroine) had a backbone and didn't bend to the hero's will after 2 seconds in his presence. I liked how Preist had to fight for Katie and how reverent of her he was.

I would have liked more world-building in this novel or, at least, more than it had. Everything felt so small and the big-bad felt so all powerful. It was a strange dynamic for this story in relation to what I subconsciously built up in my head. Overall, this story had a nice pace to it and the writing style was easy to follow and relaxing to listen to.

P.S. I listened to the audio book so it may not have been included but it would be a great idea if the author had a glossary of some sort (like J. R. Ward does with her books) with all the important terminology pertaining to the book/story and its definitions.

The Audio Book:

I've learned to adore Nicole Poole's narrations. She's probably the only reason I finished this novel. She has an amazing range of male and female voices with and without accents. Her narration was incredible!

My Rating:

Audio Book Review: Demons and Deception By Katerina Martinez

Demons and Deception
(Magic Blood: The Warlock #1)
By Katerina Martinez

Narrator: Rachel Dulude
Length: 4 hours and 1 minute

Who ever said Librarians had boring jobs?

Teaming up with Tansey Morgan, author of the hit series The Last Serpent, Katerina Martinez is back doing what she does best: writing gripping, action-packed urban fantasy you won't want to put down.

Hailey is a mage, but she doesn't want to be one. In another life, Hailey was an investigator, a hunter, and a problem solver. New York City was her playground, her hunting ground, a place where every day there was a new mystery that needed solving, but when tragedy struck, Hailey abruptly left the city, the country, and her old life behind.

Now she makes her home in London, working at a university library, stacking and cataloging books and occasionally chasing off students who come to the library without even the slightest intention of studying. It's the normal life she wanted, but it won't last, because Hailey is about to learn a hard truth: mages don't go out looking for danger, it isn't a life they can just drop.

One way or another, danger always finds them.

Available At:

| Amazon | Audible |

My Review:

This book sounded good from the synopsis but it was missing something crucial to make for a captivating story. I almost DNFed this halfway through because of how boring it got. Considering this was a novella sized novel that's worrisome. 

The characters were bland with very little personality to them. They were guessing their way through everything just like the reader even though Hailey is supposed to be this bad*ss mage in her past. 

When things finally started showing some semblance of action and the possibility of giving us answers it ended on a cliffhanger. I wouldn't be so annoyed if I hadn't just wasted a few hours of my life on the beginnings of a "supposed" action-packed story and have no answers to show for it. I won't be continuing on with this series.

The Audio Book:

If it wasn't for all the different types of fake-sounding Britsh accents the audio book would have been ok. The narrator, while reading in her native American English tongue, was rather relaxing to listen to and set a steady pace to everything.

My Rating:

Book Review: Best Friends By Laurann Dohner

Best Friends
(New Species #15)
By Laurann Dohner

Working together has forged a strong friendship between Melinda York and Mary Muller. So much so, they’re more like sisters. When two men burst into their diner with murder on their minds, Mel doesn’t hesitate to act. She’ll do anything to protect her friend, as well as their New Species customers…especially the one she’s been crushing on for months.

A single act of bravery sparks a series of events that result in Snow getting to know the waitress he’s been obsessively thinking about. He just wants to keep Mel safe. And convince her he’s the male for her.

Mary is the brunt of jokes because of her extreme fear of animals. Phobias aren’t funny. Is she the only one who understands that? When Mel’s actions link them both to New Species, she’d like to hide from those scary men with fangs. That would make her a crappy best friend, though. She’ll try to be brave…right up until the moment she comes face to face with a lion man named Lash. He’ll make her confront her fears in the most unexpected ways possible.

Available At:

| Amazon | B&N | Kobo |

My Review:

* This is a review of the first story in this novel called Snow.

This was the first book I picked up in this series and I can't honestly say that I loved it. There was something off about the whole thing. I can't pinpoint if it was the writing, the overall flow of the story or the heroine. The writing wasn't necessarily bad but it wasn't something that pulled me into the story either.

I disliked Mel. She was supposed to be this sassy, take-no-names sort of gal but she would, at times, say some truly mean and rude things about the people around her without anyone prompting it. I also disliked how everyone went along with her half baked so-called plan to solve one of two things that were interesting about this story in 3 chapters or less.

Snow was an interesting character to get to know even though he wasn't much of a talker. He was quietly protective, intelligent and caring. Even though he was respectfully trying to fast track the relationship he did so gently if that makes any sense.

I enjoyed the ending to this couple's story but I can't say I want to read more about the universe this author created. Mel's best friend Mary's story was included with this 2 for 1 book and I can't say I'm going forward to reading it. I wanted to read this novel because of the first half of the synopsis and that's where I want to stop.

My Favorite Quotes:

"I feel like everything I've endured is worth it, now that you're in my life."

"Everyone needs to be accepted for who they are. It should be a given."

My Rating:

&½

Book Review: Our Final Tale By Bella Jewel

Our Final Tale
(Iron Fury MC #6)
By Bella Jewel

SLATER

For over a decade I searched for her.

She disappeared a long time ago.

But I never gave up.

Seeing her again, it was the only thing that kept me holding on for so long.

Clutching onto the small chance that she might know who I am when I found her again.

If I found her again.

It was always a big if.

But I wasn’t going to rest until I got answers, alive or dead, I would find her.

I needed to know what happened to the girl who took my heart when we were younger, and kept it for well over a decade.

She owns every single piece of who I am.

Nobody else has ever come close.

And now I’ve found her.

And she’s lookin’ at me like she doesn’t know who I am.

Like I wasn’t her first kiss.

Her first boyfriend.

Her first love.

Her first heartbreak.

The man who took her innocence.

The man who destroyed her, and caused her to run.

The man who spent ten years trying to find her, because of one pathetic, pitiful mistake.

I ruined her.

And now she has no idea who I am.

Not a single damned clue.

ELLIE

I don’t know who he is.

And yet something about him seems strangely familiar.

I know nothing of who I am.

All my memories are like hazy nightmares. I don’t know which ones are real and which ones are fake.

I don’t even know my own name. I don’t know anything about my past.

I only know that for the last ten years, I’ve been Raven.

Only that isn’t my real name.

But that’s what he called me.

The monster who owned me.

The monster disguised as a saint.

A monster I finally escaped.

And now there’s him.

Slater.

A man who claims to have spent the last decade searching for me.

His Ellie.

He claims I’m the love of his life.

He’s desperate for me to remember him.

But I don’t.

Even though when I look into his eyes, I feel strangely at home.

Like he’s the missing piece of who I am.

But can I trust him?

Can I trust the man who claims to love me, and yet is telling me he’s the reason for my hell?

Who is telling me, it is him, who destroyed me.

Is he a bigger monster than the one I just escaped from?

Available At:

| Amazon |

My Review:

This was a good book with a solid story and a nice overall pace to everything. This was exactly what I was looking for during the time I read it. 

I liked how Ellie's story was told. She was unsure of everything after going through what happened to her. She's skittish and untrusting of most people because it's all she remembers or doesn't remember. This is one of the rare times that I can learn to like amnesia in a story. Considering all of that though she still makes very dumb and rash decisions and almost pays the ultimate price for them.

The way the story was told made it impossible for me to not like and respect Slater to a degree. He's made a lot of mistakes but the ultimate goal was to always help and keep his family together. I liked that he didn't give up on Ellie. The circumstances were impossible but he was always there trying to make things right at the very least.

I liked the Then and Now chapters to this book. It made everything click by the end and made for a cute love story from the beginning. Though I would love for this book to get another round of editing. 

The ending was exactly what I needed to story to end with. Things weren't perfect but it was better than it started. It seems like the stories in the series intertwines with every book. Too bad I picked book #6 to start things off.

My Favorite Quotes:

"All the best people are broken. It's what makes them strong. It's what makes them who they are."

"How can one single person have such a huge impact in a matter of seconds."

"I don't need to know you at all, to know what broken looks like."

My Rating:

&½