REVIEW : Darker Than Desire : A Secrets & Shadows Novel by Shiloh Walker

SCHEDULED RELEASE DATE : MARCH 3, 2015

LUST FOR LIFE

No matter how many times he's left her in the past, Sybil Chalmers can't ignore her feelings for the one man who stole her heart?years ago.?For?countless nights, she has waited for him--for his kiss, his touch--and has longed for him to emerge from the shadows of his past. Only when she is in his arms does Sybil really feel alive…and finally, after all these years, that time is now.

A DEADLY DESIRE

He's a man raised in a world of strict rules and unbreakable traditions and he's always yearned to break free. But when a family tragedy lures him back home, he finds his one true passion has been there all along. With Sybil, he can explore his greatest potential--and allow her to discover a whole new level of ecstasy. But will a long-buried secret threaten to tear them apart? The only thing he knows for sure is that he will do anything to keep Sybil in his life…and keep her coming back for more.

Darker Than Desire is actually book 3 in the Secrets & Shadows series. I have not read the first two books or the novellas leading to this book and start of the series, but I feel it does well enough on its own.

REVIEW : Unblocked : Episode One (Timber Towers Book 1) by Marni Mann

SCHEDULED RELEASE DATE : March 10, 2015  

Derek Block seeks revenge. Frankie Jordan seeks professional dominance. He wants her, she wants him. Lines that can’t cross begin to blur. Things start heating up as real estate gets real…

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Unblocked is the first part of a five part serial that follows real estate agent Frankie Jordan and developer Derek Block.

Kristen Stewart You Fucking GODDESS

THIS IS WHAT STAN DAYS ARE MADE OF! 

Anyone who knows or follows me, knows that I am a huge Kristen Stewart fan. Well today, that little lady made some serious history.

Kristen won the award for best supporting actress at the 2015 Cesar Awards, which is France’s version of the Oscars. She won for her role in Olivier Assayas‘ “Clouds of Sils Maria.” History was made just with the nod as she was the first American to be nominated in 30 years in any acting category, but holy shit dude, SHE FUCKING WON!

Like, do you understand how incredibly huge that is?! I admit to bursting into tears at the announcement. I have been a proud fan since I thought she was a cute boy in Panic Room (oops)Through all the bullshit tossed her way, the ups and downs, and the fake as fuck fans, I STOOD BY HER SIDE.

She is a genuine diamond in the industry and I cannot wait to see her create more memorable moments.

 KSIBTU!

REVIEW : Hate F*@k : The Horus Group Book 1 by Ainsley Booth

RELEASE DATE : February 17, 2015

Warning: This is just the start. This doesn't end well. And it's going to get much worse before it ever gets better.
Cole:
I push her buttons. I want to push them in the good way. Dirty, up-against-the-wall, my-hand-in-her-pants kind of way.
But that’s not possible, because I’m dark and she’s light, and we both know it.
So I push her buttons in the bad way, making her hate me.
Hailey:
If a genie granted me three wishes, I’d ask for Cole Parker to never look at me again, that I’d forget the dark promise in his eyes, and that just once, before he vanished from my life completely, that he’d push me up against a wall and make me scream.
Then I’d go wash my mouth out with soap.

This book would not be ignored! Right from the eye-catching title, this was an immediate must read. With such an out there name, I was very worried that this would be just awful smut and no real plot.

I was so wrong.

This is such a fun and incredibly sexual read. Ainsley should be happy with her debut release, as should anyone who grabs it up.

REVIEW : Tight by Alessandra Torre

RELEASE DATE : February 6, 2015

This is not a story of servitude. This is a story of strength.
I was happy in my small town. In my life as a single, thirty-two year old woman. I had a good job, wonderful friends, my independence.
I also hadn't got laid in three years. Hadn't been on a date in two. Had stopped counting calories and wearing makeup... a while ago.
Then Brett Jacobs waltzed in. Caressed my thigh, dug rough fingers into my hair, lowered his soft mouth to my skin, took sexual control of my mind and stirred it all around with what he packed in his pants. He flipped my quiet life upside down and crawled into a place in my heart I thought was dead.
The issue is his secret.
The issue is her.
The issue is that I don't even know she exists, and he thinks she's dead.
The issue is that shit is about to hit the fan and I can't hold on to him tight enough.
Note to Readers: This standalone book contains themes which could be considered dark.

Alessandra Torre is slowly emerging as one of my favorite writers. She manages to bring such an intensity to her characters and stories. I appreciate that there is almost always a deeper meaning to be found in her writing.

Block Head : January and February

Now I mentioned very early at the start of this blog, that I would be showing off monthly "blocks". Well today is the start. I've named these fun times, "Block Head"

REVIEW : Chasing Claire (Hells Saints Motorcycle Club #2) by Paula Marinaro

SCHEDULED RELEASE DATE : March 17,2015

Claire Winston knows she’s lucky to be alive—and even luckier to have the love and protection of a man like Prosper, her adoptive father and leader of the Hells Saints Motorcycle Club. Yet, try as she may, she can’t leave yesterday behind. She’s still haunted by Reno, the bad-boy biker her heart loves but her spirit fears. And she can’t seem to escape the terrifying memories of a night filled with blood, bullets, and brutality.

Hells Saints soldier Reno has tried everything with liquor and lace to get Claire off his mind. But he just can’t forget her freckles, her fierce fragility, and her tender heart. He knows he’s the only man who can give her the love she truly deserves.

As Claire and Reno spiral back into each other’s lives, they wonder if happiness is finally in their cards. But when violence once again explodes around them, Claire must decide if she really can trust Reno and commit to life with him—or if she’ll stay chained to her past forever.

Major thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I'm definitely not going to spoil this one for you, but this is one of my favorite surprise reads. Would I compare it to Sons of Anarchy? Hmm, I actually think it plays out much better than any episode. This is so suspense packed and has some moments of gore. It really is a perfect balance between action and romance.

REVIEW : Good Boy, Bad Boy by Jane Nin

RELEASE DATE : June 29, 2014

Smarting from a no-show date at the bar, she consoles herself over a drink with a handsome stranger and his scruffy brother. Will she choose the bad boy musician or the suit-and-tie lobbyist?

So I just discovered this gem over on NetGalley and thought it deserved some attention.

Remember the old 'Choose Your Own Adventure' books? Where each chapter gave you a choice on your reading path? Well, Good Boy, Bad Boy is that, but with some extra spice.

REVIEW : The Ruby Circle (Bloodlines #6) by Richelle Mead

RELEASE DATE : FEBRUARY 10, 2015

 The epic conclusion to Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series is finally here...

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.

So we have come to the end of the Bloodlines series. Sads. I must say this was a really fun ride.

For those that don't know, the Bloodlines series is a spinoff from Richelle's very popular Vampire Academy books. Series follows the always handsome Moroi prince, Adrian Ivashkov, and his lady love, Sydney Sage.

This might be my longest review yet.

MAJOR SPOILER ALERT FROM HERE OUT!

UPDATE #2

Good news is that this flu hasn't killed me. Bad news is that I'm not 100% yet. I'm really hoping to be back in action by at least Wednesday.

I am however, finally able to focus and get some reading in. Should be done with The Ruby Circle by tomorrow.

UPDATE

So I had plans to review another book this week and show off the January arcade block, unfortunately that's all being delayed.

Why? Well I've been taken down by the flu bug that is really just a massive asshole. Hopefully I can get something up tomorrow or Monday. Til then!

REVIEW : Beautiful Beloved by Christina Lauren

RELEASE DATE : FEBRUARY 2, 2015

The seventh work in the New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling series that started with the Beautiful Bastard, Beautiful Stranger, and Beautiful Player novels. Featuring all the Beautiful characters…plus one tiny new addition to the group. 

In Beautiful Stranger, finance whiz Sara Dillon met the irresistibly sexy Brit, Max Stella, at a New York City club. Through the series we’ve watched them learn to balance commitment with their less than private brand of playfulness. In Beautiful Beloved, Max and Sara take it to the next step. But the question is: Will they be able to find a balance between the wild sexcapades they aren’t ready to retire, and the demands of parenthood that come along with their new Beautiful bundle of joy? Parenthood: it’s not for the weak of heart. 

The Beautiful series just gets better with each new book. I absolutely love the cast of characters, but Max and Sara are my favorites.

This is book 3.6 in the series timeline, after Beautiful Player and Beautiful Beginning. I recommend reading the entire series for some serious sexy times and tons of laughs.

REVIEW : I Was Here by Gayle Forman

RELEASE DATE : January 27, 2015
  

Cody and Meg were inseparable... Until they weren’t. 

When her best friend, Meg, drinks a bottle of industrial-strength cleaner alone in a motel room, Cody is understandably shocked and devastated. She and Meg shared everything—so how was there no warning? But when Cody travels to Meg’s college town to pack up the belongings left behind, she discovers that there’s a lot that Meg never told her. About her old roommates, the sort of people Cody never would have met in her dead-end small town in Washington. About Ben McAllister, the boy with a guitar and a sneer, and some secrets of his own. And about an encrypted computer file that Cody can’t open—until she does, and suddenly everything Cody thought she knew about her best friend’s death gets thrown into question.

 *possible spoilers*

Whenever I pick up a book by Gayle Forman, I have already purchased the box of tissues that I will undoubtedly need for the read. She is a guaranteed tearjerker for me. I Was Here, is no exception to this rule. This book hit me harder than I expected. Cody learns of Meg's death in a rather impersonal way imo, leaving Cody and Meg's family in serious shock.

Why didn't they see this coming? Who's fault is it really? How did we fail her?