5 Star Review of Angelfall (Penryn & The End Of Days #1) by Susan Ee

I'm always a bit sceptical about reading something with a lot of hype... most of the time I'm left disappointed because I'm expecting something amazing to jump off the page and instead I get mediocre... but let me tell ya... this book deserves all the hype it's given... this now has to be number one on my list under Favourite Paranormal Dystopian Books...

I'm sure you've all read the blurb so I'm not going to rehash it... all I can say is that there's not one part of this book I didn't like... well okay, I'm not gonna lie, I'm a BIG Romance fan and I have to say that it wasn't very generous on that side of things BUT! the storyline itself was enjoyable enough... the attraction is there although it's quite subtle, even if the main characters are both trying to deny it, and there were some very touching moments - I fed off of those like a big underdeveloped scorpion angel sucking the life out of its victim - you'll probably only get that reference if you've read it so don't worry about it!

The characters are very likeable... Penryn is tough, loyal, brave, snarky and funny - yeah she's pretty frickin' badass!... she's had to be the grownup in her immediate family, looking after her sister and mother because, I just have to say this, her mother is just a bit nuts!!!
Raffe's also funny and snarky, and he's Hot!... yeah you've guessed it, I have a huge Raffe crush... so sue m'kay ;)

This story is a lot heavy on the Paranormal element, Susan Ee certainly has one heck of an imagination and a good eye for detail... there are some pretty disturbing images I have floating around my head now that I've finished the book (take note of the Scorpion Angel comment above) Paige should be an interesting character and I'm keen to hear how that turns out... I loved it, it was such a great read I found myself turning my virtual pages for hours after my bedtime... it's amusing and has plenty of action throughout to keep you gripped... and that ending! Oh my goodness I just wanted to take Raffe in my arms and hug him...

I'm a little disappointed that it didn't take me too long to finish, but there are another two books to go and I can't wait to read them... I have the next one ready to go and I'll probably be starting it tonight... it looks like a 'sleep less, read more' situation ha!

The Blurb

It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.

Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.

Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.

Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again. 

Take a look at Angelfall on Amazon HERE

and on Goodreads HERE

5 Star Review of For The Win by Brenna Aubrey

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review of this book*

 

I just knew Jordan's story was gonna be good...

 

April Weiss is a Business School Hopeful with a questionable set of friends, working as an intern under Hot Bad Boy Billionaire Jordan Fawkes proves to be quite a challenge but, unbeknown to her, he's the anonymous, costume-clad hookup she had at the Comic-Con where she videoed the best sex of her life and 'accidentally' uploaded it to the internet... if only she knew that's why he's putting her through her paces...

 

Jordan Fawkes is a cold-hearted, womanising, self professed rat-b@stard and CFO of Draco Multimedia... he knew that April was the girl in the Elf costume all along, but he didn't count on her videoing their steamy sex session and uploading it to the internet... now the video's gone viral and Adam (his best friend and CEO) is out for the blood of the employee(s) who dared to drag his company through the mud... so accident or not, he'll get his karma with the beautiful April... but will he be able to keep his identity a secret, and will it come at a price?...

 

Brenna's writing captured me yet again with this steamy story... it was attached to my hand at every opportunity...

We get to know the main characters in alternating first person POV's... they both have flaws, insecurities and similar family and ex partner issues... I read a review that said the reader didn't understand why all of the family drama and the 'Cari situation' was in this book... well, because of that we learn why they behave and feel the way they do, what makes them tick, we see them at their highest, lowest, best and worst.

I loved the character development and we experience all of the above with them... it's a highly emotive journey, it's funny, witty and I even found myself shedding an emotional tear or two near the end... also, the sex scenes are pretty damn hot *fan's face* who knew geeks could be that sexy ;) 

 

I've read all of the previous books in the Gaming the System series... you don't have to do that in order to enjoy this book, but I would definitely recommend it as there are a lot of references to the rest of the series... also, we catch up with Mia and Adam from the first three books, Cari is still being a psycho stalker and William is up next in a story of his own which should be an interesting read...

 

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed it... the writing and content was lovely and I'd highly recommend it to lovers of New Adult Romances aged 17+

 

 

 

The Blurb

 

Millionaire bad boy Jordan Fawkes has problems. Big problems.
That molten-hot intern he hooked up with at Comic-Con is now his assistant. No one can know they’re the stars of the cosplay sex tape that broke the Internet.

Business school hopeful April Weiss has drama. Big drama.
Working under the CFO of Draco Multimedia should be the opportunity of a lifetime for her, but Jordan Fawkes is the boss from Hell—a sexier-than-sin boss from Hell who holds all the cards for her future career.

And then there’s the small problem of a certain video…

**This novel can be read as a stand-alone** 

 

 

Take a look at For The Win on Amazon HERE

and on Goodreads HERE

 

Another Week, Another BookCrush!...

Hello ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls... roll up roll up for this week's updates... from the HQ of JustOneChapterMore I have been downloading more books than I can probably read in a month! Ha!...

As usual I'll be giving you a list of the books I've read (two Novella's and a really good Novel) and the bargains I've managed to glean from Amazon... all with accompanying links for all you 1clickers and Goodreaders :)

So without further ado, here are the books I read earlier this week... the main links are to Amazon, and you'll also find links to Goodreads as well where I post all of my reviews






Eternally Human: Blood That Binds by Serenity K Mooon: your link to Goodreads > HERE... I gave this three stars and left a very short review on both links... here's the blurb:
Life as a human…
..in the 1300’s was pretty great. Well, at least for me it was.
My family seemed ahead of the times. They didn’t conform to the social norms.
They appreciated my intelligence and my dreams. They didn’t just see me as a pawn to acquire more land or money.
And, as the usual age for girls like me to be married off to a suitable suitor came and went. My family let it slide, never forcing me into anything and accepting that rumors would spread around town.
I’m glad they were like this, as honestly, I’d never seen myself as a girl who’d marry. It just seemed so… tame.
Well, I’d never seen myself that way until I met Antarus…
Tall with intense stormy blue eyes and a smirk that told of a dark secret, Antarus awoke within me feelings I’d never experienced before.
And, as my eighteenth birthday rolled around my future lay firmly in the never-aging hands of Antarus….
Was I to be eternally human?

Courting Mari by Sennah Tate: your link to Goodreads > HERE... again, I gave this one 3 stars and have left a short review on both links... here's The Blurb:
Marilee Davis
All my life I dreamed of the perfect husband, the perfect wedding, and the perfect life. It's what I was born to do -- be a good wife and mother -- and all I ever wanted. My sister's eighteenth birthday meant that she, too, was on the look-out for a husband. How could a curvy girl like me compete with my model thin sister? There was no chance of anyone noticing me with Sharilyn around -- or so I thought. 
I never thought that when the time came for me to walk down the altar I would be looking for an escape route. I never imagined that the man I would marry would be surrounded by dark rumors of a shady past. 
All I wanted was a way out of this disaster. The only thing I have to do is resist my ridiculously sexy husband for three months. No problem. 
Tristan Fulmore
For twenty years I've been an outcast -- a social pariah. Any invitations I received were solely for novelty's sake; no one wanted to know the truth, they just wanted the danger of being near Tristan Fulmore, the caged lion ready to pounce. 
But that wasn't me at all. I didn't think anyone would ever be able to see past all of the lies and rumors. I didn't even want to fantasize about it when I knew it would never happen. That was, until I met Marilee. 
Most men wouldn't be intrigued by a woman that slapped him in the face. But I wasn't most men. I had to have the firecracker blond if it was the last thing I did. 
I got my ring on her finger and the ceremony went off without a hitch... Now I just had to find a way to get my delectable bride into my bed. Piece of cake. 

Angelfall (Penryn & The End Of Days, Book 1) by Susan Ee: your link to Goodreads > HERE... I gave this awesome book 5 stars... you can check out my review at the links provided, but I will be posting a lengthier one on the blog during the week so watch this space... here's The Blurb:
It's been six weeks since angels of the apocalypse descended to demolish the modern world. Street gangs rule the day while fear and superstition rule the night. When warrior angels fly away with a helpless little girl, her seventeen-year-old sister Penryn will do anything to get her back.
Anything, including making a deal with an enemy angel.
Raffe is a warrior who lies broken and wingless on the street. After eons of fighting his own battles, he finds himself being rescued from a desperate situation by a half-starved teenage girl.
Traveling through a dark and twisted Northern California, they have only each other to rely on for survival. Together, they journey toward the angels' stronghold in San Francisco where she'll risk everything to rescue her sister and he'll put himself at the mercy of his greatest enemies for the chance to be made whole again.


And now for my usual Bargain Corner...
Here's some 1-Click's I found this week for all you bargain hunters out there ~ in the order I purchased them in:

Links to Amazon.co.uk - Current Price of download - ASR = Average Star Rating - #tags = Genres...

 

• Beware by Shanora Williams: £1.30 ~ ASR 4.7 ~ #EroticRomance #BDSM
• Accepted Fate by Charisse Spiers: free ~ ASR 4.8 ~ #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• Something Like This by Eileen Cruz Coleman: £1.95 ~ ASR 4 ~ #ContemporaryRomance
• Winter Kiss by Magen McMinimy: £1.99 ~ ASR 4 ~ #ParanormalRomance
• Death's Servant by C J Ellison: £1.99 ~ ASR 4.9 ~ #RomanticSuspence #DarkFantasy
• Summer Angel by Samantha Jacobey: 99p ~ ASR 5 ~ #NewAdult #ParanormalRomance
• The Passion To Survive by Dana L Elgrod: £2.58 ~ ASR 5 ~ #EroticRomance
• Perfectly Imperfect by Fabiola Francisco: £2.14 ~ ASR 4.8 ~ #ContemporaryRomance
• Strike Out by Cheryl Douglas: free ~ ASR 3.9 ~ #ContemporaryRomance
• All Aboard by Emma Plum: free ~ ASR 5 ~ #RomanticSuspence
• Attraction by Penny Reid: free ~ ASR 4.5 ~ #NewAdult #RomanticComedy
• Me, Cinderella? by Aubrey Rose: free ~ ASR 4 ~ #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• Open House by Krystal Shannan: free ~ ASR 4.1 ~ #RomanticComedy #Mythology #Fantasy
• The Cinderella Princess by Melissa McClone: free ~ ASR 4.1 ~ #ContemporaryRomance
• Fillies And Females by Bev Petterson: free ~ ASR 4.5 ~ #ContemporaryRomance
• Growl by Elaine Pierson: free ~ ASR 4.4 ~ #YoungAdult #UrbanFantasy
• Between The Sheets by Sárka-Jonae Miller: free ~ ASR 5 ~ #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• Silver Lining by EJ Shortall: free ~ ASR 4.5 ~ #RomanticComedy #ContemporaryRomance
• Close Encounters Books 1 &2 by CC Cartwright: free ~ ASR 3.8 ~ #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• Stifle by Kendall Grey: free ~ ASR 4.6 ~ #EroticRomance

These ebooks, downloaded from Amazon, are usually free or under £1 at my time of purchase... I always promote these books at my time of purchase via Twitter - if you'd like to follow me to get some cheaper deals during the week then find me there by searching for @Jst1ChapterMore, let me know how you found me and I'll follow you back :)

I'll be back during the week with some reviews so, until then...........

 

The Offering… Book 3 in The Pledge Trilogy by Kimberly Derting…

The third and final book in this series really was the best… I’m struggling on a star rating and I’m going with 4, possibly 4.5 stars…

This one was action packed starting with a dramatic scene where Sabara’s lover Niko betrays Xander when they visit Queen Elena to talk peace between Ludania and Astonia… a gruesome message is then sent back to Charlie and we’re not sure if Xander is dead or alive… Charlie then sneaks away from the palace and embarks upon a mission with Eden and Brook to rescue Xander (if he is still alive) and sort things out with Elena...

There weren’t really any plot twists as such. We as readers, get parts of the story from the different character's POV so we mostly know what's happening, but it was gripping, fun and entertaining. It was also emotional and upsetting in parts too which rings true to the Dystopian genre it's labelled under…

Despite what the synopsis says, Charlie’s still struggling with Sabara’s essence within her and I like how it’s depicted, we definitely see her personality, bravado and confidence grow… We meet some new characters and I enjoyed the POV shifts throughout… The only thing I wasn’t fussed on was the romance side of the story… it just wasn’t happening for me I’m afraid… being a big romance junkie, for me it’s a fundamental part of the story hence marking it down slightly… there were so many great opportunities there – Max and Charlie, Brook and Aron, Xander and Sage, even Sabara and Niko… but it didn't seem ‘heartfelt’ for lack of a better word… the writing was good but it didn’t make my eyes fill up or my heart flutter… that being said, I really wanted more from Xander and Sage and would love to hear their story.

Everything seemed to get wrapped up in the end with no loose ends, although I would have liked to know what became of Sebastian, the little *expletive* but the ending was good and satisfactory with a nice epilogue to round things off...

 

 The Blurb

 

True love—and world war—is at stake in the conclusion to The Pledge trilogy, a dark and romantic blend of dystopia and fantasy.
Charlie, otherwise known as Queen Charlaina of Ludania, has become comfortable as a leader and a ruler. She’s done admirable work to restore Ludania’s broken communications systems with other Queendoms, and she’s mastered the art of ignoring Sabara, the evil former queen whose Essence is alive within Charlie. Or so she thinks.

When the negotiation of a peace agreement with the Queendom of Astonia goes awry, Charlie receives a brutal message that threatens Ludania, and it seems her only option is to sacrifice herself in exchange for Ludanian freedom.

But things aren’t always as they seem. Charlie is walking into a trap—one set by Sabara, who is determined to reclaim the Queendoms at any cost.

 

Here are your links for the series:

 

The Pledge (Book One)... Amazon... Goodreads... My Review...

The Essence (Book Two)... Amazon... Goodreads... My Review...

The Offering (Book Three)... Amazon... Goodreads...

 

4 Star Review of The Essence... Book Two in The Pledge Trilogy by Kimberly Derting

This second instalment in The Pledge trilogy is a complicated book to review… this will most probably contain spoilers, which is something I don’t usually like doing but I’m afraid I can’t explain my thoughts and feelings about the book in any other way…

First of all - I didn’t love The Pledge… I gave it 3.5 stars as I found it lacking in a lot of places, but the storyline was good so I thought I’d give this one a shot and see if it improved any, and yes it did in some ways, but in others it was still sorta mediocre…

Most of this book is spent travelling… on horseback, train and boat, through the Scablands where we meet new, likeable and not so likeable characters. Charlie and her crew end up at The Summit, where she meets a host of Queens from other countries who are all rather odd and have their own powers, she discovers that one of her men is a traitor, internally battles the Essence of Sabara for control over her body, tries to resist Sabara’s lover Niko and ends up in a bad situation with Brook’s father which doesn’t end well!

Charlie and Max’s relationship doesn’t really develop much from the first book as they spend an awful lot of it apart and, unfortunately we didn’t get much character growth from Max either… there’s also something stiff in their interactions, maybe it’s the way the scenes are written but I don’t feel much connection with them from a readers POV.
Charlie vs Sabara – I liked this element of the story a lot… I found Charlie’s struggle for power over her mind and body to be well written… the dreams/memories that Charlie experienced gave us good insight into what Sabara’s life was like and I found myself empathising with her… I also felt the passion in her and Niko’s relationship and I’m actually hoping that they get a HEA of their own, without Charlie’s body present obviously!
I knew I was going to like Aron… we get to know him a little better in this and I’m looking forward to more from him in the next book, along with Brook of course who is probably my favourite female character, I’m also hoping her and Charlie mend their relationship as it seemed a bit bleak when I finished this…
Unfortunately there was a distinct lack of Xander in this book but I’m hoping to get more in the next one.  Also, the Assassin… I guessed who it was from their chapter and was a bit disappointed with how that situation ended… hopefully it will be resolved on the final one (fingers crossed)

Anyhoo… like I said, the storyline and writing were good but, there were a lot of inconsistencies and it was only the last 70% of the book where I couldn’t put my kindle down… it’s a nice Young Adult, Fantasy Romance and I will be reading the next one shortly to see how it ends…

 

 

The Blurb

 

At the luminous conclusion of The Pledge, Charlaina defeated the tyrant Sabara and took her place as Queen of Ludania. But Charlie knows that Sabara has not disappeared: The evil queen’s Essence is fused to Charlie’s psyche, ready to arise at the first sign of weakness.

Charlie is not weak, but she’s being pushed to the brink. In addition to suppressing the ever-present influence of Sabara, she’s busy being queen—and battling a growing resistance determined to return Ludania to its discriminatory caste system. Charlie wants to be the same girl Max loves, who Brook trusts, but she’s Your Majesty now, and she feels torn in two.

As Charlie journeys to an annual summit to meet with leaders of nearby Queendoms—an event where her ability to understand all languages will be the utmost asset—she is faced with the ultimate betrayal. And the only person she can turn to for help is the evil soul residing within. 

 

Click HERE to view this book on Amazon.co.uk

and HERE to take a look at it on Goodreads

3.5 Star Review for The Pledge... Book One in The Pledge Trilogy by Kimberly Derting

I wasn’t 100% sure what I was going to get with this… I got it for free somehow, (I don’t remember how or when exactly, but it feels like an age ago) and it’s been sitting on my Kindle ever since… anyway, it felt like the right time to read it and I was pleasantly surprised yet slightly disappointed at the same time…

When I read about it, it was listed under Young Adult, Paranormal, Dystopian Romance… so many genres I could tick off my faves list… and yet it seemed a bit ‘lacking’ for want of a better word…

The book is written from Charlaina (Charlie’s) first person POV in the predominant chapters, there are the odd chapters where we get from Max (the mysterious love interest) or Queen Sabara a third person POV scene… the main characters are all around the ages of 17/18, coming of age, with suggestive but no sexual scenes which gives it the perfect setup for a Young Adult audience…
It has a Paranormal ‘twist’ rather than a whole novel based upon the genre… the twist is good and original (for me) where Charlie can understand any language and read people’s gestures… her sister Angelina is mute and has a gift too, and of course we start the book in a scene where we learn what Queen Sabara can do…

This was nothing like the bigger Dystopian novels like The Hunger Games or Divergent… it feels more like Historical Fantasy… a city divided into classes where language is used to dictate the ranking system, ruled by a cruel and heartless queen… it’s only the part when Charlie is reading the story of Ludania’s history to Angelina that I recognised it as post-apocalyptic as it feels like a developing world rather than a collapsed one… although there probably isn’t much difference when I think about it, it just didn't 'feel' Dystopian to me…

The romance in this book was, unusually and unfortunately, not my favourite part, there were probably two scenes that were really good, the rest of the time it was all rather bland and Charlie pushed Max away so many times it was becoming frustrating… there was some physical attraction but I didn’t feel a connection… and then at the end it kind of leaps forward a couple of months and you don’t get any relationship development that I feel this book needs (sigh!)

Anyhoo… the writing was good, no typos or grammar errors… the plot was good and I liked the pace and development, there’s no cliffhanger but it definitely leaves you curious… I enjoyed the characters but I would say we could do with knowing them better, their growth throughout the story was nice, especially Brook... There were some twists I didn’t expect and I don’t know how I missed it, but I didn’t guess who either Max or Zander were until right at the last minute… I enjoyed the story, even if it wasn’t as much as I’d hoped for, and I’ve downloaded the second one and am optimistic that it’s going to get better...

 

 

The Blurb 

 

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she's spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can't be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country's only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

 

Click HERE to view this book on Amazon.co.uk

and HERE to take a look at it on Goodreads

 

Bookish Sales and Bargains of the Week...

So this week I'm gonna make this really short, I'll post some reviews soon as I only managed to read one book this week, which was:

The Essence (Book 2 in The Pledge trilogy) by Kimberly Derting... I finished it on Friday afternoon and spent the night trying to review it the best way I could... (then I spent the rest of the weekend inebriated in a field watching The Jam... awesome times!) so basically, the storyline and writing is good and I want to see where it's going so I've downloaded the final one in the series The Offering... I don't by any means think it's fantastic, the series seems kinda stuck in the middle of a few different genres and the main characters have a relationship that's almost skittish... anyway, I think it's more for a Young Adult audience and the Paranormal element is more prominent in this second book which I enjoyed... I'm not gonna go on about it too much as I'll be posting my review on here later for you to read...

So, with that being said...

Now for my usual Book Corner Bargains... I nabbed these this week for my kindle, I hope ya'll like em........
ASR = Average Star Rating, all links are to Amazon for you 1click addicts, #tags are some of the genres they're listed under:

• In His Silks by Patricia D Eddy: £3.55 - ASR 5 - #BDSM #Erotica
• He Found Me by Whitney Barbetti: 99p - ASR 4.6 - #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• The Guys Are Props Club by Ingrid Seymour: £2.03 - ASR 3.6 - #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• Luke Unzipped 1, 2 and 3 by Cassia Leo: free - ASR 4 - #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• The Publicist books 1 and 2 by Christina George: 99p - ASR 4.6 - #ContemporaryRomance
• Runes by Ednah Walters: free - ASR 4.3 - #YoungAdult #Paranormal #Romance
• The Recruiting Trip by Lexy Timms: free - ASR 3.5 - #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• Come Undone by Jessica Hawkins: free - ASR 4.6 - #ContemporaryRomance
• The Seasons by Elena Aitken: £3.32 - ASR 4.5 - #ContemporaryRomance
• Death By Request by Jaden Skye: free - ASR 4.8 - #RomanticSuspense
• Stone Cold by Olivia Rigal: free - ASR 4.2 - #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• The Seduction Factor by Scarlet Avery: free - ASR 4.7 - #ContemporaryRomance #RomanticComedy
• Jack And Djinn by Jasinda Wilder: free - ASR 4.2 - #Paranormal #Romance #PNR

Okay, that's all I have peoples... I'll be posting some reviews here shortly... if you live here in England enjoy the rest of your bank holiday :)
                                      .....................Claire xx

A Passion For Romance... Reviews and Bargain Books Galore...

Having had a hectic few weeks here at JOMC's HQ, I've been avidly reading away at any opportune moment I've had spare... As there are only 3 months left before I go on my holidays I've been doubling my efforts and going to my local gym every night... let me tell you I'm aching lol, but I feel better for making the effort...

Anyway, lets take a look at what I've been reading... I know the other weekend I said I was going start City of Bones by Cassandra Clare but, I have to admit that I haven't even looked at the first page yet heehee, but I will read it soon, I just need to be in the right mood :)... I've needed to escape somewhere carefree and happy, and some New Adult books that have been on my Kindle for a good while caught my eye so... here goes ;)

FYI: as usual, main title links are to Amazon.co.uk for all you 1-click fanatics, followed by a brief description, links to Goodreads and some genre #tags...

Welcome to Sugartown by Carmen Jenner - I gave this 3.5 stars... it was a rollercoaster of a read, with unexpected events... it starts off as fun and light then takes a serious dive into darker territory - take a look at my review on Goodreads HERE ~ #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance #AdultFiction #CrimeAndViolence





It Started With a Kiss by Lindy Dale - A short, sweet novella that only took me a couple hours to read, I gave this 5 stars as it was such a cute story, funny and well written to boot - take a look on Goodreads HERE ~ #YoungAdult #ContemporaryRomance #ShortStories #ChickLit #HolidayReads






All For You by Marquita Valentine - This is the 4th story in Marquita's Boys of the South Series, they're all standalone novellas - this is the first one I've read (because it was free) and you don't seem to have to read the others to enjoy it... I gave this 4 stars as again it was short, sweet and made me smile... find it on Goodreads HERE ~ #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance #ShortStories






The Little Shop of Hopes and Dreams by Fiona Harper - This lovely little book of Hopes and Dreams was brilliant... the swoonworthy male lead Alex Black had me drooling and staying up way past my bedtime just like the good little bookwhore I am... just a sweet contemporary romance with no graphic sex or bad language, I gave this one 5 stars on Amazon and HERE on Goodreads too so go check it out and read my review ;) ~ #ChickLit #ContemporaryRomance #RomanticComedy




Break You by Jennifer Snyder - 2.5 Stars for this one, I didn't really connect to the characters, it's a freebie and an OK read, I really wanted to love this but it just didn't happen for me, there are plenty of reviewers who did though - gocheck them out, and my review as well of course, on Goodeads HERE ~ #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance #Drama






Marriage by Mistake by Alyssa Kress - This gets 3.5 stars from me... I know, I know, the cover is horrendous! I was expecting something quick with limited emotional attachment but!... it was quite the opposite... I have to say I wasn't really into this at first, the male lead is very frustrating... check out the reviews on the Amazon link above and Goodreads HERE it's free to download so what have you got to lose ;) ~ #RomanticComedy #ContemporaryRomance #ChickLit #AdultFiction





Ransom by Rachael Schurig - 4.5 stars for this emotionally charged friends to lovers story full of angst, drama and hot rockers!... check out the reviews and download for free on the Amazon link above and on Goodreads HERE ~ #NewAdult #YoungAdult #CollegeDrama #ContemporaryRomance #ChickLit #Musicians








So, I finished Ransom last night, I'm having a break from reading to get this post done and haven't read anything today, no withdrawal symptoms yet but there's plenty of time lol!... hang on where's me coffee gone?... it's fine, I must have drank it, I have another one now... aaaannnd relax!..,

Ooooh and I have some news - I was offered my first real ARC from author Benna Aubrey the other week and I'm SO EXCITED!!!!!
If you look at my previous posts you'll see that I read Brenna's Gaming the System series, see my review HERE on my blog along with links to Amazon and Goodreads where I also published my reviews. Brenna emailed me about reviewing the fourth book in the series, and Jordan's story For The Win (which is available to look at on Goodreads but as it's not due to be released until the middle of June I don't have any links for Amazon just yet)... so anyway, of course I said yesyesyes!!! because lets face it, I was going to read it anyway... and now I get to read it before anyone else which is totally awesome! And I totally promise to post my review here on my blog as well as the usual booky sites ;) here's the cover -

And now for my next trick... check out the bargains I've cleaved from Amazon in the last couple of weeks, ASR = Average Star Rating and #Tags = genres:

• Seduced by Helena Newbury - 99p - ASR 4.8 - #NewAdult #RomanticSuspense
• Bluestone Homecoming by MJ Fredrick - Free - ASR 4.7 - #ContemporaryRomance
• Secrets on the Sand by Roxanne St. Claire - Free - ASR 4.2 - #ContemporaryRomance
• Adventurous by Rene Folsom - 99p - ASR 4.8 - #EroticRomance
• Rocked by Cari Quinn - free - ASR 4.3 - #NewAdult #Romance
• Before the Wedding by Caia Fox - £1.99 - ASR 5 - #ContemporaryRomance
• Burn by Addison Moore - free - ASR 4.8 - #YoungAdult #ParanormalRomance
• The Last One by Tawdra Kandle - free - ASR 4 - #ContemporaryRomance
• Princess by Mari Carr & Lexxi Couper - free - ASR 4.7 - #RomanticComedy #Erotica
• One More Day by M. Malone - free - ASR 4.6 - #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• Dearest Clementine by Lex Martin - free - ASR 4.5 - #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• Shades of Grey by Joleene Naylor - free - ASR 4.8 - #ParanormalRomance #YoungAdult
• Push the Envelope by Rochelle Paige - free - ASR 4.1 - #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• Take Me For Granted by K. A. Linde - free - ASR 4.4 - #NewAdult #RomanticComedy
• Revenge #1 by JJ Knight - free - ASR 4.2 - #NewAdult #RomanticSuspense
• Secrets and Surrender by L G Castillo - free - ASR 3 - #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• He Belongs To Me by Theresa Rizzo - free - 4.4 - #ContemporaryRomance
• The Scavengers by Gen Griffin - free - ASR 5 - #PostApocalyptic #YoungAdult
• The Rule of Three by Katerina Marinez - free - ASR 5 - #ParanormalRomance
• Deceived by L A Starkey - free - ASR 4.7 - #ParanormalRomance #YoungAdult
• Proximity by M A George - free - ASR 3 - #Paranormal #YoungAdult
• Dangerous Proximity by Leigh James - free - ASR 3.4 - #NewAdult #RomanticSuspense
• His Absolute Obsession by Cerys du Lys - free - ASR 3.7 - #NewAdult #RomanticSuspense

I know there's a heap of bargains there to trawl through, and it seems I download more than I'm able to read, so evidently my TBR list is getting longer by the day haha...

I hope ya'll enjoyed reading this as much as I did writing it, I may have a change in genre this week but I make no promises as it all depends on what I fancy reading at the time, if you have any recommendations please feel free to comment or contact me via the social media links on the right of the page... check out the blog later for more bargains, recommendations and reviews...

4 Star Review for Still Point... book 3 in the Awaken Trilogy by Katie Kacvincsky

I looked at a few reviews before reading this final book in Katie's Dystopian Trilogy and I would recommend others do the same, I didn't read any spoilers so I wasn't 100% how it was going to work out but, as I was aware that things weren't going to end in the predictable way you would like to think, I kind of prepared myself for it... and if I had gone into this last instalment blind then I don't think I would have liked the ending as much as I did... however...

There are a lot of people leaving low star ratings for this book which, kind of made me hesitate to read it as I thought I really wasn't gonna like it but, honestly, Katie Kacvinsky has a fantastic way of describing her character's feelings, thoughts and emotions... there are paragraphs throughout the whole series that are motivational, inspiring, thoughtful, reflective, and beautiful, and even though I would have loved for Maddie and Justin's HEA to be together in a perfect world, I really did like how it ended for them... I could see how Maddie matured and started to think about what was best for her and at the end of it all... it's a Dystopian Trilogy! They never end the way you think they will!...

I have conflicting feelings on the way that some of the scenarios panned out, which is why I couldn't give it the whole 5 stars, but the writing I cannot fault... I would definitely recommend this series if you liked the Hunger Games or Divergent and are a fan of Young Adult Romance genres...

Summary for the Trilogy (Includes Spoilers)
The first book Awaken focuses on getting to know the main characters and the setting for the story, and I think the reason a lot of people don't like the way it ended is because we grew to really like Justin, we got to know his history, his family, why he was fighting against Digital School.
In the second book 'Middle Ground' he was there for Maddie when she really needed him, you could see how much he cares about her and it seems like he opens up and accepts his feelings for her...
But then he does a complete turn around in the third book... you can tell he still loves her but, he doesn't really seem too concerned when she almost dies a handful of times within 24 hours, and he's not too bothered that she kissed someone else as long as it aids the cause...
I really like Jax but, it all feels a bit rushed, he just pops up from nowhere, he's not mentioned in any of the previous books and we don't get to know him on the same level as we got to know Justin... this is why I had such a hard time liking the way the story pans out and, although I do think that they had chemistry from the start, it's just not the ending a lot of us wanted...

There is a Prequel Novella to Awaken called Maddie's Tattoo... I didn't find it until after I read all of the other three books but, I would highly recommend reading it before the rest if you can... it's very short and doesn't go too in-depth but it does give you an introduction to Jax and it explains her tattoo as well

 

 

 

 

 

The Blurb

 

In the final installment to the trilogy begun with Awaken, Maddie returns home to make her final stand against Digital School, and uncovers deeply guarded secrets about her family an new truths about herself.

 

Maddie's Tattoo: "I never knew that taking one class would change my life. The most insignificant decisions can have the most significant impacts. That is the scary thing about choice. Choice is a methodical genius hidden behind the face of a child. We think it's all fun and innocent until we realize the force of our decisions. Choice is our life compass. It guides our every direction."

A prequel to AWAKEN, this provocative short story explains the history behind Maddie's tattoo, and sets up events in the final installment of the trilogy.

 

 

Your links to the Series:

 

Maddie's Tattoo (Prequel) on Amazon and Goodreads

Awaken on Amazon and Goodreads

Middle Ground on Amazon and Goodreads

Still Point on Amazon and Goodreads

Bookish Thoughts, Reviews and Bargains of a Bibliophile...

Another week has flown by... it's our Easter Holidays (or Spring Break) here in England and as it's my Birthday next weekend I have taken some annual leave, I'm visiting some family in The Lake District for a few days, so I'm chilling out at home until Tuesday and then I'll be off on a little road trip with my partner in crime... I'll be taking my library with me via kindle though so no need to panic haha...

Last week was so busy at work it turned me into a total stress head, but I managed to escape inside a few book covers any chance I got, so here's my reading list for the week:

• Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan: £2.49 on Amazon at the moment ~ I awarded this 4 Stars and it has an average of 4.9 stars out of 300 reviews... it was a Sweet and Emotional, New Adult Standalone... you can read my review via the main link above to Amazon, here on my Blog or on Goodreads...

• Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky: £1.89 on Amazon ~ I awarded this 4.5 Stars and it has an average of 4.1 out of 14 reviews... it's the first book in a Trilogy - genre's include #Dystopian #Fantasy #YoungAdult... read my review via the above Amazon link, here on my Blog or on Goodreads...

• Middle Ground by Katie Kacvinsky: £4.31 on Amazon ~ the second book in the awaken Trilogy - Currently 77% through the book and I'm loving it... my review will be posted possibly mid-week here on the blog so please pop back and check it out. I also have Still Point to read (the third and final book) so watch out for that too...

Some Food For Thought...

I've been reading New Adult books for the last few years, I couldn't really tell you how many have been through my fingers... it's one of my favourite genres and some of these books I have enjoyed immensely!
But... up until recently it never really dawned on me how many of the sentences, phrases and descriptions used in these books are repeated and rearranged on the page so it's not in danger of plagiarism... it's not that I've never noticed before as I'm actually quite an observant person, I tend to just acknowledge it, roll my eyes and carry on anyway.

Now as an example, I recently read Archer's Voice (see above) and the story was so original and beautiful I absolutely loved it, it would have gotten 5 stars but, I marked it down because of the lack of original writing... maybe that was unfair, I did kind of feel like a b*tch to be honest as the storyline was lovely, but it's as if there's some kind of generic phrase book that these writers use for describing feelings, emotions and reactions, and especial sexual situations...
You kind of expect it in these 'Billionaire Romance' books that there are hundreds of, I use these ones as 'reset books' where, when you've read an epic story and you're still reeling from it, you just want a nice little short story with a HEA for cure of your Book Hangover.

So here's my gripe... I think writers and authors who want to make it big, who take the time to come up with an awesome storyline, should also endeavour to use original writing. We, as readers, don't want to pay for the same words regurgitated on the page, with a different name screamed out in ecstasy as the shocks from their orgasm roll through the protagonists body, their partner following two short thrusts after, their hard body collapsing on top of them breathless and sweaty, breathing in their ear some kind of endearment or proclamation of their commitment they didn't intend to say, rolling to the side and falling asleep in their arms feeling satiated and safe...

I feel like that was a bit of a rant lol... I don't mean to offend anyone, I hope some of you guys agree with me, and if you don't then that's fine too... either way I'd love to hear your comments below... you can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Pinterest and Instagram...

Moving on... Here are my Book Bargain Downloads of the week...

So these are my sale-bin finds this week... links are to Amazon for all of you 1-Click addicts... ASR = average star rating, tags are some of the genres they're listed under on Amazon and Goodreads:

• What Once Was Perfect by Zoe York: Free to download atm with an ASR of 4.2 and 22 reviews... Tags include ~ #ContemporaryRomance #WomensFiction #RomanticComedy
• Deep Blue by Jules Barnard: Free to download atm with an ASR of 4.4 and 25 reviews... Tags include ~ #NewAdult #RomanticComedy #ContemporaryRomance
• Fighting Temptation by KC Lynn: Free to download atm with an ASR of 4.6 and 56 reviews... Tags include ~ #RomanticSuspense #ContemporaryRomance #AdultFiction #Erotica
• Escaping Me by Elizabeth Lee: Free to download atm with an ASR of 4.2 and 9 reviews... Tags include ~ #NewAdult #ContemporaryRomance
• Crimson Midnight by Amos Cassidy: Free to download atm with an ASR of 4.8 and 6 reviews... Tags include ~ #UrbanFantasy #DarkFantasy and #ScienceFiction
• Second Chance by Katie Kacvinsky: £2.21 atm with an ASR of 4 and 2 reviews (2nd book in a series I'm reading atm)... Tags include ~ #YoungAdult #ContemporaryRomance

As I've said before... I probably wont read these straight away... but I can't resist a good bargain ;)

 

 

So that's my news for this week folks... I'll be posting more reviews soon and an update of my reads and bargains next weekend (possibly Sunday as I'm celebrating birthdays haha)... enjoy the holidays if you're on break and I hope you all read some awesome books... Until next time...