Review: Fire in You by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Wait For You Book #6
Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 378
Rating: 4 Stars
How I Got It: Gift for Christmas
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-Published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Jillian Lima’s whole world was destroyed in a span of a few hours. The same night her childhood love, Brock ‘the Beast’ Mitchell, broke her heart, her life was irrevocably altered by the hand of a stranger with a gun. It takes six years to slowly glue together the shattered pieces of her life, but Jillian is finally ready to stop existing in a past full of pain and regret. She takes a job at her father’s martial arts Academy and she’s going out on her first date since a failed relationship that was more yuck than yum. Jillian is determined to start living.

She just never expected Brock to be a part of her life again. But he’s firmly back in her life before she knows it, and not only is he older, he’s impossibly more handsome, more teasing and more everything. And when he sees Jillian, he’s no longer capable of thinking of her as the little girl who was his shadow growing up or the daughter of the man who gave him a second chance at life. He sees the woman who’d always been there for him, the one person who believed in him no matter what.

Brock knows she’s the one he should’ve made his, and what begins as a tentative friendship quickly turns to red-hot chemistry that sparks a flame that burns brighter than lust. Falling for Brock again risks more than her heart, because when the past sorrow-filled and guilt-ridden past resurfaces, and a web of lies threatens to rip them apart, the fallout could lay waste to everything they’ve fought to build together, and destroy the dreams of those they care most about.

Review

Starting reviews is like the hardest thing in the world for me. But you gotta start somewhere.

After I started reading this, I realized I never read the synopsis. Going in I knew this was about Brock and Jillian, but that's it. And I'm kind of happy about that. I think that made me enjoy it more.

Now, at it's core, this is an unrequited love story which I'm not a fan of. Overall, I enjoyed their story, but I still don't fully buy it. I don't believe in these kinds of lover stories so it doens't really have to do with the writing. It probably doesn't help that Brock is her boss. He never pressured her, but the potential power-dynamic issues are always in the back of my  mind.

Jillian was a good character and narrator. She's a pretty typically JLA heroine-loves to read, pop culture references, etc. That doesn't bother me at all. And she has a great support-system of family and friends.

Speaking of friends, it was great to see all the couples from the earlier books. A lot of time has passed so things have changed. And Katie. I still want more about her, but after this one I feel like I never will get that.

The first book in this weries is still my favorite, but the rest are enjoyable. This felt a lot like a closing of the series, but I don't know if it is. If you do let me know.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Review: Bitter Sweet Love by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

Series: The Dark Elements .5
Format: Ebook
Rating: 3 Stars
How I Got It: Free ebook
Genre: New Adult, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

 

Dez wasn't just Jasmine's crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining the balance between good and evil. He was her everything…right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.

And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again...

 
Review

I mean, this was ok. I'm glad I got it for free. There was nothing particularly wrong, but it didn't contribute to the rest of the series. Personally, I think prequel novellas should. Maybe things will come together as the series continues.

Jasmine was the more interesting characters, but they both fell a little flat. She talks a lot about disliking parts of Warden society, but doesn't deliver with it. At least, she's nice to Layla even though she's half demon.

The romance between Jasmine and Des is the main focus of the story. It's fast-paced and a pretty typical Jennifer L. Armentrout one.

If you're interested in this series, I would just start with White Hot Kiss. You can come back to this one if you really want to.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Book Review: White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: The Dark Elements Book #1
Format: Paperback
Pages: 384
Rating: 4 Stars
How I Got It: Borrowed from Library/Own an ebook edition
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, New Adult
Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne… it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

Review

I really enjoyed this but I don't have much to say. It's a Jennifer L. Armentrout book and I want to keep reading. But I still like the Lux books better.

I like the idea of Gargoyles. It isn't something I've read before. The Demon things remind me a lot of the Sweet books by Wendy Higgins, but I don't mind.

Layla was a great character. She's a little immature, but she's only seventeen and has a lot going on. So, I forgive her. Zayne bothered me a little. He kept calling her childish when he was either being the same or she was actually reasonable.

Now, I've heard there's a pretty intense love triangle in this series. I also know Ms. Armentrout let the readers decide who Layla would end up with. This scares the crap out of me. I'm very much on Team Roth and don't want to see him hurt. We'll see how I feel after reading book two.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Review: Oblivion by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Lux Book #1.5

Format: Paperback

Pages: 350

Rating: 4 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

Publisher: Entangled Teen

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

I knew the moment Katy Swartz moved in next door, there was going to be trouble. Lots of it.

And trouble’s the last thing I need, since I’m not exactly from around here. My people arrived on Earth from Lux, a planet thirteen billion light years away. Plus, if there’s one thing I know, it’s that humans can’t be trusted. We scare them. We can do things they only dream about, and honestly, we make them look weak as hell. ‘Cuz they are.

But Kat is getting to me in ways no one else has, and I can't stop myself from wanting her—or wanting to use my powers to protect her. She makes me weak, and I’m the strongest of our kind, tasked with protecting us all. So this one simple girl…she can mean the end for us. Because the Luxen have an even bigger enemy—the Arum, and I need to stay on my game.

Falling for Katy—a human—won't just place her in danger. It could get us all killed, and that’s one thing I’ll never let happen...

 

Review

Let’s get this out of the way: I’m not avoiding spoilers in this review. This is Obsidian, but from Daemons’ perspective so it’s not like anything is a surprise.

This was a great book and it was exactly what I thought it would be. I really liked seeing what was going on his head during things like the Snowbird and lake scenes. It also made me more accepting of his hot and cold personality with Katy.

But I do miss sweet Daemon. I love his chapters in later books, because he’s so passionate about Katy. It makes sense why he didn’t show up, but I still miss him.

I finally get the end. I’ve read Obsidian a few times, but I’ve always been confused about how the Arum was defeated. I think it’s because Kathy didn’t really know what happened, but Daemon knows more. So, now I get it.

You shouldn’t read this if you don’t like the Lux series and Jennifer L. Armentrout. But if you love the series like me you will probably enjoy this book and more Daemon.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Review: The Return by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Titan #1

Format: Ebook

Rating: 4 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Mythology

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

The Fates are cackling their bony asses off…

It’s been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they’ve given him have been violent and bloody–which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He’s got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet.

Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy’s deal might be, but it’s a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her.

But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all.

Because history has once again been flipped to repeat.

Book 1 in the new adult paranormal TITAN series, spin-off to the best selling COVENANT series.  

Review

I’ve wanted to read this since I first read the Covenant series, but I’ve been putting it off because I prefer to marathon series. For some reason, during the middle of my recent vacation I felt an overwhelming need to read it. So, I bought it and read it as I was traveling home.  And like a lot of Jennifer Armentrout books I flew through it.

First, I’m so happy this was written in dual POV. I prefer that in my NA/romance reads and she does it so well. And I would’ve been disappointed if there was no Seth POV. One issue I had was that the POVs weren’t clear. I could tell them apart and the voices were distinctive, but I would have preferred that they be labeled.

During the Covenant series I had conflicting emotions about Seth, but in the end I loved him. That didn’t change here. He is a great character and I’m very excited to see him evolve and, hopefully, happy. Being in his head shows how good he wants to be. And it also shows the insecurities he has and is constantly trying to hide.

I really like Josie. She’s funny and I like her bumbling. She doesn’t have a lot of physical strength, but she has so much emotional strength. She obviously doesn’t handle everything perfectly, but she is dealing with all the crazy very well.

The romance was definitely a slow burn. Maybe too much of a slow burn, because I was starting to get frustrated. But I do want them together and happy so much.

It was great to see some past characters. They are great and I love when that happens in companion series. I don’t remember enough about how the first series ended, but I really want to see Alex and Aidan. I especially want Josie to be able to talk to Alex. And reading this made me want to re-read the Covenant series.

If you read the first series you should definitely check this out. If you need extra motivation—there’s lots of shirtless Seth.

Thanks for reading!

Review: Forever with You by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Wait for You Book #4

Format: Mass Market Paper Back

Pages: 370

Rating: 4 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Avon

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

In the irresistibly sexy series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout, two free spirits find their lives changed by a one-night stand…

Some things you just believe in, even if you've never experienced them. For Stephanie, that list includes love. It's out there. Somewhere. Eventually. Meanwhile she's got her job at the mixed martial arts training center and hot flings with gorgeous, temporary guys like Nick. Then a secret brings them closer, opening Steph's eyes to a future she never knew she wanted—until tragedy rips it away.

Nick's self-assured surface shields a past no one needs to know about. His mind-blowing connection with Steph changes all that. As fast as he's knocking down the walls that have kept him commitment-free, she's building them up again, determined to keep the hurt—and Nick—out. But he can't walk away. Not when she's the only one who's ever made him wish for forever . . .

 

Review

Another great book in this series. I really like Jennifer L. Armentrout’s writing. I’ve been curious about Stephanie since book one and I wasn’t disappointed. I did call the main plot points from the synopsis, but that didn’t take away from my enjoyment.

Like I already said I really liked Stephanie. In the first two books she kind of has the role of slutty girl who slept with the hero before. I always felt like there was more to her and I’m so glad Ms. Armentrout decided to do more with a stereotypical character for New Adult novel. She’s a very likeable character who is confident. It was nice to see how she deals with her past and being friends with other women.

Nick was also a good character. He had a lot more going on with his family and past than I would have thought. He is also surprisingly sweet and kind to Stephanie. I do wish I could have gotten in his head, but that’s common complaint I have with romances told in first person.

Even though I guessed what the main plot point would be I liked it. And she developed it a lot more than I expected.

And Katie. I’ve liked her since she was first introduced, but now I love her. She’s just amazing. I really want her to have a book, but sometimes I like that she has a little bit of mystery to her.

Thanks for reading!

Review: Scorched by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Frigid Book 2 (Companion Series)

Format: Paperback

Pages: 238

Rating: 4 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

Let’s be honest: I’m a fan of Jennifer L. Armentrout. Her books are my crack. But I’m still going to try to make this a fair review.

I read this book in one sitting and was quickly sucked in. And I’m so happy there was dual POV. I do wish Tanner had a little bit more because he’s great.

The romance is the main focus of the story. Like most of the story is them in bed or trying to get each other in bed. I don’t mind, but some people might. And I’m a fan of the bantering couples so Tanner and Andrea are right up my alley.

I do wish there had been more development of their backstories. It’s touched on, but not fully explored. The story works, but flushing those out would have pushed it toward five stars for me.

And I enjoyed the exploration of personal demons and mental health. Ms. Armentrout addressed issues I’ve read about in a slightly different way. I also liked that there were actual consequences to Andrea’s decisions and bad choices.

It would have been nice if the therapy aspect was more of a story point. I wanted more of that and how Andrea is trying to recover.

This was definitely a great New Adult and has all the JLA feels. And it actually made me want to check out Frigid because the characters were interesting and likeable as side characters here.

Thanks for reading!

Review: Fall with Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Wait For You #4

Format: Paperback

Pages: 376

Rating: 4 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

I got this book a couple days early and immediately started reading. It was a great continuation of the series, but I do have a few issues.

Roxy intrigued me in the previous book, so I was happy to get in her head. Oh, and this cover is great-she had glasses and purple streaks in her hair. Her character was funny and more than delivered on my expectations. I should be surprised, but she had a lot more going on than I expected, I was close to tears in like chapter one.

Then, there’s Reece. I like him, but he did a few things that bothered me. He calls her ‘babe’ all the time. Generally, I’m not a fan of endearments and I can usually just overlook them, but not here. And sometimes his time was too demanding/possessive. I think his past plays into this, but I didn’t get enough of that since this is a single first person story.

That being said, I like their romance. It is definitely steamy and went places I wasn’t expecting. There was some serious unrequited love, but it didn’t pull the story down for me. I do wish I knew stalking would play such a big role in the plot. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it makes me anxious so I always like a heads up.

There was a bunch of the past characters which I loved and hope for more of.  I also love Katie. I feel like it’ll never happen, but she could have her own book. Speaking of that: is it weird that I kind of want Henry to have a book?

And I’m crazy excited for the next book. I’ve wanted to know more about Steph since the first book and now I’ll have it. In September. Fingers crossed.

Thanks for reading!

~Holly