Book Review: Top Secret by Sarina Bowen & Elle Kennedy

Stand Alone

Format: ebook

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, M/M

Publisher: Self-Published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

LobsterShorts, 21

Jock. Secretly a science geek. Hot AF.

LobsterShorts: So. Here goes. For her birthday, my girlfriend wants…a threesome.

SinnerThree: Then you’ve come to the right hookup app.

LobsterShorts: Have you done this sort of thing before? With another guy?

SinnerThree: All the time. I'm an equal opportunity player. You?

LobsterShorts: [crickets!]

SinnerThree, 21

Finance major. Secretly a male dancer. Hot AF. 

SinnerThree: Well, I’m down if you are. My life is kind of a mess right now. School, work, family stress. Oh, and I live next door to the most annoying dude in the world. I need the distraction. Are you sure you want this?

LobsterShorts: I might want it a little more than I’m willing to admit.

SinnerThree: Hey, nothing wrong with pushing your boundaries...

LobsterShorts: Tell that to my control-freak father. Anyway. What if this threesome is awkward?

SinnerThree: Then it’s awkward. It’s not like we’ll ever have to see each other again. Right? Just promise you won’t fall in love with me.

LobsterShorts: Now wouldn’t that be life-changing...

Review

Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy are back with another M/M romance. And it definitely delivered. It was fun, engaging, and full of great characters.

A lot of M/M romances (I've read) are pretty angsty. Keaton and Luke don't have perfect lives, but there isn't a ton of angst. Instead there is tons of humor and great banter. There's also an enemies-to-lovers element which is executed pretty well. The two main characters interact a lot through a dating app which I love. I'm a sucker for textual communications.

Keaton and Luke begin their app convos because Keaton's girlfriend wants a threesome for her birthday. Ms. Bowen and Ms. Kennedy say there is not a cheating element to this story. I can see why that is their standpoint, but I think it's actually more of a personal view on these grey areas.

Sometimes surrounding Keaton's girlfriend are what stops me from giving this five stars. I like her...it's other stuff.

Keaton and Luke were both great characters and I love their interactions. Keaton always has fun animal facts which I think is adorable. I'm also full of useless information so I can relate. They both had personal struggles which aren't related to their sexuality. I really liked that being gay/bi is not the only identifier for them and the only conflict.

This was such a fun and exciting read. It was a joy to read and I highly recommend it.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Book Review: A Court of Thorns & Roses by Sarah J. Maas

Series: A Court of Thorns & Roses Book #1

Format: Hardcover

Pages: 419

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: Fantasy

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Feyre's survival rests upon her ability to hunt and kill – the forest where she lives is a cold, bleak place in the long winter months. So when she spots a deer in the forest being pursued by a wolf, she cannot resist fighting it for the flesh. But to do so, she must kill the predator and killing something so precious comes at a price ...

Dragged to a magical kingdom for the murder of a faerie, Feyre discovers that her captor, his face obscured by a jewelled mask, is hiding far more than his piercing green eyes would suggest. Feyre's presence at the court is closely guarded, and as she begins to learn why, her feelings for him turn from hostility to passion and the faerie lands become an even more dangerous place. Feyre must fight to break an ancient curse, or she will lose him forever.

Review

Maybe I shouldn't write a review of this. I didn't like it, then I did, then I got frustrated and ended up kind of bored. I will continue with the series-but that is probably influenced by the fact that I already own them. 

I am interested in the world and am always intrigued by fairy stories and Fae Courts. I think Nessta, her sister, is one of the best characters. I hope she shows up more because she actually has Chutzpah that Feyre is supposed to have. 

The romance felt rushed and flat. It seemed to flip in like a page. I now think there is going to be a love triangle. Maybe she'll end up with the other guy and this will end up being a purposeful choice. I despise love triangle, but I could appreciate if that's what happened. This probably would work better if not written in a single first person POV. Ms. Maas seems to write characters-especially female heroines-who come across as self-righteous "perfect" little badasses. I seem to be the only one bothered by this. But I find them unrealistic and annoying.

Hopefully, I will grow to love these characters as the series continues. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

March Wrap-Up (2019)

March was a fantastic reading month. I finished 14 books. I do think Read-O-Rama contributed to my increased reading. 

And the quality of my reading was so good. I read a few books that were so close to five stars-The Hating Game and Curtsies & Conspiracies. I also got to enjoy some really go re-reads like Enna Burning.

This month of  reading was so good and made me want to read more. I'm sure I'll burn out at some point, but I'm not focusing on that.

Here are the books I read and their ratings.

The Golden Lily-4 Stars

The 48 Laws of Power-3 Stars

Only A Breath Apart-4 Stars

The Indigo Spell-5 Stars

The Risk-4 Stars

Shanghai Wind-2 Stars

A Perfect Amish Match-4 Stars

The Matchmaker's Playbook-3 Stars

Curtsies & Conspiracies-4 Stars

Enna Burning-5 Stars

A Court of Thorns & Roses-4 Stars

The Hating Game-4 Stars

In a Badger Way-4 Stars

Northanger Abbey-4 Stars

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Book Review: The Risk by Elle Kennedy

Series: Briar U Book #2

Format: eBook

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Hockey

Publisher: Self-published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Everyone says I’m a bad girl. They’re only partly right—I don’t let fear rule me, and I certainly don’t care what people think. But I draw the line at sleeping with the enemy. As the daughter of Briar’s head hockey coach, I’d be vilified if I hooked up with a player from a rival team.

And that’s who Jake Connelly is. Harvard’s star forward is arrogant, annoying, and too attractive for his own good. But fate is cruel—I require his help to secure a much-coveted internship, and the sexy jerk isn’t making it easy for me.

I need Connelly to be my fake boyfriend.

For every fake date…he wants a real one.

Which means this bad girl is in big trouble. Nothing good can come from sneaking around with Jake Connelly. My father would kill me, my friends will revolt, and my post-college career is on the line. But while it’s getting harder and harder to resist Jake’s oozing sex appeal and cocky grin, I refuse to fall for him.

That’s the one risk I’m not willing to take.

Review

Wahoo! I finally read this book! I really enjoyed this. Brenna and Jake were both great and I loved their relationship. And I really loved reading about Brenna's relationship with her dad.

Brenna and Jake were very well developed. They were interesting in the first book, but became more flushed out here. She is so much more complicated than she originally seemed. And I really loved how she felt about her red lipstick. Then, there's Jake. He is so nice. I thought he would be a douche bag hero, but he wasn't. And he is so passionate about hockey and his team.

The romance was really good and developed at a solid pace. It has a fake dating element but is also kind of a Romeo & Juliet story. Some may say enemies to lovers, but I lean more toward R&J. I particularly liked that they talked to each other and got to know each other. It's not just, going at it like bunnies. That doesn't mean there is a lack of sexy times.

The side characters and interactions were also really good. There are some solid friendships for both Brenna and Jake. Rupi was probably my new favorite. I feel like there won't be a book for her, but I would love one. And like I said before, I really enjoyed reading about Brenna and her dad. They have a complicated, but real and raw relationship.

The new book has a title and cover, but no synopsis. It comes out in October and I need to know who it's about. No matter what, I'm dying for it.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Book Review: Soul in Darkness by Wendy Higgins

Stand Alone

Format: Paperback

Pages: 352

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: New Adult, Historical Fantasy

Publisher: Self-Published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

People travel from afar to the small isle in the Aegean Sea hoping for a single glimpse of Princess Psyche. Their adoration for the mortal woman is so all-consuming that citizens begin to shower her with the very gifts and offerings they once left at the alter of Venus, goddess of love and beauty. 

But gods are known for their jealousy.

Cupid, the god of love, takes pleasure in causing strife and mischief in the lives of humans. He uses love as a weapon, humoring in the weakness of people at the whims of their feelings. When his mother Venus approaches him about punishing the human girl who dares to steal her offerings and affections from the people, Cupid gladly accepts. 

Psyche's punishment is to be given to a mysterious creature who only comes to her in the dark of night under the pact that she will never lay eyes on him. She is terrified of this stranger, who the oracle described as a serpent. Her mate, however, is masterful in his dealings with his bride. He takes his time, morphing her fears into different sensations completely. 

Based on the Roman/Greek mythology of Cupid and Psyche by Lucius Apuleius, New York Times bestseller Wendy Higgins brings the tale to life, weaving layers that show exactly how a sacrificial lamb can be enchanted by an unseen monster.

Review

I didn't know about this book until right before it's release. I'm really I glad I did end up seeing in on Twitter. This is a Cupid and Psyche retelling which I like. I actually did a project on this type of story back in college.

Also, can there please be more New Adult that isn't contemporary? 

Psyche could've been a Mary Sue, but she wasn't. And I really enjoyed reading her story and getting in her head. Cupid was interesting but not quite as developed as Psyche.

The romance was pretty well done especially considering the forced proximity. Sometimes that can cause the romance to feel forced. The second part did fall a little, but I think a part of that was Ms. Higgins' loyalty to the original story. Maybe it would've been better as two separate books, but I also love that it was a stand alone.

I'm glad I picked this up. It was fun, fast-paced, and had great tension. It makes me want to read the Wendy Higgins books I've missed over the last couple years.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Winter 2019 Book Haul

I may have gone a little crazy when it comes to the book buying in the last few months. For physical books, I bought 24. And I picked up 4 e-books on my Kindle.

Probably half of these were planned and pre-ordered. But the other half were more impulse purchases. Like Elle Kennedy had the Abs editions of her Campus series available. They were only available for a limited time and I've been wanting to buy them for awhile.

While I spent more money than I planned and I bought  more than I expected, I have no regrets.

Here are the books I bought. I'll also post a video on my YouTube channel.

Physical Books

Only a Breath Apart

Overnight Sensation (I also got the e-book)

The One You Fight For

The Deal

The Mistake

The Score

The Goal

Steadfast

The Devil's Daughter

A Court of Thrones & Roses

A Court of Mist & Fury

A Court of Wings & Ruin

A Court of Frost & Starlight

Outlander

Soul of Darkness

This Shattered World

Their Fractured Light

Exclusively Yours

Undeniably Yours

The Sweetest Thing

Lucky in Love

Forever & a Day

Catch a Falling Heiress

A Touch of Minx

e-Books

Tangled Like Us

Mixtape

Never Never

The Risk

Here's the video:

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Book Review: Mixtape: A Love Song Anthology

Anthology

Format: ebook

Rating: 3 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary

Publisher: Self-Published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

What’s more romantic than a love song? A mixtape full of them.

Twelve bestselling and award-winning authors have curated an anthology of brand-new, standalone stories inspired by love songs.

Review

I picked up this story because of Elle Kennedy's story. I haven't even heard of the other authors. (Sorry) That's the good thing about anthologies: you can explore new and different authors.

Unfortunately, I was disappointed by the anthology overall. The first story actually got my first 1 star ever. Overall, there was the one 1 star, two 2 stars, seven 3 stars, and 2 four stars. The Elle Kennedy story was my favorite and very sweet. The other story I really enjoyed was "Say Yes". 

It is a pretty diverse anthology especially when it comes to LGBTQ+ and sexual kinks/fetishes. The diversity is good because it exposes you to different things, but it also limits the possibility of a five star read overall.

I did review a handful of the individual stories on my blog if you want to check those out.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Guys My Age by Saffron Kent

Mixtape Anthology

Format: ebook

Rating: 1 star

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Age Difference

Publisher: Self-Published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

What’s more romantic than a love song? A mixtape full of them.

Twelve bestselling and award-winning authors have curated an anthology of brand-new, standalone stories inspired by love songs.

Review

I have never given anything a 1-star rating. But there is nothing redeeming about this story. I only forced myself to read this so I could write a review. Except the sex scene. I didn't read that because I thought it was inappropriate.

Looking at this author's Goodreads it looks like they (she?) writes edgy romances. To be honest that is not typically what I read, but this went beyond edgy into uncomfortable.

There is a substantial age difference in this story. She is 18, he is 33. And they have known each other since she was 3. I could've been fairly OK with it if she was 23 and he was 38, but not 18. And he knowing her that long was what really made it wrong for me.

This may come across judgy, but I felt violated by this story. I'm so glad I already read the Elle Kennedy story so I knew the whole anthology wasn't going to be bad and a disappointment.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

Book Review: The Chase by Elle Kennedy

Series: Briar U Book #1

Format: ebook

Rating: 4 Stars

How I Got It: Purchased

Genre: New Adult, Sports

Publisher: Self-Published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Everyone says opposites attract. And they must be right, because there’s no logical reason why I’m so drawn to Colin Fitzgerald. I don’t usually go for tattoo-covered, video-gaming, hockey-playing nerd-jocks who think I’m flighty and superficial. His narrow view of me is the first strike against him. It doesn’t help that he’s buddy-buddy with my brother.

And that his best friend has a crush on me.

And that I just moved in with them.

Oh, did I not mention we’re roommates?

I suppose it doesn’t matter. Fitzy has made it clear he’s not interested in me, even though the sparks between us are liable to burn our house down. I’m not the kind of girl who chases after a man, though, and I’m not about to start. I’ve got my hands full dealing with a new school, a sleazy professor, and an uncertain future. So if my sexy brooding roomie wises up and realizes what he’s missing?

He knows where to find me.

Review

I'm equal parts mad I waited to read this and glad I did because now I only have to wait a month for the next one.

Where do I even start?

Fitz is so sweet and a great hero. He isn't the typical hyper-aggressive hockey hero. And he's a nerd who is into coding and video games. I love that Ms. Kennedy will blend characteristics instead of using stereotypes. 

Then, there is Summer. I have absolutely nothing in common with her, but she's great. She's actually a character I feel like you see in NA a lot, but as the evil slutty girl. So, it's good that Ms. Kennedy made her the heroine. Sarina Bowen and Jennifer L. Armentrout have also done this. Summer is an extrovert who is very friendly. 

The romance between these two was very fun to read about. They have great chemistry that jumps off the page. I did like seeing them struggling with their different personality types. However, the will they, won't they lasted a tad bit too long for me.

Brenna was a very interesting side character. The friendship between her and Summer was fun and I love the female friendship positivity. I can't wait for Brenna's book. I have no idea how that romance will progress, but I am here for it.

Thanks for reading!

Holly

June Wrap-Up (2018)

June was another slower month (for reading) which I expected. I ended up finishing 8 books. I also started 2 but didn't get far enough to even consider them DNFs.

My month was very busy between work and personal/family things. I was out of town for a week for a work seminar. The seminar was very productive, but also exhausting. I had my dance recital which was so much fun. In less fun news, I had to take my mom to several doctors' appointments. She starts chemo in July. I have to take her to her first session, but then she should be strong enough to drive herself. She is doing well, but is fed up being poked and prodded.

Life may be crazy, but I think I'm starting to figure out a workable schedule/routine. This will hopefully free up some more reading time, too. I have a ton of NetGalley books to get reviewed so I'm going to have to get to reading.

Here are the books I read in June and their ratings:

As Long as You Love Me-4 Stars

Infini-5 Stars

Risk of Rogues-3 Stars

When He was Wicked-4 Stars

Lone Star Princess-2 Stars

And the Good News Is-5 Stars

It's in His Kiss-3.5 Stars

Tight Quarters-3 Stars

Thanks for reading!

Holly