Review: Some Kind of Perfect by Krista and Becca Ritchie

Series: Calloway Sisters 4.5
Format: Ebook
Rating: 5 Stars
How I Got It: Purchased
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
Publisher: Self-published

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

 

The conclusion to the epic ten-book series about the unbreakable strength of family, friendship, and love.

Lily & Lo are back one final time. Childhood best friends and soul mates.

Ryke & Daisy are back one final time. Wild risk-takers and flirty adventurers.

Connor & Rose are back one final time. Genius rivals and intellectual teammates.

Ten years of laughter. Of heartache. And love.

Review

Reviewing a book like this is incredibly hard. I feel like this is my family and I'm saying good-bye. Plus, it isn't necssarily a complete story. It's more a series of vignettes. It's 600+ pages of Calloway port-not that way Lily;) There is some of that, too.

I've spent so much time with these characters. I feel like they are my friends. They've been there during some hard times. And have taught me so much about my life and myself-sometimes not good things. So how do you rate something that feels like it's become a part of your DNA?

I will say that it was great to see the gang growing up and having children. Life isn't all gumdrops and rainbows and they face those struggles head on. So many kids were introduced and are all their own characters. I'm constantly amazed by the talent of Krista and Becca Ritchie. I already care so much about these children that I can't wait for Damaged Like Us. Moffy is my favorite so far.

If you loved the Addicted and Calloway Sisters books like me you will probably love this. It is a massive epilogue. It is the kind of book I wish more authors would write.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Review: Asking for More by Lilah Pace

Series: Asking for It #2.5
Format: Ebook
Rating: 5 Stars
How I Got It: Purchased
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotica
Publisher: InterMix

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

Finally sure of each other's strength and love, Jonah and Vivienne continue to explore their darkest fantasies together. However, what should be a night of ecstasy takes a dangerous turn, injuring Vivienne. She shrugs off the incident, but Jonah is haunted by it, particularly by the fear that others may believe he abuses her, or even glimpse the truth of their erotic obsession.

Then Jonah receives a call from his younger sister, Rebecca, who's dealing with trouble of her own in South America. When Vivienne travels with him to aid Rebecca, she learns yet more about his tortured history—and Jonah opens up to Vivienne as never before.

Can Vivienne help Jonah cast off the shadows of his past forever? 

 
Review

I feel like a horrible person for not knowing this was a thing. So, a few minutes after I found out, I bought and read it. And I really enjoyed it. It's a novella and really just a big epilogue which the Lord knows I'm a fan of.

Honestly, it was just really nice to spend time with these characters again. I kind of forgot how much I love them. And there's still an exploration about how fantasies surround non-consensual sex work in a relationship.

This isn't anything groundbreaking, but it's a nice fairly cute read. There are still some dark elements, but the overall tone is fairly light.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Review: A Lady to by Midnight by Tessa Dare

Series: Spindle Cove Book #3
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 374
Rating: 4  Stars
How I Got It: Purchased
Genre: Historical Romance, Small-Town,
Publisher: Avon

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

 

After years of fending for herself, Kate Taylor found friendship and acceptance in Spindle Cove—but she never stopped yearning for love. The very last place she'd look for it is in the arms of Corporal Thorne. The militia commander is as stone cold as he is brutally handsome. But when mysterious strangers come searching for Kate, Thorne steps forward as her fiancé. He claims to have only Kate's safety in mind. So why is there smoldering passion in his kiss?

Long ago, Samuel Thorne devoted his life to guarding Kate's happiness. He wants what's best for her, and he knows it's not marriage to a man like him. To outlast their temporary engagement, he must keep his hands off her tempting body and lock her warm smiles out of his withered heart. It's the toughest battle of this hardened warrior's life . . . and the first he seems destined to lose.

Review

In some ways, this book has my catnip all over it. But for some reason I can't put by finger on I'm not really into it.

Thorne was great. He's got a well-developed and I get him. Plus, it's always nice to see a story explore the impact of war on people. And I've always liked Kate, but she became a little immature. Not necessarily in the way you might think. It's like someone attractive shows her attention and she turns into a lost little girl. I do think they love each other, but it could've been done a little better.

There is less of the awesomeness that is Spindle Cove in this one, but I still love Spindle Cove. And naturally, I will keep reading. This was still a good book and Tessa Dare is a great writer.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Review: The Demon King by Cinda Williams Chima

Series: Seven Realms Book #1
Format: Paperback
Pages: 506
Rating: 4 Stars
How I Got It: Borrowed from the Library
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Publisher: Hyperion

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

 

Times are hard in the mountain city of Fellsmarch. Reformed thief Han Alister will do almost anything to eke out a living for his family. The only thing of value he has is something he can't sell—the thick silver cuffs he's worn since birth. They're clearly magicked—as he grows, they grow, and he's never been able to get them off.

One day, Han and his clan friend, Dancer, confront three young wizards setting fire to the sacred mountain of Hanalea. Han takes an amulet from Micah Bayar, son of the High Wizard, to keep him from using it against them. Soon Han learns that the amulet has an evil history—it once belonged to the Demon King, the wizard who nearly destroyed the world a millennium ago. With a magical piece that powerful at stake, Han knows that the Bayars will stop at nothing to get it back.

Meanwhile, Raisa ana'Marianna, princess heir of the Fells, has her own battles to fight. She's just returned to court after three years of freedom in the mountains—riding, hunting, and working the famous clan markets. Raisa wants to be more than an ornament in a glittering cage. She aspires to be like Hanalea—the legendary warrior queen who killed the Demon King and saved the world. But her mother has other plans for her...

The Seven Realms tremble when the lives of Hans and Raisa collide, fanning the flames of the smoldering war between clans and wizards.

Review
Umm...I'm struggling with this one. Not a lot happened but that doesn't really bother me. And it was fairly precitable. I guessed everything that came out. I do think the world is flushed out but I don't know enough. Even a map would've helped me.

I did like the writing. It was descriptive without being over the top. And it was well paced. I didn't feel rushed or bored at any point.

Generally, I liked the characters. I feel like Raisa and Han are the main characters but I like the other characters more. They both frustrated me sometimes. But Amon really interests me. and I really want to know more about the historical characters like Hanalea and The Demon King. Crossing my fingers that it will happen.

I do want to keep reading the series and I'm sure I will get some of the things I felt were missing from this one. Plus, politics and intrigue may be on the table and those are some of my favorites.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Review: Made For You by Lauren Layne

Series: The Best Mistake #2
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 320
Rating: 2.5 Stars
How I Got It: Borrowed from Library
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Forever

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

 

Will Thatcher is exactly the type of sexy playboy good girls like Brynn have always avoided. And yet there was still something about him she just couldn't resist. When Will moved across the country three years ago, Brynn vowed it was time to put him behind her. She never thought Will might have other plans . . .

Back in town, Will intends to get what he's always wanted-gorgeous, unforgettable Brynn. For years, he tormented the untouchable ice princess in a desperate bid for her attention. Now he has a new plan, and he'll do anything to rewrite their stormy past. This time, he's out to show Brynn that the imperfect man might be the best mistake of her life . . .

Review

This was a little frustrating. Brynn kind of got on my nerves and was a little oblivious to everything going on around her. And it had some of the bickering couple thing I love but it wasn't done particularly well.

I think if more time had been spent in Will's head I would've given this a higher rating. He definitely the more likeable character. Plus, I feel like I didn't get to know him because Brynn is so blind. Even if it was just in the flashbacks. So many chapters start with a look at Brynn's past/childhood and I think if some of them were for Will it would have added something.

Will comes across more as a prop in Brynn's development but she didn't develop particularly well. I don't completely love were she ends up but that isn't my issue. Instead it's that I don't understand why she made the decisions she made. This is especially bad because so little time is spent with Will. So Brynn should really shine.

This was a very fast read and I didn't hate it. But I also wouldn't necessarily recommend it. I've read better by this author and fell like this shows how she has become a better writer over the years.

Thanks for reading!
Holly

August Wrap-Up (2016)

August really flew by. I think a huge part of that is that work was busy. This is already our busy season and this is the worst I've seen it in my five years there. So, I've been working a lot of overtime. This cuts into a lot of free time including reading.

I have to prioritize other things like sleep. Especially when I have to be 100% at work.

So, I read six books. It could've been better, but I'm not disappointed. Probably doesn't hurt that I finally read a few books by two of my favorite authors. And all but one of them (which was a re-read) were library books.

Below are the books I read and their ratings.

The Shadows-4 Stars

Blood Kiss-4 Stars

The Beast-4 Stars

Lover Eternal-5 Stars

Brown-Eyed Girl-4 Stars

Fortune's Pawn-4 Stars

Thanks for reading!
Holly

Review: A Week to be Wicked by Tessa Dare

Series: Spindle Cove Book #2
Format: Mass Market Paperback
Pages: 356
Rating: 4.5 Stars
How I Got It: Purchased
Genre: Historical Romance, Small-town
Publisher: Avon

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

 

Minerva Highwood, one of Spindle Cove's confirmed spinsters, needs to be in Scotland.

Colin Sandhurst, Lord Payne, a rake of the first order, needs to be... anywhere but Spindle Cove.

These unlikely partners have one week to

• fake an elopement
• convince family and friends they're in "love"
• outrun armed robbers
• survive their worst nightmares
• travel four hundred miles without killing each other

All while sharing a very small carriage by day and an even smaller bed by night.

What they don't have time for is their growing attraction. Much less wild passion. And heaven forbid they spend precious hours baring their hearts and souls.

Suddenly one week seems like exactly enough time to find a world of trouble. And maybe... just maybe... love.

Review

I remember really liking this the first time I read it. But I didn't remember much else. This made this re-read exciting, but a little scary. What if I was disappointed?

It's easy to see from my star-rating I wasn't. This book has so much of my catnip-the bickering couple, emotional trauma, marriage of convenience. It also has some of that small town vibes and no ballroom which is a nice break.

Minerva and Colin are both great characters. And they have fantastic banter. Minerva is very strong and intelligent. And she never loses that which is nice to see. She evolves, but not in a negative way. Then there's Colin. Oh, Colin. He is such a kind person, but no one seems to see that. Ms. Dare really shows how people's expectations can impact you.

I'm not always a fan of stories with forced confinement for the hero and heroine. But this one works. It probably helps that it isn't one location and they put themselves in this situation.

Oh, and there was some sequel bait which the world knows I love. I'm really glad I started to re-read this series, because it's beautiful.

Thanks for reading!
Holly