ARC Review: Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
Series: Alpha & Omega #4 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: March 3rd 2015
Purchase: Ebook • Hardcover
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles’s role as his father’s enforcer. This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal, as Charles plans to buy Anna a horse for her birthday. Or at least it starts out that way…

Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up—and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire.

First off, I’m a huge fan of Patricia Briggs! Her paranormal world of the Mercy Thompson series and the Alpha & Omega series (Charles and Anna’s series) is unlike any other. And though I adore Mercy’s series, I have to say I love Charles and Anna’s books more. Every single book of theirs, I’ve wholeheartedly loved – I highly recommend reading this series (and the Mercy books too) if you’re a fan of paranormal and/or urban fantasy.

Anna and Charles make up one of my all-time favorite fictional couples in the history of fictional couples. I love them as a couple, but I also love them as individuals. From their very first book (or more like, from their first novella), I was hooked onto them and their story. They’re not the typical badass hero/heroine of urban fantasy books. I mean, they definitely are badass, but they’re way more subtle about it. As an Omega, Anna has a calming effect on werewolves, and she doesn’t feel the need to obey werewolves who have a higher rank in the pack. Charles is pure alpha – as the Marrok’s son and enforcer, he is one of the most dominant werewolves and he delivers justice to those who deserve it. Despite their differences, I honestly can’t think of anyone better suited for Charles than Anna, and vice versa. The mutual respect and love they have for each other is palpable in each book – they’re the refreshing sort of couple that I could never get tired of reading about.

“The day I met you was the first day I ever felt joy.”

As a birthday present for Anna, Charles wants to buy her a horse. He takes them to see an old friend of his who has a horse ranch, but there’s trouble stirring in town when they get there. I don’t want to say much about the plot because it’s so much better to just experience it in its entirety, but I want to say that Patricia Briggs never fails to make me hooked onto her stories. The plot is perfectly paced with just the right amount of action, and the mystery is well-written and intriguing. I also loved seeing a new side of Charles and learning more about his past – Joseph is one of the few people Charles loves and can truly call a friend, and it was great seeing him happy around someone who wasn’t Anna, Bran, or Samuel.

The writing is impeccable as always. I don’t know how Patricia Briggs does it, but the way she writes the Alpha & Omega series is simply beautiful, this book especially. As someone who knows almost nothing about horses, I can say that that aspect of the story was flawlessly incorporated. I fell in love once again with Anna and Charles – they are truly one of the few couples who are near and dear to my heart. Their subtle humor, their sweet, tender moments, everything was perfectly written. I honestly wish their series would never end, because I could read about them forever!

Dead Heat is another fantastic, gripping, gorgeously-written installment in one of my favorite series ever. I loved every single word of this book!

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Series Order: Alpha & Omega series

#1 ~ Cry Wolf: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Hunting Ground: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Fair Game: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Dead Heat: Ebook • Hardcover • Goodreads

3Mar2015

Release Day Review: Stealing Rose by Monica Murphy

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Stealing Rose by Monica Murphy
Series: The Fowler Sisters #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: March 3rd 2015
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Emma Chase—the second novel in New York Times bestselling author Monica Murphy’s sizzling series about three powerhouse sisters and the men who would have their hearts.

People say the youngest child has it easy, but nothing can be further from the truth. Unlike my two sisters, Violet and Lily, I’m never in the limelight. I just work my butt off for Fleur Cosmetics and get little to no thanks for it. I’ve been pushed too far one too many times, and I’m finally brave enough to do something about it.

Maybe my newfound courage has something to do with the amazing pink and white diamond necklace I wear to the party in Cannes. The instant those dazzling heirloom jewels touch my skin, they excite some deep, aching need inside. And when that guy—that totally gorgeous guy—locks eyes with me, I know this nice girl is going to be naughty.

For once it’s my turn. My turn to say no to my father, to outshine my sisters, to walk away from it all—straight into the arms of a mysterious stranger. But what if Caden is much more than I bargained for? Sure, he makes me feel sexy and free in a way I never have before, but there’s something else I can’t quite place—something dangerous. Maybe our “chance” meeting wasn’t so random. Maybe he was looking for me for a reason. Whatever his motive, there’s no going back now.

And maybe I don’t want to.

I highly enjoyed the first book of The Fowler Sisters series, so of course I was looking forward to Rose’s book! Unfortunately, Stealing Rose fell a bit flat for me. I definitely didn’t enjoy Rose’s book as much as I did Violet’s. I had a hard time liking or connecting with the main characters, and though the plot held potential, because I didn’t like the characters, the story just wasn’t working for me. My heart just wasn’t into this book, sadly. It mostly an okay read – though if you’re a fan of Owning Violet, I still think you should give Stealing Rose a try. You might like it more than I did.

I don’t measure up. I’m in Lily’s and Violet’s shadows and I hate it. The biggest obstacle I’ve ever had to overcome is being their baby sister. They’ll always be ahead of me, no matter what I do or what I say.
Being the youngest sucks.

Rose is the youngest of the three Fowler sisters, and she’s the sister that’s always overlooked. She doesn’t feel appreciated at her job at Fleur Cosmetics – she’s a hard worker, but no one, not even her father, the head of the company, notices. And when her father is promoting his nasty bitch of a girlfriend instead of Rose, Rose decides to say fuck it, resign, and take some time to herself.

Caden Kingsley is a thief. He cons and steals from the rich to help support himself and his mother after his late father left them destitute. He’s good at what he does, even though he’s not exactly proud of it – he’s a criminal, plain and simple. When Caden and Rose meet for the first time, Caden is aiming to steal a necklace of hers, but he never expects to feel a connection with her. He decides to pursue her, but he can’t have both the necklace and the girl. So which would he choose?

For once, I want to stick. I want to live a real life, not some constant con game. I want to be real with Rose. And if that means sometimes it gets ugly, and sometimes I’m scared, mad, sad, or whatever-the-hell emotion I’m struggling with, I still want to do it.
So I’ve got to fight for it. Own it. Own me. Own her.
Own us.

It’s a whirlwind romance for Rose and Caden, though Caden is keeping what he does a secret. He’s no longer entirely sure about his ‘career’ as a thief. It threatens what he has with Rose, and he has to decide whether he can give up his life as a thief for something that could turn into so much more.

You stole my heart, Ro. I may be the professional, but with us, you’re the thief. You reached right into my chest and took my heart like it fully belonged to you. And I think it does.

Stealing Rose had tons and TONS of sex! Oh my lord, Caden and Rose no doubt heat up the pages, but sometimes it felt a bit too excessive. In this case, I would have rather had more character and story development than sex. This was mainly why I didn’t grow to care for Rose or Caden – all they did was have sex. The romance just didn’t feel like it grew in a genuine way. I didn’t understand how these two fell in love with each other. As for the characters themselves, Rose didn’t feel strong enough to me – the development with her and her father/job wasn’t too clear, and it felt rushed at the end. I liked Caden a little better, with the way he wanted to change into a better man for Rose.

I wasn’t a fan of Rose or Caden, but that didn’t entirely ruin the book. I enjoyed it well enough. Caden was redeeming at the end, which ended the book on a much better note. If you’re a fan of a hot and steamy book with an intriguing storyline, you might enjoy Stealing Rose more than I did.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: The Fowler Sisters series

#1 ~ Owning Violet: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Stealing Rose: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Taming Lily: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Subscribe to Blog via Email

28Feb2015

Blog Tour + ARC Review: Losers Weepers by Nicole Williams

Posted in 4 hearts, Blog Tours, Reviews by Lacey

Click the banner to follow the tour!

Losers Weepers by Nicole Williams
Series: Lost and Found #4 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 24th 2015

If we didn’t know darkness, we couldn’t fully appreciate the light.

Garth Black’s more familiar with this concept than most people are. He hadn’t just lived in the dark for the majority of his life—he thrived in it. With a mom who’d bailed on him and a dad whose understanding of coddling started and ended with a bottle of whiskey, Garth had never been expected to rise to any sort of occasion other than following down the same dead-end paths.

That changed when he fell in love with Josie Gibson. After years of pulling each other closer before shoving the other way, they finally stopped shoving. Josie’s love is like nothing Garth’s ever experienced. He holds it close. He holds it sacred. He would do anything to preserve it and keep it from pollution, even if that means removing himself from the picture.

Garth might have been allowed a temporary furlough to bask in the light, but that pass has been revoked, and he’s been swallowed again by the dark. Will he revert to his old ways of hurting those he cares for most? Will he go back to the same destructive patterns . . . or will it be worse this time?

We can’t know light without first knowing dark . . . and Garth Black’s about to get acquainted with the dark in a whole new way.

Buy Links:
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • iTunes

Oh, how I’ve missed Garth and Josie, Jesse and Rowen!! I freaking adored the cast of characters from Nicole Williams’ Lost and Found series, and I am SO happy we’re getting more books from BOTH couples! Losers Weepers is Garth and Josie’s second book, and it was an utter joy to read. This book is full of Nicole Williams’ classic heart and humor – fans of the Lost and Found series definitely shouldn’t miss this!

“I get more things wrong than I get right, but there’s one thing I’m really damn good at, and that’s loving you.”

Garth Black!!!! I’ve miss you and your sardonic, sexy, cowboy self. In the previous books, Garth used to be very pessimistic and just plain angry at the world, but ever since falling in love with Josie Gibson and having her fall in love with him back? He feels like the happiest and luckiest guy in the world. Sure, he’s still got his asshole moments, but for the most part, you can’t help but love him and his sarcasm and dry-humor.

At the start of Losers Weepers, Garth is at the top of world – he’s got the love of his life and he’s at the height of his bull-riding career. But what happens when a terrifying accident threatens to take all that away?

My whole life, everything I’d been and everything I’ve wanted to become, was spiraling away from me. Fragments of the man I’d been and the man I’d wanted to become were gusting out of reach. My life as I’d known it was over. My life as I’d hoped it would be would never come to fruition.

I could feel the devastation and hopelessness Garth faces with because of his accident – it’s difficult to come to grips with what happened and he reverts to his old ways of hurting and pushing away the ones he loves most. Josie, Jesse, and Rowen are all there for him, they all want to be there for him, but Garth is stubborn and tries to refuse their help. Luckily, his girlfriend and friends are just as stubborn as he is and won’t let Garth fall back into his darkness.

I loved seeing Jesse and Rowen again! They have plenty of scenes in Losers Weepers, which I was so happy about! Jesse and Rowen stick by Garth no matter how much of a jerk he is, and they’re the type of friends who aren’t afraid to tell him to his face how much of a jerk he’s being. They also have their own little storyline within the book that I’m sure will be continuing and expanding in their next book!

Garth was pretty frustrating in this book. I get why he wanted to push people, namely Josie, away, but sometimes it did get tedious while I was reading. What made up for it was how tough and stubborn Josie was, never giving up on Garth. It’s so clear that she never stops loving him, and she won’t ever stop loving him no matter what he can or can’t do, and it takes a while for Garth to see this. But when he does, my heart was just bursting from happiness!

Neither space, time, nor situation would change that there was only one person in this godforsaken world for me. I could push her away and shove her away in my best attempts to save her from me, but nothing could change that Josie and I were bound to each other in such a way that nothing could sever the bond.

Losers Weepers is another deeply emotional, heartwarming read from Nicole Williams. If you haven’t started this series, I highly recommend it! It’s well-written with unforgettable characters – definitely a must read series!

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Lost and Found series

#1 ~ Lost and Found: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Near and Far: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Finders Keepers: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Losers Weepers: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#5 ~ Heart and Soul: Goodreads (June 16, 2015)

I’m the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the CRASH series (HarperTeen, S&S UK), LOST & FOUND series, UP IN FLAMES (S&S UK), The EDEN TRILOGY, and a handful of others. I write stories about everyday kinds of people who find themselves in extraordinary kinds of situations. I tell love stories with happy endings because I believe in making the world a better place, and that’s one tiny way I can make it so. I’m one of those people who still believe in true love and soul mates, and would rather keep my head in the clouds any day over having my feet firmly on the ground.

Blog • Twitter • Facebook

24Feb2015

Release Day Review: The Deal by Elle Kennedy

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

The Deal by Elle Kennedy
Series: Off-Campus #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 24th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy…

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

…and it’s going to be oh so good.

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

I am so IN LOOOOVE with this book!!!! Seriously, I don’t know how some authors do it – I so do NOT relate to sports and athletes, and yet I keep falling in love with these sports romances, with these athlete heroes! Gah, this book. The Deal was perfection – it had me smiling and giggling so hard, my heart was just bursting from reading this book. It’s a pure, feel-good, heartwarming read that I think everyone will enjoy!

Hannah Wells has a crush. Buuut, that crush never seems to notice her. Enter Garrett Graham. He’s the star hockey player at their college, but he may no longer be able to play unless he improves his GPA. Lucky for him that Hannah is acing the class he’s failing in. So Garrett proposes a deal – if Hannah agrees to tutor Garrett, he’ll go out with her to improve her social status and make her crush, Justin, jealous.

Hannah shoots down this deal, hard. And what ensues is a hilarious, heartwarming game where Garrett tries to persuade Hannah to give their deal a chance. Garrett is annoying, in that cute, adorable way, as he is unrelenting in making Hannah cave. After some funny texts (and maybe some naughty ones), and getting to know each other better, Hannah finally agrees to their deal – but neither Hannah nor Garrett expected to find something more, something beautiful, deep, and profound with each other.

I never expected her. Sometimes people sneak up on you and suddenly you don’t know how you ever lived without them. How you went about your day and hung out with your friends and fucked other people without having this one important person in your life.

From the get-go, I adored Hannah and Garrett. The Deal is told in dual POV, and both Hannah and Garrett are hilarious! They’re so easy to relate to, even though they’re vastly different characters. Hannah is shy and likes to keep to herself, while Garrett is the outgoing, sexy manwhore everybody loves. Both have their own painful pasts, which add more depth to their characters. I loved the way Hannah never let her past bring her down, and how she makes Garrett see the same. I loved them, I truly did.

Living well and being happy is how we get over the shit in our past.

The thing about this book is that even though these characters appear formulaic and nothing new on the surface, Elle Kennedy brings them to life, putting a spark in both Hannah and Garrett that made them shine to me. On the outside, they’re typical new adult main characters, but when you read this book, you see the gems in their characters through their thoughts, words, and actions. The blurb makes The Deal sound like any other typical new adult book, but it’s not. It’s well-written with exceptional characters who will grow in your heart. I was wholeheartedly charmed by this book – I loved it!

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Off-Campus series

#1 ~ The Deal: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Mistake: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ The Score: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

Subscribe to Blog via Email

23Feb2015

Early Review: Soulbound by Kristen Callihan

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Soulbound by Kristen Callihan
Series: Darkest London #6 (full reading order below)
Release Date: February 24th 2015
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Once two souls are joined . . .
When Adam’s soul mate rejected him, there was more at stake than his heart. After seven hundred years of searching, his true match would have ended the curse that keeps his spirit in chains. But beautiful, stubborn Eliza May fled-and now Adam is doomed to an eternity of anguish, his only hope for salvation gone . . .

Their hearts will beat together forever
No matter how devilishly irresistible Adam was, Eliza couldn’t stand the thought of relinquishing her freedom forever. So she escaped. But she soon discovers she is being hunted-by someone far more dangerous. The only man who can help is the one man she vowed never to see again. Now Adam’s kindness is an unexpected refuge, and Eliza finds that some vows are made to be broken . . .

Oh how I adored Adam and Eliza. I was highly anticipating their story after having read Evernight –everything about these two characters was just so intriguing! Adam, the seven-hundred-year-old “father” of the GIMs, has found his soul mate, the one person in the world who can end his curse. But Eliza, this fierce, stubborn woman, is not about to be chained to him or anyone else, so she rejects and escapes from Adam, essentially dooming him to his curse.

I love the Darkest London series – it’s well-written and fleshed-out, and it’s so easy to get sucked into the world and the characters. Soulbound is the sixth book in the series, and Kristen Callihan has yet to let me down. Soulbound is a fast-paced, intense, sensual book that fans of the series do not want to miss! This book will make you laugh, fall in love with the characters, and tug at your heartstrings. I enjoyed it so much!

Though Eliza and Adam are soul mates, they don’t exactly LIKE each other (not at first, anyway). But they do NEED each other. Adam needs Eliza to end his curse, and Eliza needs Adam to protect her from her dangerous fae relatives. So together they manage a deal – Adam will help protect Eliza in exchange for three weeks in which Adam has the opportunity to make Eliza fall in love with him and therefore end his curse.

I LOVE witty, tough heroines, and Eliza is definitely one. I adored her sarcasm, but what I really admired was the strength within her. Her freedom is the most important thing to her and she’ll do anything to keep it. She doesn’t believe she and Adam are soul mates and doesn’t want to be chained to him again, but what if falling for him isn’t being chained at all?

Adam stole my heart in this book. He’s all male and sensuality, but he has vulnerabilities that made him all the more endearing. He’ll do anything to make Eliza fall for him, and it doesn’t hurt that there’s an intense chemistry already between them.

“Trust, Eliza?”
She nodded, and he took a step closer. Beneath thick, straight brows his gaze burned. “In truth, I want you so badly, the mere thought of you is a hand around my cock.”

Hot!!!

“Whether you believe in soul mates or not, I think of you as my other half. The better half. And I am not whole unless I am with you.”

And sweet!!! Adam says the sweetest, most romantic things. Be still, my heart!

I’m such a fan of the way Kristen Callihan writes, because she balances the romance and action in Soulbound so well (though I wish there was a bit more romance at the end, because I’m a romantic sap). It’s not my favorite of the series (that’s a toss-up between Shadowdance and Evernight), but it’s still a highly entertaining read that had me hooked from start to finish. If you’ve been looking forward to Adam and Eliza’s book, you won’t be disappointed.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Darkest London series

#0.5 ~ Ember: Ebook • Goodreads
#1 ~ Firelight: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Moonglow: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Winterblaze: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3.5 ~ Entwined: Ebook • Goodreads
#4 ~ Shadowdance: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ Evernight: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#6 ~ Soulbound: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#7 ~ Forevermore: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

FOLLOW BOOKLOVERS FOR LIFE ON:
✦ FACEBOOK • TWITTER • INSTAGRAM • GOODREADS • PINTEREST • BLOGLOVIN’ ✦

	Unlocking the Magic… on Review: A Promise of Fire by A…
	Lucas Middleton on Blog Tour // Review + Excerpt:…
	Van on Blog Tour + Release Day Review…
	Amber Elise @ Du Liv… on Audiobook Review: The Stand-In…
	daisyknox on Release Day Review: Tryst Six…

Booklovers For Life

Falling in love with romance one page at a time

Category Archives: Reviews