Release Day Review: Eleventh Grave in Moonlight by Darynda Jones

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

The Curse of Tenth Grave by Darynda Jones
Series: Charley Davidson #11 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: January 24th 2017
Links: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

My entire life can be summed up in one sentence:
“Well, that didn’t go as planned.”
—T-Shirt

A typical day in the life of Charley Davidson involves cheating husbands, errant wives, missing people, philandering business owners, and, oh yeah…demons, hell hounds, evil gods, and dead people. Lots and lots of dead people. As a part time Private Investigator and full-time Grim Reaper, Charley has to balance the good, the bad, the undead, and those who want her dead.

Now, Charley is learning to make peace with the fact that she is a goddess with all kinds of power and that her own daughter has been born to save the world from total destruction. But the forces of hell are determined to see Charley banished forever to the darkest corners of another dimension. With the son of Satan himself as her husband and world-rocking lover, will Charley be able to defeat the ultimate evil and find a way to have her happily ever after after all?

I’ve been a long-time fan of the Charley Davidson series – it is seriously the bomb dot com!! It’s one of my all-time favorite urban fantasy series out there, and it’s THE funniest series I’ve ever read. I’m never disappointed with each new installment – every single one is hilarious, action-packed, suspenseful, and full of the goodness and sexiness that is Reyes Farrow. And in Eleventh Grave in Moonlight, Charley Davidson, PI extraordinaire and ghost reaper, is up to her usual mystery-solving shenanigans. If you love this series, you don’t want to miss this latest installment! But I have to warn you… the ending will kill you!

Charley has just gotten used to the fact that she’s not just the grim reaper, but also a goddess with immense power. But even though she’s a goddess, she probably shouldn’t have threatened the Big Guy upstairs with world domination… because now she’s got angels following her every move. That doesn’t stop her from her day-time job, and it’s definitely not going to stop her from finding out who’s stalking her best friend’s daughter. It’s never a dull day in Charley’s world, especially when you also have the son of Satan as a husband. 😉

Charley is one of the most endearing heroines I’ve ever read, mainly because of how utterly ridiculous and funny her narrative is. I don’t know how Darynda Jones manages to keep up the incredible humor that’s classic to Charley, but I hope she never stops. I love it! And I love how protective and stubborn she is – there is nothing she won’t do to protect her family. And speaking of family, Charley’s gang is one of my favorite cast of characters to ever read. All of her family and friends, from her bff Cookie to her Uncle Bob, from her husband Reyes to the mysterious Osh, all bring such life to the story. I have to admit though… Reyes is still my ultimate fav – there’s no book boyfriend like him!

In this book, we find out a little more of Reyes’ past and Charley’s abilities as a goddess. I didn’t love this book quite as much as the previous ones, mainly because I felt it moved a little too slow… except for the freaking ending. Mother of all cliffhangers, the ending killed me! I nearly screamed when I got to it. I can’t believe Darynda did this to us – I’m seriously dying for the next book! But other than the ending, it’s another classic Charley Davidson book, full of laughs, quirks, trouble, and craziness. If you’ve been keeping up with the series, you need to get your hands on this book ASAP. And if you haven’t experienced the craziness that is Charley Davidson, you need to start!

Reading Order: Charley Davidson series

#1 ~ First Grave on the Right: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Second Grave on the Left: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Third Grave Dead Ahead: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ Fifth Grave Past the Light: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#6 ~ Sixth Grave on the Edge: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#7 ~ Seventh Grave and No Body: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#8 ~ Eighth Grave After Dark: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#8.5 ~ Brighter Than the Sun: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads (Reyes’ POV novella)
#9 ~ The Dirt on Ninth Grave: My Review • Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#10 ~ The Curse of Tenth Grave: My Review • Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#11 ~ Eleventh Grave in Moonlight: Ebook • Hardcover • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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20Jan2017

Audiobook Review: Since I Fell for You by Bella Andre

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Since I Fell for You by Bella Andre
Series: New York Sullivans #2; The Sullivans #16 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: January 10th 2017
Length: 8 hours and 48 minutes
Narrated by: Eva Kaminsky
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Suzanne Sullivan doesn’t need a bodyguard. After all, she’s one of the most successful digital security specialists in the world―so she can most certainly take care of herself despite the problems she’s been running into lately. Unfortunately, her three brothers don’t agree. So when Mr. Way-Too-Handsome shows up bound and determined to protect her, whether she wants him there or not, sparks definitely start to fly. Because she has absolutely no intention of falling for the bodyguard she never wanted in the first place…

Roman Huson has vowed to do whatever it takes to protect Suzanne Sullivan from harm. And her brothers would kill him for so much as looking at her the wrong way. The only problem is that he’s never been hired to work for anyone so beautiful, or brilliant, before. Between trying to keep up with her―and working like hell to keep from kissing her breathless―he’s up against the most difficult challenge of his life. Especially when it turns out that the passion, and connection, between them is hotter than anything he’s ever known…

I seriously adore Bella Andre’s audiobooks!! Especially The Sullivans series, since they’re narrated by Eva Kaminsky. She’s honestly such an amazing narrator – I could listen to her for days, really. And add in the sweet, wonderful love stories from Bella Andre and you pretty much have the perfect romance audiobooks. If you’re ever in the mood for well-narrated, feel-good romances, you definitely have to check out Bella Andre!

Since I Fell for You is the second book in the New York Sullivans series, starring the sole female in this group of siblings, Suzanne Sullivan. Suzanne is a tech whiz and pretty much a geek of girl doing what she loves and making bank out of it. But being so successful leads to having a high profile, and recent incidents have lead her brothers to believe that she needs a bodyguard. But Suzanne wants nothing to do with having a man on her 24/7, no matter how good-looking he is and how strong the chemistry between them is…

Roman Huson never expected how difficult it would be to be Suzanne Sullivan’s bodyguard, but then again, he never expected to feel such intense attraction to someone he was hired to protect. He can’t let his feelings get in the way of his job, because that would put Suzanne’s life at risk, and he’ll do anything to prevent that. But the heart wants what the heart wants, and how can he resist the one woman who gets under his skin when she turns on the charm and makes him ache for more of her in his life?

If you’ve never experienced one of Bella Andre’s Sullivans books, the New York Sullivans is the perfect place to start, especially if you’re a little daunted by the number of books there currently are. Since I Fell for You can be read perfectly as a standalone, though I would recommend the previous book, Now That I’ve Found You, just because it was a pleasure to listen to. Suzanne and Roman were sweet and romantic, with the perfect hint of sexy to make this a well-rounded romance. If you love bodyguard romances, you should definitely check this one out!

SINCE I FELL FOR YOU is now available on Audible: http://amzn.to/2iGP1ZK

Reading Order: New York Sullivans series

#1 ~ Now That I’ve Found You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Since I Fell for You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2.5 ~ Sweeter than Ever: Ebook • Goodreads (out April 5, 2017)

The New York Sullivans series is a spinoff of the Sullivans series, though its not necessary to read the parent series to understand the new series. Here is the complete reading order if you wanted to read the whole series!

Reading Order: The Sullivans series

#1 ~ The Look of Love: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ From This Moment On: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Can’t Help Falling in Love: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ I Only Have Eyes for You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ If You Were Mine: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#6 ~ Let Me Be the One: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#7 ~ Come a Little Bit Closer: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#8 ~ Always on My Mind: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#9 ~ The Way You Look Tonight: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#10 ~ Kissing Under the Mistletoe: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#11 ~ It Must Be Your Love: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#12 ~ Just to Be With You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#13 ~ I Love How You Love Me: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#14 ~ All I Ever Need Is You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#15 ~ Now That I’ve Found You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#16 ~ Since I Fell for You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Here’s an audio excerpt from Since I Fell for You!

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17Jan2017

Release Day Review: Next to Never by Penelope Douglas

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Next to Never by Penelope Douglas
Series: Fall Away #4.5 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: January 17th 2017
Links: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

New York Times bestseller Penelope Douglas introduces Quinn, younger sister to Jared, Madoc, and Jaxon, in the latest novella in the series that began with Jared and Tate in Bully….

Quinn Caruthers has several problems.

Her father, Jason, and her three older brothers, Jared, Madoc, and Jaxon.

Under the close watch of the men in her family, Quinn has found it nearly impossible to spread her wings—or even date—without them jumping in to hover. And when a family friend—several years older—from her childhood captures her heart, she knows they’re going to be a problem. Lucas Morrow is a man—experienced, sophisticated, and important. And knowing her brothers, he may as well be forbidden.

But Lucas left town years ago and shows no signs of returning. Quinn knows she shouldn’t wait for him anymore.

But then a package turns up on her doorstep with no return address and its contents reveal family secrets that threaten to turn Quinn’s world upside down. She’s never asked about the tumultuous path of her parents’ romantic history, but she soon learns their happy marriage had a very rocky and passionate start.

As she begins to see things around her with new eyes, Quinn will have to make tough choices about whether she’ll keep waiting…or finally go after what she really wants.

“A strong person realizes that the only love you truly need in this life is the love you have for yourself. If you have that, it’s like armor. No one can stop you. No one else matters.”

Ugh, I’ve missed the Fall Away characters SO MUCH!!! This novella was the perfect way to introduce the second generation of characters while still rewarding fans of the series with cameos of the original characters. Plus, we finally get Katherine and Jason’s full story! Next to Never was the perfect tease from Penelope Douglas – it left me desperate for more, but I loved it all the same.

Quinn – Jared, Jax, and Madoc’s little sister – is now a teenager, but her life is being overshadowed by everyone in her family. There’s Jared’s Dylan, Jax’s Hawke, and Madoc’s twins Hunter and Kade, who all have their own personalities and problems that seem to be bigger than they are. They have a presence that Quinn doesn’t believe she has, and she’s afraid to go after what she wants and to mess up the status quo. She’s stuck in her life, with no direction out – but when a book lands on her doorstep, its contents changes everything for her.

It turns out the book is actually a diary… the story of her parents’ relationship. I don’t want to say much about Jason and Katherine’s story because I feel like it’s best to go in blind, but the road to their now-HEA has not been an easy one. They had an addicting, intense, and ultimately toxic relationship that broke them both… but you’ll have to read this novella to find out how they healed themselves and each other.

Honestly, there’s so much to love about this novella. Seeing the original cast of characters was such a delight – you have no idea how giddy I got every time they appeared on the page. Reading about them here made me fall in love with the series all over again, honestly. But now that I’ve finished Next to Never, I’m dying for more, especially Quinn and Lucas’s actual book! The wait for them is killer, but I know Penelope Douglas won’t disappoint. If you love the Fall Away series, I don’t know why you wouldn’t read this novella (that didn’t feel as short as a novella at all, thankfully), because it’s everything you expect and more from PD and the series!

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

Reading Order: Fall Away series

#1 ~ Bully: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Until You: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Rival: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Falling Away: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Aflame: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#4.5 ~ Next to Never: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads (Jan. 17, 2017)
#5 ~ The Next Flame: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (May 2, 2017)

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16Jan2017

Release Day Review: Menace by J.M. Darhower

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Menace by J.M. Darhower
Series: Scarlet Scars #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: January 16th 2017
Links: Ebook • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Once upon a time, there was a guy who got so fed up with life that he resorted to murder and mayhem just to feel alive.

Lorenzo Gambini is bored. So f*cking bored. Most people either annoy him or avoid him, afraid to face him. Figuratively. Literally. With his face partially disfigured, scarred, he looks every bit the monster the stories make him out to be: the notorious menace they call Scar. They say he’s a sociopath. Maybe he’s a psychopath. Whatever path he’s on, people tend to stay far away from it.

Until one day, a young woman bumps right into him–a woman just as fed up with life, but for much different reasons. With a Scarlet Letter inked on her wrist and secrets buried deep in her soul, Morgan Myers is running from something… or maybe somebody. Lorenzo isn’t quite sure.

You can bet your ass he’s going to figure it out, though.

J.M. Darhower is one of my top favorite mafia romance authors, and every time she has a new release (which recently usually comes as a surprise), I get SO excited and ready for it. Menace is the first in the Scarlet Scars duet, which is a spinoff of the Monster in His Eyes series. Admittedly, I’d completely forgotten who Lorenzo was so I had to do a little reread of the Monster in His Eyes series, which I couldn’t complain about – it’s only my favorite mafia romance series ever. But thankfully the reread got me prepared for Lorenzo’s story, which was an absolute fantastic experience to read. I loved it so much, even though it’s not a typical love story. You just need to read it to experience it!

Lorenzo Gambini is anti-hero personified. He’s not a good man – in fact, many are terrified of him and you could say that he’s a sociopath. He’s got issues from his past and a scar on his face, but that doesn’t stop him from being top dog in his underworld. Nobody crosses him without getting punished, so it’s a surprise to him when he bumps into a gorgeous woman… who ends up robbing him of his wallet. Rather than exacting his revenge though, Lorenzo ends up intrigued and captivated by this woman, who’s internal scars match the ones he holds inside him.

“I’d wreck you for any man that came along after me, put them all to shame, because I’d give you exactly what you wanted.”
“How could you possibly know what I want?”
“Because,” he says, grabbing a fistful of my hair and twisting my head, forcing me to turn away from him. “Looking at you is like looking in a mirror, Scarlet.”

Morgan Myers, aka Scarlet, is mystery personified. Who is she running from? How is she involved with the Russian mafia? What is she looking for? Morgan is very different from heroines that I’m used to, and her tenacity and frankness felt like a breath of fresh air to read about. She knows what it’s like to struggle, but she keeps getting up every time she’s pushed down, and I loved her for it. I especially enjoyed the way she never backed down from Lorenzo. They were the perfect match for each other. I do want to warn you, though, the romance between them is very slow to develop. I liked the pace that it went at, but I will say that I’m excited for it to move more forward in the next book.

I know he’s just a man. A man with flaws. A man with his own problems. And I know he can’t solve my problem. Not really. He can’t fix what’s wrong with me. Nobody can. They can’t even understand. But being around him, it makes me feel things, things I’ve missed just as much as the music and the laughter, things that make me feel alive again.
He’s excitement. He’s adrenaline.
He makes my heart do stupid shit.

Everything about this book, from the characters to the story, took me by surprise in the best way. To say it was unpredictable would be an understatement. I was so impressed with the way I never really saw things coming. And the twist at the end was KILLER!! The ending isn’t too bad, but you’ll definitely want to get the next book asap. Sadly it won’t be here until next month, but I’m waiting with baited breath! J.M. Darhower honestly never disappoints, so if you love her books, you’ll probably love this new series. It’s a little funnier than her other books too – Lorenzo’s POV is hilarious. It’s crude and blunt, sarcastic and a little sassy. Not what I was expecting from this crazy man, but I loved it anyway!

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

Reading Order: Scarlet Scars series

#1 ~ Menace: Ebook • Goodreads
#2 ~ Grievous: Goodreads (out Feb. 2017)

The Scarlet Scars series is a spinoff of the Monster in His Eyes series, though you don’t have to read the previous series to understand the new one.

Reading Order: Monster in His Eyes series

#1 ~ Monster in His Eyes: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Torture to Her Soul: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Target on Our Backs: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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10Jan2017

Audiobook Review: The Architect of Song by A.G. Howard

Posted in 3 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

The Architect of Song by A.G. Howard
Series: Haunted Hearts Legacy #1 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: October 11th 2016
Length: 12 hours and 45 minutes
Narrated by: Gemma Dawson
Links: Audible • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

A lady imprisoned by deafness, an architect imprisoned by his past, and a ghost imprisoned within the petals of a flower – intertwine in this love story that transcends life and death.

For most of her life, Juliet Emerline has subsisted – isolated by deafness – making hats in the solitude of her home. Now, she’s at risk to lose her sanctuary to Lord Nicolas Thornton, a mysterious and eccentric architect with designs on her humble estate. When she secretly witnesses him raging beside a grave, Juliet investigates, finding the name “Hawk” on the headstone and an unusual flower at the base. The moment Juliet touches the petals, a young English nobleman appears in ghostly form, singing a song only her deaf ears can hear. The ghost remembers nothing of his identity or death, other than the one name that haunts his afterlife: Thornton.

To avenge her ghostly companion and save her estate, Juliet pushes aside her fear of society and travels to Lord Thornton’s secluded holiday resort, posing as a hat maker in one of his boutiques. There, she finds herself questioning who to trust: the architect of flesh and bones who can relate to her through romantic gestures, heartfelt notes, and sensual touches … or the specter who serenades her with beautiful songs and ardent words, touching her mind and soul like no other man ever can. As sinister truths behind Lord Thornton’s interest in her estate and his tie to Hawk come to light, Juliet is lured into a web of secrets. But it’s too late for escape, and the tragic love taking seed in her heart will alter her silent world forever.

International and NYT bestselling author, A.G. Howard, brings her darkly magical and visual/visceral storytelling to Victorian England. The Architect of Song is the first installment in her lush and romantic Haunted Hearts Legacy series, a four book New Adult gothic saga following the generations of one family as – haunted by both literal and figurative ghosts – they search for self-acceptance, love, and happiness.

I’ve only read one other book of A.G. Howard’s and that was her YA novel, but the premise of The Architect of Song sounded promising, and I’ve been super in NA fantasy lately so I decided to give it a try. This is more paranormal than fantasy though, but anything in the NA genre that wasn’t contemporary was still right in my boat. Here we have a story about nineteen-year-old Juliet whose deafness has caused her to live a life of isolation. But when her home is at risk of being seized, she is unknowingly thrust into a web of secrets and lies… and even ghosts.

Listening to this audiobook was a strange experience, to say the least. Usually I don’t have a hard time following a story when I listen, but this wasn’t the case with The Architect of Song. I felt like too many things were happening at the same time, and the story was too tame to really hook me in. I wanted more romance, especially between Juliet and her ghost, because I wanted to see how that would work out. The mystery surrounding the ghost Hawk and Lord Thornton, who was the one trying to take away her estate, was a bit too convoluted for me. I’m sure if I read this instead of listened, I would’ve understood more, but the audiobook just wasn’t working too well for me.

This is the first time that I’ve listened to a narrator with an English accent though, which was wonderful and lovely. I really enjoyed Gemma Dawson’s accent and voice and would definitely listen to her again. Her narration was what made listening to The Architect of Song a little more enjoyable, so it wasn’t a complete bust. I’d say if you’re a fan of mysteries and love stories, you should give this a try! Hopefully it’ll keep you hooked more than it did for me.

THE ARCHITECT OF SONG is now available on Audible: http://amzn.to/2jxKfCC

Reading Order: Haunted Hearts Legacy series

#1 ~ The Architect of Song: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Hummingbird Heart: Goodreads (out Aug. 2017)
#3 ~ The Glass Butterfly: Goodreads (out Aug. 2018)
#4 ~ The Artisan of Light: Goodreads (out Aug. 2019)

Here’s an audio excerpt from The Architect of Song!

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