Release Day Review: Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower

Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower

Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower
Series: Monster in His Eyes #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 28th 2014
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Ignazio Vitale is not a good man.

I suspect it, the first time I see him, sense the air of danger that surrounds the man. He has a way of commanding attention, of taking control, of knowing what I’m thinking before I even do.

It’s alarming and alluring. It’s dark and deadly. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted but the last thing I truly need. Obsession.

It doesn’t take him long to draw me into his web, charming me into his bed and trapping me in his life, a life I know nothing about until it’s too late. He has secrets, secrets I can’t fathom, secrets that make it so I can’t walk away, no matter how much I beg him to let me go. I see it sometimes in his eyes, a darkness that’s both terrifying and thrilling. He’s a monster, wrapped up in a pretty package, and what I find when I unmask him changes everything.

I want to hate him.

Sometimes, I do.

But it doesn’t stop me from loving him, too.

This book blew. MY. MIND!!!!! I still can’t wrap my head around Monster in His Eyes–it was nothing like I ever expected, and I LOVED it! It’s intense, raw, suspenseful, gorgeously written, and so freaking goooood!!!

We have our heroine, Karissa, an 18-year-old freshman at NYU who’s just a normal girl trying to distance herself from her overbearing mom. She’s getting through her first year of college–she’s normal, relatable, and I easily connected with her as the heroine. J.M. Darhower portrays her perfectly as a college girl, but the story really only picks up when Karissa meets Ignazio “Naz” Vitale. Ignazio Vitale, who is 36, intense, and holds so much raw confidence and power in himself that Karissa never stood a chance against him.

Karissa is wary of Naz, and rightly so. Here’s a guy who’s gorgeous, rich, and twice her age, and he’s pursuing her? But there’s something so tempting, so invigorating, so thrilling about Naz that Karissa can’t stay away. Naz even warns Karissa to stay away from him but…

“I thought I could play with you a bit, and let you go, but once I had you, Karissa, I had to keep you. I couldn’t walk away.”

As Karissa starts falling for this man, a man she really knows nothing about, it’s all very romantic, but I could never get that feeling–the chills-up-your-spine kind of feeling–out of my mind. There was always something more to Naz, something dark and dangerous, and I never forgot it, and neither does Karissa. I honestly didn’t know what to think about Naz. Did I think he was too old for Karissa? Yes, but I could deal with that. Did I fall for him? Maybe a liiitle bit–he’s insanely sensual and passionate, but I just couldn’t ignore the warning bells ringing in my head. Because there’s no doubt that Naz is very dark and very, very dangerous.

And when his eyes cut my way, and I see the darkness on the surface, I’m reminded that this man hangs out with monsters.
And one might even exist inside of him.

Ignazio Vitale is one very intriguing man, and J.M. Darhower has written him so very, very perfectly. I swooned and I gasped, and I felt an incredibly wide range of emotions because of him. He’s such a thrilling character to read about, especially from Karissa’s POV. The author’s writing is brilliant, and I don’t think I’ve ever been more fascinated in and intrigued with a character than I am about Naz.

He lives in his own little world, where he’s the king, and I’m more than happy to be his minion… although, when he looks at me, flashing that dimple, I feel like nothing less than his queen.

Naz is addictive and powerful, sweeping Karissa off her feet and carrying her into his world, but it’s not exactly a HEA for them. There are dark twists and turns in this book, things that were jaw-dropping and had me reeling. Fans of suspense will not be disappointed.

I honestly couldn’t get enough of Karissa and Naz’s story. I never wanted it to end, and now I’m pretty much dying for book 2, Torture in Her Soul!! Monster in His Eyes is a fascinating, fantastic book that had me hooked from the start. So go READ IT!!

4.5 hearts
lacey

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


Reading Order: Monster in His Eyes series

Monster in His Eyes by J.M. Darhower Torture to Her Soul by J.M. Darhower Target on Our Backs by J.M. Darhower

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


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Blog Tour + ARC Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: Destroyed by Pepper Winters

Destroyed Tour Banner
Click the banner to follow the tour!

Destroyed by Pepper Wintersa

Title: Destroyed
Series: Stand-alone
Author: Pepper Winters
Genre: Dark (Lighter) / Romance (Grey Romance)
Release Date: March 7, 2014
Tour Organized byAs the Pages Turn
Add to Goodreads

She has a secret.

I’m complicated. Not broken or ruined or running from a past I can’t face. Just complicated.

I thought my life couldn’t get any more tangled in deceit and confusion. But I hadn’t met him. I hadn’t realized how far I could fall or what I’d do to get free.

He has a secret.

I’ve never pretended to be good or deserving. I chase who I want, do what I want, act how I want.

I didn’t have time to lust after a woman I had no right to lust after. I told myself to shut up and stay hidden. But then she tried to run. I’d tasted what she could offer me and damned if I would let her go.

One secret destroys them.

Buy Links:
Amazon US • Amazon UK • Amazon CA • Amazon AU
Smashwords • Barnes and Noble

review

I thought I could save him.
Just like I could save my daughter.
I was wrong.

Destroyed is my very first Pepper Winters book, and it certainly won’t be my last! Destroyed is intense and crazy and heart-pounding, and had me engaged from start to finish. The main characters, Hazel and Roan, are two extremely flawed people who have so much baggage, and yet they’re perfect for each other. I highly enjoyed reading Hazel and Roan’s story so much–I didn’t LOVE it, but it’s a unique book that’s not easily forgotten.

No one had made me feel like Zel. No one held me hostage like Zel.
She’d successfully done in ten minutes what I’d tried to do in two years.
She brought me back to life.

I loved Hazel and Roan’s relationship… not that they have much of one in the beginning. They are very fierce about one another, but something they’re even more passionate about is keeping their pasts hidden. For Hazel, she keeps quiet about the love of her life–her precious daughter, who is unfortunately very, very sick. I had so much admiration for Hazel for being the most incredible single mother ever. Everything Hazel does, she does for her daughter, and their relationship is so beautiful and precious to read. Roan, on the other hand, is hiding a tragic, scarred past. I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say that Roan’s story broke my heart so much. I honestly couldn’t believe the horrors this poor man went through as a boy. Pepper Winters did a tremendous job painting the picture of Roan’s past. My heart ached so much for him.

I didn’t connect much with either Hazel or Roan, but that doesn’t mean I couldn’t enjoy their story, because I did, very much! I was sucked into their story–there are so many secrets surrounding Roan that had me intrigued. It took me a while to warm up to Roan himself though–he’s every bit the alpha-male you can expect, but his past has such a profound effect on him that he can’t have a relationship with anyone, because he’d be dangerous to him. It’s only until Hazel comes in that the bleak future he always imagined starts to turn into something… better.

I really liked how much Hazel stood up to Roan. He’s not someone who is easily defied, but Hazel can match him and go head to head with him, despite the dangerous aura Roan has. Roan and Hazel don’t have an easy road ahead of them–in fact, their story is one of the most pain-ridden and heartbreaking to read. Destroyed will have you feeling every emotion–Pepper Winters has created such great characters with depth in Roan and Hazel. We get both of their POVs, which I enjoyed immensely.

Despite the amount of pain and ugliness that Roan and Hazel have to overcome to reach a HEA, there’s never a shortage of hope and redemption for them. I loved how much the characters had to work to overcome their pasts and find some semblance of a happily ever after with each other. Despite everything, Hazel and Roan were truly meant to be.

“No matter how you fight me, I will never stop. Every day, I’ll try again and again. Every hour, I’ll touch you, just to prove I’m willing to be everything you need and deserve. You’ll never be free of me because of I can’t live another day without you in my fucking life.”

I can’t say I loved every second of Destroyed, but it was certainly an unforgettable read! It’s dark and gut-wrenching, but there’s also so much hope for Hazel and Roan. I was very impressed with Destroyed, and can’t wait to read more from Pepper Winters!

3.5 hearts
lacey

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

excerpt

My eyes flared. “Why on my stomach? A vital part of my anatomy isn’t useable unless you intend to teach me how to dry hump a mattress.” I tried to joke, to dispel some of the tense anxiety between us, but Zel’s lips only twitched. I’d mistaken any sense of relief when she secured the padlock—she hadn’t relaxed at all, shaking with tension.

“I want to do something.”

Fuck. She wanted to touch my back. She wanted to look deeper at the tattoos, see beneath the ink to the lash marks and countless other scars hidden beneath the Ghost designs. –ROAN

about the author

Pepper Winters

Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero the better and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby (who speaks French—hot!) who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends. She loves to hear from her readers so hit her up at pepperwinters@gmail.com

Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Pinterest

giveaway

Pepper is offering up the following goodies below. Giveaway is international and ends at 11:59 PM CST 03/24/2014.
1 x signed copy of Destroyed
2 x signed Destroyed swag packs
5 x eBook copies of Destroyed
2 x eBook copies of Tears of Tess
2 x eBook copies Quintessentially Q
1 x signed swag pack of Monsters in the Dark

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Blog Tour + Review, Excerpt & Giveaway: Vendetta by Autumn Karr & Sienna Lane

Tour Banner Vendetta
Click the banner to see the tour schedule!

Vendetta by Sienna Lane & Autumn Karr

Title: Vendetta
Authors: Autumn Karr and Sienna Lane
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Forbidden)
Release Date:  December 15, 2013
Tour Organized by: As the Pages Turn
Add to Goodreads

Please note: this is not dark romance.

I am not a good man.

I have lied and cheated and stolen. I’ve decided between life or death, like it was my due. None of it matters, not anymore. These are not my sins.

I see her raise her hands, the dark metal she’s clutching reflecting the moonlight. Her finger trembles as she cocks the gun pointed at me. Her eyes are cold, determined, but I know.

I know her.

My name is Devon Andre and I confess my sin. I am not a good man because this is the woman I love.

She pulls the trigger.

* Standalone contemporary romance.
* Mature reader advised due to sexual content and strong language.

Purchase Link:
Amazon US • Amazon UK • B&N • iTunes • Kobo

review

Vendetta is one hell of a book. It’s fast-paced and intense, and hello, have you read that blurb? Now that is the way to hook a reader in. Vendetta was nothing like I expected, with both good and bad parts, but overall, it’s a book that I’d recommend to those who like angst and mafia books.

Devon and Leighton are very much like Romeo and Juliet. They both belong to opposing mob families, and they are supposed to hate each other. Devon even more so, because Leighton’s father supposedly killed Devon’s family. Vendetta is told through both Devon and Leighton’s POVs, and I absolutely loved their voices. They’re distinct, and so easy to read and connect with (even with the whole mob aspect).

Vendetta Teaser 6

Leighton gets kidnapped by Devon, and Devon holds her hostage in his family’s home. She’s not treated poorly, but she doesn’t get to do anything. Devon has been waiting for the day when he can finally get revenge for his family’s death, and even with Leighton in his hands, he can’t kill her. There’s an entire mystery that surrounds Devon and Leighton, as if they have history, and we learn throughout the book just who these two people really are and they’re relationship with one another. Do they hate each other? Or do they love each other? There’s a very thin line between those two questions, and I really enjoyed reading and learning more about Leighton and Devon.

And oh my gosh, the action and intensity of the book is incredible! It’s heart-pounding for sure. I wasn’t too into the romance, because I couldn’t really feel the connection between Leighton and Devon, but the plot and action were amazing. I loved this part of the book. There were so many twists, and the book is very fast-paced once the action starts. There’s death and murder and even more kidnappings, and I couldn’t put Vendetta down for a second.

Vendetta Teaser 1

I’ll admit, I wish the romance could have been better. I’m still not sure how I feel about Devon and Leighton. I have mixed feelings about this book, but the blurb and story hooked me in, and the writing was great, so I’m in between a 3 and a 4.

3.5 hearts!

3.5-hearts

lacey

excerpt

I shake my head, muttering another curse. I should have just left her there. It’s not like I have an overwhelming urge to play her knight in shining armor. God knows she’s not a damsel in distress. The woman is poison, like all the Moores are. Unfortunately, despite what people think about me, I can’t stand men hitting women, and I’m sure as fuck George wouldn’t have minded taking another swing at her. We may be criminals, but we’re not complete assholes.

She moans again as I put her in the backseat of my black SUV and buckle her in. I round the back, and open up the trunk, looking for something to bind her with. I shake off the fleeting thought that maybe she wouldn’t fight me. It’s Leighton Moore, for fuck’s sake, of course she would.

Fishing out the cable ties, I go back and secure her wrists, then her ankles. It doesn’t seem like enough. I don’t want to see her eyes when she wakes up, which could be any second now, so I remind myself to hurry the fuck up. I take off the scarf from around her neck, feeling the silk under my fingers for just a second. Then I pull out my pocketknife, and slice it in half. I blindfold her, and then gag her with the other half.

At this point I know it’s probably overkill, but I’ve never kidnapped a woman before, so who knows? Plus, it’s Leighton. She’s not just any woman.

Of course I know Leighton Moore. I only wish I didn’t.

I knew who she was the first time I laid my eyes on her. It didn’t make any fucking difference in the grand scheme of things. I was doomed to keep seeing her and not being able to do anything about it.

Shaking off that thought, I finally get in the car and start it, backing out and getting the hell away from this place.

When I’m far enough away, I pull over into a secluded woodland area on the side of the road and just sit there, my car idling. What the fuck do I do with her? I could take her to my place, I guess, but I’m barely ever there. Most of the time I’m either at my uncle’s house or I’m out, working. I take out my phone and stare at it, contemplating. I glance back at her, and realize I have no choice. I have to call my uncle.

about the authors

Sienna Lane and Autumn Karr are two friends with a joint love of reading, writing, candy, and Disney heroes (and Disney songs, of course.)

When they aren’t scheming against fictional characters, or talking about their favourite books, you can find them ogling tattooed models and trying to figure out how to get them to do a cover shoot for their next book.

Together they wrote VENDETTA, releasing this December, and hopefully many more books to come.They love to hear from readers, so don’t hesitate to contact them through their Facebook page (http://on.fb.me/18TGRU9).

Connect with Sienna and Autumn
Facebook • Sienna’s Goodreads • Sienna’s Facebook • Autumn’s Goodreads • Autumn’s Facebook • Blog

giveaway

Autumn & Sienna are offering up the following:
(2) Signed copy of Vendetta
(2) $10 Amazon Vouchers
(5) eBook copy of Vendetta
(2) Vendetta swag pack

The tour wide giveaway is open internationally.  Giveaway ends at 11:59 PM CST 01/20/2014.

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ARC Review: Torn from You by Nashoda Rose

Torn from You by Nashoda Rose
Series: Tear Asunder #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 20th 2013
Links: Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Love is like an avalanche. It hits hard, fast and without mercy.

At least it did for me when Sculpt, the lead singer of the rock band Tear Asunder knocked me off my feet. Literally, because he’s also a fighter, illegally of course, and he taught me how to fight. He also taught me how to love and I fell hard for him. I mean the guy could do sweet, when he wasn’t doing bossy, and I like sweet.

Then it all shattered.

Kidnapped.
Starved.
Beaten.
I was alone and fighting to survive.
When I heard Sculpt’s voice, I thought he was there to save me.

I was wrong.

Torn from You begins immediately after the cliffhanger at the end of With You. I highly, highly recommend reading With You before starting Torn from You, because in the prequel, we get a much stronger sense of the love between Emily and Sculpt. It’s not absolutely necessary, but the relationship between the main characters makes a lot more sense. Plus, we get to fall in love with Sculpt along with Emily! He’s a totally hot, domineering alpha-male. 😉

Emily has been brutally kidnapped, and is held captive in a dark place. She doesn’t know where she is, she doesn’t know who’s taken her, and all she wants is Sculpt, or as she calls him by his real name, Logan, the love of her life. She wishes that he’d find her and save her from wherever she is, because she’s absolutely terrified.

I don’t normally read dark romances, but there’s a certain allure and fascination that comes with reading something, well, bad. I have read books that involve slavery, and in Torn from You, there is sex trafficking. Emily has been thrust into this dark, horrifying, and truly evil world. It turns out she’s been taken to Mexico, and… by none other than Logan, the man she thought who loved her. Like, holy shit, right? I mean, from the blurb, you can kind of tell that Logan did take Emily, but it’s still so unbelievable. Logan was so loving and sweet to Emily in With You, and everything is torn apart once Emily knows Logan was the reason why she was kidnapped. She’s betrayed, her heart is beyond shattered, but ultimately, this girl is angry.

In this world of sex slaves, and evil, disgusting men, Emily has to learn to survive. She’s can’t risk the ire of Raul, the man in charge, or else she’ll be taken away from Logan and sold to someone else. Because right now, Logan owns her, and he’s the only thing preventing her from being sold to some unknown man. And yet even as Emily is hating Logan, she can’t help her reactions to him. She loved him, is attracted to him, and she hates that she feels this way every time he’s in the room with her. There’s a very thin line between what’s right and wrong, even though it should clearly be black and white. I suppose it’s the allure of this kind of story, but whatever it is, it hooked me in. I couldn’t stop reading, even though the book went to dark, unimaginable places. Logan is cold and ruthless, and it’s as if the man Emily loved never exists, but then, there are moments where the Logan she knew pops up. So who is the real Logan? He protects her from the truly horrific things, but he’s the one who brought her there in the first place.

“I will always do everything I can to protect you from others hurting you. I don’t want you to be scared of me. I would do anything for you. You know that, right?”

Thank god the book isn’t entirely in Mexico, because I don’t think I’d be able to handle too much of the dark side of the story. It’s fascinating, yes, but it can get a little hard to stomach. In the first part, maybe the first third, of the book, Emily is in the hands of Raul, and the rest of the story deals with the aftermath. It’s been 2 years since Emily escaped from Mexico. She hasn’t seen Logan since, and she’s been healing, but it’s a very slow process, and she’s still a little broken. Her love for horses has been her coping mechanism, but then everything changes the second Logan walks back into her life.

“Sculpt, you have to let me go.”
“Never ask me to do that.”

My heart was torn up! Do you see these quotes? They’re all from Logan, and he wants Emily back. He has never stopped loving Emily, and here their love story begins all over again. She can’t forget the past, but he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make her love him again. And oh my god, everything is crazy and intense. Everything changes when Logan comes back. The truth comes out, and Logan… oh gosh, this man is truly the best. I don’t want to give anything away, but it was because of the majority of Torn from You where Emily is free that made me love the book!

“We were torn apart, because Eme–I’d never have stayed away from you any other way.”

Eeep! The entire time Emily tries to push Logan away, he never gives up. He’s incredibly sweet and loving, and yet he’s still an undeniably sexy, dominant man. Nashoda Rose messes with your head so much in Torn from You. Is Logan truly good or bad? Can Emily ever forgive him, and maybe even love him again? Oh my gosh, I had the best time reading this! Highly, highly recommend this book for those who want to venture into this genre. It’s not too intense in the dark parts, but it’s still enough to make your heart race. And the romance–sooo good!

“You, Emily. You’re worth fighting for. I fought all my life, but never for anything worthwhile. Now… Now I’m fighting for my heart. Bullshit ends here and now.”

4.5 hearts
lacey

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


Reading Order: Tear Asunder series

 
  

#0.5 ~ With You: My Review • EbookPaperbackAudibleGoodreads
#1 ~ Torn from You: Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#2 ~ Overwhelmed by You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#3 ~ Shattered by You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#4 ~ Kept from You: Goodreads (Dec. 5, 2016)


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ARC Review: With You by Nashoda Rose

With You by Nashoda Rose
Series: Tear Asunder #0.5 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 20th 2013
Links: EbookPaperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review

Sculpt is an illegal fighter.

He’s also the lead singer of a local rock band.

No one knows his real name.

And from the moment I met him, he made me forget mine.

In order to convince Sculpt to give me self-defense lessons, I had to follow his one rule—no complaining or he’d walk. I didn’t think it would be a problem. I could handle a few bruises. What I hadn’t anticipated was landing on my back with Sculpt on top of me and my entire body burning up for him.

I tried to ignore it.

I failed of course. And having a hot, tattooed badass on top of me week after week, acting completely immune to what he was doing to my body—it was frustrating as hell, so I broke his rule—I complained.

Then he kissed me.

Oh my, hot hot hottie alert! Sculpt is one delicious hunk of man, and my latest indulgence. He’s an underground fighter, he’s a total alpha-male, he’s in a freaking band, and he’s one bad, bad boy. He’s the total package, and I loved him in With You!

“I kiss you Emily… there’s no going back. No other guy kisses you, touches you, or gets to taste what’s mine. I don’t share.”

With You is a novella and prequel to the Tear Asunder series, and tells the story of how Emily and Sculpt meet. Emily needs someone to teach her how to protect and defend herself, since she was attacked by a man recently, and Sculpt, while not the ideal man, is perfect for the job. But when Emily asks Sculpt to teach her how, he’s rude and a complete jerk, in that usual, domineering, alpha-male way. But Emily is a tough girl, and she won’t back down from Sculpt. Sculpt finally relents and agrees to help Emily, starting them down a path towards a fierce, passionate love.

There so much tension between the two! Emily is not unaffected by Sculpt’s good looks, but she doesn’t do anything because even though she’s confident enough to fight for what she wants, she doesn’t have confidence in herself. But Sculpt makes her see herself differently. As the two become closer, they start to fall for each other. And these two are just the sweetest together. Sculpt may be controlling and a bit possessive, but it’s so obvious how much he treasures Emily.

“Emily. You’re a fuckn’ trophy. My trophy.”

And yet Sculpt is still shrouded in mystery. Emily doesn’t truly know who he is, but the scene where he tells her his real name… *dreamy sigh* It always gets to me when the guy wants the girl he loves to call him by his real name, the name no one else knows or gets to call him. But while it seems that Emily and Sculpt are on their way to a happily ever after, everything changes one night.

With You ends with a cliffhanger, but luckily, Torn from You is out too! I adored this novella–and highly recommend reading it before starting Torn from You. In With You, we get to see the love blooming between Sculpt and Emily, which is really important to read before going into book 1 of the Tear Asunder series.

4.5 hearts
lacey

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


Reading Order: Tear Asunder series

 
  

#0.5 ~ With You: EbookPaperbackAudibleGoodreads
#1 ~ Torn from You: My ReviewEbook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#2 ~ Overwhelmed by You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#3 ~ Shattered by You: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • AudibleGoodreads
#4 ~ Kept from You: Goodreads (Dec. 5, 2016)


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