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

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9Feb2015

Early Review: Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Red Queen by Victoria Aveyard
Series: Red Queen #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: February 10th 2015
Links: Ebook • Hardcover • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Graceling meets The Selection in debut novelist Victoria Aveyard’s sweeping tale of seventeen-year-old Mare, a common girl whose once-latent magical power draws her into the dangerous intrigue of the king’s palace. Will her power save her or condemn her?

Mare Barrow’s world is divided by blood—those with common, Red blood serve the Silver- blooded elite, who are gifted with superhuman abilities. Mare is a Red, scraping by as a thief in a poor, rural village, until a twist of fate throws her in front of the Silver court. Before the king, princes, and all the nobles, she discovers she has an ability of her own.

To cover up this impossibility, the king forces her to play the role of a lost Silver princess and betroths her to one of his own sons. As Mare is drawn further into the Silver world, she risks everything and uses her new position to help the Scarlet Guard—a growing Red rebellion—even as her heart tugs her in an impossible direction. One wrong move can lead to her death, but in the dangerous game she plays, the only certainty is betrayal.

WOW!!! I loved this book!

So Red Queen has been getting a lot of hype, and it is very well deserved! I practically devoured this book – it did take me a while to get into it, but once I hit that groove, I couldn’t put it down.

I haven’t read fantasy books in a long while, but reading Red Queen reminded me of all the reasons I love the genre (and that I should get back to reading it some more). Victoria Aveyard has created a fresh, unique world that meshes magic and politics and has created an epic tale I highly enjoyed. This is definitely a book you don’t want to miss!

In a world where the rich and powerful are magic users are called Silvers and the poor and non-magic users are called Reds, Mare Barrow is part of the latter group. She and her family are of the lower class, constantly taken advantage of by the Silvers. Mare wants to be able to support her family, but all she’s good at is picking pockets. With the day of her conscription to the army looming before her, she tries to find a way out of it, and somehow winds up saved as a servant to the royal house. And just when there couldn’t be more surprises, Mare discovers that she herself has magic powers, even though as a Red, she should have been fully incapable of having any powers.

From now until the end of your days, you must lie. Your life depends on it, little lightning girl.

What ensues is a game of life-or-death for Mare, as she struggles to keep herself alive among the powerful and corrupted Silvers. She uses her newfound position to help a rebel cause, the Scarlet Guard, to try and create a better world for the Reds. In between learning to enhance her power, a budding romance with a Silver prince, and enemies who want to kill her, Mare has to find a way to stay alive in a world where anyone can betray anyone.

I struggled in the beginning of this book. There was just too much information too fast, but once I got the hang of it, I was quickly swept away by the world, the writing, and the characters. I was hooked onto the story – it’s an unputdownable, heart-pounding read! Victoria Aveyard wrote a fantastic debut. I am eagerly awaiting the next book!

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

Reading Order: Red Queen series

#0.5 ~ Queen Song: Ebook • Goodreads (Sept. 1, 2015)
#1 ~ Red Queen: Ebook • Hardcover • Audible • Goodreads
#1.5 ~ Steel Scars: Ebook • Goodreads (Jan. 5, 2016)
#2 ~ Glass Sword: Ebook • Hardcover • Goodreads (Feb. 9, 2016)

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23Jan2015

Early Review: Hero by Samantha Young

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Hero by Samantha Young
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: February 3rd 2015
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The emotional and unforgettable new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series.

Alexa Holland’s father was her hero—until her shocking discovery that she and her mother weren’t his only family. Ever since, Alexa has worked to turn her life in a different direction and forge her own identity outside of his terrible secrets,. But when she meets a man who’s as damaged by her father’s mistakes as she is, Alexa must help him.

Caine Carraway wants nothing to do with Alexa’s efforts at redemption, but it’s not so easy to push her away. Determined to make her hate him, he brings her to the edge of her patience and waits for her to walk away. But his actions only draw them together and, despite the odds, they begin an intense and explosive affair.

Only Caine knows he can never be the white knight that Alexa has always longed for. And when they’re on the precipice of danger, he finds he’ll do anything to protect either one of them from being hurt again…

I. Loved. Hero!!! Loved, loved, loved it! I simply adored this new (upcoming) release from Samantha Young. I was already a fan after the On Dublin Street series, but now I’m even more in love with her writing and storytelling. Hero had me hooked from start to finish, and I never wanted Caine and Alexa’s story to end! So if you’re a fan of Samantha Young, be excited for Hero because it’ll make you fall in love and sweep you away!

This book was pretty much the perfect read for me – it had a sassy heroine I genuinely liked and admired, and a hot-as-hell, alpha, rude, domineering hero in a suit. And the two of them together clash. Alexa Holland is an assistant to a photographer, and it’s at a photo shoot where she meets Caine Carraway. It’s lust at first sight, but when Alexa’s past comes to light and Caine finds out that it was Alexa’s father who ruined Caine’s family, he wants nothing to do with her, despite their attraction to one another. When Alexa loses her job, Caine offers one as his assistant, but only so that he can make life hell-on-earth for her.

“Oh, and, Alexa?”
I froze but my pulse sped up. He’d never said my name before.
It sounded nice on his lips. Very, very nice.
“Yeah?” I whispered.
“From now on you will refer to me as Mr. Carraway and only Mr. Carraway.”
Ouch.

Caine is definitely an ass to Alexa, but Alexa’s not the type of woman to let him run all over her. She gives as good as she gets, and she’s determined to prove to Caine that she doesn’t bear the sins of her father. My heart actually ached for her and life she’s had. She’s always been put second in the lives of those she loves, but she’s all the more stronger for it. She doesn’t let people, least of all Caine, bring her down.

Hero had me grinning so, so much. The flames between Caine and Alexa only get hotter as they spend more time together. I loved that Caine tries to make Alexa hate him and her job, all while lusting after her. He wants to hate her, but as he gets to know more of her, he can’t. All he wants is her.

“I fantasize about fucking you in this office a hundred times a day.”

And Alexa is just the most genuine, funny heroine ever! She knew exactly what Caine was trying to do, but she sees through his tough exterior to the warm heart he has. And he really does have a heart of gold underneath his harsh exterior, even though Caine himself believes otherwise.

“I’m not your white knight. I’m just the guy who wanted to fuck you.”

When Caine and Alexa give in to their need for each other, it’s explosive. The two of them have an intense, raw passion for each other, but while Alexa knows there’s more between them, Caine keeps her at a distance. He doesn’t believe he’s capable of love, and Alexa sets on to prove him otherwise.

It should have been frustrating that Caine was so hot and cold about his feelings – he’s protective and possessive of Alexa one moment, then cold and detached the next – but it just… wasn’t. There was an honest, genuine feel to Alexa and Caine’s growing romance. I was rooting for Caine to realize how perfect he and Alexa are together. They have some of the sweetest moments together that warmed my heart.

“For the longest time my company is what got me up in the morning. It was what motivated me every second of every day. Since the moment you started working for me, you are what has gotten me up in the morning. You are what motivates me every second of every day. And still I want more from you.”

*Dreamy sigh* Oh, Caine, how I love you ❤

The romance in Hero was simply brilliant. It’s an office romance but with a unique, fresh take. I adored everything about this book – the story, the characters, the writing. I fell in love with Alexa and Caine and I felt for them. If you haven’t preordered Hero, go do it now! I highly recommend this heartfelt, sexy, romantic read!

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

26Dec2014

Blog Tour + Early Review & Excerpt: A Necessary Sin by Georgia Cates

Posted in 4 hearts, Blog Tours, Reviews by Lacey

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for A Necessary Sin by Georgia Cates!

A Necessary Sin by Georgia Cates
Series: The Sin Trilogy #1 (full reading order below)
Release Date: December 29th 2014

Bleu MacAllister is consumed. A horrific childhood incident has caused every decision in her life to revolve around bringing a monster to justice. With years spent studying The Fellowship, an organized crime brotherhood of liars, thieves, and killers, Bleu will rely on her skills as a special agent to cut Thane Breckenridge off at the knees. But walking hand in hand with retribution means risking collateral damage, in the form of Breckenridge’s son Sinclair—until Sin becomes so much more than Bleu bargained for. She’s always known this undertaking would place her life in danger—she never imagined her heart would be as well.

Buy Links:
iBooks • Amazon

Gripping, thrilling, suspenseful, and intense – Georgia Cates’ A Necessary Sin took me on one wild ride of a story, leaving me breathless and aching for more. It’s a story of revenge – and finding love where you least expect it. It was a highly entertaining book that had me hooked from beginning to end!

Most children are too naïve to recognize the moment they are being ruined for the rest of their lives. I wasn’t that lucky.

The day that seven-year-old Stella Bleu Lawrence became Bleu MacAllister was the day she lost her innocence of the world and set out to take revenge against her mother’s killer, Thane Breckenridge. She would spend the next eighteen years of her life grooming herself to become good enough, strong enough, smart enough, cunning enough, to infiltrate Breckenridge’s Scottish, mafia-like organization and kill Thane Breckenridge himself. She planned to get into The Fellowship through Thane’s son, Sin. He was supposed to be her mark, her victim – but she never expected to actually fall for him.

Bleu is a kickass, take-charge, but cold sort of woman. The life she’s led is a lonely one and not meant for companions. Ever since her mother died, Bleu has closed off her emotions, not letting anything get in the way between her and her objective: killing Thane Breckenridge. When she goes to Scotland, beginning her plan to get herself into The Fellowship, she’s surprised that she isn’t entirely against seducing Sin Breckenridge. He’s smart, sexy, and sensual – he’s a worthy adversary for Bleu, even if he doesn’t know it. Slowly, Bleu’s act of seduction isn’t an act at all, and she finds herself caring and falling for the one man she never expected to love: the son of her mother’s killer.

The one person I hate the most in this world brought me to the one I love most. Who could have possibly imagined that?

Sin was a character I had trouble warming up to in the beginning. He’s the son of the leader of The Fellowship, so he’s a bit spoiled in terms of how people treat him. But this doesn’t mean he doesn’t work hard as the lawyer for the organization. He’s loyal and fierce in protecting those that belong to him. When Bleu shows up in Scotland, working in a bar that belongs to The Fellowship, Sin is rightly suspicious of her. But he’s also intrigued by her, so to satisfy his suspicions and curiosity, he grows closer to her. But the more her gets to know her, the more he likes, and it isn’t long before he genuinely develops feelings for Bleu that he never believed he was capable of.

“I love you, Bleu MacAllister. I’ll always do what it takes to keep you safe, no matter the extreme.”

I didn’t connect with either main characters much, but surprisingly it didn’t detract much from my enjoyment of the book. Their story was an addicting one, because I just couldn’t wait to see how it would play out. Would Sin find out who Bleu really was? Could Bleu kill Thane even while loving his son?

This was definitely a book that had my mind and heart racing. I couldn’t get enough of the story, and I’m dying for more – immediately!! I absolutely can’t wait to see how the rest of the trilogy will play out!

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

Now here’s an excerpt from A Necessary Sin! ❤

Sinclair Breckenridge’s POV

“I’m in the business of boundaries and limits. I’m aware of what mine are and how far I’m willing to go to get my job accomplished. It can include lying and sometimes stealing.” I wait a moment for driving the last nail into the coffin. “And perhaps the occasional killing.”

“How do you feel when you do those things?”

“Powerful.” I purposely choose that word because it’s the one she used to describe how she felt when she brought Duff to his knees. I want her to see just how similar we are.

She watches out the window for a minute before speaking again. “Do you like the way it feels?”

I can’t lie. I get a high from it. “Very much.”

Another minute passes. “Okay.”

What? “Just … okay?”

“Would you like me to be horrified?” she asks. “I can do that if it would make you feel better or improve your opinion of me.”

She’s no fucking Pollyanna. So I guess there’s no reason for her to pretend to be. “No. Okay works for me.”

I’m not sure if I should be disturbed by her lack of appall. It feels like a double standard to be shocked by an absence of dismay.

My God, has the pot met the kettle? “I wish I could get inside your head.”

“No, you don’t,” she says. “My mind is a dark place to be.”

I think I may have met the perfect woman. In her eyes, I’m not a monster at all.

Reading Order: The Sin Trilogy

#1 ~ A Necessary Sin: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Next Sin: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ One Last Sin: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

Georgia resides in rural Mississippi with her wonderful husband, Jeff, and their two beautiful daughters. She spent fourteen years as a labor and delivery nurse before she decided to pursue her dream of becoming an author and hasn’t looked back yet.

When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about writing. When she’s being domestic, she’s listening to her iPod and visualizing scenes for her current work in progress. Every story coming from her always has a song to inspire it.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Newsletter • Goodreads • Amazon Page

20Nov2014

Blog Tour + Early Review & Giveaway: Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover by Sarah Maclean

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Blog Tours, Giveaways, Reviews by Lacey

Click the banner to follow the tour!

Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover by Sarah MacLean!

Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover by Sarah MacLean
Series: The Rules of Scoundrels #4 (full reading order below)
Release Date: November 25th 2014
Avon Romance

RITA Award winning author, Sarah MacLean, reveals the identity of The Fallen Angel’s final scoundrel in the spectacular conclusion to her New York Times bestselling Rules of Scoundrels series…

By day, she is Lady Georgiana, sister to a duke, ruined before her first season in the worst kind of scandal. But the truth is far more shocking-in London’s darkest corners, she is Chase, the mysterious, unknown founder of the city’s most legendary gaming hell. For years, her double identity has gone undiscovered…until now.

Brilliant, driven, handsome-as-sin Duncan West is intrigued by the beautiful, ruined woman who is somehow connected to a world of darkness and sin. He knows she is more than she seems and he vows to uncover all of Georgiana’s secrets, laying bare her past, threatening her present, and risking all she holds dear…including her heart.

Buy Links:
Amazon Ebook • Amazon Paperback • B&N • IndieBound • iTunes • Kobo

Chase!! We finally get Chase’s book! It’s been a long time coming – this book was one of my most highly anticipated reads of the year and it. was. AMAZING! I utterly adore the Rules of Scoundrels series. It truly is my all-time favorite historical romance series. Sarah MacLean writes characters like no other. Every time I open one of her books, I’m completely absorbed and invested in every page. I’ve reread this series countless times, and I know I’ll pick up these books again.

Ever since I read A Rogue by Any Other Name, Chase has held my intrigue. As the founder of The Fallen Angel, Chase is powerful yet mysterious. But now in Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover, we finally get to uncover Chase’s secrets. (And Sarah MacLean seriously knows how to surprise her readers.)

If you have NOT read No Good Duke Goes Unpunished yet, PLEASE don’t read on. There will be a GIANT SPOILER for Never Judge a Lady!! TRUST ME, you don’t want to be spoiled. I can honestly say that I’ve never been so shocked and surprised by book as I have for No Good Duke… for this whole series!

Because… Chase is a woman. Chase is in fact, Lady Georgiana Pearson, daughter of a duke. My reaction? …Hell yes!! Girl power for the win. I do admit I felt a slight disappointment that Chase wasn’t a man because I had imagined Chase to be the best of all four men. But I got over it pretty quickly. Because guess what? Georgiana is one hell of a woman. She’s tough, loyal, and so protective over those she cares about.

Temple’s black brows rose. “It never fails to surprise me just how ruthless you can be.”
She smiled her sweetest smile at him. “Never trust a woman.”
He laughed. “Not you, at least.”

Now, the hero? He had to be someone intelligent, someone who could keep up with Chase, with Georgiana, step by step. And Duncan West was really the perfect man for her. Duncan and Georgiana have a fiery chemistry between, but there’s also an intense, sexy battle of wits. They’ve never been stronger or more vulnerable than they have when they’re together. I loved seeing them fall for each other, these two fiercely independent people falling when they least expected it.

And yes, this book is HOT. Georgiana and Duncan (oh god, DUNCAN) were ON FIRE in this book. Never Judge a Lady is the hottest book of the series, in my opinion. It was that burn, that tension between the characters when they wanted but couldn’t have each other. And I never expected it, but oh my word, Duncan is truly a scoundrel in this book. Loooved the sexy times in the book.

“Would you like that?” he whispered, “Would you like it if I took control of your pleasure? If I wrapped you in it? If I gave it to you over and over, until you could not bear it? Until you ached for my touch about all others?”

(Do you see!? Duncan had me burning up while I was reading!)

Unfortunately, as Chase cannot be revealed as a woman, secrets and lies build up. Georgiana and Duncan belong together, but their lies threaten to tear them apart. They can’t love each other, but they fall so hard anyway. I’m going to keep hush hush about the plot – Chase being a woman is only one of many secrets. What I will say is that there was never a dull moment in this book. I pretty much devoured this book as soon as I got it. I honestly couldn’t be happier with Chase’s book. I loved it!

4.5 hearts! Cross will always be my favorite of the four, but Chase’s is a close second. Because – Duncan! Georgiana! Epicness!

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

Reading Order: The Rules of Scoundrels series

#1 ~ A Rogue by Any Other Name: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ One Good Earl Deserves a Lover: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ No Good Duke Goes Unpunished: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

Sarah MacLean grew up in Rhode Island, obsessed with historical romance and bemoaning the fact that she was born far too late for her own season. Her love of all things historical helped to earn her degrees from Smith College and Harvard University before she finally set pen to paper and wrote her first book.

Sarah now lives in New York City with her husband, their dog, and a ridiculously large collection of romance novels. She loves to hear from readers. Please visit her at www.macleanspace.com

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads

$50.00 Choice Book Seller Gift Card and Print Set of the Rule of Scoundrels Books 1-3

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