Early Review: Bitter Sweet Love by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Bitter Sweet Love by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Series: The Dark Elements #0.5 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 1st 2013
Purchase: Ebook

Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) in exchange for an honest review

In a sizzling prequel novella to her new series THE DARK ELEMENTS, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout draws readers into the extraordinary, irresistible world of Wardens and demons.

Dez wasn’t just Jasmine’s crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining balance between good and evil. He was her everything…right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn’t help that Jas’s father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally.

And now he’s back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn’t taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again…

Gargoyles!!! JLA’s new series is about gargoyles!

I honestly believe that JLA can write about anything and everything and still make it good. And she made gargoyles good. It’s so easy and fun to read JLA’s writing, and I had no trouble reading about gargoyles. The world of The Dark Elements series–with gargoyles and demons and god-knows-what–is fascinating and so smoothly written. And… the gargoyles are HOT!

The gargoyles are known as Wardens, and they fight against demons. The heroine, Jasmine, is a gargoyle, but since she’s a female, she doesn’t really get to fight. What she really wants, though, is to see the world. Jasmine never gets to leave home, and she’s been lonely ever since her best friend and crush, Dez, left for no reason three years ago. Plus, Dez left the day after he and Jasmine were announced to be mated. So, obviously, she is not elated with joy to see him again when he reappears out of the blue after three years. Jasmine still has feelings for Dez, of course, but she’s still pretty pissed. Especially when they’re announced to be mated again.

Jasmine has seven days to decide whether to accept the mating with Dez or not. And she has conditions. Jasmine wants to go places and see things, but even after those conditions are met, she’s still not sure if she can accept the mating. But Dez won’t give up. He know’s they’re meant to be together, and he’ll do whatever it takes to make her believe in him again.

“And I’m just saying that by the end of these seven days or maybe a week from then, or a month, you’ll say yes.” He cupped my cheek and leaned in, pressing his forehead to mine. “And I’ll be waiting. No matter how long it takes.”

Swoon.
Faint.
Thud.

This book was so. much. FUN! There’s JLA’s classic humor, a swoony book boyfriend, and lots of kissing! Be excited for this novella and new series. It’s going to be amaze-balls.

We also get introduced to the main characters from the first full novel of the series, White Hot Kiss (coming out the day after my birthday! AH!!). Jasmine meets the half demon, half gargoyle Layla, Zayne (the guy Layla’s crushing on), and the mysterious demon Roth. They don’t play a huge part in the novella, and they’re younger than they are in White Hot Kiss, but it was nice to see them for the first time before their book comes out (which I’m SO excited for!).

This was fantastic for a novella. The characters were fully fleshed out, the story kept me riveted, and the romance was so sweet (not bittersweet!). It’s only a hundred pages or so, and you can read it in one sitting, like I did. So if you’re a JLA fan, don’t miss this! It’s another brilliant addition to her YA books. And even if you’re not a JLA fan, you must give her a try, and why not with a shorter book of hers?

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

Reading Order: The Dark Elements series

#0.5 ~ Bitter Sweet Love: Ebook • Goodreads
#1 ~ White Hot Kiss: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Stone Cold Touch: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Every Last Breath: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads (July 28, 2015)

23Nov2013

Early Review: Pawn by Aimee Carter

Posted in 2 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Pawn by Aimee Carter
Series: The Blackcoat Rebellion #1
Publication Date: November 26th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Hardcover
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Harlequin Teen) in exchange for an honest review

YOU CAN BE A VII. IF YOU GIVE UP EVERYTHING.

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country.

If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked—surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister’s niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

There’s only one catch. She must also stop the rebellion that Lila secretly fostered, the same one that got her killed and one Kitty believes in. Faced with threats, conspiracies and a life that’s not her own, she must decide which path to choose—and learn how to become more than a pawn in a twisted game she’s only beginning to understand.

This was one of my anticipated new releases this year, because I loved Aimee Carter’s The Goddess Test series, but unfortunately, the first book in her new The Blackcoat Rebellion series fell flat for me. I’m a huge fan of dystopian books, and I had expected something unique and exciting, but while the concept was intriguing, Pawn couldn’t hold my interest, and the characters grated on my nerves more often than not.

I didn’t hate the book, but I didn’t really enjoy it either. Mostly because of Kitty, the heroine. She should have been perceived as a survivor in her new world, someone tough, determined to live, and courageous. But to me, she was weak and annoying. Every decision she made was with hesitation, and sure, maybe she needed to make rational decisions to keep herself alive, but it was tiring to see her never fighting for herself. It was always, “I have to keep myself alive” so she does nothing because she doesn’t want to jeopardize her life. She becomes a pawn, and even worse, a pushover. She was always second-guessing herself and saying how she has no choice but to do others’ bidding, except near the end, when she finally makes bigger and tougher choices.

In Kitty’s world, at seventeen, you receive a number tattooed onto yourself, and that number determines everything about you–your job, your life, your quality of living–and the higher your number is, the better off you are. The numbers range from I to VII. The Ones ending up being killed, and only the Hart family, the leaders of this new world, are Sevens. On Kitty’s seventeenth birthday, she receives a III and a job in the sewers, and is devastated. If she’d gotten a VI, she could have lived a relatively normal life, but with a III she has to leave her home and boyfriend, Benjy.

Kitty doesn’t want the life of a III, so she goes with a prostitute to be auctioned off. At this point, I wasn’t sure why Kitty wanted to join that kind of life, and I honestly had no idea what was going on. Pretty much the only thing I liked about the book were the twists and surprises Aimee Carter has up her sleeve. So instead of being auctioned off, Kitty meets with Daxton Hart, the prime minister, a man who has nearly all the control in her country. She has a choice of either death or becoming a VII, so of course she chooses to become a VII.

What Kitty unknowingly agreed to was becoming Daxton Hart’s neice, Lila, who was killed recently. Kitty is Masked and is surgically transformed into Lila, and has to learn how to be Lila if she wants to keep living. Kitty enters this world of death, corruption, murder and chaos, and has to do Daxton’s bidding to stay alive. Kitty’s new life involves speeches to give, rebellions, and family problems. And the Hart family has serious problems. They’re so manipulative, always plotting someone’s and/or each other’s murders, and while all of this should have been intriguing, I wasn’t interested at all. I didn’t like the main character, so I couldn’t connect with her, and the story was too convoluted to enjoy.

The romance was also very weak. Even though Kitty has a boyfriend, their relationship wasn’t fleshed out well enough. They loved each other, and yet didn’t seem to belong with each other. I’m not sure if Aimee Carter did this on purpose, but either way, I didn’t care for the romance. If you’re looking for a romance book, or even something like her Goddess Test series, look elsewhere. Pawn mainly focuses on the dystopian aspect of the story, and it’s mostly politics at that.

The villain was at least mildly interesting, since Kitty’s never sure who the villain actually is. There’s so much backstabbing that there’s no one she can trust. Even I couldn’t tell who was the good guy or the bad guy. If you’re more into this kind of story, with political agendas and corruption and secrets that eventually get someone killed, then Pawn might be for you. But for me, it just didn’t click.

16Nov2013

Early Review: Sempre by J.M. Darhower

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Sempre by J.M. Darhower
Series: Forever #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: November 25th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (Gallery Books) in exchange for an honest review

A sexy novel about two seventeen-year-olds—one a victim of human trafficking; the other the son of the man who enslaved her—who fall in love and question everything they ever believed…

Haven Antonelli and Carmine DeMarco grew up under vastly different circumstances. Haven, a second-generation slave, was isolated in the middle of the desert, her days full of hard work and terrifying abuse. Carmine, born into a wealthy Mafia family, lived a life of privilege and excess.

Now, a twist of fate causes their worlds to collide. Entangled in a web of secrets and lies, they learn that while different on the surface, they have more in common than anyone would think.

In a world full of chaos, where money and power rule, Haven and Carmine yearn to break free, but a string of events that began before either of them were born threatens to destroy them instead. Murder and betrayal are a way of life, and nothing comes without a price—especially not freedom. But how much will they have to sacrifice? Can they escape their pasts? And, most of all, what does it mean to be free?

Wow. What a book. I honestly had no idea how intense and dark and gritty Sempre was until I started reading, and immediately I was hooked. Haven and Carmine live in a harsh, cruel world, where death is a constant, and you never know who you can trust. Carmine lives on the privileged side, but he is still part of the Mafia family, where absolute loyalty is a must, or else you die. Haven is born as a slave, living with cruel owners. In the prologue of the book, when Haven is just a young girl, her master forces her to watch as he kills another young girl. What an opening, right?

J.M. Darhower writes the dark world they live in so well that I was immersed in Haven and Carmine’s story, all the while disgusted at the cruelty and desperately hoping for their Happily Ever After. Haven and Carmine meet when Carmine’s father, Vincent, buys Haven from her cruel owner. This is not to say that Vincent is a good man; far from it actually. Vincent is part of the Italian mafia and has done unspeakable things for his ‘family’. It’s a mystery then, why Vincent takes Haven away from her bad owners, though we slowly find out his reasons later in the book.

The instant Haven and Carmine meet, they feel something for each other, though neither of them know what it means. Haven has no clue, being the isolated girl that she is, but she sees something in Carmine no one else does. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Carmine is incredibly handsome ;). For Carmine, he has a better idea of what he’s feeling, but he pushes those feelings away. He’s never cared about anything or anyone but himself after his mother’s death, and he takes things for granted: his money, his car, and especially the girls. He’s the wham, bam, thank-you-ma’am kind of guy, so why would he ever feel more than the usual for a girl? But slowly, as they spend more time together, Carmine realizes the depth of his feelings. He sees how kind and compassionate Haven is, despite the fact that she has every right to hate everyone and the world for the way she was treated. And this changes Carmine. He wants to be someone who deserves to love Haven, someone who deserves her love.

They fall in love, even though they shouldn’t. They’re star-crossed lovers *dreamy sigh*. They start to imagine themselves having a future together, with blank slates, and Carmine vows to find a way to make this a reality.

“Nothing’s more important to me than you, tesoro. I’d give my life for you.”

Tesoro = treasure. Swoon!

Vincent, Carmine’s father, has a big part of the story as well. His wife meant the world to him, and when she was killed, he lost his heart. My heart went out to Vincent and his story, even though he does act cold and harsh sometimes. But we know that despite his actions towards Haven and Carmine, his number one priority is keeping his children safe, which means keeping them away from the Mafia. He knows that once Carmine goes down that dark path, he can never come out of it.

I liked Carmine and Haven, and yet I felt kind of distanced from them. I couldn’t really connect, but it weirdly didn’t affect much on how I enjoyed the book. It might have been because Sempre is written in the third POV, but the story and narrations were good enough that I didn’t care that I was distanced from the characters.

There are so many secrets and hidden pasts that I nearly couldn’t keep up! The book moved at a slow pace (it’s a bit long), but there was never a dull moment. This was one of the few times where I actually enjoyed reading at a slower pace. I loved that Carmine and Haven didn’t rush their love, and let it run its course naturally. The Mafia was intriguing to read about. We mostly know about them through Vincent’s eyes, and they are bad and dangerous, and utterly fascinating. They live by their own rules, and people die all the time.

I don’t know if it was just me, but every time there were Italian words with no explanation of what they meant in the book, I looked them up online. And (I’m such a sucker) I totally swooned every time Carmine spoke loving words in Italian to Haven. GAH! My heart.

This quote perfectly describes Haven and Carmine, and their situation:

They were two broken kids, desperate to be whole again, struggling to find balance in a world out of their control. What’s black and white and red all over? Carmine was, Haven thought. A soul savagely ripped in half, bleeding out for all to see. The yin and yang, the good and evil, the love and pain all at odds with each other. Two sides, two vastly different worlds, but someday, they would merge as one. They had to.

Plus, another quote that shows how much Haven has changed from a scared, innocent, lonely girl to one who has determination, courage, and strength. Haven finally feels happy, because she has a place in the world, with Carmine.

Home. She got it now. For the first time in her life, something felt like home. It was a place they had come together. It was where they had found love. She finally knew what that world meant.

Overall, I highly enjoyed this book. I couldn’t stop reading, and the plot was so exciting and suspenseful. This is a darker read than a normal contemporary romance, so just beware! There will be violence and death, but if you don’t mind reading about these, then you should definitely go for Sempre!

If you don’t mind reading about whether the book has a cliffhanger/HEA or not, then keep reading! . . . The ending doesn’t have a cliffhanger, but it’s a hugely open ending. I honestly would NOT have been happy if J.M. Darhower wasn’t writing a sequel, but thank god, she is! I can’t wait to read Sempre: Redemption! As for the HEA… I’m a bit worried. They’re still together at the end of Sempre, but I have no idea what will go down in the sequel. *bites nails*

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

Reading Order: Forever series

#1 ~ Sempre: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Sempre: Redemption: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

11Nov2013

Early Review: A Little Too Much by Lisa Desrochers

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

A Little Too Much by Lisa Desrochers
Series: A Little Too Far #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: November 12th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (William Morrow Impulse) in exchange for an honest review

In the follow-up to Lisa Desrochers’ explosive New Adult novel A Little too Far, Alessandro Moretti must face the life he escaped and the girl he loved and left behind.

Twenty-two year old Hilary McIntyre would like nothing more than to forget her past. As a teenager abandoned to the system, she faced some pretty dark times. But now that’s all behind her. Hilary has her life on track, and there’s no way she’ll head back down that road again.

Until Alessandro Moretti—the one person who can make her remember—shows up on her doorstep. He’s even more devastatingly gorgeous than before, and he’s much too close for comfort. Worse, he sees right through the walls she’s built over these last eight years, right into her heart and the secrets she’s guarding.

As Hilary finds herself falling back into love with the man who, as a boy both saved and destroyed her, she must decide. Past or future? Truth or lies?

If you’ve read A Little Too Far (which you should have before reading A Little Too Much! Grrr if you haven’t.) then you know that poor Alessandro gets left behind back in Italy. Lexie gets her HEA, but what happens with Alessandro? I so wanted him to have his own happily ever after, and I was SO happy that I got an early copy of his book! I could not wait to jump into his book, because I really liked him in A Little Too Far. He was sweet and kind and maybe a little misguided, but he definitely still deserved to have a happy ending.

The heroine was actually really surprising to me. I had expected someone new that Alessandro would fall in love with, but she was a girl from his past. She’s actually the girl who took Alessandro’s virginity, back when they were teenagers and living in the group home. Hilary McIntyre lives in New York City, and aspires to become an actress. She’s a bit hard to like, as she’s very closed off, and doesn’t let anyone truly in. She has her demons, and a past that has something to do with Alessandro. She’d thought that she left all her troubles behind years ago after Alessandro left the group home and her, but Alessandro comes back sweeping into her life, and she doesn’t know what to do.

Hilary and Alessandro have an intense attraction, but neither wants to act on it. Hilary because of her resentment of Alessandro’s abandonment, oh and her–casual–boyfriend too of course (can’t forget about him!), and Alessandro because he’s just come out of almost becoming a priest, and his own past ghosts, which include Hilary. Nonetheless, the two do still get to know each other a little, and warm up to each other eventually, enough to become friends.

We know from A Little Too Far that Alessandro is burdened with an insane amount of guilt–about his brother, his past, the hurt he’s caused, and Hilary. He tried to atone for his sins by becoming a priest, but that didn’t work out too well for him. So he moves to NYC to see Hilary, to see how she’s doing. He feels guilty for taking advantage of her when they were younger, but the truth is, both of them were just very young and hurting, and found solace with each other.

Despite her attraction to Alessandro, Hilary still harbors anger against Alessandro. She was hurt when he left, and because of circumstances that occurred after he left as well. To me, it was pretty obvious what happened to Hilary after Alessandro left, but other than that, I really enjoyed A Little Too Far. I wasn’t completely IN LOVE with it, but I highly enjoyed reading it. Hilary and Alessandro both have to face their pasts if they ever want a chance at finding love and having their happily ever after, and I was hooked onto their journey of romance and self-discovery.

Like Italy in A Little Too Far, NYC has a huge presence in A Little Too Much, and I loved it! Hilary and Alessandro both dedicate one day a week to discover the city that never sleeps, and their trips are so sweet, heartwarming, and meaningful. These trips are what bring them closer, and they get to know and understand each other so much better. NYC felt alive, and Lisa Desrochers has such great skill in making the city seem like another character.

I was so excited for Alessandro’s story, and it didn’t disappoint! It was fun to read, there were sweet and sexy moments, some angst, and overall, just a great read. Now I can’t wait for the third book!

Reading Order: A Little Too Far series

#1 ~ A Little Too Far: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ A Little Too Much: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ A Little Too Hot: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

25Oct2013

Early Review: Forgiving Lies by Molly McAdams

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Forgiving Lies by Molly McAdams
Series: Forgiving Lies #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: October 29th 2013
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (William Morrow Paperbacks) in exchange for an honest review

A matter of secrets…

Undercover cop Logan “Kash” Ryan can’t afford a distraction like his new neighbor Rachel Masters, even if she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen. To catch a serial killer, he needs to stay focused, yet all he can think about is the feisty, long-legged coed whose guarded nature intrigues him.

A matter of lies…

Deceived and hurt before, Rachel would rather be a single, crazy cat lady than trust another guy, especially a gorgeous, tattooed bad boy with a Harley, like Kash. But when his liquid-steel eyes meet hers, it takes all of Rachel’s will-power to stop herself from exploring his hot body with her own.

A matter of love…

As much as they try to keep it platonic, the friction between them sparks an irresistible heat that soon consumes them. Can Kash keep Rachel’s heart and her life safe even as he risks his own? Will she be able to forgive his lies … or will she run when she discovers the dangerous truth?

I really had no idea there was going to be so much action and suspense in this book! All I saw was that the hero is an undercover cop (men in uniform are divine) and some angsty love goes on between him and his neighbor. It seemed like my type of book, and I enjoyed it! This is the first book from Molly McAdams I’ve read (I’ve been meaning to read her other books as well), and although I didn’t love this book, I was fairly impressed with the suspense, story, and characters.

Forgiving Lies is the first book of Molly McAdams’ new series, and introduces us to Rachel and Kash. The story is told from both of their POVs, which was definitely a plus for me. I always enjoy books that are told in the hero and heroine’s POVs. I loved being inside Rachel’s head, reading what she was thinking of Kash, and then moving on to Kash’s head, and what he thought of Rachel. The beginning stages of their relationship are so adorable, as they learn about one another, get to know each other better. They have an intense attraction to one another, but they only become friends at first. They grow to care for another, and Kash totally melted my heart with how much he wanted to protect Rachel.

Rachel is a college girl who reluctantly started dating her best friend’s cousin, Blake, in college, but it turns out that Blake… is not a nice guy. I don’t want to include spoilers, but basically, Blake is a vile person, and Rachel becomes terrified of him. So she leaves Blake and tries to protect herself from the pain she went through. And in comes Kash, the hot, tattooed, and pierced bad boy neighbor.

Kash is an undercover cop, disguised as Logan “Kash” Hendricks rather than Logan “Kash” Ryan. He’s been assigned to catch a serial killer, and obviously, can’t let Rachel know who he is and what he really does for a living. Kash is drawn to Rachel, because she’s tough and stubborn and has a hard wall around her heart. He slowly gets to know Rachel better, and breaks down those walls bit by bit. Tensions are high, and their romance is sweet and slow and very realistic (even though Kash is an undercover cop ;)).

I had no idea I was in for such a treat with the amount of suspense that builds up throughout the book! While Kash and Rachel are falling in love, behind the scenes, there’s a serial killer on the loose. Blake is also back in Rachel’s life, and not for the better. Molly McAdams builds up the suspense incredibly well, so well that I didn’t know what was going to happen next. And the climax of all the suspense! SO exciting and crazy to read. It’s intense and gripping and heart-pounding, and it was honestly my favorite part of the book! Molly McAdams should definitely venture more into romantic suspense.

Overall, I really did like this book. There were some frustrations with Rachel where she just couldn’t tell people what happened to her. But my frustrations weren’t too bad, and Kash is such a sweetheart that he totally made Rachel less frustrating. If you like your romances with action and suspense, read this book! But I’m sure any romance lover can enjoy Forgiving Lies.

Reading Order: Forgiving Lies series

#1 ~ Forgiving Lies: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Deceiving Lies: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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