Audiobook Series Review: The Sin Trilogy by Georgia Cates

The Sin Trilogy by Georgia Cates

The Sin Trilogy by Georgia Cates
(full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: September 22nd 2015
Length: (book 1) 8:50, (book 2) 8:32, (book 3) 8:10
Narrated by: Jennifer Mack & Antony Ferguson
Links: Book 1 • Book 2 • Book 3 • Goodreads
Source: I received the audiobooks in exchange for an honest review

An epic tale of revenge and love in a new romantic trilogy from the New York Times best-selling author of The Beauty Series.

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, a Scottish 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.

This series is one rollercoaster of a story – wow! Tons of action, suspense, as well as some lovely sexy-times with a Scottish hottie… The Sin Trilogy is definitely a series you shouldn’t miss if you’re a fan of the romance suspense genre. I had the chance to listen to the audiobooks, and while it took some time for me to warm up to the narration, by the end, I was completely and wholeheartedly invested in the characters and series. I definitely recommend the audiobooks of The Sin Trilogy, especially if you want to listen to some great Scottish accents.

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 Thane’s Scottish, mafia-like organization and kill the leader himself. Bleu plans to get into The Fellowship through seducing Thane’s son, Sinclair. He’s supposed to be her mark, her victim – but she never expects to actually fall for him. Bleu and Sin’s story is an addicting one, because I just couldn’t wait to see how it would play out. Will Sin find out who Bleu really is? Can Bleu kill Thane even while loving his son? Is Thane even her mother’s true murderer?

I really enjoyed Jennifer Mack’s narration of Bleu’s POV, but Antony Ferguson’s narration of Sin’s felt awkward at times. While Mack could narrate the opposite sex well, Ferguson’s female voice, Bleu’s in particular with her southern accent, was a little difficult and cringey to listen to. But with three books in the series, I quickly got used to it enough that it didn’t bother me much. The best part is definitely the fact that the dual narrators can do wonderful Scottish accents.

Gripping, thrilling, suspenseful, and intense – Georgia Cates’ The Sin Trilogy 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. This was definitely a series that had my mind and heart racing, and the Scottish accents definitely weren’t difficult to listen to. I couldn’t get enough of the story, and I was dying for more each time I finished a book. Thankfully, I had the whole series ready for me to listen to! This series is a highly entertaining series that had me hooked from beginning to end.

4 hearts
lacey


Reading Order: The Sin Trilogy

A Necessary Sin by Georgia Cates The Next Sin by Georgia Cates One Last Sin by Georgia Cates

#1 ~ A Necessary Sin: EbookPaperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Next Sin: EbookPaperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ One Last Sin: EbookPaperback • Audible • Goodreads

Here’s an audio excerpt from A Necessary Sin!


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Early Review: Falling for Danger by Chanel Cleeton

Falling for Danger by Chanel Cleeton

Falling for Danger by Chanel Cleeton
Series: Capital Confessions #3 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: September 15th 2015
Links: EbookGoodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

The author of Flirting with Scandal presents her third book in a sexy contemporary romance series about three sisters in a powerful political family, the scandals that threaten to destroy them, and the passion that drives them…

Kate Reynolds has just graduated from college and is determined to make it on her own. Her job as a junior political analyst at the CIA is a dream come true and the perfect opportunity to find answers about the night that’s plagued her for four years—the night she lost her fiancé, Matt, on a Special Forces mission in Afghanistan. Kate’s consumed with uncovering the truth and avenging the man she loved and lost, even if it means risking her own life to prove that his death wasn’t an accident.

When she gets too close to discovering what happened that fateful night and danger arrives on her doorstep, Kate’s stunned by the man who comes to her rescue. Together, they begin to dig for the truth, fighting to stay alive as they’re dragged down into a world of secrets and lies. But when the threat hits close to home, Kate must choose between vengeance and a future with the man who’s ignited a fire inside her that she thought died long ago.

I was really looking forward to reading Falling for Danger after reading the snippet at the end of Playing with Trouble. The heroine’s supposedly dead fiancé turns out to be alive! And he’s back in her life! How could I NOT read it after finding that out? But the romance didn’t quite pan out the way I expected it to. While I enjoyed Falling for Danger, it wasn’t quite the epic conclusion to the series I was hoping for.

He’d promised me that he’d love me forever. Where did forever go?

Kate Reynolds is on a mission to take her father down. She’s determined to expose her father for the fraud that he is, and to uncover the link between him and the reason why her fiancé, Matt, was suspiciously killed while in Afghanistan. In the four years since Matt’s death, her life has become about avenging her lost love, and there’s nothing that will stand in her way. But one night, someone breaks into her home, and she comes face-to-face with last person on earth she expected: her dead fiancé.

I really liked how determined Kate was. I could feel for her and the pain she went through with losing Matt. She’s a girl hell-bent on revenge, and I couldn’t help but admire that. She’s also never stopped loving Matt, so when he appears, she’s struck by all the feelings that come rushing back in. But four years took their toll on Matt, and he’s not the same boy she knew and loved.

She was the one constant in this never-ending purgatory where I was stuck somewhere between life and death, a walking ghost.

Matt has changed a lot over the years, no longer the carefree boy in love with his best friend. His time in Afghanistan was rough and heartbreaking, but he survived, only to hide away from the people he loved the most. Matt is pretty gruff, dark, and intense… but I struggled to like him. He’s the main reason why I didn’t love this book like I wanted to. I guess I just never really understood why he had to stay away from Kate, if he loved her so much. We never really get an explanation – or rather, Matt never gives Kate an explanation for why he faked his death and what he did over the last four years. Kate was hurt and devastated over his ‘death’, and it would’ve been nice if Matt tried to make up for the hurt. And while it was obvious that Kate still loved Matt, I didn’t feel the love Matt still had for Kate. I needed more from Matt, I really did.

The suspense in Falling for Danger was pretty mellow. It was slow in the middle and then rushed at the end, so I didn’t really become invested in the mystery/suspense. The ending wasn’t as dramatic as I’d hoped, but it was still a good end for all the characters.

I wish I could’ve loved this book more. I had such high hopes based on the premise, but since I didn’t like the hero, I couldn’t fully enjoy the story. If you’re a fan of the series, I’d recommend you read this if you want to know how the series plot-line involving the Kate’s father turns out. Hopefully you’ll love more than I did! Not to say Falling for Danger is a bad book – it just wasn’t as good as I hoped.

3 hearts
lacey

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


Reading Order: Capital Confessions series

Flirting with Scandal by Chanel Cleeton Playing with Trouble by Chanel Cleeton Falling for Danger by Chanel Cleeton

#1 ~ Flirting with Scandal: Ebook • Goodreads
#2 ~ Playing with Trouble: My Review • Ebook • Goodreads
#3 ~ Falling for Danger: EbookGoodreads (Sept. 15, 2015)


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Audiobook Review: Hold On by Kristen Ashley

Hold On by Kristen Ashley

Hold On by Kristen Ashley
Series: The ‘Burg #6 (full reading order below)
Audiobook Publication Date: September 1st 2015
Length: 21 hours and 20 minutes
Narrated by: Erin Bennett
Links: Audible • EbookPaperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an audiobook in exchange for an honest review

Since she was young, Cher Rivers knew she was not the kind of girl who got what she wanted. A girl who could hope. A girl who could dream. She knew a happily ever after just wasn’t in the cards for her.

In love for years with the last bastion of the ‘burg’s eligible bachelors, Garrett Merrick, Cher worked hard at making him laugh. Being one of the guys. Having him in her life the only way she could. All this knowing he was in love with another woman.

The Merrick Family is known for loving deep. So when Cecelia Merrick was murdered, it marked the Merricks in a way none of them recovered. Both Cecelia’s children found love. Both turned their backs on it. But Garrett “Merry” Merrick knew in his soul the woman he divorced years ago was the one for him.

Until the night when Cher took Garrett’s back and things changed. The Merrick family loves deep. They also protect fiercely. And with his eyes finally open, Garrett sees the woman who truly is for him and he goes after her.

It’s been a long while since the last time I read a Kristen Ashley book, and this is the first time I’ve listened to an audiobook of hers, but listening to Hold On reminded me of just how much I love KA and her kickass books. It’s just so easy to get sucked into her writing and her wonderful cast of characters. Hold On is the sixth and final book in The ‘Burg series, though it can be read as a standalone. This is Cher and Merry’s story, one that’s heartfelt, romantic, and absolutely fantastic to listen to.

Kristen Ashley’s books are long, which means the audiobooks are loooong, and I love it. I love getting to spend so much time in her world, with her characters, because everything is so detailed and fleshed-out. Hold On is 21 hours of KA goodness, and I couldn’t be happier about it. It took me quite a few days to finish it, but I was happy about the time I spent with this book, because listening to this practically lifted my spirits. Cher and Merry’s romance is one about fighting for one another, about holding on to the best thing that could happen to them, and not letting go.

“You got it good, you don’t let it go. It lets you go, you hold on. It slips through your fingers, you pull out all the stops to get it back. You got somethin’ worth fighting for, you fight for it. You do not sit on your ass waitin’ for it to come back to you. You show whoever that is they mean something and you go all out on that, and the only way you go down is doin’ that shit swinging.”

Cher Rivers’ life has been through the wringer, but she comes out stronger on the other side. A single mom, she’s got a boy to take care of, so she’ll do whatever it takes to give him a good life. THIS is the kind of woman who never lets anything bring her down, and I admired her so much for it. After the mess that happened with serial killer Dennis Lowe, she doesn’t have room for romance in her life, but it doesn’t stop her from unrequitedly loving Garrett “Merry” Merrick.

Cher and Merry are great friends, but Merry is oblivious to Cher’s feelings for him, because all he can feel is regret at losing his ex-wife. But one night, when he’s drowning in his sorrows, it’s Cher who’s there for him, and he quickly realizes she’s always been there for him. And that one night together for them is enough to make Merry open his eyes and see what’s been in front of him all along.

I really enjoyed listening to Cher and Merry’s wonderful romance. This is a bit of the friends-to-lovers trope, which I adore. Cher is a fantastic, strong, independent woman who is definitely a one-of-a-kind heroine. Merry is also an incredible hero – alpha (as KA’s hero’s always are), fiercely protective, and unwavering in his loyalty, he’s certainly the perfect man for Cher and her son. Their romance is slow, but heartfelt, full of laughter, sexytimes, and love. And Ethan, Cher’s son, is a definite highlight of this book – he’s absolutely adorable and hilarious!

“It happens … For people like us, baby. It happens, eventually. Just as long as we hold on.”

Erin Bennett’s narration meshed perfectly well with the tone of this book. She did a fantastic job conveying both Cher and Merry’s POVs, and it was easy to distinguish between the dialogue of different characters. I would most likely listen to another audiobook of hers.

Overall, Hold On is an entertaining book that fans of KA should not miss. It wasn’t perfect – I felt like the suspense and action in this was a bit lacking compared to the romance – but it was a great listen all the same. Now I’m very much looking forward to listening to KA’s other audiobooks!

4 hearts
lacey


Reading Order: The ‘Burg series

For You by Kristen Ashley At Peace by Kristen Ashley Golden Trail by Kristen Ashley
Games of the Heart by Kristen Ashley The Promise by Kristen Ashley Hold On by Kristen Ashley

#1 ~ For You: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ At Peace: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Golden Trail: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Games of the Heart: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#5 ~ The Promise: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#6 ~ Hold On: EbookPaperback • Audible • Goodreads

Here’s an audio excerpt from Hold On!


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Blog Tour + ARC Review & Giveaway: The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar

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Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar!

The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar

The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: August 3rd 2015
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They say it takes 21 days to form a habit.
They lie.
For 21 days she held on.
But on Day 22, she would have given anything for the sweet slumber of death.
Because on Day 22, she realizes that her only way out means certain death for one of the two men she loves.

A haunting tale of passion, loss, and redemption, The Paper Swan is a darkly intense yet heartwarming love story, textured with grit, intrigue, and suspense. Please note: This is NOT a love triangle.

A full-length, standalone novel, intended for mature audiences due to violence, sex and language. Subject matter may be disturbing for some readers.

Buy Links:
Amazon • Barnes & Noble • KoboiBookes

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Holy hell!! This book was one crazy hell of a ride! I’m not even completely sure how I feel about The Paper Swan, but what I do know is that I couldn’t. put. it. down. This is the first book I’ve read by Leylah Attar, and now that I’m a bit in love with the way she writes, this book won’t be my last of hers. I won’t say too much about the plot of this book, since the twists and turns are the best part of it, but I just really enjoyed this book. I wouldn’t say it’s THE BEST book I’ve read, but it’s a dark, gritty, entertaining book I devoured in one sitting.

“You can either choose love or you can choose hate, because where one lives, the other will die.”

I was completely taken aback with the beginning of the book. Leylah Attar definitely doesn’t hold back – instead, she thrusts the reader right into the midst of the story, making your heart pound as you read more and more. Skye Sedgewick finds herself held at gunpoint by a strange man. Curiously, he doesn’t kill her, but instead kidnaps her and holds her hostage on a boat. Damian, the abductor, is cruel, cold, and violent, but he also has… kinder moments. I didn’t like him… but I didn’t quite hate him either. I was waiting to see what his reasons were and how the story would unfold before I made my judgements on him, and WOW was I surprised at what was revealed.

The two men that I loved the most, with all my heart, were out to destroy each other. I had a feeling that by the time it was all said and done, only one would be left standing.

Interspersed between the moments that Skye is desperately trying to find a way to escape are flashbacks that tell of Skye’s early childhood, when she lived in Mexico with her father, nanny, and beloved childhood friend Esteban. I LOVED the way the the author integrated the past with the present. The story flowed so well and unfolded in such a smooth, lyrical way. The writing was good, though I wasn’t that big of a fan of it. I can see how people would love the writing, but to me, it sometimes felt like too much – too poetic and flowery. I much rather enjoyed the actual organization of the book.

So what does Damian want with Skye? Who exactly is he? Thankfully, Leylah Attar doesn’t hold us in suspense for too long, because by 25%, we get some answers and I could see which way the author was taking the story. The blurb says that this book is NOT a love triangle, and I would have to agree. Damian is the only love interest, though it took a long time for me to even warm up to him being a love interest at all. In the end, I couldn’t forgive the things he did to Skye, though he does change and emotions surface once secrets are out in the open. Damian really said the sweetest things, but it was hard for me to reconcile his sweeter side with the cruel side he showed in the beginning. So while I can’t say I loved him, I did enjoy the way he and Skye were together.

“Whether you say yes or no, you will always be my forever.”

The Paper Swan is a fantastic kidnapper romance, because it’s so much more than that. Yes, Skye falls for her kidnapper, but her captivity is also a journey of self-discovery with revealed secrets. This book is also very much Damian’s story, with his quest in revenge, vengeance, and redemption. There’s no doubt this book is intense, and I loved the amount of depth the author put into the characters and story. I highly recommend this book for those who like their books gritty and suspenseful.

You don’t always get the treasure by holding on. Sometimes the magic happens when you let go.

4 hearts
lacey

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

about the author button

Leylah Attar writes stories about love – shaken, stirred and served with a twist. When she’s not writing, she can be found pursuing her other passions: photography, food, family and travel. Sometimes she disappears into the black hole of the internet, but can usually be enticed out with chocolate.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Pinterest

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The Paper Swan prize

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ARC Review: Exposed by Brighton Walsh

Exposed by Brighton Walsh

Exposed by Brighton Walsh
Series: Captive #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 21st 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

In this sexy, suspenseful New Adult novel, a young woman hiding from her criminal past is taken captive by her ex-boyfriend, the ultimate bad boy.

Evie is about to embark on the perfect life. Beautiful, poised, and engaged to a rising business star, she fits the part of trophy wife perfectly, except for one thing: her entire identity is a lie.

Five years ago she created a new identity for herself, but it all crashes back when something she witnessed years ago comes back to haunt her. Now she’s in danger of losing more than her social status.

Determined to protect the careful life she’s built for herself, Evie doesn’t want anything to do with Riley, the criminal for hire who broke her heart years ago. But Riley has other ideas. He’s never forgotten Evie, and to protect her, he steals her away. Hidden from the world, sparks begin to fly as old memories resurface and their passion reignites.

This is the first book I’ve read from Brighton Walsh, but I know it won’t be my last. Although I didn’t particularly LOVE the story, the beginning was super intriguing and overall I still really enjoyed it – what made the book for me was the author’s fantastic writing, which is spot-on for a suspenseful novel. I seriously fell in love with it – the writing was what had me hooked in the beginning and what kept me reading even when towards the end of the book things started to fall flat.

The premise of the book was seriously calling to me. A heroine who’s living a lie, on the run from a dangerous man, PLUS a second chance romance? Hell yeah, I was all in. And for the majority of the book, I dug it. I was intrigued by Evie, wondering what the hell was going on with her and why she was living as a different identity for the past five years. And when her cover is blown, Riley enters the story, enters back into Evie’s life. I was hooked onto their second chance romance. If I had to rate this book solely on the romance, it would get a perfect 5. I LOVED Riley and Evie together, because it’s clear that they’re meant to be together. They had such a sweet yet powerful relationship all those years ago, and they’re still connected even after five years.

“Anything can happen, except when you’re with me. No one is getting to you when I’m here. No one is getting through me. I’d have to be dead first.”

I fell so hard for Riley. I loved that we get his POV along with Evie’s, so we can see his inner turmoil at seeing the girl he loved as a teenager, the girl he thought died five years ago, back in his life again. He’s definitely my second favorite part about Exposed, right below the writing. Riley is protective, loyal, and sexy as hell in his determination to make sure Evie is safe – and the best part is that he can protect her, with the skills he learned during the five years he sought vengeance for Evie’s supposed death. Riley and Evie have some great chemistry and I loved the two of them together.

He was my past, the tiny flicker of light in a sea of darkness. He was my present, when everything was jumbled and uncertain, but where I’d be able to figure it out if I was with him. And I knew, with utter certainty, he was my future.

Evie was an intriguing heroine. She’s fierce, independent, and very cautious about starting anything with Riley again since she’s not sure she’ll be able to make it out alive after all is done. There’s also an aspect about her character that was heartbreaking that the author handled very well. I predicted what it was, but it wasn’t something I really wanted to be able predict. Evie is a strong heroine, though sometimes too independent, but I really liked her character up until a certain part near the end of the novel.

There are many layers to the story, what with someone after Evie, but I felt like the suspense, the action, was underwhelming. Evie and Riley spend the majority of the book holed up, hiding in an apartment, so not much happens in action-wise, though this is where their relationship regrows. So while I loved the romance, I didn’t get the amount of suspense that I wanted.

This book should’ve been perfect for me – it’s a second chance romance, my absolutely favorite trope, and the story was super intriguing, but the climax of the book was a bit disappointing, mainly because of how utterly annoyed at the heroine I was. She’s not stupid, but she does make a stupid decision at the end all in the name of ‘independence’ that had me rolling my eyes. At that point of the book, I was just not interested in the story anymore.

So would I recommend this book? Yes, because I still loved about 80% of the novel. The writing is flawless, and the characters were well-developed. Even with the couple problems I had with Exposed, I still really enjoyed reading it, and would definitely recommend it for the writing and second chance romance.

3.5 hearts
lacey

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


Reading Order: Captive series

Captive by Brighton Walsh Exposed by Brighton Walsh

#1 ~ Captive: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Exposed: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads


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