Month: February 2018 (Page 3 of 4)

REVIEW – About That Kiss (Heartbreaker Bay #5) by Jill Shalvis

REVIEW – About That Kiss (Heartbreaker Bay #5) by Jill ShalvisAbout That Kiss (Heartbreaker Bay #5)
by Jill Shalvis
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

When love drives you crazy . . .

When sexy Joe Malone never calls after their explosive kiss, Kylie shoves him out of her mind. Until she needs a favor, and it’s a doozy. Something precious to her has been stolen and there’s only one person with the unique finder-and-fixer skills who can help—Joe. It means swallowing her pride and somehow trying to avoid the temptation to throttle him—or seduce him.

the best thing to do . . .

No, Joe didn’t call after the kiss. He’s the fun time guy, not the forever guy. And Kylie, after all she’s been through, deserves a good man who will stay. But everything about Kylie makes it damned hard to focus, and though his brain knows what he has to do, his heart isn’t getting the memo.

. . . is enjoy the ride.

As Kylie and Joe go on the scavenger hunt of their lives, they discover surprising things about each other. Now, the best way for them to get over “that kiss” might just be to replace it with a hundred more.

Review:

About That Kiss is my new favorite Jill Shalvis book!  The characters captured my heart, the sexual tension between the two of them was scorching hot, and I could not put this book down.  I loved that there was a fabulous group of friends, an intriguing mystery, and scenes that made me have tears in my eyes.  About That Kiss was such a huge win for me!  If you haven’t read this series yet, you can jump in anytime.  Each book can easily be read as a standalone, which is always an added bonus!

“What kiss?”
He gave her a get real look.
“Oh, that kiss.” She shrugged nonchantely as she reached for her water bottle. “I barely remember it.”
“Funny,” he said in a voice of pure sin. “Cuz it rocked my world.”
She chocked on her water, coughing and sputtering. “The mirror’s still not for sale.” she finally managed to wheeze out, wiping her mouth.
I rocked his world?

One night, Joe and Kylie ended up sharing a passionate, smoldering kiss.  But afterwards, Joe never attempted to contact Kylie because he’s not a relationship type of guy.  And Kylie had no plans of letting Joe’s lack of actions hurt her heart.  But when something sentimental got stolen from Kylie, she knew that Joe could track it down. He worked for a security company and this was his area of expertise.  Yet what started off as a simple search, ended up being something more than either one of them could have imagined.

He grinned.  She was teasing him, and for some sick reason he loved it.  “You’re also not all that nice,” he said.  “And I really like nice.”
“Uh-huh. I bet ‘nice’ is right up there on your list next to, let me guess…a good personality?”
He laughed. “So young and yet so cynical.” he tsked, enjoying the hell out of himself. “You’re assuming the worst of me.”

While Joe was the one working the case, and wanted to keep Kylie safe, Kylie embedded herself into every part of the search.  So they ended up spending a lot of time around each other, and I found my heart melting.  I loved that we got to watch them slowly learn more about each other.  But their interactions weren’t always easy, so fireworks were definitely guaranteed!  You see, there was still a lot of tension from that last kiss.  And then there was an intense, sexual chemistry between the two of them.  It was so much fun watching their slow burn romance play out.  And I loved that slowly overtime, a true friendship started to emerge between the two of them.

She was an irresistible dichotomy of sweet charm and heart-stopping sexy, and she threw him off guard with every look, be it a smile or a glare. In fact, he kinda liked when she gave him dirty looks, which meant he was seriously losing his shit. And he never lost his shit.
Never.
Yeah.  He was royally screwed and the thing was even knowing that, he didn’t want to walk away because he enjoyed her so much.  How crazy was that?

I have to let you know that I absolutely loved Kylie and Joe.  Kylie was smart, stubborn, amazing at her job, honest, had the hugest heart ever and was so much fun!  I loved all of her little quirks and she was someone that I would have loved to have as a friend.  But one of my favorite things about her was how she brought Joe out of his shell.  And that’s because Joe was jaded and kept so many parts of himself hidden, because of his past.  Yet he had this loyalty, endurance and trust that was so beautiful.  He was such a hard worker and such a wonderful brother and son.  Ohhhh and I loved that he was very protective of those he loved.  So while the two of them were very different from each other in certain aspects, other times they resonated with one other.  They way they meshed together was breathtaking.

Vinnie trotted off toward the kitchen, stopping just short of the doorway to lift his paw and poke at the air.  When he was sastisfied that he wasn’t going to encounter a glass door, he happily made his way to the water bowl.
“What was that?” Joe asked.
“He has trust issues.”
Joe let out a low laugh.  “Well, at least we know where he gets them from.”

But there was so much more in this story that I fell for.  I Ioved Kylie’s adorable little dog, Vinnie.  He added so much heart and playfulness to the scenes!  And I loved this fabulous group of friends that this series revolves around.  They feel more like family to me and I loved seeing what they were up to!  So now I’m left beyond ecstatic for the next book in this series.  It’s going to be about Joe’s little sister and one of his coworkers, Lucas.  I already like the both of them so much and I can’t wait to read their story!  So yes, I absolutely loved this book and can’t recommend it enough!   

PS When Vinnie finally learned to fetch?!  Oh my gosh, I was laughing SO hard I had tears pouring down my eyes lol!!

*Book was kindly provided by Avon Books in exchange for an honest review*

Buy Links:

Amazon | B&N | GPlay | iBooks | IndieBound | Books-A-Million

 

Excerpt:

[scroll-box]

Joe studied her. “I asked you once before, but now I’m going to ask you again. Is there something going
on between you two?”

She tossed up her hands. “Why do you both keep asking me that about each other?”

His eyes narrowed. “I thought nothing was going on.”

“And before today, I could’ve passed a lie detector test on that,” she said.

“What happened today?”

She paused. Not because she had anything to be ashamed of, but because she wasn’t quite sure what
had happened.

“Kylie.”

She sighed. “It’s nothing.”

“Try again,” Joe said and gave her the very male universal go on gesture.

She rolled her eyes. “Fine. He . . . finally made a move on me.”

Joe didn’t budge. Not a blink, not a muscle twitch, nothing, but she could’ve popped corn off the electric tension coming off him.

“Describe ‘made a move,’ ” he finally said.

She crossed her arms. “And again, how is this relevant to my case?”

He just gave her that careful stare again and she thought wow, those eyes of his should be registered as a lethal weapon, because she found herself opening her mouth and spilling her guts. “He kissed me.”

“He kissed you.”

“Yeah,” she said. “Do you know that you often repeat what I say?”

“What kind of a kiss?” he asked.

She was momentarily bewildered. “I don’t know. It was a kiss. A normal kiss. A nice kiss.” She cocked her head at him. “How many kinds of kisses are there?”

He just looked at her for a long moment before coming toward her. He backed her to the wall and pressed his big hands on either side of her head.

“There are many kinds of kisses,” he said.

Her breath had backed up in her throat, where her heart had lodged, pounding wildly. “S-s-such as?”

“Such as this one.” And then he leaned in and covered her mouth with his.
At the touch of Joe’s mouth, Kylie’s brain stopped being capable of rational thought. His tongue gave a knee-weakening stroke against hers and she let out a shockingly needy moan as she clutched at him, fisting her hands in the material of his shirt at his chest. Only when he’d thoroughly plundered and pillaged and left her boneless did he lift his head and
look into her eyes.

“Wow,” she whispered, fully aware she was still holding on to him like he was a lifeline, but the bones in her legs had liquefied. “I mean . . .” She shook her head. “Wow.”

He nodded. “Yeah. So to be clear, that wasn’t ‘a normal kiss’ or even ‘a nice kiss.’ It was a ‘wow’ kiss. Any questions?”

“Just one,” she said softly. “Can I have another?”

Joe didn’t have to be asked twice. His mouth immediately descended again, his fingers sliding into her hair to change the angle of the kiss to suit him. It was a controlled, alpha thing to do, but she had only one thought—nothing about the usually carefully, purposely leashed Joe was in control at the moment.

And she liked it.

She had no idea how long they went at it because she was in absolute heaven. Who knew that the man could use his preferred silent mode to communicate in a way that she finally approved of?

Only when she was completely breathless and about to strip him down to his birthday suit did she manage to pull back.

“Any more questions?” he asked, also a little bit breathless, which was more than slightly gratifying. Dumbly, she shook her head. His eyes softened and he gently he stroked his thumb over her bottom lip. “And FYI? Gib’s an idiot.”[/scroll-box]

 

About Jill Shalvis:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Tumbler | Goodreads

 

TOP TEN TUESDAY – Favorite Hate to Love Romances

Top Ten Tuesday.13

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
This week was a Love Freebie!  So we chose a topic that we are all obsessed about…… hate to love romances.  We are sooooooo addicted to those.  So here are 13 of our Favorite Hate to Love Romances…….

 

Jen’s Review
Chelsea’s Review

Jen’s Review

1. Punk 57 by Penelope Douglas
Amazon * Goodreads
Jen – This book was both scorching hot and utterly heartbreaking.  Misha was brutal to Ryen, he was hurtful, mean and viscous.  BUT I more than got why he acted that way to her.  So it was impossible to be upset with him.  This is definitely one of my top favorite hate to love romances!!
Chelsea – I don’t know that I’ve read a more ‘hate’ to love romance ever-the vehemence with which Misha hates Ryen is breathtaking…and it makes you fall all the harder.

2.Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Amazon * Goodreads
Daemon’s feelings towards Katy are a conundrum and you will feel as though you are suffering from whiplash. One moment his words are lashing out at her, and the next moment he is being his sexy, intoxicating self.  I wanted to kick and punch him, but heaven help me because I fell for him hard.


Jen’s Review
 
Jen’s Review

3. Good Girl by Lauren Layne
Amazon * Goodreads

Noah was hurtful to Jenny.  He was the biggest jerk.  Actually, jerk is too nice of a word.  He was the biggest asshole.  Yet Noah completely deserved my love….you’ll find out why.  Annnndddddd – Who knew pink zip ties could be so sexy?!?!?!

4. Anew (The Archers of Avalon #1) by Chelsea Fine
Amazon * Goodreads
Tristan completely won over my heart and soul. His dark, sarcastic humor was intoxicating. His selflessness and bravery was endearing. But even though he was cold and standoffish to Scarlet, I couldn’t get enough of him. Tristan was everything I love, and so much more.


Jen’s Review

Chelsea’s Review

5. Angelfall (Penryn & the End of Days #1) by Susan Ee
Amazon * Goodreads
They’re enemies.  His kind has destroyed her world.  And even though Raffe is a creature who could decimate Penryn in a second, she stood up to him.  Oh my gosh…..I just loved how their relationship evolved as this trilogy progressed!

6. Falling Kingdoms (Falling Kingdoms #1) by Morgan Rhodes
Amazon * Goodreads
Ahhhh my favoritessss-Magnus really doesn’t like ANYONE…but he begins to find he has a soft spot for the girl with golden hair and blue eyes-but she hates him, too! 


Chelsea’s Choice

Chelsea’s Choice

7. The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black
Amazon * Goodreads
I’mmm not sure what went on here…but Cardan is one intense dude. He had me guessing from beginning to end.

8. Everless (Everless #1) by Sara Holland
Amazon * Goodreads
AGHH the feelssss. I can’t say anything…but by this being on the list, I hope my feelings are clear ;).


Chelsea’s Review

Arielle’s Review

9. Frostblood (Frostblood Saga #1) by Elly Blake
Amazon * Goodreads
I loved this book so very much, that much is no secret-Arcus and Ruby had heat from the moment they met…and the fact that he hated her at first sight only helped that matter 😛

10. From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
Amazon * Goodreads
IVAN LUKOV. Guys. He is….so good. The verbal sparring that went on between him and Jasmine was HILARIOUS. Oh man I was dying so many times laughing because of the horrible crap they said to each other..and his nickname for her. Lol, sigh.


Arielle’s Choice
Chelsea’s Review
 
Arielle’s Choice

11. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne
Amazon * Goodreads
Chelsea – Joshua and Lucy were forced together in one of the most competitive ways…in the same office. The tension between the two is high…but their chemistry is off the charts. I can’t even DEAL with how cute their ‘enemies’ to lovers relationship is ♥♥.️️

12. Dating You / Hating You by Christina Lauren
Amazon * Goodreads
It was an interesting take on the hating to loving trope because they had met BEFORE the chaos started and really hit it off. So that spark was there the entire time, even while the fighting commenced. Their prank war was HILARIOUS. I have not laughed out loud so many times at a book in quite awhile which was a relief after the emotional roller coaster that was ACOWAR.


Arielle’s Choice

13. The Winner’s Curse (The Winner’s Trilogy #1) by Marie Rutkoski
Amazon * Goodreads
I mean, this one isn’t a typical hate to love, but they’re legit enemies at first soooo–it counts, right? 😂.

 

So these are our Favorite Hate to Love Romances. Have you read any of these books already? Or are they still on your tbrs too? If not, then what book is your favorite hate to love romance?

 

BOOK REVIEW – From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata

BOOK REVIEW – From Lukov with Love by Mariana ZapataFrom Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one.

After seventeen years—and countless broken bones and broken promises—she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close.

But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she’s spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything.

Including Ivan Lukov.

Review:

My mom had always warned me that some people would always be eager to believe the worst. That was the unfortunate and shit truth. But I knew who I was and what I did. I couldn’t find it in me to regret it. At least most of the time. Maybe life would have been a lot easier if I’d had my sister’s sweetness or my mom’s personality, but I didn’t and I never would. You are who you are in life, and you either live that time trying to bend yourself to make other people happy, or… you don’t.

THIS BOOK. *incoherent mumbling* INSTANT TOP FIVE FAVORITE ROMANCE OF ALL TIME YOU GUYS, NO JOKE. I feel like I should apologize in advance for the number of lengthy quotes that will be in this review but if we’re being honest, I had WAY more highlighted and these were the ones I felt like I couldn’t live without. If you don’t end up wanting to read this book solely based on the quotes themselves…..then you must not have a heart, lol. But really.

But I wanted to win. I wanted this. I’d always wanted it. I’d bled for it, cried for it, bruised for it, had broken bones, had concussions, pulled just about every muscle in my body, never made friends, never went to a single school anything, never loved anyone, ignored my family, all for this. For this love that was greater than just about everything and anything I had ever known. For this sport that had given me the confidence to know I could get up after every fall I’d ever take.

I don’t even know where to begin here. I feel like this entire review is just going to be word vomit and fangirling and I am entirely alright with that so without further ado, I’ll dive right in. 

This book is about Jasmine Santos. Jasmine is a figure skater with hardcore determination. When we first start the book she’s in a bit of a slump. Her partner of three years ditched her without saying anything and because of her smartass/hardass mouth, she’s inherited the stigma of being hard to work with. Enter Ivan Lukov. Long-time enemy of Jasmine, total babe, world-champion pairs skater, and brother of Jasmine’s only friend (other than her family). It turns out that this tool of a guy (lol he’s really not tho) and his trainer want Jasmine to be the new half of his pair’s team and she’s just desperate enough for a win to agree.

Was I dying? Was this what having you heart broken felt like? Because if it was, I was sure fucking glad I’d never fallen in love before because goddamn. My God.

This was my first book written by Zapata so I really didn’t know what to expect going in other than seeing that it had a good rating already. What I did not expect was to fall so deep in love with these characters and their story that I would be fully immersed for a solid two days.

I’ll start with Jasmine since this book is about her. Right off the bat I loved her. She is so tough and BA and her inner monologues seemed to be pretty similar to my own sometimes (I’m a bit of a potty mouth so if you don’t like strong language, parts of this book might not be fun). You can tell she is SO passionate about figure skating and about her family and all of the sacrifices that she has made/ they have made for her throughout the years. Sometimes she can almost be too stubborn but I never got sick of it. For me, she was too real, too honest to ever dislike. Watching her go through the transformation that she did from cover to cover was incredible. I was so happy for her by the end when she realized that if she was going to win, it was going to be because she finally, truly believed in herself. Ugh what great character development.

“Is that a French bulldog?” We were already on the road and heading toward the nearest major freeway when Ivan nodded, his eyes on the rearview mirror. 
“Yes. The diva in the back is Lacey. She’s in time-out. I should’ve left her at home, but she can’t be in the car with anyone else other than Russ, and today’s his day for a ride.”

WHICH BRINGS ME TO IVAN LUKOV. Guys. He is….so good. The verbal sparring that went on between him and Jasmine was HILARIOUS. Oh man I was dying so many times laughing because of the horrible crap they said to each other..and his nickname for her. Lol, sigh. Really though, I also loved watching his journey, or at least the journey of Jasmine (and us as readers through her perspective) actually discovering who Ivan was as a person. He seems like such a stuck up, pretty boy at first until more of Jasmine’s walls get broken down and we see glimpse of this other Ivan. One that takes care of people when they’re sick and has five rescue pets that he treats like children (omg that part made die it was so cute). He is basically everything and to top it all off, is also the reason that Jasmine is able to have faith in herself—because he has an unwavering faith in her. It’s beautiful.

And after a beat, then five, I said, “We’ll win.” 
His gaze went even more intense as he said, with no hesitation, “You’re goddamn right we will.” He pressed his mouth, so quick, so hard against me, I didn’t have a chance to react until he pulled back an inch and said, hoarsely, his fingers threading through the damp hair right above the nape of my neck, “I’ll drag you back on the ice if I have to, Jasmine. I swear on my life.” Something about his words made me shake on the inside. Maybe it was the conviction. Maybe it was the anger. The passion. The reality that he wasn’t leaving me any room to not do what he said. Mostly though, it was something else completely. I loved him. I loved this man so much that losing him was going to break my cold, dead heart into so many pieces I was just going to have to stick them in the same box I kept my dreams and carry it around with me forever.

My other favorite part of this book was the Santos family. I come from a really close family myself and always love to read about other families that have close and hilarious dynamics such as this one. They all loved each other so much and meant so much to one another. I just about sobbed when Jasmine and Ivan were talking about how every family member has a specific favorite white Jasmine love them all equally, the good and the bad parts. I’m having a daughter (my first baby) mid-April and while the thought of being a mom is kind of scary, I know as long as I do my best to make sure that she knows that she is always loved and supported like Jasmine’s mom did with all of her children, then I know that I’ll be doing something right.

This was my partner. This was more than my partner. He was my other half. And the only thing I could do to thank him for this gift he’d given me, this knowledge that he thought I was invincible, was to make sure we won. I’d give him the thing he had wanted me for in the first place. I’d give him my fucking all.

So here it is. I honestly could probably go on to fangirl about this for another few thousand words but I hope you don’t need more to convince you. ESPECIALLY SINCE THE OLYMPICS ARE COMING UP. It’s relevant and just a damn good book. I honestly can’t wait to reread it again someday.

 
 

TOP TEN TUESDAY – Books That Have Been On Our TBR the Longest and We Still Haven’t Read

Top Ten Tuesday.13

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl
This week is – Books That Have Been On Our TBR the Longest and We Still Haven’t Read.  And they are….

 

(Arielle’s Choice)

(Arielle’s Choice)

1. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Amazon * Goodreads
A mysterious island.
An abandoned orphanage.
A strange collection of very curious photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive. A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

2. The Diviners (The Diviners #1) by Libba Bray
Amazon * Goodreads
Evangeline O’Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City–and she is ecstatic. It’s 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult. Evie worries he’ll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far.
When the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene, Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer. As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfurl in the city that never sleeps. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened….


(Arielle’s Choice)
 
(Arielle’s Choice)

3. The Monstrumologist (The Monstrumologist #1) by Rick Yancey
Amazon * Goodreads

So begins the journal of Will Henry, orphaned assistant to Dr. Pellinore War throp, a man with a most unusual specialty: monstrumology, the study of monsters. In his time with the doctor, Will has met many a mysterious late-night visitor, and seen things he never imagined were real. But when a grave robber comes calling in the middle of the night with a gruesome find, he brings with him their most deadly case yet.
Critically acclaimed author Rick Yancey has written a gothic tour de force that explores the darkest heart of man and monster and asks the question: When does a man become the very thing he hunts?

4. Finnikin of the Rock (Lumatere Chronicles #1) by Melina Marchetta
Amazon * Goodreads
Finnikin was only a child during the five days of the unspeakable, when the royal family of Lumatere were brutally murdered, and an imposter seized the throne. Now a curse binds all who remain inside Lumatere’s walls, and those who escaped roam the surrounding lands as exiles, persecuted and despairing, dying by the thousands in fever camps. In a narrative crackling with the tension of an imminent storm, Finnikin, now on the cusp of manhood, is compelled to join forces with an arrogant and enigmatic young novice named Evanjalin, who claims that her dark dreams will lead the exiles to a surviving royal child and a way to pierce the cursed barrier and regain the land of Lumatere. But Evanjalin’s unpredictable behavior suggests that she is not what she seems — and the startling truth will test Finnikin’s faith not only in her, but in all he knows to be true about himself and his destiny.


(Jen’s Choice)

(Jen’s Choice)

5. City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments #1) by Cassandra Clare
Amazon * Goodreads
When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder — much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing — not even a smear of blood — to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?
This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know…

6. Hush, Hush (Hush, Hush #1) by Becca Fitzpatrick
Amazon * Goodreads
Nora Grey is responsible and smart and not inclined to be reckless. Her first mistake was falling for Patch. .
Patch has made countless mistakes and has a past that could be called anything but harmless. The best thing he ever did was fall for Nora. .
After getting paired together in biology, all Nora wants to do is stay away from Patch, but he always seems to be two steps ahead of her. She can feel his eyes on her even when he is nowhere around. She feels him nearby even when she is alone in her bedroom. And when her attraction can be denied no longer, she learns the secret about who Patch is and what led him to her, as well as the dark path he is about to lead her down. Despite all the questions she has about his past, in the end, there may be only one question they can ask each other: How far are you willing to fall?.


(Jen’s Choice)

(Jen’s Choice)

7. Frigid (Frigid #1) by J. Lynn, Jennifer L. Armentroutf
Amazon * Goodreads
For twenty-one-year-old Sydney, being in love with Kyler isn’t anything new. They’d been best friends ever since he pushed her down on the playground and she made him eat a mud pie. Somewhere over the years, she fell for him and fell hard. The big problem with that? Kyler puts the ‘man’ in man-whore. He’s never stayed with a girl longer than a few nights, and with it being their last year in college, Syd doesn’t want to risk their friendship by declaring her love.
Kyler has always put Syd on a pedestal that was too high for him to reach. To him, she’s perfect and she’s everything. But the feelings he has for her, he’s always hidden away or focused on any other female. After all, Kyler will always be the poor boy from the wrong side of tracks, and Syd will always be the one girl he can never have.
But when they’re stranded together at a posh ski resort due to a massive Nor’easter, there’s nothing stopping their red-hot feelings for each other from coming to the surface. Can their friendship survive the attraction? Better yet, can they survive at all? Because as the snow falls, someone is stalking them, and this ski trip may be a life-changer in more ways than one.

8. Vampire Academy (Vampire Academy #1) by Richelle Mead
Amazon * Goodreads
St. Vladimir’s Academy isn’t just any boarding school—it’s a hidden place where vampires are educated in the ways of magic and half-human teens train to protect them. Rose Hathaway is a Dhampir, a bodyguard for her best friend Lissa, a Moroi Vampire Princess. They’ve been on the run, but now they’re being dragged back to St. Vladimir’s—the very place where they’re most in danger. . . .
Rose and Lissa become enmeshed in forbidden romance, the Academy’s ruthless social scene, and unspeakable nighttime rituals. But they must be careful lest the Strigoi—the world’s fiercest and most dangerous vampires—make Lissa one of them forever.


(Jen’s Choice)

(Jen’s Choice)

9. Daughter of Smoke & Bone (Daughter of Smoke & Bone #1) by Laini Taylor
Amazon * Goodreads
Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil’s supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.
And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.
Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she’s prone to disappearing on mysterious “errands”; she speaks many languages–not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she’s about to find out.
When one of the strangers–beautiful, haunted Akiva–fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

10. Legend (Legend #1) by Marie Lu
Amazon * Goodreads
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic’s wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic’s highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country’s most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.
From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths – until the day June’s brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family’s survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias’s death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.


So these are the Books That Have Been On Our TBR the Longest and We Still Haven’t Read. Have you read any of these books already?  Or are they still on your tbrs too?  If not, then what book has been on your tbr the longest?

 

BOOK REVIEW – Assassin of Truths (Library Jumpers #3) by Brenda Drake

BOOK REVIEW – Assassin of Truths (Library Jumpers #3) by Brenda DrakeAssassin of Truths (Library Jumpers #3)
by Brenda Drake
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

The gateways linking the great libraries of the world don’t require a library card, but they do harbor incredible dangers.

And it’s not your normal bump-in-the- night kind. The threats Gia Kearns faces are the kind with sharp teeth and knifelike claws. The kind that include an evil wizard hell-bent on taking her down.

Gia can end his devious plan, but only if she recovers seven keys hidden throughout the world’s most beautiful libraries. And then figures out exactly what to do with them.

The last thing she needs is a distraction in the form of falling in love. But when an impossible evil is unleashed, love might be the only thing left to help Gia save the world.

Review:

Assassin of Truth was fast paced, action packed, and a fabulous conclusion to the Library Jumpers trilogy!  And in this final review, I wanted to talk about the characters that affected me the most, which were Bastien, Gia and even Arik. But before I start, I have to recommend that you read this final book close to the previous books.  There’s a ton of people, locations, facts and clues that were sprinkled throughout the first two books and visited again in Assassin of Truth.  So if it isn’t fresh in your mind, you could get confused.  Okay, now on with the characters!  And of course I’m going to talk about Bastien first!

Before I went inside, Bastien caught my hand and kissed my temple. “Stay strong, Gianna.” It was the first time I saw fear in his striking blue eyes. We’d been through scarier things than this, and he had never flinched. An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach.
“We’ve got this,” I said, holding his stare.

Bastien

I won’t let you face the storm without me. If you fall, I fall. – Bastien to Gia

Sigh.  Bastien was EVERYTHING.  In case you missed me gushing about him in the first two books, here I go again lol.  I loved that Bastien loved Gia fiercely and would do anything to protect her, no matter the cost.  And while he showed his devotion in the second book, with his sacrifice, he does it again in this book. How could I not fall harder for him?  But that’s not all, I loved that not only is Bastien thoughtful and sexy, but he treats Gia as an equal.  He stands right by her side and he respects her.  Bastien was everything I could ever want in a book boyfriend and I found myself loving every single thing there was about him.

Gia

More heads bowed as I passed.
That last word sounded like
salvation. I was just a girl. How could I be that for them? This was too big for me.

Gia had such a tough road ahead of her.  She had so much growing up to do while having the weight of the world on her shoulders.  Yet she preserved again and again.  Did she make mistakes along the way?  Oh yeah.  But that’s one of the many reasons I loved her.  She wasn’t perfect and she had still so much learn.  Especially when it came to relationships.  And while I wanted to knock some sense into her, the few times she butted heads with Bastien, I knew better.  Because here’s the HUGE thing about Gia.  She always comes to her senses.  Even if it took a while for her to assess and analyze everything.  And I absolutely loved that about her!  But the thing I loved most about her, was even though she was 17, she tried her hardest to be true to who she was and protect those that she loved.  Looking back, I’m SO extremely proud of how far she has come since Thief of Lies.

Arik

“Gia.” He grabbed my hands, squeezing them tight around the cold bars. “Come with me. You don’t belong in the middle of this.”
“I was born to be in the middle of this,” I said.- Gia & Arik

Oh Arik.  Him and I never really meshed.  I never once believed that he was the right guy for Gia.  And this book solidified that opinion.  We watched as Arik struggled hard in this book.  His choices failed him.  His blind loyalty failed him.  He didn’t trust or have faith in Gia.  And he never seemed to grasp when his actions or words hurt her.  He had so much learning and growing up to do.  And I loved watching him struggle and find his way in Assassin of Truth.  I want to say more, but just know that I’m very thankful for how his story wrapped up.

He kissed me deeply, as if it would be the last chance we’d ever have. I wrapped my arms around his neck, wanting desperately to keep him there with me. Tears slipped from my eyes. – Bastien & Gia

But Assassin of Truth encompassed so much more than Bastien, Gia and Arik.  There was Emily, Demos, Lei, Jaran, Royston, Deirdre, The Red, Nick, Edgar who was Philip’s guard, Uncle Philip and so many more.  And they each added so much to this beautiful story.  I cherished each and every one of them.  My only hiccup I had with this book was that there were a lot of places and names to remember.  And sometimes I got confused or couldn’t place them, even though I knew we had already met them or been there in the past.  But regardless, this story was so much fun and I loved all of the magic found in the pages!  The ending was beyond fabulous and if there’s ever a future novella showing what everyone is up to, I couldn’t pre-order it fast enough!

*ARC kindly provided by Entangled Publishing:Teen via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Reading Order & Links:
Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
thief of lies brenda drake
Thief of Lies #1
Review:

Jen
guardian-of-secrets-brenda-drake
Guardian of Secrets #2
Review:

Jen

Assassin of Truths #3
Reviews:

Jen
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