Category: Review (Page 138 of 295)

BOOK REVIEW: Outlander (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon

January 25, 2019 / Chelsea / 6 Comments

Outlander (Outlander #1)
by Diana Gabaldon
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord...1743.

Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life, and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire—and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

For where all love is, the speaking is unnecessary. It is all. It is undying. And it is enough.

I have many other reviews that I was supposed to post before this one but, frankly, I don’t care. When a book sweeps you off your feet, you take that passion and make into a review because you damn well feel like it. When I picked this up, I had no clue if I’d enjoy it or not-in fact, I have a long-winded story that goes along with this series, and I don’t want to bore you with the details but, well, that’s kind of what I do. So…

…knowing, as so many other edible creatures have found, that there is protection in numbers. And that knowledge, bred in the bone, is what lies behind mob rule. Because to step outside the group, let alone to stand against it, was for uncounted thousands of years death to the creature who dared it. To stand against a crowd would take something more than ordinary courage; something that went beyond human instinct. And I feared I did not have it, and fearing, was ashamed.

I have a weird-um-thing with accents. I don’t really enjoy reading them in stories, especially heavy accents, so this series just never has appealed to me. English? Okay, I can deal with a British tone if the writing is good alongside the Brit speak. But Scottish? I don’t know-this is hard for me. It’s probably the ONE accent I swore I’d never read. Back in 2014/2015 when my lovely buddy was big into these, I told her I was ABSOLUTELY UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES EVER GOING TO PICK UP THESE BOOKS. Then the show came out. But still-I was not moved (even if that guy they cast is hella good looking and I was partially tempted). And, plus, this was such a long time ago. I did NOT read very big fantasies, at the time, and it seemed like a really big deal to me to undertake such a behemoth of a book. I did like fantasy-I loved it! But it wasn’t my main focus and it all seemed so daunting to jump into the larger fantasies.

The sun was setting. The last rays of light shone through a blue glass flagon that stood on the table, streaking the wall with a shaft of brilliant lapis. I felt as fragile and as brilliant as the glass, as though I would shatter with a touch, and fall in glittering fragments to the floor. If I had meant to spare either Jamie’s emotions or my own, it seemed I was very much too late.

Fast forward to 2018, a couple months ago, and I see a picture of Mr. Jamie on GR (Yeah, good marketing, bravo, really) and a quote underneath it (in his heavy Scottish tone, no less) and something happened that day-my heart stirred and my breath quickened or shallowed or whatever you want to say-I got the feels, okay?

That man and those bookish quote feels happened and I knew it was time. I’m a big girl now. All I really read is fantasy, I’m hard to please (urmm kind of?), and, frankly, BBFs are few and far between (bahaha okay, no, not really but whatever) and I just-I’m always on the search for a book or series these days that will take my breath away and completely consume my soul-it’s been a tough road, this year, for series. All I could deal with were standalones, it seemed, because series were so underwhelming to me. But then came August-now. And will you look at that? I HAVE BEEN A SERIES BINGING FOOL. It turns out that fantasy/historical fiction is my JAM. The diviners + Outlander. WTF? Will wonders never cease?

That’s right. The girl who is against all things historical (mostly) and accents read two of the most daunting type books ever and they kicked my teeth in with the feels. Which, this just goes to show you that my feelings have been right all along on this matter: You read what you feel. I would NEVER have liked the Diviners three years ago-maybe not even a year ago. Outlander would have bored me to death. Maybe it’s because I had a little girl. Maybe it’s because I’ve been faced with appreciating the finer things in life. Whatever the reason, I have found a Genre that steals my heart almost every time I pick it up-and that genre is fantasy.

“Now, then. What does ‘fucking’ mean?”
My surprise must have shown plainly, for he said irritably, “If ye must call me names, that’s one thing. But I dinna care to be called things I can’t answer. I know it’s a damn filthy word, from the way ye said it, but what does it mean?”

Anyway. My point is, this book is just absolutely wonderful-but it’s not going to be for everybody. For me, I found humor in the smallest places, the silliest moments, like when they’d fight, or Claire’s voice. I’d be angry at the most pivotal moments-There were just, ugh, so many triggers. There really were….yet I just loved this story so much. Then there was Jamie and, well, where do I even START??

“I can bear pain, myself,” he said softly, “but I couldna bear yours. That would take more strength than I have.”

Jamie is, was, and will always be the heart of this book. He is kind, thoughtful, and without a doubt one of the most selfless heroes I’ve ever met. Really. The things he did, the things he sacrificed, the way he loved Claire so deeply and wholly, the way he trusted her so faithfully and supported her wholeheartedly…It’s unparalleled. And she was willing to leave him in the blink of an eye, for a while. I just-I can’t. He is the epitome of a book boyfriend and I cannot fathom never meeting him-shame on me. But I am so glad I chose a time when I was mature enough to fully cherish him, because he is worth the wait.

I mean, I’ve held women in my arms before, and kissed them, and … well.
…
He reached out and touched my lower lip, barely brushing the edge. “It starts out the same, but then, after a moment,” he said, speaking softly, “suddenly it’s as though I’ve a living flame in my arms.” His touch grew firmer, outlining my lips and caressing the line of my jaw. “And I want only to throw myself into it and be consumed.”

And I don’t say this lightly-yes, I love my book boyfriends, but-Jamie is on another level. The dedication and bravery and loyalty and willingness to save Claire at all costs-and I DO mean ALL costs-literally. It’s spell-binding. And I don’t think my heart was even close to ready for it.

Getting up once in the dark to go adventuring is a lark. Twice in two days smacks of masochism.

Babies and animals and pregnancy and probably more things than I can possibly remember, this book gutted me with the issues it brought forth. And, for other people (didn’t bother me at all, but I’m a different sort)-View Spoiler ». Those are the things to watch out for, FYI.

There is a fine line sometimes, between justice and brutality.

And thus concludes my book review that always somehow turns into a book in and of itself. If it weren’t for the fact that these books are so. Dang. LONG. I would already be halfway through book 2 by now. But, alas, I’m just not able to skip out on other books I was excited to read about before the year’s end, but I’m ecstatic to start the next book-and the tv show-in 2019! I know I’m getting some Outlander goodies for Christmas, and I just can hardly contain myself-this book got me through my surgery, and it got me out of it. I love it and it will always hold a very special place in my heart.

*****

If I’m being honest, I finished this book more than a week ago-but, unfortunately, I was on the mend after emergency surgery to get my appendix removed sooooo that’s why I haven’t been able to post anything for a while. But, in one gif, this is how this series, this book, and my darling Jamie made me feel:

RTC.

View all my reviews

REVIEW, GIVEAWAY & EXCERPT: Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry

January 24, 2019 / Jen / 7 Comments

I absolutely loved Only A Breath Apart and I’m so thankful to be on this tour! So check out my 5 Star Review below and enter a fabulous giveaway! Enjoy!

REVIEW, GIVEAWAY & EXCERPT: Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry

Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
They say your destiny is carved in stone. But some destinies are meant to be broken.

The only curse Jesse Lachlin believes in is his grandmother’s will: in order to inherit his family farm he must win the approval of his childhood best friend, the girl he froze out his freshman year.

A fortuneteller tells Scarlett she's psychic, but what is real is Scarlett’s father’s controlling attitude and the dark secrets at home. She may be able to escape, but only if she can rely on the one boy who broke her heart.

Each midnight meeting pushes Jesse and Scarlett to confront their secrets and their feelings, but as love blooms, the curse rears its ugly head…

Review:

Only a Breath Apart was a beautifully, emotional story. It held my heart in the palm of its hand and I kept finding moments here and there that stole my breath away. This book was filled with heartfelt characters and friendship, love, forgiveness, bravery and finding oneself was a huge part of this story. If you’ve never picked up a Katie McGarry book, know that one of my favorite things about her stories are the characters she creates. They always feel so real, it’s like I could reach into the pages and touch them. So yes, I definitely recommend this book! It’s one that will stay with me for a long time to come.

I loved him once—the way a six-year-old loves with abandon. I loved him how I once loved myself. Jesse was freedom when so much of my life meant confinement. He was laughter during dark nights, he was the warrior who scared the monsters under my bed away . . . he was my friend.

Stepping into this story, I was already gutted within those first two chapters. We jumped back in time and got to see Jesse Lachlan and Scarlett Copeland as children. While they were both from extremely broken homes, as children they always had each other. Jesse and Scarlett were not only neighbors, but best friends too. It hurt to watch them both witness abuse and I could feel their fear pouring off the pages. I was heartbroken with how hard their lives already were. But years later, we caught up with them when they were 17. And while they were both still in a world of pain, they were no longer friends with one another.

Jesse has done this a handful of times since our freshman year. Glance at me as if I’m someone worth looking at, someone worth laughing with a little too loud and smiling with a little too much. Then he remembers who I am and snaps his gaze to someone else.
But he’s not looking away now.

From one event, Scarlett bridged the gap between them and set them on a path. One that was filled with hope, redemption, heartache, friendship and even the possibility of love. Hold on though, because it was definitely not an easy path. Not only do they have their own personal struggles, but there was distance between them. Even with that distance, when Scarlett and Jesse had the tiniest amount of interaction, I was smiling and sighing out loud. I just wanted them both to find happiness, and I knew they could find it in each other.

Scarlett lifts her head and smiles . . . at me. It’s a gentle smile, and one that causes a spike of excitement in my blood . It’s as if the sun has melted off her outer shell and has revealed the girl I once knew, and a woman I want to get to know.

Scarlett was a girl who made me feel every single emotion she did. I felt suffocated by the way her father treated her and in other moments her fear consumed me. Chills ran down my back and the hair stood up on my arm. I found myself terrified for Scarlett and the life she was stuck in. Thankfully, she started to find her voice and I was so proud of her. Scarlett was strong, resilient, loving and I kept hoping her life would change. That every moment could feel like when she was with Jesse. Because when Scarlett was with Jesse, it felt like she could be breathe.

The breeze plays with the ends of her hair, and I capture that moment. A snapshot of something I want to remember. Scarlett’s back on my land. My friend. My foe. The person who used to push me, compete with me and made me alive. My Tink.

Jesse captured my heart by listening, helping and always caring for Scarlett when she came back into his life. While I had my guess for why he shut her out his freshman year, I was still upset with him. That didn’t affect that I loved him with my whole heart and soul. I quickly connected with Jesse, just like Scarlett. They both struggled and saw more in their lifetime than anyone should. But Jesse had a family curse and he was fighting to keep what belonged to him. His land. As the story unfolded it became evident that if Scarlett and Jesse both wanted what they desperately needed, they’d have to work together.

“Scarlett, there are two times that I can breathe in deeply without wincing in pain, and being with you is one of them. If I could, I’d keep you here forever.”

My third favorite person in this story was Glory Gardner. She was a distant cousin to Jesse and played such an important role in Scarlett and Jesse’s life. I don’t want to say what role she played, but Glory fascinated me with her tarot cards and being able to converse with the spirits. So I kept hoping that she would lead Jesse and Scarlet into happier times. Because they more than deserved it!

His fingers trail up and down my arm and the sensation tickles, causing pleasing goose bumps along my skin. There’s a safety that radiates from his touch. A safety I wish I could take with me wherever I go.

Only a Breath Apart was so easy to devour, even with the story constantly pulling on my heart. So many times I’d go from smiles, to having my heart in my throat and then to having tears pour down my face. It was such an emotional book. So when I finished that last page, I was so thankful that I stepped into Jesse and Scarlett’s lives. Now I can’t wait to devour whatever Katie McGarry writes next!

PS I’d love a look into the future! If Jesse and Scarlett ever have a novella about where the road takes them, I’d one click that so fast!

Here are a few more of my favorite quotes:

Each time I think it’s impossible for my heart to hurt any more than it already does, it finds another painfully imaginative way to twist. – Scarlett

Second star on the right. I haven’t been Tink to his Peter Pan for a long time. But watching Jesse head off to the land the two of us conquered in battles that belonged in our heads creates a sense of nostalgia I can’t ignore. I start for the land that calls to Jesse, the land that used to call to me. It’s definitely time for an adventure.

I hate myself because I wish I could feel. I wish I were normal. I wish I wasn’t me.- Scarlett

I will always risk everything to save her. She didn’t know it then. She doesn’t know it now. Scarlett once said she was empty. I’ve never been empty. I’ve been loved, and I’ve loved in return, but I don’t do it with many. She was one of the few. Still is. Always will be.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by Macmillan-Tor/Forge. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Excerpt:

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~SCARLETT~

Evangeline fans herself. “That boy is hot.”

Hot isn’t exactly the word I would use for him. Hot somehow feels…lacking. Hot is for some boy in our gym class who has recently grown facial hair. Jess Lachlin is no boy. He has fire-red hair, a sun kissed tan from all the hours working on his land, deep green eyes and a body made to handle rough, rugged days.

I might have been ignoring Jesse for years, but I’ve seen him. Every girl in this school has gone out of her way to drive or walk along one of the country roads to watch Jesse as he works his land. Living across the street, I’ve had a front-row view. His shirt off, drenched in sweat, muscles rippling as he moves, the way he sometimes pauses in his front yard and looks across the road as if he knows I’m watching. A fluttering in my chest and then—

“Would you date him?” Evangeline asks.

“No.” Camila’s answer is swift. “And it’s not like he dates anyone. Except for his friends, the boy is a recluse.”

“Why wouldn’t you?” The kneejerk question surprises even me when it pops out of my mouth. Camila and Evangeline look at me as if those were the first words I’d ever spoken. If I could hide under the circulation desk without making this moment worse, I would.

“Besides the fact he’s cursed and anyone a Lachlin falls in love with drops dead?” Camila walks toward me and Evangeline follows. Camila watches me with more curiosity than I care for, but it’s nice that she’s moving the conversation in my direction. “Jesse’s a train wreck, and he taints anyone in his vicinity. Dating him would be a social, emotional and literal death sentence.”

I’m familiar with the curse, and it’s no truer than Glory and her prophesies. “That sounds melodramatic.”

“It’s not.” Camila has a swear-to-God seriousness to her. “Mom and Dad had Bible study at our house last night, and Pastor Hughes came. Everyone thought I was in the basement, but I went to the kitchen for something to drink, and I heard Pastor Hughes ask everyone what they knew about Jesse.”

Eavesdropping. How Camila.

“Did you know that before Veronica started hanging with Jesse that she was on track to be a concert pianist?” Camila says.

“Seriously?” Evangeline tilts her head in disbelief, and I’ll admit to putting down my cell.

“Seriously. And Leo Wheeling was a star soccer player, predicted to be the first freshman to play varsity for our high school, and then he started hanging out with Jesse.”

Faint middle school memories of hearing Leo’s name over the announcements regarding soccer emerge in my mind.

“Then someone said that before Nazareth Kravitz moved here, he had taken the ACT in the seventh grade and received a perfect score. He moved here, met Jesse and the rest is history.”

Nazareth sleeps through most of our classes, that is, when he bothers showing for school.

I nibble on my bottom lip as I’m not sure how much I like the Jesse-is-the-devil enthusiasm. I may share the opinion, but that doesn’t mean anyone else should.

“Of course, then there’s Jesse himself. Drinking, drugs.”

“The fights,” Evangeline pipes in.

“Don’t forget the suspensions—”

“And he’s been arrested!” Evangeline finishes Camila’s statement like the two share a brain. Her eyes sparkle like that precious piece of scandalous gossip was just too good not to spread.

“The boy is a walking disaster,” Camila continues. “Anyone who hangs out with him wants to become a loser. It doesn’t matter he’s going to be a millionaire once he sells his grandmother’s land. Anyone who spends time with Jesse is asking for hurt.”

“And death.”

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^Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

^{About Katie McGarry:}

Katie is the author of the PUSHING THE LIMITS series, THUNDER ROAD series, SAY YOU’LL REMEMBER ME, and the upcoming YA novel, ONLY A BREATH APART. Her novels have received starred reviews, critical acclaim and have won multiple awards including being a multiple Goodreads Choice Award Finalist for YA Fiction, multiple RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Award Finalist for Best YA Fiction, including a win in the category, and she was a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick.

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

Tour Schedule:

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January 21^st

@booksniffer7 – Review

Bickering Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

Book Ballistic – Excerpt

Book Hoarder Mom – Review

Brittany and Elizabeth’s Book Boutique – Review & Excerpt

Celindareyesblog – Excerpt

Cinta Garcia de la Rosa – Excerpt

Crystal’s Book World – Excerpt

Do You Dog-ear? – Review & Excerpt

Little Shop of Readers – Excerpt

Novel Addiction – Excerpt

Resch Reads & Reviews – Review

Sister Sister Book Blog – Excerpt

This Jabberwocky Eats Books – Excerpt

Writing My Own Fairy Tale – Review

January 22^nd

A Book Lovers Playlist – Excerpt

Beware Of The Reader – Excerpt

Beyourselfbebhaltair – Review & Excerpt

Booknerd1107 – Review

CeliaMoontown – Review & Excerpt

Crazy Chaotic Book Babes – Review & Excerpt

Echoing Books – Excerpt

GataLeitora – Excerpt

Its a mun thing – Excerpt

Mean Girls Luv Books – Excerpt

Mythical Books – Excerpt

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Playing for Keeps (Heartbreaker Bay #7) by Jill Shalvis

January 22, 2019 / Jen / 4 Comments

I absolutely love this series and couldn’t wait to get my hands on Playing for Keeps! So check out my review below and enter in a fabulous giveaway! Enjoy!

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Playing for Keeps (Heartbreaker Bay #7) by Jill Shalvis

Playing for Keeps (Heartbreaker Bay #7)
by Jill Shalvis
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
If you’re planning on falling in love…

When it comes to the confident, charismatic Caleb Parker, Sadie Lane feels the spark—the kind that comes from rubbing each other the wrong way. She’s yoga pants, he’s a suit. She’s a tattoo artist, he’s a straight-laced mogul. But after they accidentally co-rescue an abandoned dog from a storm, Sadie sees a vulnerable side to the seemingly invincible hottie.

you’d better be sure…

Caleb doesn’t do emotions. Growing up the underdog, he’s learned the hard way to build up an impenetrable wall. Perfect for business. Disastrous for relationships. He’s never worried about it before—not until he finally gets behind Sadie’s armor and begins to fall.

… someone is there to catch you.

Both guarded and vulnerable, Sadie and Caleb are complete opposites. Or are they? Shocked at their undeniable connection, can they ever admit to wanting more? That all depends on what they’re each willing to risk.

Review:

Playing for Keeps was a heartwarming love story where opposites attract. With the help of their friends and a dog that quickly stole both of their hearts, destiny seemed to be in the air. I absolutely adore the Heartbreaker Bay Series and I couldn’t wait to read Caleb and Sadie’s story! While each book can easily be read as a standalone, I highly recommend starting back at the beginning. You don’t want to miss a moment with this group of friends and coworkers.

He was everything she no longer let herself want.

Sadie Lane opened her heart up to us from that very first chapter. The relationship she had with her mother was heart wrenching and she was jaded towards men. But thankfully Sadie was working hard doing something she loved. She was building up her clientele as a tattoo artist, but to make ends meets she also works at a spa. Finances were tight and she was definitely struggling, so I found myself sympathetic to her from that very first chapter.

“Not interested,”said her mouth.
Her brain though, it was telling her a different story.
He just grinned. He knew. Dammit. She forced her gaze off his body and into his eyes.

One dark and stormy night, Sadie found herself helping Caleb Parker rescue a dog. Caleb was someone who had been around Sadie for the last year. They knew mutual people, worked near one another, but Sadie quickly labeled him Suits. She didn’t ever stop to think that his past wasn’t just a golden spoon. Or how hard he worked to get to where he was. But when they both ended up rescuing a three-legged dog, Sadie named Lollipop, everything slowly started to change.

He’d taken Lollipop to a pet park. He held her hand whenever she got scared. Damn. The man was dangerous to her heart and soul.
Which made him the very opposite of perfect . . .

I have fallen for every single male Jill Shalvis has created, so of course I heart Caleb. While he was in the Forbes top 100 and was labeled a billionaire, he was so much more than that. Caleb was the most kind, patient, compassionate and thoughtful man ever. He loved his family deeply and helped to take care of them. They were such a huge part of his life. And I loved watching how his sisters would meddle in his love life, whoops lol. But Sadie intrigued Caleb from the beginning, and no matter what was thrown at them, he fought for them to be together.

“I keep telling you, there’s no this.”
“Are you sure?” Very slowly and carefully, clearly giving her plenty of time to get away if she really wanted, he stepped into her, making her extremely aware that she now stood hemmed in between the alley wall and his body, neither quite touching her.

Even though they now shared a dog, Sadie still had her walls up high and was closed off. As they started to spend more time around each other, Sadie realized she judged Caleb wrong. And while she started to share herself with him, it was not always easy. You see, she lacked faith and jumped to conclusions at times with Caleb. It hurt not only them, but me too. Especially when she wouldn’t just take a breath and listen. Thankfully Caleb had the most patience ever and thankfully Sadie knew how to apologize and step up her game. Their road to a HEA was an emotional journey, but I kept faith that it would all work out in the end.

When he was gone, she looked at Lollipop. “Okay, maybe I see a tiny bit of why you heart him so much. But just a little bit, mind you.”

Luckily they both had help from their friends, Ivy, Rocco and Spence. Plus Lollipop. Lollipop was so important to this story. Not only did she initially bring them together, but she helped them. She got them to see each other in different ways. She helped them grow as friends and slowly into something more. It didn’t even matter that she was really good at interrupting them lol. Lollipop added a ton of heart to this story, she was the hugest star ever! Just don’t tell Caleb I said that!

“Okay, fine,” Sadie said. “I know what I have to do.”
Ivy narrowed her eyes. “Do you really?”
“Sure.”
Ivy shook her head. “You don’t have a clue, do you?”
Sadie’s eyes filled. “No,” she whispered.
“You follow your heart.”

So if you’re a fan of Jill Shalvis, this series or stories where a kind man, an adorable dog and a women who’s learning how to love and trust fill the pages then definitely pick up this book. This story made me smile so much and this is completely random but I loved Sadie’s take on food. I love that she requested In N Out, they’re my favorite burgers in the world, and I’m a huge sucker for muffins and everything else she loved too! Playing for Keeps was an adorable love story and I can’t wait to see who the next book in this series is about!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

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About Jill Shalvis:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jill Shalvis writes warm, funny, sexy contemporary romances and women’s fiction. An Amazon, BN & iBooks bestseller, she’s also a two-time RITA winner and has more than 10 million copies of her books sold worldwide.

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Giveaway:

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BOOK REVIEW: Tangled Like Us (Like Us #4) by Krista and Becca Ritchie

January 21, 2019 / Arielle / 2 Comments

Tangled Like Us (Like Us #4)
by Krista and Becca Ritchie
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
How to protect your heart:
Let your bodyguard have it.

Jane Cobalt is an American princess. The loyal and painfully curious twenty-three-year-old has inherited immense pressure to preserve the Cobalt legacy. But for Jane — sex, love, and life have been a series of royal failures.

After a friends-with-benefits ended in disaster, she's sworn to a “no sex” hiatus for, well, eternity — and she has no intention of letting anyone in her bed and definitely not her heart.

Twenty-eight-year-old Thatcher Moretti is painfully professional. As the stern 24/7 bodyguard to Jane, thinking about unbridled sex with his sweet client is a sin. One that he keeps committing.

But the real act is a hard line he’d never cross.

When a family member betrays Jane's trust, the media becomes obsessed with matchmaking the perpetually “single” Jane Cobalt and unwanted attention suddenly compromises her safety.

Thatcher would do anything to protect her, and one solution may level the threats:

Become the fake boyfriend to an American princess.

Entwined together with boiling chemistry, new “professional” parameters, and an oath, unsaid feelings threaten to rise and change everything.

The Like Us series is a true series, one continuous timeline, that follows a family of wealthy celebrities and the people that protect them.

Review:

“I like to believe in family first,” I tell Jane. “And there’s something about a generational tradition that seems fucking powerful to me.”

Lololol I’m in so deep with this family it’s not even funny at this point. This book was everything I wanted it to be and more, to say the least. I have been wanting Jane and Thatcher’s story since the time Thatcher made sure all of Jane’s cats were safe when they escaped the townhouse. We never truly saw much from him other than a tough and stoic exterior so you better believe I was dying to dive into his POV.

“It’s not checkmate yet,” I say to myself. I’m not a sad little cub about to be eaten. I’m a motherfucking lion.

Their relationship in this book was LITERAL PERFECTION. First of all, who doesn’t love a “fake” relationship that will guarantee turn into a real one? I honestly thought it was hilarious how fast they both said, screw the rules. Especially Thatcher. UGH. Seriously. They were so hot together I can barely stand it. Also, I was slightly worried that at some point one of them would try to hide feelings or that there would be some kind of miscommunication because nine times out of ten there ALWAYS is one. Nope, not here. These two were straightforward with each other right out of the gate. There were no hidden feelings, no beating around the bush. I freaking loved every second of it. Honestly I think these two have the most wholesome relationship out of all the pairings?? Maybe??? These Ritchie girls have time and time again written my favorite relationships of all times (family, romantic, AND friend oriented). I need their second book so badly it hurts.

“I want to know all about you, but I can’t ask fast enough—and when I think about you, I wonder what your hands have held. What your eyes have seen.”My pulse has skyrocketed, but I keep speaking. “What your ears have heard and where your feet have landed.”

There were just two..maybe three small things that I noticed while reading this that gave me pause. One, I realized how frustrating Moffy and Farrow’s back and forth is so me. Love them together, don’t love their particular brand of banter. Oh well. Two, in the very back of my mind I kept thinking about how I couldn’t comprehend how these families are STILL dealing with this batshit crazy level of stalker/hater fans and paparazzi. Nuts, but what do I know about famous people and their crazy followers? Not much. Third (and this one actually just gave me a good laugh) how freaking hilarious is it going to be when two more Omega body guards get paired off with two more of the famous ones bhahahaha. I want to know how much Price is going to flip his lid (and what the parents will think bhahaha). These things are all VERY minor though and I am ride or die for these characters. Super nervous about Tony and I’m sure he’ll be a threat of some kind in their next book but I trust Thatcher to take him out if need be, lol. BTW IF YOU COULDN’T TELL I LOVE THATCHER MORETTI. He may have pushed his way into top three guys from their books…Connor and Ryke are my one and two obviously…I’m obsessed.

I approach my grandma at the table. Short gray hair, petite, wrinkles and age spots blemishing her frail skin—her eyes already fill with tears seeing that I’m about to go. I take a knee in front of her chair and kiss her cheek. Whispering, “I wish we could stay longer with you.”
My grandma places a loving hand against my jaw, cradling my face.“You put too much on yourself, you hear? There’s only one thing you need to remember. Just one.” She brings my face closer to hers. “Be happy.”

^Ummmm not going to lie that quote made me cry because I’ll bet they added it for their grandma that just recently passed away and I lost my grandma (really the only grandparent living while I was growing up) over eight years ago and I still miss her every single day. So sorry for your loss, girls. I’m sure she was so proud of your writing.♥

BOOK REVIEW: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

January 18, 2019 / Chelsea / 8 Comments

Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
From the New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens comes an imaginative fantasy about an apprentice at a magical library who must battle a powerful sorcerer to save her kingdom.

All sorcerers are evil. Elisabeth has known that as long as she has known anything. Raised as a foundling in one of Austermeer’s Great Libraries, Elisabeth has grown up among the tools of sorcery—magical grimoires that whisper on shelves and rattle beneath iron chains. If provoked, they transform into grotesque monsters of ink and leather. She hopes to become a warden, charged with protecting the kingdom from their power.

Then an act of sabotage releases the library’s most dangerous grimoire. Elisabeth’s desperate intervention implicates her in the crime, and she is torn from her home to face justice in the capital. With no one to turn to but her sworn enemy, the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, and his mysterious demonic servant, she finds herself entangled in a centuries-old conspiracy. Not only could the Great Libraries go up in flames, but the world along with them.

As her alliance with Nathaniel grows stronger, Elisabeth starts to question everything she’s been taught—about sorcerers, about the libraries she loves, even about herself. For Elisabeth has a power she has never guessed, and a future she could never have imagined.

**ARC provided by Publisher-I have SO MANY QUOTES I WANT TO SHARE-but I love getting ARCs more. SO hopefully I’ll have the time to come back and add quotes in the future when it releases! 😊 **

You have no idea-no idea-what it means to me to have received this ARC. An Enchantment of Ravens was my favorite book of 2017 after Rook stole my heart completely and Isobel fought her way through my crusty exterior, as well. It would belittle my love for this author to say her writing and stories are anything less than extraordinary as she has proved not once, but twice, that she is an amazingly fierce story-teller. No, it wasn’t just a fluke, her first book-It’s clear she has much to say and will continue to do so with her hauntingly beautiful YA fantasies.

I’ll admit that the first bit of this book scared me a little because it didn’t start out in a way that appealed to me as quickly as her first work did…but those apprehensive thoughts were quickly shattered when the first grimoire burst onto the scene and put our MC into an absolutely irredeemable situation. And perhaps the most charming thing about this book is the vulnerability and innocence of our main character-bound by duty, but without the slightest clue as to what she was up against-and the unbending will she has to remain loyal, even as everything is spiraling into madness around her.

She knows what she saw, but what she doesn’t know is who to trust. She has a deadly secret, one that may get her killed, or worse, forgotten-sent to an insane asylum where no one ever remembers the inhabitants that reside there. But there is someone who seems to at least care about her well-being a teensy bit, for the most part, and that’s the sorcerer (sorcerers-with which she grew up being told not to trust) who she met when he visited the library before an unlikely chain of events made her the most wanted girl by the most powerful man.

And this is where I just…fell in love. Yes, the danger-of course-but the bond between Silas and Nathaniel, and then with Nathaniel and Elisabeth. And, even, Silas with Elisabeth. I think, in some part, Silas is what makes this book possible. You’ll see what I mean if you read, naturally, but it shows from the beginning just how powerful his bond is with Nathaniel, what he’d do to make him happy, how he helps unflinchingly when most other demon servants don’t care one way or another what happens to their masters. And I understand that this sounds like dribble if you haven’t read the book, but just know that Nathaniel trusts Silas while no one else trusts the demons in their household…because Silas cared for him when there was no one else.

It might come as shocking, as well, that Nathaniel is actually a supremely tortured hero-during the day he’s witty, funny, snarky, protective, and he keeps Eliasabeth at arm’s length, though we have no clue why. Being naïve, she REALLY has no idea-we as readers know he’s just trying to protect her. But, besides the imminent danger she’s in, from what is he protecting her from? And this is a layer in the story that truly seized my soul, because we all know I love a hero who hides scars beneath, who has a story we don’t know or understand that makes them feel inadequate or dangerous. I love these story-lines, and adding Silas’s snark on the matter only adds more heart to the story.

And, naturally, this is a wonderfully addictive slow-burn romance, though it never once took the spotlight in the story. The author warned that, while AEOR was a Fairy-Tale Fantasy, this would only be a YA fantasy, with a-wait for it-smidgen of romance.

Yes…just. Yes. And, even with all of that warning, I still felt like the romance soared onto the pages like a raging inferno…and straight into my heart. That’s TWICE this author has written a romance that knocked me on my feels out of nowhere, and, it’s a gift, really, a talent. I love romance, I really do, but I truly only fall for the fantasies that have a spattering of it in the story, hidden behind a compelling plot and dangerous, high-stakes moments. Which, obviously, that was the case here, so I need not look any further.

And, even more than that…this book made me sob, at the end. I really don’t cry often in books, even though I always seem like an emotional mess, it’s truly not the case. I rarely cry. But, for some reason (just GUESS, UGH, Shoot me in my HEART already), the end hit me harder than I thought possible. The friendship between these three, the loyalty, the unrequited love (so they think) between Nathaniel and Elisabeth, the vulnerability, the humor, and the sense of a girl (and, really, a boy) never quite being able to find a home or a place they feel like they belong, misfits of a sort, until they found each other-it all just built up into a crashing crescendo of feels and the end finally knocked me out. I was depleted. I was hopeful. My soul was pieced together then ripped apart violently…and then there was hope. Again.

I can’t even begin to explain all the feelings I experienced while reading this coveted ARC, but I can try. And I hope that this review shed a positive light on how wonderful this book made me feel after becoming depleted and depressed after a totally random appendix ER situation (which, in turn, is why this review is JUST NOW being written) where I wasn’t able to do anything I normally do, rendering me lazy, without exercise, and somewhat helpless and at other’s will…so, yes. This book was a saving grace, and I will abso-lutely be pre-ordering the hardback so it can sit next to my other favorite, featuring a stubborn fae and another fierce and inspiring heroine. I just cannot wait until I can read it again. I hope you’ll read it, too.

*************************

My God did this book make me bawl like a baby-I was an utter mess. That hasn’t happened in FOREVER!

RTC.

***

MY LIFE IS MADE. I will be starting this, oh, immediately!!!! Who needs an appendix when you get early Christmas presents like these! *heart eyes emoji*

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BOOK REVIEW: Outlander (Outlander #1) by Diana Gabaldon

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REVIEW, GIVEAWAY & EXCERPT: Only a Breath Apart by Katie McGarry

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I loved him once—the way a six-year-old loves with abandon. I loved him how I once loved myself. Jesse was freedom when so much of my life meant confinement. He was laughter during dark nights, he was the warrior who scared the monsters under my bed away . . . he was my friend.

Jesse has done this a handful of times since our freshman year. Glance at me as if I’m someone worth looking at, someone worth laughing with a little too loud and smiling with a little too much. Then he remembers who I am and snaps his gaze to someone else. But he’s not looking away now.

Scarlett lifts her head and smiles . . . at me. It’s a gentle smile, and one that causes a spike of excitement in my blood . It’s as if the sun has melted off her outer shell and has revealed the girl I once knew, and a woman I want to get to know.

The breeze plays with the ends of her hair, and I capture that moment. A snapshot of something I want to remember. Scarlett’s back on my land. My friend. My foe. The person who used to push me, compete with me and made me alive. My Tink.

“Scarlett, there are two times that I can breathe in deeply without wincing in pain, and being with you is one of them. If I could, I’d keep you here forever.”

His fingers trail up and down my arm and the sensation tickles, causing pleasing goose bumps along my skin. There’s a safety that radiates from his touch. A safety I wish I could take with me wherever I go.

Each time I think it’s impossible for my heart to hurt any more than it already does, it finds another painfully imaginative way to twist. – Scarlett

I hate myself because I wish I could feel. I wish I were normal. I wish I wasn’t me.- Scarlett

I will always risk everything to save her. She didn’t know it then. She doesn’t know it now. Scarlett once said she was empty. I’ve never been empty. I’ve been loved, and I’ve loved in return, but I don’t do it with many. She was one of the few. Still is. Always will be.

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REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Playing for Keeps (Heartbreaker Bay #7) by Jill Shalvis

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He was everything she no longer let herself want.

“Not interested,”said her mouth. Her brain though, it was telling her a different story. He just grinned. He knew. Dammit. She forced her gaze off his body and into his eyes.

He’d taken Lollipop to a pet park. He held her hand whenever she got scared. Damn. The man was dangerous to her heart and soul. Which made him the very opposite of perfect . . .

When he was gone, she looked at Lollipop. “Okay, maybe I see a tiny bit of why you heart him so much. But just a little bit, mind you.”

“Okay, fine,” Sadie said. “I know what I have to do.” Ivy narrowed her eyes. “Do you really?” “Sure.” Ivy shook her head. “You don’t have a clue, do you?” Sadie’s eyes filled. “No,” she whispered. “You follow your heart.”

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BOOK REVIEW: Tangled Like Us (Like Us #4) by Krista and Becca Ritchie

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BOOK REVIEW: Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson

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Jesse has done this a handful of times since our freshman year. Glance at me as if I’m someone worth looking at, someone worth laughing with a little too loud and smiling with a little too much. Then he remembers who I am and snaps his gaze to someone else.
But he’s not looking away now.

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^{About Katie McGarry:}

“Not interested,”said her mouth.
Her brain though, it was telling her a different story.
He just grinned. He knew. Dammit. She forced her gaze off his body and into his eyes.

He’d taken Lollipop to a pet park. He held her hand whenever she got scared. Damn. The man was dangerous to her heart and soul.
Which made him the very opposite of perfect . . .

“Okay, fine,” Sadie said. “I know what I have to do.”
Ivy narrowed her eyes. “Do you really?”
“Sure.”
Ivy shook her head. “You don’t have a clue, do you?”
Sadie’s eyes filled. “No,” she whispered.
“You follow your heart.”