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BOOK REVIEW: Bombshells (Brooklyn #5) by Sarina Bowen

April 13, 2021 / Arielle / 2 Comments

Bombshells (Brooklyn #5)
by Sarina Bowen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The women's league is in the house! And Brooklyn will never be the same again for Anton Bayer and the team…

This is my last chance to ditch my playboy reputation and finally fulfill my potential. So I’ve made three rules for our biggest season yet: no boozing, no women, and no scandals.

Especially that last thing.

So who do I befriend on the very first day back at the rink? An amazing female hockey player. I want Sylvie in a way that’s more than just friendly. I crave her. But I have a championship to win, and so does she.

Then she gets her heart broken by my teammate, and I make the foolish mistake of comforting her in the best way I know how. Our night together sets off a string of sins.

Nobody can know about our affair, especially my overprotective teammate. I can’t let anyone see into my greedy little heart. Not even her.

The things I want from her, and the things we’ve already done? If anyone knew, there’d be bombshells.

Contains: a defenseman with dreamy blue eyes, a female goalie with bad ideas, a major battle of the sexes and a swimming pool scene...

Review

Hold the phone—this goalie is a girl. No—a woman. With rich brown hair and luck olive skin. She shakes out her hair, which seems to be in the process of escaping whatever braid or ponytail that had confined it. Then she smiles, giving the little girl a wave.
And I can’t fucking breathe. Her smile lights up her eyes, which are a warm brown. She is like the living, breathing picture of female perfection.

Reading about the same kinds of tropes over and over in romance, as long as I love them, rarely ever gets old to me. Authors come up new ways to spin things and unique and loveable characters to get attached to but all is well. That’s not to say though, that a lot of those book are just okay. Like I read them, they make me happy, and then they’re over with. THEN, there are books that you read and something strikes you like a bolt of lightning while reading a certain line and you just…can’t breathe. I felt that way when I read the quote found above. “And I can’t fucking breathe.” Like who wouldn’t want someone to look at them and literally lose the ability to breathe because they are so stunned by what they are seeing in front of them. That line for me was the very moment that I knew Anton and Sylvie’s story was going to be something extraordinary.

Sylvie stares right back at me. And then her hand finds the back of my neck, where her fingers sift through the short hair at my nape. Maybe she’s trying to make Campeau jealous. But my body doesn’t know that. Every nerve I possess sits up straight and sings hallelujah.
“Any man could lose his heart to you,” I whisper. “So easily.”
“Just dance with me,” she whispers back. “I’m don’t talking about him.”

I will never not feel comforted by Bowen’s writing and the familiarity that her characters and even just their world bring. When one of her books has that some extra though I feel like I’ve won the lottery. Baby Bayer, excuse me, Anton is freakin hilarious. I loved that even though he was trying to take things more seriously this season, he still was the funny guy without even trying. Sylvie was great. She was strong and kind, and so amazing. The chemistry that she and Anton had, even while just friends, was off the charts. Also, can I just say that I am so excited for more books with the Bombshells alongside the Bruisers? I know nothing about hockey other than what I’ve learned from romance books (LOLOL) but the thought of this woman’s team rising up like a phoenix from the ashes has me real excited for future books. If you’ve enjoyed any of Bowen’s previous books, I will personally guarantee you will love this one.

And the soundtrack running through my head is mine mine mine. And finally. I’ve never been so turned on, because I’ve never wanted anyone as badly as I want her.

Huge thanks to Sarina Bowen and Tuxbury Publishing LLC for the chance to read this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. ♥

BOOK REVIEW: Chain of Iron (The Last Hours #2) by Cassandra Clare

April 12, 2021 / Arielle / 0 Comments

Chain of Iron (The Last Hours #2)
by Cassandra Clare
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The Shadowhunters must catch a killer in Edwardian London in this dangerous and romantic sequel to the #1 New York Times bestselling novel Chain of Gold, from New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Cassandra Clare. Chain of Iron is a Shadowhunters novel.

Cordelia Carstairs seems to have everything she ever wanted. She’s engaged to marry James Herondale, the boy she has loved since childhood. She has a new life in London with her best friend Lucie Herondale and James’s charming companions, the Merry Thieves. She is about to be reunited with her beloved father. And she bears the sword Cortana, a legendary hero’s blade.

But the truth is far grimmer. James and Cordelia’s marriage is a lie, arranged to save Cordelia’s reputation. James is in love with the mysterious Grace Blackthorn whose brother, Jesse, died years ago in a terrible accident. Cortana burns Cordelia’s hand when she touches it, while her father has grown bitter and angry. And a serial murderer is targeting the Shadowhunters of London, killing under cover of darkness, then vanishing without a trace.

Together with the Merry Thieves, Cordelia, James, and Lucie must follow the trail of the knife-wielding killer through the city’s most dangerous streets. All the while, each is keeping a shocking secret: Lucie, that she plans to raise Jesse from the dead; Cordelia, that she has sworn a dangerous oath of loyalty to a mysterious power; and James, that he is being drawn further each night into the dark web of his grandfather, the arch-demon Belial. And that he himself may be the killer they seek.

Review

This is now the 18th book I’ve read by Cassandra Clare. What’s even crazier is that I have been reading about the Shadowhunter world for FOURTEEN YEARS. Her writing and her characters have been with me through some of my most formative years alive and these books have honestly been part of the reason why I am such a lover of long, drawn out series with books big enough to knock a person out (you know, if you were to use one as a weapon which I don’t condone lolll). The Infernal Devices made me feel ~things~ back in the day that I honestly didn’t even know books could elicit. Tessa was a kindred spirit who loved books as much as I did and Will Herondale was exactly the kind of broody boy with dark hair and blue eyes that I dreamed out endlessly. Once I was fully ensconced in this world, I knew there would never be a day that I wouldn’t want to immediately read the stuff she puts out.

However, I have lately noticed that as I grow older, the stuff just doesn’t hit in the same way it used to. In my opinion it’s not on Clare’s writing. I think that has improved with each book. Her writing still CONTINUOUSLY has me aching for the characters and wanting more. I mean, at this point I don’t know if there has been ONE single relationship that hasn’t been fraught with angst and somehow each of them is angsty in a new way??? Like how in the hell does she even do that?

I think the biggest “issue” for me is that back in the day when I had WAY LESS obligations, I was able to re-read like every single book that had previously come out beforehand, leading up to the new book. Now I have a full time job and two kids which leaves me with a lot less time, even with audiobooks on a faster-than-normal, lol. At this point with The Last Hours not only do we have references to things that happened in TID but also characters/ events we see again later in TMI and TDA. Like holy crap I can’t keep anything straight anymore lol. Mark my words though, I am doing a COMPLETE chronological re-read before The Wicked Powers come out…someday.

ANYWAY on to my thoughts on this specific book:
1. I love every single Herondale but why do they ALWAYS get themselves into such deep shit? lolol I ask in my most loving of ways. ESPECIALLY when any kind of romance is involved. I’m truly starting to believe it’s some kind of genetic trai

2. I just want View Spoiler »Thomas and Alistair « Hide Spoiler to be happy forever

3. And for that matter, View Spoiler »Kamala/Ariadne and Anna « Hide Spoiler P.s. you should definitely read Ghosts of the Shadow Market before reading this

4. I am genuinely NERVOUS for Matthew. Like the fact that everyone keeps brushing his growing alcohol dependency under the rug and telling themselves that he’s not actually addicted…makes my heart hurt for ALL of them.

5. Cordelia might honestly be my favorite female lead of Clare’s of all time. I was talking to a friend about this actually and I think it’s because she is so different than almost every other lead we’ve ever seen. At the beginning of the series she is totally un-jaded to this world. She hasn’t had a traumatic thing happen to her with some kind of crazy death or tragedy like LITERALLY everyone else, lol. She purely wants to be a Shadowhunter for the sake of ridding the world of evil. Not any kind of revenge or even the glory. She is so pure of heart and heroic and literally is an amazing example of what (in a perfect world) Shadowhunters SHOULD all be like. I’m interested to see how her character reacts to certain events that unfolded in this book…

6. Damnit Tatiana you crazy old bat

7. OKAY WHAT THE HELL IS GOING TO HAPPEN View Spoiler »

8. I’m calling it right now View Spoiler »

9. View Spoiler »

10. View Spoiler »

COVER REVEAL: Incognito by Katie Delahanty

April 9, 2021 / Jen / 2 Comments

I’m so excited to help share the cover for Incognito! I read the first book, Keystone, and it became an instant favorite! It enraptured me in its spell and was impossible to put down. You can checkout my review of the first book, here. Also check out the mesmerizing cover in this series below. I can’t wait to read it!

Incognito by Katie Delahanty

presented by Entangled Teen!

In the virtual utopia of the Simulation, everyone will live peacefully and without fear or needs—at least that’s how they’re selling it. But the government plans to use this program to take control of the entire human race. Elisha Dewitt has just been given her first mission to help prevent this, and she’s ready to prove she can go incognito just as well as any other master thief. Breaking and entering? No sweat. She’s done worse. Stealing a cassette tape from the museum vaults will be easy—in, out, done—until he shows up…and everything gets way more complicated. Garrett Alexander just has that effect. Nothing is as it seems, and a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse begins with Garrett, her rival and match in every way. Not knowing who she can trust, Elisha decides it’s up to her to rescue everyone—even Garrett—before the world as she knows it comes to a brutal end.

Incognito by Katie Delahanty Publisher: Entangled Teen

About Katie Delahanty:

Katie never knew she was a writer. Her childhood obsessions centered on old movies, costumes, fashion, playing dress up, and books. Lots of books. On her quest to play make believe for a living she decided she wanted to be a fashion designer and after satisfying her practical parents by graduating from UCLA with a BA in Communication Studies she went on to pursue her design dreams with a Professional Designation in Fashion Design from FIDM. She spent five years helping to design romantic dresses that were sold everywhere from Anthropologie to Nordstrom before the economic downturn led to a career shift and that practical degree came in handy. Now in charge of the ecommerce business for In Bloom Lingerie, she was asked to start the company blog. Not knowing what to say about lingerie but needing to use bridal keywords, she decided to start a fictional serial about how a girl named Olivia Bloom, who worked for In Bloom Lingerie, became engaged. And that is when Katie fell in love with storytelling and the path to make believe became clear. She has not looked back since. Katie lives in Los Angeles with her husband.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

BOOK EXCERPT: Bombshells (Brooklyn #5) by Sarina Bowen

April 8, 2021 / Arielle / 0 Comments

I cannot stress enough how amazing this book is. It honestly might have bumped its way into the top favorite spot of everything I've ever read by Bowen (and that's a lot of books, lol).

BOOK EXCERPT: Bombshells (Brooklyn #5) by Sarina Bowen

BOOK EXCERPT: Bombshells (Brooklyn #5) by Sarina Bowen

Bombshells (Brooklyn #5)
by Sarina Bowen
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The women's league is in the house! And Brooklyn will never be the same again for Anton Bayer and the team…

This is my last chance to ditch my playboy reputation and finally fulfill my potential. So I’ve made three rules for our biggest season yet: no boozing, no women, and no scandals.

Especially that last thing.

So who do I befriend on the very first day back at the rink? An amazing female hockey player. I want Sylvie in a way that’s more than just friendly. I crave her. But I have a championship to win, and so does she.

Then she gets her heart broken by my teammate, and I make the foolish mistake of comforting her in the best way I know how. Our night together sets off a string of sins.

Nobody can know about our affair, especially my overprotective teammate. I can’t let anyone see into my greedy little heart. Not even her.

The things I want from her, and the things we’ve already done? If anyone knew, there’d be bombshells.

Contains: a defenseman with dreamy blue eyes, a female goalie with bad ideas, a major battle of the sexes and a swimming pool scene...

Excerpt

He hums under his breath as he locates the safety pin tucked under the fabric, and carefully frees it from the dress.

“There,” he says quietly as the velvet begins to slip against my skin. “Ah, careful.” He pauses, holding the dress in place, because that narrow circle of fabric is the only thing holding up the top of the dress. It wants to slip down my body.

I don’t make a move to help him. I don’t reach back, and I don’t let him off the hook. Instead, I reach for his free hand, and wrap it around my hip. And then I lean back against him, taking in the heat of his hard chest through his tuxedo shirt.

I hold my breath. Because I want this. No, I need this. I’m so tired of waiting and wanting. And Anton’s nearness has always done swoopy things to my stomach.

Why not now? Why not him, and why not me?

“Sylvie,” he whispers, and it sounds like a prayer. Then he drops the collar of the dress, and it slides like a silky waterfall down my upper body, until stopped by the zipper.

Then? I reach back and tug the zipper down slowly.

Cool air hits my skin. Anton makes a low groan of protest as the dress continues to slide, exposing my lacy strapless bra. Then soft lips slip across the back of my neck. “Is this what you’re asking me for?” He kisses the juncture of my shoulder.

“Yes.”

“And this?” His tongue darts out to taste my skin, and my goosebumps redouble.

“Yes,” I gasp.

He kisses me again, his mouth growing bolder and less gentle. Wet, open-mouthed kisses swirl against my skin, and then he taunts me with his tongue.

Hell, I feel it in my nipples. I feel it everywhere. And I tilt my head to give him better access. He groans again, tasting my skin, tonguing each new inch, sucking lazily where it suits him before moving on.

I had no idea a man could get me so hot by kissing my neck. I want more, so I try to turn around.

But Anton tightens his arm around my waist, fighting me. He pins me in place, my back to his chest, and he continues the erotic assault on my bare shoulder.

My breasts feel achy, and I’ve started to shake. The brace of his hard body makes me sweat. “Please,” I beg. I’m in a hurry now. More. Hotter. Faster.

“Slow the fuck down,” he hisses. “If we’re making this trip to the land of reckless decisions, I’m gonna enjoy the ride. Now hold still.”

I stand quietly on loose knees, while Anton locates the zipper where it’s trapped at my hips. He eases it down at a torturous pace. I fight off a shiver as he drags his fingertips down my bare back, past the lace of my bra, and all the way onto my lacy black panties.

My dress falls into a silky heap at my feet.

“Sweet Jesus,” he whispers, as one big hand massages my ass cheek. “You’re stunning, Sylvie.”

No one has ever paid me such a compliment, in such a reverent tone. And nobody has ever run his hands over my ass the way he’s doing now—his touch a mixture of wonder and ownership.

This is exactly what my life has been missing.

Again, I try to turn around, and this time he lets me. I look up into that incredible gaze. “Take me to bed now, Anton. You know you want to.”

He swallows roughly. I see a flicker of something dark cross those bright eyes. “If this is really what you want.” He lifts his chin toward the bedroom. “Lead the way.”

“It is,” I assure him. Then I step out of the circle of my dress and lean down to pick it up, wearing nothing but see-through black lingerie and my heels.

“Jesus fuck,” he mutters in a voice that sounds almost angry. The moment I’m vertical again, he yanks my hips toward his body as his mouth crushes mine.

I wasn’t expecting the kiss, but I am a professional goalkeeper, and pretty damn good at catching things flying my way. So it only takes me a split second to adjust to the friendly assault of Anton’s aggressive mouth. His lips stroke mine urgently. I lean in and kiss him with everything I’ve got.

He tilts his head and brushes his tongue across the seam of my lips. His roughened hand cups my jaw, his thumb sliding over my cheekbone. It’s possessive in a way that makes my heart stutter.

It doesn’t matter that I’m in way over my head. It doesn’t matter that I’ve never actually been naked with a man before. When I chose this one, I chose well.

Amazon: https://geni.us/Amazon-bombshells

Apple: https://geni.us/Apple-bombshells

Kobo: https://geni.us/Kobo-bombshells

Nook: https://geni.us/Nook-bombshells

Google: https://geni.us/Google-Bombshells

Whispersync Audio: https://geni.us/Audible-Bombshells

Monthly Wrap-Up: March

April 6, 2021 / Jen / 6 Comments

During our Monthly Wrap-Up, we’ll take a look at what has happened around here in the last month. That’ll include what’s happened in my life, what we’ve read, any other posts we may have had, our most popular Instagram posts, and books that I’ve added to my ever-growing TBR.

*We linked this post to the March Monthly Wrap-Up Round-Up Link-Up at Feed Your Fiction Addiction*

Jen’s Life:

✮ Our youngest turned 8 this last month. We took the day off from school (the advantages of homeschooling yay!), and celebrated the day with family, played games, had In N Out takeout and enjoyed the weather outside.
✮ I’ve been doing a step challenge on Garmin, with my sister-in-law, since last month. I decided to cut myself slack on the days I work out on the elliptical or the recumbent bike and watch The Vampire Diaries (soooooo good!!), so if I don’t hit 10k steps on those days then I’m fine with it. But like last night, I was 2k steps short EEKS! So there I am walking in place, next to our bed while reading a book, and my husband was staring at me like I’m crazy lol!
✮ Some of my favorite recipes I made this last month were Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina, Hamburger Noodle Casserole, Slower Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken & Triple Chocolate Cake.

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What We Read:

5 Stars:
✮ The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black
✮ Wallflower by Cookie O’Gorman
✮ Heartscape (Vino & Veritas #2) by Garrett Leigh

4.5 Stars:
✮ The Secret Recipe for Moving On by Karen Bischer

4 Stars:
✮ The Marquess and I (Forever Yours #1) by Stacy Reid
✮ Headstrong (Vino & Veritas #3) by Eden Finley

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Our Favorite Books of the Month:

Arielle’s Choice – Heartscape (Vino & Veritas #2) by Garrett Leigh
Heartscape resonated deep within my bones. Just thinking about how obvious their love for each other was just makes my heart so happy *cries* lol. Such a great book!

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Jen’s Choice – The Cruel Prince (The Folk of the Air #1) by Holly Black & Wallflower by Cookie O’Gorman
I’m sorry but I can NOT pick a favorite between a fantasy and a contemporary lol. It is impossible! I LOVED both of these books with my whole heart and soul! If you’re a fan of YA fantasy or enemies to lovers, then definitely pickup The Cruel Prince! And if you’re a fan of young adult romance or fake dating then you gotta add Wallflower to your tbr!

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Instagram:

We thought it would be fun to share our most popular posts for March. And they were….

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Star-Crossed Book Blog (@starcrossedbookblog)

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Books Added To Jen’s Goodreads TBR This Month:

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So this was our March….did you read any of the same books that we did? Or share the same favorite book as us? If not, then what was your favorite book? Or have you read any of the books I just added to my TBR?

Here’s hoping you all had a wonderful March. And cheers to April being fabulous for all of us!

Page 95 of 427

BOOK REVIEW: Bombshells (Brooklyn #5) by Sarina Bowen

Synopsis:

BOOK REVIEW: Chain of Iron (The Last Hours #2) by Cassandra Clare

Synopsis:

COVER REVEAL: Incognito by Katie Delahanty

BOOK EXCERPT: Bombshells (Brooklyn #5) by Sarina Bowen

Synopsis: