Category: Review (Page 64 of 276)

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Broken Skies by Theresa Kay

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Broken Skies by Theresa Kay

I first read Broken Skies almost 4 years ago and I still continue to think about it today. The characters and their story are permanently etched into my heart. So you’ll definitely want to check out my 5 Star Review below and enter a fabulous giveaway! Enjoy♥

BOOK REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Broken Skies by Theresa KayBroken Skies (Broken Skies #1)
by Theresa Kay
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Jax will do anything to save her twin . . . even team up with a teenage alien left behind by the same ship that took her brother.

She agrees to help the alien get back home, and in return, he agrees to sneak her into the alien city to find her sibling.

Too bad it's not that simple.

Jax soon finds that she's drawn to the alien boy with bright green hair and jewel-like scales on his back and he's equally affected by her, the courageous redhead with haunted eyes. But she doesn't know the alien's true motives, and he has no idea that she is much more than she seems.

Worse, the connection forming between them has unknown consequences.

The humans and the aliens are both hiding deadly secrets and the forbidden bond linking the two teens threatens to reveal everything. What started as an uneasy alliance and a seemingly straightforward rescue mission could spark an inter-species war.

The Broken Skies series is a completed series filled with action, adventure, aliens, and romance. Perfect for fans of the Lux series, Under Different Stars, and The Fifth Wave.

Review:

Broken Skies gripped me to the core and was truly outstanding. The story continually built and became more intricate, causing me to become obsessed with this book. It’s all I can think about. Seriously. The pages were scattered with hardships and butterfly inducing moments that were breathtaking. I never wanted this book to end.

“It’s going to be okay,” he says.
But I know it’s not. I don’t know if anything is ever going to be okay again.

After the war left 10% of the population alive, the aliens, known as the E’rikon, arrived to share Earth. They kept to themselves, until a group of them kidnapped Jax’s brother, Jace. In the commotion, a teenage E’rikon was left behind with no way to navigate home. In a desperate attempt to get her brother back, Jax agreed to help navigate Lir to his city in exchange for getting inside to find her brother. What started out as a simple journey, escalated into something that kept me on the edge of my seat!

The fingers of one hand curl into claws, perfect for ripping and tearing. I won’t go quietly. Icy fear has no place in my body now. Instead, I’m filled with fire, burning me from the inside out and just waiting to be released.

I already knew I loved Jax the first few pages into Broken Skies. She was resourceful, savvy and I loved that she was the one responsible for taking care of them for their journey. Whenever she opened her mouth and fumbled over some words or would start blabbering, she made me laugh, smile and truly care for her. But at the same point, she was somewhat broken. She had hardships from her past that she struggled with, and I desperately wanted her to overcome them.

“You are everything I was taught humans were not.”

Lir was charming, sarcastic and I fell head over heals in love with him. He was gentle, sweet, sincere, sexy and smart. I honestly could not get enough of him! And of course I still felt that way about him, even after he kept secrets from Jax. Although, they were wonderful secrets that added so much depth. Ohhhhh, Lir was everything I love in a male character.

Lir stands and reaches a hand out to me. I eye it for a moment before accepting it and allowing him to pull me to my feet. Trust has to start somewhere, I guess.

Jax and Lir were unforgettable characters. And when they were together, their relationship was sweet, slow and natural. Nothing was rushed. Nothing was forced. It was so much fun to watch them evolve. Sigh, I am still on a book high. This book was so much fun and I’m dying until I can read the second book. But until then, I can’t recommend this book highly enough. You must discover this world, characters and story! I look forward to reading the rest of Theresa Kay’s books, because her storytelling has enraptured me!

***ARC was kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review***

 

**Broken Skies Is Currently On Sale for Only .99 cents!!**

Amazon

Reading Order & Links:
Amazon (click on covers)

Broken Skies #1
Reviews:

Jen

Fractured Suns #2
Reviews:

Jen

Shattered Stars #3
Reviews:
Jen

 

About Theresa Kay:
Theresa Kay writes stories that feature flawed young adult and new adult characters in science fiction, urban fantasy, or paranormal worlds, all with a touch of romance thrown in for good measure. She’s constantly lost in one fictional universe or another and is a self-proclaimed “fangirl” who loves being sucked into new books, movies, or TV shows. Living in the mountains of central Virginia with her husband and two kids, she works as a paralegal by day and spends her free time reading tons of books, binging Avengers movies, anime, and Doctor Who, or playing Tomb Raider and Assassin’s Creed.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Bookbub * Amazon * Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway:

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
 

BOOK REVIEW: Safeguard (Speakeasy Taproom #9) by Stephanie Rose

BOOK REVIEW: Safeguard (Speakeasy Taproom #9) by Stephanie RoseSafeguard (Speakeasy Taproom #7)
by Stephanie Rose
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Jilted. Living in a glorified closet. The world’s worst bar waitress. I just need to keep a roof over my head and make tuition payments until I can finish graduate school. Then my real life will start. But right now, long nights at the Speakeasy have me burning the candle at both ends and the wax melting all over my fingers.

When a bar manager offers me a job taking care of his adorable five-year-old daughter, it seems like the perfect solution. I get a quiet place to study. Matteo gets a reliable sitter.

There should be no complications. Except that I like my new boss a little too much. His gorgeous dark eyes humble me, and the long talks we share fill me up inside. I can’t possibly fall for him.

But the undeniable pull between us leads to a scorching kiss I can’t ignore or forget, and suddenly I’ve fallen for them both, father and daughter.

And now three hearts are at stake.

Review

From the very SECOND that single-dad Matteo was mentioned in Touchstone I KNEW that I needed this story. I’m so glad it was the last one in the series because I really felt it rounded everything out perfectly. Everything about this book was beyond what I could have hoped for.

Matteo himself? Perfect.

Matteo’s relationship with his daughter, Lauren? Perfect.

Melanie and how seamlessly she transitioned into their lives? PERFECT.

I have come to realize that there are certain tropes or situations in romances that I cannot handle. One of those is what I dub “the pointless miscommunication.” Although miscommunications are a HUGE part of romances and relationships in general, there is a line I draw when it’s just thrown into the plot to bring about a point of drama. Heck, even when it does make sense, I’m just not often in the mood for that anymore. I was worried I was going to see that here actually when a certain character came back to town but it was a non-issue and I rejoiced.

Even though I haven’t read a ton of books where there’s a single parent with a kid/kids, I just assume that things are bound to get messy because honestly, how couldn’t they?! Introducing a partner to kids can be a huge point of contention, especially if they are old enough to know what is going on. With Lauren, the situation was unique because she had never known her mom and Matteo was such a great dad/parent, that there wasn’t even really a hole there for her. That being said, I don’t think that was fully the reason that she was okay with Melanie so fast. No, I think that’s all on Melanie being the kind and special person she was. I loved every single one of their interactions and honestly just tearing up thinking about those two getting married and becoming a family and maybe even giving Lauren some siblings some day *cries*. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ENTIRE SERIES!

Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review!&hearts

BOOK REVIEWS: Heat & Capture (Hypothesis #2 & #3) by Penny Reid

BOOK REVIEWS: Heat & Capture (Hypothesis #2 & #3) by Penny ReidHeat (Hypothesis #2)
by Penny Reid
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Four days left.
Private beach (…and boat).
Not so invisible girl.
And maybe less of a jerk-faced bully than originally thought.
What’s the worst (or the best) that could happen?

Kaitlyn is finding life outside of the science cabinet of obscurity to be quite illuminating …and so are her pants. When things heat up between Kaitlyn Parker and Martin—previously known as the jerk-faced bully—Sandeke, she places her trust in the one person she never thought capable of earning it, let alone keeping it safe. Fortunately or unfortunately for Kaitlyn, where she gives her trust she can’t help but also give her heart.

But how will the world beyond the sanctuary of their newfound connection react to their relationship? Soon senators, chinless billionaires, and elements beyond Martin and Kaitlyn’s control want to weigh in on the young couple’s future.

Navigating the chaotic inferno of new love might be more than Kaitlyn bargained for, and much, much more than her trust—or her heart—can handle.

Review of Heat:

Heat started right where Attraction left off, and it was my favorite book from Katy and Martin’s story!   Maybe it was because we finally got to see the physical side of their relationship a lot more.  And that was HOT.  Or it could have been because we watched them learn more about one another.  Their past, who they truly were, where they wanted to go in life, their fears and their passions.  I loved all of their heartwarming and soul sharing moments.  I can’t put my finger on exactly one reason why I loved these pages the most; I just know my heart was happiest while in this part of their story!

“I need to taste you, Kaitlyn. I want to fuck you with my tongue.”
I shivered convulsively and had no idea how to respond to that, so I said, “I have no idea how to respond to that.”
“Say yes. Say: Yes, Martin. I want you to fuck me…with your tongue.”
“I don’t think my mouth can say those words out loud. I’m not that outgoing.”

In Heat we got to see all sides of Katy and Martin.  That included not only both of them growing but a lot of their flaws.  Katy could be so immature and regimented.  Whereas Martin could be so callous and his baggage, oh wow, that was a lot!  So while they weren’t perfect, their flaws made them feel that more real.  They both had issues and insecurities to work through and I loved how they helped each other with certain issues.  I loved watching it make their friendship that much stronger.  I loved that it made their relationship feel that much deeper.  Even if they had only been on the island for one week.

I felt cherished.
I felt.
And it felt like perfection.

On top of Katy and Martin, we got to know their friends a lot more too.  Sam, Katy’s bestie was one of my favorites!  But….I just have to say I strongly disagreed with her for a certain thing, she was wrong imo and I just wanted to shake her.  Hard.  LOL!  But all in all, this was a quick read and the world faded around me while I was lost in this world.  So if you adore sexy, angsty books, then this trilogy is for you!  And you’ll want to have the next book Capture available asap, because this story ends on a cliffhanger, mid-scene too eeps!

Love was lasting. Love finds a way. Love endures.
But we’d had a week. One week. Only a week.
“A beautiful week,” I said through my tears, not immediately realizing I’d spoken out loud.

 

BOOK REVIEWS: Heat & Capture (Hypothesis #2 & #3) by Penny ReidCapture (Hypothesis #3)
by Penny Reid
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

One week.
Manhattan apartment.
Super-hot ex-boyfriend. …What’s the worst that could happen?

It’s been nine months since Kaitlyn Parker has seen or heard from Martin Sandeke—nine months and five stages of matter. She’s lived through the worst of first-love heartbreak, and is most certainly stronger (and less likely to hide in science cabinets) than ever before.

But now Martin is back. And he wants to be friends. But he’s sending mixed signals to the Bunsen burner in Kaitlyn’s pants. Will Martin re-capture Kaitlyn’s heart? Can Kaitlyn and Martin ever be just friends? Or, despite an abundance of chemistry, are some bonds just too unstable to endure?

Review of Capture:

*Spoilers Ahead* This is the final book for Katy and Martin!  And be prepared for some jumps in time.  First off, we jump six months ahead from Heat and so much has changed.  Their each living their own lives, but with what seemed like fate, they’re getting a second chance at their friendship!  Martin…oh my heart he read one of her favorite books, Lord of the Rings, and he did so much more I can’t even say.  So when it all comes out, sigh again, Martin was exactly who Katy needed!  He still made mistakes and he was still controlling as ever, but I really liked him.  And while Katy didn’t think he was interested in her any longer, I just refused to believe that and held onto all of the hope!

“I want to discuss the terms of our friendship.”
I stared at him, careful to keep my face devoid of expression, even though I wanted to yell, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
Instead I said, “What friendship?”
“The one you promised would always be mine if I ever wanted it, no matter what happened between us.”

I loved that Katy slowly but surely changed since we met her in Attraction.  The fact that she was now wearing clothes that made her feel good instead of hiding in baggy ones, aw I loved it!  And her emotions didn’t feel so black and white or clinical.  But oh goodness, she could still be so clueless.. like when Martin stole her line, she didn’t even catch that *smacks face*.  You’ll see what I mean lol.

If he wanted me still, then he would have done something, said something already. Therefore… not holding my breath.

Capture was a fabulous ending for Katy and Martin’s story!  I loved watching how far both of them had come, I loved that they realized their flaws and I loved even more that they worked their hardest to make themselves better.  Plus we got a HEA, and those are always the best!  This was a great introduction to Penny Reid’s stories and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more of her books in the future!

“I don’t want a beautiful week with you. I want a beautiful lifetime.”

PS The Christmas present?!  My heart was melting

PPS Abram was an interesting addition to this series!  While he’s her band mate, he’s definitely interested in her more than a friend.  Annnnnd that’s all I’m saying.  Sorry LOL!  But really, I think you’ll end up liking Abram too ♥.

 

BOOK REVIEW: Stargazer (Speakeasy Taproom #8) by Wendy S. Marcus

BOOK REVIEW: Stargazer (Speakeasy Taproom #8) by Wendy S. MarcusStargazer (Speakeasy Taproom #8)
by Wendy S. Marcus
Purchase on: AmazoniBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

Randall Dickson is coping. Sort of. An upcoming medical eval, one that could end his military career, has him stressed and making bad choices. So when a concerned friend issues a strongly-worded “invitation” to Vermont, R.D. is all in for a change of scenery, a temporary job as a bartender, and the opportunity to shake himself out of his self-destructive routine.

Then he sets eyes on his seriously sexy new co-worker…

Lily Reynolds, an artist by day, Speakeasy’s favorite bartender at night, works hard to stay positive, unlike her surly new coworker. He may be a treat to look at, but that grumpy attitude and terse manner are not her type. So when Lily finds herself in desperate need of someone to share expenses, she convinces R.D. to rent her vacant room. There’s no way she’ll find herself falling for him.

She’d like to find the secret admirer who’s leaving her secret love notes around the bar, though. But he won’t reveal himself...

This standalone contains: opposites who definitely attract, a workplace romance, and an opinionated French bulldog.

Review

OKAYYYY. SO. At this point I have read TWENTY FOUR freaking books between the four different series that make up The World of True North and I think this might be my top favorite. I know, that’s a pretty bold claim. BUT….once you all read R.D. and Lily’s story I think you’ll understand.

Everything about their book was sheer and utter perfection. The two of them shouldn’t make any sense together and yet they do. And it’s beautiful. And really fucking hot. And Lily’s little French bulldog is in love with R.D. and if that itself doesn’t make you ALSO fall in love with him, I don’t know what will.

Going into this book we have only seen Lily before, seeing as she is one of Speakeasy’s favorite bartenders for her upbeat personalities and inspiring quotes that she loves putting up on a white board every day before her shift starts. I knew there was going to be more to her story than someone who was just positive and happy every minute of the day so finding out more appealed to me. Enter R.D. Randy Dick. lollll He and our old pal Griff Shipley had been friends back in college and when R.D. makes the mistake of reaching out to an old dealer to get pain pills for an accident than occurred over a year ago, Griff catches wind and “forces” him to come to Colebury to work at Speakeasy for a bit.

The two work together for a bit and then R.D. winds up moving in after Lily’s terrible ex moves out. I loved how Lily immediately confided in him, big things that she never told other people who had been in her life for longer. Even just the fact that she gave him a key to her workshop. That was a big trust move right there. The almost-moments they had too were so appealing. Who doesn’t love a good ~oh we promised we wouldn’t have sex but now we’re drowning in all this sexual tension and how long are we going to last before we break and do something about it~ dynamic? *Chefs kiss*

I don’t even know what more to say about this book other than to again just reiterate how obsessed I was with it and how I am both excited and devastated to be starting the final book in the series next. This is one I will for be re-reading many a time!

Huge thanks to Heart Eyes Press for allowing me to read an eARC of this in exchange for my honest review!

BOOK REVIEW: Attraction (Hypothesis #1) by Penny Reid

BOOK REVIEW: Attraction (Hypothesis #1) by Penny ReidAttraction (Hypothesis #1)
by Penny Reid
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

One week.
Private beach.
Invisible girl.
Jerk-faced bully.
What’s the worst that could happen?

Kaitlyn Parker has no problem being the invisible girl, which is why she finds herself hiding in various cabinets and closets all over her college campus. Despite her best efforts, she can’t escape the notice of Martin Sandeke—bad boy, jerkface bully, and the universe’s hottest, wealthiest, and most unobtainable bachelor—who also happens to be Kaitlyn’s chemistry lab partner.

Kaitlyn might be the only girl who isn’t interested in exploiting his stunning rower’s build, chiseled features, and family's billionaire fortune. Kaitlyn wants Martin for his brain, specifically to tabulate findings of trace elements in surface water.

When Kaitlyn saves Martin from a nefarious plot, Martin uses the opportunity to push Kaitlyn out of her comfort zone: spring break, one week, house parties, bathing suits, and suntan lotion. Can she overcome her aversion to being noticed? Will he be able grow beyond his self-centered nature? Or, despite their obvious chemistry, will Martin be the one to drive Kaitlyn into the science cabinet of obscurity for good?

Review:

The Hypothesis Series sucked me in and before I knew it, I had binged all three books about Martin and Katy.   While I did have some hiccups here and there, I didn’t really care because this story was so much fun and kept me entertained.  The first book in this series, Attraction, was emotional, quirky and so easy to devour.  If you love unconventional girls, Alpha males and lots of angst, then this is the series to add to your tbr!

“Haven’t you ever wondered why I come on Fridays?” His fingers curled around my neck and his thumb traced circles along the line of my collarbone. He encouraged my head to tip backward.
“So that we can get a jump start on the weekly assignment?”
He shook his head. “You.”

Kaitlyn Parker, aka Katy, was lab partners with Martin Sandeke.  Martin was tall, gorgeous, smart, athletic, and his family were billionaires.  He truly had it all going for him.  And while Katy’s family was well known too, she definitely felt like they were in very different leagues.  You see, while Martin was popular, outgoing annnnnnnd a total douche, Katy was quiet, timid and liked to hide in closets.  So while Katie was hiding in a closet (see, told you LOL), she overheard a plot to take Martin down.  With her kind heart, she warned him and it set her on a path that would completely change her world.

“You think I’m only interested in you for one thing. You’re wrong,” he whispered against my ear, hot breath spilling against my neck making me shiver, his hand on my stomach inching lower.
“This, what you’re doing now, how you’re touching me, does not give credibility to your words.” My breath hitched, my brain disengaging.

Katy was beyond quirky and cracked me up!  Did she have some growing up and learning how to interact with others to do?  Uh yeah!  But she was so endearing, that I loved watching her journey.  Sometimes her mouth would open and oh my gosh I’d die laughing.  BUT at the same point I just wanted to hug her because you could tell that her upbringing was extremely different than those around her.  She could be so over the top, almost kind of like Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory, but by the second book you get to see how much she grew.  And by the third book, besides her keyword burner, she had changed so much.  I’m glad I was patient with her because she slowly but surely matured and evolved as this trilogy unfolded.

How was it possible I was the most trustworthy person in his life? How heartbreaking was that?

Martin was such an unknown.  He could be extremely demanding and spoiler alert, that doesn’t change at all in the next two books.   But at the same time, he also had this soft side to him that made me melt.  And my heart hurt for how he was raised.  With his charming, seductive and captivating ways I found myself falling for Martin.  So when he invited Katy to take a trip with him to a tropical island, for spring break, I was so excited.  With a beautiful setting and lots of time together, I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough!

For some inexplicable reason, I felt like crying. Tears stung behind my eyelids and my throat felt tight.
I knew it.
I KNEW IT.
I knew he was going to make me cry.

 Attraction was filled with lots of angst, and as someone who can easily be consumed watching it all unfold, I loved every minute of it!  With side characters that leaped from the pages, two main characters I was fascinated with, tons of chemistry and a romantic tropical setting, this book was an absolute blast!  And spoiler alert….Book 2 is where all the heat is at….just sayin lol.

PS This ends on a cliffhanger and mid scene, so you definitely want to have Heat available, for when you read this book!

 

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