Thursday, April 30, 2015

Monthly Wrap Up: April 2015 | Bewitching Bibliophile

Another month has come and gone and we are so much closer to BEA 2015!!! I'm so excited aren't you?? That's so crazy. Well since it's gone here are the books I have read, the reviews I have written and a recap of all the awesomeness that came my way.

I'm super proud of myself because I am so caught up on my reviews this month, except for the ones form the Dewey readathon and two others I'm completely caught up on my reviews for the books I have read this year.  How exciting is that??  I'm participating in a few review a thons this month however so I can't wait to get caught up on even more of my ARC pile.  How are you doing on your new years resolutions??

Book Hauls
Stacking the Shelves (9)

Books On Tour:

Books Read This Month: 16
Yearly Goal: 200   Monthly Count: 19   Balance: 161
To Be Read Theme:  Faerie Tales & Fantasy.  Letter of the month : "A"
  1. Fathomless by Jackson Pierce
  2. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
  3. The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa
  4. The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
  5. Ironside Holly Black
  6. The Darkest Part of the Forest Holly Black
  7. Darkfever Karen Marie Moning
  8. Crown of Midnight by Sarah J Maas
  9. Heir of Fire by Sarah J Maas
From The Library I wish to borrow these titles so I can catch up on series that have Fae in it that I haven't read in a while:
  1. Divine Misdemeanors (Merry Gentry 8) Laurell K Hamilton
  2. A Shiver of Light (Merry Gentry 9) Laurell K Hamilton 
  3. Valiant Holly Black
Ebooks that I want to read that start with the letter "A". I get to choose 2 from this list for review.
  1. Accidentally In Love with a ...God?? Mimi  Jean Pamfiloff
  2. An Affair to Dismember Elise Sax
  3. Addicted To You Krista Ritchie
  4. All Fired Up Kate Meader
  5. All For You Jessica Scott
Purchased Ebooks To Pick From:
  1. At Any Price
What I actually Read Not From This List: (Reviews Linked above)
  • Blackout Chris Myers
  • Marked For Magic by Daisy Banks 
  • Darkness Eternal by Alexandra Ivy 
  • Once Pure by Cecy Robson
  • The Hostage Bargain by Annika Martin 
  • I Am Rosa Parks by Brad Meltzer
  • Zombie in Love by Kelly DiPucchio
  • Heaven (Heaven Book 1) by Angela Johnson
  • First Part Last (Heaven book 2) by Angela Johnson
  • Sweet, Hereafter (Heaven Book 3) by Angela Johnson
  • Looking For Red by Angela Johnson
  • Locomotion by Jacqueline Woodson
  • A Certain October by Angela Johnson
  • Temptation by Robin Covington
  • Hocus Pocus Teresa Robin
Challenges Completed This Month

I took part of the Dewey Read -a-thon on April 25th. Here is my TBR post, and my Wrap Up Post. Did you participate??

Book Reviews To Look Forward to Next Month:
On tour:

Books I read in April:

What I'm Currently Watching:
I'm still addicted to the Originals, Vampire Diaries, and I watch Scandal every Friday (cause I don't have cable I have Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime & Starz Play)


What are you watching and reading my loves??

How did April treat you?? I'm so excited that May is here and that BEA is literally around the corner. In May I'm going to share a bit about the expo and what happens and my experiences. I'll also share the books I can't wait to get and the authors I'll be following and desperately seeing their autographs.

Happy New Month and goodbye to April.  Maybe now it will warm up.

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Waiting On Wednesday (April 2015) (17): A Lover's Vow by Brenda Jackson & Rogue (Talon 2) by Julie Kagawa

Hosted by: Jill over at Breaking The Spines.  This is a weekly book lust prompt, asking for us to share our absolute can't wait to get our hands on a copy books. Swing on over to find out how to participate and to see what others are sharing.  

Young Adult/New Adult


Rogue (Talon 2) by Julie Kagawa
Ember Hill left the dragon organization Talon to take her chances with rebel dragon Cobalt and his crew of rogues. But Ember can't forget the sacrifice made for her by the human boy who could have killed her—Garret Xavier Sebastian, a soldier of the dragonslaying Order of St. George, the boy who saved her from a Talon assassin, knowing that by doing so, he'd signed his own death warrant. Determined to save Garret from execution, Ember must convince Cobalt to help her break into the Order's headquarters. With assassins after them and Ember's own brother helping Talon with the hunt, the rogues find an unexpected ally in Garret and a new perspective on the underground battle between Talon and St. George. A reckoning is brewing and the secrets hidden by both sides are shocking and deadly. Soon Ember must decide: Should she retreat to fight another day…or start an all-out war?
Due Date: April 28th
Pages: 348
Print: ebook, Hardcover
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
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Julie Kagawa, Dragons, book two. That's it. It's the only reason I need y'all.  

Adult Fiction/Romance/Erotica


A Lover's Vow by Brenda Jackson
She's all he's ever wanted. He's everything she'll ever need. Business mogul Dalton Granger is as passionate as he is gorgeous, but private investigator Jules Bradford won't give him the time of day. She knows all about the youngest Granger brother—a charming bad boy whose only interest is playing the field. But Dalton is more complicated than that, and he's determined to show Jules that behind all the bravado is the honest heart of a devoted son, brother…and a man whose own life is in peril. Jules is the only person who can protect Dalton, and they embark on a mission to save his family and his legacy. But when their late nights in the office turn into early mornings in the bedroom, Jules and Dalton soon realize they have more at stake than they ever imagined.
Due Date: April 2015
Print: ebook, paperback
Pages: 416
Publisher: Harlequin Mira
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Are you getting any of these?? What's on your book lust list?? Share in the comments down below!!
Happy Lusting

Monday, April 27, 2015

Book #Review: Blackout by Chris Myers .@CMyersFiction .@Julie_AToMR | Bewitching Bibliophile

Book Title: Blackout (Lost Girls book 1)
Author:  Chris Myers |WebsiteTwitterFacebook|
Publisher: Books on the Edge
Genre: NewAdult Romance
Series/Stand Alone: Book 1
Format: ebook, paperback
Cost: $0.99, $12.99
Pages: 273
How I got it:  Blog Tour Company
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: April 27, 2015
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Synopsis:
Some memories should be buried… The blackouts started happening when I was eight. There are long periods of my youth I don’t remember. I’ve woken up in strange places, feeling disoriented and unaware of how long I’ve been out. After two years abroad attending a private school and sessions with a top-notch psychiatrist, I’ve been deemed cured. The blackouts have ceased, or so I thought, until I wake up in a ditch back home in North Carolina. Dare, the guy pulling my broken body from the wreckage, has a restraining order against him. He’s no longer the clean-cut boy I went frog gigging with but road-hardened. His lean, muscular arms, riddled with tats, drag me out of the SUV. I should fear him, but instead, his touch sparks memories that tell me I once worshipped him with all my heart.
Follow the Tour:
Make sure to swing by the other participants to learn more about the book and author.
Tour Page
Watch The Trailer

This is a first time read from this author and I'm now adding her other works to the books to be read list.  This book was extremely engaging, as I didn't know what to expect, as the story unfolded for Teal it also unfolded for us so we learned what she did and it was very harrowing at times and really good all around.  As I said the story is engaging, it pulls you into the mystery, you want to know what happened and why she keeps blacking out, because as she said this problem makes her extremely vulnerable.  As evidenced by her high school experience.  The story is told from the point of view of Teal and you get her emotions, confusion, fear, desperation and her sense of determination to discover her past and become a fully "normal" young woman, as she says she no longer wants to be different.

The story takes it's time to build and unravel especially because it's told from Teal's point of view.  She's a eighteen year old girl trying to figure out her place in the world where people know her family's past and know her past but she's at a loss due to the memory loss stemming from that day so many years ago.  She wants a future and it doesn't include being sick and being prone to the blackouts that have plagued her since she was eight.  I loved the search for self and for her past and of course her complete loss when attempting to fall in love.  This all felt realistic considering she'd been so sheltered and separate from others her whole life.

Chris managed to make the swamp and the Outer Banks feel so real while reading, I visited a few summers ago and this just made me feel like I was right back there.  The world was described in a way to pull you in and make the swamp a character in the story just like the humans as well.

As the story unfolds you only learn what Teal knows because as a young woman who's life has been dominated by this mystery she's really focused on it.  Teal isn't good at focusing on her outer appearance other than to say she looks like her mother so this gives you the opportunity to build her appearance in your head however you want other than knowing she's a red head and pale, she's pretty much a blank slate.  The other characters are built the same way giving you the chance to make them appear however you want beyond the basic details that make them unique.  I loved her best friend Kami who was a well written and rounded character, I wish we had gotten more form her because she was very good at making Teal feel "normal" and accepted her and her issues. I was pissed with Kami when Officer Tate pulled his b.s move and I totally get it, it happens quite often, way more than people think.

Eventually the plot thickens to the point where you are so absorbed you're just reading to find out what happened.  I loved her cluelessness when it comes to love and even though she wants to change it doesn't happen immediately it takes sometime for her to become comfortable with Dare, and her other suitor.  I loved that she had to choose, the one that is easy or the one that comes with complications and a few strings to the past?  I liked her and Dare together, and especially as friends.

The only problems I had with the book took place because Dare had been with someone else less than a week before and y'all aren't being safe.  The discussion didn't take place until after sex had taken place.  My second problem with the book and really the part that pushed me to drop it to 4 stars instead of 5, is the immaturity shown in discussing their sexual body parts.  Throughout the book hoops are jumped, lengths taken all in the desperation not to use the word vagina or penis.   These are the clinical terms y'all, not "squeezebox" really WTF is a squeezebox??  Considering you're dealing with some adult content and then you do this??  His 'spear of her indulgence" for real?? Yeah no.

04/12
77.0%"I'm hollering, Chris has used every euphemism she can just so she doesn't say cock. I'm dying is too funny. Every thing else is clinically correct but those two parts? ? Nope. It's a "moule" and "the spear of my indulgence". Bwahaha. Still love it though"
04/12
92.0%"Why am I reminded of Reba's  "song lights in Georgia" ? "

I loved the ending, however I'm not sure she made a good decision there, I loved that she was willing to be a shield for someone vulnerable and that she was willing to take the risk and be apart of Dare's world.

It's a wonderful story, engaging suspenseful, and extremely sensual (despite the euphemisms)   and I finished it really quickly because I just needed to know what happened 10 years ago.
 ★★★★☆
Happy Reading


Sunday, April 26, 2015

Dewy's 24 Hour Read-a-thon Wrap Up : April 26th,2015 | Bewitching Bibliophle


My TBR for this challenge was pretty small. I did that on purpose, 1) so I can get these books read and 2) because big books wouldn't really work with this project if I'm working most of it. The hours especially were from 8am Saturday until 8 am Sunday; I was scheduled to work on Saturday morning, but my boss called me and told me to come in for the evening, which totally worked in my favor, because I could read from 8am until 230pm. And that's how I got five and half books read.

Instead I picked the following five books which are each under 200 pages, and I wanted to see how many I could get read. I know my normal speed would allow me to read 400 page book in about 4-6 hours (depending on how distracted I am).  With that in mind I read the following during the read-a-thon:

These are quick reads, but I was able to clear a few books from my list, and finally read two that I got at BEA 2014. Bye Bye guilt!! I'm loving it, these read a thons are pretty kick ass. I loved the cheerleading group that I had, they were sweet and checked in on my progress, apparently we were #teamfrodo (yassss Lord of the Rings reference, how awesome).

If you want to make sure to check out the #readathon hashtag on twitter and instagram, so many people participated that way and shared their reading progress, even if I wasn't on for long I could follow along and see how well everyone was doing.Reviews for the books read will be coming up soon so keep an eye out.

Did you participate?? What was on your list?? Make sure to swing by Dewey's blog to learn about the sign up times and the readathon that's coming up in the fall.

Good Luck with what you're reading and see you in the fall!!

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Monthly Theme: New Adult : My Favorite Authors So Far & Request For Some Recommendtions

My Favorite New Adult Authors

I've only just begun to really delve into the books that make up this genre, I have read some good, some bad, and dnf'd quite a few.   I'm here to share some of my favorites with you and request that you share some of  your faves with me in the comments so I can go ahead and read even more from this fast growing genre.

One of the very first new adult books I ever read (not including the old school stuff, but the stuff that falls under the new genre title of new adult) was Rule by Jay Crownover, it was a sampler called Between the Covers and I was all over it, I loved me some Rule (check out my review). I then proceeded to gobble up the other books in the Marked Men series including Jet, Rome and of course at the time he was just on his way to the printer, but I begged and they let me be apart of the blog tour for Nash and of course then came Rowdy and now I'm breathlessly waiting until April 21st for Asa. yeah it's safe to say I LOVE Jay Crownover's writing. Oh and if you haven't checked out the men of the Point??? Yeah you're missing out because Bax is not a man to be missed.  His buddy just recently joined the crew and Race  is just amazing as well.


My next favorite is Chelsea Fine. because man can she write an emotive story with wonderful plot twists and character growth.  Her books, Perfect Kind of Trouble and Best Kind of Broken are two of my faves from her.  I loved reading them and the characters are just so awesome that you can't wait to read and see where they are headed and boy she brings them some seriously good places.


I've been a huge fan of Erin's writing for many years and when I saw that she was writing a new adult series I jumped at the chance to read from her and her  True Believers series?? Chile if you love new adult and haven't fallen in love with Jess then you're missing out big time!!  the series includes: True, SweetBelieve, & Shatter

Of course who can forget, Easy by Tammara Webber?? That book was one of the very first new adults I read and it made the genre for me.


Then there was Knox who challenged the black and white lines I had about certain things and you just have to read to understand who and what and how amazing this story is.  Hard Knox by Nicole Williams.

I've also read a few by Cassie Mae, and Jen Frederick that are worth mentioning, and of course Jennifer L Armentrout writing as J Lynn is amaze balls as well.

These are the ones I have read so far, what are some others you can recommend??  Share down below so I can get some really good ones on the list.  Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting my loves. I'll see you tomorrow with another post as well.



Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Waiting On Wednesday (April 2015) (16) : City Love by Suzanne Colasanti, Asa by Jay Crownover & Mastered An Anthology | Bewitching Bibliopphile

Hosted by: Jill over at Breaking The Spines.  This is a weekly book lust prompt, asking for us to share our absolute can't wait to get our hands on a copy books. Swing on over to find out how to participate and to see what others are sharing.  

Young Adult/New Adult


City Love by Suzanne Colasanti
Three girls are about to discover the meaning of city love. From bestselling YA romance author Susane Colasanti! Sadie, a born and raised New Yorker, is hopeful and romantic and an eternal optimist who is ready to find her soul mate. Darcy is a free spirit from SoCal with rebellious tendencies and unlimited financial resources, looking for summer boy adventures. Rosanna leaves Chicago for NYC with a grand total of seventy-three cents so she can reinvent herself and forget about her past. Sadie, Darcy, and Rosanna are living together in New York City the summer before their freshman year of college begins. With no parents, no rules, and an entire city to explore, these three girls are on the verge of the best summer of their lives. Told from alternating points of view, City Love captures the moments in each girl’s life when everything is thrilling, amazing, and terrifying all at once…in a way it will never be again.
Due Date: April 21
Print: Hardcover, ebook
Pages: 336
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
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I discovered Suzanne's writing a few years ago and have loved so much of her catalog that I was super excited to see this one coming out.  She's one of the few young adult author's I auto-buy. 


Asa (Marked Men 6 ) by Jay Crownover
Jay Crownover’s New York Times and USA Today bestselling Marked Men series continues with the much anticipated story of southern charmer and certified criminal Asa Cross. Starting over in Denver with a whole new circle of friends and family, Asa Cross struggles with being the man he knows everyone wants him to be and the man he knows he really is. A leopard doesn’t it change its spots and Asa has always been a predator. He doesn’t want to hurt those who love and rely on him, especially one luscious arresting cop who suddenly seems to be interested in him for far more than his penchant for breaking the law. But letting go of old habits is hard, and it’s easy to hit bottom when it’s the place you know best. Royal Hastings is quickly learning what the bottom looks like after a tragic situation at work threatens not only her career but her partner’s life. As a woman who has only ever had a few real friends she’s trying to muddle through her confusion and devastation all alone. Except she can’t stop thinking about the sexy southern bartender she locked up. Crushing on Asa is the last thing she needs but his allure is too strong to resist. His long criminal record can only hurt her already shaky career and chasing after a guy who has no respect for the law or himself can only end in heartbreak. A longtime criminal and a cop together just seems so wrong . . . but for Asa and Royal, being wrong together is the only right choice to make.
Due Date April 21
Print: ebook & Paperback
Pages: 416
Publisher: Harper Collins
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I have loved every single one of the Marked Men and their amazing women. I've had a serious side eye out for Asa since we met him in Jet, but I can't wait to see how Jay writes this reformed criminal, I really started to forgive him in Rome; because if Rome could give him a chance then I could too, so, here is his time.  

Adult Fiction/ Romance/ Erotica
Mastered ( An Anthology) by Various Authors
Three Secrets by New York Times and USA Today bestseller Opal Carew
Sharing secrets has never been so exhilarating...
Nicole and Abel met in Paris and fell in love, but Nicole believes her secret lifestyle will drive Abel away. After the vacation ends, she decides to take a chance and share her secret, but little does she know he has a secret of his own.

His Secret by International and UK Sunday Times bestseller Portia Da Costa
Quiet storm…
Ben Chambers is the perfect handsome boyfriend. Sarah adores him, yet despite their delicious lovemaking and the fun they share, she senses he has a secret. But then, during a luxury weekend away, one casual pat to her bottom transforms everything, revealing Ben’s thrilling hidden dominance, and a world of decadent pleasure and deeper love.

Remastered by Multi-Award-Winner Madelynne Ellis
A bad experience with a former girlfriend caused Spook Mortensen to repress his sexual urges, but when sound engineer Allegra Hutton is called upon to remaster Black Halo's first album, there's only so much attitude and stubborn refusal to listen to the bands' wishes he can take before he's forced to break his self-imposed vow and take her in hand.

Working Out by USA Today bestseller Marie Harte
When lust turns to love, who’s really on top?
An ex-Marine with a kink for dominance, Mac is Maggie’s boss. But Maggie doesn’t seem to realize he’s in charge…until he shows her that Sir is more than a title. It’s a lifestyle that could suit them both. That’s if Maggie sticks around long enough to wear his collar.

The Scientific Method by bestseller Joey W. Hill
Mastering her body was easy. Mastering her heart and soul will be an erotic science…
In the vampire-servant relationship, the vampire holds all the power. Being Lord Brian’s research assistant as well as his servant, Debra accepts that, but she craves her Master’s heart. When Brian notices his servant’s unhappiness, he uses methods they both understand to prove just what belonging to him fully means.

Juicy by bestseller T.J. Michaels
Twilight Teahouse ~ Choose something decadent from our menu…
Solie Shaw is a brilliant self-made woman. After managing a corporation by day, at night, all she wants is to not be in charge. The last man she’d gifted her heart to had smashed it to smithereens and then did the mambo on top of the pieces. Now, along comes the chance to get exactly what she needs. All Solie has to do…is choose.

No Limits by USA Today bestseller Kate Pearce
All bets are off when there are no limits…
Dr. Julia Reed deals with life or death situations at a California ER. When British businessman Alex Logan offers her a sexual bargain, she gets to share her darkest fantasies; he gets the power to carry them out. But who is the real winner in this high stakes game, and is Alex even playing fair?

Ink Reunited by USA Today bestseller Carrie Ann Ryan
Only two men can give Sassy the happily ever after she craves.
Rafe, Ian and Sassy loved each other…until it all blew apart. Now both men are back for the woman they love. It will take more than apologies for these three to overcome their history. But once they take that step, the streets of New Orleans will never be the same.

Unfettered:An Overwatch Story by Sasha White
You never forget your first love
Mechanic Ronnie Lang is tired of being "one of the guys". Chasing the fantasy of finding a dominant male to help her explore her sexuality she applies to Overwatch, a private BDSM club where her eyes are opened to a world that’s more than she ever imagined.

Bondage on 34th Street by Emily Ryan-Davis & Jennifer Leeland
In knots over love
After years of searching, Tasha Sears finally finds the Master of her heart ...on his knees in front of intimidatingly sexy bondage enthusiast Noah Dreyfuss. As sparks flare between the three, Noah's ropes will either bind them together or pull them apart.
Due Date: April 21
Print: ebook
Pages: 700
Publisher: Uncommonly Romantic Books
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Yeah I haven't read an Opal Carew in a while and I need my fix, so when I saw this plus Joey W. Hill is in this?? Yass darling give it to me asap.
Are you getting any of these?? What's on your book lust list?? Share in the comments down below!!
Happy Lusting


Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Book #Review Breathe Into Me by Sara Fawkes .@sarafawkes

Book Title: Breathe Into Me
Author:  Sara Fawkes |WebsiteTwitterFacebook|
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: New Adult Romance
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Format: ebook
Cost: $14.99
Pages: 288
How I got it: NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks
Publication Date: April 8, 2014
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Synopsis:
How did my life get so broken? It’s a question Lacey St. James asks herself every day. Stuck raising her little brother in a trailer park while she works a dead end job at a grocery store, she has a stalker ex-boyfriend, a bad reputation, and no way out. And then, she meets Everett, who changes her entire existence. Everett is an outsider who’s housesitting his family’s mansion off the coast, and for reasons Lacey can’t understand, he’s completely transfixed by her. He seems determined to show her that life can offer more than she’d ever hoped for, if only she believes in herself. She desperately yearns to trust him, but what happens when she finds out that everything he’s told her is a lie?
It was a good story, but at times seemed to be missing that extra factor to make it a wow knock out.  I loved the characters and the story being told, but at times it seemed a little scattered.   As a mandatory reporter, I didn't understand why the teacher went to the parent instead of the state, which she's required to do, but then I thought about small towns and how they worked and realized the system only works when people actually do their jobs, so this small town teacher failed at doing her job, but excelled at small town gossip When her past is unveiled I wanted to kick everything and was so mad for so long. I hated her Grandmother, and wanted to yell at her mother, but most of all I just loved that unlike some of the new adult women, Lacey rescued herself.  It says it's a stand alone but there are story lines that aren't fleshed out in this one and I wish Sara would give us more, there are parts of this story that we never got full answers on and it felt a little like it ended too quickly.

Lacey's life has gone down hill fast and she's still trying to figure out just when it went wrong.  As the story unfolds you see why she's where she is and what led to it being this way, and you get invested in her life.  You started off in the middle of what is her going out with friends, who you quickly realize aren't the best and her trying to escape a boyfriend who really is just the worst and as the story progresses you see why Lacey ended up with them, and how she plans to get away.  Lacey's friend in the beginning should be no one's friend she's literally the worst ever.  When they go out she uses Lacey and sets Lacey up and when called out for it, throws the biggest bitchfest ever, she wouldn't have survived for long as my friend because I would have kicked her teeth down her throat.  I kept having to remind myself that small town lives are different in many ways (as I have lived both I know this to be true) so I know why Lacey stays with her horrible friend, considering she has no others, as everyone in town knows her past and uses it against her.

Given a glimpse of what could be Lacey embraces change and goes for what she wants, and needs.  She uses her new love interest to further her goal while giving them a chance to get to know each other.  This isn't insta love as Lacey is too wary for that, but the characters have a connection that they decide to explore while giving themselves time to learn about each other.  I loved that Everett let Lacey set the pace, that he gave them a chance to get to know each other and that for her he became a safe place to be. He was first her friend then became more.  Everett, however had his own secrets, his own agenda and fears, which of course became a source of their drama.  Boy does he have some secrets, even I wasn't prepared for a major one, and kinda had the worst in mind when it started to unravel and came out, in the end it wasn't what I feared but it did make Lacey look at him differently for a while.

Lacey goes out of her way to maintain two jobs to maintain their home, because at one job she has a nutty boss who is breaking all kinds of laws because she is Lacey's grandmother's friend and she constantly pushes her opinions and her own agenda.  Lacey however needs to stay because she has not just herself but her brother to think about. And when it becomes clear that someone is abusing her brother, she has to decide whether her pride or her brother's well being in the end is worth more to her.  Her Grandmother is a horrible human being and when you realize just how horribly she has treated Lacey, I will say that if I met her in a dark alley with no repercussions for what happens, I might have kicked her teeth down her throat and beat her with a broomstick, just might have.  I need this woman to know that you don't punish children for their parentage, they didn't pick the parents and punishing Lacey because you didn't like who her father was, is a pathetic excuse. No you're just a horrible less than human being who deserves to eat dry dusty half burnt biscuits with no water or gravy for the rest of your life ( a really bad thing in the south or I should think anywhere, dry a** biscuits will be the last time you're invited to cook for the church potluck).

In this book we realize justice doesn't always come when a crime is reported ( as a Black woman living in the United States, this I already knew)  sometimes the system especially ones in small towns fail the victims miserably.  I wanted more from this point in the story, I felt more could have been done but then you realize this too is way more realistic and sadly true for many.

This story shows that family isn't always blood, nor does family always mean anything good.  That the disgusting example that Lacey had in the form of her Grandmother isn't all she had, and that the bitter woman's words shouldn't mean more to Lacey than those of the people who have always loved her.  She only had to reach past the fear to be embraced by the love and support.  I loved reading the blooming of Lacey as a character, and eventually as a love interest.  I liked that this new adult focused so much on Lacey as a woman finding herself and her strengths, and not just on her as a lover.  It allowed her to find some understanding with her past, embrace the future and revel in the present with someone who was willing to listen and go to bat for her when needed.

Overall even though I liked the characters, and I really liked that even though she'd been dealt a bad hand Lacey refused to be kept down,, this wasn't an emotional read for me, because I didn't feel as connected to the characters as I could have been, at times they weren't as fleshed out and sometimes they were inconsistent with how they were written a few pages before.  It could also be the fact that I read this over a period of a few months, or that I was in the worst reading slump of my life, and that I wasn't interested in reading at all.  I liked the book, but overall felt like too many questions weren't answered and too many plot lines where left untouched and holes were left unfilled.

This is a good read for those looking for a romance about second chances, and about unconventional heroines,  Way better than White Trash Beautiful.  This one handled the subject to abusive relationships better, it also handled relationships after abuse way better.  I still want to kick the Grandmother, and I need Macon to drive off a cliff, and Ashley to find a few seats and sit in them.
★★★1/2
It's a good read, and I liked it, even though I read it last year, I still remember quite a bit of it and that would have made it a four star read, however as I stated there are a few inconsistencies, and few things left untouched that made me drop the stars, I still like it, and I still recommend it as a good read, but just be aware of the few issues.

Happy Reading

Monday, April 20, 2015

Book #Review: Better When He's Bold (Welome To The Point 2) by .@JayCrownover

Book Title: Better When He's Bold (Point 2)
Author:  Jay Crownover |WebsiteTwitterFacebook|
Publisher: William Morrow
Genre: New Adult Romance
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: Trade Paperback
Cost: $13.99
Pages: 400
How I got it: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: Feb 3rd, 2015
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:
Some men are just better when they're bold. Welcome to the Point... In a dark and broken kingdom, a ruler has to be fearless to control the streets and the ruthless people who run them. Race Hartman is just bold enough, just smart enough, and just lost enough to wear the crown. Places like the Point will always have bad things and bad people, but the man in control of all that badness can minimize the devastation. Race has a plan, but can he prevent total annihilation without destroying himself? Brysen Carter has always seen her best friend's brother for what he is--too pretty, too smooth, and way too dangerous to touch. Basking in Race's golden glow is very tempting, but Brysen knows she'd eventually get burned. When she starts receiving threatening texts and someone tries to take her out in parking lot, the only person interested in keeping her safe is the one man she can't allow herself to have. Sometimes being bold is the only way to stay alive. But can she let Race save her life . . . if it means losing herself to him?
Welcome back to the Point my loves, strap in because it's going to be a wild ride.  We know Race is more than he appears, and now the Point wants him to prove it, the Point learned in the last book that Bax was not the one to test, so now it's Race's turn.

Race is from the Hill where the wealthy of this town reside, and yet so many of the people there have faces they don't want others to see.  Race's dad was one of these men, and his actions are what set the first book in motion.  As we met Brysen and find out how much she really likes Race, we start to see the human side of Race, now he's not just Dovie's brother and Bax's best friend, he's a guy who likes to see the best in people and is trying to do more for the city that's just about ready to burn.

As Race grows in power, so does an enemy; one who isn't stopping at just trying to get the money, no, this enemy is going for blood, because they want the city and aren't afraid to hurt those now in power to get it.   At the same time Brysen has someone working to tear apart her life and we don't get to see how badly they have hurt her until the middle of the book but damn, her stalker is hella crazy.  Brysen couldn't understand why this was happening and I don't rightly blame her, she's a good kid trying to stay afloat while her parents have just about given up on life.  As you're reading you realize trying to be the good guy doesn't always work and that being completely evil won't work either and you realize that Race, who is walking that fine line is going to have to make some decisions, on how far he's willing to go to protect the city from men like his father, and still not end up as one of them.  Because we all know absolute power corrupts absolutely.  It's interesting to see him realize this and watch as he and Bax figure out their way to not just being anchors, but creating and having their own safe anchors and safe zones.

Brysen and Race finally give in to their attraction and it's hot as heck to read.  I loved that they were so close before and even though they seemed to have very different lives, so much of who they were matched.  I loved how Race was with her, and how he made her laugh and want to be a regular college kid one who isn't carrying the weight that she was. I loved that Bry became someone who Race comfortable with.  I loved Brysen's sister and their relationship and how much Bry was willing to do to make life normal for her.  Where others might have called it quits she stick around and fights to help make life easier and she's doing so well before more and more of her family secrets become revealed.  As she realizes how far down the rabbit hole her family has traversed she seeks comfort from Race and here she gets to be herself. I loved seeing that as they both have so much going on yet they find each other.

As her stalker escalates, and the city starts to unravel and more bodies hit the ground, Race steps closer and does his best to help her and protect her and her sister.  I loved the glimpses of others we got to see as their relationship expands and they fight to stay alive. There are a few moments in this story where I was like "really" I'm not sure I could be with a man I know makes money via some shady businesses that might include prostitution (Let's be clear, Jay NEVER says that, however?? Nassir sells a whole lot of stuff, including sex, how do I know all of those girls are legal and are there because they want to be??)   This is of course one of the things Race brings up when he talks to Brysen, he pointed out that his life isn't easy and he can't always rely on the cops (the supposed good guys) to be the ones to help, I 'm glad he pointed that out because it's a big thing to not have that 'safety' net.  I loved reading Dovie's speech to her and realizing how much their stories were alike and yet so different. I really enjoyed seeing the couple again and watching Bax and Race work towards being where they were before.  I also loved meeting Titus even more than before and I'm sure that man is a whole lot deeper than we have been told.

 I want Race's partner Nassir ( because I really want to know what makes that man tick) to get a story.  I really want more from the point even if it isn't the story of the three friends and brothers. I want his nerdy friend who looked into Bry's laptop, the bodyguard who helped them in the end. I want her sister's story because I'm sure I know who she's going to end up with and I'm kinda excited for it.

This one had a bigger mystery than Bax's story and it helped to carry the story arc that was just beginning to be seen in Better When He's Bad. I loved that Jay didn't try to fix it all in this book and I have already ordered the next one (it's finally up for preorder y'all ).  I can't wait to learn more about their enemy, about Titus, about Nassir and of course see the Point from my nice safe home.

Have you read it?? If you haven't I suggest going in on Better When He's Bad and then getting this one
 ★★★
Happy Reading


Saturday, April 18, 2015

2015 Dewey 24 Hour Read-a thon Sign Up Post & TBR: April 25th,


What is Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon? For 24 hours, we read books, post to our blogs, Twitters, Tumblrs, Goodreads and MORE about our reading, and visit other readers’ homes online. We also participate in mini-challenges throughout the day. It happens twice a year, in April and in October.
It was created by the beloved Dewey (her blog has since been taken down, so the link won’t work). The first one was held in October 2007. Dewey died in late 2008. We’re still saddened by her absence, but the show must go on. The read-a-thon was renamed to honor its founder in 2009.
Dewey’s 24-Hour Read-a-thon is hosted by Heather and Andi of The Estella Society, with help from volunteers.
More on the read-a-thon’s history.

Every year I say I'm going to participate and every year I forget, last year I did it and I loved how well it went so this year I'm signing up again. I work that weekend so I'm not going to be able to do too many updates, other than on twitter @AishaOaktree. Make sure to follow me there to see my progress and for me to help cheer you on.

Because I know I work that weekend, I'm going to only pick a few small books:

I have this entire trilogy and they are each under 200 pages, so I know I can get through 1 book in an hour, I'll be able to (hopefully I like them, because this is my first time with this author) And if I manage to get through those then I would love to tackle:

They aren't part of a series and I just want to check her writing out.  She's won a few awards, which means she's really doing something in these books so..time to find out what's up with these books. 

Are you participating?? What's on your list?? Make sure to swing by Dewey's blog to learn about the sign up times. 
Good Luck with what you're reading

Friday, April 17, 2015

Book #Review: Three Broken Promises ( One Week Girlfriend Quartet) by Monica Murphy


Book Title:  Three Broken Promises (One Week Girlfriend)
Author:  Monica Murphy |WebsiteTwitterFacebook|
Publisher: Bantam
Genre: New Adult Romance
Series/Standalone: Book 3
Format: ebook
Cost: $4.50
Pages: 304
How I got it: Purchased on Kindle
Purchase: Amazon Barnes & Noble | BAM
Publication Date: Dec 31, 2013
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Synopsis:
Breakout New Adult sensation Monica Murphy returns with a hot new contemporary romance—a heartfelt story of second chances, forgiveness, and redemption. Commitment. That’s what I really want from Colin. Ever since my brother, Danny, died in Iraq, Colin’s done so much to help me, including giving me a job at his popular restaurant so I can leave my crappy waitressing job at the strip joint. But lying in bed with him every night to comfort him from his horrible nightmares isn’t enough anymore. I know he feels guilty about Danny’s death, about not going to Iraq, but I can’t keep living this double life. I love him desperately, but he’s got so many demons, and if he can’t open up to me now, then he’ll never be the real partner I need him to be. I gave him a month, and now I’m out of here. If he truly loves me like he says, he knows where to find me.
I read this one because it was from Monica and I absolutely loved One Week Girlfriend and Second Chance Boyfriend, this is the third book in the series and I couldn't have been more disappointed.   I was so bored reading this book, so many of Jenny's problems were self created, and really I couldn't care any less than I did because the privilege that wafted off the pages made me want to tell her to shut the heck up.

The girl we were introduced to in Second Chance Boyfriend is so missing from this one, most times this happens in the second book in the series, nope, (thank Goddess ) it happened in this one and really I just wanted to push Jenny off a short pier at low tide most of the time I was reading because she was so dumb. I rolled my eyes so much reading this book and told her off so often I wondered why I was even finishing it.  Jenny's older brother, Colin's best friend passes away and as his parents mourn the loss of their child, Jenny runs away because they weren't paying enough attention to her (really) at first I could totally understand her anger at them not paying attention to her, and then I realized she ran away less than a year after his death, (REALLY a year?? Chile you stupid, you telling me that you're mad they have been mourning for a year??).

Slowly we get to see how Jenny ended up working for and living with her brother's best friend. Because Jenny leads with her feelings and doesn't think she ends up at a sketchy job and then she moves in with sketchy people and because she has no backbone, they walk all over her and steal from her (at no point in time does she think, oh let me call the cops, let me stand up for myself no this dummy just lets life happen). I got frustrated when she kept saying "oh wow is me, I had it rough because I did this" chile sit down, some of the people who ended up there had it rougher than you, you ended up there because you're an idiot.  At first I was willing to be like ok, shyt happens sometimes life doesn't go the way you plan, ok she's in an unfamiliar town and place and she's scared so she just rolls with it, then she ends up in ANOTHER problem and then you begin to realize no these things aren't happening to her, she just goes looking for them. and I was so done.

Once again she's about to run away from a good job with the potential to move up, not because her boss is an idiot or a lech no, because her feelings are hurt ONCE AGAIN!!!!! Arrrrgggghh, everybody keeps asking her questions and each time she can't come up with an answer and before she stop and think Ok OMG I didn't think of that she just brushes it off. Like ok how are you planning to live in this new city?? Did you go apartment hunting yet?? Do you have a car?? A new job lined up?? No then what the eff are you going to do??  Slowly but surely this dummy just kept digging a deeper hole and even now just thinking about it I wanted to punch her in the face.

There were so many instances that Jenny did stupid shyt, and I wanted to be like ok she's going to learn from her lesson, but no, she just kept doing them and after the wonderful character arcs of the first two books I was so not here for it.  I didn't care anymore, I didn't care than once again she ended up in another home with another idiot and I couldn't give anymore damns by the end of the book.  She just brushed it off and kept moving and I wanted to just slap her. Like no bitch no. After a while I just had to accept that she's an idiot and therefore must be pitied.  Who sends money for an apartment they have never seen?? Why didn't she call the cops, after the roommate's douche boyfriend tried it?? There was no way I was being thrown out of my new apartment, I own half this shyt and I'm not leaving. As for the roommate?? That biotch is also dumb, who buys that piece of shyt story?? Her boyfriend is a sex addict yeah ok, I also have this bridge I'd like to sell, do you want it??  This scene wasn't necessary and really didn't enhance the story at all and I feel like it was a bit of a slap in the face because there were no repercussions not for the boyfriend and not for Jenny, Because you know stupid doesn't have nightmares, she just moves on.  UGh  It totally trivializes this kind of incident and I really didn't like it being there at all.

The male character?? Yeah we're going to go ahead and call him another idiot and just say the two of them together will spare the world from their stupidity.  He has survivor's guilt and he wasn't even in the military. I'll let that one sit with you.  I.just. can't, you know after a while I couldn't deal with either of them.  The only good parts where when they shut up and let their bodies do the talking because really anytime they stopped to think or even talk I wanted to kick them.  The only bright parts where when Drew and Fable popped up on the pages, because Drew was incredibly hilarious when he was needed, and I loved how Fable read her for filth (for those who don't understand, it means told her about herself and asked her about how stupid she was being).

I'm definitely not a fan, mind you I'm writing this in April of 2015, and I finished the book of June of last year and I still hate this story.  I went back and re-read most of it to make sure I still felt the same way, looking at it with fresh eyes, and yes I still hate it.  99.9% of Jenny's issues were of her own making and she refused to learn from her mistakes and I can't cosign.
 ★☆
Not So Happy Reading


Thursday, April 16, 2015

Book #Review: Breaking The Rules (Pushing The Limits # 1.5) by Kate McGarry .@katiemcgarry .@HarlequinTeen


Book Title: Breaking the Rules (Pushing The Limits 1.5)
Author: Katie McGarry |WebsiteTwitterFacebook|
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Genre: New Adult/ Mature Young Adult Romance
Series/Standalone: Series Novella
Format: ebook
Cost: $4.99
Pages: 304
How I got it: Purchased 
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: December 2014
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Synopsis:
A summer road trip changes everything in this unforgettable new tale from acclaimed author Katie McGarry For new high school graduate Echo Emerson, a summer road trip out west with her boyfriend means getting away and forgetting what makes her so... different. It means seeing cool sights while selling her art at galleries along the way. And most of all, it means almost three months alone with Noah Hutchins, the hot, smart, soul-battered guy who’s never judged her. Echo and Noah share everything — except the one thing Echo’s just not ready for. But when the source of Echo’s constant nightmares comes back into her life, she has to make some tough decisions about what she really wants — even as foster kid Noah’s search for his last remaining relatives forces them both to confront some serious truths about life, love, and themselves. Now, with one week left before college orientation, jobs and real life, Echo must decide if Noah's more than the bad-boy fling everyone warned her he'd be. And the last leg of an amazing road trip will turn... seriously epic.
I really enjoyed seeing the growth of my two favorite characters in this series (Next to Isaiah of course).  I loved Echo's growth in Pushing the Limits and I really loved seeing how that growth helped her move on and embrace her artistic side.

I loved the lesson Noah learned as well, I'm truly in love with these two and I would love for Katie to visit them again while they're in college and see how this summer has truly impacted them.

This follows Noah and Echo as they embrace their summer before college and work to become better as a couple while confronting Echo's fears about herself.  I loved the sharing of their deepest fears and the way they challenged each other as a couple.  I loved that they had to learn to face their pasts and their possible future, there were so many sweet moments in this story that endeared them to me even more.  Echo gets the chance of a lifetime and she decides to embrace it, this chance of course would leave Noah behind and at times I couldn't understand why Echo didn't see that, or see that the person giving her the opportunity was doing their best to separate her from Noah.


Noah in the meantime, gets caught up with an ex who tells him she knows the reason he and Echo are going to break up.  And of course all she says becomes a self fulfilling prophesy because Noah listens to her instead of talking with Echo.  And Echo stubbornly doesn't see what Noah is trying to say, this was great moment to read because happily ever after isn't easy to achieve and these two needed to see that, especially before college and I love that they learnt the lesson on the road and had a chance to face it.  It was funny to see even Beth gave Noah a cold shoulder for not listening to her and Isaiah when they warned him that talking to Echo was the best course of action.

I loved when Beth and Isaiah visit because it shows a little bit more about Beth's story, and how far Isaiah goes to protect her, and she's still an ungrateful biotch, yep, still don't like her as much as I love the others.  Noah also as his own lesson to learn not just about learning to trust that he's enough for Echo but about what makes family, and when he learns it, I'm so happy for him.  I loved that the man who shares so much of who his family is with him is never actually given a name,he's just the uncle, a part of the family not really.  Noah's lesson helps him learn to accept himself and the past that his mother hid (with good reason, her family isn't shyt at all)

I loved the scenes at the park, where Noah and Echo become closer and of course the most vulnerable to each other. I loved Echo's decisions and how well they worked together.  This is a wonderful addition to the series, and I'm going to keep advocating to see them in college, either as a novella or as another story.
 ★★★
Happy Reading, I might do another soundtrack for this series, because there were definitely a few moments that had some songs perfect for them. 

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Waiting On Wednesday (April 2015) (15): The Liar by Nora Roberts |Bewitching Bibliophile

Hosted by: Jill over at Breaking The Spines.  This is a weekly book lust prompt, asking for us to share our absolute can't wait to get our hands on a copy books. Swing on over to find out how to participate and to see what others are sharing.  

Adult Fiction/ Romance / Erotica


The Liar by Nora Roberts
Shelby Foxworth lost her husband. Then she lost her illusions … The man who took her from Tennessee to an exclusive Philadelphia suburb left her in crippling debt. He was an adulterer and a liar, and when Shelby tracks down his safe-deposit box, she finds multiple IDs. The man she loved wasn’t just dead. He never really existed. Shelby takes her three-year-old daughter and heads south to seek comfort in her hometown, where she meets someone new: Griff Lott, a successful contractor. But her husband had secrets she has yet to discover. Even in this small town, surrounded by loved ones, danger is closer than she knows—and threatens Griff, as well. And an attempted murder is only the beginning …
Due Date: April 15th
Print: ebook, hardcover
Pages: 512
Publisher: Putnam's Sons
Add To Goodreads
I haven't read a Nora Roberts book in a while and I can't wait to get into another of her worlds, Nora writes these great characters and I'm thrilled to see another of her books coming out. (Obviously one that's not one of her In Death series books)

Are you getting any of this?? What's on your book lust list?? Share in the comments down below!!
Happy Lusting