Book #Review: Not If I See You First by Eric Lindstrom

Book Title: Not If I See You First
Author:  Eric Lindstrom |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Poppy/ Little Brown
Genre: Realistic Fiction (YA)
Series/Standalone: Stand Alone
Format: Hardcover

Cost: $18.00

Pages: 320

How I got it: BEA (Book Expo America) 2015

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: December 1, 2015
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Synopsis:

The Rules: 

Don't deceive me. Ever. Especially using my blindness. Especially in public.
Don't help me unless I ask. Otherwise you're just getting in my way or bothering me.

Don't be weird. Seriously, other than having my eyes closed all the time, I'm just like you only smarter.

Parker Grant doesn't need 20/20 vision to see right through you. That's why she created the Rules: Don't treat her any differently just because she's blind, and never take advantage. There will be no second chances. Just ask Scott Kilpatrick, the boy who broke her heart. When Scott suddenly reappears in her life after being gone for years, Parker knows there's only one way to react-shun him so hard it hurts. She has enough on her mind already, like trying out for the track team (that's right, her eyes don't work but her legs still do), doling out tough-love advice to her painfully naive classmates, and giving herself gold stars for every day she hasn't cried since her dad's death three months ago. But avoiding her past quickly proves impossible, and the more Parker learns about what really happened--both with Scott, and her dad--the more she starts to question if things are always as they seem. Maybe, just maybe, some Rules are meant to be broken.

I absolutely loved this book. I cried, I laughed, I was enlightened by this book.  I mentioned before that I have Keratoconus and how it affects my reading and my life (See here if you haven't seen the post yet).  As I read this book I realized how much more of my life will change if I do go blind, I never realized how much of conversations take place with just our facial features and out emotions being read by others.  It's been a while since I have read a book with a female character who is blind.  These books always hit me harder than others and reading this one was so good and so emotional. I highly recommend it because she is such a wonderful character to read, And she had great character relationships and she grows so well and has awesome well rounded friends and even makes more friends as the story progresses.

I totally loved the lead character, she was brash, funny, witty, ballsy and oh so real.  She grieved and she was so raw with what she was feeling and thinking.  I loved that this book had a love interest but it wasn't about falling in love, it was about finding your way in the world when you realize that no matter how independent you think you are, you still rely on the world and it's common decency when you have a disability.  I loved as the character went through the year she realized that her being blind physically was also causing her to be blind emotionally as well as figuratively.  Because she couldn't see the looks others gave her, she just busted into lives with or meaning to or understanding how her words were taken.  She never saw the reactions, she only heard those that were loud and made for her to hear, but the hurt expressions those she never saw, and you understand how she's also excluded by those who want to carry on without her knowing everything as well.  

I loved that she was shown that her rules while they may protect her, they also imprisoned her as well.  I loved the progression of growth for her, her new friendships, the old friendships rekindled, the adults in her life that she has to train to treat her right and her own personal understanding as she realized that she was missing out on so much because she wasn't willing to change a little.  I learned so much about how the blind navigate the world and how different it can be for each person.  I loved the talk about the special Olympics, especially because she is a runner which I was in high school and this made me love her even more.  The scenes where she is running and you realize so much of who we are is tied to sight, and how much we need others to not be there to harm us, especially when she was running in the small park by herself. When the teacher approached her just like her the hair stood up on the back of my neck, because in that moment we realized just how vulnerable she truly was.  And this is when she begins to understand her world wasn't how she knew it.

This story was extremely emotional and yet so good, no crazy high school drama, just the regular student body stuff and yet, it was written in a way that made you feel as if you were their and apart of the student body.   I loved that she had so many great friends, and wasn't just a 'loser' nor the 'special butterfly'.  She was just real and I loved it so much.  I couldn't put it down.

I highly recommend, not just because the characters are diverse, but because they are well written and the story is engaging adn because we finally get to have a character who is and isn't special.  And when you read it you will understand what I mean by that.  I would have totally loved to have been her firend in high school or college, she is pretty kick ass.

 ★★★★★

This is going on my top favorites of 2015 list, I hope you will read it and enjoy as much as I did, if you've read it why not share your reaction down below, and as always my loves, 
Happy Reading

Book #Review: Darkest Before Dawn by Maya Banks

Book Title: Darkest Before Dawn  ( KGI #10)
Author: Maya Banks |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Penguin
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series/Standalone: Series Book 10
Format: Mass Market Paperback

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 378

How I got it: Published  

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: October 27, 2015
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Synopsis:

The enigmatic Hancock has been both opponent and ally to the KGI teams for as long as they’ve known him. Always working a deep game, Hancock’s true allegiance has never been apparent, but one thing is for certain—he never lets anything get in the way of duty. But now, his absolute belief in the primacy of his ultimate goal is challenged by a captive he’s been ordered to guard, no matter how much she suffers in her prison. She’s the only woman who’s ever managed to penetrate the rigid walls surrounding his icy heart, but will he allow his perplexing feelings for the beautiful victim to destroy a mission he’s spent years working to complete or will he be forced to sacrifice her for “the greater good.”

I came into this series blind, I actually haven't read all the other books that come with the KGI books, and the two I have read are in the random order so I went into this one kind of blind and missing key information. Not the best way, since this is kind of written as if you have read the other stories and know who all the other people are and why this mission is so important.  It is easy to pick up on the information because several times within the story the characters go back over information and share with you how and why it's relevant.

Sadly this story echoes so much of what is going on right now and especially after what happened in the past week in Beirut, Nigeria and Paris, this group echoes way too closely with that dreaded group in real life, so this took me a little longer to read because i kept thinking how close to real life this was.

I liked the story and the build up, however I have a few questions as to why Hancock didn't see any other alternatives, even as his team tired to point out to him that saving a few doesn't save them as much as delaying the inevitable because there is always someone willing to be evil and be scary for a dollar.  Hancock had tunnel vision when it came to taking down the big bad and scary and he used whatever was necessary to get the mission done.  This is why this book hurts, because the mission was king and that meant way too many were hurt in the process of making the mission come to fruition.

Honor at times was an awesome character and then she would say something that makes you want to shove her out the car, why tell the people who are risking their lives to save yours that as soon as you are safe you're going right back into the fray??? Not even in say a place you aren't a wanted and hunted woman, but like right back where you are trying to leave?? If it was me I would stop the car, take a picture of you have you call your family then leave you behind because eventually you're going to die so why risk my team and countless others??  She really cant be that naive can she??  NOBODY is that selfless, it's against human nature, if we all acted like that we would all be dead already, it's one thing to want to help it's another to put others at risk so you can feel like you have a place in the world.

The story was a bit slow and repetitive at first and then the action kicked in and it flew by.  So many things happened that I both understood, and didn't especially when it came down to the team,  I think if I had read all the books in order I would have understood even more what each character means to the story arc and they wouldn't just be names on a page to me.  I did like the way the story was building and how we got to where we were, even if at times I wanted to look at some of the characters and be like Really?? You think now is the time for this?? And how unrealistic is this??  Especially Honor at times, like really girl? I need some answer.

In the end of the book when Honor is talking to her brother Brad, I kind of felt like that was a jab at women who when faced with the same problem but make a different choice than she did. I commend any woman who can make Honor's choice, however Honor has the option because she knows that even though in the end it sucked, her condition came about as part of her choice whereas for many other it isn't a choice they made so why should they suffer???  I understand what Honor was saying but it still felt like a judgement on those who don't follow her thinking.

Overall if you are a huge fan of the series you might find it a great read, however having not read the entire series, I'm not sure what I'm going to do.  I wasn't a fan of the characters in the end because they didn't seem to know who or what they wanted to be, so if you can't decide then how am I supposed to know??  It was a great action packed read, and then it focused once again on the romance closer to the end.

I kinda felt like this was missing the signature Maya Banks writing, I didnt feel as connected to the characters as I used to when reading her books and so this wasn't a great read for me, it was unfortunately kind of meh.

 ★★★☆☆

Happy Reading

Book #Review: Tame Me (Stark International ) by J Kenner @.juliekenner

Book Title: Tame Me (Stark International 3.15)
Author:  J Kenner  |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Evil Eye Concepts
Genre: Contemporay Erotic Romance
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: ebook

Cost: $0.99

Pages: 80

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon  | KOBO| Nook
Publication Date: March 2014
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Synopsis:

Aspiring actress Jamie Archer is on the run. From herself. From her wild child ways. From the screwed up life that she left behind in Los Angeles. And, most of all, from Ryan Hunter—the first man who has the potential to break through her defenses to see the dark fears and secrets she hides. Stark International Security Chief Ryan Hunter knows only one thing for sure—he wants Jamie. Wants to hold her, make love to her, possess her, and claim her. Wants to do whatever it takes to make her his. But after one night of bliss, Jamie bolts. And now it’s up to Ryan to not only bring her back, but to convince her that she’s running away from the best thing that ever happened to her--him.

I really enjoyed this one. It was a great gap closer for the Stark trilogy, and gave us Jamie's story as well.  From the stark trilogy we got to see Jamie grow and make mistakes, here we see her fight to claim a life free from mistakes.  With that idea in mind Jamie make THE PLAN (yes the caps are necessary).

THE PLAN is a way for her to reset her life and not hinge her dreams on a man or chasing men, so she's got a couple of steps, and one of the major ones is going home to Texas.  But first she's going to have one last chance at the man she wants and knows wants her.  However that plan doesn't go quite the way she wants, and when given the opportunity to make a move on the plan she takes it, who care if it looks like running.

I really enjoyed seeing Jaime again and watching the sparks fly between her and Hunter was pretty awesome. Hunter is pretty witty when it comes to Jamie and isn't at all afraid to let her know he's not here to play any games.  And boy does he make the pages singe.  I loved reading them together, their exploration of their desires (holy heck that was hot) and I loved that Jaime was so open and honest with her desires, well not all of them but at least the physical ones.

I really enjoyed the whole reading experience and was kinda hoping there will be more from them throughout the books.

Well now onto the next one!!

 ★★★★☆

Would recommend for those looking for a quick sexy erotic read.  And as always my loves, Happy Reading

Book #Review: The Kouvaris Marriage by Diana Hamilton

Book Title: The Kouvaris Marriage
Author:  Diana Hamilton |Website| 

Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Romance
Series/Standalone: Wedlocked Series 
Format: paperback

Cost: $5.25

Pages: 192

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: March 2007
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Synopsis:

Wanted--to have his baby! Madeleine never dreamed she would marry a Greek billionaire--especially one as attractive as Dimitri Kouvaris. But after a whirlwind courtship and three passionate months of marriage, Maddie is devastated to learn that Dimitri only married her in order to conceive a child. Desperate to escape the humiliating charade of her marriage, Maddie asks for a divorce. But Dimitri is determined to keep Maddie at his side--and in his bed--until she bears the Kouvaris heir.

There are days I wonder why I read these books, this book is the reason I wonder. Seriously WTF did I just read?!!!  Sometimes I love books where the miscommunication is the cause of the rife between the lovers, and eventually they realize they just aren't on the same frequency, then there are these books where it's written in a way I just can't get behind and I want to demand my time back. Ugh...

I ended up giving this just one star because there were just too many things that didn't make sense and I couldn't get behind them at all. Starting with how dumb is the main character, how is home girl so naive that she never considers the source of the information that makes her flee her husband.  Why isn't she asking herself what they gain\?? And how blind and slow does he have to be to only now be coming to the conclusion that his Aunt doesn't like the bride he's chosen?? I mean she's had a bride picked for him for years, and he had the nerve to not take her choice, so why wouldn't she be upset?? Really how dumb does he have to be??

Also why is her 'self' confidence contingent on him loving her?? Last time I check "self esteem" isn't something I can give you, only you can give that you dummy that's why it's called Self esteem. UGHHUGUGUGHGHGHGHGH Another question for you, why all the hate on women??  How exactly does it make you better?? I'm a bit of a tomboy and I wear makeup and can dress whatever part I need to. It's called being an adult biotch.   Hating on the other women who like makeup and dressing up doesn't make you a better woman, it makes you a person who sucks at those things.  And hating on others doesn't increase your sense of self so go suck a bog of sour lemons and stop judging those who have a sense of fashion.

At the end of the day I just didn't like the female character enough to care, anything about her at all. I didn't care if it worked out or not. And I totally blame this book for part of my slump.

 ★☆☆☆☆

Meh, not much there to enjoy, but I hope you have a fun reading a good book anyway. 
Happy Reading

Stacking The Shelves (38) : October Haul 1

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks! If you want to find out more about Stacking The Shelves, please visit the official launch page!

I did pretty poorly this month, both in books read and books purchased.  Or even borrowed from the library or anything, here are the three books that I got in this month. Yep you read that right only three for the month. *sob*

This was on my 2015 most anticipated books list, and I borrowed it from the library to read and never got to it, so I was excited to see this on the Bookoutlet website.  

First Frost (Waverley Family #2) by Sarah Addison Allen

Ten Tiny Breaths by K. A. Tucker.  I have always of the books in this series, but this one, so I snagged it as soon as I found it on Bookoutlet.

He Said, She Said by Kwame Alexander.  I've had this on my list for a few years, and everytime I went to get it, its gone, or I don't remember it, I totally snagged this as soon as I saw this.

And that's it my loves, that's all I got in October.  What's you get?? Share in the comments down below.

Happy Reading

Book #Review: Heartsong Cottage (Eternity Cottage # 10) by Emily March .@emilymarchbooks

Book Title: Heartsong Cottage  (Eternity Springs #10)
Author:  Emily March |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: ebook, Mass Market

Cost: $5.99

Pages: 320

How I got it: Publisher

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: November 3, 2015
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Synopsis:

Two weary strangers are about to rest their burdens in Eternity Springs, where there's hope for every broken heart. Haunted by the loss of his wife and son, Daniel Garrett left the police force to devote his life to finding missing children. But he still hasn't found a way to mend the wounds of his past-until he attends a wedding in the small mountain town of Eternity Springs...and meets a beautiful, intriguing woman who offers a glimpse of something Daniel thought he'd never have again. Sometimes life gives us a second chance at love. Shannon O'Toole isn't looking for romance. Ever since her fiancé's death, she created a quiet life for herself restoring Victorian cottages. Still, she can't deny her attraction to the handsome, broad-shouldered stranger. Daniel makes her feel things she's hasn't felt in years-including the desire to share her secrets. But can Shannon trust a detective when doing so could bring danger to her cottage door? In Eternity Springs, anything-and everything-is possible...

I really enjoyed this story. I hadn't realized this was a part of a series, so I was a little lost when some names and stories were referenced, but now I want to read the rest of the series.  I have created a playlist for this and I really enjoyed that the book had such a strong love for music.  Also for those looking for a clean romance novel, this is it, I really enjoyed that as well.

The two caracters each also had a strong love and affinity for music and I really enjoyed the way it helped to be their meet cue and gave them a basis for their connection.  Daniel has had a brutal blow dealt to his life and he has taken the damage it has left and tried to help those currently dealing with it.   I loved that he was able to make his experience something worthwhile, because so many would have just gone down with the grief.  Shannon O'Toole is living a life she never thought she would be living, and even though it's not the life she envisioned, she's still having one hell of a life, she owns a bar, she's renovating an older home and she's surrounded by friends that she loves.

When a friends gets married and she runs into Daniel, she does something totally out of character for her and now she has to decide where to go from here.  Daniel will bring change and challenge her ideas of what her life will be like, and they will have to decide if they are ok with the changes. I loved how Daniel was so not down for anything and then as the story progressed he came to some serious conclusions well before Shannon did. I loved the friendships we got to see, not just between Daniel and Shannon but the frienshships they had with people in eternity springs.  I almost belive that the lady on the Gold Wings, is actually an angel.  I really loved this story, I loved how it unfolded and how they were as they grew as friends.  I loved that they had music in common, and that Daniel was a singer.

I loved the scene in the tavern,  I loved that Daniel such a strong character and that he was amazing with Shannon.  Shannon was an awesome character to read, she really had a good life that she was living, even if it was limited by her fear.  When we get her full story I'm so heartbroken for her, and I totally understand why she is the way she is. I mean that trip to Florida proved her right didn't it.

I really enjoyed this story, and the growth for both characters, even when I wanted to knee Daniel for being an idiot.  I love how the story comes together and I so totally need the other books in my life.  I loved that it's a Christmas story as well, and second chances are amazing to read.

I highly recommend it. I totally read this in one day and I can't wait to get into the others. Have you read Emily's work before??  What did you think ? I'm loving this new town.

The only cons I had which brought it down to a four instead of a five star read was the use of the word "Gypsy" now while Daniel was the one who used it describing himself and his family history it should be noted that the Romani don't call themselves that, it's a derogatory word very much a racial slur, because it comes with it's own associations of criminal activity or someone with loose morals and many other stereotypes.  My other reason was her description of a person of color who is from the Caribbean, his accent is described, his hair but he isn't given a name, even the damn kid who causes an accident but has nothing else to add to the story, has a name. Also Rastafarian is a religion, it isn't a hair type, they can have locs, locks, dreads, however you want to call it, but to be Rasta is to be of the faith, that's like saying you're Jewish, because your hair is curly, nah that's not how it works. So I docked points for those, other than that I loved the story.  

 ★★★★☆

Are you excited about the Yule/Christmas books that are coming out?? Im so excited about the season.  Happy Reading

Monthly To Be Read (TBR) Pile: November 2015 | Bewitching Bibliophile

My goal this year is 200 books, if I break that down it comes out to 19 books per month , and  4/5 books a week. Totally doable in my books, so as the proverb says, you can eat an elephant one bite at a time, so here's my first few bites:

Read So Far this Year 99
TBR Pile :200
TBR Balance:  101

This Month has a theme, since I don't celebrate Thanksgiving, I'm going to go right ahead and skip that holiday and instead move on to YuleTide reading.  Here are the Yule/Christmas themed books on my shelf (I'm sure there are more, however these are the most "Christmassy" since they have "Christmas" in their titles. Now onto to the list:

• Carolyn Brown's Cowboy Books For Christmas (Cowboy not Included)
• Jingle Bell Rock by Jannel Dennison and Friends
• The Magical Christmas Cat by Lora Leigh and Friends
• Holiday Fantasy by Donna Hill and Friends
• Naughty or Nice by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Friends
• A SEAl Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear
• A Bride For Christmas by Heather Graham and Friends
• This Christmas by Jane Green and Friends
• Under The Mistletoe by Linda Howard and Stephanie Bond
• The Secret Life of Mrs. Claus by Carly Alexander
• Christmas on Mimosa Lane by Anna DeStefano
• Winter Street by Elin Hilderbrand
• Three Days on Mimosa Lane Anna DeStefano
• An Enchanted Season by Maggie Shayne and Friends
• @Home For The Holidays by Meredith Efken

ARCs That I Need To Read:

• The Keepers Christmas In Salem Heather Graham 
• Christmas Brides by Suzanne Enoch and Friends
• A Last Chance Christmas by Vicki Lewis Thompson
• A Christmas To Remember by Jill Shalvis and Friends

I'm sure I have a ton more in ebook form that I need to get to, my kindle has a bunch that I know of and Goddess only knows about the others I haven't added to a collection yet.

I also pulled an alternate list just in case and that is the letter "S"

• Safe in His Arms ~Renee Rose
• Spotlight on Love LJ Young
• Salt and Storm Kendal Kulper
• So that others may live
• Solid gold seduction
• Since you've been gone
• Simple Pleasure
• Sheikh's scandal
• Shattered bonds
• Shadow Scale
• Shadow heart
• Shadow fall
• Sentinels
• Seeker
• Seduced by the playboy
• Secret surrender
• Secret sister
• Second star
• Season of the witch
• Searching for perfect
• Say my name
• Save the date
• Sworn to raise
• Sweet revenge
• Supermarket magic
• Sugarbaby
• Suffer the children
• Succulent Sexcraft
• Stranded with the rancher
• Stolen kisses from a prince
• Stealing rose
• Stay with me

What's on your Christmas To Be Read List?? Share down in the comments down below and be sure to check out the YT channel and my personal channel for all the fun stuff leading up to and after Yule. 

Happy Reading and Happy Holidays whatever you may Celebrate in this wonderful fall to Winter season.  

Chicago Author Event In November

Hi My loves

How y'all doing??  Well I'm super excited about this new author event. Remeber when I went to Boston?? Yeah this is going to be even better for several reasons,  You see November is my birthday month and my present to myself will be going to this the weekend before my birthday.  I'm in Chicago for the event and then I'll be heading home right after that.

If you're going to be in the area and attending the event, let me know.  I'd love to hang out with anyone from the area.  And maybe go book shopping.

I'm excited to go because Jay Crownover is going to be there, so is Jennifer L Armentrout, and a few others, including, Alice Clayton, Jillian Dodd, Cora Carmack, KA Tucker and Jenn Sterling (these are just he few names I recognize) there are so many more, I'm not sure where else they are going to be, but the link to the compank is here.

I will be vlogging the event, adn sharing on my youtube, just like I did the Boston event and I can't wait to see what they will have in store for us.

See in November and until then, Happy Reading my loves

Book #Review: Dark Crime (Carpathian Series 27 ) by Christine Feehan ..@AuthorCFeehan

Book Title: Dark Crime (Dark Saga 27) (Edge Of Darkness)
Author:  Christine Feehan |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Jove

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: MM paperback

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 216

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date:
Add To Goodreads
Synopsis:

Dark Crime by Christine Feehan Blaze knows who killed her father and she has merciless plans for payback. Until a phone call from a seductive stranger pleads with her to wait. Retribution is in his blood, too. Now, he and Blaze will be united in the blood of the guilty. Tonight, vengeance is theirs.

I loved this story way better than Dark Curse which came after the events of this one. But unlike Dark Curse, this one gave us so much more about the over-arcing story.  We meet some fo the ancients form Dark Curse that were mentioned and learned even more about what the vampires are up to.

I really loved Blaze because she was strong willed and fun, and knew going in that she wasn't going to be easily swayed from her task. She was bent on revenge and in her desire to make sure they all paid for their crimes, enlisted (without knowing she was doing so the help of her lifemate). And from there the story becomes one action packed moment after another.

I really enjoyed this one because we got so much more than the couple's coming together, we got some mystery, a glimpse of the world that the vampires have been building and learnt about somuch more about the Carpathians and their weaknesses in the face of this war.

I think had this book been it's own story and not just a novella, we would have had one hell of a story, I can't wait to see whats going to happen with those that they rescued, and who will be the lifemate for her best friend.  I want to know what happens to all those Carpathians, and how will the battle between the undead and the hunters go. I want to know what happened in that room, and how deep does this mystery really go. It's going to be interesting, hopefully the next few books will give us those answers.

★★★★☆

I really enjoyed this novella, and now onto the other books in the anthology, it's going to be awesome sauce because the next book is by Maggie Shayne!!!  Happy Reading

Waiting On Wednesday (W.O.W) 42: The Queen by Tiffany Reisz, Iron Warrior by Julie Kagawa, & Darkest at Dawn by Maya Banks

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

Iron Warrior by Julie Kagawa 

The Iron Prince—my nephew—betrayed us all. He killed me. Then, I woke up. Waking after a month on the brink of death, Ethan Chase is stunned to learn that the Veil that conceals the fey from human sight was temporarily torn away. Although humankind's glimpse of the world of Faery lasted just a brief moment, the human world has been cast into chaos, and the emotion and glamour produced by fear and wonder has renewed the tremendous power of the Forgotten Queen. Now, she is at the forefront of an uprising against the courts of Summer and Winter—a reckoning that will have cataclysmic effects on the Nevernever. Leading the Lady's Forgotten Army is Keirran himself: Ethan's nephew, and the traitor son of the Iron Queen, Meghan Chase.To stop Keirran, Ethan must disobey his sister once again as he and his girlfriend, Kenzie, search for answers long forgotten. In the face of unprecedented evil and unfathomable power, Ethan's enemies must become his allies, and the world of the fey will be changed forevermore.

Due Date: October 27th

Print: Paperback

Pages: 384

Publisher: Harlequin Teen
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Adult Fiction/ Romance / Erotica

Darkest Before Dawn (KGI) by Maya Banks

THE ALL-NEW KGI NOVEL from the “incredibly awesome" (Jaci Burton) #1 New York Times bestselling author of When Day Breaks. The Kelly Group International (KGI): A super-elite, top secret, family-run business. Qualifications: High intelligence, rock-hard body, military background. Mission: Hostage/kidnap victim recovery. Intelligence gathering. Handling jobs the U.S. government can’t... The enigmatic Hancock has been both opponent and ally to the KGI teams for as long as they've known him. Always working a deep game, Hancock's true allegiance has never been apparent, but one thing is for certain—he never lets anything get in the way of duty. But now, his absolute belief in the primacy of his ultimate goal is challenged by a captive he's been ordered to guard, no matter how much she suffers in her prison. She's the only woman who's ever managed to penetrate the rigid walls surrounding his icy heart, but will he allow his perplexing feelings for the beautiful victim to destroy a mission he's spent years working to complete or will he be forced to sacrifice her for “the greater good.”

Due Date:  Berkley

Print: Mass Market

Pages: 384

Publisher: Berkley
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The Queen by Tiffany Reisz

Once upon a time, Nora and Søren made a fateful deal—if he gave her everything, she would give him forever. The time has finally come to keep their promises. Out of money and out of options after her year-long exile, Eleanor Schreiber agrees to join forces with Kingsley Edge, the king of kink. After her first taste of power as a Dominant, Eleanor buries her old submissive self and transforms into Mistress Nora, the Red Queen. With the help of a mysterious young man with a job even more illicit than her own, Nora squares off against a cunning rival in her quest to become the most respected, the most feared Dominatrix in the Underground. While new lovers and the sweet taste of freedom intoxicate Nora, she is tempted time and time again by Søren, her only love and the one man who refuses to bow to her. But when Søren accepts a new church assignment in a dangerous country, she must make an agonizing choice—will the queen keep her throne and let her lover go, or trade in her crown for Søren's collar? With a shattering final confession, the last link in the chain is forged in The Original Sinners saga. It's the closing chapter in a story of salvation, sacrifice and the multitude of scars we collect in the name of ecstasy—and love.

Due Date: October 27

Print: Paperback

Pages: 400

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

Book #Review: Dark Ghost (Carpathian Series ) by Christine Feehan .@AuthorCFeehan

Book Title: Dark Ghost (Carpathian 28)
Author:  Christine Feehan |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Berkley Books
Genre: Paranormal Romance

Format: Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle Ebook

Cost: $7.99

Pages: 368

How I got it: Purchased

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: September 2015
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Synopsis:

In the new novel by the #1 New York Times bestselling “queen of paranormal romance,” (J.R. Ward) a wounded warrior and a woman on the run find salvation, passion and unimaginable danger in the ghostly darkness of the Carpathian Mountains… He wasn’t civilized or tame. He had his own code and he lived by it. Monk. Bounty hunter. Vampire slayer. Andre Boroi has spent centuries battling the undead, holding out against the dark with honor. But now, gravely wounded by master vampire Costin Popescu, Andre will be easy to track—his spilled blood marking the killing trail for Popescu and his hungry band of underlings. Andre’s only chance is to disappear into the gray mist of the Carpathians. To wait. To hope. She had a healing touch and a scent that was his lifeblood. In the mountains in search of a precious crystal, geologist Teagan Joanes suddenly finds herself hunted by those she once trusted. Then she comes across the warrior—wounded, wanting and irresistible. Andre has been craving her for an eternity: his lifemate. Her warmth envelops him. Her scent pulsates. And with every beat of her heart, Teagan surrenders to a passion she can’t possibly comprehend. Now they are bound by destiny, but is it enough to keep them safe from a stalking, relentless darkness that threatens to swallow them alive?

I can't begin to explain how disappointed I am, I expected so much more from this book than I got.  It took way longer to read than it should have considering it's only 312 pages, and considering the novella that comes before this is 216 pages and that's in a smaller cheaper book I'm not amused that this is a hardcover and cost almost 27 dollars. Nope not amused at all.

So this book is following Teagan who is supposed to be a biracial American girl in the Carpathian mountains with a guy she considers a friend. They are old college buddies and it's not until they get deep into the mountains that his love to murder women comes out. Yeah she's so screwed but she's got a head on her shoulders and fights back and get out.  She's got an amazing gift and in her hurry to hide from her stalker finds a cave covered in a spell that she unravels and takes refuge in and it's there she makes the discovery of a lifetime.

As the story builds we are repeatedly told over and over again so much about her family that I get the feeling this book is really a filler or an explanation for the book coming in the future.  We are also told she's going to be the hope of the men in the hidden in the monastery and yet we aren't given any indication of what the 'hope ' she can give the men is.

Teagan doesn't feel like an African American at all, she doesn't use any colloquialism or any old sayings that a woman who is raised by her grandmother would use, she doesn't have any of the reactions that an American should be having to seeing a vampire for the first time, and just beyond that she's almost a cardboard cut out and that's just disappointing.  I was so annoyed by the biting of the lip thing that kept being mentioned over and over and over and over again  it just became too repetitive and annoying.  To me it felt like Christine had heard that the biting of the lip thing was big in fifty shades of grey and decided that was something she should throw in her books. It's so annoying.

This books should've have been a novella instead of a hardcover novel because it's really just a filler book which sole purpose was to expand the world of the Carpathians and introduce us to the monks in the monastery.  Having read the synopsis for the other book I get the feeling one of these men going to be the man courting Gabrielle or even be the man who meets the Grandmother.

We learnt a lot about her grandmother and her family and you have to wonder if she got his talent from her mother or her mysterious father, was he really Razvan like in Colby's case?? Or was it something from her mother's side of the family, things that should have mattered where not discussed but stupid things I didn't care about got repeated over and over again, like her fearsome glare that she uses on her in laws and her rowdy nephew. Like what?? Why??

Yeah I found myself almost not wanting to continue the book because yeah no not feeling it. but I'm finished and I'm now completely caught up and that's one book goal for the year complete. Yayy

★★★☆☆

I'm not sure I could recommend this one, I would say only if you have read the series then you can add it on, but don't let this one be your first read.  Happy Reading

Book #Review: Dark Blood (Carpathian Series 26) Christine Feehan .@AuthorCFeehan

Book Title: Dark Blood ( Carpathian Series 26)
Author:  Christine Feehan |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Berkley Books
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: ebook, Hardcover, Mass Market

Cost:   $7.99 , $26.95, $ 7.99

Pages: 432

How I got it: Borrowed From The Library

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: September 2, 2014
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Synopsis:

At long last you are truly back with us… Zev Hunter was an elite warrior, a dark-blood dealer of death to rogue Lycans who preyed on mankind. He was a loner, never given to personal attachments, and damned fierce at his job. But Zev begins to question his past and his purpose when he awakens in the darkness of the sacred cave of warriors—and is soothed back to consciousness by the sensuously familiar voice of one woman, the woman who has haunted his fantasies for centuries. She was Branislava, member of the Dragonseeker clan… Mother Earth called the ancients to witness your rebirth… For this half-mage, half-Carpathian temptress, the ritual of awakening Zev to the council of warriors was the only way to save him. Locked away for his own protection, the time has now come for his rebirth, for his blood to stir with that of the ancient warriors before him. He has been assured by Branislava that their fates are entwined, that their spirits are woven together for eternity and that his new purpose in life is beyond imagining. Now, with a blood-sworn vow of honor, mercy and endurance, and under the influence of a siren as bewitching as Branislava, Zev begins to wonder what his purpose is, what it means for the future of the Carpathians and what it is about his rebirth that he has to fear…

I finished this book in two days, I stayed up way too late to finish it too. I fought sleep because I wanted to read this one so bad, I'm so mad I listened to all the naysayers who said this one sucked, it didn't it was amazeballs, and I found myself enjoying way more than I have enjoyed any of the others in while, this had so many great moments that I needed to finish it.

I found myself laughing out loud while reading this, and really reading so I could know just what was on the next page, what adventure was waiting and how far these villains thought they could go before the good prevailed.  I was thoroughly intrigued and loved that in this one story, the woman was the best of the best and that once again the circle of women became the greatest assets that the warriors had.  I really love Zev, even if he is a little bit kinkier than I personally liked, his woman loved it so to each their own I guess.  I know that moment might upset some so there are going to be trigger warnings for those who might need it.  Also I must issues a trigger warning for those who might need it, most of that happens off screen but if reading about violence and what happens when psychopaths reign then you might want to skim those pages.

Braka grew up with her sister trapped within the ice walls as her father used and abused as many people as he could, his evil knew no bounds and he had accomplices that made him seem tame compared to them, and it's here that Braka must return, to face the past before she can even begin to consider a true future.

I really enjoyed the coming together of these two, especially because we knew it was going to happen, but also because they were from different clans and much like MaryAnn & Manolito they were a inter-species relationship.  Bronnie (to her family and Braka to her mate) unknowingly became her father's greatest pupil, trapped as she was, she was witness to all his crimes, all his experiments and all his spells, he gave her lessons and never even knew it, and this makes her his greatest enemy.  As the story unfolds, we get to see a great mixing of the clans, and picked up right were the books previously left off, we hang out with Dimitri and Skyler ( who we learn even more about her family lineage and where she really comes from), see even more of Fen and Tati (Bronnie's sister), work closely with the Prince (why isn't he called the King, he's not waiting to rule he is the ruler of his people) and even get some screen time with Gregori (who is by the way my fave out of all of them).  The scary De La Cruz brothers come to call and we see a fave who almost die come into the fold.

This was just as much a book about the over arcing story as it was a bit of a reunion story as well.  Even as the world around them expands and the bigger mystery is shown, we also learn even more about the Carpathians and their traditions, we see so much more from the lycans and realize that sadly racism isn't just a human flaw.

I loved reading the adventure from both Zev and Braka's views, loved that Braka had to fight more than Zev did, that she was the one who could save them all, that this time she was the one with the knowledge and the know how, that even with all the extra that made Zev the ultimate Alpha, he still had to take his ques from his lifemate.  I really enjoyed see the different relationships, and loved how the men embraced Zev and shared with him.  I loved seeing that the brand of leadership that makes Mikhail their Prince isn't an easy brand to bear.  Mikhail literally houses the energy that makes his people who they are if he falls, then so do the people. It's why so many have tried to come for him.  Gregori and his clan have protected the Prince and his clan since the beginning of their people and they literally are together the most unstoppable force ever, and even in the children can this be seen.

I loved the glimpses of the future that we are getting in seeing the children, and how they are growing, learning and changing.  I loved that the families are starting to expand, that each couple is finding a way to not only carry to term, but ti keep their children alive, it's a part of the plan to exterminate them that they are starting to beat.  I loved seeing them not just at war but learning to come back together as a people, embracing their differences, and their talents.  I really loved seeing the re-emergence of thier Culture and their traditions, it's awesome to see them try to keep from going under, and that makes the difference.  Hope really makes the difference.

This was a great book to read, not just because the whole gang was there, but because of the healing that takes place for Braka, and for Tati and Skyler.  It's amazing to read the changes that are coming and knowing that there are even more stories to come from the expanding worlds.  I can't wait to see how they battle the next evil coming for them, and I like knowing that they very well might win this war.

I'm hoping that we get stories from Andre, Luiz, Matais, and the other men mentioned, it would be really cool if the wolves could find mates among them as well.

Now I've got to go read the latest one which will make me totally caught up on my Christine Feehan challenge. yassss!!!

 ★★★★☆

Have you read the Dark series?? Are you enjoying them as well?? Share what you thought of Dark Blood in the comments my love and I will see you tomorrow and of course as always, Happy Reading

Book #Spotlight & #Giveaway: My Secret To Tell by Natalie D RIchards .@Sourcebooks

Book Title: My Secret To Tell
Author:  Natalie Richards |Website| Twitter| Facebook|

Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Series/Standalone: Standalone
Format: Trade paperback

Cost: $9.99

Pages: 320

How I got it: Book Expo America

Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BAM
Publication Date: October 2015
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Synopsis:

His smile is a crime. Emerson May is “the good girl.” She’s the perfect daughter, the caring friend, the animal shelter volunteer. But when her best friend’s brother breaks into her room, his hands covered in blood, she doesn’t scream or call the cops. Because when Deacon smiles at her, Emmie doesn’t want to be good… The whole town believes notorious troublemaker Deacon is guilty of assaulting his father. Only Emmie knows a secret that could set him free. But if she follows her heart, she could be trusting a killer… You can’t always trust the boy next door.

Excerpt

“Emmie?”

My name lands somewhere between a hiccup and a sob, and my feet stall out on the sidewalk in front of my house. I adjust my grip on the phone, hoping I misheard her tone. This doesn’t sound like Chelsea. This voice is breathless.

Frightened.

“I’m here,” I say. “What’s up? You don’t sound right.”

“I’m not.” She takes a shuddery breath.

My shirt’s sticking to my back and cicadas are click-buzzing the end of another blistering day, but I go cold. Something’s wrong.

Wrong, wrong, wrong.

“It’s my dad, Emmie,” she says. I can tell she’s crying.

I grab my chest. It’s too tight. Burning. “What happened?”

Her words all tumble out on top of one another, interrupted by shaky breaths. I try to pick out pieces that make sense. “He’s hurt—bleeding—we’re behind the ambulance and I can’t—he’s not—someone attacked him.”

I start climbing the porch steps, because she’ll need me. I’m her best friend, so I should be there. I need to change clothes and go. “You’re on the way to the hospital, right? They’ll help him there.”

Another sharp breath. “I don’t know if they can. He’s so bad. So bad.”

My heart clenches. “Where are you?”

“We’re almost there. Joel’s with me.”

“Okay, good. I’m coming,” I say, crossing my porch and hauling my front door open. “Let me just call Mom. I’ll borrow the car.”

Chelsea’s still crying when I storm down the hallway toward my bedroom.

“Emmie, I can’t find Deacon…”

“Your brother never answers his phone,” I say, pushing open my door. “I’ll run by the docks first and—”

“No. No, he was there. He was at the house.”

Chelsea makes a strangled sound, and I notice the liquid-thick heat in my bedroom. The kind of heat that tells me the air conditioner is broken. Or my window is open.

My gaze drags to my fluttering white curtains, to the dark smudge on the windowsill.

Chelsea’s voice goes low and raspy. “He ran, Emmie. God, he was there with Dad. He was in the house, but he ran.”

I swivel with an invisible fist lodged in my throat. My bathroom door is open, a red-black smudge beneath the knob.

My mouth goes dry, my pulse thumping slower than it should. Then I see the blood on the floor by my sink, and my heart tumbles end over end.

“We’re here. I’ll call soon,” Chelsea says and hangs up.

I see him, his back to my tub and his dark head bowed on one bent knee. Oh God.

He’s covered in blood. It’s on his legs, his hands. Dripping onto my white tile floor. He looks up, and my heart goes strangely steady.

I take a breath that tastes like purpose. “Deacon?”

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My review will be up soon and I am enjoying the heck out of this story and I know will you too. And Good luck to all who enter. 

Happy Reading