Friday, September 4, 2020

Book Review and Giveaway for Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover



HEART BONES
by COLLEEN HOOVER

Life and a dismal last name are the only two things Beyah Grim's parents ever gave her. After carving her path all on her own, Beyah is well on her way to bigger and better things, thanks to no one but herself.

With only two short months separating her from the future she's built and the past she desperately wants to leave behind, an unexpected death leaves Beyah with no place to go during the interim. Forced to reach out to her last resort, Beyah has to spend the remainder of her summer on a peninsula in Texas with a father she barely knows. Beyah's plan is to keep her head down and let the summer slip by seamlessly, but her new neighbor Samson throws a wrench in that plan.

Samson and Beyah have nothing in common on the surface.

She comes from a life of poverty and neglect; he comes from a family of wealth and privilege. But one thing they do have in common is that they're both drawn to sad things. Which means they're drawn to each other. With an almost immediate connection too intense for them to continue denying, Beyah and Samson agree to stay in the shallow end of a summer fling. What Beyah doesn't realize is that a rip current is coming, and it's about to drag her heart out to sea.


REVIEW: 3 STARS
"He tastes like saltwater and my blood feels like the sea, raging and crashing through my veins." 

Not only is it hard to write a non-glowing review, it's doubly hard to write one for a big, well known and popular author.

I'm obviously in the minority when it comes to my opinion on this book, so I'll keep this short and sweet. I can see why it's so loved - but it wasn't the caliber of what I'm used to from her. It felt a little rough around the edges. It didn’t read like a normal CoHo book does, but the voice was off. It didn't sound right either. It wasn’t quite as....smooth, for lack of a better word. The voice almost sounded as if it was muted a bit, and for her, that was shocking.

Loved Beyah's name. Loved Samson beyond belief. That is what I can adamantly state about this book, but also walk away from with confidence. I didn’t connect very well with Beyah, however. It was weird to see her anger towards her dad when she had all the answers as they played out. I’m not here to justify her feelings, but I usually feel for the character as they are written because there is an understanding. Unfortunately, I didn't get that side that I wanted or needed. I wanted to see the emotions as they played out. I feel that the immature side of Beyah played out before my eyes as intended though - so that was written really well. I feel like it gave me a better perspective of her maturity level and her inability to reason properly. I think. I thiiiink. I think.

It felt overtly plotted. I know...I know what you're going to say. Well, duh, Bee! A book is generally plotted, right? Right. But with Colleen, her flow has always been superb and it never felt plotted and it just naturally fell into place. I am not sure why this one felt, sounded, read differently than her others, but it somewhat affected my enjoyment.

All in all, the story was just ok. It wasn't really a memorable one for me....and that ending was the final straw that sealed the deal. I honestly didn't enjoy that at all. We seriously spent 94% of the book leading up to the end (again, duh), to only have it end....like that. It just didn't work for me. I am not saying it was boring, because it wasn't. I am not saying it was an awful book, because it most definitely wasn't. It just wasn't the amazing I have come to love from CoHo and it left a kind of blah taste in my mouth.

I love her style
I love her voice
I love her stories
I just didn’t love this one
It didn’t work

"I want to live in this feeling. Sleep in it. Wake up in it."
~BEE



~MEET COLLEEN HOOVER~
Colleen Hoover is the New York Times bestselling author of nine novels, including the #1 bestseller, Hopeless. She lives in Texas with her husband and three children. She is the founder of The Bookworm Box, a book subscription service which donates 100% of its proceeds to charity. She also owns The Bookworm Box, a specialty bookstore located in Sulphur Springs, Tx.

~CONNECT WITH COLLEEN~

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Thursday, September 3, 2020

Book Review for Knox by Prescott Lane


KNOX
by PRESCOTT LANE

A standalone second-chance romance between a Hollywood heartthrob and the small-town girl he left behind…

Sexiest man alive, scene stealer, Hollywood headliner.

That’s what the world calls him. I’ve got more colorful names for him, all of which would be bleeped out if I was on air doing my radio show. Even if he hadn’t broken my heart, he would just be Knox to me. Not a famous movie star.

Just a boy.

The boy who grew to be my first love. That is, until he ripped my heart out of my chest and stepped on it, live on the red carpet.

I thought that was all behind me. Until he decided to come waltzing back into my life. Granted, he looked hot as heck doing it, but that’s neither here nor there.

He may have acted alongside some of Hollywood’s hottest “it” girls, but being my leading man is a much harder part to win.


REVIEW: 2 STARS
"Love is not something to regret."

Maybe.....just maybe this was a ME issue. Maybe this was me hoping for just a little more strength in the storytelling. While the actual story could have been really amazing, there were a multitude of issues that kept me from really enjoying this one. The majority of it, unfortunately, had to do with the writing, the style, as well as the storyline as a whole. Even though the story did have some things that I enjoyed, it bugged me enough to want to DNF and skim quite a few times. And that makes me sad.

THIS entire story was frustrating beyond belief. The whole "I don't need a bodyguard, BUT I have a super famous boyfriend" with an "I told you so" caveat was irritating and made me quit the book MANY times. I literally wanted to shake Mae (by her hair) and call her every name in the book for being an idiot. I am sorry, but I don't find myself agreeing with being your "strong self" when everything is pointing to something dangerous and you think being stubborn is ok because that's who you are. Give me a break. It was a hair-tugging, frustrating read.

My next biggest issue was, we have all read this story so I was really hoping for a new spin or stronger writing to actually carry a regurgitated story. It's the same ol, same ol about a stubborn chick in love with some famous guy that breaks her heart....and then he comes back into her life after some epiphany but has to fight for her. I didn't like it and felt it was more angering than not because I literally hated the heroine. There was way too much inner dialogue from her that was boring and didn't carry the storyline forward. It actually stunted the progression because I found myself skimming quite a bit just to get through the actual story.

I'm bummed about this because the second book, Ryder, looks like a really great book but after this one, I am not going to waste my time on it. I really hoped this was going to work for me better than it did. 

"Time is a failure because nothing can heal my heart from Mae."
~BEE

I cannot recommend this book. I will not be gifting a copy out.


~MEET PRESCOTT LANE~
Prescott Lane is the Amazon best-selling author of Stripped Raw. She's got seven other books under her belt including: First Position, Perfectly Broken, Quiet Angel, Wrapped in Lace, Layers of Her, The Reason for Me, and The Sex Bucket List. She is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and holds a degree in sociology and a MSW from Tulane University. She married her college sweetheart, and they currently live in New Orleans with their two children and two crazy dogs. Prescott started writing at the age of five, and sold her first story about a talking turtle to her father for a quarter. She later turned to writing romance novels because there aren't enough happily ever afters in real life.

~CONNECT WITH PRESCOTT~

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Thursday, August 20, 2020

Book Review and Giveaway for Wicked Princess by Ashley Jade



Welcome to their kingdom.

They call me a heartless bitch.
An evil manipulator.
A wicked princess who enjoys hurting people.

They tell me terrible things happened.
Things that changed my life forever.

Only problem is...
I can't remember any of it.


REVIEW: 3.5 STARS
"Sometimes you have to lie to protect the people you love."

I am enjoying my first romp through an Ashley Jade series. I have heard she's unconventional and she doesn't always stay the course, and I am seeing this - but I am also enjoying it.  I will say this, no matter how much someone wants to claim this is a standalone, I can assure you it's NOT. It just isn't. There are a lot of spoilers for the first two books in it and it takes away the journey to get to know Bianca as we do once you've traversed two books already. It's a necessary evil, but you might as well go along for the ride.

Straight up honesty: this will be one of the hardest reviews to write. I remember closing the book and placing it down, saying what in the....? It didn’t really make sense - the route taken, the actions portrayed - I was stuck between being lost and being confused. Same thing, right? Exactly. The only problem was, I couldn't discuss any of it because it was the entire context of the book. But after ranting/talking to Ashley about it, joining her spoiler group and being able to see other questions/comments, it made a lot more sense. A. Lot. I'm happy to say that many of my thoughts and perceptions were actually true to her vision, and that makes me relieved knowing that I was catching what she was throwing. She can articulate well - but holy cow, did she go about it in a different way. I am not mad at the turn of events, but I do feel like I'm in a holding pattern.  

It’s a little young, it’s high school drama with some real world problems - but the schmooze is pretty spectacular. Not gonna lie. Jade has thrown a proverbial wrench into this family (his)story and I for one was taken aback. I was here, looking forward to the bitch known as Bianca and her eventual downfall. She has some serious claws, and she knows when to draw them out. I like her, because I know at some point she is going to be brought down. Whether it's by force or by heart, she was going down. Well, yeah - that thought 'didn't age well' at all. This was definitely a different turn of events.

Was it rushed? Some parts may have felt that way. Did I question some of the transitions and the solutions to some of the problems? Oh, most definitely. The thing is, I know this isn't my vision to morph and push onto her characters and stories, so I know that I have to trust in her vision to get the story across for me. I cannot stress enough that I didn't put the book down at all. I was anxious to see Bianca get hers. I was there to see her actually break down and see connections made. I'm still waiting, but with a lot more excitement. 

As we all know from finishing Ruthless Knight, there was something that happened at the end that caused this whole twisted turn of events - Bianca has no memory of anything. I remember Bianca having some dalliances with some guys, so this whole POV in this book was an eye opener into her flashbacks as they were revisited. The Bianca we knew was there, but she wasn't. Her love interest....well, that could have gone one of two ways, and that was a huge eye-opener for me.

Did I want more? Yes, most definitely. Some things just didn't line up, so I know there is more to this story, which was evidenced by the ending and the addition of Broken Knight to her Goodreads shelf and a PREORDER up on Amazon. I know that's the rest of MY story that I am looking for. That will be the culmination of 2.5 books being slowly poured into my mind and the necessary The End that I'm looking for. And boy am I ready!!!

I’ll be honest. I sat on the fence with this one for a bit. I waffled on how to write my review .... but when I sat and thought about it for a few days, which I don’t normally do because I’m a straight shooter when it comes to my ratings and reviews, I was able to really think about the message and the meaning that AJ was trying to deliver and she really did get that across to me. I am excited for more. I'm going to be following the breadcrumbs she dropped from the very beginning until that OMG ending. 

Do I see her vision and where she’s ultimately going with this? Yes, most definitely...and I can honestly say that I enjoy getting twists and turns in a book. I don't like the same old story being hashed out. So the fact that we saw a completely, massively different side to Bianca in this one was a head-turning, eye-raising WTF moment - but that didn't stop me from continuing on. I am obviously thoroughly invested in the Covington Clan and need to see their HEA's through. I am awaiting Broken Knight because I know that will have all my answers. 

The family lies and personal secrets are so convoluted the deeper we get into this series. I’ll tell you this much, October 22nd can’t get here soon enough.

"And just like that, the nagging feeling in my gut is back with a vengeance. Who the hell is Bianca Covington?"
~BEE





Chapter Reveal: http://bit.ly/2MNgcF2




Excerpt Reveal: http://bit.ly/2NFRPbX

 
~MEET ASHLEY JADE~ 
Ashley Jade loves to tackle different genres and tropes within romance. Her first loves are New Adult Romance and Romantic Suspense, but she also writes everything in between including: contemporary romance, erotica, and dark romance. Her characters are flawed and complex, and chances are you will hate them before you fall head over heels in love with them.

She’s a die-hard lover of oxford commas, em dashes, music, coffee, and anything thought provoking…except for math.

Books make her heart beat faster and writing makes her soul come alive. She’s always read books growing up and scribbled stories in her journal, and after having a strange dream one night; she decided to just go for it and publish her first series.

It was the best decision she ever made.

If she’s not paying off student loan debt, working, or writing a novel—you can usually find her listening to music, hanging out with her readers online, and pondering the meaning of life.

Check out her amazon page and Facebook page for future novels. She recently became hip and joined Twitter, so you can find her there, too. She loves connecting with her readers—they make her world go round’.

~CONNECT WITH ASHLEY~ 

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Saturday, August 15, 2020

Book Review and Giveaway for LEO by Jay McLean


LEO
by JAY MCLEAN

One single summer changed them forever, and one moment of devastating silence destroyed it all.

Growing up with six siblings, Leo Preston has always struggled to find his voice.
While his brothers are loud, greedy, and somewhat obnoxious, Leo is forever the quiet one.
The thinker.
The listener.
He watches his life pass by as an outsider in his own world, absent and alone.
Lost.
Until he finds her.

For Leo, Mia Kovács is like a prize, a gift wrapped in passion and devotion.
And she’s his—his very own secret he doesn’t have to share.
Together, they can overcome anything…
heartache and destruction, guilt and regret.

Mia gives Leo everything he didn’t know he needed,
including her fragile heart.
The only thing she doesn’t give him...
are secrets of her own.


REVIEW: 4 STARS
"I don't know who I am when I'm with her."

I love a story that I can get lost in. One that can emote what I need in order to get caught up in the characters and fall in love with the storyline - or the other way around, but for this reason, Jay McLean regularly sits on my favorites list each year. LEO was such a sweetheart, but he had his demons to contend with and I think that is what made his story that much more intriguing. Mia added another element, and she had her own battles as well. Hers were definitely of the heartbreaking variety, but they were each other's balm and I loved that they were soulmates.

Leo is definitely in a class of his own. He’s his own person with his own thoughts...his own actions, and I love that he wasn’t the typical “everything is perfect” kind of Hero. I loved that there was some reality seeped deep within him and his struggles were real, not easily glossed over. Little clues to catch onto, a few looks deep into his world, those were what gave him the depth I regularly enjoy in a McLean book. There was a sweet softness to him; a very soft side that was warm and inviting. But there was a dark, naughty, unequivocally dirty side to him that was delicious and I enjoyed every whispered word that came out of his mouth. Really, really enjoyed.

"That's because you bring out a side of me that no one else does."

Jay does an impeccable job lining up this story and allowing us to fall in love and feel the pain, interchangeably. I feel like Jay gifted me with plenty of laughable moments wedged between Leo being a complete and absolute gentleman in love and being a typical cocky guy with some deep rooted issues he had to work through. It made it so much fun to fall in love with him for who he was. It really was hilarious, but I loved the dichotomy of the different sides of Leo. I never once had to question who was feeling what because as she painted this picture with her words, I was able to watch it all play out. She does it so well. I know people hate the back and forth side of stories, but there are times when it’s legit. It’s real. It’s honest. This one went back and forth with cause. With truth. With heartbreak. It added an element of discovery as I got deeper into their story.

Something I haven't come across yet with one of her books: it felt long winded in some spots, even though it was explanatory in nature. What I mean by that is for 600+ pages, this had some spots that I could have easily stopped reading and put it down to get stuff done. I am usually completely caught up and can't put her books down, so this was a change of pace for me. I am not complaining, because again - it was all explainable, but it made for a very long read. To add to it, I'm almost scared to say this, but it felt anticlimactic at the end. {{hides}} It sort of just... petered out. Not in an 'oh my gosh, I hated this book' way - not at all, but it was a sweet and easy ending given the enormity of the drama they had to wade through just to get their HEA. I can say, however, that it never stopped making me smile. Jay McLean has always had that way with her words - she's nothing short of brilliant.

I am irrevocably in love with Jay McLean's writing and will read anything she writes. I love the way she tells me a story. I am excited knowing I have another story to look forward to, because THAT makes me smile. Add Holden's story to your TBR!!

"The things that matter to me can't be seen. They're not physical. They never have been."
~BEE

 
~MEET JAY MCLEAN~
Jay McLean is an international best-selling author and full-time reader, writer of New Adult Romance, and most of all, procrastinator. When she’s not doing any of those things, she can be found running after her two little boys, playing house and binge watching Netflix.
She writes what she loves to read, which are books that can make her laugh, make her hurt and make her feel.

Jay lives in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, in a forever half-done home where music is loud and laughter is louder.

~CONNECT WITH JAY~

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Friday, August 7, 2020

Book Review and (*SIGNED BOOKS*) Giveaway for Exodus by Kate Stewart

EXODUS
by KATE STEWART

Can you live a lie?

It’s a ghost town, this place that haunts me, the one that made me.

It’s clear to me that I’ll never outgrow Triple Falls or outlive the time I spent here.

I can still feel them all, my boys of summer.

Even when I’d sensed the danger, I gave in.

I didn’t heed a single warning. I let my sickness, my love, both rule and ruin me. I played my part, eyes wide open, tempting fate until it delivered.

There was never going to be an escape.

All of us are to blame for what happened. All of us serving our own sentences. We were careless and reckless, thinking our youth made us indestructible, exempt from our sins, and it cost us all.

I’m done pretending I didn’t leave the largest part of me between these hills and valleys, between the sea of trees that hold my secrets.

It’s the reason I’m back. To make peace with my fate.

And if I can’t grieve enough to cure myself in my time here, I’ll remain sick. That will be my curse.

But it’s time to confess, to myself more so than any other, that I’d hindered my chances because of the way I was built, and because of the men who built me.

At this point, I just want to make peace with who I am, no matter what ending I get.

Because I can no longer live a lie

REVIEW: 5 STARS
"Because...how can love be a mistake?"

WARNING: You can't go into this book with a closed off heart....or mind. This book tested me and my rational side to the point of questioning what was going on. Shame on me, but I'm here to warn you. This duet in and of itself is one of the best duets I've read in a long time - if ever. This one will sit well with those of us that read for the excitement and the journey; the true discovery of the story unfolding right before our very eyes. This one will ruffle feathers for those that want a scripted, Point A to Point B, safe kind of romance - this isn't for you. Walk away. 

Last review, I was pacing - I was that person trying to tell you how much you needed this story. How much you would miss out had you not checked it out. So, after running head first into this one with eager eyes and an engaged heart - I need to sit you down, rub your shoulders {{or your knee}} and tell you, "I'll be here for you. I will hold your hand and my messenger is open." Because this was not a clean, unemotional read. This was a gritty, dirty, raw and unconventional (there's that word again) read and one that will sit with me for a long time. Things I never saw came in hot. Things I never would have imagined or guessed - threw me for a loop. Kate Stewart was very articulate in her storytelling and this whole story was nothing short of jaw-dropping. The questions, the twists, the head-turning/heart-stopping/breath-catching moments that rendered me speechless or had me opening my eyes with shock - those were not few and far between in this one. This book had all the answers. 

"My heart is weary, and I will not fault it for being cautious."

It was amazing to witness these subtle changes, and the not so subtle changes, the characters in this duet made. The growth was astonishing to watch and the twists were head shaking to discover. This inevitable shift in devotion, this need to do right, but knowing it’s wrong? Ugh! So hard to watch, but so necessary to witness. It was truly captivating. There was a definite intimate anger that went hand in hand with Cecelia and her love. I couldn't look away as she fought her moral and mental side yet again. It was a volatile, but necessary love, whether she realized it or not. Definitely not one to deny because their chemistry was tangible on every level. Visceral. 

I didn’t love it for just the story, or just the writing - I loved it for the grip it had on my heart the entire time I was reading it. It was the gnarliest, most painful, greatest love story I’ve recently read. It'll sit high on my list of recommendations. The little nuances that were thrown in there that you had to pay attention to, and look into the {{perceived}} depth of said notion - those were amazing. I loved anytime He whispered in her ear because that intimacy was special to them, even though on the outside it was all wrong. It was the inside that was special. It was the one thing I couldn’t get enough of. It melted me. The French tongue alone leveled me. The love and anger, the need and lust - it worked in tandem with the story to show the volatile relationship, but the single most important one they couldn’t walk away from. I can't stop thinking about this book....

"I don't know how to measure love in totality."

So brutal, this love affair that an author can afford us for characters that have lived inside their head! I must admit that this one....it rocked me. It was a rough go for a little while, but after it was all said and done - it is going to sit on my shelf signed *mark my words* and it's on my favorites list for this year. I loved this so much. Because it wasn't just a girl finding her true love, it was so much more than that. It was the journey and the discovery of who she was and how she wanted to finally accept her world for what it was. 

I actually liked all the ups and downs that engulfed Cecelia's life. It was a very turbulent story, and it definitely made me feel the highs and lows. I will admit, I questioned things a few times - but if anything, this was a lesson to trust in the story unfolding before me because it wasn't my story to tell, but it was mine to witness and follow along and hopefully understand. I can say I walked away with a broader spectrum of an understanding of love as a whole, but also the ability to fall in love beyond your imagination's control. I freaking loved this one SO much.

With the ending of Flock so fresh in my head, jumping into this one was a huge change of pace. Not unwelcome, just a change. Be prepared to be a little uncomfortable... and maybe awkward a few times. But so so good. The story moved easily, gaining traction with each revelation. 

I will not walk away from this story unchanged.....I will forever be marred by the pain this caused, but forever changed emotionally because this duet hurt so good and was SO good for me - their love was everything I look forward to in reading a book. #BookHangover

"I've never met a woman so willing to brave her own destruction for just a little truth."
~BEE




*     *     *


"It takes a queen to love and understand a king. Did you think this would break me? You made me!"

~MEET KATE STEWART~

Kate Stewart lives in Charleston, S.C. with her husband, Nick, and her naughty beagle, Sadie. A native of Dallas, Kate moved to Charleston three weeks after her first visit, dropping her career of 8 years, and declaring it her creative muse. Kate pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense because it's what she loves as a reader. A lover of all things '80s and '90s, especially John Hughes films and rap, she dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity only and does a horrible job of playing the ukulele. Aside from running a mile without collapsing, traveling is the only other must on her bucket list. On occasion, she does very well at vodka.

~CONNECT WITH KATE~

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