Love Letters

AWESOME!

Full review to come.

Interesting concept. Liked the character, but was a little flabbergasted by her reasoning. Also, the ending was a bit awkward. Going to have to do some thinkin' on this one..

Full review to come.

This was pretty good. A few editing issues, but the story was wonderful and heartfelt. These two had such a great love, even if the angst dragged on a bit longer than I would have liked. Loved it though!

Probably give this 3.5 stars. I didn't like this as much as her other series, but it was entertaining and I will definitely be continuing with the series to find out more!

WHOA...

Not sure what to rate this. Loved the story, but I intensenly loathe a plot element that the author has created. Kinda cheapens the first book.

And, it ended with a cliffhanger. Again.

Full review to come, once I've had a chance to think about it.

3.5 Stars

So funny! Really enjoyed this one.

I liked this one. It was a bit predictable, but good.

Full review to come.

One of the best things about being a book blogger is reading reviews that other people have written on books that I've read. Especially the big releases when something crazy happens, and I HAVE to analyze and discuss it with someone the instant I'm done reading the book. Writing reviews for popular releases is fun, but everyone does it. Another benefit about book blogging is all the recommendations I receive for lesser known books that I never would have read without that someone's stamp of approval. There are so many books that just slip under the radar, but are actually complete gems and truly enjoyable reads. The Marriage Bargain is like the wallflowers at a ball: it may have a plain exterior, but when you dig a little deeper you find a hidden treasure and a wealth of personality.



Alexa needs $150,000, and she needs it fast. Her parents have run into a bit of financial trouble, and are in danger of losing her childhood home. On a whim, she performs a spell that a customer told her about, listing all the qualities she wants in a man: loves animals, loves big families and above all, has cash to spare. Enter, Nicholas Ryan. The two were childhood friends but lost touch over the years. He hates animals, wants nothing to do with family and doesn't really want to get married, but has to in order to inherit the company he built with his uncle. Nick is filthy rich though, and the two connect and agree to get married for a year, which is amount of time Nick's uncle stipulated he must be married in order to fully inherit the company. In return, he'll give Alexa the money she asked for, which he assumes will be used to expand her book store. Alexa doesn't want Nick to know how she intends to spend the money, since her plan his to make him think the worst of her in order to keep him at arm's length. Alexa is in very real danger of falling in love with Nick, but her heart has been broken by him before and Alexa is one to learn her lesson the first time.


Y'all know how much I love my couples that hate each other in the beginning and fall in love at the end. While I wouldn't say Nick and Alexa hate each other, there is a definite wall between the two. It was so fun to watch that wall break down. Nick is absolutely convinced that a wife and family aren't for him due to his own screwed up family growing up. He associates family with pain, and doesn't want to open his heart to anyone and have them stomp on it. Alexa is the complete opposite of any woman he's ever dated, and the things he's sworn off are the most important to her. His controlled and rigid life goes into an uproar when he brings Alexa home as his wife, and I loved how flustered he was as he tried to bring it all back under his reign.


The heat and chemistry between the two are intense. The build-up before the couple gave in to their physical attraction was so well done. This book was hot, hot, hot!


Inevitably, Nick does something to screw everything up and has to make up for it. I absolutely loved how he apologized and it was so perfect for the story. The ending just melted my heart and I was so pleased by their happily ever after. I really wish there would have been an epilogue though. But I'm just selfish and wanted a bit more time with them.


My Summary: So, yeah, the cover is a little underwhelming and I might have passed it by if it was sitting on the shelf at the store. This is definitely a case of where you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The Marriage Bargain is light, fun and steamy and everything I look for in a romance novel. I definitely recommend it!


My Rating: A

The Vanishing Game is a little different than what we normally read and review here on the blog. The book has a bit of romance, but it's secondary (or thirdly, even) to the mystery and suspense of following the clues and finding out whether or not Jocelyn's twin brother is alive, or has faked his death and gone into hiding.



The book centers around Seale House, a foster home that Jocelyn and Jack lived in when they were children. Living in that house is the stuff of nightmares, and once they got out of the house, Jocelyn tried everything she could to block those memories. Jocelyn and Jack were placed in a new foster home, and lived happily there for awhile until Jack died in a tragic car accident. It's been three weeks, and Jocelyn is barely managing to go on without him. She arrives home from school one day to a letter written from a place she never wanted to see again, and from someone she thought was dead.


While living in Seale House Jocey and Jack became best friends with another boy, Noah, and the three were inseparable. Jack would design these elaborate games, where Noah and Jocey had to follow clues to receive the prize at the end. His code name, Jack December. The letter that Jocey receives is from Jason December, and it's post dated after Jack died. Desperately hoping her brother is really alive, she travels back to Watertown and the awful memories in search of Noah, her childhood friend and the only other person that can help her decipher the clues. Not only must they contend with an unknown enemy following their trail, Jocelyn and Noah must confront their haunting memories and finally lay the ghosts in Seale House to rest. The big question remains, is Jack really alive?


I was actually supposed to read this about a week ago, but I kept hemming and hawing and putting it off. I mistakenly read a few reviews on Goodreads before I started reading, and the excitement I felt sort of waned when I figured out that the romance wasn't the primary storyline. Or even a secondary storyline, really. I finally couldn't put it off any longer and I grudgingly started reading. I was immediately sucked in by the mystery of Jason December. I became so enthralled in fact, that I decided I didn't give a crap about the romance and I was an idiot for looking at other reviews before making up my own mind.


I really, really enjoyed The Vanishing Game. It was sad and heartbreaking, and I can't believe all that Jocelyn had to endure in her short life. Her memories of everything that happened in Seale House were horrifying. My heart broke for these kids, and I think it's tragic that any child should have to live in such an environment. I loved the relationship between the two siblings, and how they stuck together through every hardship life through their way. The depression and utter bleakness that Jocey felt after Jack died was written so well that I felt like I had lost my twin or something. I also liked how Noah and Jocey didn't just jump right back into their old friendship like they hadn't been separated for years. They had some issues to work out first, and the initial awkwardness was a bit more realistic and believable.


The ending. Oh, the ending y'all. I never really could tell whether or not Jack was alive, and I did NOT expect the shocking twist at the end. I never, ever, ever would have guessed the book would turn out the way it did. I'm not one to guess the ending anyway, since I'm just not smart like that, but I don't think anyone could have figured out what turn the book was going to take. The first 3/4 of the book was captivating, but that twist is what pushed The Vanishing Game into a truly great read.


My Summary: This is one of those rare books for me where my focus was more on the story - the mystery, suspense, who is sending the Jack December letters, whether or not Jack is alive - than the individual characters. All the elements of the story blended together and the author has given us a book that you absolutely have to finish or you can't move on with your life. It was nice to have a little break from reading mostly romance novels, and it was a break that I didn't even know I needed. If anything, you have to read this book just so you can read the twist at the end. Be prepared to be amazed!


My Rating: A

This was great! I got a little frustrated with Reece's complete inability to form complete sentences, ever, but other than that, it was really a good book. Loved DFC!!

I really enjoyed this one. This is my first book by this author, and I can't wait to read more in this series! It was short 'n sweet, and hit the right spot. ;-)

This was good. I wish they could have gotten together a bit sooner, but maybe this author is all about the build-up.

Full review to come.

Really great! I've always loved the flamboyant poet Augustus, and I'm happy she wrote a happily ever after for him.

Full review to come.

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED!! This series just gets better and better with each book. I love me some Charming Micky O'Connor!

It's Fifty Shades, how can you not like every single second spent with him? Plus, there's an epilogue! It's so sweet, it's definitely worth reading the whole book just to get to that.

Lord Benjamin Archer first meets Miranda while on his way to kill her father. He happens upon her practicing her sword fighting late at night, then follows her back to her home when she is confronted by a pair of hoodlum boys looking to get a little action. Archer can't help but step in and save her, and he is drawn to her fiery spirit and beauty. He vows that he will have her, and leaves that night with a plan.


Three years down the road and Archer's plans have finally fell in place. Miranda's father used to lead a life of luxury, but has now fallen on hard times and Miranda has been forced to turn to thievery to put food on the table. She feels that her father's misfortunes are her fault and has been paying penance ever since. When she returns home from her latest jewelry theft, her father tells her that he has made a contract with a rich Lord for Miranda's hand in marriage. Miranda is at first outraged, but then resigns herself to the fact that she has been bought and sold like cattle.


Upon her wedding day, she receives an unusual request from her groom to meet for a few minutes in private before they make it official. When she first glimpses her husband-to-be, she sees a man with a body built like a god, but a face that's fully covered by a mask. He felt she should know what she's getting into before she becomes his wife, and not one to go back on her word, she still goes through with the wedding even though she has no idea what her husband looks like. Miranda hides her own secrets, and she wonders if Archer is the one man capable of handling them. Archer and Miranda begin their slow journey to love and when Archer gives into his curse in order to save her life, Miranda realizes that she'd rather be dead than live without him.


Firelight is a unique take on the old classic of Beauty and the Beast. I loved the fantasy and magic elements that Kristen Callihan wrote into the story to make it that much more interesting. Miranda and Archer aren't your typical wealthy aristocrat and penniless beauty. They each have secrets and are hiding things from the other. The pair dance around each other, slowly revealing little bits and pieces, all while longing for the other to give in and share all. Even though the story centers on them, I didn't think the pair had enough page time together. They always were off doing their own thing, trying to solve the mystery of the murders by themselves instead of working together. It didn't make the love story as great, I thought. The time they did spend together was only mentioned in passing, but I didn't see them together. And I was a bit frustrated with how slow the secrets were revealed, and Archer and Miranda's lack of communication with each other. But that's really just personal preference, as I always want to know everything right away.


I felt that Archer and Miranda were great characters, and together made a couple that I cared about and wanted them to succeed. Archer was very sexy and broken, and I admit that I teared up a bit when he finally took off the masks and showed her what he looked like. It was very sweet and emotional, and the joy he felt when Miranda didn't turn away from him practically jumped off the pages. As per my usual, I fell in love with Archer a bit more than Miranda. I just can't resist those lonely, broken heroes y'all.


My Summary: Firelight was such an enjoyable read. If I'm not mistaken, I believe that this is the author's debut novel, and I'm definitely impressed with her ability to weave a tale. The book was exciting, passionate, and the characters were well written and became real people to me while reading the story. Even with the small issues I mentioned previously, I loved the story and can't wait for the next book in the series!


My Rating: A