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Review: Waiting Forever Vol 5

1/23/2020

1 Comment

 
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Waiting Forever: Vol 5 (The Forever Series)
by Tara Gallina
Genre: New Adult College Romance


Synopsis

Nathan
Life used to be fun. College, parties, close friends, girls—one in particular, who I can’t let go no matter how hard I try.

I’m not talking about my girlfriend. That relationship lost its momentum months ago. The girl who haunts my dreams and memories from my childhood hates me. I blew her off twice for her own good.  Now she’s coming to live with me.

It’ll be torture having her so close and not be able to touch her. I’m supposed to protect her from guys with bad intentions, but who’s going to protect her from me?
 
 
Kensington 
I’ve adored Nathan my entire life. He was supposed to be my first everything, my forever. But after multiple rejections from him, those days are gone, along with my innocence.

I got myself into trouble, and now I need a safe place to stay until life calms down. Until my parents can forgive me, and I can forgive myself.

The last thing I want to do is move in with Nathan. He’s made it clear with his distance, he’s not interested in my life. But after what happened back home, he’s my only escape from the hateful rumors and betrayals of so-called friends.

As much as I don’t want Nathan to be my safe haven, everything about him still feels like home. I need to be careful, keep my distance, and never let him find out what happened to me.   
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Review

This was such a great read! I am a sucker for my romances and my catnip (i.e. friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, etc.), and this read checked all the right boxes. My taste in romance stories vary (young adult, new adult, historical romance, contemporary romance, etc.), but I found that Waiting Forever fit right into the stories I love to devour. 

Nathan and Kensington have quite a history together and it was entertaining to read the transition each character took into understanding themselves and their feelings. I enjoyed both of the main characters for very different reasons. I appreciated and couldn't help but be enamored by Nathan's growing interest in Kensington while still feeling the need to protect her from himself and other guys like him. There was something in the story I did not like. It was very small and it didn't ruin the way I saw the characters, but i still didn't like it. I also won't divulge it because it can be considered a spoiler. Moving right along - I especially liked Kensington's character because she was quite honest with Nathan and with herself with what she wanted. And, as weird as it may sound, I appreciated her cautiousness after what she had been through. It melded with some self-sacrifice in regards of caring for her parents. Her motivation to keep moving forward and to still be honest with her feelings was truly wonderful to read. 

I recommend this read to anyone who enjoys a good, not TOO angsty (as in, not ridiculous) new adult read. I found it to be quite enjoyable. This is part of a series, and although there were some references I didn't totally understand, I was still able to enjoy as a stand alone!

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​About the Author

Tara Gallina is the author of the NA romance The Forever Series, and the YA retelling Fated To Die. She writes and reads romance in a variety of genres but has a soft spot for retellings.

She believes in fairies, true love, and happily ever after. She favors characters and/or couples who defy the odds and make a way, even when there isn't one.

She grew up in a small town by the beach but soon after moved to Orlando, Florida with her patient hubs, two older sons, and two fur-babies. With local theme parks like Disney World and Harry Potter, it’s no wonder her life is filled with fantasy and make believe.

Daily needs: sunshine, laughter, morning coffee, family.
Daily wants: castle, English accent, princess hair, anti-age venom.

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authortaragallina/
On Twitter: https://twitter.com/TaraGallina
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/tagallina/?hl=en 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18887586.Tara_Gallina 
Purchase:
BookBub - https://www.bookbub.com/profile/tara-gallina



1 Comment

Review: Road to Hope

1/22/2020

3 Comments

 
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When I agreed to review Jansen's Road to Hope, I, for some reason, thought I was going to be reading and reviewing a self-help book. Maybe it was because of the line that follows her title, which is: How One Woman Went from Doubting Her Path to Embracing her Inner Journey. I was pleased to find out that what followed was more of an encouraging memoir rather than a "how-to" in living a more authentic life. Don't get me wrong - there is nothing wrong with a nicely written "how-to", but  I enjoyed reading the perspective of this woman who has lived quite a life striving to be more. 

It's always incredibly interesting and humbling to read someone else's journey. Jansen's Road to Hope provided me a different perspective and what we can truly gain from everything that has us feeling stuck, is a hardship, or even a success. I found it to be hopeful in its outlook, and it is not preachy or isolating. Jansen's writing provided an authentic reflection on a life being lived. It could be very easy for anyone to gloss over their feelings, opinions, or choices, but Jansen's genuine journey and her decision to share it with her readers is definitely something that I appreciate. Living through a transition, and a life is all kinds of transitions, is such a difficult journey to take. I felt that Jansen's knack for story telling helped the reader approach the difficult concept of change (aka transition) along with her. This is incredibly important in helping the reader be in the same "space" with the author of a memoir like this rather than being made to feel that we're to learn a "lesson" from the author. Anyone who is up for reading an author's personal journey and reflection will be happily pleased with Jansen's work - most definitely. 

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3 Comments

Review & Romanceopoly Update: A Hunger Like No Other

1/18/2020

0 Comments

 
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A Hunger Like No Other
by Kreisler Cole

Synopsis
A mythic warrior who'll stop at nothing to possess her . . .

After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him. 

A vampire captured by her wildest fantasy . . 

Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents -- until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae -- and their notorious dark desires -- ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings. 

An all-consuming desire . . .

Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?

Review

I have been meaning to read the Immortals After Dark series by Kreisler Cole for the longest time, and thankfully, Romanceopoly has created the perfect opportunity for me to do so. I landed on “Fates Mates” during my last dice toss and read The Warlord Wants Forever, which is the prequel to  A Hunger Like No Other. Could I have counted that read as my “Fated Mates” category choice? Yes. Did I? No. Lol - I wanted to read the actual first book in the series! I’m so glad that I did by the way. 

A bit about The Warlord Wants Forever - it is the perfect introduction to Kresley Cole’s world of the Valkyrie women. They are these totally badass women that border on slightly ridiculous (in the best way) that Cole wrote so well. In this novella, we meet Mist and we learn about her sisters and who they are, not only as the Valkyrie, but as a family. We also join her as she falls for the ultimate enemy, a vampire. Cue family drama. 

In A Hunger Like No Other, we meet Emmaline Troy - the only Valkyrie who also happens to be half vampire - who is captured by Lachlain, a Lykae (*cough* werewolf) who is convinced Emma is his fated mate. This is a particularly interesting development for Lachlain as vampire are definitely their number one enemies. 

Cole did such a fantastic job in immersing the reader in the world of the Valkyrie. I HIGHLY recommend readers interested in this series to start with the prequel because it lays out the Valkyrie background really well. The characters are solid and I ended up caring about them all. I quite enjoyed the fact that the men who fall in love or fall into “fated” love with these women are just a part of their story. Behind everything that happens with them, there is always the love of their sisters & family. There is plenty of jealous attraction, miscommunication, and enemies to lovers in Hunger which is totally my romance catnip. I fell in love with both the main characters in this book, Emma and Lachlain, and their story together. I also might be making a stretch here, but there was a little familiarity between this story and Pride & Prejudice. Albeit, very loose familiarity, but there’s a lot of miscommunication and both characters come to work toward understanding each other and their very unique perspectives. 

I will definitely be reading the rest of the series because I am drawn into this world - good luck taking me out of it lol.

Romanceopoly Update

So! A Hunger Like No Other marks my second book for the Romanceopoly challenge. My third toss of the dice gave me a 6 and had me land on “Lover’s Lane” which is categorized as: “Read an LGBT romance which isn’t a contemporary”. I enjoy recommendations, so after looking around to the hosts’ recs, I have decided to read The Lady’s Guide to Celestial Mechanics by Olivia Waite. 

This is what I am absolutely loving about this challenge - it is making me get out of my regular reading routine! I have not read any LGBT romances (unless you want to count The Misadventures  of a Curvy Girl...which I guess we would, so never mind). I am so looking forward to this story and to updating you all on my progress!
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Review: Ain't Nobody Nobody

1/10/2020

2 Comments

 
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​In Ain’t Nobody Nobody by Heather Harper Ellett, we meet Randy Mayhill, a “retired” sheriff who is living his life of solitude until a dead body appears…and then disappears on the fence outside his home.

Ellett’s debut novel is full of wit and twists. I found the characters to be quite charming, something that I sometimes find missing in mystery novels. I was pleasantly surprised, however, to find myself feeling attached to these characters. Ellett’s writing gave them, not only life, but warmth - something I find can’t be ignored. I find characterization to be so important…if I don’t care about the characters, I have difficulty caring about the story.

Ellett’s writing is truly enjoyable, alternating between humor and wisdom. We feel what the characters are feeling - the guilt, loyalty, and eventually their sense of community. I appreciate writing that places you, not only in the scenes of the books, but engulfed in the feelings of the people. Mayhill takes us on a journey with him as he unofficially comes back from “retirement” in order to solve the mystery that hits way too close to home.
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Review: Misadventures of a Curvy Girl

1/10/2020

0 Comments

 
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Misadventures of a Curvy Girl
by Sierra Simone

Synopsis


For the first time in her life, Ireland Mills is happy with her body. No more fad diets, no more hiding from every camera in the room, no more low self-esteem. She’d rather be alone than with someone who’ll only love her if she’s skinny.

Caleb Carpenter and Ben Weber are everything Ireland and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce dreamed of when conceptualizing the “Real Kansas” promotional campaign. They’re handsome, young, educated, and totally dedicated to their small prairie town.

When Ireland’s Prius gets stuck on a Kansas dirt road and a massive storm rips through town, she’s left stranded with nowhere to turn but to Caleb and Ben. These two hunky country boys are impossible to ignore, but could they ever be interested in her as well?

Caleb and Ben are more than interested…and they’re willing to share. After their first night together, they know this has to be more than a one-time thing. They need to make her theirs forever. But can they convince Ireland they love her, curves and all?

*****
Misadventures is a romantic series of spicy standalone novels, each written or co-written by some of the best names in romance. The stories are scandalous, refreshing, and, of course, incredibly sexy. They’re the perfect bedside read, a ‘quick blush’ for the reader who loves a page-turning romance.

​

Review

Misadventures of a Curvy Girl was my first read for Romanceopoly. If you missed my post on it, just click here. I was a bit nervous going into this read because, as much as I love romance, this Sierra Simone's book goes into an area of romance that is totally out of my...not comfort zone necessarily...just my realm of reading experience. Let's put it that way haha. 

Misadventures is about a curvy woman, Ireland (LOVED HER NAME) meeting two guys, Ben and Caleb. The story concerns Ben and Caleb's relationship and their need to have a third person in the relationship with them to really feel complete. 

So, what was I nervous about? Here are the things:
  • I've never read a book that included a menage relationship
  • I wasn't sure how the curvy woman was going to be portrayed (this is always a nerve-inducing point for me. I am a curvy woman.)
  • I knew it was going to be smutty - but was it going to be good story smutty or ridiculous?

Thankfully, I did not need to worry about this because I ended up really loving this book! It's really funny because it had some details I don't usually like in my romance books (insta-love being the main one), but it just sort of fit in this story. I ended up caring about each one of the three main characters which is so important to me. A story is useless for me unless I enjoy the characters. Most importantly, Simone treated each character with importance and respect. We get the perspective of each character in alternating chapters, and I just loved that, even though Ireland was the key person missing from their relationship, she did not overshadow Ben and Caleb. Also, I don't know if this is how all menage/thruple/etc. relationships work, but I respected and was happy to read that Ben and Caleb were so determined to do work together rather than against each other when it came to Ireland. It made the story feel so real to me and endeared me even more to each of the characters. 

So, if you're willing to go outside of your reading zone, I definitely recommend this book. It was a quick read for me (finished it the same day I started it), and I found myself wanting to know more about their relationship. Definitely.

Now - let's see what my next read for Romanceopoly will be *rolls digital dice*
It looks like I've landed on "Fated Folly" which means I am to read "a fated mates PNR (paranormal romance)". I have the perfect book for this category. I will be reading A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole. I'll try to post updates on my thoughts as I read it on Goodreads and/or Twitter. Stay tuned!


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