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Romance Read Thursday: Playing for Keeps

12/31/2015

Playing for Keeps
A Neighbor from Hell novel
by R.L. Mathewson

Synopsis
Done with being the world's biggest pushover, Haley decides that things are going to change starting with the aggravating neighbor who has too much charm and not enough restraint. What she didn't expect was to be sucked into his world, but Haley has a game plan and she won't let herself forget just what the bad boy next door is capable of.

The last thing Jason expected was for his little shy neighbor to go Rambo on him over some ruined flowers. After he decides to take her under his wing he can't help but notice that she fits very nicely in his life. Now the only thing left is to convince her that this is anything but a game.

Review
This review contains spoilers because I cannot help myself this time.

*sigh* When I first started this book, I wanted to give it 4 or 5 stars. I really liked Haley and Jason. They're so funny and their friendship was the best. I love how they came together - how it happened so naturally. I wanted to be friends with these characters. And then came the conflict.

Hey - I like conflict! Can't have story without some conflict. But I get tired of the same conflict being flipped around from one character to the other. It gets tiring really fast and feels lazy. I get bored. I don't like characters who flip flop so much, nor when they keep hurting each other - and eventually that's what ended up happening here. Oh! And I really HATED that Jason kept referring to Haley as his "little grasshopper." Once is fine. Twice, okay. BUT HE KEPT SAYING IT AND IT'S SO ANNOYING.

*GROAN*

And don't get me started on sudden proposals. I don't like them. I find them unnecessary. I do not need a wedding at the end of a romance book to keep me happy. Perhaps that is an unpopular opinion - but it is my opinion nonetheless.

I gave this book three stars on Goodreads because regardless of where the story ended up - the writing was really fun and I really loved Haley and Jason. So much. That is basically what makes me so sad about this review - I wish I could have loved it all the way through.

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Romance Read Thursday: Mr. Miracle

12/24/2015

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Mr. Miracle
by Debbie Macomber

Synopsis

Harry Mills is a guardian angel on a mission: help twenty-four-year-old Addie Folsom get her life back on track—and, if the right moment strikes, help her find love. Posing as a teacher at a local college in Tacoma, Washington, Harry is up to the task, but not even he can predict the surprises that lay in store.

After trying to make it on her own, Addie has returned home to Tacoma for the holidays, but this time she plans to stay for good, enrolling in the local community college to earn her degree. What she doesn’t plan to do is run into Erich Simmons.

Addie and her next-door neighbor, Erich, are like night and day. Growing up, he was popular and outgoing while she was rebellious and headstrong, and he never missed an opportunity to tease her. Now she intends to avoid him entirely, yet when they’re suddenly forced to spend Christmas together, Addie braces for trouble.

Perhaps it’s the spirit of the season or the magic of mistletoe, but Addie and Erich soon find they have more in common than they thought—and that two people who seem so wrong for each other may actually be just right. With a little prompting from a certain angelic teacher, the two are in for a holiday miracle they’ll never forget.

Review

Christmas is tomorrow, so it is only fair that this week's Romance Read be a Christmas Read as well. I haven't read many Christmas romance books, so I decided to try Mr. Miracle and I am glad that I did. I truly enjoyed reading about the two angels, Harry and Celeste, and their mission to help Addie. Addie is a woman who has returned home after the death of her father earlier in the year in hopes of starting over. She decides to enroll in a college level literature class in order to earn her last credit to get her high school diploma. Angel Harry is the teacher of that literature class and it is his job to get her to move forward. Part of moving forward involves Addie getting closer to Erich, her next door neighbor whom she's known since they were children. Erich used to torment Addie with his teasing, but now that he's hurt his wrists - she has been placed with the task of taking care of him.

My favorite part of the book was the interaction of the two angels with each other and Harry's insight to being a human and how difficult it is. The idea of angels caring so much about one human specifically (and others, of course) is really beautiful. I also loved the idea of interweaving the story of A Christmas Carol (the book that Harry is teaching in his class) and Addie's transition to becoming the person she wants to be.

Like everything, the story had its flaws. As much as I really liked a romance between Addie and Erich, I felt that it was not explored enough. I felt like I had missed when they started liking each other, only to realize that it just...happened - but not in a good way. I didn't have time to enjoy Addie and Erich falling for each other. I also felt that the story was so good and it ended so soon. I wanted to spend Christmas with Addie and Erich, but the story ended before I could really do that. I wish there was more romance. It may have meant that the book were longer - but that would have been fine with me!

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Review: Curio

12/21/2015

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Curio
by Evangeline Denmark

Releases January 2016

Synopsis

Grey Haward has always detested the Chemists, the magicians-come-scientists who rule her small western town. But she has always followed the rules, taking the potion the Chemists ration out that helps the town’s people survive. A potion that Grey suspects she—like her grandfather and father—may not actually need.

By working at her grandfather’s repair shop, sorting the small gears and dusting the curio cabinet inside, Grey has tried to stay unnoticed—or as unnoticed as a tall, strong girl can in a town of diminutive, underdeveloped citizens. Then her best friend, Whit, is caught by the Chemists’ enforcers after trying to protect Grey one night, and after seeing the extent of his punishment, suddenly taking risks seems the only decision she can make.

But with the risk comes the reality that the Chemists know her family’s secret, and the Chemists soon decide to use her for their own purposes. Panicked, Grey retreats to the only safe place she knows—her grandfather’s shop. There, however, a larger secret confronts her when her touch unlocks the old curio cabinet in the corner and reveals a world where porcelain and clockwork people are real. There, she could find the key that may save Whit’s life and also end the Chemists’ dark rule forever.

Review

I had never read a steampunk book before and I was pleasantly surprised! Denmark did a wonderful job with the world building - it was quite detailed, just how I like it :D Everything is like reality - but with a twist. It also helps that I love gadgets and this story provided great descriptions of some that, sadly, I'll probably never see lol. The characters are well-rounded even if they are supporting characters which is a very important aspect for me. I want to care about the characters that I read and this story lets me do that. Plus - I love awesome heroines and that is exactly what the reader should expect from this story. Anyone who would like to wade in the steampunk pool should consider this book - it is very entertaining!

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Short Story Review: The Call of Cthulhu

12/20/2015

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The Call of Cthulhu
from The Call of Cthulhu and Other Dark Tales
by H.P. Lovecraft

Review
This is the first Lovecraft story I have read and I LOVED IT. Okay - I know there's a lot of bad background stuff on Lovecraft. I don't know much about that and I'm sure I'll learn more about it as I keep reading his stories. I need to be able to separate the lives of authors from their creation sometimes.

Moving on - this short story was awesome and eerie. I don't usually get spooked out by books, but this short story...wow. Much of the reason is because of the way it is written. The protagonist is Francis Wayland Thurston who is talking to the reader about information he has unearthed among his great uncle's possessions. Apparently his uncle was doing some research concerning a bas-relief made by a talented sculptor. Upon looking more into it, he finds that the artist had gone through a delirium in which he had visions and bad dreams until he all of a sudden got better one day. In doing more research, great-uncle finds out other poets and artists experienced similar dreams during the time the main artist was going through his delirium. Thurston's own research leads him to find out about Cthulhu, the monster-like creature who is the idol of a cult. Members of the cult believe that, one day, Cthulhu will return to Earth to rule as he once did.

I won't say anything else because I love the ending. I can't wait to read more of Lovecraft's stories!

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Review: For the Love of Dixie

12/18/2015

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For the Love of Dixie
by Shyla Colt

Synopsis
After having her heart broken by Echo, Dixie Dunn makes a new life for herself, away from the Kings Of Chaos. Now, she must return in order to get her stubborn father back to fighting shape after a heart attack. She knows she’ll have to face Echo, as he has made it clear over the years that she still belongs to him. But she refuses to give him any chance to crush her heart again.

Echo, Joel Spencer knows that Dixie hates him, but he also knows she yearns for him. After being forced by his hateful father to practically leave her at the altar when they were teens, he realizes that he has his work cut out for him. One thing is on his side, he knows what she wants and needs. This time, he WILL make her his again, and to hell with whoever gets in his way.

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiBeBGMhWB0&feature=youtu.be

Review
I have been on a romance kick lately, hence Romance Read Thursday (except for yesterday for personal reasons *sadface*). So, that is what initially drew me into this read (well, that and my Sons of Anarchy fandom). What ultimately ended up getting, however, was not just a love story, but something so much more. Colt has touched upon a very realistic and important social/human issue - racism. She does so in a thought-provoking and eloquent way. I immediately found myself loving Dixie and was rooting for her to overcome her environment. It is rare to find a book that will focus on an interracial relationship - even in the romance/erotica genre.

As I said, I am a newbie in the romance/erotica genre, but this book did not disappointment in the steaminess department. Oh, and my Sons of Anarchy itch was scratched - haha. I recommend this book to readers who are up for a thought-provoking, super-steamy love story.

Read below for an excerpt!

About the Author

Shyla Colt grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, but has lived a variety of different places thanks to her wanderlust, interesting careers, and marriage to a United States Marine. She's always loved books and wrote her very first novel at the age of fifteen. She keeps a copy of her first submission letter on her desk for inspiration.

After a lifetime of traveling, she settled down and knew her time had come to write. Diving into her new career like she does everything else, with enthusiasm, research and a lot of prayers, she had her first book published in June of 2011. As a full-time writer, stay at home mother, and wife, there's never a dull moment in her household.

She weaves her tales in spare moments and the evenings with a cup of coffee or tea at her side and the characters in her head for company. A self-professed rebel with a pen. Her goal is to diversify romance as she continues to genre hop, and offer up strong female characters.

You can interact with Shyla Colt online via her website
www.shylacolt.com

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shylacolt/

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShylaColt
Available on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ONlVWG

Excerpt
Echo

My father was a proud example of what a King of Chaos should be: loyal, strong, and ready to take care of business, or defend his own. At one time, he was the apple of my damn eye. I didn’t realize till much later in life how fucked up his views were.

We lost my grandfather in his prime to a fucking robbery of all things. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time and caught a bullet to the brain. They found the guy; a black man strung out on heroin. I think that’s where his bullshit beliefs about keeping races separate, and blacks being inferior started.

Growing up, I thought he wanted to protect us from people who meant us harm. It was a familiar concept I could accept because it was an extension of us versus them. Civilians and the club. Then I saw how he treated Dixie Rose. Suddenly, I understood what he felt and taught was corrupt and wrong. A hate that knew no bounds. It wasn’t about him protecting those he loved from the outside world, or the people who’d hurt Grandpa. It was an uncontrollable hate for anyone with the wrong color of skin. It screwed with me, divided my loyalties. I’d always been drawn to Dixie Rose. She was a brilliant ray of sunshine, always laughing and smiling. I never understood why my father acted so gruff with her. I made a career of hiding our relationship. Maybe that’s why I thought I could have my cake and eat it too.

I was dead fucking wrong.

Parked in my car like a little bitch afraid to face the consequences of his actions, I try to form a plan. We’re welcoming Hoss back into the fold officially. It’s the perfect diversion to get her alone. With all the carrying on, I can get her back to my dorm. She’s angry and obstinate, the only way I can get her to sit still long enough to speak with me is by force. I can’t blame her really. I fucked us royally. I’d make good on it if she would let me.

I need to prove to her I’ve changed.

I wasn’t the man she needed me to be before. That’s changed. Ready to get things started, I step from the car and amble inside.

I walk through the club, shaking off the questing hands of the blonde I’d been nailing on a regular basis. The years apart have only reinforced that. I spot her in the corner sipping on a bottle of beer as she watches Slick line up a shot.

Her hair is pulled up on top of her head revealing her slender neck. The swell of her full breasts in the form fitting black tank top with the KOC emblem and the tight black pants have my dick twitching. She looks like royalty. Her face isn’t caked with makeup … there’s a delicate beauty to her. With her full lips painted red, and the fringe of eyelashes accentuating those brown orbs that never miss a thing, she is a goddess to me.

She’s a part of it, but separate. I want to change that. She deserves to be immersed in the culture she was born to. I walk up on her blindside and lean against the wall beside her.

“Here I thought you weren’t going to show,” she drawls.

“Good to know you were looking for me,” I say.

She scowls. “Don’t flatter yourself. I like to know where my enemies are.”

“I’m many things, but your enemy has never been one of them.”

“I don’t know, people who hurt me aren’t my friends.”

Her words hit their target, but I refuse to let it show. “Not what you said the last time we had a run in.”

“So, you make my pussy wet. You taught me all I know; it’s a matter of muscle memory.”

I lean down and whisper in her ear, “Fucking bullshit.”

“I’m sorry, did I hurt your feelings?” she retorts.

“Takes more than that. I want to bring this shit out in the open.”

“What?” She blinks owlishly. “No, you can’t do that. I won’t let you do that.”

“You think you control me?”

“Fuck this.” I lift her up and toss her over my shoulder.

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