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Review: Advanced Physical Chemistry

3/18/2018

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Advanced Physical Chemistry
by Susannah Nix

Synopsis

After four lousy boyfriends in a row, chemical engineer Penny Popplestone swears off men until she can figure out why they keep cheating on her. But her no-men resolution hits a snag when the mysterious and superhumanly hot barista at her favorite coffee shop strikes up a friendship with her. 

Penny strives to keep things platonic, but when Caleb gives her the kiss of her life, she realizes he wants to be more than just friends. Tired of always being “good little Penny,” she throws caution to the wind and pursues a no-strings fling with the hottie barista. It’s not like they have anything in common beyond scorching physical chemistry, so what does she have to lose? 

Only her heart.

Now, this fanfic-reading, plus-size heroine faces an unsolvable problem. What do you do when being apart is unbearable…but being together is impossible?

Advanced Physical Chemistry is the third in a series of standalone rom-coms featuring geeky heroines who work in STEM fields.

Review

Susannah Nix has this knack for writing intelligent, unique women. I've enjoyed each of her books in this series, but I do believe that Advanced Physical Chemistry is my favorite so far! 

We meet Penny, a curvy, crafty, and intelligent woman who is tired of being cheated on by her boyfriends. She decides that maybe she's been too nice...and too much of a doormat. This, plus some other occurrences encourages her to proposition the attractive, but really quiet barista at her favorite cafe after he's shown some interest. The kicker? Having a purely physical relationship is better said than done for Penny.

I loved that Penny did not change herself in this book. She did the things she enjoys, such as knitting, volunteering, baking, etc. The only thing she really did was open herself up to new experiences. She was already a strong woman, but she showed some bravery in going after what she wanted and not really thinking about what people would think. She didn't fall apart - didn't seek revenge either. Penny was simply just Penny. Also? She has great friends, and was not portrayed how curvy, plus sized women are usually portrayed. Meaning, that instead of reading about her scarfing down donuts, I read about Penny taking care of herself and realizing that a size 16 is where her body seemed to naturally want to be. Wow. I have never heard that described. I found it quite motivating actually. 

​Now Caleb. I really do love Caleb even though it was infuriating that he wouldn't talk sometimes! I am a huge sucker for dual perspectives in romance novels, and that is something APC does not give you. HOWEVER, if you're like me and enjoy this....well, you won't be completely without Caleb's perspective *nudge*nudge*wink*wink*

I definitely recommend this book for romantic comedy lovers, but also for anyone who is ready to read about a woman who doesn't even consider changing herself for the possibility of love. This story is all about being who you are, loving who you are, being loved for who you are, and being brave. Who wouldn't want to read about that???

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Review: The Seduction of Kinley Foster

8/10/2016

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The Seduction of Kinley Foster
A What Happens in Vegas Story
by Lisa Wells


Synopsis

She needs an erotic education. And he’s just the one to teach her…

Librarian Kinley Foster wants to write erotic romance—the steamy, sexy, curl-your-toes kind of stuff. The problem? She desperately needs a little erotic inspiration. And at a romance convention in Vegas, she finds it…or rather him. The sizzlingly sexy guy who refused Kinley—and her virginity—when she was sixteen.
​

Now it’s time for a little payback.
Literary agent Ian Thompson is a professional. Mentoring an aspiring author is one thing. Giving her a thorough and thoroughly satisfying sexy education is quite another. Especially when she’s as stunning and deliciously curvaceous as Kinley. Yet Ian can’t help himself when Kinley makes him a wager he can’t resist. A wager that will tempt Ian to cross every professional—and every sensual—boundary in the book…

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Hell yeah it is!

Review

I'm totally confused and in love with this book. You know how I get with the books I really enjoy - spoilers...possibly.

I'm in love with it because it has all the tropes and catnip that I adore: kinda friends-enemies-to-lovers, possessive/jealous on both sides, both POVs, the story takes place at a romance book convention (meta!), sassy-geeky heroine, hot-sweet hero, misunderstandings galore, etc. This book was long, well-written, and it made have so many feels. 

Thisis why I'm also confused by it. The story of Kinley and Ian brought about a sense of nostalgia for me which is the STRANGEST feeling I have EVER gotten from a romance read. 

In Seduction, Ian is Kinley's big brother's best friend. Kinley has known Ian since she was a kid (he is 6 years older than her) and has harbored much love for him since then. However, due to some misunderstandings, Kinley has hated him since she was 16 and has tried (and failed) to forget about Ian.

I'm gonna tell you what happened because I need to process it. No worries, skip this part if you want to be surprised, I'll start a new paragraph to continue after this. So, apparently when Kinley was 16 years old, she arrived at Ian's place and promptly tripped into his arms, kissed him, and asked him to be her first. Ian, never forgetting their ages, and that she's his best friend's little sister, tells her "no." Kinley is understandably stung at the rejection, but to make matters worse, a naked girl comes out of Ian's bedroom. I won't tell you who the naked girl is - she's pretty important to the story. 

So - why the nostalgia? Obviously, to me anyway, I did not do what Kinley did, BUT I do remember that age when it wasn't difficult to put yourself out there. Of wearing your feelings on your sleeve, and the decision of placing all your expectations, dreams, wishes, and love in this one person in the sheer hope that the person, who has your heart in their hand, will tell you that they love and want you too. It also brought about the crushing reality that is rejection - in the only way a 16 year old can really understand. 

So this story really took my feelings for a whirl - it's the ultimate kinda-revenge fantasy where everything that wasn't or couldn't be said as teenagers/kids is fair game as adults. It's the ultimate, what if. It also did not hurt that I loved our heroine and hero. Kinley is the perfect amount of sass and romance geek. She is someone who takes her dreams seriously and looks to be better and better with each experience. Ian is sweet, hot, sometimes an arrogant jerk (but not really) who decided to forge his own career path than to fall into the family business. And he's good at it.  Their banter is fun, and even their jabs at hurting the other with memories was interesting to read. 

I loved this story about two people who are oblivious and afraid of their feelings. It's such a human thing to read about. This book kind of broke my rules for what I usually enjoy in romance reads (I don't want to tell you - just think really hard about the stuff that I usually hate in romance books...). 

If you like stories like this, pick this book up. It has skyrocketed to my number one fave for romance reads. I looked into other Lisa Wells books, but did not really come up with any :( Let me know if you find one I missed!



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Review: Raven's Peak

7/20/2016

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Raven's Peak
by Lincoln Cole

Synopsis

A quiet little mountain town is hiding a big problem. When the townsfolk of Raven's Peak start acting crazy, Abigail Dressler is called upon to find out what is happening. She uncovers a demonic threat unlike any she's ever faced and finds herself in a fight just to stay alive. 

She rescues Haatim Arison from a terrifying fate and discovers that he has a family legacy in the supernatural that he knows nothing about. Now she's forced to protect him, which is easy, and also trust him if she wants to save the townsfolk of Raven's Peak. Trust, however, is considerably more difficult for someone who grew up living on the knife's edge of danger. 

Can they discover the cause of the town's insanity and put a stop to it before it is too late?


Review

If you're a frequent reader of this blog, first of all: Thank you! And second of all, you know how much I love character development. Raven's Peak has at its center two well-written and complex characters, Abigail and Haatim. Horror/thriller/supernatural stories already have my attention, but what makes this story stand out are the aforementioned characters and their progression through the story, as well as the backdrop of another world being at the basis of the one Haatim thought he understood. 

Abigail is a demon hunter and Haatim becomes a sidekick of sorts. The story is fast-paced, and grabs the reader from the get-go. I found myself really enjoying the character of Abigail because her kickass ways reminded me of the Buffy and Faith days. Ah, nostalgia. 

Anyone interested in a horror/thriller that has its twists and turns with a female at the front of it all will definitely enjoy this book!
​

About the Author

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Lincoln Cole is a Columbus, Ohio-based author who enjoys traveling and has visited many different parts of the world, including Australia and Cambodia, but always returns home to his pugamonster puppy, Luther, and family. His love for writing was kindled at an early age through the works of Isaac Asimov and Stephen King and he enjoys telling stories to anyone who will listen.
 

​
https://www.facebook.com/lincolnjcole
https://www.twitter.com/lincolnjcole
http://www.LincolnCole.net
​

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Review: Magic Bites

7/11/2016

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​
Magic Bites
Kate Daniels #1
by Ilona Andrews

Synopsis

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up magical problems. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta’s magic circles. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she’s way out of her league—but she wouldn’t want it any other way… 




Review

I had been curious about books by the author Ilona Andrews (the husband and wife writing duo), and I thought I would try out this series. I'm very glad I did, as it was a very different book than I'm used to. I usually like my fantasy/urban fantasy with some romance, and this had a very small inkling of that - but it was not the focus of it at all. I really enjoyed that change because it meant I got to focus on the world-building which is done well. 

Now, I'm going to be honest - it took me awhile to get into this book. The world-building took a bit to take shape, and it was a slower-moving story. All these facets add to what makes the book interesting - I just had to get used to the pace. Now, Kate Daniels is a different story. I loved her from the very beginning. There isn't much focus placed on her looks (or lack thereof, which seems to be the case in some moments) which I LOVED. Instead, the emphasis is on her badassness....badassery? You know what I mean. Kate Daniels is a strong woman and she feels no need to hide it, nor does she play the damsel. Her thoughts are always on what she's doing and what has to be done. 

I especially enjoyed the sparring between Kate and Curran, the Beast Lord. Curran is the leader of the shape-shifters. Their banter bordered on flirting, which was a little something extra I enjoyed. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series! 
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Review: Phantasma

7/3/2016

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Phantasma
by Efthalia

Synopsis

One night’s transgression. A love unveiled. The in-escapable outcome of passion and vengeance.

Carissa Alkippes is a daughter of a god but she doesn’t know it. As a cop she’s seen her fair share of bad but nothing prepared her for the horror of the world she has been plunged into.

Xen Lyson is the head of the Phi Athanatoi, a group of immortals who have been protecting man for over 2,000 years from the Kakodiamones - demons who want nothing more than to feast on humanity.
​

Thrown face to face with Xen during a skirmish with the demons, Carissa becomes a pawn in a deadly game of a demi-god who seeks godly power.

Review

​Can I say - I really enjoy a sassy heroine? This is what we get with Carissa Alkippes, a cop who finds out she's a daughter of a Greek god. Seriously, how cool is that?? There's all kinds of supernatural/urban fantasy goodness with some romance mixed in there as well. I love when authors are able to keep a character sassy, smart, and badass when introducing romance all well. I love it!

The book is well-written which is always a joy. Honestly, I'm a grammar geek, so this really is happiness for me. Characters are well-rounded and interesting. Phantasm is a real page turner and it's going to have it's readers wanting book 2, like, now. Trust me, this girl is definitely waiting for it!
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