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Review: Dark Touch

5/11/2016

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Dark Touch
by Aimee L. Salter

Synopsis
​
Tully isn't alone in her skin. Whenever she touches someone, they feel everything she feels. All her ugliness. All her darkness. All her pain. 

The only thing she wants is to be left alone--and to finally get out of her small Oregon town.

But then she meets Chris. He's everything she's not. Light. Trusting. Innocent. And he wants Tully.

Tully knows she should spare him the heartache of being with her. But when he touches her, she's not sure she'll have the strength to push him away--until he learns about her dark past, and what really goes on in her ever-decaying home.

From the author of Every Ugly Word comes a poignant, emotionally raw story about the violence that plays out behind closed doors and the all-consuming passion of first love.

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Review

I received an ebook copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 


I really enjoyed this book! It was unlike other YA books that I've read...and I've read quite a bit.

Tully is a young girl who has gone through some very tough times in her life that started with the death of her mother. Now, without her, she's stuck in a home, terrified of her father who doesn't know how to be a father, and with a special "gift" of her own. Whomever she touches ends up feeling whatever she is feeling. Not the best thing when Tully is already feeling isolated. 

​Then Tully meets Chris and all bets are off.

I don't need to feel the pull toward him,
​to be measured by him and know I come up short. - Tully

Salter did a wonderful job in combining a true-to-life kind of story, that of a young girl struggling through losing those closest to her while having to isolate herself, and adding a magical element to it. 
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Review: Dreamfever

4/29/2016

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​Dreamfever
Fever Series Book 4
by Karen Marie Moning

Synopsis

MacKayla Lane lies naked on the cold stone floor of a church, at the mercy of the Fae master she once swore to kill. Far from home, unable to control her sexual hungers, MacKayla is now fully under the Lord Master’s spell.…In New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning’s stunning novel, the walls between human and Fae worlds have come crashing down. And as Mac fights for survival on Dublin’s battle-scarred streets, she will embark on the darkest adventure of her life.

He has stolen her past, but MacKayla will never allow her sister’s murderer to take her future. Yet even the uniquely gifted sidhe-seer is no match for the Lord Master, who has unleashed an insatiable sexual craving that consumes Mac’s every thought—and thrusts her into the seductive realm of two very dangerous men, both of whom she desires but dares not trust. 

As the enigmatic Jericho Barrons and the sensual Fae prince V’lane vie for her body and soul, as cryptic entries from her sister’s diary mysteriously appear and the power of the Dark Book weaves its annihilating path through the city, Mac’s greatest enemy delivers a final challenge.…

It’s an invitation Mac cannot refuse, one that sends her racing home to Georgia, where an even darker threat awaits. With her parents missing and the lives of her loved ones under siege, Mac is about to come face-to-face with a soul-shattering truth—about herself and her sister, about Jericho Barrons…and about the world she thought she knew. 

BONUS: This edition includes and excerpt from Karen Marie Moning's Shadowfever.


Review

Ugh. Break my heart. 

You know that when a book breaks your heart - you have something. 

BUT I must tell you - this is filled with spoilers. You've been warned. 

Don't confuse intensity of emotion with quality of emotion, baby. - Mac's dad

I did not do a review on the third book (Faefever) because it seriously broke me. Mac goes through one of the most traumatic experiences anyone can go through - and entwining that with fae magic did not dull it one bit. Mac was basically raped by 4 fae princes (well, the fourth is yet to be determined) and was made pri-ya. It really scarred me as much as a piece of fiction could. 

So you can understand why it took me FOREVER to pick up book 4. I was honestly contemplating not picking it up. What convinced me was a note to the reader by Moning at the end of Faefever that basically said, "Hey - remember what I said at the beginning - Mac made it through this." So, I kept on. And I'm really glad that I did. 


There were so many feelings surrounding this part of the story. We finally get some insight into Barrons and follow Mac into the deeper areas of her personality and being. We understand, along with Mac, just how emotionally and physically strong she is. 

Don't lose yourself in anger, Mac. It's gasoline. - Ryodan

I really appreciate how far Mac has come as a character - Moning has really made these characters, specifically the characters of Barrons and Mac, into such complex characters. And I truly love these characters. *heavy sigh*

​And then the second traumatic thing, so far, in this series happened at the end of book 4. And that dear readers, I will not divulge. 

​There was another Moning note to the reader though - which I appreciated. 
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Review: The Stone Prince

4/28/2016

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The Stone Prince
by Gena Showalter

Synopsis

Reduced to kissing the marble statue in her garden, Katie James is amazed when it warms to life in her embrace. Trapped for many years as a statue, Jorlan en Sarr must convince Katie to fall in love with him or he will once again turn to marble.

Review

Romance Read Thursday is back readers! Sorry for the hiatus - let's get back to it!

​That super short synopsis does not doe this book justice! This is my second Showalter book and I think she's become one of my go-to authors. Possible spoilers ahead. 

Katie is a strong and independent woman who is embarrassed by the stone prince that sits in the garden of her newly acquired house. Unable to help herself, she gives the statue a kiss - and feels it come alive beneath her touch. Jorlan en Sarr is a being stuck in a curse/spell on earth when his actual home seems to be among the stars (yup, an alien folks). Jorlan will slip back into that spell if he doesn't get Katie to fall in love with him. Katie finds herself endeared to him - but will it be enough to stop the spell?

I LOVED this book! It was adorable and just the right kind of light and funny read I needed. I have been reading the Fever series and it has done a number on my nerves - so I definitely needed this. Katie and Jorlan are so funny together, but also very sweet. I enjoyed reading from both of their POVs and especially Jorlan learning about modern times. If you are looking for something short, sweet, and funny to read - look no further. 

I'll tell you what a woman's job is, it's building her self-discipline
​so she doesn't kill every man she sees. - Frances

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Review: Death by Diploma

4/7/2016

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Death by Diploma

Chalkboard Outlines Book One
​by Kelley Kaye

Synopsis

Emma Lovett leaves her philandering husband and crosses the country to begin her teaching career at a high school in Pinewood, Colorado.  There, she meets Leslie Parker, a fellow teacher given to quoting Shakespeare to fit all situations, and the two become fast friends.  
 
Arriving at work early one morning, Emma discovers the body of the school custodian, a man who reminds her of her late father. When the police struggle to find the killer, the ladies decide to help solve the murder. Their efforts lead them to a myriad of suspects: the schizophrenic librarian, the crude football coach, the mysterious social studies teacher, and even Emma’s new love interest. 
  
As Emma Lovett discovers the perils of teaching high school, she and Leslie learn more than they ever wanted to know about the reasons people kill. 



Review

I love cozy mysteries and I found this one to be quite a fantastic read! Emma finds out her husband has been cheating on her and decides to leave him (Go Emma!). She then crosses the country and starts working at Thomas Jefferson High School where she gets mixed in with a bit of trouble. The night janitor, who reminds Emma of her father, is found dead by Emma. Along with a co-worker friend, Emma decides to play detective and find out who the killer is. 

The story was filled with kooky characters that certainly made this a fun read. I love getting into these hometown mysteries because they offer some warmth along with their mystery. It's what draws me to their plots, and Death by Diploma is no exception. I recommend this book to all mystery lovers and especially to those who want to be introduced to the genre of the cozy mystery. You're gonna love it!

About the Author

Kelley Kaye taught High School English and Drama for twenty years, but her love for storytelling dates back to creating captions for her high school yearbook. Maybe back to the tales she created around her Barbie and Ken — whatever the case, the love’s been around for a long time. 
 
Kelley is married to this amazing man who cooks for her, and they have two funny and wonderful sons. She lives in Southern California.
 
http://www.kelleykaybowles.com/
On Twitter: @kelkay1202
Check out the book trailer for Death by Diploma:
https://youtu.be/CAMXkR3kA-8
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Review: Best Friends with Benefits

3/18/2016

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Best Friends with Benefits
a Most Likely To novel
by Candy Sloane

Synopsis

Seven minutes in heaven never felt so good…
​

Valerie Barkin and Alec Rogers survived bullies, awful parents, and seriously shitty social standing the only way best friends can—together. But with the unexpected sexual tension suddenly flaring between them, surviving their ten-year high school reunion might be a different story…
​

Val hasn’t changed. She still feels like the stringy-haired band geek the popular kids teased, but Alec has definitely changed. He’s now the front man for the Grammy-winning rock band Chronic Disharmony, with the sexual reputation to match. And he’s more than willing to help Val rock the reunion.

And then it happens—a drunken game of Seven Minutes in Heaven—and their fourteen-years-long foreplay comes crashing to the forefront…changing everything.

Seven minutes turns into a weekend of mind-blowing, no-strings-attached sex. But these best friends won't be able to leave their hearts out of it forever, not when the most meaningful benefit could change their relationship for good.

Review

My heart is a flutter with this story because it is basically every non-requited crush dream come to life. *dreamy sigh* But I digress - beware of spoilers!

I am usually not a fan of the best friends turned lovers story - I don't know why exactly. This story, however, was different in that the best friends have been apart for many years and when they first see each other - they don't expect the attraction to be as present. Val is coming off of a break up from a guy who didn't ever want to marry her and Alec is the quintessential bad boy rocker. There is definitely a sweetness when they are together and that tender side eventually gives in to their growing attraction as they attend their high school reunion. 

I definitely liked how our two protagonists were once geeks and are now pretty cool, each in their own right. I also appreciated how being back in their hometown brought back insecurities - you never can escape everything about high school, right? With each other's support, however, they're able to move past the bullies and annoyances of their youth. I enjoyed how even though Alec is a big time star, he still has affection for his best friend and is not a cocky jerk. He's pretty goofy and funny - with a twist of sexiness. 

There were a few things I didn't enjoy, but I was able to ignore in order to enjoy the story. One was Val's fixation on getting married. I can take it that rejection is horrible - and the concept of rejection is a big part of the story - but I didn't like that not being proposed to equaled "there's something wrong with me". I wish Val could have shown how much she's grown as a person from the get-go instead of when Alec enters the picture.  The other thing I didn't like was how Val's encounter with one of her bullies, the school's "mean girl", happened. Alec stands up for Val and Val gets back at her bully - but in a "under the radar way." I would have loved seeing Val square off with her bully, face to face, and finally standing up for herself. 

The end was pretty good and it does end in a proposal - but not in the usual way! I really was grateful for that because it did not hinder my liking the story. Since the story is told from a dual perspective, we know that Alec is going to propose, he's got the ring in his pocket and everything. What's different is that we don't read about him actually doing it or read about Val saying yes - the reader knows she's going to say "yes." That, worked out perfect for me. See? I'm not totally against proposals at the end of books!

Overall, I enjoyed this book so much I read it in a day :) I recommend it to my romance lovers out there!

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