BOOK REVIEWS, Mobster Lobsters - Mafia Romance

BOOK REVIEW- Seduced in the Dark by CJ Roberts

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Seduced in the Dark (The Dark Duet, #2)Seduced in the Dark by C.J. Roberts
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Uncle, Uncle! UNCLE! I give up! I’m sorry. I did my best to “hang in there” and get through this twisted novel but I just can’t. I’m calling “uncle” and giving up. 🙁

Are you a fan of deeply depraved erotica? If so, pick up this book, sit in a dark room and HAVE AT IT! 😉 I thought I was a big girl and could read the novel with a certain level of maturity and enjoyment. Alas at 28% into the book I just couldn’t read another page. I was squirming (not in a good way) and cringing. Kudos to the author on writing such a powerful book and characters that they left me haunted. I feel like a kid needing to sleep with a nightlight on after a bad dream. I think the next book I’ll crack open will be about unicorns and rainbows to help me bleed out the images left behind.

 

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BOOK REVIEWS, Paranormal Melting Pot - Dragons, Fae, Mohiri...Oh My!

BOOK REVIEW- Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

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Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid, #1)Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

12 Books- Yes, you read that number correctly. To date I’ve read 12 of Richelle Mead’s fantastic works of art. The characters and storylines that she creates have always captured my interest and held me captive until the very end. Thus I went into “Succubus Blues” anticipating the typical Richelle Mead “razzle dazzle”.

Book Overview- Georgina Kincaid is a succubus who preys on human men to survive. Over her lengthy existence she’s chosen to target dishonorable and sleazy victims to alleviate the guilt from her actions. Now here’s where I’m not sure the book failed me or if I should blame myself for the disappointment. 1) This was my first book about a succubus and I’m not that familiar with the folklore surrounding it. 2) Georgina’s character is sexually dominate in the interactions with both human and “other” beings throughout the story. The males are depicted as annoying in their pursuits and at times even shamelessly begging. This translated in my mind as weak, needy and unpleasant to read. Admittedly I’m usually drawn to stories where the male character is dominate, strong, persuasive, etc. Other readers may enjoy reading about the power Georgina wields over the “weaker sex”. 😉

So, I guess the two questions now are-
Would I recommend the book to others?
I actually have a few friends who I’d recommend the books to because I think they’d love the “girl power” role reversal our leading lady portrays. However I won’t be able to rave about it as I have from some of Richelle Mead’s other works.

Will I continue reading books in this series?
If this were a relationship I would probably offer the contrite “It’s not you, it’s me” excuse. In honesty I can’t say that I’m madly excited to start on the second book of this series. As the ever gracious book reviewer 😉 I’ll politely add “Succubus on Top” (second book of series) it to my “Want to Read” book list and only revisit it if I’m really struggling for something to read.

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BOOK REVIEWS, Mobster Lobsters - Mafia Romance

BOOK REVIEW- Captive in the Dark by C.J. Roberts

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Captive in the Dark (The Dark Duet, #1)Captive in the Dark by C.J. Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alright, I’m just going to put it out there. Halfway through this tantalizing book I was pretty convinced that the life of a sex slave (at least one where Caleb is my master) sounded pretty alright to me. 🙂 I’m pretty sure if a man who’s beyond beautiful wants to sit in a dark room and repeatedly lick me I’m not going to fight against him. Several times I caught myself considering the street corners in my community to determine which one had the best luck of being captured if I lingered long enough. Pick me! Pick me!

But in all seriousness I greatly enjoyed the book. While some scenes were downright raunchy I thought this added to the story and was excited to read the next book of the series.

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BOOK REVIEWS, Mobster Lobsters - Mafia Romance

BOOK REVIEW- Carter Reed by Tijans Books

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Carter Reed (Carter Reed, #1)Carter Reed by Tijans Books
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is the 3rd book I’ve read by author Tijans Books. In this story Emma (cliche pretty but doesn’t realize it) reaches out to Carter (sexy mobster and childhood buddy) after killing a rival mobster who was in the process of raping her roommate. As my favorite saying goes “I have mixed drinks about feelings”…the same rings true for my reaction to this book. Loved the premise- who doesn’t love a sexy mobster who rescues his childhood love from nefarious characters?!? However the story fell disingenuous for me in a few crucial parts. Perhaps with a little more explanation or understanding of the characters these could have been avoided. First, in a flashback scene you learn that when Emma’s brother AJ was murdered he instructed her to go directly to Carter for protection. For some reason she chose to ignore those instructions for 10 years while struggling to survive and inheriting a succubus friend named Mallory. Secondly, there’s several passages when it seemed the characters were being intentionally obtuse or difficult for the sake of adding more pages to the book. Admittedly it’s “voyeuristically” enjoyable (yes, I made up the term but I think it fits) when there’s angst and misunderstandings that further develops the plot but these seemed annoyingly obvious. For example, when interacting with her friends Mallory, Ben and Amanda our main lady Emma seems bound and determined to use as few words as possible, allowing them to make gross assumptions about her motives. Had she actually spoken like a “normal” character these misunderstandings could have been avoided and saved me from drowning my frustrations in a few too many glasses of sauvignon blanc.

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BOOK REVIEWS, Modern Day Heroes- Contemporary Romance

BOOK REVIEW- More Than Water by Renee Ericson

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More Than Water (More Than Water, #1)More Than Water by Renee Ericson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Following a very public breakup with her boy band boyfriend (say that 3 times fast!) Evelyn “EJ” Cunning isn’t looking for a new relationship. She befriends “geek chic” Foster Blake who is also recovering from heartbreak. After a drunken hookup the two agree to a “friends with benefits” situation with strict understanding that neither party is looking for love.
What develops is a refreshing friendship where their differences are valued and explored. As a reader I very much enjoyed the respect that both Foster and EJ had for each other. There are far too many books that depict the egotistical brainiac belittling other characters especially someone with more of an arts-based focus. Likewise, EJ’s character finds Foster’s passion for science attractive and uses his knowledge to fuel her art projects. Kudos to Renee Ericson for developing such enjoyable characters. I also thought the book had the perfect balance of supporting characters. They were used to set up scenes and provide a platform for dialog but not too much to “water down” (pun intended) the story.

A few random thoughts to potential readers of this book:
*Out of all the books I’ve read in recent memory this one takes the top prize for containing the most pubic hair jokes/comments.
*When asked about her parents EJ describes them as “in love” which doesn’t jive in my mind. The author depicts EJ’s mother as a manipulative shrew with no interest in her daughter marrying for love. Mrs Cunnings character would have made more sense if she would have been stuck in a marriage based on status or convenience. (Not to say she doesn’t enjoy those aspects of her marriage. Just observing that it would have been more convincing if that was her main purpose in her own marriage verses a genuine love connection.)

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BOOK REVIEWS, Modern Day Heroes- Contemporary Romance

BOOK REVIEW- The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred

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The Sweet Gum TreeThe Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well isn’t this book just a good old fashioned Southern romance!?! Bless it’s heart! 😉
Sitting here at the computer with my lips pressed together trying to decide what to include in my review…hmmm I guess a few bullet points with the first few thoughts that pop into my head.
*This story was an easy read.
*Sex scenes were what I’d classify as “vanilla”. Nothing too raunchy or devious but nevertheless enjoyable.
*I’m not sure whether some of their teenage sex fests were exaggerated or if I COMPLETELY got robbed in my younger years!!! (I mean, come on! How many men even in their teen years can pump out sex that many times in one night without their diddly-doo falling off?!?)
*SPOILER AHEAD-
I can’t imagine any red blooded woman who would accept the betrayal of their lifelong friend who had repeatedly slept with their husband. I mean COME ON! Even if their marriage was one of convenience I can’t fathom that not being a friendship deal breaker.

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BOOK REVIEWS, Moldy Oldies- Time Travel & Historical Stories

BOOK REVIEW- Deluge by Lisa Tawn Bergren

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Deluge (River of Time, #4)Deluge by Lisa Tawn Bergren
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

After finishing Torrent (River of Time #3) I (incorrectly) assumed that was the last book of the series. The ending, albeit abrupt satisfied my inquiring mind regarding the characters. I believe the word I used previously to describe my appetite for the first 3 books of the series was “devoured”. Yes, I loved the first 3 books and couldn’t get enough. Reading the books while cooking dinner, while my kids brushed their teeth and trying to fold laundry was almost necessary so that I could continue to find out what would happen next. So the fact that there were MORE BOOKS of these intriguing characters by such a fantastic author made me feel like doing cartwheels in my driveway. Wahoo!
Then, as I began to tuck myself into the story and follow the characters I found my attention evaporating. Wait, what?!? How is that possible you ask! Well, let’s just say the battle scenes and energy that I loved so much in the first few books became taxing and repetitive. I became tired of the blood and misery of the time period. At times I imagined the author as a masochist who couldn’t stop reveling in her character’s struggles. (Sorry Lisa!) It seemed as if every time I turned around there was more heartache and loss.
Out of loyalty to the author and characters I had fallen in love with I forced myself to finish the book. Le sigh. I’d recommend this book to individuals with an insatiable appetite for bloody battle stories.

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BOOK REVIEWS, Moldy Oldies- Time Travel & Historical Stories

BOOK REVIEW- Cascade by Lisa Tawn Bergren

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Cascade (River of Time, #2)Cascade by Lisa Tawn Bergren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Cascade is the 2nd book in the “River of Time” series by Lisa Tawn Bergren. Thank the heavens this story starts off right where the 1st book (Waterfall) ended. I don’t think my nerves could have handled waiting much longer to discover what became of our 2 She-Wolf sisters! Gabi and Lia have just returned from the past and are thrust into the reality of modern day life.
I’m hesitant in my review as to not spoil the book for any future readers. In this case I guess brevity is the best option.
The aspects of the first novel that drew me in continued in this story as well. The Betarrini sisters continue to impress with a refreshing mixture of beauty, passion, strength and determination. Throughout the novel both leading ladies use the adversity they face to further define who they are as individuals, sisters, daughters and romantic partners. Very much enjoyed the evolution of both characters. Admittedly I was not a huge fan of Lia in the first story after she announces to anyone that will listen that she’s traveled back in time. (Rule #1- If you go back in time DON’T TELL ANYONE.) However in this book she really comes into her own and flourishes beside her sister.

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BOOK REVIEWS, Moldy Oldies- Time Travel & Historical Stories

BOOK REVIEW- Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren

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Waterfall (River of Time, #1)Waterfall by Lisa Tawn Bergren
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wowzers. First, let me start off by explaining that this book has patiently waited on my “Want to Read” list for over a year. Yes, I admit I’ve overlooked this gem for far too long based on a negative review that made mention of Gabriella noticing how attractive men were when she happens upon them in the heat of battle. The reviewer referred to the novel as silly and thus, I avoided this book for far too long. As I began the book I still had my doubts but the further I read the more I was hooked.

With that being said…now that I’ve finally read the book I’ll do my best in convincing you to read it as well. CORRECTION- When I said I read the book I guess it would be more accurate to state that I devoured all 3 books in the series in 2 days. Allow me to share with you my thoughts and fawn over the beautiful characters that Lisa Tawn Bergren managed to create.
Let us start with the strong, compassionate and captivating heroine Gabriella “Gabi” Betarrini. As a 17 year old thrust 700 years in the past she manages to inspire everyone she encounters. Time and time again she demonstrates several qualities I admire in a female character.
As the story unfolds the author continues to introduce new and interesting characters, plot twists that kept me entertained and enough tender moments between family and friends to remind me of the high stakes.

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