All the Glory by Elle Casey

My edition: Kindle (Owned)
Pages:340
Series: Stand Alone
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis:

Jason Bradley has everything going for him. He’s Banner High’s first-string varsity wide receiver, headed to another State championship, and the college recruiters are already knocking on his door. His girlfriend is every guy’s dream, there’s a brand new black Camaro with 6.2L, V-6 engine parked in his garage, and he’s on cruise control.

But when the school’s beloved football coach turns up dead and Jason’s found standing over the body, his cruise control cuts off bringing his charmed life to a screeching halt, and the reality of being an accused murderer of the first degree takes over.

When everyone else walks away and leaves him to hang, one girl can’t. But it’s going to take more than guessing and wishing to get through to him and the truth of what happened, since he seems bound and determined to accept his fate as a criminal, tried as an adult and eligible for lethal injection.

Can one really determined girl get to the bottom of the mystery when no one else seems to care? It would be so much easier to watch him go down, and for many, maybe just a little bit too satisfying. After all, who isn’t guilty of finding pleasure in seeing that perfect someone suddenly exposed for the self-centered prick that he really is?

Review:

This is my second book by Elle Casey. I loved it. The heroine was awesome. She didn’t give up on the hero at all.

At first I thought this was going to be a he didn’t do it kind of case, but it turns out the hero really did kill the coach. But for a damn good reason!!! I started having a bad feeling 50% of the way through. When I got to 86% it was confirmed. My bad feeling was right.

Even though everyone had given up on Jason, Katy didn’t. She was spunky with a smart alec mouth. Totally loved her. Jason was an awesome hero too.

The reason this doesn’t get a full five starts is because it started out slow. I was bored for a little while. Thankfully it started to pick up. I will definitely be reading another Casey book.

The First Time in Forever by J.C. Amato

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages:153
Series: Songbird series #1
Rating: 3 stars

Synopsis:

For seventeen year old Melody Williams, life is a constant struggle to stay alive and one step ahead of those who seek to reclaim her. In one brief instant, her solitary life is turned upside down when Issac James, a member of one of the world’s hottest singing groups runs into her, literally with his little blue Porsche. Along with his band mates and best friends, Tyler, Jesse, Tristan and their manager Damon, her life is no longer lonely, but just got a whole lot more complicated.

Review:

I saw this as a recommendation to anyone who loved the Academy series by C.L. Stone. I thought I would give it a shot. But one thing I can say is the title, I hate. Reason why… well…

All I can think about is this stupid song. It’s stuck in my head.

Anyway. It was an okay plot line. The characters were okay. This needed some series editing. There were quotation marks when there shouldn’t have been and then there were no quotation marks when there needed to be. A few misspelled words. Just need some editing.

Heroine wasn’t buy able. She suffered abuse at the hands of her uncle and aunt but did not show signs of being abused mentally. After she shares her story with the guys I couldn’t help but think magic penis syndrome times five. She connected with the guys way to fast for my liking.

Other than that, I was on autopilot. I am going to read the second book because the ending to this one made me curious. I don’t know if I will continue with the series after that. I guess we will see.

Spearwood by A.S. Oren

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages:286
Series: Spearwood 1-2.5

I am reviewing all of the books in one. I will update this as I go further into the sereis.

Spearwood #1

Rating: 3.5 stars

Synopsis:

Avalon, the first female born to the Dragon shifters in centuries, has hidden for most of her life. Running from monsters that rose because of her parents’ past. Sent away for her own protection, she’s raised by a stranger and trained with Paden, Maverick, and Jericho. They must make sure she will prevail once Spearwood calls on her.

Review:

I haven’t read much with dragon shifters. I do love the concept. Dragons are one of my favorite mythical creatures. When I saw this in one of my recommendations I thought to check it out.

I’m glad I did. I like the story. It was cute and new to me. This is a reverse harem, which I wasn’t expecting, but it ties in pretty good. Unlike several of the reverse harems I have been reading lately this one isn’t heavy on sex.

The characters are fantastic. I loved them. Even though I loved the story and the characters, there are a couple things I couldn’t get past.

1. When Avalon is five years old she is sent to Edgar to train and kept safe. My problem is that Avalon is five but sounds like she’s thirty. For some reason the author has made it where Avalon’s mind is more mature for her age. I wasn’t a fan of that.
2. Needs some editing. Nothing bad just needs a few touch ups.
3. Jericho… I understand how he feels but it’s not like Avalon signed up for the fold.

The ending leaving us on a cliffhanger but luckily I have the next 3 books. I wonder what Rosemen’s objective is… either way I hope Avalon crushes him.

On to the next book.

Spearwood 1.5

Rating: 3 stars

Review:

This one wasn’t bad. I didn’t like it as much as the first one. The ending has a cliffhanger. I officially hate Jericho. He’s an ass. He has let jealousy cloud his judgement even though Avalon said she wouldn’t let any into her fold even though they are destined. She just wants it how it use to be. Jericho doesn’t and is a totally asshole to her.

Any whoser on to book 2.

Spearwood 2

Rating:1.5 stars

Review:

This was focused on to much sex and not enough plot.

Spearwood 2.5

Rating: .5 stars

Review:

Just not enough plot to keep me going.

Dark Hearts by P.L. Midnight

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages:466
Series: Stand alone
Rating: No Rating DNF @ 15%

Synopsis:

A few months ago, I’d never heard of Dark Hearts, an organization dedicated to the destruction of the entire human race.
As far as the Order goes, they’re supposedly the good guys although I question some of their tactics. The names stands for nothing more than their goal, which is trying to maintain order among the planets and keep the inhabitants safe.

A few months ago, my life was the simple existence of a normal teenage girl. I’d never heard of either of those organizations. I had a mother that loved me and a roof over my head.

A few months ago, my biggest problem was not have a boyfirend. Now I have six or is that seven… even that has become complicated because you see they’re all gorgeous males that would do anything for me, however they aren’t human.

You say how can a normal teenage girl fall in love so quickly with a gargoyle, two wendigoes, a sun seraph, a warlock and a shape-shifter? I don’t know. I only know that I do love them all and possibly an ancient vampire. My mother is missing and an ice storm is brewing. Could my life get more complicated…

This is a paranormal reverse harem romance. It contains sexual situations and some bold language.

Review:

Okay so lately I’ve just been in the mood of a reverse harem story. So I’ve just decided to try different authors and see what happens. This book doesn’t have the highest rating out there. That should turn me away but I do like the unpopular or lowly rating books. Why? My brain wants to know why such low ratings for myself. I also tend to like stories and movies that most people tend to hate.

So when I saw this, I looked at the blurb. It seems interesting. Only I do have a caution on the wendigoes. Mainly because I know a wendigo is a creature who use to be a man but got stuck in a harsh winter and had to resort to cannibalism. Should be interesting, right?

Unfortunately I didn’t get to really find out. The story sounds promising if it wasn’t for the fact the writing seems like a twelve year old. I just couldn’t get past the writing.

Sorry I tried.

Lately with Reviews…

Sorry I haven’t been posting much. I have been reading some books lately that I just don’t feel anything for. Just meh. I do rate them on Goodreads but I haven’t wrote a review about them because all I really need to say is just a sentence or two. I don’t know if it’s me burnt out or if it’s the books I’ve been reading.

I’ve been in the mood for reverse harem. Most books that are like this I have been finding good and bad like with all genres, but the catch is I end up not really connecting. I really don’t know if it is me or if it is the books that I have been reading. There were a few that I did write a review about but most of the books just haven’t hit the spot.

I did a little shopping spree, I have now several new books that I need to read and will hopefully start writing reviews again. I am trying to find more subjects to do Top 10 on. I will probably try to do a Top 10 every month.

Again I will try to post more reviews. If you have an recommendations on books or a top 10 subject you would like to see, feel free to comment.

Knights by Ava Ryant

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages: 172
Series: Aurum #1
Rating: 2 stars

Synopsis:

Ashlyn is desperate to leave the confines of the Citadel she has practical been imprisoned in since childhood. For her own safety. Finally able to fulfill her calling as the Erede of the realm she is determined to follow her own path. Unfortunately she is saddled with five arrogant but rather handsome Knights of the Order, who are equally determined to see her returned to the safety of the Citadel. At least she will have something nice to look at on her travels, if only she could ignore haughty attitudes.

No one more than she know’s how dangerous the job of Erede can be, after all the previous Erede was assassinated. Yet the more she tries to keep them at bay the more she realizes she needs them. Finding great joy and heartbreaking sorrow is just the beginning of her journey and she needs the knights to face what’s coming.

Review:

Another book that more planning should have taken place. Had potential but the execution was a fell a little short.  The author could be a bit better at describing the world around Ashlyn better. I think there should have been a little less sex and more relationship building. At first Ashlyn and the knights feel the connection then BAM! they are all in love. Not really believable.

I just couldn’t fall in love with this let alone like. I said it before it had great potential, it just need more detail.

 

Vicious by L.J. Shen

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages:328
Series: Sinners of Saint #1
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis:

Emilia

They say love and hate are the same feelings experienced under different circumstances, and it’s true.
The man who comes to me in my dreams also haunts me in my nightmares.
He is a brilliant lawyer.
A skilled criminal.
A beautiful liar.
A bully and a savior, a monster and a lover.
Ten years ago he made me run away from the small town where we liver. Now, he came for me in New York, and he isn’t leaving until he takes me with him.

Vicious

She is a starving artist.
Pretty and evasive like cherry blossom.
Ten years ago, she barged into my life unannounced and turned everything upside down.
She paid the price.
Emilia LeBlanc is completely off-limits, my best friend’s ex-girlfriend. The woman who knows my darkest secret, and the daughter fothe cheap Help we hired to take car of out estate.
That should deter me from chasing her, but it doesn’t.
So she hates me. Big fucking deal.
She better get used to me.

Review:

This is my first L.J. Shen book. I hated her hero. Vicious is the top hero that I hate. I’m going to write another Top 10 Men we wouldn’t take back and Vicious will be #1.

I’m probably going to be the odd man out in say that I do not like Vicious. I liked the story from Emilia’s perspective but I was really rooting for her to get back with Dean. But oh well. Not the first time I rooted for a supporting character.

The main reason I really didn’t like Vicious is because of the way he treated people. He also had a nickname for Emilia. Help. I would drop kick this guy in the nads just for calling me that.

The writing was great. Especially after some of the books I have just recently read.  I would have loved this book if it was for the Hero and the part he played. If this would have went in a way of her going back to Dean, I would have really loved it. But I might just be the odd man out on that.

Fallen Elemental by Tamara White

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages:156
Series: Evelyn Storm #1
Rating: No Rating. DNF

Synposis:

I thought I was human. I thought I could finish school, leave my abusive parents and my old life behind. I was wrong. I’m an elemental and I can use not just one element but all of them. That’s not all though, I can control llightning. No elemental is able to control lightning but I’m not just any elemental. A prophecy has marked me as the ultimate power.

Review:

I couldn’t finish this. There were just so many wrongs and no rights. I shall list.

1. The writing

The writing is terrible. Needs major editing.

2. The heroes

The heroes find the girl that they are “destined” to be with, but all four heroes are connected to her. That is not what made me irritable. What made me irritable is that four guys just found out that they have to share a girl and totally act like it’s a normal everyday occurrence. I don’t care who you are there will always be tension when it comes to guys having to share. Even if they finally come to an agreement there will still be some tension. Especially at first.

3. The heroine

Four boys who are brand new to the school, show interest in her. She decides to fully trust them. One even tells her right before she has her eighteenth birthday that she is an elemental. Once she does turn elemental she finds out she is the most powerful one and that she is apart of a prophecy. What is her reaction? Okay. No freak out ever. When the heroes tell her that she is connected to all of them, again no freak out. She wasn’t believable.

I couldn’t finish this book because of this. I wasn’t enjoying the story. I couldn’t connect to any of the characters. The heroine was so unrealistic. I’m not discouraging anyone to not read this, I am just saying why I DNFed the book.

 

Trickery by Jaymin Eve, Jane Washington

My edition: Kindle Unlimited
Pages: 298
Series: Curse of the Gods #1
Rating: 5 stars

Synopsis:

Willa Knight: Dweller. Slave. Non-magical being.

In Minatsol, being a dweller means that you are literally no better than dirt. In fact, dirt might actually be more useful than Willa. Her life will be one of servitude to the sols, the magic-blessed being who could one day be chosen to become gods.

At least her outer village is far removed from the cities of the sols, and she won’t ever be forced to present herself to them… Until one small mistake changes everything, and Willa is awarded a position to serve at Blesswood, the top sol academy in the world- a position that she definitely did not earn.

Under the sudden, watchful eye of the gods, she will be tasked to serve the Abcurse brothers, five sols built of arrogance, perfection and power. They are almost gods themselves, and under their service she is either going to end up sentenced to death, or else they are going to ruin her so badly that she will wish for it.

Either way, she is in trouble.

Review:

All I needed to do was stay away from fire, tar, sharp things, pointy things, serrated things, hot things, breathing things, living things, and sacred things.

Do you like a heroine who is clumsy? Do you like a heroine who has a smart mouth? Do you like a heroine who saves herself? Look no further.

In the world of Minatsol there are two races, the sols and the dwellers. The sols are magical beings that can be chosen by the gods to become gods in Topia. Dwellers are the low non magical beings that few are chosen to serve the sols. The elite academy for the best of the best sols is Blesswood which is right smack center of Minatsol. There are nine rings around Blesswood. Our heroine Willa is from the seventh ring. With one little alteration she ended up being chosen to go to Blesswood. But unfortunatly her village leader miss spelled her name to Will. Thought that she is a boy she is assigned to the five Abcurse brothers who make it their life to get dwellers fired.

Willa had me rolling on the floor.

Blesswood dwellers didn’t come back to the outlying villages, despite that Emmy had promised-nope, they were destined for bigger and better things. Like being hogtied and sacrificed to the Gods for accidentally tripping and punching the sacred balls of one of the sacred sols.

I don’t think I have found a heroine I have love this much this year as much as I love Willa. She is a woman who won’t bow down. She is also a big time klutz who tends to look at the worst of things.

“I’ve wanted to see skyreachers my entire life. Did you know that hundreds of sols can live in one building? It’s ingenious.”
All I heard was ‘did you know that hundreds of sols can all die in one go?’ Ingenious clearly equaled insane in Emmy-talk.

“I never really believed Teacher Hardy’s theory. He ate sardines for lunch, It’s never good to trust a person who eats sardines.”

(According to Willa I shouldn’t trust Wy.)

It’s quotes like this that made me laugh. I loved the story. The flow was done amazing. I was hooked from the start. I loved the world both authors have created. There were a few misspelled words but that was something I could look past. Mostly because I don’t really know if they spell a word one way in Australia that is different from that of USA.

Plus for many who know me, know I love Spartacus who has a saying I love most of all.

So when Willa muttered those same words, you can bet my little but was cheering.

“What?” I asked defensively. “Just trying to be polite.”
“We’re here to kill her,” Siret reminded me, his voice a frustrated groan.
“Don’t see why we can’t kill her politely.” 

Seductive Secrets by Carrie James Haynes

My edition: Kindle (owned)
Pages:308
Series: Secret Lives #1
Rating: No rating. DNF @ page 237 out of 308

Synopsis:

Someone wants Alyce Hythe dead…

Shunned from London society for being the daughter of England’s most notorious spy, Alyce Hythe desires only to clear her father’s name. For years, she has been hidden away from all prying eyes, given a new identity and told to forget who she was. But strange things have been happening causing old rumors to once more be whispered. Long has Lord Julian Casvelyn lived with guilt brought on when his brother was murdered by England’s most infamous traitor. But one eventful night has changed everything Lord Julian believed about his brother’s death. Never did he suspect the woman he has just saved from certain harm is the daughter of that man. Now Julian is caught in midst of a conspiracy and desire for that woman. Thrown together by fate, the two search for answers long denied them and along the way discover a love that can free them both.

Review:

Okay this story confused me to no end. Half the time I didn’t even know what is going on.

To start this was sort of okay at the beginning. It held promise. It had many grammatical errors. But the book is a freebie so I let that slip but it seemed to get worse after 50%. Unfortunately the grammar wasn’t the only problem that got worse after halfway.

The story didn’t make much sense to me. It seemed to jump around to much. I didn’t buy the love story. The mystery was confusing. I just wasn’t following. Charles was also a big confusing mess for me. The way he acted and how he was supposedly portrayed were conflicting each other.

There was a point that was hit, that made me just say screw it. I didn’t want to DNF another book but this was just getting out of hand. I couldn’t take it anymore. So I am going to not waste time on this book any further. Just wasn’t for me.