Aurora is back. Back from a near death experience. Back from a bad break up. Back to her regular routine of lame high school, depressed home life and dangerously hunting down Alaska's blood sucking vampires.Unfortunately, that last one has her paired up with Valerie, the redhead from hell, the sultry and manipulative chick that helped in a big way to Aurora's break up with Fane. Valerie is more determined than ever to get what she wants out of life and that seems to be hooking up with every vampire around, no matter who's heart she leaves in her wake. Aurora's original partner, Dante, is paired up with her friend Noel and sent off on their own mission. Leaving Aurora with Evil Red and a new mentor, Jared. Neither give Aurora the warm fuzzies and when the investigation goes south, she finds that she really can't rely on anyone but herself. Northern Bites gives new perspective to the all the characters you meet in book one. Aurora eventually finds a much needed strength and an inner desire with a mind of its own. Valerie shows, well that she's still a bitch but does have more than a viper personality. Maybe not much more, but it's a start. Dante might just be more than a total flirt. Fane might actually be a total and complete dickwidget. Noel, hmmm. I don't even know where to start with that girl.All the things I wanted in book one came to fruition in Northern Bites. Jefford delivers an action packed, heart thumping, emotional roller coaster ride of a story. There was also a surprising sexiness to Northern Bites, it caught me completely off guard. The end, in what I am coming to expect as typical Aurora fashion, left me wanting more. In a big way. It's not some major cliff hanger type ending that will have you plotting ways to kill off the author. It is the type of ending that leaves you with enough anger, questions and hope to keep this series in your minds 'anxiously awaiting' compartment.Northern Bites was the perfect follow up, even better than the first book and I imagine it is only going to get better from here.
I had numerous problems with this book. Some trivial, some not so much.Bailey is a fiddle player, has been her entire life. It's been her focus forever and she's played the circuit with her younger sister Julie for as long as she can remember. Until a record company showed interest in Julie, and only Julie. Now, Bailey is asked to give up her own dreams and talent as to not tarnish the lime light being cast on her kid sister. She's lost in the world, has little support and no real friends. Until she meets Sam and he pushes her to be who she really wants to be but his motives might be enough to break her heart all over again.I was taken in by the blurb. I thought Dirty Little Secret would be a story of a scarred girl who will be saved by this sweet boy as he shows her how to love herself. But, that isn't really what I got out of Dirty Little Secret. This is what I got:Bailey's parents are horrid people. Truly. They've taught her nothing but pursuing a career with her fiddle but as soon as a contract is dangled in front of them they forbid Bailey to ever play publicly again. More than that, if she doesn't live by the neanderthal rules they set, they won't even pay for her to attend college. Leaving her with no future options. I hated her parents. Bailey didn't though and that too kind of infuriated me.Sam starts off as this great guy but some old skeletons peek out of the closet and we see a different side of him. I could have dealt with his stand offish behavior due to his past. What I couldn't forgive were his tactics when it came to Bailey and an opportunity to garner a little attention from her sisters record company.Also, the relationship between Bailey and Sam was just weird. It was like watching a tennis match, they were just so back and forth and it made me dizzy.Dirty Little Secret just wasn't a book for me. I can see some will find it endearing and the musical aspect was actually pretty fun, just not enough for me to look past all my other issues.*A copy was provided for honest review*
Oh, the trouble you will find...if your name is Rook and you stumble into an erotic modeling career. In Tragic, Rook found herself fleeing from an abusive relationship and finding a place in the world at a reputable, but naughty, photography studio/ modeling agency. She managed to eek out a living, find some friends and maybe even some love with the super hot and a little sketchy, Ronin.Now, with her first modeling campaign behind her, she is starting her second. Only she wasn't very diligent when reading the contract. Oops. She'll have to overcome some big obstacles to survive this one. Completely nude when the artist paints every inch of your body, steamy photo shoots with hot guys that aren't your boyfriend and all under the watchful eye of cameras strategically placed everywhere, allowing no privacy what so ever. Oh, and said boyfriend is pretty pissed about the entire thing and can't even be there to keep an eagle eye on you the entire time. Let the fun begin...Rook really finds her own sense of self in Manic. She's coming to terms with what she wants out of life, she's doing a little soul searching, she's growing as a woman and realizing it is okay to admit when you've totally fucked up. I enjoyed her growth in this chapter of the series. She's not doing it alone though. Ronin is as supportive as he knows how to be. The sketchiness that I found in him during Tragic, completely came to light here. He's got quite an interesting hidden side to him that I found super sexy and he balanced it with some very caring, tender moments. But, she also has Spencer who is so damn sweet he makes my teeth hurt. And, Ford. Sigh... Ford is my kind of asshole. Controlling, calculated, firm. It all comes from a good place though. He really wants to see Rook succeed. Not in modeling so much, just in life. His motives may be totally self serving but his tactics are nothing but entertaining.Unfortunately, the past always has a way of haunting you and in Rook's case it is the stuff of nightmares. When her past catches up to her it may mean that she looses everything she's been fighting so hard for.Huss did a fantastic job at slamming a ton of emotion and action into this volume. It's quite a journey but it never felt rushed. There is something just so smooth about Huss' writing, there is perfect pacing, great character development, the right amount of steaminess that all combined, makes for a pretty awesome ride.
July 24, 2013How can you love a book when you hate pretty much all of the characters?~Review soon~July 29, 2013How do you love a book when you pretty much hate all the characters? No, really...how? I really need someone to explain this total mind fuck of feelings. I don't know if this will be a review, per say. It may just me babbling and ranting and trying to contain all the marbles rolling around in my head.Here is the deal - these characters are all the spawn of the devil. At least Olivia and Leah. Caleb is more maybe just Satan's right hand man. You know, just a step down from spawn. They all feed from a trough of lies, manipulation, revenge and contempt. It's so fucking sad.I could possibly understand some (some, not all) of the conniving if it was done in the name of love. I'm not convinced it was though. Lust, power and control are what feeds the moves in this, the ultimate game of hearts. The things all three of these characters do are absolutely despicable. Again I ask, how is possible to love a book with characters are cruel as this?I still don't know, but I did love it. So, what does that say about me? I think it says that I like books that make me feel fucked up emotions. I like it when the boundaries of my comfortability are pushed. I am an angst junkie. I crave the turmoil of fictional characters like it is my most favorite drug. The Opportunist gave me all of this and then wrapped it up with a shit stained bow and left it on my pillow like a piece of hotel candy.I don't understand my own thoughts on this book but I am sure I'll torture myself by picking up the next two titles, Dirty Red and Thief. Like I said, I'm a junkie, an addict. I need some serious therapy.
Dante Walker is a bad, bad demon. After dying in a car accident with his father, he's been resurrected as a Collector. A soul snatcher for Lucifer himself. His job is simple, mark souls when someone sins and after they've soul is more sin than not, collect that soul and deliver to Hell. It's a job he loves, a job he excels at, a job he prides himself on being the best at and after this next job is complete he'll be promoted in a big, big way.It shouldn't be too hard to convince his next target to sin. Charlie is a less than beautiful girl, awkward, a bit nerdy and walks with a limp. Dante just needs to flash his winning smile and amazing charm and this girl will be begging him to let her sin her way to the Underworld. "It's not that I mind the added pressure. I thrive under pressure. No. I thrive under normal conditions. Under pressure, I blow people's minds." Err, or that's what he thinks. It turns out that Charlie is not such an easy target and Dante really isn't enjoying convincing her that selling her soul to be one of the 'beautiful people'. Plus, there are some other players in town messing with his mojo and Dante doesn't know why Charlie, this sweet and caring girl, is such a hot commodity.Scott has dreamed up an absolutely engaging character in Dante Walker. He's arrogant and evil but Charlie sees right through him. She sees the caring and humorous side of him and takes him for what he is. She shows him that the humanity he once had is still there, hidden beneath his demonic ways. "She laughs long and hard. The sound splits open my heart and fills it with candy-coated goodness." The Collector is fast paced, fun fueled, angst riddled fantasy ride. I adored the characters, the situations and the originality of it all. Dante's confidence and snide humor drew me in from the very start and had me giggling throughout. There has been a lot of Dante love spewed around the book world and I can say it all 100% deserved. I am now officially on the Dante Walker love wagon, I've drunk the demon flavored cool-aid - I have zero regrets and will be back for more.
Real Ugly (Hard Rock Roots, #1)
Real Ugly will be one of those books that many will absolutely love and others will absolutely hate. I find it hard to believe that there will be many middle-grounders. I am one that both loved it and hated it. I have no damn idea how I will be able to rate this book...Naomi is a bitch. Mostly, it is a shell. Her armor. She's like a Bitch Turtle. Her outside is tough but her inside is fairly mushy. She's had a shitty life, like...really total crap. So, it is easy to see why she is the way she is. She hides behind lies, half truths, drugs and her rock n' roll lifestyle. Music is all she has left to hold on to. Which is why she's agreed to this tour, traversing the country in a caravan of other rock groups. Headed up by the popular Indecency and their face piece, Turner. The one guy from her past that still haunts her every day.Turner is an ass. A prick. A total man whore. He's like a Dick Dolphin. (Seriously, dolphin's will have sex with anything...they don't discriminate.) He's border line absolutely disgusting, make you want to puke, sick-nasty. On the outside he's a gorgeous, inked up, rock god. On the inside he's kind of just rotted and diseased. He is determined to have everyone respect him, though he seems to respect no one and when Naomi shows him that she has nothing but undiluted hate and contempt for him...well, it's game on. Only, he's too self obsessed to realize that all his tactics are so truly backwards.Luckily, I like characters that are damaged, demented and just plain wrong. So, as messed up as these two are and as stupid as their decisions are; I was still absorbed in their story. The synopsis is slightly misleading, Real Ugly is not just a couple of screwed up rock stars fighting love. There is so much past history that comes in to play and turns this contemporary dark love story into a contemporary dark love thriller.I can't say I was huge fan of the writing. It didn't always flow for me and there are probably a few spots that could just be edited out completely for pacing sake but those are very few and far between.So, let's get to that ending. Yep, there is a huge ass cliff hanger. Like if Kim K and Nikki Minaj's asses had a baby ass - yeah, that's how big this cliffy is. Of course that is going to garner some haters. Me personally, I liked it. It made me like the book even more. Why? I'm not sure Real Ugly would have stuck with me if ended on a happy note. I would probably have just stayed focused on how much I kind of hated Bitch Turtle and Dick Dolphin. Now, I am focused on that ending and what the hell is going to happen in Get Bent, the next book.Now, I want Dick Dolphin to redeem himself and Bitch Turtle to break away from her past. Then, they can live happily ever after making weird animal babies.I think this one is getting a 3.5 star rating, mostly due to the ending.
*Content Warning ~ Wicked Beat does contain some M/M subject matter*Olivia Cunning has, once again, made me fall madly in love with a member of Sinners. Eric has been rapidly finding his way into my heart with the past few books but boy, oh boy, does he make me gush in Wicked Beat.Eric is the wierdo of the group. Which says a lot because Sinners is a very eccentric group of guys. Eric is the one that never gest the girl, the one who is a little too quick to finish, the creeper that watches from the sidelines and constantly makes crude and utterly corn ball jokes. But, he is also the one with the biggest heart and though I love him for his inner mushiness, it is his odd sense of humor and his total insecurity that really lights me up. "Why would you need a camouflaged condom?" Rebekah asked. "So you won't see me coming." Rebekah was just freaking adorable, though she hates to be called that. She's a little spit fire tomboy type and though she's sexy as hell...she doesn't feel it. She's hoping that working with Sinners will garner her the attention of Trey and help her feel like a woman again. Of course Trey gives it the old college try try in typical Trey fashion, which makes my deep love of Trey grow even deeper. He's a smart little shit, that one.Turns out, it's Eric who really makes Rebekah feel alive and she may be the only woman on the planet that keep up with peculiar sense of humor and his even more peculiar sexual desires. The 'games' these two play were hilariously sexy and uh, often. Seriously, if you could bottle that kind of energy there would be a constant line up for it.Wicked Beat being my fourth Olivia Cunning read, I am honestly able to say that I will probably love anything she writes. Even when the characters are annoying me, the story draws me in and I feel completely invested. Cunning has a way with finding the humanity in all of her characters though sometimes it is slow to show itself, it always eventually does. Wicked Beat is another wonderfully sexy and fun edition to the Sinners on Tour series.
Through the first few chapters of Addicted to You, which captures you immediately, I kept wondering if I would hate being a sex addict or if it would really be just amazing. So, maybe I'm a little messed up. But here's the 'thing'. Lily is a sex addict but while she is on the prowl for her next conquest and while she's in the act itself...she is so free, uninhibited and in total control of her body. It was impressive, honestly. I am so used to slut slamming that when I cam across someone who takes such pleasure in sex it was, I don't know - refreshing.But Lily is shameful. It just only kicks in after the act. She's careful to hide her behavior, she's cautious of ever crossing paths again with any of her many one night stands. She doesn't want anyone to know that she can't go a day with out an orgasm or without watching porn and masturbating. So, maybe being a sex addict really would suck. Especially when you can't live your life because of it. Lily is becoming more and more isolated, cutting her family out of her life as much as possible, avoiding anything that remotely resembles friendship and scanning porn sites even while in class. "In a hundred person class, I at least slept with two guys. What does that say about me? Slut, whore. I hear the condemnation." The only person that knows her secret is Lo and he won't tell. Why? Because Lo is an alcohol and has been since for years. Lo has not had the most supportive father and it has taken its tole on his life. He's been in love with Lily for about forever but she has her 'rules' and he's forced to pretend to be her boyfriend. All the while drinking himself into a stupor to avoid dealing with his father's expectations or Lil's addiction.Everything between Lily and Loren changes when they take a weekend family yacht trip and the only person to curb her appetite is Lo. He's more than willing but not if it's a short term deal. Lily is willing to give it a shot and hopes Loren will be enough. But when new people firmly plant themselves into Lo and Lily's life, their fragile picture perfect lie shows wear and cracks and eventually can't sustain. "If I could be enough to fill you, would you let me?"Lo and Lily are so emotionally scarred and mentally unstable you just want to wrap them up, take them home and take care of them. Sometimes you also want to slap the shit out of them, but then you'll be right back to wanting to cuddle them and coo that it will all be okay.I wasn't an immediate fan of the writing style but after a few chapters it really seemed to fit. It's a bit frantic which is exactly what Lily is and by the end I felt totally immersed in her totally messed up mind.Let me say this...Addicted to You was a slow disaster waiting to happen. You see the end coming from pretty early on but it in no way stops you from devouring every fucking page. Not many books move me to tears. Hell, not many books even move me to holding my breath. Addicted to You did both. The end had my heart shattering with the rawness of it all and I will probably be holding my breath a little until the next installment in the series.********************I'm a fan of a good slut and lush book, looks like this might fit the bill.
Here is the thing about Silence O'Shea...She goes there. She doesn't shy away from, well anything that I can tell. After reading U.K. Kink, which I was excited for, I was practically salivating with the eagerness to read Class Vamp. Vamp smut? Um, yeah I am so in.Imagine being turned by some random fanger in the back alley of a bar while wearing a comfortable size sixteen. Knowing your dreams of being a skinny bitch will never come to fruition. Ever. For all eternity you will be a girl with a little more cushion for the pushin'. That's pretty much the only thought going through Josie's mind when she wakes to a vampire saving her from certain death. Not so much, 'Holy crap, I just died and became undead while some stranger just gave me the biggest O ever.'...no, instead it is 'I will always be chubby.' Poor messed up girl.Then, to make matters worse her highschool crush finds his hot ass back into her life just in time for their upcoming class reunion. Josie can't wrap her head around Tanner's reasons for wanting to be in her life. Dying doesn't do anything to kill the insecurity she's known her entire life. But damn it if Tanner isn't determined and hot and his blood is addictive. Josie is such an easy chick to like, even when she's a blubbering mess and Tanner is just too sweet to not fall in love with. And Bob...more Bob please. Class Vamp is dirtier and grittier than U.K. Kink but with equally comical characters and situations. O'Shea writes like the love child between Alice Clayton and Olivia Cunning. A winning combination if I've ever read one. I kind of have a girl crush on O'Shea and am very excited to see what she has stored up in her gutter mind for us next.*copy provided by author for honest review*
Lingerie Wars was a quirky and fun read. Henderson's writing reminds me of Nora Roberts only with an generous sense of humor. Like, Roberts if she was doped up on too many pixie sticks.Kirsty Campbell has had a rough couple of years. She had made quite a name for herself in the model industry until a tragic car accident left her body scarred, her bank account empty and her love life in ruins. Trying to pick up the pieces, she moves back to her small Scottish home town to start an underwear shop and try her hand at designing her own line. The business is struggling but her head is above water, if only barely.When Lake Benson show up in town, all her life plans are derailed. Lake is now the not-so-proud owner of the long standing Invertary business, Betty's Knicker Emporium. A business Lake's sister, Rainne, convinced him to buy for her - which she has been spending months running into the ground. Lake has a plan though. Turn the business around, sell it and move on to what he knows best. Security for some international big wigs. He has a short time to make this happen and Kirsty's little lingerie shop across the way is a speed bump he didn't plan on.Kirsty wants to hate Lake but he makes it impossible. Lake is such a great guy. He's got a little cockiness, a great sense of humor and strong sense of protectiveness. Even for Kirsty, who he just met but knows her history and wants to help her heal. He teaches her to fight, fight back, fight him...just fight. By the end the whole town is rooting for these two, and I was as well.The good nature Battle of the Bras that ensues between Lake and Kirsty was adorable and exactly the kind of crazy shenanigans you would expect from an eccentric small village. Invertary is a place where everyone knows everyone's business. Gossip runs rampant and evil game playing is the best source for entertainment. No one knows this better than Betty, the former owner of Betty's Knicker Emporium. I would love for this lady to be in my life. She is old, evil and totally insane and I giggled at most every antic she pulled.Henderson added so many silly little details into the story where other characters were involved, it is a great set up for future titles. I truly am invested in what craziness this town will bring next. From the twin teenagers who sneak out to die a local farmer's sheep pink, to the 'Unofficial Mayor' - who was not elected only because no one bothered to vote, knowing he would win anyway. Lingerie Wars is the type of book that elicits a ton of smiles, some great giggles and a few laugh out louds. It's a, mostly, lighthearted read with a few emotional set backs that pull at your heart and keep you fully invested in the characters and their stories. If your looking for a not too steamy romantic comedy, you'll find it in Henderson's Lingerie Wars.
4.5 StarsI don't have the best history with stand alone novellas. I tend to stay away from them because I have a hard time becoming invested in the characters in such a short time. That being said...My mind is now blown. I did not have even the slightest problem becoming invested in the characters of O'Shea's U.K. Kink. Any of them, and there are a bunch. Five hot stripping men, one quirky caretaker, her hilarious best friend and a gay hairdresser - you know, for balance.O'Shea does a great job of giving enough background into the characters while still progressing the story in a timely fashion. U.K. Kink is not a lengthy novella at only 86 pages, but it gives the impression that it is much longer. A ton happens. A ton of silly endearing moments and a ton of hot steamy and kinky sex.Seriously, strategically set up some fans around you when you read this because you will be overheated. In the stickiest, sweetest way.Beyond the sex is really a sweet love story between an insecure woman with the task of keeping five foreign male strippers in line and a self assured man just finding out what love is and if it is worth risking your career.While I adored the love story (and hot sex) between Cait and Olly, I don't want that to be the end. I want equally fun and sexy stories for all the boys and for Cait's best friend who's mouthy and a blast. From a little Facebook status I spied today, it looks like British Invasion #2 is well on its way.Therefore, I only have one thing to ask of you Silence O'Shea. Please, please write a full length novel. Pretty please, with sex toys on top? I'm a fan of your voice and I need more, more, MORE!!!
3.5 Stars~Copy provided for honest review~Barbie Girl was such a tragically endearing, mature, YA read and I was so excited to get my hands on Barbie World. It picks up pretty quickly after the first book. Barbie and her little brother, Everett, have become wards of Barbie's ex-boyfriend Dylan's parents. They've moved in are trying to figure out how an autistic little boy and a teenage girl with a severely damaged reputation fit into a very PC family unit. Everett is making the transition fairly well but Barbie struggles every step of the way.How does a girl who feels like she's never been nor ever deserved to be love deal with a slew of people all of the sudden determined to care about her? How can she live in a house with Dylan, knowing she still loves him, and watch him prance around without a shirt and a new girlfriend dangling on his arm? How is she supposed to deal with the demons of her past, one of which could pop up at anytime and threaten the flimsy safety net she's wrapped around herself? Short answer...you just don't deal with it. You flounder. You drown in despair, misery and pain and hope for a short life line to grip on to just long enough to keep your head out of water but not long enough to really pull you to shore. Barbie has become an expert at just that.Barbie World is an entire novel of Barbie pushing everyone, especially Dylan, away and then pulling them back in just a little. Never letting anyone close enough to disintegrate her horribly fractured heart.I have to say that by the end I had lost a little hair, from pulling it out...Dylan and Barbie are both horribly stubborn and determined. Barbie more so than Dylan in the stubborn department. It was so infuriating, yet totally heart wrenching, to see her struggle with the fact that people care for her and are in her corner. No questions asked.It is the emotionally damaged side of Barbie that tickled my heart in Barbie Girl and even though it was a frustratingly slow ride with her in Barbie World...it is still what will stick with me most about this series. Acosta does a wonderful job painting a broken girl with a false but tough shell, who is just looking for her place in the world. Barbie's journey is a sad one with many speed bumps but I'm glad I was along for the ride because where it ended up was lovely, emotional, real and fitting.
Long live Livie. Seriously, she rocks. When a boy steels her first (EVER) kiss at her first ever college party, she punches him in the face.
Here is the real review, my original rant/ Flynn love fest can be found below the review. And, again, spoilers are here peeps ~ beware! Angel of Mercy is a much more emotional installment to the Cambion series. Though, some of the signature humor of the characters was still there, it really was understated and played second fiddle to the roller coaster ride that is Mercy's tragic love life, that used to be some sort of confusing geometric shape but is now whittled down to a good old fashioned triangle.Angel of Mercy picks up two weeks from where Waiting for Mercy leaves off...and what a major cliff hanger that was. My favorite chocolaty boy, Flynn for those of you not aware of where my allegiance lies, had his life hanging in the balance when he threw his chest between Mercy and a hatchet aimed at her heart.The game has changed dramatically. The demon hunters are hell bent on taking Mercy out and whoever gets in their way. Flynn is dying a slow death that only Mercy can save him from. Luke is now also targeted by a group of powerful angels. Oh, and Mercy's tight lipped mother finally reveals some very major secrets. All of these things combine into a huge cluster of drama, turmoil and life threatening problems.Pretty much most of these problems could be disarmed by one simple step. Break up with Luke. Stay away from him, move on, hook up with your demon counter-part.Of course the easiest answer isn't the most popular choice for Mercy. Mercy and Luke are determined that their love will and can conquer all, that they can find some miraculous loop holes in the system that will give Luke his wings back, sever the tie that holds Flynn's life force to Mercy and set right all the things their love and Mercy's mere existence have torn apart.New players enter the field and muddy the water, old players return to wreak havoc and chaos ensues. Chaos with some epic battle scenes that have Mercy letting her little hidden demon loose - which I loved! I am such a fan of McKayla, Mercy's demon personality. She is a riot of fun and games and trouble. Lots of trouble. But she's also the bad ass that has the balls to do what needs to be done and I can't help but wonder how things would have turned out if she had gotten to take the lead much sooner.Now time for a little love triangle rant. I think Luke and Mercy deserve each other based on one fact. They are both utterly selfish. They talk a good game, saying they want to fix everything and help everyone but they do little but destroy lives. Including their own. Even if it isn't intentional. Love is selfless and these two don't have that figure out yet. Luke, in book one, came across as super sweet and squeaky clean but that has faded over time and now I see a tainted boy that just wants to hold on to the forbidden fruit he managed to grab hold of. But only if it means it happens on his terms, by his rules. Mercy isn't really much different. She wants Luke in her life more than anything else, right or wrong, good or bad. I wonder though, if guilt plays more in to her decision to stay with Luke than love. I know they love each other, it just feels more like a love born out of the need to have the one thing you know you can't have. Flynn, the boy who came across as utterly arrogant and kind of cruel in the first book, has grown in to something amazing. His love for Mercy and Luke knows no bounds. Flynn is willing, and has attempted, to give his life up for Mercy. He'll set his heart aside for her and Luke to be together and now he'll set his life aside for it too. Can you get a truer love than that? I say, hell no. Luke may be the angel in this story but Flynn is the one who acts like one. He deserves someone who will love him as unconditionally and selflessly as he does Mercy. Mercy and her unstable ways don't deserve Flynn. But, I hope one day she will and I hope one day she can be what Flynn deserves.Dermott has written characters that pull out all my emotions. Good and bad. The Cambion series elicits some huge emotions from me and I am forever a fan. It's only flaw, other than all the 'Luke, I love you's' when it should so obviously be 'Flynn, I love you and only you, take me now'...is the editing. With a thorough editing this series would be perfectly, mouth watering, deliciously amazing! It's almost there it just needs little morsel of love.Overall, it was nice to have more action and more emotions and I will be stocking up on different flavored chocolate chip cookies to bide the time until book four arrives.********************************************************************My Flynn Campaign (not my official review ~ just my rant)*Contains Spoilers ~ don't read if you don't want to know*I need to get some things off my chest. I've never truly loved Luke and have always felt Flynn was "the boy" Mercy should chose. As the series has moved, my feelings have become more cemented. Why does Flynn deserve Mercy more than Luke? Oh, let me count the ways...Love, at its core, is selfless. Flynn may come across as an arrogant self absorbed boy-whore-wonder. And he is those things, except with Luke and Mercy. He has shown time and time again that he is willing to put his feelings, his heart and his life aside for them to have a chance at being happy together. He left town. He threw himself in front of a fucking hatchet to save her life. He's willing to die rather than force fully bonding with her. That's love.What did Luke give up? Just his wings, which he's always kind of rebelled against anyway. And what good did it do? None. It only made it harder for him to protect the ones he cares for. And now he wants them back. Also, he knew from the start...before he knew Mercy enough to fall in love with her, that being with her was wrong. That she may be the only chance for Flynn's happiness and that he was supposed to be protecting her. Okay, so at the end of Angel of Mercy he finally makes a grand sacrifice. You know, the same one Flynn made way before. But too late in my mind. Luke is the selfish one here. Well, and Mercy.It frustrates me to no end that she keeps 'seeing the love in Luke's eyes' but can't see Flynn's love for what it really is. True, selfless, unconditional. She's so damn wishy-washy with her decisions and determined to save everyone and still be with Luke even though that is really what's threatening to destroy everything. Then she goes and blames Sebastian for everything. Like she has no personal culpability in the situation.Mercy and Luke deserve each other. They are both silly and selfish. Flynn deserves better but he loves Mercy and I want him happy, for once. So, I want Mercy to pull her head out of Angel Boy's ass and realize that Luke is not a boy who spews candy hearts and shits gold. He's been looking out for himself. Flynn on the other hand has been looking out for her and Luke first, putting his own health and heart to the side. Every. Damn. Time.Okay, I'm done. For now. When I am finished reeling I will write a proper review. ;)Side Note ~ Thanks Shannon for writing characters that elicit such big emotions from me. Doesn't happen often and I so love it when it does!!
My boy Chase is back; bigger, badder and dare I say...more grown up. After three books of Merrick putting this guy through the ringer Chase is no longer taking anything for granted. Chase is a more mature and thoughtful hero but still has his signature smart ass wittiness and he's over taking crap from anyone. Just as before Chase was rash, in Endure he has become a calmer version of himself.Coming off of a tragic loss, Chase is in a downward spiral. He's experiencing some major guilt and a broken heart all while trying to mend some serious physical injuries and get control of his powers that threaten to rip him apart. He also still has an amazing team of friends, followers and allies that convince him the fight to stop his father from releasing the ultimate in god like evil power, is more worth it than ever. "Sometimes in life we have to bear a weight, one that's heavier than anything we should be able to manage. In your case, the weight of the worlds. But you're lucky, Chase - you have people determined to help you carry it."The action is a slow build up in Endure but the drama is there from page one. It's a much more emotional read than the first three in the series as Chase learns the importance of loyalty, friendship and love. The relationship between Chase and Rayna has been slowly growing over the course of The Protector series, but it really smolders in Endure. "I stood completely bare in front of her, and each moment she didn't speak was another lifetime of madness that filled my mind."When the action does start up, it doesn't let up. The second half of Endure will devour you with fights, emotions and trauma. All leading up to one epic ending. A fitting and quite perfect ending to a remarkably well written series.What will stick with me most about The Protector series is the absolutely endearing characters Merrick has created and the broad audience books like these will appeal to. If you are a character driven reader, you'll find many to love here. If are a fan of paranormal or fantasy, there is much to love here. If you need some romance in your books, that is here too. It's also a fairly clean read yet mixed in is plenty to appeal to an older audience. I've loved this series from start to finish and can't wait to see what Merrick has up his sleeve for us next.
3.5 StarsI love it when a book takes me somewhere unexpected. From the synopsis I took Connected to be a love story with a strong focus on healing a tragic past. Connected is that at its root, but there is more than that. There is also a certain amount of mystery and intrigue that was an unexpected surprise for me. It's that part of the story that really sticks out in my mind.Dahlia's life has been a tragedy of pretty epic proportions, no denying it. A chance meeting, or two, with River changes her life's trajectory. In a matter of days she goes from sullen with no real future plan to happy, in love and, most importantly, hopeful.It may be a quick path to love but it wasn't entirely unbelievable and Dahl's struggle with how quickly her heart moved and with the cloud of guilt following her around felt very real. She's conflicted about moving on from her past but being with River, who is absolutely adorable in a pretty damn sexy way, makes her feel things she never knew were possible. It's a sweet and passionate romance.Back to the intrigue though. Most of Connected revolves around the day to day romance and blooming love of River and Dahlia. Almost tediously so, but throughout the story there are little hints and clues to tell us there is more to Dahlia's past than she understands. There are some huge secrets and lies that lie just beneath the surface and when they are revealed...it will me with a major explosion. The reader is given a small bite of that at the end of Connected, which is really a cliff hanger of an ending. A big one. But, as I said it was this part of the story that sucked me in and where my mind keeps traveling back to. I loved trying to read between the lines to figure out what really was happening.Connected is a good solid read. It has it's flaws, most notably was the repetition. I get characters have their quirks or tells but they seemed overdone and forced at times. The dialogue at times too was a little forced and awkward.I am, however, quite invested in many of the characters and am excited to see where the series goes as many of the future titles will revolve around the side cast of players.