Temperatures are rising quickly, the garden is flourishing, and we are beginning to melt. I’ve never really been a seasonal reader; reading whatever I want no matter the time of year. Unless it’s October, Washington Irving is a must for me. I didn’t read anything summery, but kept it eclectic.
I did do my first review for Onlinebookclub.org. The jury is still out on what I think. Is it a scam? No. Finicky? Absolutely! Until my review has been published and I’ve waited a few weeks, then, and only then can I post my review in full. Until then I can only give a short teaser. I get it, plagiarism and all. As soon as I can link the review I will.
Not In Love by: Ali Hazelwood
How to describe this? It’s not quite love on the spectrum. Its more like Big Bang Theory meets erotica. Sure, Rue is not your typical FMC. She’s a scientist further molded by a difficult background. She operates on logic. Emotions and social interactions are far from logical.
What I really like about Rue is how self-aware and unapologetic she is. She knows she is brilliant, beautiful, awkward, and not typically relatable. That’s what made her so relatable to me.
The best part of the story is that it would still be great if all the spice was removed. The story line is so strong and well executed.
Rue is a scientist whose passion is led by her food-insecure past. Eli is a part of the corporation that is attempting to take hold of the company by taking control
of their loan. That instantly make Eli the enemy threatening Rue’s livelihood. If only it were that simple. If only they hadn’t met through a dating app for a one-night stand that got foiled by her aggressive brother. And if only there wasn’t a magnetic pull between them.
The other characters in the story also make this so immersive and engaging. Each having their own, strong personalities and histories. Giving the MCs, and story, a formidable support system.
Apparently this is different from Ali’s other books. Since I’ve only read Two Can Play, I have a limited scope. This is told from both Rue and Eli’s perspective – which I prefer, especially in romance novels. And there is way more involved spice.
Just like in Two Can Play, there is no huge, eye-rolling misunderstanding threatening the MC’s HEA. There are some sticky situations. But you know what Rue and Eli do? They act like rational human beings, don’t fly off the handles, and deal with it all while taking the time to communicate. If you’re looking for conflict, this book is definitely not without. I appreciate that the MCs are not over-reacting drama queens. I don’t need my romance novels giving me anxiety.
The HEA is just what I expected and so very satisfying.
Does It Hurt? by: H.D. Carlton
H.D. Carlton does it again. I love her Cat and Mouse series, since this was the next novel she published after (not connected to that series, this is a stand alone). Diving into this I knew nothing about it.
Sawyer is a made criminal. One out of necessity, stealing people’s identities. Constantly living in fear for years on the run, she makes it to Australia where a chance encounter with the Italian import, Enzo, changes the course of her life, painfully.
The passion and hatred between them is immediate. You know what they say about love and hate. Both have heavy, scarring emotional baggage guiding their lives. It is a bit over-dramatized; the characters, the story, and the sex. But that seemed to be inline for Enzo and Sawyer. They are both dramatic, almost fatalistically so.
Once they washed up on Raven Island, the story begins to really drag. I appreciate the mystery of it even if it is glaringly obvious. It was frustrating that it took to the end for them to discover what was literally beating down their door. The main focus is on Sawyer and Enzo breaking down each other’s walls just enough to let the other in. It is truly dark and disturbing. It’s what I have come to expect form Carlton. In that way she delivers. The pace and repetitiveness marred it for me a bit.
Two Can Play by; Ali Hazelwood
This is such an adorable story! It is short, sweet, and satisfying. This is my first Ali Hazelwood book and I’m hooked.
Viola is a video game developer with a company that is vying to work on the next big game. A game based on a book series that holds a special place in her heart. The catch is that a rival company is also in the running. The company that is looking to hire the developing team ideally wants both but worried their sorted history might get in the way.
The answer: send both teams on a winter weekend retreat.
Then there’s Jesse. A very talented young man Viola has pined after for years until he inadvertently crushed her heart.
Forced proximity, enemies to lovers, and one big misunderstanding.
Viola is such a realistic, relatable character. She is passionate about her work, emotional but not overbearing or repetitive.
Jesse could easily be the mysterious, broody secret vampire were this a fantasy. Since the entire story is from Viola’s POV we can only glimpse what she does from a very closed off Jesse until he allows us to know more.
My favorite part of this story is that it doesn’t strictly stick to the ‘romance formula.’ Okay, it kinda does; not a bad thing. But you get lost in the story. It is short and fast but doesn’t feel rushed. I still felt I got to know Viola, her motivation and personality. Even Jesse’s personality and secrets are revealed.
My favorite, though, is that there isn’t really that typical third-inning conflict to threaten the MCs’ HEA. I don’t mind the concept of the final conflict. But it’s usually something so trite and such a ridiculous ‘misunderstanding’. It taints the whole book for me sometimes. None of that here. The ending is a bit underwhelming and incomplete. So much so, I was expecting a sequel – there isn’t.
Passion Ignites by: Donna Grant
After getting a glimpse of Thorn in Soul Scorched, I was excited to jump into this. Disappointingly, Thorn lost his wittiness. He’s more growly and stoic. I suppose it fits in with the story. Just miss his entertainment value from the last book.
Lexi, an American, has lost a friend while on a girls trip. Another victim of the Dark. Whose numbers are growing daily as they become bolder. She is on a mission for revenge. Of course, it then becomes impossible to avoid notice by the dragon kings. This definitely felt like a transitional book as the war progresses. Less focused on Lexi and Thorn and their mating situation.
Rhi’s story is getting gritty! I can’t wait to see where it is going to end up. Especially impatient for the reveal of her dragon king. Of course I have my guesses. Con has also calmed down since the last few books where he was so wound up I thought he might explode and just annihilate the entire world population.
Since I’m not even half way through the series, I don’t really know what to expect. There are several different directions things can go. The more we learn about Ulrich the more I want him to get justice against Con.
If you have made it this far in the series, you know the writing is great. The characters and world building do not falter. Each book has maintained a certain level of quality and flow that has been a wonderful constant. Even with the installments that haven’t been my favorite, the writing has not wavered. I love that about Donna.
Tender is the Flesh by: Agustina Bazterrica
A virus has effected every animal on the planet apart from humans. The animals are fine but it means deadly consequences for humans to consume them. But humans can’t survive without animal protein (staunch your arguments, it’s the way of this story). With only one animal protein option let on this planet, we do the unthinkable – turn to cannibalism. Though that word has been discarded during the ‘transition.’
The time when the word turned Donner Party and became not only acceptable but a thriving industry. In order for us not to become savages or barbarians, ‘head’ is raised and slaughtered like cattle. For Marcos, it’s still eating and slaughtering innocent humans. He does his job out of necessity. Until he is gifted a female ‘head’. Everything changes. But is he really so different than every one else?
This book is not for the faint of heart or stomach. It is raw and graphic. Not like serial-killer-dark-romance graphic. There is nothing romanticized about this. It isn’t designed to blatantly tackle major issues such race, sexuality, classism, species-ism, food insecurity, etc. Many of those things are specifically touched upon, but it is not supposed to be a case study. If you read this for each subtle nuance, those issues are there, their circumstances eluded to. Mainly the brutality and desperation of humans are in the forefront.
The lengths to which we are willing to trick ourselves into believing something is right and acceptable just because everyone else is doing it – mob mentality of sorts. Even those that believe they see through the gray fog of morality aren’t as highbrow as they see themselves. It begs the question – are any of us ethically immune after so much exposure or when our survival is on the line?
I wish the author left out most of the brutality and stuck with the social aspects. We only get a glimpse of how anyone other than Marcos is handling this time in our history. How we transitioned into this or how the initial line was drawn between human and food is still a mystery. She went to great lengths to explain what type of body made the most sought after meat, though.
Then there’s the virus. It was mentioned a few times. The conspiracy theories, lack of action (other than annihilating all the other animals), possible population control. With a topic as novel as this there were a lot of missed opportunities. Better world building for starters. The author definitely stuck with the shock and gore theme.
Marcos’ personal life would have fit well in another story. There was just so much of his life that was ultimately irrelevant. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the book. I wish that there was more pertaining to the hows and whys of the human-meat industry other than graphic details of how they are processed, the mystery of the virus, and the government’s inaction,. Something more than one man’s dilemma over the new world order.
Twisted Games by: Ana Huang
Okay, first, this is unnecessarily long. I understand it spans a fair amount of time. The length might not have been so bad if it was actually a slow burn. It was not. Insta-lust is more like it.
Rhys is definitely the grump to Bridget’s youthful optimism. I say that because she isn’t an eternal sunshiney person. She accepts her lot in life because it was what she was raised to do. Understanding there is no point moping over the inevitable. Don’t waste the time and instead spend it making the future palpable.
Rhys is instantly overprotective, overbearing, and possessive. That’s his personality in a nutshell. Basic and predictable. Chip on his shoulder about his family – understandable but shouldn’t be a personality trait. Wants to throw himself into his work and Bridget.
The suspense, at least I think it was meant to be suspenseful, was so predictable and poorly executed. It dragged on a fizzled when it came to a head. Since Bridget was going to become queen, with no way out, there is only two ways this could have ended with a believable HEA. Since Rhys’ parentage is in question since the beginning, I’m happy with the route Ana took. We didn’t need anymore dry cliches in this book.
Bridget, as young as she felt to me, I do appreciate her streak of stubbornness. She absolutely refuses to be anyone else but herself. She is loyal and duty bound to her family, putting them first above all else, even herself. She isn’t the typical royal appalled by those lower than her. She’s just your average girl that is going to unexpectedly sit on a throne and wear a crown. Taking everything in stride.
I do wish we had some closure with Steven. Once he opened up about his true feelings and Bridget made a plan for her future, he disappeared. Super small detail but it still nagged at me. I read Twisted Love about three years ago and honestly don’t remember a whole lot. Not certain if I’ll continue the series. I’m putting its fate into the hands of library availability.
Deceptive Calm by: Patricia Skipper
Official review will be up on Onlinebookclub.org shortly. Until then…
A story that takes place over several decades following Vanessa, a black orphan living as a white woman, and Trisha, Vanessa’s best friend and a white woman. Examining their struggles around segregation and sexism from deep in the Jim Crow south to northern California.
A wonderful concept for a story told with very little emotion and feeling.
The Butcher by: Penelope Sky
Not the dark romance I thought it would be given the title and the titular character’s occupation. There wasn’t actually a whole lot of story to this.
You would think involving ‘the crime lords of all crime lords’ would be a bit messy at the very least. Nope. The term ‘crime lord’ is used rather loosely.
While Fleur is a strong, independent woman who just wants to take back control over her life, she is also very deluded. I understand she is going through a tough time. Her powerful, cheating husband refuses to give her a divorce when all she wants is to get the jerk out of her life. Speaking of her divorce, it is easily the main character of this story.
The absolute repetitive cycle of thoughts and reasoning got old very fast. So focused on not falling into another relationship but immediately becomes co-dependent on
Bastien. Which scares her more than his growing body count.
Bastien is meant to be this dangerous crime boss that everyone cowers from. He kinda is. There are a few scenes he exercises that power, but it’s not nearly as brutal as the description would suggest. He is mostly the stereotypical womanizing bad-boy that just happens to have found the one woman in the entire world to tame his beast. He is over protective and possessive. Not to mention overbearing while trying to give Fleur her space as he keeps her on a leash.
The book ends in a very awkward spot. Not really a cliff hanger. Felt more like stopping in the middle of a sentence. I really want to read the next book just to see what happens to her ex. Something has to!
Crush by: Tracy Wolff
Why is it that in so many fantasy books humans are so self-righteously stupid? Not a single human, that I’ve read, has stopped to think, ‘hey, these supernatural beings have been so their entire lives. They have also lived in this world I knew nothing about until only a few days/weeks ago. Maybe I should realize I am the ignorant one, shut up, and listen for a change.’
In that sense, Grace is killing me. Assuming she knows better than all these other people who were raised in this world. Girl, get over yourself.
Then there’s Jaxon. If you loved his dangerous, bad-boy persona in Crave, prepare to be disappointed. Other than his doormat impersonation he’s got going on for Grace as she wipes her muddy boots all over him, he’s slowly falling.
Other students at school are still scared of him because, well, he’s suppose to be all powerful. He spends most of his time belittling Grace in the name of protection and brooding over his brother.
Hudson. It is evident right off the bat that he is not what we were led to believe in Crave . The chemistry and connection between him and Grace is obvious as is the destination of their journey. How they got there was the real question. I guess that is the reasoning behind Jaxon’s personality 180. Readers needed to become attached to the evil brother and distance themselves from the original heart throb. Hudson is written as the best book boyfriend. He is witty, romantic, sappy, protective, and faithful. Now, reading him for surface value he is quite the opposite, by his own design. That is what makes him so great.
The pace is slow. The end is jam packed with action and suspense. BUT, the final game-turned-battle was so drawn out. While it is a crucial event in the story, I just went on and on and on. After a while my eyes began to skip over a few lines here and there. Still didn’t miss any details.
The plot line has picked up and made me more excited to continue the series than when I finished Crave.
Covet by: Tracy Wolff
A case of too much story for very little pay off. Big advances in the plot line.
Not only is this ridiculously slow, but Jaxon. Okay, we all know he is clearly going through some things. It is bad enough that he was completely stripped of his bad-ass title in Crush. In Crave we saw why everyone gave him a wide berth and feared him. In Crush, he lost his edge and was wrapped around Grace’s finger. Now he’s just kind of there. Again, he’s going through a rough patch. I would expect him to return to his pre-Grace days. All dark and dangerous. Not so much.
Is it bad that I am very annoyed by Grace? So whiny. Doesn’t address anything head on. When she does it’s made out to be some big thing, but, nope. It’s not. Like asking for a tinker tape parade for putting on pants to got to work.
Personally, I’m over her and think everyone should continue to take on the Order without her. The level of selfishness she obviously tries to disguise as righteousness is staggering. Coupled with her stubborn streak which is just childish. The rest of the cast, Macy, Hudson, Flint, Eden, etc.They are great.
Objectively, this was well done, long, maybe too long, but packed with events. Enough that it is obvious Tracy wanted to evoke every single emotion a person can feel. Even tried for some tears. Subjectively, this was alright. I am curious to see how this turns out, especially with the newest addition to their little rebel crew.
