Category: C reviews (Page 16 of 20)

Lover At Last by JR Ward

March 25, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I received a review copy from the publisher. I read and enjoyed the first few books in the series and I own all the rest. But, I stopped reading the series at Phury’s book – it was sooo long and the series was heading away from PNR and more into urban fantasy territory. I have been hearing about Qhuinn and Blaylock for a while now though and I was so excited that a mainstream publisher was printing an m/m romance. That, in itself would have been enough to make me want to read it. I caught up on the series using cheatsheets put together by Decadence at Book Thingo. Fair warning, my opinion may be is no doubt coloured by not having read all the books in the series.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) Qhuinn, son of no one, is used to being on his own. Disavowed from his bloodline, shunned by the aristocracy, he has finally found an identity as one of the most brutal fighters in the war against the Lessening Society. But his life is not complete. Even as the prospect of having a family of his own seems to be within reach, he is empty on the inside, his heart given to another….Blay, after years of unrequited love, has moved on from his feelings for Qhuinn. And it’s about time: The male has found his perfect match in a Chosen female, and they are going to have a young- just as Qhuinn has always wanted for himself. It’s hard to see the new couple together, but building your life around a pipe dream is just a heartbreak waiting to happen. As he’s learned firsthand.Fate seems to have taken these vampire soldiers in different directions… but as the battle over the race’s throne intensifies, and new players on the scene in Caldwell create mortal danger for the Brotherhood, Qhuinn finally learns the true definition of courage, and two hearts who are meant to be together… finally become one.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): This is a long book – nearly 600 pages – but if you expect wall to wall Qhuinn and Blay you will be disappointed. There are various plot threads advanced – a little bit from Beth and Wrath, some from Xcor and Layla, Layla and Qhuinn, Assail and a new lady by the name of Sola, Trez and iAm, the lessers, Wrath’s reign, changes to the laws – it’s all happening. In amongst it, is the romantic culmination of Qhuinn’s and Blay’s story.

Uses for Boys by Erica Lorraine Scheidt

March 6, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I picked up a review copy at NetGalley.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads): Anna remembers a time before boys, when she was little and everything made sense. When she and her mom were a family, just the two of them against the world. But now her mom is gone most of the time, chasing the next marriage, bringing home the next stepfather. Anna is left on her own—until she discovers that she can make boys her family. From Desmond to Joey, Todd to Sam, Anna learns that if you give boys what they want, you can get what you need. But the price is high—the other kids make fun of her; the girls call her a slut. Anna’s new friend, Toy, seems to have found a way around the loneliness, but Toy has her own secrets that even Anna can’t know.

Then comes Sam. When Anna actually meets a boy who is more than just useful, whose family eats dinner together, laughs, and tells stories, the truth about love becomes clear. And she finally learns how it feels to have something to lose—and something to offer. Real, shocking, uplifting, and stunningly lyrical, Uses for Boys isa story of breaking down and growing up.

Warning: There is a sexual assault in the story – it isn’t violent but if you have triggers, beware.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I would categorise this as YA rather than romance, although there is a romantic thread near the end and there is a hopeful ending, the book is more about Anna’s journey, so don’t expect the traditional romance arc. (For example, the “hero”, Sam, doesn’t show up until around the 2/3 mark of the book.) The story is told from Anna’s first person POV and I wasn’t quite sure how reliable she was as narrator – at least in relation to her relationship with her mother. Perhaps it is that I don’t want to belief that her mother could be that self-absorbed and selfish. Perhaps it is that there is some inconsistency with how Anna’s mother acts toward the end of the book and what Anna tells the reader about her at the start.

Wayward One by Lorelie Brown

February 17, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I received a review copy from the author.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads): He’ll protect her with every vicious bone in his body.During her ten years at the prestigious Waywroth Academy, Sera Miller clung to a strict code of propriety to shield herself from rumors that she isn’t an orphan at all. She’s a bastard. Now she wishes she had never allowed her friends to talk her into snooping into the mysterious source of her tuition.Her benefactor isn’t the unknown father she dreamed of one day meeting, but Fletcher Thomas—underworld tycoon, gambling den owner, and a man so dangerously mesmerizing that he could spark the scandal Sera has worked so hard to avoid.

Fletcher is only two steps away from leaving the life of crime he inherited from his father. First he plans to join an aboveboard railroad consortium, then claim the one thing his ill-gotten gains have kept safe all these years—Sera.

With every wicked caress, Sera fights harder to remember society’s rules and reject the painful memories his touch resurrects. Accepting Fletcher’s love means accepting her past—a risk too great for a woman who has always lived in the shadows. No matter how safe she feels in his arms.

I’m Over at AudioGals today…

February 14, 2013 / Kaetrin

with a review of Robyn Kaye’s Back to You, narrated by Emily Durante. Stop by and say hi 🙂

One Dance with a Duke by Tessa Dare, narrated by Leslie Bellair

February 11, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I listened to it: I picked up book 2 and 3 in the trilogy on sale recently but they’d ran out of book 1, so when I saw this cheap at Audible I decided to take the plunge.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) True temptation begins at midnight…A handsome and reclusive horse breeder, Spencer Dumarque, the fourth Duke of Morland, is a member of the exclusive Stud Club, an organization so select it has only ten members — yet membership is attainable to anyone with luck. And Spencer has plenty of it, along with an obsession with a prize horse, a dark secret, and, now, a reputation as the dashing “Duke of Midnight.” Each evening he selects one lady for a breathtaking midnight waltz. But none of the women catch his interest, and nobody ever bests the duke — until Lady Amelia d’Orsay tries her luck.In a moment of desperation, the unconventional beauty claims the duke’s dance and unwittingly steals his heart. When Amelia demands that Spencer forgive her scapegrace brother’s debts, she never imagines that her game of wits and words will lead to breathless passion and a steamy proposal. Still, Spencer is a man of mystery, perhaps connected to the shocking murder of the Stud Club’s founder. Will Amelia lose her heart in this reckless wager or win everlasting love?

What worked for me (and what didn’t): At first, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get through this one. The narrator is new to me and feels very inexperienced. A search on Audible (even with my geo restrictions) shows however she has 22 audiobooks dating back to at least 2010. As the book progressed however, Ms. Bellair did improve her expression, but there was never a true “hero” voice. He spoke more sternly than the heroine and that was about it. There was definition between the female characters but the male voices were fairly universal and I relied solely on dialogue tags and context because the voices were no clue.

Screwing the System by Josephine Myles

February 8, 2013 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: I received a review copy from the author. (release date is February 12, 2013).

What it’s about (from Goodreads) He’s nobody’s bitch. Until he gets a ride on the bitch seat.Forced to apply for a job he doesn’t want, Cosmo Rawlins has only one aim in mind: fail the interview and get back to making music. Except his attempt to shock the older, sharp-suited Alasdair Grant doesn’t have the desired effect.Instead of getting thrown out of the office by flaunting an interest in BDSM, Cosmo finds himself on his knees, apologizing to the sexy, good-looking Top.

Alasdair has more important things on his mind than training a novice sub, especially a rebellious bad boy like Cosmo. But there’s something beneath the younger man’s defiant attitude that’s too intriguing to ignore.

As Alasdair takes Cosmo in hand—and for a wild ride on his Harley—he becomes obsessed with bending the young rocker to his will, both in and out of bed. Until he goes one demand too far, and Cosmo is gone in a cloud of dust. Forcing Alasdair to admit that earning Cosmo’s loyalty—and love—will involve the toughest challenge he’s ever faced.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): 24 year old Cosmo is what we in Australia call a “dole bludger”. He receives a job seeking allowance from the government but makes every effort NOT to get a job. He wants to pursue his music career with his band. He doesn’t have time for a job and can’t afford to live on busking alone. Growing up where I did, dole bludgers were fairly common place and it isn’t something I’ve ever found particularly heroic or sexy or attractive. Government benefits are there for when you need them but if one is unemployed and in receipt of benefits, one should be actively looking for and willing to work. There are plenty of people who manage to pursue things such as music and work. I found myself not terribly in sympathy with Cosmo. But, even so, I do give credit to the author for writing a very non traditional character.