Not Bookish: Fashion Love

 

Not a bookish post. Or even a post about how nursing school has been my life this past semester. Instead, talking about wearing the same outfit to multiple places and pretending to be a fashion blogger over on my personal blog: Adventures Abound

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Book Review: Ruthless People by JJ McAvoy

Ruthless People (Ruthless People #1) by J.J. McAvoy

“Every last person we kill is for family. If we do not kill them, they kill us. It’s the way of the world. It is self-defense.”

Melody Giovanni and Liam Callahan are both mafia bosses.  They both are heartless, cruel, crime bosses. They do not take no for answer, tolerate disrespect, or let anyone stand in their way. If something does not work out the way they plan, it is nothing for them to kill or kill and torture those who stand in the way of the “family business.”   Ruthless People comes with a warning. Melody and Liam are cruel – ruthless – people. And it did not really bother me. But the warning is there for a reason, and there were a couple of moments throughout the book that I thought was completely heartless and upsetting. And I was not sure how realistic some of their dealings with the law/cops actually could be. 

Their fathers arrange for them to be married so that they two families can join together and become more powerful, and stop the bloodshed between them. Liam is use to women being the “face” of the family, donating to charity, spending the money, keeping the men happy, and not get involved with the dirty work. So when he sees gorgeous Melody, he cannot wait for her to be that woman. Until, he actually meets her and discovers that she is just as cold and tough as him. And that she cannot be pushed around. In fact, she was quite deadly just like him.

She looks like a sweet little lamb from afar, but when you get close, you find out she skinned and ate the damn thing just to use it as a coat. She’s a beast.

The boss in each of them battles for the supreme power, each one trying to top the last and prove that they can lead their now merged family. And they could not be told what to do. I loved how strong Melody’s character was. She did not go guy crazy, and there was no way that she was going to lay down and be a doormat.  Not only does she earn the respect of her men, but she holds her own with Liam.

Liam, soon-to-be-fucking-dead, Callahan was walking down the stairs—my fucking stairs—with his sex hair high and his green eyes sharper than razor blades. He was beautiful, and I almost regretted the fact that I would have to put a bullet in his head and then smash it through a fucking wall.

When they finally realized that they could get more done by working together instead of fighting, they slowly beginning working out things together. This book is almost broken into three parts: the pre-wedding, the actual wedding, and then post wedding. I enjoy the events leading up the wedding the most, but once they learned to start working together they become almost untouchable. Liam and Melody slowly start trusting and having feelings for each other. Much to Liam’s joy, who wants a marriage like his father and mother’s, and to Melody’s disdain. Melody does not like the idea of trusting anyone. And this is what the last part of the book focuses on more.

“I am trying! You are closer to me that anyone else Liam.”

I have not read many mafia themed books, but the characters in this book seemed to be spot on. They gave the outside world the good face while they were handling the underbelly of the city the way they wanted. And both Melody and Liam were clear that Chicago was their city. They called the shots.   Along with controlling the city, they also dealing with the Russians who are stirring up a lot of problems.

The ending ends on a bit of bitter note and a cliffhanger. However, I was overall pleased how the author closed the first chapter for these two characters.  This is one of the most unique books that I have read in a long time. It brings raw feelings, powerful heroine, and a fresh spin on romance. 

 

Thanks to NetGalley and The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Where Darkness Lies by Bella Jewel

 

Where Darkness Lies by Bella Jewel

 

Where Darkness Lies reminded me why I love Bella Jewel so much.   The characters were flawed, but loveable, and the plot was fast paced and action packed.

The characters Dimitri and Jess were both struggling with past demons. After a hard childhood, Jess is running. She is smart, coolheaded, beautiful, and loyal to her friends.  A vast ocean is the perfect place to hide, and a group of pirates as friends make for one of the safest places.  Until, Dimitri finally catches up with his step father, craving revenge.  Dimitri abducts Jess in hopes of hurting Hendrix and learning his weakness. Dimitri is cold, tough, bitter, and incredibly handsome. Using his rage, he hates all things pirates including Hendrix and now Jess.

Only Jess is frustratingly not afraid of Dimitri. In fact, she makes for the worse captive because she is witty, incredibly loyal to Hendrix, and not afraid to voice her opinions. And neither of them can seem to fight the growing attraction to each other, especially when they begin seeing that their past are more similar then they could have imagined.

And when I say action packed, I mean a lot happens in this book.  All most too much, another scene that I had forgot just popped into my head just now, but each plot point brought the characters together. And I really enjoy those moments…. a lot.  And the romance was perfect in my opinion, sweet and tender in just the right moments.

Bella Jewel delivers a great companion to Enslaved by the Ocean. The right amount of steam and plot, mixed with a huge dose of action.  This book was classic Bella Jewel, so if you enjoyed the first in this series or the MC sinners series, then you will likely love this too.  Where Darkness Lies could be read as a standalone or out of order for the first, Enslaved by the Ocean.  It has been almost a year exactly since I read Enslaved by the Ocean, and even though it gives a lot of background it is not necessary to enjoying the plot of Where Darkness Lies. But trust me on this, you’ll want to meet Hendrix. 

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Perfect Chaos by Nashoda Rose

 

 Perfect Chaos  (Unyielding #1) by Nashoda Rose

Expected publication: November 24th 2014

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Summary (from Goodreads):

Georgie

I lie to survive.

Have since I was sixteen and my world fell into chaos. But I found a way to endure, or rather it found me. Now I’m a prisoner of my own doing, hiding behind a false mask so no one sees the truth. Not even the man I want but can’t have—Deck. But I messed up and the lies are spilling over, out of control.

Deck is unrelenting and will settle for nothing less than the truth. He demands everything from me—EVERYTHING—even if it rips me apart.

DECK

I kill for a living.

Unyielding—It’s how I survive in my line of work. I bend people to my will…except Georgie.
But that ends now.
I've played her game for far too long. Now I think it's time we play mine.

 

 



4 Stars
Perfect Chaos is a spin-off series of the Tear Asunder series. When I heard that Deck, Georgie, Kai, and London were all getting a book too, I was ecstatic. So much was going on in the Torn from You (Tear Asunder #1) with these characters, that I knew this new series was going to be an amazing ride.

And Perfect Chaos was just that, intense, dark, romantic and lots of gorgeous, alpha Deck (hello, beautiful cover).

”Don’t let me fall asleep,” I whispered.
“It’s safe to sleep, Georgie. You’re always safe with me.”

Georgie falls into a dark world at the young age of sixteen. She learns to first to endure and then how to survive. As she gets older, she learns to hide her true self behind all of the chaos.

Deck is an ex-military badass who now works for himself. The most Georgie knows about him is that he has an equally badass team, and they use their resources to catch and kill evil people. He is the definitely an alpha male and has no trouble letting Georgie know how things should or should not be.

They have known each other for years, Deck always keeping an annoying close eye on Georgie. And always pulling her out of bars or stepping in when he deems a guy unfit for her. Georgie cannot stand that Deck gets close enough to boss her around, but never wants to cross any relationship lines.

Deck is tired of always having to pull Georgie out of trouble and decides he needs to put an end to the chaos. But as he starts to get to the root of the problems with Georgie, he begins unraveling more than he ever expected. And as her secrets come to the light some of his deeply buried ones begin to follow.

“Shoot anything that moves.”
“What if it’s you?”
“You won’t shoot me.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“You won’t shoot me.”
“But I could if you surprised me and --,”
“Then don’t be surprised.”

Nashoda Rose kept me on my toes with Perfect Chaos and I loved that she did. The plot twists caught me off guard. Every time I thought I had everything figured out, it would flip or thicken. And I was back at square one wondering what exactly was going on. With each twist, the plot darkens a little more. I would not say this is for the faint of heart, just because some serious problems the characters are facing (including references and moments of torture).

Besides intense moments and mega-badass men, this book also had a good amount of emotional and heartbreaking moments, and of course some sexy time. The story is told from Deck and Georgie’s POV, so we get a look into both of their minds and drives along with hints of their secrets.

“Without your colors, I’m just a man living in the dark.”

Perfect Chaos had me quickly turning the pages trying to figure out what was happening. The intensity and emotion made for a compelling read. We get to see some of the characters from Tears Asunder, which was great addition. The book ends on a cliffy though, and I cannot wait to get a hold of book number two.

Thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review. Quotes are taking from the ARC version and are subject to change upon publication.

November, hi!

 

 

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Review and Blog Tour: Reaper's Stand by Joanna Wylde

 

 

Thanks to Nursing School for the delay in posting about this awesome addition to a rockin' MC collection. I believe the tour has one more day left. So I am not *too* far behind. But here it is, finally, cause Joanna Wylde knows how to write a MC book in all its badass, gritty brilliance, and it deserves some love from this blog. :)

 

 

 

 

Meet Picnic & London in Reaper's Stand!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1nTMqO9

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/1nTMpK6

iTunes: http://bit.ly/1nTMmxU

Goodreads Link: http://bit.ly/1oHeFdJ

Blurb

As Reapers Motorcycle Club president, Reese "Picnic" Hayes has
given his entire life to the club. After losing his wife, he knew he'd
never love another woman. And with two daughters to raise and a
club to manage, that was just fine with him. These days, Reese keeps his
relationships free and easy--he definitely doesn't want to waste his
time on a glorified cleaning lady like London Armstrong

Too bad he's completely obsessed with her.


Besides running her own business, London's got her junkie cousin's
daughter to look after--a more reckless than average eighteen-year-old.
Sure she's attracted to the Reapers' president, but she's not stupid.
Reese Hayes is a criminal and a thug. But when her young cousin gets
caught up with a ruthless drug cartel, Reese might be the only man who
can help her. Now London has to make the hardest decision of her
life--how far will she go to save her family?

 

 

 

 

 

My Review

 

Pic’s story! Yay!

Again… Joanna Wylde knows how to write a badass, intense MC book.

And I would expect nothing less for the Reaper’s Prez, Picnic.

Picnic may be in charge of the Reaper’s MC, but that does not change the fact that he misses his deceased wife. He can be a good father to his girls, but the idea of patching another old lady is out of the question. 

London has been the cleaning lady for the club’s pawn shop for a while. Picnic cannot seem to deny the attraction he feels for her. So when she ends up at the club armory looking for her younger cousin -- so she can drag her home before she gets into real trouble -- Pic cannot resist offering her a deal in exchange for his help.

When London agrees to clean his personal house, she battles her own intense attraction for this dominate, scary man.

And Pic is just that: controlling, hard, and scary.  But London also begins to see that he is passionate, a good father, caring, and cannot seem to shake these building feeling.

But when things start spiraling out of control (majorly out of control), London has some really hard choices to make.

London is loyal. She cares for her niece as if she were her own daughter and would do anything to protect her. She also has a big heart as she easily accepts another young girl that needs a place to live into her home.  However, she makes some stupid decisions.  Why, London, why?! Even though I write “why” wonder if I wouldn’t have done the same. She was between a rock and hard place. Yet, she has a fierceness and drive about her that helps redeem her.

And this is the point where the book when from gritty, to straight out dark.

I was not expecting this shift. And it had me battling internally about character reactions. For a lack of a better word, it was intense. Very. Joanna Wylde handled each character’s response beautifully and accurately though.  Making me not wanting to look away even though the shit was hitting the fan.

Intense read. Reminded me why I love MC books so stinkin’ much.  Loved seeing Pic’s softer side along with getting a glimpse of his playful and loving self.  Though when he was hard and the president of the MC, it was quiver inducing. Add that to his inner dialogues and we’ve a great balance of a character. 

It was great that London was an older heroine, especially since Pic was older as well. It was nice to see a MC president that was attracted to women his own age. It brought a maturity to the story.  And it was a lovely change following Em’s and Hunter’s story, who definitely had their younger moments. (There story is amazing as well. Just a completely different feel).

Each book in this series has a unique tone.  They all have some grit, but each set of characters bring their own feel to the series. And sometimes I almost forget that I’ve already read the supporting characters’ stories because I’m seeing them in a new light/mood, through another character’s eyes.  For example, Painter really grew on me this book, where in the past I found him annoying.

It was great seeing some of my favorites. Rugger and Horse make some appearances! And it reminded me how much I love them (and their books, seriously don’t start with this book. Start at the beginning of the series and work up. You won’t regret it). And even though I knew Horse was a certified badass, I was quickly reminded of that again.

This book is dark and defiantly emotional. These are outlaws, and we get a clear look at the underbelly of a MC club. And Wlyde brings a truth and authentic feel to what an actual MC club would be like. Loved the book. Loved Picnic. And London. Love the series. Cannot wait for more! Hopefully lots and lots more angst, grit, and Harley riding badasses. 

 

 

Excerpt

I heard voices as I approached the door, which was open a crack. (The frame had swollen up last winter and never quite gone back to normal, so you really had to fight to close it all the way. It was sand- wiched on the repair list between fixing the car and replacing the oven.)

“Your cousin deserves better than this,” I heard Hayes saying, and I couldn’t help but smile. Glad someone noticed my efforts. “If she’s smart, she’ll kick you out.”

“She’ll never kick me out,” Jess declared, and her voice sounded a little smug. A little slurred, too . . . Had she been drinking? Probably. “She’d feel guilty. She’ll always take care of me because she has to—you don’t know shit about us.”

He snorted.

“You think she takes care of you out of guilt?” he asked. “Nope— she loves you, although I can’t quite decide why. You need to figure out what you want to do with your life, because you can’t just drain her dry forever. Sooner or later she’ll be done with you.”

His words sounded so close to my own thoughts it was almost creepy. It also made me feel guilty, because the statement was so cold and hard. Not to mention true.

“It’s none of your business.”

“London is my business, little girl,” he said, and his tone was anything but nice. “I have plans for her, and they don’t include her crying over your bullshit. Don’t piss me off.”

 

 

 

 

Author Information

Joanna Wylde

Joanna is a freelance writer living in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She started writing fiction in 2002, then took a long hiatus to explore other writing opportunities. She returned to fiction in January 2013 with ‘Reaper’s Property’, the first book in the Reapers Motorcycle Club series.

Website | Facebook | Twitter |  Goodreads

 

Thanks to The Rockstars of Romance for hosting this awesome tour. Also, thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read and give an honest review.

Book Review: Twisted by Emma Chase

 

Twisted (Tangled #2) by Emma Chase

 

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Twisted picks up about two years after Tangled, but from Kate’s POV. Kate and Drew are of course making a dynamite team at work. However, when they are faced with a bump in their personal lives, they both react in true Kate and Drew fashion.

But not all love stories end happily ever after. Did you think Drew and I were going to ride off into the sunset? Join the club

Angry and hurt, Kate decides that she needs to head back to Greenville for a few days. Getting to see Kate’s hometown and a look at the past, helped me understand more of her friendship with Dee Dee and Billy.  Especially Billy.  Seeing him from Kate’s eyes, instead of Drew’s, changed the way I thought of him completely.  I actually liked him. And appreciated his sense of humor and the way he cares for both Kate and Dee Dee.

I enjoyed Tangled a lot and wasn’t sure about reading Twisted from Kate’s POV. However, I may have ended up actually enjoying Twisted even more than Tangled. *gasp* I know, I’m one of the few.  Kate’s sense of humor was just as great as Drew’s.  She had me cracking up throughout the whole book. She could openly admit her weaknesses and faults. But she also worked through them, and gained some independence. And grow past it.  And eventually stuck to her guns about the things she wanted/needed in the future.

Drew still won my heart again. Even though I was angry at him – and Kate too – he still was the Drew we all love. Seeing him interact with Mackenzie was incredibly cute.  It had me cracking up during the “where do babies come from” scene. But more than that, I loved seeing how much Drew really loves Kate. That’s what really won me over.

I wasn’t expecting some harder scenes present in this book, but they were peppered throughout. Chase did a great job of mixing the heavier moments with the lighter ones. This was a fantastic read.

Can’t wait to read Dee Dee’s book. She is a firecracker and a half, it’s going to be a bucket of laughs!

*Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

 

The Monster Thon Wrap Up

One week till Nursing School starts. I can't believe it! More on that here!



 
 
 

I'm happy to say that the monster readathon was a success in my book. Though I didn't manage to read a 100 pages everyday or write a review or finish my audiobook, I'm beyond excited about the books that I finished reading. One of which was on my NetGalley list and two of which were historical!

A quick look at my week:

 

Finished:

 

Twisted by Emma Chase -- Review to Follow :D

The Irish Devil by Donna Fletcher --  Major Alpha male alert!

Irish Hope by Donna Fletcher -- Reminded me of She's the Man and Mulan! Lot of fun!

Where She Went by Gayle Forman --- Perfect Ending to this series. Bring on the movie (and the tears)

 

Started & Continued With:

 

 

Craving Absolution by Nicole Jacquelyn -- Love the ACES MC!

Easy by Tammara Webber -- Heard great things about this one.

Rock Chick Revenge by Kristen Ashley -- LUCAS STARK *sigh*

 

 

Love to hear about your week too.  How did your reading or review goals go? Thanks to The BOOK MONSTERS for hosting.

 



Monster Thons / ARC August Challenge

Both of this challenges are perfect for me. I'm fixing to start nursing school (more about that here) and wanted to get as many books knocked out of the way as possible. Cause I'm about to beyond busy once the middle of this month rolls around.   There is no way I want my NetGalley ARCs looming over my head during school.  And there is a few books that I've been dying to get my nose in, so I'm hoping to get those read during these challenges too.

Monster Thon (August 4th- 10th)

hosted by The Book Monsters

 

Goals:



• Read 100 pages a day
• Read at least 1 ARCs
• Write 1 review
• Read one historical fiction book
• Finish listening to my audio book

Updates:

 

ARC August

Hosted by Read. Sleep. Repeat.

Here's to getting that NetGalley ratio back in the green. I have five books that I need to read and review. Since this challenge runs all month long, it would be amazing if I could knock out all five books. However, since there is some books that I want to get finished in August that aren't ARCs/reviews -- I'll be tickled pink with three read and reviewed from my NetGalley shelf.

I'm aiming to read & review:

• Twisted by Emma Chase
• Ruthless People by J.J. McAvoy
• Trust by Sherri Hayes

Updates:

 

Hope you all meet your goals this week/month. Feel free to leave a link, I'd love to jump by and see your goals/progress!

 

 



Stacking the Shelves : Historical Fiction Addiction

 

Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

 

Can't get enough historical fiction lately. It's my current reading addiction -- thanks to BAM and my new friendship with half.com. Used books are perfect for summer outings too, cause it doesn't bother me to get grass or sand on them. And my debt card doesn't try to divorce me, well, as much.

 

Bought:

 

 

 

 

Secrets of A Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas (New)

Tender Triumph by Judith McNaught

Highlander Most Wanted by Maya Banks

The Irish Devil by Donna Fletcher

Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught (5 Star Read)

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (New)

Until You by Judith McNaught

Simple Gifts by Judith McNaught & Jude Deveraux

 

Borrowed:

 

 

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

About halfway through this one and it's already heartbreaking.

Can't wait for the If I Stay movie.

 

Not a bad haul. Actually, I'm tickled pink with all the books here. Besides Halfway to the Grave and Where She Went, you can see my growing love of Judith McNaught and other historical fiction writers. Any author suggestions for me? 



 

 

Book Review: Between the Sheets by Molly O'Keefe

Between the Sheets (Boys of Bishop #3) by Molly O'Keefe

 

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Published July 29th 2014 by Bantam

Between the Sheets is my second Molly O'Keefe book, and it did not let me down. After reading Never Been Kissed (review here) and thoroughly enjoying all the macho man moments, I couldn’t resist meeting Ty the motorcycle bad boy. 

With a name and cover like Between the Sheets supports, it is easy to believe the book is just like all the other heavily romanced geared books. While there is a lot of steam (again, how could there not be?) , this books dives into some serious heartbreaking emotions.

Shelby and Ty both are faced with these issues, and in return seek refuge in each other’s arms.

Ty is dealing with a new town, new people, and becoming a new dad. Only his son isn’t a newborn.

Casey is a troubled elementary school student that recently tracked his father down. Not only is Casey scarred from his past experiences with his mother, he’s uncertain that this safe place with Ty will last.   Acting out in class to fighting to stealing the occasional item, Casey doesn’t know how to deal with all these new emotions colliding with his past.

Ty can’t help but blame himself for all of the pain the boy has been through.  And even though Casey reminds Ty of himself, he doesn’t know how to reach out to his hurting son. 

Cue, Shelby.

Shelby is the art teacher at Casey’s school. And great with dealing with Casey because she is one of the few people that Casey actually respects. 

Shelby is tough, guarded, and broken.  Dealing with a scandal from years past and with her mother’s worsening dementia, plus teaching at school and the art barn, Shelby doesn't have time to deal with her sexy new neighbor, Ty.  But even so she can't help being attracted to him, and the momentarily distraction from her hectic life that he offers.

Shelby learning to cope with her mother’s dementia was heartbreaking. And really, spot on. As someone who has worked with dementia patients, O’Keefe has really researched her topic and has conveyed well all the emotions of guilt, fear, confusion, and hurt that family members/caregivers deal with on a daily bases.

Ty and Casey’s part of the story was also very moving. In fact, it was my favorite part of the book. Casey was an excellent character. With moments of growth and heartache, Casey and Ty slowly learn what it means to be father and son.

Yes, there is some romance. But this book showcases more than the lover next door scenario. It is a heartfelt story of survival. And what happens when you allow those around you to help -- so you don't have to carry the burden alone.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: Virgin by Radhika Sanghani

 

Virgin by Radhika Sanghani

Expected publication: August 5th 2014

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5 Hilarious, Awkward, Honest Stars

A major hit! Laugh out loud funny and relatable.

Ellie is a 21 year old woman in her last year of university, who drinks at the pubs regularly, goes to parties, and hangs out with her friends. Like the majority of college students.  Only, she’s a virgin. And not by choice. She is dying to pop the cherry and be able to relate to her peers. Not being able to giggle about awkward hookups or have the experience to swap great sex stories, she feels left out the “normal” college crowd and like a freak.

On a mission to finally lose her V-Card, Ellie hilariously journeys on road to self-discovery.  She spares the reader none as she learns everything from where to put your hands or tongue for that matter to the benefits (and disadvantages) of waxing the lady bits. Nothing is off limits.

And that is why this book is so fantastic. We’ve all been there. Radhika Sanghani wasn’t afraid to boldly and honestly tackle many issues -- which many authors skim around, sugarcoat, or skip all together -- in all their glory.  And it’s awkward and hilarious, and actually useful.  Seriously, where was this book when all these question first started popping up in my head?

Ellie is a great character. She has many freakouts and breakdowns. But she bravely keeps putting one foot in front of another. She laughs at herself and learns to bounce back.  And even though she feels like it is a horrific to be the only virgin in a sea of sexual active peers, almost everybody accepts her virginal status without judgment.   Eventually she begins to see past the goal of just losing her virginity, and learns major life lessons about growing up, relationships, communication, and friendship.

This book probably isn’t for everyone. But if you – or a friend – have every cut yourself down there trying to shave, “snogged” a guy that ended up being gay,  used wikipiedia way too much to answer question that Cosmo won’t even answer,  etc. etc., then you’ll be cracking up Ellie and her friends.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin for providing this copy in exchange for an honest review.

Long Hiatus -- Nursing School

'Ello, fellow book lovers.

 It has been a long time since I have blogged, reviewed a book, or even *gasp* participated in a meme.  In fact, I've only jumped over to my blog a few times in the pass few months to drop a NetGalley review down and be on my way.  Life  -- as I'm sure you can relate -- has kept me slammed. And sadly this blog and book reviews have taken a back burner.  Even reading at times has taken a back burner (on that note, I did finally watch the first six seasons of TrueBlood. And mostly loved it. And definitely loved all things Eric. Can't wait for the new season to actually come out on DVD.  #endrandomness). Enjoy the following picture :p

 

Anyway, I wish I could say that my hiatus was about to end. However, I'm afraid the exact opposite is about to happen and I'm about to become even more busy. I got accepted into a local RN program.  They've already told us for the next two years that we belong to them.  So I have a feeling that this blog and even reading is going to take a major backburner to make way for studying, class, labs and clinicals shove their way to the front of my life with fist flying.

With the few weeks I have left of freedom, I'm trying my best to enjoy life, reading, and family time.  And hopefully be a little more active on this blog and connecting with my fellow bloggers. Cause that really is one of the greatest parts of book blogging.  Additionally with the last bit of summer, I have this huge list of books that I wanna get finished. (Most of them are actually historical romances which seems to be my new addiction -- more on that soon, well, hopefully :D). It would be great if I could find a read-a-thon or something of the like to help knock off some of these. And also, it would be beyond amazing to get a chunk of my NetGalley books off my mind.

Seven really isn't too bad of a number. I just need to buckle down and get them read.

I know that I want be on here very much once the middle of August rolls around. But you can still find me on Goodreads (here), and hopefully on my personal blog if you're interested.  This will most likely contain 2AM rants, random thoughts, and me gushing about my love for pizza (Adventures Abound).

Truth by Sherri Hayes

Truth (Finding Anna #3) by Sherri Hayes

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GR's Summary: For the last two months, Brianna has discovered something she never thought she would again. Hope. After the horror of being Ian’s slave for ten months, a fate she never imagined she’d escape, it feels as if she is living a dream. She has freedom she hadn’t expected to have again, and she wakes up every morning not fearing what the day will bring. There is also Stephan. The man who saved her from the daily torture she had to endure at the hands of Ian and his friends. The same man who makes her heart race with just the thought of him. Life is good.

Outside forces are determined to conspire against them, however. When Brianna’s father shows up on her doorstep, it sends her world spiraling out of control. He brings with him new information about how Brianna ended up in Ian’s clutches, but will it make a difference? Will Stephan be able to find a way to make Ian pay for all he made Brianna suffer? As Brianna and Stephan try to find out the truth, their relationship is tested. She is forced to face her past head on, and deal with the ugly reality of what happened to her. Will Stephan’s love be enough to see her through her newest challenge, or will the fragile trust they’ve built come crumbling down around them as the truth makes itself known.

 

4 Stars

The thing that make this series stand out among the genre is that the BDSM lifestyle is not readily accepted. Not only is Brianna not sure about the lifestyle and becoming Stephan’s submissive, but she actually is afraid of different aspects. Along with that, the people in Stephan’s life are not supportive of his lifestyle choices or with keeping Brianna. Basically, there is no "rose shaded glasses" that made everyone around easily accept the lifestyle. It gave the story a flavor of reality and truth.

Brianna is one amazing character. And if you’ve read my reviews of book one and two, you know that I’m beyond protective of her. Even to the point of being mad at Stephan, the hero, at points. Brianna has grown a lot since Slave. She still has a lot of moments where her past creeps up, but she bravely pushes forward. Brianna and Stephan’s relationships evolve even more during this book, along with their trust for each other. Even though she still has her reservations she always trusts Stephan. Of course, Lily, was as wonderful as ever with being a friend to Brianna. And being able to explain/coach Brianna through different aspects of life and how to deal with Stephan.

Stephan has had his DOM moments in the past books. But this book we got more of an inner glimpse into his desires. Still everything is pretty tame compared to other books in this genre. But it works for these characters. As mentioned before, he is one of the sweetest guys/doms that I’ve ever read. He is patient and gentle with Brianna. And I forgot how young he is – when it said something about him being in his early twenties. I was shocked cause he has so much age to his action and thoughts.

Truth was a great addition to the Finding Anna series. This series is always does a number on my emotions. One minute I’m chuckling along then sad then mad as hell. Hayes has a way of tapping into my heart and making me feel right along with the characters. Have some tissue ready for this one! Truth ends on another cliff hanger. However, the last in the series is already out!

 

*This copy was kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

 

| Review of Slave (Book 1) | Review of Need ( Book 2) |

 

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