Romance

Five Thousand, Three Hundred Miles by Cecily Knobler

 in Adult / Books / Older Readers by

Summary

“Beth Wilton lived a small life in a small town, where day after day was the same until her sister bought her a trip to London, England for her 30th birthday. There, she had an electric encounter with handsome and kind Jack Stoll, who made her forget her past heartbreak. Two days together made everything seem real until he disappeared suddenly in a storm. Five thousand, three hundred miles apart once again. Would they ever find each other? Or would Beth’s life go back to its former small self? What happens when a new man enters the picture?
Light, fun and funny, “Five Thousand, Three Hundred Miles” is an enjoyable escape that can’t help but make you smile. Beth Wilton is an imperfect and relatable protagonist who needs to make a few changes in her life. Jack Stoll is a semi-reluctant hero who nevertheless turns Beth’s trip into something magical. In addition to being a multi-published humor columnist and author, Cecily Knobler is a comedian and media personality who knows how to make the pages keep turning.”

-From Amazon.com

Review

This was an adorable and light romance book and I absolutely loved it! It was a nice break from the other stuff that I’ve been reading, especially as this one was so light and it did have many realistic parts to it. And it was so fluffy and cute!

I did like the whole cliché idea of meeting a guy abroad, only to find out that he disappeared for many reasons and then each side continues to look for the other, while still carrying on with their lives, hoping that their ‘true love’ will appear once more. It was adorable and such a light topic that you couldn’t not like this kind of thing.

The writing style fit perfectly into the genre and so did the story line as well; the genre being romance. There was only one mention of sex in the book (well two because of a perspective change) but it wasn’t graphic at all and it did the scene change so sex was mentioned, but it wasn’t written about in detail which was also very nice as well.

There was one aspect of the book which I did like. About half way through the book, Ms. Knobler changed perspectives to be that of the other protagonist which I really did like. It’s always interesting to see the change in perspective to understand what the other person is thinking. She also did that later in the book with another protagonist, Nick, and it was kind of interesting as well as you were able to see secrets from his perspective and understand other characters takes on situations. The book was predominately from Beth’s point of view, but it was spiced up a little by placing a little of other perspectives into it.

One criticism of this POV change though was, when it jumped to Jack’s POV, it started all the way from when they first met and it was quite a longggg way back to you were reading pretty much the same events but from another perspective. I didn’t really mind it but it was kind of like re-reading the book all over just with a slightly different twist which was kind of monotonous, to a slight degree, although interesting to see slight perspective changes from the guys view.

Overall I really did like this book. It wasn’t vulgar or crass like some romance books can be as this was strictly about wanting to find the true love, for the most part. I do recommend checking this one out as it wasn’t a massive read per se and shouldn’t take too long. If you’re looking for something light and fluffy with a happy ending, this is your cup of tea.

Enjoy and happy reading!

Trapped (The Condemned Book 1) by Alison Aimes

 in Book Events / Books / Fantasy / Hot Off The Press / Interesting / Older Readers / Otherworldly by

This post contains affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure here.

Trapped book cover

Summary

“When Bella West crash lands on prison planet Dragath25, the only thing standing between her and a mass of brutal criminals is one of their own, a ruthless loner known only as 673. But what starts out as a desperate trade based on protection and raw lust soon blossoms into a scorching need that will push them both to the edge….

Cadet Bella West has one simple objective when she joins the scientific mission to Dragath25, the notorious penal planet housing Earth’s condemned. Earn the credits necessary to save her family from starvation. But when her shuttle crashes and the majority of her crew perish, her simple mission becomes complicated fast. Now, to stay alive she’ll have to depend on one of Dragath’s own. But such protection doesn’t come free.

Convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, 673 has become more beast than man after eight grueling years on an unforgiving, hazardous planet of dirt and rock—and even more treacherous inhabitants. He doesn’t look out for anyone but himself and he certainly never grows attached. So when the bold female offers him pleasure in return for protection, he takes the deal without hesitation. He never expects how her touch will alter him. Or the growing realization that saving her may be the key to his own salvation.

But as dangers mount and their ‘simple’ deal unravels will he prove to be her surprise savior or her ultimate downfall? Because caring for someone on Dragath25 may prove the greatest hazard of all.

A tale of unbridled desire, stunning sacrifice, and unwavering love, Trapped is an action-packed, sexy sci-fi romance that takes you to the brink of oblivion on a prison planet where only the strong survive.

The first book in the Condemned Series, Trapped has a HEA [happily ever after] and can be read as a stand-alone.”

-From Amazon.com

Review

One of the exciting things about being a book blogger, who has been around for quite a few years and is slowly getting recognized, is that people come to you asking you to review their books and promote books as well and this was one of them and I’m quite happy that I received an ARC to review ! Trapped was actually a really good book and I didn’t expect it to be as I usually don’t read main stream romance stories. This is, once again, considered to be an erotic romance novel and I never would have picked it up if I wasn’t contacted to ask to review the book and I have to say it was quite enjoyable. While there will be other books in the series, I don’t know if I’ll check them out as while the book was good, it isn’t my kind of story exactly and I’m happy with the HEA, but it was a decent novel to read and easily fitted into the bodice ripper category.

While there was the romance going on, there was a whole other story there too as it was set on another planet, which was also kind of cool too. Not many romance stories have that quality in them. Sure, maybe vampires or some fantasy creatures, but not based on another planet. But all of the people in the story were human, save for some of the animals which the main male protagonist fought.

The whole scene that the book was set in was interesting as well. The planet was actually where criminals were sent and so it was an extremely harsh planet, like lots of sand and hot and dangerous. Except 673 found some nice oasis’ that had water and nice plants. I did feel that there could have been more to the story, like maybe a little more character development because 673 kept going forward and then regressing back to his old ways but in the end he was suddenly different, but it still worked for the story so it wasn’t a down side. I just always like character development as you all probably have figured out by now.

Based on the picture of the cover, which is usually used to represent a character, I did have a different visual of the guy in my mind. I was thinking of more Conan the Barbarian kind of feel but like much much bigger, like 7 feet tall, but he apparently was more like 6 or so and more of a normal guy. I just felt he had a bigger than life quality which was kind of cool and he was sooo badass.

I also really liked the female, Bella, because she was a strong female character and attempted to kick some ass and was stubborn and strong-headed which I really like. I hate when the main characters are simpering females (as you all know) and I liked how she would go head-to-head with this guy who was a lot stronger than her and she wouldn’t back down which was awesome.

This is definitely mature literature so not for 18 and under, but if you’re looking for something a little steamy and a quick read (I read it in only a few hours), this is definitely what you’re looking for. It fits the bill perfectly.

It comes out in March of this year and I do recommend that you check it out and I hope that more books will be coming out because I would love to see how this story develops.

Happy Reading!

Siren’s Call (A Rainshadow Novel) by Jayne Castle

 in Adult / Book Reviews / Books / Fantasy / Older Readers by

Siren's Call by Jayne Castle Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Jayne Castle

Summary

“In the mysterious world of Harmony, there are places filled with unexplored marvels. But Rainshadow Island isn’t about to give up its secrets…

In the alien catacombs of Rainshadow, there are creatures whose compelling songs lure the unwary to their death. That’s why Rafe Coppersmith, hired to clear out the catacombs for exploration, needs a music talent. He’s knows the perfect one, but she probably doesn’t want anything do with him…

Ella Morgan had once fallen hard and fast for Rafe, but then he disappeared for months…and he’s not about to tell her why. Ella, too, has secrets that only her dust bunny knows. She’s not just a music talent, she’s a Siren: a paranormal singer capable of singing men to sleep—or to their deaths.

But once on Rainshadow, Rafe and Ella will learn that surrendering to passion doesn’t come without risks—and fighting fire with fire only adds to the flame…”

-From back of book

Review

And I’ve done it again. This is the fourth book in the series I think…

I mean, you can kinda read it out of order, it does make sense, though there are questions. Of course….I LOVE to do this. Grab a good book and find out that it’s not the first book in the series. Click here to view Jayne Ann Krentz’s website and her page for her pen-name Jayne Castle and see which books are part of the Rainshadow Series.

But honestly, even though I hadn’t read the other books in the series, there weren’t that many questions which were kind of hanging there because I didn’t have previous knowledge. I mean, yes there definitely were things which didn’t add up or took me a little longer to figure out what was meant, and that was kind of annoying, but it is what you get for reading out of order.

Now, I will review this book as well as I can for reading it…out of order. >Violently smacks head against the book.<

Honestly, I did enjoy it quite a lot. It was well written and had an interesting storyline. I don’t think it was based on earth, as far as I could tell, but there were humans and other creatures as well. They kept referencing these Aliens and Alien technology so I’m thinking that they traveled to another world and had found stuff on the planet and stuff. But either way, it was a cool concept.

And while it was a fantasy book, it also did have romance in it. I don’t think this is classified as erotic literature at all though. There was definitely a little bit of sex, and it was kind of explicit, but I don’t think it was defined as erotic, so I’d just say it was a fantasy book with a smattering of…sex. Because of the sex though, I would classify it as an adult book, by far.

The writing was good, the sentences being a little more challenging than regular romance book and books like this, so it kept me interested as well. Also a lot of the characters kept you curious as well, interested to see who would kill who and who the bad people were, though you didn’t know until the end. I didn’t really like though that the main characters didn’t really develop, in my view. I like to see some type of character development, even if it is just the character letting a secret out that they don’t like to share and showing another side of themselves, but there wasn’t really any of that in this book. Now this of course doesn’t bother most people, so this complaint is something more personal, but with the summary, it made it seem like there was some big secret which was kept. And it wasn’t as big as it was made out to be which was kind of annoying. All of this suspense for nothing.

But, overall it was a decent book. I’m not sure if I’ll bother to read the first book, but maybe if I have some time.

Happy Reading!

Debt Inheritance (Indebted #1) by Pepper Winters

 in Adult / Book Reviews / Books / Older Readers by

Indebted #1, Debt Inheritance Book Cover

Summary

“”I own you. I have the piece of paper to prove it. It’s undeniable and unbreakable. You belong to me until you’ve paid off your debts.”

Nila Weaver’s family is indebted. Being the first born daughter, her life is forfeit to the first born son of the Hawks to pay for sins of ancestors past. The dark ages might have come and gone, but debts never leave. She has no choice in the matter.

She is no longer free.

Jethro Hawk receives Nila as an inheritance present on his twenty-ninth birthday. Her life is his until she’s paid off a debt that’s centuries old. He can do what he likes with her–nothing is out of bounds–she has to obey.

There are no rules. Only payments.”

-From Amazon.com

Review

This review is going to be extremely blunt and to the point and unlike any other ‘gentle’ review I’ve done before.

So that is my disclaimer.

I absolutely hated this book so much. The only reason that I actually finished reading it was because I was curious to see if it may get better due to the fact that so many people gave it a positive reviews and seemed to love it. This book falls into the dark romance genre, sub-genre is dark erotica and it completely fits into that genre, no questions asked. This book was pretty damn dark and that was one reason I hated it so much. I’ve read dark books before, more apocalyptic books, but this was dark sexually.

Technically the author is known as a BDSM writer (apparently according to research on her) and she has made the NY Times best seller list and a lot of people love her but this writing was just beyond messed up. No, there wasn’t any rape, per se, but there was a lot of coercion and sexual threats. The main characters were Nila and Jethro and I despised them both.

Jethro was cold and he was supposed to be hated, as that was his part, but he was beyond horrible. He was controlling all around, kind of like Mr. Grey from 50 Shades, although instead of readers having to infer that he was insane, it was blatantly obvious that Jethro was beyond screwed up in the head and I would define him as a psychopath. By the BDSM terms, based on the reviews I’ve read, he was considered to be a Dominant, but he was not even close to that. Jethro was a killer and more than a lot deranged in the head and I wanted to just run away from the book. But having a good and hated main character is great, so it was talent to make him hated so much, but my serious problem rested in Nila.

Nila was essentially Anastasia Steele, from 50 Shades, on steroids and a hell of a lot dumber. She knew, the moment that she met Jethro, that he was dangerous and didn’t have an option to say no to getting a drink with him, but everything after that went downhill. All of her ‘creep’ warning bells were going off and she was smart in the beginning, choosing to leave him (not a spoiler because it doesn’t affect the story), but then…THEN she decided to go back and met up with him to get revenge on a guy she didn’t even know. A little back story, she was texting a guy who had been a wrong number a long time back, and he pissed her off, a guy she didn’t even know, so she wanted ‘revenge’ or some rubbish like that.

As the story progressed, she pushed Jethro’s buttons soooooooo much. I mean, pardon my french, but she was a dumb bitch, big time. Sure, there are times you fight when you are technically being taken hostage, or kidnapped, but there are times you don’t push it. If you think your captor is going to snap and potentially kill you, you do NOT push the buttons of someone who would snap your neck in a second. Like no!

The story continued and eventually Nila was degraded to no more than a slave, due to a debt which had happened with the family hundreds of years back.

I kept thinking that maybe Nila had Stockholm Syndrome, a psychological phenomenon where you have empathy, sympathy, or feelings towards your captor,  or something, but she knew what was happening was wrong, but would continue to push Jethro. AND THEN! IT GETS BETTER! She’s technically a captive and wants to have sex with Jethro. She doesn’t care that he is cruel. She’s just a lustful young woman who has ABSOLUTELY NO SELF-PRESERVATION SKILLS!

This absolutely infuriated me. I wanted to reach into the story and beat the hell out of her and tell her to wake up and stop being so god-damned stupid.

As you can gather, I absolutely hated this story. And I would NOT recommend it at all. It gives an extremely twisted view of sex as well as BDSM since apparently this has those qualities in the writing. I didn’t see it though – all I saw was some serious messed up stuff.

Yes, it was free on iBooks so that’s the only reason I downloaded, and I am so glad it was free because I’d be annoyed if I purchased it.

Best part(?!) is it is a series and there are 6 books in this series. Will I read them? Absolutely not. I don’t want to know where this story goes now and I can make my own ending.

So please, avoid this romance book at all costs unless you’re into dark erotic romance.

Happy reading!

Amnesia (2013- )

 in Uncategorized by
Cover art of the Amnesia anime

Amnesia

Summary

“Young girl wakes up with no memory. She sees a floating sprite who tells her that her amnesia is his fault and that she just plays along and acts normally while he helps her gain her memory back. She tries, but it’s not easy.”

-From IMDB.com

Review

OKAY! I need to start off with a little rant. THIS HAD SUCH AN UNSATISFACTORY ENDING! Like it says that it may continue (since it has 2013 – and no end date) but like, I doubt it will continue since it’s drawing, slowly, to the end of 2015. And like I thought there would be closure and all this stuff, but not. It was so sad and I’m sitting here like….Q.Q WHUT? Y U DO THIS?!

But, now let me get to the review aspect. It was an interesting anime, definitely, but very confusing. Since it followed the main heroine  and her amnesia, there were many times were you were confused. You never truly knew where she saw, what world she was in, who was who, and what exactly was going on. And what world she was in, I mean by the fact that she would die and wake up on the same date, August 1st, with memories of the other worlds but no memories of anything that happened before August 1st and no idea what all of this was happening. Honestly, until about episode 8, out of 12 episodes, I was extremely confused and constantly was having to think and ask myself questions. The producers had a great idea behind the anime, but they didn’t deliver it very well in my opinion. They could have done so much more with it!

The graphics were typical animations, though I loved their costumes. There was a deck of cards theme kind of going on with some of the characters too. Apparently, per usual, it is a manga (I believe) and a game called Amnesia Later so I’m not sure if questions were answered or not. If you know the answer to this, please do let me know as I’m curious and don’t really have time to play games and enjoy myself at the moment.

Anime characters from Amnesia

Amnesia

I did really like the main theme song of the show though. That always does determine something for me – if it has a good theme song, I am more into watching it. An example of that was I started watching an anime called Samauri Champloo and while it was a good anime, and I may get hate for this, I really hated the theme song as it really wasn’t my taste, so I slowly stopped watching it. This anime had quite a good them song and I love listening to it.

This anime does fall under the category of reverse harem I believe. Harem being one guy and a bunch of girl characters, but this being one girl and a bunch of male characters (though there were only about 5). It was not a girly flick as far as I could tell (though since I’m a girl I’m partially biased) and was entertaining overall. Towards the end, there were a few questionable moments where one of the characters was kind of hinting at rape, or something along those lines (or that’s what I got from it) so I was a little like “hold up” but eventually it all sorted itself out.

It is a short anime, only 12 episodes, with each episode being only 20 minutes or so, so it won’t take long to watch and is definitely one to check out. The anime is an acquired taste as there isn’t a lot of action, though there is ‘romance’ in the sense that the heroine keeping finding out she’s dating a different guy in each world she wakes up in, which was strange, but an interesting ideas as well.

All in all, it was a decent anime but I’d classify it as a hit of miss due to the fact that it wasn’t one of the better ones out there. Though, if you have some time and are looking for something interesting to binge watch, give this one a shot and let me know what you think.

Anyone else kinda confused?

Happy watching!