I will admit, I struggled at the beginning of this book...I just was NOT in the mood for Whyborne's thoughts of relationship "doom and gloom" and his I will admit, I struggled at the beginning of this book...I just was NOT in the mood for Whyborne's thoughts of relationship "doom and gloom" and his ideas of not being good enough for Griffin. Of course Griffin IS his other half and would never ever ever see Whyborne as Whyborne sees himself.
I need Draekenwood NOW!!
And poor Diablo...I'm gonna miss that little guy. *evil grin*
The thief, the heartrender, the spy, the runaway, the convict, the sharpshooter...
How do I pick a favoriteBrilliant! From the first page to the last!
The thief, the heartrender, the spy, the runaway, the convict, the sharpshooter...
How do I pick a favorite? Okay...Inej, then Kaz... Oh screw it! I love them ALL!!
Why no Wylan POV? I think I know the reason, but I still wanted his POV!!
I binge read, then immediately pre-ordered Crooked Kingdom...and have since requested the day off from work so I can binge read again after the release.
Notice: Six of Crows is set in the same world as the Grisha Trilogy and takes place years later. Although, I agree it could probably be read and appreciated without reading Grisha first, the reader would not recognize the importance of some details and understand why some characters believe the way they believe. Also, spoilers for Grisha ending! ...more
I received this book in May's Uppercase Box and I can honestly say this is a book I NEVER would have picked up at a bookstore and thought to myself "II received this book in May's Uppercase Box and I can honestly say this is a book I NEVER would have picked up at a bookstore and thought to myself "I NEED TO READ THIS!!" No. Contemporary romance is not my go-to genre. Contemporary Young Adult is CERTAINLY not something I would usually choose to read. SURPRISE!! I immediately started reading as soon as I received it...since I couldn't decide on anything else to read at the time. And it turns out I LOVED IT!! I stayed up 'til 3am because I HAD to finish it! It had some sad undertones dealing with loss and PTSD and therapy, but there were so many other funny and sweet and romantic bits. Plus, I loved all the characters so much. I also loved the sports aspects...even though I know almost nothing about tennis. Hey, but I'm a sports lover by nature so that wasn't much of a surprise. The biggest surprise...reading this whole, entire book waiting for Maguire's next big disaster to strike, and when it finally does...it somehow turns into a happy ending after all. ...more
I loved everything about this entire series. Don't start book one without being prepared to read them all until the very last word. Lots of angst and I loved everything about this entire series. Don't start book one without being prepared to read them all until the very last word. Lots of angst and betrayals and war. Yes, there is a love story...and even a HEA; it just takes a VERY long time until Kestrel and Arin find even a tiny bit of happiness. Oh, and there is a little humor in the last book: Roshar!! I could never figure out how Kestrel and Arin were going to find their happy ending, but some how at all works out in the end!! ...more
This is a book I came across while scrolling through Instagram and initially I was intrigued by the cover, but once I read the blurb I wWow Wow WOW!!!
This is a book I came across while scrolling through Instagram and initially I was intrigued by the cover, but once I read the blurb I was immediately SOLD!!
An Ember in the Ashes is set in a very brutal and complex world...I don't even know where to begin to explain it. So I won't even try!
It's told for both Laia (the heroine) and Elias's (the hero) POV. It's dark, it's tragic, and I COULD NOT STOP READING IT!
There's a semi-cliffie ending so A Torch Against the Night cannot get here fast enough!!
“You are full, Laia. Full of life and dark and strength and spirit. You are in our dreams. You will burn, for you are an ember in the ashes. That is your destiny. Being a Resistance spy—that is the smallest part of you. That is nothing.”
I received this book in my first ever Uppercase Box!! I was immediately intrigued when I read the dust jacket and I will admit this is probably a bookI received this book in my first ever Uppercase Box!! I was immediately intrigued when I read the dust jacket and I will admit this is probably a book I never would have picked to read for myself.
The Verdict: I LOVED IT!!! I was hooked from the very beginning and could not put the book down. I loved the world building and I loved all the characters. There were so many twists I never saw coming and I never connected any of the clues along the way. Of course all my “ah ha” moments made me feel kinda stupid, but the author did an awesome job misdirecting me.
Amani was BADASS and I loved the chemistry between her and Jin. There is a little slow burning romance happening there.
How long until I can get my hands on book two?? There is more story to be told!!...more
Best book since Lothaire!! Things are finally happening!!!!
I almost didn’t read this book because I had no clue who Rune and Josephine were and the lBest book since Lothaire!! Things are finally happening!!!!
I almost didn’t read this book because I had no clue who Rune and Josephine were and the last few books haven’t been very great in my opinion. Thank gods I did because I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!!!!
Rune and Jo were all HOT and DIRTY!! Like this might even be the dirtiest book in the series!! And somehow there is still A LOT of sexual tension!! Both H/h were equally likable…and equally stubborn. I really liked the uniqueness of how Rune and Jo fit within the Lore and where they come from. Plus, they were totally KICK-ASS!
Nix is all over this book…causing mischief and manipulating everyone. Her entire big scheme that happens in this book is AWESOME…and now I’m even more impatiently waiting for the next book!
Is it possible we have finally met Nix’s love interest??!! ...more
Here is a case where I was sold by the cover. And thank goodness for that, because this story was the most beautiful and amazing thing I've read in a Here is a case where I was sold by the cover. And thank goodness for that, because this story was the most beautiful and amazing thing I've read in a long time. I thought the characters were REAL!!! Their reactions were REAL!!!! My heart still aches for Gil and Keith and I have this urge to experience their story all over again...but I know I'm not yet ready for that.
My favorite scene was when Kate finally figured out why Curran was having "cash-flow" difficulties. Hilarious!One of my favorite books of the series!
My favorite scene was when Kate finally figured out why Curran was having "cash-flow" difficulties. Hilarious! But I'm also VERY interested in how this will progress the series.
My second favorite scene was the Epilogue. So very sweet...and a tiny bit scary. Dammit to hell that I have to wait forever and a day for the next book!
My third favorite scene was when Curran offered Roland a loan. Take that you psycho killer!
I loved that Curran played such a big role in this book. Lots and lots of Curran!! And it kept cracking me up how no one likes the former Beast Lord.
I missed Derek! He was there, but not enough page time for my favorite werewolf.
Poor Jim. He has a tough job ahead of him.
The sex scene was possibly the hottest sex scene of this entire series. Whew!!
I was completely caught up in the mystery, especially since it was surrounding a character I really liked. Sometimes, with this series, that is not the case.
For a few minutes there, I was actually LIKING Roland...but then I was hating him again when I understood his "plan".
I LOVE what is happening with the Mercenary Guild. Curran is such a scary bastard...I mean genius.
Kate may have gone "to-far" again, kinda-similar to what she did with Julie.
The snark and humor was spot on throughout the entire book. There were sooooooo many hilarious quotes I wanted to highlight, but since I was listening to the audio, that wasn't possible. I found myself rewinding and listening to funny bits instead!
I LOVE Renee Raudman as the narrator for this series. I wasn't a fan of hers after Magic Bites, but she's getting better and better with each book. These characters absolutely come to life in my head and they each have their own distinct voice. The way she delivers the sarcasm is amazing!
4.5 Stars because of numerous inconsistencies that didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story, but they kept this book from being perfect. ...more
Here I am writing a review for a book that I never had any intentions of reviewing. So why am I jumbling together some words in the hopes of expressinHere I am writing a review for a book that I never had any intentions of reviewing. So why am I jumbling together some words in the hopes of expressing how I feel? Because this book was freakin' AMAZING and people should know that I thought it was AMAZING!
I was looking to discover something new and found this book on a list. I thought after skimming the blurb: "hmm, this looks different" and "good, it's long and should keep me busy for at least a few days". HA! I finished it in one day and have been in a reading funk ever since! It’s hard to find a good book to follow something this awesome.
Okay, okay. I know this book won’t be for everyone. It’s historical and it’s long and it may even seem a bit slow to most people…but a lot happens and, dammit, I didn’t want it to end!! If you aren’t hooked by the end of the sample, then this probably isn’t a book for you.
So, why did I think it was so amazing? Well, I don’t even know how to put it into words, but I’m trying!
I immediately connected with Nikolai and his way of telling his tale. I knew from the prologue that his journey would not be easy, but I never expected it to be so intense! There’s a scene in the very beginning, a torture killing, that affected me so powerfully I wasn’t sure if I could continue reading. After a short break and a few deep breaths, I forged on…then I met Aleksey and was immediately ensnared by his personality.
Yes, in the beginning Aleksey came across as an immature, spoiled brat; and Nikolai the grumpy and lonely healer…but the sexual tension between them did all the right things to me! I just couldn’t get enough of all their verbal sparring and dancing around their feelings for each other. And then when they were finally together…gah! They both went through so much growth and change throughout the story…to the point that I couldn’t imagine one of them accepting life without the other.
I think the biggest thing about this story that makes it stand out from any other book is predictability. A Royal Affair is so far from predictable that it had me catching my breathe with all the surprising and intense moments. OhMyGod! There were so many times I was TRULY worried for Nikolai and Aleksey that I was afraid to turn the page! So much was happening and not all of good…but I HAD to know what would happen next as soon as possible.
I’m not going to spoil ending, but it looks like there will be a sequel!!!! I want it NOW!
Why is it that the best books are always the hardest to review? That’s exactly how I feel about Semper Fi! It’s been a few weeks now since I read it aWhy is it that the best books are always the hardest to review? That’s exactly how I feel about Semper Fi! It’s been a few weeks now since I read it and I’m still not any closer to figuring out how to review it as I was then!
It’s like this:
Sometimes when you read a book and every single word just touches that perfect place inside you. And you can’t stop thinking about it..for days...even weeks after you read the last word… Yeah, it’s like that.
Go ahead and read the blurb; it does a wonderful job setting up the story.
Now, I’m just going to randomly list out a few thoughts because there is absolutely no way I can form coherent and gibberish-free paragraphs…
Yes, this is a 1940s historical love story, but honestly it hardly felt like a historical at all. Every bit of it is still relevant today: hardship, war, heartbreak, fear, religion, homophobia... I do think some of the verbiage was not 100% accurate to the time period, but I don’t care!! How it made me FEEL is the only thing that matters!!!
I loved how it alternates between telling the story of Jim and Cal’s friendship beginning in 1942 during WWII, and then back to present day 1948 when Cal moves to help Jim on the apple orchard...when their love for each other is finally revealed and consummated. My initial thought was “oh, please don’t let the entire book be like this!” But by the third chapter I understood that was EXACTLY how Cal and Jim’s story deserved to be told. Plus, the transitions were perfectly seamless.
Cal and Jim...gah! The power of their friendship. The reality of their love. The things those two meant to each other. The things they RISKED for each other. Gah! I don’t have the words… They are all spilt out in the pages of this book. Semper Fidelis. “Always Faithful” indeed.
Imagine this: It’s late January 2013 and Rhys Ford sends me a text message telling me that I MUST read this book called Widdershins. Widder-what? And Imagine this: It’s late January 2013 and Rhys Ford sends me a text message telling me that I MUST read this book called Widdershins. Widder-what? And eww, it’s HISTORICAL!! At the time, I was in such a pathetic book funk that I was willing to give something new a try, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I’m even willing to go so far as to say that Whyborne and Griffin are majorly responsible for my subsequent obsession with M/M historical romance…and Jordan for being the master creator of one of my top all time favorite couples. I guess I also need to give Rhys a little credit here too.
If you are familiar with this series, then you know that the clever titles always give a big clue to the focus of the book. Bloodline. It says it all. It uncovers unimaginable family secrets on the Endicott side and reveals that there is more to the town of Widdershins than anyone ever knew…and I really can’t say much more without giving away all kinds of spoilers. I would rather give you the chance to be like me screaming “ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod ohmygod” every other other chapter or “no, Whyborne, don’t do THAT”!!
Bloodline is definitely my favorite book in the entire series…so far.
It seems to me that everything that has happened so far in this series, are only smaller pieces setting up the big revelation that occurs here in Bloodline. And every bit of it holds more importance now than it appeared to at the time. Seriously, think about everything you know about Whyborne and his family and throw it out the window. Then think about all those subtle things that have come up that seemed too easily explained and coincidental . There! Those are the clues!! Ha! I’m not even making sense anymore… My mind is blown!!
Let me try and simplify my thoughts:
The Mystery: Wow, it just amazes me how thought out and tight this was. The mysteries and the prophecies were so completely intertwined that I could not even come up with a decent suspect, besides predict how it would all come to an end. And it all fit perfectly with the previous books.
The Creatures: Well, as usual, I can’t say what they are, but ohmygod!! Freaky! And beautiful at the same time.
The Sorcery: In the two years since Whyborne discovered sorcery, he’s been studying to learn more and more spells and expand his powers…disregarding all the discouragement from Griffin. When Whyborne starts spiraling out of control, it will always be Griffin there to bring him back.
“…What if…what if there is some darkness in me? Something terrible inside? “Then we’ll face it together.” Griffin touched my face with one hand, fingers tender. Finding the hotter wetness of tears amidst the cold rain. “You are the love of my life.”
The Romance: I ♥ Whyborne and Griffin, and I LOVE when Whyborne gets all dominant and toppy! But ohmygod these two had my stomach in knots!! I knew they would work everything out, but still…
The Ending: Well THAT was totally tear worthy!! I had to read the last scene twice because I could hardly read through my tears the first time. Just a sec, I’m going to go read it one more time.
What’s next? Looks like book six will be titled Hoarfrost. I do hope that is a clue that Whyborne and Griffin…and Christine will be taking a trip to the Yukon!
Easily the best paranormal romance I’ve read this year! I gave the previous book, Heart of Iron, 5 whole stars. Now, I’m trying to figure out how I Easily the best paranormal romance I’ve read this year! I gave the previous book, Heart of Iron, 5 whole stars. Now, I’m trying to figure out how I can rate this book more than 5 stars because a measly 5 stars doesn’t even begin to do it justice. That’s how amazing it was!
My Lady Quicksilver picks up about one month following Heart of Iron…Sir Jasper Lynch, leader of the Nighthawks, has caught the scent of Mercury, the mysterious revolutionary leader of the humanist movement. Lynch has been given a deadline to bring the elusive Mercury to justice, or pay the consequences…
The Hero: Lynch, the cold and guarded blue blood whose greatest fear is losing control. That is until Mrs. Marberry marches into the Guild and starts playing her little games…distracting Lynch from his little obsession with Mercury. I just love to read a hero who is a hard badass on the outside and soft romantic on the inside. I loved how he was torn between his greatest enemy and his secretary, when all along, they were the same woman. Ohmygod the final scene!
The Heroine: Who is the real Rosalind? Is she Mercury? Is she Mrs. Marberry? I loved all the different facets of her and how she was able to be the woman she needed to be when it mattered. Plus, she was pretty kickass…even when wearing an evening gown. The big fight scene near the end was KILLER!
The Buttons: Who knew buttons could be so erotic?? Gah, the sexual tension between Lynch and Rosalind was crazy hot! And the sex was insanely hot! Oh, wow, I’m a little speechless…
The Betrayal: Rosalind is looking for her younger brother and is willing to use Lynch to find him. But Lynch isn’t at all the man she expected him to be. No, he seems almost human, and it doesn’t take Rosalind long before she realizes she could never hurt him…anymore than how much it will hurt him once he discovers her true identity. But ohmygod the way she makes up for it!
The Action: I felt this story lacked some of the humor I’m used to seeing in the previous books (maybe thats because Blade never made an appearance, gah, I will always love him!), but it made up for it in pace and non-stop action…and, urmm, smexiness. There was so much going on, and I couldn’t put my Kindle down…walking around reading it, hiding under the table to read just a few more lines… Yeah, if I could have had ten uninterrupted hours (maybe a few less), I would have read this entire book without ever taking a break. (Now I’m suffering from a massive book hangover, and writing this review isn’t helping it at all.)
The Villains: At this point, I don’t even know who the real villains are. I can’t say it’s the entire Echelon, because there are some honorable men there too. No, this series gives us the perspectives of all the different social classes on each side of the fight. This book pairs a mech with a mechanical limb with a rogue blue blood who must enforce the laws of the Echelon; both always working against each other…until now. And some of the most horribly, hated characters have the potential to do a good deed…or make the right sacrifice.
If you haven’t read any books in this series, start with the first one, Kiss of Steel, and don’t skip around, because the books follow one larger story arc. And there is soooo much more to come, I just know it. Garrett and Perry’s story is next, and from what I saw of them in this book, I think I might love them even more…
I recommend this book, and the entire series, a thousand times over.
Oh boy, it’s happened to me again: another amazing book leaving me with no idea how to construct a coherent review!
I recently took a chance on a new-tOh boy, it’s happened to me again: another amazing book leaving me with no idea how to construct a coherent review!
I recently took a chance on a new-to-me-author (or new-to-everyone most likely) and was completely blown away with how such an amazing storyteller Ms. Hyde is…
Highfell Grimoires is a steampunk story about Neil, a young man forced to teach at a charity all boys school in order to pay off a debt to his uncle. But when he arrives at Highfell Hall, there is more going on than what meets the eye and Neil must uncover the truth of what is taking place in the mysterious Starboard Hall.
What makes Highfell Grimoires so a-m-a-z-i-n-g?
The unique and intricate world. I’m not going to try to explain it; I will only confuse myself…and you, but the world building here was perfectly executed and so vividly done.
The slow pace. But there was still a lot going on (oxymoron much?) I savored every single word of it!
The character development. This was a very character driven story, lots of distinguished characters with diverse personalities and voices. The boys. Neil’s sister. LEOFA! And even the bad guys.
The slow-burn romance. Oh man, the sexual tension between Neil and Leofa was lickable and they totally hit all my buttons.
The mystery. What the hell is going on in Starboard Hall and who can be trusted?
The betrayals. Oh, there are some nasty secretes that get revealed!
The twists. Those ohmyfuckinggod moments that I never saw coming!
The HEA. I was worried there for a while but there was a perfect, heart fluttering HEA.
I could NOT get enough of these characters and this world. Team Neil and Leofa all the way. I hope they have more adventures together in the future; although, I would be equally as happy to meet new characters and get a new romance set in this very same world.
A perfect conclusion to one of the best trilogies I’ve ever read!!
It’s been about a month and a half since I read this book and guess what…I still havA perfect conclusion to one of the best trilogies I’ve ever read!!
It’s been about a month and a half since I read this book and guess what…I still have no idea how to put into words how much I loved it…AND the entire trilogy! I’ve given all three books 5 stars, but this one went above and beyond in amazingness than I ever could have expected!
If you haven’t read Provoked and Beguiled, you will need to get right on that because these books cannot be read out of order; David and Murdo’s relationship has developed and evolved across the entire series. GAH! I ♥ them so much! There was never a HEA in their cards…until NOW! And trust me, it is not an easily achieved HEA! Luckily you now have ALL three books available at the click of a button.
Enlightened picks up about five months after Beguiled; five months David has been recuperating at Murdo’s Perthshire estate…sharing his bed every night. Now that David is better, certainly he can’t remain with Murdo for much longer…David must get back to his life and work as usual. Should he leave? Does Murdo want him to stay? Of course Murdo wants him forever, but David refuses to be the “other person” in Murdo’s life whenever Murdo decides its time to find a wife. David’s heart will never be safe again and its best if he moves on now…
“David just sat there. What could he say? That their affection for one another, so obvious during that tender moment a minute ago—“Nothing about you could ever be ugly to me.”—made David feel…unsafe? Worse, that he knew now he’d never be safe again, that he had lost the safety of his splendid isolation the moment Murdo Balfour had walked back into his life six months before?”
Then the decisions are all taken out of David’s control when he makes a promise to Chalmers…Elizabeth’s life might still be in danger. And Murdo has been keeping a big secret from David!
I loved EVERYTHING about this book:
The tenderness.
The intimacy.
The sacrifice.
The closure.
If I had no other responsibilities, I would have reread this entire series… It definitely goes down on my “desert island keeper” list as it has everything: mystery, deception, danger, friendships and a romance so beautiful it makes self-sacrifice no real sacrifice at all.
All historical romance lovers MUST have this trilogy on their bookshelf!
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