Review: Verity by Colleen Hoover

Published December 7th 2018 by Hoover Ink, Inc.

Goodreads Synopsis

Lowen Ashleigh is a struggling writer on the brink of financial ruin when she accepts the job offer of a lifetime. Jeremy Crawford, husband of bestselling author Verity Crawford, has hired Lowen to complete the remaining books in a successful series his injured wife is unable to finish.

Lowen arrives at the Crawford home, ready to sort through years of Verity's notes and outlines, hoping to find enough material to get her started. What Lowen doesn't expect to uncover in the chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography Verity never intended for anyone to read. Page after page of bone-chilling admissions, including Verity's recollection of what really happened the day her daughter died.

Lowen decides to keep the manuscript hidden from Jeremy, knowing its contents would devastate the already grieving father. But as Lowen's feelings for Jeremy begin to intensify, she recognizes all the ways she could benefit if he were to read his wife's words. After all, no matter how devoted Jeremy is to his injured wife, a truth this horrifying would make it impossible for him to continue to love her.

A standalone romantic thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, releasing December 18th.

My Review

“...the things lurking around inside the mind can be just as dangerous as tangible threats.”

I had forgotten how much I like Hoover's writing sometimes. It isn't that her books have some mind boggling plot lines or because they have something new to offer. It's just the way she writes her characters. She makes her characters seem so real and her books read so easily that it's impossible to put them down. It's very easy to connect to her characters because Hoover knows how to get inside her readers' minds and manipulate their emotions. I've always thought that she is one of those authors who writes angst very well. After reading Verity I realized that she can write creepy even better.

Throughout Verity, she creates an eerie atmosphere of foreboding and doubt. I couldn't help but turn page after page, coming up with my own theories as to what might happen next. It was interesting to read about a character who's an author from an author's point of view. 

“A writer should never have the audacity to write about themselves unless they’re willing to separate every layer of protection between the author’s soul and their book. The words should come directly from the center of the gut, tearing through flesh and bone as they break free. Ugly and honest and bloody and a little bit terrifying, but completely exposed.” 

It was also easy to imagine how writing about fucked up characters might fuck up the author's mind in the process. Because, aren't all fictional characters a piece of the author's soul, however small that piece maybe? Don't the events of a book sometimes have an element of wish fulfillment attached to them?

The only issue I had with the book was that even though the plot escalated quickly, the actual climax was a bit meh. The ending felt kind of rushed, almost as if it were an afterthought. It left me feeling dissatisfied and I didn't find it worthy of the buildup.

I had come up with my own crazy little theory that the whole manuscript was written from Verity's husband's POV and he was the actual author in the story, writing under the pseudonym of his wife's name. That would mean that all the crazy things mentioned in the manuscript were his doing and writing them down as though his wife did it was just a way of covering his tracks and putting the blame on her. Yes yes, my mind works in twisted ways.

But overall, it's definitely a great quick one time read that is bound to give you the creeps. Rating: 3/5 stars!

Review: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

“Just because we didn’t end up on the same wave, doesn’t mean we aren’t still a part of the same ocean.” 

Published August 2nd 2016 by Atria Books

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS

SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE WHO HURTS YOU THE MOST

Lily hasn't always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She's come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up - she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily's life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He's also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle's complete aversion to relationships is disturbing.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan - her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

This book contains graphic scenes and very sensitive subject matter.

MY REVIEW

“There is no such thing as bad people. We’re all just people who sometimes do bad things.” 

Umm... I have some conflicted views regarding this book. I just can't seem to make up my mind about how much of this book I actually liked. It showed up in my Goodreads feed when it won the annual award for the best Romance novel and many of the reviewers whose taste in books match my own were raving about it. So I thought, Yeah! I should give this one a try! I went into it with some inhibitions since I'm not the biggest Colleen Hoover fan. Though her stories read very easily and the flow she establishes is flawless, they aren't as plot rich or have enough character development for my taste. 

So, the things I liked about the book were:

1. The theme. After reading the blurb I was kind of expecting a love triangle. But the book was about an important topic and sent out a powerful message. I would have liked to say something else about this, but I can't really do that without giving away spoilers. And I, like several other reviewers, believe that going into this book blind would probably make the reader enjoy the book more. 

2. I liked all the characters in the book. Even the ...ahem... negative ones, though there is no negative character per-say. There are just normal people who are caught in bad situations. And Hoover writes their emotional turmoil very beautifully. There were instances in the book when I nearly cried at their misery, primarily because no one was at fault and because the situations described in the book were very real situations that probably happen every day in multiple households. 

3. The flow of the story. Yes. Like I mentioned before, it's the best thing about this author. Once I start a book, the words flow so easily that it's impossible to put it down. 

“He pulls back to look down at me and when he sees my tears, he brings his hands up to my cheeks. “In the future... if by some miracle you ever find yourself in the position to fall in love again... fall in love with me.”

4. The part about Lily's diary entries which she addressed to Ellen Degeneres. This was a fun and quirky habit that I loved. 

Now, the things that I didn't like:

1. Insta everything. Ugh. I hate when authors do this. Ryle and Lily meet at a rooftop one night and ZAP! Instant attraction! He tells her that he wants to fuck her and she's breathless with desire for him. **pulls a meh face** And what was with all of Ryle's creepy behaviour? Was it supposed to be sexy? Well, it wasn't. And if it wasn't enough that there was insta love, there was also insta friendship! Lily and Issa meet and BAM! They are instant BFFs. 

2. The part of the book where everything was sickeningly perfect and everybody was deliriously happy. Seriously, it was very fake and irritating. 

I might also be a little put off by the ending, even though in retrospect it was perfect. But I was just hoping so strongly for everything to be all right. But then again, that's life. :-( And the world is not a wish granting factory. 

All in all, an okay one time read. 

Review: On Every Street by Karina Halle

Published March 9th 2013 

Metal Blonde Books

“You know,” he began, voice low and full, “if you were to ever leave me, I’d come looking for you, on every street.” 
“You promise?” 
“Always.” And I knew he kept his promises.” 

Ques: Romantic or creepy? 

GOODREADS SYNOPSIS

When young con artist Ellie Watt decides to call herself Eden White and go after the drug lord who ruined her as a child, she never expects to fall for one of his henchmen. But Javier Bernal is no ordinary man. Subtly dangerous and overwhelmingly seductive, Eden finds herself passionately in love with Javier, the very person she's set-up to betray. With her body and heart in a heated battle against her deep need for revenge, no one will walk away from this con a winner.


Takes place six years before Sins & Needles. It can be read before or after Sins & Needles and may also be read as a standalone.

MY REVIEW

“Any love that starts out under a lie is bound to kill you. I just didn’t want to die on my feet.” 

I read the first book of the Artists Trilogy ie. Sins and Needles quite a while ago. It was a lot of fun as far as smutty action packed mafia romances go. I never got around to reading the sequels and it was only by chance that this novella showed up in my Goodreads feed... and I thought to myself 'What the hell! I'm in the mood for some morally questionable romance!' and I picked it up with almost zero expectations. 

But it was just so addictive! I finished it in one seating flat. There's just something irresistible about forbidden love, isn't it? Also, there is a telltale feeling of doom right at the beginning of the book. You know things aren't going to end well. But Halle writes the romance so sexily, that you just can't help but root for the doomed couple. Ellie Watt, our favourite congirl from the Artist Trilogy is back in this book, set about six years prior to the first book (Sins and Needles). Although this one can be read as a standalone, it did explain a lot of stuff that was left unaccounted for in Sins and Needles. I completely got where Ellie's paranoia came from, Javier's obsession with finding Ellie, the whole background story about their supposed great romance and it's painful ending. 

Also, Javier's character wasn't all that significant in Sins and Needles but we get a look at him now. And boy is he one hot son of a bitch! And I totally agree with Ellie when she says, 

“He was a kinky motherfucker, that’s for sure.”

You'd think that all the foreplay talk he came up with would be cheesy or just plain gross, but sometimes it's hot as hell instead. Plus the whole aura of power he has, the knack of getting things done, passion almost bordering on violence... well I won't lie... it's SEXY! Then there are some instances when he actually shows a vulnerable side and then I just find myself melting into a big gooey puddle. He was a gentleman sometimes, he was downright animalistic a few seconds later. The personality switches were rapid and FUN! 

Then there was Ellie. I liked how Halle writes her struggle so well. She's a novice as far as conning goes but she is determined to get vengeance from the man who ruined her life. She is a risk taker. She is headstrong. But what she didn't bargain for was Mr. Sex-On-Legs Javier Bernal. It was just so very human to see her desire for revenge crumbling in the face of new found love. 

I loved the analogues with song lyrics, as is evident from the title of the book itself. I liked all the songs the author mentioned in the book. The sex was a bit over the top. That was probably what prompted me to knock off a star or two off the rating. But then stories with a lot of smut are just not my thing. But the romance was oh so good. The ending of course was heartbreaking and I feel like I need a Javier POV to straighten things out. **hint, hint** ;-)

A great, swift, hot read to warm you all over! Rating: 3.5/5 stars!

“Vengeance is a beast, you know. It can be tamed. I just stopped feeding it.” 

AAhhh... if only! :-(

Blog Tour: Gargoyle Addiction- Livia Olteano (Review and Intl Giveaway)

Gargoyle Addiction

Otherworlds Summons Book One

Livia Olteano

Genre: New Adult (Spicy!) Paranormal Romance

Expected Publication: July 15 2013

Synopsis:

Summonari don’t trust. Under their command, they summon any number of creatures from the Otherwolds—but never trust them outside of the summoning.

Gargoyles don’t love. Fierce descendants of dragons, they function on power and fear—never love.

Karla isn’t the happily-ever-after type of girl. No territory-hungry guy is going to stick flags all over her unclaimed grounds.

Kann’s world is death and betrayal. As Dar Primus of Haus Varis, he’s expected to follow tradition but he’s not your regular gargoyle. In fact, he’s anything but.

One fateful Friday night, Otherworlds collide. Stuck together in one world or another, Karla and Kann face everything from Awakenings and turbulent love to Festnavals and bloodthirsty scorned suitors.

If there’s one thing they can’t escape, it’s the addiction to each other. And they’ve got it bad.

Review:

Move over vamps, werewolves and all other oh-so-humdrum supernatural creatures....the GARGOYLES are here! Coloured skin, piranha like teeth, bulky bodies and ferociousness personified- these creatures are descended from the mighty dragons and have a preference for blood, raw meat, gory battles and deadly 'mating games'. Livia's world building was amazingly good. For one, the bad guys actually sported red skin and forked tongues- quite an invigorating change from the usual six packs and droolworthy eyes.  The entire setting of the Otherworld Piatra and it's residents- the gargoyles- along with their....ahem...unusual lifestyle was extremely captivating.

Klara's hopes of having a peaceful birthday are dashed when her favourite fictional character(who incidentally happens to be a gargoyle) appears in her bedroom, demanding to know why SHE summoned him. After narrowly avoiding suffering a coronary due to his (to mildly put it) unexpected appearance, she realises that the stereotypical bad boys only seem perfection personified from afar. While Kann's gorgeous physique( barring the sharp teeth and greyish skin) present a not-entirely-unwelcome distraction, his ruthless nature, dangerous temper and pseudo rapist tendencies are distinctly unattractive. But Kann- irrevocably drawn to Klara- is determined to have her. Through a whirlwind of steamy courtship, both end up in the perilous world of Piatra where a deranged sister, a bloodthirsty ex and a stealthily tyrannical Haus elder threaten to break the happy couple apart. Caught between two worlds and an unforeseen road to self discovery, Klara is torn between what she wants and needs while Kann would stop at nothing to keep her at his side.

Livia's Olteano's sizzling debut is a page turner. While the plot could have been better, the world building and Kann and Klara's scorching chemistry kept me hooked on. Klara's POV was engaging and (thankfully!) not centred around just the general hotness of Kann. The unprecedentedly wild lifestyle of the gargoyles was interesting, especially the idea of mating games and their community events. The ending was a bit of a let down. I'd been expecting a twist or at-least more info about Klara's  impulsive deal with the dragon. 

But definitely looking forward to see which turn the story takes in the sequel...

Rating- 3/5 stars!  

Excerpt:

The thing leaned forward a bit more, its head poking out into the cascading beams of moonlight. Those eyes seemed to shine even brighter as light hit its...his...face. I wanted to scream but I was so beyond panicked my voice didn’t work anymore. The plan was to get my cell phone and call 911, but before I could even end the thought, he did a blurry motion and suddenly my phone wasn’t there anymore. Eyebrows raced toward the top of my head and I opened eyes so wide they stung.

“So, what do you want, witch?”

I almost screamed. His voice had the jarring quality of a whisper though I heard it too well for it to have been simply whispered. My skin burst in prickly points and my legs clattered. He sounded off and in a very bad mood.

“Well? What do you want?” he snarled.

Want? To place a call to 911 is what I wanted. Hell, a SWAT team, the thing...creature looked dangerous!

He drew in a gulp of air, releasing it with a whoosh. “I don’t have a lot of patience, I warn you.”

He seated his tall—very tall—and ferocious-looking body on the edge of the bed with uncanny grace. I tried to scoot away, frantically looking for my phone again. He placed one hand on the other side of me effectively restricting any escape route. Okay. Okay. It had to be a dream. A dream, simple as that. I took deep, hopefully calming breaths, but my heart twitched like it was possessed.

He wrinkled his nose. “You smell.”

“Excuse me?” I screeched.

“You stink, in fact. Like...bodies, writhing bodies, sweaty, horny. And plenty of them.” He snorted, and it was perhaps the complete stillness he exuded that put something of a damper on my panic. I was seething instead.

“What. The. Hell. Are you doing in my room? Who are you?”

He cocked his head to the side. His eyes caught light and shined that ominous silver again. A shudder emerged from someplace deep inside me, a primal place. I wanted to bolt so bad my feet itched.

“You’ve summoned me and I suggest you be quick about your request. Your smell is appalling. Enjoy an orgy tonight?”

“WHAT? Listen, you maniac, I don’t know where you get off...”

Before I could blink, I was lifted from the bed, my back pressed against the wall. Mean hands fitted snuggly around my arms. Those silver eyes scared the living days out of me from barely a breath away. He certainly put the F in feral.

“You won’t speak like that to me again. Or those will be your last words, are we clear?” 

About the Author:

Livia lives in Europe where she listens to obscene amounts of music and devours every reading material in sight. When she’s not doing either of the two, she fiddles with anything remotely customizable within reach.

She spamificates the world online via:

Website: http://www.liviaolteano.com/

Blog: http://blog.liviaolteano.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LiviaOlteano

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiviaOlteano

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11350038-livia-olteano

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

OR TRY LINK: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/ba112f330/

Review: Don't Bite The Bridesmaid (Sons of Kane #1)- Tiffany Allee

Goodreads Synopsis

Alice Shepard needs one thing: a date for her sister's wedding. And not just any date. A hunk who will make her fiancé rue the day he left her for her best friend. Her drop-dead gorgeous neighbor fits the bill—even if he is a bit quirky and never comes out during the day—and Alice has downed just enough appletinis to ask him. But she makes it quite clear that there will be no funny business. 

Spending a week on a cruise ship full of humans while sleeping close to his sexy next-door neighbor sounds like a helluva bad idea to vampire Noah Thorpe. But his friends need time to get him out of a shotgun wedding—a vampire bonding that will tie his fate to a female vampire he's never met. And Alice's offer comes at just the right time. 

What could possibly go wrong?

My review

This was probably a toss up between 2 and 2.5 stars. I guess I knocked off the half since I'm not the biggest fan of smut as it often tends to overwhelm the rest of the book. I admit that I was drawn in by the quirky title and the catchy cover. 

In all honesty, the book started out great. There was Alice- emboldened by several glasses of appletinis- trying to convince her hot and socially reclusive neighbour (who incidentally happens to be a vampire) to accompany her to her sister's wedding. Left heartbroken by her cheating ex, she is determined to show him what he is missing and two centuries old vampire Noah Thorpe is by far the best choice for a date....or so she thinks. Noah- desperate to escape from a crazy situation himself- agrees to playing the part of the fake boyfriend for the duration of the cruise trip. What he had not bargained for was Alice herself, and as he feels his minor crush developing into something quite majorly serious he decides to take a stand. While Noah barely restrains himself from sinking his fangs into her pretty neck, Alice isn't all that unaffected by her totally gorgeous neighbour either. The book is told from the POV of both Alice and Noah.

There were some really hilarious moments in the book. For instance, when Alice thinks she sees Noah chugging down a bottle of shampoo...that one had me snorting so loud, I think I blew a nose cartilage. 

Noah's reaction to her ex and the subsequent ass kicking was entertaining. What disappointed me was the lack-lustre plot and the oh-so-predictable ending. There was no real character development and I'm not sure that I liked Alice's damsel in distress act OR Noah's distinctively teenager-like behaviour. Even the angst part was lacking and although the story held great potential , it just seemed sadly repetitive. But I would definitely like to know more about the entire vamp Council and Noah's 'father' Kane, whose brief appearance was probably the only unpredictable thing in the book. 

Lighthearted romance coupled with a pinch of humour and supernatural element makes it an okay one time read.

Rating- 2/5 stars!

About The Author

Tiffany Allee currently lives in Phoenix, AZ, by way of Chicago and Denver, and is happily married to a secret romantic. She spends her days working in Corporate America while daydreaming about sexy heroes, ass-kicking heroines, and interesting ways to kill people (for her books, of course). Her nights are reserved for writing and bothering her husband and cats (according to them). Her passions include reading, chocolate, travel, wine, and family.

Review: Faking It- Cora Carmack

“I'm tired of the way we both pretend.
Tired of always wanting and never giving in.
I can feel it in my skin, see it in your grin.
We're more. We always have been. 

Think of everything we've missed.
Every touch and every kiss.
Because we both insist.
Resist.”

Goodreads Synopsis

Mackenzie “Max” Miller has a problem. Her parents have arrived in town for a surprise visit, and if they see her dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, they just might disown her. Even worse, they’re expecting to meet a nice, wholesome boyfriend, not a guy named Mace who has a neck tattoo and plays in a band. All her lies are about to come crashing down around her, but then she meets Cade.

Cade moved to Philadelphia to act and to leave his problems behind in Texas. So far though, he’s kept the problems and had very little opportunity to take the stage. When Max approaches him in a coffee shop with a crazy request to pretend to be her boyfriend, he agrees to play the part. But when Cade plays the role a little too well, they’re forced to keep the ruse going. And the more they fake the relationship, the more real it begins to feel.

My review

First off, an inane observation- Cade's cover model is better looking than Losing It's Garrick (marginally, but still). Sorry Team Garrick folks, but it was impossible not to compare and make distinctions.Losing It didn't do Cade justice- neither the character, nor his fate. It seemed unfair that he received no closure and was damned to misery. But of course, Cora Carmack had better plans for the guy. FAR better plans...

Max's character was an unpredictable and entertaining one. I loved her feistiness, the impulsiveness, the hilarious side comments, the boldness that Bliss so terribly lacked, her passion for music...even the tattoos. 

Max Miller—musician and raging bitch. I’m sorry for slapping you.

The convivial first meeting and the resultant chain of events that unfolded a ridiculously cliched but undoubtedly cute love story was adorable. Cade, the 'golden boy' was of course perfect, even with all his issues. It was a relief when he switched from mopey goody-two-shoes to a cocky new avatar.

My name is Cade Winston—MFA student, volunteer, mom-hugger, and your boyfriend for the next twenty-four hours. It’s nice to meet you.

Milo and his very effective prep talk along with the alcohol gods vs Cade challenge was absolutely hilarious and by far my favourite part of the book. The use of alternating POVs was great as it gave insights on the feelings of both Cade and Max.

Overall quite an explosive package with drama, angst, humour, love and plenty of steaminess. New adult at its best!

Rating:- 3/5 stars!

About the author

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.

Question for fellow readers!

vs

Who do you think rates higher on Swoon-worthy Scale? Cade- golden boy and situation saver extraordinaire or Garrick- hot Professor with the British accent?