Wild Man Review

What did I think of...

Wild Man by Kristen Ashley

 

Description:

She's about to walk on the wild side . . .

While filling the display case in her bakery, the bell over the door sounds and Tessa O'Hara looks up to see the man of her dreams. Within thirty seconds he asks her out for a beer. But after four months of dating, she discovers he's an undercover DEA agent-and he's investigating her possible role in her ex-husband's drug business. For Tess, this means their relationship is over.

Brock disagrees. He's committed to his anti-drug mission, but he's fallen in love with the beautiful woman who's as sweet as her cupcakes-and he'll do anything to win her back. Standing between Tess and Brock are their own exes, one of them a drug lord who's determined to get what he wants. Now as danger threatens, can Brock break the rules he's lived by and let loose his wild side to protect the woman he loves?  

 

 

 

Genre: Romantic Suspense/ Abuse/ Chick-lit/ Dirty Romance
Series: Dream Man (#2)
Published on: December 11, 2012
Pages: 528 pages
Format: Paperback
Source: Library
Average rating: 4.21 
My rating: 5 stars!

 

Gosh, Wild Man has got to be one of my favorites in the Dream Man series! From the growly, wildness of Brock Lucas, to the sweet and sugariness of Tess O'Hara's mountainous swirl, this series has always made me feel the feels, laugh and truly escape my reality and delve into the world of Dream men.

 

In case you don't know, our sweet Tessa is a baker, and owns her own bakery. Her sweets (or so I read) are absolutely to die for, and Tess has many cake rack's at home that are known for never being empty. While we're on the subject of Tess, I just have to say, that she has got to be one of the sweetest Kristen Ashley heroines of all. Of course, the book three of this series, Law Man, features Ten Point Five Mara, and she definitely gives our sweet Tess a run for her money. But, I am of the opinion, that Tess is definitely still the sweetest, and most non-confrontational.

 

 

 

Brock Lucas, is one of the more growly heroes, and also one of the most caring, as he likes for his Tess to live a Teflon coated life, and doesn't ever want her to worry about anything, or need to; she must always feel safe. Which made him all the more endearing to read.

 

 

 

You have to know, that Brock Lucas in Wild Man, is Skull, from Mystery Man. Yes, I hated him in Mystery Man, too. But, after reading this book, that anger and hate immediately evaporated!

 

Poof!

 

I know that this review was more of a character analysis, but really, for me, this book was all about the characters. But don't worry, there's plenty of action, sass, and wild hairs to go around!!

 

Highly recommended, but you do need to read the perquisite to this book, Mystery Man before you start Wild Man.

 

XOXO,

Kat

 

 

Motorcyle Man review

What did I think of...

Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley

 

Description:

 

Get ready to ride . . .

Tyra Masters has had enough drama to last a lifetime. Now, she's back on track and looking forward to her new, quiet life. Until she meets the man of her dreams. The tattooed, muscled biker plies her with tequila-and the best sex of her life. She knows it isn't the tequila and hot sex talking. He's the kind of man she's always wanted. Unfortunately, he's also her new boss . . .

Kane "Tack" Allen has a rule. He doesn't employ someone he's slept with. So when he learns he spent last night in bed with his new office manager, he quickly fires Tyra. Yet when Tyra stands up to him and fights for her job, Tack is intrigued. He tells her she can keep her job on one condition: no more sex. Ever. But as things heat up between them, Tack finds that he'll be the one breaking all the rules...

 

 

 

Genre: Adult Contemporary/ Romantic Suspense/ Biker/ Humor
Series: Dream Man (#4)
Published on: December 11, 2011
Pages: 489 pages
Format: Paperback
Source: Library
Average rating: 4.45 stars
My rating: 5 stars!!

Wind. Fire. Live free. Be wild. Raise hell. But stay safe. You don’t, the reaper’ll get you, one way or another.” He paused then finished, “That tat’s a reminder. Balance. Raise hell but stay safe.”

Motorcycle Man is definitely one of my favorite biker books ever... followed closely by Kristen Ashley's sister-series, Chaos, as in the Chaos MC.

Did I mention Biker Love was the best? Damn, all growly orders and general panty-melting hotness all around!

After a night of hot, tequila induced sex, Tyra, "Red", "Cherry", shows up for her new job in the morning, a secretary job at Ride, Chaos base, to find that her tequila lover, Kane "Tack" Allan, is her new boss.

“Now, you listen to me, scary biker dude,” I snapped. “I need this job. I haven’t worked in two months and I need this job. I can’t wait two more months or longer to find another job. I need to work now.” His blue eyes burned into mine in a way that felt physical but I kept right on talking. “So you’re good-looking, have great tats and a cool goatee. So you caught my eye and I caught yours. We had sex. Lots of sex. It was good. So what? That was then, this is now. We’re not going to play, not again. We’re done playing. I’m going to come in at eight, leave at five, do my job and you’re going to be my scary biker dude boss, sign my paychecks, do my performance evaluations and maybe, if you’re nice, I’ll make you coffee. Other than that, you don’t exist for me and I don’t exist for you. What we had, we had. It’s over. I’m moving on and how I’m moving on is, I’m working… this… job.”

You may have noticed all the apostrophes after Tyra's name. This is because everyone engrossed into the fold at Chaos has a nickname, or a Biker Name. Tack called Tyra "Red", because of her hair (and it's hot!!), but forbids anyone else to use the same name. So, the rest of the Brotherhood call her "Cherry".

See, after Tyra's spitfire rant (above), Tack is now interested. The night before; she was easy, she was drunk, and they had good sex. But now, Tack sees the Spitfire underneath all the innocence, and he's very interested. Especially now that she declares that sex is off the table, and she's throwing sass? Irresistible.  

Fine,” I repeated to the computer screen then went on to explain to the monitor, “Eloise didn’t have enough time to teach me the ropes. I don’t know what I’m doing. You’re going to figure that out in thirty minutes. You don’t like me. I really don’t like you,” just my eyes slid to him, “so, fine. I’ll finish out the day and then you won’t see me again.”
Tack’s brows went up. “You slap me with attitude twice for this job and then you give in, easy as that?”
“I’m not going to work in a place where I can’t eat donuts,” I informed him, looked back at the computer screen and started tapping away. “You crossed the line with that one. So, yeah, easy as that.”
Then I took another sip of coffee.
“I thought you needed this job,” Tack said.
“I’ll find another job where I can wear my fabulous pink sling backs without putting up with annoying, unnecessary, scary biker dude hassle.”
“So, you’re sayin’, you get in my face about keeping this job and then you give in ‘cause you can’t wear sex kitten shoes and eat donuts?”
My eyes moved back to him. “Yeah, handsome, that’s what I’m saying.”
...Then he forbids her to quit, tearing up her Resignation Letter and her Notice everytime she tries to hand it in. But that's not all there is to the story...

Three words: The Russian Mob.

Sometimes it happens in weird ways that included fights, blood, drunkenness, kidnappings and pregnancies.
But dreams do come true.

 

XOXO,

Kat

 

 

Black Rainbow

Black Rainbow

by JJ. McAoy

 

Is it bad that I read this book awhile and just noticed that I haven't reviewed it yet? Alas, it is far to late to write a dependable review on this book, but I do highly recommend it! I enjoyed the hell out of it, and read it as fast as I can.

 

For those of you know me, you know I adore the student-professor love story trope, and this one was no different, and even better. Because that wasn't even the main, or second conflict! I also adore the Lawyer books, even in the form of The Pact by Jodi Piccoult. But this book was really awesome, and I highly recommend it!!

 

Here's the link to this steamy, New Adult Romantic Suspense novel!

 

 

XOXO,

Kat

 



Alpha Review

What did I think of...

Alpha by Jasinda Wilder

Description:
The first time it happened, it seemed like an impossible miracle. Bills were piling up, adding up to more money than I could ever make. Mom's hospital bills. My baby brother's tuition. My tuition. Rent. Electricity. All of it on my shoulders. And I had just lost my job. There was no hope, no money in my account, no work to be found. And then, just when I thought all hope was lost, I found an envelope in the mail. No return address. My name on the front, my address. Inside was a check, made out to me, in the amount of ten thousand dollars. Enough to pay the bills and leave me some left over to live on until I found a job. Enough to let me focus on classes. There was no name on the check, just "VRI Inc.," and a post office box address for somewhere in the city. No hint of identity or reason for the check or anything. No mention of repayment, interest, nothing…except a single word, on the notes line: "You." Just those three letters.

If you receive a mysterious check, for enough money to erase all your worries, would you cash it?

I did.

The next month, I received another check, again from VRI Incorporated. It too contained a single word: "belong."

A third check, the next month. This time, two words. Four letters. "To me."

The checks kept coming. The notes stopped. Ten thousand dollars, every month. A girl gets used to that, real quick. It let me pay the bills without going into debt. Let me keep my baby brother in school and Mom's hospice care paid for. How do you turn down what seems like free money, when you're desperate? You don't. I didn't.

And then, after a year, there was a knock on my door. A sleek black limousine sat on the curb in front of my house. A driver stood in front of me, and he spoke six words: "It's time to pay your debt."

Would you have gotten in?

I did.

It turns out $120,000 doesn't come free.

Genre: Erotic Romance/ Contemporary Romance
Series: Alpha
Published on: April 29, 2014
Pages: 450 pages
Format: Kindle ebook
Source: Amazon Kindle
Average rating: 3.7 stars
My rating: 2.5 stars

Wow, that description from above sounds juicy doesn't it? I though so, too. When I saw this on the Kindle Deals on BookBub for free, I was absolutely thrilled that I was able to get my dominant kink fetish in for free... but it was better than that. The description... mm-mmm. I get shivers just reading the description... which usually heralds very good things!

 I immediately started reading, causing the avalanche of a traffic jam in my Goodreads account when I was reading three books. Doesn't that gif above just make you want to smile? It has more truth to it than I care to admit, and not just with this book...

However, once I started sporadically reading this, bouncing around between three + books... reality slowly sank in. Our main character, Kyrie, was a source of constant frustration. I can put up with a lot from my characters. Fucked up, whacked thinking; twisting shit in their heads; refusing to see what's right in front of them; foolishness; blind faith; almost anything.

Except, total naïveness. Is that how you spell it? Naïvness? Naïve-ness? Whatever. Anyway, Kyrie knew she was being impractical, and fell in love with a guy, blindfolded, having never seen him, without knowing his name, the color of his eyes, whether he was 80, 12, or 36.

Kyrie, also, had these loooong stretches of contemplation, and explanations of her actions and thoughts. This, I know, was the writer's fault, not the characters, but this caused skimming.

I've only read one other book by this author, Stripped. It, much like this book, was very entertaining, but entirely impractical and frustrating. Jasinda Wilder seems to have a gift. She writes shitty books with interesting plots... and manages to have the reader coming away with a smile, and uplifted mood, and positive thoughts on the book.

I almost didn't rate this book due to my indecision, but when in doubt, talk rant it out with others who understand. Literally, this is the life of a bookworm.

I can't say if I recommend or not, but I will tell you that there was a complete sex overload, was very smutty, leading to uncomfortable reading ;), but I still enjoyed it, despite it's crappiness.

Yes, I think I'm mad too.

XOXO,
Kat

Golden Dynasty Review

What did I think of...

The Golden Dynasty by Kristen Ashley

 

Description: Circe Quinn goes to sleep at home and wakes up in a corral filled with women wearing sacrificial virgin attire - and she is one of them. She soon finds out that she’s not having a wild dream, she’s living a frightening nightmare where she’s been transported to a barren land populated by a primitive people and in short order, she’s installed very unwillingly on her white throne of horns as their Queen.

Dax Lahn is the king of Suh Tunak, The Horde of the nation of Korwahk and with one look at Circe, he knows she will be his bride and together they will start The Golden Dynasty of legend.

Circe and Lahn are separated by language, culture and the small fact she’s from a parallel universe and has no idea how she got there or how to get home. But facing challenge after challenge, Circe finds her footing as Queen of the brutal Korwahk Horde and wife to its King, then she makes friends then she finds herself falling in love with this primitive land, its people and especially their savage leader.

 

 

Genre: High Fantasy/ Magic/ Paranormal romance/ Adult/ Supernatural/ ** Romance/
Series: Fantasyland

Published on: August 22nd, 2011

Pages: 485 pages

Format: ebook- Kindle

Source: Amazon Kindle

Average rating: 4.5 stars
My rating: 5 stars

 

Golden Dynasty was pure gold. Yes, I'm saying that because of the title, but I'm also saying it because its true. The writing, as usual, was so smooth, and so real, and so raw, enabling me to feel this book deep. \

 

Golden Dynasty had a lot of themes that I, and fellow readers, I'm sure, will struggle with. Such as men holding power over their women, rape, and other culturally and morally offensive themes.

 

When reading this book, you do have to remember that the culture of this book, Korwahk, is totally different in all ways and is meant to be more primal and animalistic, and in some ways, it made this book infinitely sweeter, and raw.

 

I'm writing this review some two weeks after I read the book, and I'm still having trouble getting my thoughts together, (and remembering things I wanted to say), but all I can really tell you with this one, is it is totally worth it. This is one of those books that you just delve into, neglect the world, and don't come up for air until its done (or your bladder demands you to). Some readers, I know, struggled with some of the context, but I was not one of those. I think some people need to remember, that these contexts are part of the book, and you and the character's struggle with them is the whole point of the story!!

 

This is definitely one of those magical Kristen Ashley reads, that I just can't even articulate how amazing it was...

 

I leave you with a few quotes from the book! Enjoy and read it tomorrow!

 

 This is my Circe by the way!! ;)

 

 

 

 

 

XOXO,

Kat 

 

 

Throne of Glass Review

What did you think...

Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas

 

 

 

Description: In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien.

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.  

If I had to recommend one young adult series/book to a person, hands down I'd (most likely) recommend this book, Throne of Glass.

Main Genre: Urban Fantasy
Published on: May 7th, 2013
Pages: 404
Format: ebook- Kindle
Source: Amazon
My rating: 6 stars

 

Genres:
 

 

 

 

This is my second time reading it, and Throne of Glass still blows me away. The characters, the plotline, the writing... it's all amazing.

 

Celaena Sardothien is an assassin, known as Adarlan's Assassin, the most notorious assassin around (who is but a seventeen year old, lethal weapon). Betrayed by someone she know, Celaena was sent to Endovier, a death camp, where the average time people survive is two months. A year later, Celaena is still chugging along when the Crown Prince and his Captain of the Guard give her a proposition she can't refuse, a chance at her freedom. She shall compete in a competition to become the King's Champion. She will win (of that, there is no doubt) and after four years championing (is that even a word?) for the King, she will be given her freedom. Celaena agrees, and embarks on a perilous journey.

Celaena is a master at keeping secrets, ones that she even keeps from herself. Secrets she wants never to think of again. Her home, her parents, and her true self.  She tries everything she can to lock those memories away, but some memories won't stay hidden. There is evil in the castle, and it's up the Adarlan's Assassin to do the good thing... and rid of it.

 

Celaena is probably one of my favorite character's I've ever read. She's so complex in her layers, such a contradiction and made more real in her flaws and emotions than any other I've read. Sarah J. Maas truly knew what she was doing writing Celaena, and must have uncanny knowledge of how people's brain think, what makes humans be humans.

 

There was the slightest attempt at a love triangle here, and I say slightest because you could tell romance was definitely on the back burner, here. Chaol, the rugged, capable Captain of the Guard, of which Celaena feels inexplicit feelings for. Prince Dorian, the crown Prince, and a Havillard, one of the name Calaena despises most, yet feels drawn to, nonetheless.

 

I've never read a book quite like Throne of Glass, and now that I've read it a second time, but a year after the first time, I agree even more adamantly.

 

This is how serious I am: I would trade Throne of Glass for a Kristen Ashley book, any day.

Yes. I said it. I know. I might cry, too. Because I never thought the day would come.

 

Truly, if you don't read this book and enjoy it... well, I suppose you know what I'm going to say, now, don't you ;)

 

 

 

XOXO,

Kat

 

 

 

Stay with Me Review

What did I think of...

Stay with Me by Jennifer L. Armentrout/ J Lynn

 

 

Description:

 

At 21, Calla hasn’t done a lot of things. She’s never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should. She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona—secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends.

But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought she'd left behind and clean up her mom’s mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother’s bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming.

Sexy and intense, Jax is in Calla’s business from the moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal . . . and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she’s got to deal with the pain of the past—and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn’t give them her mom.

Rating: 4.2 stars

Genre's:

 

 

Stay with Me was a really fun read... and more action packed than some of her previous books. I have noticed that through the three of her books in this series; Wait for Me, Be with Me, and Stay with Me; it's been getting more and more action-y. Wait for Me... not really, Be with Me, was more hit and run with the action, but Stay with Me had dead bodies, drug deals, and was a rocky ride.

 

In Be with Me, Calla was the tough-girl, totally outgoing and badass... but I feel like her personality was altered a ton. She had less of a backbone than Teresa did, and was a character with a weaker personality and backbone, which sucked, but I thought it made her even  more real. Because of all she's been through, it made her seem like more of a real person, that she had a weaker mentality of herself and what she deserved than others, and made me enjoy Jax "reeducating" her on herself.

 

Jax, however, was great! A previous military man, he flip-flopped from the outrageous flirting that was Jace from Be with Me, to a more alpha-possessive-protective side than both Jace and Cam possessed.

 

 

"I gotta tell you that I love you that I love you, Calla," he said, and I was surprised the heart monitor didn't catch the fact that it felt like my heart had stopped for a moment. "No bullshit. I do. I love the way you think, even if it's annoying as fuck at times and even then it's still cute. I love that there's a shit ton of things you've never gotten to experience and that you're going to get to experience them with me. That I have that honor. I love your strength and everything you've survived. I love your courage and I love that you make shit drinks, but no one cares because you're so damn nice. I'm pretty sure you're Long Island iced teas could kill people, but that's okay." His lips curved up on one side as his gaze held mine steadily. "I love your sense of humor and the fact you never ate grits before. There's so much that I love about you that I know I'm in love with you. So, honey, you can have all my shirts you want."

 

 

Yes, all of that was in response to Calla admitting that when she thought they were over (which they were not), she stole her favorite of his shirts. This totally made me fall in love with him more than I already was!!

 

I highly recommend this and any other Jennifer L. Armentrout book- she is one of my go-to authors because I know that any book of hers will make me fall in love, cry, laugh and be entertained.

 

 

 

XOXO,

Kat

 

 

Don't Look Back Review

What did I think of...

Don't Look Back by Jennifer L. Armentrout/ J Lynn

 

 

Description:

 

Samantha is a stranger in her own life. Until the night she disappeared with her best friend, Cassie, everyone said Sam had it all-popularity, wealth, and a dream boyfriend.

Sam has resurfaced, but she has no recollection of who she was or what happened to her that night. As she tries to piece together her life from before, she realizes it's one she no longer wants any part of. The old Sam took "mean girl" to a whole new level, and it's clear she and Cassie were more like best enemies. Sam is pretty sure that losing her memories is like winning the lottery. She's getting a second chance at being a better daughter, sister, and friend, and she's falling hard for Carson Ortiz, a boy who has always looked out for her-even if the old Sam treated him like trash.

But Cassie is still missing, and the facts about what happened to her that night isn't just buried deep inside of Sam's memory-someone else knows, someone who wants to make sure Sam stays quiet. All Sam wants is the truth, and if she can unlock her clouded memories of that fateful night, she can finally move on. But what if not remembering is the only thing keeping Sam alive?

 

Don't Look Back pleasantly surprised me.

Here's the run-down...

 

Samantha is found four days after she disappeared, with dissociative amnesia, meaning she can't remember anything. For example, she remembers that she read To Kill A Mockingjay and can tell you exactly what it was about, but he can't remember when she read it, what class it was and what the teachers name was.

She doesn't remember her parents, her boyfriend, anything really. Problem is, the night she disappeared, her best friend was killed, and nobody but her can remember what happens... if she remembers and everyone thinks she did it, even her parents.

Not only that, but in her "previous life", Samantha was actually the huge mean girl, super rich and rules the school. Now, in her "second chance", she is horrified to find out everything she did in her "previous life". She's getting her second chance at life that nobody ever gets.

She befriends her childhood best friend once more, Carson, and sparks start to fly!

Trouble is, memories are pressing in, and now Sammie is suspecting everyone she meets.... including herself. Turns out, it's the last person she expected.

 

Rating: 3.8 stars

Genre's:

 

 

 

 

Samantha is a girl with strong convictions, and a heart that bleeds, and Carson is a great guy, perfect for her. But don't mistake this book for a romance, even a romantic suspense. This is a total thriller, a mystery; girl against her own mind.

That's what makes this so unique.

 

Don't Look Back is different from any other Jennifer L. Armentrout/ J Lynn book she's written, but still with her usual flair, and touch of humor.

 

Highly recommended!

 

 

 

XOXO,

Kat