Series Review: The Sinner's Duet by Sophie Lark

Title: There Are No Saints 
Author: Sophie Lark
Publication Date: October 20, 2021
Publisher: Self published
Pages: 350
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I loathe Alastor Shaw.

The city of San Francisco thinks we’re rival artists.

In truth, we’re predators battling for hunting ground.

We never chased the same prey. Until the night we both laid eyes on Mara Eldritch.

Shaw wants to use her as a pawn in his twisted game.

I’m fixated on her for a different reason…

She makes me feel things I never thought I could feel. Want things I never wanted.

Only she can make me lose control.

I don’t know if I should protect her at all costs… or destroy her before she ruins me.

Mara knows I’m no saint. But she has no idea she’s dancing with the devil…

Title: There Is No Devil
Author: Sophie Lark
Publication Date: December 1, 2021
Publisher: Self published
Pages: 332
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I Couldn’t Kill Mara…

But that doesn’t mean Shaw won’t.

She’s living in my house, always with me, always under my control.

The more I push her, the more she pushes back.

She’s peeling away my secrets, one by one. And I’m tempting her to do things she never thought she’d do…

Shaw won’t stop hunting her.

When the time comes to act, will Mara be ready?

In late 2021 I went on a bit of a dark romance binge with my best bookish friend telling me what I should read next. After I read and loved Into the Dark, she pointed me in the direction of There Are No Saints and I jumped right in, reading the series in a few days. 

Our main characters are Mara and Cole, both artists who are heavily involved in their local artistic community. Cole also happens to be a serial killer, but one who is heavily in control of his actions and surroundings, except where Alastor Shaw is concerned. Shaw is his fellow artist and serial killer, but where Cole is calm and controlled, Shaw is unpredictable and messy. When Shaw sees Cole looking at Mara, he takes the opportunity to collaborate, but Cole finds his new obsession instead. 

Right off the bat, this is a toxic relationship. Anyone going into this series should expect that considering the hero is a serial killer. I mean... Regardless, the romance is steamy and well-written. Mara and Cole definitely belong together. One of my favorite parts of these unhinged romances is seeing how the secret identities come out and are received and this series didn't disappoint. 

Not only is this a dark romance, but there's a ton of action, mystery, and suspense as well, especially once Mara is wrapped up in the situation. I will say that I enjoyed book one a bit more than the second because of the cat and mouse aspect. Once they are Officially Together, the romance becomes a bit cheesy, but I know a lot of people are here for that. I did appreciate the exploration of trauma that book two offers, though. 

Overall, this a great series for those looking for their next dark romance fix. Book one is more serial killer and book two is more romance, but both are definitely worth reading! 

Book Review: Into the Dark by Dana Isaly

Title: Into the Dark
Author: Dana Isaly
Publication Date: October 30, 2021
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 225
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Him

I am the monster that lurks in your nightmares. Evil incarnate. A sociopath. A murderer. I kill women who are guilty of nothing other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Women like Lyra. Her yellow raincoat flapped in the cool breeze when she walked by, that blonde hair making her look like a drowned rat as she stopped to taste the rain. She wasn’t like the others, but my demon wanted her. We followed her. Watched her. Obsessed over her. She is ours. Of that I’m certain. We will pull her into the depths of our darkness and keep her imprisoned there. Until we meet our end.

Lyra

I am ordinary in every way. Average looks. Mundane job. Boring life. But when he looks at me, I become something else entirely. His gaze stalks and tracks me like a game of cat and mouse, his eyes licking fire over my skin every time they glance in my direction. My thoughts are consumed by him every moment he’s out of sight. He is my obsession. I can’t let him go. And once he shows me his true form, I know I’ve captured him forever. He is mine. Of that I’m certain. I will follow him to the depths of darkness and happily submit to his madness. Until we meet our end. 

Into the Dark was put on my radar by a friend who is obsessed with dark romance. I don't read nearly as many as a lot of people, but when I heard that this was a serial killer romance I was intrigued. It definitely isn't a premise you see every day, and it definitely isn't for everyone. This is a DARK book and please be sure to check the trigger warnings before you go anywhere near it. 

Like I said, this is a serial killer romance and it never shies away from the fact that the MC is a murderer with quite a high body count. He has the stereotypical tragic backstory and a "demon" inside him who lives for the hunt. There is no redemption for this character. He is a bad dude, full stop. The other POV character is Lyra, a 25 year old woman with an obsessive personality and a history full of her own trauma. Together they're the perfect combination for a whirlwind, out of control romance that you just know can't end well.

This book made me question what I was comfortable with and what I was willing to believe for the sake of a story. The thing is, I didn't think it was all that far out there. Certainly there are women who are in love with Very Bad Guys and Lyra's specific mental health conditions made this a believable scenario. While I knew going in that their relationship would be toxic, I was still rooting for them and hoped that they'd find a way to make it through to the other side.

Into the Dark is one of the darkest books I've ever read, but it also made me feel so many emotions and the end absolutely gutted me! I did wish that it could have ended differently, but it really was perfect for these characters and their romance (obsessive relationship). 

ARC Review: Her Soul for Revenge by Harley Laroux

Title: Her Soul for Revenge (Souls Trilogy #2)
Author: Harley Laroux
Publication Date: October 30, 2021
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 461
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Review for book 1

//I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review//

Juniper
After a cult tried to sacrifice me to their wicked God, I went on the run, doing whatever was necessary to survive. Until a demon offered me a deal: give him my soul and he'll help me claim the vengeance I seek. Blood will be spilled, and the monsters I once ran from will soon be running from me. But damning my soul was just the beginning - it's my heart the demon wants next.

Zane
I've been hunting souls for centuries, but she's the ultimate prize - vicious and feral, with a broken soul as dark as my own. I thought claiming her would be a simple game, but Juniper is far from simple. I chose to follow her on a path drenched with the blood of her enemies, but it's our blood that may be spilled next. As an ancient God wakes from Its slumber, neither of us may survive.

Her Soul for Revenge is book 2 in the Souls Trilogy. Although all the books are interconnected, they are stand-alone and can be read in any order.

Recently I reviewed Her Soul to Take, cementing its place on my blog as a favorite of 2021. I adored Leon and Rae so much, but I was also really curious to learn more about Juniper, the sacrifice who got away, and her demon Zane. Thank goodness, I was approved for an ARC and got to jump into this story even sooner than expected!

Her Soul for Revenge is a parallel story to Her Soul To Take, showing the same events from Juniper and Zane's point of view. Although I was wondering exactly how this would work, I loved every second of it! I loved seeing bits and pieces of Leon and Rae's relationship from another perspective! Even more than that, Juniper was the protagonist I've always hoped for! She was an absolute badass who just needed a bit of help from a demon to get her revenge. 

The romance was just as good as book one, while being completely different. I loved these two extremely independent, ruthless characters going all soft and mushy for each other. And of course the spice was FIRE! Harley Laroux consistently puts out some of the best spice I've ever read.

One of my favorite parts of Her Soul for Revenge was getting more insight about Hell and the mythology surrounding the Deep One. I am here for Lovecraftian horror and the blending of the creepy, dread-inducing monsters with such a fantastic romance is everything I've ever wanted in a dark romance. The ending was perfect and I loved the brief discussion of mental health and the importance of therapy. 

I know that book three is about Everly and Callum and I absolutely cannot wait to read it! If you're a fan of dark romance and horror, you definitely need to check this series out! It's available today, so you don't even have to wait. But PLEASE check the trigger warnings! It isn't for the faint of heart. 

Book Review: Her Soul to Take by Harley Laroux

Title: Her Soul to Take (Souls Trilogy #1)
Author: Harley Laroux
Publication Date: April 10, 2021
Publisher: Self Published
Pages: 459
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Leon

I earned my reputation among magicians for a reason: one wrong move and you're dead. Killer, they called me, and killing is what I'm best at.

Except her.

The one I was supposed to take, the one I should have killed - I didn't.

The cult that once controlled me wants her, and I'm not about to lose my new toy to them.

Rae

I've always believed in the supernatural. Hunting for ghosts is my passion, but summoning a demon was never part of the plan. Monsters are roaming the woods, and something ancient - something evil - is waking up and calling my name.

I don't know who I can trust, or how deep this darkness goes.

All I know is my one shot at survival is the demon stalking me, and he doesn't just want my body - he wants my soul.

Her Soul to Take is book 1 in the Souls Trilogy. Although all the books are interconnected, they are stand-alone and can be read in any order.

Okay, I am finally reviewing this book in hopes of making everyone read it. (Okay, definitely not everyone. PLEASE check the trigger warnings on Goodreads!) To be honest, Her Soul to Take is probably not a book I ever would have picked up on my own, but when I saw it recommended by Hannah Whitten, I snatched it up immediately. 

Rae has just moved back to the tow her family is from and one of the first people she meets is Leon, who's kind of a jerk. Then she ends up accidentally summoning Leon, who happens to be a demon who's currently stalking her as his prey. Leon ends up liking Rae way much more than he should and decides he wants her soul for his own.

This isn't just romance - Leon is hunting Rae for the culty family he serves (against his will). This book is equal parts sexy and terrifying with an almost Lovecraftian mythology that I absolutely loved. These demons aren't just for the swoons, there is actual horror in Her Soul to Take and that is definitely my jam. 

I adored everything about this book! This is definitely a dark romance, though, so make sure that's your genre before picking it up. I loved the dynamic between Rae and Leon and the way their romance slowly developed throughout this very tense book. Five out of five spice, definitely not for the faint of heart!

I cannot recommend this book highly enough for dark romance readers who also like some horror in their books. Her Soul for Revenge comes out later this month and I cannot wait to get my hands on it!

ARC Review: The Bastard's Betrayal by Katee Robert

Title: The Bastard's Betrayal (Scandalous Scions #1)
Author: Katee Robert
Publication Date: September 13, 2021
Publisher: Trinkets and Tales LLC
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Purchase: Amazon

//I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review//

She thought it was love.

Rose Romanov is a mafia princess, and everything that entails. Violently over-protective parents. A giant extended family, all ready to kill anyone who looks at her wrong. Learning to run a business that isn’t exactly on the right side of the law. So, naturally, when she meets a nice guy who isn’t in the life, she falls hard… Right up until the she discovers her new boyfriend isn’t a civilian at all.

But he betrayed her.

When Dante Verducci was sent on an undercover mission to evaluate the Romanov family for weakness, he never expected to have an instant connection with their unlikely heir. There’s something fierce and feral about Rose that calls to him. They’re alike, even if they’re both lying to each other during the months they date. Before he could figure out a new plan, Rose finds out who he really is, dumps him, and immediately enters an engagement with the heir of a rival family. Yeah, no, that’s not going to work for Dante.

Now he’ll do anything to reclaim her. Even go to war.

Katee Robert has been one of my favorite authors for the past year or so, having officially won me over with her Wicked Villains series. I read and loved Neon Gods earlier this year and knew that I would probably love anything she published, so I was eager to read The Bastard's Betrayal when it was announced! This was my first mafia romance, but reading one by a favorite author seemed a great way to break myself in!

Rose Romanov is the MC of this story and the heir to the Romanov family empire. When she discovers that her boyfriend is actually a member of a rival family, she takes decisive action against him, but he doesn't take the hint and kidnaps her instead. She is such an absolute badass, pulling no punches and holding her own from page one. I really liked that Katee discussed the challenges that came with a female heir in a male dominated world. 

This series picks up thirty years after The O'Malleys, but you don't need to have read that one to enjoy Rose's story according to the author. I did feel that there were a ton of references I missed, though, so I definitely do want to go back and see how Rose's parents ended up together! 

Something I noticed rather quickly is that this book is much more plot and romance heavy than the Wicked Villains series, which (let's be honest) is mostly focused on the spice. I LOVED watching Dante chase Rose and seeing her annoyance turn to something else. Although they know each other in the beginning, this is still a slow burn romance. The Bastard's Betrayal is essentially a lovers to enemies to lovers romance and I enjoyed it so, so much! 

I will say that I did find the politics of this world a bit tedious at times. There were so many mafia families and so much talk of a war between them that I honestly started to skim over those parts. I'm assuming those are a large part of most mafia romances, and I'm guessing that now that I've been thoroughly introduced to the world the next one will be less info dumpy. 

Even with that minor complaint, I'm excited to continue the series and see what happens next. This book ends with an epilogue that sets up the next romance and it definitely sounds dramatic! I loved Rose and Dante's story and I can't wait to read book two of this new series. 

Book Review: Flock by Kate Stewart

Title: Flock (The Ravenhood #1)
Author: Kate Stewart
Publication Date: July 27, 2020
Publisher: Independently Published
Pages: 364
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Can you keep a secret?

⁣

I grew up sick.⁣

⁣

Let me clarify.⁣

⁣

I grew up believing that real love stories include a martyr or demand great sacrifice to be worthy.⁣

⁣

Because of that, I believed it, because I made myself believe it, and I bred the most masochistic of romantic hearts, which resulted in my illness.⁣

⁣

When I lived this story, my own twisted fairy tale, it was unbeknownst to me at the time because I was young and naïve. I gave into temptation and fed the beating beast, which grew thirstier with every slash, every strike, every blow.⁣

⁣

Triple Falls wasn’t at all what it seemed, nor were the men that swept me under their wing. But in order to keep them, I had to be in on their secrets.⁣

⁣

Secrets that cost us everything to keep.⁣

⁣

That’s the novelty of fiction versus reality. You can’t re-live your own love story, because by the time you’ve realized you’re living it, it’s over. At least that was the case for me and the men I trusted my foolish heart to.⁣

⁣

Looking back, I’m convinced I willed my story into existence due to my illness.⁣

⁣

And all were punished.

I don't usually review romance when I read it, mainly because it doesn't necessarily fit with the rest of my blog content. Lately, though, I've been reading a lot more romance when I get stuck in a reading slump and I figured it's about time my blog content catches up to my reading preferences. Flock is a book I haven't had much interest in reading, despite seeing it hyped constantly on TikTok. The other day my friend told me I HAD to read it so I gave in and devoured it in a day. 

Flock begins with current day, 26-year-old Cecelia returning to a town where she left behind the only man she ever gave her heart to, while telling the reader that it's a bad idea. It immediately flashes back to 18-year-old Cecelia coming to town for the first time to live in her dad's house and work in his factory. During her first day on the job she meets Sean and joins him at a house party where she's immediately overwhelmed with people and the weirdness of the situation. Everyone seems to have the same tattoo and Sean's roommate Dominic is a jerk as soon as she meets him. Thus begins her quest to integrate herself into their lives because they're hot and she's bored. 

I'll admit, I fully intended to enjoy this book as soon as I started. It isn't peak literature, but I figured it would be a fun book to pass a day. Then Sean came into the picture and, although he seemed charming and mysterious at first, I was pretty quickly turned off by him. One of the first interactions between Sean and Cecelia occurs on a hike, during which Sean removes Cecelia's Apple Watch, stomps on it, and spouts a bunch of philosophical nonsense about time. This immediately set off red flags, but I was assured he wasn't manipulative so I kept reading. 

The next red flag came when Sean took Cecelia's phone while they were out together and told her she wasn't allowed to have it when she was with him. Red alerts sounded, but I was promised it would all make sense later. Sean was mostly fine until much later in the book when the alarm started BLARING.

Spoilers for an argument later in the book.

Later in the book, Cecelia cooks dinner for Sean and waits for several hours past their agreed upon time. When he finally shows up, she confronts him about being HOURS late and he turns it around, whining about how he didn't have a phone because of reasons and she doesn't trust him and doesn't believe in him. When she asks for an apology for his extreme lateness he tells her maybe they shouldn't be together and SHE ends up apologizing and inner monologuing about how she deserves him hurting her. I just - no. Hard, hard no. All the red flags. Dump him IMMEDIATELY. But of course she doesn't.

Thankfully, this is a polyamorous romance and Sean isn't the only love interest. Remember the jerk, Dominic? He stays a jerk, but at least he's upfront about who he is. The romance between them was so, so much better. I really enjoyed seeing his walls come down around Cecelia and am eager to see what happens between them later if I continue the series. 

Throughout Flock there is a bit mystery surrounding the tattoos and the secrecy amongst Sean, Dominic, and their friends. Few answers are given in this book and the vagueness with which everyone speaks is enough to make me want to scream. There is a cliffhanger ending, but honestly not one that made me want to immediately start book two. 

I probably will continue this series at some point, but only because I've been assured that there's a distinct lack of Sean in that installment. I was intrigued by the story but extremely skeeved out by such a manipulative love interest. It doesn't seem to bother anyone else I know, so it's probably my personal baggage coming out to ruin my reading experience, but I think it's definitely worth discussing. 

Book Review: A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J. Maas

Title: A Court of Silver Flames (A Court of Thorns and Roses #4)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publication Date: February 16, 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Pages: 757
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Reviews for book 1, book 2, & book 3

Nesta Archeron has always been prickly-proud, swift to anger, and slow to forgive. And ever since being forced into the Cauldron and becoming High Fae against her will, she's struggled to find a place for herself within the strange, deadly world she inhabits. Worse, she can't seem to move past the horrors of the war with Hybern and all she lost in it.

The one person who ignites her temper more than any other is Cassian, the battle-scarred warrior whose position in Rhysand and Feyre's Night Court keeps him constantly in Nesta's orbit. But her temper isn't the only thing Cassian ignites. The fire between them is undeniable, and only burns hotter as they are forced into close quarters with each other.

Meanwhile, the treacherous human queens who returned to the Continent during the last war have forged a dangerous new alliance, threatening the fragile peace that has settled over the realms. And the key to halting them might very well rely on Cassian and Nesta facing their haunting pasts.

Against the sweeping backdrop of a world seared by war and plagued with uncertainty, Nesta and Cassian battle monsters from within and without as they search for acceptance-and healing-in each other's arms.

Welcome to another edition of Tracy's unpopular opinions! It isn't a secret around the blog that A Court of Wings and Ruin was my least favorite of the ACOTAR series, at least until A Court of Frost and Starlight. I couldn't even finish that one. Then I tried and failed to read Crescent City. It shouldn't be a surprise then, that I was a little nervous about A Court of Silver Flames. Still, I was excited to see how Nesta and Cassian's story came together. Big yikes. 

This book picks up not too long after ACOFAS, with Nesta drinking away her sorrows and bringing home a new fae male (cringe) every night. I think we can all agree that she needed therapy, but the whole set up for this book - that Rhysand and Feyre gave her an ultimatum of either leaving Prythian or training with Cassian - was kind of gross to me. I understand the concept of tough love, but something about this didn't sit right. This really outlines one of my big issues with Silver Flames: what happened to Super Feminist Rhys? In this book he's constantly threatening women, making decisions for them, keeping secrets to protect them... This ain't it. But I digress. 

I've seen a lot of people say that this book has no plot and is all romance, but honestly I felt like the romance was lacking too. I totally bought Nesta and Cassian in Wings and Ruin, so their love story shouldn't have been a stretch, but something about the way it was written did not work for me. While I did love Cassian, Nesta continued to be a raging bitch throughout the entire book, both to Cassian and those around her. I really could not see what Cassian saw in her.

Then there was the smut. There was so much of it and it wasn't particularly well written, which is surprising because SJM did it pretty well in Mist and Fury. It seemed as if she got clearance to write an adult book and decided to cram as much sex as she possibly could into the second half (because there wasn't much in the first, which was just Nesta moping). She also seemed to think that Nesta and Cassian enjoying things a bit rough was super scandalous, when it was actually just a bit cringeworthy. Although, maybe a lot of her readers would agree based on the shock and awe I've seen over Nesta's one sentence super scandalous fantasy. :/ 

Before this review gets ridiculously long, let's jump into the speed round. I hated the plot set up with Feyre and Rhysand. It was stupid and out of character and created unnecessary drama. I hated the entire ending to the Nesta's training plot point and found it to be utterly nonsensical and required way too much suspension of disbelief. I hated that Nesta was essentially given a free pass for being such an absolutely horrible person to everyone around her. I hated that SJM brought in a paper thin villain and random new mythology that didn't need to exist. I'm also not impressed with Tamlin becoming a literal animal and no one staying to help him overcome HIS trauma. 

It may sound like I totally hated everything about this book, but I honestly didn't. I did really enjoy the treasure hunt feels I got from Silver Flames. I liked the new female characters who befriended Nesta and the further exploration of the library under the House of Wind. Seeing Nesta overcome her trauma was satisfying, although I do wish she'd given a better apology at the end. I really, really loved getting to know Cassian and his backstory better. The House itself was also a really cool addition to the story.

I know that Sarah J. Maas has it in her to write amazing stories and I just don't understand what happened here. There was obviously a lot of potential for a great story in A Court of Silver Flames. Here is an established world and established characters that we already love and I really wish she had done more with it. Instead, her writing style has completely changed from the beginning of the series and the plot has fallen to the wayside to make room for more cringeworthy sex scenes. 

Will I continue the series? Yes. But from here on out I will go into SJM books with low expectations and the understanding that nothing will top the first two. 

Book Review: Needing to Love You by Erin Rylie

Title: Needing to Love You (Houston's Finest #2)
Author: Erin Rylie
Publication Date: April 12, 2019
Publisher: Independently Published
Pages: 273
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Carlos Ramirez has always prided himself on two things: being damn good at his job on the Houston police force and being able to land any woman he wants. When a devastating car accident leaves him crippled and in excruciating pain, he begins to rely too heavily on his prescription painkillers. The only person who can help him heal is the only woman who has ever rejected him—and on more than one occasion. Living with Kelsey while he works through physical therapy wasn’t anything he ever expected to happen, but it might just be what he needs.

After a divorce that left her doubting her ability to love, Kelsey Byrne wants nothing to do with relationships. Unfortunately for her, the only man she could see herself loving needs a place to live and help while he recovers. She had a hard time pushing him away after a one-night stand, so how can she possibly keep him at arm’s length when he’s in her house every day, playing with her son, cooking her meals, and leaving her cute notes every morning? Carlos may be working his way into her heart one sweet gesture at a time, but can she give him everything knowing that she’s more than a little broken inside?

Needing to Love You is way outside of my comfort zone, but recently I was in the mood for an adult romance and this is the book I reached for! It ended up making for a great, quick read for my flight to Washington DC and back.

Carlos Ramirez is recovering after an accident and subsequent surgery when he finds himself at the mercy of Kelsey who has offered him a place to stay. He moves in with her and quickly finds himself at a pity party and in too deep with his prescription painkillers. As Kelsey tries to understand how to navigate Carlos's issues as well as her own, the two find themselves being drawn together and romance ensues.

I really loved Kelsey and Carlos! It was definitely difficult to watch Carlos struggle with addiction and feelings of not being good enough after his accident. I also hated seeing the two of them push each other away instead of leaning on each other when they both needed it. But the two of them when they were getting along were a fantastic pair! I loved Carlos's snarky attitude, Kelsey's quirk of spouting off random fun facts, and their banter back and forth. Their relationship was sweet and obviously passionate.

My favorite thing about this book is that, while it was a fantastic, spicy romance novel, it had a lot of depth and tackled real life issues. There were painful moments dealing with addiction, depression, and moving on after painful relationships. I felt that Erin Rylie handled these issues really well and I loved that it made the story so much more impactful.

Although this is actually the second book in the Houston's Finest series, it read fine as a standalone and I felt like enough was filled in by the author that skipping the first book was okay. There were certainly times when I would have been more in the loop had I read the first book, though.

Needing to Love You was my first book by this author, but I can definitely see myself picking up others!

DNF Review: After by Anna Todd

Title: After (After #1)
Author: Anna Todd
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
Publisher: Gallery Books
Pages: 582
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Tessa is a good girl with a sweet, reliable boyfriend back home. She’s got direction, ambition, and a mother who’s intent on keeping her that way.

But she’s barely moved into her freshman dorm when she runs into Hardin. With his tousled brown hair, cocky British accent, tattoos, and lip ring, Hardin is cute and different from what she’s used to.

But he’s also rude—to the point of cruelty, even. For all his attitude, Tessa should hate Hardin. And she does—until she finds herself alone with him in his room. Something about his dark mood grabs her, and when they kiss it ignites within her a passion she’s never known before.

He’ll call her beautiful, then insist he isn't the one for her and disappear again and again. Despite the reckless way he treats her, Tessa is compelled to dig deeper and find the real Hardin beneath all his lies. He pushes her away again and again, yet every time she pushes back, he only pulls her in deeper.

Tessa already has the perfect boyfriend. So why is she trying so hard to overcome her own hurt pride and Hardin’s prejudice about nice girls like her?

Unless…could this be love?

I didn't know much about After going in. All I knew was that it had originated on Wattpad and was being turned into a movie, so it fit as the "2019 movie adaptation" category for one of the reading challenges I'm participating in. I went in with no expectations, but I still managed to be extremely disappointed with this book.

Long after I turned the first page of After, I found out that it had started out as Harry Styles fanfiction. Honestly, I didn't really know who Harry Styles was (One Direction was a bit after my time), but I do know that I've never loved a fanfiction turned novel in my life and this is no different. I made it 83% through before I finally gave up.

Tessa and Hardin are the main characters of this romantic story. They start off well enough - Hardin is the Bad Boy and Tessa the Good Girl. They're polar opposites who end up being drawn to each other. Of course, Hardin acts like a complete jerk, but I was fine with that at first. Angst can be fantastic, especially in hate to love romance! Unfortunately, this reads about how you'd expect from an average hate to love fanfic. It's bad. The writing is bad and the story is bad.

He pushes her away again and again, yet every time she pushes back, he only pulls her in deeper.  

If this line doesn't completely sum up the entire book... About half the page count could have been removed from After had the angst been cut to a reasonable level. There is more back and forth than in a Colleen Hoover novel, which is saying something. Not only that, but Hardin's jerk attitude only gets worse. This is absolutely one of the most toxic relationships I've ever read.

After is a book I might (MIGHT) have enjoyed as an angsty teenager, but I absolutely can't as an adult. I have a difficult time understanding how this series has such a huge following. I also have a hard time understanding how this story could possibly drag on for four more books. But I'm having the hardest time understanding how this ever got turned into a movie!

I hated Fifty Shades of Gray, but I'd rather read that fifty times than be subjected to the last 15% of After.

#ReadIndie Review & Giveaway: Your Irresistible Love by Layla Hagen

Title: Your Irresistible Love (The Bennett Family #1) 
Author: Layla Hagen
Publication Date: January 15, 2016
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing
Pages: 326
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Sebastian Bennett is a determined man. It’s the secret behind the business empire he built from scratch. Under his rule, Bennett Enterprises dominates the jewelry industry. Despite being ruthless in his work, family comes first for him, and he’d do anything for his parents and eight siblings—even if they drive him crazy sometimes. . . like when they keep nagging him to get married already.

Sebastian doesn’t believe in love, until he brings in external marketing consultant Ava to oversee the next collection launch. She’s beautiful, funny, and just as stubborn as he is. Not only is he obsessed with her delicious curves, but he also finds himself willing to do anything to make her smile.
He’s determined to have Ava, even if she’s completely off limits.

Ava Lindt has one job to do at Bennett Enterprises: make the next collection launch unforgettable. Daydreaming about the hot CEO is definitely not on her to-do list. Neither is doing said CEO. The consultancy she works for has a strict policy—no fraternizing with clients. She won’t risk her job. Besides, Ava knows better than to trust men with her heart.

But their sizzling chemistry spirals into a deep connection that takes both of them by surprise. Sebastian blows through her defenses one sweet kiss and sinful touch at a time. When Ava’s time as a consultant in his company comes to an end, will Sebastian fight for the woman he loves or will he end up losing her?

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I have read two books by Layla Hagen in the last couple years and, although Withering Hope is forever my favorite by this author, I thoroughly enjoyed both! When I got a chance to read the first in her newest series, The Bennett Family, I expected no less than a great read! It is worth noting that the books in The Bennett Family series, like those in Hagen's Lost series, can be read as standalones or in order.

Your Irresistible Love is about Sebastian, a man who has created an incredibly successful business from the ground up, and Ava, the woman he has hired as his company's new marketing consultant. Ava is an independent woman working for a company with a strict no fraternization policy while Sebastian is not terribly interested in finding love, much to his family's dismay. Unfortunately for Ava and Sebastian, they are instantly attracted to each other and don't seem to be able to escape their chemistry.

I really enjoyed Ava and found her to be a fantastic, strong main character. I love it when female characters are already complete people before "the man" arrives. I also really liked Sebastian, although I had some problems with his Alpha Male antics at first, although he grew on me. Sebastian's greatest assets are his upbringing and family. These things allow him to be both confident and humble at the same time, which made for a love interest I did end up enjoying.

The romance between Ava and Sebastian was undeniably insta-love. Although I usually hate this, I was okay with it here just based on the fact that it's a standalone romance novel. I did like the forbidden romance feel that it had because of their work relationship and I really enjoyed the banter they shared. I also loved many of the other Bennets in the family who I'm sure we'll get to know more of in future installments!

Your Irresistible Love is an enjoyable, light-hearted romance that will definitely be loved by anyone who likes the genre! I would like to point out that, although this book is shelved several times as New Adult, I don't really feel like the characters fall into that age range. This is definitely adult romance. Overall, I did enjoy this and plan to continue reading Layla Hagen romance in the future!

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Book Review: Confess by Colleen Hoover

Title: Confess
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publication Date: March 10, 2015
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 306
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Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…

Confess is my second Colleen Hoover attempt and probably my last. After quite the fantasy binge, I decided to read something a little more contemporary. Since I'm not a fan of YA contemporary, I went with a NA read. Considering Confess won a Goodreads award last year, I thought maybe it would be the book to win me over. Nope.

Confess is a story of secrets. It's the story of Auburn and Owen and the secrets and romance between them. To be completely honest, the first 30 or so percent of this book had me smiling non-stop. Then it didn't anymore because then the drama was out of control and that makes me really sad.

**From here on out there are going to be some spoilers, so read further at your own risk.**

Auburn, from the beginning of this book, seems like a pretty likable protagonist. The backstory was cute. I enjoyed getting to know her. I liked following her around Dallas and through her first meeting with Owen (except for this one really dumb comment she made about how she was a whore for letting him inside her apartment to use her bathroom). But then the truth came out.

Now, I want to preface this by telling you I have absolutely no issues with teen moms, single moms, moms in general, etc. However, if I'm going to be reading a book about a single/former-teen mom attempting to get custody of her son, THAT is something I'd like to know from the get go, because that is not the kind of book I usually (ever) read. So strike one: the cute, light NA read I was expecting is now primarily about custody battles.

Which brings me to the romance in general. Oh, did I say romance? I meant insta-love. Complete, 100% insta-love. The characters even mention how they've only seen each other for two days and they're both completely obsessed over each other and having affairs and making life decisions and being generally completely INSANE for people who have known each other for five minutes.

But really, there was just So.Much.Drama. Cancer, teen pregnancy, psycho uncles-who-want-to-be-daddies, near-rape, custody battles, drug-addictions-that-aren't-really-drug-addictions, POS fathers, drunk drivers, blackmail. It's just out of control. If I wanted this kind of drama... Never mind, I wouldn't.

I wanted to like Confess so much! I had heard such great things and the art was so pretty and... it was just a huge let down. I really feel like if this story had left out about half the drama and, honestly, the whole custody thing, it could have been a lot better. Maybe I'm just going to the wrong author for good NA reads though. This has been my second two star Colleen Hoover book and I don't think I'll be giving her third try.

Audiobook Review: Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover

Title: Ugly Love
Author: Colleen Hoover
Publication Date: August 5, 2014
Publisher: Atria Books
Pages: 337
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When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.

Something you might already know about me is I don't review many contemporary romances. If I do, they're always going to be adult or new adult romances - I just can't handle YA romance with no fantastical elements! Even so, these reviews are few and far between. New adult romance, in particular, has a certain characteristic that seems to apply to almost all of them. They all have a ridiculous amount of unnecessary angst and drama. I mean, I get why, so maybe it isn't entirely unnecessary, but it's at least unbelievable. What I'm trying to say is, Ugly Love was a little out of my comfort zone. Seeing it all over Instagram for months finally broke me, though, and I gave it a try. And then I had to sit on it for awhile to decide how I really felt.

Ugly Love is pretty much your typical NA romance. Girl meets boy, girl has tons of drama, boy has tons of drama, they fall in love, they can't be in love, but they are anyway, etc. In this way it was totally predictable and unsurprising.

Tate and Miles are the main characters of this angsty romance. Miles is an airline pilot with a dark past that makes him extremely undatable. Tate's life is significantly less dramatic. She's mostly just really busy with school and work and doesn't seem to have the time to make a relationship work. But these two meet and sparks fly all over the place. What's a couple to do? As you probably gathered from the synopsis, they work out a deal that involves physical feels only - no hearts allowed! And, as you probably gathered from the synopsis, this doesn't quite work out.

Tate is an alright gal. I liked her for the most part although there were several moments when I wanted to knock some sense into her. Miles, on the other hand, I really couldn't get down with. I'll never understand what it is with book characters who think they have the right to treat everyone around them like crap just because they have a rocky past. It's really not okay. And this is where the book lost me.

Similarly to Beautiful Disaster and Obsidian, Ugly Love's main man is a total jerk to the female love interest of the story. And for the same reason I couldn't stand those two books, I really had a huge problem with Miles. Not only was he an ass to Tate on a regular basis, but his "deep dark secret" wasn't believable as something that would make him swear off women forever. At least in my opinion... There was some character growth by the end. Miles does finally let go of the chip on his shoulder, but really Tate never should have stuck around as long as she did.

The writing was also really weird in this book. Granted, I did listen to the audiobook. But I did go pick up a physical copy just to see. Colleen Hoover attempts to do some kind of weird (really freaking weird) poetry thing with Miles' flashbacks and it just really doesn't work at all.

In summary, the premise of the story was a little unbelievable to me, the male lead was behaved like a jerk for the majority of the book, and the writing was really strange. I didn't completely hate it because I did enjoy Tate the secondary characters in the book, but I really don't see what all the fuss was about with this one. I might go see the movie just to see if they do it any better in that medium, but I'll probably wait for some reviews first.

Notes on the Audiobook

I did enjoy Grace Grant and Deacon Lee as narrators and would certainly listen to something else by them!

Book Tour Review & Giveaway: Withering Hope by Layla Hagen

Title: Withering Hope
Author: Layla Hagen
Publication Date: January 19, 2015
Publisher: Self published
Pages: N/A (ebook)
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Aimee’s wedding is supposed to turn out perfect. Her dress, her fiancé and the location—the idyllic holiday ranch in Brazil—are perfect.

But all Aimee’s plans come crashing down when the private jet that’s taking her from the U.S. to the ranch—where her fiancé awaits her—defects mid-flight and the pilot is forced to perform an emergency landing in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

With no way to reach civilisation, being rescued is Aimee and Tristan’s—the pilot—only hope. A slim one that slowly withers away, desperation taking its place. Because death wanders in the jungle under many forms: starvation, diseases. Beasts.

As Aimee and Tristan fight to find ways to survive, they grow closer. Together they discover that facing old, inner agonies carved by painful pasts takes just as much courage, if not even more, than facing the rainforest.

Despite her devotion to her fiancé, Aimee can’t hide her feelings for Tristan—the man for whom she’s slowly becoming everything. You can hide many things in the rainforest. But not lies. Or love.

Withering Hope is the story of a man who desperately needs forgiveness and the woman who brings him hope. It is a story in which hope births wings and blooms into a love that is as beautiful and intense as it is forbidden.

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As you might already be aware if you stop by regularly, I'm not a super huge fan of contemporary fiction. That being said, once I read the blurb for Withering Hope I was sure I had to read it! I'm a sucker for survival stories and the New Adult genre is growing on me...

Withering Hope begins with Aimee on her way to her fiancé and her wedding. She's known her pilot, Tristan, for years and has always been friendly with him. But that friendship is pushed to a whole new level very quickly as the pace ramps up only a few pages in and the two are stranded in the rainforest together.

This book doesn't waste any time getting straight to the punch - the rainforest is a dangerous place and there isn't much hope for rescue. Layla Hagen has painted a fascinating and terrifying picture within the pages of Withering Hope, never sugar coating the horror or beauty of the rainforest. Reading about the physical trials of Tristan and Aimee in their dangerous surroundings was heart-stopping enough, but then there was a whole added layer of emotional difficulties as Aimee attempted to reconcile the feelings she had for Tristan, the man keeping her alive, with the fact that she was supposed to get married before their plane took what comes to feel like a permanent detour.

The two main characters in Withering Hope are likable and sympathetic. As a married woman, I could totally sympathize with Aimee's dilemma when it came to Tristan. I almost immediately began to root for them as a couple - after all, who could blame her after everything they've gone through? As a war veteran, I was also able to sympathize with the PTSD Tristan endured and his unwillingness to let Aimee in. I loved the romance between them and, unlike in some New Adult books, it was believable and natural instead of forced. Definitely no instalove here!

Withering Hope made me feel in ways that most books do not. I celebrated when they had any small victory over their situation and I cried with them too (something that literally has never happened). Layla Hagen did a fantastic job creating characters and a world that drew me in and wouldn't let go for days after I finished the last page. Maybe I won't be so quick to dismiss contemporary NA in the future.

About the Author

My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author. I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later. I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world. And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn’t make it obvious enough.

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Book Review: There's Wild, Then There's You by M. Leighton

Title: There's Wild, Then There's You (The Wild Ones #3)
Author: M. Leighton
Publication Date: June 3, 2014
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 336
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I received this book as part of a giveaway!

Violet Wilson is a wallflower. Shy, serious, and accident-prone, she’s got a bad habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The night she’s forced to pose with her friend might just be the worst time of all—that’s when she meets Jet Blevins. She knows better than to get involved with someone like him, but he touches her in ways she never expected, never wanted before.

On the outside, Jet is a typical rocker, an arrogant lead guitarist who unapologetically lives a wild lifestyle. But on the inside, he’s battling demons and using the stage to escape the troubles of his past and the addictions of his present. Until the night he sees Violet standing at the back of the room. She brings his life into focus. She knows his secrets. She’s the girl he can’t forget, and the one thing he craves more than his addiction.

But can they ever hope to have a future when their very foundation is nothing but lies?

Now THIS is how you write a romance novel!

After the last few YA romances I've read I'd almost lost all faith in the romance genre. I'd forgotten what it was like to read a romance written for my age group! Okay, so I'm not in my early 20s anymore... Whatever. This is one of the best books from the New Adult genre that I've had the pleasure of reading so far.

M. Leighton did a wonderful job with There's Wild, Then There's You, the third in The Wild Ones series (though I didn't read the first two). The writing is flawless and the characters actually had depth! Imagine that, right?

Violet is a self-sufficient, strong, independent woman - something I feel like we don't get enough of in literature. Not only that, but she was a character that I actually loved. I couldn't find anything I didn't love about her, in fact! She wasn't whiney or needy or pathetic. Jet was equally lovable. He obviously had his issues, but he wasn't a jerk like so many male protagonists are. The romance itself was completely believable. It didn't happen in 2.5 seconds flat. Rather, it progressed like a normal human relationship. It wasn't super, unbelievably skanky either. Everything about the relationship between Violet and Jet made sense to me.

The only question I'd have for these characters is -why- did you feel the need to keep your secrets? I just couldn't wrap my head around the thought processes behind their decisions!

If I could find a complaint for this book it would have to be that the chapters were so short. You see, this caused me much exhaustion from staying up so late. You know how it goes - "Oh, this chapter's short! Just one more!" And then it becomes a vicious cycle. So, as you can see, my biggest issue was that I loved this book and couldn't put it down! Seriously, to any fan of romance: read this.