Black Friday Sale Alert, Entangled Publishing

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving to our neighbours south of our border!!!=)

(courtesy of  novelescapism via Google images)

Some good sale stuff happening for romance readers out there, yay!




...just spreading the love, that's all... the love of reading...

Gobble, gobble!

~Leftie

Review: Perfect Chaos ((Unyielding Series, Book 1) by Nashoda Rose

RATING: 3.5 napkins

Georgie
I lie to survive. 
Have since I was sixteen and my world fell into chaos. But I found a way to endure, or rather it found me. Now I’m a prisoner of my own doing, hiding behind a false mask so no one sees the truth. Not even the man I want but can’t have—Deck. But I messed up and the lies are spilling over, out of control. 
Deck is unrelenting and will settle for nothing less than the truth. He demands everything from me—EVERYTHING—even if it rips me apart.
DECK
I kill for a living.
Unyielding—It’s how I survive in my line of work. I bend people to my will…except Georgie.But that ends now.I've played her game for far too long. Now I think it's time we play mine.

Via

**Complimentary ARC received from author via Netgalley**

(Originally posted on Goodreads)

First Nashoda Rose read for me, and won't be the last... Quite glad I got the chance to read this. I've read reviews, I read the blurb, I was intrigued, I requested an ARC thru Netgalley, and fortunately was approved. And ever after reading the blurb, I still wasn't quite sure what to expect.

Reading this felt like reading a KA book and watching a Nicholas Spark movie at the same time (2 of my guilty pleasures if I may add), peppered with some other NA books I've read and with some twist, if that makes sense at all. 

So we have a story of a broken h and a H who's been protecting her while fighting off his attraction to her bec of a promise. And while this is happening, you find that there are more to the h than meets the eye, that there are bigger forces at play as to why events have occurred or keep occurring. 

And I really did like it but itty-bitty things felt off.

What worked:
For starter, I thought the sexual tension b/w these 2 was thru the roof; then came the heat after, of course.*g* 2nd, for a change, the dirty talk is not just coming from the H but the h as well, so I thought that was diff (some readers might find that off-putting, but I didn't, for whatever reason). 3rd, the H was a decent alpha. 4th, love how the story really opened up the more I read, esp the last 15% or so. 5th, the secondary characters are just as defined as the MCs. 6th, the interaction did not feel forced. And 7th, it's in a Canadian setting (yay, TO), albeit it was done very peripherally.

What felt off: (granted this is all personal taste)
The pace felt quite slow in the beginning. Although I realized everything was being put in context, it felt like it dragged for a few moments there. Also, not sure why, I expected something darker. Maybe others will find it dark and I've just read darker, that's all. The h did get to me with some of her angst, esp in the beginning, but I did get it in the end. And I admit, the writing in some parts came across as too flowery for me.

Like I said, very subjective concerns...

I'm def looking forward to the rest of the series, and can't wait to get a chance to read the Tear Asunder series as well.

~Leftie

BLOG TOUR: Body (Trinity Series, Book 1) by Audrey Carlan

RATING: 3.5 napkins

Hi, Leftie here! May I just say this is quite exciting for me as this is a first for me, signing up for a blog tour? How fun!

 
Title:   Body (Trinity Trilogy, Book 1) 
Author:   Audrey Carlan 
Genre:   Erotic Romance 
Release Date:   November 17, 2014 
Hosted By:   DRC Promotions

 

SYNOPSIS

Men ruin women.
Especially men like Chase Davis. Good looking, intelligent, rich and powerful. I never stood a chance.

I didn’t want to want him.
I didn’t want to need him.
I didn’t want to fall for him.

He wouldn’t take no for an answer, and I let him consume me. Arrogant, confident, controlling, demanding … intense.

When he entered my life, I was finally healing after having barely survived the men of my past. My soul sisters told me to take a chance. To let someone in. I let him in, and he surrounded me with a light so bright I was blinded by the truth...

Men don’t ruin women.  
They devour them in every way that counts.

Warning: This book is designed for audiences 18+ due to language, graphic sexual content, and themes that some may find disturbing. BODY is book 1 of a three-part trilogy. Book 1 has a “Happy for Now” type ending.

BUY THE BOOK

Amazon ~ B&N ~ Smashwords ~ Kobo (Canada)

REVIEW

Before anything else, I WANT BOOK 2 NOW, PLEASE!!!!

Now that’s out of the way…

I just want to say what I've come to realize as I was reading this. Sylvia Day’s Gideon has New York, CD Reiss’ Jonathan has Southern CA, EL James’ Christian has Pacific Northwest, CC Gibbs’ Dominic has Europe, Jodi Ellen Malpas’ Jesse has England, but now we also have Audrey Carlan’s Chase who has Northern CA. Just saying… These bajillionaires, I tell ya…

This book, in some ways, reminds me of FSoG. Some people may see that as good and some may not. Regardless, I say pls read it. Because if you like FSoG, I think you’ll like this just as much. And if you didn’t like FSoG, I think you’ll like this at least. For me, it’s like FSoG without the BDSM-lite but with more depth and substance, writing- and story-wise.

We have Gillian recovering from an ugly past and Chase with just as ugly a past. They meet, have this fiery attraction, and you see this play of control between the 2 with each of them motivated by opposing factors.

I thought Ms. Carlan did a good job portraying the mind of someone with Gillian’s past. For all of Gillian’s actions that typically would make her sound TSTL, whether I agree or not, I understood, at least, or saw where she’s coming from, and as frustrated it made me, I couldn’t really blame her for acting or feeling a certain way. Whether we acknowledge it or not, that can be the mind of such person, sadly. As the saying goes, walk a mile… 

And Chase… Chase deserves the hero role, every bit of him... *sigh*… Thanks to Ms. Carlan, I got Chase who's imperfectly perfect. In Ms. Carlan's words, Gillian's own "Superman" and "Knight in Shining Armani". Need I say more?

I have to add as well that the friends' angle was a nice touch. Their dynamics highlight what it truly means when one is fortunate enough to be surrounded by real friends, which I hope all women are.

Towards the end, an ugly thing/person started rearing in from Gillian’s past and that’s where we’re left at the end of this book. I think I’m meant to think of this one antagonist as the most logical choice but I’m hoping to be surprised still.

I say this was more than an enjoyable read. Some parts were way too sugary for me but that’s a personal taste.

Like I said, I WANT BOOK 2 NOW, PLEASE!!!!!

Ten Fun Facts About Body(Trinity Trilogy - Book 1)

 by Audrey Carlan

1. Gillian (Gigi) is the name that my husband and I would have named a child had we ever had a little girl. Alas, I am surrounded by men but loving it!

2. The three soul sisters are loosely based on my very own three best friends. They enjoy seeing what I put their character through. For example, Maria’s character is very different from my best friend Dyani, but they do have core similarities. My girl is fiercely protective, was an incredible contemporary dancer, is Italian and does speak Spanish, even though it’s not her heritage. She however, does not have a potty mouth and was not a victim of domestic violence like her character.

3. The three men aside from main character Chase Davis are loosely based on my soul sisters husbands.

4. My mother was a victim of domestic violence and writing this novel was something very cathartic for me, and I hope it gave the issue a bit more light. Young women, just out of high school can easily fall victim to domestic violence and being so young and impressionable are, in my opinion, often easier to manipulate into believing it’s there fault or they deserved the treatment they received.

5. San Francisco is very near and dear to me as it is less than a two hour drive from my home. Plus, I’ve personally not read a trilogy set in San Francisco.

6. The trinity symbol is extremely prevalent in my life and always has been. My soul sisters and I plan to get a tattoo with it, however, one sister is dragging her feet. The compromise is, if this trilogy makes it onto the New York Times bestselling list one day, she’ll get the tattoo. <crossing fingers> Not sure what I want more, the tattoo or the list! Both would be incredible.

7. Fun fact about this novel is it’s actually the first book I ever wrote but the fourth being published. This novel in particular holds more of my life and heart than anything I’ve written to date. During the developmental edit process I just had a really hard time separating myself from the book and couldn’t be objective. I took the advice of my mentor author Jess Dee and set it aside…for a YEAR! Then after I wrote the Falling Series (3 full length novels) I then was capable of going back to it. I think it’s a better book because of it.

8. I’m a pantser. The extent of my plotting is a one liner for each chapter but not usually until I’m halfway through writing it. Body was entirely written with very little plotting. I just let the muse go crazy and this is what happened!

9. The main character Chase has family members that names all start with a “C.” Chase, Carson, Cooper, Craig, Colleen, Chloe, Charles.

10. Heat level in this book runs at about an 8 out of 10. I like to write erotic sex scenes that make you feel something. I think you’ll find them so hot you’ll need your mate at the ready. <wink>

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Audrey Carlan is a professional fundraiser for an international healthcare related charity by day, and a sensual and erotic contemporary romance writer by night. She lives in the sunny California Valley two hours away from the city, the beach, the mountains and the precious…the vineyards. She has been married to the love of her life for 10 years and has two young children that live up to their title of “Monster Madness” on daily basis. When she’s not raising money, sipping wine with her “soul sisters”, three incredibly different and unique voices in her life, she can be found with her nose stuck in book or her Kindle. A hot, smutty, romantic book to be exact!

In life she believes that all things have their purpose even if we are unable to determine the purpose immediately.

CONNECT WITH AUDREY

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.com/e/B00JAVVG8U

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/audrey.carlan.1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7831156.Audrey_Carlan

Email address: carlan.audrey@gmail.com

Website: www.audreycarlan.com

GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

The Evolution of My Kristen Ashley Fangirling

Hi, Leftie here! (who else will it be, right?)

I thought I'd do a post focused on one of my new fave authors, Kristen Ashley, or KA as some of us fans refer her as, just because even I find it interesting that I didn't start out to be a fan when I first started reading her books, but here I am now, a huge fan to boot ...

Once upon a time, when I first started on Goodreads, one author kept popping up on my Goodreads recommendation. The next thing I knew, I also started seeing it on the pages of a handful of people on my Goodreads friends list. So I started paying attention and I noticed all these high ratings and raving reviews. And before I knew it, I picked up Mystery Man, the first one in her Dream Man series.

Well, let me tell you, I wasn't impressed with it, if I want to be completely frank. The first thing that that stood out for me was the writing. I wouldn't post my review, but all I want to say is that I recall repeating a paragraph to my sister on the phone and asking her if it made sense to her because it sure as heck did not make sense to me. And I also recall telling her that all the conjunctions are missing. What was up with that! I'm not even touching the run-on sentences... I got really confused. I started wondering where all those high ratings are coming from...

BUT, there was something in that story that, whether I admit it or not, made me want to finish the rest of the series. And in time, true enough, I did.

   

1. Mystery Man (2 napkins)

2. Wild Man (3 napkins)

3. Law Man (4 napkins)

4. Motorcycle Man (5 napkins, HUGE fave!)

Motorcycle Man, the last one in the series, is what sealed the deal for me. I finally got her style. I finally got why I kept reading, despite the "rocky start". As I said in one of my reviews, as I read more KA books, every new KA read shows me why I didn't give up on her stories. First I thought it was just her alpha men who just says and does the right things by their women in the most swoonalicious way. Then there're her heroines as well who she manages to give a quirkiness unique to each woman and a latent strong personality under all that quirkiness. Although I must add, maybe it's just me, but I don't always get how her heroines sometimes manage to have 2 or 3 other alpha men vying for her attention. Anyhoot...

Now, I want to say that there is definitely a certain charm to KA's writing, despite the run-on sentences, repetitive words and overly detailed descriptions. Because in addition to her awesome main characters (MC), I slowly started to appreciate the other stuff. One being the supporting characters like the MC's friends, to a point that I now enjoy what I call the Justice of League-style gathering, esp of the alpha men, in times of crisis, whether OTT ala Dream Man series style, or in the case of her other books, regular family drama. Then a couple of other things as well, like the family dynamics she weaves into the story and some of the most adorable children characters I've ever read.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

I've since read the Unfinished Hero series,

   

1. Knight (4 napkins)

2. Creed (5 napkins)

3. Raid (4 napkins)

4. Deacon (5 napkins, fave!)

3 of the The Burg series,

    

1. For You (5 napkins)

2. At Peace (5 napkins, fave!)

3. Golden Trail

4. Games of the Heart

4. The Promise (4 napkins)

and the first book in the Magdalene series,

The Will (5 napkins)

Luckily for me, there are still so many of her series that I haven't gotten to yet, so as far as my KA fix, I guess I'll be good for a while. Whew!

~Leftie

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Review: Last Light (Night Owl Series, Book 2) by M. Pierce

RATING: 4 napkins

Matt Sky is missing. After a solo ascent of Longs Peak that left only a large blood stain, tatters of climbing clothing, and the tracks of an animal in the snow, he is presumed dead ...

Hannah Catalano is guarding a secret ...

Tensions rise, secrets grow bigger, and passions run deeper in the highly anticipated second book in the Night Owl Trilogy.

Via

**Complimentary ARC received from publisher via Netgalley**

This is the second book in the series. Please note that this is not a stand-alone so you need to read the first one, Night Owl, in order to follow and appreciate Matt and Hannah's story. I really liked the first one, I rated it 4 stars on Goodreads (which according to Goodreads means 'I really liked it', duh!). Just to give you some context, here is my review of the first one, as posted on Goodreads:

GAH!!!!! What is up with that epilogue?!?! M. Pierce, were you probably thinking that ending Night Owl with HFN may not prompt readers enough who like/love this book to read the rest in the series, is that it?!?! Was that really necessary?!?! GAH!!!!!

Ok, rant over...

This book just caught me off guard. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. It got me glued to the pages right from the start but I didn't want it to end too fast either so I tried to slow down as well O.o

First things first, I hate cheating in any story I read, but every now and then, when the writer allows me to delve into the head of the character and can make me understand the character somewhat better, then I can see past it. With this one, for me to see past it even with a H like Matt who was a d-bag (with a capital D) for the most part, that's gotta' count for something in my book, for sure. 

I found Matt to be an unlikable H with hardly any redeeming qualities, save for his feelings towards Hannah, the h, yet I didn't hate him and on top of that, I rooted for him, how about that! Hannah put it perfectly when she said she found him infuriating and pitiful at the same time. That's what I felt for Matt at times, breaking my heart reading what he was going thru by the 70% or so mark onwards *sigh*

Hannah was just so-so for me. She doesn't quite stand out for me. I didn't get some of her actions or feelings. Part of the reason for the 1 less star rating, among other things. Other things that lowered the rating for me? Ok, granted I may not have read enough BDSM stories but that didn't feel right the way Matt just threw Hannah into it without much preamble. Then the 'slut' reference. Oh, and the 'pig' reference. Really?!?! And yes, the beginning just felt on the creepy side, maybe that was just me...

Oh but the heat b/w those 2! That's all... hehe...

There's something about M. Pierce's writing that speaks out to me. The story just flowed... 

And now, my review for Last Light:

(Originally posted on Goodreads)

3.5 ★

Hmmm... I had to think hard about this one... 

There were parts I didn't like or appreciate, or understand. There were parts that had me scratching or shaking my head. There were parts that put me off. Yet, There were parts that had me reeling. There were parts that I was just completely enamored with. There were parts that tugged at the heart string. And then there were the parts that got meself fanning. Now that last part, stayed consistent from the first book to here, just saying *grins*

At this point, I won't talk anymore about the epilogue from Night Owl, including my reaction to it or the direction that this book apparently did not go, fortunately. M. Pierce, I thought, did nicely tie that into the beginning of this book.

The story revolved around the "secret" that Hannah is keeping, and how she had to deal with things and the people in their lives. Along the way, conflicts arise from both sides as expected, some of them unnecessary if I may add. After all, that kind of secret can only be sustained so long. I think those were the parts I struggled with [SPOILER: the thing between Hannah and Seth, and Matt and Melanie END OF SPOILER].

Hannah didn't quite win me over in the first book and did she change my mind in this book? I'm not sure. I was starting to really like her but then she just did that stupid thing with Seth. And something about her dynamics with Matt's brothers felt unsettling for some reason. I didn't understand some of her thought process. But near the end, I thought she showed maturity.

Matt... hmmm... I thought I got him in the first book. I still think I get him but I felt like he was just really unhinged in some parts.

One thing that can't be denied however is the heat between these 2. M. Pierce, do you know how to write those scenes or what! And for all the craziness these 2 went thru, whether I understand it or not, I say they're meant for each other and they deserve each other.

If I may just say another thing, I've been meaning to say this even from the first book that I thought it's quite clever of M. Pierce weaving his/her(?) own pen name and his/her(?) books into the story to make it almost a circular story, in my head anyways. I can't help but feel though that somehow, somewhere in there, the joke's on us as readers, and it's a tad uncomfortable feeling.

My last thought, do I make that 0.5★ up my rating? Sure, why not. Regardless of what I've written, I know I'll be reading the conclusion to Matt and Hannah's story.


~Leftie