Review: November 9 by Colleen Hoover

 Title: November 9

Author: Colleen Hoover

Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse.

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.

 

Review:

November 9 by Colleen Hoover was just...wow. I can sum up the synopsis and say that a guy and girl meet and decide to meet every year on the same day, but that won't do it justice. There's so much more to that, but I feel like I can't mention much else without giving anything away.

I love that the heroine of the book is physically flawed. Fallon isn't model perfection like so many heroines are. Maybe she was at one time, but now she is insecure and hides behind her hair and clothes. These qualities just make her seem more real. And then there's Ben, the writer. How can you not love Ben? He has made some bad choices in the past, but there really are no bad qualities about him. On the outside, he seems like a carefree and fun guy. On the inside he is filled with more pain and guilt than anyone should ever have to feel – but we don't find that out until the end. One character is scarred on the outside and the other is scarred on the inside.

“One of the things I always try to remind myself is that everyone has scars,” she says. “A lot of them even worse than mine. The only difference is that mine are visible and most people’s aren’t.”
― Colleen Hoover, November Nine

There were twists in the book that I loved. There were SO many feels. There were times where I was so frustrated that I was sure I was going to give this book 4 stars instead of 5. However, I'm giving it 5. I can't NOT give it a 5. I was a little unsure up until those last few pages though. I love Colleen Hoover's writing and this book is no exception. If you haven't already read all of Colleen's other books...what are you waiting for?

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Review: The One by Kiera Cass

 Title: The One (The Selection #3)

Author: Kiera Cass

Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

The time has come for one winner to be crowned.

When she was chosen to compete in the Selection, America never dreamed she would find herself anywhere close to the crown—or to Prince Maxon's heart. But as the end of the competition approaches, and the threats outside the palace walls grow more vicious, America realizes just how much she stands to lose—and how hard she'll have to fight for the future she wants.



Review:



 

The One is the third book in The Selection series by Kiera Cass. Knowing this is the last in America's story makes me sad. I just have to say, the cover is stunning. It ranks very high on my favorite covers list. Not that I actually have a list. But, you know...if I did...it would be toward the top.

Maxon and America were both stubborn in the fact that they refused to admit their feelings to each other. Because of that, I don't think they got as close as they could have been. There was a little bit of passion missing from these two. I felt like there was more action/adventure in this story than romance.

And what was the deal with Aspen?!?! That came out of left field. Another thing that bothered me was the fact that during this book, America suddenly didn't love Aspen. In the first 2 books, she couldn't choose between Aspen and Maxon and then suddenly in this last book she doesn't have those sort of feelings for Aspen anymore. That made things a little too convenient for me. Don't get me wrong, I loved the fact that America wasn't kissing two different guys in this book. She had her mind made up. I just would have liked it to have been more gradual.

This book had some surprisingly sad parts. Despite my frustration with a few things, I really did like this book (and the series)! I was sad to see it end. It ended a little too quickly for me. I wanted to know more. A lot more. Luckily, I just bought Happily Ever After and it has a bonus epilogue in it. Hopefully that will satisfy my need to know more. Overall, this is a great young adult romance and I will be keeping these books to give to my daughter when she gets older. 

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Review: The Elite by Kiera Cass

Title: The Elite (The Selection #2)

Author: Kiera Cass

Source: Purchased

 Synopsis:

The Selection began with thirty-five girls.
Now with the group narrowed down to the six Elite, the competition to win Prince Maxon's heart is fiercer than ever—and America is still struggling to decide where her heart truly lies. Is it with Maxon, who could make her life a fairy tale? Or with her first love, Aspen?

America is desperate for more time. But the rest of the Elite know exactly what they want—and America's chance to choose is about to slip away.



Review:

The Elite is the second book in The Selection series by Kiera Cass. In this book, the group of girls has been narrowed down to 6 girls. America has made it in to The Elite, but is still unsure of her feelings.

There is still a love triangle going on because America can't seem to let go of her first love, Aspen. He just so happens to be a guard at the castle so she is still able to see him. Poor Maxson has no idea that America's first love is a guard in the castle and that she has been seeing him. I know that America is having a hard time making up her mind, but it's disappointing to see her kissing both guys and leading them on.

I would be fine with either man that America decides to choose. Both guys have great qualities. I just want her to pick one once and for all. And I know this is common with books that are in the middle of the series, but I felt like there wasn't a whole lot of plot progression. Nothing really happened, besides finding out the King's true colors. Still, the book did what it intended – kept me turning the pages in hopes that something big would happen.

Despite my negative remarks about this particular book, I still adore this series. I'm really looking forward to the next one and I am hoping that America will be able to make a choice. 

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Review: Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry

 Title: Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits #1)

Author: Katie McGarry

Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

So wrong for each other …and yet so right.

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.

But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.




Review:

Pushing the Limits is the first book in a young adult series by Katie McGarry. This is a wonderful romance and so much different than I thought it would be. This book is full of emotions and broken characters. This isn't just some high school drama – these characters deal with some serious situations.

Echo is the heroine of the story and she is very easy to like. She has gone through a lot and she is a character that you can't help but feel sorry for. Her mind has suppressed a very important, traumatizing memory. Pieces of the memory come back to her throughout the book and the suspense will keep you turning the pages.

Noah is the bad boy that doesn't do relationships. He wants one thing from a girl and he's ready to move on. Echo isn't that kind of girl. But situations push them to spend time together and feelings develop. Noah is actually very sweet and I loved how he was so supportive of Echo. These two characters are wonderful for each other. I really can't think of anything negative to say so I have no reason not to give it 5 stars. If you like to read young adult contemporary romances, then this book is a must read.

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Review: Gone For You by Jayne Frost

 Title: Gone For You

Author: Jayne Frost

Source: Received from publicist in exchange for honest review

Synopsis:

As the guitarist for the rock band Caged, I know the rules: no relationships. No complications. Leave ‘em smiling when you go, but always go. Besides, it’s not like I’m ever in one place for more than a few days at a time. As the next hottest thing out of Austin, the band and me are riding the wave, and the music is all that matters.

Until her…

Lily Tennison has “complication” written across her beautiful face. But I can’t get involved. The timing’s all wrong. But she’s under my skin, and I can’t resist her troubled eyes and sweet smile. And I do have a little time to kill. Not much, just a few days in Dallas.

So I’ll scratch the itch and move on, like I always do.

Simple, right?

Note: You won't need to turn up the heat—Sixth Street Bands Romances have plenty of steamy fun. This story can be read as a stand-alone but is part of the Sixth Street Bands music scene.




Review:



 

Gone for You is a contemporary romance by Jayne Frost. This book is actually all from the point of view of the guy, which was a nice change of pace. Cameron is the guitarist in a rock band. He doesn't do relationships. He's not in the same place long enough to get close to anyone, so he is an expert on one night stands.

While staying in Dallas for a few days, he meets a woman named Lily. She's not like all the other girls that are falling at his feet. There's something about her that intrigues him. Despite being from a rich, prestigious family, Lily has her share of problems.

I liked how Lily wasn't falling for Cameron's charms in the very beginning – but I wished that would have lasted a little longer. I would have liked to see more build up and sexual tension. Especially since Lily assumed that she would just be a short fling for Cameron. I also had some trouble feeling the sparks between the two characters. Maybe because the book was fairly short so the storyline happened quickly.

It was a nice, sweet romance with some humor and steamy moments mixed it. At only 200 pages, it was a quick read. This is a stand-alone book but it looks as if it will be part of a series. I'm guessing that future books will be about the other guys in the band. If so, then I'm interested in reading more and getting to know the other characters. 

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Review: Spellbinder by C.C. Hunter

 Title: Spellbinder (Shadow Falls Novella)

Author: C.C. Hunter

Source: Received from publicist via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Release Date: June 30, 2015

Synopsis:

When magic, romance and family secrets collide, the result is spellbinding!

Miranda Kane has always felt like a screw up–at least when it comes to her ability to wield magic. Her only sanctuary is Shadow Falls camp, where she’s learning to harness her powers as a witch. But thanks to her shapeshifter boyfriend who called it quits and ran off to Paris, both her heart and powers feel broken.

When she unexpectedly lands a top spot in a spell casting competition in France, she flies out with her best friends Kylie and Della. But her trip takes her straight into the heart of a dangerous supernatural mystery–and a heated romance. What Miranda doesn’t expect is for her investigation to unleash shocking revelations…about herself, her family, and her arch enemy. Now Miranda must step up and show everyone that she’s a witch to be reckoned with….before it’s too late.



Review:

Spellbinder is a novella in the Shadow Falls series by C.C. Hunter. The main series revolves around Kylie, but this one is about her friend Miranda. This series is full of different kinds of supernatural beings. Miranda is a dyslexic, teenage witch. She has always felt like a failure in her mother's eyes, and now her boyfriend has broken up with her so her life isn't going too great.

I really like Miranda, but I didn't love this book like I was hoping to. Don't get me wrong – it was good. I like books that focus more on romance and this one had more suspense and mystery than anything. I know that some people will love that about this book. The girls in this series are always getting themselves in danger and it makes things exciting.

There is sort of a love triangle involved, even though the romance is barely there. The relationship between Miranda and the guys is not resolved – so there must be another book coming. I hope things work out with her boyfriend Perry, but we will just have to see. There was so much other supernatural drama going on that there was no time for Miranda to focus on either guy.

There is an interesting twist in this book, but I don't want to give it away. I was glad to see Kylie and Della show up in this book. Della's romance problems haven't been resolved in her book either, so I'm interested to see how things turn out for her. I know there is so much more to Della and Miranda's stories.

If you like young adult paranormal romances, then I totally recommend this series. I would suggest starting at the very beginning with Kylie's book – Born at Midnight. This trio of girls is fun to read about and you'll get to see plenty of Miranda there too.

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Review: Darker Water by Lauren Stewart

 Title: Darker Water (Once and Forever #1)

Author:Lauren Stewart

Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

After another painful breakup, Laney Temple finally understands that love is a fairytale and sex rarely comes with a happy ending. She's too busy for it right now anyway--she has a business to run, art to create, and candy to crush. Eventually she'll be ready to switch from her plastic-or-silicon lover to a flesh-and-blood one. But before that happens, she needs to be sure she won't feel any of those annoying emotions that make her heart do things it wasn't meant to do...

Like break

Carson Bennett is completely upfront about what he wants, and it has nothing to do with Laney's heart. Her lips? Hell yeah. Other parts of her body? You better f*cking believe it. But her heart? Nope, not even a little. Until it does... a lot. But having feelings for someone isn't allowed. It's the kind of thing you're supposed to push down deep and cover up with one-night stands, sarcasm, and booze...

Like secrets

Two people want the same thing—a commitment to nothing more than great sex in a bunch of different positions. Simple. Enjoyable. A win-win. Problem is, those two people have families and fears and pain that spill into every moment of their lives, control what they do and who they are. And if either Carson or Laney can't free themselves from the past, they'll both be pulled under by it.

Darker Water is a stand-alone contemporary romance that does not end in a cliffhanger.




Review:



 

Darker Water is the first book in the Once and Forever series by Lauren Stewart. This is the first book I have read by this author and I was pleased. This is a contemporary romance between a young woman named Laney and a man named Carson.

Laney is convinced that all the men she dates turn into frogs instead of princes. She's done with relationships and men, until Carson comes along and offers her a sex only relationship. She is apprehensive at first, because she's never done that sort of thing. Luckily, the sex doesn't happen right off the bat like you think it will. I'm very glad about that. Laney can't make up her mind, and Carson won't leave her alone – so they end up spending a lot of time together before anything happens.

Carson is adamant that there will never be a real relationship between them. Laney hides the fact that she is starting to fall for him – because she knows he will run if she tells him that she's developing feelings. Laney just can't separate sex and feelings. Luckily, Carson ends up falling for Laney as well – even if he won't admit it to himself.

Carson has a lot of personal demons to overcome – which is the reason he doesn't let anyone get too close to him. He and Laney have great chemistry though. I'm glad it wasn't insta-love. The banter between these two is great. Both characters are awesome people and this is a really good book. If you want a funny and sexy romance, then you should definitely give this a try!

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Review: Luckiest Girl Alive by Jessica Knoll

 Title: Luckiest Girl Alive

Author: Jessica Knoll

Source: Won through Goodreads

Synopsis:

HER PERFECT LIFE
IS A PERFECT LIE.


As a teenager at the prestigious Bradley School, Ani FaNelli endured a shocking, public humiliation that left her desperate to reinvent herself. Now, with a glamorous job, expensive wardrobe, and handsome blue blood fiancé, she’s this close to living the perfect life she’s worked so hard to achieve.

But Ani has a secret.

There’s something else buried in her past that still haunts her, something private and painful that threatens to bubble to the surface and destroy everything.

With a singular voice and twists you won’t see coming, Luckiest Girl Alive explores the unbearable pressure that so many women feel to “have it all” and introduces a heroine whose sharp edges and cutthroat ambition have been protecting a scandalous truth, and a heart that's bigger than it first appears.

The question remains: will breaking her silence destroy all that she has worked for—or, will it at long last, set Ani free?




Review:

Luckiest Girl Alive is a hard book for me to review. The main character, Ani, is not likable at all. She wasn't written to be a likable character, but I guess you're supposed to dislike her a little less by the time you get to the end. When you can't stand the main character though, it's just really hard to get through the book – to read everything from their point of view. Actually, no character was very likable in this book. There was nobody to root for.

This book was filled with trendy words, phrases, places, etc... that I didn't even know the meaning of. Half of it seemed like another language to me. Of course, I'm a midwest girl who doesn't care at all about fashion and what's trendy now. This was another reason it was hard for me to get into this book. It was just full of rich, superficial characters who only care about how they look.

The story jumps back and forth from her high school days to present day. It doesn't really do it smoothly, it's really jumpy and distracting. The teenage years were the only time the story had a slightly interesting plot – mainly toward the end. I was mostly bored by this book, and I feel bad about saying that.

The book actually had more to it than just conversations about fashion – there were some important topics weaved through. I feel the need to mention these topics for those that have troubles reading about these issues: rape, eating disorders, bullying and graphic shootings.

I'm not even sure what genre this book belongs in. It's like a combination of women's fiction and mystery. Some people say thriller. I can say that romance was not involved, unless you count the fact that Ani kissed someone other than her fiance. The second half was better than the first. There was a fairly interesting twist that mystery/thriller fans will enjoy. I'm more into romance books though, so this one just wasn't my style.

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Review: 21 Stolen Kisses by Lauren Blakely

 Title: 21 Stolen Kisses

Author: Lauren Blakely

Source: Received copy for review through blog tour

Synopsis:

When I first met him I resisted.
Like any forbidden love, I told myself he was a crush, and it would pass.
That was a lie. It never faded.

And I never expected he would fall for me just as hard.

There were so many reasons that should have kept us apart, least of all, the decade that separated us. Growing up in New York City, I learned early on that love is a double-edged sword. Love broke up my parents, love took away my friends, and love — the big, intense, never-been-like-this-before love — landed me in therapy. Now I’m heading to college, and it’s time to give love a clean slate again. But, can I really start over when he’s still in my life Because the one man I’ve always wanted, is also the only guy I absolutely can’t have…And he wants me just as fiercely.

Can I settle for anything less than the love of my life?




Review:

21 Stolen Kisses appealed to me because of the forbidden romance aspect of it. I knew there was an age difference, but I was unsure of the characters ages before jumping into this book. The age difference is 8 years – which can be a big or small number depending on how you look at it. Between two adults, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. However, in the majority of this book, the heroine – Kennedy, is only 17. The man she falls for, Noah, is 25.

If I was a young reader, a teenager dating an older man might be a sexy concept. Now that I'm in my 30s, a 17 year old just seems so young. Because of that, it kind of grossed me out a little that Noah was so into Kennedy. Don't get me wrong – they didn't technically do anything illegal. Luckily, they took things nice and slow. Most 25 year old men probably wouldn't be willing to wait as long as Noah did before taking things further.

The other forbidden aspect – Noah is Kennedy's mother's friend and agent. Kennedy has some major anger issues with her mom (with good reason), and I think that part of the thrill of sneaking around behind her mother's back was to get back at her mom. Other than their love of Broadway musicals, I didn't really see why Noah and Kennedy were so attracted to each other. I think because this book is so tame in the romance department, I couldn't really feel the passion.

The way this book was written was really distracting for me. It kept shifting from past to present. It starts off with Noah and Kennedy being broken up, and keeps going back to the past so the reader can see how it all started. I didn't enjoy how it was written like that – sometimes I would be confused if I was reading the past or the present.

Really, this wasn't a bad story despite the fact that my review is making it seem that way. I really think that young adult girls will love this book. The characters were nice, but I couldn't relate to them. It just wasn't for me. I am looking forward to trying some of the author's adult romance books.

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Review: The Edge of Always by J.A. Redmerski

 Title: The Edge of Always (The Edge of Never #2)

Author: J.A. Redmerski

Synopsis:

Five months ago, Camryn and Andrew, both dealing with personal hardships, met on a Greyhound bus. They fell in love and proved that when two people are meant to be together, fate will find a way to make it happen.

Now, in the highly anticipated sequel to The Edge of Never, Camryn and Andrew are pursuing their love for music and living life to the fullest as they always swore to do. But when tragedy befalls them, their relationship is put to the ultimate test. As Camryn tries to numb her pain, Andrew makes a bold decision: To get their life back on track, they'll set out on another cross-country road trip. Together they find excitement, passion, adventure-and challenges they never could have anticipated.



Review:

The Edge of Always is the follow up to The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski. These are New Adult romance books about 2 people trying to figure out what they want in life – and going through ups and down along the way. Just like in the first book, Camryn and Andrew don't want to settle down in one place. They want to travel and see the world.

I really enjoyed The Edge of Never. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy The Edge of Always that much. Honestly, I think this story should have ended with the first book. I really hate to say this, but most of this book just seemed kind of pointless to me (especially the drama that happened during the beach scene with the other random characters). And maybe part of the problem is me. I really enjoy watching characters fall in love, but then sometimes in sequels I get bored because the characters are already together.

The writing itself is good, but the story just dragged for me. Something else I didn't like was the time gaps. And the epilogue was weird to me, with it being so far into the future. I continued to love the characters of Andrew and Camryn – but unfortunately that's all I really liked.

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Review: Ten Below Zero by Whitney Barbetti

Title: Ten Below Zero

Author: Whitney Barbetti

Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

“In here,” he said, pushing on the skin above my heart, “you're ten below zero. And you’re closer to death than I am.”

My name is Parker. My body is marked with scars from an attack I don’t remember. I don’t want to remember. I choose to live my life by observation, not through experience. While people are laughing and kissing and connecting, I’m in the corner. Watching them live. I’m indifferent to everything, everyone. The only emotion I feel with any kind of depth is annoyance, and I feel it often.

A text message sent to the wrong number proves to be my undoing.

His name is Everett, but I call him rude. He’s pushy, he’s arrogant, he crowds my personal space, and worst of all: he makes me feel.

He chooses to wear all black, all the time, as if he’s waiting to attend a funeral. Probably because he is.

Everett is dying. And he’s spending his final days living, truly living. In doing so, he’s forcing me to feel, to heal. To come face to face with the demons I suppressed in my memory.

He hurts me, he fulfills me, he completes me. And still, he's dying.




Review:



 

Ten Below Zero is a New Adult romance by Whitney Barbetti. As far as I know, it's a stand alone book and isn't a part of a series. It's a story about a young woman named Parker who is a victim of an attack. She hides behind her scars and keeps herself isolated. She has nobody in her life and she doesn't feel anything – until she meets Everett, who makes her feel everything.

Everett has cancer and is refusing treatment. He's tired of fighting. He just wants to spend his final days truly living. He goes on a road trip to visit some places he's been wanting to see, and brings Parker along. I love the banter between these two. They are both rude at times. They like to rile each other up. Both characters are stubborn and make decisions that will drive you crazy...but that's part of the fun. Parker and Everett have some amazing sparks between them. It's beautiful to read.

I don't normally like giving away spoilers, but I just have to say that this book has a happy ending. I felt the need to say that, because I wasn't even going to give this book a chance. After reading the synopsis and seeing that one of the main characters was dying, I decided to pass it by. I hate reading things that make me sad. However, I read a review from a fellow book blogger who promised that this has a happy ending so I was excited to give it a shot. I don't want somebody else to pass this book by because they think it will have a sad ending. Don't get me wrong – there are sad moments. This book will take you through all sorts of emotions – but it is totally worth it.

Ten Below Zero is a beautiful love story with so much depth to it. There are actually quite a few editing errors that I feel like I need to mention. Also, I'm taking one star off because there are just too many similarities between this book and The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski. I didn't pick up on that at first. I knew the story felt kind of familiar, but I have such a horrible memory. After I wrote the majority of this review, I went back and read through my copy of The Edge of Never. So, I was a little disappointed. But the chemistry between the two main characters felt different enough that it felt like it's own story.

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Review: Witches Be Burned by Stacey Kennedy

 Title: Witches Be Burned (Magic & Mayhem #2)

Author: Stacey Kennedy

Source: Received from author through NetGalley

Release Date: May 19, 2015

Synopsis:

In Stacey Kennedy’s steamy paranormal romance novel, a rookie guardian sworn to combat the undead risks life and love in a world of violence, witchcraft, and seduction.

Nexi Jones has lost her family, she’s been stripped of her guardian duties, and she’s still learning the ins and outs of white magic. At least she has Kyden, the smoldering hot elite guardian who’s been there for her every step of the way. But just as Nexi completes her training, tragedy strikes the Otherworld when a fellow guardian is murdered by a group of rogue vampires. Ready or not, she and Kyden trek into the Earthworld to hunt down a killer—and Nexi alone will be put to the ultimate test.

Although Kyden knows that Nexi must fight her own battles, his guardian instincts are raging as he struggles to keep her close. The ruthlessness of these vampires is like nothing he’s ever seen. And at their helm is the Black Witch Astoria, a demon with one burning desire: to shed Nexi’s blood in the name of vengeance. What troubles Kyden even more, though, is the warlock who covets Nexi’s heart. Let the devil do his worst . . . all Kyden can do is love and protect Nexi until his last breath.



Review:



 

Witches Be Burned is the second book in the Magic & Mayhem series by Stacey Kennedy. If you are a fan of paranormal romance, then this is a must-read series! This series centers around Nexi Jones – a feisty young woman who is part guardian, part witch. In this book, another guardian is killed. Nexi and the others need to work together to catch the killers before someone else dies.

Kyden, Nexi's soul-mate, is as possessive as ever in this book. It's actually one of the qualities I like most about him. Sure, his over-protectiveness can be a little annoying – but he's that way because he loves Nexi so much. Also, the protective quality comes naturally to guardians. Since Nexi and Kyden are both guardians, they tend to get into little spats about him not wanting her in danger and her wanting to protect everyone besides herself. They are both hard headed, but it's great! These two have such amazing chemistry – and the love scenes are hot!

There is a great mix of secondary characters and paranormals. We have guardians, witches, vampires, werewolves, etc... This book also has a good mix of action, suspense, and romance. The storyline with the Lord of the Underworld has me feeling a little...unsettled. I can see more of that coming into play in the next book, and I can see that causing issues for Kyden and Nexi. Honestly, I'm a little scared of what is going to happen next.

This book does start off a little slow, but most of it is fast-paced. I skimmed through some other reviews and saw that several people skipped reading the first book and jumped into this second one. Some people didn't seem to have any issues with that, but I definitely recommend reading book #1 before you start Witches Be Burned. 

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Review: Addicted by Tracy Wolff

 Title: Addicted (Ethan Frost #2)

Author: Tracy Wolff

Synopsis:

As Chloe Girard discovers, there’s love . . . and then there’s addiction.

Ethan Frost is everything a woman could want in a man. He’s rich, gorgeous, powerful, one of the most eligible bachelors in the world.

But that’s not why I’m with him.

I love Ethan for all the things no one else gets to see: his innate kindness, his reckless spontaneity, his unwavering determination to use his brilliance for good. I love the way he looks at me, the way he touches me. The way he makes me forget the wreckage of my past and the twisted fear that still lives inside me.

But sometimes it terrifies me how much I crave him, how much I need him just to breathe. I always thought it would be my past that ruined us, but there’s a darkness in Ethan I never dreamed existed. Can we survive as his secrets surface—threatening to unravel us both?



Review:

Addicted is the second book in the Ethan Frost series by Tracy Wolff. The first book ended with a big cliffhanger, so I was glad to see that this book started where the last book left off. Chloe finds out that Ethan is linked to her painful past. Now, being around Ethan is constantly reminding Chloe of her past.

I really felt bad for Ethan in this book. He is such a genuinely great guy. He finally finds a woman that wants him for him, not his money. I think that Ethan had a lot of blame placed on him that he didn't deserve. Chloe was very frustrating to me in this book. She kept going back and forth between wanting to be with him and not wanting to be with him. She also kept going on about how broken she was and kept feeling sorry for herself. She crushes Ethan's heart and leaves him, yet gets mad that he keeps his distance from her.

The chemistry was still there between Chloe and Ethan, so this book was just as steamy as the first. We finally get a happy ending, but I thought that things were wrapped up a little too quickly. And then there are a few inconsistencies between this book at the first – the biggest being Chloe's hair color. In the first book she has red curly hair. In this book she is blonde. There are no explanations for that.

There were a few things in the storyline that weren't completely wrapped up, so I'm curious to see how it will all play out in the next book. I would also like to know more about Chloe's roommate, Tori – I'd love to see her have her own story.

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http://www.tracywolffbooks.com/

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Review: Deep Blue Eternity by Natasha Boyd

 Title: Deep Blue Eternity

Author: Natasha Boyd

Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

Livvy is on the run. And she’s escaped to the one place nobody will ever find her.

But the isolated cottage isn’t empty. Her refuge is home to a troubled stranger, Tom, there for reasons of his own.

In the intimacy of the abandoned cottage, and the remote wilderness of the island, the electrifying connection between them is impossible to ignore. Both running from their histories and shielding dark secrets, their pasts catch up with them and collide in an unimaginable way.

Deep emotions and powerful chemistry face a painful battle with the tangle of lies, and scars of the past. When the truth emerges, hearts will be shattered.




Review:

Deep Blue Eternity is a standalone contemporary romance by Natasha Boyd. Livvy is a 17/18 year old girl who is running from her family. After the death of her sister, Livvy has had a horrible life. She runs to a cottage where she won't be found. She expects it to be deserted – she inherited it after her grandmother passed away. She is surprised to find a man named Tom living there.

Livvy thinks that Tom is the cottage caretaker and he doesn't say anything to make her think otherwise. Tom is keeping a lot of secrets – including the fact that he knows who Livvy is and has close ties to her family. Tom is a man in his mid-twenties who is tortured by his past. He knows that if Livvy found out who he really is, she would hate him.

Tom and Livvy are both at the cottage to forget their pasts, so they don't really ask each other any questions. They just tolerate the other person living there and kind of keep to themselves. They slowly become friends and Tom feels this need to protect Livvy.

Livvy is quite immature and is constantly making bad decisions. Honestly, between her immaturity and their age difference, I'm surprised that Tom could grow to have feelings for her. But he does, and Livvy falls for him as well. I loved the author's Eversea series, but I had a little trouble getting into this book. It's beautifully written, but it's a little slow moving. Also, once all the secrets come out, a relationship between Tom and Livvy seems just a little too taboo.

Deep Blue Eternity is not a light and fluffy read. It deals with some very serious topics. I don't want to give anything away, but I feel the need to let readers know that this deals with rape/incest. I'm sure other readers that have dealt with this topic in real life might have a hard time with the book. However, these topics were written in a tasteful way.

There is no cliffhanger, but I didn't feel that things were wrapped up like I wish they would have been. Though, when it comes to any book ending – I always want to know more. This book was just ok for me. There are a lot of great reviews on this book, so you might give it a shot. 

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http://www.natashaboyd.com/

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Review: Confess by Colleen Hoover

 Title: Confess

Author: Colleen Hoover

Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

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…





Review:



 

I'm having a hard time reviewing this book. Colleen Hoover is my favorite author and I want to give everything she writes 5 stars. I was just a tad bit disappointed in this book. Don't get me wrong, it was a great story. It has a very unique plot line. I loved the idea for the confessions inspiring the artwork. I love how Colleen has the arts mingled in with several of her books, whether it be music, painting, poetry...

I just wasn't able to connect with the characters like I usually do. Auburn and Owen are both very secretive people. Their secrets come out slowly throughout the book, but I just felt like I didn't know the characters very well. Owen seemed to lie about everything. I was very sad at the end when he decided not to ever tell Auburn about how he got started with painting and what inspired his gallery of confessions.

There is a happy ending, it just takes a while to get there. Owen and Auburn definitely deserve to be happy. They both have sad pasts. I just don't understand why they felt that their pasts were so secret. I guess I just have issues with not being upfront about things in relationships.

Overall, I think most people will like this story. It's unique, emotional and beautifully written. I love how the confessions in the book are real confessions from people, and I love the artwork that is included in the paperback. I just personally didn't “feel” the chemistry between Owen and Auburn. And I think I'm in the minority because this book has so many 5 star reviews!

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http://colleenhoover.com/

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