(ARC) Book Review (427): In His Keeping (Slow Burn #2) - Maya Banks

In His Keeping (Slow Burn #2)

by Maya Banks 

Publication: 27th January 2015

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Pages: 256

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Age Appropriate: Adult

Buy It: Amazon.com / Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

#1 bestselling author Maya Banks continues her suspenseful and steamy Slow Burn trilogy with this second book-a twisting tale featuring a strong yet vulnerable heroine in danger and the sexy alpha hero who must save her.

Abandoned as a baby to a young wealthy couple and raised in a world of privilege, Arial has no hint of her past or who she belonged to. Her only link lies in the one thing that sets her apart from everyone else—telekinetic powers. Protected by her adoptive parents and hidden from the public to keep her gift secret, Ari is raised in the lap of luxury, and isolation. That is, until someone begins threatening her life.

Beau Devereaux is no stranger to the strange. As the head of Deveraux Security, he’s more than familiar with the realities of physic powers. So when a family friend approaches him about protecting his daughter, he’s more than ready to jump on board. What Beau isn’t prepared for is the extent of his attraction to his beautiful and powerful client. What began as a simple assignment, just another job, quickly turns personal as Beau discovers he’ll do anything at all to protect Ari. Even if it costs him his life.

My Thoughts.

I loved the first book Keep Me Safe, so I was extremely happy to get my hands on a copy of In His Keeping, I adored this book so much more than the first.

From the very first page I was captivated, starting with a prologue which sets the story up and gives us a feel for the strong relationship between Arial and her parents.

When Arial who is telekinetic is attacked one day, she uses her telekinesis and is unknowingly filmed using her powers and it's then that her life becomes fraught with danger, forcing her to seek out the aid of Beau Devereaux who owns a family run security firm.

In amongst trying to keep Arial alive, Beau and Arial develop feelings for one another, a big case of insta-love if I've ever seen one.

But besides that this was still a thoroughly intriguing and action-packed novel that was a great addition to this series.

I eagerly await book three and the next couple which I believe is Zach's story.

I highly recommend this series for those who like a touch of paranormal with their contemporary romances.

I give this 5/5 stars.

Maya Banks is the #1 New York Times, #1 USA Today and international bestselling author of over 50 novels. A wife and mother of three, she lives in Texas.

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(ARC) Book Review (426): A Single Kiss (Sweetest Kisses #1) - Grace Burrowes

A Single Kiss (Sweetest Kisses #1)

by Grace Burrowes

Publication: 6th January 2015

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Pages: 384

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Appropriate: Adult

Buy It: Amazon.com / Barnes and Noble / KOBO / The Book Depository

A single kiss can change everything...

In the first novel of the Sweetest Kisses series, Hannah Stark has set her sights on corporate law to assure her a career of paperwork, predictability, and conservative suits. Contracts, finance, and the art of the deal sing to her, while the mess and misery of the courtroom do not. But her daughter needs to eat, so when Hannah is offered a temporary position in a small town firm's domestic relations department, she reluctantly accepts.

Trent Knightley is mightily drawn to his newest associate, though Hannah is as protective of her privacy as she is competent. When their friendship and attraction heat up, Hannah's secrets put her heart and Trent's hopes in double jeopardy.

My Thoughts.

I'm a big fan of Grace Burrowes historical romances, so when I was sent a copy of A Single Kiss for review I was intrigued and excited, her debut in contemporary romance was sure to be something great, and I wasn't wrong.

I read the two novellas that proceeded this first book and I really enjoyed them, I knew then and there that I was going to love not only this book but the series as well.

When the three Knightley brothers who own their own law firm are in need of a new attorney, Hannah Stark is the one that wins them over, filling in for the first six months in Family Law under Trenton Knightley is not what she wanted, far from it, having been a foster kid  and having been put through the system throughout most of her childhood she has no desire to go through it again bringing up too many bad memories, even if she is the lawyer this time around, but she'll stick with it until she can move to the Corporate Law position that she was originally hired for.

What Hannah hadn't planned on was the feelings that develop between her and Trent, both single parents with sole custody to two little girls who have fast become best-friends, the chemistry is hot and no matter how hard she fights it Hannah can't deny the attraction she feels towards Trent, when her past comes back to haunt her in the present she realises that Trent may just be the one person that she can trust and rely on.

I adored this book, this was one of the best contemporaries I've read in a long while, it just goes to show that Grace can write anything, and I would read anything she wrote.

For anyone who loves their contemporary romances with substance, great writing, concept and plot then do yourself a favor and definitely pick this book up, it's fantastic!

I give this 5/5 stars.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Grace Burrowes’ bestsellers include The Heir, The Soldier, Lady Maggie’s Secret Scandal, Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish
and Lady Eve’s Indiscretion. The Heir was a Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2010, The Soldier was a PW Best Spring Romance of 2011, Lady Sophie’s Christmas Wish won Best Historical Romance of the Year in 2011 from RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, Lady Louisa’s Christmas Knight was a Library Journal Best Book of 2012, and The Bridegroom Wore Plaid was a PW Best Book of 2012.

Her Regency romances have received extensive praise, including starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. Grace is branching out into short stories and Scotland-set Victorian romance with Sourcebooks. She is a practicing family law attorney and lives in rural Maryland.

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(ARC) Book Review (425): Twisted Fate - Norah Olson

Twisted Fate

by Norah Olson

Publication: 20th January 2015

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books

Pages: 272

Genre: Contemporary

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

Buy It: Amazon + Barnes & Noble + The Book Depository

When Alyson meets Graham Copeland, the new boy next door, she instantly feels like he’s a kindred spirit—shy and awkward like her, someone who has trouble making friends. It’s impossible to resist having a crush on him. 

As usual, her sister, Sydney, sees things differently. In Sydney's mind, Graham's odd personality and secretive past scream psychopath, not sweetheart. Her gut is telling her to stay away from him, and to protect a love-struck Alyson from her own naïveté. But despite her instincts, Sydney is surprised to realize that a part of her is drawn to Graham, too. 

And the more Sydney gets to know him, the more she realizes just how right—and wrong—she is about everything.

Perfect for fans of Michelle Hodkin, and E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars,Twisted Fate is an unputdownable novel, teeming with suspense.

My Thoughts.

My first thoughts after finishing this book was "I'm So Confused", the big twist at the end wasn't really a surprise, I'd guessed it very early on in the story, what I don't understand keeping in mind the big reveal was how quite a few things were even possible, thinking about it after I'd finished reading left me bewildered to say the least.

This was such a great concept for a story it just wasn't executed well enough for me to be able to overcome the problems I had while reading this book.

I don't know whether the main characters were written to be unlikeable as they were, Graham is at the top of the list, nothing but a creep who somehow had two girls falling for him, I preferred reading the secondary characters POV's a lot more, but it got to the point where there were at least eight different characters POV's  throughout the story it seemed a bit too much, especially when some seemed to be repetitive, repeating the same thing over and over again.

I really wanted to enjoy this book, but unfortunately that wasn't to be, I also wish that the cover that is on the advance reader edition was kept the same for the finished copy, it was such a pretty cover.

In saying all that, this book is a very quick read though, you can get through it in one sitting.

I give this 3/5 stars.

I write for teenagers. I live in New York State with my lovely girlfriend Áine Ní Cheallaigh. My debut novel The End was published by Prizm Books in December 2010. My second YA novel,SWANS & KLONS, was published Bold Strokes Books in May 2013.FRENEMY OF THE PEOPLE is forthcoming from Bold Strokes Book in May 2014.

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(ARC) Book Review (424): All Fall Down (Embassy Row #1) - Ally Carter

All Fall Down (Embassy Row #1)

by Ally Carter 

Publication: 20th January 2015

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Pages: 320

Genre: Contemporary/Mystery

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

Buy It: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

Grace can best be described as a daredevil, an Army brat, and a rebel. She is also the only granddaughter of perhaps the most powerful ambassador in the world and Grace has spent every summer of her childhood running across the roofs of Embassy Row.

Now, at age sixteen, she's come back to stay - in order to solve the mystery of her mother's death. In the process, she uncovers an international conspiracy of unsettling proportions, and must choose her friends and watch her foes carefully if she and the world are to be saved.

My Thoughts.

All Fall Down is the first book in an all new series by Ally Carter, a contemporary, mystery story that will keep you guessing until the final shocking twist that you will never see coming!

Grace is sent to live at Embassy Row with her Grandfather while her Dad is serving her country overseas, as the mental state of our main protagonist Grace is put into question by her family after the death of her Mother in a fire three years ago, but Grace who was there is adamant that her Mom was murdered by a man with a scarred face, shot and dead before the fire took hold but no one will believe her, having spent time since in hospital on medication, everyone believes she's crazy, but Grace is determined she will find the man that murdered her Mom and make him pay.

Whilst getting to know the kids from Embassy Row and making friends, she stumbles upon a secret meeting taking place between two men, one who happens to be her Mom's murderer, she waste's no time in letting her Grandfather who is the American Ambassador know that the killer is close by, but again she's not believed, with her help of her new friends  Noah, Megan, Alexei and Rosie they help her track and follow the scarred man hoping to discover who he's having these meeting's with and why.

This book kept me on my toes, full of suspense you won't want to stop reading until you reach the jaw dropping ending, and hype you up enough for the next book which I'm quite excited for.

Never dull or boring, this at times pulse-pounding read will have you glued to the pages as the story absorbs you and draws you in to Embassy Row.

This was my first ever Ally Carter book and it certainly won't be my last, a very enjoyable plot with a great storyline and intriguing characters.

I give this 4/5 stars.

I was born and raised in Oklahoma.  My mother was a teacher and my father a farmer and rancher.  I have one older sister.

In high school, I was very active in a number of student organizations and graduated as co-valedictorian of my senior class.  I then attended Oklahoma State University and Cornell University and worked for several years in the agricultural industry before writing full-time.

My first novel, Cheating at Solitaire (Berkley) was published in 2005.  The following year I published the sequel to Solitaire, Learning to Play Gin.  There are no more plans for future books in that series at this time.

My first novel for young adults, I’d Tell You I Love You but Then I’d Have to Kill You was published by Disney-Hyperion in April 2006.  Love You Kill You (as we call it) was followed by Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (October 2007), Don’t Judge a Girl By Her Cover (June 2009), Only the Good Spy Young (June 2010), Out of Sight, Out of Time (March 2012).  United We Spy (September 2013) is the sixth–and final–Gallagher Girls novel.

I am also the author of Heist Society (February 2010) and its sequels Uncommon Criminals (June 2011), and Perfect Scoundrels (February 2013).

In January 2013 I published the cross-over novella Double-Crossed that features characters from both the Gallagher Girls and Heist Society. It is available for free at spiesandthieves.com and wherever ebooks are sold.

ALL FALL DOWN is the first book in my new Embassy Row series. It will be published on January 20, 2015 and will launch a new three-book series with Scholastic.

My books have been published in more than twenty countries and have appeared on best-seller lists from the New York Times, USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, Barnes and Noble, IndieBound, and Bookscan. They have sold over two million copies in the United States.

I am one of the luckiest people in the world, and today, I’m able to do the job I wanted to do when I was a kid, and I am back living in Oklahoma.

Ally does her best to stay in touch with readers. Keep up with her via this site, her official Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr, and Twitter.

Book Review (423): You Really Got Me (Rock Star Romance #1) - Erika Kelly

You Really Got Me (Rock Star Romance #1)

by Erika Kelly 

Publication: 6th January 2015

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 352

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Appropriate: Adult

Buy It: Amazon| B&N

The first irresistible novel in a hot new series about a rock star on his way up—and the woman he wants to take all the way…

Emmie Valencia has what it takes to be the music industry’s hottest band manager. She just needs to prove it. Determined to discover a killer new band, Emmie is ready to make her move. First stop: Austin, Texas.

As a sizzling-hot lead singer, Slater Vaughn has no trouble raising heart rates—but his band’s been flat-lining for years. When Emmie, his bandmate’s sister, crashes with them in exchange for some free management, her industry know-how lands them a spot in the biggest music festival in Texas. But it isn’t just her business acumen that catches Slater’s attention. Emmie is sexy and warm, and—for the first time in his life—he wants more.

But as irresistible as Slater is, Emmie is done with musicians. In her experience, a man can’t be a rock star and someone to trust with your heart—but Slater is determined to show her he’s both.

My Thoughts.

I have to start by saying that I'm a big fan of contemporary romances that feature rock bands and the women that catch them off guard and change their lives for the better, so when this book came along I was more than eager to pick it up and get reading.

Slater Vaughn is the charismatic lead singer of rock band Snatch, not yet having hit the big time they are still playing the college circuit and going nowhere until Emmie Valencia personal assistant to the owner of the biggest record label in America Amoeba Records and Snatch's bass player Derek's sister moves in with the band to help them become the big stadium band she knows they could be.

What Emmie hadn't counted on was the attraction she feels toward bad boy rocker Slater, having been burned before by a rock star she has vowed to never again become involved with a musician, but it's hard when the chemistry between these two is off the charts.

When Emmie and Slater both give in to their feelings and begin a relationship, they're not prepared for the time apart when the band go on the road to tour, especially with the temptations of all this life can offer, add in a manipulative, bitchy singer Piper Lee who Snatch become the support act for who is out to make Slater her own, can their relationship last under the tremendous strain they find themselves under?

This was such a great read, and I look forward to the other band members books as well, an exciting start to an all new series.

I give this 4/5 stars.

Award-winning author Erika Kelly has been spinning romantic tales all her life—she just didn’t know it. Raised on the classics, she didn’t discover romantic fiction until later in life. From that moment on, she’s been devouring the genre and has found her true voice as an author. Over three decades she’s written poems, screenplays, plays, short stories, and all kinds of women’s fiction novels. Married to the love of her life and raising four children, she’s lived in two countries and seven states, but give her pen and paper, a stack of good books, and a steaming mug of vanilla chai latte and she can make her home anywhere.

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(ARC) Book Review (422): Frostfire (Kanin Chronicles #1) - Amanda Hocking

Frostfire (Kanin Chronicles #1)

by Amanda Hocking 

Publication: 6th January 2015

Publisher: St Martins Griffin

Pages: 321

Genre: Fantasy

Age Appropriate: Young Adult

Buy It:  Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Book Depository

Bryn Aven is an outcast among the Kanin, the most powerful of the troll tribes.

Set apart by her heritage and her past, Bryn is a tracker who's determined to become a respected part of her world. She has just one goal: become a member of the elite King’s Guard to protect the royal family. She's not going to let anything stand in her way, not even a forbidden romance with her boss Ridley Dresden.

But all her plans for the future are put on hold when Konstantin– a fallen hero she once loved – begins kidnapping changelings. Bryn is sent in to help stop him, but will she lose her heart in the process?

My Thoughts.

Frostfire is the first book in the spin-off series from Amanda Hocking's Trylle trilogy.

The focus is on the Kanin troll tribe and Bryn Aven, an outcast half-blood who as a tracker is determined to rise in rank and one day work for the Kings Guard, and protect the  Royal Family.

When a wanted Kanin fugitive Konstantin Black who has a history with Bryn, is found to be attempting to kidnap high ranking changelings before the trackers can retrieve them, Bryn is determined to capture him once and for all.

With a possible forbidden romance between Bryn and her boss Ridley on the horizon, there is much to love in this new series.

With appearances of characters from the Trylle series spread throughout the story, there is something here for old fans as well as new ones, and while I do recommend reading the Trylle trilogy first you could read Frostbite without having read the previous books.

I love Amanda's writing style and I can't wait for the next book, while this didn't exactly end on a cliff-hanger it seemed to end suddenly and left me anxiously needing book two.

Drawn in from the first page, this was an exciting, action packed story with intriguing characters and an extremely enjoyable plot.

If you're after a great read, be sure to pick this book up.

I give this 4/5 stars.

Amanda Hocking is a lifelong Minnesotan obsessed with Batman and Jim Henson. In between watching cooking shows and drinking too much Red Bull Zero, she writes young adult urban fantasy and paranormal romance.

Her New York Times best-selling series the Trylle Trilogy has been optioned for films. She has published fifteen novels, including the Hollows and the Watersong series. Frostfire - the first book in her newest trilogy, the Kanin Chronicles - will be out on January 6, 2015.

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(ARC) Book Review (421): Bad Romeo (Starcrossed #1) - Leisa Rayven

Bad Romeo (Starcrossed #1)

by Leisa Rayven 

Publication: 1st January 2015

Publisher: Macmillan

Pages: 416

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Appropriate: New Adult

Buy It: Amazon  |  iBooks  |  Barnes & Noble  |  The Book Depository  |  Kobo  |

When Cassie Taylor met Ethan Holt at acting school, sparks flew. She was the good girl actress. He was the bad boy about campus. But one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing, Cassie and Ethan's romance seemed destined. Until he broke her heart and betrayed her trust. Now the A-list heartthrob is back in her life and turning her world around. One touch at a time. 

Cast as romantic leads once again, they're forced to confront raw memories of the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their secret college affair. But they'll also discover that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks

My Thoughts.

I read many great books last year, it was just my luck that the very last book that I read in 2014 was one of my favorite reads all year long.

From the very first page I was enthralled, Bad Romeo is new adult contemporary romance at its best: the bad boy, a virginal good girl, an extremely enjoyable story and the inevitable plotline of any new adult book featuring a main character with a hurdle to overcome before the hero and heroine can find their happily ever afters.

Cassie is reunited with ex-boyfriend Ethan in a new play on a Broadway, after a disastrous relationship that broke both their hearts, Cassie is hesitant about seeing Ethan again, she is shocked when Ethan admits to her that he wants her back and that he won't take no for an answer.

Interspersed throughout are flashbacks to their past, of the first time they met, their friendship and eventually their relationship leading to the end of their time as a couple.

The dialogue and witty banter between the two leads made for such a wonderfully entertaining, amusing and engaging novel.

I'm eager to read the next book to see what becomes of Cassie and Ethan's relationship.

This was such a well written debut novel, highly recommended.

I give this 5/5 stars.

Writing has always been a passion for Leisa, and even though she originally intended to be an actress, it wasn’t long into her time at drama school that she began writing plays.

Those plays were bad. Very bad. Well, her friends thought they were good, but that’s because they were always cast in them and any opportunity to be on stage was met with an obnoxious amount of enthusiasm.

Since then, she’s honed her craft, and several of her plays have been produced and toured
throughout Australia.

These days, playwriting has given way to fiction writing, and Leisa’s debut novel, BAD ROMEO, will be available in a worldwide release through Macmillan Publishing in December 2014.

Leisa lives in Australia with her husband, two little boys, three cats, and a kangaroo named Howard.

(Howard may or may not be her imaginary marsupial friend. Everyone should have one.)

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