Universal Love: Alien Romance

This genre (alien/scifi/fantasy romance) is normally categorized under "cheesy" and "ridiculous", but books that are fun and outrageous can be a true escape. If you're dealing with day-to-day stress, sometimes you need to be silly. Reading about smokin' hawt aliens is an easy way to find out-of-this-world release from our mundane, earthy problems.

VENOMOUS by Penelope Fletcher

3.5 stars
As you can tell from the cover, the guy in this novel is...textured. That is not the only, or most pressing, difference between his species and humans. Ms. Fletcher did an AMAZING job with the world-building, and the aliens in VENOMOUS are diverse and interesting. Culture, physiology, and language were all varied, and she used a generous dollop of scifi terminology to make readers feel like this was more than just an alien abduction (although that is part of the plot...). For those reasons alone, I'd recommend this novel. It's not often that I stumble across such a well-defined universe.

But, as much as I'd love only to sing VENOMOUS' praises, there were a few downsides to note. The editing wasn't as good as it could have been, and that did detract from my overall enjoyment. And, aside from that, I was a little disgruntled by the "lesser mate" aspect, especially since Lumen made her opinions/fears well known and she still was pressured into the ceremony. Felt a LOT like rape via coercion. Speaking of which, the scene in the beginning of this novel is also very uncomfortable, for similar reasons. There was no intent to harm, or malicious acts, but our gal Lumen still ended up in a situation that I do not envy--she reasoned her way through it, made the best of it, and ended up figuring our why it happened, but reading about her introduction to alien sex was uncomfortable. That said, the consensual sex throughout the rest of the novel was awesome.

I recommend to readers who enjoy life-mate type romance, but aren't particular about inter-species relations ;) Those who find multiple partners exciting will find this titillating, as Luman has more than one "husband", and female-led polygamy is kinda an on-going theme.

OBSESSION by Jennifer Armentrout

4 Stars
This is a spin-off of Ms. Amrentrout's LUX series, and I really enjoyed it. Although LUX is YA, this is more NA, and there is sexual content.

OBSESSION is the alien equivalent of opposites attract. Serena is a (semi)sweet human and Hunter is an alien asshole. His one redeeming quality is his love for her...though it takes him a while to figure that shit out. Personalities aside, they have awesome chemistry.

I recommend to readers who enjoy light scifi, dominant (alien) men, adventure, and HEAs (Happily Ever Afters).

GRACIE'S TOUCH by S.E. Smith

3.5 Stars
The cover lacks sophistication, but don't let that stop you from enjoying this light scifi romance!

There are a handful of editing issues, and the first couple of chapters need work, but this novel hits its stride after a few tiny stumbles, and I'm glad I stuck it out to read the whole thing. This whole novel can be summed up easily: Gracie sacrifices herself to save earth from alien invaders only to mysteriously end up on a deserted planet, and is discovered several years by her soul mate. Oh, and then she kicks those alien assholes in the gonads again.

Gracie is awesome.

Overall this was a satisfying read, and I'd recommend it to those who enjoy life-mate type romances, readers who like strong, smart female protagonists, and fans of light scifi.

GRIM by M.K. Eidem

3.5 Stars
Once again, the cover is less than appealing to those seeking romance...but don't be fooled.

The main character is Lisa, a widowed mom of two little girls; she's strong, smart, and kind. I was surprised by how much I liked her and her resiliency. Grim is...grim. He has very little sense of self-worth, but ends up being a fantastic husband/father. I enjoyed the dynamics of this family as they got to know one another. Lisa and Grim have communication/species differences that add frustration and angst to the story, but it all ends up resolved for a HEA.

I didn't give GRIM 4 stars because there are grammar issues--commas are thing, Ms. Eidem--and because readers need to suspend belief a few times. For instance, the kidnapped earth gals don't show a whole lot of anger at their situation. Other than Lisa, they are single and childless, but that doesn't mean they lack other connections to our blue planet...and yet, there was little mention of homesickness or frustration (except the anger aimed at the Empress, though that was simulated and part of a subplot--intriguing, hm?).

Still, I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to fans of light scifi, those who enjoy slow-building trust and love, and family-oriented romance (Lisa's kids play a role in this story).

Raging Hormones: Naughty New Adults

The NA genre is relatively new, but that doesn't mean it lacks variety. As with all genres, finding "good" books is a matter of personal preference and perseverance. I've been on the prowl for NA romance, and I've found a couple worthy of note:

Ransom by Rachel Schurig

BFFs Daisy and Daltry go their separate ways after high school. She heads to college and he hits the road with his band. In real life, these crazy kids would probably never see each other again, especially since Daisy cuts off all contact. Thank god for fiction, amiright? There's mystery and trauma and words left unspoken, which all adds up to a dollop of frustrating angst, but the sweet build-up of love and trust is worth it. 

I should probably admit that I have a soft spot for high school sweethearts <3

The writing was good, and I enjoyed the characters. This novel rates 4 stars for me, and I'd recommend it to readers who enjoy fangirl romance, high school sweethearts, and angsty boyband drama. 

This novel surprised me. The blurb mentions "an embarrassing video" going viral...I may be alone in this, but a certain Kardashian popped into my brain. Lo and behold, RUMOR HAS IT is not about a stray sex tape. Surprising, right? Elizabeth Grace took this novel in a completely different direction, and I loved it. There were one or two parts that I thought were a *tad* preachy, but nothing over-the-top, and it didn't ruin my enjoyment. Thanks to the sweet, slow-building nature of the romance, and the unique approach to "limelight", this book lands a solid 4 stars for me.

I recommend RUMOR HAS IT to readers who enjoy inauspicious beginnings, romances where realistic characters overcome their past, and fans of celebrity-falls-for-girl-next-door novels.



Easy and Breakable by Tammara Webber

EASY has been on my TBR list foooooorever.Now I'm wishing that I hadn't waited so long to read it! I'm still emotionally connected to the characters after a week, and I will probably re-read (or re-skim, bc I'll go right to my fav parts) this novel a few times!

The writing was solid and the characters felt real--college-aged and just grown up enough to make adult-sized messes of their lives. The main conflict was two-fold, and both facets were well done, in my opinion. Ms. Webber made my heart melt, and for that I'm giving her novel a 4.5 :) The only reason this doesn't get 5 stars is because there are several instances of "telling" in the writing, and also because playing "the game" romantically was a turn-off initially. I hate reading about mind-twisting schemes meant to make the opposite sex go wild with lust/love.

This will appeal to New Adult fans who want romance and a plot that isn't focused on popularity, first love, or lusty sorority girls. The depth of this novel will appeal to readers who like their main characters to grow and reach beyond their comfort zones.

The companion novel to EASY is BREAKABLE

This is not just a retelling. In fact, I liked BREAKABLE a bit more than EASY! From LM's point of view, events take on a whole new meaning. Everything is more raw. More broken...and yet, I love him. It was easy to love someone so breakable, mostly because under all the heartache, it was apparent how good LM is. Ugh. Another crush to add to my list!--I swear, fictional hotties make up my daydreams!

Fans of EASY should buy this. Hands down, it's worth it. There were more instances of "telling" is this novel, but there's more than just a romance unfolding as well. In many ways, BREAKABLE is two stories, complete with flash-backs. More sad than happy, honestly...but that makes the sweet, heartfelt moments all the more enjoyable in my opinion. 


Hooked on the Game by C.M. Owens

College girl gets mowed down by heavy machinery--in her own house. Ouch. And then she's got to move in with the spoiled brat responsible for the demolition of said house. Double ouch. Is it a little cheesy? Yes. Did I enjoy every minute of it? Yes. 

This is a fun, light read with just enough YUM to make it a page-turner. The writing was solid, and the characters were fleshed out enough to make the story enjoyable (even if they weren't developed enough to feel real in the midst of the drama). The plot was interesting, starting with the machinery incident and ending with a honest-to-God con--a stretch, to be sure. However, this novel did what it was meant to do: entertained. I'm a big believer in considering what an author intends with his/her work, and this novel was obviously not meant to be a Nobel-prize winner...with that in mind, I'd give HOOKED ON THE GAME 3.5 stars. 

I'd recommend this to readers looking for a light, fun read. If you love tried-and-true opposite-sides-of-the-track romances, this is up your alley.

Literary Floodgates: Everything but the Kitchen Sink

A SHADE OF VAMPIRE by Bella Forrest

This gets 3 stars--not because it's fundamentally flawed, but because it's average. The writing is neither amazing nor atrocious, the concept is intriguing but I think most people will agree that vampires are horrendously over-done, and the main character is reminiscent of the lackluster Bella Swan (without Ms. Swan's fine taste in literature, I might add). Overall, it was a short, quick read that can fill up a few hours if you're bored and in need of a quick reading fix to fuel your novel addiction.

HALF-BLOOD by Jennifer L. Armentrout

3.5 stars
This is a Vampire Academy-esque novel. Fun, but not overly original. I really like the LUX series, but HALF-BLOOD lacked its creativity. Still, this was entertaining and well-written. I'd recommend it to fans of YA.


GRAVE MERCY by Robin LaFevers

This was an interesting book. I was torn about rating it at first, mostly because of my personal preference (I lean more towards high fantasy). The writing in GRAVE MERCY was solid, and the concept was cool, but this lacked the adventure and depth I crave. However, I'm giving it 4 stars. Readers who like a smooth, easy-to-read fantasy will like this novel. There aren't a lot of surprises in the plot, but there's a healthy dose of morbidity. (ha)


RADIANCE by Grave Draven

4.5 stars
I got my fantasy fix of the month from Ms. Draven, thanks to this novel. I read MASTER OF CROWS sometime last year and put her on my automatic-buy list, but RADIANCE totally took the prize. Draven is phenomenal. If you're a fan of Beauty and the Beast, buy this. If you're a fan of fantasy, buy this. Hell, if you're a fan of reading, buy this.

The romance is sweet, and blossoms slowly; it's wonderfully fleshed out. No insta-love, thank all my lucky stars! *coughcough* however, there is adult content in RADIANCE--and it's totally yum, even if Beauty and her Beast are, uh, different.


THORN by Intisar Khanani

3.5 stars

I've got a lot of mixed feelings about this book. The fairy tale of The Goose Girl has been around a long time. To be blunt, THORN does not, in my mind, compete with Shannon Hale's THE GOOSE GIRL. While Khanani's writing, plot, and worldbuilding were all great (seriously, this author can write), I couldn't keep from comparing this novel to Ms. Hale's novel. It was hard to be invested in THORN because I already knew everything that was going to happen--there was nothing truly new and exciting about this retelling. For instance, the magic aspect feels thrown-in, not vital to the plot EXCEPT for when it's used as a device to drop the princess into her new body. And then we forget about magic. In Hale's version, that is not the case, and it was easier to connect to her world because it was enriched by daily magic as an accepted part of that world. But anyway, I digress. Fans should read both and make up their own minds...both versions are entertaining, and the writing is more than passable. As with everything, it comes down to personal preference.

Bookgasm: Night Huntress Series

I have a dirty little secret. 

It's embarrassing, really, how I let it build up. First there was just one. I told myself I would stop because it wasn't prudent. Or respectable. But then I let myself slip, and I added more to my collection.

Now it is hidden under my bed, and in the darkest shadows of my closet, stacked in deceptively neat piles. 

No, not dead bodies. 

My dirty little secret isn't illegal (in this country)--it's books. Very smutty books. Smuttiest of the smutty, in fact. But despite the incredible number of naughty novels, only a few authors stand out. At the top of my go-to list is Jeaniene Frost.

If you're a fan of Gena Showalter or Kresley Cole, you'll love Jeaniene Frost. And I mean LOVE.

I needed to scratch my paranormal romance itch, and I was randomly browsing Goodreads' Listopia when I came across Frost. Her ratings are impressive and I had to check out what the big deal was. I had no idea what I was getting into, and I actually ended up starting her series backwards on accident--oops!

But you want to know the funny thing? Even without a clue about what I was cannon-balling into, I fell in love. Her writing is easy and fun, but her characters are full and vibrant and real. Well, as real as badass vampires can be ;P 

The girls are spunky--no wimps here!--and the men aren't just hulking chauvinists, as in many romance novels. *blissful sigh* It is so rare to stumble upon such a great series! Especially since her novels are fast-paced and full of twists and turns. Nothing so easy as a bite-and-bang, that's for sure.

If you've never read her work, be aware that the sexy scenes made me blush--and I've been hoarding a dirty little secret. I've read a lot, but Frost keeps things interesting. My only comment on the smut: I hate the word loins, so the repeated use of it bothered the heck out of me...otherwise, expect a bookgasm. 

Overall, the first three books in this series rates a solid 4 stars from me. Some of her novels, of course, rate higher or lower than others, but the quality of the writing is fangtastic. *begs forgiveness* --I couldn't help the pun! =P

Growing Pains: BRIGHTLY WOVEN

I tend to call things as I see 'em, and sometimes that means posting reviews that aren't glowing. I won't ever straight-up diss a book, but my opinion--good and bad--is kinda the whole point of this blog. Don't hate.

BRIGHTLY WOVEN squeezed 3 stars outta me, and that was with every drop of goodwill I could spare.

This is one of those books I wanted to love. I tried, but I only managed to glean a little affection by the end...the spark just wasn't there for me.

Why? Because my writer-brain kicked in. All I could think, constantly, was that this novel needed to be split up. There's too much information, too much going on--it is a cool concept, but there wasn't room for this story.

Part of my discontent, I guess, was a lack of empathy with Sydelle. I wanted to experience more with her, but there was a LOT of "telling" in this novel. We were told she felt this way or didn't feel that way. We were told that she saw so-and-so or wanted a thingy-ma-bob. It got to the point where I wanted to skip chapters because I was frustrated--with the book and myself. Normally I can sync with a book, and really see what an author is going for...you know, like picture everything in my head. I couldn't manage it most of the time with BRIGHTLY WOVEN.

The romance--which is one of the selling points in the blurb--isn't enough to get your panties in a twist. In fact, I didn't get romance vibes for most of the book. I picked up on frustration and anger and confusion and a smidge of attraction....but romance? Not so much.

And let's be honest: North is kind of a douche. He has sweet moments, sure, but he is mostly a wound-up mess of mommy issues and secrets. His curse-thingy sucks, yes, but most of this novel is him covering up the truth and leaving Sydelle in the dark...for no good reason. The ENTIRE plot hinges on him being a liar, basically. (seriously, if he'd told Sydelle why he wanted her to tag along, the book could have been sooooooo much different. And--dare I say it?--more interesting.)

Was the magic cool? Yes. Was the world cool? Also yes. Did we see enough of either? No. This world could have been epic. Sydelle's a literal natural disaster with the ability to weave magic...but we hardly see that because we got bogged down with everything else.

Summary? 
-Hard to connect with main character.
-The romance was lackluster.
-The magic and worldbuilding needed more room to grow.




I gave this 3 stars because the story itself is an awesome concept, even though the final product didn't wet my whistle. But, like with all books, maybe someone else gives this 5/5...gotta love how personal the reading experience is ;)

Decadently Dark: SHADOW AND BONE

 I avoided this series without every stopping to think about why.

Sometimes a book/series/author becomes familiar, blending in with the rest of the information we learn to temper. Like when Twilight suddenly exploded onto everything and millions of tweens lost their pubescent minds. A lot of older people did the internal cringe--you know what I'm talking about. It's a lot like grade school cooties. They may or may not be real, but you don't want to be the one to find out. (ha! TwiHards have cooties!)

...it's fear. Seriously.

I cringe internally a lot more than I should. I feel like I've been duped one too many times. Which is why I hate hype. If my writing ever takes off, I'm sure I'll regret saying hype is evil, but as a reader, it remains the truth. And it's not because people lie. It's not because everything on the market is crap.

Basically, in a nutshell: It's me, not you.

Except I'm not breaking up with publishing. I'm just saying that I'm an individual, and my tastes reflect that. So imagine my absolute shock when I read SHADOW AND BONE by Leigh Bardugo...

When I say this is a tale of "Don't judge a book by it's cover", I mean it. I passed this book over more times than I can count. I'm not gonna lie: the gothic feel of the cover art doesn't draw me in and neither does the title. It was easy for me to overlook.

...the writing was not so easy to dismiss. In fact, Bardugo totally surprised me. Swept me off my feet, even. I won't go so far as to say that I would have run away to Vegas with this book, but I did swoon a little. Maybe more than a little.

Okay, fine. I totally loved SHADOW AND BONE.

I don't like ruining books by giving away secrets, so I'll keep my raving to a minimum. And, of course, I have to start with Alina. She's scrawny and clumsy and totally in love with a playboy, starting on page 1. Kinda impossible not to feel bad for the girl. Behind the exterior, she's smart and funny and loyal. And so sad.

And then, of course, she's swept up into this story...and I was swept up with her.

Bardugo's characters are great, and her plot is wicked--but it's her worldbuilding that sets her apart. I've never read about anywhere quite like Ravka. The Grisha, the steampunk element, the Unsea...it's enthralling. Add in The Darkling and I'm salivating.

And then Mal makes his entrance--his real entrance. We don't see who he is until the novel is almost finished, but it's worth it. I fell for the kid. And by kid, I mean hunk. I'll just say this: Bardugo gave this story the right amount of romance. The love-triangle-thing was interesting, but it didn't overpower an actual plot. Did keep me guessing for a while, though ;)

Ultimately, this is a quest novel. Alina needs something, and we spend a LOT of time following her around as she tries to find it. But it didn't feel like a quest. Readers don't yawn between descriptions of each landmark. That is a testament to Bardugo's skill in weaving the characters, plot, and world into every page.

I'll post about books 2 &3 later.