Review: Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley

Title:  Sweet Dreams
Author:  Kristen Ashley
Series:  Colorado Mountain, #2
Publisher:  N/A
Release Date:  April 23, 2011
Pages:  kindle edition, 562
Rating:  

 
Nina Sheridan’s on a timeout adventure in the Colorado Mountains. She needs distance from her clueless fiancé, distance to decide whether she wants to spend the rest of her life with a man who doesn’t care enough to learn how she takes her coffee.

Arriving in a blinding snowstorm at the A-Frame she rented, she comes face to face with the most amazing man she’s ever seen. Minutes later, when he kicks her out of his house, she goes head to head with him.

Beyond angry because she’s flown half a world away to start her timeout adventure, not to mention her sinuses hurt, she heads back down the mountain and ends up in a ditch. Unable to extricate herself, she gives up, hopes for rescue and falls asleep in the backseat.

The next morning she wakes up in the amazing man’s bed and she’s sick as a dog.

Holden Maxwell spends days nursing her back to health and then he spends the next two weeks trying to convince her to take her Colorado adventure further, in other words, make it permanent and take a gamble on him.

Nina has a tough time fighting her attraction to Max, especially when it seems all Max’s friends, her mother and stepdad and the whole town want them together and both she and Max get embroiled in the murder of Max’s ex-friend and the town of Gnaw Bone’s most detested resident – a man everyone has motive to kill, especially Max.

“Tatum Jackson, you’re lucky you’re a smokin’ hot, badass, biker, bounty hunter who looks good in jeans and is a good dad and I love you or you would seriously not be worth it.”

I have tried this book four times and I have finally made it past a point where I enjoyed it. It was like having a battle. SWEET DREAMS felt dead. I'm going to refrase that. It felt dead in the first half of the book to me. I despised the first half of the book. I"m going to be honest. I hated the first half of the book. I think this book had took a complete 180 turn where I didn't expect that we would be thrown into a completely different town and atmosphere compared to the first book. And I wish it revolved around the first book, the same town, the same characters. Me not liking this whole new change, is an understatment.

Now the second half of SWEET DREAMS was more my style and I"m glad that I made it to that part of the book to continue on because the second half was beautifully written and at that point I could not stop reading. What I didn't like in the beginning. The heroine, Lauren was such a bore and she felt like her life ended, because her husband cheated on her for five years, so she moves to a crappy ass town and becomes a waitress. Like what? I"m just going to say I didn't really connect with her that much. She came off as annoying the first half.

“His forehead dropped to touch mine. “I’m gonna piss you off ‘cause I can be a dick. That’s who I am. And you’re gonna piss me off ‘cause, babe, you got attitude. That’s who you are. And that’s who we’re comin’ out to be together. And I’m all right with that because, with what I had before, even when you’re a bitch, I like it. But when you’re not, it’s a sweetness the like I’ve never tasted.”

Tate and Lauren are fighting through the beginning of the book or not getting along because Tate was a FUCKING JERK and suddenly, like that with a snap of a finger, they are all like baby this and baby that. I mean, where the hell did the character/relationship development go?! And I swear if Lauren says sorry one more time I'm going to go bonkers. I guess I wished the first half of the book could of went differently.

And now the second half of SWEET DREAMS we had a good storyline with Tate's ex causing trouble and Tate's son in te mix and I had my eyes glued to the page from that storyline. Tate's ex, Neeta was a total bitch and Tate's son, Jonas was so adorable it was hard to believe he was only 10 years old. I love when children are thrown into the mix in a book, because it mixes things up and they are always o cute. I fell in love with Jonas!

SWEET DREAMS was a hell of a book and it did have it's moments, but I wish the first half of the book could have been written a bit differently or something. For me the first half didn't sit well and it caused me to wanna drop this book so many times, but I'm glad I stuck with it, because the second half made it well worth my while. I'm looking forward to more from the lovey, Kristen Ashley.

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Review: Heaven by Jet Mykles

Title:  Heaven
Author:  Evangeline Anderson
Series:  Heaven Sent
Publisher:  Loose Id, LLC
Release Date:  May 30, 2006
Pages:  123, ebook
Rating:  

 

The Weiss Strande Hotel is in trouble. Business just isn't what it used to be when Tyler’s father ran the family-owned hotel. On top of business being down, dad's sick with cancer and bills have skyrocketed.

Desperate to save his family interest, Tyler and his best friend sink their hopes and what's left of their money into a new venture: a nightclub at the hotel. It's imperative that the White Room is a success, or else the hotel will go under. Lady Luck seems to be with them, however, because they manage to sign the mega-popular rock group Heaven Sent to play the grand opening.

Already a huge fan of the group, Tyler couldn't be more excited to welcome them to his hotel. He's not at all prepared for the bomb of lust that hits him when he's finally face-to-face with the painfully gorgeous lead singer, Johnnie Heaven. No, it couldn't be lust. Yes, Johnnie's probably the most beautiful person he's ever seen, but Tyler is straight. It must be a misguided form of hero worship that he's feeling.

Tyler finds out that he and Johnnie share an obsession: video games. When Johnnie invites Tyler to his room to play, Tyler jumps at the chance. Who wouldn't snap up the opportunity to spend time with their idol? He and Johnnie have a great time with the games, but Tyler soon discovers that Johnnie's got more in mind. The rock star aims to introduce Tyler to a whole new level of game play.

“Oh, I do like the longer hair.” Tyler gasped. “Fuck you.” “Your wish. My command.”

HEAVEN by Jet Mykles was so freaking adorable! I absolutely loved this book! It would definitely be one of those books I would recommend to M/M first timers!

“Shit. Fine. I’ll come.” “Oh, yes. You will. Many times, if I have any say in the matter.”

We have rockstar, Johnnie Heavens who I am absolutely in love with and Tyler Purcell who is so very much attracted to Johnnie, but is "not gay". It was very cute seeing these two develop their relationship and be fully together by the end of the book!

Tyler fought for freedom with little success. “Never mind. Let me go.” “Not a chance,” Johnnie murmured, lowering his lips to nuzzle the sensitive spot behind Tyler’s ear. “I missed you.”

It is one of those very short cute M/M Romances, but worth every minute of your time! I have a feeling that I am going to fly by these Heaven Sent books quite quickly!

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Review: Magic Rises by Ilona Andrews

Title:  Magic Rises
Author:  Ilona Andrews
Series:  Kate Daniels, #6
Publisher:  Ace
Release Date:  July 30, 2013
Pages:  327
Rating:  

 
Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.

Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.

Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap…

“One word,” he whispered, his voice taut with suppressed anger. “Say one word, and I’ll rip him apart. He won’t see the sunrise.” I looked into his eyes and realized he would.

I feel like I have been FOREVER for MAGIC RISES. I think been going totally insane for my Curran and Kate fix! But don't worry I am okay, I finally got that bloody book in my paws! YEEESSHHHH! Okay, enough about my nut of a self. MAGIC RISES was definitely a tad bit different from the previous books in the Kate Daniels Series.

The babies of the pack are dying because they can't handle the beast transformation, so the European packs have the medicine that reduces a child from going loup and Kate and Curran will do anything to get it. They will have to travel there and play into the hands of the European Pack. And we obviously know it's a trap of some kind, so Andrea, Rapheal, Mahon, and a few others tag along.

I wasn't a huge fan of this book taking place somewhere else, or the characters of the European pack. We still got that Kate Daniels aura though where it still felt like a Kate Daniels book. MAGIC RISES was so emotionally grinding to your heart in more ways than one. Kate and Curran are never boring and that fact still remains to be true.

He kissed my hair. “I’m used to watching for people with swords,” I told him. “I never saw the knife. You were too close.” “Kate, I didn’t stab you.” “Are you sure? Because it still hurts.”

Their relationship continues to grow, but there are moments in this book that literally breaks your heart in half! I WANTED TO SCREAM! I WANTED TO THROW THINGS ACROSS THE ROOM! And I WANTED TO SHOOT CURRAN IN THE LEG! And by the end I wanted to kiss Curran. I can't explain it! You'll just have to read it. But still those two make me SWOON! My heart goes to Kate as always. She is one hell of a woman and doesn't let anyone push her down. ANd I loved getting those "don't mess with me" moments

I think we're getting closer to meeting Roland. I for one can't wait for that to happen! It will forever be an EPIC MOMENT. I know that even before I end up reading it. Hugh finally makes an appearance and I have a love/hate relationship for the little bastard. The second half of the book was more Kate Daniels bad ass style and I loved it.

By now, from several rumors, I'm sure you know that a character dies in MAGIC RISES. I am pissed about. For me, every side character I ABSOLUTELY LOVE! I have a place in my heart for all of them, so I would be pissed for any of them to die. But this particular character really made an impact in the series and I was sad to see them go. I say, Peace, I Love you and you will forever be remembered. All and all, a pretty awesome book! OMFG to the ending, please continue! I'm looking forward to the next as always, so HURRY UP AND RELEASE ALREADY!!!

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Most Wanted Reads: Into the Dark by Bree Despain

Most Wanted Reads is inspired by Waiting on Wednesday hosted/created by Breaking the Spine. I just wanted to personalize it a little bit for me.

Destinies change, so do the fates
of both their worlds.

 

Haden Lord, the disgraced prince of the Underrealm, has been sent to the mortal world to entice a girl into returning with him to the land of the dead. Posing as a student at Olympus Hills High—a haven for children of the rich and famous—Haden must single out the one girl rumored to be able to restore immortality to his race.

Daphne Raines has dreams much bigger than her tiny southern Utah town, so when her rock star dad suddenly reappears, offering her full tuition to Olympus Hills High’s prestigious music program, she sees an opportunity to catch the break she needs to make it as a singer. But upon moving into her estranged father’s mansion in California, and attending her glamorous new school, Daphne soon realizes she isn’t the only student in Olympus who doesn’t quite belong.

Haden and Daphne—destined for each other—know nothing of the true stakes their fated courtship entails. As war between the gods brews, the teenagers’ lives collide. But Daphne won’t be wooed easily and when it seems their prophesied link could happen, Haden realizes something he never intended—he’s fallen in love. Now to save themselves, Haden and Daphne must rewrite their destinies. But as their destinies change, so do the fates of both their worlds.

 

 
So YA Fantasy-ish books are really iffy with me. I could love it or hate it, but saying that, when I came across this book on Goodreads I couldn't stop myself from adding it to my shelf. When I do read it, I really hope I enjoy it, because that synopsis is, "Off the chain!" Sounds amazing! Hope it will be amazing too!

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Most Wanted Reads: Grave Visions by Kalayna Price

Most Wanted Reads is inspired by Waiting on Wednesday hosted/created by Breaking the Spine. I just wanted to personalize it a little bit for me.

Whoever said dead men tell no tales
obviously never met Alex Craft.

 

 

If you want to hear voices from the dead in Nekros City, you call Alex Craft. She's a Grave Witch with reasonable rates and extraordinary powers, who specializes in revealing the secrets of the dead. But now she's the one fighting to keep her own secret. She's not human — and her newly discovered heritage is causing havoc for her both in the human realm and in Faerie. But her status as an unaffiliated fae also makes her an ideal candidate to investigate a new street drug that has surfaced in several of the spaces between the human and fae worlds.

This glamour-infused drug causes hallucinations that turn real — at least for a while and often with deadly consequences. Searching for the source of this drug — and its purpose — lands Alex front and center in the conflict brewing in Faerie and she must find answers before she's dragged so deep she loses her freedom.

 

 

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Review: Fantastical by Kristen Ashley

Title:  Fantastical
Author:  Kristen Ashley
Series:  Fantasyland, #3
Publisher:  N/A
Release Date:  November 1, 2011
Pages:  kindle edition, 338
Rating:  

 

Cora Goode has woken up in a fairytale world where she can understand what birds are saying to her, men ride horses and have fluffy feathers in their hats and furniture zigs, zags and whirls in miracles of construction.

The problem is, she thinks she’s in a dream but she’s actually taken the place of the parallel universe Cora and without realizing it, our Cora does something that starts a centuries old curse that will sweep the land if she gets captured by the evil Minerva.

At this point, her dream world becomes a nightmare.

Luckily, hot guy, fantasyland Noctorno is there to save her from the clutches of the grotesque vickrants sent by Minerva to capture her. Unfortunately, hot guy, fantasyland Noctorno doesn’t like the Cora of his world all that much (to say the least) and he thinks our Cora is her. And no matter what our Cora says or does to try to convince him, he won’t be convinced.

But Cora needs Tor to keep her safe and guide her through this fantastical world as she hopes one day to wake up in her not-so-great apartment in her not-so-great life in her world. The problem is, the more time she spends with the gorgeous warrior Tor, the faster she falls in love with him.

“Quiet,” he repeated on a growl, “I’m about to fuck my wife and the only words I want her saying when I do it are ‘yes’, ‘Tor’, ‘my prince’, ‘baby’ and ‘oh my God’.”

FANTASTICAL wasn't all that great. Didn't dig the plot all that much. And I think that is because I had such high expectations due to how amazing the last book was. I mean, it could've been better than it was. But make no mistake, it was still very enjoyable. I am loving Kristen Ashley's Mega Swoon-Worthy Alpha Male Heros! They turn me on so bad!

Yet again, our heroine is thrown into an alternate universe world, and oh, man I am loving that plot! I always loved the time travel type books! So wickedly awesome! Anyway, The world/land this time is very fairytale like. Our heroine, Cora, can talk to birds, there are horses and hot princes. The Cora of this fairytale world is now in Cora's human/earth world. Cora learns that the Cora of the fairytale world is a bitch, so Cora has some work cut out for her because a lot of people hate her.

“Do you have to have the last word?” I snapped. “Yes,” he returned. “Jerk,” I gritted out. “Cow,” he returned. Oh my God! He just called me a cow! “I hate you,” I spat. “That feeling, my love, is mutual,” he returned.”

We have Prince Noctorno, who we just call Tor. And he doesn't like Cora of his world very much, so him and Cory butt heads a lot. And he doesn't believe her crazy story. They eventually begin falling for each other HARD. I think Cora and Tor are so adorable together. But man, these princes/kings in this Fantasyland series are so possessive. I get it, but man, oh man! We do have another act that I find somewhat unforgivable and cruel that our Prince does. I was totally hating on him a lot for some time.

So FANTASTICAL did have its moments, but like I said, I didn't dig the plot all that much, and I just didn't connect with it all that much, like I did with the previous book. And I did have major annoyances from our main characters a lot, with things they did and said. I did enjoy the ending a great deal! I think that was my favorite part of the book! But that being said, I can't wait for the next book! Awesome stuff is in the works.

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Review: The Gamble by Kristen Ashley

Title:  The Gamble
Author:  Kristen Ashley
Series:  Colorado Mountain, #1
Publisher:  N/A
Release Date:  April 18, 2011
Pages:  kindle edition, 629
Rating:  

Nina Sheridan’s on a timeout adventure in the Colorado Mountains. She needs distance from her clueless fiancé, distance to decide whether she wants to spend the rest of her life with a man who doesn’t care enough to learn how she takes her coffee.

Arriving in a blinding snowstorm at the A-Frame she rented, she comes face to face with the most amazing man she’s ever seen. Minutes later, when he kicks her out of his house, she goes head to head with him.

Beyond angry because she’s flown half a world away to start her timeout adventure, not to mention her sinuses hurt, she heads back down the mountain and ends up in a ditch. Unable to extricate herself, she gives up, hopes for rescue and falls asleep in the backseat.

The next morning she wakes up in the amazing man’s bed and she’s sick as a dog.

Holden Maxwell spends days nursing her back to health and then he spends the next two weeks trying to convince her to take her Colorado adventure further, in other words, make it permanent and take a gamble on him.

Nina has a tough time fighting her attraction to Max, especially when it seems all Max’s friends, her mother and stepdad and the whole town want them together and both she and Max get embroiled in the murder of Max’s ex-friend and the town of Gnaw Bone’s most detested resident – a man everyone has motive to kill, especially Max.

“You just need to know, I gotta fight to keep what we got so we can build on it, I will. Him, your Dad, you, I don’t give a fuck. In my life, I’ve learned when to let shit go and when to fight. This, babe, what we got, I’ll fight for.”

There is no way, I repeat, no way, no words that can present themselves to how FUCKING AMAZING this book was. THE GAMBLE was one of the best contemporary romance books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. I admit that I was nervous at first seeing that this book was 624 pages in ebook form. That is long for a book to me and what if I don't like it. Quickly into the book, my worries were lost. I can't believe I read such a long book in 2 days, I rarely ever do that! But honest to god, I have never loved a book so much in a while!

I knew before I even took this timeout that Niles and I were never going to work and I realized that I’d known that for a long time. I’d either fallen out of love with him or he’d bored the love out of me.

Nina Sheridan is on a timeout from England, from her fiancé, Niles, who seems not to care at all. Nina wants more in this relationship, despite being with Niles she still feels alone, so she takes a trip to Colorado and rents this beautiful house only to get there and the owner, Holden Maxwell kicks her out and begins the showdown of Nina and Max! Nina later is caught out in the cold and got sick and Max ends up bringing her back to the house to take care of her and somehow she ends up staying at the house with him together, thus begins Max wooing Nina.

“I was your man, you were halfway around the world from me, honey, I’d fucking phone you … If you told me you needed a timeout, first, I wouldn’t fuckin’ let you have one. Second, I wouldn’t give you reason to fuckin’ want one. And last, you took off anyway, I’d fuckin’ phone.”

Holden Maxwell is everything I want in a man! He is sweet, gentle, kind, funny, entertaining, loves to tease his woman, A LOT! And he is 100% Alpha Male Material! I fell in love with this man early on, I mean right away. And how many times did this man make me smile, giggle and fall out of my bed laughing? Well, let's see....Hmmmm...ONLY ABOUT 100 TIMES! Max has lived and been through a lot and when Nina comes into his life, he finally finds happiness again and doesn't hesitate to fight for it! And Oh.my.god. I love it when he calls her, Duchess!

I wondered if I could make it to Denver then to England before anyone discovered Max’s body. Then I wondered if anyone would bother with extradition if they figured out it was me who did the deed.

Nina is a girl who is lost and looking for an answer to if she should just settle and marry a man, who doesn't even know how she takes her coffee after all of this time. At first, you don't really see it, until you get a little bit more into the book, but Nina has been through a lot! She has been through hell and back and she deserves to get happiness too and feel secure and not alone. Nina fights what could happen between Max and her a lot through THE GAMBLE where I am banging my head against the wall. Woman, don't you see he is the man for you?! But Max fights for it and wins it!

“Babe,” he replied, grinning then said no more. Still being helpful, I explained, “I know you think that word speaks volumes but, I have to tell you, it actually doesn’t.”

Together these two are so HOT! I seriously could not get enough of Max and Nina! And plus the sex is so hot! Yum! I Love Max and Nina's bickering and Max teasing Nina and calling her Duchess and Baby! And when he says, Babe like it answers Nina's every question. I most likely had about 52 swoon moments in this book! How can a couple be so freaking adorable? It was hard to read Nina wanting to leave Max and not talking to him about the things that were bothering her. I wanted to SCREAM at her, TALK TO HIM! Just don't give up! But Max saved the day more times than one!

“Haven’t had breakfast,” Jeff replied too casually. “Well, that’s just awful,” I noted, making this news sound dire, my eyes going to his hands. “No wife to fill your belly before a hard day of the God’s honest work of tackling crime?” Max’s head came up and he made a strangled noise which I hoped was him choking back laughter because he thought I was cute. “Nope,” Jeff answered through his grin.”

Max and Nina were not the only reason I loved the book! I absolutely love it when an author is able to get me to love the book with absolutely everything she throws in. I loved the side characters and their problems and drama going on and I love how everyone knows everyone in this town and everyone is in everyone's business, knowing everything, gossip, whatnot! So there was never a dull moment in this book. I enjoyed it immensely. Many WTF moments, which this girl right here loves! I loved this sexy Mountain Man and I want MORE! I cannot wait to dig my claws into the next Colorado Mountain book!

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