One Night in Paris by Lucy Felthouse
Tirgearr Publishing
Book Two in the City Nights series
Erotica
Published June 26, 2014
Source: Received from author in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca
Why I picked up this book:
I liked the concept.
Thursday, July 31, 2014
One Night in Paris by Lucy Felthouse
One Night in Paris by Lucy Felthouse
Tirgearr Publishing
Book Two in the City Nights series
Erotica
Published June 26, 2014
Source: Received from author in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca
Why I picked up this book:
I liked the concept.
Wednesday, July 30, 2014
One Plus One by Jojo Moyes
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Top Ten Tuesday - July 29, 2014
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme from The Broke and the Bookish in which they post a book-related top ten every - you guessed it! - Tuesday.
This week the theme is Ten Authors I Own the Most Books From.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Tempting Her Reluctant Viscount by Catherine Hemmerling
Tempting Her Reluctant Viscount by Catherine Hemmerling
Entangled: Scandalous
Book Three in the Lady Lancaster Garden Society Series
Historical Romance
Published July 8, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com
Why I picked up this book:
I loved the blurb. It just made me grin.
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Sunday Update - July 27, 2014
Every other Sunday I try to post a general news post. These might preview things I'm planning for the two weeks following, they might reflect on books I'm looking forward to, or that I've recently heard of and want to discuss.
I'm hooking into:
Today's post is going to have a few sections:
1. General Update
2. Currently...
3. Last Week
4. The Week Ahead
5. Stats
I'm hooking into:
This is a meme hosted by the Caffeinated Book Reviewer wherein everyone gets to share their news for the week. It's a great opportunity to see what's happening out there in the blogosphere, so go check out some other Sunday Posters!
Today's post is going to have a few sections:
1. General Update
2. Currently...
3. Last Week
4. The Week Ahead
5. Stats
Stacking the Shelves - July 26, 2014
Stacking the Shelves is an awesome meme hosted by Tynga's Review.
Bloggers share the books they've received, bought, borrowed - and I collect more and more books for my 'must acquire' list.
My daughter started morning preschool classes this week (three mornings, a couple of hours), and I chose to kill time in a Chapters one day...
Friday, July 25, 2014
BLOG TOUR: Addicted by Tracy Wolff
Released on July 15th, 2014, Addicted by Tracy Wolff concludes the story of Ethan Frost and Chloe Girard - who were first introduced to us in Ruined, which I reviewed here.
Swing by the Romance at Random blog to check out the other tour stops!
Thursday, July 24, 2014
The Last Kings of Sark by Rosa Rankin-Gee
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
BLOG TOUR: How to Date Dead Guys by Ann M Noser
I'm a fan of Curiosity Quills Press - they've been very generous with review copies and so when I decided I was ready to branch out beyond my normal routine here on the blog, signing up for one of their blog tours was a no-brainer.
Released on July 14th, 2014, How to Date Dead Guys by Ann M. Noser is a new adult, urban fantasy novel that has a lighter touch than traditional urban fantasy.
Tuesday, July 22, 2014
COVER REVEAL: The Undead: Playing for Keeps by Elsie Elmore
I am thrilled to be included in today's very exciting cover reveal. The book is called The Undead: Playing for Keeps. Written by Elsie Elmore and published by Curiosity Quills Press, this young adult, paranormal romance is scheduled for release on September 3rd, 2014.
Before the big reveal, let me entice you with this blurb:
"When an undead woman with serious de-comp issues stalks
sixteen-year-old Lyla Grimm, her hope of rescuing her rock-bottom reputation
takes a back seat. Especially once Lyla’s new talent of resurrecting the
dead draws the attention of Eric, a Grim Reaper with a guitar and
a chip on his shoulder.
While Lyla navigates the gossip-ridden halls, Eric works to
gain her trust and discover why Death’s clients aren’t staying down. If she
passes on her gift, his death-messenger destiny might be
altered. But the closer he gets to Lyla, the less sure he is of his
plan. The dead are way easier to deal with than the living.
Gossip explodes, the Grimm family implodes, and desperation
sets in. Death wants the gift and a soul. Lyla and Eric face hard choices with
hidden consequences. Sometimes life’s choices aren’t really choices at
all.."
This debut novel from Elmore intrigues me - I love books that turn death into a character or that feature a Grim Reaper character.
If that wasn't enough to hook you, check out the cover!
The Suffragette Scandal by Courtney Milan
The Suffragette Scandal by Courtney Milan
Self-Pubbed
Book 4 in the Brothers Sinister
Historical Romance
Published July 15, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com
Why I picked up this book:
I've enjoyed Milan's books in the past, and I love clever heroines in historical romances.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Queen of Wands by Katee Robert
Queen of Wands by Katee Robert
Entangled: Select
Book Three in the Sanctify Series
Romance, Science Fiction
Published June 24, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Why I picked up this book:
I liked the implication of the tarot theme as well as the romance and science fiction meld.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Quick Update!
Regular readers will have noticed that the blog went dark mid-week. It was with good reason: my little sister had her baby on Wednesday! I left Tuesday morning and was gone through the end of the week visiting with the new mom and her wee girl, and I had very limited access to the internet during that time.
Things should be back on track this week - and, in fact, I will be participating in my first two blog tours later in the week, so please check back for those!
Things should be back on track this week - and, in fact, I will be participating in my first two blog tours later in the week, so please check back for those!
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Last of the Red Hot Cowboys by Tina Leonard
The Basics:
Last of the Red Hot Cowboys by Tina Leonard
Loveswept
Book One of Hell's Outlaws
Romance
Published June 24, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Why I picked up this book:
I've got a thing for cowboys.
Blurb:
Ava Buchanan dreams of a career on the rodeo circuit. Winning a spot on a one-of-a-kind team would be her ticket to the life she’s always wanted. Ava won’t let anyone stand in her way—not even a stubborn cowboy whose slow-molasses smile and red-hot swagger set her senses aflame . . . and whose talents as a trainer could make her a star. Rodeo might be a man’s game, but Ava knows the right woman’s touch can tame the wildest heart.
Trace Carter believes his mayor’s plan to raise the town’s profile has disaster written all over it, and he won’t allow the Hell’s Outlaws Training Center to be dragged into the fiasco. Yet watching Ava’s delectable body on horseback proves too much of a temptation, and his fantasies stray to her riding skills outside the arena. Soon Trace is fighting like hell to rein in his unbridled desire for the petite brunette before it becomes a passion hotter than the Texas sun.
My thoughts:
Last of the Red Hot Cowboys fell far short of the mark, for me. This book felt dated, with chest-beating, manly men and scheming women. It definitely reminded me of some of the first romance novels I read, that had been published in the 1980s and 1990s. The gender stereotypes were out in full force, and it made me extremely uncomfortable.
Trace is a manly man - a former military man who now runs a training center with his two best friends. It's a men-only zone - one of the foundations on which the business is built is that women aren't welcome. And of course, they live in 'Hell' - a town that's short on women as it is.
Until Mayor Judy - who basically runs around scheming and manipulating and promising her Sheriff boyfriend his Saturday Night Special if he keeps her happy - brings in three gorgeous women that she wants to train as rodeo clowns to raise the profile of her small town. Or, you know, she wants to pair off with these three friends. Because that's what scheming mayors do. Truly, she spends so much time running around with her team and shaking her fist at Ivy, a woman who has her eye on Judy's boyfriend, I wanted to know what her actual duties as mayor were.
I felt extremely uncomfortable not only because Judy brought the women to town on false pretenses, but also because of how the stereotypes played out. Trace's thoughts were cringeworthy - women as delicate flowers or else manipulative.
This is very much a men vs women type romance and I did not enjoy it at all.
Bottom line:
Not my cup of tea, Last of the Red Hot Cowboys struck the wrong notes for me with the gender stereotyping and manipulation. This one might be fun if you can see past those things or if you're *really* into cowboys.
2 stars
For fans of cowboys.
Last of the Red Hot Cowboys by Tina Leonard
Loveswept
Book One of Hell's Outlaws
Romance
Published June 24, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Why I picked up this book:
I've got a thing for cowboys.
Blurb:
Ava Buchanan dreams of a career on the rodeo circuit. Winning a spot on a one-of-a-kind team would be her ticket to the life she’s always wanted. Ava won’t let anyone stand in her way—not even a stubborn cowboy whose slow-molasses smile and red-hot swagger set her senses aflame . . . and whose talents as a trainer could make her a star. Rodeo might be a man’s game, but Ava knows the right woman’s touch can tame the wildest heart.
Trace Carter believes his mayor’s plan to raise the town’s profile has disaster written all over it, and he won’t allow the Hell’s Outlaws Training Center to be dragged into the fiasco. Yet watching Ava’s delectable body on horseback proves too much of a temptation, and his fantasies stray to her riding skills outside the arena. Soon Trace is fighting like hell to rein in his unbridled desire for the petite brunette before it becomes a passion hotter than the Texas sun.
My thoughts:
Last of the Red Hot Cowboys fell far short of the mark, for me. This book felt dated, with chest-beating, manly men and scheming women. It definitely reminded me of some of the first romance novels I read, that had been published in the 1980s and 1990s. The gender stereotypes were out in full force, and it made me extremely uncomfortable.
Trace is a manly man - a former military man who now runs a training center with his two best friends. It's a men-only zone - one of the foundations on which the business is built is that women aren't welcome. And of course, they live in 'Hell' - a town that's short on women as it is.
Until Mayor Judy - who basically runs around scheming and manipulating and promising her Sheriff boyfriend his Saturday Night Special if he keeps her happy - brings in three gorgeous women that she wants to train as rodeo clowns to raise the profile of her small town. Or, you know, she wants to pair off with these three friends. Because that's what scheming mayors do. Truly, she spends so much time running around with her team and shaking her fist at Ivy, a woman who has her eye on Judy's boyfriend, I wanted to know what her actual duties as mayor were.
I felt extremely uncomfortable not only because Judy brought the women to town on false pretenses, but also because of how the stereotypes played out. Trace's thoughts were cringeworthy - women as delicate flowers or else manipulative.
This is very much a men vs women type romance and I did not enjoy it at all.
Bottom line:
Not my cup of tea, Last of the Red Hot Cowboys struck the wrong notes for me with the gender stereotyping and manipulation. This one might be fun if you can see past those things or if you're *really* into cowboys.
2 stars
For fans of cowboys.
Monday, July 14, 2014
Dark Paradise by Angie Sandro
Dark Paradise by Angie Sandro
Forever Yours
Book One in the Dark Paradise series
New Adult, Romance
Published July 1, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com
Why I picked up this book:
That cover got my attention! And I'm always looking for New Adult romances with something a little different.
Thursday, July 10, 2014
Fairy Nuff by Jane Killick
Fairy Nuff by Jane Killick
Windtree Press
Romantic Comedy
Published May 21, 2014
Source: Received for review.
Amazon.ca
Why I picked up this book:
It sounded like a sweet, amusing tale.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
Two For One - For Her Protection & Darkness
Today I'm going to look at two books that I basically DNF'ed.
Before we talk about them, let me first underline the name of this blog - To Each Their Own Reviews. I firmly believe that one person's DNF is another person's favourite read. Tastes in entertainment vary wildly, so take what I say here with a huge grain of salt.
Two very different books, first up is:
For Her Protection by Amber A Bardan
Ellora's Cave Moderne imprint
Erotic Romance
Published May 30, 2014
Blurb:
Yet pleasure seems to be the one and only thing on Charlize’s mind the moment Connor steamrollers into her life. Desperate to save her family company, prove she’s more than a pretty face and worthy of being CEO, pleasure is a distraction she can’t afford.
She doesn’t want a bodyguard, especially not one whose caveman heroics kick her libido into hyper drive. But surrounded by enemies and an attacker on the loose, there’s only one man she can trust with her life.
Connor knows better than to get personal with clients. Yet there couldn’t be anything more personal about his feelings for Charlize. From the moment he clapped eyes on her he wanted nothing more than to throw her over his shoulder and really give her something to scream about. He’ll get his uptight she-cat to unwind, preferably one orgasm at a time.
With Connor in her office, her home, driving her to sweet, merciless distraction, there’s only so long Charlize can resist his sexy, dominant brand of protection.
My Thoughts:
I put this book down at about seventy pages in and told myself I was DNF'ing. I sent NetGalley feedback to that effect, and then I picked it up again later on in the day, and skim-read most of the rest of the book.
This book promises a dominant alpha male protecting a beautiful, focused CEO with something to prove. I was expecting a little overbearing but I was definitely not expecting Connor.
I found his behaviour too much to take. From throwing our heroine over his shoulder to extricate her from a potentially dangerous argument in his workplace (her cousin's aerobics club) and not taking the time before or after to understand why she was in the argument in the first place nor to acknowledge that the guys she was arguing with were ENTIRELY in the wrong, to the way he treats her the morning after another incident... I just found it all too much. I didn't think Charlize needed kid gloves, but she did deserve some respect. For a woman who was trying so hard to fight against 'the good old boys' in her workplace, Connor was not nearly supportive enough for my taste.
Having skimmed to the end, I can say that he does, kind of, get there. But I still felt that he reduced a *lot* of her reactions to sexual frustration or simply her being a 'shecat' and that didn't sit well with me.
1 star
Second book:
Darkness by Erin Eveland
Selladore Press
Horror-fantasy?
Published June 10, 2014
Blurb:
One Girl. One Boy. And the Masters of Darkness. See the Shadow Creatures. They are everywhere. But you can't run from the shadows. Or the Masters who control them.
In a world as grim as the powers within it, 16yr old Catherine has been born with a supernatural power called Darkness. Living an impoverished life, a hidden world starts to unfold with the encounters of two men in black, Masters of Darkness. Ancient enemies with the power to control the Darkness and its Shadow Creatures, the Masters will fight to the death for what one girl may hold – the ultimate power of Light.
Darkness is an interactive novel featuring music or art at the beginning of each chapter to explore.
My thoughts:
This one is billed as an interactive novel and I'll be straight by saying that I didn't test out that component at all. If there'd been links to follow as well as the codes to scan, I might have checked them out, but I've never tried to use a QR code and I wasn't really inspired to try.
So, Darkness started out really good. It was super, super creepy, lots of atmosphere, lots of shivers. Great. But then, as we shifted from Catherine's childhood to her present (at age sixteen), things started to drag for me. By the time Jorgen was introduced, I was blanking out for paragraphs and pages at a time. I just could not connect with the story at all. There was a lot of discussion about the Darkness, but I never felt like I got a solid concept in mind for it. And I take full responsibility for that, the many, many sections reflecting on it, I tended to skim read because my eyes were starting to cross.
The pacing of this book was just too slow for me. I ended up skipping maybe 50 pages towards the end, jumping to the final chapters to find out what happened, and that was ultimately unsatisfying for me too. Again, probably my fault for skipping that section of build up, but because so much of the book felt like building and building and building - I wanted a *huge* payoff and I never felt it really hit that point. I think, again, the pacing made my interest wan, which reduced my connection to the characters and ultimately the story.
This book gets a lot of love in reviews on Amazon, so I guess I just wasn't the target audience.
2 stars
Before we talk about them, let me first underline the name of this blog - To Each Their Own Reviews. I firmly believe that one person's DNF is another person's favourite read. Tastes in entertainment vary wildly, so take what I say here with a huge grain of salt.
Two very different books, first up is:
Ellora's Cave Moderne imprint
Erotic Romance
Published May 30, 2014
Blurb:
You shouldn’t mix business with pleasure.
Yet pleasure seems to be the one and only thing on Charlize’s mind the moment Connor steamrollers into her life. Desperate to save her family company, prove she’s more than a pretty face and worthy of being CEO, pleasure is a distraction she can’t afford.
She doesn’t want a bodyguard, especially not one whose caveman heroics kick her libido into hyper drive. But surrounded by enemies and an attacker on the loose, there’s only one man she can trust with her life.
Connor knows better than to get personal with clients. Yet there couldn’t be anything more personal about his feelings for Charlize. From the moment he clapped eyes on her he wanted nothing more than to throw her over his shoulder and really give her something to scream about. He’ll get his uptight she-cat to unwind, preferably one orgasm at a time.
With Connor in her office, her home, driving her to sweet, merciless distraction, there’s only so long Charlize can resist his sexy, dominant brand of protection.
I put this book down at about seventy pages in and told myself I was DNF'ing. I sent NetGalley feedback to that effect, and then I picked it up again later on in the day, and skim-read most of the rest of the book.
This book promises a dominant alpha male protecting a beautiful, focused CEO with something to prove. I was expecting a little overbearing but I was definitely not expecting Connor.
I found his behaviour too much to take. From throwing our heroine over his shoulder to extricate her from a potentially dangerous argument in his workplace (her cousin's aerobics club) and not taking the time before or after to understand why she was in the argument in the first place nor to acknowledge that the guys she was arguing with were ENTIRELY in the wrong, to the way he treats her the morning after another incident... I just found it all too much. I didn't think Charlize needed kid gloves, but she did deserve some respect. For a woman who was trying so hard to fight against 'the good old boys' in her workplace, Connor was not nearly supportive enough for my taste.
Having skimmed to the end, I can say that he does, kind of, get there. But I still felt that he reduced a *lot* of her reactions to sexual frustration or simply her being a 'shecat' and that didn't sit well with me.
1 star
Second book:
Darkness by Erin Eveland
Selladore Press
Horror-fantasy?
Published June 10, 2014
Blurb:
One Girl. One Boy. And the Masters of Darkness. See the Shadow Creatures. They are everywhere. But you can't run from the shadows. Or the Masters who control them.
In a world as grim as the powers within it, 16yr old Catherine has been born with a supernatural power called Darkness. Living an impoverished life, a hidden world starts to unfold with the encounters of two men in black, Masters of Darkness. Ancient enemies with the power to control the Darkness and its Shadow Creatures, the Masters will fight to the death for what one girl may hold – the ultimate power of Light.
Darkness is an interactive novel featuring music or art at the beginning of each chapter to explore.
My thoughts:
This one is billed as an interactive novel and I'll be straight by saying that I didn't test out that component at all. If there'd been links to follow as well as the codes to scan, I might have checked them out, but I've never tried to use a QR code and I wasn't really inspired to try.
So, Darkness started out really good. It was super, super creepy, lots of atmosphere, lots of shivers. Great. But then, as we shifted from Catherine's childhood to her present (at age sixteen), things started to drag for me. By the time Jorgen was introduced, I was blanking out for paragraphs and pages at a time. I just could not connect with the story at all. There was a lot of discussion about the Darkness, but I never felt like I got a solid concept in mind for it. And I take full responsibility for that, the many, many sections reflecting on it, I tended to skim read because my eyes were starting to cross.
The pacing of this book was just too slow for me. I ended up skipping maybe 50 pages towards the end, jumping to the final chapters to find out what happened, and that was ultimately unsatisfying for me too. Again, probably my fault for skipping that section of build up, but because so much of the book felt like building and building and building - I wanted a *huge* payoff and I never felt it really hit that point. I think, again, the pacing made my interest wan, which reduced my connection to the characters and ultimately the story.
This book gets a lot of love in reviews on Amazon, so I guess I just wasn't the target audience.
2 stars
The Paper Sword by Robert Priest
The Paper Sword by Robert Priest
Dundurn
Book One in the Spell Crossed series
Fantasy, YA
Published July 14, 2014
Source: Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca
Why I picked up this book:
I loved the simplicity of the cover for a fantasy novel. I also really wanted to read something in the fantasy genre as it's been *too* long.
Tuesday, July 8, 2014
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
The Kiss of Deception by Mary E. Pearson
Henry Holt and Co.
Book One in the Remnant Chronicles
YA, Fantasy, Romance
Published July 8, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com
Why I picked up this book:
I loved stories of women who want to break out of the decisions other people have made or them. Plus, you know, fantasy elements and a gorgeous cover.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Harder by Robin York
Friday, July 4, 2014
Gilded Lily by Delphine Dryden
Gilded Lily by Delphine Dryden
Berkley
Book Three in the Steam and Seduction series.
Steampunk, Romance
Published July 1, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com
Why I picked up this book:
I grabbed the first two in the series on a whim from Chapters (gorgeous, steampunk covers, I had to) and I loved them. I was *beyond thrilled* when I saw this come up as an opportunity on NetGalley
Have Mercy by Shelley Ann Clark
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Deadly Curiosities by Gail Z Martin
Deadly Curiosities by Gail Z Martin
Solaris
Book One in a new urban fantasy series
Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Published June 22, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com
Why I picked up this book:
The cover hooked me - the artwork reminds me of Rob Thurman's Leandros series. Plus I generally love urban fantasy and am always on the lookout for new authors in that genre to read.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Come Back to Me by Mila Gray
The Basics:Come Back to Me by Mila Gray
Pan
Romance
Published June 19, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com
Why I picked up this book:
I love the cover, and I really liked the blurb too.
Some Fine Day by Kat Ross
Some Fine Day by Kat Ross
Strange Chemistry**
Book One in a planned series.
Science Fiction/YA
Publication Date Unknown
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
** Strange Chemistry is now defunct, but this book was awesome so please stop by Kat Ross' blog and show your support. I hope she can find a home for this book ASAP.
I debated about posting this review, but I wanted to express my support for the author!
Why I picked up this book:
A badass sixteen year-old who has been lied to by the government? I'm in.
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