REVIEW ~Last Light by M. Pierce~

Title: Last Light

Author: M. Pierce

Series: Night Owl #2

Release Date: October 28, 2014

My Rating: 3 Stars

Tensions rise, secrets grow bigger, and passions run deeper—and hotter—in Last Light, the second novel of the Night Owl Trilogy from bestselling author M. Pierce.

Matt Sky is missing. After a solo ascent of Longs Peak that left only a large blood stain, tatters of climbing clothing, and the tracks of an animal in the snow, he is presumed dead.

Hannah Catalano is guarding a secret: she knows Matt is alive. After Matt's memorial service, she lingers on the East Coast with his family, but it soon becomes clear that his brothers' motives are less than gracious. Nate Sky is bent on tracking down the author of Night Owl, a book that charts the last days of Matt's life with uncanny and scandalous accuracy, and which appeared only after his death. Seth Sky is bent on getting Hannah into his bed.

Hidden away in the woods, Matt and Hannah strive desperately to maintain their ruse and their relationship—but their web of lies only tightens as Matt struggles with the consequences of his decision, and Hannah tries to escape Nate's libel suit and fend off Seth's advances...until Hannah is put in danger, and Matt must make a life or death choice.

I've come to the conclusion I have no earthly idea how I truly feel about this series. I love. I don't want to love. I have a strange and strong dislike for some aspects of it. And I'm always left feeling like I got hit by a semi. The fact that this book was yet again one of those books that was hard for me to put down should indicate my love for it. Unless you're inside my head experiencing the very tumultuous feelings. Then you're probably as utterly perplexed as I still am. A month after reading this book and I still can't pinpoint how I feel. 

I will say this, I think I've nailed down part of my problem. I definitely do not like Matt. There is one of his many personalities that I love to pieces, but he doesn't show that character enough for me to give him the benefit of the doubt anymore. So why did I continue reading once I found that I have a strange disdain for the lead character? Simple. The other lead, Hannah. I love her story. I know their stories are intertwined, yet I can oddly separate them in my mind. I am enthralled in her story. As for Matt, I though he was just crazy going into this book, and then, well, he straight towards Bonkersville. He can't just dedicate himself to Hannah. If it's not his writing taking priority, it's another woman, or his brother. He can't let anything be just theirs. Which may be why I don't care for him too much. He doesn't give me any confidence that this series will end well with a happy ending. Yes, I'm a must-hate happy ending person. I don't read books to have it end in devastation. I do like hard journeys though. That's what I'm hoping for the third book in this series to put forth. A journey well worth the work and effort for the bliss waiting at the end. But I have a sinking feeling it's not going that way. 

It's almost like the movie The Lake House. They're trying to get to one another, but Hannah is firmly planted in reality whereas Matt is treading the deep ocean in fantasy land where everything revolves around him. I will say his obsession with Hannah is endearing. And when they can just be together, I like those times best. Yet, at every turn Matt has another secrets, or ludicrous idea that ruins everything. I can't even blame Hannah for some of her actions in this book. She was trying to escape her one-way ticket to Bonkersville and made some very choice mistakes. However, Matt, oh the unending list of choice mistakes, or just intentional screwing with everyone.

So my end result for this book, I love it as a book, but not as a romance. It is erotic. There's sexy, steamy, hotter than hell scenes. However, the love and relationship just isn't there. Matt's version of a relationship is two high speed trains driving head on into one another. While Hannah is just trying to stay afloat int he crazy world she's willingly chased him into. This book did command my attention and I did devour it, which is why I do recommend it if you're in the mood for an extremely well-written, yet peculiar book. But if you're a lovey-dovey person, wanting a sweet romance this is not it. I'll absolutely be waiting to read the conclusion to see how this crazy train ends. I'm sure it will capture my attention just like it's predecessors. I just hope it surprises me as to the fate of these two individuals that I want to find a true HEA so badly. 

Happy Reading!

*ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

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THE NIGHT OWL SERIES

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Meet M. Pierce:

M. Pierce is the bestselling author of Night Owl, book one in the erotic Night Owl Trilogy. The author lives in Colorado and owns a rabbit named Laurence.

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ARC REVIEW ~Bite Me by Shelly Laurenston~

Title: Bite Me

Author: Shelly Laurenston

Series: Pride #9

Release Date: March 25, 2014

My Rating: 3 Stars

Livy Kowalski has no time for idiots. When you shapeshift into a honey badger, getting through life’s irritants is a finely honed skill. Until she gets stuck housing her nutso cousin and dealing with her dad’s untimely and unexplained demise.

That’s where Vic Barinov comes in—or his house does. Vic can’t step outside without coming back to find Livy devouring his honey stash and getting the TV remote sticky. It gets his animal instincts all riled up. But he’ll have to woo her at high speed: all hell is breaking loose, and Livy is leading the charge…

I hate to say it because I really loved the rest of this series, but this book wasn't Ms. Laurenston's best. As a reader, I begin to set certain benchmarks for authors when I've read several of their books. I don't begrudge authors that step out of the box, I actually applaud them... if they do it well. My benchmarks for the Pride series are hilarious antics, beloved characters, and erotic play to boot. What I got with Bite Me was more of cameo reel for past characters and a very twisty plot that was dragged out. I didn't get enough of the main couple and the plot was thinned out too much among too many characters. Don't get me wrong, I love hearing from past characters but, in this instance I was bombarded with so many of them I couldn't remember who most of them were, and I didn't get to spend enough time with them to remember why I loved them. I know I loved them because I love every single one Shelly Laurenston's characters. It was more like a family reunion on speed than anything else. Having said that, the parts with Vic and Livy were simply awesome. 

Livy is a cut throat, no holds barred, honey badger who never fit into her family. So when her estranged father passes away suddenly, her feelings don't reflect accordingly. She never got along with him, and her feelings in general, even toward her closest friend, don't showcase appropriately in the first place. Vic Barinov is on the same wavelength. He is an easy to love, awkward, bear/tiger shifter. They both have an achilles heel for honey, and on more than one occasion Vic has found Livy hunkering in his cupboards, stealing his honey. It is painfully obvious that Vic has a soft spot for Livy, but he doesn't know what to do about it. While their love affair is slow progressing through the book, they must still team up when a shifter killer hits too close to home, and has friends in the upper echelons of the shifter world helping hide him. They pull all their resources to find the killer and with a blend of danger and hilarity this journey will be no small feat.

I feel that Bite Me was more mystery laden than the previous books. With that mystery the author felt the need to pull in several older characters and it kept the book off center for me. The time with Vic and Livy was few and far between. BUT when it was their turn center stage I loved every minute of it. I love that they are awkward and unsettling with everyone except each other. They just get each other, and it made their gradual progression to love that much sweeter. While, I loved them as a couple and even their friend chemistry together, I felt like I would get invested in them only to be thrown into another character two seconds later. It was almost never the same characters either. I think you could cut out half of the scenes without the major characters in them and the integrity of this book would stay intact. In this book I just wish the author would have narrowed the scope of the world a little bit. I still liked Bite Me, but it just wasn't up to par with its predecessors.

Happy Reading!

*ARC received by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

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REVIEW ~Wrecked by Priscilla West~

Title: Wrecked
Author: Priscilla West
Series: Wrecked #1
Release Date: December 16, 2014

My Rating: 3 Stars

Two years ago, Lorrie’s mother was murdered. But that wasn’t the end of it. Reeling from the tragedy, Lorrie’s father spiraled into alcohol, depression, and finally suicide.

The two most important people in Lorrie’s life are both gone but she’s still alive.

Trying to recover from the tragedy, Lorrie returns to campus, ready to pick up the pieces of her life. All Lorrie wants is to get back to “normal.”

Then she meets Hunter. The man, the legend, “the Hammer.”

Hunter is a cage fighter who takes on every fight like he’s got nothing to lose. His life is a tangled mess of girls, booze, and fist fights. And while it may seem like he’s got a devil-may-care attitude, he’s fighting a private cage-match with a monster he can’t defeat.

Lorrie knows that Hunter is the exact type of guy she should stay away from, especially in her fragile state, but Hunter has other ideas.

As Hunter and Lorrie grow closer together, will they be able to overcome their pain and heal each other? Or will they both end up wrecked?

So, this wasn't my favorite. At times I enjoyed it, but others it seemed to fall a bit flat or maybe the characters seemed too naive. I like the beginning. It held some mystery, was very engaging and highly entertaining. The same with the very end. It was highly enjoyable, captivating and definitely made me want to read the next book. It was the 65% in the middle that had me wanting to skip ahead. 

Wrecked is the story of two very scarred college students, Lorrie and Hunter. They meet under abnormal circumstances, that ends in Lorrie running off. When they meet again, while Hunter is in the middle of a MMA fight, he ends up pursuing a friendship with her. They strike up their friendship and end up spending more and more time together. They have a lot of secrets though. From previous mentions we know Lorrie's story. Hunter's is a bit more shaded and sketchy. I could just tell that he had is own heartbreaking story. But, the real root of his troubles is never eluded to until the author shocks readers with the announcement near the very end of the book. Before we even get there though, it is a tip toe dance between Lorrie and Hunter. She refuses to be anything more than friends, and he usually doesn't press the issue. Along the way their are major turns in both Hunter's and Lorrie's life. It ends up being a screwed up disaster on both their parts. I ended up with my heart breaking for them both. My biggest beef came from when they actually got together. First off, it was like Lorrie did a 360 and completely changed her mind. Which I get, you can only old out on a stud like Hunter for so long. My other problem though, was their dialogue and interactions. It seemed very forced and cheesy at times. However, there were the uber cute and super steamy moments too. So, its really a toss up with which scene you're reading at the moment. 

Overall, not Priscilla's best, but definitely not terrible either. I have a feeling that the second book is going to redeem the few negatives I felt about the first. Just in general though, I had a majority of positive feelings about this book. I just wish Hunter and Lorrie's reactions hadn't been on the kid-ish side. This series has a potential to go great places and Wrecked was definitely a stepping stone to get there. I just don't think the series or the author reached their full potential with this book. 

Happy Reading!

*ARC provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*

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REVIEW ~The Bet by Rachel Van Dyken~

Title: The Bet
Author: Rachel Van Dyken
Series: The Bet #1
Release Date: March 26, 2013

My Rating: 3 Stars

"I have a proposition for you." Kacey should have run the minute those words left Seattle millionaire Jake Titus's mouth. It's been years since Kacey's seen her childhood friend Jake, but the minute Jake mentions his ill grandmother, Kacey is ready to do anything for the sweet old woman. And if that means pretending they're engaged for her sake-so be it.

But Kacey wasn't counting on Jake's older brother Travis still being there. She calls him "Satan" for a reason: she's never forgotten the way he teased and taunted her. Yet when they meet again, Travis's gorgeous smile is a direct hit to her heart . . . and Kacey's more confused than ever. As the days pass, only one thing starts to become alarmingly clear-she never should have accepted Jake's deal . . .

So The Bet left me with mixed feelings. I wanted to like it so much, and I did, I just didn't love it. My main problem was the chemistry between Kacey and Travis. I just couldn't feel it. I felt like most of the book was spent on Kacey trying not to give into her feelings for Jake and get past the hurt he caused her. And then suddenly, hello, she thinks Travis is attractive and they kind of fall together. Ironically, I like the Kacey and Travis I saw in The Wager (Book #2) more than I liked the view of their relationship in this book. 

We start off with the jerk brother aka Jake pleading with Kacey to be his pretend fiancee to get him out of trouble with his family and his business. He needs a cleaner image and Kacey can help him with that. However, even in the end I saw no change in Jake's behavior. He seemed like a selfish prick and I wasn't even looking forward to reading his book. No worries, I read it and loved it. Rachel Van Dyken can do 180's with her characters like I've never seen before. Back to the story, while Kacey is visiting the Titus family we start to see bits of Travis' unrequited love for Kacey come up. He's very hostile toward Jake and they way he treats Kacey but, he never really does anything other than stomp off. All the while, leaving Kacey a little flabbergasted as to what just happened, because she hasn't a clue that Travis has feelings for her. The book just seemed a little mixed-matched to me. Like  two stories in one. Perhaps I would have connected with it more if the whole fake engagement thing was a prequel and The Bet was more focused on Kacey and Travis. I'm not saying all books should focus on the couple solely but, in this one they just kinda agreed to be together and then that was it. The biggest shining moment in this story- Grandma Nadine. I am requesting a grandmother just like her for Christmas. She is one of the most hilarious character I have read and she got a great many laughs from me.

Overall, it was a nice, sweet story. It lacked the heat I usually prefer. I also couldn't seem to connect to the story or some of the characters. But as I have said many times, every story isn't for everybody. If you're looking for a sweet, humorous book- this is it. If you're looking for a bit more substance, angst and feeling- this may not be the book for you. It's all a matter of opinion. However, I do encourage you guys to read the second book, it had a little more meat to it, I thought. 

Happy Reading!

*ARC provided by the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*

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ARC REVIEW ~Heating Up the Holidays by Lisa Renee Jones, Mary Ann Rivers, and Serena Bell~

Title: Heating up the Holidays
Authors: Lisa Renee Jones, Mary Ann Rivers, and Serena Bell
Release Date: October 28, 2013

As leftover turkey and stuffing give way to stockings and little black dresses, this tantalizingly sexy eBook bundle offers up holiday-themed novellas from a trio of beloved romance authors. Lisa Renee Jones gives a dedicated reporter and a powerful businessman a chance to count their Thanksgiving blessings in Play with Me; Mary Ann Rivers presents Snowfall, the story of a woman who confronts a life-changing event—hopefully with a special man by her side—just in time for Christmas; and in Serena Bell’s After Midnight, an explosive New Year’s kiss leaves two strangers wondering whether they’ll ever see each other again.

PLAY WITH ME by Lisa Renee Jones

Kali Miller has spent three years reporting fluff stories, waiting for the article that will launch her career to new heights. When she suddenly finds herself forced to take a job as an executive secretary at a Vegas casino, Kali meets the subject of what will surely be a shocking exposé: her boss, Damion Ward, the arrogant and undeniably sexy CEO. But after Damion invites her to help him plan a Thanksgiving charity event, Kali begins to see another side of the man. And when she surrenders to the exhilarating tension simmering between them, Kali hopes her story will have a happy ending.

SNOWFALL by Mary Ann Rivers

Jenny Wright can’t get enough of her erotic conversations with someone she knows only as “C.” Flirting online helps Jenny temporarily escape confronting the changes to her life as she slowly loses her vision. Jenny’s occupational therapist, Evan Carlisle-Ford, is helping her prepare for the challenges ahead, but the forthright, trustworthy man can no longer ignore his growing attraction to his fiercely intelligent client. Now Jenny must choose between the safe, anonymous “C”—or the flesh-and-blood Evan, whose heated kisses can melt snow faster than it can fall.

AFTER MIDNIGHT by Serena Bell

The clock is ticking down to midnight on New Year’s Eve, and all Nora Hart and Miles Shephard can think about is kissing each other—even though they met just minutes before. Then, as fast as Miles enters Nora’s life, he’s gone . . . and she never even gets the name of the man she thinks might just be “the one.” One year later, Nora and Miles are reunited. The chemistry between them is just as strong as they remember. But Miles broke her heart once before—and this time around, Nora’s not sure whether she can give love a second chance.

Anthologies are hard for me sometimes. I love that it allows me to try out new authors but, they can be very hit or miss. First off, please please read this review all the way through. Because this is an anthology I will be reviewing each story separately and giving them their own star rating. However, I know that these stories are not avaiable for individual purchase so I will give an overall view and rating at the end. That beign said, let's get started!

Play with Me by Lisa Renee Jones

My Rating: 5 Stars

In my experience I have never read a book of Lisa Renee Jones' that I did not like. She has a superb talent, where she can captivate a reader and make them fall in love with her characters. True to her recent writing style she stayed in the first person POV with Play with Me. The story is told through the eyes of Kali Miller. Kali is in need of a job, and quickly. She has quit her job and moved to Vegas for another one only to run into obstacle after obstacle. She ends up taking the position of faithful assistant to CEO Damion Ward. From the beginning these two butt heads and war with their strong personalities. Neither one will take shit from the other. It was a bit of an up and down, back and forth ride with these two. But it was such an enjoyable ride. I understood their personal reasons for their decisions but I also couldn't wait for the next time they were in the same room together. The minute they were, I could just feel a click with them. I definitely got the feeling that they were two halves of a whole, in the professional and personal sense. Play with Me is such an intense read. I could not put it down. I read from beginning to end in one sitting and, I know it's wishful thinking, but I do hope that Ms. Jones will consider expanding this book into a series. It was marvelous. I want more of Kali and Damion and their unbelievable attraction, and their tendency to burn up the sheets. Play with Me is a bit longer than the average novella, thank you Lisa :), and I got so lost in the story that by the end I didn't feel deprived or wanting more. Well... I want more of Kali and Damion but, as the story stands right now if there were no more books I am completely content with how it ended. 

Snowfall by Mary Ann Rivers

My Rating: 2 Stars

I am so flummoxed by this story. The basis is terrific but, I couldn't connect with the characters or where the author lead the story. It seemed to clinical to me. I couldn't feel the emotions that I expected to feel given the circumstances. The synopsis seemed so intriguing but, the story as a whole just didn't do it for me. We begin with Jenny who is slowly losing her vision. The explanation of Jenny's problems and feelings felt so disconnected to me. If it were me, I would be raging on the inside and being torn apart. I never got those emotions from her. Jenny has started an online relationship with "C" and they share intimate conversations and in depth chats. These conversations are about the only time that I felt something while reading this. I could feel their attraction through their chats and wanted more time reading their relationship progress. On the other hand, Jenny is seeing occupational therapist Evan. he is helping her learn how to live with no sight, before she actually gets there. These two... *shaking head* these two were not my favorite. I saw a glimmer of a "love-hate" relationship, but it didn't quite get there. They seemed more like acquaintances to me, and I didn't buy into their relationship that eventually came about. I really wanted like this one. Like I said before the premise sounded promising but, the overall story didn't deliver in my opinion.

After Midnight by Serena Bell

My Rating: 2.5 Stars

After Midnight is a fun, heartwarming story. However, I've read the exact plot many times before. I think the overall plot has been exhausted, but the minor stories had promise. The writing was good, and I think if the author had developed this into a longer story I would have enjoyed it. Where the story led, it was a little cheesy and too neat and tidy. No one has that good of luck, where everything works out that perfectly. Or maybe it does happen, but I've never experienced it or seen it. Nora and Miles met at a party on New Year's Eve, shared one steamy kiss, and without the chance to exchange names, never saw each other again. Until Miles' friend tracks down Nora through social media a year later and urges her to reconnect with Miles. Now, there is mention of Miles having broken Nora's heart on that New Year's Eve but, I can't buy into it. It was only a kiss yes, I like to believe in love at first kiss but this seemed a little far fetched for me. I didn't think Nora should be so gun-shy about Miles. The two share phone calls, and surprise visits but they both allow outside lingering doubt to bleed into their relationship. Frankly, their relationship moved a bit fast for me. It was definitely whirlwind, but not in a sweep me off my feet manner. The story definitely has promise and I would love to see more from Ms. Bell. However, given the length and development we are given in this anthology, After Midnight was pulling me in too many directions, and I didn't feel there was enough time/space to give closure/full development to the story as a whole.

Overall

My Rating: 3.25 Stars (Yes, I rounded up. It's my rating, I can do what I want :))

If you're looking for a fun, heartwarming holiday anthology definitely pick this up! All three books will satisfy that need. I really don't like giving poor reviews but, I just wanted more from the last two novellas. I think if you love anthologies, this is right up your alley. If one of them definitely sounds interesting to you, give the others a try. Just because I didn't love them doesn't mean you won't. I will say this though, all three of the books got me in the holiday spirit! I'm all ready to cuddle up with some more books and some hot chocolate :)

Happy Reading! 

*ARC was provided by publisher/author through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review*

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Lisa Renee Jones:

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Serena Bell: