Review: Six Impossible Things by Elizabeth Boyle

Review: Six Impossible Things by Elizabeth Boyle

2 stars Adult eARC Elizabeth Boyle Historical fiction Historical Romance Review Romance

Six Impossible Things by Elizabeth Boyle

Book Six of the Rhymes with Love series

Publisher: Avon

Publication Date: April 25, 2017

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Lord Rimswell is a man of honor and absolutes. If he says something is impossible, it is. Yet his life of right and wrong is turned upside down when he finds himself in a compromising situation with the most unyielding, yet maddeningly beautiful, woman in London. If only he had not given in to the irresistible temptation to kiss her. Now he must marry her.

Miss Roselie Stratton is the very definition of impossible—headstrong, outspoken, and carrying a reticule of secrets that could ruin more than her reputation. Kissing Brody is hardly the most ruinous thing Roselie has ever done as a secret agent for the Home Office…nor will she let a marriage of convenience stop her from continuing her work. Little does Roselie realize that she has underestimated Brody's resolve to keep her safe—for he has hopelessly fallen in love with her and is determined to do the impossible by stealing her heart in return.

What I Liked:

I am a huge fan of this series, and the author, and some of my favorite historical romance novels are from this series. But this book was an utter disappointment (for me). 

Roselie Stratton has been out for four Seasons and she's still unmarried, but she prefers it that way. She is an unofficial agent of the Home Office, a fact known to very few. Not even Brody, Lord Rimswell, actualy Home Office agent, her childhood friend knows. But he has met Roselie a few times when she was in disguise. When he finds out that it's Roselie under the mask and wig, he is furious. Who knew that the impertinent girl next door grew up to be a meddling, impossible unofficial agent in disguise? When the investigation in Lord Ilford's crimes takes a dangerous turn, Brody tries to stop Roselie from interfering further. Especially when they forced to marry under hasty circumstances. One of them - or both - is going to get hurt, but not if Roselie and Brody can work together to discover the truth about Ilford and his past.

So we have protagonists Brody and Roselie, both of whom were present in the previous books in this series. I adored Brody in the previous books (and I can't really remember what I thought of Roselie - no surprise there). Check the dislikes section for my full discourse on Roselie (spoiler alert: I did not like her). But Brody - well, I adored him.

Brody (or Bradwell, which is very sturdy name) was the second son of a baron, but after his older brother Poldie died in the war, Brody become baron. Brody never really wanted to be Lord Rimswell, especially with his duties with the Home Office. Brody isn't really a rake or a  scoundrel, but he is charming and wicked in his own way. He's rakish without actually being one, which is fun to follow. I love his sense of loyalty and responsibility and duty - as well as his passionate side. Brody is a rare all-around good guy, without being a complete snob.

I loved seeing all of the cameos, from Lavinia, Louisa, Harriet, and their husbands (Tuck, Piers, Roxley). Harriet is one of my favorite heroines of the series, and I love the (small) role she played in this book. Other secondary characters were lovely - Miss Minx (hahahaha), Lady Wakefield, even the dowager Lady Rimswell.

This story was fairly engrossing, though I did struggle at times when it got a little slow and boring. It took me by surprise when, halfway through the book, Brody and Roselie were caught in a compromising situation and immediately got married. Usually the hero and heroine find themselves in a compromising situation but never get caught, so that took me by surprise. But I liked this twist, because it threw off the non-balance between the two, and really forced them to get closer.

I really wish I liked the romance but overall, I didn't, and it circles back to my dislike of Roselie. The romance had its steamy times but nothing remarkable.

Overall, this book wasn't awful, but I'm struggling to come up with more things that I genuinely liked. Brody, most of the secondary characters, the one or two steamy scenes, the story in general. But the female protagonist ruined my overall enjoyment of the book.

What I Did Not Like:

Let me first say that sometimes when I find myself not connecting with or liking a female protagonist, I tell myself to put myself in her shoes, and imagine myself in the story as her. Well, I tried that with Roselie. And I failed to agree with a single one of her decisions (except marrying Brody, maybe). 

Where do I even start... from the beginning of this book, Roselie rubbed me the wrong way. She is masquerading in super sexy clothing, a mask, and a wig, trying to recover stolen information, or find out information about this or that relating to the nefarious Lord Ilford. This alone is not plausible and and had me calling BS. I already disliked her for putting her name and reputation, and her family's name and reputation, in danger. She is very selfish, and she could have (and should have) gotten caught. Luckily when she did get caught, it was by Brody.

Anyway, as the story went on, Roselie became more and more "impossible", to quite Brody. Trust me, I know stubborn and hard-headed (I am stubborn and head-headed). But this girl is stubborn and hard-headed to a fault. She refuses to let anyone tell her ANYTHING, whether it's for her own good or not, whether it makes perfect sense or not, whether it's to protect her or her family/loved ones.

To be honest? One of the things I absolutely hate about this new crop of historical romance heroines is their complete disregard for their reputation and their family's reputation. There are so many new HR books with heroines who are "bada**" and daring and assertive - feminist, I suppose. But it just does not work for me, for several reasons. (1) It's historically inaccurate (well, to the degree that these authors are portraying). (2) It's kind of irritating (again, to the degree that the authors are portraying). (3) The heroines, to me, come across as incredibly stupid?

Take Roselie - she refuses to listen to Brody when he tells her that she should do this or that. Like, she refuses on the principle that he can't tell her what to do. What kind of backwards, dumba** logic is that? You're so proud, but you can't take it down like sixty notches when someone tells you that you are literally a dead woman with a target on her back?

I wanted to strangle Roselie so many times. I mean, if I knew her in real life, I might have. Her "assertiveness" really grated my nerves. Don't get me wrong, I love assertive heroines and I think it's great when they stand up for themselves, but Roselie was so irritating, and pig-headed, and stupid. She's one of those characters that thinks she is so smart, but she came across as incredibly stupid. And selfish. So, so selfish. 

I couldn't even connect with her! I thought for sure I'd at least be able to connect with her as she fell for Brody. But I felt nothing towards her. She seemed more of a flat, static character, especially compared to Brody. I don't really see what was so fascinating and interesting about her (other than her sexy, breast-padded alter ego Asteria, whom Brody was super attracted to, without knowing it was Roselie). 

I didn't feel anything for Roselie (other than sheer irritation, wrath, and loathing), and it made it hard for me to ship the romance. I adored Brody and I love that he found love, but I really just did not care about the romance. Once you hate the female protagonist, it's really hard to like the book. The romance seemed so flat though, regardless. Besides lust, I really didn't get a lot in terms of emotions or feelings (mostly from Roselie's side). Really it seemed like she was more interested in thwarting him, running from him, defying him, going against his will... yeah, that doesn't make for a very swoony romance. I don't think I swooned once. 

Anyway, I'm done. This book pissed me off in several different ways and all of them connect to Roselie and her stupid, stupid stubbornness. The short of it: Roselie had no respect for Brody, on any level, and she was incredibly selfish and stupid.

Would I Recommend It:

I most certainly do not recommend this book, which pains me to say, because I love this series. Try If Wishes Were Earls or The Knave of Hearts, or maybe even The Viscount Who Lived Down the Lane (though Louisa bothered me, in that book). Better yet, try an entirely different author. You know who does assertive, "feminist"-type heroines who don't irritate the s**t out of me? Tessa Dare, Elizabeth Hoyt, Caroline Linden. One of the sexiest and most feminist thing a female protagonist can do is treat her man with respect.

Roselie... did not do that with Brody. 

Rating:

2 stars. I almost can't believe I'm giving a historical romance novel such a low rating! Historical romance novels are usually my "guilty pleasures". This one was supposed to lift me out of a small rut I've been in, but it has sunk me further into the rut. Honestly I kind of hope this series is over, because I don't want to be disappointed again!

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Review: His Custody by Tamsen Parker

Review: His Custody by Tamsen Parker

2 stars Adult Contemporary eARC Review Romance Tamsen Parker

His Custody by Tamsen Parker

Publisher: Intermix (Berkley)

Publication Date: March 21, 2017

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

He needs to be a better man for her sake, but she makes him want to be so bad...

Keyne O’Connell leads a charmed life. She has a caring family and a terrific boyfriend. Her senior year is about to begin, and her future looks bright. But one dark summer night robs her of everyone she loves, thrusting her into the care of her boyfriend’s intimidating, much older brother.

Dark and brooding, Jasper Andersson is not a good man. His business dealings are barely legal. He’s a womanizer and a casual drug user. He has no interest in becoming Keyne’s guardian, although given her limited options, he doesn’t have much of a choice. He knows he must protect her at whatever the cost.

But living in close quarters soon stirs up feelings inside them both that are far from platonic. Keyne needs a firm hand to keep her in line, but what she desires could lead Jasper into trouble...

What I Liked:

I'm going to begin my review by saying that I really enjoyed this book... until the last fifty pages of the book. Yes, I'm giving the book three stars, despite loving the book (again, until the last fifty pages or so). I'm so disappointed in the last part of the book because it had been so good (for me), until that point. Please be warned - this review will have spoilers (especially in the "What I Did Not Like" section). 

I've never read a book by Tamsen Parker, and I don't think I've read a true "guardian/ward" book. I wanted to try one and test my boundaries, and I really enjoyed this book - minus the last fifty pages. I picked this book up on a whim, and while I wish I could say I was glad that I did, I really can't.

Life comes to a halt when Keyne's family - her parents her boyfriend Gavin, and his parents - are killed in an accident while they were on a cruise. She has known Gavin since birth, since their parents were best friends. Which means that she has also known Gavin's older brother Jasper since she was born. Jasper fights for custody of her, knowing that while she has blood family, he is her only real family. He doesn't know anything about being a parent or raising a teenager, but he isn't going to let Keyne go. Living together was never going to be easy, but it gets even harder when the pair recognize their fierce attraction to each other, and how deeply they've fallen for each other.

I loved both of these characters from the start, but especially Jasper. He is fourteen years older than Keyne (thirty-one at the start of the book), a successful and rich businessman with a very kinky dominant side, and a very pleasure-filled life. When his parents, Keyne's parents, and his little brother are killed, he has no time to process his grief. Keyne's grief is overwhelming and very present, and Jasper wants to be there for her before anything else. I love how Jasper puts Keyne first in everything, and takes care of her, from start to finish.

Keyne is incredibly broken after the five deaths, and for months. She doesn't process the grief well. It's good that Jasper is so caring and understanding because Keyne becomes a zombie for a few months, before she begins to be alive again. I liked Keyne and her fragility, but I also liked her quiet, budding strength. She leans on Jasper and learns to live again because of him.

Okay, you probably wondering - he is thirty-one and she is seventeen and HOW is this a romance novel? I assure you, nothing sexual happens between them until she's eighteen. In fact, about half of the book is spent over months (maybe eight months? I can't remember), in which they live together and heal together, but they ignore their attraction as best they can. Nothing happens until she turns eighteen. But even before then, it wasn't really weird. Nothing about the situation struck me as weird.

And even then, Jasper is careful to always give her an out. He gives her so many options, and makes sure that she knows that she is safe with him and can stop him at any time. He is gentle with her in that regard... but nothing about the romance is gentle. He is kinky and a true dominant, and she discovers that she likes some kinky aspects of sex that she didn't fully understand. The two of them together are tough, passionate, and fiery, and a lot of the scenes with them in the second half of the book are scorching hot. There are BDSM-type scenes in this book, though nothing super super erotic or hardcore. 

But the last fifty pages... the ending really threw a damp towel over the inferno. I'm very sad about the last fifty pages. There IS a happily-ever-after ending, don't worry. It's how we get there that makes me sad and angry. Read on for spoilers and my dislikes.

What I Did Not Like:

I'm going to be blunt - the last fifty pages made me angry, and disappointed. This is the part of the story in which Keyne goes to college. She goes to Yale, about an hour away. But Jasper, being the noble guy that he is, tells her that she should go and meet boys and have sex and do whatever, even though he also tells her that he loves her and will wait for her, and she clearly tells him that she loves him and only wants him.

You can probably see where this is going.

I'm 100% confident that Keyne didn't have vaginal sex (i.e. penetration) with anyone. But she did get a boyfriend in the first few months at college, and she lets him touch her and do stuff to her, and she does stuff to him. Again, no penetration, but... none of this sat well with me. How can you claim to love someone and be devoted to them, but also go "exploring" with someone else? Jasper was furious about that, but sad nothing, because he wanted her to be happy. Also, we as readers know that Keyne (probably) didn't have sex with that boy, but Jasper never knew that. And of course, I could be wrong, and Keyne most definitely could have had sex with the boy at some point. A lot of time passes. 

Look, I'm all about choices and empowerment and whatnot. This really bothers me though, because Keyne loves Jasper, and she always claims she wants to make him happy and doesn't want to hurt him. But in a lot of ways, her "exploration" in college (four years, by the way) makes me feel like she did all of that to spite him for giving her this choice. Which is f***ed up, if you ask me. I get it, he told her to go and live life and have sex with whomever, but that does not mean she had to - especially since she really didn't want to. She didn't even like that boy! She recited her homework and schedule while he put his hands on her. Do you see my frustration?

Friends, while (penetration) sex is regarded as intimate and personal in most instances, I think the "other stuff" that people do is also really intimate and personal... and the fact that Keyne allowed herself to do those things with and to other people, when in fact she only wanted one man, really bothered me. Especially since Jasper was over there with his very celibate self, not letting anyone touch him. 

Yup, those last fifty pages though.

Would I Recommend It:

I really don't recommend this book and kind of wish I hadn't read it. Which is a shame, because I loved it, up until Keyne goes to college (which is in those dreaded last fifty pages I keep mentioning). I'm so annoyed and also very disappointed and sad. This could have easily been a new favorite romance novel of mine, had the climax/ending not marred it so much for me. So, no, I don't recommend it. 

That being said, I'm sure most readers will love this book. I'm very strange and strict when it comes to my tastes in romance, in that I'm usually on the conservative side (i.e. two people in the romance - no love triangles or outside partners or menages or orgies, etc.). And arguably, Keyne had one boyfriend (Tyler) and she may not have even had sex with him, and anyway this whole thing may not be a big deal to others. But it's a loyalty/cheating thing to me, and it's a big deal to me.

Rating:

2 stars. This hurts for me to dish out this rating for such a wonderful book that I loved until the climax/ending. I was loving this book, and flying through the heartbreak and the slow-burn romance and the sexy, sexy times! But the last fifty pages really ruined the story for me, and I can't look at this book this same. I might even delete it from my Kindle, because I can't stand to look at it anymore. I think I got too invested and then I got too hurt by this book!

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Review: Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis

Review: Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis

2 stars ARC Fantasy Gorgeous Cover Mindy McGinnis Review

Given to the Sea by Mindy McGinnis

Book One of the Given series

Publisher: Putnam's Childrens

Publication Date: April 11, 2017

Rating: 2 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Khosa is Given to the Sea, a girl born to be fed to the water, her flesh preventing a wave like the one that destroyed the Kingdom of Stille in days of old. But before she’s allowed to dance – an uncontrollable twitching of the limbs that will carry her to the shore in a frenzy – she must produce an heir. Yet the thought of human touch sends shudders down her spine that not even the sound of the tide can match.

Vincent is third in line to inherit his throne, royalty in a kingdom where the old linger and the young inherit only boredom. When Khosa arrives without an heir he knows his father will ensure she fulfills her duty, at whatever cost. Torn between protecting the throne he will someday fill, and the girl whose fate is tied to its very existence, Vincent’s loyalty is at odds with his heart.

Dara and Donil are the last of the Indiri, a native race whose dwindling magic grows weaker as the island country fades. Animals cease to bear young, creatures of the sea take to the land, and the Pietra – fierce fighters who destroyed the Indiri a generation before – are now marching from their stony shores for the twin’s adopted homeland, Stille.

Witt leads the Pietra, their army the only family he has ever known. The stone shores harbor a secret, a growing threat that will envelop the entire land – and he will conquer every speck of soil to ensure the survival of his people.

The tides are turning in Stille, where royals scheme, Pietrans march, and the rising sea calls for its Given.

What I Liked:

I've read four of McGinnis's books (this one being the fourth), and it's a shame to say that I really haven't enjoyed anything I've read. On the one hand, all of her books have been very well-written and so unique. On the other hand, all of her books (that I've read) have not been for me. And therein lies the distinction - her books just don't seem to be for me. I thought I'd give her books another shot because Given to the Sea is her first fantasy novel, and fantasy is my favorite genre. But not even my love of fantasy could save me. 

This book is told in four different points-of-view, though there are arguably five protagonists. Vincent is the prince of Stille and third in line for the throne. He doesn't want to become king, but he is destined to claim the throne in the future. Khosa is the Given, the female child who has been groomed since birth to choose a mate, bear a child, and then sacrifice herself to the Sea, to keep the sea calm and restful. Dara and Donil are the last Indiri, a race that is magical and ancient. They are adopted royal children, and they grew up with Vincent like brothers and sister. And finally, Witt, the Lithos, deadly leader of the Pietra. The Pietra rise against Stille, and look to destroy them as they also destroyed the Indiri. Strange events are occurring - the Given washes up on the shores of Stille, but she is not pregnant nor did she have a child. The sea levels are rising, though it may not be due to the lack of Given. And the Pietra are coming for the people of Stille, who are wholly unprepared for war.

If there is one thing that I can say McGinnis does consistently well, it is her world-building. Every book of hers that I have read has had a very well-constructed world and setting. Her books are so unique because of the varying worlds she has created. This world, with Stille and Pietra and a vast, unpredictable sea, is strange and entirely its own. McGinnis has written a very strong fantasy world, one that is dangerous and rigid and unforgiving. 

I didn't love all of the characters, and there were some that I didn't care about, or flat-out hated. But I really liked and connected with Vincent from the start. He is the only surviving child of Prince Varrick, and only grandchild of the current King, who is a good man. But that King dies in this story, and Vincent's father becomes King. Vincent does not want the throne, which is evident throughout the story. I really felt for him, because he has no options. Vincent is a good man with a soft heart, though not soft enough that he wouldn't defend his mother, or the twins, or Khosa. 

What else did I like about this book... I'm drawing a blank. Vincent somewhat redeemed this story for me. He was the only character I was rooting for. Not even the ending of this book, while slightly satisfying on the surface, could change my opinion of the book. 

What I Did Not Like:

This book was a bit of a mess (for me). The romance, the characters, the plot, the treatment of women... there were a lot of things that just didn't sit well with me.

I'll start by going through the other four protagonists that I didn't talk about. I already said how I liked Vincent. But I didn't really care for the other four (or just didn't like them). For example, Witt, the Lithos. I didn't hate him or dislike him - I just didn't feel much for him. His chapters were always extremely short (1-3 pages long) and not very interesting. I bet I would have liked him more if his chapters were longer and he had more action in his life.

Next, Khosa. I didn't dislike Khosa, but I also didn't like her. She is a weak, spineless girl who has always accepted her fate as the Given. She knows no better than to accept the fact that she must choose a man, have sex with him until she gets pregnant, give birth, and then throw herself into the sea to die. Barbaric, right? Khosa never fights this, not until towards the end of the book. So I didn't really care for her. The thing that made me dislike her was the romance. It would appear that she doesn't like to be touched by anyone - any touch brings her physical revulsion. But not Donil's touch - Donil is the male Indiri twin, and his magic is all about life (think: sex). So after Donil touch's Khosa hand for the first time, all she can think about is his potent touch. Buuuuut, she is in love with Vincent. She can't stomach Vincent's touch, but it would appear that she loves Vincent.

I'll get to that in a second. The fourth character is Donil, and I didn't like him. In fact, he was probably my least favorite character. Yes, partly because I didn't want him with Khosa. Yes, because I see him as the "other leg" of the love triangle. But mostly because I find him sleazy and his actions and words towards women make me uncomfortable. He flirts with all of the girls, and his magic calls to girls (life = sex, remember?). So even though they are willing, it's a subconscious call that he has, that makes them want to have flirt and have sex with him. That bothers me a lot. And yes, you could say that he can't help his power. I still don't like how he wields it. I still don't like him. He claims he would never let a woman come between him and Vincent, and yet, he lets it happen. 

And finally, Dara. I almost felt bad for Dara. She's been in love with Vincent, and he's never been in love with her. Until one day, her magical power leaks a little, and it's like a flip switches in Vincent, and he sees her in this brand-new (and very sexual) light. But that pretty much disappears, because Vincent is pretty smitten with Khosa.

Because who isn't, at this point? Literally everyone wants in this girl's vagina. I kid you not. It's kind of disconcerting, and disgusting. But I'll get to the treatment of women. 

Back to Dara. I almost felt bad for her because she has to deal with unrequited love. But Dara is so annoying too. Because Vincent doesn't love her, she goes around acting like the world owes her something. She isn't a good person, and I would never want Vincent to end up with her. She seems selfish and cruel, and as kickbutt and tough as she is, I can't root for her.

You can probably tell by now, but the romance is so frustrating. It's this weird love triangle/cycle thing. Let me break it down for you:

Vincent loves Khosa, but his touch repulses her. Khosa seems to love Vincent but his touch repulses her. Khosa is very physically attracted to Donil, and it's possibly that she feels affection for him. His touch is the only touch she can bear (because again, his magical abilities are rooted in "life", which is rooted in sex). Donil is attracted to Khosa, and I'm assuming he has feelings for her. Dara has feelings for Vincent. Vincent has never had feelings for Dara not has he ever been attracted to her, until this one random moment in the book.

Confusing, right? I hate confusing romances. I hate messy attractions and broken hearts. I hate seeing two men who are like brothers fight over a woman. They LITERALLY fight over Khosa at one point. They literally fight over Dara at one point (not in the same way as Khosa though - Donil is looking out for his sister, and Vincent is not happy with Donil). I don't enjoy books love triangles, and so this love... cycle is an actually nightmare for me.

I will say, believe it or not, that no one has sex with anyone, in this book. Khosa kisses Donil once. That's pretty much all of the sexual action that happens in this book, which is funny because the characters do a lot of fighting over each other. Sex is clearly on all of their minds, though no sex actually happens. 

The treatment of women - ugh, this world is frightfully patriarchal and it seems like there are no women's rights. Now, here me out: this is obviously intentional and McGinnis is showing us a world with retracted women's rights. I get it. It still disgusts me. Men in this book talk about having sex with an unwilling female (i.e. rape), or their sexual encounters, or putting a seed in Khosa, and it really set my teeth on edge (that's putting it mildly). Vincent's father is the most unfaithful man to ever exist, and Vincent's mother is naively still hoping that he'll come around and love her. And then there is Khosa, who probably enjoys being bounced between Vincent and Donil, in terms of their affections, but has no real power. This book made me want to scream!

But again, I'm sure this is very intentional (all of the negative treatment of women's rights). It still makes me mad though. 

Basically, I think the horrible romance is what tipped the scales and made me rate this book down. I hate messy romances, I hate love triangles, and I really hate whatever is going on in this book, in terms of the romance. It's weird and pisses me off a little.

The ending! Was! Terrible! I can't say why, but I'm furious. It's hastily done, and it ruins the romance further, and I'm just beyond frustrated with the book at this point. Not enough to go all the way to one star (though I'm thinking...), but definitely enough to consider expelling this one from memory.

In general, the story wasn't great, romance aside. Two countries are going to war - great! There wasn't anything super original about the story, if you take away the part about the Given and the rising seas. Given how romance-driven this story was, part of me isn't surprised. But then, I would have rather read a much less romance-driven book than dealt with the irritating romance that was presented.

Would I Recommend It:

I hate to say it, but I don't recommend this book. It's a really gritty fantasy novel, and if I wanted to read a gritty fantasy novel, I'd dig out an adult fantasy novel written by a middle-aged man who seems to think murder, rape, torture, and mutilation are good things to have in fantasy stories. Well, not the type of fantasy stories I like to read. This is a frustrating, irritating, and confusing fantasy story. There aren't a ton of redeeming qualities, besides the very strong world-building and the one really likable protagonist (out of five though? That's sad). Definitely do not read this book if you like linear, obvious romances. Don't read this book if you want a happy ending. Don't read this book if you a story with a clear issue or journey. Don't read this book if you want action or adventure or a plot that moves at a healthy pace. (I starting skimming at certain points.)

Rating:

2 stars. I wanted to love this book so badly, and I got so invested in wanting to love it so badly, which is why, when I finished it and didn't love it, it hurts so much that I'm giving it 2 stars. I almost wish I had cared less about loving this book, because then I might have given it 3 stars and moved on. But this book wasn't "meh", it was painful and frustrating at times; therefore, 2 stars it is. Will I read the sequel? I don't know - I have a feeling I'll be disappointed in any of McGinnis's books, given my track record. I think I need to accept the fact that her books just aren't for me.

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Review: These Ruthless Deeds by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

Review: These Ruthless Deeds by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

2 stars eARC Historical fiction Kelly Zekas Paranormal Review Romance Sequel Tarun Shanker

These Ruthless Deeds by Tarun Shanker and Kelly Zekas

Book Two of the These Vicious Masks series

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Publication Date: March 14, 2017

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

Summary (from Goodreads):

England, 1883. Still recovering from a devastating loss, Evelyn is determined to use her powers to save other gifted people from those who would harm them. But when her rescue of a young telekinetic girl goes terribly wrong, Evelyn finds herself indebted to a secret society devoted to recruiting and protecting people like Evelyn and her friends.

As she follows the Society’s orders, healing the sick and embarking on perilous recruitment missions, Evelyn sees her problems disappear. Her reputation is repaired, her friends are provided for, and her parents are newly wealthy. She reunites with the dashing Mr. Kent and recovers the reclusive Mr. Braddock (who has much less to brood over now that the Society can help him to control his dangerous power). But Evelyn can’t help fearing the Society is more sinister than it appears...

What I Liked:

I think I expected too much from this series. I was so excited to read These Vicious Masks, and when I read it in 2015, I found that I didn't totally love it. But I was cautiously optimistic and immediately pounced on this book when I saw it on NetGalley. And yet... this one was even more disappointing than These Vicious Masks. It was so up-and-down, and while there were some aspects that were okay, there were more that I didn't enjoy. Overall I'm giving the book two stars but I'm honestly struggling to come up with positives..

Evelyn and her other gifted friends want to use their powers for good and find other gifted people. When they get caught trying to rescue a young girl with telekinetic powers, they are rescued by the Society of Aberrations. Several members of the Society try to convince Evelyn that they are doing good work, despite everything in the past. While some of Evelyn's friends decide to join, Evelyn does not, at first. How does she know that the Society is truly reformed? Who can she trust? Even in entering a tentative partnership with the Society, Evelyn doesn't trust anyone. Meanwhile, she has more than enough going on in terms of society, balls, her Little Season, and a potential marriage proposal. But it's all going to come down to the ball her family is throwing her - when two worlds collide, there is bound to be disaster.

Things I liked... hmm. I feel like I'm going to write my review in a bit of a cyclical way. You'll find more information in the next section (because I disliked more than I liked). But there were some things I liked - it's just that I also disliked those things too.

For example: I'm really glad that love triangle gets cleared up, by the end of this book. I hate love triangles, and this one was ridiculous and poorly written. So yay for Evelyn making a choice, Sebastian making a choice, and Mr. Kent making a choice, by the end of the book. BUT, the fact that the love triangle is in this book at all is a strike against the book. See what I mean? A thing I liked but overall, disliked.

I'm honestly sturggling to come up with things I liked about this book, so I'm going to move on.

What I Did Not Like:

I didn't like Evelyn's decision-making. I didn't like the love triangle. I didn't like the pacing. I didn't like the plot. I didn't like the ending.

Basically there was very little that didn't go wrong for me. I'll start with Evelyn. Her decision-making, from the start of this book, is terrible. I feel like she got stupider instead of smarter? It's like she's going backwards in the series, in terms of character development. She acts selfishly for the entire book, by stringing Mr. Kent along, or not voicing her feelings to Sebastian, or pushing Mae at Sebastian (for selfish, stupid reasons), or by saving the life of one person at the end of the book instead of _____ (leaving that blank because of spoilers). Evelyn is incredibly selfish; what's sad is that she thinks she is considering everyone and thinking of everyone, but she is only ever thinking of herself. Finding Sebastian? Finding Mr. Hale? The big plan at the climax, in which she invited all of her friends to help her? It's like Evelyn does not learn.

Also, at other times, it's like she didn't know how to open her mouth and say no. No, Mr. Kent, I don't want your affections or for you to kiss me. No, Mother, I don't want to spend time with Lady Atherton. No, Mother, I don't want to be courted by Lord Atherton (this is not part of the romance, trust me. More of a nuisance than anything else). Evelyn is supposedly feisty and outspoken, but it's like she bit off her tongue when her voice mattered most. 

I hate love triangles. I worried about the development of a love triangle in this series, given what I read in These Vicious Masks. Mr. Kent is the childhood friend, the flirt and charmer, the one has been in love with Evelyn for years and even proposed to her before. Sebastian is the handsome, brooding, dangerous young man who is tortured about his particular power. I don't really have anything against Mr. Kent, but I hate him as a love interest. He's so hilarious and quite the flirt, but he's all wrong for Evelyn. I dislike how Evelyn doesn't refuse his attention and even tries to force herself to fall for him (which doesn't work). I don't like it when the heroine lets someone kiss her and clearly doesn't want the experience, but lets it happen anyway. 

Also, can we talk about how clearly Sebastian is endgame, but it's not Sebastian that kisses Evelyn (or that Evelyn kisses) in this book? Um, Swoon Reads? Why are you so disappointing? I swear, every single Swoon Reads book has made me complain about the complete lack of swoon in their books. "Regular" non-Swoon-Reads YA books have more swoon than this imprint's books? This is a problem? I'm so over it.

To begin with, I don't find love triangles swoony. I find books even less swoony when the MAIN COUPLE NEVER KISSES IN THE BOOK. Especially given the massive amounts of NO SWOON in These Vicious Masks (yes, that sentence doesn't quite make sense).

The pacing - gosh this book was so boring. I honestly don't even remember what happened in the first 75% of the book. Things only started "happening" as Evelyn's grand ball drew closer. Pretty much everything in the first half of the book (or 75% of the book, really) didn't matter or didn't stick because it didn't matter. Like you could read the last 25% of the book with no problem, and find out all you need to know about the book. Sequel slump, anyone?

This kind of goes along with the plot - I felt like nothing was really happening, in the first half of the book. The story moved too slowly and when things did happen, the scenes were boring. I was very, very bored, while reading this book. It's so short and yet it took me three times as long to read this book as it did to read Traitor to the Throne. You all know how long that book is, right? I could barely keep my eyes open (in terms of These Ruthless Deeds). 

That ending! What the heck! It's all kind of maniacal and brutal! I obviously can't say anything specific about it but goodness! The authors went all out. The only good thing I will say about the ending in general is that the love triangle is a done deal, and hopefully it will never plague the series again. 

A final note - the authors do a poor job of bringing readers back into the story. You know how authors will do that mini info-dump in the first chapter that summarizes the previous book, so you're not totally lost? That didn't happen in this book (or simply was not effective). I barely remembered anything from These Vicious Masks, and really had a hard time getting into this one. Maybe reread book one before reading this book.

Would I Recommend It:

After reading this book, I actually no longer recommended this series. I can't even recommend the book, if you've read These Vicious Masks. This series just isn't impressive, the romance isn't swoony, nothing about this series is swoony or action-packed like X-Men. Where is that comparison even coming from? Maybe try this series when all of the books are published. This book suffers from a really bad case of sequel slump but maybe book three will knock the series out of the park.

Rating:

2.5 stars -> rounded down to 2 stars. Initially I gave this book 3 stars but I started trying to think of things I liked about the book... and could barely come up with one. Honestly this book was more of an ordeal than anything else but I'm glad I read it. I'll definitely be reading book three because I need to know what happens next. But I'll also definitely survive if I never read book three.

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Reviews: Brazen Edition! (#3)

Reviews: Brazen Edition! (#3)

2 stars 4 stars Adult Contemporary eARC Gina L. Maxwell Review Romance Sabrina Sol

Sweet Victory by Gina L. Maxwell

Book Four of the Fighting For Love series
Publisher: Entangled Brazen
Publication Date: February 27, 2017

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

Confident but distrustful Sophie Caldwell needs help if she's going to save her family business. Her grandma left one rule for Sophie to maintain ownership from her uncle before she's thirty: get married. But how does she get her uncle off her ass when she's only twenty-seven and hasn't had a boyfriend in years?

Lean, cut, British-born MMA fighter Xander James has never lost a fight, and he's not about to start now. On the brink of a comeback to be a UFC champion, his landlord wants to take away his last chance by shutting down his gym. No. Hell no. Fortunately, his landlord's niece has a problem of her own. Time for a proposal she can't refuse.

What I Liked:

Years ago, I read Seducing Cinderella and absolutely LOVED the book. To this date, that book is one of my favorite Brazen novels. I must say, Brazen doesn't make 'em like they used to. Seducing Cinderella and a slew of other "older" publications were among their very best. Sweet Victory is the fourth book in the Fighting for Love series (Seducing Cinderella was book one). The series closes with Sophie and Xander, a feisty baker and a sexy British MMA fighter.

Sophie's bakery and Xander's gym are across the street from each other, and under the same property ownership. The property owner, who happens to be Sophie's uncle, decides to sell the property. But Sophie is set to inherit the bakery from her grandmother, either when she turns thirty, or when she gets married. So what does she do when Xander suggests they get married? She accepts, to save the bakery, and his gym. So they get married. But what happens when both of them don't want the marriage to have an expiration date?

I liked this book, which is great because I read the synopsis and immediately thought that I would enjoy. I mean, which woman wouldn't like a romance novel with a British male protagonist? And an MMA fighter, no less. This is only the second book I've read by Maxwell, but she has not disappointed me yet.

Xander is every bit as sexy and swoony as the synopsis - and cover - make him out to be. He's a flirt when it comes to Sophie, but he's also a good man and a dedicated fighter. He trains incredibly hard and is so driven. But he also has a hero complex and a heart of gold. When he hears Sophie's uncle belittling her, he swoops in and defends her. Not in a I-am-man-let-me-fix-everything-for-you type of way, but in a selfless, incredible way. Xander had me hooked from the start. He seems like a ladies' man and an incorrigible flirt, but he's so sweet and so good. 

Sophie loves her bakery, and she is determined to protect it. Marrying Xander seemed absurd but she doesn't realize just how much she likes him, before they get married. Sophie is a feisty, tough lady. She likes things her way but she also balances her way and Xander's way - I like how she compromised to him too (it wasn't all Xander and his selflessness). 

The two of them together are dynamite and firecrackers! They have serious chemistry from the start, and it practically boils and sizzles between them. I do like how they knew each other from before the start of the story - with their respective places of work being across the street from each other, they see a lot of each other. Xander comes by the bakery to flirt with her before his run. I like how they had chemistry before the story started, and it got more intense after they got married. Because holy guacamole, did they have some intense chemistry. The two of them in close quarters was hot! 

The whole rushed marriage thing was handled well, and not totally cheesy and inauthentic. They had six months to play married and then they could file for divorce and go about their merry ways. But of course both of them fall for each other during that time... I like how it wasn't an insta-love type of romance. Lust, yes, but the progression of feelings was well-written. 

You know in the climax of romance novels (especially Brazen romance novels) when the hero breaks up with the heroine or the heroine breaks up with the hero? And then one of them (usually the man) has to grovel, whether it's his fault or not? I LOVE how that whole thing is handled, in this book. Sophie is the one who jumps to some dumb conclusions and leaves him, BUT she is also the one who owns up and chases him back. I was really really pleased to see that Sophie went after her man (and not the other way around), especially since she hurt him by leaving him. 

I enjoyed this story and the characters, the fun banter and the sexy romance. The swoony, hot British guy really made the story, but I also loved the feisty by vulnerable heroine, and beautiful love story presented. This was definitely a great end to the series!

What I Did Not Like:

The drama towards the end of the book was fairly minimal, but it was there. Don't we all hate watching a woman jump 45435345 miles to some dumb conclusion? At least Sophie woman-ed up and ran after him.

Would I Recommend It:

If you're looking for a quite, steamy, swoony read, then give this one a shot. It's only the second Maxwell book I've read but I liked it a lot. I highly recommend the first book, Seducing Cinderella - Reid and Lucie are fiery together. This book is great too! I'm sure the series in general is amazing.

Rating:

4 stars. Perhaps I'll read the second and third book in the future, but for now I'm content with having read books one and four. They were excellent! I'll definitely be looking for more Brazen novels by Maxwell in the future.

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Delicious Satisfaction by Sabrina Sol

Book Three of the Delicious Desires series
Publisher: Entangled Brazen

Publication Date: February 27, 2017

Rating: 2 stars

Source: eARC from NetGalley

***Warning: this is an adult book, and for the eyes of mature readers***

Summary (from Goodreads):

As LA’s hottest up-and-coming chef, Alexa Montoya is known for her ruby red lipstick, award-winning arroz con pollo and a penchant for falling for the wrong kind of men. And when a confrontation with a loser ex-boyfriend lands her in some legal trouble, she’s forced to call her long-time friend, Dante Perez, to bail her out. Only this time, Dante seems different, somehow. More gorgeous, more sexy, more…mouthwateringly irresistible. Suddenly she’s tempted to give the lawyer much more than a simple thank you…

Dante is tired of seeing Alexa with guys who only know how to steal her money and break her heart. He’s watched--and waited for--her long enough. Helping with her legal situation will finally give him a chance to win her over for good. His plan? He’ll seduce her into finally believing that there’s something deliciously right between them…

Despite their chemistry, Alexa can’t trust that Dante won’t leave. But Dante knows how to win a case. And he’ll do whatever it takes to convince Alexa that she’ll always leave him hungry for more…

What I Liked:

Uuuugggghhhhhh, the melodrama (and straight-up drama) hurt this book. I was partly enjoying the story, partly raising a skeptical eyebrow, and partly rolling my eyes. Alexa got on my nerves, and that was that.

Restaurant owner and chef Alexa and her friends decide to go to her ex's new restaurant... and when they get there, Alexa realizes that Nick (the ex) has copied all of her ideas for her dream restaurant. Confronting him in the back, she loses her temper and dumps oil all over him, and when she's leaving, she accidentally breaks a ton of hanging wine bottles. Oops? Good thing Dante Perez, her and her brother's long-time friend and lawyer, is around to clean up her messes. Dante is tired of seeing Alexa date idiot after idiot. How can he prove to her that he's the one for her, and he has been in love with her for years? Alexa has dated a lot of terrible idiots in the past, and Dante is a sweet guy, but how does she know he won't leave her?

The good things about this book: it was short, it was steamy, it was diverse, there was a HEA. I'll start with the length. Usually you want romance novels to be longer, with more steamy scenes and tension and chemistry and tender moments. But the length of this book, as abbreviated as it was, was good. It was a quick read, and it didn't feel rushed.

It was steamy. The author definitely wrote some hot scenes in the book. There could have been more, but I think she got the proportion of steamy scenes just right, for such a short book. Alexa and Dante have known each other for a long time, and both have cared about the other for a long time. They also have a lot of chemistry between them, which led to some pretty steamy encounters.

It was diverse. Both characters have Hispanic background. If I remember correctly, Dante's background is Mexican and Alexa's is Puerto Rican. Alexa and her brother's restaurant serves a variety of Hispanic foods. You could clearly see some touches of Puerto Rican culture, and Hispanic culture in general. Props to the author for that!

A happily-ever-after ending is a given, in romance novels. But I'll state it as a "like" because I don't have a ton of things I liked about the book. The ending was a HEA, which was good and not disappointing.

What I Did Not Like:

Drama drama drama. I honestly cannot stand drama in romance novels (or any novels?). There is enough of it in real life! Don't riddle a romance novel with so much drama. A little drama won't set me off in a rage but when the entire book is full of drama? No thank you.

To begin with, the whole premise of this book is how Alexa lost her temper at her ex-boyfriend's restaurant, and he is suing her and her restaurant for damages and such. NO, Alexa does not have feelings for Nick (the ex) - they broke up a long time ago. But it really bothers me how quickly Alexa lost her temper - and proceeded to dump a bottle of cooking oil on his head? Like a 5-year old? Are we in elementary school? Alexa is so temperamental and impulsive but that... you don't DO that. 

Did I mention that Alexa is temperamental and impulsive? Honestly this girl has to be one of the stupidest heroines I've encountered in romance novels, in a long time. I couldn't stand her. Sure, she had her moments here and there (in which I didn't mind her), but for the most part, I really didn't like her. Let's see... she falls for the most idiotic of men - and then cries a river when they cheat on her or dump her or whatever. She has ridiculous trust issues BECAUSE of the dumba**es she dated, which makes her relationship with Dante difficult. 

I could not stand how Alexa treated Dante. So hot and cold, push and pull. She kept expecting him to leave her or break her heart or start picking up with every girl on the block. Girl, like you're any better? His past bothers you - what about YOURS? Alexa has dated sooooo many losers, and yet she gets to judge Dante about his (NOT-drama-filled) past relationships? HER relationships cost money and drama (believe me, it's insane, the type of guy she picks over and over). And yet here is Dante, a sweet, selfless, sexy guy who loves her, and she decides to be a little wuss when it comes him? Do you detect my disdain? I couldn't stand Alexa.

The icing on the cake was the end of the book. You know in the climax of romance novels (especially Brazen romance novels) when the hero breaks up with the heroine or the heroine breaks up with the hero? And then one of them (usually the man) has to grovel, whether it's his fault or not? Yeah, that's a thing in this book. ALEXA dumps Dante, but it's Dante that has to make the effort to patch things up with her. Alexa isn't the first to break, isn't the one to fight for her man. But she's the one that broke up with him, hurt him, and ruined the relationship. Um, do we not see the problem her?

That was the last straw and pretty much ensured that this book wouldn't get a positive rating. If that part of the ending had been different, I would have given this book three stars.

Would I Recommend It:

I do not recommend this book to anyone. Trust me when I saw that there are better romance novels, even with Entangled Brazen, that are steamy, sweet, quick, and well-written, that won't piss you off or make you want to strangle the heroine. 

Rating:

1.5 stars -> rounded up to 2 stars. And thus ends my foray into Sabrina Sol's romance novels. 

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Review: Traveler by L.E. DeLano

Review: Traveler by L.E. DeLano

2 stars ARC Contemporary Debut Fantasy L.E. Delano Review Romance

Traveler by L.E. DeLano

Book One of the Traveler series

Publisher: Swoon Reads

Publication Date: February 7, 2017

Rating: 2 stars

Source: ARC sent by the publisher

Summary (from Goodreads):

Jessa has spent her life dreaming of other worlds and writing down stories more interesting than her own, until the day her favorite character, Finn, suddenly shows up and invites her out for coffee. After the requisite nervous breakdown, Jessa learns that she and Finn are Travelers, born with the ability to slide through reflections and dreams into alternate realities. But it’s not all steampunk pirates and fantasy lifestyles…Jessa is dying over and over again, in every reality, and Finn is determined that this time, he’s going to stop it… this Jessa is going to live.

What I Liked:

I'm pretty upset about not liking this book. Actually, I've just finished the book and I'm very irritated, but I'm also upset that I didn't like it (and I blame the book, not myself). I see the appeal? I get it? Really it was the last quarter of the book that made me want to throw it across the room. 

I received a galley of this book unsolicited from the publisher (and this did not affect my opinion in any way - clearly). I wasn't even going to read the book (because it was sent unsolicited, and I'd not heard of it before), but several bloggers convinced me that I would love it. I didn't (obviously).

Jessa has always had a wild and colorful imagination. She comes up with stories and writes them. Lately, her stories have been filled with a green-eyed boy who is always with her - right before she dies of some way. One day she looks up from a mundane task and he is real, and in front of her. It turns out, she and Finn (green eyes) are Travelers, and that all of those stories she came up with are actually memories from other versions of herself. What's more, all of those times Jessa imagined herself dying truly happened - those versions of herself, in other "realities", were killed. Finn is here to help with learn to Travel, and to figure out who is trying to kill her.

This book started off REALLY well. In fact, like I said, I was doing great until about the three-quarter mark. This is a neat concept and a cute story. 

The idea is that there are multiple realities, and that Jessa is living in one, but there are other realities and other versions of her out there. They are all "her", but since the other realities are different, so are those other Jessa's. Same with Finn - he is Finn in every reality, but slightly different. Every time Jessa travels, she gets the memories of that Jessa, and the Jessa that switches gets her memories. I don't think I've read anything quite like that! Switching with another version of yourself to travel to that version's "reality" is so bizarre and neat.

I liked Jessa, and was cool with her for most of the book. She's funny and smart, a good student and a good sister. She is so cautious when she first meets Finn, because she doesn't believe him. But once Jessa catches on, she gets into Travel and likes it. Her favorite "reality" is a historical one, in which she is an heiress and she meets a pirate Finn. She really likes that Finn.

The "real" Finn that we know in this original reality is a charming, sweet guy. He's also a bit protective and a little bossy, but he's a good guy. I liked him and I thought he and Jessa fit well together, as a pair. They have quite a history together - in other realities. 

I cruised through this book, and was really enjoying myself! Everything started to fall apart at a certain point and I really can't bring myself to have an overall positive outlook on this book. See the next section!

What I Did Not Like:

Two big things had my opinion doing a one-eighty: the romance, and the ending.

Now, the romance is actually supposed to be really straightforward. We have Jessa, and we have Finn. They pretty much have an instant connection, which makes sense, because other versions of themselves have fallen for each other in other realities (not that feelings in one reality affect other realities). Jessa falls for Finn and only Finn... the Jessa of the original reality.

It gets weird because Jessa Travels and switches with another Jessa. This other Jessa comes from a reality in which she's dating a guy who is original Jessa's best friend Ben. In the original reality, Ben has feelings for Jessa. SO, what do you think happens when Jessa goes into "other Jessa"'s reality, and "other Jessa" goes into "original Jessa"'s reality? Other Jessa makes out with Ben and it gets heavy. When our original Jessa comes back... she realizes that Ben thinks she's in love with him, blah blah blah.

This... this is a mess. It's such a mess and it's not even a love triangle? BUT IT IS, because technically that "other Jessa" IS "original Jessa"! They're different versions of Jessa, but they're all Jessa. "Original Jessa" has feelings only for Finn but she has all of the other Jessa's memories, including this "other Jessa" that dates Ben in the "other Jessa reality". And of course, what "other Jessa" does in the "original reality", "original Jessa" will know. UGH! This is so frustrating! Poor Ben! I feel terrible for him because it's not even Jessa that tells him she loves him (YES, THIS HAPPENS). It's "other Jessa" who is dating Ben back in her reality! AHHHHH! NO.

Messy, right? Love triangle but NOT a love triangle. Eventually, our original Jessa has to spill all the beans and tell Ben everything (including the part about another Jessa kissing him, and not actually her). But that doesn't happen for a while. Blech.

The other thing that killed this book for me was the ending. I know, I know, this series isn't over. But the ending is extremely heartbreaking and extremely permanent. I know the author drops a ton of hints in the story involving Jessa's favorite version of Finn, the pirate, but I'm not a happy camper with the ending. It was cruel and I'm not sure it really made sense to end the story that way... but what do I know.

Another smaller thing that I wasn't amused with was the lack of conflict? It felt like the book had no direction, for a while. Doesn't it sound intriguing that Jessa keeps dying over and over? Well, we never get to see or experience one of those deaths. Which makes sense, because if Jessa died, that would be bad for the story. But I thought that the whole death thing would be a little more pressing? OH and would you believe that a prophecy pops up in this book? And that Jessa is quite the special snowflake? I rolled my eyes so hard when I read this cheesy, cliche plot device. So random, so cliche, and so underdeveloped (in this story).

And for the record, pirates and ships don't appear nearly as many times as I was led to believe. A ship really shouldn't be on the cover, because it's not a good metaphor and actual ships appear, like, once or twice.  

Honestly, I regret reading this book. I wasted my time. It was an unsolicited galley and I should have just skipped it and passed it along. 

Would I Recommend It:

I personally don't recommend it but sooo many others have enjoyed this book, so if you're looking forward to reading it, give it a shot. If you'd never heard of it before, keep living your life. Like I said above, I'd been enjoying this book immensely, until about the three-quarter mark. It was really great! And then it took a huge nosedive (for me). I do not recommend the book, especially if you're like me and want HEAs and linear romances. 

Rating:

2 stars. I regret the decision to read this book. I'm not going to give it 1 star because I enjoyed more than half of the book. But trust me friends, one thing is enough to make a person want to throw the book at a wall (in this case, two things). I tried with this one, I really did!

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