December Wrap-Up

Here are the books I read in December. I combined the Bittersweet series to count as 2 books in my tally because they are all novellas but are just shy of being considered novels. Point being is that if you count them my number will be three less. I read 63 books in December. What a way to end the year?

December 31, 2014

The Pact  Karina Halle ***

With Me  Gabbie S. Duran  ***

Duke: Fallen MC 1  C.J. Washington  ****

Treasure Your Love (Surrender Your Love 3)  J.C. Reed ***

Conquer your Love (Surrender Your Love 2)  J.C. Reed ***

Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love 1)  J.C. Reed ***

Unspoken Endings (Unspoken 3)  Gabbie S. Duran  ****

Unspoken Promises (Unspoken 2)  Gabbie S. Duran  ****

Unspoken Memories (Unspoken 1) Gabbie S. Duran  ****

Unfamiliar  Erica Cope  ***

Wrong Side of Town (With Me 3)  Komal Kant  **

Falling for Hadie (With Me 2)  Komal Kant  ***

Impossible (With Me 1)  Komal Kant  ***

Rogue (Real 4)  Katy Evans  ***

Living with the Bad Boy  Sharlay  ***

The Next Contestant  Dani Evans  **

Loving Lies (The Granton University 2)  Linda Cage  ****

Sacrificed (Ignited Series 2)  Desni Dantone  ***

Ignited (Ignited Series 1)  Desni Dantone  ***

Royally Screwed  Valerie Seimas  ***

One Night with the Prince  T M Mendes  ****

Bittersweet Trust (Bittersweet 5)  J.L. Beck  ****

Bittersweet Symphony (Bittersweet 4)  J.L. Beck  ***

Bittersweet Hate (Bittersweet 3)  J.L. Beck  ****

Bittersweet Love (Bittersweet 2)  J.L. Beck  ***

Bittersweet Revenge (Bittersweet 1)  J.L. Beck  ***

The Prince’s Unwilling Lover (the Royals of Monaco 1)  Leslie North  ***

Blush (Rockstar Book 2)  Anne Mercier  ***

Indebted (A Kingpin Love Affair)  J.L. Beck  ****

Just a Little crush (Crush 1)  Renita Pizzitola  ***

Married to the Bad Boy  Letty Scott  ***

A New Day (Knight Disciples MC 1)  Sophia Hampton  **

Savage stalker (Savage Angels MC 1)  Kathleen Kelly  ****

Love, in Spanish  (Love, in English 2)  Karina Halle  ***

Jaked (Jaked 1)  Sabrina Stark  ***

Jonas (Darkness 7)  K.F. Breene  ****

Shadow Watcher (Darkness 6)  K.F. Breene  ***

The Council (Darkness 5)  K.F. Breene  ***

Demons (Darkness 4)  K.F. Breene  ***

On Razor’s Edge (Darkness 3)  K.F. Breene  ****

Braving the Elements (Darkness 2)  K.F. Breene  ****

Into the Darkness (Darkness 1)  K.F. Breene  ****

Forgiving Reed (southern Boys 1)  C.A. Harms  ****

Disfigured Love  Georgia Le Carre  **

You and Everything After (Falling 2)  Ginger Scott  ****

He Kissed Me First (Kiss & Make Up 2)  Sara H Ney  ***

Kissing in Cars (Kiss & Make Up 1)  Sara H Ney ***

Behind His Lens  R.S. Grey  ***

Refuge (Relentless 2)  Karen Lynch ****

Serial Hottie  Kelly Oram  ***

Cinder & Ella  Kelly Oram  ****

The Avery Shaw Experiment  Kelly Oram ****

A is for Abstinence (V is for Virgin 2)  Kelly Oram  ****

V is for Virgin (V is  for Virgin 1)  Kelly Oram  ****

Secret Catch  Cassie Mae  **

Rival Love (Rival Love 1)  Natalie Decker  ***

Beneath Him  Komal Kant  ***

Beautiful Outlaw (Savage Outlaws MC 1)  Emily Minton  ****

A Life Less Broken  Margaret McHeyzer  ****

The Hit List  Nikki Urang  ****

For the Win  Amber Garza  ***

Beta (Alpha 2)  Jasinda Wilder  ***

Alpha (Alpha 1) Jasinda Wilder  ***

Rae of Sunshine  Micalea Smeltzer  ****

The Ride (Hells Disciples MC 1)  Jaci J.  **

Left Behind  Vi Keeland  **

December 1, 2014

Flare--Amy Isan

I first rated this book at 3/5 stars. The thing with that rating is normally I want to read those books again but this one I really don’t. So maybe 2/5 is better, I enjoyed it while I was reading it but not it just seems sort of bland and frustrating.

The book starts with Cassie basically hating her life and is depressed. Until one day she makes eye contact with a biker and her world starts turning again. I wish I could say that’s a lie but is really what happened. The next day she sees a biker who she thinks is her biker. As she is chasing him through traffic she hits another biker from the same MC. It wasn’t her man but he shows up seconds after she calls the police and basically says that she is stupid for doing that and asks her what she is going to tell the cops. He was implying that what was going down and what happened shouldn’t really be repeated.

Why does she need to “lie” to the cops? She was the one who hit him, he wasn’t doing anything wrong, so even if he had been doing something illegal that day there wouldn’t have been a need to lie to the cops because they would have questioned the HITTER not the HITTEE. Plus cutting off his cut is basically a sure fire way to let people know you are doing something not on the up-and-up.

Logan, her biker, takes her driver license to make sure that she kept her word and didn’t tell the cops anything. When he goes to check in with her the sexual tension is alive and well in her household. She wants him, he wants her, her roommate is a big ole giant cockblock. BUT what Logan didn’t tell Cassie is that his MC would want retribution on her… which I don’t really get, I mean it was an accident  she didn’t target him or anything like that so there shouldn’t have been a need for everyone to get all upset about everything; Which they do. Because he didn’t tell anyone he had her information she became a secret he was willing to kill for. He figures she’s worth it because there’s something different about her; she’s not like the other girls. She doesn’t fall all over him or is scared him. I call bullpucky on that, she is smitten with him, lusts after him and is quite scared of him AFTER she realizes he’s an actual biker not just a wannabe.

Anyhoo, I am actually sort of cranky at this book. There was so much potential and could have been better if the smallest details were changed, i.e. not an accident that put her on their shit list. I mean I did enjoy it as I was reading it, but I was “in” the story. Even then it wasn’t really clear to me but I figured it would be explained. And just so everyone knows there was a lot more to the story this is basically the first five chapters before the real spoilers start, it’s just that everything that happens in this book comes back to the fact the she’s his secret.

Raze--Tillie Cole

Let’s start out by saying, I LOVE Tillie Cole! There is something about her writing style that is just addicting. Also each story she writes has this vibe about it, that there is enough fact that it could happen. Probably wouldn’t but it could. It’s like plausible deniability or something.

Back to the important things, Raze. This book was very dramatic; our prologue leads the character who will become 818 through the belly of a death fighting prison. In just the first few pages we see his resolve to survive even if it means to kill.  818 is one of the top fighters in the underground prison. He has over six hundred kills and thrives on bloodshed and adrenaline. He had been in the Gulag, as the inmates called it, for ten years. His body is a myriad of scars and gruesome tattoos. He blacks out his eyes with mud before each fight; it unnerves others and centers him. One night the Gulag rebels setting him free, 818 is on his way to New York City. He needs to get his revenge; he needs to kill Alik Durov. That is all he knows, and that is what he will find.

We meet our main female character Kisa when she is having sex—or should I say getting fucked. There is nothing loving and gentle, or even rough and raw. It is hateful, forceful and possessive. Kisa is the princess to the Russian syndicate known as the “Red” Bratva Kings in New York City. Her father is the top boss, he fiancé’s father is the second in line and the enforcer to the Bratva. Alik and Kisa grew up together, but in her mind and everyone else’s they were not meant to be, until fate stepped in. From the time she was in her early teens she was destiny or promised to Alik Durov. Kisa had always felt sorry for him, she knew his father was an abusive asshole and she knew he depended on her. That was one of the reasons that she put up with all his abuse. He’s said that she’s the only one who quiets the voices in his head, the ones who tell him to hurt others. The guy is a sadistic bastard so it is probably true.

The other reason she puts up with Alik is because that is what the women of the Bratva do. Since her father already approved the marriage there is very little that she can do about it. I also think that there is a part of her that almost condemned herself to this life of torture as penance for having to hate and losing the man she loved. A bit extreme but I can’t see any reason that she wouldn’t tell her father that her fiancé is a dickhead, of course she should say it a bit more tactfully than that but oh well.  Her character starts out almost weak, she knows what she isn’t supposed to do and she doesn’t really do it. But one chance encounter changes that, she starts pushing the limits and breaking the rules. Her character growth while not extreme, is her really finding that she still has something to live for and fight for—herself and her happiness.

The Pact-- Karina Halle

The Pact had so much promise. This book is about two friends who make a pact that if by their 30th birthdays they aren't in serious relationships that they would marry each other. The male protagonist, Linden, is a Scottish, sexy man-whore.  Stephanie, the female protagonist, is described as picky when it comes to men. These two have been best friends for years; Linden has always harbored feelings for Stephanie. When they made the pact he was very much serious about it, while she thought he was joking. He spends the next few years fighting his own feeling because when he's single, she not and when she's single he's not.
By the time they are thirty they are both in committed relationships. Although, Linden is with a woman who he is always questioning her motives (i.e. She's gotten back aches ever since she got her appendix out, so he had no reason not to believe her but still doubts, she gets migraines so when she uses that excuse to get out of things he thinks twice but can't really question her.) Stephanie is dating a model who she questions his feelings towards her frequently and she also mentions how he isn't the sharpest tool in the shed. Obviously, the author made it obvious that there are flaws in these prospective partners. Both relationships just ended. Where is the depth?!
Eventually they get together...SHOCKER! I would not have seen that coming...not. Obviously they were going to get together. But shortly after they start, there is the stupidest conflict ever. I mean seriously, it was the most mundane and idiotic thing EVER. Ever.
This wasn't what I was expecting. The synopsis makes it seem like this book is mostly about them being together, when in reality the book is about 75% of them being with other people and 5% of stupid conflict, 5% stereotypical conflict and 15% of them being together. Overall, the book was kind of a letdown plot-wise. I enjoyed the writing style, just wished that there was more, I guess development with the characters as opposed to just BAM! relationship, BAM! sex, BAM! conflict.
I was honestly expecting something where neither one of them had feelings for each other "in that way", but made the promise when they were around 25, heck I even pictured it being almost a legality. They turned thirty and are in a way, forced together. From there, they learn about themselves, their friendship is test and of course sex happens. So when I give this 3/5 stars, it's because what I expected and what I enjoy were not there.

Clipped Wings-- Helena Hunting

            I have let myself sit on this book for a day before I wrote a review. The more I thought about it the more I considered changing my rating. Tenley has experienced a great loss and is all things considered a recovering addict. Hayden is still an enigma to me; he is an OCD "bad boy" with a past. Although, I have no idea why the OCD is really something that was stressed so much in this book.
            From the beginning Hayden and Tenley have an intense attraction to each other, but they also have secrets. Tenley works for Hayden’s aunt in the book store across the street from his tattoo shop. He's psuedo-stalked her since the first time he met, always popping over to the book store hoping to have a chance to talk to her. She stops by the tattoo parlor a few times to get piercings. From there she finally has the nerves to get a tattoo that embodies her past pain and tragedy. Hayden is, of course, the one to do the tattoo.
            But before they even get started on the full back piece, Hayden breaks on of his cardinal rules. He sleeps with his client, aka Tenley. Their relationship starts before any of their secrets or pasts are divulged. While, I understand not sharing your entire life, the issues that these two have might have been a good idea to share. She never shared what she went through and he never shared his past. For me that is the weirdest thing, the past that he didn’t want to share was his sexual past.  To me it wasn’t that bad. He was a rebellious young adult, did some drugs, and fucked a lot of people. But apparently it was a big deal to him so he kept it to himself the entire time. She failed to mention that she had a fiancé, who is now dead, and died on the way to their wedding.  That one, while I understand waiting a little bit, I don’t understand hiding the fact especially if you have real feelings for the person.
              The conflict in this book is mostly intriguing, drawing you in, making you want to read the next book in the series.  Honestly I think my favorite part of this book was probably the last two or three chapters. There was just so many new things introduced then and the drama, oh the drama! It was ramped up to the EXTREME! I was so pumped when this book ended that I immediately went on goodreads and rated it. That was where the 4/5 stars came from, now I would probably say 3.5 stars.

Duke (Fallen MC 1)-- C.J. Washington

            There were quite a few spelling mistakes in this book. For me to notice, that is saying a LOT. There were quite a few forgotten words or misplaced letters. That being said, I actually really enjoyed this installment of the series and cannot wait for the rest. 

            The book is told in the perspective of the two main characters. Nicole and Duke. Duke is a sexy biker, who within the first moments of meeting Nicole he was captivated. Her green eyes and black hair were just so appealing. {Let’s just talk about her hair for two seconds. It is described as being down to her butt, that’s fine and all but seriously, I guess that the author thinks that THAT long of hair is sexy. Let’s be honest for two seconds and admit that while it would be sexy for a little bit in the long run it would be a pain in the ass. She would always be sitting on it; it would take days for her hair to dry and not to mention all the shedding. Duke probably would not enjoy all the random long-ass hairs he would find all over his room.} Any hoo, back to Duke—he is the VP of Fallen MC; his job at the beginning of the book is to look after the collateral, i.e. Nicole. He expected her to be weak and sniveling instead he found a confident, beautiful woman.

            Nicole had been collateral too many times to count for her father. Her dad is a shady, no-good person. He always seems to owe people money and never has the money to pay them back. Each time he gives his daughter up for collateral. That usually works until this time she falls in love with one of her captors. Well, captor might not be the right word, the Fallen MC told her the score first thing, she would not be allowed to leave the compound, no phones and she wasn’t going to be turned into a club slut. So I would say she was more of an unwilling guest.

            As with all novels there is conflict and strife but I won’t divulge any details because that would be 

I will say that a few things were a bit not realistic but hey it’s a book and I don’t read for realism or I would be reading books about stay at home moms who kids only eat quesadillas. Not the most interesting of things.

         I can honestly say this this is one my my new favorite biker novels. There was something about the writing that kept pulling me in, driving me to read more. There was also the fact that Nicole is not like a lot of the other women in biker novel, your basic Damsel in Distress. She has been there, done that and gotten a T-shirt too many times to count. She knows how to deal and she is not putting up with anyone's shit. Love her for that!

Casting Call: