#Review: A Good Day for Chardonnay - Darynda Jones

 

Title: A Good Day for Chardonnay

Author: Darynda Jones

Series: Sunshine Vicram #2

I love picking up a Darynda Jones book, every time invokes smiles and laughter. Work has been crazy busy and this series gave me an outlet for escape even if for a few hours. Lately I have found myself struggling to find new books to read. I’ve tried new authors, different genre’s, etc. I completely forgot that Darynda Jones had a couple of series outside of Charley Davidson that I had not yet read so when I stumbled back across them on Amazon, I just had to scoop them up.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book so of course I’ve been waiting on the sequel and it does not disappoint. As one would expect from this author there are comedic moments that having you chuckling out loud and anyone in your vicinity looking at you like you’re crazy, suspense and there are moments of sadness. Just as there would be in real life.

The characters are wonderfully kooky and heart-warming, it’s a true supporting cast. Every character only enhances the story and makes you want to move to their little town in New Mexico.

I enjoyed every second of this book (as well as the first) and highly recommend it. If you’ve been waffling, now is the time.

*ARC was provided for an honest review, no other compensation was provided.

5 out of 5

#Review - The Last Guard: Nalini Singh

 

Title: The Last Guard

Author: Nalini Singh

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Nalini Singh has been one of my favorite authors for a number of years but to no fault of hers I took a long break from reading within the Romance genre. When I saw she had a new book coming out it rekindled my interest in the Psy-Changeling series. So I went back and caught up on the series backlog made my way to Last Guard.

Finally we get a glimpse into the mysterious Anchors. They had been introduced in the earlier Psy-Changeling books but we never learned too much about them.

I really enjoyed Canto’s character he was charming and engaging. From the beginning he pulls you and keeps you engaged. His backstory makes you like the Merchant family even more than you may have already. The Merchants take care of their own, even those deemed “flawed”.

Payal is a bit enigmatic at first but as she opens up to Canto you see more into her heart and the pain housed there. You quickly learn that what the public sees is just a façade and underneath she is just doing everything she can to just survive.

Overall, it was a good story that kept the reader moving and engaged. I wouldn’t say this is my favorite book in the series but it is a solid read.

An ARC was provided for an honest review.

4 out of 5

#Review - Jordan Reclaimed by Scarlett Cole

Jordan Reclaimed: Jordan Steele and Aleksandra Artemov

(Preload #1)





Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Jordan Steele’s life began when he was ten. When he was taken from his parents and a house that was never a home. When he met his brothers, the other lost and abandoned boys in his group home. When he learned what friendship and family and love looked like.

Now he’s made good, touring the world with the band he and his brothers formed in that crowded group home. No one but his found family really knows the man under the fame and fortune, the scars he hides behind the rockstar lifestyle. Until he sees her through the windows of the National Ballet, dancing, and suddenly the world doesn’t seem so dark.

Aleksandra Artemov ticks all the ballet boxes. Father a legendary Kirov dancer. Check. Prepping since birth for classical ballet. Check. Compulsive control over the food she eats. Check. Principal dancer at The National Ballet of Canada. Check. But what she craves is freedom.

She craves Jordan.

Everything about him should terrify her. His size, his tattoos, his edge. But he doesn’t. He stirs her very soul. Jordan has nothing but himself to offer her, and he's never been good enough for anyone. Can he figure out how to face his own demons before he loses his light for good?

Review:

Jordan Reclaimed by Scarlett Cole is the first in the new series called Preload. We met the men of Preload in Second Circle Tattoo Series. Dred hooked up with Pixie from Second Circle Tattoo shop and now the rest of the band are going to get their happily ever afters.

Jordan is the reason the band lives together, severely abused as a child he has some serious separation anxiety. After reading about his heartbreaking childhood its a miracle he can function at all. Scarlett Cole does an excellent job creating emotion and pulling us into what the character is feeling in this book. You really understand why Jordan is the way he is and your heart breaks for him and you are rooting for him to figure it out and to heal.

Lexi is awesome. She really is great for Jordan, when he starts retreating she makes him listen and respond. She doesn't let him disappear. I also love that Lexi is a ballerina! In my lowly opinion there are just not enough ballerina books and Im not saying that just because I used to dance.. or maybe I am.. but anyway she is a great foil for this hardcore metal artist. Classical ballerina vs. Heavy Metal.. so cute. Lexi has her own issues. Her father is a Grade A asshole and it effects other aspects of her personality thay we have to work through before these two can find their HEA. But as a reader you are invested in the outcome. You come to care about these characters and Cole spins an entertaining emotional tale you will be hard pressed to put down. 

Review copy provided through NetGalley for an honest review, no other compensation was provided.

#Review - How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days by Kerrelyn Sparks

How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days: Lord Leofric, the Beast of Benwick and Luciana

(The Embraced #1)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Luciana grew up on the Isle of Moon, hidden away because of her magical powers. But when her father arrives, he offers her a choice: remain on the island or return with him and marry the Beast of Benwick in order to save their legacy—and her father's life.

Lord Leofric, the Beast of Benwick, has not been touched since he was a child. Born with the power to harness lightning, he is a danger to everyone he touches. When he meets his betrothed, he expects a loveless, lonely marriage...until he discovers she's vastly more powerful than he realized. But is she strong enough to withstand his touch?

If they can survive, their love will alter the future of the kingdom. But will their extraordinary powers cost them everything?

Review:

How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days by Kerrelyn Sparks is the first in a new series called the Embraced. The premise is basically anyone that is born on a particular night is born with special powers. It is a crime to be born on that night and the babies are sentenced to death. This series follows a group of girls that were born Embraced and their families shipped them off to a remote island convent where they were raised in secret.. but fate is coming for them...

Luciana has a gift, a not very useful gift, but a gift nonetheless. This means she's embraced and as such she was secreted away. Come to find out, that's not the only secret in Luciana's life. When her father (thought to be dead) comes for her, she has a choice.. Remain at the convent or return home with him marry the Beast and save her fathers life. Terrified but determined to be brave, she leaves with her father. The King wants the Beast dead, while useful he's become a liability. Obvi, the Beast doesn't want to be dead so he leaves to fetch his bride to be, no reason to give the king an excuse to kill him. What he is not expecting is a beautiful young lady that tempts him more than she should. But there is a threat to her life and the Beast is not going to stand by while someone tries to kill his future wife.

Be prepared for a fun and funny tale. Everything you have come to expect from a Kerrelyn Sparks novel is present in this story. I highly enjoyed this story and feel like the series has a lot of potential. It is unique and has a fresh new take in the paranormal genre.

#Review - The Unyielding by Shelly Laurenston

The Unyielding: Erin Amsel and Stieg Engstrom

(Call of Crows #3)




Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Stieg Engstrom, Angriest Viking Ever, has got big problems. The human Viking Clans of earth are in danger of being obliterated—along with the rest of the world—and the only one who may be able to save them is a super pain-in-the-ass Crow. Most people annoy Stieg, but this is the one woman he really can’t stand…

Erin Amsel loves being a Crow! Why wouldn’t she when the other Viking Clans are so hilariously arrogant and humorless? She’s not about to let all that come to an end! She just didn’t expect to be shoulder to shoulder in battle with Stieg. Then again, he’s so easy to torment—and also kind of cute.

With the future of the world riding on them, Stieg knows he’ll have to put aside his desperate need to kiss the smirk right off Erin’s face. Wait. What? He didn’t mean that—did he? No! They have one goal: To conquer the idiots. Because nothing bugs Stieg more than when idiots win. If only he can keep himself from suddenly acting like one….

Review:

The Unyielding by Shelly Laurenston is the third book in the Call of the Crows series. There is a pesky god on the loose and if they fail Ragernok will happen sooner rather than later. The fate of the world is in one persons hands.... Erin, the most hated Crow. Erins life mission is to annoy and irritate as many people as she can, why? Because she can... Doesn't matter if you are her fellow Crow or one of the Norse Gods. No one is safe from Erin. Despite her irritating personality she actually has a heart of gold and a fierce fearless spirit. Regardless, no one wants the fate of the world in Erins hands.

Steig is a cranky Viking, even for other vikings he's cranky. He converses with very few people and has a chip on his should the size of a glacier. When Erin irritates a person to the point of violence he just laughs, until he ends up accompanying Erin on her quest.

With this installment look out for more laughs, a surprising amount of emotion and LOTS of violence. Everything that you look forward to in a S. Laurenston novel you will find in abundance here. I adore this series and look forward to each new installment. So dont miss out, get started now.

Review copy provided through NetGalley for an honest review. No other compensation provided. 

#Review - All You Need by Lorelei James

All You Need - Axl Hammerquist and Annika Lund

(Need You #3)



Summary:

PR agent Annika Lund can spin any disaster into a win. But revamping the reputation of a notorious Swedish hockey player will take every trick in her arsenal, especially when his agent insists that convincing everyone he’s no longer a playboy is top priority. And that it requires a sham relationship—with Annika playing the part of loving girlfriend.

On fire in the rink and in the bedroom, Axl Hammerquist couldn’t care less about being anyone’s golden boy. So when his agent forces him to play nice with a new publicist, he takes satisfaction in being as much of a pain as possible. But the more time he spends getting to know Annika, the more Axl starts to think that being Mr. Nice Guy might be worth it if it gets him the girl…

Review:

All You Need by Lorelei James is the third book in the Need You Series. I read the previous book in the series and adored it. There was a bit of angst and it was funny. It left me wanting more from this series so when this book came out I pounced on it. Sadly, the pouncing was the most excitement this book delivered. It wasn't bad, just merely ok. It left me with a MEH feeling. It wasn't particularly funny, the second half was a bit boring. I do admit the first half was pretty engaging, there was sexual tension, the characters were conflicted and there was more humor but somewhere in the middle it lost all of that. What was special and fun in the first half disappeared leaving us with lost potential. The characters were ok, again nothing too special here. Again, there is nothing bad about this book but it didn't live up to what it could have been which was disappointing.

Review copy provided for an honest review no other compensation was provided.

#Review - White Hot by Ilona Andrews

White Hot: Nevada Baylor and Connor "Mad" Rogan

(Hidden Legacy #2)

Summary:

Goodreads.com

Nevada Baylor has a unique and secret skill—she knows when people are lying—and she's used that magic (along with plain, hard work) to keep her colorful and close-knit family's detective agency afloat. But her new case pits her against the shadowy forces that almost destroyed the city of Houston once before, bringing Nevada back into contact with Connor "Mad" Rogan.

Rogan is a billionaire Prime—the highest rank of magic user—and as unreadable as ever, despite Nevada’s “talent.” But there’s no hiding the sparks between them. Now that the stakes are even higher, both professionally and personally, and their foes are unimaginably powerful, Rogan and Nevada will find that nothing burns like ice …

Review:

White Hot by Ilona Andrews is the long awaited second book in the Hidden Legacy Series. It was several years between the first and second book but fans of the series (myself included) were willing to accept that wait as long as there was a second book. So after several years was the wait worth it, you ask? Hell to the YES!!! Amazing, that is what this book was. This book picks up several months after the first book ends. Adam almost burnt the city to the ground but Nevada with the help of Mad Rogan was able to stop him but the powers that be that were behind Adam remain at large. Mad Rogan is on a mission to locate and bring this organization down. Nevada is just trying to pick up the pieces and remain out of the spotlight.

Waiting for Nevada is a new case. Cornelius Harrison wife has been murdered and he wants Nevada to find the killer. When Nevada's case and Rogan's obsession intertwine Nevada finds herself working with Mad Rogan once again. Get ready for an action packed roller coaster ride! From beginning to end this book left me wanting more. Thankfully the third book is right on the tail of this one so we dont have to wait long to see what happens next!

#Review - Wildfire by Ilona Andrews

Wildfire: Nevada Baylor and Conner Rogan

(Hidden Legacy #3)

Summary:

Goodreads.com

Just when Nevada Baylor has finally come to accept the depths of her magical powers, she also realizes she’s fallen in love. Connor “Mad” Rogan is in many ways her equal when it comes to magic, but she’s completely out of her elements when it comes to her feelings for him. To make matters more complicated, an old flame comes back into Rogan’s life…

Rogan knows there’s nothing between him and his ex-fiance, Rynda Sherwood. But as Nevada begins to learn more about her past, her power, and her potential future, he knows she will be faced with choices she never dreamed of and the promise of a life spent without him.

As Nevada and Rogan race to discover the whereabouts of Rynda’s kidnapped husband and are forced to confront Nevada’s grandmother, who may or may not have evil motives, these two people must decide if they can trust in each other or allow everything to go up in smoke.

Review:

Holy Shamoly this is one fantastic book! Holy Shamoly this is one fantastic series! I love me some Ilona Andrews, I really do. I started with the Kate Daniels series, then the Edge and third this one. And I have to say this one is probably my favorite Ilona Andrews series.

We had to wait several years between the first and second book which seemed like an eternity but we got the third fairly quickly after the second which was a nice bonus. This book has been out what a month or two and I've already read it three times.. yes, three times and I could read it again today and be just as happy reading it as I was the first time.

This book picks up a few days after the end of the second book and there is no rest for Nevada and family. She enters her kitchen to Rogan's ex-fiance crying over her missing husband and it starts all over again. Nevada also has to make a life altering decision for herself and family. This book is non-stop action, humor and drama. Make sure you have plenty of reading time, because once you start reading you will not be able to stop

*Review copy was provided through Edelweiss for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.

#Review - Silver Silence by Nalini Singh

Silver Silence: Valentin Nikolaev and Silver Mercant

(Psy-Changeling Trinity #1)




Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Control. Precision. Family. These are the principles that drive Silver Mercant. At a time when the fledgling Trinity Accord seeks to unite a divided world, with Silver playing a crucial role as director of a worldwide emergency response network, wildness and chaos are the last things she needs in her life. But that’s exactly what Valentin Nikolaev, alpha of the StoneWater Bears, brings with him.

Valentin has never met a more fascinating woman. Though Silver is ruled by Silence—her mind clear of all emotion—Valentin senses a whisper of fire around her. That’s what keeps him climbing apartment buildings to be near her. But when a shadow assassin almost succeeds in poisoning Silver, the stakes become deadly serious…and Silver finds herself in the heart of a powerful bear clan.

Her would-be assassin has no idea what their poison has unleashed…

Reviews:

I've been a huge fan of the Psy-Changeling series since I started reading it many years ago. I was super excited when this book came out because not only is it the Silver but we get bear changelings! They've been on the edges of this world for several books now but now we get a closer look. While I did enjoy this book, enough to give it four stars it is not one of my favorites. The plot almost seemed like a repeat of previous stories and I don't feel like we have progressed as much as we should have for 16 books in. It almost feels like we're back at the beginning.

With that in mind I did thoroughly enjoy the bears! They were a refreshing and adorable addition to this series and I'm so glad we got some time with them. The Merchant family is quite fascinating as well as Silvers place in her family as heir apparent. I really enjoyed These two together, our hero forced playfulness on Silver and started pulling her out of her silence but it all may be in vain as Silver has a secret... If her silence breaks... so does she... Can love overcome?

Review copy provided through NetGalley for an honest review. No other compensation was provided. 

#Review Chasing a Legend by Sarah Robinson

Chasing a Legend: Quinn Kavanagh and Dr. Kiera Finley

(Kavanagh Legends #4)

Summary:

Goodreads.com

A topnotch manager and agent, Quinn Kavanagh pictures a life outside of his family’s renowned MMA gym. Beneath his sleek exterior, Quinn has a secret passion for sculpting. But after a nearly fatal motorcycle accident, he’s struggling just to walk again, let alone get back to the studio—and it doesn’t help that the doctor in charge of his physical therapy is his childhood crush. Quinn’s always ready for a fight, but the bittersweet sting of unrequited love has him begging for mercy.

Dr. Kiera Finley is determined to make her medical residency a success. Six years ago, she gave in and shared a single passionate night with Quinn. Now she’s just hoping the cocky lover from her past doesn’t derail her plans for the future. Little by little, though, Kiera gets to know another side of Quinn. She knew he was a family man, devoted to his parents and brothers, but he’s also a free spirit trapped in a cage—and only she has the key. To heal both Quinn’s body and soul, Kiera’s tempted to give him a special kind of medicine.

Review:

It was a pretty quick read, cute and romantic.. Quinn is not in a good place when this book starts, everything he thought he knew about his life and his place in it, is up in air. His body is broken and he's barely holding onto his mind. When his new physical therapist walks in, he's sure he's going to lose it. Kiera, the love of his life, the one that got away, is his new physical therapist and she's not going to let him get away with being distant and withdrawn.

Quinn is Kiera's best friend, her partner in crime for most of her life. She needed to get away and find herself, Quinn must understand that. Sure she should have said something after their one night together. She took off to school without so much as a goodbye but Quinn should have answered her calls. When Kiera see's Quinn again after years apart, he's at his lowest point in his life. Kiera is determined to be the person that gets him back on his feet. Literally and figuratively.

While I really did enjoy this book, it was a fun light read, I didn't feel like there was a whole lot of character development going on. I really didn't feel like we really got to know these two characters. Still if you're a fan of this series, dont miss this book. I think you'll enjoy it.

*Review copy provided through NetGalley for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.