Short Take Reviews: M/M Insta-Lust and Paranormal Insta-Love

Leveled (Saints of Denver #0.5) by Jay Crownover
Read: November 2017
GoodReads

SYNOPSIS:

Orlando Frederick knows what it is to be leveled by pain. Instead of focusing on his own, he’s made it his mission to help others: sports stars, wounded war vets, survivors of all kinds. But when Dom, a rugged, damaged, sinfully attractive cop, makes his way into Lando’s physical therapy practice, he might be the biggest challenge yet. Lando loved one stubborn man before and barely survived the fallout. He’s not sure he can do it again.

Dominic Voss is a protector. The police badge he wears is not only his job, it’s his identity, so when he’s sidelined because of an injury, the only thing he cares about is getting back on the force. He expects Lando to mend his body, he just doesn’t realize the trainer will also have him working toward a hell of a lot more. As attraction simmers and flares, Dom sees that Lando needs repair of his own...if only the man will let him close enough to mend what's broken.

MY THOUGHTS:

Having listened to all six of the Marked Men books on audio, I was excited to continue with the Saints of Denver series. I’ve seen Crownover refer to Leveled as the bridge between the two series so there was no way I was going to pass it up.

Dom and Lando could not have been more different – Dom’s rough-edged cop to Lando’s polished exterior – but they couldn’t have been better matched.  There was no insta-love here but the insta-lust was off the charts. I loved that Dom was so open with his feelings for Lando, even in the face of Lando’s hesitancy. Having experienced a great loss, and living with guilt, Lando was understandably gun-shy about opening himself up to a new relationship. And the danger involved in Dom’s job became a major factor in their story. Both guys were totally endearing in their own way and it warmed my heart to watch as they drew closer together.

Even though this clocks in at just 220 pages, the story never felt rushed and their relationship developed in such a natural way. It wasn’t without its bumps along the way, but I loved seeing how these two worked their way through past hurts and current challenges to find their own happy ending.

4/5 STARS

  

Darkness Dawns (Immortal Guardians #1) by Dianne Duvall
Read: November 2017
GoodReads

SYNOPSIS:

Once, Sarah Bingham’s biggest challenge was making her students pay attention in class. Now, after rescuing a wounded stranger, she’s landed in the middle of a battle between corrupt vampires and powerful immortals who also need blood to survive. Roland Warbrook is the most compelling man Sarah has ever laid hands on. But his desire for her is mingled with a hunger he can barely control…

In his nine centuries of immortal existence, no woman has tempted Roland as much as Sarah. But asking her to love him is impossible—when it means forfeiting the world she’s always known, and the life he would do anything to protect.

MY THOUGHTS:

Darkness Dawns was recommended to me and I was excited for a good paranormal romance. The aspects I enjoyed were tempered by things that made me roll my eyes (a lot) but overall the scales tipped in its favor.

First, the good. I enjoyed both main characters. Sarah was no damsel in distress and showed real backbone in scary situations (Fighting off attacking vampires? She jumped in the fray. Girl power!).  Roland was a deliciously tortured hero/Immortal Guardian who led a lonely existence. Their meeting, when Sarah saved Roland from an ambush attack, paved the way for plenty of action. A vampire with a vendetta and his many minions were relentless in their attacks and created plenty of drama and adventure. The secondary characters were a truly interesting lot and knowing their stories are told in future books was a bonus.

Now for the not so good. The insta-love was in full-effect. I mean, a couple days pass and they are hard-core ready to pledge their lives to each other. I get the whole going through extreme situations together but still… no. Also, the number of convenient coincidences defied belief and made for all-too-easy resolutions. It was like, seriously? I’m supposed to just go with this, huh? Lastly, and this may seem minor, but the word count devoted to organic this and organic that and the evils of chemically treated food became obnoxious. One, it quickly felt preachy, and two, it seemed pointless and out of place considering the circumstances.

Even with the issues there was enough here for me to enjoy the story overall and I’m sure I’ll continue the series at some point.

3.25/5 STARS

HAVE YOU READ EITHER OF THESE BOOKS?

New Release + Trailer Reveal + Giveaway: Brave by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Guys, I am crazy excited for the release of Brave by Jennifer L. Armentrout! If you've been around here for any length of time you know that JLA is one of my very favorite authors and a new release from her is like gold. The Wicked trilogy has been so much fun - action, romance, betrayal, Fae, New Orleans, a hilarious Brownie named Tink who steals every scene - and I can't wait to read this finale! Check out this synopsis (and order your copy!), watch the trailer, and be sure to enter the giveaway!

Ivy Morgan hasn't been feeling like herself lately. Not like anyone can blame her. After all, being held captive by a psychotic fae prince hell-bent on permanently opening the gates to the Otherworld is bound to leave some mental scars.

It’s more than that, though. Something dark and insidious is spreading throughout Ivy, more powerful than she could ever imagine... and it’s coming between her and the man she’s fallen deeply in love with, elite Order member Ren Owens. 

Ren would do anything to keep Ivy safe. Anything. But when he makes a life altering choice for her, the fallout of his act has far reaching consequences that threaten to tear their lives apart.

If Ivy is going to have any hope of surviving this, she must put aside the hurt and betrayal she feels, and work with not only those she loves, but with an enemy she would rather kill than ever trust. War is coming, and it soon becomes clear that what Ivy and Ren thought they knew about the Order, themselves, and even their enemies, has been nothing but a cluster of dangerous, deadly lies. Ivy knows she must be more than just brave to save those she loves--and, ultimately, to save herself. 

Because behind ever evil fae Prince, there’s a Queen…

The Wicked Saga, Book #3

Release Date: December 11, 2017

Available Formats: Paperback (U.S./Canada) and E-book

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks 

CREDIT: 

Created by Franggy Yanez Photo - http://www.franyanezphoto.com/ 

Talent: Justin Edwards (the cover model)

G I V E A W A Y!

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ABOUT JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. She spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Website: https://jenniferlarmentrout.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferLArmentrout

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JLArmentrout

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jennifer_l_armentrout/

Review: Haven by Mary Lindsey

Haven by Mary Lindsey

Series: No

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal

Release Date: November 7, 2017

Format: eARC

Source: Entangled Publishing

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Rain Ryland has never belonged anywhere, He’s used to people judging him for his rough background, his intimidating size, and now, his orphan status. He’s always been on the outside, looking in, and he’s fine with that. Until he moves to New Wurzburg and meets Friederike Burkhart.

Freddie isn’t like normal teen girls, though. And someone wants her dead for it. Freddie warns he’d better stay far away if he wants to stay alive, but Rain’s never been good at running from trouble. For the first time, Rain has something worth fighting for, worth living for. Worth dying for.

Rain Ryland’s life has been spent living on the streets, in shelters and barely getting by with his mother. Her death brings a new start in a new town with an aunt he never knew existed. After surviving the tough city streets virtually on his own, life in the small town of New Wurzburg should be a breeze. But things aren’t what they seem in the insular little town and Rain quickly finds himself in the midst of life and death situations and secrets people would kill to keep hidden.

With the YA market saturated with fantasy novels, I was thrilled to find that the paranormal genre is still alive and kicking in Mary Lindsey’s Haven. Not only that, but Haven is turning the usual tropes on their heads and providing a story that is new and fresh and utterly unputdownable. You’ll find no brooding guys who act like caveman or damsels in distress waiting to be saved. What you do get is a main character who is searching for his purpose and a place to belong and a girl who is strong and capable but in need of support (whether she’s willing to admit it or not). 

Rain comes to New Wurzburg with a past that isn’t pretty. Living on the streets, an addict mother, and time spent in juvenile detention left Rain street-savvy and self-sufficient but also craving family, stability and a sense of belonging. While he has a taste of that with his aunt, it’s when he meets Freddie Burkhart at school that things seem to click into place. But his arrival have also set events in motion that he can’t possibly comprehend and he’s met with silence and evasiveness when he questions strange occurrences. The more Rain pushes for information the more immersed he becomes in the mysterious, and violent secret world churning just below the surface of everyday life. And eventually he’ll have to decide how much he’s willing to sacrifice for the life that’s within his reach.

I loved the world and the mythology that Mary Lindsey created in Haven. I was sucked right in from the very beginning and reveled in the sinister atmosphere. I was questioning every new occurrence and trying to develop theories of what could be going on. I was suspicious of practically every character and that only increased as the story progressed. I trusted no one! There was sketchy behavior, odd explanations, eyes always watching, veiled threats. The feeling of unease only grew and the intensity amped up until I was flipping pages at lightning speed, dying to know what would happen next. And I was never disappointed.

I realize I’m keeping things a bit vague, but believe me it’s better to go in to this one without knowing too much in advance. Lindsey kept the story moving at a breakneck pace with action and mystery, suspense and a little romance that all blended together perfectly. While I typically bemoan the fact that there are too few stand-alone novels being published, this is one book I would love see turned into a series. Haven is a mature YA paranormal that I highly recommend!

Note: I received an advance copy of this title from the publisher. This in no way changes my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

4/5 STARS

Do you enjoy paranormal?
Will you be reading Haven?

The Time Traveler's Christmas by Amy Jarecki - Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for The Time Traveler's Christmas by Amy Jarecki! I'm excited to be taking part in this one because it had been so long since I read a time travel romance and this one really delivered. So read all about it, enter Amy's giveaway, and download your copy today!

About The Time Traveler's Christmas
A man’s life can fall apart in an instant… Tougher than oxhide, Lachlan Wallace can take about anything except a breakup call from his wife two minutes before competing in the Karate Championship of the World. Arriving home with a loss, he agrees to watch his uncle’s cat over the holidays. Or so he thinks—until he awakes on a fourteenth-century battlefield beside a woman fighting for her life. 
Never underestimate a woman’s determination… 
Taken from her at the age of two, Lady Christina de Moray hasn’t seen her son in thirteen years. While traveling with Robert the Bruce’s army to exchange an English prisoner for the lad, a battle erupts. Losing the fight, Christina is rescued by a mysterious warrior while the English escape with her son yet again. 
And never bet against the potency of passion… 
Left with no way back to the twenty-first century, Lachlan agrees to help Christina rescue the lad from his English captors. If the heir is not returned by Christmas next, the Bruce will make his decision whom to grant the de Moray lands, including Lady Christina’s hand. Once his duty is fulfilled, Lachlan hopes to discover a way home—as long as he keeps his mind on the goal and ignores his growing love for the spirited woman who gives him her trust—and her heart. Grab your copy today!

The Time Traveler's Christmas
Rise of a Legend
In the Kingdom's Name

MY THOUGHTS

I've always enjoyed time travel romance but for some reason haven't read anything from the genre in a long time. So I was pretty excited when I came across Amy Jarecki's new release, The Time Traveler's Christmas. This is the third novel in her Guardian of Scotland series but can easily be read as a stand alone. 

In present-day Scotland, Lachlan Wallace is at a crossroads. His wife has left him and he's spending a few weeks house sitting (well, cat sitting) for his uncle and deciding how to move forward. Finding himself in the 14th century on a battlefield is not what he had in mind. Saving Lady Christina de Moray puts him on a path he never envisioned - one that includes danger and political unrest but also a chance at true fulfillment and even lasting love. 

First things first, I really loved Lachlan. This was a man with so many admirable qualities. He was honest and loyal, protective without being a caveman, confident without being cocky, and so adaptable and able to handle whatever was thrown at him. 

Christina was well portrayed as not only a woman who, as a member of the nobility, had an obligation to the King, but also a heartsick mother who longed for the return of her son. She was strong-willed but the times when she acquiesced made sense considering the station of women during that time. 

While there was definitely an early attraction between Lachlan and Christina, the romance itself was a slow burn and all the more satisfying. I enjoyed not only the romance but also the overriding theme of finding and fulfilling your life's purpose. 

Readers who enjoy historical fiction and romance with a paranormal twist will surely enjoy The Time Traveler's Christmas. 

ABOUT AMY JARECKI
An Amazon bestselling author, Amy Jarecki adores Scotland. Though she now resides in southwest Utah, she received her MBA from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Winning multiple writing awards, she is focused on the genre of Scottish historical romance. Amy loves to write steamy edge-of-your-seat action adventures with rugged men and fascinating women who weave their paths through the brutal eras of centuries past. 
Connect with Amy Jarecki: 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amyjarecki/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyjarecki
Website: http://amyjarecki.com/  

  ENTER AMY'S GIVEAWAY!

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Throwback Thursday Review: Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Wicked by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Series: Wicked #1

Genres: New Adult, Paranormal

Release Date: December 8, 2014

Format: Trade Paperback

Source: Purchased

Find it here: GoodReads | Amazon

Synopsis

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

My Thoughts

A badass redhead + smoking hot guy (with dimples) + snarky brownie + evil Fae bent on world domination = a really good time.

Ivy is a 22 year old college student and part of the Order - a secret organization that kills/banishes the Fae. She lives and works in New Orleans where there's no shortage of Fae. Enter Ren, aforementioned smoking hot guy, Order member who is new to New Orleans, and seems to be there for a specific purpose. When it seems that the Fae are preparing for something that could be catastrophic for all humankind, Ivy and Ren work together to find answers. And find each other in the process.

Wicked started slow for me. I don't know if that's because I was feeling book slump-ish or because of the story but it did take me some time to get into it. I also wish Ivy's background wasn't so slow to reveal. It was obvious there was a story there and it was hinted at so often that I was starting to think 'come on already!' And overall I just wasn't fully immersed in the plot. Again, that could have been me being book slump-ish or maybe this story of the Fae just wasn't my favorite.

That being said, Wicked was still plenty of fun. Ivy was a strong character with a sassy attitude. And I loved Ren's charm and openness with Ivy. He was so upfront with his feelings for her and I really liked that about him. But it was Tink who stole the show. That little brownie was total comic relief and had so many lines that made me laugh out loud. Armentrout does banter and snarky humor *so* well and it was in abundance here.

I was distrustful of a certain character from almost the very beginning and I was pleased to learn I had called it so early on. But the twist at the end...? Nope. Did *not* see that coming! I read the last page and sat there holding the book in utter disbelief - crushed by the turn things had just taken. I need the next book like yesterday and will be snagging it just as soon as it's released.

I am a huge fan of Jennifer Armentrout. Her Lux series is one of my favorite series ever and The Dark Elements series isn't far behind. While Wicked wasn't on that level for me and didn't hook me quite like the others, I still enjoyed it a lot and am definitely excited to see where the story goes from here!

4/5 Stars 

Have you read Wicked? Do you have a favorite paranormal series?