Books I'll never read | Top 5 Wednesday

Top 5 Wednesday was created by GingerReadsLainey

 

 

 

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

 

My edition is signed by Becca since I met her last year in November, but I honestly have no desire to read it, or her other book Black Ice. The premise of Hush, Hush isn't something I like, but maybe one day I will give it a try, but I doubt it.

 

 

Looking for Alaska & Paper Towns by John Green

 

Honestly? I just dislike John Green's writing style and characters. They're always the same and I actually think he has zero idea how to write a decent, likeable character. I'd rather leave those two alone and dose them with petrol and set them alight.

 

 

Dirty Deeds by Karina Halle

 

I will never pick up another book by Karina Halle. I read Dirty Angels and was completely offended by it all. Her writing wasn't anything special either. Just no, no, no, no, no!

 

 

This Girl by Colleen Hoover

 

Slammed should have been a stand-a-lone. I honestly don't know why Colleen wrote 3 books when there wasn't a storyline in Point of Retreat, so to continue it with This Girl makes completely no sense.

 

 

 

What books will you never read?

Let me know in the comments.

Review: Dirty Angels by Karina Halle

Title: Dirty Angels
Author: Karina Halle
Genre: Erotica
Publisher: Headline Eternal
Published: March 9th 2015
Page Number: 352
Rating: 1/5

 

Summary:

 

For Luisa Chavez, a twenty-three year old former beauty queen, a better life has always been just out of her reach. Sure, she’s had men at her feet since she was a young teenager but she’s never had the one thing she’s craved – security. Having grown up in near poverty, her waitressing job in Cabo San Lucas can barely let her take care of herself, let alone her ailing parents. Every day is another unwanted advance, every day is a struggle to survive.

When Salvador Reyes, the depraved leader of a major Mexican cartel, takes an interest in her, Luisa is presented with an opportunity she can’t afford to pass up. She’ll become Salvador’s wife and exchange her freedom and body for a life of riches – riches she can bestow upon her deserving parents. But Luisa quickly finds out that even the finest wines and jewels can’t undo the ugliness in her marriage, nor the never-ending violence that threatens her every move.

Soon, Luisa is looking for an escape, a way out of the carefully controlled life she’s leading. She finally gets her wish in the worst way possible.

As it is, being the wife of Salvador makes her an ideal target for rival cartels and there’s one particular man who needs Luisa as part of his cartel’s expansion. One particular man whose quest for power has destroyed lives, slit throats and gotten him out of an American prison. One particular man who will stop at nothing until he gets what he wants.

 

REVIEW

 

I can honestly say that I didn't have high expectations for this book. I checked up the reviews on Goodreads, and while Karina has some popular books with her audience this series is one that's received a lot of mixed reviews.

 

Erotica isn't a genre I normally read. I have read the 50 Shades Trilogy by E L James and the Bared to You series by Sylvia Day, and I somewhat enjoyed those, but Dirty Angels left me feeling angry and uncomfortable. I understand that Karina was portraying what life is like in a Mexican Drug Cartel, but I couldn't get past the desperation of it all. It felt like most scenes were there to shock readers rather than it actually fitting in.

 

I'm honestly so annoyed with this book and if anything, I don't think the Drug Cartel thing was the worst part of the book. Our main character, Luisa was. She was so naïve and childish, she had no voice. One minute she'd be arguing with Javier and the next he's masturbating over her back and "marking" her.

 

It made me physically sick. Literally.

 

I'd love to have at least one positive thing to say about this book, but I have nothing. Zero. Zilch. Dirty Angels had everything that I hated in a book, and I definitely will not be reading anything else from this author.

 

 

 

Physical copy provided by Headline Eternal for a honest review

 

 

Buy the book (Waterstones) | Buy the book (Book Depository)

 

 

 

 

Top 5 Wednesday: Books Over 500 Pages

Top 5 Wednesday was set up by Lainey over at GingerReadsLainey. Every week you have a new topic and you pick your top 5 choices for each topic. This is done in Vlogs, but I think it will be great for Bloggers to do as well. Today's topic is Big Books Don't Lie. Well, now I'm lying. It's Favourite books over 500 pages long!

Christmas time is the perfect time for big books because we get more time to ourselves, that is if you've already finished your shopping, like me.

 

A Game of Thrones by George R R Martin - I haven't read this series, but I know everyone either loves the books or the TV show, so I know it'd be perfect to recommend and take my 5th place. It's a high fantasy with a lot of death. Enjoy!

 

50 Shades of Grey by E. L James - This isn't the best written trilogy ever, but it's a very quick read. I read all three books in three days and really enjoyed them. Plus I've met E L James and she's super nice! Also you get to read them before the movie comes out. (I'm going to see it with some friends)

 

The Dark Heroine by Abigail Gibbs -  I officially read three chapters on Wattpad, but bought the book when it came out. This book is an amazing, sexy novel about kidnappings and Vampires. It's brilliant!

 

The Host by Stephenie Meyer - This Dystopian is incredible. I loved the movie, but when I read the book I was blown away. It was...unique. Great writing, great editing and an amazing storyline. It is over 600 pages long, but totally worth it.

 

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness -  This is my all time favourite series and the first book clocks up an epic 680 pages long. It's an adult fantasy that includes Witches, Vampires and Daemons. I was 14/15 when I read this and even faked that I was ill to finish reading it!

 

 

What are some of your favourite books that are over 500 pages long?

Book Review: Take Me Under by Rhyannon Byrd

Book Name: Take Me Under
Author: Rhyannon Byrd
UK Release Date: 2013
UK Publishers: Headline Eternal
Summary:

Ben Hudson had a thing for shy, sexy Reese Monroe from the moment he first saw her three years ago. Back then, she was married and living in Boston—two very good reasons for the Miami detective with a bad boy reputation to stay away.

But that was then…

Now Reese is divorced and moving to Florida, where her mother has rented her a small beach house—one that happens to be owned by Ben. Living right next door, he can’t get Reese’s soft curves out of his mind. He’s waited three long years to touch her in all the ways he’s been dreaming about, and this time he won’t let anything get in his way.

For Reese, Ben’s sudden advances are thrilling, but leave her stunned. With her limited experience in the bedroom, she never expects a man with such a wicked reputation to go after her. She knows she should be on guard, but he’s a temptation she can’t resist. And when trouble follows her down from Boston, threatening her life, Ben may be the only one who can help her

 

Praise for Rhyannon Byrd:

'Lip-biting sexual tension and sizzling romance.' Shayla Black

'A gift for beautiful, sensual storytelling.' Cheyenne McCray

'Raw, addictive, and blisteringly hot!' Romantic Times

Review:

 

I'm going to start off and say that I received a copy for an honest review. This does not affect my opinions.

 

The book starts off where Ben has seen Reese for the first time and he's pining for her. She looks pretty, but there's something else about her that burns his skin. And I found it to be great because we got to see the real Ben. However, three years later, he's not changed at all. I didn't see any maturing in his character.

 

In my opinion I don't think this was the best written book. It's not E L James bad, but it isn't anything great. Rhyannon was very repetitive and I think she used 'I want to fuck her long and hard' at least 15 times through out the entire novel. She also over used the word wry and I kind of felt like that was the only emotion she actually knew because it came up everywhere. And my biggest hate was the ... these came up everywhere. And I mean EVERYWHERE! Even in sentences when they were not needed. I think Rhyannon relied on them to add depth, but it fell flat in my opinion.

 

And sadly, Rhyannon created my biggest book pet peeve. Characters meeting and kissing in the first chapter. It doesn't feel real, I know you can say it's fiction, but who meets someone and kisses them on that night? Only someone who's drunk, and Reese was not drunk. She moved into her house.

 

That was the bad stuff about the book, but there was a few positives as well. I liked Reese's character and I felt Rhyannon knew her well, I also liked the friendship between Ben and Brit because they had banter and it worked well. The premise had so much promise, it was a shame it hit a dead end for me.

 

Overall, I gave this book a 2/5 STARS!

Book Review: Breathe by Abbi Glines

    Book Name: Breathe
    Author: Abbi Glines
    UK Release Date: 2013
    UK Publishers: Simon and Schuster
    Summary:

Sadie White doesn't get to spend her summer on the beach like most kids. Her mother can't keep a job, so Sadie is forced to work during the break at one of the mansions nearby instead.

Then Sadie discovers that Jax Stone, the hottest teenage rockstar around, owns the house, and things get a lot more interesting. Jax is adored by teenage girls everywhere - except for Sadie, that is -  but the fact she's not impressed by his reputation is exactly what he finds fascinating about her. As the summer passes, Jax and Sadie find themselves drawn to each other, even though their different worlds want to keep them apart. They're about to discover that love can be suffocating, until you find a way to breathe...

Praise for Abbi Glines:

'Every time I read one of Abbi's books, I declare it my new favourite.' Colleen Hoover, author of Slammed

'Abbi Glines really knows how to write hot male characters; she really does make you swoon.' Serendipity Reviews

Review:

Since being in a reading slump I really needed something that was either A) Set on or around a beach or B) Based around music. And this book was perfect because its both of those things.

Now I've been dying to read an Abbi Glines book for a while, and I finally caved. The outcome: I loved it!

Abbi Glines knows how to write great characters that you just swoon over, male or female, you'll soon find yourself in love with them because they're so elegantly developed. Sadie, the main female protagonist, is too kind. She won't stand up to her mother, she'll do anything for anyone and she'll even go as far as dating a rockstar and getting upset over fake girlfriend publicity. However, for me, Sadie was a bit immature for a seventeen year old. I thought I was reading about a fifteen year old, and then automatically she'd mature. But then again I still liked her character.

Jax Stone really confused me. Through out the book he was a great character: Flirty, cocky and jealous. But with a kind side to him. But there were a few scenes where I felt his character voice completely changed to something new and those were in the sexy scenes. He aged by like ten years and turned into something like Christian Grey. Only younger and a lot less experienced.

However, the story did grip my attention. The premise worked very well and I felt so many different things towards the characters and their personal stories. You can very much tell that this is Abbi's first book, and I know from this that her writing has so much promise and potential. And I really look forward to reading the rest of the Sea Breaze series. As well as her other intertwining series.

Overall, I gave this book a rating of 3.75/5 Stars because I couldn't decide between 4 stars and 3.5 stars, so I went for the middle of them.

Quote:

'Abbi certainly knows how to write great sensual escaping stories.' Bookbitchreviews.blogspot.co.uk

ARC Review: Make You Mine by Macy Beckett

   Book Name: Make You Mine
   Author: Macy Beckett
   UK Release Date: 6th May 2014
   UK Publishers: Headline Eternal
   Summary:

For ninety-nine years, every man in the Dumont family has remained a perpetual bachelor. Residents of Cedar Bayou, Louisiana, whisper about a voodoo hex cast upon the family, sabotaging each man’s chance at marriage. In truth, the Dumont men have their own player personalities to blame, and Marc is no exception. As captain of his family’s riverboat, he’s broken hearts up and down the Mississippi. That is, until his high school crush strolls on-board…

Allie Mauvais rocks the boat when she fills in as his pastry chef. She hasn’t seen Marc since senior year, when rumors flew that her great-great-grandmother was the one who cursed the Dumonts. After two weeks on the water, neither can deny the attraction that still burns between them. But to truly reach Marc’s heart, Allie must show him that the hex is all in his head and it’ll take more than her mouthwatering sweets to prove it. Will Allie’s love be enough to finally make Marc hers?

 

Praise for Macy Beckett:

 



"Beckett (Sultry with a Twist) begins her Dumont Bachelors series with this pleasant story of a riverboat captain and the pastry chef who captures his heart. Marc Dumont has been attracted to Allie Mauvais since their high school years in tiny Cedar Bayou, La. Trouble is, after a Dumont man left Allie’s voodoo-priestess great-great-grandmother at the altar, she cursed the whole family to be unlucky in love. When Marc’s regular pastry chef gets ill immediately before a scheduled voyage, Marc hurriedly hires Allie to sub in the kitchen. Strange episodes ensue, and everyone thinks it’s Allie’s fault—or the curse’s. Still, Marc can’t stay away from her. While the story gets a bit annoying when everyone’s assuming Allie can fry them with her supposed voodoo magic, overall this is a solid tale that portends a likeable series." Publishers Weekly

Review:

I requested this from Bookbridgr (run by Headline Publishing) this does NOT affect my review!

I absolutely loved this book! The characters were very well written, the storyline was fresh with a hint of cliché in there. The romance was very well developed and I loved that it was fast paced and not over the top with sex. Every little thing that happened between Marc and Allie happened for a reason. To Marc it was because of the curse. For Allie it was because it was supposed to happen.

The book was great and I loved that there was a mini side story intertwined into it; Joy and Ryan who found love after going to Allie for advice. Joy learned to live her life the way she wanted, and not the life her parents wanted her to live. Getting a tattoo led to Joy finding her perfect guy; Ryan.

I'm not always a fan of reading books by authors I've never heard of, but I'm glad I discovered this author. Her writing style is simplistic and natural. It flowed very well and I felt like it was very well researched for the surroundings in the story as it was mostly set on the boat, but also set on different islands and I loved that. I was glad there was room for more than the boat. It allowed the story to expand and a lot more drama for the characters.

Overall, I seriously loved this book. And I cannot wait until the second book in this series because this has become a guilty pleasure read. I would highly recommend buying this book because it is beautiful. I gave this a 4/5 Stars!

Quote:

'Like a great new Adult novel only sexier.' Bookbitchreviews.blogSpot.co.uk

Fierce by Clarissa Wild - Cover Reveal

I was luck enough to participate in this cover reveal and I am so excited for this book to be released. It looks like a really good New Adult book and I hope you guys will love it. All links are below.

 

 

Title: Fierce

Author: Clarissa Wild

Publication Date: January 27th 2014

Genre: New Adult Romance

Synopsis

Fight for your dreams. Fight for your life. Fight for love.

Nerdy girl Autumn Blakewood is the prime example of a goodie two-shoes. She studies every night, is never late for class, and always follows the rules. She has never felt the need to step out of her comfort zone. That is, until she meets Hunter.

Hunter Bane is a cocky, confident bad-boy, who's nothing but trouble. He’s a dangerous distraction to everyone around him. Sexy and strong, Hunter enjoys the swooning effect he has on women. Especially those who aren't used to attention, like Autumn.

Autumn finds it hard not to give into Hunter’s advances, even though it all seems like a game to him. Trying to understand him is impossible, because he shrouds himself in mystery.

What she doesn't know is that Hunter has more baggage than anyone should have to carry. When she discovers he's in an illegal frat club to save the one person that matters to him, Autumn realizes this could mean the end of her undeniable connection to him. Even their lives are at risk.

But it's too late to turn back now ...

Add to Goodreads

 

 

Excerpt

 

When he comes up the steps his gaze is already set on that one empty spot beside me. I’m squeezing my legs together, as he sits next to me. My instinct is to scoot far away, but I can’t; there’s nowhere to go. I feel watched, which isn’t strange, considering his gray eyes are practically trying to penetrate my skin. Anger is seething inside him, I don’t have to look at him to know; I can feel it flow out of him like a radiator that’s burning up.

God, I want to die.

He keeps staring at me, as if he has nothing better to do. My heartbeat is rising, and I’m starting to feel really sweaty. I don’t know why he’s doing this, but it’s freaking me out, and I don’t like it one bit.

"Don’t you have to pay attention?" I say, avoiding his eyes.

"To You? Yes."

His words make my insides broil.

"The teacher has already started talking." I point to the front, but Hunter doesn’t even flinch. His eyes are still on me like a hawk zooming in on his prey.

"I don’t care."

I swallow, gathering the courage to turn my head and look at him. The moment my eyes make contact with his I’m drowning. Drowning in amazement. Drowning in fear.

Fear of the unknown.

"But your grades …" I stammer.

He snorts, and a smile curls the corners of his mouth while he shakes his head. "Yeah, right."

And all I can do is stare.

If looks could kill, I would be dead.

He looks so damn handsome when he smiles. It’s like everything around us fades, and all I ever want to see is that smile. It just makes me feel good. But when the smile disappears, so does my mood. The darkness falling over his face unsettles me. In his eyes I see the hurt, the worries, the insomnia. Sleepless nights have worn down his face, making him look saggy and dull. But I know there’s so much more inside there. Endless stories and an undiscovered world I’m intrigued by.

I want to know what’s in there. Inside him. Why he’s so angry and sad at the same time.

A sudden overwhelming feeling to grab him and hold him tight takes me aback.

He’s having so much trouble in his life right now, even though I have no idea what’s going on. I can see there’s something wrong. And I want to help him get through it. But I don’t come any close. I don’t move one muscle. I’m scared. Scared of what he can do. Scared of his power, and his temper.

In my mind I can still see his bloodshot eyes and the hateful look on his face. He was in that fight yesterday, I’m sure of it. The only question is who was the one instigating it.

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. I can’t ask him. I just can’t get the words to come out. I’m really chicken-shit.

"Something wrong?" he says.

I shake my head.

"Then why are you looking at me like that?"

Hunter inches closer. I instinctively draw back, but he scoots even farther to my side. I’m scared to death he wants to do something to me, and I have no idea what, which makes it even scarier. A devious smile appears on his face, and it’s almost as if he’s enjoying this. Taunting me seems like his way to pass time in class. I don’t like it one bit, but on the other hand I’m excited as hell. He raises his head, and his nostrils flare. I turn my head, my breath hitching in my throat. I can’t look when he’s doing this, entering my private space uninvited. It feels as though his nose is close to my hair, because there’s hot air flowing close to my ear. And then he inhales.

Holy shit.

Is he smelling me?

I’m frozen in place from sheer panic, my heart beating like crazy.

No guy has ever come this close to me.

He lets out a huge breath afterward and chuckles softly. His breath lingers on my ear, and a shudder runs through me.

"I like it," he whispers.

Oh. My. Fucking. God.

My skin tingles where his hot breath brushed over me. My groin clenches, and my clit thumps.

Why?

His whisper does this to me. Just a whisper.

I never felt like this before. I think I just died inside.

Hunter muffles a laugh. It’s like he can smell my fear.

He takes in a sharp breath and moves back to his usual spot. As if what he did just now was the most normal thing in the world. I’m still shaken, my body stiff from the encounter. I feel completely naked, and I know he’s watching me. The look in his eyes is like that of a boy who just did something totally against the rules. And it’s so fucking sexy I can’t stand it.

Want to know more about the Author.

Clarissa Wild is the erotic romance author of the Blissful Series, The Billionaire's Bet series, the Doing It Series and the Enflamed Series. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.

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