naceprettub's reviews
787 reviews

This review can also be viewed here.

--

While this is not my first BDSM novel, it is only the second book I've read with a Master/slave aspect. I'm very--- uncertain about M/s on a personal level, but I like to keep an open mind and see what a story brings. I read Slave because it was recommended by someone on twitter. I'm always looking for more novels in this realm so I tackled it with anticipation.

First, I thoroughly enjoyed Sherri Hayes' writing style. She is clear and concise and the emotions through the book were palpable. I felt an easy connection between the characters. Stephan's pain leapt out at me, as did Brianna's.

Overall, I struggled reading the bulk of Slave. I hit a point when I felt like it was monotonous because the story takes place mostly in Stephan's apartment. Brianna is frightening, understandably, to go out in public after what she lived through. For me though, it got to be boring that there wasn't much going on outside of that. I hated that I wasn't more in love with it but I kept reading, hoping things would pick up. Seeing as this is the first in a series, I can see that the bulk of Slave was the setup for a lot to come in the future for these characters. Establishing a connection between them and the reader.

Brianna was intriguing and she is the character that kept me reading when I felt like I may've been losing interest in the story. I became angry that someone had treated her the way they did. That's a good thing though, because if I can't care about a character, what is even the point in reading their story?

Stephan made me feel for him on a different level. He so much wanted to save Brianna from the very beginning. Though I'm not sure he went about it the correct way, he did what he thought was best. I gave him major points for what a great person he was. As a Dom and as a man. In the end it was hard for me to believe he was in love with Brianna though. I felt that he barely knew her, both because she hadn't not been with him for long and she hadn't really opened up to him much until the end of the book. Even then, there was still so little he knew about her.

There was a lot of unanswered questions I'm sure will be covered as the series goes on. I feel like that will be interesting. While I didn't love Slave, I'll probably read the second book to see what happens to these two.

This review can also be found here.

-0-

I've always been a really big fan of Julie Garwood. She has written some amazing highlander books. Since she's been writing more contemporary stuff in the last few years I've looked for books to fill the void because I'm a big fan of this type of book. I found The Bridegroom Wore Plaid on NetGalley and requested a copy right away. I was thrilled to be approved and to start reading it.

Augusta, the cousin of Ian MacGregor's intended bride is unlike any woman he's ever met. From her violet colored eyes to her plain spoken attitude, Augusta surprises Ian at every turn. They bond and build a friendship; Augusta intending on helping Ian with his suit to win over his future bride, who he needs to marry in order to help save his family and clan.

The only thing is, Ian's future bride has no interest in marrying him and hasn't allowed him to get to know her, not the way Augusta has. There's no way Ian would be happy marrying someone he can't connect with, but he can't marry Augusta either. She's a 'spinster' and dependent on her uncle and his family after losing both her parents at an early age. Her uncle turns out to be horrible. There are little signs here and there, making it clear that he's up to something, that he's hiding things.

As bits and pieces of information start to fall into place Ian becomes suspicious that maybe there's more to Augusta's history so he starts to dig around. I really liked the blend of romance, with the mystery and intrigue aspect of Bridegroom. It's rare to have the hero and heroine in a period book to become such good friends before falling in love so that was a nice change as well.

When Ian makes a huge decision that will change his life he must figure out how to tell everyone. But Augusta takes things into her own hands and helps him out a little. I loved that she isn't a cowering 'lady'. She speaks her mind, is a bit sassy, and smart. Definitely a strong female character. It's understandable that Ian would be drawn to her strong personality. He knows he loves Augusta and she knows she loves him, but they had to get to the point of telling one another how they felt.

I really enjoyed the way things were wrapped up in the story. Questions answered, happiness achieved. There's lots of fun and entertaining characters in this book and I'm happy it's going to be a series since I like to know what happens to couples in the future. My only real issue was that in the beginning of the book there was a lot of characters to remember and keep up with. Once I got the hang of it and knew who was who, that disappeared.

Overall, a good read that hit the spot!

This review can also be viewed here.

-0-

There are so many BDSM style books coming out of the wood work lately, for obvious reasons. The nitty gritty on this one is-- it did have moments that reminded me of the Shades books. Sometimes it distracted me, but not so much that it was annoying.

As I got deeper into the story there were clear differences between most of the other fetish books I've read more recently. This was more about Nikki stepping out of her comfort zone by allowing people to get closer to her. She had a rocky past to overcome. Damien knows this but he's not aware of the extent of what happened to her.

Damien is that rich guy that always gets his way. The one we've seen in too many books to count. That one that meddles in a girls life without her knowing or approving. He wants Nikki -- to work for him, to join him in his bed, and it's almost impossible for her to say no. She agrees to 'work' for Damien for a ridiculous sum of money, which she will earn in only a week. I don't want to spoil what it is she agrees to but it's definitely a different twist.

In doing so, Nikki must reveal parts of herself she never wanted anyone to see. But Damien is compassionate and caring. I really enjoyed that about his character. While it's obvious he is dominant, he never actually says so. It's in his actions. He is commanding, knowledgeable, passionate and compassionate. He guides Nikki into a submissive role but never actually tells her what kind of relationship he's developing. I couldn't decide if that bothered me or not.

On one hand, I figured surely she was aware of D/s, I can't imagine someone not being. Then on the other hand, just because I know what BDSM and Dom/sub is, it doesn't mean everyone does. It's possible she doesn't know the term for their budding romance; just that she enjoys the thing he does to her. I wish there had been some explanation of that somewhere in the book.

I did enjoy Release Me but it didn't stick out in my mind the way I'd hoped it would. It felt more like a novella because of the speed in which everything happened. The entire book was probably the span of a whole week. I like a bit more pacing sometimes.

While I did enjoy the characters, I felt like it had a bit more potential. There were things I'd have liked to have seen fleshed out more, to help me really connect.

This review is also posted here.

-0-

A series that follows a family is one of my favorite things to read. I enjoy getting to know characters and then being able to go along once they've had their 'happy ending' in a book. The reader can catch up with the couples in past books and see their relationship evolve. Caroselli's Christmas Baby is part of The Caroselli Inheritance. Which I assume (hope) will be a series.

Nick is an interesting guy. His family is in the chocolate business and his grandfather wants nothing more than to see him married with a family. They are a meddling group of people and the family needs male heirs. Only thing is, Nick doesn't really have interest in tying the knot or having children. When his grandfather makes a deal with him he can't refuse, Nick begins to reconsider his life.

Then his best friend of twenty years mentions she wants to have a baby and Nick figures, two birds one stone. They can marry, and produce an heir then get divorced. Nick gets what he wants, Terri gets what she desires. It's a win win situation. Except once the ball is rolling, their physical chemistry is fairly intense and Nick isn't sure he wants to let her go after their deal is complete.

Terri is torn between what she wants and what she thinks is best for her. She lost those she loved most early in her life. If she allows herself to get too close to Nick, she may get her heart broken again.

Something changes Terri's mind and she realizes she needs Nick in her life, that maybe they can make things work. When Nick realizes he's in love with her and it's possible Terri feels the same way, he confesses his feelings. She panics and they argue and separate. Time apart gives them some perspective on what they really want the rest of their lives to be.

They both want forever. Not just a temporary, for money relationship.

I enjoyed both Nick and Terri's characters, as well as the secondary ones too. My only "complaint" is that I wish it had been longer, maybe more detailed here and there, but most Christmas novels are usually short and sweet anyway. Caroselli was definitely light and sweet. A fun, holiday read.

This review can also be viewed here.

-0-

I came across this short story because of a few tweets on the twitter and decided to give it a read. I love short stories, and reading a Christmas themed one is always fun. Unknown to me, this was formerly a Twilight fanfic *shrug* that doesn’t bother me a bit, obviously.

Magic at Macy’s was extremely sweet and fluffy. In short, it was right up my alley. Jack is Ally's best friends older brother. I’m especially a sucker for the “I’m in love with my best friends sibling” kinda thing. I tend to read a lot of those... I sometimes look for this type of story when I’m looking for new things to read.

Ally is an adorable character and very relatable in my opinion. She’s hesitant to express her feelings for her best friends brother because she doesn't think he 'sees' her. It's easily believable. How often do people crush on someone they assume doesn't feel the same way toward them? I know I've definitely been in that position a time or two in my life. That unrequited thing make me swoon.

Little does Ally know, Jack has a bit of a crush on her too. Except he thinks she's indifferent because when they are around one another, she's super shy. Ally doesn't talk to Jack much, even barely meeting his eyes. He thinks she doesn't like him at all. When he realizes she's following him he decides to take matters into his own hands, surprising her in a few ways. He is a fantastic guy and it's easy to see why Ally has feelings for him.

One of the other things I enjoyed when reading this is that it is written in two parts. First part is Ally's POV, second is Jack's. I love love love getting both perspectives, because once I read the girls thoughts, I find myself dying to know what the boy is thinking too. It's funny to see everything through a different pair of eyes, especially when both characters think the other isn't interested in them.

Magic at Macy's was a fun, quick read. A very sweet story.

This review can also be viewed here.

Debra Anastasia is one of my favorite authors. There I said it. Her witty dialogue and imaginative stories never fail to reel me in. She isn’t afraid to write what she wants, even a fart joke here and there. Bittersweet Seraphim most definitely did not disappoint. It was all I expected and more.

Bittersweet is the follow up to Crushed Seraphim, in which we met Jack, Emma, and Jason, just to name a few. In this second book we join those three as well as a few new characters. Often times I’m leery of characters being added in on top of characters but not this time. I liked how our new friends’ stories were weaved in with those we already knew and loved.

Jack is back (hehehe) and he’s sexy and funny as ever. It's impossible not to love him, devil or not. He bleeds sarcasm and I adore that, which shouldn’t be a big surprise to most everyone that knows me. But my absolute favorite thing about him is his overwhelming love for Emma. Even while they are apart, he refuses to give up and his love for her holds strong. *sigh* If he were the mushy type, I’d have just climbed through the pages and hugged Jack. (Possibly I’d sneak in a grope.)

The bad thing is, Jack is back on earth as a human while his love is in Hell. Emma is caged up by the current devil, who likes to spend his days dishing out any form of abuse he can. Everett has never wanted anything but Emma and he thinks now that he has her trapped, he’ll get what he desires. Poor Emma tries to keep her mind focused on what she loves most, even though she no longer has her wings. Some days it’s hard to focus and remember why she’s there.

Though she doesn’t know it, Jack and the gang plan to break Emma out of Hell. *jazz hands*

Unfortunately they release minions on their way in, creating a bit of chaos on earth. A devilish twist I wasn’t expecting at all follows. I’m all about a book surprising me over and over-- Bittersweet does just that. Not only does the plot have a few twists but I enjoyed seeing the characters grow and evolve before my eyes. The characters I love (and even those I love to dislike) surprised me often and kept me on the edge of my seat.

I felt like the final chapter was the perfectly wrapped package with a beautiful bow on top. Fascinating and very enjoyable book. If you’re curious but uncertain about checking out Bittersweet, first I have to say, read Crushed first (obviously) so you can hurry on over to this one-- you won’t be disappointed. Who doesn’t want to read the story of the devil falling in love with an angel?? It’s a steal via amazon for kindle right now. You should go buy it.

Review can also be viewed here.

-0-

The Prince is the third book in The Original Sinners series (The Siren #1, The Angel #2). I am actually having trouble putting my thoughts together enough to review it. This seems to have happened with the other two books as well. This is not a bad thing, don't get me wrong. It's just that Tiffany Reisz's books leave your mind a little boggled.

One of the things that sticks out in mind is that the point of views alternate with each chapter. I really loved that, actually. In some books that can make things confusing but in The Prince, it added to the experience. There's a lot of back story between Soren and Kingsley, which I really enjoyed. It made me see both of those characters in a different light. I haven't always been Soren's biggest fan, I won't deny that, but seeing another side of him was great. It made him and Kingsley both a lot more 3D. They are incredibly complex characters. And, really, heart stuttering sexy too.

I've always been a fan of Wesley and at the end of The Siren I was flailing over him. Such a curious young man. I needed more of him. Of course I was thrilled to have a large chunk of the book with him and Nora spending time together. There's a little bit of mystery intertwined in their story. It made me really curious about the horse racing world. Wes and Nora are sweet and hot together too. They are a great combination but I feel like the other shoe hasn't quite dropped yet when it comes to them. I'm a little nervous!

In most great books, there's a twist. The twist. Oh, the twist. Still has my mind whirling! And the whole damn book ended on a CLIFF. HANGER. to beat all cliffhangers. When I read the very last line I said, rather loudly, "Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?!" As I recall, the previous two books ended on cliffies too. I should have known this one would as well. It has left me salivating and chomping at the bit [see what I did there?] for more. Why must we have to wait so long?!

If you haven't given these books a read, please do. They are full of great and fascinating characters, delicious sex scenes and interesting plot!

Review can also be viewed here.

I'd heard people rave about Divergent for a long time and since the movie is now being cast, I bumped it up on my 'to be read' list. I was worried I would spend my entire reading experience comparing it to The Hunger Games. I'm happy that it was different enough that it didn't happen a lot.

Divergent is a beautifully written story with an interesting plot and characters. I was fascinated with the dystopian world Veronica Roth created. I was most excited to see what all the scuttle butt was about when it came to Four. I saw him name mentioned fairly often with a lot of "he's my fictional boyfriend" statements. After getting to know him, I can understand why that is.

Four is a spectacular character full of courage, intelligence, and fire. I love the way he slowly creeped up on me. It was hard getting to know Four because he's an extremely private person, but the little bits here and there made him all the more interesting to me. With the book being from Tris' point of view you don't really know what Four is thinking or what he's up to. When he finally opened up to her I could see why everyone was so swoony over him.

Tris is an entertaining character herself. She is a brave teenage girl, diving head first into a place much different than the home she grew up in with her family. Seeing everything from her perspective was fascinating to me. The training she goes through is grueling but it makes her into an amazingly strong young woman. As the story progresses and she and Four become close I couldn't help but ship them like crazy.

When the story hits a certain point I was shocked, maybe even convinced it might have been a dream sequence. It wasn't. My mind is still blown by what I read. Such a twist I wasn't expecting...not in the way it happened at least. Such a great book though!! I really did love it and can't wait to get back into the Divergent world again.

Review can also be found here.

-0-

4.5 stars (where are my half stars goodreads?!)

Circle of Light is book three in the Light trilogy. I've been anticipating it's release for some time. I can't confirm or deny that I fangirl a little over Jennifer DeLucy and have talked to multiple people, telling them they need to read these books. They're not just another vampire story. They are so much more than that. The characters are well rounded and the plot is in-depth and interesting. She's created her own world. A world I really love.

In Circle we get all the stories wrapped into a nice, neat package. With a pretty bow on top. I especially enjoyed that, because often in a trilogy or series, the other characters fall to the wayside. I get why that is, but getting to see closure for everyone was a nice surprise.

I spent the bulk of the book swooning over Christian and Nicole, William and Lilly, and enjoying the other members of the household. Even the minor characters were a fun addition. Except maybe Judy Lynn (oh, you'll learn about her). I wanted to shove her off a cliff *smiles sweetly* She definitely brought the drama. But the thing is, the drama wasn't forced or overly used. There wasn't a sense of it being thrown in just to get us from point A to point B. It was solid and interesting.

I love how there's such a clear picture of how the Seers and Sentients live their lives. It gave me the feeling of being their friend, of being a part of their world. One of my favorite things a book can do for me is take me to another time and/or place. Circle of Light did that with ease. It was, in a word: superb. I'm actually sad to see this trilogy end but this last book made me warm and fuzzy.

I highly recommend the trilogy if you are looking for a twist on the usual paranormal or supernatural. You won't be disappointed. You can even enter to win a copy here.

This review can also be viewed on Book Boudoir


-BEGIN REVIEW-

Llllllllloved it.

-END REVIEW-

OK ok I'm kidding. Well. Mostly, I'm kidding.

His Very Own Girl is the first WWII book I've read. Now that I think about it, I don't think I ever read a WWI plotted book either. I'm usually a Victorian or Edwardian era romance reader. I'd never really thought about that before now.

Anyway, it was really fun to see this different world that was so craftily created. Probably one of my favorite parts about the entire book was how detailed it was. I could so easily visualize the scenes and the characters. The flight scenes were fantastic and easy to understand for someone that knows nothing about the technical side of flying. Carrie Lofty did an amazing job with that. It kept my engaged and interested.

The chemistry between Lulu and Joe was easily felt as well. It made me happy that I could feel their desire and intrigue for one another. Lulu's thoughts on keeping men at a distance were easy for me to identify with, even without having been in her particular situation. She was an incredibly strong character, doing history changing things.

Joe, oh Joe. Such a good guy. Gentlemanly, honorable and protective with a touch of uncertainty. He had a rough past that he sometimes seemed to be unable to overcome. I wanted to hug him when he would get into a down in the dumps mood. He was so afraid that his past would turn people away once they learned of it. I did want to shake him at times but even his faults were endearing.

I really loved the differences in Lulu and Joe's personalities but in the things that were important, they seemed to mesh well. There story is really lovely. It's perfect for anyone looking for something a bit different, with strong female characters and dashing men.