44 Chapters About 4 Men- A Review

Aloha, bibliophiles! Happy Hump Day! We're another day closer to Friday! To celebrate the middle of the week milestone, I have a review for you (insert Kermit the Frog "hooray")!! It's something a bit different, but totally worth it once you get sucked in (and you totally will, I promise). It's 44 Chapters About 4 Men by my newest hero, B.B. Easton. Can I just fangirl for a second, because reading her words, and her blunt delivery made me feel like I was finding my spirit animal, so I have to bow down to her for that alone, the subject(s) were just icing on the cake!  Thank you a million times for proving women can be sarcastic and curse like sailors, but also hold high degrees and have a brain in their head. I admired the crap out of her thought process and can't express that enough!

This was an interesting read, and not at all what I was expecting. In its own way, it takes the essence of a romance novel, and gives it that twist of real life that makes being a couple fun, funny, challenging, and daunting.

At first, I wasn't quite sure what to make of what I was reading. The escapades BB went through during her adolescent years with boyfriends was comical, dramatic, and a proper depiction of almost every girl in the world. Our young and impressionable minds love to do what we can to impress (and possibly even lure) a boy, and she doesn't disappoint.

Because I'm older and way past that phase of life, I could really appreciate the chapters with Ken, her husband. I wanted to be mad at him and to hate him a little bit for being so mundane and paying so little attention to his marriage (as far as emotions go), but part of me was also cheering for him, a proper, "c'mon man, you got this.. you can do this marriage thing!".

I'm thoroughly impressed with BBs clever journal entries and sneaky experimentations on her husband. It may have started out as something fun (and temporary), but she wound up sparking something back into their relationship. Ken's whole demeanor and personality shifted and he not only became the man BB wanted, but also the man every girl wants at the end of the day. It's not about grand gestures of romance, but about the simple compliments, the random bouts of affection, and the bond and intimacy a couple can share when they collapse onto their pillows side-by-side at the end of the day rather than strangers living under the same roof.

While I did find this read fresh and amusing (BB's sarcasm, snark, wit, and assholery knows no bounds), there was something more profound there as well. In its own weird way, it brought out a very real side of not only relationships, but marriage as well, and how easily everything can get so comfortable, that you start to feel estranged and not how you felt during the honeymoon phase of courtship. I enjoyed witnessing her experience and took copious notes for any future endeavors I may have of my own. Thanks a million times over, BB!

My Final Rating: four out of five stars

 

 

 

 

 

 

RoomHate- A Review

Hey all, and happy Monday! It's a snowy and chilly President's Day in my neck of the woods which meant a slow day at the office which meant, yup, I started and finished a book. I'm excited to bring this review your way! I have one more individual installment novel in my TBR before I tackle a semi-lengthy series. So after the next review, I may disappear for a bit longer until I get all the books in the series read. Anyway, let's dive into tonight's review which is RoomHate by Penelope Ward. 


I know, this was just released today, and you should go pick up a copy for your Kindle over on Amazon right now because it's on sale today only for $3.99, so, hop to it, folks! This was just one of those books I couldn't put down. I sat in my office all day just absorbing the life out of this story, and I couldn't be happier with the fact I got to spend the day with the lovely and irresistible, Justin Banks. 


Amelia Payne has inherited her grandmother's gorgeous Victorian house right on the beach in Newport, which sounds pretty dreamy. It sounds even more enticing when half of the inheritance goes to one of the most beautiful men around, her old friend, Justin Banks. Splitting a house with a fine specimen of a man as your roommate sounds ideal, right? Wrong. 


Amelia and Justin may have been best friends at one point in time, but things change, people grow up, some run away, and lives are altered. Now, they're sharing property and living under the same roof while trying to keep their disdain for one another in check (which is extremely hard to do). Also, Amelia is fresh out of a relationship, and Justin has been seeing a girl named Jade for quite some time, so bring on the complications. 


It takes time, talking, and several extenuating circumstances to get these two back on the same page so they can become trusting friends again. It's when they reach that point where everything is rosy again that things change even more and develop into something they've never explored before. Now, there's tension and attraction involved. Things get messy and complicated, and there's an overwhelming amount of whiplash from all the back-and-forth of what they think they might feel for one another while also trying to balance outside parties. It's when Amelia finds herself in a life-altering situation that Justin really comes to the rescue to be the man she's always wanted. 


When circumstances seem to FINALLY be falling in their favor, Justin is offered an unbelievable opportunity he just can't refuse. Will everything they just built come crumbling down, or will they endure for the long haul this time? 

I adored this story! Don't get me wrong, I wanted to smack the bejesus out of the two of them half the time, but they kept me entertained (and wanting to scream at them simultaneously) . The constant growing tension is what made this story  absolutely everything for me. It was so fun, yet frustrating, but I had to keep reading to see  how and when it would all reach a pinnacle and explode into what I was waiting for with these two. Every moment of this story was worth it. What a fun, sexy, and quick read!




My Final Rating: four out of five stars

F*ck Love- A Review

Happy Valentine's Day to all my bibliophiles out there! Maybe it's the cynic in me, or just the single girl, but I think I picked the most appropriate book for a review to fit the holiday. F*ck Love by Tarryn Fisher was the perfect book for me to get cozy with on this day of love, adoration, , couples, and PDA galore. Tis the season! Also, I apologize in advance if this makes little sense. Coffee never kicked in for me this morning and I've been having a really hard time trying to put a sentence together. It's a lazy Sunday for sure because my thoughts are not translating properly. Here we go... 


I'm sitting here the morning (afternoon) after, still trying to figure out what to write about this book, and I'm actually a bit frustrated with myself. All I can say is that Tarryn Fisher has done it again. This is the fifth book of hers that I've read, and she just sucks me into her worlds every single time. She has this ridiculous talent for writing about love and relationships, but not without incorporating all the sadness, hurt, pitfalls, and downsides that have the tendency to come with fighting for what you want.



Tarryn writes romance that's unconventional as far as novel standards go, but is very normal for the real world. When we read a story of love, we want the perfection, the happy ending, the extras that we don't get when it comes to the mundane and every day of our own lives. She takes real issues and people who are less than perfect, and lets them tell their story.


Helena is a unique soul. She is not the perky cheerleader that is her best friend, Della. She's shaping her whole future around a dream she had one night. In this dream, she was married to Della's boyfriend, Kit and together, they have two children. It seems silly and unrealistic, but Helena is able to let go of what she thought her future was supposed to be (the beige bitch who works in accounting, as straight-laced as you could possibly get) in order to discover who she really is (artist? blogger? working in an art studio?). Her friendship with Kit allows him to see things about himself as well. 


Their friendship is strange considering the circumstances. He's dating Della, and Helena winds up single when she finds out her boyfriend, Neil (the one she was supposed to build a future with) has been cheating on her. Helena hangs out with Kit while he works, they text each other fairly regularly, they hang out from time to time, which blurs the line of the friends they're supposed to be, and something else entirely. 


It ached to see their chemistry meshing so well, but their timing so wrong. Without a dream opening up their curiosity to what they could be together, Kit and Helena could have remained blissfully unaware of their potential. I can completely understand why this book is titled the way it is, because all I kept thinking during their struggles both together and apart was, "f*ck love". 


Kudos to them for trudging through a roller coaster of a journey loaded with twists and turns to see what would happen. There were so many times when I thought I would have walked away and just taken the loss. When they were hurting, it was brutal, and I couldn't bear it for either of them. 



Happy endings are another thing Tarryn does so well. While other stories wrap up everything in a sweet little bow with a wedding or a baby (or both), she goes the route of something much more realistic in this day and age. It just proves an indviduals' ending is different and unique to their own lives, and you don't necessarily need a white dress or a bunch of flowers to achieve pure happiness. 

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

Wicked Sexy Liar (Wild Seasons #4)- A Review

Hello again, bibliophiles! Long time, no see and also, happy hump day! The weekend (and tons of reads) are just around the corner... we can make it, I promise!

Just as a quick aside, I want to say thank you to all of you who are reading this little blog and giving me feedback on these reviews! When I made my last post, I had a ton of issues with fonts and editing out of the blue, and it took me much longer than I would have liked to sort it all out and get the review out to you. However, I genuinely enjoy devouring novels and then sharing the literary love with all of you when I can! Thanks to a real love of books, I've met some of the coolest people ever from all across the globe, and the audience and interaction just seems to keep growing and manifesting into its own creature. Who knows what it could turn into down the road, but for now, I just wanted to say thank you thank you thank you! I adore every single one of you!

Now that I've professed my deep gratitude, I'm just going to jump into review mode. I met my latest book boyfriend, and now all of you need to meet him too! Wicked Sexy Liar is book four in Christina Lauren's Wild Seasons series. As usual, I try to group all of my series reviews into one longer entry, but seeing as how I already have the other three reviewed and honestly wasn't aware there was a fourth installment on the way, here we are. If you need to meet the first three couples (which you absolutely should), you can read my previous reviews at the following links, book one, Sweet Filthy Boy, book two, Dirty Rowdy Thing, and book three, Dark Wild Night . Seriously, these boys are the bees knees, so go check them out asap!

Every time I settle down with a Christina Lauren book, I think, "there's no way they can top the last one.. that was the one.. the dream boat of a man..", and then they go and add another hot guy to my endless list of hot guys who also happen to be amazing. Thank goodness for the realms of fiction, because when it comes to my literary men, I'm the biggest polygamist around. I'm obsessed with them all.

Remember the lovely Mia from way back in book one (oh, and her lovely french husband, Ansel)?, welllllll... do you also remember her ex-boyfriend, Luke? Yeah, we're discussing him this go-round, so buckle up!

So, this group of friends is starting to inter-mingle quite a bit. We have Luke, and then we have London (Lola's bestie and roommate from book three). They are introduced one night while she's bartending at the local stomping grounds, Fred's. They bounce some witty remarks off of one another, flirt awhile, and us readers just know it's going somewhere interesting.

Luke was with Mia essentially since they were kids, so when they broke up, he became a massive womanizer (surprise, surprise). London was with a man named Justin throughout most of her college career and winds up dumping him when she catches him in the act with another girl. Are we sensing the tone? London has walls built up that are a mile-high, and Luke sees that as a challenge...plus... there's just something about her. He can't quite put his finger on it yet, but he knows she's special.

London knows Luke is trouble. Luke knows London is his game-changer. When they mix, it's explosive! Luke might be the player of players, but he's also devoted to his sister, mother, and grandmother, and caters to them as often as he can, so you know buried under all that male, is a heart of gold worth giving a chance. London just has to see that too and let him in a little.

Luke enjoys that she's sassy, sharp, independent, and the polar opposite of clingy. As he pursues her, secrets are unveiled and drastic changes take place.

Their relationship is a whirlwind, but beyond worth fighting for, we just have to get them in the ring together, because they don't always notice what exactly is happening between them. They love to play it safe and remain friends so their habits aren't necessarily jeopardized, but they're absolutely in for it with each other.

Needless to say... ready for it... I LOVE LUKE SUTTER! The moment he won me over completely was during one of his inner monologues saying, "When I love, I do it to the center of the earth. TO the part that's liquid, soft, terrifying." What guy in real life thinks like that (if anyone finds him, bring him to me, please).

London gave him crap when he deserved it, for sure, but when they were good together, they were phenomenal; passionate, intense, sexy, spontaneous, combustive... I can't think properly to convey what these two made me feel when I was in their presence. I know they fought it with every fiber of their being, and it did add a little something spicy to their encounters, but sometimes, I just wanted to scream at them to stop resisting already!

If you know Christina Lauren's books, get ready to meet yet another one of their delicious men for the book boyfriend stack, and if you haven't... um... what are you waiting for?

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

 

The Shadow (Florentine #2)- A Review

Good evening, all! Happy Monday! Thank goodness it's almost over. It's been a long day on my end and all I have wanted to do since I woke up this morning, was to relax and review a book for every single one of you. Thankfully, my night has begun to wind down so I can do just that.... so, hooray! It's about time, because I am absolutely chomping at the bit to get this latest read out to everyone! Sylvain Reynard has released his newest book, so needless to say, I've been fingerling since my copy of The Shadow arrived in the mail the other day. Instead of going crazy with being formal and doing any sort of editing, Im' going to just jump in and gush over these pages. I've been awake since 6am, so just bear with me. Shall we?

Are any of us really shocked that Reynard has come up with another dazzling installment to his series? I'm definitely not! The Shadow is book two (technically three) in his Florentine series. You can read my earlier review of his novella, The Prince, and book one, The Raven, here.
 

I know I talk about this author and his books to death, but they're stunning (honestly, I can't praise any of these stories enough)! I first encountered Reynard's work when I discovered his Gabriel series. I read that trilogy two or three years ago and have yet to meet a love story I adored more. I give them a re-read as often as I can, and it's just and gorgeous a story the fourth time as it was the first. The Florentine series is a spinoff and continuation of his original trilogy, only Sylvain takes it to another level. Not a surprise, but it's just as enchanting as all the other prior installments. To start at the beginning, check out books one through three of the Gabriel series. You can read my review here.

As the girl who can swear she has not met a vampire novel she's actually liked to date (I honestly don't even read them... Twilight scarred me enough), I can honestly say, this series is the exception and you must give it a go! I know these stories began as Twilight fan fiction, so even approaching the Gabriel series, I was hesitant, but it really morphed into its own tale. The Florentine series delves into the shadows that lurk the streets of Florence at night, but unlike most vampire stories, these beings are not only ancient, but also magical and majestic. 

Combining romance, thrill, mystery, fantasy, history, culture, and danger that spans across the globe and centuries as well, The Shadow is a roller coaster of a ride and fantastic continuation of The Raven, and our newest swoony book boyfriend, William York. 

Raven and William are learning the ropes of their alluring feelings to one another, but with her being a human, and him being something other worldly, they face their fair share of challenges. 

Not only are they approaching the unknowns of their relationship with caution, but trouble seems to be lurking around every corner trying to tear them apart. The police are investigating Raven for the theft of priceless Dante pieces that have gone missing from the Ufizzi, William must face a traitor among his own kind which could mean the end of his people, Raven's abusive step father is back in the picture, and an order of Jesuit priests (known as The Curia) are trying to steal Raven from William and separate the lovers for good. 

Speaking of Dante, our beloved professor from the Gabriel series, Mr. Emerson, and his beloved Julianne make return cameos. Although they weren't as prominent as they were in book one (there's no such thing as "too much" when it comes to the professor, so on this front, I was a bit gloomy), I still adored getting more time with the Emersons and their growing family, even if it was just a sliver of an update. 

William York may be the epitome of darkness, but Raven sees his internal light, and so do I. I can't help but take his side and hope everything turns out for the best for these two! 

PS- the bonus bit with Gabriel & Julia in the end had me fangirling like no other! At first, I wasn't sure what to make of it, but letting it fester in my brain a bit after I had shut the book and gone to bed had me thinking my darling professor just got a million times hotter (which I didn't know was possible)! 

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

Finding Fraser- A Review

Happy Friday, bibliophiles! I hope everyone is ready for a weekend of reading! My day started out quite snowy, but the office is quiet. I'm just counting down the hours until I can go curl up with another book. In the mean time, how about a review, eh?

Also, very quickly, I've been doing some thinking about this blog. It's kind of manifesting into its own creature, and I've been thinking about taking it into newer directions. Some ideas I thought of were more images and videos (book trailers and such via YouTube so you can get a visual), and also maybe some movie reviews for book-to-film adaptations? I figured they go hand-in-hand so why not go to that next level? I'd love some feedback if you'd be so kind! Anyway... I'm done rambling, so, review time (this time I promise)!!

Fans of Outlander and all things Jamie Fraser... BRACE YOURSELVES! Up today is a novel all you Sassenachs must have in your possession (if you haven't already done so). It's Finding Fraser by KC Dyer, and it is a-ma-ZING! Seriously, I've been fangirling over this book since the moment I knew of its existence and it absolutely did not disappoint! Considering how much I've been dying for a getaway myself lately, the story of Emma Sheridan and the journey she takes not only hit the spot, but also made me crave something new and exciting in my own life even more.

I can NOT say enough good things about this book. What a wonderful read! If you're a romantic, a reader, a dreamer, Outlander obsessed, writer, blogger, or an eternal wanderlust, or all of the above, this story is absolutely for you!

Emma is living the life I want to live (seriously, I crave her existence sooo badly). I'm not sure if I love her or hate her for just that reason. She's through with the mundane and routine that her life has become at the age of twenty-nine. She longs for a story of her own to tell, and a real-life book boyfriend by her side while she does it. Needless to say, she's not finding him in Chicago, so it was time to set out to greener pastures, and what better place than bonny Scotland!

She is indeed a brave girl. Faced with the unknown and traveling solo, she deals with and overcomes her fears and travels to a place she had only ever read about. In doing so, she finds a whole new life. A trip deemed crazy by those she knew back home wound up being her life-changing experience. She met interesting people along the way, learned about survival, became an un-official Scot, found a job, opened some doors across the globe, and searched for her Fraser.

This book just didn't go at all how I thought it would! I thought it would turn out like most romances do, and I wound up getting so much more than I bargained for and I'm thrilled! Considering I, myself, am stuck in the routine for now, it was fantastic to live vicariously through Emma and enjoy the history, culture, and people of Scotland all while remaining in the state of New Jersey.

Does she find her Fraser (as in the one and only Jamie Fraser)? You'll have to find out, but the most important thing to remember is that this book is about finding yourself first. Emma is my wannabe spirit animal and I can only hope that one day I find the courage she found to live my life to the fullest, do something crazy once in awhile, and just go with the flow. Until then, I'll just have to settle for pure envy!

My Final Rating: five out of five stars

 

Just as a PS- If you have not met James Alexander Malcolm Mackenzie Fraser from the stunning Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, One, what are you waiting for?? Two (and lastly), this is what (or who, rather) you're missing:

 

 



 

 

 

The Professor- A Review

Happy Monday, bibliophiles! Long time, no review! Life has gotten slightly hectic and there just aren't enough hours in the day to binge read the way I want to lately. That being said, I'm sad it took me as long as it did to get through a book with 161 pages. However, it was an awesome read and I can't wait to tell you about it!

The Professor by Tshombe was recommended to me by one of my book friends on Instagram, and I can't thank them enough for doing so (thank you, thank you, thank you)! Based on the summary, I couldn't really tell what I was getting into, so I figured I'd just dive in slightly blind and find out as I went along. It did NOT disappoint in the slightest.

This book was an absolute treat from start to finish! I only regret that adulating and responsibilities got in the way so it took me longer than I would have liked to simply binge and find out what would happen next! Seriously, I need to re-evaluate my priorities.

The Professor is the perfect book for anyone who is a fan of psychology, sociology, philosophy, the unanswered questions of life and the human purpose, thrills, suspense, surprises, plot twists, etc. I could go on and on but I'm also not trying to give away too many spoilers here so you need to just stop what you're doing and go read this book.

Reading this reminded me of Shutter Island or A Beautiful Mind. The Professor is a brilliant man who enlists five carefully selected, gifted students for a course on the real humanity, what we think it is, and what it actually is for which we have zero awareness. What's real and what's being spoon-fed to us? Who are we as a species, who is in control, what constitutes as law? The book poses so many questions and no answers while you find yourself craving an explanation that you may or may not ever receive.

There's also the TRUTH. The Professor is a peculiar man. He is gifted beyond words with accomplishments and accolades that seem never-ending. He also has a wife he loves more than life itself, and a daughter he has never met. You must wonder why. The purpose of his class makes one wonder if it's designed to teach you something, or if he has selected you for more selfish purposes.

The journey he takes with his class becomes an absolute roller coaster and (pardon my language) total mind f*ck the deeper you delve into the novel. Beware and read at your own risk. Things are not at all what they seem and you need to decide what's real and what's an illusion.... but, class is in session.

Go meet the professor!!!         

My Final Rating: five out of five stars