Berk Reviews ~ Obsidian ~ Jennifer L. Armentrout

For those who may not know, Berk is my younger daughter. She agreed, if somewhat reluctantly, *wink* to review a few of her summer reads. And since my review of Opposition (last in the series) posts tomorrow, I thought it'd be fun for y'all to see what she thought of Obsidian (first in the series.) I hope y'all enjoy!

Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Lux Series #1
Release Date: May 8, 2012
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Source: Borrowed paperback from my Mom
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a while lot of boring... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something... unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don't kill him first, that is.

**BERK'S REVIEW**

What I Liked:

• The thoroughly developed characters
• No love triangle
• How "real" the aliens were - how there weren't big reaches in believeability
• Date rape awareness in a high school setting
• Relatable sass of Katy

What I Liked Less:

• The constant lusting after Daemon. It may seem like all teenage girls are constantly pining after guys but that's not true and it got annoying because it seemed to be central to the premise when it shouldn't have been.
• There wasn't enough action. The bit there was good, it just felt like it was lacking.

Overall, I really liked the world building and the story line. I'm just not a fan of excessive romance. However, I have started Onyx.

#JIAM Audiobook Tag #LoveAudiobooks

Sophia Rose @Hot Listens found this audiobook-themed tag on the Books and Things YouTube Channel and it looked like fun so I thought I'd consider myself tagged. If you're so inclined, consider yourself tagged too. :)

***

1. Have you always listened to audiobooks or when did you begin?
   
   I haven't always listened to audiobooks and when I first tried about 5 years ago, I admit I found it challenging. I'm not one of those people who can listen to audiobooks while doing things like blogging, answering emails, etc., so I was only listening when I was driving (and didn't have kids in the car) or cleaning. So it took me a long time to listen to a book and I'd forget details in between listens. But with practice, and some fantastic narrators (thank you, Andi Arndt!), I've made audiobooks a regular part of my reading diet. :D
   
   
2. What is your favorite audiobook?
   
   Oh geez! Why don't you ask me which is my favorite child! There's no way I can pick just one so I'll go with narrators and the series they narrated which really made me fall in love with audiobooks:
   
   *Andi Arndt - Stage Dive series by Kylie Scott
   *Robert Petkoff - Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole
   *Nicole Poole - Seven series by Dannika Dark
   
   
3. What is my least favorite thing about audiobooks?
   
   Um, I honestly feel like I remember details about audiobooks less vividly. But that's just how my brain works. And it's the little details that are fuzzy in audio whereas in print I can "see" them.
   
   
4. What do you think is the difference in experience between physically reading a book and listening to it?
   
   Like I said above, I can remember details better when I read them rather than hear them - I'm a visual person. I also like holding a book or an ebook. And that means I'm sitting somewhere comfortable, typically with a cup of coffee or tea, and quite possibly with a cat in my lap. When I'm listening, I'm typically driving, running (yes, I listen while I exercise), or cleaning. Oh, I listen sometimes while I grocery shop as well. :) So reading a physical book is a more relaxing experience overall for me BUT I wouldn't give up my audiobooks for anything. And my hubs likes that I clean more often. ;)
   
   
5. How and when do you listen?
   
   Um, I guess I got ahead of myself as I kinda answered this in the previous question. At least the when part. As for how...I listen via earbuds and my phone. I know my Kindle Fire can handle audiobooks but since I'm always active while listening, I need the smaller device.
   
   
6. What style/genre do you prefer?
   
   I don't really have a preference in my reading - I'm a genre omnivore as my blogging wife, Lexxie, likes to say. I do tend to listen to paranormal romance, contemporary romance, and historical romance quite a bit though.
   
   
7. What are some audiobook/narrator recommendations?
   
   Again, I got ahead of myself and gave a few of these in my answer to question #2. But I have a few more to recommend:
   
   *Beverley A. Crick - The Sinful Suitors series by Sabrina Jeffries (and I have Berls to thank for recommending this one!)
   *Christian Fox - Sugar Bowl series by Sawyer Bennett
   *Andi Arndt/Zachary Webber - Show Me the Way by A.L. Jackson
   *Mindy Kennedy - Songs of Corruption series by C.D. Reiss
   

Audio Review ~ Show Me the Way ~ A.L. Jackson #AudioChallenge #ShelfLove

Show Me the Way by A.L. Jackson
Fight for Me #1
Narrated by: Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber
Release Date: October 13, 2017
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased on Audible
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #AudioChallenge, #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
Rex Gunner. As bitter as he is beautiful.

The owner of the largest construction company in Gingham Lakes has been burned one too many times. His wife leaving him to raise their daughter was the last blow this single dad could take. The only woman he'll let into his heart is his little girl.

Rynna Dayne. As vulnerable as she is tempting.

She ran from Gingham Lakes when she was seventeen. She swore to herself she would never return. Then her grandmother passed away and left her the deed to the diner that she once loved.

When Rex meets his new neighbor, he knows he's in trouble.

She's gorgeous and sweet and everything he can't trust.

Until she becomes the one thing he can't resist.

One kiss sends them tumbling toward ecstasy.

But in a town this size, pasts are bound to collide. Caught in a web of lies, betrayal, and disloyalty, Rex must make a choice.

Will he hide behind his walls or will he take the chance...

Oh my! It's been awhile since I spent time in a world created by A.L. Jackson and I'd forgotten how rich her stories are. I loved every second I spent in Gingham Lakes and its inhabitants and am eager to return.

Highlights:

• Rynna & Rex
  Goodness did I love these two! They've both been burned - badly - and yet are still such giving people. They're loyal to their family and friends and care so deeply about them and their hometown. Watching them fight and eventually fall was beautiful.
• Frankie Lee
  I believe I've mentioned how I feel about guys with kids. *wink* Frankie Lee and her daddy (Rex) were something to behold!
• Plot
  The circumstances behind Rynna's return were sad but I couldn't help but feel Fate - and Rynna's grandma - had a hand in all that came afterward. The ways in which Rynna and Rex were tangled up in each other - people they knew, their businesses, Rex's love of Rynna's grandma's pies - only served to solidify the fact they were meant to be. The element of suspense and the tension it wrought was very well done and again, I appreciated how ALJ had it all tied together.
• Romance
  Although there was a serious attraction, Rex fought it fiercely. That bothered me at first but I eventually understood her reasons and as I said, watching these two fall was beautiful. The fact that Frankie Lee was part of the equation only made the romance that much sweeter because the way Rynna fell for her too illustrated the kind of person she was and made me root for them all the harder.
• Narration
  Andi Arndt and Zachary Webber are a dream team! (a theme lately) I freaking loved their delivery on all counts. The pace was perfect, they conveyed every single emotion, their voices for each character - especially Webber's voice for Frankie Lee - were distinct and consistent, and overall it was an utterly entertaining listen! So much so that I'm getting every ALJ book these two narrate.

Show Me the Way was not only a well-written story but also an aural delight!

Audio Review ~ Beautiful Mistake ~ Vi Keeland #AudioChallenge #ShelfLove

Beautiful Mistake by Vi Keeland
Narrated by: Andi Arndt and Sebastian York
Release Date: July 20, 2017
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased on Audible
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #AudioChallenge, #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
The first time I met Caine West was in a bar.
He noticed me looking his way and mistakenly read my scowling as checking him out.
When he attempted to talk to me, I set him straight - telling him what I thought of his lying, cheating, egomaniacal ass.
You see, the gorgeous jerk had wined and dined my best friend--smooth talking her into his bed, all along failing to mention that he was married.
He deserved every bit of my tongue-lashing and more for what he'd done.
Especially when that lazy smile graced his perfect face in response to my rant.
Only it turned out, the man I'd just told off wasn't the right guy.
Oops. My mistake.
Embarrassed, I slunk out without an apology.
I was never going to see the handsome stranger again anyway, right?
That's what I thought...until I walked into class the next morning.
Well, hello Professor West, I'm your new teaching assistant.
I'll be working under you...figuratively speaking.
Although the literal interpretation might not be such a bad thing - working under Professor West.
This is going to be interesting...

I swear VKeeland rocks at delivering the best "meets". Caine and Rachel's first meet had me guffawing and giggle-snorting...loudly. But while the story did have its comic moments, it was serious as well. And so, so satisfying.

Highlights:

• Rachel and Caine
  Rachel is a strong and independent woman who's also smart and loyal. She also often lets whatever pops into her head fly out of her mouth and that made for some humorous interactions between her and Caine. Caine is a bit older and maybe more sophisticated but that's questionable at times. He's a professor...she's his TA...and the sexual tension between these two is almost suffocating. As they get to know each other though, they realize their connection is more than chemistry. Character growth is something I truly appreciate and while Caine does the most - and it was amazing to watch - they both learn to let go of the past that's influenced and haunted them in order to move forward.
• Plot
  VKeeland did an incredible job of weaving together the past and present threads, slowly disseminating pertinent facts and events so that we understood how it all tied together and how things affected both Rachel and Caine. I also liked how VKeeland incorporated music into the story.
• Romance
  There was no question about whether or not they'd fall but being witness to it was an experience. Caine never saw it coming, I don't think, feeling he had his walls strongly erected. Realizing who Rachel was to him threw him for a loop but luckily he pulled his head out before it was too late.
• Narration
  Seriously, Arndt and York are a dream team here. They keep the pace perfect, keep the voices distinct, and deliver on ALL the feels. They're two of my favorites.

New Release Review ~ The Luck of the Bride ~ Janna MacGregor #2018NewRelease

The Luck of the Bride by Janna MacGregor
The Cavensham Heiresses #3
Release Date: May 1, 2018
Genre: Adult, Historical Romance
Source: I received an eARC from St. Martin's via Netgalley. This did not affect my rating and my review is provided voluntarily.
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #ShelfLove, #TravelingtotheTerminus
Goodreads

Synopsis
March Lawson has never had much luck, and in a desperate move to save her family, she's been posing as the Marquess of McCalpin. But when she's summoned to a meeting with the Marquess himself, March expects jail time...not to be bewitched by dark hair and sapphire eyes.

Michael Cavensham, the Marquess of McCalpin and heir to the Duke of Langham, finds himself drawn to March despite the judgments from his peers. He isn't sure he can trust March, especially since Michael has a secret that could ruin him and his family.

But society conspires to keep March and Michael apart, and when March is accused of not being who she says she is, will Michael toss her aside or fight for the woman he's come to love?

This was my first read from MacGregor and it won't be the last! In fact, I'm eager to pick up the first two  in this series. MacGregor spun a compelling tale with well developed characters and delivered suspense, romance, and all the feels! My only complaint is that the resolution was too neat.

Highlights

• Characters/Character Development
  The main characters, March and Michael, were so engaging. Both considered themselves lacking in ways when they were both incredibly strong, tenacious, and intelligent. A perfect match. *wink* They'd both endured - especially March, having to grow up way too early and learn to manage in sometimes creative ways.
  Besides March and Michael, I got to meet March's sisters, Faith and Julia, and her brother, Bennett, who was just delightful, as well as Michael's parents and siblings, William and Emma. MacGregor delivered a secondary cast that gave depth to our main characters and made the story that much more entertaining.
• Plot
  The reason behind March and Michael meeting was almost comical despite its seriousness. I enjoyed how MacGregor had it all play out with Michael and his family taking on March and her siblings - the care with which they dealt with them and even the matchmaking on the part of Michael's mother and sister. The way MacGregor worked through March and Michael's vulnerabilities - how they did it together - was heartwarming.
• Romance
  The romance blossomed so naturally between March and Michael - it was almost effortless and neither knew what hit them. They complemented each other so well and it was sweet to watch them fall.
  

Again, I truly enjoyed my introduction to MacGregor's work and I've already picked up the first in this series so I can continue getting acquainted with her and the Cavensham heiresses.

Blogger Chick/Reader Chick Chat Review ~ Taint ~ S.L. Jennings #ShelfLove

Taint by S. L. Jennings
Sexual Education #1
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher at RT 2015. This did not affect my rating and my review is provided voluntarily.
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Challenges: #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
"Right now, you're probably asking yourself two things: Who am I? and What the hell are you doing here? Let's start with the most obvious question, shall we? You're here, ladies, because you can't f*ck."

Oh, stop it. Don't cringe. No one under the age of eighty clutches her pearls. You might as well get used to it, because for the next six weeks, you're going to hear that word a lot. And you're going to say it a lot. Go ahead, try it out on your tongue. F*ck. F***ck.

Okay, good. Now, where were we?

If you enrolled yourself in this program, then you are wholly aware that you're a lousy lay. Good for you. Admitting it is half the battle. For those of you who have been sent here by your husband or significant other, dry your tears and get over it. You've been given a gift, ladies. The gift of mind-blowing, wall-climbing, multiple-orgasm-inducing sex. You have the opportunity to f*ck like a porn star. And I guarantee that you will when I'm done with you. 

And who am I?

Well, for the next six weeks, I will be your lover, your teacher, your best friend, and your worst enemy. Your every-f*cking-thing. I'm the one who is going to save your relationship and your sex life. 

I'm Justice Drake. And I turn housewives into whores. Now...who's first?

BLOGGER CHICK - READER CHICK CHAT

Y'all have heard me talk about Denise...she travels with me quite often to book events. She's even been designated as my and Lexxie's reader wife. Well, I'm putting her to work this summer reading books from authors attending Book Bonanza...and we're chatting about 'em! Enjoy!

***

Me: What did you think of the premise - Justice's job portion of the premise anyway? Were you put off by it? Did it make you laugh or steam??

Denise: At first it was really weird, then the further into the book I got, listening to what Justice had to say, it was more intriguing. I was not really put off but was taken aback at first. I would say I laughed and steamed - some of the "lessons" were pretty funny but as time went on, they got hotter.

Personally, I think I was initially shocked, which was probably the point but the further we got into the story, and the classes, the more fun I had with that part of the story line.



How did you think Jennings did with a male POV? 

I feel she did pretty good. Some of the directness and to the point attitude was really good.

Of course, I'm not a male but I think she did pretty well conveying a male's point of view. I loved being inside his head, privy to everything he was thinking. I liked his humor and his ice cold facade. But I think what I liked most was getting to see his vulnerable side - even if he didn't show it to Ally until late in the game.



What did you think of Ally?

I thought she was a genuine character. I felt she had a huge heart and a lot to give to someone who truly loved her.

Omigosh, I loved her quirkiness, her love of Friends, mint chocolate chip ice cream, chicken and waffles...and that she wasn't afraid to be real...at least with Justice.



Was the romance realistic? And did it bother you that they let things go that far?

Yes the romance was very realistic. I can definitely see something like that happen. Normally, infidelity does bother me but with this case it was a little different. I think life is too short to have to deal with a cheating spouse even if you are trying to keep up appearances, so I understand how things went that far. I think the character building was great and you got to see the deep emotions of two people who were not necessarily being truthful to themselves until they found each other.

I felt the romance was very realistic. Justice validated Ally for who she was and she did the same for him even if she didn't know his whole story. And really, it was a slow-burn. They both fought against the attraction...the pull between them. As for things going as far as they did when she was still married...in real life, I might not agree with it. But then again, her husband was a lying, cheating son of a bitch, so... Is turnabout fair play? Maybe not - in real life anyway. But it made for good fiction. LOL One thing I wanted to add...I liked how the romance helped in character growth. Justice certainly did a lot of growing, realizing the things he thought he wanted, the things he thought were important to him, weren't so much. And Ally - I know we didn't see her before she arrived at Oasis but you could tell that she put on a show in her life. She wasn't herself - only conveying the image that was expected of her. So watching her let her light shine as she and Justice got closer was something to see. :)



Did you guess Justice's secret?



I didn't. I had a feeling it had something to do with Evan but not what it ended up being.


In the end, both Denise and I gave Taint 4 Bookworms and I'm fairly certain we'll be reading the next in the duet. ;)

Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts #81 ~ Taint by S.L. Jennings

Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts is a weekly meme hosted by my blogger wife, Lexxie, @(un)Conventional Bookviews. It's a way to highlight a book using quotes that revolve around food and/or drinks. Every Thursday, post a line or two...or heck, a whole paragraph, that spoke to you in some way using food and/or drinks. *wink* Don't forget to link up!

My pick this week for Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts is from:

Taint by S.L. Jennings

If you had to choose, what flavor would it be?

***

"If you could only eat one flavor of ice cream for the rest of your life, would you pick Rocky Road or mint chocolate chip?"

"Excuse me?" I sit on the stool across from hers, brows raised in question.

"Just humor me. Rocky Road or mint chocolate chip?" She smiles amusingly and digs back into her ice cream.

I'm not sure what to make of this girl. First she's calling me an asshole, and now she's asking me about ice-cream flavors? I frown in confusion.

"Please?" she says just above a whisper. "I haven't had a regular conversation about something other than shoes or handbags, or who our husbands could be sleeping with, in days. I just need to...forget. Just for a little while."

I nod and let out a breath, my chest suddenly full of some foreign, unnamed emotion. Sympathy? Yes. But something else too. And it has nothing to do with pitying her.

"Well, being that I've never had mint chocolate chip, and I vaguely remember trying Rocky Road as a child, I'd have to go with that flavor," I reply with a shrug.

Ally's eyes grow wide with playful shock. "You've never had mint chocolate chip ice cream?"

I shake my head. "Nope."

"Then you haven't lived!" She scoops out a small bite and offers it to me, the spoon a mere inch from my lips. "Go ahead; try it."

Okay, I've got two choices. Door Number One: I refuse to play along with her little game and kick her out of my house, offending her and demolishing any ounce of trust she has for me. Or Door Number Two: I let her innocently spoon-feed me ice cream and force myself to see the act for what it is - a chaste, nonerotic gesture between two adults.

Yeah, right.

I lean forward so that the cold tip of the spoon just grazes my bottom lip. Ally slowly eases it forward, causing me to open wider for her, my tongue reflexively jutting out to taste the first sweet drops of cream. I wrap my lips around the mound of chocolaty mint and suck it off the spoon, letting out my own sounds of pleasure.

"Good, right?" Ally beams, nodding her head.

"Hell yeah," I half-groan against my better judgment. But it's too late. Allison Elliot-Carr has weakened my defenses with just a spoonful of Haagen-Dazs.

New Release Review ~ I Flipping Love You ~ Helena Hunting #2018NewRelease

I Flipping Love You by Helena Hunting
Shacking Up #3
Release Date: May 29, 2018
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: I received a complimentary copy from St. Martin's Press via Netgalley. This did not affect my rating and my review is provided voluntarily.
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2018NewRelease
Goodreads

Synopsis
SHE'S GOT CURB APPEAL

Rian Sutter grew up with the finer things in life. Spending summers in The Hamptons was a normal occurrence for her until her parents lost everything years ago. Now Rian and her sister are getting their life, and finances, back on track through real estate. Not only do they buy and sell houses to the rich and famous, but they finally have the capital to flip their very own beachfront property. But when she inadvertently catches the attention of a sexy stranger who snaps up every house from under her, all bets are off...

HE'S A FIXER UPPER

Pierce Whitfield doesn't normally demo kitchens, install dry wall, or tear apart a beautiful woman's dreams. He's just a down-on-his-luck lawyer who needed a break from the city and agreed to help his brother work on a few homes in the Hamptons. When he first meets Rian, the attraction is undeniable. But when they start competing for the same pieces of prime real estate, the early sparks turn into full-blown fireworks. Can these passionate rivals turn up the heat on their budding romance - without burning down the house?

I FLIPPING LOVE YOU, set in the Shacking Up world, follows two people, both working in real estate, who find themselves vying for the same properties in the Hamptons, leading to a sometimes-not-so-friendly competition.

I flipping love this book! My only exposure to HHunting was her Clipped Wings series and I've been very curious how she'd do with the lighter side of romance. She impressed me with her deeper side and...she did with the lighter side as well! 

Rian - like Ryan but with an "i" - has had a hard row to hoe. She and her sister have built a business and a reputation in real estate from the ruins they were left with at 18. Her sister, the free-spirit of the two, has been her only constant since the fall and Rian has always looked out for her, learning not to allow anyone else close lest they leave like everyone else.

Pierce knows what it's like to live on little and live with a lot. And while he is appreciative of all he now has, he's not living his passion until circumstances place him in the Hamptons working on home renovations with his brother.

Rian and Pierce meeting was pretty comical as was their subsequent encounters. Soon neither could deny their chemistry not the fact that something kept throwing them in each other's paths. Some home sales and renovations later and their on the precipice of something life-altering. But they have to trust that any skeletons escaping their closets are going to be overlooked.

The chemistry, sexual tension, and snarky banter was off-the-charts. It had me swooning and laughing alternately. But I appreciated how HHunting proved Rian and Pierce had more than mere chemistry - they worked both in and out of the bedroom splendidly. I enjoyed the blossoming romance as well as the specifics of the real estate market - open houses, sales, renovations, and flips. I also enjoyed the secondary cast of characters - siblings and neighbors. AND I loved how HHunting used both Rian's and Pierce's pasts to illustrate their character growth. I liked their dynamics between each other, the dynamics between them and their siblings, and I most enjoyed watching as they figured out how to make their dreams come true and then how to incorporate each other into those dreams.

I Flipping Love You was such a delight! I look forward to catching up on the other books in the Shacking Up series as well as the rest of HHunting's backlist as I'm confident I'm going to be delighted with anything she writes.