Bought, Borrowed, & Bagged #83

Bought, Borrowed, & Bagged is a weekly meme, hosted by TalkSupe, where I share with you the books I have bought, borrowed, or bagged (gifted or won) plus a recap of the previous week's reviews, upcoming reviews, and any other bookishness I want to share. :)

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Oh goodness, I've been a slacker with my BB&B post lately, y'all. Sorry about that. As you'll see, I have *not* been slacking at procuring books! ;)

Bought

I picked up these books in hardcover and paperback.

Lorna's reviews (@Rabid Reads) of the Envy Chronicles inspired me to one-click book one, Beyond the Night. Kimberley's (@Caffeinated Book Reviewer) review (and maybe a few more??) had me letting go of a little Christmas loot for The Marriage Contract. I'm pointing the finger at Lorna (@Rabid Reads) and Kristen (@Metaphors and Moonlight) for twisting my arm (read: one-click finger) for The Rest Falls Away. ;) Berls @Fantasy is More Fun is the reason behind my acquisition of Minutes Before Sunset - and hey, it was free! :) Easy Virtue was on sale for 99 cents so I couldn't pass that up. And I pre-ordered Hardball and She Dims the Stars for 99 cents each simply because I adore CD Reiss and Amber L. Johnson!


Bagged

These are my latest books from My Book Box - such a special gift from one of my best friends! ;)


I won Louder Than Love from Jessica Topper in a Facebook giveaway.

I received Prince of the Playhouse for review.


Last Several Weeks' Reviews

Confess by Colleen Hoover
Becoming Alpha by Aileen Erin
Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs
Me Before You by Jojo Moyes
The Raven Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
Riding the Storm by Sydney Croft
Rock by JA Huss
With Ties That Bind by Trisha Wolfe
A Different Blue by Amy Harmon
Real by Katy Evans
Listening for Lucca by Suzanne LaFleur
Sultry with a Twist by Macy Beckett

Upcoming Reviews

Two Minutes by Dannika Dark
Facade by Nyrae Dawn
The Guardian by Margaret Mallory
The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent

Middle Grade Review ~ Listening for Lucca ~ Suzanne LaFleur

Listening for Lucca by Suzanne LaFleur
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Genre: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Paranormal
Source: Purchased hardcover (for my younger daughter)
Rating: 3.5 Bookworms
Challenges: Bookish Resolutions, #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
"I'm obsessed with abandoned things." Siena's obsession began a year and a half ago, around the time her two-year-old brother Lucca stopped talking. Now Mom and Dad are moving the family from Brooklyn to Maine hoping that it will mean a whole new start for Lucca and Siena. She soon realizes that their wonderful old house on the beach holds secrets. When Siena writes in her diary with an old pen she found in her closet, the pen writes its own story, of Sarah and Joshua, a brother and sister who lived in the same house during World War II. As the two stories unfold, amazing parallels begin to appear, and Siena senses that Sarah and Joshua's story might contain the key to unlocking Lucca's voice.

Listening for Lucca was a sweet story. There were many elements I really liked but as I sat down to write my review, I found it hard to say exactly what the story was trying to convey - its message, if you will. Still, I liked it and am happy to have read one of my younger daughter's favorite books.

Siena and her little brother, Lucca, and their family, have moved from Brooklyn to Maine in an attempt to ease tension - live a more relaxed lifestyle - in hopes Lucca will speak again. Siena has a special gift - she sees things from the past - in fact, the house her family has moved to is one she's been dreaming about for years. Once they begin getting settled, Siena, and Lucca as well, experience some odd things which have Siena wondering how it is they really ended up here.

The story alternates between the present - Siena making friends, playing with Lucca - and the past - Siena getting the story of a brother and sister who once lived in their house, through trance-like states and/or dreams. There are similarities between Siena and Lucca and Sarah and Joshua, and Siena ends up setting out to help Sarah and Joshua in the past in order to repair things with Lucca in the present.

I liked the story overall. I enjoyed getting to know Siena and her family. I also enjoyed the historical element of Sarah and Joshua's life during WWII. The paranormal element was also well done even thought it's not exactly explained. That Siena is such a compassionate you girl (14 yo) and is willing to do anything she can to help her brother made her very likable. And I, of course, felt for Sarah and Joshua as the dealt with the repercussions of war. The story flowed well and I can understand why this is on my daughter's list of favorites.

That's What HE Said #56 ~ Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts #37

That's What He Said is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely ladies @Chapter Break. Here's the deal: every Thursday, post a line from your book boyfriend to his heroine. Keep in mind, these are direct quotes from dialog in the books. The quote doesn't have to be romantic - just something our hunky hero said to his lucky lady. Be sure to link up over at Chapter Break as well.

My pick this week for That's What He Said is from:

Rock Chick Renegade by Kristen Ashley

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"You told me I was home to you and I get it. You're home to me. I've never had a home. I like the one I found and I'm not losin' it. No matter what."

*~*~*~*~*~*

"I'm meeting the girls after work," I told him.
"When are you gonna be done? I'll make dinner."
This was too much. I could barely process Vance sleeping in my bed, and he'd done it before. I'd even slept in his bed. The shower, dinner, I couldn't hack it.
"Jules?"
"What?"
"Are we done talkin'?"
"No."
"Then maybe you should talk."
God, I was such an idiot.
"You cook?" I asked.
"No," Vance answered.
I blinked at my burrito. "Didn't you just say you were making dinner?"
"There's a tray of what looks like incinerated brownies on your stove. I'm guessin' we'd do better to take our chances with me."
He was probably right. Still, it was slightly embarrassing.

#ShelfLove Discussion ~ Book Trope Blues

As part of the #ShelfLove Challenge, we have monthly discussion topics. March's topic is book tropes we're tired of. I have to admit that I don't really many things that turn me off books. But I was getting awfully tired of one...I've since remedied my irritation by switching up my genres, but still... I wanted to share. ;)

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Friend: Hey, have you heard that new book where Jane is a broken soul who won't date nice guys until she meets John... 

Me: *nodding* and they have lots of sex and everything comes out rainbows and unicorns?

Friend: Oh, you've read that one? How about the one where Jane has the perfect life. Then she meets the town rebel, John...

Me: *nodding* and they have lots of sex and realize they're perfect for one another?

Friend: Wait. You've read that one too?!? Well, I bet you haven't read the one where Jane is normal and John is running from his past...

Me: *sighing* and they hook up, have lots of sex, and Jane thinks their love will fix everything while John thinks Jane will fix everything?

Friend: *frowns*
Yeah, I was reading LOTS of New Adult and it seemed like they were all the same. Broken Girl + Good Boy = sex, rainbows & unicorns OR Broken Boy + Good Girl = sex, rainbows & unicorns OR Broken Girl + Broken Boy...well, you get the picture. And all that sex, rainbows & unicorns made Brandee one *bored* reader. I really don't mind the same tropes being used but I appreciate it being made *fresh* in some way. 

I think my issues was due to being in a rut of reading NA and not much else. I've since started switching up my genres and when I read an NA now, I tend to enjoy it more. Some authors really nail this trope and deliver a fantastic story! 

How about y'all? Are there tropes that give you the blues? Make your left eye twitch?

Review ~ Riding the Storm ~ Sydney Croft

Riding the Storm by Sydney Croft
ACRO #1
Release Date: August 28, 2007
Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Source: Library
Rating: 3.5 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
A storm's rage. A woman's desire.

A man with the power to set them both free.

He can summon lightning at will. Emerge unscathed from the center of a tornado. Strip a woman down to her barest defenses through the sheer force of his sexuality. He's gorgeous, dangerous, and the target of parameteorologist Haley Holmes's latest mission. Haley has been dispatched to the Louisiana bayous to investigate the phenomenon known as Remy Begnaud-a man with a gift he never wanted: the ability to control a storm's fury. But even a woman trained in bizarre weather phenomena has no defense against the electrifying power of the ex-Navy SEAL...a power his enemies would kill to control.

With her agency monitoring their every move, Haley's job is to seduce Remy, gain his trust--and help him harness his extraordinary gift. But who will protect her from this voracious lover who's introducing her to a new world of erotic thrills--a man who grows increasingly insatiable with each new weather event? Haley knows a big storm is approaching--and with it will come unexpected delights. But so, too, will the storm unleash her greatest fears: an enemy bent on destroying Remy. And her worst fear of all--falling in love with this magnificent man, then having to betray him.

This was a nice introduction to an exciting and unique series. There were times when I felt there was a lot going on and I wasn't exactly sure what it all meant. But I liked the introduction to the varied characters and their organization. I'm eager to get better acquainted with more of them and their abilities, as well as learn more about ACRO and their mission.

Although the story wove in multiple characters in different locations, the majority of the story revolved around Haley and Remy. Haley is a parameteorologist who's been sent to study and recruit Remy, who has the unique ability to affect the weather. Their meeting is under interesting circumstances but over the course of several days, and life-threatening events, these two develop a strong bond. Their bond is ironic since neither has experienced real love. Haley's parents' love taught her that love meant sacrificing things - including your children - for it. Remy's unique ability has kept him from being able to be close to anyone. As they earn each others' trust, they begin to look at love in a completely new perspective.

Annika and Creed are another couple introduced - although Annika would probably balk at my use of the word couple. She and Creed are on another assignment - talking to ghosts - in order to procure some information for their boss. These two are attracted to one another but have each stayed away from the other for different reasons. But while on this job they learned some interesting things about themselves.

Devlin is the leader of ACRO and is blessed with several gifts. All we learned about him - his upbringing, the event that left him blind, his lost love - all left me needing to know more. I know he cares for the members of ACRO and would do anything to protect them. But I'm most eager to learn much more.

So with all that was going on, I was left questioning - why was I seeing these characters doing this? What's ACRO's end gae? Why does ITOR collect people with gifts? How and why do these people have these gifts? And in this way, this was a fantastic opening to a series. I did feel it was a little slow in developing though. And I had a hard time with fitting the pieces of this puzzle together. However, it was action-packed and I'm eager to read further into the series.

Review ~ A Different Blue ~ Amy Harmon #2016HW

A Different Blue by Amy Harmon
Release Date: March 29, 2013
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: 99 Cent Purchase on Nook
Rating: 5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2016HW, #COYER B2B, #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
Blue Echohawk doesn't know who she is. She doesn't know her real name or when she was born. Abandoned at two and raised by a drifter, she didn't attend school until she was ten years old. At nineteen, when most kids her age are attending college or moving on with their life, she is just a senior in high school. With no mother, no father, no faith, and no future, Blue Echohawk is a difficult student, to say the least. Tough, hard and overtly sexy, she is the complete opposite of the young British teacher who decides he is up to the challenge, and takes the troublemaker under his wing.

This is the story of a nobody who becomes somebody. It is the story of an unlikely friendship, where hope fosters healing and redemption becomes love. But falling in love can be hard when you don't know who you are. Falling in love with someone who knows exactly who they are and exactly why they can't love you back might be impossible.

A Different Blue is a unique story both in its content and in its telling. It explores the elements and experiences we, as humans, perceive as the building blocks of our identity. And it makes you think about whether or not those things really play a part in creating who we are.

"What we believe affects our choices, our actions, and subsequently, our lives."..."What if what you believe about yourself or about your life is simply a myth that is holding you back?"  -Wilson 

Blue Echohawk knows few things about herself. She knows shes striking in looks and that she's talented at wood carving. She knows who raised her. But she doesn't know who she really is - her real name, her real birthday, her real parents. And so she's floating through life, wanting answers, feeling discarded, unwanted...unloved.

"Once upon a time...there was a little blackbird, pushed from the nest. Unwanted. Discarded."  -Blue

Until Darcy Wilson arrives as Blue's World History teacher. (don't worry - it's not that kind of story) He makes Blue look at things - her life, in particular - from a different perspective. They bth end up evaluating things in their lives and end up finding out so much about themselves.

Blue is such a selfless young woman. Of course, the reason behind that selflessness is her feeling of unworthiness. She's lived a highly unconventional life but there was a time when she felt safe and loved. Blue begins a search - I'm not even sure she knew what she was searching for. And sometimes when you find those answers, you have to ask yourself if those answers are worth it.

Wilson - what everyone calls him since his name is a bit embarrassing - is a compassionate guy. He sees something in Blue and he sets out to nurture it. As an aside, I must mention how much I admire his teaching methods - using literature to teach history. Love. While trying to pull Blue out of her shell, both he and Blue find kindred spirits in each other.

A Different Blue tugged at my heartstrings. I laughed and I cried. Blue has suffered - both in her upbringing and her lack of knowledge in who she is. The friendship that blossoms between Blue and Wilson was beautiful to watch. Although I understood his rationale, I did want to box Wilson's ears at times for his actions. But in the end he helped Blue molt and spread her wings - helped her realize she was strong enough to fly - and he was the wind beneath her wings.

There's really nothing A Different Blue I didn't love. I might have choked on Wilson's action or words at time and I might have felt Blue behaved or reacted impulsively - but it all rang true with their personalities and the story. My only regret is having waited so long to read it.

My TBR List ~ March ~ And the Winner is...

My To-Be Read List is a meme hosted by Michelle @Because Reading. I think it's a fabulous idea because it gets y'all in the game and it helps me knock off some of the many, many books on my TBR list. You're more than welcome to join in the fun! I've included the basic rules below but you can click on the graphic above to hop over to Michelle's site where you can find all the details. 

Here's how it works:
On the first Saturday of each month, I will make a post with three books from my TBR List (these books can be already on your ereader or bookshelf OR books you might want to purchase) and add your link on the linky that will be provided on Michelle's post. Y'ALL will help me choose which book I will read next. The following Saturday, I will announce which book won. Then the last Saturday of the month, I'll post my review.

Fun, right?!?

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As y'all know, I'm participating in the Take Control of Your TBR Pile Challenge this month. Since I was already regretting making a list of books I'd read, I decided to let y'all pick the one you absolutely want to make sure I get to. The votes are in...

And the Winner, by ONE vote, is:

The Stars Never Rise
The Stars Never Rise #1

Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a famiy. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears hoodies?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.



Check back on March 26th for my review! And thanks for voting! :D

Review ~ Real ~ Katy Evans

Real by Katy Evans
Real #1
Release Date: April 8, 2013
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Library
Rating: 3.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #ShelfLove, #TakingControlTBR
Goodreads

Synopsis
A fallen boxer.
A woman with a broken dream.
A competition...

He even makes me forget my name. One night was all it took, and I forgot everything and anything except the sexy fighter in the ring who sets my mind ablaze and my body on fire with wanting...

Remington Tate is the strongest, most confusing man I've ever met in my life.

He's the star of the dangerous underground fighting circuit, and I'm drawn to him as I've never been drawn to anything in my life. I forget who I am, what I want, with just one look from him. When he's near, I need to remind myself that I am strong--but he is stronger. And now it's my job to keep his body working like a perfect machine, his taut muscles primed and ready to break the bones of his next opponents...

But the one he's most threatening to, now, is me.

I want him. I want him without fear. Without reservations.

If only I knew for sure what it is that he wants from me?

I'm late, as usual, to the Katy Evans party. And, as usual, I'm happy to have finally arrived. ;) With Real, Evans released an impressive debut. The writing could have been a little tighter - something I'm sure has been taken care of since Brooke and Remy were introduced - but what impressed me the most was Evans' ability to convey such incredibly powerful emotions.

When Brooke's and Remy's eyes meet, the Earth literally moved. The chemistry between them was visceral. When Remy ends up offering Brooke a job, she begins to think the sparks she felt were all on her end. But as they spend time together, training, getting to know one another, it becomes obvious that the attraction is mutual.

Remy, however, tries to keep Brooke at arm's length. He's determined she really know him before they enter into a relationship beyond athlete/trainer. Remy has secrets - secrets he believes will scare Brooke away. Brooke, though, feels so intensely, she believes nothing could keep them apart.

The circumstances Evans created in both Remy's and Brooke's lives that equaled loss - a loss so shattering, it affected who they each were and also enabled them to have an understanding of each other that no one else could. Their feelings for one another were so acute, their bodies literally reacted to one another when they were near. The source of the conflict between them was set into motion because of the primal way they felt for one another. That Evans chose to use what she did as Remy's secret made the story that much more impacting. 

The push and pull of the sexual tension was something I felt could have been tighter. While the description of how potent Brooke's feelings for Remy were was incredibly conveyed, at some point I tired of the tension. I also felt that the resolution to one element of the conflict was too easily achieved. And Brooke's actions following the other part of the resolution - even though she didn't understand everything at the time - felt a little like a cop out. 

Those things aside, the story was affecting. Not only did Evans create a couple to root for but she surrounded them with characters who were genuine and added depth - particularly Riley and Pete. I'm eager to continue the series to ensure Brooke and Remy found their real.