House of Royals: 3 Stars

Author: Keary Taylor
Length: 225 pgs

What to say, what to say…

This was pretty middle of the road for me. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t a gripping pageturner. I did like the vampire world built here, how there are “born” vampires versus “bitten” vampires, and those who are born don’t know they’re born until they die as humans and find themselves resurrected five days later as a vampire. There’s an interesting history regarding the vampire King and his cursed bride who is reincarnated every few years, and a unique heirarchy regarding hundreds of different “Royal” houses spread throughout the world.

Unfortunately the book, while it introduces this information, mostly revolves around the main characters and their semi-forbidden insta-love. My biggest problem was that I didn’t really connect with the characters at all so being invested in their relationship wasn’t something I felt. As a result the extenuating circumstances working against them were less than thrilling since I didn’t really mind either way what became of them. Their road to romance is identical to many other books in this genre, so there was nothing unique that made this pair of characters stand out or root for them.

There’s a cliffhanger at the end that I liked and which will probably push many readers into reading at least the second book. This one seems to focus more on setting up events for the books to come. I liked it but didn’t love it, and probably won’t continue the series. But if you’re into non-erotica, YA PNR this is probably right up your alley.

I Was a Teenage Weredeer (Bright Falls Mysteries, #1): 3.5 Stars

Author: C.T. Phipps
Length: 9 hrs 54 min

I listened to the audio version of this book. I thought the narrator did a good job voicing all the different characters, from a crimelord dragon shifter to vampires, werewolves, teenagers with New York accents, etc. It was easy to listen to and the story moved at a swift pace.

The plot itself contains many elements: a murderous demon, a corrupt town history, human sacrifices, a coven made up of magic-hungry teenagers willing to do whatever it takes to obtain shifter abilities. The world here is similar to that of the Sookie Stackhouse series in that vampires and shifters have “come out” to the public; but while their existence is known, it’s not entirely accepted. In certain states it’s legal to shoot shifters on site, and there’s hierarchy among the different types of animal shifters. Unsurprisingly, werewolves are at the top of the totem pole, while main character Jane Doe’s race of weredear possess the ability to become shamans. Within a few pages of the book we learn that Jane Doe’s best friend Emma is a werewolf, and her sister Victoria has just been found dead with Jane’s brother as the primary suspect. Thus begins the unrelenting cycle of events that unfold throughout the book.

The story takes a lot of turns, and we learn quickly not to take everything at face value. Many characters have secrets that they don’t want coming to light in the wake of Victoria’s murder and the subsequent investigation. There’s an unintended trip to hell, a haunted forest with evil spirits lurking within, and a magical convenience store of sorts that can be conjured up if you need to buy an enchanted rabbit foot and some scented candles. There’s a lot of nerd references (I say this as a proud nerd) to the Matrix, Star Wars, LOTR, etc. One of the characters is constantly quoting sci-fi movies. It makes you feel like you’re hanging out with a close friend and I found myself laughing at this quite frequently.

The book doesn’t take itself too seriously, so while we’re accompanying Jane on her twisted journey to find Victoria’s killer and exorcise a demon, there’s a lot of fun to be had as we learn about the paranomal history of the town and the eclectic characters we meet. The one thing that grated on me was Emma – her sarcasm and general negative personality made me question why she and Jane were friends, but to be fair I haven’t been a teenage girl in over ten years so maybe I just can’t relate to snark as a relationship-builder anymore.

Overall I enjoyed the story. It was something different, and I love any book that treats supernatural beings and magical occurences as completely normal so that we can enjoy the fun of it rather than dwell on its unlikelyhood. That’s the kind of world I’d want to live in- though I might stay away from Bright Falls and its penchant for human sacrfices!

I received a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Scythe (Arc of a Sycthe #1): 4 Stars

Author: Neal Shusterman

Scythe tells the story of a far-off future, one in which nobody dies because they can undergo a procedure called “turning the corner” and become any age they want, virtually starting life over again to marry again, have more children, etc. As a result of this, Scythes are created to enforce population control. Scythes are the chosen few whose duty it is to, er, “remove” people from the living. Murder doesn’t exist in this world, so the word used to describe a Scythe’s duties is called “gleaning”. You can live forever in this world, or you can be one of the unlucky who is chosen for gleaning and find yourself face to face with a Scythe who will kill you, then maybe pick up some groceries and go home to eat their dinner. Understandably, most people fear and avoid Scythes like the plague.

Both Rowan and Citra are teenagers who find themselves face to face with a Scythe, but not to be gleaned. Their encounters with this Scythe send their lives in a much different direction than either of them anticipated, and they end up in a joint apprenticeship competing to be a “junior Scythe”. One of the benefits of becoming a Scythe is immunity from gleaning for your loved ones, so Rowan and Citra keep this in their heads as they struggle to accept the bizarre path they’ve both been set upon.

The premise itself is enough to keep you reading until things start to get REALLY interesting. Imagine rogue Scythes, who view their position as one of power, performing “mass gleanings” in shopping malls, on airplanes, in religious sanctuaries. Mass murder would be the word we’d use today, but in the Scythe’s world, it is entirely justified. Or is it?

An unexpected series of events puts Rowan and Citra at odds, and I have to admit I didn’t see about 80% of the following events coming at ALL. More than once I said aloud “oh shit!” while listening to the audiobook and its excellent narrator, in response to the shocking moments that pepper the story. Neal Shusterman is an absolute creative genius; giving very different emotions, feelings, memories, and opinions to many different colorful characters. And though this story is set in the far-off future, humans are very much the same, which made me feel unsure about what direction the storyline would take-since being technologically advanced obviously doesn’t guarantee that we’re any wiser or make better decisions.

I was guessing up until the end, which was both satisfying and a delicious cliffhanger of sorts, showing us what choices the characters might be making in the next chapter of their separate lives. It perfectly sets up the second book in the series, Thunderhead.

Definitely recommend and I can see why this one got all the stars from other readers!

The Invisible Library: 2 Stars

Author: Genevieve Cogman
Length: 10 long hours, 31 painful minutes
This book was a total flop for me, which is such a bummer because it had such great potential. I fell in love with the premise and when the book had a price drop last year I snatched it up. Unfortunately, it did not meet my expectations at all. The storyline was completely confusing and mindboggling, with the librarian Irene and her trainee Kai chasing down a missing book for unknown reasons and every circumstance possible managing to get in their way. The action was painfully underwhelming and didn’t do the story any favors. Instead of being exciting, the magic that the librarians have the ability to perform in some cases was written in a way that made it the exact opposite. How can cyborg, mind-controlled alligators, evil faeries and a rogue librarian who hijacks human skin be uninteresting?? I was bored out of my mind for 99% of the story with the 1% being the climax and part of my interest stemming from the fact that I knew the book was FINALLY going to end.

I think I wanted this to be like the Chronicles of St. Mary's series (see Just One Damned Thing After Another) which is the case when I come across any sort of time/dimension travel storyline, because that series is epically exciting. That’s never, ever the case and I never seem to learn my lesson.

Fashionably Dead (Hot Damned #1): 4 Stars

Author: Robyn Peterman
Length: 323 pgs.
This book was a lot of fun and completely unexpected! When it started I was taking it seriously…then the character was turned into a vampire by a hypnotist, met her guardian angel who looks (and talks) like Oprah and a faerie physical trainer who is a replica of Arnold Schwarzenegger, and began getting drafted into sorority-like vampire houses with gift bags. Cut to her seeing demon-like creatures on her ceiling and her friend finding out she’s some sort of faerie royalty and I realized this is not the kind of book to take seriously. It made me laugh out loud throughout the story and the action moved along really quickly. Despite its bonkers character list the writer managed to bring me to tears at a few points and throw in some little twists throughout to remind you that it’s a continuing series and there’s more good stuff to come.

I got the first book as a freebie from Amazon and added narration which was awesome and probably made me love it 10x more. The next book is not free but definitely reasonably priced so this series will go on my TBR!

Good to read if you love paranormal but are in the mood for something lighter!

Audio Add-Ons

So I can't go too long without checking out my audio companions, I'm such a sucker. Today I added on narration to three of the kindle books I own:

I picked this book up as an Amazon freebie, narration was $1.99.
A smokin’ hot British player…
A jilted girl…
One night of mistaken identity…

Two weeks before her wedding, Remi Montague’s fiancé drops her faster than a drunken sorority girl in stilettos. Armed with her best friend and a bottle of tequila, she hops a plane to London to drown her sorrows before fall semester begins at Whitman University.

She didn't plan on attending a masquerade party. She sure didn’t plan on waking up next to the British bad boy who broke her heart three years ago—the devastatingly handsome and naked Dax Blay. Furthermore, she has no clue how they acquired matching tattoos.

Once back at Whitman together, they endeavor to pretend they never had their night of unbridled passion in London.

But that’s damn hard to do when you live in the same house…

One night. Two damaged hearts. The passion of a lifetime.

Also a freebie! Narration was $2.99.
Victorian London: For five years, Charlotte (Charlie) Holloway has lived as a boy in the slums. But when one theft too many gets her arrested, her only means of escape lies with a dead man. Charlie hasn't raised a spirit since she first discovered she could do so five years ago. That time, her father banished her. This time, she brings even more trouble upon herself.

People are now hunting Charlie all over London, but only one man succeeds in capturing her.

Lincoln Fitzroy is the mysterious head of a secret organization on the trail of a madman who needs a necromancer to control his newly "made" creatures. There was only one known necromancer in the world - Charlotte - but now there appears to be two. Lincoln captures the willful Charlie in the hopes the boy will lead him to Charlotte. But what happens when he discovers the boy is in fact the young woman he's been searching for all along? And will she agree to work for the man who held her against her will, and for an organization she doesn't trust?

Because Lincoln and his ministry might be just as dangerous as the madman they're hunting.

I am most excited about this one! I purchased the kindle book for 99 cents and it was chosen for me to read as a Buddy Pick in my favorite Goodreads group a few months back- I think December, but I never got to it. It's on the longer side at 460 pages so the audiobook will help me get to it quicker and through it faster. I splurged a bit on this one - audio companion was $7.49. That's pretty much the typical going rate for all my books so I don't tend to purchase them at that price, but this book has been on the top of my TBR for a while.
Erika:
I was told that dreams were our heart’s desires. My nightmares, however, became my obsession.

His name is Michael Crist.

My boyfriend’s older brother is like that scary movie that you peek through your hand to watch. He is handsome, strong, and completely terrifying. The star of his college’s basketball team and now gone pro, he’s more concerned with the dirt on his shoe than me.

But I noticed him.

I saw him. I heard him. The things that he did, and the deeds that he hid…For years, I bit my nails, unable to look away.

Now, I’ve graduated high school and moved on to college, but I haven’t stopped watching Michael. He’s bad, and the dirt I’ve seen isn’t content to stay in my head anymore.

Because he’s finally noticed me.

Michael:
Her name is Erika Fane, but everyone calls her Rika.

My brother’s girlfriend grew up hanging around my house and is always at our dinner table. She looks down when I enter a room and stills when I am close. I can always feel the fear rolling off of her, and while I haven’t had her body, I know that I have her mind. That’s all I really want anyway.

Until my brother leaves for the military, and I find Rika alone at college.

In my city.

Unprotected.

The opportunity is too good to be true as well as the timing. Because you see, three years ago she put a few of my high school friends in prison, and now they’re out.

We’ve waited. We’ve been patient. And now every last one of her nightmares will come true.

Off the Record (Record #1): 3 Stars

Author: K.A. Linde
Length: 12 hours 10 min
Off the Record is the first book in the ‘Record’ series. I don’t usually read contemporary romance, it’s not really my thing. But this one sounded interesting and I was able to listen free with Kindle Unlimited so I gave it a try. It follows a college reporter, Liz Dougherty, as she begins a secret relationship with Brady Maxwell, a politician who’s in the middle of running for…something. Ha! I listened to the audiobook and the narrator was fantastic.

The main character, Liz, was immediately likable. She had a good head on her shoulders and her inner voice spoke common sense to her even if she didn’t always listen to it. As the reader we’re along with her for the ride from the beginning of the affair, when she is head over heels for Brady. As time goes on however, her feelings do get stronger but that common sense I mentioned starts to kick in. She starts to realize that she maybe doesn’t want to be somebody’s secret girlfriend. But every time she meets up with Brady her feelings for him intensify so she just ends up torn and confused.

Brady doesn’t do too much to make it any easier on her. He’s gentlemanly, but mostly he has the ‘this-is-what-you-signed-up-for’ attitude whenever she tells him how she feels. He’s also in the habit of bringing other, more “appropriate” women as his date to public functions, which further hurts Liz. He explains it away by saying he was pressured by his campaign manager (who is a BEEYOTCH) or even his mom to bring this person or that person on his arm, but my response to that is really? He is a grown man. And it’s not like Liz is some shady character – although she previously wrote some not-so-favorable articles about Brady’s education policy for her college newspaper, she doesn’t have any skeletons in her closet. But she continues to be treated like some dirty little secret and I could just feel myself getting angrier and angrier on her behalf as the book went on. Especially when I felt like she connected well with Hayden, another male character. I also enjoyed her being charmed by Clay and thought they were both better candidates for her attention than Brady. But the heart wants what it wants and all that crap…

I’ve never read K.A. Linde before and she brought a very human feel to every character. Her writing combined with the great narration made this a solid three star book for me. Maybe if I was more a contemporary romance girl I’d give it a higher rating but honestly that’s the only thing that kept me from getting immersed in this book. I’d like to know what Liz decides in the future (as this book ends in a cliffhanger) but not so much that I want to continue on in the series.

Sold to the Sheikh (Club Volare #1): 3 Stars

Author: Chloe Cox
Length: 5 hrs 12 mins
I borrowed the audiobook for Sold to the Sheikh via Kindle Unlimited. It was on the shorter side so I figured it wouldn't be a waste of too much time if I didn't care for it. It’s the first in the Club Volare series, and starts off pretty routinely for what I’ve read in this genre. An innocent(ish) female-in this case Stella Spencer, who gets a job at Club Volare after going through a divorce-meets a wealthy Dom who decides to introduce her to the world of BDSM. In this book, that Dom is Sheikh Bashir, and he decides to fork over $50,000 to spend the weekend with Stella, choosing her over any other willing BDSM participant because of something he sees in her eyes when they first meet, etc etc.

Continuing with the formula, the female MC is at first uncomfortable and embarrassed about everything, before the Dom slowly brings down her walls and converts her to a BDSM lover. And they all live happily ever after.

I knew what I was getting into with this book. I wasn’t expecting mind-blowing excitement or surprises, and my expectations were pretty much met. I admit however that Stella began to grow on me about an hour or so into the book. She was ditched by her husband and still carries the pain of his rejection, as well as memories of a painful childhood. She’s a sweet character and I liked her.

Sheikh Bashir is a pretty typically written Dom. He promises Stella that he’ll have her begging by the end of the weekend. He pushes her boundaries and forces her to do things she’d never do under normal circumstances. He does his research on Stella and makes a few grand gestures based on what he learns. He isn’t cruel or Alpha-like. He comes across more determined and protective. He also has a personal history that keeps him from giving his heart to anyone.

You can pretty much guess how the book ends but it was a decent read. The Audible narrator did a great job, it’s not easy to find a good erotica narrator and she’s definitely one of the better ones. The writer gave sufficient backstories to both characters and I liked the two of them together. I think the worst I can say about the book is that it’s just not overly memorable.

The blurb for the third book Disciplined by the Dom sounds pretty interesting so I think I might continue with the series if I need to bust out of a reading/listening slump.

Highlander Betrayed (Guardians of the Targe #1): 2 Stars

Author: Laurin Wittig
Length: 9 hrs 13 min

Highlander Betrayed is the first in the Guardians of the Targe trilogy, about a powerful stone controlled by the chosen Guardian, that protects Scotland from its enemies and invasion. I listened to the audio version courtesy of Kindle Unlimited.

The book’s main character, Nicholas Fitz Hugh, is an English spy sent by the King to Scotland to pose as a Highlander in order to track down the Targe so that the King can invade and claim the land. Nicholas’s dad was an Englishman who raped his Scottish mother, so he was raised in Scotland for a bit before ending up in England. He quickly adopts a Scottish accent and uses his abbreviated experience as a Scotland native to infiltrate the MacAlpin clan after he and his fellow spy Archie witness a stone wall collapse. This leads to Nicholas saving two women, Rowan and Scocha, who turn out to be the niece and daughter of the current MacAlpin clan chief, respectively. Archie, however, stays hidden and grows resentful while Nicholas begins to grow fond of the Highlanders and Rowan.

Nicholas is not the most sympathetic main character. Rowan is hesitant to trust him but after he says and does all the right things, which include appealing to the needs of Rowan’s very sick aunt Elspeth-current Guardian of the Targe and wife to the chief -she eventually falls for him. Nicholas is constantly mulling over the inner turmoil of having to decide whether to betray Rowan or England, and it becomes tiresome after a while. He’s one of the few duplicitous main characters I’ve read where I actually wouldn’t mind him getting found out and punished for it, because he is clearly in the wrong and only bringing harm to the unaware MacAlpin clan. Who is he to deserve love with Rowan, and acceptance into the clan after he’s led a life of lies?

In addition to rooting against the main character, the plot itself never really grabbed me. There’s a “twist” about the new Guardian of the Targe that I guess we were not supposed to see coming a mile away? There’s no action really until the very end of the book, which is resolved enough to close out this first installment but not so much that the trilogy can’t continue. Every time I would put the audiobook on I was never really excited about it. I just had gotten so far into it that I was committed to seeing it through because I’ve marked several recent audiobooks through KU as DNF and I wanted to be able to finish one.

The story has potential, but ultimately was just too boring for me, with a main character I didn’t really care about.

Audio Add-ons

If I haven't already mentioned it, I love audiobooks.

They're all I listen to on my commute to and from work. It's a whole new way to enjoy books, and if you haven't tried listening to audiobooks yet I highly suggest it.

Today I browsed the list of available narration add-ons for kindle books that I own and got all these audiobooks for $1.99. Maybe I should unlink my credit card with my Amazon account, because it’s so easy to hit that 1-Click button!

The Blue Blazes by Chuck Wendig
Meet Mookie Pearl. Criminal underworld? He runs in it. Supernatural underworld? He hunts in it.

Nothing stops Mookie when he's on the job. But when his daughter takes up arms and opposes him, something's gotta give....
Justice Calling: The Twenty Sided Sorceress Book 1 by Annie Bellet
Gamer. Nerd. Sorceress.

Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho. After twenty-five years fleeing from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers, quiet suits her just fine. Surrounded by friends who are even less human than she is, Jade figures she's finally safe.

As long as she doesn't use her magic.

When dark powers threaten her friends' lives, a sexy shape-shifter enforcer shows up. He's the shifter world's judge, jury, and executioner rolled into one, and he thinks Jade is to blame. To clear her name, save her friends, and stop the villain, she'll have to use her wits... and her sorceress powers.

Except Jade knows that as soon as she does, a far deadlier nemesis awaits.
Lost to the Night: The Brotherhood Series Book 1 by Adele Clee
An earl with a terrifying secret....

Alexander Cole was a man ruled by his voracious appetite for carnal pleasures until a golden-haired devil in the guise of a goddess lures him into an encounter that costs him his humanity. With nothing left but bitterness in his heart, he locks himself away in his dilapidated Elizabethan mansion and chains the gates to all intruders.

A lady hoping to prove love conquers all....

When her aunt suffers an injury in a carriage accident, Evelyn Bromwell rushes through the forest in search of help. Drawn to the mysterious old mansion, she is left aghast to find such a frosty reception. Yet despite the earl's rude and brusque manner, Evelyn is eager to discover the reason behind his austere façade.

Once desire begins to burn, Alexander and Evelyn are unable to deny the soul-deep connection that exists between them. But Evelyn must make a choice - marry the kind and affable Mr. Sutherby or risk everything in the hope of thawing an immortal's frozen heart.
Heiress Without a Cause by Sara Ramsey
One title to change his life...

A disgraced son with a dark reputation, William Ferguson Avenel is content to live in exile in Scotland - until his father dies in the scandal of the Season, making him the new Duke of Rothwell and leaving him in charge of his young sisters. With rumors of insanity swirling around their family, the girls desperately need a chaperone. And he thinks he's found the lady for the job...until Rothwell discovers her dangerous secret life.

One chance to break the rules....

Lady Madeleine Vaillant may be the perfect chaperone, but she can't face her blighted future without making one glorious memory for herself. In disguise on a London stage, she finds all the adoration she never felt from the ton. But when she's nearly recognized, she will do anything to hide her identity - even make a devil's bargain with Rothwell, who saves her from discovery by claiming her as his mistress. She'll take the pleasure he offers - but Madeleine won't lose her heart in the bargain.

One season to fall in love...

Every stolen kiss could lead to discovery, and Rothwell's old enemies are determined to ruin them both. But as their dangerous passion ignites their hearts and threatens their futures, how can an heiress who dreams of freedom deny the duke who demands her love?
You Loved Me At My Darkest by Evie Harper
lood is thicker than water...

Having endured more than their share of tragedy, sisters Lily and Sasha embark on a dream holiday - only to find themselves in hell. Kidnapped by a rich madman, Sasha is sold into slavery, while Lily is forced to join The Collection, a unique bevy of exotic beauties enduring frequent horrors at the hands of elite bidders. However, no amount of pain and suffering will break Lily, who will stop at nothing to save her younger sister. Possibly with help from an unlikely ally.

Love is stronger than loyalty...

Attempting to prove his allegiance to his employer, Jake is tasked with guarding the unruly and uncontrollable Lily. He can't afford to help her in her quest to free Sasha - not if he hopes to fulfill his own agenda. But in their dark, gritty, tension-filled world, solace is taken wherever it's found. Bonds are formed and hearts engage despite Jake's resistance and both their attempts at self-preservation.

When certain secrets come to light, the resulting explosion has breathtakingly bittersweet consequences that, by the end, may not leave everyone whole...or alive.
Withering Hope by Michael David Axtell
A crash landing leads to a crash course in survival...and passion.

En route to a tropical paradise, overworked and dedicated Aimee Myller is ready to begin her new life. But when the plane defects, the pilot, sexy Tristan Bress, needs to make an emergency landing in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Aimee Myller's dreams of a fairytale getaway in Brazil come crashing right down with the plane.

Forced to fend for themselves with no civilization in sight, together Tristan and Aimee begin to forage for food and shelter. As they fight for survival, one thing becomes clear: Passion and desire grow faster than vegetation in the rainforest. As they get closer and begin to rely on one another, secrets are revealed. Secrets that neither of them can ignore. Secrets that could destroy them both.
Insidious by Aleatha Romig
Dark desires... Deadly secrets... Devious deceptions... Nothing is exactly as it seems in Insidious, the new erotic thriller from New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Aleatha Romig!

When a powerful man is willing to risk everything for his own satisfaction, only one woman can beat him at his own game: his wife. Or so she thinks... "Let's start with you calling me Stewart. Formalities seem unnecessary." Stewart Harrington is rich, gorgeous, and one of the most powerful men in Miami. He always gets what he wants. Anything is available to him for the right price. Even me. Being the wife of a mogul comes with all the perks, but being Mrs. Stewart Harrington comes with a few special requirements. I've learned to keep a part of myself locked away as my husband watches me submit to his needs. But the more he demands of me, the more beguiled he becomes and that's to my advantage. So I keep fulfilling his fantasies and following his rules because he doesn't know that what he's playing is really my game. And winning is everything, right?

And that’s where I had to stop myself! So between these and the Kindle Unlimited audiobooks I was trying to decide between, I should be able to keep my ears occupied for a while.

The Pawn (Endgame #1): 4 Stars

Author: Skye Warren
Length: 314 pgs.
The Pawn is the first book in Skye Warren’s Endgame series, and it’s available for free on Amazon. I picked it up after seeing good reviews of other books in the series and later added the audible narration for $1.99. Most of the time I get to my audiobooks much quicker than my kindle books, so if I’ve had the book for a while and the narration is cheap I’ll add it on.

After mulling over a few options from my Kindle Unlimited library when trying to decide which audiobook to start two days ago, I scrolled through my cloud and saw this title in my library. It was pretty short at 5 hours and 49 minutes, so I started it on my drive home from work. I was immediately hooked!

We’re introduce to the book’s heroine, Avery James. Everything in her life seems perfect – her father is rich and important, her future is secure, she has a doting boyfriend, Justin. Time quickly shoots forward and we find Avery begging for financial assistance from a notorious “businessman”, Damon Scott. We learn that Avery’s father was found guilty of fraud and they lost everything except for their house. Additionally, her father was severely beaten by a group of men who we assume were striking back after finding out that he stole their money. So now Avery spends her days trying to keep the bill collectors at bay, make ends meet, and take care of her father, who’s bedridden and needs assistance with the normal activities of daily living. It’s quite the social fall from grace and Avery has no one to turn to, her mother having died when she was younger.

Damon Scott and and his cohort, Damien Miller, decide to “help” Avery by auctioning off her virginity. She’ll make enough-hopefully-to save her childhood home and of course, Scott and Miller take a percentage. She’ll live for one month with the man who purchases her, and be subject to their every whim. It’s not a question of if she’ll lose her virginity but when and to whom. Unfortunately this may not be the super solution Avery hopes it will be.

I won’t spoil the rest but I enjoyed going down this twisted rabbit hole with Avery. The only thing I’ll say is that the book leaves off on a MAJOR cliffhanger. The next book in the series is The Knight and I can see how smart it is to have the first book available for free download. I definitely got sucked in to this one. Won’t be jumping into #2 right away but will definitely keep my eyes peeled for other Skye Warren book deals and keep it on my TBR.

Up Next: Audiobook??

I’m having a hard time finding an audiobook via kindle unlimited! If I’m being honest I don’t really utilize my KU subscription like I should. I mostly use it for audiobooks so I have a wishlist on Goodreads specifically for KU books with audio companions. However none of the ones I’ve tried have grabbed me like I want them to. I tried listening to Sanctum (Guards of the Shadowlands #1) but barely made it 10 minutes in because the narrator, Amy McFadden, is one of my least favorite narrators of all time (let’s just say she completely ruined The Paper Magician for me) so I quickly gave up on it. I do love the premise of the book though! Here’s the blurb:

”A week ago, seventeen-year-old Lela Santos’s best friend, Nadia, killed herself. Today, thanks to a farewell ritual gone awry, Lela is standing in paradise, looking upon a vast gated city in the distance—hell. No one willingly walks through the Suicide Gates, into a place smothered in darkness and infested with depraved creatures. But Lela isn’t just anyone—she’s determined to save her best friend’s soul, even if it means sacrificing her eternal afterlife.

As Lela struggles to find Nadia, she’s captured by the Guards, enormous, not-quite-human creatures that patrol the dark city’s endless streets. Their all-too-human leader, Malachi, is unlike them in every way except one: his deadly efficiency. When he meets Lela, Malachi forms his own plan: get her out of the city, even if it means she must leave Nadia behind. Malachi knows something Lela doesn’t—the dark city isn’t the worst place Lela could end up, and he will stop at nothing to keep her from that fate.

I will have to move that book to the wishlist I have for Kindle Unlimited books that don’t have audio companions, because I can’t listen to a whole 12 something hours of Amy McFadden but I still want to read the book.

Then yesterday I started listening to Shadow’s Edge (Night Prowler #1) and I just couldn’t get into it. I made it about 100 pages in via the audiobook but it’s a lot of internal monologue with one of those instant attractions between her and the male MC whom she’s not supposed to like but can’t help it. So far nothing happened to really move the story forward except the main characters meeting. Other than that it’s been kind of banal. The scenes seem to be very drawn out or maybe it’s just that way to me since I’m not really interested. I zone out during the narration and when I come back down to earth the characters are still going on about the same damn thing. So I moved that to my DNF graveyard this morning because I’ve no interest in reading the kindle version.

So right now I have five other audiobooks from Kindle Unlimited on my phone and they are:

Never Kiss A Rake Historical Romance
Sold to the Sheikh BDSM/Erotica
Off the Record Contemporary Romance – not really my jam, but it sounded cute so I thought I’d give it a try.
Reliquary Paranormal/Fantasy
Highlander Betrayed (Guardians of the Targe #1) Historical/Fantasy

It will just depend on what kind of mood I’m in when I leave work today which book I start listening to because I’ll start listening on my commute home.

Fingers crossed the next one is a winner!!

When You Disappeared: 4 Stars

Author: John Marrs
Length: 350 pgs.
Wow, that was insane.

This book was a lot of fun to listen to -I downloaded the audio version from Kindle Unlimited – up until the last 2 hours or so. Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t lose steam or go off track at the end. Rather, the story goes from mysterious to just plain depressing and torturous to hear. It was extremely hard to listen to the end of the story due to the events that are finally revealed at that point. I wish I could explain why but that would be spoiler-y and this book is best if you go into it blind.

Having just listened to another Marrs book, The One, I can say that When you Disappeared is not really a thriller per se, but more of a years-long mystery that is unraveled throughout the book. It’s still in the vein of psychological thriller as it does play with our heads but it’s not particularly fast-paced and doesn’t have that edge-of-your-seat vibe from Marrs’ other brilliant book Good Samaritan. However I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

The story centers around a woman, Catherine, who wakes up to find her husband Simon missing. Just gone. Was he killed in an accident? Did he run off? Did he leave her for another woman? Was he abducted? There’s a years-long search, but at its end Catherine accepts she’ll never know what happened to her husband.

25 years after he disappears, Simon shows up on Catherine’s door step. He needs to tell her the story of where he’s been, and in turn she tells him the story of how her life and the lives of their three kids fell apart after he left them.

Marrs has created a true monster in the character of Simon. Never have I had such a strong dislike for a character. His excuses as to why he left made me scoff. His proclivity for blaming Catherine for “making” him leave his whole family in the lurch is infuriating. And as the book goes on, he cements himself as a truly despicable person who has done despicable things.

On the other end of the spectrum is Catherine, whom I can’t help but feel for as we hear her struggle. And we soon learn that Simon disappearing may or may not actually be the worst thing that has ever happened to her.

Marrs has a definite way with both character- and mystery-building. He also has a talent for writing women: their inner voices, their unspoken anguish at experiencing loss or deceit, the day-to-day feelings of uncertainty, unworthiness and second-guessing. Catherine is as well-written a female character as I’ve ever read from a female author.

As I mentioned above, the last 1.5 – 2 hours of the book are incredibly hard to get through. I cried on my drive to work as I listened to the narrators reveal their biggest secret, the heartbreak from that day now coupled with regret as their truth is finally shared. It reminds us we shouldn’t jump to conclusions, and you can’t make life-changing decisions based on suspicion. It also makes me want to hug my kids tightly and never let them out of my sight.

If you’re like me you’ll find yourself struggling to come to terms with the story after it ends, in a state of shock and/or mental anguish. My recommendations are just to silently repeat the words these are not real people. These are not real people over and over.

The One: 4 Stars

Author: John Marrs
Length: 416 pgs

I’m officially a John Marrs fan and will be adding him to my list of authors whose new releases go straight to my wishlist and/or kindle collection depending on how much money is in my bank account.

My book relationship with John Marrs began with his book The Good Samaritan late last year and reignited my love for psychological thrillers. There’s nothing quite like a GOOD thriller that messes with your head and throws you for a loop a handful of times. The Good Samaritan was thoroughly enjoyable for that reason, so I jumped at the change to listen to The One thanks to a Goodreads friend (hi Pam!) letting me hijack her library subscription.

The story here revolves around several people who have been “matched”. In the world Marrs has created, there exists a technology that uses DNA to match people to their soul mate. Of course everyone jumps at this chance to find their true love without thinking twice. The whole idea has its pros and cons that are explored throughout the book. But in true Marrs fashion he does so via some characters that may seem innocent or naïve at first glance but turn out to have many layers to them.

The book alternates POVs in each chapter and at first you wonder how you’re going to keep track of everyone but I adapted quickly to the revolving viewpoints. We have Ellie, who is a rich and powerful CEO – but of what, exactly? Mandy, whose husband left her for his DNA match and who wants to find her true own love and settle down to have a family. Nick, who’s perfectly happy with his fiancé Sally until she insists they test to see if they’re a match. Jade, whose match is halfway around the world in Australia and who will text her but won’t Skype or Facetime- what is he hiding? Christopher, a serial killer who’s just found his match – but will he fall for her or add her to his list of victims?

I thought I had certain storylines nailed down at some points in the book, but in typical Marrs fashion he caught me completely off-guard more than once (and of course the way the stories actually went was so much better than what I’d imagined). When I was finishing up the audiobook on my commute home yesterday I had a visceral reaction to some bombs that were dropped at the end. I was angry. I was upset at and with some of the characters. And others completely shocked and impressed me with the way they had handled some insane situations.

There were times when a characters’ narrative would start heading towards happily-ever-afterville and I’d wonder how Marrs would give it his “touch”, and again he’d add the perfect little twist or wrap it up in a way that didn’t feel forced or cheesy.

I have listened to the audio version for both of the Marrs books I’ve finished and they are as enjoyable as the actual story. The narrators each speak in a clear, soft British accent and intuit their character’s emotions perfectly.

I now have to add every book Marrs has ever written to my TBR. Up next is the audiobook for When You Disappeared which I downloaded via Kindle Unlimited and started almost immediately after finishing The One. If I love this book as much as the other two I really don’t know how I’m going to keep my own head from exploding at excitement from finding a new favorite suspense/thriller author. Why his name isn’t yet up there with Paula Hawkins and Ruth Ware I have no idea. Please, someone make this a movie.

Heir of Fire (Throne of Glass #3): 4 Stars

Author: Sarah Maas
Length: 576 pgs.
Audiobook length: 20 hours 39 minutes

WOW. Wowee wow wow. This was SUCH an improvement on the second book - Crown of Midnight (review here.)

Whereas Crown of Midnight was almost like a history lesson on Celaena’s world (with a little action and a devastating loss thrown in), Heir of Fire is so chockfull of action, betrayal and mischief that there's hardly any room to breathe between chapters. It's also where we witness Celaena completely come into her own and transform from the emotionally disabled assassin into the woman she is meant to be. It was time for her to grow up and it seems like such a natural progression.


We’re introduced to many new characters, one of whom is Manon, heir to the powerful Blackbeak witch clan. It’s amazing to me the thought that goes into the creation of all these characters with their rich, realistic personal backstories and extended history, unique behaviors, traditions and beliefs. The addition of the witches to the story is an example of this, and it’s not just Manon’s clan we meet but the Yellowlegs and Bluebloods as well. And why they are all together is something I won’t spoil here but gives me chills thinking about how it will eventually all play out. This is a story well over 500 pages and yet there’s so much more to come on this front.

Another character who was introduced is Rowan. He’s unlikeable at first, and wants to be that way. Yet, the bond that slowly forms and changes and grows between him and Celaena throughout the book feels completely real. By the end of the book I was emotionally affected by their friendship and the way that they rescue each other from various situations. It’s also Rowan who helps to unlock Celaena’s heart.

Shit definitely hits the fan in this book. No one really feels safe (as in, not to be killed off) except for Celaena, and that’s only because I already know her story continues, otherwise I might question even that. At the end of the book, the ever-present danger shows itself in an oh-shit-now-it’s-going-down way, and we know from that point that things are going to be WAY different moving forward.

It’s a combination of the emotional character transformations, the new relationships that are formed (some of which are painfully extinguished), the solid new characters that are introduced, new information that shines a light on so many things we’ve already seen and learned in this series, and the events that unfold in Heir of Fire’s conclusion that make this book pack such a powerful punch. I think I need to take a break and listen to some lighter fare before moving on to the fourth book, but I definitely will be reading that soon because I can’t wait to find out how everyone comes out on the other side of this.

Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass #2): 3 Stars

Author: Sarah Maas
Length: 12 hrs 24 min
I gave the first book in this series five stars. It was an amazing read for me. I loved the heroine freed prisoner/assassin Celaena Sardothian. I felt torn by the charming love triangle between her, Prince Dorian and Chaol, the captain of the guard. I loved the storyline and the mystery, and I rooted for her the whole time.

I guess it's normal, expected even, for a series to have a sophomore slump. For me, this book was definitely slump worthy. It's hard for me to pinpoint exactly why I dropped my rating for this one by 2 stars. One of the differences was that I listened to the audiobook version, and the narrator has a haughty tone that makes everyone sound conniving and/or conceited. And okay, so that might be the case actually, but hearing it versus reading it usually isn't a problem for me. Here it was hard for me to have the same connection with Celaena that I had in the first book when I pictured her sounding tough yet vulnerable. The narrator made her sound almost petulant. And she may be written as somewhat of a brat at times, but I preferred my own projection versus the audiobook version. It was just a little off-putting.

The second problem was that there was SO MUCH SETUP AND INFORMATION packed into this book that it doesn't leave much for action. We learn more about the Wyrd written language introduced in Throne of Glass and Wryd keys and where they came from and what they mean and information about the king and things he might be working on, and more background history on the war that "ended" magic, and history on Celaena herself. If you're not paying very close attention, it's easy for things to get convoluted. So that was another audiobook issue for me. I can pay attention while listening, but when there are names I need to learn and complicated family and world history I need to remember, it's better to see it in writing and take the time to process it. Maybe I could have appreciated it better or felt more of an impact from the new information if I had read it instead of listened to it.

As for my comment about not leaving room for the action - okay, so there is action in this book. But I felt like it was limited to a few big events rather than being exciting throughout. One of the big events throws Celaena completely off her rocker, and she spends a lot of time deep in thought and grief. It's supposed to affect the reader in the same way I guess, but said event was something that I expected to happen eventually (I felt a character was only put there to be taken away) and wasn't that devastating for me. The next big event that I remember happening is about 80% into the book, and after finishing the audiobook in the same sitting, I actually went back and re-read this part via the kindle version. I just felt, again, like it gave me a deeper impact to read it without the narrator's influence.

Buuuut, despite the narrator, this book just didn't do it for me. I'm guessing it was the information overhaul combined with the lack of Celaena-doing-her-badass-assassin-thing that made it fall kind of flat. And that's another thing - Maas is very good at telling us how great of an assassin Celaena is. It's mentioned as a recap i.e. telling us she just killed countless people on the king's orders, but we didn't tag along on those kills. The ones we're privy to always involve Celaena getting injured and/or caught, and I just wish we saw more of her being the best assassin in the world and all that. I know that wouldn't be as exciting if we saw her get away with it every time, but a little more could be done to help us believe all this praise.

Points for the bomb dropping, though, at the very end of the book. So many complications stem from this cliffhanger!

Despite the fact that this won't be my favorite book in the series, it won't deter me from continuing what is still an exciting story. I jumped right into #3. I have both the audiobook and kindle version to Heir of Fire, and I'm still going to listen to the audiobook version on my commutes to help me get through it faster, but other than that I think I'll stick to reading the book since that was part of why I enjoyed Throne of Glass so much. I am 75 pages in at this point and already liking it more than Crown of Midnight!

Up Next: Audiobook

Author: Sarah Maas
Length: 418 pgs.
Audiobook Length: 12 hours 25 minutes
I'm so excited to start this! The first book in the series was a 5 star read for me! I read the first book on my kindle and I have Crown of Midnight in kindle format as well but I picked up the audiobook companion recently for $3.99. Now that I've finally completed The Good Daughter I will be starting this on my drive home.

The Good Daughter: 3 stars

Author: Karin Slaughter
Length: 528 pgs.
Audiobook length: 17 hours 52 minutes

I am honestly not sure how I feel about this book. I usually have a pretty solid opinion either way once I’ve finished something, but The Good Daughter pulled me in a lot of different directions.

My first Karin Slaughter book was Pretty Girls, and I felt that book was miles ahead of this one as far as suspense and shock factor and general cleverness goes. This was no Pretty Girls.

Warning – spoilers ahead!

I know what I didn’t like about the book.

I disliked most of the characters: the clear cut bad guys who murdered the Quinn matriarch. The main characters who had-in my opinion-a strange way of dealing with the events that unfolded throughout the book (heck, I despised Rusty Quinn for 2/3 of the story because I didn’t understand his thought process and actions). The cops in the small town of Pikeville, who handled the school shooting and its aftermath horribly and inappropriately. The Culpepper family members, who tortured Charlie throughout her years in school because they remained convinced the Daniel and Zachariah were innocent, and that the whole murder was a set up by Rusty to frame the Culpepper brothers. Antagonists are necessary in any story, but there’s usually some likable main characters or a hero that is thrown in to balance things out, give you someone to root for. I didn’t want bad things to happen to Charlie and Sam, but I wasn’t really rooting for them, either.

I HATED how dragged out the day of the school shooting was. Every small detail is noted and expanded upon. Charlie is injured by the cops while trying to protect a teenage girl who’s being brutalized by them – though she is presumed guilty of killing two people in an elementary school – and no one does anything about it, even her (estranged) husband. No one in Pikeville, GA seems to have a conscience or code of ethics, or any real sense. Cops are corrupt, district attorneys plant evidence and frame people or don’t care to conduct proper investigations. Townsfolk are small minded and make ignorant assumptions.

I listened to the audio version of this book and because my listening is mostly limited to my work commute (which totals about 2.5 hours per day) it took FOREVER to get past the day of the shooting- maybe 3 days or so. This part could have been whittled down quite a bit, especially when you’re wondering WHAT THE HELL this tragedy has to do with ANYTHING, or at least what it has to do with the events that unfolded between the Culpeppers and Quinns 28 years prior. Are these two events linked? Are they completely separate and only serving to bring together the main characters? That’s not made clear for quite some time. I guess that’s part of the mystery but for me it made me feel like, what is the point or purpose of this part of the book? Do I really need to know all these details or is this just Slaughter’s style? Is there a reason this is being so drawn out?

By the time we moved on to day 2 (in the book) I was bored and frustrated, but hanging in there. To be fair, though I have issues with the pacing and the plot, the quality of the writing is obvious. Karin Slaughter does have a way of bringing characters to life. So I suppose it still says something that most of them elicited a real sense of annoyance and/or anger within me, because at least they felt real enough for me to have opinions on them.

The book would pick up the pace occasionally but then slow down and we’d be back to moving sluggishly through minutes, hours. It didn’t truly GRAB me until there was about two and a half hours left. At that point I wondered when shit was going to start going down. We’re talking about a book that has countless 4 and 5 star reviews, and I’m surprised to find myself in the minority, but there you have it. Perhaps most people enjoy the detailed way Slaughter examines everything that happens and everything that’s said by and to the characters. Perhaps they were prepared for a book that spends more time exploring the characters’ personalities and internal struggles than it does any sort of specific event in the book. Sure, you can argue (rightly) that their personalities and struggles come as a result of certain events that occur, but I was under the impression this was a thriller. It plays out as more of a sad story of one family’s abbreviated history, with a few twists thrown in at the end.

Speaking of the twists….

I was surprised to find out who was also involved in the school shooting, but once the initial cat was out of the bag, I pretty much guessed the rest and just listened as it played out mostly like I’d expected.

I was also surprised to find out who was REALLY involved in the murder of Sam & Charlie’s mother all those years ago, but the revelation didn’t really shake me. In fact, I didn’t realize there was anything left to reveal about that day, so while the information was unexpected, it didn’t serve to answer any questions, because I hadn’t asked any.

I think my strongest feeling about this book is just plain disappointment. It definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. The title, after finishing the book, doesn’t really make sense. Nor does the creepy cover which in itself promises a different sort of story.

I reserve the right, however, to contradict myself. This was a good book in that it was expertly written. Slaughter is obviously a master of details, but this one was just too detailed for my liking. I’m glad I got it off my TBR because it’s been calling my name for a while. You can definitely still like a writer without liking a book they’ve written, and I think that’s the case here. I have a copy of Slaughter’s Kisscut that I still look forward to reading, and I won’t forget the horror of Pretty Girls.

The Good Daughter just wasn’t for me.