#Review: Archer’s Voice by Mia Sheridan

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

archer

When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man no one else sees.

Archer’s Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the man whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love.

 

The beginning of this book held great promise for me. I was interested in the characters — even though they did seem to speak and act younger than their age of mid twenties — and I was curious about Archer being unable to speak. Throw in Archer being a recluse virgin and I was hooked.  I liked the slow development from friends to lovers. It was paced quite nicely and believable.

Then as we head into the middle of the book, we start to see a stalling of sorts. It dragged on for me and I was wanting to skip ahead past the love couple just to get to some actual plot besides love making. (let us pause to mourn the fact that I actually wanted to skip the sexy scenes *sobs*)

As we reach the home stretch and start discovering the hidden details and the true plot of the book, it seemed rushed and completely out of character for Archer. Here we have a man who has been isolated from everyone and everything for years, who has anxiety issues and can’t stand for Bree to be away from him.  I am talking to the point of where he destroys his furnishings in his house and basically waits to die because her cell phone died for a day and was unable to be reached.  Then the author decides to let Archer spread his wings within the span of a chapter or so and go off into the real world alone to find himself and to see if he is capable of interacting with other people on his own. It wasn’t very believable for me and disappointed me in the ending.

A book that started out with such promise for me ended up being just an okay book in the end.

[sc:rate3 ]

GOODREADS / AUTHOR WEBSITE / AMAZON

#Review : First Ink by Laura Wright

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

19534859First Ink
Series: Wicked Ink Chronicles #1
Author: Laura Wright
Release Date: 12/17/2013

SUMMARY
From Goodreads

Rush
Women in his bed, celebs and rockers in his chair and a killer bank account at his disposal, life is pretty freaking swell. Then she walks back into it again. With her mismatched eyes, perfect pink mouth and a laugh that still haunts him, she gave him nothing but marvelous misery. Now she wants his hands on her again. Not for pleasure, but for pain. For Ink. A bleeding heart to match the one she left him with five years ago.

Addison
She can’t forget him. No matter how hard she’s tried. The pain she caused him in the past eats at her daily, and she can’t move on with her life. But she has a plan, a hope for redemption – a way for him to take his revenge out on her flesh. But it’ll only work if he lets her inside his exclusive world, under his famous artist’s needle and into his bed—and heart-once again.

MY THOUGHTS

For it being a quick read, the author made sure to give the reader a small bit of background to help understand the why and the how to the plot and conflict of the couple.  It is pretty easy to imagine through what words we are given to piece together what happened five years ago between Rush and Addison.  Now they need to see if it is able to be fixed, or if it is a mistake to even try. Usually short stories don’t have too much impact to me.  I will say though that I found the characters engaging and intriguing. There were a few minor things that were frustrating like editing and scenes that didn’t flow properly.  With that being said though, I really did enjoy this short story.  I am curious to find out what happens with Vincent and Lisa.  If these books were to expand and become full length novels, I think the author has what it takes to create a perfect novel.

MY RATING
[sc:rate3 ]

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON

#Review : Ablaze by Morgana Black

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

17236443Ablaze
Series: Fireside #1
Author: Morgana Blaze
Release Date: 1/17/2014

SUMMARY
From Goodreads

Cheyenne is planning the perfect weekend with her partner to be Collin. But when the weather turns ugly she finds herself trapped in a cabin with dangerously attractive Luke, one of her father’s ranch hands. When the power goes out Luke and Cheyenne make the decision to keep each other warm, in more ways than one.

MY THOUGHTS

First, this is a very short story. It is a novella that is Part One in a series by author Morgana Black.  When I mention short story, I mean “chapter-like” short story.  I can understand it being short for a series or parts, but this could have been one chapter of a novella.  With that being said, you can understand the frustration at the speed and abrupt ending the reader is left with.

Short stories need to tell quite a bit in a short amount of time. I understand that. Really, I do.  Yet as a reader, I still want parts of my story to be full and give me an experience of connection with each character. I know that is a lot to ask for, but with Ablaze, I couldn’t find myself finding the footing needed to ground myself to the two characters of Luke and Cheyenne — At lease not with this small sample of a story.  When the two start to warm each other up during the snow storm, it was rushed and I still didn’t find myself really excited about it.  It was rushed and then we get the big regrets from one of the involved people.  With little background on the characters, it made the connection hard for me.  I am not going to be waiting on pins and needles for the next in the series, but I am still a little curious as to see if the author will bring some background to the characters and see if a spark finally ignites for me.

MY RATING
[sc:rate2 ]

GOODREADS / AMAZON

#Review : The Last Hour of Gann by R. Lee Smith

by ⋅ 1 Comment

18589656The Last Hour of Gann
Author: R. Lee Smith
Release Date: 9/12/2013

SUMMARY
From Goodreads

It was her last chance:

Amber Bierce had nothing left except her sister and two tickets on Earth’s first colony-ship. She entered her Sleeper with a five-year contract and the promise of a better life, but awakened in wreckage on an unknown world. For the survivors, there is no rescue, no way home and no hope until they are found by Meoraq—a holy warrior more deadly than any hungering beast on this hostile new world…but whose eyes show a different sort of hunger when he looks at her.

It was his last year of freedom:

Uyane Meoraq is a Sword of Sheul, God’s own instrument of judgment, victor of hundreds of trials, with a conqueror’s rights over all men. Or at least he was until his father’s death. Now, without divine intervention, he will be forced to assume stewardship over House Uyane and lose the life he has always known. At the legendary temple of Xi’Matezh, Meoraq hopes to find the deliverance he seeks, but the humans he encounters on his pilgrimage may prove too great a test even for him…especially the one called Amber, behind whose monstrous appearance burns a woman’s heart unlike any he has ever known.

WARNING: This book contains graphic violence, strong sexual content and explicit language. It is intended for mature readers only.

MY THOUGHTS

Wow. What the heck? Scales? Lizard men? Wait…this is suppose to have a romance involved? With LIZARD MEN!?

That was my reaction to reading everyone else who left a review of this book.  Every person I talked to told me to have faith in the author and the story. I still could not wrap my head around how humans and lizard men were suppose to fall in love or even attempt to the naughty.   Then I had to come with the realization that this book is long. Not an extra day long, but try an extra week or two long if you have work and kids at home.

I am not going to recap the entire story for you because of length and all the other reviews that are out on this story.  I will say though, Lizard men can be worth reading about.  Meoraq was a good guy/lizard and paired nicely with Amber who was nice and fierce.  Every single woman in this story was weak except for Amber.  She was strong woman and deserving of Meoraq.

I truly enjoyed everything about this book except the ending.  There are rapes scenes in this story, but the author handled them well.  They aren’t just scenes thrown in, they are scenes that are needed to tell the story and way of life of the Lizard men.  The thing that lowered the rating was how some things were left unanswered or left open.  Does the baby turn out okay? Do the Oracles accept what Meoraq has to say? Is the way of life changed enough to accept a different world to begin?  And can someone please find me one of those bots that clean things up daily, because my housework has lacked since reading this book. Be prepared for the long haul when starting this story!

MY RATING
[sc:rate4 ]

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON

Review: Hold Me Together by Felice Fox

by ⋅ Leave a Comment

postcard-6inx9in-h-round-front

 

Hold Me Together
Author: Felice Fox
Release Date: 10/31/13

SUMMARY
From Goodreads

After boot-stomping all night with every last Cameron man on the ranch, Holly can’t wait to get her honeymoon started with her new husband, Gavin. He’s her dream come true–smart, rugged and kinky as hell, but the very best part is marrying into his big family; a close-knit, loving clan who take care of each other. She’d never had that. Ever. “Do you take this man…?” was the easiest question Holly ever had to answer.

But when Gavin poses a new, unthinkable question on their wedding night, Holly must choose between the idealized happily-ever-after she’d always dreamed of and something much more than she ever knew she wanted– or needed. Yet her happiness isn’t the only thing put at risk by the unconventional arrangement she finds herself in, and when everything Gavin treasures is threatened, Holly must decide if she can give up the family she’d always wanted for the family that wants her… in every possible way.

Warning: This story may make you squirm like a little roped calf. It is a grit-your-teeth hot romance intended for an adult audience which includes questionable consent and issues of polyamory/open relationships.

MY THOUGHTS

Hold Me Together starts out with Gavin and Holly starting their honeymoon on the ranch.  They are celebrating their first night as man and wife in the beautifully decorated barn and the couple seem very happy.  She always suspected that Gavin had a dark and kinky side, but he never shared what they might be.  What she gets on her wedding night is not what she expected though.

Gavin has her list ten things she loves to have done to her sexually or things she would like to do.  He writes them above their marriage bed in chalk.  Gavin leaves the barn for a moment claiming he forgot something and leaving the door wide open.  This is after he ties her to the bed completely naked.  Gavin arrives back with his five brothers following close behind him.  After keeping it a secret until now, Gavin reveals that he plans to share Holly with his brothers sexually.  It seems Gavin and his brothers love in an unconventional way than others.  Understandably, Holly is freaked out and scared. She has been duped by her husband. Gavin tries to calm Holly down by telling her that they won’t do anything she hates and only what she allows.

At this point I has having a hard time with this book.  It felt wrong to read — like I was reading a rape scene.  They all stare and fondle her while she is saying no and stop.  This isn’t a sex scene playing out, but clearly a woman who is not wanting to participate.  If you don’t like that type of scene, then be forewarned.

The next day Holly is still trying to come to terms with everything.  Gavin insists on passing her around to his brothers.  While she is terrified of the sharing — felling unfaithful to her husband — the brothers take their turns enjoying her.  First we have the fun and assertive Luke.  Then shy McKenna gets his chance a few days later.  Brody “The butt man” enjoys his chance in the kitchen as Gavin watches.  The out in the rain drenched muddy walk, violent role player Abel who is dark and menacing gets his chance.  After her encounter with Abel, their father Hank figures out what has been going on.  He gets upset and blames Holly for everything.  He tells Gavin to take her and to leave the ranch. This is when McKenna announces that he loves Holly. A storm keeps them from leaving the ranch and they are forced to stay another night.  This is when Gavin and Holly finally get their chance to seal their marriage vows.  After Hank has a an accident the next morning, he is rushed to the hospital.  When he gets the all clear from the doctors to return home, he has a talk with Holly after she has helped keep the ranch running while he was sick.  He tells her that he will accept the situation if it is kept private and they all get their Happily Ever After.

I was not a fan of the rape like scenes or the fact that Gavin kept this a secret until the wedding night.  Plus, Holly falls in love way too quickly with each man and is just expected to accept it.  I had a hard time believing in this romance and wasn’t impressed by any of the characters.  I had to force myself to even finish this book.  I found the cover and the summary to be vague and misleading for most of the story told.

MY RATING
[sc:rate1 ]

AUTHOR WEBSITE / GOODREADS / AMAZON