A Review: The Brazen

The Brazen (Calamity, Montana #3)
Author: Willa Nash
Format: Digital
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Publication Date: July 15, 2021

Date Read: July 21, 2023

Synopsis:

Kerrigan Hale’s personal life is about as exciting as a bucket of tar. With hard work and hustle as her steadfast companions, who needs romance or adventure? Her empire in Calamity, Montana, isn’t going to build itself.

For years, her mentor—and investor—helped make her dreams come true. Until his unexpected death put her fate in his grandson’s hands. A brazen billionaire, he seems intent on ruining Kerrigan’s life.

But if Pierce Sullivan thinks she’ll go down without a fight, he’s sorely mistaken. Pushed to the extreme, she drives to his ritzy mountain lodge to force the arrogant You Can Call Me Mr. Sullivan to hear her out.

No sooner does she arrive than a snowstorm traps her with Pierce. Stranded together for days, she’s in for the battle of her life. Pierce is nearly irresistible by candlelight. Without his suits and fancy cars, he’s almost human.

Except only a fool would let down her guard. And Kerrigan can’t risk her future. Not when she doesn’t know if he’s out to pilfer her dreams . . . or to steal her heart.

I loved the characters in this book. Kerrigan Hale is kickass and knows what she wants in life until Pierce Sullivan shows up and knocks her world askew. This book was such a quick, easy read that will make you want to read the rest of the series as fast as you can.

 
Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

My Rating:

A Review: The Bluff

The Bluff (Calamity, Montana #2)
Author: Willa Nash
Format: E-book
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: November 11, 2021

Synopsis:

As Calamity’s newest resident, Everly Christian thought life in small-town Montana would be dull and tame—and she needs a little mundane after the last few chaotic years. But one night, boredom drives her to the local bar, where she finds herself sitting beside a handsome and mysterious artist.

The man is anything but dull and tame, especially in the bedroom, and when she steps out of his shower and overhears his conversation, life gets interesting again.

Reese Huxley needs a wife.

And why shouldn’t Everly be the bride?

She’s got her reasons for agreeing to the hasty nuptials—reasons she’s keeping to herself. As long as she can stop herself from falling in love with her husband, she’ll make it out of this sham marriage in one piece. But Everly has a weakness for wayward men, and the more Hux pushes her away, the more she realizes this bluff is anything but a lie.

I'm always a sucker for a marriage of convenience story. I love the fact that Everly & Hux are complete opposites of each other, this combo always makes for a good read!

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

My Rating:

A Review: The Bribe

The Bribe (Calamity, Montana #1)
Author: Willa Nash
Format: E-book
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: November 11, 2021

Synopsis:

Duke Evans didn’t expect to interrupt a beautiful woman in a staring contest with a bison on his favorite hiking trail. He also didn’t expect to see her again after rescuing her from the surly beast. As the sheriff in Calamity, Montana, he’s had his fair share of surprises but none as pleasant as pulling over a shiny black car and finding his mysterious hiking companion behind the wheel.

Only, she lied to Duke. She gave him a name as fake as her hair color. According to her driver’s license, her real name is Lucy Ross, the famous country music singer whose sudden disappearance has been a hot topic in the media over the past two weeks.

He’s not sure why Lucy lied about her identity or why she’s in Calamity. And she’s not talking. Instead, she offers him a bribe to keep her secret.

But Duke doesn’t want her money. He wants to know why this woman is on the run. And as long as the star shines on his badge, he’s going to find out.

This is my first Devney Perry book and I absolutely loved it. This book introduces Calamity, Montana as a picturesque small town which made me miss my own small town that I grew up in. Lucy and Duke are so cute and even though I'm usually an enemies to lovers, I really enjoyed their sweet story.

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

My Rating:

A Book Review: Beyond the Veil

Zodiac Academy 8.5 - Beyond the Veil
Author: Susanne Valenti & Caroline Peckham
Format: Digital

Pages: 411
Genre: Romance, Fantasy
Publication Date: June 30, 2023

Synopsis:

The stars called us.
The Veil closed at our backs.
And now death holds us in its clutches.

We were torn from life before our time, a Savage King, his queen, a betrayed son, a wronged brother, a scorned wife and so many more. We watch those we left behind as they struggle against the grip of the stars, the answers to so many of their questions within our grasp and yet out of their reach. But what if we could find a way to answer their pleas? What if we could find a way to help them from this side of the divide? And what price would such a thing come at?

So, I usually don't buy or read the in-between books in the series. I would say novella but those are supposed to be pretty short, and this sucker is 415 pages.

One of the main reasons I actually got this one is because I was missing the ZA characters something bad and since it'll still be quite a few months before we get book 9 out of the sisters, I thought this one would tide me over. To be perfectly honest, this book kind of fell flat compared to the other books in the series. 

Yes, it's an in-between story but when they said they were writing about the characters that were behind the veil, I thought we would really get something out of it. This was basically just a small recap of book 8 with other point-of-views. I really wished we would have gotten something jaw-dropping about these other characters, but it just wasn't there. Even though it really didn't scratch the itch of missing the series, I still gave it 4 marks. Mainly because the sisters' writing always entertains me, we got to meet Hail and Merissa Vega, and I LOVED seeing a certain character's reaction in chapter 21. (IYKYK)

My Rating:

A Book Review: Rule by Jay Crownover

Rule (Marked Men #1)
Author: Jay Crownover
Format: E-book
Genre: Young Adult, New Adult
Publication Date: December 30, 2012

Synopsis:

Opposites in every way . . . except the one that matters

Shaw Landon loved Rule Archer from the moment she laid eyes on him. Rule is everything a straight-A pre-med student like Shaw shouldn’t want—and the only person she’s never tried to please. She isn’t afraid of his scary piercings and tattoos or his wild attitude. Though she knows that Rule is wrong for her, her heart just won’t listen.

To a rebel like Rule Archer, Shaw Landon is a stuck-up, perfect princess-and his dead twin brother’s girl. She lives by other people’s rules; he makes his own. He doesn’t have time for a good girl like Shaw-even if she’s the only one who can see the person he truly is.

But a short skirt, too many birthday cocktails, and spilled secrets lead to a night neither can forget. Now, Shaw and Rule have to figure out how a girl like her and a guy like him are supposed to be together without destroying their love . . . or each other.

I received this book as a Random Act of Kindness in the oh-so-wonderful Llama Library group on Facebook. I had seen a couple of posts from the ladies there talking about this book and I was really excited when one day it popped up in my email as a gift.

Holy Hell-balls, the sexual tension in this book is to die for! I absolutely LOVED the characters that Jay Crownover has created. The plot. Shaw. Rule. ANGST.. it all makes for a wonderful story. Just the fact that Jay took the extra time to actually develop her story and her characters was a huge plus for me. It seems like the books I've been reading here lately, all fall flat when reading. Either they develop the story OR the characters, never both and that just makes a book boring, or unrealistic.

I kind of warred with what rating to give the book but I finally ended up with 3 1/2 marks which got bumped up to 4 Marks. Mainly, because it really kept me entertained. There was serious angst, some violence and, of course, some good loving. I can't tell you how much I love Shaw and Rule together. 

“It’s always been you even when I didn’t want it to be, even when it broke my heart over and over again. It’s just always been you.”

I have to admit though, that not long after starting it I had the thought that this story originally must have been a fan fiction piece. The editing in this book was pretty much non existent. There were quite a few typographical errors throughout the book, for instance, where whole words were missing. And grammatical errors that if this story would have been just put into a word editor, they would have red and green squiggly lines everywhere. 

Even with it's flaws though, I would say it didn't hinder the way I enjoyed the characters or the storyline, just hopefully she has learned from this book and has since hired an editor. 

“You have to promise not to bail on me when I get lost, Shaw. You have to promise to just wait it out until I can find my way back. I need to know you’re at the end of the tunnel when everything goes black.”

If you want a pretty quick read, definitely check this book out (the link is below). I'm really looking forward to reading the next book in the Marked Men series, Jet, which is already begging to be read on my kindle. 

My Rating:

The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

Format: E-book
Genre: Christian Fiction
Publication Date: October 15, 2011

Synopsis:

Four brides. One Dress.

A tale of faith, redemption, and timeless love.

Charlotte owns a chic Birmingham bridal boutique. Dressing brides for their big day is her gift . . . and her passion. But with her own wedding day approaching, why can't she find the perfect dress...or feel certain she should marry Tim?

Then Charlotte discovers a vintage dress in a battered trunk at an estate sale. It looks brand-new-shimmering with pearls and satin, hand-stitched and timeless in its design. But where did it come from? Who wore it? Who welded the lock shut and tucked the dog tags in that little sachet? Who left it in the basement for a ten-year-old girl? And what about the mysterious man in the purple vest who insists the dress had been "redeemed."

Charlotte's search for the gown's history-and its new bride-begins as a distraction from her sputtering love life. But it takes on a life of its own as she comes to know the women who have worn the dress. Emily from 1912. Mary Grace from 1939. Hillary from 1968. Each with her own story of promise, pain, and destiny. And each with something unique to share. For woven within the threads of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte's heritage, the power of courage and faith, and the timeless beauty of finding true love.

I have to admit, when I first saw this book I didn't know that it was religious fiction. What made me intrigued were the first two sentences of the summary: Four brides. One Dress. A tale of faith, redemption, and timeless love. Only then, after a few pages in, I got to researching about the book and found out what genre it was. Of course, this didn't change my want to read it, though. I've read plenty of religious fiction, I just don't know why it didn't dawn on me that it was.

The book jumps from various character's points of view each chapter, including Charlotte, Emily and Tim (Charlotte's fiancé) plus a couple of other small characters. It starts off by introducing Charlotte, our present day bride and one of the main characters in the book. She is having trouble in her life, not completely positive that she should be marrying her fiancé (since she hasn't even put any thought into the wedding and it's only 2 months away). Charlotte is a very closed up person. She doesn't come from a big family, she lost her mom early on and has had to rely on herself since very little. Just thinking about joining into Tim's big family really scares her. What scares her the most is neither of them are really making time or effort to start their life off together as a married couple. Within the first chapter, Charlotte is forced, in a way, to purchase this welded shut chest that we later find out houses The Wedding Dress, and from there, her journey of rebuilding her faith really begins.

After trying to read for a few day, I was very seriously ready to put it aside. It was going at a snails pace to me and the switching back and forth between Charlotte and Emily's POV was getting tiring for me. It wasn't until the search for the other brides really began that I really started getting into the book and by the end of it, I couldn't put it down. There was seriously one point of the book that I was squealing like a school girl, I was so giddy.

If you're wanting a pretty good read, don't mind the references to christianity & God, and looking a lovely happily ever after, definitely check this book out.

My Rating:

Book Review: Hollowland

Hollowland (Hollows #1)
Author: Amanda Hocking
Format: Kindle
Genre: YA Dystopian, Paranormal
Publication Date: October 6, 2010

Synopsis:

Hollowland - the first book in the young adult dystopian series The Hollows...

"This is the way the world ends - not with a bang or a whimper, but with zombies breaking down the back door."

Nineteen-year-old Remy King is on a mission to get across the wasteland left of America, and nothing will stand in her way - not violent marauders, a spoiled rock star, or an army of flesh-eating zombies.

I read Amanda Hocking's Trylle Trilogy a few years ago and loved them. So when I saw the kindle version of Hollowland free on amazon, I decided to grab it.

The protagonist is Remy King, an emotionally cut off 19 year old, who is racing across the country in search of her kid brother, Max. After a zombie attack on the government quarantine the army moved Max, who was in the care of the medical ward, to another quarantine to the North.

With the help of friends, Harlow, Lazlo & Blue and her newly acquired lioness, Ripley, she treks across many states in search of Max. Along the way they run into hordes of zombies (of course), a crazy cult leader, deadly marauders and an underground refuge that seems too good to be true. The action in this book just kept coming at you. I felt tired after ready the book because of all these poor characters were put through.

I can't say that I enjoyed all the characters. For instance, Harlow was just flat out annoying to me. She was the little-sister type that was overly clingy and loved to whine over everything. I'm not sure about you but when the world is overrun by zombies and you're fighting for your life, the last thing I would want around is a whiny kid that didn't couldn't do anything. Blue was a small character but I think was very important to the story line with his medical background. They probably would have been killed off really early in the book without him around.

Lazlo and Remy would have to be my favorites, though. Remy because even though she is only 19, she is a total hard ass. She had one objective in mind, to get to her brother, and there was nothing that was going to stand in her way. Despite her being closed off and many (many) rejections, somehow Lazlo broke through her barrier and made Remy care. Sweet little love like that always makes me swoon.


I think Amanda Hocking did a good job at writing this book. As soon as I finished, I went directly to amazon and picked up the second book, Hollowmen. Be on the lookout for that review as well.

My Rating:

A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing
Format: ebook (courtesy of the author)
Genre: Paranormal Romance, YA
Publication Date: Dec 14, 2012

On the evening of Sofia Claremont's seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake. A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood. She is kidnapped to an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine.

An island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains. Sofia's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is the one selected out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince.

Despite his addiction to power and obsessive thirst for her blood, Sofia soon realizes that the safest place on the island is within his quarters, and she must do all within her power to win him over if she is to survive even one more night.

Will she succeed? ...or is she destined to the same fate that all other girls have met at the hands of the Novaks?

The plot of the book hooked me in right away. A kidnapping, horribly terrifying coven of vampires and... love? Bella Forrest had some awesome ideas for this book that should invite in a lot of readers.

The island Sofia is abducted to is called "The Shade"and because of a powerful witch, is forever in the dark of night. Vampire Prince, Derek, tried to escape the life of a vampire by going under a spell and sleeping for hundreds of years. Unfortunately it has finally came to a time where he needs to awake, and his brother Lucas has to round up girls including Sofia, for Derek. It's just too Bad Lucas wants Sofia all to himself.

The further I got into the story, the more I wanted to know. Especially about Derek and his family. I was worried from the beginning that the book is on the small end, and I didn't think I would get enough entertainment out of it. But surprisingly Forrest did a really good job introducing you to many of the important characters and you go the feel of them right away. Never really any long introductions, just straight to the point. I think one of the only character that I wish were introduced too would be Derek's father. I'm assuming we will meet him in one of the next two books, but he seemed rather important and it felt disappointing that he was only mentioned. Also, there were some scenes that were very predictable and of course, when it comes to vampire stories, there are going to be some over-used ideas but I think it was wonderfully written. Definitely a quick read for a rainy day. I am looking forward to picking up the next two books in the series as well.

My Rating:

Spellbinding by Maya Gold

Publisher: Point/Scholastic Publication Date: April 1, 2013 Genre: Young Adult

 Synopsis:

There's more than one way to be powerful . . .

It is during a routine school project that Abby Silva--sixteen and nearly friendless--makes a startling discovery: She is descended from women who were accused of witchcraft back in 1600s Salem. And when Abby visits nearby Salem, strange, inexplicable events start to unfold. Objects move when she wills them to. Candles burst into sudden flame. And an ancient spellbook somehow winds up in her possession.

Trying to harness her newfound power, Abby concocts a love potion to win over her longtime crush--and exact revenge upon his cruel, bullying girlfriend. But old magic is not to be trifled with. Soon, Abby is thrust headlong into a world of hexes, secrets, and danger. And then there's Rem Anders, the beautiful, mysterious Salem boy who seems to know more about Abby than he first lets on.

A reckoning is coming, and Abby will have to make sense of her history--and her heart--before she can face the powerful truth.

Review: 

I LOVE "witchy" stories. Something about how one can call on the elements to do their bidding has always interested me. What really drew me in when I saw this book was the cover. it is mysterious, and.. witchy. After the summary, I knew I just had to read it. 

Abby Silva, a 16 year old nobody, refers to herself as "background". And I got the feeling right away that that is pretty much true to everyone in the book, even her family. Her mom is gone and her dad doesn't really pay attention. Abby is written as a normal high school character. She has best friend Rachel whom is pretty much all she has in the world and has an oh-so-hot crush, Travis, that just so happens to have the meanest girl in school as his girlfriend. 

Because of an assignment that nobody in her history class did well on, she has to do research paper on her family tree. While her dad's side is fairly easy, her mom's side has many holes in it. There are generation gaps that just don't make sense. After talking to her dad and more research, she figures out that she had family in Salem during the witch trials. Freaky. 

During a trip to Salem with the best friend, explainable things happen. There is the burst of technicolor that happens when crossing the bridge into Salem, Rem, the guy at the cafe who couldn't take his eyes off of her (or hers off of him), and then the mysterious diary that 'magically' appears in her purse when she knew she put it back on the shelf in the library. From that day on more and more things start to unfold. She figures out that the diary isn't a diary at all, but a spell book. It teaches her different incantations like how to light candles with your mind and more importantly a love spell to put on Travis. 

What the book doesn't tell her though, is that magic can be tricky and doesn't always work out the way you expect it to.

Reading this book came very easy. It rolled right along and pretty much had no hiccups at all. Some might say that it was too predictable but I think it was just right. I would say that it is aimed at the younger end of the Young Adult spectrum but it is still enjoyable to someone a little older. It's a bit short, I think we could have had a little bit more of character growth, which is why I gave it 4 out of 5 bookmarks but I would definitely recommend it. 

My Rating:

Happy Reading,
Steph

Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt

Going Vintage
Author: Lindsey Leavitt
Format: E-Book
Genre: Young Adult
Publication Date: March 26, 2013

Synopsis:

When Mallory’s boyfriend, Jeremy, cheats on her with an online girlfriend, Mallory decides the best way to de-Jeremy her life is to de-modernize things too. Inspired by a list of goals her grandmother made in 1962, Mallory swears off technology and returns to a simpler time (when boyfriends couldn't cheat with computer avatars). 

The List:

1. Run for pep club secretary 

2. Host a fancy dinner party/soiree

3. Sew a dress for Homecoming

4. Find a steady

5. Do something dangerous

But simple proves to be crazy-complicated, and the details of the past begin to change Mallory’s present. Add in a too-busy grandmother, a sassy sister, and the cute pep-club president–who just happens to be her ex’s cousin–and soon Mallory begins to wonder if going vintage is going too far.

Oh my goodness, this book is so cute! I'm usually one that sticks with the dark, action filled books. I love a good dystopian or thriller but this one was an awesome change of pace. 

We've come to be a world that completely revolves around technology. If you go to a restaurant or even your own dinner table, you will usually see heads ducked and nobody talking. Lindsey Leavitt had a great idea when creating this book. Many teenagers (especially the ones I know) would never have the determination to do all the things that Mallory does in this book. 

Mallory is a spunky, quick witted, and not quite in with the "in crowd" type of girl. She's cute, smart and finds herself in a girls worst nightmare. Boyfriend cheating, rumors flying and nobody understanding type of scenario. Throw in a over protective younger sister that has the best intentions, clueless parents and her ex's cousin, you have lots of fun and drama!  

The only thing that I didn't agree with and I would never see happening is the way Grandma's secret was brought to light. Yeah, it would probably be introduced the way it was, but I couldn't believe that a family would be that understanding that fast. To go with the theme of the book, I could see yelling, crying and lots of stubbornness. Besides that though, I recommend this book for a quick, light read. 

I am definitely passing this one on to the teen reader in the family, I know she will like it as much as I do.

My Rating: