Naughty Brits by Sarah MacLean, Sophie Jordan, Louisa Edwards, Tessa Gratton & Sierra SImone

Everything is hotter with a British accent…

Source: advanced copy provided in exchange for an honest review

 ❤  💙  ❤  💙  ❤

Sarah MacLean - A Duke Worth Falling For:

Her career in tatters, celebrity photographer Lilah Rose retreats to the British countryside, complete with fluffy sheep, rolling hills…and Max, the stern, sexy farmer who tends to them. But their lazy days and lush nights aren’t as far from the spotlight as Lilah thinks, and Max will have to reveal the truth if he is going to convince Lilah that some dukes are worth the risk.

Review - 4 stars

I loved it! It hit that sweet spot for me which is physical intimacy on the heels of a clear connection. Quick, effortless banter is my catnip. Lilah and Max have that give and take and I was totally on board with them getting it on. The secret identity trope though can get predictable because really, how can it not go wrong? But MacLean does throw in a few little surprises and I liked the dual POV. I was highly satisfied and happy with how this finished.


Sophie Jordan - Better with You:

When the author of a controversial self-help book starts receiving threats, she has no choice but to accept a bodyguard on her UK book tour. Vee Mathers is famous for asserting that women don’t need men—especially for sex!—but at security specialist Luca Moretti’s first, burning touch, she starts to think she might need to revise her theory...

Review - 4 stars

This is definitely one of empowerment for any woman who's been through the wringer thanks to bad relationships. Vee's sworn off men until she's assigned a bodyguard who's the first guy to make her insides go crazy in a while. This is slightly inconvenient as she's touring her much-heralded book about self love and not needing a man. And of course, he is everything that she has never experienced and more! (While he's described as Henry Cavill-like, I, for some reason pictured him as Gerard Butler.)  There is something simmering between these two and I am all for it, though I wish I could've known what was going on in Luca's mind. There's just something magnetic about him.

Louisa Edwards - Not a Bad Boy:

Writer Mallory Pritchard moved to London for research—and to get over a bad breakup. When she (literally) runs into Hollywood’s hottest action hero, Ian Hale, at a dog park, she realizes her heart isn’t as broken as she thought! Ian is even more devastatingly sexy in person, which makes Mallory wonder...is there room for a regular girl in his glamorous movie-star world?

Review - 3 stars

I wanted to get in to this because, hello hot Hollywood star! I think this is where a dual POV would've helped me get in to the instalust aspect of this coupling. It just felt like it was Mallory in the driver's seat the entire time and Ian was just kind of there as she pushed him about his career, his ambitions, his past. It was weird to me because they've only known each other a few days. I would've preferred it being balanced with his perspective so I could understand why he was so receptive to her opinions. There were moments I loved like their first date which was absolutely adorable and melted my heart. Unfortunately, their connection was lost on me.

Tessa Gratton - Songbird:

Former American soldier Daniel Kelly’s mission is simple: close the deal to buy a Welsh pub on behalf of his family’s corporation, and survive another anniversary of the worst day of his service. Too bad that from the moment he sees the pub’s owner, Elspeth Gwenlan is the only thing Daniel wants to conquer—even if it means lying to her about his agenda.

Review - 3.5 stars

This was a cute one and I liked that it was set in Wales. Elspeth's put her previous ambitions behind her to run her family's ages-old pub. Daniel is supposed to secure the sale of the pub for his family but it all gets complicated the moment he sees Elspeth. Taken under her spell, he keeps his reason for being in Wales a secret and embarks on an unexpectedly torrid tryst with her. Their encounters are sensationally hot with both finding much-needed healing and releasing from them. It becomes obvious that there's more than just their physical chemistry involved. But of course, that whole I've-got-a-secret-and-should've-told-you-sooner comes back to bite him in the arse. I was definitely curious about how things would be resolved.

Sierra Simone - Supplicant:

After being left at the altar by her cold and brilliant professor, Church Cason, Charlotte Tenpenny had to leave school to take care of her younger brother. But a fateful night brings Church—and his delicious, drugging kisses—back into Charlotte's life. And it stirs up a reckoning years in the making ... 

Review - 3 stars

The set up immediately got my interest. A jilted fiancee left at the alter, the shame/hatred/grief she's carried these past four years and then suddenly the shock of seeing him face to face again. It had all the makings of a good juicy drama...and then I met Church. He's arrogant, invasive, territorial - basically too predatory for my comfort level and that threw me off. Despite my distress at his behaviour and subsequent incomprehension of Charlotte's surrender to him, I was still taken in by Simone's writing. I couldn't put it down! She conveyed their personalities perfectly, so much so that she drew strong reactions from me, obviously. In the end, while I know this story will appeal to a lot of readers, Supplicant was a mixed bag for me. 

❤  💙  ❤  💙  ❤

There you have it. I was happy to have a chance to read new-to-me authors Louisa Edwards, Tessa Gratton and Sierra Simone, and I hope that I can check out more from them soon. All the stories were a fun and quick escape from a stressful week. Definitely pick this up for some sexy good times in the British isles!

~ Bel

Top Ten 2012 (It's Nat's Turn!)

Wow.  Is it the end of the year already?  Where did the time go?  2012 was a rough year for all of us in one way or another.  And because of that each of us went through long lasting reading funks.  But even with that funk I managed to read 78 books this year. That is high for me on a normal year so I won't complain...

As usual, I had a hard time deciding which books to include in my Top Ten of 2012.  I, of course, cheated a little by adding a few honorable mentions at the end. How I narrowed those down to only three is byond me...So here it is.  My Top Ten of 2012.  In no particular order.





The Lovers Dictionary by David Levithan - A modern love story told in single words and definitions. So many pages resonated with me and how I feel about the Executive Officer. I still go back and re-read passages.  And the best part?  David Levithan continues to define life, love and relationships through words on Twitter @loversdiction








Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir by Jenny Lawson Hands down, my favorite book of the year.  Yeah, you all thought I would choose a romance, didn't you?  Well I didn't.  I chose this amazingly hilarious (and rarely serious) memoir by Jenny Lawson, The Bloggess.  I can't begin to tell you much how I laughed.  And laughed.  And laughed.  And cried a little.  And laughed some more.









Chase In Shadow by Amy Lane - Thanks to Bel, this is where my love of Amy Lane began.  This is a brutally emotional story of a young man struggling to remain in the closet while using the gay-for-pay porn industry as an outlet.  Oh don't worry.  There is definitely some happy in this story.  But first, Ms. Lane will stomp on your heart a good five or six times.  Because she's kind of awesome like that.  And apparently that's my thing since I have read about a dozen more of her books since Chase in Shadow.







Rockoholic by C.J. Skuse - This one snuck up on me.  It was nothing what I expected.  Instead it was so much more.  A brilliant dramatic comedy  that is in turn hilarious and disturbing.  As I stated in my review, C.J. Skuse should be applauded her sheer awesomeness.










Dash and Lily's Book of Dare by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan - I am so happy that I read this right before Christmas.  A perfect romantic comedy that not only put me in the holiday spirit but also had me giggling well into the early hours of the morning.  I believe this has been optioned for a movie and I will be absolutely thrilled if it makes it to the big screen. AND if I can put a Dash on hold for youngest daughter, that would be most excellent.








Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry - The chemistry between Echo and Noah not only drips off this hot cover, it also drips off every single page within the book.  It was steamy.  It was angsty.  It was romantic.  And it made me cry.  A quadruple threat.  I can not wait until the companion novel, Dare You Too, is released in May 2013.

Making Promises by Amy Lane - I was instantly smitten with forever-boy (or forever-man in this case since this isn't YA and he is 30-something) Shane.  His patient pursuit of the adorably prickly and bitchy Mikhail is so understanding and loving that I just couldn't help but fall in love with him.  Also, how could I not love a book with this beautiful quote, "I cannot face you if you think I look at you and see anything less than the man you are.  I am not settling for you, I am reaching for you, and there is a difference..." 

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green - I find it impossible to discuss this book with someone that hasn't read it.  The sheer beauty and sadness of it is overwhelming.  All I will say is that John Green is a genius.  His previous stories are great but this one….well there is a reason that it has been so well received by so many.  Once you read it, check out this to answer to any and all of your questions regarding Hazel and Augustus:  http://onlyifyoufinishedtfios.tumblr.com/







Unbreak My Heart by Melissa Walker - So often books are about being hurt by someone else.   Melissa Walker is one of the rare authors that chose to focus on the character that did the hurting.  We all make mistakes in our lifetime.  Some of those mistakes are bigger than others.  This story was about learning to live with those mistakes and how to rebuild your life after suffering the damage you caused.  This story was beautiful and I think is a must read for teens just so they know that life does move on and it does get better.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi - This was one of the first books I read this year.  So often I will read something early in the year that I really enjoy but then it is overshadowed by something else.  In twelve months, Under The Never Sky has never swayed from my Top Ten.  This is a perfect combination of romance, fantasy and sci-fi and the second in the series will be an auto-buy for me when it is released the first week of 2013.

 

 

Honorable Mentions:

 

The Curiosites by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff & Boys of Summer Edited by Steve Berman - As I have mentioned numerous times, I do not like short story compilations.  This year, a number of YA authors set out to teach me a lesson.  Both The Curiosities (a collection of supernatural and horror stories) and Boys of Summer (an anthology of Gay YA shorts) proved to me that there are not only some amazing short stories out there but also a number of great authors that I can't wait to read more of.

 

 

 

 

 

Gambling Men by Amy Lane - To be honest, I could have added Amy Lane books to most of my Top Ten.  And it was REALLY difficult for me to choose between Gambling Men and Making Promises.  So this gets honorable mention. The biggest reason (besides the hilarious use of poker metaphors) is that I married a Quentin.  Yeah, that's right.  If you have read this you know to be super jealous ;-)

 

Waiting on Wednesday (35)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.

Oh Boy.....could this coming week get any better?


By Rick Riordan
Publication Date: October 2, 2012

Annabeth is terrified. Just when she’s about to be reunited with Percy—after six months of being apart, thanks to Hera—it looks like Camp Jupiter is preparing for war. As Annabeth and her friends Jason, Piper, and Leo fly in on the Argo II, she can’t blame the Roman demigods for thinking the ship is a Greek weapon. With its steaming bronze dragon masthead, Leo’s fantastical creation doesn’t appear friendly. Annabeth hopes that the sight of their praetor Jason on deck will reassure the Romans that the visitors from Camp Half-Blood are coming in peace.

And that’s only one of her worries. In her pocket Annabeth carries a gift from her mother that came with an unnerving demand: Follow the Mark of Athena. Avenge me. Annabeth already feels weighed down by the prophecy that will send seven demigods on a quest to find—and close— the Doors of Death. What more does Athena want from her?

Annabeth’s biggest fear, though, is that Percy might have changed. What if he’s now attached to Roman ways? Does he still need his old friends? As the daughter of the goddess of war and wisdom, Annabeth knows she was born to be a leader, but never again does she want to be without Seaweed Brain by her side.

Narrated by four different demigods, The Mark of Athena is an unforgettable journey across land and sea to Rome, where important discoveries, surprising sacrifices, and unspeakable horrors await. Climb aboard the Argo II, if you dare. . . .

In The Son of Neptune, Percy, Hazel, and Frank met in Camp Jupiter, the Roman equivalent of Camp Halfblood, and traveled to the land beyond the gods to complete a dangerous quest. The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. But they number only six--who will complete the Prophecy of Seven?


The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land to find the Doors of Death. What exactly are the Doors of Death? Much of the prophesy remains a mystery. . . . With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan.




By Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff
Publication Date: October 1, 2012

From acclaimed YA authors Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff comes The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories.

- A vampire locked in a cage in the basement, for good luck.
- Bad guys, clever girls, and the various reasons why the guys have to stop breathing.
- A world where fires never go out (with references to vanilla ice cream).

These are but a few of the curiosities collected in this volume of short stories by three acclaimed practitioners of paranormal fiction.

But The Curiosities is more than the stories. Since 2008, Maggie, Tessa, and Brenna have posted more than 250 works of short fiction to their website merryfates.com. Their goal was simple: create a space for experimentation and improvisation in their writing—all in public and without a backspace key. In that spirit, The Curiosities includes the stories and each author's comments, critiques, and kudos in the margins. Think of it as a guided tour of the creative processes of three acclaimed authors.

So, are you curious now?


By Amy Lane
Publication Date:  October 1, 2012

Ten years ago David Worral had plans to go to college and the potential for a beautiful future in front of him. One tragic accident later, he fled to California and reinvented himself as Dex, top porn model of Johnnies.

Dex’s life is a tangled mess now, but the guys he works with only see the man who makes them believe even porn stars can lead normal lives. When Kane, one of Dex’s coworkers, gets kicked out of his house, the least Dex can do is give him a place to stay. Kane may be a hyperactive muscle-bound psycho, but he’s also a really nice guy. What could be the harm?

Except nothing is simple—not sex, not love, and not the goofy kid with the big dick and bigger heart who moves his life into Dex’s guest room. When they start negotiating fractured pasts and broken friends, Dex wonders if Kane’s honest nature can untangle the sadness that stalled his once-promising future. With Kane by his side, Dex just might be able to reclaim the boy he once was—and if he can do that, he can give Kane the home and the family he deserves.(

The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories by Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff

* * * *

From acclaimed YA authors Maggie Stiefvater, Tessa Gratton, and Brenna Yovanoff comes The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories.

- A vampire locked in a cage in the basement, for good luck.
- Bad guys, clever girls, and the various reasons why the guys have to stop breathing.
- A world where fires never go out (with references to vanilla ice cream).

These are but a few of the curiosities collected in this volume of short stories by three acclaimed practitioners of paranormal fiction.

But The Curiosities is more than the stories. Since 2008, Maggie, Tessa, and Brenna have posted more than 250 works of short fiction to their website merryfates.com. Their goal was simple: create a space for experimentation and improvisation in their writing—all in public and without a backspace key. In that spirit, The Curiosities includes the stories and each author's comments, critiques, and kudos in the margins. Think of it as a guided tour of the creative processes of three acclaimed authors.

So, are you curious now?

  

I have mentioned multiple times that I am not a fan of short stories.  But two out of three anthologies I have read this year have blown me away.  This is one of them*.  I initially requested this from Netgalley because it contained one name that is an auto-read for me – my girl crush,Maggie Stiefvater. 

But here is the kicker.  I requested this book because I was excited to read Maggie.  And now that I have finished?  I can’t wait to read Tessa Gratton and Brenna Yovanoff. 

Holy Smokes are these ladies crazy talented.  This is an amazing collection of stories that cover everything from vampires to zombies to fey to Vikings to straight up crazy murderous humans.   There wasn’t a single story that I did not enjoy.  Each one sucks you in and then spits you out.  Sometimes it’s enjoyable and other times you are left gaping at your Nook wondering if it’s worth the cost of replacement if you vented your frustration by throwing it across the room. 

The other lovely thing about this book is that each short story is preceded by an introduction from the author as to where the idea for the story came from.  Then another of the three authors weighs in with their opinion on the story too.  Don’t worry. There are no spoilers in these introductions.  On top of the introductions there are handwritten notes through out the stories.  Some notes explain the creative process.  Other notes allow the reader to see how these authors help each other through encouragement and humor.  These intros and notes were a lot of fun to read and I can only imagine will be super informative and encouraging to young writers.  

As I said, I enjoyed every story in this book but here are some that stood out for me:

Scheherazade by Brenna Yovanoff – A girl walks into her home and is assaulted by a young man.  Let’s just say the evening doesn’t end the way he thinks it will.   

The Bone-Tender by Brenna Yovanoff – A boy has the power to heal broken bones.  But according to Brenna, all magic – even the good - comes with a price. 

The Madness of Lancelot by Brenna – This story is about a boy thinking he has found someone that understands his loss only to find that what she feels isn’t the same.  Brenna ends each section with telling us what the story is by saying that it isn’t.  Complete genius in my opinion.   

Death Ship by Tessa Gratton – A young woman learns that her husband has died at sea.  Nightly she visits the stone ships to mourn his death.  Until an unlikely person reminds her that she has to decide if she will go on living or die from grief.   

Ash-Tree Spell to Break Your Heart by Tessa Gratton – A magician creates a girl and sends her to his rival and commands her to rip out his heart.  A truly heartbreaking story.   

The Deadlier of the Species by Maggie Stiefvater – I hate zombie movies and stories.  Okay.  That’s not true. I am fascinated by them but I stopped watching years ago because they are the only kind of story that gives me nightmares.  This one is scary and funny and does not have a happy ending yet I loved it anyway.  AND I didn’t have any nightmares.  WIN! 

Heart Shaped Box by Maggie Stiefvater – This is full of the angst that Maggie does so well.  York St. James is sick and the only cure is contained in the silver boxes that are sold on the street.  But is it worth the money and guilt to take advantage of what those boxes contain?

So the consensus?  Yep, you guessed it.  I highly recommend that you buy this book.   

The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories will be released on October 1, 2012

*The other is Boys of Summer.

Nat

Waiting on Wednesday (28)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights future releases that we are excitedly anticipating.


By Tessa Gratton
Publication Date: August 28, 2012

Paranormal romance fans who are looking to up the ante will be drawn to this tale of horror, fantasy, and romance. For Mab Prowd, the practice of blood magic is as natural as breathing. It's all she's ever known. Growing up on an isolated farm in Kansas with other practitioners may have kept her from making friends her own age, but it has also given her a sense of purpose—she's connected to the land and protective of the magic. And she is able to practice it proudly and happily out in the open with only the crows as her companions. Mab will do anything to keep the ancient practice alive and guard its secrets. But one morning while she is working out a particularly tricky spell she encounters Will, a local boy who is trying to exorcise some mundane personal demons. He experiences Mab's magic in a way his mind cannot comprehend and is all too happy to end their chance meeting. But secrets that were kept from Mab by the earlier generations of blood magicians have come home to roost. And she and Will are drawn back together, time again by this dangerous force looking to break free from the earth and reclaim its own dark power.(

Misfit by Jon Skovron

 

**** From Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS:

Jael has always felt like a freak. She’s never kissed a boy, she never knew her mom, and her dad’s always been superstrict—but that’s probably because her mom was a demon, which makes Jael half demon and most definitely not a normal sophomore girl. On her sixteenth birthday, a mysterious present unlocks her family’s dangerous history and Jael’s untapped potential. What was merely an embarrassing secret before becomes a terrifying reality. Jael must learn to master her demon side in order to take on a vindictive Duke of Hell while also dealing with a twisted priest, best-friend drama, and a spacey blond skater boy who may have hidden depths.

I thoroughly enjoyed Misfit. Jon Skovron created a fantastic world of magic, demons and other mysterious beings. More than just action-packed fun, Misfit explores the very complex and complicated relationship between Jael, her father Paul and her Uncle Dagon, a scaley-fish looking demon.

Plus, the magic described by Skovron was just cool. Most magic is described as the practitioner controlling or commanding the elements, in Skovron’s world, magic works when the practitioner and the elements work together and cooperate with one another. One of my favorite scenes in the book takes place in the last couple of pages during a thunderstorm - read it and let me know if you loved it as much as I did!

I recommend Misfit for anyone that enjoyed Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton, Falling Under by Gwen Hayes and the Hex Hall books by Rachel Hawkins. Definitely worth 4 stars!

~Shel

Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton

*** ½

From Goodreads:

It starts off simply.

Draw a circle ... place a dead leaf in the center ... sprinkle some salt ... recite a little Latin ... add a drop of blood ...
Maybe that last part isn't exactly simple. Yet somehow it feels right to Silla Kennicott. And nothing in her life has felt remotely right since her parents' horrific deaths. She's willing to do anything to uncover the truth about her family—even try a few spells from the mysterious book that arrived on her doorstep ... and spill some blood.
The book isn't the only recent arrival in Silla's life. There's Nick Pardee, the new guy next door who may have seen Silla casting a spell. She's not sure what he saw and is afraid to find out. But as they spend more time together, Silla realizes this may not be Nick's first encounter with Blood Magic. Brought together by a combination of fate and chemistry, Silla and Nick can't deny their attraction. And they can't ignore the dark presence lurking nearby—waiting to reclaim the book and all its power.
Tessa Gratton's intoxicating first novel will keep pulses racing, minds reeling, and pages turning right up to the very last drop of blood

I love that Blood Magic told through both Silla and Nick’s alternating points of view. A story always feels more complete to me when we see alternative POVs. Blood Magic is a story of discovery, betrayal, loss and love, with a little magic thrown into the mix. I think my favorite character in the book is Silla’s brother, Reese. While we did not get to see enough of him, he seemed to be the strongest, most rational character. A great big brother doing his best to deal with the loss of his parents and take care of his sister. Also, Gram Judy was a hoot, grandparents always get to be nutty and fun! The crows and masks were a little creepy, but I dug it. Mysteries should be a little creepy.

As for the story itself, I enjoyed the style in which it was told. It was, first and foremost, a mystery. We discovered facts and clues through the characters and their memories, but also through journal entries dating back more than one hundred years. The tale unraveled beautifully, with just enough suspense and creep factor to keep me eager to finish.

This is a stand alone book according to Ms. Gratton’s website; however, a “companion” book, The Blood Keeper, is scheduled to be released in the Summer of 2012.

~Shel