Curious

Review:

Jeremy and Owen have been best friends and have known each other for most of their lives. Owen happens to be straight. Jeremy happens to be bisexual. Jeremy has been secretly in love with Owen and I'll say vice versa. Owen has been "curious" about what sex with Jeremy would be like.
This was HOT. Just looking at it from an erotica standpoint, this was well done. Hot, hot, hot sex scenes. My eye balls were on fire! But, while I do like erotica, I like it even better when there is more of a plot too. This was weak (IMO) on plot and character development. I feel this is important to note: NO SLUT SHAMING! 
For me:
Jeremy- parents kicked him out, didn't like their bisexual son. Lived with Aunt. Considers the Finns to be his family.
Owen-a Dom at the local club, Jeremy's BF
Tasha-Jeremy's female fuck buddy (not anymore) and Jeremy's 2nd BF
Jen- youngest Finn. Broke engagement to asshole.
Seamus- owns the bar, single father (4? kids)
Stephen- senator. He and Tasha have a thing. Seamus's twin.

 

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1787391/curious

Skirting the Ice

Review:

Murphy was the girl next door, coming for periods of time to stay with her grandfather while her father was away at work. The Bannisters lived next door. Murphy was friends with all of them, but the closest with Jack. She was in love with Jack and vice versa. Then her dad got a job that didn't require travel and she left, never coming back. Fast forward about 10 years later.
Murphy's grandpa died, leaving her his house. Jack lives on his parents property in an apt above the garage. Murphy is putting down roots and hoping to turn her hockey team into a professional women's one.
This was a nice 2nd chance story. Both have their own insecurities that (almost) jeopardize their relationship. I could both empathize and understand those insecurities. However, Jack's attitude/insecurity over things he had no control over (his asthma for ex) really got on my nerves. One of the reasons I wanted to read his story is because he is NOT like his hockey brothers.
I thought Murphy's stalker was unnecessary.
(5 brothers- Owen, Bane, Jack, Nathan, Beau)

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1786709/skirting-the-ice

A Shift in the Water

Review:

I was pleasantly surprised. Mara is dying. She has a blood disorder that no one can figure out and is transfusion dependent. The only time she feels better is when she is in the water.
Cade is a born werewolf. He father made an enemy who murdered him and is not after Cade. Katerina captures him and traps him in his wolf form. He is held prisoner, tortured, and slowly starved to death. 
Cade is able to escape and finds Mara. Being around Cade's wolf, Mara feels better. Mara helps heal both the wolf and the man. I liked both Cade and Mara. What I especially liked was Cade is not a typical alpha. I thought they fit very well. Their attraction and love gradually builds, no insta-love here. That was also a plus. 
Mara's chosen family and Cade's pack are supportive and add to the interplay between the 2 main characters. 
One of Katerina's coven, Bella, might actually be someone else. (Liam's love jumped off a cliff and her body was never found, she was an air elemental like Bella).

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1786347/a-shift-in-the-water

Halloween Bingo

 

 Picks, subject to change.

1st row

Ghost Stories:  The Kingdom by Amanda Stevens

Creepy Carnivals: Wicked Weaves by Joyce and Jim Lavene

Genre: Horror: Dreadful Skin by Cherie Priest

Spellbound:  A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses by Molly Harper

Relics and Curiosities:  Magic Breaks by Ilona Andrews

2nd

Genre: Suspense: Barefoot With a Bodyguard by Roxanne St Clair

Baker Street Irregulars: The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle

Cryptozoologist: Shield of Winter by Nalini Singh

13: She Hulk by Marta Acosta

Cozy Mystery: Truly Madly by Heather Webber

3rd

Terror in a Small Town: Dark Cries of Gray Oaks by Lee Karr

Dead Lands: Once Bitten, Twice Burned by Cynthia Eden

Free Space:  Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk

New Release: I Am Justice by Diana Munoz Stewart

Diverse Voices: Black Lace by Beverly Jenkins

4th

Doomsday:  Married With Zombies by Jesse Peterson

Supernatural: Possessing the Witch by Elle James

Fear the Drowning Deep: Tsunami Blue by Gayle Ann Williams

Modern Masters of Horror: Dead Spots by Rhiannon Frater

 

Country House Mystery: Ghost of a Chance by Katie MacAllister

5th

Southern Gothic: House of Shadows by Jen Christie

Darkest London: Firelight by Kristin Callihan

Shifters: Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs

 

Terrifying Women: A Girl in Disguise by Greer MacAllister

Murder Most Foul: Lowcountry Boil by Susan Boyer

 

 

The victims, I mean books:

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1786039/halloween-bingo

Darkest Heart

Review:

eARC courtesy of NetGalley and Entangled Publishing.
Release date: 8/20/18

Anya, former guardian of children turned angelic warrior is bitten by a demon prince. The bite will eventually allow him to control her. Only one individual can help, Uriel. Problem is, he is missing. Enter Dommiel. Dommiel is a fall angel, now a high demon. However, he is outcast amongst the demons. Together, these two must find Uriel.
Overall, I enjoyed this. I thought the world was dark and ugly, but interesting. Angels and demons are at war. Interestingly, neither side cares about the humans who are caught in the middle. Demons use humanity as slaves. Neither side cares if they get in the way- it's a consequence of war. There is violence and torture, talk of rape. 
Both Anya and Dommiel are likable. I could get on board with their love story even though 2 tired old tropes are evident. This one: Dommiel has so much experience (because of course he does!) and Anya didn't (yes, she's been in existence for hundreds of years but has remained a VIRGIN. Because that's was GOOD women do). And this one: "Catching a glimpse of his growing arousal-to a size I'd not known was possible-I gasped and ran out of the bathroom...." *Sigh*
I thought the character Bone was intriguing and I would like to learn more about her.
I did like that in this one, just because a character was an angel didn't automatically equal good. And vice versa, being a demon didn't automatically equal bad. Many shades of gray. This is a spin off of the Vessel trilogy (first book Forged in Fire) and I think if I had read that first, I would have enjoyed this more.

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1786029/darkest-heart

In Still Darkness

Review:

I remember in Night Reigns and Phantom Shadows Richart meeting someone and developing a relationship with them (all off the page). It was nice to read Jenna and Richart's story; seeing how they first met, dated. Even though this was short, I didn't feel like I was missing anything. It all worked!

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1785218/in-still-darkness

Touch of Frost

Review:

I've been meaning to start this series since I've enjoyed her "Bigtime" series. Nice shout out to Karma Girl BTW. If there was a shout out for her "Elemental Assassin" series- I missed it since I haven't started that one yet. 
Gwen is a gypsy and she has the gift of psychometry. She can touch anything and get the history of the object, or feelings if a person. I found I was annoyed with Gwen for part of the book because of her disbelief of mythology (it's not real!). Come on, she has a gift, her mom, and grandmother too, so her whole attitude was aggravating. I thought she was judgmental, dismissive; however, by the end she was much less so. She learned, which was a plus.
I was a little disappointed in the shallowness of all the teenagers. Especially the girls. I am glad that Daphne was more than she seemed and made the first move towards friendship with Gwen. Morgan was called a slut so many times I didn't appreciate that (and the guys that slept with her? Meh.). On the flip side, Logan, was referred to a "man whore" a few times. 
Not sure how I feel about (I'm assuming) the future love interest. On the plus side, it's a slow burn. On the negative side, he is openly dating (and I assume sleeping) with other people. Not. Crazy. About. That. I think Gwen deserves better.
Nice twist with the murder mystery, Jasmine, Nike, Vic, etc.
Oh and did you know Gwen's mom is Grace and she is a Gypsy? 
YA square for Ripped Bodice Bingo (and that gives me a blackout!).

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1784648/touch-of-frost

First Frost

Review:

Introduces Gwen and her paranormal ability. This is short and tells how her mom died and it was decided that she attend Mythos Academy. A few characters are introduced. Calling it now- Logan is going to be the love interest.

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1784213/first-frost

The Mahjong scene explained

Crazy Rich Asians: Mahjong scene explained

 

One of my favorite scenes (and one of the most important IMO).  And it was not in the book (I forgot to mention that in my review).

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1784158/the-mahjong-scene-explained

Crazy Rich Asians

Review:

I really wanted to see this movie and decided to read the book first (and of course go see the movie!). So, this is safe to say a book review and a little bit of a movie review too. The rating is strictly for the BOOK.
The book:
Oh my, so many characters so much going on. It is not just about Nick and Rachel. Rachel's best friend Peik Lin. It's also about Astrid and her husband Michael. Astrid making a connection with someone from her past (Charlie). I thought there was just too much going on. Too many characters to keep track of. I wish the story has just focused on Nick and Rachel. Rachel's family history is also a lot more complicated.****more in the page break
It's an interesting look at location, wealth, culture. 
The movie:
I loved this and will be owning it when it is available to own. 
The movie did focus on Nick and Rachel, breaking down their trip to a period of a week or so as opposed to a whole summer. I just thought it flowed better. The HEA was also very clear. 
Ripped Bodice Bingo: Book That Is Now a Movie

Kerry, Rachel's mom, was married to an abusive man (Fang Min). She was young (18) when she got married and felt like she was stuck. She met and fall in love with another man (Kao Wei) and got pregnant. After Rachel was born and the whole family disappointed in her femaleness, what gave her mother the courage to leave was her in-laws planning on blinding Rachel. That way Kerry could have had a 2nd child (if the 1st has a disability). She was able to flee to the US. Kao Wei never knew he was a father (and in this case, I understand why Kerry didn't tell him).
At the end of the book, Nick and Rachel are not engaged. They are still together, but not engaged. 

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1784157/crazy-rich-asians