Turn Up the Heat

Review:

Bethany's BF broke up with her by announcing he is moving to the West Coast....on TV (he is an anchorman).  So, she decided to get out of dodge for the weekend with her 2 BFFs.  But, of course she encounters a problem.  Her car breaks down.  Enter Shane.  A sexy (of course!) mechanic with a Secret of his own.  (Ohhh...what is it?!).  We find out right away he is struggling to pay off a loan.

I thought Shane was a judgmental asshole.  See, in his oh-so-humble opinion, city women are rich, spoiled bitches.  I found it annoying a man calling a woman "sweetheart" at first meeting gross.  I don't want it in real life, and I don't want to read about it.  It took the whole book for me to warm up to him.  

I liked Bethany and thought she was able to dish it right back.  When it came to Shane's Secret- lame.  So very lame.  I didn't like that he shared some of his story with Jackson- before Bethany.  Epic fail dude.

[spoiler]

I also thought (since this applies to both of them) they read as younger than 29 (Shane) and 27 (Bethany).  I can understand going to college and deciding (while still in college) to do something else.  But to decide to make a career out of something you don't love, purely to make your parents happy?  (Shane was a lawyer, Bethany a MBA for a real estate firm). Lame.  And that tired into Shane's Secret- he was struggling to pay off his student loans.  But, conflict solved when daddy dearest pays them off.

[/spoiler]

 

Booklikes-opoly:  rolled a 4 for square 19- read a book >50% blue cover.  338pgs- $4.  Bank $30

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1892834/turn-up-the-heat

Romanceopoly Update the 4th

Romanceopoly

 

Rolled a 2:  (doubles) and opted to stay Library -> Before the Dawn 1/2

Rolled a 6:  Memory Lane -> Scandalous Desires 1/4

Rolled a 5:  LGBT Lane -> Love Lessons 1/8

Rolled a 4:  (doubles) and opted to roll again- 11: Taxi -> Dead Heat 1/13

Rolled a 6:  Alien Ave -> Temporal Shift  1/16

Rolled a 5:  Mayfair -> Thief of Shadows 1/19

Rolled a 2:  (doubles and opted to stay) Leather Lane -> Magic Shifts 1/23

Rolled a 9:  Dungeon -> The Professional 1/25 

Rolled a 7:  Library -> The Prophet 1/28

Rolled a 4:  (doubles and opted to stay) Warrior Way -> Shield of Winter 2/2 

Rolled a 2:  Magic Row -> A Witch's Handbook of Kisses and Curses 2/5

Rolled a 6:  Murder Mill -> Into the Night 2/17

Rolled a 9:  Subway (uptown) -> All Fired Up 2/23

Mystery challenge:  Fated Mate->  Darkness Rises 2/20

Rolled a 6:  Subway (downtown -> Rock Addiction 3/2

Rolled a 4: move up 1 to Women's Ave-> For the Love of Pete 3/3

Rolled a 5: Freedom Friars-> Chaos Station 3/4

Rolled a 6: Fire station-> Beyond Shame 3/8

Rolled a 6: Cozy Corner-> A Magical Match 3/19

Rolled a 6: London Street -> Night of Fire 4/6

Rolled a 10: move to Kick Ass Lane->  Magic Binds 5/11

Rolled a 8: College Row-> Lost Wolf 5/16 

Rolled a 4: Social Challenge moved to Sweet Street-> Animal Magnetism 5/25

Mystery Challenge:  wallflower or courtesan-> Duke of Midnight 5/7

Rolled a

Rolled a

Rolled a

Rolled a

Rolled a

Rolled a

Rolled a

Rolled a

Rolled a

Rolled a

Rolled a

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1892683/romanceopoly-update-the-4th

Perfectly Matched

Review:

Lucy is currently trying to learn more about her abilities and maybe expand on her abilities to find things. I enjoyed the name Diviner Whiner. It certainly fit. This is a group of other psychics (Annie, Graham, Dr Paul) put together by Orlinda (who was introduced in the last book). On first appearance, it certainly appears the others are stronger in their "powers" than Lucy.
The cast of characters are here in this one; Dovie, Em, Marisol, Preston. Sean still was keeping secrets (which was annoying), but opened up more. I loved the addition of Ebbie. I liked the mystery and other things that came out in the course of the book. However, the end was a bit of a cliffhanger with Em's fiance Aiden.
And now for the spoilers:

[spoiler]

Preston is pregnant and now engaged to Cutter. The arsonist was Graham who targeted Lucy because- jealousy! Lucy determined she can also use scents to zero in on people. Aiden is a father to a 18 month old whose mother is missing.

[/spoiler]

 

Rolled 11 for booklikes-opoly which lands on #16- read a mystery.  $3 

Bank: $26

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1892660/perfectly-matched

Animal Magnetism

Review:

Lilah runs the only kennel/rescue in small town Sunshine, ID. Brady was adopted as a teen by a rancher who also adopted Dell and Adam. The 3 of them grew close and while they still kept in touch, Brady opted into the military. After his military stint, he flew privately (and of course the missions were dangerous ones). With Adam and Dell's request, he takes a month off to spend time with them in Sunshine. 
Lilah and Brady have an interesting first meeting. I liked Lilah, she is a true animal lover and got attached very easily. Both have Issues that need to be worked out. This being Romancelandia is all works out. While that was very cookie cutter and predictable in its plot, this was still an enjoyable read. I thought the animal personalities made this book more fun. Dell and Adam get their stories in books 2 and 3.

 

Booklikes-opoly: Rolled a 6: Read a book set in hometown, state, etc.  295 pgs $3 = $23 in bank

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1892652/animal-magnetism

Once Bitten, Twice Burned

Review:

It's been awhile since I've read book 1, but this read like it was taking place (at least the first 1/2) at the same time as book 1. The Genesis facility is a paranormal research facility in a world that the paranormals are "out." The ethical issue is no one is there voluntarily.
Sabine is a phoenix. She was abandoned as a baby and adopted by a human family. She has no knowledge of what she is. Ryder is the first vampire and has the most power.
I was disappointed in Sabine. She started out as a very naive character and I didn't feel like she grew all the much over the course of the book. Anytime she didn't want to do something she asked Ryder to do it. As with Ryder, he was a little too alpha and blood thirsty for my taste. I also didn't really feel the romance, it was more I *have* to have your blood and *please protect me!* 
I hated what Sabine asked Ryder to do to her brother. Nice twist with a family member knowing what Sabine was (and not telling her of course!).
On fence about book 3.

1 like

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1889102/once-bitten-twice-burned

Nightfall

Review:

Talena is a freed Cy'ren who runs her own shop on a tourist (space) ship. Enter Mordackai (or Dack) who is also a Cy'ren and is injured and running from trouble. Talena helps him and Dack, thinking she is a slave, rescues her and takes her to his ship. It turns out Dack is part of the resistance to freed the Cy'ren from slavery. Add in Talena and Carmen's history and this was interesting.
This would have been a 4* read for me (except for 1 thing that just pissed me off and I HATED). Talena, Dack, and Carmen are likable and I like what they are trying to do. I liked the writing and the plot (well most of it). I thought the love triangle was done very well (this is a F-F-M menage BTW).
This is what ruined this book for me: All Cy'ren woman go through a "phase." The best way to describe it is like a female cat in heat. They want to have sex with anyone and everyone, no matter if it's someone they hate (or like). And the men are turned into sex crazed monsters by the scent. "Most males would take a female in a phase without hesitation...." This is rape. Plain and simple.
It's sad because this didn't add anything and it took away from what was a good book. This would have been such a better book without it IMO. I thought the character development was there and the sex scenes would have been glorious for that reason (and that reason alone- without the "phase" bullshit).
Oh and this: The cover is totally wrong. The Cy'ren are purple.

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1887177/nightfall

Lost Wolf

Review:

So why did I keep reading this? I blame Romanceopoly. I needed a new adult set in college and this one was that AND it was paranormal (with amnesia!). My track record with most NA sucking (IMO) continues.....
This was so ridiculous. Victoria is a freshman at college with no memory of anything about her past. I thought she treated her amnesia (at least at first) in a "no deal big, I'll make new memories!" kind of way. She was shallow. It made more of a difference when her credit cards didn't work/assets frozen. She drives a Jaguar. She meets a guy named Carter Jag whose family owns a hot club named "The Jag." There's kidnapping and numerous different paranormals added to the mix. 
This just didn't work for me. I didn't like Victoria and I was ambivalent about Toby and Carter.

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1887173/lost-wolf

Magic Binds

Review:

Props to the author-duo for keeping KD fresh and exciting. Yes, I am sad the series is winding down. I think it's important to end on a high note instead of continuing just because and the books becoming less interesting/more frustrating, etc.
While this was much more serious in tone, the banter/affection the characters have is all there. Nice surprise regarding Christopher. Kate showed her humanity in this one and had some fumbles and struggles to overcome. There was a birth, death, Ghastek choosing where his (and the other navigators) loyalty lay, a battle.
This was hinted at during the book: 

[spoiler]

Kate finds out she is pregnant at the end. This set-up is on for the daddy dearest battle; Roland disappeared when Kate gunned for him. Nice twist was Erra

[/spoiler]

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1884448/magic-binds

Magic Stars

Review:

Derek! Julie!
Kate and Curran are occupied with something else. Derek and Julie are on the hunt for the one who ordered the murder of a human family. This was nice and satisfying. Julie is very intelligent and I'm enjoying her test her strengths and learn her limits. For 16, she very mature and I tend to forget her age. Julie does have a crush on Derek and I'm pretty sure ditto for him. I do think he is respectful and acknowledges her age.
I do want to read more stories about Julie and Derek (ideally of an 18 or older Julie). I think they know each other so well and the respect they show each other is awesome.

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1883469/magic-stars

Courting Trouble

Review:

Esme is a suffragette and feminist. Jeb is her suitor who fluctuates between supporting her and being too alpha. Both are very independent and have to learn to compromise. I did think Esme was a bit judgmental of women at times. Some kissing only.

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1883467/courting-trouble