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

Wicked Intentions

Review:

I liked that this was set in 1700s London (and not Regency). It was a nice change. Someone is killing prostitutes in St Giles. The first one killed (or at least the first one that had someone to "care" for them) happened to be the mistress of Lazarus, Lord Caire. He decides he needs to find out who her killer was. Temperance, along with her brother, are running a foundling home. They are struggling to get by, having lost their patron. Temperance agrees to guide Lord Caire through the slums of St Giles in search of a killer in return for being introduced to wealthy gentlemen in the hopes of finding another patron for the Home.
While I liked both characters and got into their story, there were a few things that stood out and/or irritated me. The first thing is much is made of Lord Caire's proclivities; tying and blindfolding women for sex. I kept thinking there was going to be more, had to be more- does he beat, slap, or otherwise hurt them? No. Just the first part. There was so much build-up of how "abnormal" his proclivities were and then nothing........ 
The second thing was Temperance. Or maybe the general attitude of the time (and fuck, even to an extent, extending to today) was the attitude towards women and sex (Silence's treatment fits in with this too). She is punishing herself working with brother, avoiding pleasures because she (wait for it....) slept with another man who wasn't her husband! She lives in St Giles, were the poorest of the poor live. She lives with and helps abandoned children. THAT is what bothers her?! THAT is the greatest sin? Really?
Luckily Lazarus accepts her for all that she is. She had enjoy herself with him and it's wonderful. And vice versa.
I liked all of the secondary characters. Temperance has an interesting family. Silence and William had a secondary story in this. The heroine of the next book is introduced in this one and I think she could be interesting!
This is the first in a series. It will be interesting to see who is the Ghost of St Giles? The mystery of who the murderer was is wrapped up in this one. (The who and the why). William is an asshole. They REALLY like the names Mary and Joseph. 

Ripped Bodice Bingo:  Carriage Sex!
This next part is for me and my memory, and has spoilers so is behind the page break.

Wicked Intentions: Temperance and Lazarus. Temperance has 2 sisters, 3 brothers. Oldest is Verity: married, does not appear in book 1
Concord: married, children (5?) runs the brewery
Asa: single, no one knows what he does
Temperance
Winter: single, runs the foundling home, teaches, he had a stab? wound to his back that only Silence saw and knew about- said he got it from a fall
Silence: married to William, a ships captain- who had his cargo stolen (all of it) and risks going to prison/hung. Silence, thinking to help, going to Charming Mickey (the person who stole the goods) to get them back. It works, but Silence had to spend the night with him. Nothing happened, but she had to make it look like it did. No one, not her family, believes her that nothing happened. William leaves again to go on a run. 
Nell is the maid. 
Mary Whitsun is one of the first children that Temperance rescues and she is very attached. 
St John is Lazarus's friend, his wife (I assume), Clara is sick
Lady Hero- has the next book, she is the daughter and sister of a duke. She was very kind and non judgmental in this book. 
the ghost of St Giles: Asa maybe?

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1784077/wicked-intentions