Good afternoon, adored ones! I’m back with another edition of the mini reviews, but this time for Dystopian books! I received all of today’s titles in exchange for honest reviews, so A BIG THANK YOU! I have read them all last year, but a reason or another or several, I never got around to review them. NOT ANYMORE. I’m honestly tired of being so behind in reviews, so I’ll work harder to not get overflowed in read books anymore!
Just remembering that the mini reviews deal is a combination of inspirations from Cait, of The Paper Fury, and from Lindsey, of @thepagemistress, and that I do those with books that: a) I really liked, but the book didn’t change my life; b) regardless of my feelings, were too short for a complete review; c) regardless of my feelings, weren’t unforgettable.
Hii, again! I’m so alive these last days over here you guys may even be scared, haha! Welcome to the book blitz for Wyatt Watkins and the Adder Stones, by Jacob Tate & Kate Callahan! In this post, you’ll find overall info about book and authors, my cover analysis, a limited time FREE BOOK and an awesome giveaway =D
Wyatt Watkins and the Adder Stones
by Jacob Tate & Kate Callahan
Wyatt Watkins #1
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: May 28th, 2015
Wyatt Watkins is like most young boys his age. He’s an excited daydreamer, always eager to make friends – and he always keeps an eye out for his next adventure.
Life in New York City has always been simple and pleasant for Wyatt and his siblings, Josh and Rose. Wyatt works hard in school, gets good grades, and enjoys a reliable and fun circle of friends. But when tragedy strikes the Watkins family, they are forced to relocate from the city to Upstate New York and the rural, forgotten town of Cloverbrook.
A seemingly harmless, small town of roughly 3,000 people, nestled at the base of the Adirondack Mountains, Cloverbrook welcomes the family quickly as it prepares for its 72nd Annual Pumpkin Smash and Harvest Festival. Wyatt finds the massive forests, blanketed in a sea of orange, red and yellow leaves, the perfect playground to adjust to his new life, while the family struggles to cope with their loss.
But deep in the dark forests that surround the town, a hidden evil lurks…waiting…watching. And while the evil forces in the forest continue to grow, Wyatt uncovers an artifact with untold power that will thrust the entire family into the middle of an ancient struggle between good and evil.
Hello, there! Welcome to the book tour for The Perfect Tear, by Connue Lansberg! In this post, you’ll find overall info about book and author, an excerpt, the book trailer, my cover analysis and a giveaway!
The Perfect Tear
by Connie Lansberg
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: November 11th, 2015
Eleanor, a timid orphan, is a Singer. Her songs keep nature in balance, but when they are stolen from her the grey mist descends, and her world fails to thrive. This timid orphan is forced into a course of action she never asked for, nor envisioned.
Eleanor grapples with crippling self-doubt and fear until she learns these are far more perilous than the physical dangers she faces moment to moment on her terrifying, puzzling and often funny search for The Perfect Tear, a crystal which contains the Third Vibration and able to heal the land. She is horrified to discover that she must defeat an inter-dimensional being or become his accomplice in the destruction of she loves.
But Eleanor is no savior, just a simple girl with strong instincts and she must learn to trust them. Just like the notes of a song must form connections to create a melody, Eleanor must discover the connections needed to create the harmony required to truly save her world.
(Alternative title: oh dear, how I love clever children’s books <3)
Hello, hello 🙂 How’s everyone weekend went? Mine was really lazy, full of Ever After High, cleaning, laundry and reading. Not that you need to know any of that, oops 😛 Sorry, haha! Anyway, continuing on that plan of reviewing all the books I’ve read so far, today I’ll talk about one that I received from Lola’s Blog Tours in exchange for an honest review 🙂 Thanks a lot!
Without anymore suspense, let’s talk about Maisy and the Money Marauder, the second volume of The Maisy File series, from Elizabeth Woodrum =D Oh, if you would like to read my review for the first book before starting this one, be our guest!
Everyone’s favorite fourth-grade detective is back!
Maisy steps back into her black and white mystery world when someone begins stealing lunch money at West Valley Elementary. With her fedora hat, notebook, and a little help from her best friend, Maisy follows the clues to catch the thief, whom she names The Money Marauder. But, as the case develops, Maisy is stumped by the ever growing list of suspects. With a cherry lollipop in hand, Maisy is determined to solve the case. Follow Maisy into her world of mystery and discover the identity of The Money Marauder.
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂
The Maisy Files is one of those series in which each book gets better than the last. I enjoyed this volume way better than the last, as Maisy is even more clever and good humored. Also, we get to know the people around her more and her best friend, Veronica, starts working on cases with her. It was really good and entertaining, a perfect read not only for preteens, but for everyone 🙂 Five stars!
Maisy and the Money Marauder follows the narrative style from the last volume: third person styled, from Maisy’s point of view. Woodrum’s writing style improved a lot without losing its appeal to children. With a simple vocabulary and cute lessons, it stole my heart, haha!
The plot is still very simple, don’t start reading it expecting a clever mystery, but it was nice to see Maisy asking Veronica for help and to lead an investigation with the help of her friends. Also, Woodrum never writes a book with only one problem for Maisy to solve, which is awesome.
On characters’ matters, it was good to see how Maisy got better as a detective and to know more about the people around her. I liked the time we pass with Veronica, as she is really a child in the good sense of that: she makes jokes, she gets nervous for no reason while investigating, everything. She balances Maisy’s mature nature 🙂
On a bonus point, I learned the meaning of the word “marauder”, which I didn’t know before reading this book, haha! The perks of not being a native English speaker is to still be amazed at some word or another as you read =D
me reading and finding unknown words
Anyway, if you are searching for a good children’s book for any reason, pick up this series. It’s perfect ❤
And yes, you are not delirious, this is the end of this review 🙂 Pretty short by my standards, I know, but I’m trying to be more objective on reviews, haha! Which totally didn’t work on my last ones, but I won’t give up. Thanks to you for reading this review and following the blog, always supporting me, no matter how erratic or annoying I am and thanks again to Lola’s Blog Tours for my copies of The Maisy Files series! ❤ I loved reading it!
(Alternative title: ALL THE FEELS FOR 184 PAGES IN A ROLLERCOASTER)
Hello, there! In case you haven’t notice before my break and still didn’t get it after my break, I’ll just go and say it: gay romance is my to-go genre when I want to get over any reading slumps or life problems. As I was facing both, you’ll realize that 80% of my read books on this weird period are gay romances. Today’s book is no exception.
The Merchant and the Clergyman, from Bonnie Dee & Summer Dee, was a book that I was crazy to read. They were awesome enough to send me a copy of the book as a gift, as I helped promoting their entry on Kindle Scout, but life happened and it slipped my mind.
SHAME. ON. ME
Then there I was on the bus on Tuesday, going to work, thinking about which book I should start and BAM: The Merchant and the Clergyman, OF COURSE! =O Needless to say that I finished it as soon as I got back home, right? Hahaha! Such a delightful read, it was physically painful to tear myself away and actually work. To be honest, I didn’t expect any less from my divas Bonnie and Summer ❤
But enough blah blah blah. Let’s go to this review! Once again, thanks to Bonnie and Summer for sending me this book ❤ Now you got an honest review in return, haha!
James Fletcher hasn’t many reasons to complain; fate was good to him. After finishing school, he was able to go back to his hometown, living along with the people that saw him growing up and his family. As a curate, it’s his job to bring spiritual peace and help people to find their own harmony. His only problem is that the God that he so lovingly serves also condemns his most secret wishes. James refuses to fall for sin again and swore he would keep the pervert part of himself locked and buried. Not even the hot and shady stranger that barged into his house would make him change his mind. Declan Shaw would have to seduce some other man into his delicious games.
Declan Shaw hasn’t many reasons to complain; fate also was goo to him. As the most successful member of his family, it’s his job to travel all the world, supervising their business and straightening the wrongs and living adventures. His only problem is the loneliness. As a man who prefers other men, Declan can’t build a life and his own family. He had made peace with this limitation long ago, but laying eyes on the angelic and adorable curate of his cousin’s small town made him questioning everything he thought he knew about himself. Suddenly, all he can think of is how James would taste and feel with his body on his. Declan is sure that if he sets his mind into the matter, he can come up with a satisfactory solution for this impasse. The real question is: will James be willing to go along with Declan’s plans?
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂
OMG THE FEELS. Seriously, this book made me react so much that made me keep my fame as the crazy girl from the 15th floor, haha! I wanted to read it all the time. If you are looking for a book to read in one sitting, this is your chosen one. YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO PUT IT DOWN ON YOUR OWN! James was adorable and the way that Declan sincerely tried to be better to feel more worthy of James was SOOOO CUTE! *–* Seriously, 5 stars without blinking. Oh, but don’t misunderstand me. This is no sugar tale. Dee and Devon are always very realistic on her romances and life for a gay couple on 19th century was hell. I honestly never know if they will end well until they do – nothing compared to the easiness of an Ava March romance, for example 🙂
me when the subject is Ava, Bonnie, Summer or Langley
The narrative was third person styled, with switching points of view between James and Declan. Risking sounding like a broken record, this is my favorite kind, so I was easily absorbed by both men’s consciousness. As in all the other romances that I read from this awesome girls, the guys are opposites on personality and that was explicit on their narrative skills. James was the naïve and good hearted one, always trying to believe that the world can be a better place, regardless of his love for God. Declan is the skeptical one, always sarcastic and intimidating people around, more worried about having his way and doing justice than with other people’s feelings. The only thing I have to admit it wasn’t that great was some of the metaphors used on the book on the romantic scenes. I unfortunately didn’t had the mind to take notes, but there were some passages that seriously bordered cheesy and in a really bad way 😦 It was kind of a mood breaker almost every time, oops!
The plot is simple with a touch of mystery. Besides the obvious romance between the guys, Declan also needs to find out what is happening to his dear aunt, who appears to be sick and not in a natural way. I left this part out of my own made blurb because it’s a weak mystery. Culprits and methods are clear enough, leaving the reader only wondering about the motives, as nothing is clear until the end due to simple lack of information, haha! Even so, I’m not complaining. This is a romance, not a mystery. Consider it a bonus and an excuse for Declan to stick around for so long 🙂 I also wasn’t impressed with the last two chapters, as I felt they were kind of random. I mean, I understand why they are there, but I don’t know. I think I’m spoiled by the other books from those brilliant ladies, oops!
Hmm, I kind of already babbled a bit about characters, so I’ll just say that I love how complex and developed all characters were. So may personality layers, so many small signs. I really love Dee and Devon ❤ ❤ The couple is another one that will be branded on my heart!
Despite not highlighting any bad moments, I did take the opportunity to highlight the best moments of this book and here are some of them:
~*~
James: I didn’t hit Kip, I, ah, struck him with my knee.
Declan: That’s some muscular Christianity you have there, Mr. Fletcher.
~*~
“Invite me in. You might as well. I’m going to come in, and your invitation will make the situation more civilized.” – Declan
~*~
Oh, what polite gentlemen the pair of them were when the gloves were put back on. – Declan’s thoughts
~*~
Twilight was the most melancholy time of the day, (…) when one questioned if his existence really mattered to the world. – James’ thoughts
~*~
James: I was wrong earlier. You are not a good person.
Declan: No matter. You are good enough for the both of us.
Declan: always smooth as f*
~*~
Declan squared his shoulders in what James had begun to think of as his “roll up sleeves and get job done” posture.
~*~
And wasn’t that a wonderful though – years of James giving him pained and chiding looks.
~*~
Loving could not be a mistake, even when it ended. – James’ thoughts
~*~
ALL. THE. FEELS.
So, if you like heartwarming characters, gay romance, historical books, refined humor and light BSDM, this is the book of your life ❤ Once again, thanks to Bonnie and Summer for my copy and sorry it took me so long to read it!
Okay, I guess that’s it for now. Hope you all are having a great week! Thanks for reading this review and tell me what have you been up to so far in your month reading =D
Hi, guys! So, as you can guess, it was worst case scenario. I work with Public Relations, the famous PR, so I stay hooked to my computer and my phone all the time also professionally. Results? Tired vision on my left eye. Seriously, I can barely look at my computer screen or phone screen, it’s bad. And also, I had some crisis of really low blood pressure, that made my mom believe that I am experiencing some kind of post-traumatic stress because of Lady. Who knows, she may be right.
Anyway, I come back to you with a review for a gender that I rarely read: memoir & biographies. It’s nothing personal, but I usually prefer fiction when picking up books. I have to really like the person or character that the book portrays to pick it up. Rebecca Lombardo’s story was an exception that I’m beyond glad for making. She contacted me a while ago and sent me her book in exchange for a review. Thanks, truly, and I’m sorry for taking so long to read and review it >.<
from my Instagram
In her first published work, Rebecca Lombardo collects her internationally followed blog into the pages of “It’s Not Your Journey”. The memoir candidly details Rebecca’s two year long chronicle of her struggles with Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, Self-Injury, and recovery from a Suicide attempt. Rebecca shares her very real, raw feelings on these subjects, as well as addressing other issues that have contributed to her downward spiral and eventual climb out of her own pit of despair. Issues such as the loss of her mother to lung cancer, the death of her brother, abandonment from friends and family members due to her hospitalization, and more.
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂
Lombardo had a very difficult path so far. We all have our problems and our own struggles, but I am amazed to see what Lombardo has already overcome at such an early age. As I already went through a serious treatment for Depression and Suicide attempts myself as a teen, her history touched my heart. I highly identified with the horrors that she went though and jumped in joy at the good moments. Lombardo isn’t trying to impress anyone with her book or over dramatize her life – she wants to help. She wants to save lives.
I keep my position of not reading many memories and biographies, but I regret nothing with It’s Not Your Journey 🙂 Four stars!
As this isn’t a fictional book, my review will have a slightly different format 🙂
Lombardo’s writing style is fluid and simple, without over dramatizations. It’s her history and I’m sure that she edited it, of course, but she didn’t left any awful details off. Lombardo knows that she hasn’t been living a fairy tale, and you don’t hear (or read) her complaining.
There are some minor editing slips, but nothing that seriously compromises the understanding of the book. I liked how Lombardo pours off her heart for the reader, how much she wants to help people to understand how mental illness gets in the way for both the sick person and all the people around. This is a dictionary with feelings, as Lombardo explains every aspect of each illness and how it affects people – how it affected her.
A very emotional read and very didactic, that I recommend to anyone suffering with any kind of mental illness or that knows someone in that condition. And trust me, you know someone. We all do. The difference lays on how much this person needs outside help.
Once again, thanks to Rebecca for sending me her book and trusting me with her feelings 🙂
Good night, beautiful people! Welcome to another YA Bound Book Tours hosted tour 🙂 This time, we will talk about the first book in La Sirena series, by A. Algeri: The Mermaid and the Treasure of the Bay! Yay for mermaids ❤
The Mermaid and the Treasure of the Bay
La Sirena #1
by A. Algeri
Release Date: August 20th, 2015
246 pages
For her mother and sister it’s only supposed to be an episodic stay, because their intention is to return to the capital, Adaria, held by both aristocrats, by then, to be their home. Brinn, however, isn’t interested in living in the golden cage of high society and aspires to a different existence, that will push her to oppose the decisions of her family and to pursue a destiny according to her own wishes.
The accidental discovery of what looks like a map to hidden treasure, buried in Nyar Kaad, according to tradition, by pirates once dwelling in the settlement, will push her to search for the hidden riches- an undertaking that the protagonist will face courageously, at the cost of challenging her fears, the rigid social conventions, and more literal dangers to her person, venturing on a journey into the local legends and the past of her own family, until reaching an unexpected epilogue.
Set to Isara, a fantasy world inspired by the period between the seventeenth and the first decades of the nineteenth centuries, “The Mermaid and the treasure of the Bay” is a journey full of mystery in the universe where real and supernatural coexist intersecting in a subtle and insidious way, a world divided between palaces and largely unexplored expanses, an opulent capital and boundless oceans.
You can find The Mermaid and the Treasure of the Bay in both paperback and ebook 🙂
I wished that every day was like the ones before, going back to my childhood; outwardly it was as if nothing had changed: in those hopelessly far away years, in the morning after dressing as fast as possible, I ran to my parents to ask my father to take me on a long walk on the beach and then to dive into the weak but deep blue-green warm waters of the bay.
With the passing of time, for my mother it how much I liked living in Nyar Kaad had become intolerable, the place were my family came from, even if we were, at least in part, remotely originally descended from the north of the Empire. I loved the place where I was born so much that I was never able to consider our house in the far away capital where moved in the following years, as my home. I harbored wonderful memories from my childhood of long happy years, as can only exist in memories.
Naturally, the summer couldn’t last forever: by the time I was a young girl, my parents had announced our imminent departure from Nyar Kaad to move to the capital. Mom had started talking to me about the important people we would have to meet once we reached Adaria, of the balls and the numerous events that were obligatory for whoever wanted to become part of high society and maybe, if we met the right people, how we might be able to be received at court.
At the time I was too little to fully comprehend the social implications of these events and I associated them only with those evenings in which my parents didn’t stay home and my sister Jennifer and I would be left with the nanny, excluding those rare occasions when we had to go with mom while she and her various friends and acquaintances would talk for hours about predictable and uninteresting topics. I, along with the occasional, and according to me, unfortunate children, was forced to pass entire afternoons sitting on a sofa without practically opening my mouth.
I never wanted to leave Nyar Kaad, but my departure never depended on my consent: one rainy day at the end of the summer, when the social season of the small town had been concluded with the ending of the vacations of the rich settlers of the nearby Narim, our departure for Adaria was decided upon and we abandoned, that at the time I believed was forever, the white beaches of the province of Salaara. For a young girl even a few months can seem like an eternity and our return to our hometown at the time no longer seemed possible.
I remember painfully abandoning the Dawn’s Light, our estate, the following trip and when, at the moment of disembarkation going down the gangplank that connected the ship to the dock, I found the cold autumn of the northern regions, waiting with its freezing grip ready to enclose my heart, revealing to me a nature that had become a mirror of how I felt in my soul. A cold that whispered to me about how I had been separated possibly forever from the sun and the green waters of the Nahanshe sea, whose voice, as if far away, still called me. “Brinn”, it repeated, as if it was saying my name.
Each day I waited for the much desired return to the ocean shores, whose call you could hear, scarcely whispered along the shores of the Nalach: only the seagulls, that I glimpsed sometimes in the hottest days of the brief northern summer, told me of the far away estuary where large river flowed into the sea.
I repeated to myself that I wanted to see again one day the shores of the Nahanshe Sea and when that moment arrived that I wouldn’t leave again: I kept waiting for that day in the depths of my heart without letting anything undermine this certainty or suffocate this dream.
A. Algeri is the author of “The Mermaid and the treasure of the Bay”, his first published novel. He began writing while he was a teenager, setting most of his stories in the world of Isara, a fantasy universe of his own creation.
Hi, there 🙂 Welcome to a blog tour for Black Five, by J. Lynn Bailey! This tour is hosted by YA Bound Book Tours 🙂
Black Five
by J. Lynn Bailey
Release Date: November 17th, 2015
Poorhouse Publishing
400 pages
No one ever accused Penelope Jackson of being normal, nor did they suspect the dark secret she kept. A dangerous web of deceit and secrecy unravels when news of a stranger’s death puts Penn on a collision course with the very person she’s been hiding from her whole life. Her fragile world is shaken to its core with the sudden arrival of Vacavious and she soon discovers the bizarre and magical world surrounding her seemingly ordinary life.
No one is who they claim to be, including those closest to Penn. A mysterious security detail emerges from the shadows scrambling to protect her as powerful forces await the fall of her protective veil on her eighteenth birthday.
Penn prepares to fight against unseen evils before it’s too late. The world of Nighmerianotte and its population depends on her survival, for she is the Sanguine, the Black Five.
You may be thinking that now I’ll babble about how awesome Bailey is (yes, I will, haha!) and how cool she was in sharing five facts about the book and backstage. AND YOU ARE WRONG. Bailey is indeed awesome and cool and I’m more than thankful for her presence here today, but she gave us SIX facts, mwahaha mwahaha!
Annelise, dear, just don’t.
Sorry. Ahem. I’ll just pass it up for Bailey and, you know, pretend that I’m normal there, in that little corner. Thanks so much again, Bailey!
6 Facts about BLACK FIVE
1) Mason is a small town located just a one hundred miles south of the Oregon border. It’s nestled among the redwood trees, on California’s North Coast. The map, in the front of Black Five, is Mason, California. But what some people don’t know is that Mason is actually the town of Ferndale.
2) I grew up in Fortuna, California (Lake Providence, in the book) right across the river from Ferndale.
3) The Milk Can game is an actual tradition started in 1945. It takes place every September between our two towns. Many of the shenanigans mentioned in the book actually took place. And really, between Ferndale and Fortuna—we’re all really good friends. But come Milk Can time—it’s an all out war! Not really, but kinda. ( ;
4) For a brief moment, my mother and I lived on Bunny Street in Santa Maria, CA. And maggots actually came out of our carpet! It was at that point my mother said, “We’re out of here!”
5) I was raised by a single mother, a Marine. She’s tiny but she is mighty! I used the relationship with my mother and I to write the relationship between Penn and Jo. And that was easy to write because their love (our love) is so natural. When I wrote the letter from Penelope’s father, I wasn’t sure how to write that part because I wasn’t raised with a father. I used the love between my husband and my daughter (and the feelings as parent myself) to create that picture. Some parts were pretty tough to write—and hard to see the computer screen because of the snot that was slung!
6) When I first wrote Black Five, Amy wasn’t included. I have a dear friend whose son was diagnosed with cancer at four years old. Five years later, a local girl was diagnosed with cancer at just three years old. That really affected me. I wanted to demonstrate how precious life is, while raising awareness about childhood cancer. I wanted to show the sadness, the heartbreak because this awful disease is taking our children far too young. I am a HUGE supporter of St. Jude’s, St. Baldrick’s and Cookies for Kids Cancer and that is where my support and donations go, solely. I am happy to report that the young boy, now 11, is in remission and the little girl is cancer free.
Isn’t this awesome and touching? I really need to start reading this book ❤
I’m a mother of two beautiful children and a wife to an adorably supportive husband. Seriously, he’s adorable and tall. Really tall; he’s my high school sweetheart. I’m also a mother of two fur children who are extremely needy, Leo and Vinni.
I live with my family in a small town tucked away in the redwood forest located on California’s northern coast.
I’m quite boring. But in case you’re wondering, you can see what my loves, my loathes and things you may not know about me by clicking the menu above.
Hello, there! I’m back again with another gay book review, haha! This one was a clandestine book on my April TBR – totally shouldn’t have been read there, but it was and I regret nothing – and it’s been a while since I finished it, but I was lazy and didn’t write a review for it earlier, oops!
Anyway, the book in question is Seducing Jordan, first of the Ache of Desire series, from Andrea Dalling 🙂 I downloaded it for free on Amazon sometime in March/April and was seduced and read it almost on the spot, haha! Now, to the review!
from my Instagram 🙂
Jordan can’t wait for college to start. He is so tired of desiring his very straight best friend Rick and getting nowhere, of being trapped in a small town without options to openly explore his sexuality. More than anything, he is tired of the hypocrisy that surrounds him. Jordan knows he still may have problems in college and on his adult life thanks to his sexual orientation, but he refuses to hide who he is to please others.
Jordan needs a change of scenario, now.
Rick can only think of one thing for months now: his best friend Jordan. With college so close, Rick is nervous to share Jordan with the world and maybe lose him to some random stranger who won’t just become his best friend, but also his lover. Rick can’t stop thinking about having sex with Jordan, but wouldn’t that mean that… He also is gay?
Rick needs a change of scenario, now.
Determinated to understand himself and show Jordan how he doesn’t need college guys, Rick sets up a romantic camping trip for them. But will it the problems between them or just show them that sex indeed just complicates everything in a friendship?
Just remembering that those were my impressions and opinion as a reader 🙂
I’d like to start this review saying that this book is a novella (aka quick read) and an excuse to read about gay sex between curious virgins teens. I honestly thought it had much potential and maybe the next book will deliver that, but it didn’t happen this time. However, it was an entertaining read, as there is no instalove, the characters are very well developed through the pages and the sex is the most real that I have ever read, for good and bad. It served me well and I was amused every time I picked it up for reading in between my official April reads, but it isn’t impressive by any means. Four stars 🙂
The narrative is third person with switching points of view between Jordan and Rick. Dalling’s writing style is smooth and simple, you fly through her words and the reader doesn’t even notices how much he already got into the story until it is over, haha! It is very engaging and we are trapped in Jordan and Rick’s own confusions and feelings. I liked Dalling’s style and definitely will keep reading this series – at least the gay books, I’ll explain this better later.
The plot was simple, but I wasn’t sure of the outcome until the last page. I had mixed feelings about the immediate future of Jordan and Rick, but I liked how they ended. Dalling was very realistic in portraying the boys’ relationship, how it developed, transformed in the weekend they shared on the camping trip. I honestly missed seeing a little of their relationship before the camping trip, to evaluate for myself how things went instead of trusting Jordan and Rick’s memories, but oh well.
The characters were well constructed for such a short story, but I have to say that Rick is a dick, haha! You saw what I did there. Jordan is cute enough, but I wasn’t very pleased with his submissive way towards Rick. I mean, Rick always had him way with Jordan, he used Jordan’s feelings. I don’t like when this happens to achieve sex. Hell, you have to have a very good reason for me to put up with this! And sex is so not a good one!
I honestly hope to see Rick growing up in all senses or else, I sense Jordan suffering a lot in his hands and he totally doesn’t deserve that!
Now, let’s talk about sex scenes. This book is all about sex. What makes it interesting is how Dalling glues said scenes with the story events, how she manages to make every scene a key piece of the puzzle that is Jordan and Rick. I was highly amused to see how realistic she was even with the small things, it was educative and entertaining at the same time. Just like hetero romances do, a lot of times homosexual romances won’t contemplate the small things a couple has to take care of to have sex, but not with Dalling. Every small step was there and for that, I give her a big high five 🙂
And can we just take a second to look at this wonderful cover? It was the decisive piece for me to download and start reading Seducing Jordan right away, haha!
About the comment I made about only reading Dalling’s gay books, let me explain myself better, haha! You see, Ache of Desire currently has five books. The next book, Handling Cynthia, isn’t focused on Jordan and Rick as you may have guessed from the title, but on Rick’s ex-girlfriend, Cynthia. Annelise, dear, sometimes you are such a genius.
ANYWAY, the blurb makes it quite clear that Cynthia likes BSDM and, while I don’t oppose to it (it’s a free world, you should enjoy it if that’s your thing), BSDM is so not my thing. I make exceptions here and there, but I don’t think I’d stand a hetero BSDM-sex-only-book. I ironically don’t deal well with those, oops! Jordan and Rick’s story comes back on the third and fifth books, so I plan to grab those 🙂
Overall, if you enjoy gay romance, quick and steamy hot reads and don’t mind uncertain ends, you should give Seducing Jordan a go 🙂
Thanks for reading my review! I took at look at Amazon and unfortunately the book is back to $0,99, but you can still read it for free if you are a Kindle Unlimited user 🙂
Hello, there! Welcome to the second and last book blitz of the day 😀 This time on YA Bound Book Tours‘ account, I present you guys the first book from the Kingdom Saga, by Megan Linski: Kingdom From Ashes!
Kingdom from Ashes
Kingdom Saga #1
by Megan Linski
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: April 1st, 2015
Publisher: Gryfyn Publishing
Princess Bennua is to be married. The daughter of a sultan, her duty is to marry a powerful yet cruel warlord to be her husband, sealing an alliance that will scare the desert of Sahrahn into submission. But the wedding is halted in place when the infamous Raider Prince, king of thieves and leader of the dark city Ashana, threatens to take her city by force.
Sacrificing her freedom for her country, Bennua agrees to accompany the Raider Prince on his travels if he leaves her homeland alone. Stolen from her charmed life Bennua begins to learn the truth of what lies beyond the palace walls and the suffering that plagues Sahrahn’s people. Bennua begins to plan her escape, but the more she learns from the thieves the more she finds herself becoming one of the them…all while falling hard for their leader, the Raider Prince himself.
Megan Linski is the owner of Gryfyn Publishing and has had a passion for writing ever since she completed her first (short) novel at the age of 6. Her specializations are romance, fantasy, and contemporary fiction for people aged 14-24. When not writing she enjoys ice skating, horse riding, theatre, archery, fishing, and being outdoors. She is a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention, and is an active fighter against common variable immune deficiency disorder. She lives in Michigan.
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