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**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Smooth is the tenth book in the love story collection by author Tracy Ewens. Each of the books in the Love Story series can be read as standalones, but there is some character overlap between the stories. I had no idea that this was the tenth book in the series when I picked it up. I knew it was a book in a series of interconnected standalones, but I had no idea the series was so long! I do wish I had read some of the other books in this series. Not because I was confused while reading Smooth, but because I would have liked to have seen some of the earlier stories to get a feel for the world abd other characters. I felt like I was coming in very late to the love story game. I will say, that Smooth really does work as a standalone though.
Smooth is the story of Patrick and Aspen. I loved how long of a past Patrick and Aspen had with each other. This was a really lovely story. Both Patrick and Aspen have clearly had feelings for the other one for a very long time. I am so interested to see if they pop up in anyone else's story in the series because I want to see how they interact and what the other characters thought about them separately and together. It would be really interesting for me to see those other perspectives going on in the background. (If you have read the entire series, please let me know if we got to see them in other books. I would be really interested to know!) I love a romance where the couple has known each other for a long time. It makes everything feel so much more realistic. They have a foundation already built. They already know one another. Smooth was really great in that regard.
I also loved the brewery setting. I don't really have a great basis for commenting on the secondary characters because I haven't read the other stories, but as for their part in Smooth, I really enjoyed the large mix of everyone. Patrick's family and the other co-workers all made the story feel vibrant. Overall, Smooth was a really nice and refreshing slow burn romance. I loved the brewery itself, and I am more than a little bummed that I came into this series on book 10. While I loved the story itself and it can be read as a standalone, I would recommend starting this series near the beginning and binging the heck out of it. The writing was great and the characters and romance were as well. I am going to be starting at book one next and working my way through this series for sure!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Smooth is the tenth book in the love story collection by author Tracy Ewens. Each of the books in the Love Story series can be read as standalones, but there is some character overlap between the stories. I had no idea that this was the tenth book in the series when I picked it up. I knew it was a book in a series of interconnected standalones, but I had no idea the series was so long! I do wish I had read some of the other books in this series. Not because I was confused while reading Smooth, but because I would have liked to have seen some of the earlier stories to get a feel for the world abd other characters. I felt like I was coming in very late to the love story game. I will say, that Smooth really does work as a standalone though.
Smooth is the story of Patrick and Aspen. I loved how long of a past Patrick and Aspen had with each other. This was a really lovely story. Both Patrick and Aspen have clearly had feelings for the other one for a very long time. I am so interested to see if they pop up in anyone else's story in the series because I want to see how they interact and what the other characters thought about them separately and together. It would be really interesting for me to see those other perspectives going on in the background. (If you have read the entire series, please let me know if we got to see them in other books. I would be really interested to know!) I love a romance where the couple has known each other for a long time. It makes everything feel so much more realistic. They have a foundation already built. They already know one another. Smooth was really great in that regard.
I also loved the brewery setting. I don't really have a great basis for commenting on the secondary characters because I haven't read the other stories, but as for their part in Smooth, I really enjoyed the large mix of everyone. Patrick's family and the other co-workers all made the story feel vibrant. Overall, Smooth was a really nice and refreshing slow burn romance. I loved the brewery itself, and I am more than a little bummed that I came into this series on book 10. While I loved the story itself and it can be read as a standalone, I would recommend starting this series near the beginning and binging the heck out of it. The writing was great and the characters and romance were as well. I am going to be starting at book one next and working my way through this series for sure!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Please Note: Genesis is the second book in a series that needs to be read in order. If you are new to the Project Nemesis series, you can check out my review of the first book HERE
Genesis is the second book in the young adult science fiction series, called Project Nemesis by author Brendan Reichs. I am so in love with this series! I loved the first book Nemesis, and I think I loved Genesis even more!It is a great series for fans of science fiction, dystopians and mysteries. This is a series that needs to be read in order, so if you have not read Nemesis yet, you will want to grab a copy of that and dive in immediately. But if you read Nemesis when it first released and you are worried that you won't remember everything that happened, don't worry! Brendan Reichs does a fantastic job of providing enough information to bring the reader up to speed without just regurgitating the information from Nemesis. It felt like a natural continuation to me.
Genesis keeps the mysterious vibe going that I loved so much in Nemesis. We did get a good bit more answers, but I believe this is going to be a trilogy because we are certainly left with some more unanswered questions at the end. Brendan left me wanting the next book very badly. I love the world and the characters created in Project Nemesis. We still are very much centered on Min and Noah, but we also get to meet a lot of new characters. New character that are all really interesting. Some I hated, but mostly they were all very complex...in the best of ways.
The first book left us off in a pretty brutal world, and this sequel is just a dark and brutal. This is an intense book! In fact, it is even darker than Nemesis. I won't go too much into specifics, because that would be pretty spoiler-y, but the world is in a state of constant chaos because of the events that are taking place. But the most interesting part for me as a reader is to see how each of the different characters deals with that chaos. It is so fascinating to watch the different perspectives and though processes and actions of everyone. This peek inside different people's psyches in the face of these dark times held me captive as a reader. I simply could not put this book down. Genesis was such a strong sequel. I loved it and I am dying for the next book! If you have not read Project Nemesis yet, you should!
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**WOW, just wow! Nemesis is the first book in the young adult science fiction series, called Project Nemesis by author Brendan Reichs. I cannot stop thinking about this book! I loved so much about this novel, and even as I am typing this , I am itching to ditch my computer and grab my copy of the sequel so I can lock myself in a room and read read read. Nemesis is great for fans of science fiction, dystopians and mysteries. Let me break down what I enjoyed about Nemesis for you.
One I loved the msyterious vibe that Brendan Reichs created. This is a book that doesn’t give you a lot of answers off the bat, and it even leaves you with some unanswered questions. Which made me all the more excited to start book two, Genesis. There is a lot going on in this novel. And I loved that there were really two parallel plot lines featured, which kept me constantly wondering if or when they were going to merge or what direction the book was going to morph into.
First we have our main character, Min, who…wait for it…gets murdered every two years. Yes, you read that right. Every other year on her birthday the same man murders her. She then finds herself alive again several hours later. That fact alone made me pick up this book. I needed to know more. Why does this guy kill her repeatedly? How does she keep coming back to life? What the heck is going on?
But then we have the larger plot line of the asteroid threatening to destroy the earth, which understandably has everyone a bit worried. On top of all of this, we have secrets galore, awesome main characters ( I will admit that a few of the secondary characters fell a little flat for me at times, but the plot more than made up for that.) and a plot that will have you turning the pages as fast as your eyes can read because you just need to know what is going to happen next. Simply put, Nemesis had me riveted from start to finish. I loved this book and I cannot wait to dive into Genesis. Bravo, Brendan Riechs!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
One I loved the msyterious vibe that Brendan Reichs created. This is a book that doesn’t give you a lot of answers off the bat, and it even leaves you with some unanswered questions. Which made me all the more excited to start book two, Genesis. There is a lot going on in this novel. And I loved that there were really two parallel plot lines featured, which kept me constantly wondering if or when they were going to merge or what direction the book was going to morph into.
First we have our main character, Min, who…wait for it…gets murdered every two years. Yes, you read that right. Every other year on her birthday the same man murders her. She then finds herself alive again several hours later. That fact alone made me pick up this book. I needed to know more. Why does this guy kill her repeatedly? How does she keep coming back to life? What the heck is going on?
But then we have the larger plot line of the asteroid threatening to destroy the earth, which understandably has everyone a bit worried. On top of all of this, we have secrets galore, awesome main characters ( I will admit that a few of the secondary characters fell a little flat for me at times, but the plot more than made up for that.) and a plot that will have you turning the pages as fast as your eyes can read because you just need to know what is going to happen next. Simply put, Nemesis had me riveted from start to finish. I loved this book and I cannot wait to dive into Genesis. Bravo, Brendan Riechs!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Always Never Yours is a young adult contemporary romance by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley. This novel is cute and adorable for so many reasons. There is no denying that this is a feel good read from start to finish. I love a "best friends falling in love", love story. But I also love that Always Never Yours was written by real life high school sweethearts. In my head, they were telling their own story (To be clear, Austin and Emily have never said this was a fictionalized version of their story. I'm just imagining that it was because I want to.) Always Never Yours is an adorable romance, peppered with some drama to balance everything out. All in all, this was a satisfying novel that I really enjoyed.
The other reason, I really enjoyed Always Never Yours is because the premise of the book reminded me of the YA version of Dane Cook's movie, Good Luck Chuck (I know, I am dating myself with this one!) In the movie, as soon as Chuck slept with a girl, they immediately met the love of their life. Megan reminds of Chuck. She is "cursed" to constantly be in the background. Megan dates lots of guys and then has the unfortunate opportunity to watch them find their "true love" right after dating her.
“I’m not the girl in the center of the stage at the end of a love story. I’m the girl before, the girl guys date right before they find their true love. Every one of my relationships ends exactly the same.”
Megan and Owen were such a joy to read about. I loved watching their wonderful friendship turn into a very satisfying slow burn romance. Nothing was rushed in Always Never Yours, everything was a natural and realistic progression, and darn it if watch Megan and Owen flirt was not the cutest thing in the whole world. It is impossible to read a scene with them in it and not smile. They are infectious. I loved the characters in Always Never Yours- Megan especially. She is unapologetic about being herself, which is delightful. Watching her at school, on stage, and at home was great because we really got to see all sides of her. I love Megan.
Bottom line: if you are looking for a cute romance,with a wonderful progression from friends to more, look no further than Always Never Yours. I can't wait to see more from Austin and Emily. They are a fantastic author duo!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Always Never Yours is a young adult contemporary romance by Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley. This novel is cute and adorable for so many reasons. There is no denying that this is a feel good read from start to finish. I love a "best friends falling in love", love story. But I also love that Always Never Yours was written by real life high school sweethearts. In my head, they were telling their own story (To be clear, Austin and Emily have never said this was a fictionalized version of their story. I'm just imagining that it was because I want to.) Always Never Yours is an adorable romance, peppered with some drama to balance everything out. All in all, this was a satisfying novel that I really enjoyed.
The other reason, I really enjoyed Always Never Yours is because the premise of the book reminded me of the YA version of Dane Cook's movie, Good Luck Chuck (I know, I am dating myself with this one!) In the movie, as soon as Chuck slept with a girl, they immediately met the love of their life. Megan reminds of Chuck. She is "cursed" to constantly be in the background. Megan dates lots of guys and then has the unfortunate opportunity to watch them find their "true love" right after dating her.
“I’m not the girl in the center of the stage at the end of a love story. I’m the girl before, the girl guys date right before they find their true love. Every one of my relationships ends exactly the same.”
Megan and Owen were such a joy to read about. I loved watching their wonderful friendship turn into a very satisfying slow burn romance. Nothing was rushed in Always Never Yours, everything was a natural and realistic progression, and darn it if watch Megan and Owen flirt was not the cutest thing in the whole world. It is impossible to read a scene with them in it and not smile. They are infectious. I loved the characters in Always Never Yours- Megan especially. She is unapologetic about being herself, which is delightful. Watching her at school, on stage, and at home was great because we really got to see all sides of her. I love Megan.
Bottom line: if you are looking for a cute romance,with a wonderful progression from friends to more, look no further than Always Never Yours. I can't wait to see more from Austin and Emily. They are a fantastic author duo!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
The Kiss of Deception is high fantasy at its' finest! Oh, how I loved it so. This book is almost 500 pages and I could not put it down. I finished it in one night. It was that good. I was that person that brought my book everywhere with me. I read at the gym, I read while people were talking around me, I became a hermit just so I could keep reading. You get the picture.
Mary E. Pearson did a fantastic job. I loved how she set up the chapters. This is what we know when we start the story. A princess runs away right before her arranged marriage. There is an assassin sent out to kill her, and the prince sets off to find her as well. The chapters are are told from different points of view titled Lia (the princess), the assassin and the prince. When Princess Lia gets to a town far enough away she acts as a barmaid, when two different guys come into town- Kaden and Rafe. Now we add chapters from each of their point of view to throw into the mix. We know that they are the assassin and the prince, but the kicker is that we don't know which is which. I loved how Mary E. Pearson did that. I had my guesses, but we don't find out who is who until pretty close to the end of the book. It was a brilliant writing style!
Each of the characters had such distinct personalities. It was easy to see why both guys were fond of Lia. She is strong, independent, spunky and a free thinker. I admired her bravery. Kaden and Rafe were each good in their own way. I am not going to go too much into them because the mystery surrounding their identities makes reading the book so much fun.
The action and adventure that you love from High Fantasy is very abundant in The Kiss of Deception. I enjoyed their adventures and learning about the history of the empires in their world through the prayers and songs. The world building was rich and detailed. This is a series that I know I will be continuing. It goes down in my book as one of the greats in young adult high fantasy. Fans of Maria V. Snyder and of fantasy in general cannot miss The Remnant Chronicles. The Kiss of Deception is easily one of the best books that I have read in 2014.
Mary E. Pearson did a fantastic job. I loved how she set up the chapters. This is what we know when we start the story. A princess runs away right before her arranged marriage. There is an assassin sent out to kill her, and the prince sets off to find her as well. The chapters are are told from different points of view titled Lia (the princess), the assassin and the prince. When Princess Lia gets to a town far enough away she acts as a barmaid, when two different guys come into town- Kaden and Rafe. Now we add chapters from each of their point of view to throw into the mix. We know that they are the assassin and the prince, but the kicker is that we don't know which is which. I loved how Mary E. Pearson did that. I had my guesses, but we don't find out who is who until pretty close to the end of the book. It was a brilliant writing style!
Each of the characters had such distinct personalities. It was easy to see why both guys were fond of Lia. She is strong, independent, spunky and a free thinker. I admired her bravery. Kaden and Rafe were each good in their own way. I am not going to go too much into them because the mystery surrounding their identities makes reading the book so much fun.
The action and adventure that you love from High Fantasy is very abundant in The Kiss of Deception. I enjoyed their adventures and learning about the history of the empires in their world through the prayers and songs. The world building was rich and detailed. This is a series that I know I will be continuing. It goes down in my book as one of the greats in young adult high fantasy. Fans of Maria V. Snyder and of fantasy in general cannot miss The Remnant Chronicles. The Kiss of Deception is easily one of the best books that I have read in 2014.
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Happy Release Day to Dirty Player by Mira Lyn Kelly! Fans of sports romance will enjoy this fun hockey romance. Dirty Player is the second book in the Back to You, sports romance series by author Mira Lyn Kelly. Each of the books in the Back to You series are standalones, but they are interconnected, so you will see some character overlap. Dirty Player is Greg's story. (Full disclosure, I didn't read the first book in the series, but I had no problem picking up this novel.) I love watching hockey (& Football) in real life, so when it comes to sports romances I really enjoy hockey (& football) stories. I have noticed that I tend to read sports romance books, mainly for the actual sports that I follow. Does anyone else do that?
I am going to come right out and say it...I loved Greg. I freakin' loved him. He is persistent, but he is also kind and funny and so darn cute, I have no idea how Julia resisted him for as long as she did. Greg and Julia have known each other for over 10 years, so they already have a wonderful banter and friendship going on. I love reading stories about friends that already know each other really well. It is a perfect foundation for their inevitable romance. Julia is a sideline sports reporter and Greg is a NHL player, so their lives intersect a lot. But Julia has that pesky rule (come on...you knew she would.) She doesn't date athletes. Greg does not care one iota about her rule. And fun ensues from their. That was what I liked most about this fun, character driven novel. I loved Greg and Julia and it was just so much fun to read. I had a blast right from the moment they kissed at their 10 year high school reunion. I knew I was going like the two of them.
Bottom line: If you are looking for a quick fun read and you like a sports romance background, Dirty Player will be a blast for you to read. I really enjoyed this novel.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Happy Release Day to Dirty Player by Mira Lyn Kelly! Fans of sports romance will enjoy this fun hockey romance. Dirty Player is the second book in the Back to You, sports romance series by author Mira Lyn Kelly. Each of the books in the Back to You series are standalones, but they are interconnected, so you will see some character overlap. Dirty Player is Greg's story. (Full disclosure, I didn't read the first book in the series, but I had no problem picking up this novel.) I love watching hockey (& Football) in real life, so when it comes to sports romances I really enjoy hockey (& football) stories. I have noticed that I tend to read sports romance books, mainly for the actual sports that I follow. Does anyone else do that?
I am going to come right out and say it...I loved Greg. I freakin' loved him. He is persistent, but he is also kind and funny and so darn cute, I have no idea how Julia resisted him for as long as she did. Greg and Julia have known each other for over 10 years, so they already have a wonderful banter and friendship going on. I love reading stories about friends that already know each other really well. It is a perfect foundation for their inevitable romance. Julia is a sideline sports reporter and Greg is a NHL player, so their lives intersect a lot. But Julia has that pesky rule (come on...you knew she would.) She doesn't date athletes. Greg does not care one iota about her rule. And fun ensues from their. That was what I liked most about this fun, character driven novel. I loved Greg and Julia and it was just so much fun to read. I had a blast right from the moment they kissed at their 10 year high school reunion. I knew I was going like the two of them.
Bottom line: If you are looking for a quick fun read and you like a sports romance background, Dirty Player will be a blast for you to read. I really enjoyed this novel.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Bring Me Their Hearts is the first book in a new young adult fantasy trilogy by Sara Wolf. I loved this book. It was one of those books that started off decent, and then just kept getting better and better until I was completely and utterly entranced by it at the end. Bring Me Their Hearts was such a fantastic book. I'm not sure why I was surprised..I absolutely LOVED Sara Wolf's lovely vicious series, and this was equally delicious in a different way. Bring Me Their Hearts is a darker fantasy series that has a fantastic romance woven into a really cool plotline. It is the story of Zera, who is a heartless. A heartless is someone who has lost their heart to a witch. And as long as the witch holds their heart, they are under the control of said witch.
Zera is such a fascinating character. I loved her. She sees herself a monster (for a variety of reasons), but her shades of morality make her super interesting. That and her mouth. She has sass for days! In fact, the only thing sharper than her heartless teeth is her tongue. She is not afraid to give a verbal lashing to anyone, which is one of the things I loved about her. There was a pretty devastating war between the witches/heartless and the people years ago, which has led to a switch of religions and a huge hatred and fear of witches. Another war is brewing, and the witches want the prince on their side...as a heartless. Zera is sent in to complete the mission. I don't want to give away more than that, but though this plot may sound simple and like it has been done before, the themes of magic and the old gods are going to play a much larger role in this story. I just know it. There is enough foreshadowing in Bring Me Their Hearts to know that certain characters have some secrets that are going to play out in big ways in the next two books. And I am so here for the journey.
I'm not going to lie, the ending of this book slayed me. I can't say I didn't see it coming, but it was a blow nonetheless. I want answers and I want more right now! This is going to be a painful wait for book two because I really loved this book so much! Lucian and Zera are fantastic together, and I really loved Malachite. Heck, I even grew to love Lady Y'shennrias. Sara Wolf has a way of weaving a hauntingly addicting story. I flippin love her books, and Bring Me Their Hearts is no exception. I fell for this book hardcore. It is one of my favorite reads of 2018. The only downside is that I have to wait to get the second book. I want it now!
Bottom line: Fans of dark fantasies, with a healthy dose of sass and romance will absolutely love Bring Me Their Hearts. This was an excellent, excellent novel!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Bring Me Their Hearts is the first book in a new young adult fantasy trilogy by Sara Wolf. I loved this book. It was one of those books that started off decent, and then just kept getting better and better until I was completely and utterly entranced by it at the end. Bring Me Their Hearts was such a fantastic book. I'm not sure why I was surprised..I absolutely LOVED Sara Wolf's lovely vicious series, and this was equally delicious in a different way. Bring Me Their Hearts is a darker fantasy series that has a fantastic romance woven into a really cool plotline. It is the story of Zera, who is a heartless. A heartless is someone who has lost their heart to a witch. And as long as the witch holds their heart, they are under the control of said witch.
Zera is such a fascinating character. I loved her. She sees herself a monster (for a variety of reasons), but her shades of morality make her super interesting. That and her mouth. She has sass for days! In fact, the only thing sharper than her heartless teeth is her tongue. She is not afraid to give a verbal lashing to anyone, which is one of the things I loved about her. There was a pretty devastating war between the witches/heartless and the people years ago, which has led to a switch of religions and a huge hatred and fear of witches. Another war is brewing, and the witches want the prince on their side...as a heartless. Zera is sent in to complete the mission. I don't want to give away more than that, but though this plot may sound simple and like it has been done before, the themes of magic and the old gods are going to play a much larger role in this story. I just know it. There is enough foreshadowing in Bring Me Their Hearts to know that certain characters have some secrets that are going to play out in big ways in the next two books. And I am so here for the journey.
I'm not going to lie, the ending of this book slayed me. I can't say I didn't see it coming, but it was a blow nonetheless. I want answers and I want more right now! This is going to be a painful wait for book two because I really loved this book so much! Lucian and Zera are fantastic together, and I really loved Malachite. Heck, I even grew to love Lady Y'shennrias. Sara Wolf has a way of weaving a hauntingly addicting story. I flippin love her books, and Bring Me Their Hearts is no exception. I fell for this book hardcore. It is one of my favorite reads of 2018. The only downside is that I have to wait to get the second book. I want it now!
Bottom line: Fans of dark fantasies, with a healthy dose of sass and romance will absolutely love Bring Me Their Hearts. This was an excellent, excellent novel!
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs