Aaaand, Jeffe Kennedy has done right by my evil reader desires yet again. Am I surp...moreReview originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on MAY 3, 2013:
Aaaand, Jeffe Kennedy has done right by my evil reader desires yet again. Am I surprised? Not in the slightest. As far as I'm concerned, at this point Jeffe Kennedy is instant-buy OCD-ness. You've heard me mention it before, because I feel that way after I read each of her new releases. Though I get excited about lots of authors, it's actually a very select few of them I read everything by. I'm up to date with Jeffe Kennedy's releases so far and I fully intend to keep the good habit.
This time she takes us to contemporary New Orleans, where Dani is about to get a dose of awesome from Prejean. I loved the feeling I got about New Orleans, that sense of romanticism and old yet ageless beauty that I'm so partial to. I got that awesome sense of untamed beauty from the setting of this story, and loved it lots and lots.
The characters were interesting and super-charismatic, something that I've come to get accustomed to from Jeffe Kennedy. Dani is a very take-charge and beautiful woman who does show some slight OCD-ness on certain topics. She practices a 'healthy' dose of self-flagellation ("Pain is weakness leaving the body") and has a love-hate relationship with control. I really liked her, but more then that, I resonated with her a lot. Dani is an independent woman with a perfectionist mindset and very high expectations when it comes to her achievements. It's the OCD winner mentality, or at least I call it and it gives you a lot of drive and little to no pleasure at all. Because however high you'll climb, there will always be a peak you've not reached yet. Dani suffers and punishes herself for every peak she doesn't reach. And she doesn't take that kind of failure easy, either. I thought she was a striking work of art as far as characters go. Yes, I really liked the female MC's in the series so far, but I will admit Dani is my favorite. She's more broken though very functional, something you all know I totally love. Evil reader and proud of it, I'll never tire of saying so. There's an extra degree of beauty to the broken yet functioning, it's an aestheticism that appeals to me the most.
Prejean came in strong and owned the scene, of course. He was very upfront about his control over things, well to the point of rudeness and slightly beyond it in places (see the restaurant incident in the beginning). Maybe he even came close to jerk-ish in places, but somehow it worked. He pushed Ruby as close to her limits as he could, but was very tender and caring about it. He had a more complex vibe then the stern Dom, an intimate sort of emotional connection that just floored me from the very first time they talked in the rain. Maybe I would have taken out the beard; I mean literally. Do you guys like beards? They creep me out. But then again I tend to run on the peculiar side with these things. Anyway, Prejean was a very intense Dom, but also managed to make the simplest of conversations ooze intimacy. It's tough to be Dom to Dani, or Ruby, she's sort of elusive. If you've met that type of people you know what I mean. They're the type who stay right there beside you yet deny you everything of essence, somehow. It takes a very clever Dom to truly have that kind of person, to have them fully, entirely. Prejean managed to have Dani. I liked him, but rare as is, I liked her better. Favorite Character: Dani xD
The story flows really well and has a very alert pace. The romance felt more intense then in the previous stories of the series, somehow more focused on the pair. The one on one is intense, scorching hot, delightful and proper intimate kink if I may say so.
Cover is gorgeous and the blurb is hooking, but to me the author's name is an instant-buy kind of selling point. If you haven't gotten your Jeffe Kennedy fix yet, do it. You'll thank me later, I think :D(less)
Aaand we're back in the awesome Black Dagger Brotherhood world, Caldwell mixed wit...moreReview originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on MAR 31, 2013:
Aaand we're back in the awesome Black Dagger Brotherhood world, Caldwell mixed with paranormal elements (vampires, deities) and getting to know more about my favorite Brother, plus getting to know his twin sister and meeting again some old friends - Manny.
This is the story of Payne, twin sister of Vishous, and Manny (Manuel Manello), Jane's ex-workmate and potential lover. Payne was interesting as a character, a mix of brutal and vulnerable, sort of insecure but also determined to have the one she wanted. I liked her, and she was a good vampire female addition to the Brotherhood's crowd. But what I especially liked about this novel is that is focused a lot on Vishous, and his dealing with stuff. Back in book #5 of the series, Lover Unbound, I felt that J.R. Ward did a bit of cop-out when she fixed V with Jane. I still feel that way, V made sense with Butch. This novel comes to show that yes, he does. They have this best-friends with some benefits sort of connection, and it feels to me like their feelings are quite beyond just friends territory, but hey, maybe that's just me. I mean, I think many of us have that kind of relationship at some point, so why not V, right? But I loved the re-focus on him in this book and I felt he was done justice a bit, by the end of Lover Unbound I felt a bit like his character had gotten somehow diluted and now it was given back some of its might. I think you can easily tell who's my favorite so far, right? Vishous all the way, baby. There was also more progress in the Qhuinn/Blay department, but it's a damned slow progress that has me gritting my teeth. Quinn, man, get a move on already! You might have a long life span so I get why there's not SO much urgency there, but us, your readers, do have a short lifespan. Get a freaking move on, man! *inhales deeply*
The two stories, Payne's and Vishous's, were interesting as a mix. If I had to pick, I'd say the winner for me was definitely Vishous's angle. Payne and Manny were cute, hot, but I didn't feel their chemistry as much as I did with other couples of the Brotherhood. The best part of the story for me was the evolution of V and the glimpses into the whole Qhuinn/Blay mess (and I'm trying really hard to not skip right to Lover At Last just to enjoy some resolve on that account!).
The writing is superb as always, the Brother's 'slang' is awesome as usual, plus we get Payne's voice, very distinct and Chosen-esque. Third person narrative from a couple points of view, as usual, as the novel focuses on more then one character. If there was anything different about Lover Unleashed it was that for some reason there was less action-related tension and more character development so emotional tension going on. That, to someone like who's always in it for the characters, is a plus. If you're more into the agitated action thing, then this might be less interesting then other books in the series.
As usual, the cover and blurb make this an impulsive buy, but it's J.R.Ward. That in itself makes it an impulsive buy for us, PNR fans.
All in all, this was a very welcome development to some of the stories in previous books and a massive teaser for some of the stories to come (heads up, Qhuinn!). If you're into PNR and good writing, and you haven't read this yet, do. But be aware this is one of those series that do need you to know stuff in the previous ones, though it might make sense on its own. But you'd lose out of the major character-development points if you don't know what's what from previous novels in the series.(less)
Maybe it was the state of mind when reading it, it certainly was the masterful hor...moreReview originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on APR 12, 2013:
Maybe it was the state of mind when reading it, it certainly was the masterful horror of the content and psychological shenanigans Nikolai is up to in this episode, but I'm seriously and soundly warning you: this installment of the series is a mindfuck waiting to happen. You'll say, yeah, but wasn't the whole series such a stellar study in the filth of human nature? And I will tell you, you've yet to touch the bottom of how deep this thing goes. Rachel Haimowitz and Heidi Belleau take this right into the core of the abyss for me with this installment. It's horrifying and a masterpiece. Those 24,4k words pack a hell of a punch. So I'm not pumping interest or making it a forbidden fruit or whatever, I'm telling you if you're not very sure of your ability to stomach un-stomach-able things, think very well before reading this.
To make things clear, this is a 5 butterflies rating, and in my opinion Rachel Haimowitz and Heidi Belleau are geniuses for managing to pull off many firsts for me with this part of the story. On some of my bad days I can be quite a misanthrope, and I rarely get truly shocked at anything anymore. Well, excluding real love or real kindness, I guess. I probably walk a thin line between schadenfreude and sadism on my bad days, and I can easily roll with a lot of violence if it's given the right spin. What that 'right spin' is depends for each of us, and this was the first time I've read anything on the hardcore level of things and truly felt absolutely nothing had that right spin for me. Not even the seriously masterful mindfuck Nikolai proves to be able to give. And I often find some right spin elements on these themes, so this is my first. I didn't like what it did to me as I read it, the state of mind it took me into or the feelings it engaged, but it did a hell of job doing all that.
Another first is that for the first time, probably ever since I was a kid, I don't like the villain - Nikolai. I'd actually be very tempted to do things to him, if you catch my drift. Not nice ones, either. And we have another first, because getting my violent side to wake up is a very freaking hard job. This read managed it. I was practically raging as I read it, like fists shaking and gut seriously and soundly roiling. No, those are not figures of speech. This is how formidably filthy and brilliant this installment was.
Now, if you've been reading this series, or parts of it so far, you know this is a very in your face and brutally honest study on the slavery theme. This goes far, far beyond some non-con or dub-con (of which I've read plenty, might I add) and it stands out as one of those things that are so freaking horrifying that they're genius. I'm not saying they're equals, but for me reading this part was comparable to watching Antichrist by Lars von Trier. If you watched that, you'll know what I mean. I was mindfucked for a couple days after watching that movie, and I think I'll be mindfucked for a couple days after reading this.
The question at this point is, do I want to go on. After watching Anthichrist, to keep the comparison going, I wanted to watch Melancholia. I'd never say I liked Antichrist, it was a very strong experience I'm glad I had but that I would never want to have again. I enjoyed Melancholia, but it's on another vibe. A way other vibe. Anyway, do I want to keep up with what happens next? I'd probably say no right now, because the mindfuck is still way too fresh. Let's wait until the dust settles and the horror subsides. The next one comes out in June. Chances are I'll lose this state of mind I've got going by then and will probably get curious about it. I'm not sure at this point though.
I'd never, ever, in my life try watching Antichrist again. I can watch a lot of gore without flinching (though I can get disgusted and deal easily), I loved a lot of movies other people thought were very hard on the mind, but Antichrist struck that last frontier cord in me that's a hell no. I'm having a very close reaction about Brotherhood right now, and we'll just have to see how it evolves.
The writing in this series is very strong, unapologetic, brutal and chillingly honest. There's a lot of violence, a lot of abuse, a lot manipulation. There's a lot of everything, especially on the dark side of human nature. It's an absolute in many areas. While the playful element was stronger in some parts, the dark and brutal in others, I think in this one the dark shines. This is freaking pitch black. If you like the very dark, dare to get lost in the utter darkness of Brotherhood.(less)
I'll first make a confession: despite having Beautiful Disaster I haven't gotten to...moreReview originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on APR 4, 2013:
I'll first make a confession: despite having Beautiful Disaster I haven't gotten to read it yet. So I read this as a very new book, not a second point of view on the 'original story'. I think it was a good thing, because I tend to like the bad boi in the story more then the chick anyway. Unless she's a bad girl, in which case it tends to be all about her. But Abby isn't a bad girl, just a a bit of a disaster I guess, and she makes a perfect half on this explosive couple.
Travis made a strong impression on me from the get-go. He had a bit of a jerk aura with the whole bagging thing, but he was a funny jerk. I tend to like the type, so shoot me! He had this very intense way about him, this smoldering quality. And it became clear to me very early in the read that this guy had a temper and a tendency to throw punches. Consider me guilty as charged, but I find that goddamn hot. Very self-flagellating of me, I'm sure, and it might come to haunt in me real life, but hey, we each pick our poisons, right? So to make the long story short, Travis was the pitch-perfect destructive crush material. His progress as the story evolved made sense to me; if I'd take him from the start of the story as point A and him at the end of it as point B, the two of them don't really add up in my mind. But the progress from point A to point B, well built and intense, makes it make sense to me.
Abby was interesting, but after having read the story I can't say I feel like reading it from her point of view now. I'm not sure how I would have felt about reading it from his if hers would have been the first...oh, who am I kidding? I would've been dying to read Walking Disaster either way. Abby was the kind of character I see being beside someone like Travis. Because let's face it, it takes a lot of destructive and messed up in someone to make sense with another 'walking disaster', you know what I mean? She wasn't about saving him or whatever of the sort, she was about saving herself. And failing to. So she made perfect sense and kept my attention all through. Her evolution made sense to me too, in fact the distance between point A and point B with her didn't feel as big as it did with Travis. I saw it in her all the while, but I kept wondering about Travis. The man has this edge to him, thoroughly delectable. Abby didn't seem to go quite that close to breaking point, or she handled it better. Of course, if I'd read the story from her point of view it might seem the other way, which is part of the charm with these things.
The story was more complex then I might have expected. I mean, I could have seen it end in a couple places but it didn't, it kept on. Touched on deeper levels of their relationship, and brought the whole thing to a great end. I like books that do that. I could have easily seen this dragged on into 3 books, if you know what I mean. The fact that Jamie McGuire loved us all enough to give us the full story in one go made me love this even more, most likely. Since lately it's been a trend to take one story and break it into pieces, the fact that someone gives you a full, rich story in one starts to be a great quality if you ask me. I don't like to feel like I've been cheated out of anything after I'm invested in the characters and their stories. This novel regales the reader with a fully developed and complex story that really takes you that whole way from point A to point B, and it does so beautifully. It's a first person narrative from Travis's POV, and if there's anyone out there wondering about it, this the story of Beautiful Disaster told from Travis's POV. The scenes flow beautifully, voices are clear and authentic, and characters are well built and make sense while they evolve. This is awesome writing at work, if you ask me.
The presentation is nothing to scoff at, either. The cover is freaking gorgeous, as I'm sure you'll all agree. I loved the cover of Beautiful Disaster too, and to be honest I think the cover of the UK edition makes better sense with it since it keeps that awesome element of mystery about it. It's a bit grittier, edgier, and I felt it fit the story better. Bur a tattooed hunk is never hard on the eyes, I'm sure you agree.
All in all, this a really great read, full of raw emotion and ups and downs. I do highly recommend it if you're into stories about life after high school. Because there's a LOT of life after high school, and I never stop to be thrilled at people telling those stories. Walking Disaster and Beautiful Disaster are awesome stuff, and I say you should try them out.(less)
I read and talked about Wicked as They Come back in October as part of my steampun...moreReview originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on APR 28, 2013:
I read and talked about Wicked as They Come back in October as part of my steampunk galore RAWBL-ing. When I saw the second book in the Blud series up on NetGalley of course I did my best to snatch the ARC and, thankfully, managed to.
The world of Blud is still as charming in Wicked as She Wants as it was in the first book of the series. Even more so, since this time we're in Blud from start to finish, while Wicked as They Come took us into the Blud world from our own. If you've read the first book, you've already been introduced to Casper, the love interest of Ahnastasia, our main character. In fact, Criminy and Tish make a short appearance in Wicked as She Wants, just enough to say "Hi!" pretty much. I loved that, I love novels that stand on their own just fine but include characters from the previous ones in the series. The world of Blud is fascinating, with bludmen and bludwomen and pinkies living in something of a delicate balance. Fantastic bludanimals and a parallel world feel dominate the realm of Blud, where history is similar just different enough to make your grin. Or, well, to make me grin. Delilah S. Dawson playfully references authors, places, historical events with the blud spin and I love her worldbuilding, without a doubt. Plus, if the princess Ahnastasia didn't make you wonder, Freesia's capital - Muscovy - sort of made it clear to me what historical character she was referencing. Loved, loved, loved how Delilah S. Dawson built this story, just loved it. In fact, because of the setting and story, I found myself enjoying this novel even more then the first in the series. It has more of a classic beauty air about it, and I'm not going to lie, my first love was and will remain classic literature, names that for instance Delilah S. Dawson mentions in her blud-version of the world.
Ahnastasia was a fantastic main character. She was proud, perky, very able of defending herself and claiming back what was hers. She was a princess in more ways then one, though, and it made her funny, likable. Very well spoken, very proper but self-entitled - something royalty might suffer from, we can guess. She was a very well rounded character, charismatic though not the easy to like type perhaps - that to me makes her even more likable. I like strong and proud and unapologetic and she's all that. Loved her. Casper was an interesting character in Wicked as They Come and he delivered in Wicked as She Wants as well. Charismatic, a powerful presence but tender and thoughtful, he made an awesome pair with Ahnna. While Casper, like Tish, is a human who landed in the Blud world, there's a duality to his nature that you'll understand better and better as the story unfolds. I loved his transformation and the Casper version from the end of the novel was, in my opinion, the best possible version of Casper. No, I'm not spoiling your read with clarifications. *insert evil chuckle* The tension between Ahnna and Casper was delicious, just delicious. They made the kind of couple I adore reading about, a spin on the enemies turned lovers with a not-so-hardcore enemies instance in the beginning. Sparks were flying all over the place and their one on one, when it happened, was very hot. Slow burn romance and hot one on one, that's a recipe to make even evil readers such as myself happy. Another interesting character was Keen, Casper's human sidekick. I felt she helped emphasize Casper's dual nature and she was quite fun on her own. Favorite character of the novel: Ahnastasia. {And it's not as often as I'd like that I love the MC, but she's just that awesome xD}
The plot was an eventful adventure that took us traveling through the world of Blud and helped us meet all sorts of its inhabitants and explore some of its lovely landscapes. While the pace of events was alert, this wasn't the agitated action flavor. This, coupled with the first person narrative writing's tone make me say the novel has some of that classic charm I so love. The story has a fairytale flair that won me over quickly, the princess fighting to get her kingdom back and falling in love in the process. For a words-geek like myself this novel is a jewel, it's just so beautiful on all accounts.
As far as curb appeal goes, the cover is fabulous, the blurb had me hooked but the real selling point, for me, would be the fact that I believe Delilah S. Dawson can't really do me wrong.
All in all, I loved Wicked as She Wants to bits and would recommend you try it out. It's one of my favorite reads of this year for sure.(less)
Worldbuilding: We visit Washington DC this time around, as well as re...moreFluttering Thoughts originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on APR 18, 2013:
Worldbuilding: We visit Washington DC this time around, as well as return to New Covington, the Fringe and some of the haunts from book #1. Fabulous dystopian world with paranormal (vampire) elements. Characters: Allison evolved, I thought she grew up as a vampire as well as a young woman. She's even braver than she was in book #1, takes chances and dares to try (esp. emotionally speaking) despite being afraid. I loved how loyal she proved to be, how vulnerable despite being kickass (katana action rules!). I still didn't feel the romance between her and Zeke, because something about the two of them just didn't click for me to begin with. Don't get me wrong, he's sweet (Maybe too sweet? That might be my personal ity bity problem with him, I'm not into sweet...), but he won't be making my fav characters of the book top. Jackal does, he's more my type of character. And I loved him, by the way. He kept me guessing and still does even now, after having read the book. And let's all give Kanin a round of applause, the guy is cool. Fav Character of the book for me: Jackal. Plot: Active and very engaging, though I can't say that surprised me all that much. Julie Kagawa has awesome stories to tell and knows how to make you fall in love with them. Writing: First person narrative from Allie's POV with one minor exception, last couple of pages there. Awesome, awesome, awesome writing. Did I mention how awesome it is? Freaking awesome. Curb Appeal: Julie Kagawa - need I say more? Fab cover and intriguing title, but again, Julie Kagawa. Need I say more? Instant buy material.
All in all, this was a fabulous work - something Julie Kagawa has already accustomed us to. Not only does this not suffer from "second book syndrome", but I had more fun reading this one then the first. I'm so looking forward to reading the third. I might have more fun with it then with the first two, and if you've read the last line of this novel you know why :D(less)
Worldbuilding: Contemporary L.A. , celebrity meets regular guy sort of setting Characters: Alex was nothing like Anastasia, I felt, though many traits were common. He's not clumsy though he is a virgin, he's got a killer sense of humor that had me laughing all through the story, and he's very charming. And after you read the whole story, you'll see another major difference between them: he doesn't lie down and take it or run scared in the end, the man gets some sense about the situation and states his limits, sticks to them and cracks the shield of his 50 shades of effed up. I loved Alex without a doubt, all on his own and in the couple. He made sense to me. Taylor was just as magnetic as the Grey of 50 shades, but with less baggage and more guts, I think. I liked him, very alpha and all, but also vulnerable. And ultimately he made the right choice in a tough spot, so all my respect for him. Their pair was cool to read, they had awesome chemistry, hot smex and touching romance, despite Taylor's attempts to avoid it. :) Plot: The story does have common elements with the original 50 Shades, but it differs in what I'd call main points. This story, though intense, strikes me as very believable and I liked it better, actually. (sure had to do with my reaction to the characters, mainly Alex) Writing: Brilliant, in my opinion. The characters felt strong, they made sense all through, their dialogue was super fun and the overall feeling of the story was that it was well done. Curb Appeal: Hot cover, gutsy title to go with the gutsy story and big time impulsive buy material.
50 Shades of Gay makes no secret of the fact it's a gay version of 50 Shades, but in my opinion it's a better done story and I won't lie, I enjoyed it more then the first 50 Shades book (as the second I enjoyed less then the first, and didn't yet read the third). I say read this if you liked 50 Shades, because this is a gorgeous and super fun read.(less)
World Building: Contemporary small-town setting that includes a BDSM...moreFluttering Thoughts originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on MAR 14, 2013:
World Building: Contemporary small-town setting that includes a BDSM club. Cool. Characters: Maggie was interesting, that kind of smart woman who just never had good luck on her side all that much. Her personal life was pretty much a hot mess (divorced, and she was a beard wife anyway), and her interests manifested in the form of study when she was really longing to practice. Obviously, she was a very conflicted character and quite charming too. I liked her. Tucker was a powerful presence but something about him didn't reach me all the way. Odd, since his type of character always does. Maybe there was too much he didn't reveal, I'm not sure. But I didn't respond to him and didn't get emotionally in tune with him, so I lost some of the romantic charm of the story. Their couple was nice but since I wasn't feeling half of it (or more like 3/4 since he's a Dom) I can't say I was hooked or riveted. The one on one was nice and spicy, BDSM-style, but since I didn't respond too much to their pairing a lot of its punch was lost sadly. Plot: There's some mystery going on outside of the romantic arc, involving Tucker and his secrets and his family's past. I haven't read anything else by Eliza Gayle so maybe I'd know more from other titles if I had. As it stands, the romantic arc was interesting but it doesn't reach a finality in this book - ends on a cliffhanger though not the evil kind, just the 'this will be continued' kind -. Nice story but I felt like I was missing some bits to get the whole picture. Writing: Good, nice scene setting and great transitions. The pace felt a bit rushed at the end there for my tastes, but since this is part of a series maybe things get a better resolve in titles to come. Curb Appeal: Very high, impulsive buy material for sure. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, the blurb intriguing so awesome presentation.
All in all, I say Tucker's Fall is a hot BDSM (on the less extreme end of the specter) romance and a good start to a new series. If you're into that, I say give this a try.(less)
World Building: Contemporary, orchestra environment Characters: Melody...moreFluttering Thoughts originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on APR 11, 2013:
World Building: Contemporary, orchestra environment Characters: Melody was fun, but there was something about her, something about Wolf too as far as I'm concerned, that didn't strike the right cored with me. As you guys know, I like broken characters, bad boys and girls, intense stuff. Melody and Wold were very tame, even if Melody had her ups and downs and Wolf did have his, they were the sweet, sort of angst-free kind of couple. Well done, but not something I respond to. If you're into that whole sweet, forbidden love scenario, this will be a treat. Plot: The forbidden love vibe was cool, and there was some cool stuff going on alongside the romantic arc, but I can't say I was kept on edge. This is not that kind of edgy romance, it's the sweet, kind of fluffy sort of story. Writing: Third person narrative, his and her POV. Everything tied in well and the story flew great, I just didn't respond to the characters and subsequent romance, sadly. Curb Appeal: The cover is cool, maybe it makes you think is hotter then it is (seemed pretty tame to me, heat-wise). The blurb gets you curious, especially if you're into the whole music thing or curious about it.
All in all, I say this was a cool read, but not too much my style. Maybe I'm not going to be a Bliss gal, but it's good reading if you're into the sweeter kind of stories. (less)
World Building: Awesome mix of paranormal and paramilitary-type of se...moreFluttering Thoughts originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on MAR 26, 2013:
World Building: Awesome mix of paranormal and paramilitary-type of setting, it gets adrenaline pumping on all sorts of accounts. :D Characters: Jonas and Danny were easy to love and they felt very real. They were both very charismatic and had awesome chemistry. Every emotion they had jumped from the page and bit at my heart, I loved them separately and as a couple. Their one on one was hot, intense but had also feeling. Loved them. Plot: Active, action packed and tense. The romance arc was great, a lot of tension there as well. Yummy quickie read, if you'll pardon my French. Writing: Third person narrative from both main couple characters. I loved their voices and action scenes were super-full of tension. Curb Appeal: My first response to this was "This must be showed endless love and encouraged!", and that was without taking into consideration the awesome cover or the hooking blurb. Compulsive buy material, for the win.
I particularly loved Wicked Lies because it had a beautiful dedication and a beautiful Author's Note at the end, basically saying "It gets better!" - I applaud her message as well as her awesome skills. So I'm applauding Avon Impulse on this release, and I generally don't applaud publishers. But this time I am, and I hope you will too. (less)
World Building: Everything is centered around Nikolai's 'home', neith...moreFluttering Thoughts originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on March 8 2013:
World Building: Everything is centered around Nikolai's 'home', neither of the brothers leave their rooms. Main elements of the world remain violence and abuse. Characters: This time I felt both Dougie and Mat evolved less then in previous installments. Their plights didn't quite reach like they did last time. Perhaps because it felt like the inner conflict aspect for both of them didn't escalate from the previous part, it felt like they both took a step back this time - returned to their previous inner conflicts. I thought things would escalate, but they didn't. Nikolai gained more substance, I think, since he reveals mare about himself through his training of them. Plot: The nature of action turned more inward as the brothers react to Nikolai's evil methods. The overall installment felt slower then previous ones because a lot of what happens is psychological. Writing: As good as in previous parts of the story. This time it didn't chill me as it had in the past, but it might be on account of me getting used to the world/nature of events already. Curb Appeal: I'll most likely keep reading this series, I'm hooked.
All in all, Wins and Losses was an interesting development but, for me, it didn't pack the same punch as some of the previous parts of the story. I am very curious to find out what will happen next and what The End will be like for Dougie and Mat.(less)
I don't know about you guys, but I just get the urge to read some vampire romance n...moreReview originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on MAR 6, 2013:
I don't know about you guys, but I just get the urge to read some vampire romance now and then. I think it's the pleasure/pain nature of the romance, I mean you just know there'll be biting involved which is, you know, hot :D So I jumped at the chance to read this 'little' darling here. It's 'little' because it's a good length novel, like 90k words or something. And I loved every one of them. I must mention I didn't read the other titles in this series. And I didn't find a name for it, so I called it Hunger just because all the titles so far contain the 'Hunger' word, so, you know. The main thing is if you like on of them there's more where that came from. See them here on Dee Carney's page.
To begin with, I loved the world of the read. We're dealing with vampires of the regular blood-drinking, smex-needing kind (yum!), some werewolf appearances, and, brace yourselves: dragons make a guest appearance as well. I love diversity and seeing more paranormal mixed in is always fun. The whole Council concept was fun, especially the way Sebastian and Alice dealt with it. No, not giving details to spoil your read.
Sebastian (yes, I like full names and especially this one, so no Bast going on for me, lol) was a cool vampire. Old enough, tough enough, hungry enough for something. Luckily he found his something. He was charismatic, funny, strong where it was needed and yet vulnerable. I really liked that, the fact that he was balanced and felt. He was very real, in a if-vampires-existed kind of way. Alice was awesome too, she had a tough background and a tough present when she met Sebastian. She was very considerate, thoughtful and loyal, I really liked that about her. She was also vulnerable but she actually came off as stronger then Sebastian in places, they completed each other. Their chemistry was very hot from the beginning, the whole hunger thing going on from the get go. But the relationship wasn't instalove, it developed as the story progressed and it was sweet, in fact. Their one on one was hot but not graphic. I liked them as a pair and individually, but I wasn't super crazy about them. Probably because they weren't as tortured as I might have liked, lol. Keep in mind though that I'm the evil reader type, I love them as tortured and twisted as can be.
Outside of the romance arc there was paranormal intrigue, mystery revolving around Sebastian, tensions in the Council, inner conflict - a lot of yummy, to make a long story short. It wasn't agitated action but I loved the pace of events and how things got resolved. This is my kind of read, where the action outside of the romance isn't too over the top. I like my focus on the romance as much as possible and this novel gave me that.
The narrative was a third person from his and her POV, pretty regular for romance. It was cool to see things from both perspectives and it gave me insight into things that the other character in the couple didn't know so it increased the tension.
The cover and blurb are a good pair, they made it clear to me what I should expect and the novel delivered. Always love it when that happens. This is certain compulsive buy material.
All in all, I say this is a good read and I say give Hunger Awakened and the other ones in the series a try. I wanna read Hunger Aroused now because I got a glimpse of the Corin / Jasmine couple so I'm all curious now xD (less)
World Building: Contemporary military environment Characters: Candace...moreFluttering Thoughts originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on MAR 12, 2013:
World Building: Contemporary military environment Characters: Candace was an interesting female lead, she was strong but also vulnerable, beautiful and stubborn. I liked the fact she had a very strong will (aka stubbornness) and a healthy respect for rules. Ryan was sort of in-your-face, gutsy but not over the top though he was the alpha-type. He made a nice pair with Candace and he had a nice sense of humor, treating them getting together as a mission and all. That was very hot. Their one on one was hot, very primal and carried a lot of impact. Though it was instant attraction it wasn't instalove, more of a slow burn sort of love story and I loved that. They were a charismatic couple and I loved reading about them. Plot: Aside the bumpy sort-of-forbidden romance arc, there was a lot of military action. I'm not actually a fan of that, but if you are you'll be thrilled, we're talking missions and such. Writing: Third person narrative, his and her POV but also a few other POV's, it made the story feel complete and let me in, as a reader, into more of the story. Curb Appeal: Delicious cover, hooking blurb. I'm not fan of active duty military stories, but I'd read some PNR by Kaylea Cross - Darkest Caress (Empowered, #1) - and loved that so I'd have snatched this up on sight most likely.
All in all, this was a good read, it had hot romance, passion, chemistry, and it was action-packed. If you're into active duty stories, this will be a treat.(less)
World Building: Interesting paranormal elements mixed in with contemp...moreFluttering Thoughts originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on March 5 2013:
World Building: Interesting paranormal elements mixed in with contemporary world. Vampires are a bit more old-school, hungry and powerful. I liked the world of the read. Characters: A lot of potential for a series-long interesting development. Fox was very mysterious and I want to know more about him, he was probably my favorite though he wasn't the main. Catrina, who was the main, didn't really reach me. She was cool, game for action and such but I didn't get emotionally in tune with her. But then again I often have that issue with UF, so it's not too surprising sadly. Plot: Alert and interesting, I loved the twist there at the end. Unfortunately (for me), it's very action and not something extra (like some romance or something), and I'm not a fan of action. Which is why I tend to read PNR not UF vibe reads. This felt clearly action oriented, so if you're into that you'll get a kick out of it. Writing: Nice third person narrative, mostly from Catrina's POV, very easy to read it has a great flow. Curb Appeal: Nice cover and good blurb, but this wouldn't be an impulsive buy for me. UF rarely is. To each their own, right? :)
All in all this was a good start to the series, and if you're into 'real' vampires and urban fantasy, I say give this a try. It's worth it. (less)
Worldbuilding: The Ashford Affair takes us on an amazing journey, fro...moreFluttering Thoughts originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on APR 19, 2013:
Worldbuilding: The Ashford Affair takes us on an amazing journey, from World War I British scenery and Kenya to 1999-2000 New York. Characters: Clemmie was charming, overachiever, beautiful, accomplished and yet not absurd. She was a bit broken, and I always love these characters. I think Clemmie was the type of woman who'd seem like she had it all from the outside, that she was strong and independent and doing her thing in style; but she was also vulnerable, afraid but brave in the end. I loved her and I rooted for her happy ending (which she got). Addie was simply fascinating, and I must admit I liked her as a character more then others in this story. She was the outsider, the other girl, and she dealt with that position with magnificent grace and strength. Her and Frederick's love was absolutely disarming, and I loved their story to no ends. There were mistakes on all sides, but they all found it in themselves to rise above that, a noble trait. I disliked Bea, but found a whole new mountain of respect for her by the end of this novel, because it takes a lot of guts to do what Bea did. She wasn't perfect either, not by a long shot, but she had me impressed by the end, I'll admit. All characters were very strong, greatly built and they were easy to empathize with, even Bea. Awesome, awesome characters. Favorite Character: Addie Plot: The story follows two timelines, both in chronological order. One centers on Addie with some Bea - her cousin - insights, the other centers around Clemmie (Addie's granddaughter). Both Addie and Clemmie's stories are interesting, but I found Addie's to be simply put fascinating. The two arcs entwine in ways you'll find surprising and exciting, and deliver a powerful and beautiful story. Writing: Third person narrative mainly from Clemmie's and Addie's POV, with some insights from Bea's. I loved the Brittish tone of Addie's POV and the American tone of Clemmie's, and the scenery was beautifully described and felt alive. Beautiful, beautiful writing. Curb Appeal: If you're into WWI stories, instant buy material. It has a gorgeous cover, intriguing blurb and a great presentation.
All in all, I highly recommend this novel if you're ready to follow two arcs and put your heart on the line. Because I won't lie, I sniffled in places, the stories are just that good.(less)
World Building: 1974 America blends with paranormal - demonic - eleme...moreFluttering Thoughts originally posted at Butterfly-o-Meter Books on APR 29, 2013:
World Building: 1974 America blends with paranormal - demonic - elements. Characters: Dawn and the band were cool, but they didn't really reach me for some reason. Dawn did grip my attention in the beginning but then my emotional investment in her took a slow and steady fall. I didn't respond to the whole band and tour thing, though I like some rock stuff, little metal...I just don't respond to the people doing the magic, I guess. There's this disconnect between art and artist, my admiration for the art doesn't extend to the artist. I can be very much into the artist, but as a person, not an extension of the art. So the whole band and groupies thing was entirely lost on me. The characters had a lot of potential but they didn't pull me in all the way, in the end. Plot: The story is fun if you're into the roadtour and band thing. The plot is active without getting tiring and there are a few interesting twists in. Writing: First person narrative from Dawn's POV Curb Appeal: Awesome, awesome cover. The blurb does a good job at introducing the story and characters.
All in all, this was a cool read but I didn't respond to it all the way. It has great potential for you if you're into bands and band-life with some paranormal twists. Give it a shot, it might be a better fit for you. (less)
World Building: Contemporary BDSM club, mostly. Characters: Bret is the...moreOriginally posted on Feb 28 2013 at Butterfly-o-Meter Books
Fluttering Thoughts:
World Building: Contemporary BDSM club, mostly. Characters: Bret is the kind of s I like to read about. He's not meek or subdued by default, he's someone's s not a submissive by large. I loved the way he behaved around Marcus and the fact that he was so gutsy, going for what he wanted, giving it his best. Marcus was awesome as well, a mischievous D with a great sense of humor to boot. They had great chemistry and smoking hot smex, but there were also feelings evolving and I loved that. Plot: Focused on the romance, and considering there's a lot going on there the story felt active and fun. Writing: Third person narrative from both Bret and Marcus's POV, and I loved their voices. Curb Appeal: Hot stuff alert, for sure. The blurb got me hooked and the cover is yummy. Very high compulsive buy potential.
All in all this was a great read, short, hot and lovely. If you're into some (not extreme) BDSM reading, give it a try.(less)
I didn't pick this up expecting it to be yet another ripoff of Fifty Shades. I was ove...moreOriginal review posted on Feb 27 2013 at Butterfly-o-Meter Books
I didn't pick this up expecting it to be yet another ripoff of Fifty Shades. I was overjoyed when it began letting me know it wasn't. A brave statement like that was a good beginning, and I immediately got high hopes about this read.
I did expect it to be an autobiography. It didn't turn out to be quite that, either. Instead it was a melange of articles, some more interesting then others. The ones clearly talking about politics I skipped over entirely. I'm sorry, it's not lack of respect for the author's work or thoughts, just gross disgust with politics. To each their own (and I entirely agree with Master R's views on that phrase).
There was a lot of this book that I enjoyed and plenty that I agreed with. Had I read the greater part of those articles in some other shape, this would have been a different rating. But in this shape it felt too much like bits pushed together to seem a whole. It didn't feel as a whole, I'm sorry to say. The writing style was somewhat constant but not all the way. There were these, let's say lyrical prose parts (that I do appreciate in that sense of beauty derived from aristocratic culture), then there were these really fun articles and those felt like the best parts of the book. Those, worked together, would have been a 4-ish butterflies rating for me. Some articles were about life in this actual place, talking about some People and people and I guess that's the part I enjoyed the least. I have issues with capitalizing 'God', and I have a sound belief system going on though it isn't any one particular religion. See a pattern there? There was a lot about myself that was challenged as I read this; and especially the parts I thought would interest me the most ended up interesting me the least. Which is quite ironic since what made me curious about this book was exactly the fact it approached BDSM. Maybe I discovered something about myself that I wouldn't have without reading this book, and for that, Master R, I thank you. You made me realize how insignificant so many things are to me, and I might not have had such a clear epiphany without reading this work.
I guess if we'd be talking from a scientific point of view, this would be a nice collection of materials on the subject Master R. But it didn't feel like a thesis or a work based on all the info, just like the info put together more like. You know what I mean? For instance there were interesting scenes from the author's childhood and what you could call his discovery period, interesting moments about his family life and how it evolved. Those felt like they could have tied together beautifully into an autobiography I would have most likely enjoyed a lot. They were written in a voice slightly different then the ones that really didn't speak to me at all - the La Chateau related part. These other articles that made sense together felt like they had so much potential, but I had to pick them apart from the rest of them for that sense of homogeneity to emerge.
Whenever Master R wrote about La Chateau and such aspects he took on this voice that felt just... detached to the point of extreme. This may be odd or whatever, but to me it felt chilling in fact, and not in that good way I love villains and antagonists in stories. The irony of that is I love intelligent, educated, complex characters - and the character Master R was all that. They're always my favorites in all books, stories of whatever kind and real life too. The character Master R in his master-mode or D-mode or however you want to call it, he elicited zero emotional response from me. None whatsoever. I don't think that ever happened to me before. I may not have liked a character much, or it felt sort of 'meh' but this was an absolute zero on my emotional scale. As if an object was talking me, a robot maybe but not the anthropomorphic kind, all complex and interesting on a technical level but... inanimate somehow. I was shocked at my own response or lack thereof and at how he came through to me. Because I guess I expected him to shine, to be charismatic - even intensely so. And yet there was nothing.
That is a deal-breaker in anything for me. I simply had no response at all to the D-mode Master R while in his kid-mode or family-guy-mode I did. I'm sure he'd see some deep meaning in that, there is one most likely. And since this facet of the character Master R came up a lot and at random moments whatever emotional connection I'd developed with other facets of him got demolished along the way. At some point they just stopped getting built. Maybe if I'd had a sense of a story there, of something with a beginning, middle and some sort of end I would have sailed the odd waters better. As it was I didn't get a sense of porpoise; what I felt was there were all these parts of a person that were put together with the intent of speaking to its readers. And advertising La Chateau. But the parts don't make the whole, it's that higher sense of self that encompasses it all that makes the whole. I didn't feel that higher sense of self. I could be mean and say it wasn't there because this D-mode was too busy being 'all of that' for so many players, it was focused on the roles more then anything else. Roles make me think of acting, and thinking of acting doesn't ring as true. I love movies and plays when actors make me think of people, not of acting. The overall here was I thought of roles, not of a whole person for some reason. Am I making sense?
As it stands though, this is a collection of some very interesting thoughts and scenes, some not-interesting (to me!) ones, and some that just inspire me no feeling. I didn't feel entertained, intrigued, amused, emotionally involved, thrilled or excited in any way. At the end of this read I felt sad, because to me there was so much potential in all that material that it broke my heart to see it came to no real conclusion.(less)
World Building: Nashville mixes with aliens or paranormal entities (I'm...moreOriginally posted on Feb 20 2013 at Butterfly-o-Meter Books
Fluttering Thoughts:
World Building: Nashville mixes with aliens or paranormal entities (I'm not clear what these Ruins and Kings are) in a funny and intriguing way. The world of the story was cool but I would have liked to be a bit clearer on these Ruins - what are they, aliens, paranormals? What's their deal? Characters: Danny was the confused high-schooler struggling to accept and embrace himself. He had a rough past that made me get very emotionally in tune with him and he had very realistic reactions. I liked him, he was fun and well developed. Kevin had a better grip on everything - his identity, he works with his dad in this secret program thing about the Ruins - and it was a nice balance to Danny's confusion. They had some teen romance going on and there were two kisses, and that was pretty much it. Young adult romance is, well... underwhelming for me, as you guys know. Plot: A good blend of action, teen angst and self-discovery and a sprinkle of romance (romance-to-be maybe). I liked it, it was an alert story that kept me engaged but not enthusiastic. That's something that happens a lot with YA stories for me, sadly. Writing: Lovely third person narrative from Danny's POV most of the time but with some inserts from Kevin. Curb Appeal: Good presentation, gorgeous cover and good blurb. It wouldn't be an impulsive buy necessarily but a strong candidate for a buy nonetheless.
This has a lot of series potential but I'm not sure at this point if it's meant to be a part of a series or not. All in all, this was a good story with young characters. If you're into that and you'd like to read about two young adults doing a bit of growing up, then I say give this a try.(less)
As I suspected, the closer we get to one on one sort of instances for the brothers the more...moreOriginally posted on Feb 4 2013 at Butterfly-o-Meter Books
As I suspected, the closer we get to one on one sort of instances for the brothers the more interested and engaged I am. This was the kind of 4 butterflies that's a really close to 5. As before, there is violence. There's always going to be, I suspect, this is a story about non-con slavery.
Horrible as it may be of me, I find I'm more and more a fan of Nikolai. He's scary in that mind-f*cking uber-potential kind of way and I always find that entirely interesting. There's a lot of psychology in his methods and he brings the sport of training slaves to a level of art, almost. I'm very curious how the brothers will respond by the end, but we shall live, read and find out. :D I like the complexity of Nikolai but I don't much approve of his actions. I don't have to, they just have to make sense and make him real - which they do. I love the way his mind works. Dougie and Mat evolved somewhat predictably, by this point I think I can say I have a good grip, by large, on their characters. That sounded way dirtier then intended, lol, moving on. I liked how they kept their personalities even when confronted with new and terrible situations.
The atmosphere has shifted from blatantly physical abuse to physical and psychological - depending on which you find more terrifying, this is either less scary then some of the previous installments in the series or a lot scarier. Either way, the element of suspense and thrill are again well mastered (ha!). Though these reads are short they do a great job at getting you in their spell, it's quite remarkable.
All in all, I liked how the story evolved and I am looking forward to the next one. Also, silly as it may be, I'm wishing the brothers will get some sort of less harsh ending because happy, at this point, doesn't seem plausible. That's ok, I'm not a big fan of happy endings anyway - I can't quite believe in them. So a story that sort of promises to deliver an ending not happy is a lovely way to break some of that HEA routine. If you're into the master/pet and non-con, read this series.(less)
Cathy Yardley is a terrific writer. Her prose flows beautifully and her dialogue is authen...moreOriginally posted on Feb 18 2013 at Butterfly-o-Meter Books
Cathy Yardley is a terrific writer. Her prose flows beautifully and her dialogue is authentic, not to mention she has a great sense of humor and her characters fully display it to my utter delight. There's no doubt in my mind that I would enjoy whatever she'd write just because her writing style is so in tune with everything I love. Why the 3 butterflies rating then? I was torn between a 3 and a 4, but it just didn't make it all the way to 3.5 so I went with the 3 after all.
I loved the world building. It was a good blend of urban setting and paranormal elements, demons and contract for souls and all. The paranormal element wasn't as strong as in other UF-s but it was convincing and well integrated. The premise of Temping Is Hell is genius, I think. It appeals to everyone who worked at least two days, we've got it all: the neurotic zlut-like boss lady, the uber-rich top Bossman, impossible projects that need getting done like yesterday, sort of controlled chaos and some 'act busy' time to fill the day. Feindish was a setting that had a life of its own, it felt 100% real and made perfect (non)sense in a corporate world. Can you tell how much of a fan I am of that kind of environment? I guess there's a bit of Kate in many of us, I know for sure I have a healthy dose. But anyway, moving on.
Kate O'Hara (nice choice for a name, btw) was a fascinating female protagonist. If there are books out there that play favorite for their protagonists, this is one that plays 'whack-the-MC' all the time from start to finish, pretty much. I'm the evil reader, I love tortured characters as you know, but to me this was just a bit too much - this is a personal thing though. I loved Kate, empathized with her, laughed a lot of the time because she was just that charming. Bossman Thomas was interesting as well. He had more of an inner conflict flair to him then Kate, and I'm a fan of that so I think I found him more intriguing though less likable on a personal level. Where Kate was all wit and sharp sense of humor, he was more manipulative and all over the place - almost at the same time. It's hard to be both, but he managed it somehow. He was well built, just as Kate. Their romance arc was interesting, that kind of opposites attract sort of vibe to them. Awesome chemistry, and their one on one time was pretty hot-looking though we weren't included in the actual action there. Other characters were intriguing, Prue and Yagi for example. The villain area was less covered, and that's one of my favorite ones. Maggie wasn't convincing to me as a villain, more like a pest. Bimbos never make good villains for me, maybe that's discrimination or whatever but there it is nonetheless. Cyril Roman had some potential, but he wasn't too involved and when he was he felt more sporadic in presence then focused on. I would have liked a strong villain to balance Kate's magnitude, I think. But then again I would, I like villains more then protagonists as types go.
Action outside the romance arc was very active. Too active for my tastes, but as you guys know I'm never keen on action to begin with, I like character a lot more. This was one of those cases where there was just a bit too much going on for me. Like every page there'd be a new twist and this new tangent of Kate being dealt a sucky hand. I'm exaggerating but it felt that active. It became a bit too much somewhere along the line, I like not too agitated action and more dramatic scenes then the overall sense of permanent Brownian motion. But this is, as many others, a personal thing. If you're into very active action you'll love this aspect as well as the others.
As far as curb appeal goes, this was clear win material. The cover is smart, the blurb is super intriguing and the book is instant buy material for sure.
All in all, Temping Is Hell is the great beginning to a very promising series. I totally recommend it, it's fabulous writing, charismatic characters and lots and lots of action so I think you'll love it to bits.(less)
L.E.Olteano
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