Serena Akeroyd's Blog: All Things Serena! , page 220
May 31, 2015
REVIEW: Aspen Drake's FIERCE SALON
Fierce Salon Season One Box Set: A New Adult Smexy Serial by Aspen DrakeMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
FIVE STARS
This story, well, in one word, ROCKED.
I loved it. It was awesome, and my only complaint? It finished too soon. Lol.
The backdrop of the story is a salon ran by an ex-model and manwhore Nate. Amy is a new stylist at Fierce Salon.
I loved the way the novel was split into episodes, and it did feel like a TV show kind of serial, but tbh, I don't think I could cope if I had to wait to know what happened. Haha. As it is, the ending is going to drive me crazy! In the. Best. Possible. Way!
Nate could come across as a bit of a dick, but weirdly enough, he suits it, and it didn't make me dislike him. AT ALL. He was sweet in his own way, and how he handled Amy was just charming. As a heroine, Amy wasn't irritating or coy, she was fun, down to earth.
My favourite bit was when Amy accidentally grabbed a hold of Little Nate when she almost fell over. LMAO, that was hilarious!
The story was a definite Laugh Out Loud read but it had that soap opera feel to it. The sections in the salon felt realistic, and it was a great, unusual, and quirky backdrop.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and can't wait for season two! RECOMMENDED!
"I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review."
View all my reviews
Review: Rue Toulouse by Debby Grahl
Rue Toulouse by Debby GrahlMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have this weird thing as a reader. If it takes me a few hours to devour three-hundred pages, then yeah, this book is a winner. I can only consume so much because of a rocking story, and Rue Toulouse just did it for me.
Remi, the hero, yum, Caterine, the heroine, was a great chick.
They were relatable as characters, but more than that, I liked them. Caterine could have been a spoiled miss, but instead, she was a hard worker with tough ethics. She'd been dealt a crappy hand by her so called loving family, and she'd experienced tragedy from an early age.
Remi had a romantic past with socialites that made him wary, and it was understandable. But he wasn't an A-hole with it, he was just really down to earth, and sexy. Oh, man, SEXY!
I don't usually like reads that are light on the sex, but this one had it, just not in graphic detail. It suited the story, though, and it would have been gratuitous to have it any other way.
I loved the explosive early meetings between hero and heroine. Especially the super hot masquerade scene, and Debby did a great job of crafting these really hideous family characters. Lol. I mean, seriously, they were soooo horrible! You were rooting for Caterine from the very start.
I really enjoyed Rue Toulouse. And I loved the setting. I've always wanted to visit New Orleans, and now, after reading this, I want to go even more! :D
“I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.”
View all my reviews
review: Lynn Crandall’s Cravings
Cravings by Lynn CrandallMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Four Stars
I love a great paranormal read, and this was a really good insight to a new–well, to me–breed of shifters as the book revolved around lynxes.
I also enjoyed this new concept of ‘colony’ and instead of shifting, they ‘shimmered.’ On top of that, it was a new take to have the shifters develop another supernatural trait. Asher, the hero, could nudge people into doing something they didn’t particularly want to do, and the heroine, Kennedy, could understand how something worked within seconds–like a turbo-charged eidetic memory.
There were some quirky bits and pieces that stopped it from being just an average read, and they were fun, too! :)
This book is the second in the series, and I’ll admit, at the start, I was kind of lost. I don’t think the backstory was very well explained. All of a sudden, a deluge of info was just poured into the narrative, and for someone who had read the first book, it would probably have triggered their memory of what went down. But for me, it made it a little hard to carry on reading.
That being said, I really enjoyed the book. These new concepts tied to a hero and heroine that felt real, it was a good read for a lazy day. :) Asher and Kennedy were both flawed, and had issues with their backgrounds. It was interesting to see how these two flawed creatures came to heal parts of the other’s nature.
Highly recommended!
“I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.”
from SERENA AKEROYD – AUTHOR – #NSFW BLOG http://ift.tt/1EKms0N
via IFTTT
Review: Lynn Crandall's Cravings
Cravings by Lynn CrandallMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Four Stars
I love a great paranormal read, and this was a really good insight to a new--well, to me--breed of shifters as the book revolved around lynxes.
I also enjoyed this new concept of 'colony' and instead of shifting, they 'shimmered.' On top of that, it was a new take to have the shifters develop another supernatural trait. Asher, the hero, could nudge people into doing something they didn't particularly want to do, and the heroine, Kennedy, could understand how something worked within seconds--like a turbo-charged eidetic memory.
There were some quirky bits and pieces that stopped it from being just an average read, and they were fun, too! :)
This book is the second in the series, and I'll admit, at the start, I was kind of lost. I don't think the backstory was very well explained. All of a sudden, a deluge of info was just poured into the narrative, and for someone who had read the first book, it would probably have triggered their memory of what went down. But for me, it made it a little hard to carry on reading.
That being said, I really enjoyed the book. These new concepts tied to a hero and heroine that felt real, it was a good read for a lazy day. :) Asher and Kennedy were both flawed, and had issues with their backgrounds. It was interesting to see how these two flawed creatures came to heal parts of the other's nature.
Highly recommended!
“I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.”
View all my reviews
May 27, 2015
COVER REVEAL: A Thoroughly Modern Ménage!
I’m super, duper, pooper-scooper proud to reveal my upcoming release: A Thoroughly Modern Ménage!
I love this book. I mean, I love them all otherwise I wouldn’t write the characters’ stories, but this one, I feeeel soooo much for Kate, the heroine.
There are some tear-jerker moments here, I’m warning ya, peeps. But ah, it all comes together in the end.
I’m saying nuthin’, but-huge BUT-dayum, I loved writing the penultimate scene. :D
Due for release June 16th, I have an AWESOME release party coming up. Join in the fun on FB, here! I can’t wait to chat with you guys, and I have $50 dollars worth of gift cards up for grabs!
Here’s the blurb:
After her son is killed in a hit-and-run, Kate Varsain hits rock bottom. Using her grief against her, Kate’s violent ex demands they get back together. She refuses, and concerned, asks a close friend’s lawyer for advice, not realizing that Louis Rozen will become her guiding light in this bleak, new world.
Only, Louis isn’t single. His on-again, off-again lover, Ade Lancaster is in town and he’s looking to make their casual relationship permanent. But vulnerable, ethereal Kate appeals to Louis in ways he never expected. Doing without her seems impossible, as does the idea of cutting Ade from his life.
With her ex’s escalating behavior, Ade, a soldier, slips into the role of protector. The sudden attraction between the pair astonishes them all, as does Kate’s desire for both men. Yet the focus on the blossoming relationship between the trio, leaves them wide open for attack.
Can Kate’s men protect her? Or with their love and support, will she realize she’s capable of protecting herself…?
from SERENA AKEROYD – AUTHOR – #NSFW BLOG http://ift.tt/1J6k6zi
via IFTTT
COVER REVEAL: A Thoroughly Modern Ménage!
I'm super, duper, pooper-scooper proud to reveal my upcoming release: A Thoroughly Modern Ménage! I love this book. I mean, I love them all otherwise I wouldn't write the characters' stories, but this one, I feeeel soooo much for Kate, the heroine.
There are some tear-jerker moments here, I'm warning ya, peeps. But ah, it all comes together in the end.
I'm saying nuthin', but-huge BUT-dayum, I loved writing the penultimate scene. :D
Due for release June 16th, I have an AWESOME release party coming up. Join in the fun on FB, here! I can't wait to chat with you guys, and I have $50 dollars worth of gift cards up for grabs!
Here's the blurb:
After her son is killed in a hit-and-run, Kate Varsain hits rock bottom. Using her grief against her, Kate's violent ex demands they get back together. She refuses, and concerned, asks a close friend's lawyer for advice, not realizing that Louis Rozen will become her guiding light in this bleak, new world.
Only, Louis isn't single. His on-again, off-again lover, Ade Lancaster is in town and he's looking to make their casual relationship permanent. But vulnerable, ethereal Kate appeals to Louis in ways he never expected. Doing without her seems impossible, as does the idea of cutting Ade from his life.
With her ex's escalating behavior, Ade, a soldier, slips into the role of protector. The sudden attraction between the pair astonishes them all, as does Kate's desire for both men. Yet the focus on the blossoming relationship between the trio, leaves them wide open for attack.
Can Kate's men protect her? Or with their love and support, will she realize she's capable of protecting herself…?
May 24, 2015
May 21, 2015
May 19, 2015
May 18, 2015
An interview with MONA!
So, Mona, where were you born?
I was born in Georgia, in a tiny town just outside of Atlanta that makes Backwater, USA, seem like its hugely populated. I hated Fountain Springs. If I take my entire life into account, then the worst years took place there. I’ve lived in New York ever since I was 18. I escaped from Fountain Springs as soon as I’d graduated. This isn’t where I’d call home, although it’s where my two best friends, Marina and Eddie do; so, for the moment, NYC is where I lay my head and where I call home.
Where do you go and what do you when you’re angry?
If I’m honest, I rarely lose my temper. I’ve learnt to be laid back over the years and not let too much grate on my nerves. That stems from a point in my life where I could have let bitterness overtake me. I’m too smart to be wasting myself cleaning and I don’t want to offend any cleaners out there by saying that. But I wanted to be a doctor, but life and the huge cost of medical school nipped that in the bud.
I was a shoe-in for a scholarship, until my father blackened my name and that dream disintegrated into nothing as dreams had a tendency of doing where he was about.
Through it, I’ve discovered a love of poetry. I hope to one day release a book.
Is your refrigerator filled with moldy cheese and a few cans? What’s on your bedroom floor and nightstand?
Moldy? You have to be kidding me! You did read that I’m a cleaner, right? I’m pretty anal about those kinds of things. I won’t even stay in hotels, because I hate the idea of sharing a bed!
My living environment mirrors my Type-A personality. Neat, clean and everything in its proper place. I’ve a cheap rug on my bedroom floor and on my nightstand, an alarm clock. Neat as a pin doesn’t describe the amount of time I waste on making sure my home is clean.
What is one memory you have from your childhood kitchen? What smell do you associate with that and why has it stuck in your brain for so long?
*Mona grimaces*
I have very few happy memories of my childhood home. The most fun I had was at school; I loved learning and being out of the house. My father was a control freak and he abused my mother. Most of my memories of the kitchen actually center around her preparing something in a way he didn’t agree with and then him punishing her for that mistake.
There were a handful of times, when he had to work away on business. My mother was always happier, when he wasn’t around. I doubt she’d ever have admitted that though. On those few occasions, we made blueberry pie. My father hated blueberries so she never made it until he went away. I have a sneaking suspicion that it was her favorite dessert. I can still smell that sugary sourness wafting through the house and the taste of the buttery crumble of the rich pastry. My stained tongue and the purply-blue fingers from wiping them around the plate to catch each drop of intensely fruity syrup… good times.
It was one of the few occasions I remember being really happy as a child. To this day, even though they’re outside of my budget, I’ll always pop some into my grocery basket if I see them.
What do you do on a weekend? Work? Or play?
I work six days a week, but on Sundays, it’s my day to be me. I always have a bath, filled with bubbles and soak in it for hours. That and the books I devour while submerged are the few indulgences I have. Then, I drift around. Do some grocery shopping; hang out with Marina or Edwina or both. Have a coffee and a chat. Just be.
What’s your most treasured possession?
The photo album I have of my grandfather, when he served during the war. Even though there was a war going on, you can’t see that from his face. Or the people/soldiers around him.
I think, in a way, those images will always be imprinted on my brain. They taught me to toughen up. When life hands you sour cherries; you just have to make them sweet. And if, back then, people could find happiness during the world’s darkest moments, then how can I complain about my life?
Which living person do you most despise?
*Mona laughs*
Can’t you guess? Definitely, my father! I don’t even know if he’s dead or alive. Christ, what an admission. But he was a cruel taskmaster who used his religion to justify his appalling behavior. To be honest, I went past hating him a long time ago. But there’s no one else I’ve ever come close to despising.
What is your greatest regret?
My greatest regret is that I didn’t have a decent relationship with my mother. Maybe if I had, we’d still be in touch. Instead, I’m totally isolated save my friends. It isn’t a nice thought knowing that you’re completely alone in the world.
How would you like to die?
Christ! What a morbid question! As low as I’ve sunk during my lifetime, never once have I thought about dying. Let’s be more positive, eh? How would I like to live? Well, of course, happily ever after!
What is your motto?
Just like my granddaddy; semper fi. Always loyal. That’s me. Through thick and thin.
from SERENA AKEROYD – AUTHOR – #NSFW BLOG http://ift.tt/1HdaP47
via IFTTT
All Things Serena!
Musings of the mind behind the Five Points Mob Universe.
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