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Book Blogging #2: How to Get Review Copies of Books (ARCs)

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I started this new feature on my blog with advise on books and blogging with my post on How to Get Free Books last week.

Today I want to tell you more about the services of NetGalley and Edelweiss as a way to get free books in exchange of reviewing them online.

I have been using NetGalley for over a year now and I’m very happy with it. It’s very easy to use. Basically you register there and request the books you want to read. I after you’ve read them you have to provide feedback and it’s desirable to publish your review on your site/blog, Goodreads or other platforms for readers and on booksellers sites (Amazon, B&N, ect.).

Now, the tricky part is the approval of your requests. Initially, I was often declined, since my blog was new, I didn’t have many reviews posted there or elsewhere. As a good way to start, I’d suggest that you check out the Read Now section which lists books free for download. It’s important to provide feedback on the books received regularly, even if you didn’t like the book. I, personally, try to maintain my request/review ratio around 60%, though it’s better to be keep it higher than that.

People often go overboard with requests because initially they don’t get many approvals and then suddenly they get far too many review copies to be able to go through them.

The publishers providing copies of their titles for review have different criteria for approving reviewers. Some don’t approve request outside US at all, the UK publishers also provide titles only to UK-based bloggers. 

Edelweiss offers the same service but I have more difficulties with it. As an international reader based in Bulgaria, I can't really use the search option. The only way for me to see the titles available for review is through the email they sent me every week.

This site works in a slightly different way than NetGalley. You have to register with the site and provide some general information about you/your blog but when you request a specific book, you also write a short note explaining why you want this particular title. I get the feeling that Edelweiss offers more YA titles, while NetGalley gets more adult and romance titles but this is pure speculation on my part based on personal observations. 

So far, Edelweiss is not working very well for me and I get more rejections than approvals there and very often I don’t get any response. Still, I check regularly the title offered for review and place my requests when I see something that I like. 

Here is some useful tips for you on how to request ARCs:

-          Start with Read now books (there such sections both on Netgalley and on Edelweiss)
-          Don’t be shy when requesting, you never know when you will be approved, at the same time
-       Go only for books you really want to read, otherwise you will loose the desire to review them
-          Provide honest feedback regularly
-          Don’t depsair if you get declined often. 
-          Sing up for the site’s newsletter, it’s a great way to learn for a limited-time only read now books

Lately, I’ve noticed that some of the companies organizing book tours and promotional events also offer copies of books for review.

-          InkSlinger PR
-          Xpresso BookTours
-          AToMR Book Blog Tours
-     IndieSage

Note: I will be writing a seprate post on PR companies prganising book tours, blitzes, etc. soon (I hope)

Now, if you are a blogger, it’s good to have a section on the blog with your Review requirements/criteria. In this way authors can send you copies of their books for review. I’m swamped with books to review at the moment and I recently went back to work fulltime, so I’m not accepting review requests. I did make an exception recently, since the blurb of the proposed book intrigued me and it ended being a wonderful surprise (Complicated Creatures by Alexi Lawless). 

That's pretty much all I have gained as personal experience in requesting and reviewing ARCs. Feel free to ask any questions you might have and I'll try to answer them to the best of my abilities and knowledge. Your own thoughts and tips on requesting and reviewing ARCs are most welcome!

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Teaser Tuesday 56

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Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:
• Grab your current read 
• Open to a random page 
• Share two (2) or a few more “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

My teaser this week comes from Breakable (Contours of the Heart #2) by Tammara Webber. It's a companion novel to Easy (Contours of the Heart #1) and it releases on May 6. I was lucky to get an ARC and just finished it. It's an emotional NA story which complements book 1 in the best possible way. 

But I wasn't fine. I was anything but fine. That night had shattered me. I'd walled myself in to keep from breaking further, but no defense will protect you from every possible pain. I was just as breakable as everyone else - the girl in my arms included. But I could hope. I could love. And maybe, I could heal. 

Synopsis

He was lost and alone. Then he found her.
And the future seemed more fragile than ever.

As a child, Landon Lucas Maxfield believed his life was perfect and looked forward to a future filled with promise — until tragedy tore his family apart and made him doubt everything he ever believed.

All he wanted was to leave the past behind. When he met Jacqueline Wallace, his desire to be everything she needed came so easy…

As easy as it could be for a man who learned that the soul is breakable and that everything you hoped for could be ripped away in a heartbeat.


Anne Calhoun

Review: Jaded by Anne Calhoun

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Title: Jaded (Walkers Ford #2)Author: Anne Calhoun
Date of publication: 4 Feb 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Author's links:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

My rating: 3.5 stars




Synopsis

 They can’t hide from desire….

After life as a cop in Denver leaves him burned-out, Lucas Ridgeway returns to Walkers Ford, South Dakota, to serve as their chief of police. He’s hoping to start over with a clean slate and avoid any emotional entanglements—even after his next-door neighbor kisses him senseless. Alana is passionate, dedicated, and most importantly leaving town soon. So why not have some fun?

Alana Wentworth comes from a larger-than-life political family, yet all she wanted was to be a librarian. Then after an embarrassing marriage proposal from Mr. Not-For-Her, she jumps at the chance to live her dream for a few months. She wasn't supposed to get involved with the community—or sexy, troubled Lucas. But when the time comes for Alana to put Walkers Ford behind her, she’s not ready. And Lucas may not be ready for her to go….

My Review

This was my first book by Anne Calhoun. After reading some great reviews of her other works by my GR friends, I had some pretty high expectations. For the most part they were met and I enjoyed the book, just not as much as wanted to.

This book is the second installment in Walkers Ford series but can be read as a standalone. It's a small-town romance and I have a love-hate relationship with these stories. Sometimes they work really well for me, other times - they are a complete disappointment. This one falls in the middle, I enjoyed it, but didn't love it.

I liked the main characters, though the heroine came as annoying at times. She struggled to live up to the expectations of her family (which btw, were impossibly high), and the same time she was so resigned to not being good or glamorous enough. She kept putting herself down and tying to convince herself and the others that she was happy the way things were - with her being in the background, doing everything to please the others, not acknowledging what she wanted and going for it.

I liked Lucas better. He was closed off and distant in the beginning and, yet his good heart always shone through his armour. It was Alana that made him feel again, her presence in Walkers Ford and in his life gave him back the will to care for the others.

Their relationship started as no-strings-attached sex and gradually it became indispensable for both of them. I very much enjoyed the slow build up of their feelings.

The flow of the story was good, just a bit slow in the middle. Ms Calhoun created convincingly the small town atmosphere, all the supporting characters were well built and complemented the story of Lucas and Alana.

I felt let down with the ending of the story. I loved the happy end for Lucas and Alana but I found the transformation of Alana's sister and mother too good to be true. The sugary sweet ending didn't fit the realistic tone of the rest of the story.

I found the writing style subtle and a bit subdued, very much in tone with the nature of both Lucas and Alana. There was no major drama or dark secrets in this story, just normal issues and difficulties ordinary people face.

Overall, I liked both the story and the writing and would love to read more of Ms Calhoun's work.

Anne Calhoun

Teaser Tuesday 45

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Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

• Grab your current read 
• Open to a random page 
• Share two (2) or a few more “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page 
• Be careful not the include spoilers! 

This week's teaser comes from Jaded by Anne Calhoun. This is the second book in Walkers Ford series but it can be read as a standalone. It is a small town romance between a librarian (big city girl) and the local chief of police. It sounds cliche but I'm 40% done and so far it's nothing like it. This is my first book by Anne Calhoun and I'm really enjoying it. 

I want to share two teasers this time - one for her and one from him. Enjoy!

 "I'm a librarian. Nothing exciting happens to me." - Alana

 "No expectations. Just take what she is giving you. Don't ask for more. Hope it what burns you. Not disappointment." -  Chief Ridgeway

Jaded (Walkers Ford #2) - Anne Calhoun

Synopsis

They can’t hide from desire.…

After life as a cop in Denver leaves him burned-out, Lucas Ridgeway returns to Walkers Ford, South Dakota, to serve as their chief of police. He’s hoping to start over with a clean slate and avoid any emotional entanglements—even after his next-door neighbor kisses him senseless. Alana is passionate, dedicated, and most importantly leaving town soon. So why not have some fun?

Alana Wentworth comes from a larger-than-life political family, yet all she wanted was to be a librarian. Then after an embarrassing marriage proposal from Mr. Not-For-Her, she jumps at the chance to live her dream for a few months. She wasn't supposed to get involved with the community—or sexy, troubled Lucas. But when the time comes for Alana to put Walkers Ford behind her, she’s not ready. And Lucas may not be ready for her to go….



A. L. Jackson

Review: Come to Me Quietly by A. L. Jackson

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Title: Come to Me Quietly (Closer to You #1)
Author: A. L. Jackson
Date of publication: 7 Jan 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult

 Author's links:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

My rating: 3 stars




Goodreads Blurb

Aleena Moore is content with her life. She has goals and dreams and an easy smile. She also has a secret she holds locked inside.

Jared Holt believes he doesn’t deserve to love or be loved. He destroys everything he touches. Haunted by the mistake that shattered his life, he’s fled from the memory of that pain.

Jared doesn’t know why he’s compelled to return, but finds himself drawn back to the place where it all began. The exact place where it ended. When he runs into his childhood best friend, Aleena’s older brother Christopher, he agrees to share Christopher and Aleena’s apartment while he looks for a place of his own.

Aleena is no longer the little girl Jared remembers from his past and evokes feelings in him he never wanted to feel again. Terrified of destroying her, he fights to keep her away. But her touch is something he can’t resist—the touch that sealed his fate.

Their pasts are intertwined and their futures uncertain. The only truths they know are the secrets they whisper in the night.

My Review

This story was a fairly typical New adult romance following all the cliches of the genre. As a fan of romance I don't mind certain tropes even though they are predictable. I enjoy them when they are well done. Here we have the sister falling for her big brother's best friend combined it with the virgin heroine trying to save the bad boy (tattooed and riding a bike) with a tragic past. It is bound to angst-filled and engaging but it didn't work very well for me. 

What I liked was the writing style of Ms Jackson - emotional and intense, very powerful at conveying the deep and conflicting emotions of the characters, Jared in particular. He was the best thing in this story. His guilt, his inner torment, his feelings for Aleena and his reluctance to give in to them, they all felt real and convincing. I could related to him the most from all the characters. He made me angry off with his hesitance to act and his self-loathing was too much, yet there was development in his character, he came to realize and accept certain things and this made him even more realistic as a character. 

I didn't particular like or dislike Aleena. She was just bland, unremarkable. She had loved Jared since they were children and she was ready to stand by him and help him cope with his past when they met again as adults. She was defined solely through her love of Jared and I didn't get much of her personality. Everything in her past and present was related to him in one way or another. 

I am not a big fan of contemporary stories where the romance part takes paranormal dimensions - one look and they are soulmates for life. I felt that the feelings Jared and Aleena had for each went into the direction of the supernatural, meant-to-be reality which was somewhat annoying. 

I found the whole book too long. The middle section was focused entirely on the character's inner monologues and became repetitive. Nothing really happened, just Jared and Aleena going on in circles about their feelings.

I was mostly disappointed with the secondary characters and the lack of depth in their portrayal. Christopher, Aleena's brother and Jared's best friend was instrumental to the story development (he brought Jared back int their lives and he was the one who made him leave) but felt more like a plot device than a real person. There was no story with him - he embodied very cliches of the college guy in NA books - a player, going for easy girls, no job or real studying going on. He was oblivious to anything besides his own life which consisted pretty much of girls and parties. 

The story doesn't end with a cliffhanger which I greatly appreciate. There are lot of things to clear out for Jared and Aleena  and their story will be continued in book 2 which comes in July 2014.

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Review: The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley

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Title: The Emperor's Blades (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne #1)
Author: Brian Staveley
Date of publication: 14 Jan 2014
Genre: Epic Fantasy

Author's links:
Website / Facebook / Goodreads

My rating: 5 stars



Goodreads blurb

When the emperor of Annur is murdered, his children must fight to uncover the conspiracy—and the ancient enemy—that effected his death.

Kaden, the heir apparent, was for eight years sequestered in a remote mountain monastery, where he learned the inscrutable discipline of monks devoted to the Blank God. Their rituals hold the key to an ancient power which Kaden must master before it’s too late. When an imperial delegation arrives to usher him back to the capital for his coronation, he has learned just enough to realize that they are not what they seem—and enough, perhaps, to successfully fight back.

Meanwhile, in the capital, his sister Adare, master politician and Minister of Finance, struggles against the religious conspiracy that seems to be responsible for the emperor’s murder. Amid murky politics, she’s determined to have justice—but she may be condemning the wrong man.

Their brother Valyn is struggling to stay alive. He knew his training to join the Kettral— deadly warriors who fly massive birds into battle—would be arduous. But after a number of strange apparent accidents, and the last desperate warning of a dying guard, he’s convinced his father’s murderers are trying to kill him, and then his brother. He must escape north to warn Kaden—if he can first survive the brutal final test of the Kettral.
My Review
I don't read fantasy that often but I have read and enjoyed George Martin's A Game of Thrones and Tolkein's Lord of the Rings series. I picked this book after a friend of mine left it a raving review on Goodreads. Thanks, Litchick :)

It is difficult to review a book that you loved and didn't have any complaints about, still I will try to be as objective as possible in my assessment. 

I read a lot of romance, mostly contemporary and it is relatively easy for me to relate to the characters since their stories are mostly realistic. It is quite different with fantasy. For me a true sign of the writer's mastery is the ability to make the readers connect with character whom we know don't exist and are not real. And I have to admit that I felt pretty close and deeply involved with all the main (even some of the supporting) characters in Mr. Staveley's book. I even cried a bit at the death of one character in a particular, it was a very emotional moment, beautifully presented. (Mr. Stavely, you won't follow George Martin in this direction, will you?)

It is an amazing first book in an epic fantasy series. It starts slowly, creating a complex world, ruled by ancient and new gods and goddesses, an empire in turmoil after the murder of its ruler. This is the story of his heirs - two sons and a daughter and their struggles to fulfill their father's will.  

The narration flows smoothly alternating between Kaden's, Valyn's and Adare's storylines. The focus is on the boys mostly and I wish Adare was given equal attention, though the final plot twist related to her was rather shocking and attention-grabbing. They are evolve but it is more pronounced with the two brothers. It is a coming-of-age story story for both of them where they grow up through enduring hardship and pain. Kaden lives in a monastery and Valyn is training with elite military forces, yet their stories mirror each other in may ways. 

There were a number of plot twists that kept me on the edge the entire time I was reading the book. To say that the plot is interesting would be an understatement, it's captivating, engrossing, utterly absorbing. The story is even more powerful due to the wonderful writing style of the author. The world building is also very well done. We are thrown into a violent by ordinary people and supernatural creatures.

There is a dictionary of terms in the end of the book which comes handy and you can also check out a beautiful map of the Annur's empire on Brain Stavely's blog.

My review can hardly do justice to this amazing fantasy. This book goes straight into my list of best reads of 2013. I strongly recommend it to all fans of the genre and to anyone interested in reading a magical story about the fight between good and evil.

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Review: Three Broken Promises by Monica Murphy

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Title: Three Broken Promises (Drew + Fable #3)
Author: Monica Murphy
Date of publication: 31 Dec 2013
Genre: New Adult, Romance

Author's links:
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

My rating: 2 stars



Goodreads Blurb

Commitment. That’s what I really want from Colin. Ever since my brother, Danny, died in Iraq, Colin’s done so much to help me, including giving me a job at his popular restaurant so I can leave my crappy waitressing job at the strip joint. But lying in bed with him every night to comfort him from his horrible nightmares isn’t enough anymore. I know he feels guilty about Danny’s death, about not going to Iraq, but I can’t keep living this double life. 

I love him desperately, but he’s got so many demons, and if he can’t open up to me now, then he’ll never be the real partner I need him to be. I gave him a month, and now I’m out of here. If he truly loves me like he says, he knows where to find me.

My Reveiw

I really enjoyed the first two books in series One Week Girlfriend (my review) and Second Chance Boyfriend (my review) which told Drew and Fable's story. Colin and Jen were introduced in them and I was curious to see how they will work as a couple. Unfortunately, I found their story disappointing.

Colin came off as alpha male when he was first introduced - confident, self-assured, successful businessman, protective of Fable, even though she was an employee of his. He seemed strong and mature for his age. In this book I felt like we met a completely different person. He was indecisive, held back by his sense of guilt and failed obligation. He was closed off in his head, attracted to Jen, yet feeling unworthy of actually being with her. His solution to go for a friends-with-benefits sort of relationship was a sing of of his weakness to risk being open about his feelings and to go for what he really wanted.

I didn't like Jen very much, either. She acted immature and made really poor decisions on numerous occasions. She got into one bad situation after another, both in the past and in the present and her total lack of common sense and poor judgement was frustrating. 

On the positive side, Jen and Colin had great chemistry as a couple and love scenes were hot. I was rather annoyed, though, with the constant going back and forth in their relationship. There was far too much negative thinking and introspection on both parts and not enough actual communication. 

What I liked most in this book was the presence of Fable and Drew. She was her sassy, out-spoken self and the episode when Drew gives Colin relationship advise was both funny and spot on. 

Despite my disappointment with Jen and Colin I plan to continue with this series. The conclusion of Drew and Fable's romance, Drew and Fable Forever comes out on Jan 14, and Owen's story, Four Years Later, will be released on Feb 25.

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ARC Challenge: Week 7

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My friend Lexie over at Fastidious reader started an ARC Challenge 2013 together with Deniz from Closet Geeks and Slow Mo. The challenge is pretty simple - read and review at least one, if possible two ARCs a week and it goes on till the end of this year. Since I am literally swamped with ARCs some of which I requested rather foolishly, I decided to join them.


So, this week read and reviewed only one ARC - Rebel (Renegades #2) by Skye Jordan. It was a light, sexy read, just like book 1 in the Renegades series (my review). 
I also finished my review of The Emperor's Blades but per request of the publisher, I will be posting it closer to the book's release on Jan 14. 

I want to thank my friends Lexi and Deniz for organizing this challenge. I had fun participating in it and it did help me with dealing with some of my ARCs. I managed to read quite a few of them over past the month and a half, but I also accumulated some great new ones. 

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Review: Rebel by Skye Jordan

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Title: Rebel (Renegades #2)
Author: Skye Jordan
Date of publication: 21 Dec 2013
Genre/themes: Contemporary Romance

Author's links:
Facebook / Goodreads

My rating: 3.5 stars




Goodreads Blurb

Sassy, smart, and sexy, former supermodel-turned-tech guru Rubi Russo has it all—looks, money, confidence and freedom. Her life is a whirlwind of fast cars and fleeting affairs—and she likes it that way. With a past like Rubi’s, forever isn’t part of her vocabulary. So when studly Renegade stuntman Wes Lawson wants to take their friendship to the next level, she’s all out.

Raised a simple country-boy, Wes knows the brazen Rubi isn’t his type. But after spending time with her, he discovers she’s everything he’s ever wanted in a woman. To win her wild rebel heart, he’ll have to prove he sees behind her smokescreen to all the goodness she tries to hide. Then it’s just a matter of crushing her fears, shattering her barriers, and convincing her that loving him is everything she’s been missing in her life, too.

Piece of cake.

My Review

This is the second book in the Renegades series Skye Jordan, it delivers the same light and sexy fun as book 1, Reckless. I feel like there is more romance in the story of Rubi and Wes, but there is also more drama, which got just a bit too much towards the end of the book.  

This series features the type of romance that I would describe as fairy tale of dream romance. We have these gorgeous and smart and successful, almost perfect people who meet and fall in love. You need to suspend your belief in order to accept their romance and fully enjoy it. 

Wes and Rubi start as friends when they meet through their best friends, Lexi and Jax, whom we meet in Reckless. There is undeniable chemistry between them but Rubi is reluctant to act on it because of her fear of abandonment and commitment issues.

Wes is just perfect, even too good to be true, still I loved him. He It was Rubi whom I had difficulty liking enough. I understood her issues, yet it took her far too long to deal with them. Wes was so determinate, confident in what he wanted and it was really frustrating to watch Rubi's hesitation, her going back and forth in her decisions. 

I liked the reversal of the traditional roles in romance where the man is a player and he finds a sweet, innocent girl who manages to tame (change) him. In this story it was Rubi who was more sexually experienced and adventurous than Wes. She enjoyed her one-night stands and was not interested in having a long-term relationship. Wes was a more traditional, monogamous guy, going for beautiful, yet ordinary.

They were so wrong for each other, yet they complemented and challenged each other and that made their relationship work so well. It was not just hot chemistry between them, there was admiration and respect, common interests and the need and desire to take care and help the other one. 

It wasn't a smooth ride for those Rubi and Wes. Her issues ran really deep, and his ex girl-friend didn't help matters. Still, the drama surrounding their coming together was a bit excessive. I think that their final break-up was unnecessary. It was just one too many obstacles to the happy end. 

On the plus side, I loved the presence of Jax and Lexi in this book. They have crucial roles in the lives of both Rubi and Wes and I am really happy with the way their own story was further developed. 

My main disappointment with this book was the ending. It felt rushed and I wish it was developed in some more detail. Since, there will be a third book in the series (I didn't get any clues as whom it will be about, but I am hoping it is Rachel and one of the other Renegades), I hope we will see more of Wes and Rubi actually being together as a couple. 

Despite some minor weaknesses, overall it was a light fun read with some hot sexy times coupled with sweet romance.

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ARC Challenge: Week 6

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My friend Lexie over at Fastidious reader started an ARC Challenge 2013 together with Deniz from Closet Geeks and Slow Mo. The challenge is pretty simple - read and review at least one, if possible two ARCs a week and it goes on till the end of this year. Since I am literally swamped with ARCs some of which I requested rather foolishly, I decided to join them.  


As promised, this week I posted my reviews of 2 ARCs - Before We Fall (Beautifully Broken #3) (my review) by Courtney Cole and Masquerade (Games #3) (my review) by Nyrae Dawn. 


The first was a rather disappointing read for me but I quite liked the second one. The review of The Destiny of Luke and Violet got left for next week.


I finished just one ARC this week, The Emperor's Blades by Brian Staveley, and it was amazing! I don't read fantasy that often but I really, really enjoyed this one. I will be posting my review of it next week. 


I just stared another ARC - Rebel (Renegades #2) by Skye Jordan. I enjoyed the first book in the series, Reckless, and this one is quite fun so far as well. These are light and super hot romance reads.


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ARC Challenge: Week 5

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My friend Lexie over at Fastidious reader started an ARC Challenge 2013 together with Deniz from Closet Geeks and Slow Mo. The challenge is pretty simple - read and review at least one, if possible two ARCs a week and it goes on till the end of this year. Since I am literally swamped with ARCs some of which I requested rather foolishly, I decided to join them.

I am very happy to report that my ARC Challenge went really well this past week. I keep reading a lot of ARCs, though I am a bit slower when it comes to writing the reviews. 

This can be named Samantha Young's week on the blog since I published my reviews of three of her books. I already included my review of Castle Hill in the last week's post, but at the time I had it posted only on Goodreads. I wasn't planning on posting it here, since so far I was hesitant to publish my 1 and 2 star reviews on the blog. Now, I have decided to post all reviews (I'll still keep my comments on DNFs to GR only) on the blog.

This review was followed by two 4-star reviews - one for Before Jamaica Lane (my review) and the other for Until Fountain Bridge (my review). The first book is coming out on 7 Jan 2014 and I really enjoyed it. 

The second one is an already published novella, as part of On Dublin Street series and I was pleasantly surprised to find it in the end of my ARC of Before Jamaica Lane. 

 I have finished two more ARCs this week and I hope to be ready with their reviews next week.

Masquerade by Nyrae Dawn


The Destiny of Luke and Violet by Jessica Sorensen

Now,  I am thinking about taking a break from Romance and NA and trying some fantasy instead this week.

 

I just received an ARC of The Emperor's Blades (Chronicle of the Unhewn Throne #1) by Brian Staveley which I requested after reading an extatic review of by one of my GR friends. It would be nice to change my usual reads for a bit, or maybe not...

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ARC Challenege: Week 4

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My friend Lexie over at Fastidious reader started an ARC Challenge 2013 together with Deniz from Closet Geeks and Slow Mo. The challenge is pretty simple - read and review at least one, if possible two ARCs a week and it goes on till the end of this year. Since I am literally swamped with ARCs some of which I requested rather foolishly, I decided to join them.

This was a busy week for me in terms of reading and reviewing. I read two novellas, two full-length novels and I DNFed another novel. I have written reviews for half of them. 


I abandoned at 40% Jagged by Kristen Ashley and wrote a very brief review on Goodreads explaining why this book didn't work for me, despite the fact that Colorado Mountains is my favourite series of Ms Ashley.


Castle Hill by Samantha Young was a disappointment for me, so I gave it 2 stars and shared a short review on Goodreads only. 


I wrote a full review of Love a Little Sideways by Shannon Stacey which is the seventh book in her series about the Kowaslkis families. It is a nice second-chance love but it is not my favourite of this series. 

I still need to write my reviews of the other three books:


Until Jamaica Lane by Samantha Young was a great read which I really enjoyed. It includes the events from Castle Hill and in my opinion their presentation here is much better. 


Under Fountain Bridge by Samantha Young is another novella in this series and it tells the story of Ellie and Adam. It is emotional and intense and I totally loved the way their love was presented in retrospect though Ellie's diary entries.


The final book for me this week was Before We Fall by Courtney Cole. Sadly, it was another disappointment for me. I liked the first book in the Beautifully Broken series, If You Stay, and I expected more of this one.

Hopefully, I will be able to finish my reviews of all three this week. 

This time I am not making any plans what I will be reading next week. I am thinking of taking a break from ARCs since I have other book to read as well - Bold Tricks by Karina Halle is the first that comes to mind, then Making Faces By Amy Harmon, and 8 more books of the Black Dagger Brotherhood :)

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ARC Challenge: Week 3

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My friend Lexie over at Fastidious reader started an ARC Challenge 2013 together with Deniz from Closet Geeks and Slow Mo. The challenge is pretty simple - read and review at least one, if possible two ARCs a week and it goes on till the end of this year. Since I am literally swamped with ARCs some of which I requested rather foolishly, I decided to join them.

This week I managed to review just one ARC - The Chocolate Heart by Laura Florand. I started the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and got sucked into the paranormal world of vampire lovers so my ARCs got left behind. Furthermore, my baby girl was sick for a couple of days and I didn't really have enough time to read and write reviews. 

by Laura Florand


It is wonderful dream romance about a top-class French chocolatier and rich hotel heiress set in Paris. I have read only the previous book in this series, The Chocolate Touch, (my review) which I liked a lot but I enjoyed this one even more (my review)


Hopefully, things will get back on track next week, but I can promise that I will read and review more than one ARC this time. And I am not making any plans as to which one I will pick from my pile, it will be just a random last-minute choice. 

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ARC Challenge: Week 2

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My friend Lexie over at Fastidious reader started an ARC Challenge 2013 together with Deniz from Closet Geeks and Slow Mo. The challenge is pretty simple - read and review at least one, if possible two ARCs a week and it goes on till the end of this year. Since I am literally swamped with ARCs some of which I requested rather foolishly, I decided to join them.

Here is how I did with the ARC challenge: I posted 2 ARC reviews. I didn't read the books I planned initially, but still managed to finish one more ARC - The Chocolate Heart by Laura Florand.  It was a 5-star read for me and I will be posting my review hopefully on Monday. 


It is the perfect holiday romance which I enjoyed immensely (my review). It is the first in a series about the O'Neil brothers and I am already looking forward to Sean's story in book 2 which is set to be released in the summer of next year.


Sempre (Forever Series #1) - J. M. Darhower


This is a revised edition of the book which was originally self-published last year. It is shorter by 200 pages than the first edition. It is an emotional YA romantic suspense with Mafia setting (my review). I liked it a lot and plan on the reading the second and final book in the series, Sempre: Redemption, which comes out on 16 December.


My plans for this week involve reading and reviewing the books I didn't finish last week - Castle Hill: A Joss and Braden Novella by Samantha Young and Jagged (Colorado Mountain 5) by Kristen Ashley. and I am adding a holiday anthology to them, A Christmas to Remember (short stories by Hope Ramsey, Molly Cannon, Kristen Ashley, Jill Shalvis and Marilyn Pappano). I am terrible at sticking to my plans when it comes to reading, so I most likely will end up reading a completely different list of books, but still some of them will be ARCs, that's for sure. 


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Review: Sempre by J. M. Darhower

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Title: Sempre (Forever Series #1)

Author: J. M. Darhower
Date of publication: 25 Nov 2013
Genre: Romance / YA / the Mafia

Author's links:
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads


My rating: 3.5 stars


Goodreads blurb

A sexy novel about two seventeen-year-olds—one a victim of human trafficking; the other the son of the man who enslaved her—who fall in love and question everything they ever believed…
Haven Antonelli and Carmine DeMarco grew up under vastly different circumstances. Haven, a second-generation slave, was isolated in the middle of the desert, her days full of hard work and terrifying abuse. Carmine, born into a wealthy Mafia family, lived a life of privilege and excess.

Now, a twist of fate causes their worlds to collide. Entangled in a web of secrets and lies, they learn that while different on the surface, they have more in common than anyone would think.

In a world full of chaos, where money and power rule, Haven and Carmine yearn to break free, but a string of events that began before either of them were born threatens to destroy them instead. Murder and betrayal are a way of life, and nothing comes without a price—especially not freedom. But how much will they have to sacrifice? Can they escape their pasts? And, most of all, what does it mean to be free?


My Review

It is an interesting and unusual YA story, mainly because it has to do with the Italian Mafia in the US. There are also strong suspense elements surrounding the romance in the book.

The hero and heroine, Carmine and Haven, are both broken and living empty lives without hope. Their meeting sets in motion a series of events that ultimately lead their salvation and destruction.

Haven is a really unique characters. She undergoes an amazing and very difficult journey from being a slave to becoming her own person. It is more than simple coming of age story for her. Her life is filled with some much suffering and justice, she has been deprived of any choice and her biggest achievement is finally being free - both physical and mentally. The author presents her with compassion and makes you feel deeply for her. Throughout the story she really shines like the light she brings into Carmine's life. All the terms of endearment Carmine uses with her, especially the ones in Italian (tesoro), help create a very gentle and emotional portrayal of Haven.

Carmine himself is also an interesting character. In a way he is a victim as much as Haven. His change is a bit more predictable as compared to Haven's. He falls in love with this helpless innocent girl and this changes him completely. She helps him deal with his pain and guilt over the loss of his mother and ultimately, makes him a better man, one who cares about the others and is willing to sacrifice himself for the woman he loves. Just like his father did. 

Dr. DeMarco was a rare parental figure is YA literature. In most YA books that I have read the parents are usually pretty bad, irresponsible, some time downright cruel towards their children, but here, Dr. DeMarco was a refreshing exception. He is a rather complicated person, struggling with his own demons, trying to do the right things while still working for the Mafia and harbouring anger and pain over the death of his wife. He had his bad moments and did quite a few bad things but still, he was a good person. 

I liked the glimpses we get into the Mafia world, they didn't overshadow the romance but added a background to the story both justifying some the characters' actions and at the same time setting the stage for what is to come in the future for Carmine and Haven. 

The ending is bitter-sweet, the freedom they longed for and fought so hard for is put into question again. No one can really escape their past, least of all Carmine and Haven. Their struggles for a future of their own making are far from over in the end of this book.

My main complaint is the even flow of the story. It started really strong but then lost its pace around the middle. I felt that there were too many unnecessary details and some plot lines were left loose. The pace picked up in the final 1/3 and it is very much action-packed and emotionally intense. Some streamlining and tightening of the plot could great improve things for me. 

The next and final book in the series, Sempre: Redemption is coming out on 16 December and I look forward to reading it.

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Review: Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan

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Title: Sleigh Bells in the Snow (O'Neil Brothers #1)
Author: Sarah Morgan
Date of publication: 29 Oct 2013
Genre: Romance / Holidays

Author's links:
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

My rating: 4 stars



Goodreads blurb

Once upon a time, Christmas was Kayla Green's favorite time of year. Now all the workaholic wants for Christmas is for it to be over—as fast as possible! So when duty calls her to snowy Vermont to close a deal with a new client, Kayla is grateful for an excuse to avoid the holidays for another year. 

Jackson O'Neil left a thriving business behind to return home and salvage his family's resort—it's in his blood, and he can't let it fail. Now that he's got marketing whiz Kayla Green working with him to put Snow Crystal on the map, success is on the horizon. The fact they strike enough sparks off each other to power all the Christmas lights in Vermont is just an added bonus. 

Kayla might be an expert at her job, but she's out of her depth with Jackson—he makes her crave the happy-ever-after she once dreamed of, and it's terrifying. As the snowflakes continue to swirl, will the woman who doesn't believe in the magic of Christmas finally fall under its spell?

My Review

If your are looking for the perfect Christmas romance read, look no further, this is the right book for you. I haven't read any holiday romances before but after reading lowing praise for this one on Dear Author and Smexy Books, I decided to try it. And it was so worth it. I really enjoyed this feel-good heart-warming fantasy romance of gorgeous characters celebrating the true magic of Christmas.

The story is rather typical - PR city girl who hates Christmas has to work with a nature-loving guy who desperately tries to save his family-run ski resort. The setting is nothing new but the execution is really good and it makes it an enjoyable holiday read. It is fun and heart-warming, setting the right Christmas mood of family togetherness filled with shared love and the unavoidable bickering.

The small town romance is shaping as a favourite of mine and this worked really well for me. I liked all the characters - the main and supporting ones - they fitted well together creating an engaging romantic story.

The heroine, Kayla, was a wonderfully complex character and she was the focus of the story.  I was worried how authentically her hatred of Christmas could be justified but her family history provided a viable explanation of her character and actions as a whole. At the beginning of the book she was your typical workaholic city girl who avoided personal relationship. Her stay at Snow Crystal and her interactions with the O'Neils family gradually brought out another side of her character - she discovered her love of the outdoor and appreciation of nature, she found herself in immersed in this crazy family life full of warmth and care for one another and she slowly embraced it, overcoming her fears and letting people close and ultimately letting herself love and be loved.

Jackson was the perfect guy - strong and sexy, smart and determined, yet gentle and understanding, supportive and honest. I admit I have a weakness of nature-loving hunks, who enjoy life outdoors. His love for his family and his care and respect for his friends and employees just made him even more attractive.

The love story developed at the traditional Christmas backgrounds - cooking, baking and decorating. I loved how the winter sports and entertainment offered in ski resort like skiing and skating, going on dog-sleighs and snowmobiles, were used to highlight the quickly-developing relationship between Kayla and Jackson.

The secondary characters, the O'Neils' family and friends were essential to the story. Each of them was unique and had a background story of his/her own. Jackson's brothers, Tyler and Sean will be getting their told in separate books some time next year and I can't wait to read them as well.

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ARC Challenge: Week 1

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My friend Lexie over at Fastidious reader started an ARC Challenge 2013 together with Deniz from Closet Geeks and Slow Mo. The challenge is pretty simple - read and review at least 1, if possible two ARCs a week and it goes on till the end of this year. Since I am literally swamped with ARCs some of which I requested rather foolishly, I have to admit, I decided to join them. 

I have posted two ARC reviews this week:

Crash into You by Katie McGarry which I read a couple of weeks ago and I totally love it and - my review 


The Devil's Reprise by Karina Halle which was also rather good - my review


Next week I will be reviewing Sleigh Bells in the Snow by Sarah Morgan and Sempre by J. M. Darhower. I have already finished the books, now I just need to write the reviews. I hope to start reading Castle Hill: A Joss and Braden Novella by Samantha Young and Jagged (Colorado Mountain 5) by Kristen Ashley. 

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Review: Dangerous Curves Ahead by Sugar Jamison

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Title: Dangerous Curves Ahead (A Perfect Fit #1)
Author: Sugar Jamison
Date of publication: 27 August 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance


Author's links:
Website / Goodreads

My rating: 2.5 stars


Goodreads blurb

Ellis Garrett is dumping her critical boyfriend, opening a plus-size clothing store, and starting a blog - all to spread the word that fashion shouldn’t require a size-two body, and happiness should allow for the occasional cupcake. Or two. But is indulging fantasies about her sister’s long-ago ex, the still-hunky Michael Edwards, biting off more than she can chew.

Mike must be losing his detective’s touch. He doesn’t recognize Ellis when he bumps into her at Size Me Up, and he certainly doesn’t remember his ex-girlfriend’s outspoken sister being so irresistible. Her curves are indeed dangerous—and so is her wit. Could it be that Ellis is his Perfect Fit? One thing’s for sure: Mike will make it his sworn duty to find out…


My Review 

It was a nice read but I expected more of it. I was drawn to it by the premise of an overweight woman finding her place in life and love. I expected it to be funny but it offered just a witty remarks and too few laughs.

I expected to like Ellis but her but her fixation with her body image and her inability to trust Mike were repeated too often and got boring. She had too much drama in her life, too much to be realistic. I felt like the author tried to include everything - family issues, boy trouble, career change/choice, work problems, food and boy image issues. 

Mike was likeable but he had a tendency to overthink things. Both Ellis and Mike acted rather immature most of the time. There were some weird conversations between them and some of the love scene felt awkward to me. 

Too many things were happening with all the characters (and there were many character involved) and some events were just skimmed through without being developed in depth. I feel that some plot lines didn't really add to the story and could have been cut out, while others were significant but were not fully developed. 

Having said that, I liked the relationships of both Mike and Ellis with their families. Even though Mike's reconnection with his father was a bit over the top and far fetched it fitted well into the story. I also didn't appreciate much Ellis's sister and her role in the story as a whole. 

There were some pretty unbelievable situations necessary to take the story ahead - Mike not remembering Ellis, then her sister not recognising him. Neither of them had undergone a dramatic change of appearance and it all felt unrealistic. There are often such fantasy or wishful-thinking moments in romance book and I an OK with them, even like them, when they work. Unfortunately, they didn't work for me in this book. 

There were some editing errors and I was annoyed that the hero referred to the heroine by different names - Ellis, Elle, Ellie. I found this distracting and it further prevented me from enjoying this story more.

I think that this book has great potential and with some streamlining of the plot and better editing, it could be a much better read. 

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Review: Flirting with Disaster by Ruthie Knox

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Title: Flirting with Disaster (Camelot #3)
Author: Ruthie Knox
Date of publication: 10 June 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance


Author's links:
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

My rating: 4 stars

Goodreads Blurb

 In the latest eBook original novel in Ruthie Knox’s scorching-hot Camelot series, a no-strings fling looks an awful lot like falling in love—or flirting with disaster.

Fresh out of a fiasco of a marriage, Katie Clark has retreated to her hometown to start over. The new Katie is sophisticated, cavalier, and hell-bent on kicking butt at her job in her brother’s security firm. But on her first assignment—digging up the truth about the stalker threatening a world-famous singer-songwriter—Katie must endure the silent treatment from a stern but sexy partner who doesn’t want her help . . . or her company.

Sean Owens knows that if he opens his mouth around Katie, she’ll instantly remember him as the geeky kid who sat behind her in high school. Silence is golden, but he can’t keep quiet forever, not with Katie stampeding through their investigation. It’s time for Sean to step up and take control of the case, and his decade-old crush. If he can break through Katie’s newfound independence, they just might find they make a perfect team—on the road, on the job, and in bed.
My review

This is a typical steamy contemporary romance but what makes it stand out among its peers are the strong and complex characters and the realistic and engaging writhing style of Ms Knox.

What made this book work so well for me was mostly the hero, Sean. Don't get me wrong, the heroine, Katie, was a great character as well, but Sean just stole the show. He is a hot alpha male who stutters, hacks computers and has had a crush on our heroine since high school. Did I say he is hot? :)

I loved how complex and multidimensional the main characters in this book are. Katie is in bad place in her life - divorced, back to her home town, working for her brother's security company, not knowing who she is and what she wants to be. Enter Sean - he owns a successful Internet security company in California and is back to Camelot (temporary) to settle his mother's estate after her death and in the meanwhile starts working for Katie's brother. Put together on an assignment (more about later on) they get together more than just professionally.

Sean seems to be the exact opposite of Katie - he is in control of his life and at least on the outside, seems to know who he is and what he wants. Yet, as the story goes and his relationship with Katie develpes into something ore than casual fling, Sean questions his choices in life and facing his past, he turns out to be just as lost as Katie.

I liked the way Sean's problems with stuttering are presented. I can't tell if it is realistic or not, but his character is created with compassion and understanding. He is not just your typical super successful, possessive alpha male. He loses all his cool in front of Katie and becomes the awkward, lonely teenager he used to be. That's what makes him so cute and just irresistible.

Katie struggles through her own issues in this book. After a disastrous marriage where she sacrificed herself for the success of her husband, he is desperately trying to find her independence and is afraid to let herself care about other people (Sean, as well as their client, Judah) too much.

The struggles both Katie and Sean go through en route to their happily ever after feel very real. They both make mistakes which only makes them more human and even more likeable.

For me the weakest element in the story was the plot line with the security assignment Sean and Katie worked on. Judah is an ageing pop star who hires them because he was receiving threatening messages. He wants their help, but it takes him quite a while to share his true problems with them. I liked Judah's character and enjoyed his POV in the book but I found the whole situation with his protection/security totally unprofessional.

This was my first book by Ruthie Knox and I really enjoyed it. As a big fan of contemporary romances, especially well-written and character-driven ones, I definitely plan of checking more of Ms Knox's Camelot series.

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