Book Reviews Archives - Page 17 of 115

Book Review: Muses & Melodies by Rebecca Yarros

Oct 7, 2020

Muses & Melodies (Hush Note #3) by Rebecca Yarros

Pages: 307
Publish date: October 6th 2020
Publisher: Yarros Ink, LLC
ASIN: B0867PLCKB
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – Kobo – Apple Books

If I can keep Hush Note’s leading guitarist, Nixon Winters, on the straight and narrow for the next six months, I’ll finally get my own band to manage—assuming we don’t kill each other first.

The egotistical, irritating rock star is fresh out of rehab, but it’s obvious his demons followed him home—and now I’m sleeping down the hall. I’ve watched him self-destruct every summer, and with album deadlines and tour dates looming, I can’t let it happen again. My career is in his hands.

But tattoos can’t cover every scar, and I’m starting to see through his trademark, irresistible charm to the damage beneath.

Everyone wants the rock star.
I’m falling for the man.

If he doesn’t let me in,
he’ll never break the cycle—
And when these six months are up,
I might be the one left broken.

Muses & Melodies:

I received an earc of Muses & Melodies by Rebecca Yarros in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I’m going a little backwards in my reviews for this series. I’m reviewing this one before the second book, but that review will be coming next week. You can check out my review for book 1 Lies & Lullabies by Sarina Bowen now.

I always know that it’s going to be an emotional rollercoaster when I pick up a Rebecca Yarros book. I know that I’m going to be torn to pieces and hurt a lot – and I wasn’t wrong here. Muses & Melodies is emotional and it hurts. But it’s also a fantastic read.

Muses & Melodies follows the last member of the band and lead guitarist Nixon. His life hasn’t been easy, to deal with his demons Nixon turns to the party lifestyle of a rocker of women, alcohol and drugs. But he wants to get himself clean, not only for himself but for his band. Zoe has had to watch Nixon slowly fall apart, but with him fresh out of rehab, she has the job of watching him. Making sure he doesn’t fall back into old habits. But being stuck together isn’t easy, and when Nixon’s walls start to break and Zoe starts to see the real him. But she is only going to be here for 6 months, and when it’s over will she be left broken.

Photo by Caio Silva on Unsplash

I really enjoyed Zoe as a protagonist. She was fierce, strong and independent. I liked that she not only pushed herself but those around her. But I also loved that she had weaknesses. That she wasn’t superwomen or perfect. She was real. I’ve talked about this before, but Rebecca Yarros know how to write honest and real characters and Zoe is no different. She is honest and real. The reader gets to see her grow throughout Muses & Melodies and it was fantastic.

Nixon was a complicated character. He isn’t something that you can fall in love with right away. He has a lot of demons and that plays with who he is. It was interesting trying to figure out what caused these demons that Nix has and as the novel goes on we slowly start to see some of it. And as he starts to let go on some of those he lets others in.

The romance had many ups and downs. There is a lot of angst in this one. And while I don’t normally love it, Rebecca can write it so well that I do. There is the slight use of the fake dating trope and gosh did I love it. It just made everything so much better. I loved seeing what Nix and Zoe bought out in one another. They pushed each other to be better, but also pushed to move past their demons and try and live a good life. It’s intense at times and there were many mistakes made throughout Muses & Melodies, but it’s also a journey.

Photo by henri meilhac on Unsplash

Many themes are present throughout Muses & Melodies. Nix has a lot of demons that have taken over his life and because of that, he has become addicted. I think the way that addiction was explored throughout the series and the book was well done and explores the many ups and downs of recovering. Muses & Melodies also explores the idea of family and how it’s not always made up by people with that share the same DNA. I loved that we got to see more of the Hush Note crew it and how they wanted to support not only Nix but Zoe as well.

I loved the Hush Note series as a whole. It was a great rocker romance series and exactly what I needed. I liked that each author took a band member but it still felt like a while series that connected perfectly. I do wish we got to see each member more in books that weren’t their own, but it wasn’t a massive deal.

Photo by Sebastian Ervi on Unsplash

Overall, I loved reading Muses & Melodies by Rebecca Yarros. It was a great ending to this series and wrapped up everyone quite nice. This faking dating romance is hard-hitting and emotional at times, but it’s also beautiful. It explores overcoming, finding and believing in yourself and also that sometimes it’s okay to get a little help. Nixon and Zoe were perfect for one another. They balanced each other, they pushed each other. But they also loved one another. If you are looking for a new rocker series then pick up Hush Note, you won’t be disappointed.

Have you read the Hush Note series yet? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? What are some of your favourite rocker romances? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: Tempting Lies by Sara Whitney

Oct 2, 2020

Tempting Lies (Tempt Me #4) by Sara Whitney

Pages: 290
Publish date: September 10th 2020
Publisher: LoveSpark Press
ASIN: 085W7KWF9
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Thea needs help renovating her house. Aiden needs help renovating his reputation. A fake engagement could solve both of their problems—or it could create a whole set of new ones.

After her widowed mother rushed into a marriage they both regretted, Thea Blackwell vowed never to commit to anything. Not jobs, Not hairstyles. Not men. Still, part of her wishes she had enough money—and enough courage—to buy her dream home and have it renovated by the gorgeous former neighbor who never spared her a second glance.

Aiden Murdoch put his playboy ways behind him to help his ailing father run the family business, but he can’t seem to escape his scandalous past. Then his childhood friend Thea shows him the listing for a tumbledown fixer-upper, and he stumbles on the perfect solution: he’ll provide the labor on her new house, and she’ll make him look happily domesticated in front of his father’s nervous clients.

But fake kisses can lead to real feelings, and their simple arrangement gets complicated fast, leaving Thea unsure if her pretend fiancé has truly given up his wild ways and Aiden aching to prove he’s worth a lifelong commitment. Are they brave enough to tear down the lies they’ve told each other, or will the future they’re building turn to sawdust?

Tempting Lies:

I received a free earc of Tempting Lies by Sara Whitney via Inkslinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I didn’t know too much about this book when I picked it up. However, I’m always looking for second chance romances and this one was something that sparked my interest. And I ended up enjoying it quite a bit.

Tempting Lies follows Thea Blackwell as she tries to navigate her life not committing to anything including love. But when her dream home goes on the market she would do anything to have it. It’s her princess home after all. But the one person that can help her is her former neighbour who has never spared her a second glance. Aiden Murdoch would do anything for his family, including putting aside his playboy ways. And when an old childhood friend needs some help he thinks of the perfect solution. It starts with fake kisses and then it turns into something much more. But both Thea and Aiden have their concerns and commitment issues and things start to get complicated very fast.

Photo by Jorge Salvador on Unsplash

Thea is such a pleasure of a character and while at times I just wanted to give her a little shake to wake her up, I still enjoyed reading her. At a young age, Thea lost her father and her mother quickly moved her away from her home and married her stepfather. Because of all this Thea doesn’t like the idea of committing to anything. From her job to the way that she looks, let alone her love life. But something about Aiden changes her and it’s not something that she likes at first. I loved that Thea would dive headfirst into things. That she would help where it’s needed and not even second guess the situation.

I also enjoyed Aiden as a protagonist in Tempting Lies. On the outside, he looks like this very rough. But Aiden is sweet. He cares what people think of them and he only wants to be the best for this family. I felt for him throughout the novel when those around him judged him and he just wanted to do some good and be seen that way. The reader can see Aiden grow throughout the novel and not only get to understand Thea more but himself as well.

The romance in Tempting Lies is both adorable and sexy. I loved the build-up between the two of them. From the start, the reader can see there is a heap of chemistry between Aiden and Thea. One of my favourite things about reading Tempting Lies was seeing these two fall for one another. It’s slow at first, and then it picks up the pace and it’s fantastic. I liked what they did with each other. They made the other better and that was nice to see.

Photo by KJ Styles on Unsplash

I adore the fake dating trope. It’s a trope that is not only fun but plays with the characters and their arcs. One of my favourite things about Tempting Lies is that it was Aiden that wanted more first and admitted it. We rarely get to see a male own up to his feelings first, the way that Aiden did and I loved it.

Family is a complicated thing throughout this book. I felt that for the most part, Aiden had a great support system. He and his brother had some unsaid things, but it was nice to see them talk through it and come to terms with it. Their parents were also fantastic. I wish that Thea had more of a support system though. Her stepfather was a dickhead and her mother didn’t support her in the way that I wish she would have. I also felt that though she had friends, there were times when I felt that she was alone and I wanted her to have someone at least to talk about anything with.

Photo by Lauren Richmond on Unsplash

Overall, Tempting Lies by Sara Whitney was a lovely book. It had all the right elements and I had a great time reading. Thea and Aiden had a heap of chemistry and I loved seeing them fall for one another. Tempting Lies explores fake dating, friends to lovers as well as family, friendship and believing in yourself. It’s a great romance that has all the right elements. I might pick up the rest of the series in the future and hear their stories.

Have you read Tempting Lies by Sara Whitney? What did you think of it? Have you read anything from Sara Witney? Let’s Chat!

Author Bio

Sara Whitney writes sassy, sexy contemporary romance novels packed with wit, heat, and heart. A 2019 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart award finalist, Sara worked as a newspaper reporter and film critic before she earned her Ph.D. and landed in academia. She’s a good pinball player, a so-so karaoke singer, and an expert TV opinion-haver.

In a funny twist of fate, Sara’s married to a divorce attorney, and she likes to think that her happily-ever-afters help keep their household in balance. She and her husband live in the Midwest surrounded by books, cats, and half-empty coffee cups. Keep up with Sara by subscribing to her mailing list here.

Reading The Highest Rated Books on My TBR

Sep 26, 2020

Today I’m sharing with you something really fun. I decided to read the highest rated books on Goodreads tbr and see if I agree with the rating. Not only was this something fun to do, but it also helped me read a few more books on my tbr. Which may or may not be getting out of hand.

So I went onto my Goodreads to be read list where I have a mix of books that I own that I want to read and books that have yet to come out and I want to read. I then picked 2 books off the list. I did have some points that it had to hit just to make it a little easier for me.

The books that I had to pick had to be

– a published book
– have over 1000 ratings
– be fiction
– not the next book in a series that I haven’t read or don’t remember
– I have to own the book

Because of this it easy for me to find the books that I wanted. In the end, the two books that had my highest-rated and hit the points above were The Burning Shadow (Origin #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout and Always Only You (Bergman Brothers #2) by Chloe Liese. Yes they are both sequels but I had just read the first in the Bergman Brothers series and I remembered what happened in the first Origin book.

The Burning Shadow (Origin #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Pages: 432
Publish date: October 8th 2019
Publisher: Tor Teen
ISBN: 9781250258069
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

When Evelyn Dasher crossed paths with Luc, she was thrown headfirst into the world of the Lux–only to discover that she was already far more involved in their world than she ever suspected.

Because the Luxen aren’t the only ones with a hidden past. There’s a gap in Evie’s memory, lost months of her life and a lingering sense that something happened, something she can’t remember and nobody is willing to tell her. She needs to find out the truth about who she is–and who she was. But every answer she finds only brings up more questions.

Her search for the truth brings her ever closer to Luc, the Origin at the centre of it all. He’s powerful, arrogant, inhumanly beautiful, extremely dangerous…and possibly in love with her. But even as Evie falls for him, she can’t help but wonder if his attraction is to her, or to the memory of a girl who no longer exists.

And all the while, a new threat looms: reports of a flu-like, fatal virus that the government insists is being spread by Luxen. A horrifying illness that changes whoever it touches, spreading panic across a country already at its breaking point.

The Burning Shadow:

I’ve been dying to read this one since last year. But I just never seemed in the mood to pick it up. I have to be really in the mood to read a science fiction book. It’s not something that I always read and I need to be in the right frame to read it. But as soon as I saw it was one of my highest rated I knew I wanted to pick it up. And I’m so glad that I did.

The Burning Shadow follows the events of The Darkest Star. Evie is still reeling from the news of who she is and the events of the past book. Evie doesn’t know who she is and there are gaps in her memory. Months that she can’t remember, but she does know that they are important. And now things are getting more dangerous. A flu-like virus is spreading the government is blaming Luxen. As the tension heats up Evie needs to not only survive her new life and everything that is happening around her, but also her feelings for Luc. Who she can’t help but keep on falling for.

I have forgotten how much I love this world and characters. The world is bold, changing and always pulling me in. The characters are sassy, intriguing and you never know who to trust. It’s one of those books that you never know what is going to happen. You think you do and then it does a 180 and you are throw in another direction.

I love Evie as a protagonist in The Burning Shadow. She is resilient, strong and she grew more and more as the novel went on. One of my favourite things to see is a character grow over a series and we are getting to see that her with Evie. She is not only getting to know herself more but also who she was. There were times when I want to give her a little push in the right direction, but she made it there eventually.

Luc is one of my favourite characters of all time. He is funny and entertaining. He can relieve the tension in a very intense book. Luc had these classics moments throughout The Burning Shadow that just made me laugh out loud and it was fantastic.

I adored that the reader can see old characters come in and out of The Burning Shadow and I think they will be heavily featured in the next book for sure. It was like seeing old friends and put a smile on my face.

The ending was intense and I have no idea what is going to happen next. Jennifer L. Armentrout knows how to write massive cliff hangers that leave you guessing. I’m nervous and excited to see where it all goes. The Burning Shadow was intense, but it was only the tip of the iceberg and things are about to plummet and get very interesting.

Overall, I love reading The Burning Shadow. Evie and Luc are simply fantastic, both as their character, and together they are so much fun. I adored the romance, the friendships and the plot keeps on giving. If you are looking for a fun science-fiction high adult young, then this series is for you.

Always Only You (Bergman Brothers #2) by Chloe Liese

Pages: 355
Publish date: July 25, 2020
Publisher: –
ISBN: 9798657410969
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Ren

The moment I met her, I knew Frankie Zeferino was someone worth waiting for. Deadpan delivery, secret heart of gold, and a rare one-dimpled smile that makes my knees weak, Frankie has been forbidden since the day she and I became coworkers, meaning waiting has been the name of my game—besides, hockey, that is.

I’m a player on the team, she’s on staff, and as long as we work together, dating is off-limits. But patience has always been my virtue. Frankie won’t be here forever—she’s headed for bigger, better things. I just hope that when she leaves the team and I tell her how I feel, she won’t want to leave me behind, too.

Frankie

I’ve had a problem at work since the day Ren Bergman joined the team: a six-foot-three hunk of happy with a sunshine smile. I’m a grumbly grump and his ridiculously good nature drives me nuts, but even I can’t entirely ignore that hot tamale of a ginger with icy eyes, the perfect playoff beard, and a body built for sin that he’s annoyingly modest about.

Before I got wise, I would have tripped over myself to get a guy like Ren, but with my diagnosis, I’ve learned what I am to most people in my life—a problem, not a person. Now, opening my heart to anyone, no matter how sweet, is the last thing I’m prepared to do.

Always Only You:

Last month I picked up Only When It’s Us and loved it to pieces, so when I saw that Always Only You was one of the highest-rated books on my tbr, I was immediately happy. Ren was someone that caught my eye from the first book. I wanted to know more of his story, and then I found out that it always includes a disabled love interest. You know me.

Always Only You follows Ren Bergman as he tries to keep his distance from Frankie Zeferino. He knows that he wants her, but that becomes forbidden when they became coworkers. He likes her one dimple and her deadpan remarks. But he’s running out of time. And he wants to make sure that he’s not left behind once she leaves. Frankie knows that Ren is trouble, but he keeps pushing her in ways that she can’t help but let him. She wants him there is no denying it, but she feels like she will be a problem – one that he can’t help but want to fix.

Frankie was such a fabulous protagonist. I love her so much. I liked that she was oh so smiley and happy all the time. It created such a great contrast with Ren and different from what we normally see. I loved that we go to see her living with a disability. The highs and lows and having a chronic condition as well as having autism. It was such a fantastic thing to see and I want more of it. The reader can see Frankie grow throughout the novel and I loved that a lot.

Ren was just so amazing. I like the difference between him and Frankie, but together they were amazing. Ren is always so happy and that makes the novel such a pleasure to read. I mean I love seeing grumpy male protagonist, but it was nice to see something a little different. I also liked that he wasn’t all smiles the whole time. Always Only You explores the different emotions that people can go through and you don’t always have to be the same.

I adored the romance in this one. I think it’s been my favourite of the two so far. It was simple, but because and just made me smile. I liked that they both cared for another one and never pushed the other for anything more. But they still pushed each other when they needed that little bit more. It was a great balance.

One of my favourite things about Always Only You is the way that disability is explored. I loved the first book and it was explored there, and this is just as amazing. Frankie has gone through things in her past and that has made her very warning of relationships, but Ren can break down those walls. And they both learn how to be there for one other. Frankie learns that it’s okay that someone wants to look after her, and it doesn’t always mean that they think that she can’t do it.

There are some fantastic moments throughout the book, but there is one scene when Frankie does something for Ren and his family and gosh it melted my heart and made me cry so much. It was beautiful.

Overall I loved reading Always Only You by Chloe Liese. It’s a fun, beautiful and charming sports romance that explores the ups and downs of falling in love. Ren and Frankie were amazing and I can’t wait to see more of them in future books. I adore the exploration of disability in the book and I can’t wait to see more of it throughout the series. This is a fantastic read and if you haven’t picked up this series yet please do.

And there we have it. Those are two of the highest-rated books on my TBR. I’m so happy that I enjoyed them as much as I did. These are both fantastic books and live up to their rating for me. Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them?

Would you like to see more of this? Maybe read some of my lowest rated books? Maybe some more of my highest? Let’s Chat!