Book Reviews Archives - Page 22 of 114

Series Review: The Fallen Men by Giana Darling

Jul 13, 2020

I’ve talked about this series briefly over the last couple of months. But I thought it was time for me to write a full series review of the books that are currently out. Book five Inked in Lies is due to release later this month and I’m so excited. But today I’m sharing my thoughts of the first four books in the series.

Trigger Warnings: Abuse, Abduction, Neglect, Torture, Death, Cancer. These are MC and age gap romances, therefore, some things happen throughout the series that is questionable at times. But that does come along with the MC romance genre.

At the moment this series is in the middle of being dark – but I feel that it will go there for sure as the series goes on. It’s on the tamer side of some of the MC romances I’ve read with the Hades Hangman series being one of the darkest. So The Fallen Men series is in the middle at the moment for sure. Enough of this let’s get into it.

Lessons in Corruption: Book one in the series starts with a bang. This is a slight student/teacher romance. This is one of the most taboo books of the series, and I was very hesitant to pick it up. However, it wasn’t as bad as I first thought it was going to be. This series had been on my radar for a while, but I didn’t know how I would go with the romance. But I liked how Giana Darling explored the relationship. Cress is trying to put her life back together after leaving her loveless marriage and then she runs into King.

They have an instant connection, but that gets turned on its head when he turns out to be her student. This part of the romance was hard for me. I wanted to fall in love with these characters because they were great, but this did make me pull away from the story. However, as the novel did go on and because of certain events, I did enjoy Cress and King together.

King was a really interesting male protagonist. I enjoy the vibe that he had. He was this bad boy, but also loved reading and gosh I loved that. There was this small alpha male trope going on – but it wasn’t really heavy on that. So I didn’t mind too much.

While Lessons in Corruption didn’t have a lot of the traditional MC tropes or events until the last 30% or so and I enjoyed that as well. One of the things that I also loved was the relationship between Cress and the men of the MC. I just loved it. The banter, the respect and the love that they have. It was a great introduction to The Fallen Men world.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

Welcome to the Dark Side: This one follows King’s father Zeus and his romance with Lou. This is the most taboo of all the books and one I did struggle with a little. But I also really liked how the relationship between Zeus and Lou built throughout the book. Lou has known Zeus most of her life, in fact, he saved her. And this is what started their friendship. After Zeus is realised from prison he tries to distance himself from Lou, until she takes matters in her own hands.

I also want to make a quick note that I am not condoning a lot that happens throughout this book if it would happen in real life. This is a work of fiction for me. Okay, let’s go back into the review.

Things get a lot darker in a sense of the MC world in this book. Things are starting to heat up for Zeus and his Fallen Men. And I loved getting to look more into this. As I mentioned, I enjoy reading MC romance and the reader can start seeing more of it here.

Lou was such a lovely protagonist. I loved getting to know her. I loved that she was girly, but then she was this tough ass and ah yes! The reader gets to see these two sides of her. But then the reader can see the side of her that even Lou doesn’t want to expose. This book was quite heartbreaking at times and gosh did I just want to get Lou a massive hug.

As I said things are starting to heat up in this The Fallen Men book, in regards to the MC and things, are getting much more intense. I like a lot about this one

Good Gone Bad: This is probably my less favourite book from The Fallen Men series, but I didn’t hate it at all. I just wasn’t able to connect with the characters as much compared to the other books. I liked the start and the end, but the middle was just a little eh to me.

Good Gone Bad follows characters the reader already knows very well. First, we have Harleigh Rose, daughter of Zeus and brother to King. I loved that we got a book from her perspective. She was such an interesting character to see from the sidelines. But then being in her head. I loved it. She is a true biker’s daughter. In saying that there were times where I wanted to shake her up. I wanted her to talk with her family. They would do anything for her, and then to see her distance herself.

Then we have Danner. He was such an interesting character and the perfect romance interest for Harleigh Rose. I loved that he had this good and bad side. He would do anything to protect those that he loves, especially Harleigh Rose.

The romance in this one was really interesting. I loved the banter between the two. They fit each other perfectly without changing them. They were both able to be the best of themselves and the other brought it out so well. I loved that we got to see more of both Danner and Harleigh Rose when they were younger the dynamic that they had then and how it grew throughout both of their lives. It was really interesting. Darling can create such fantastic romantic tension and it works brilliantly here.

Like I said I didn’t love the middle of this one. It just felt as if things were being dragged along. I felt like I didn’t care what was happening – and that was a shame.

Overall, I did enjoy getting to know Harleigh Rose and Danner more and I can’t wait to see more of them as the series goes on.

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

After The Fall: This book tore me to part. I did not survive this book. Seriously I was a sobbing mess for most of this week. If you want a book that won’t make you cry, then this one is not for you. While the series isn’t over this felt like it was an ending to one story and the beginning of another.

After the Fall follows Cress and King as things are starting to heat up for the MC. Things are starting to get much darker and more heartbreaking. I think all the books that do follow won’t be suns and daisy, The Fallen Men are going to be in for a ride.

I loved getting to see more of Cress and King and not just through other characters eyes. The reader gets to see where their relationship is and how far they have come. I did love them together much more in this one then their first book. Everything felt more fleshed out and clicked more when reading.

Another that I loved about After the Fall was the reader can see everyone else as well. It’s not just Cress and Kings’ book, but it’s a Fallen Men book. And that was fantastic.

There are so many things that happen in this book that tore my heart out. The last maybe 50 pages or so I was crying so much. It hurt. It hurt. But it was also so beautifully done. It hurt, but it hurt good.

***

And that is it for this series review! Have you read The Fallen Men series? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: The Dare by Elle Kennedy

Jul 8, 2020

The Dare (Briar U #4) by Elle Kennedy

Pages: 354
Publish date: June 16, 2020
Publisher: –
ISBN: 9781777112134
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

College was supposed to be my chance to get over my ugly-duckling complex and spread my wings. Instead, I wound up in a sorority full of mean girls. I already have a hard time fitting in, so when my Kappa Chi sisters issue the challenge, I can’t say no.

The dare: seduce the hottest new hockey player in the junior class.

Conor Edwards is a regular at Greek Row parties…and in Greek Row sorority beds. He’s the one you fall for before you learn that guys like him don’t give girls like me a second glance. Except Mr Popular throws me for a loop—rather than laughing in my face, he does me a solid by letting me take him upstairs to pretend we’re getting busy.

Even crazier, now he wants to keep pretending. Turns out Conor loves games, and he thinks it’s fun to pull the wool over my frenemies’ eyes.

But resisting his easy charm and surfer-boy hotness is darn near impossible. Though I’m realizing there’s much more to Conor’s story than his fan club can see.

And the longer this silly ruse goes on, the greater the danger of it all blowing up in my face.

The Dare:

I’ve been reading Elle Kennedy for some time now. She is one of my most read authors and while this series hasn’t been my favourite, I did want to finish it. It’s been nearly two weeks since I finished The Dare and I’m still not sure how I feel about it. There are parts that I loved and others that didn’t sit well with me.

The Dare follows protagonist Taylor as she tries to navigate her life in college. But Taylor feels like she doesn’t fit in. When she’s challenged by her sorority to seduce the hottest hockey player, she has no choice she accepts. But Taylor has a trick up her sleeve. When Conor Edwards becomes Taylor’s dare he doesn’t know what to expect. And he can’t help but want to help her. But what starts as a game, turns into something more the longer they play.

Photo by Arthur Edelman on Unsplash

Taylor was an interesting protagonist. At first, it was hard for me to connect with her. I’m not sure what it was that held me back, but as the novel went on I began to enjoy reading about her. I felt that her voice was really strong and I liked getting to know her more. Taylor’s character arc was really interesting and the reader can see her grow throughout the book. I will talk more about this later, but I felt that there was a big focus on her insecurities. And that took away from getting to know Taylor as Taylor.

If you have read any books previous in the Briar U series you would have met Conor. And while I wasn’t his biggest fan, I did want to know more about him. At first, Conor is your typical New Adult college boy and male protagonist. But like Taylor, as the novel went on the reader gets to see him grow. It’s always strange when your perspective changes on a character. Maybe it’s because the reader can see Conor in a different light. And instead of seeing him from the perspective of others, we get to see the real him.

The romance in The Dare was really enjoyable. I liked that Taylor and Conor were friends before anything. It added something more to their romance and I loved that. They were adorable together, it just made me smile. I love the fake dating trope and this was a fun way to look at it. The chemistry is very clear from the start and the reader gets to see both Taylor and Conor fall for one another.

Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash

Like I said I love the fake dating trope, so I loved that side of the novel. It was fun, engaging and just made me smile. Elle Kennedy is great at writing fantastic chemistry both romanticly and friendship wise and that is evident here. At times I did feel that the plot lack something, but I can’t figure out what it was. It was just missing some -. I don’t even know the word. I’m not a massive fan of the miscommunication or not talking trope and there was some of that here.

There were a few problems that arose for me while reading The Dare. I wasn’t a massive fan of how body image was presented throughout the novel. At first, I enjoyed that Taylor was curvy. But then it became all about that. I felt that her insecurities too over the novel, but not in a good way. I just want a novel where there is a curvy/plus size protagonist and it doesn’t come down to her weight or how she looks. That would be nice. I also felt that there were a few moments throughout the novel that made me cringe and second guess what I was reading. They were just some side remarks that didn’t sit well with me.

Photo by Vince Fleming on Unsplash

Overall I enjoyed reading The Dare by Elle Kennedy. It was a great conclusion to the end of a series. While I didn’t fall in love with everything in this series, it was still fun to read. I’m interested in what Elle Kennedy brings out next. I enjoyed the romance between Taylor and Conor and loved seeing them fall in love. And while I did have some problems with the book, it didn’t take too much away from me. If you are looking for a fun new adult romance series, this is a great one to pick up.

Have you read The Dare by Elle Kennedy yet? What did you think of it? Have you read any books in this series? Let’s Chat!

Book Review: A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby by Vanessa Riley

Jun 26, 2020

A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby (Rogues and Remarkable Women #1) by Vanessa Riley

Pages: 320
Publish date: June 30th 2020
Publisher: Zebra
ISBN: 9781420152234
Purchase: Book Depository – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU – QBD

When headstrong West Indian heiress Patience Jordan questioned her English husband’s mysterious suicide, she lost everything: her newborn son, Lionel, her fortune—and her freedom. Falsely imprisoned, she risks her life to be near her child—until The Widow’s Grace gets her hired as her own son’s nanny. But working for his unsuspecting new guardian, Busick Strathmore, Duke of Repington, has perils of its own. Especially when Patience discovers his military strictness belies an ex-rake of unswerving honour—and unexpected passion…

A wounded military hero, Busick is determined to resolve his dead cousin’s dangerous financial dealings for Lionel’s sake. But his investigation is a minor skirmish compared to dealing with the forthright, courageous, and alluring Patience. Somehow, she’s breaking his rules, and sweeping past his defences. Soon, between formidable enemies and obstacles, they form a fragile trust—but will it be enough to save the future they long to dare together?

A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby:

I received an earc of A Duke, the Lady and a Baby by Vanessa Riley from Kensington Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings of the book.

As soon as I read the synopsis for this one I knew that I needed it. And while I wasn’t disappointed per se, it didn’t live up to what I was hoping it would. It wasn’t bad at all, but I felt that it was missing a few things that would have made it pop.

A Duke, the Lady and a Baby follows our protagonist Patience as she tries to get back with her baby boy. After the death of her husband, Patience is throw out of her home and her baby is taken away. And Patience will do anything to get his baby back. Even act as the baby’s nanny when Busick takes over the house. Meanwhile, Busick is determined to fix his dead cousin’s financial dealings for baby Lionel. Wounded from the war Busick just wants to make thing right. However, he keeps on getting distracted by the new nanny. After a common enemy arises between the two, Patience and Busick must trust each other for both their sakes and Lionel’s.

Photo by Luma Pimentel on Unsplash

Patience was an interesting protagonist. Most of the time I enjoyed her. I liked her determination and will. From the start, the reader can see how much she cares for her baby. But that also gets in her way. She just wants her baby back and she doesn’t care too much about anything else. And this leads to her being in some dangerous situations. I loved the moments between Patience and Lionel. I loved seeing her care so much about him. It was really sweet.

I also really enjoyed seeing Busick throughout A Duke, the Lady and a Baby. He was easier to get along with than Patience and I liked knowing his story. The banter he had with his men and even Patience was a nice touch. I do wish we got to know more about him, but that wasn’t a massive deal for me. I feel that his character arc was more rounded out though.

The romance was quite sweet in A Duke, the Lady and a Baby. I do wish that we were able to see Patience and Busick connect more, but I could see where the author was going with it. I liked their banter and the interactions a lot. It was different from most historical romance. Simply because the female protagonist has already been married and has a child and I enjoyed that a lot.

Photo by 德綱曾 on Unsplash

One of my major issues with the book was the changes in point of views. It was a mix of first-person with Patience and then in third person, limited with Busick. It was confusing at first and as the novel went on it only got more annoying. I wish that the author picked one and then stuck with it. By using both it felt unfinished and took away from the reading experience.

Another thing that I missed from this book was the feeling that I get when I normally read a historical romance. There were parts where I did get that feeling, but overall it wasn’t there enough. I can’t explain the feeling I get when I do read historical romance. I think others that do read it will know what I mean. But it just wasn’t there for me.

One of the things that I did like about A Duke, the Lady and a Baby was the inclusion of diversity. Patience is a West Indian living in England, while Busick injury from the war has left him permanently disabled. I loved the inclusion of both. I can’t talk about how the representation was but I thought that it was nicely included in the book. It didn’t feel out of place or forced and I enjoyed that.

Photo by Twitter: @jankolario on Unsplash

Overall, I enjoyed reading A Duke, the Lady and a Baby by Vanessa Riley. It was a good historical romance that has its faults but I still enjoyed reading it. I love that it includes diversity and sadly it isn’t something seen a lot in historical romance. Patience and Busick had chemistry and it was nice seeing them fall for one another. I will be continuing this series for sure. I enjoyed the secondary characters and would love to know how their lives turn out. If you are looking for a historical romance that is a little different, then this one is for you.