Angel Reads

20 Feb

Book Review: Jagged Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan

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Jagged Ink (Montgomery Ink: Colorado Springs #3) by Carrie Ann Ryan

Pages: 250
Publish date: February 19th 2019
Publisher: –
ASIN: B079Y2HBLC
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Roxie Montgomery met her soul mate when she least expected it. When he asked her to marry him, she thought her happily ever after was only just beginning. Then, she found that walking into the sunset was much harder than her favorite books made it out to be. After a crushing loss, she feels as though she doesn’t know her husband anymore, or rather…she doesn’t know herself.

Carter Marshall has loved Roxie since the first time he saw her. But as the days pass between them, so does the distance. He doesn’t know how to show her that he’s all in, and honestly doesn’t know if she’s in at all. When an accident changes everything, they’ll have to decide if what they have can be salvaged, or if starting over is the answer. Or even possible.

Without fighting, without a true new beginning, sometimes, the remnants of what was lost can leave anyone jagged, shells of what they were before. It will take more than the idea of forever for Roxie and Carter to find themselves again, but as the Montgomerys know, nothing worth fighting for is easy.

Jagged Ink:

I received an earc of Jagged Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan from Ink Slinger PR in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

I started reading Carrie Ann Ryan’s Montgomery Ink series last year and fell in love with the characters and their stories. The story of Roxie and Carter caught my eye since the beginning of the Colorado Springs series. There have always been hints about troubles for Roxie and Carter and they come full force in Jagged Ink, including why it all came to be.

Jagged Ink follows married couple Roxie and Carter who thought they had it all. Roxie thought that she met her soul mate, she thought she got her happily ever after. But after a loss that tore her apart, she doesn’t even know if she has a husband anymore, let alone herself. Carter Marshall has loved Roxie since he can remember, she not only brought him love but a family that he never thought he would have. When an accident changes everything between them, Roxie and Carter have some tough decisions that need to be made. But will they both get through and survive?

I don’t read much if any books about couples that are already together, so from the get-go, this was a different reading experience for me. But I still really enjoyed it. The connection between Roxie and Carter was still very much there, but with everything that these two have gone through, they have lost hope.

Isaac Ordaz

Roxie was a really interesting protagonist, the reader gets to know her a little throughout the series, but this is the first time that we are in her head. I found Roxie very different from the other Montgomery’s. While she still has their spark and love for family, her passion isn’t really in the arts – which is different from what we’ve seen before. And I really liked this. It was great seeing something a little different. I really enjoyed Roxie as a protagonist and she really grew throughout Jagged Ink. I thought that her characterisation was fantastic and the reader is able to see her struggle with like and everything it throws at her.

Carter like Roxie was a really interesting character. He has been through a lot before this book even started, and then his one starts with a bang. My heart just hurt for Carter throughout the whole book. While Roxie had her family to learn on, Carter felt very much alone and that really stood true. I just wanted to give him so many hugs. Not only was he going through all the pain from the accident, but also everything that was happening between him and Roxie. But also I really think that Carter found himself in this novel as well. He found out more about himself away from Roxie and Montgomery’s and who he is.

The romance in Jagged Ink was hard to dislike. I just couldn’t hate it. Although Roxie and Carter go through some very hard discussions throughout Jagged Ink, their love was very evident. From the get-go, the reader is able to see that they both care and love each other so much, but they are both feeling like something is missing. Both Roxie and Carter thought that they meet their soul mate and while getting married young, they thought it would all work. But then something happened. Something happened that didn’t just tear Roxie apart, but their marriage as well.

Romina Farias

Jagged Ink is more about Roxie and Carter falling back in love with one another. It’s about them realising why they fell in love in the first place. What drew them to each other. It was really nice seeing this happen. Seeing two characters who are obviously in love find out why they caught each other’s eye. The reader is also able to see both Roxie and Carter struggle without one another. But they also needed the break to remember why they were with each other. When together they were like fire and it worked so well.

I figured out sorted why Roxie and Carter were having problems very close to the start of the novel. But I didn’t know what had happened after. Carrie Ann Ryan did a really nice job handling this situation and while it didn’t take over the storyline, it helped motivate the protagonists. I do wish we could have seen more of a reaction from the Montgomery family and how they would have felt. They are such a close family, that it felt like I needed to have more emotions from them as well.

Overall, I really enjoyed Jagged Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan. This one was an emotional rollercoaster. Roxie and Carter had been through so much before the novel, and then everything that happens in this one takes a toll. Jagged Ink is about falling back in love, realising why you fell for that one person. And letting go of the past because sometimes it drags you down. Jagged Ink is a great addition to Carrie Ann Ryan’s Montgomery Ink series and I can’t wait to see more.

Have you read Jagged Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan? What did you think of it? Are you planning on reading it? What are some of your favourite books where the protagonists are already a couple? Let’s Chat!

18 Feb

Book Review: The Risk by Elle Kennedy

Posted by angelreads Book Reviews 1 Comment

The Risk (Briar U #2) by Elle Kennedy

Pages: 432
Publish date: February 18th 2019
Publisher: Elle Kennedy Inc.
ASIN: B07G4H3665
Purchase: Amazon UK – Amazon US – Amazon AU

Everyone says I’m a bad girl. They’re only partly right—I don’t let fear rule me, and I certainly don’t care what people think. But I draw the line at sleeping with the enemy. As the daughter of Briar’s head hockey coach, I’d be vilified if I hooked up with a player from a rival team.

And that’s who Jake Connelly is. Harvard’s star forward is arrogant, annoying, and too attractive for his own good. But fate is cruel—I require his help to secure a much-coveted internship, and the sexy jerk isn’t making it easy for me.

I need Connelly to be my fake boyfriend.

For every fake date…he wants a real one.

Which means this bad girl is in big trouble. Nothing good can come from sneaking around with Jake Connelly. My father would kill me, my friends will revolt, and my post-college career is on the line. But while it’s getting harder and harder to resist Jake’s oozing sex appeal and cocky grin, I refuse to fall for him.

That’s the one risk I’m not willing to take.

The Risk:

I received an earc of The Risk by Elle Kennedy in exchange for an honest review. This has in no way influenced my thoughts and feelings about the book.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve come to fall in love with Elle Kennedy books, especially her sports romance ones. And after reading The Chase, I couldn’t wait to pick up the next in the Briar U series. Then I read the synopsis of The Risk and knew I needed it soon. But I am a little disappointed. For the most part, I loved The Risk, but I was expecting more from it.

The Risk follows Brenna as she tries to navigate the ups and downs of college and everything that comes along with it. As the daughter of the Briar U’s Ice Hockey team, a lot of people know who she is. So hooking up with a player from a rival team is out of the question, let alone the captain. To help secure an internship that could set up her whole career, she is going to need Jake’s help. And he just happens to be Harvard’s star forward and captain. Jake is arrogant, annoying and oh so good looking. And for every fake date, Jake wants a real one. And things are bound to get real.

Brenna has been one of my favourite characters from Elle Kennedy for quite some time, so when I heard she was getting her own book. I knew I was going to love it. Brenna has always been an intriguing character, we’ve never really known too much about her, but also we’ve known enough to understand who she is. However, in The Risk the reader gets to see her in a whole different light. While Brenna has a strong front, she does have some insecurities and they are put right in the spotlight here. It was really nice seeing this side of Brenna, it added to her characterisation and let the reader see her as human and not perfect. I adored that she really focused on working out what she wanted to do career-wise.

Karla Rivera

Jake was a brilliant male protagonist. Like Brenna, we have known him before but as the enemy. So it was really nice getting to see him differently. Jake is arrogant, but not mean. He knows what he wants and doesn’t let much stop him from getting it. And that is what made him so interesting. It’s not often we get point of view of the love interest, who is also the ‘enemy.’ It was great to be with a hockey boy again, they always just make me smile. Jake is a great, complex character that gets more interesting as the novel went on. The reader finds out more and more about him. His caring nature is also very evident throughout The Risk.

The romance in The Risk was really hot, nice and just made me smile. But I was also disappointed in it. My expectations were just much higher. I wanted this intensity that I was imagining and that lacked – which was upsetting. I was expecting more hate to love. And while there was a little of it, it was more banter rather than hate. I think I was more disappointed because I’ve seen what Elle Kennedy could do, and I was expecting the romance to be burning up my page and it didn’t. In saying all this, I loved Brenna and Jake together, they were simply adorable. Like I could not control my squeal with some of the things that Jake said. His this arrogant hockey player one minute, but then Brenna melts him into mush.

Lynda Sanchez

I also that Elle Kennedy played more into the fake dating aspect of the novel. If this was carried on a little longer, there would have been more impact for me. I love the fake dating trope, so I was expecting it to be all full blown and it wasn’t really. Brenna and Jake have so much banter and connection, that this could have been played so much more. I adored the scenes when they played one another and tried to rile each other up. It made for such a fun read.

We learn a lot about Brenna and Jake throughout The Risk. And some of the things that we do learn is hard to take in. I was an emotional wreck not going to lie. I pieced together some things, but then more happened and my heart just hurt. A lot of friendships were tested throughout the risk and some had to do with things from the past. I really enjoyed seeing the relationship between Brenna and her dad, but it was also really hard at times too.

Overall, I enjoyed The Risk by Elle Kennedy. It was a great romance that just made me smile, while I wished for more ompf, I would also read it again. The Risk explores the notion of family, friendship and letting go. It’s about finding a balance and the fact that sometimes, you will fall for the person that you less expect and it’s about to get heated.

Have you read The Risk yet? What did you think? Are you planning on picking it up? Let’s Chat!

17 Feb

Hidden Gems You Need To Read

Posted by angelreads Discussions, Recommendations 4 Comments

Today I thought I would share some of the books that I think need a little more love. I’ve been thinking recently about all the books that I love that just not many people know about.

So for this, I went to my Goodreads and sorted my ‘read’ books by the number of ratings they have. From there I went back and choose books with less than 1000 ratings. For perspective, the most reviewed book that I have read has 5,631,827 ratings. I tried it mix up some of the ones that I have chosen here, but I am not going to lie, a lot of them are romance books. I also tried to make sure that the books I’ve chosen have been published.

Anyway here we go, like always these are in no particular order.

Circus Hearts Series by Ellie Marney: You should know by now how much I love Ellie’s work. They are books that I am always recommending. So when I saw her new series on my list, I knew I needed to include it. A mix of crime, romance and set at a circus this series is a must read. The protagonists and characters of each book are amazing and grab me every time. You never know what is coming next either and that is what makes it fantastic.

This Beats Perfect by Rebecca Denton: I was totally taken away when I first read this one. I didn’t think I was going to like it as much as I did. But let me tell you. I finished it in a couple of hours. It was fun, addicting and put a smile on my face. It explores the notions of finding yourself, loving what you do and finding those who will stand by you. It’s about family, friendship and those you love | Full Review.

Inked (Sailor’s Grave #2) by Drew Elyse: If you didn’t you know already I love tattoos so that immediately caught my eye with this series. Inked is an intriguing, suspenseful story that keeps the reader hooked from the start. The romance between Jess and Braden is full of chemistry and adds so much to the book. I loved how much the MC had a part in this one and I adored that they cared so much about Jess, she is family. Inked explores the notion of falling in love, hurt and learning to trust others. If you love an intense plot, addicting romance, and a great world. If you are looking for a new romance read, then this is for you.

Taking the Ice (Ice #3) by Jennifer Comeaux: Now I really enjoy this whole series, but this one here has to be my favourite. It’s a fun, emotional series that includes figure skating! It’s all about believing in yourself, the ones you love and letting go. The characters are intense but amazing and I love reading anything by Jennifer Comeaux.

Who’s Afraid? (Tommi Grayson #1) by Maria Lewis: If you are looking for a new urban fantasy that is totally different from anything that you’ve read before – then pick this up. With a fantastic, rich protagonist that has been and goes through a hell of a lot. It’s fierce, captivating and addicting. Who’s Afraid is not for the faint-hearted, it’s gruesome and there are deaths all over the place, but it’s an enthralling urban fantasy novel that takes you on a flight of the supernatural, death and romance. This is a hidden gem for sure

Game On (Lewis Creek #2) by Michelle Smith: If you love sports romances, then pick this book up. This hidden gem is a fantastic dual pov narrative that has a slow burn, friends to more romance that literally torn at my heart. In this small town nothing can stay a secret long, so you know things are bound to happen.

Point of Origin (Legacy 0.5) by Rebecca Yarros: I adored this series by Rebecca Yarros. If you want some hot firefighters that have romances that like to tear you into little pieces then pick this book up. They may only be novella’s but they sure like to pack a punch. I’ve loved pretty much anything that Rebecca Yarros writes, so if you want to read anything from you – then do.

The Love That I Have by James Moloney: The Love That I Have is a very confronting novel, it explores a different side of WWII that we don’t let see a lot. And I really enjoy it. But gosh this novel is brutal. Told through the letters and lift of Morgot Braumann and Dieter Kleinschmidt the story of life at Sachsenhausen concentration camp and WWII are told.

Frankie by Shivaun Plozza: This brilliant debut novel for Shivaun Plozza that captured my heart. It’s a story of heartbreak, belonging, finding yourself and what it is to be a family. It captures Melbourne as Melbourne from the language to the setting, it brings to light that sometimes when you think that you are alone, you are not alone and all that you need to do is let them in. Frankie by Shivaun Plozza is a must read.

The Yearbook Committee by Sarah Ayoub: An enchanting novel, you will be torn apart and put together over and over again. The Yearbook Committee follows five very different students as they come together to complete the yearbook for the end of year 12. This book is full of friendships, breakdowns, romance, family and everything else. It is such an intense book, that I could not put it down.

And that is it for this post! I have loved every one of them and they totally deserve more love. A fair few of these are #LoveOzYA and that is upsetting. I love my books by Australian authors and I want more people to them too. Have you read any of these? Are you planning on to? What did you think? Let’s Chat!