family

Review: Where Winter Finds You by J.R. Ward

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Blessed are those who believe in all that two hearts aligned achieve. For once united, no matter where winter finds them, they will always be warm.

After the emotional distress of The Shadows, I was ready, and yet not, for this story. I saw it coming for a few books now but I was not fully prepared for what this book was gonna bring. When I finished chapter one with tears in my eyes I just KNEW that this was gonna be a doozy. And I couldn’t wait. So I grabbed a box of tissues, got comfortable and dove right in.

Everyone seemed to get their HEA but not Trez. He’s been floating in and out for a while now. The pain so great. He avoids everyone because his pain seems to bring them all down to his level and he doesn’t wanna do that. When he first met Therese and she was the spitting image of his Chosen, he couldn’t get her out of his mind. It was an instant shock to his system. Come to find out, it was the same with as well.

Therese is trying to make a life for herself and doesn’t need any handouts or distractions. But there’s just something about Trez that she can’t put her finger on. There’s more to the Shadow than she thinks. But while she tries to distance herself, the fates have another thing in mind.

I needed this book. Diehard fans need this. I am so happy that J.R. Ward gave us what we wanted. There were so many scenes that tugged at my heart and had me reaching for those tissues. Family is the theme all throughout this book. An unbreakable familial bond, weaved together with love. My heart is truly happy. If you believe in happily ever afters, then you definitely need to pick up a copy of Where Winter Finds You.

~Melpomene

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Review: All Fired Up by Lori Foster

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This series was wonderful. I’m so happy I rediscovered Lori’s books.

I love the way she writes her characters. The men are protective without smothering. The women are strong but know when to ask for help. It’s the perfect balance. I wish more romances were written like this.

This story actually tugged on my heart a bit. Mitch finding his half brothers and being welcomed into their lives was hard for him. But they broke him down. He wasn’t used to being able to rely on anyone so they was a hard lesson. And finding Charlotte made that a little bit easier.

Charlotte has always been like a sister and daughter to the Crews. When she meets Mitch she’s instantly drawn to him. When she finds out that he’s part of the family, her heart realizes that she should probably let him bond with his brothers and step back. But that pesky heart doesn’t agree with that.

This book had everything I liked in a romance, sweet love, tension, family and a bit of excitement. If you’re looking for a romance like this, then I highly recommend to grab this series.

~Melpomene

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Quick review: Stealing Her by Rachel VanDyken

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Pins and needles. That’s how I was feeling as I was reading. I knew something was going to happen but I just had to hold on and wait for it. This reminded me of that movie “While You Were Sleeping” but yet it’s different.

I adored this book. I never read the blurb so I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. Rachel did a fabulous job at keeping me reading and connected. I just couldn’t stop! And then it ended and I’m feeling lost… I mean, how could she leave us like this‽‽ Doesn’t she realize that we want EVERYTHING and we don’t wanna wait for it‽‽ These characters have so much more to show us.

I am truly satisfied with this book and how this series has started. I’ve read practically everything Rachel has written but only her Eagle Elite books have left me feeling this way, until now. My heart is all a flutter of emotions. Give me more!!

~Melpomene

Click the pic to buy! It’s also FREE on KU!

Review: Just Lucky by Melanie Florence

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I’ve been accused by some of being overly generous with my five-star ratings. What can I say? If a book grabs me enough to keep me reading, not wanting to put the book down, picking it up as soon as I wake up in the morning, then I deem it worthy of five stars.

Lucky has a somewhat untraditional family. Her mom skipped out on her when she was very young, but she has the love of her grandparents as they raise her. All that changes, however, when her grandpa dies and grandma is no longer able to live alone. Lucky finds herself in the foster care system. She just tries to survive, knowing that each home she lands in is only temporary.

This was a great little book. I say little because I finished it in less than one day. It’s a quick, easy read that’s well-suited for younger and older adults alike.

~Thalia

Buy It Now: Just Lucky

Review: Blood Truth by J.R.Ward

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When J.R. Ward writes a book, you stop everything to read it. I devoured this in less than 24 hours and I regret nothing. My family can survive on cereal, am I right?

Let me start off by saying I love Boone and Butch! After the death of his father, Boone was taken of rotation and partnered up with Butch to solve the gruesome murders of women patrons of a local club. They worked so well together. We usually see the vampire side of Butch, so it was nice to see his human side for a bit. His years in law enforcement came in handy and I liked the way Boone learned from it.

I feel like Boone was struggling, even if he didn’t realize it. He has nothing but the trainee program. Until he meets Helania. Her sister was one of the victims so she’s trying to catch the murderer as well. When these two cross paths it’s an instant connection. Because, as you know, with these vampires, it only takes an instant to find the one for you. While he should be maintaining a professional distance, his heart is screaming for him not to. While a murder investigation isn’t fun, watching them tow the line between professional and personal was.

Helania tugged at my heart. She was all alone after her sister’s death. She didn’t have an easy time growing up and making friends so her shyness/awkwardness was sweet in a sad way. Watching her grow stronger throughout this book was magnificent. I love to see women grow. And I really love watching the men help them do that.

Blood Truth seemed to have more Brothers and Bastards than trainees, which I am happy about. I just love those brothers! I know we’re getting at least one more Legacy book but I swear Ms. Ward has said that she wants to merge them into the Brothers’ books so we don’t have to keep up with too many different series. I don’t even mind. I want this world to never stop.

We also get a glimpse into one of the Bastards, which was fun. I know his book is coming next so this was a nice set up. It makes me super excited to read his story. I have a feeling it’s gonna be WILD.

~Melpomene

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Review: Aurora Rising by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman

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If you’ve read The Illuminae Files you’ll know that when Jay and Amie get together the reaction is explosive and exciting. And Aurora Rising was no exception. From the very first page I was completely sucked in. I’m chuckling right now cuz I just read the synopsis and it describes these characters to a T.

Star pupil Tyler Jones is ready to recruit the squad of his dreams, but his own boneheaded heroism sees him stuck with the dregs nobody else in the Academy would touch…

A cocky diplomat with a black belt in sarcasm
A sociopath scientist with a fondness for shooting her bunkmates
A smart-ass techwiz with the galaxy’s biggest chip on his shoulder
An alien warrior with anger management issues
A tomboy pilot who’s totally not into him, in case you were wondering

I mean, who wouldn’t want to read a book with characters like that?! They were all so different but they learned to work together. Misfits finding a family with each other. You will love them.

Even the dedication started it off the right way.

If your squad was hard to find, or you’re still looking, then this one is for you.

You just knew this book would be amazing. And while it has to do with space, it has nothing to do with The Illuminae Files. Jay and Amie just have this space thing down and this is why we love them.

If I was watching this on the big screen, I would’ve been at the edge of my seat, but since I was in bed reading, the best I could do was sit up straighter. 🙂 This book was so much fun! Excitement, antics and emotion. The trifecta if ever I heard of one. Amie and Jay knocked this one out of the park! Can I just say that this book will be SO MUCH FUN in audio‽‽ Seriously. I’m glad I have it preordered. The kiddos loved listening to The Illuminae Files and I know they’ll love this as well. Be sure you have this preordered so you can start reading or listening right away. You don’t wanna hear spoilers!

I cannot wait till the next one!!

~Melpomene

Grab your copy today! Click picture for link.

Review: The Names They Gave Us by Emory Lord

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Lucy has a great life. A loving family, a strong support system at both school and church, a devoted boyfriend…she has her future mapped out. But when her mom’s cancer reappears, her entire world is rocked. She begins to question everything she once believed in. Her faith is no longer enough. Her boyfriend isn’t who or what she thought she wanted. So when her mom decides to send her to a new summer camp, it just adds to her growing list of unknowns. Who would have thought she’d find the answers to all her questions in a group of friends as different from her as possible? This is a sweet, heartbreaking story. I loved Lucy, and I especially loved the strength shown by her mom. A great reminder that everything isn’t always what it seems!

~Thalia

Buy It Now: The Names They Gave Us

Review and giveaway: The Slow Burn by Kristen Ashley

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True to KA form this book had all the feels and I loved every moment of it! I cried, I laughed, I swooned. The perfect story.

There’s something about a duology that just works. You don’t have to commit to years of rereads to try and remember what happened. These rank right up there after the standalone. And the Gamble brothers definitely deserved more than a standalone.

“You got soft leather and smooth whiskey and I got goose down and kitten fur. But under what we got, it’s granite and steel. Daphne made that. That’s her legacy. That’s what she gave us, what our kids will get…”

We met Toby in the first book, The Hookup, so we get a glimpse on his personality but we don’t fully get to know him til this one. I love everything about him. His actions scream perfection. From the first time he meets Adeline I just knew he was gonna make an impression. And all throughout this book he wanted nothing more than to take care of her, even if she wanted to do everything on her own.

Adeline is a single mom trying to make ends meet, and doing it alone. She is deeply independent, like her mom was, and it’s starting to take it’s toll on her. Toby made an impression on her, but he’s off limits. Or is he?

While there was an instant connection between these two, they tried to fight it, hence The Slow Burn. I love books like this. You could see from both of their POVs how they felt. When they finally connected, it was explosive and romantic. He was made to care for a woman and the woman he wants to care for is Addie.

“I’ll agree, Gamble Men are the best. But Forrester Women are better.”

Kristen Ashley knows how to write an alpha man. Which is probably why I reread her books quite often. There’s something about a guy who takes charge and protects his woman’s body and heart. While Toby was an alpha, he was sensitive to her heart and didn’t attach from all ends. He cared for her in a way that gave her the independence she needed while still taking care of her needs.

And don’t get me started on that epilogue. Those always kill me.

~Melpomene

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Grab these two books and get ready to swoon! Click the pic to buy.

Quick preview: Romanov by Nadine Brandes

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I remember watching Anastasia when I was younger and totally getting sucked in. Heck, I watched it last year and still remembered all the songs. The idea of a princess surviving, when her family didn’t, gave me chills. The strength she would have to have. WOW. So when I heard that Nadine Brandes was wrote a story about Anastasia, I HAD to read it. And yet I knew it would be hard to read. I always get choked up at the idea of her family’s assassination. I can’t even imagine how terrified she must’ve been. Ugh.

Romanov was a magical twist of the story of an exiled princess. It tugged at my heart numerous times and it gave me hope. I think I loved it even more because it wasn’t all real, there was a bit a magic woven into the story. I was not expecting that at all. But I’m honestly happy it was there. If this was a 100% true account, I would’ve been crying the whole time.

While the story was a retelling, some parts were very real and mildly graphic. If giving this to a younger teen, give them a little heads up about what really happened. I know my stomach dropped while reading. I was prepared, and yet I wasn’t, for the firing squad scene.

This retelling is now one of my favorites. I look forward to what Nadine gives us next.

You definitely should add Romanov to your TBR!
Release date: May 7, 2019

~Melpomene

Click to buy Romanov

Review: Twisted Pride by Cora Reilly

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I’m finding myself more and more intrigued with mafia books than ever before. In February I stumbled upon Cora Reilly’s Born in Blood mafia series while doing a free trial of Kindle Unlimited. From the very first book I was hooked. I inhaled them in a matter of a couple of days, then I immediately jumped into The Camorra Chronicles, which is the spin off series. So I’ve been DYING to get Remo’s story! He’s one of the most brutal characters in these series but I knew he would crack when he found the right woman.

Now mafia books aren’t for the faint of heart. They’re brutal and sometimes disturbing, but family is at the core, so they can also be filled with lots of love. This series is about a set of brothers and Remo is the head of them. He will do everything and anything for his family, even kidnap and break an innocent woman. I’ll admit, I was a bit nervous when I started. I know what Remo’s like and I needed to prepare myself. But like I said, all it take is the right woman to ease the monster and Serafina is that woman.

Serafina was raised like all women are raised, covered in protection till their wedding. But when she is kidnapped on her way to her wedding, she has to be strong and unbreakable in the face of a monster. The more she’s there, the more she grows to understand Remo and why he’s the way he is. Soon her heart makes a decision that will forever change her life.

I missed the days when I thought a knight in shining armor riding a white stallion would steal my first kiss.

Instead a monster had claimed me, body and soul.

I loved watching these two circle each other. Seeing the brothers get a little softer when more women enter their lives is fun to watch. They will still be killers, don’t get me wrong, but when they look upon the face of their women, you see an easing of the tension that surrounds them. Behind all the violence are men who just want to be loved, even if they don’t want to admit to that.

~Melpomene

Read all three books in the Camorra Chronicles. Click picture for link.