Hachette Book Group

Review and Giveaway: The Bachelor Auction by Rachel VanDyken

Posted by

4

bach I always look forward to Rachel’s releases. When life gets to be a little too serious I can count on her to bring out the funny and make me smile. This newest book is no exception.

Blurb
Jane isn’t entirely sure that Cinderella got such a raw deal. Sure, she had a rough start, but didn’t she eventually land a prince and a happily-ever-after? Meanwhile, Jane is busy waiting on her demanding, entitled sisters, running her cleaning business, and . . . yep, not a prince in sight. Until a party and a broken shoe incident leave Jane wondering if princes—or at least, a certain deliciously hunky billionaire—maybe do exist.

Except Brock Wellington isn’t anyone’s dream guy. Hell, a prince would never agree to be auctioned off in marriage to the highest bidder. Or act like an arrogant jerk—even if it was just a façade. Now, as Brock is waiting for the auction chopping block, he figures it’s karmic retribution that he’s tempted by a sexy, sassy woman he can’t have. But while they can’t have a fairy-tale ending, maybe they can indulge in a little bit of fantasy . .

When I think of Cinderella, I definitely think of Jane. She gives and gives and never receives. This girl can never catch a break. She works tirelessly just to make ends meet, with zero help. I just kept waiting for her prince to come. At first I was irritated with her, for taking so much from her sisters and not giving it back to them, but then I knew there would be a breaking point. I just had to hold on and be patient.

Brock is a complex guy. He has a pain deep inside that he tries to hide. He’s afraid to say no, so he finds himself in a life that wasn’t of his choosing. And now he finds himself being auctioned off like a piece of art. But what he really wants is to take his Cinderella and live happily ever after.

The tension between Brock and Jane was off the charts. I was one very happy girl. And when you toss in Brock’s brothers, this book had everything I like. It had my emotions all over the place. I was happy, then angry, then I was swooning. So many feels. A great way to start this series. I can’t wait to read the brothers’ books.

~Melpomene

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you ready to Meet Brock Wellington?
Order your copy today!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2dZElHD
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2casLH2
iBooks: http://apple.co/2c4SmQS
B&N: http://bit.ly/1SKyEdn
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2bgINiM
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2bNZuQE

Review: Claiming Noah by Amanda Orlepp

Posted by

0

23587678

What would you do if you desperately wanted a child but were unable to have one? What lengths would you go to and where would you draw the line?

Catriona and James badly want a baby, James a bit more so. After trying unsuccessfully, they agree to try IVF. And it works. They soon find themselves the parents of a healthy baby boy. Diana and Liam are in the same predicament. They explore many options before eventually settling on embryo donation. And they, too, are successful. Another healthy baby boy.

But Catriona doesn’t find herself easily settling into motherhood. She’s soon in a downward spiral, deep in the throes of postpartum depression. Diana, on the other hand, quickly adjusts to being a mom. All is going well until the day her baby is taken right out from under her.

This story was completely different from what I expected. For that, I give props to whoever wrote the description. There’s not much worse than a book blurb that gives too much away. No such worries with this one. And I’m not going to give anything else away, either, other than to say that there are several juicy little twists and turns on the path to the final conclusion of this story.

~Thalia

Buy It Now:  Claiming Noah

Review: Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

Posted by

0

15790837Oh my word. I just love David Sedaris. I would love to try to match wits with him at least a few times…perhaps pick up trash with him on summer afternoon. I love to enjoy his books via audio simply because he is just so delightful. His voice and his delivery is half the fun when it comes to enjoying his book.

This one is no different than any of his other books. I love hearing about his family. I marval at how he has moved beyond his wayward youth…

I also never giggle more with any other author. I am often shocked and outraged. So much so that I can’t stop laughing! Outraged or not, he is spot on! That’s what makes him so brilliant! If only we were all so brave to be so honest and open with the things we see around us…

Until next time…

Urania xx

Buy it now Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris

Review (revisited): Life or Death by Michael Robotham

Posted by

0

25674405Okay, I’m a bit perplexed. All of my friends loved this book. Even one whom I never would have imagined to! For me however it was just okay. I did enjoy it. But I found it too much of a dramatized Hollywood made for telly movie of the week.

For me, a novel has to be believable. Even a fantasy books have to be believable. That’s why I get so excited when I read one that makes me forget that the characters aren’t real! This novel, well, I just didn’t find it believable. Trust me, I have no issues in finding certain people in society that we perceive as good turning out to be the bad guys. I also have no problem with parts of the criminal justice system being corrupt. Nor do I have issues with people who have amazing good luck and bad luck….

But this novel just had too much of all of the before mentioned all wrapped together in a nicely decorated package for it to work well for me.

Yes, this novel was entertaining. Yes, I say again, I did enjoy the majority of it, but towards the end it had just went on for too long with endless improbabilities for me to continue to enjoy it.

Until next time…

Urania xx

Review copy provided by Netgalley for an honest review

Buy it now Life or Death by Michael Robotham

Review: Death of a Nurse by MC Beaton

Posted by

2

25747142This was an okay read for me. Not a brilliant read, but certainly not a rotten one either. I can easily imagine having rated the book higher if I were more familiar with Hamish and his very quirky acquaintances. I love thriller crime stories, but perhaps murder mysteries of the good old-fashioned Agatha Christie style just aren’t really my cup of tea…However, since I’ve never actually read Agatha Christie I can’t really say that for a fact…

I did read enough to know that I would like to go to the start of the series and see if I can fall in love with Hamish as I see so many other fans have. I do see his appeal, however, coming into his entire weaponry of charm (hahahahaha) unprepared was perhaps my downfalling. I think I needed to gradually introduce myself to him and all of his charms…not just jump in buck naked and unprotected**….

**I hope you note my sarcasm and see that although I didn’t rate this book as high as I might have that I am very much worthy of learning up enough to become an avid fan

Until next time…

Urania xx

Review copy provided by Netgalley for an honest review

Buy it now Death of a Nurse by MC Beaton

Review (revisted): I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai, Christina Lamb

Posted by

1

20131210-215528.jpgIf you live under a rock and don’t know who Malala is please read this book. If you know and have no interest because you don’t wish to hurdle into a group based on her religion or nationality, read this book. If you have little hope for the future of humanity, again, read this book. Finally, if you’re aware of who Malala is and commend her for all that she has done, if you think you grasp most of the facts, please, take a moment and at least read the epilogue. I learnt a lot from this read. I learnt more about the politics of Malala’s country then I have reading several more famous books. Every bit helps in my understanding of the complexity of these countries. Especially hard to do when you’re like me, and lucky to be born into a country that has a stable government. Where it is safe to walk the streets unescorted. Where a girl can walk without fear whilst holding a book in public. Where a woman can walk into any hospital unescorted and be treated for injuries. Malala and millions of other women have not been so lucky. However, Malala, even as young as she is, has a passion for politics and understands them…she is even, at times, able to manipulate those political unrests and bend them to her favour. She is also young enough to be frank about politics and to be sensible about them. She is not trying to bend or mould them into something to ensure her own political gain. It’s so much easier to see things when the speaker is not trying to manipulate the story to cover their own agendas. Malala is honest and upfront with her desires. A world where we are all equal, educated, and free to follow our own heart’s calling….

The epilogue is a true bright and shiny gem. It sums up the changes and challenges she and her family now face. It sums up her belief system and her love for her country. As well as why she can’t go back. But mostly, I hope that you can see the young woman who has sacrificed so much and asked for so little. Sacrifices I dare say that no one reading this review (myself included) would ever be brave enough to make…and she does it with such grace to make it look like it wasn’t a sacrifice at all, but an honour. She might be a noble peace prize winner…but first and foremost, she is a young girl, a daughter, a silly girl with silly friends, a student, a misfit, a nerd, a Muslim….first and foremost, she is just like any of us…

Until next time…

Urania xx

Buy it now I Am Malala

Review: Sin & Suffer by Pepper Winters

Posted by

0

01 aa1 WOW!! Raw and gritty. No other words can describe this. This was the exciting conclusion to Ruin & Rule, filled with very intense and emotional situations.

After the ending of R&R, I was in a state. I had no idea what was going to happen. I’ve never read an MC series like this. Usually each book is separate couple, interconnected standalones, but not this one, this was a two book combo for the same couple. So basically, if you read Ruin & Rule, you’re left hanging. And I do mean hanging. If you haven’t read R&R, please don’t read any further.

SYNOPSIS
She came from a past Arthur “Kill” Killian never forgot. She made him sin and made him suffer. She tugged him from the shadows and showed him he wasn’t as dead as he thought. And with her resurrection came betrayal, deceit, and war.

But then they took her. Stole her. Imprisoned her.

Now Kill’s carefully laid plans for vengeance are complete. He craves action, retribution-the blood of his enemies. War has begun. War is all they’ll know until they’ve paid their penance. He will get her back-and rewrite their destiny . . .

To say this book was exciting, would be an understatement. From the very beginning, I thought I was going to die. So many horrible things went through my head. I was practically covering my eyes and reading through the gaps in between my fingers. The torment that Cleo went through and then watching Kill suffer through his pain…man, oh, man. My nerves were wrecked. And let’s not count the couple times I may have yelled at my kindle. It’s very hard to remember that these aren’t real people. Their suffering isn’t real. The heartache isn’t real But, my God, that’s easier said than done.

This was my first introduction into the mind of Pepper Winters and I’m pretty sure I venture in again. But next time, I may start drinking first.

~Melpomene

Read Ruin & Rule (Pure Corruption Book 1)

Read Sin & Suffer (Pure Corruption Book 2)

Review: Colorado Mountain series by Kristen Ashley

Posted by

5

01 Colorado Mountain

Holy emotional roller coaster, Batman!!!

I just spent the last two weeks reading Kristen Ashley’s Colorado Mountain series and then kicking myself for waiting so long to pick these up. I am seriously questioning my sanity as a romance reader. These are a must!!! In fact, go to her website and look at the reading order HERE and start reading. Trust me. Things make a lot more sense that way. You can still enjoy them just by reading each series, but if you go in order, it brings out a few details and “Holy Crap!” moments that you don’t want to miss.

These six books all have a heavy dose of romance with a nice dose of excitement that sure to get your heart racing and your emotions rolling. My favorites, in this series are The Gamble and Breathe. In The Gamble, Max is the super alpha male who doesn’t take no for an answer. He is a fierce protector and lover. *whew* What a way to start the series!!

My most favorite book was Breathe. There’s aren’t enough words to convey all of my feelings. I had tears all over the place, with this one. I had a few “Holy crap!” moments, and then I discovered why she has a reading order. It made all kind of sense, going in the intended order. I went all giggly when I got to that point. It made me love her even more. When you go to read it, you MUST have this song nearby. No joke. Every time I hear this song, I think of this story and I start crying. My family makes me skip it when it comes on. They hate to see me cry. But this song…..

If you’ve never read Kristen Ashley, I highly encourage you give her a try. You can thank me later.

~Melpomene

The Gamble (Colorado Mountain Series Book 1)
Sweet Dreams (Colorado Mountain Series Book 2)
Lady Luck (Colorado Mountain Series Book 3)
Breathe (Colorado Mountain Series Book 4)
Jagged (Colorado Mountain Series Book 5)
Kaleidoscope (Colorado Mountain Series Book 6)

Review: The Hurricane by R.J. Prescott

Posted by

0

01 hurI completely enjoyed this book. The one part that sticks out to me is the fact that these are regular people, in the sense that they’re not rich. They’re actually far from it. Love is simpler that way. It’s the little things they do, instead of the grand gestures.

When Cormac “The Hurricane” O’Connell first caught site of sweet timid Emily, he was hooked. In his mind she was his and he would do everything in his power to protect her. Little did he know the scary past that haunts her daily. She needed someone to protect her and defend her. She’s never had that before.

When she starts to work in the gym he fights at, she is nervous being around all these huge and intimidating guys, but they slowly break down her barriers and weasel their way into her heart. But it’s O’Connell who latches on fiercely and doesn’t let go. She is taken with him, even though he scares her, but given her past, she’s still nervous to pursue anything more than friendship.

The more time she spends with O’Connell she comes to realize that she’s his. Watching her deny that there was anything between them, was funny. She wanted to hold him at arms length, but you can’t hold a guy like that back.

I loved the sense of loyalty and protectiveness all these characters had. They defended each other, stood by each other, and loved each other. Most definitely not your traditional family, of blood, but of the heart. Those are the best kind of families. I can’t wait til book 2 to continue reading their story. But I’m hoping to see Kieran get a book as well. I think it’s going to take someone super special to tame that boy.

~Melpomene

Buy The Hurricane

Review, Blog Tour, & Giveaway: Friction by Sandra Brown

Posted by

1

FrictionTourBanner

**Be sure to check the links at the end to enter the giveaway**

25114548I haven’t read Sandra Brown in years. This book is a big reminder that I shouldn’t overlook authors just because I’ve read them and because they are well known….yes, there are some authors out there that I believe have gotten lax over the years and taken their popularity for granted, not putting out their best efforts, however, Brown has shown me in this novel that she isn’t one of them.

From the very first chapter, I couldn’t read fast enough to hear all of Crawford Hunt’s story. Hunt is a Texas Ranger that is seeking back custody of his five-year old daughter, Georgia. After an unexpected episode happens during the custody proceedings, Ranger Hunt finds himself as the rescuer of the sitting family court Judge Holly Spencer. Once this happens the action never stops.

I loved this book, but I couldn’t help to be to look for some unexpected twist. Some hidden motives behind the obvious that made some of the characters act out the way they did. That never really happened. However, that doesn’t mean I was disappointed. Sometimes, as in real life, people hold onto the past and let it dictate how they act in the present. So although I found some of the storyline a stretch, in other ways, I found that maybe at the end of the day, those stretches, in fact, kept the story real to life.

I believe Ranger Hunt’s behavior in the past was a bit “gun-ho” and, indeed, reckless. As much as it pains me to say, I found his behavior, many times, in this book the exact same way. I couldn’t believe how he handled some of the situations. TBF, yes, it would have been nice to see that he was less reckless now as the years went on…but is life really that way? I don’t imagine he will ever change. He will always be reckless, however, his heart is often in the right place, and his intentions always seem to be. The fact that I even say that about a fictional character just points out how much I really enjoyed this book!

Whilst I didn’t think Judge Spencer acted reckless in her past, I did find some of her behaviour in the present a bit reckless. Having said that, I can’t exactly say I wouldn’t have acted the exact same way if I were in the same situation. At the end of the day there were several characters I really enjoyed in the novel. I genuinely wanted things to turn out okay for them as well.

Bottom line, I started this book and couldn’t put it down. I enjoyed it from start to finish. Once I finished the novel I was sad that my adventure was over and I was already worried about trying to pick up another book that would leave me half as satisfied as this one did.

If you’re a Sandra Brown fan this book will not disappoint you. If you’ve never read Sandra Brown, this book should convince you to become a fan. Finally, if you’re like me and just a lax fan that’s been away for a few years, this book will remind you of what a fun writer she is! Don’t hesitate, run out and grab your copy now!!!

Until next time…

Urania xx

ARC provided by Netgalley, Grand Central Publishing, and Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review

Follow the rest of today’s Sandra Brown Friction tour right Here

Buy it now Friction by Sandra Brown

Giveaway <a href="http://a Rafflecopter giveaway “>10x coffee cup plus a signed copy of Friction