Review: Ruined by Tracy Wolff

Ruined by Tracy Wolff

Series: Ethan Frost #1

Publication date: January 7th, 2014

Pages: 298

Synopsis (according to Goodreads):

Fans of Fifty Shades of Grey, Bared to You, and Release Me will be hooked on Ruined, an electrifying journey of emotional and sexual discovery that pushes two damaged souls to their breaking point--and beyond.

He's the last man Chloe Girard should love... but the first she ever could.

Ethan Frost is a visionary, a genius, every woman's deepest, darkest fantasy--even mine. And, somehow, I am his.

He stole into my life like a dream. Turned my reality upside down and made my every desire come true--especially those I never knew I had. He demanded everything I had to give and gave me everything of himself in return.

But dreams don't last forever, and ours is no exception. Because my nightmares are darker, and my wounds deeper, than I could ever reveal. And as much as Ethan wants to protect me, the secrets we share will only tear us apart.

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Review:

I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had heard a few things about the way Tracy Wolff writes and the depth of the love stories she creates for her characters so I ended up requesting a bunch of her books when the ran across my NetGalley. Life took over and I never got to them until this moment. I was intrigued by the blurb referring to it as something reminiscent of Fifty Shades of Grey as I had always been looking for something similar to that sort of story. I let the blurb select my book for me in this instance.

Chloe is damaged. She has subscriptions of issues and she has somehow made it work for her life. She had attempted, and succeeded to a degree, to forget her past and focus primarily on her goal to become a lawyer. Becoming a lawyer is hard work and it requires the perfect internship to pad her resume. That brings her to Frost Industries. She enters the workforce intent to keep her head down and do the work she is provided as quickly and efficiently as she can. But fate has other ideas for her. As she goes to lunch her first day she stumbles across the enigmatic CEO, Ethan Frost, while attempting to procure a smoothie. Not knowing who he was she stubbornly refuses to budge on her menu selection. This refusal to bend intrigues Ethan and begins the start of his pursuit of her. Chloe is determined not to let the past repeat itself as she figures it will with any man she becomes involved with. Echoes of the past start with the bullying of her co-workers once they catch wind of Ethan's infatuation with Chloe. It is up to Chloe to keep her distance from the enticing man, even when everything in her screams to pull him closer and never let go.

To an extent, I liked this book. I liked the push and pull of the main characters. I liked that Ethan was not like the playboy image that is depicted of him and he truly gives his all to winning Chloe's heart and affections. I felt for Chloe and the trouble and trauma she had in her past. I really wanted to like the way the two worked together as a couple but something about the two just didn't connect for me. I knew Chloe had issues and I knew that Ethan was willing to overlook them but it seemed every time I turned around there was Chloe attempting to run away from Ethan with extremely long internal dialogs about why she needed to stay away from him but couldn't seem to pull it off. The book, to me, was middle of the road. The thing that was the most upsetting was the fact that there were no real Fifty Shades of Grey portions in the book. I didn't get that vibe.

However, I did like watching Chloe slowly overcome her past so she could attempt to be happy with Ethan. I found her determination to get past it endearing.

All in all, the book was definitely not horrendous but it was not spectacular either. It's worth a read if given the opportunity.

Review: Full Measures by Rebecca Yarros

Full Measures by Rebecca Yarros

Series: Flight & Glory #1

Publication date: February 10th, 2014

Pages: 374

Synopsis (according to Goodreads):

A new adult novel from Entangled's Embrace imprint...

Three knocks can change everything...

"She knew. That's why Mom hadn't opened the door. She knew he was dead."

Twenty years as an army brat and Ember Howard knew, too. The soldiers at the door meant her dad was never coming home. What she didn't know was how she would find the strength to singlehandedly care for her crumbling family when her mom falls apart.

Then Josh Walker enters her life. Hockey star, her new next-door neighbor, and not to mention the most delicious hands that insist on saving her over and over again. He has a way of erasing the pain with a single look, a single touch. As much as she wants to turn off her feelings and endure the heartache on her own, she can't deny their intense attraction.

Until Josh's secret shatters their world. And Ember must decide if he's worth the risk that comes with loving a man who could strip her bare.

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Review:

I received an e-copy of this book from the publishers at NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have a healthy respect for the military. I love our men and women int he various armed services and am incredibly thankful for their dedication to protecting this country I live in. Since it was quickly approaching Veteran's Day I wanted something with a little patriotism in it. Something that would make me remember what the people of the military have done over the year. When I read the synopsis I was immediately dragged in. Having to face the death of a parent who was overseas is something more and more people have had to deal with. So I picked up Rebecca Yarros's book and dove in.

December, "Ember", Howard had what she believed was the perfect life until that fateful day when the military men came to her door to announce her father having passed away. Instead of falling apart as the rest of her family did, Ember picked herself up and did what was best for those around her. She refused to let herself feel the hurt she was drowning under because she needed to be there for her siblings and mother. Throughout the course of the book, we watch Ember struggle. Internalizing all that pain and regret slowly eats away at her. That is, until Josh comes on the scene.

Josh comes in and completely captivates Ember. He is there for her when she needs him most and refuses to back down even when she tries to push him away. He is a well known playboy and Ember doesn't feel she has time to be just another notch on his bedpost. However, for whatever reason, Josh seems more smitten with Ember than she had thought. But even Josh has his secrets. Secrets that could end Ember's recovery and threaten to destroy her all over again.

I was enthralled by this book from page one to the very end. I ugly cried so much it became a public service to make sure I read it in the confines of my bedroom and away from those who had to witness my emotional breakdowns. I felt my heart break for Ember and I also felt anxious to drag Josh closer to her when she pushed him away. I found the characters relateable and absolutely perfect. The subject matter was absolutely devastating and made me even more thankful to the soldiers in reality who devote their lives to the service. Also, despite Ember being completely against military men after her father's death, the book made me long for my own man in blue. The uniform, ladies, the uniform. Delicious.

Review: The Betrayed by Heather Graham

The Betrayed by Heather Graham

Series: Krewe of Hunters #14

Publication date: September 30th, 2014

Pages: 368

Synopsis (according to Goodreads):

Sleepy Hollow isn't so sleepy anymore...

One night, New York FBI agent Aiden Mahoney receives a visitor in a dream--an old friend named Richard Highsmith. The very next day he's sent to Sleepy Hollow because Richard's gone missing there.

Maureen--Mo--Deauville now lives in the historic town and works with her dog, Rollo, to search for missing people. She's actually the one to find Richard or more precisely his head, stuck on a statue of the legendary Headless Horseman.

Mo and Aiden, a new member of the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI's unit of paranormal investigators, explore both past and present events to figure out who betrayed Richard, who killed him and now wants to kill them, too. As they work together, they discover that they share an unusual trait: the ability to communicate with the dead. They also share an attraction that's as intense as it is unexpected, if they live long enough to enjoy it!

Available at:

Review:

I received an e-copy from the tour host in exchange for participation in the blog tour and an honest review.

This was only my second encounter with the lovely Heather Graham's writing and I was still unfamiliar with the series that I was reading. These books are made to be able to be read out of sequence, but I am a stickler for not doing such things. Being introduced more fully to the group of paranormal investigators may have shaped my opinion differently.

Aiden awakens to find his dead friend haunting him and pleading for his help. This simply occurrence that could have been likened to him being sleep deprived or hallucinating set the course for what was to come. It was only afterwards that he finds out that his long time friend has disappeared without a trace. His last whereabouts were in a small town with big history. Aiden finds himself setting course for Sleepy Hollow in hopes of finding his friend despite having the suspicion he is much too late.

Mo is used to finding lost or missing people easily with her trusty canine companion, Rollo. Nobody seems to question why Mo finds people so easy, but, really, who is going to look a gift horse in the mouth? Mo and Rollo find the remains of Aiden's friend without much difficulty but what they didn't expect was to find the remains of another person as well.

Now Mo and Aiden must attempt to find the killer that is loose in Sleepy Hollow beheading people much like the folklore story. But while they search, they can't deny the spark that is simmering between them. What will Mo and Aiden do when confronted not only with their feelings for each other but when they are staring into the eyes of the cold-blooded killer that decided to use a scary story for the stage of their dastardly deeds.

Again, this book reads more as a mystery with paranormal aspects than any sort of paranormal romance that I am most likely to read. The romance is light and fun while the mystery is gripping and thought provoking. Most people like that in their books, but I am more focused on the romance in my books than any sort of murder mystery that may go along with it. That is, of course, my personal preference. As with the book before this that I reviewed, The Betrayed is middle of the road simply due to my taste in what I like in my books. Most of the people in my book club for instance, would love the way Heather Graham plays with history to set the tone for her books. That aspect I actually did like a lot.

I think that if you are an enthusiast of history and murder mysteries with a paranormal tidbit to them, Heather Graham's The Betrayed is perfect for you.

Review: The Hexed by Heather Graham

The Hexed by Heather Graham

Series: Krewe of Hunters #13

Publication date: July 29th, 2014

Pages: 400

Synopsis (according to Goodreads):

A place of history, secrets... and witchcraft.

Devin Lyle has recently returned to the Salem area, but her timing couldn't be worse. Soon after she moved into the eighteenth-century cabin she inherited from her great-aunt Mina--her "crazy" great-aunt, who spoke to the dead--a woman was murdered nearby.

Craig Rockwell--known as Rocky--is a new member of the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI's team of paranormal investigators. He never got over finding a friend dead in the woods. Now another body's been found in those same woods, not far from the home of Devin Lyle. And Devin's been led to a third body--by... a ghost?

Her discovery draws them both deeper into the case and Salem's rich and disturbing history. Even as the danger mounts, Devin and Rocky begin to fall for each other, something the ghosts of Mina and past witches seem to approve of. But the two of them need every skill they possess to learn the truth--or Devin's might be the next body in the woods...

Available at:

Review:

I received an e-copy from the tour host in exchange for participation in the blog tour and an honest review.

It is no true surprise that I was asked to join the blog tour for this little beauty. I am a big fan of paranormal romance and had yet to read anything by Heather Graham. She has a tendency to write trilogies that stick within the same world so they can both be read independently as well as sequentially. I was worried when I found out it was the 13th book in the series, but it was easy to read out of sequence (something I rarely, if ever, do). This was my first experience with Heather Graham as a writer and I was curious how she would stack up against other authors in the paranormal romance genre.

The book opens on Rocky at a much younger age finding his dead friend not far from his house. She had been ritualistically slaughter and was found with her throat slashed and a pentagram hanging from her neck. Rocky never recovered from that experience and went on to join the FBI. It was only fitting that the boy who found his dead friend by way of a ghost leading him to her body would find himself joining the Krewe of Hunters, a branch of law enforcement that works exclusively with odd, supernatural cases. When Rocky discovers, 13-years after his friend's death, that another woman has been murdered not far from his home in Salem, he is the first to join at the chance to find his friend, Melissa's, killer.

Devin had just moved back to Salem after her great-aunt Mina had died. She had give up her career as a reporter in favor of writing children's books about a friendly witch who teaches fantastical creatures lessons every child should learn growing up. She believed Wiccan's were real, but as far as ghosts were concerned, they belonged in horror movies. Yet, she finds herself following a ghostly voice begging for help to where she stumbles across a body. As she is running for help, she comes face to vehicular grill with Rocky. It was from there that Devin enters a world where ghosts are real and a murderer is on the loose.

It is up to Devin, Rocky, and a few friends (both living and dead) to find out who the murderer is and how it could possibly be connected with the Salem witch trials and a 300-year-old murder.

The book was middle of the road for me. That is not based on the level of writing skill or any faux pas in the story line. That is mostly based on my own personal preferences. I am the type of reader who loves paranormal romance that has a lot of romance and a little paranormal thrill. This was more paranormal thrill/murder mystery than romance. There was one particular line that made me physically groan. "And we made love... And made love and made love." What? That's it? No detail of this love making? I feel cheated. Graham's description of the magical event was nice, but, call me crazy, I feel like if you skip the dirty details then it's more mystery than romance.

This book is perfect for those people who are not big romance buffs. It is heavy on the suspense, moderate on the paranormal, and light on the romance. To some that balances out to a great read, to me, it equals... eh.