Review: Inciting a Riot by Karen Renee @karenreneewrites

Title: Inciting a Riot

Author: Karen Renee

Series: Riot MC #2

Publication date: August 7th, 2018

Pages: 329

Synopsis (according to Goodreads):

Cary "Vamp" Sullivan earned his Riot MC patch and shoved Lorraine Francis Ingram out of his life six years ago by cheating on her. He's regretted it ever since because he knew she was a top-notch woman. After mentioning his regret to his brother, Cal, Vamp suddenly finds himself faced with an opportunity to win Lorraine back. When he runs into her unexpectedly and finds out she has been beaten at the hand of a man, Vamp and his Riot MC Brothers are determined to protect her. Vamp is determined to get her back in his life, and he knows it's going to be an uphill battle.

Lorraine insists that if any Riot MC Brother is going to protect her, it cannot be Vamp. She gets no promises from the Riot MC, and she finds herself with Vamp at her doorstep. She's determined there will be no second chances, but her resolve is weakened because Vamp isn't playing fair, he's fighting... fighting to win her over.

Once she and Vamp are reunited again, they realize there is a very real threat to them both. Lorraine and Vamp are put to the test to rekindle their long lost love and stay alive.

Available at:

Review:

After the first book in the series being such a mammoth of literary elegance I had to continue the series. If for no other reason but to see how my girl, Mallory, and my book crush, Cal, were getting on. In the first book, Vamp was made out to be a lecherous creeper and I didn't know if I even wanted to see him find his happily ever after. I even went so far as to suspect that in the first book he had played a hand in Mallory's strife. However, my desire to see if Renee could continue with her streak of great books overrode my distaste for Vamp. So I dove in.

Lorraine "Frankie" Ingram has had a running tally of cheaters that have darkened her doorstep. So finding out her current beau was yet another one of them gave Frankie more of an eyeroll than a heartbreak. After putting the most recent cheater in his place, the cheater who broke her heart so thoroughly is the first face she sees grinning devilishly at her. Frankie had changed everything about herself to distance herself from the pain that this pierced demon of  a man had put her through but the pull to slide onto his motorcycle and cling to his back was beating down her resolve to stay away from him. In an attempt to thrust him from her mind she starts up with a new guy. This one not only breaks her heart by also breaks her face. 

Vamp went into full protector mode when he saw Frankie's beauty marred by bruises and broken bones. His determination to protect her and prove that he deserved a second chance at her heart is enough to drive any sane woman mad. And Vamp plays dirty. Vamp, with his copious piercings and tattoos is any father's nightmare and any girl's fantasy and he only has eyes for Frankie. But can this hellbent biker god prove that Frankie's place is in his arms and in his heart?

As I said, Vamp was not an overly desirable protagonist for finding his happily ever after with me. I detest cheaters and don't see them as redeemable in any fashion. Once a cheater, always a cheater. But what I didn't take into account is, much like an addict, Vamp found his rock bottom which changed his ways. He became a sexy demon capable of redemption for me. Frankie was the angelic creature with a sharp tongue who could save him and delight readers with her wit and determination of independence. Vamp and Frankie as a couple were the fire and ice of the written word that made one hell of a steamy read.

Unlike the first book, though, I found a few more issues with the plotting of the story. Frankie's psychological issues after the attack should have been touched on a bit more. After that vicious an attack, anyone would be scarred more than just physically. That coupled with the feeling that the enemies they were trying to escape gave up exceptionally easily and didn't cause as much strife for them as should have been for the level of protection they enacted. At the end it seemed to wrap up quickly as far as the overall controversy. I am not above having a book be focused completely on the romantic aspect but this felt like the antagonists were an afterthought. 

In conclusion, I thoroughly enjoyed Vamp and Frankie's journey but I had hoped the bumps along the way had been more rocks and less pebbles.

Review: Unforeseen Riot by Karen Renee @karenreneewrite

Title: Unforeseen Riot

Author: Karen Renee

Series: Riot MC #1

Publication date: April 30th, 2018

Pages: 426

Synopsis (according to Goodreads):

Mallory Pierce has been hiding from life after losing her husband and son to a drunk accident more than a year ago. Friends tried to help Mallory get back into the swing of things; but it isn't until she meets Riot MC biker, Cal Robertson, that Mallory begins to live again. The chemistry between Mallory and Cal is explosive from the beginning, and when Cal offers her a ride on his motorcycle, Mallory cannot refuse.

Cal is fascinated by the spunky brunette, who seems to know how to push all his buttons. Things go awry when a situation requires him to bring her to his club. Despite their rocky start, the pair cannot stay away from one another. His protective instincts kick into overdrive when a member of a rival motorcycle club shows a dangerous interest in Mallory. Cal can no longer deny his feelings for her, and the more he finds out about her, the more he wants Mallory in his life.

Permanently.

Available at:

Review:

I think that any woman who is versed in the masterpiece of Sons of Anarchy finds a fondness for MC romance books. I am no exception. Sweet girls converting the bad boy players into barely leashed alpha males is incredibly hot and gives my little housewife heart a few pitter-pats. So, of course, I had to find some time to delve into Renee's world.

Mallory has learned long ago about loss and the gut-wrenching pain that goes along with it. After losing her husband and 6-year-old son to a drunk driver over a year ago, she has fallen into an antisocial rut. The only time she ventures out of her hermit hole is for Thursday night trivia with her deceased husband's coworker friends. In the midst of bowing out for the night, a gruff voice comes over the line and makes with the 'woman' and 'sweet cheeks' comments that send Mallory's blood boiling. It is for this reason that she stomps into trivia night and comes face-to-face with the wet dream of bikers.

Cal is Jax from Sons of Anarchy personified. Blonde, built, and badass with eyes set on Mallory. He thrusts himself into her life and his determination to keep her safe when she finds herself in a dangerous game with another motorcycle crew. Cal will move heaven and Earth to prove to Mallory that she is allowed to move on from her loss and find happiness with him. Can she find the strength to resist the delectable pull she has with Cal or will she resign herself to her hermit hole life unless the bad guys catch up with her first?

Renee outdid herself with this book. Mallory's guilt over moving on was present as a stall for her relationship with Cal but it didn't overpower the relationship to the point of frustrating the reader. The antagonists of the story shifted and changed to the point where I had no idea who was on Riot's side and who was against them, but, again, Renee kept it well balanced. I absolutely loved Mallory and Cal's relationship. She softened him and he made her into a biker babe worthy of fitting in with the club just fine. 

The only issue I found, and it was a VERY small one, was that it seemed like every single male Mallory came in contact with wanted to do the horizontal hustle with her. I understand a girl being pretty but 4 or 5 men drooling over her to the point of sacrificing their face if Cal got a hold of them, seemed a bit extreme. But then again, maybe the Mallory in my head was not as shiny a version as the author wanted her to be. That could be reader error so no fault can fall on the author. 

In conclusion, Unforeseen Riot was a 60 mph motorcycle ride at sunset: fast, exciting, and beautiful.

Review: The Dark Divine by Bree Despain

Title: The Dark Divine

Author: Bree Despain

Series: The Dark Divine #1

Publication date: December 22nd, 2009

Pages: 372

Synopsis (according to Goodreads):

Grace Divine, daughter of the local pastor, always knew something terrible happened the night Daniel Kalbi disappeared--the night she found her brother Jude collapsed on the porch, covered in his own blood--but she has no idea what a truly monstrous secret that night held.

The memories her family has tried to bury resurface when Daniel returns, three years later, and enrolls in Grace and Jude's high school. Despite promising Jude she'll stay away, Grace cannot deny her attraction to Daniel's shocking artistic abilities, his way of getting her to look at the world from new angles, and the strange, hungry glint in his eyes.

The closer Grace gets to Daniel, the more she jeopardizes her life, as her actions stir resentment in Jude and drive him to embrace the ancient evil Daniel unleashed that horrific night. Grace must discover the truth behind the boy's dark secret... and the cure that can save the ones she loves. But she may have to lay down the ultimate sacrifice to do it--her soul.

Available at:

Review:

Since my family and I moved to a new home, my book collection, obviously needed to come with me. After my husband helped pack up all our books he gave an exasperated sigh and told me I needed to start reading the books I own and get rid of them (if they don't become a book I am obsessed with). I have decided that my New Years Resolution needs to be to downsize my collection. This is one of those such books.

Grace isn't perfect but she strives to be. She follows God's path and is determined to make life for herself and those around her better at any cost. She doesn't drink, smoke, stay out past curfew, argue with her parents, or even lie under normal circumstances. But Daniel seems to bring a little taint to her otherwise pristine personality. It's a good thing that Daniel disappeared from her life years ago otherwise abiding by the rules of her life would be a lot harder to do. But what if he were to suddenly return? Would Grace be able to resist the pull she has when it comes to her childhood friend and crush? And why does Daniel's reappearance also trigger a string of deaths and blood shed?

Daniel is the token troublemaker. Growing up in an abusive house with a father who beat him and a mother who forgot he existed, Daniel's only sanctuary was with the Divines. But he has secrets. He left at the same time that his best friend was discovered bloody and mauled on his porch. Speculation dictates that Daniel may have had a hand in what happened to Grace's brother, Jude.

Daniel and Grace can't fight the feelings they have for each other even when it starts to warp Jude's personality and turn him into a bitter and angry version of his former self. Jude tells Grace that Daniel is no good but can Grace choose her brother over the boy who makes her heart skip a beat? Or does she risk everything for him, even eternal damnation.

Recently I have rekindled my relationship with my religion so the topic of God doesn't bother me. However, I tend to shy away from books that would fall into the Christian Fiction category because the books I read are an escape. I don't want to think about my eternal soul, I just want to read something entertaining. While this book wouldn't fall into Christian Fiction really it still has those religious undertones that made it a lot less of a getaway and more of a day of Sunday school. Sure, Sunday school is fun but there will always be that underlying message of God that is taught within it. 

The God lessons I could get over because they were tied to morality as well, but the story line seemed like an afterthought. The story as a whole was a paranormal book but it seemed like the moral struggle of the main character was the focal point instead of it being a way to flush out the story and make the character more relateable. The romance was rushed. The character's love for each other was never flushed out. There were few flashbacks to give the relationship some substance and it was just widely accepted that they'd do anything for each other. 

I obviously had high hopes for the book because I bought a hard copy of it. I even bought the sequel. But the story was not enjoyable for me. I didn't love the characters and I didn't enjoy the Sunday school lessons. I set the book aside several times and contemplated not finishing it but my Virgo perfectionist ways kept me flipping the pages. I may give the sequel a gander, just out of morbid curiosity, but this book was not for me.

Blog Tour with Excerpt + Teasers: More Jade by Laura Pavlov @laurapavlov2 @InkSlingerPR

More Jade by Laura Pavlov

Publication date: February 25th, 2020

Synopsis (according to Goodreads):

And then I met Cruz Winslow...

He's everything I'm not, and then some--a budding musician, he's cocky and arrogant. He's at ease in every situation and treats me like I'm the only person who exists.

Together we're in sync with everything we do and I'm falling hard and fast for him.

He's also a complicated boy and although I can't begin to understand the life he's lived, I want to be there for him in every way possible.

And that's how it happened.

Slowly but surely, he's captured my heart -- One I wasn't prepared to give away...

Jade Moore is not my type...

She's a good girl and has her entire life mapped out. I've never met anyone like her.

The girl is disciplined and determined.

I'm not.

She follows the rules.

I don't.

She's sunshine and girl next door.

I'm sex and booze.

We don't mix.

But from the minute I lay my eyes on her, I'm done for. She's everything I never knew I wanted... And now all I want is... more Jade.

Available at:

Excerpt

I got out of the car and leaned in the backseat to grab everything, when someone landed on my back. I didn't even have to turn around to know it was my crazy ass girlfriend, who was part spider monkey. I reached for the wine and pretended I didn't notice her attaching herself to my body.

"Hello? I know you feel me back here," she said, and her lips grazed my ear.

"I always feel you, more Jade."

I pulled out of the car and stood up, and Lennon chuckled, taking the wine and flowers from me. Jade wrapped her legs around my waist, and her hands around my neck as she hysterically laughed. I tilted my head back and she kissed me. Hard. Damn this girl owned me.

I'd spent my entire life not being owned by my father. By his power, and his money, and his bullying demeanor. But this gorgeous little dark-haired girl with jade eyes, strolled into my life--and I was done for.

She slid down my body, dropped to the ground and faced me. "Hey, there."

"Oh, hey. I didn't see you." I said, tugging her closer.

About the Author:

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids and dog-whisperer to a couple crazy yorkies. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest

Hosted by: