Review: Enamoured by Shannon Curtis

For readers of Stephanie Bond and Darynda Jones, fairy tales as you’ve never seen them before. The debut in a series that mixes suspense, sex, and just a sprinkle of fairy dust.
Once Upon a Crime…
Melanie wants to get incriminating information on her evil stepfather and she’ll get it – even if it means giving in to an odious toad’s demands. Cole is undercover, and when the opportunity arises for him to get closer to the criminal he’s investigating using the man’s beautiful stepdaughter, he grabs it.
Esmerelda is a Fairy Godmother Enforcer charged with getting the Frog Prince fairytale back on track. But fate has saddled her with a partner, and Rumpelstiltskin – with his sexy bad boy swagger – has a hidden agenda of his own.

In the Fairy Isle, nothing is as it seems…

Release Date: May 1, 2013

Publisher: Escape Publishing

Source: NetGalley

Author Links: Website | Facebook| Goodreads

I love fairytale retellings. Love them!
It's hard to find one that's actually good, though.
So is Enamoured good, you ask?
Well, yes. Yes, it is.
But it's not a good fairytale retelling.
Huh?
I can see that you're confused, so I'll explain. 

Yes, it's a good novella. The hero and heroine are both likable, the villain is deliciously evil, the plot is fun, and the romance is cute. Except that nothing in the story has anything to do with The Frog Prince tale. I mean, there are a couple of Fairy Godmother Enforcers who are working behind the scenes to supposedly get the fairytale back on track, but if it weren't for them saying that this was somehow related to a fairytale, I honestly wouldn't have noticed anything remotely fairytaleish about the plot. I would have just thought it was a good romantic short-story. So if you're looking for a good retelling...look elsewhere.

However, if you're looking for a fun romance with some fairies running around in the background, then this book would fit the bill. It's far more well-rounded than most novellas that I've read, and I didn't feel like I was getting gypped out of a back story, plot, or ending. Nothing felt rushed at all, and that is fairly unusual. I've read some novellas by authors who already have a well-known character in place, and still haven't been able to pull that off. Lots of stuff labeled Blah Blah 1.5 or Blah Blah 3.5 come to mind.

So, no, it wasn't what I was hoping for, but I really enjoyed it anyway. If nothing else, it made me want to check out more by this author. In fact, if the ending of Enamoured was any indicator, it looks like there will be more stories featuring Rump and Esmerelda in the future. If so, bring it on! Those two were adorable!

Early Review: Joyland by Stephen King

Release Date: June 4, 2013
Published by: Hard Case Crime
Page Count: 288 pages
Source: Provided by publisher
Author Links: Website | Amazon

Set in a small-town North Carolina amusement park in 1973, Joyland tells the story of the summer in which college student Devin Jones comes to work as a carny and confronts the legacy of a vicious murder, the fate of a dying child, and the ways both will change his life forever.

"I love crime, I love mysteries, and I love ghosts. That combo made Hard Case Crime the perfect venue for this book, which is one of my favorites. I also loved the paperbacks I grew up with as a kid, and for that reason, we’re going to hold off on e-publishing this one for the time being. Joyland will be coming out in paperback, and folks who want to read it will have to buy the actual book." – Stephen King

This was my first experience with Stephen King, the author known as the master of horror, and what I found wasn't quite what I was expecting. 

I enjoyed King's writing style and easily flew through this novel in very little time. His character, Devin Jones, was easy to relate to and the carny atmosphere where he spends his time was one of the most appealing aspects of the story. 

Devin is a young college student starting a new chapter in his life. He spends the summer of '73 making a place for himself at Joyland, an amusement park in a small town called Heaven's Bay. He's learning to speak the carny lingo and excelling in his role as the park's furry mascot, Howie the Happy Hound. He's also developing long-lasting friendships and has experiences that largely impact his life. And all of this occurs during a time when he's suffering through his first real heartbreak.

There are several enjoyable characters featured throughout this novel, but the young boy that enters Devin's life is by far the most captivating. He plays a very meaningful role in the story, but there is a long wait before he eventually makes his appearance.

The actual mystery of this Hard Case Crime novel takes a back seat to the development of Devin Jones' character and the changes and transitions taking place in his life. The ghost in the haunted house is occasionally mentioned, but it isn't until much later in the story that any real effort is placed in to searching for the killer responsible for her wandering soul. The ghost ends up feeling like an insignificant part of the story at times, an afterthought really, until well after the halfway point.

If you enjoy coming-of-age stories, then I would highly suggest reading King's latest novel. If you're looking for suspense and an intriguing mystery, then I would suggest looking elsewhere.

[Review] - Unbeautifully (Undeniable # 2) by Madeline Sheehan

Warning: This is not a story about fate or destiny. This is a story about pain, sorrow, and suffering. This is an impulsive whirlwind romance between two lovers that are not meant to be together. Theirs is not a world with sunshine and roses. Instead, their love blossoms in a secret world full of crime, violence, and death. Their story is about what can be born from nightmares.

Danielle “Danny” West is the daughter of Deuce West, President of the Hell’s Horsemen Motorcycle Club. A sweet and beautiful girl, she loses her way, searching for things that are always out of her reach. Erik “Ripper” Jacobs is the Sergeant of Arms in the Hell’s Horsemen. Once a man who always had a smile on his face, his life takes a turn for the worst when a tragedy befalls him, leaving him scarred and broken. During a midsummer night, Danny and Ripper’s paths cross, forever changing their lives. Hastily, their lust turns to love until another tragedy forces them apart. On a journey that is marred with ugliness and chaos, Danny and Ripper must discover if their unforeseen connection can find the beauty in their world.

This is Danny and Ripper’s story.

Everything has beauty. Even the ugly. Especially the ugly.Because without ugly, there would be no beauty.

Release Date: May 13, 2013

Publisher:  Self-Published

Genre:  Adult Contemporary, Contemporary Romance
Pages:  259

Madeline Sheehan is a bitch.  I fucking HATE her.  She kidnaps me from my real life, stuffs an angsty story filled with heartbreak and emotions down my throat, and then leaves me begging for more with a severe book hang over.  To top it all off, she does all of this mangling of my feelings with spot-on dialogue, killer characters and a twisty plot.  Who does this shit?  This is not the first time this bitch has done me in, and I'm sure it won't be the last.

And sometimes, love is unconventional and it breaks all the rules and blurs all the lines and basks in its glory, shining bright as the sun, unapologetically glowing even under the narrowed stares of society and its screaming, self-righteous morals, berating and judging that which it doesn't understand.

Unbeautifully is the story of Ripper and Danny, both characters we met in Undeniable.  It is also the continuation of Eva and Deuce's roller coaster of a relationship that provides even more angst and heartache.  The first thing that surprised me about this book was the page time that was devoted to Deuce and Eva.  We see the aftermath of Frankie and the status of the Eva-Deuce relationship following Undeniable.  I assumed that we would have some Eva and Deuce since they are the heart and soul of this series (at least in my opinion) and all the other events stem from their choices.  But Sheehan, the bitch, doesn't disappoint!  We see the raw, blistered Eva and Deuce relationship that is near tatters, and we see how these two deal with all of their shit.  There were moments where my heart absolutely ached for Eva, and maybe even a bit for Deuce.  

...A woman who, time and time again, brought him to his fucking knees, had him praying to a god he didn't believe in just so he would keep her by his side.

I loved how Deuce's perspective seemed to change by the end of this book.  From all the drama and angst he dealt with, it was nice to see him giving good, solid advice to Danny - advice that had he taken, would have made his life a bit easier.  I adore Eva - the strength of this woman is enough to keep me coming back for more.  If you thought Eva was weak in any way, Unbeautifully will show you that you were dead wrong.  When her life is falling apart, Eva suffers through until she can see the light.  Her strength as a mother, and as a partner in a rough relationship, it beautiful to watch.  

In addition to Eva and Deuce, we are treated to the rough and complicated Danny-Ripper coupling.  Sheehan knows how to torture her characters, and pulled Danny and Ripper through the ringer.  Ripper is a bit older than Danny.  Not only is there the age difference causing obstacles, but the MC politics, and Ripper's self-esteem issues, as well.  If you've read Undeniable, you know that an intense event occurred that ended with Ripper's disfigurement.  Sheehan delves into what exactly happened to Ripper and how he has carried around shame and guilt ever since.  

Everything has beauty.  Even the ugly.  Especially the ugly.  Because without ugly, there would be no beauty. Beacause without beauty, we would not survive out pain, our sorrow, and our suffering.  

Danny deals with a lot of her own personal demons in this book.  Danny grew up as the daughter of a MC Prez.  Unlike Eva, though, she was not raised at the clubhouse.  She grew up wearing pink, sparkly clothes with an attitude to match.  This all changed when the Eva-Deuce drama came to a head.  Danny was left without her mother, with a depressed Eva and a distant and unfeeling father.  She rightfully felt uncared for by everyone except her big brother.  Ripper and Danny started a white hot relationship when Deuce was the farthest, mentally and emotionally, from Danny that he had ever been.  Danny and Ripper made many, many heartbreaking mistakes, and both could shoulder part of the blame, but these two are star-crossed lovers.  Their relationship became so hot, so quickly, that it was difficult read through the "bad" parts of this book.

Ripper was my rainstorm, my skin-drenching frenzy, where you couldn't tell right from left, where all you could feel was the phenomenon exploding throughout your body, feverishly burning through you even as it pleasurably cooled.

Other characters are present in this book.  It seems that where Undeniable set up this entire series from a wide view point, Unbeautifully sets up smaller stories that we will read in the future.  We are introduced to ZZ and left wondering where his road will lead.  We learn more about Dorothy and the seeming love triangle she is involved in. If you thought there was already a lot of drama in this book, then look out for Dorothy's story!  We also get insight into Cage and Tegen, which seems like it's going to be an emotional, burn-the-world-down kind of romance.  I loved seeing more of Cage in this book, and although I don't particularly care for the I'm-better-than-you attitude that Tegen is sporting, I can't wait to read more about these two.

So, to sum up....I'll state it one last time....Madeline Sheehan is a bitch.  Total and complete.  If you enjoy staying up to unGodly hours reading, think it's great to need vodka and a pack of smokes after reading a fictional story, and like to mentally use the adjective "motherfucker" before almost every word, then this series if for you!

What they had was some real forever kind of bullshit.

But seriously, folks, Madeline Sheehan is a goddess.  I have LOVED everything that this lady has written.  Emotional angst aside (which tends to be my favorite part), Sheehan tells one hell of a story with damaged and intense characters.  I can only remember being this affected by one other series that I read, and I urge you to pick this one up.  

Coffee Shop Talks : The Best & Worst Series Endings

Coffee Shop Talks is a weekly feature where we each discuss a bookish topic of our choosing.

This week's topic:

BEST

        

Alpha by Rachel Vincent

There are few series that have gotten me as emotional as Vincent's Shifters did. Especially the conclusion, Alpha. It was intense, heartbreaking and had me on the edge of my seat. Vincent delivers the revenge I'd been eagerly anticipating, the growth of a heroine that I loved, the end of a sexy and often frustrating love triangle, and a happily ever after that came with plenty of sacrifices. It was exhilarating and I couldn't have enjoyed it more! 

The Crown of Crystal Flame

The conclusion to Wilson's Tairen Soul series was equal parts heartwarming and heartbreaking. It was filled with action and battle scenes that kept me glued to the pages. From the very first story, I was in love with the characters, the developing romance, the action and writing style, including the well-timed shifts to other characters' points of view. And I was even more in love with the series by the time it was all over. Every fan of fantasy and romance should read Wilson's Tairen Soul series. 

WORST

Shadow Heir by Richelle Mead

I can't say too much about why the ending to Mead's Dark Swan series was so very, very disappointing. There would just be too many spoilers. But what I can safely say is that the beginning was slow, the final battle was a huge let down and by the time it was all over I had lost respect for the heroine that I had once loved. I was expecting something epic but discovered that I had set my expectations way too high.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

I loved The Hunger Games and liked Catching Fire, but Mockingjay just didn't have the same effect on me. The ending was less than satisfying and I felt cheated by the way certain events played out. It's disheartening when you become so emotionally invested in the outcome of a series and it doesn't end in a way that feels like you're rewarded for all of the anguish and heartache that you suffered through. Many people really enjoyed it and found that the end fit perfectly with the overall tone of the series, but Mockingjay will always be one of my most disappointing endings.

    

Vote TERRIBLE in the VBC Alpha Showdown!

The annual Alpha Showdown has begun! 

So far, Ryodan ("Iced"), Ethan Sullivan ("House Rules"), 

and Christian MacKeltar ("Iced") have advanced. 

Now Terrible is up against Faith Hunter's Jane Yellowrock.

I know there are a lot of Downside groupies out there, 

so stop by VBC and show Terrible some love!

Downside Ghosts Series

Coming Soon: Wrong Ways Down (Downside Ghosts 1.5) Terrible's POV

Early Review: Demonic Dora (Demonic Dora #1) by Claire Chilton

Release Date: June 30, 2013
Publisher: Ragz Books
Source: NetGalley
Author Links: Website | Goodreads 

She's finally managed to summon her first demon...

Dora Carridine is trying to summon a demon, but she's not very good at Latin and nothing ever works out the way she plans. 
Her life is fraught with weekly exorcisms and having to watch her father’s fire and brimstone TV show every Sunday. So, when Dora finally succeeds in summoning an incompetent demon lord, she’s absolutely delighted when all hell breaks loose. 
She thought summoning a sexy demon lord would be the answer to all of her problems, but her problems are only just beginning when her zealot parents try to burn her at the stake, and Dora is left with only one option—to escape and follow her demon straight into Hell.

Hmmm, I don't want to smack an indie book around, because it's just not a very nice thing to do. Besides, there is evidently a special ring in Hell for people who give bad book reviews...more on that later, though. However, this is definitely a two star book. Now, according to Goodreads that means the book was ok. Not great, not awful, but tolerably readable. 

There were several things I liked, and several things that just didn't do it for me, but they were all fairly interconnected with each other. In other words, some of the things that I enjoyed were also the things that kept the book from totally working.

Here's a very simple run-down of the story:

Dora is the daughter of a crazy televangelist. To rebel she practices black magic, and (for some unspecified amount of time) has been attempting to summon a demon. Evidently, she would like this demon to get rid of all of the pink that her parents insist on having in her room.

Shortly after the story opens, she manages to summon a teenage demon named Kieron, who's basically a sweet (but horny) teenage boy. Her parents and the rest of the town try to burn her at the stake, Kieron saves her, and they escape to Hell where they compete in a Hunger Gamesish competition to become full-fledged demons. Or something.

The silly tongue-in-cheek writing style wasn't bad. Unfortunately, I think the plot had too many holes in it to attract the age group that the author is aiming at. If the book were written for the pre-teen group, the silly stuff would go over well. For example, people get pooped on a lot. It's a running theme in the book. It got old kinda quick for me, 'cause I'm a grown-up and poo is icky. My kids never get tired of poo jokes...go figure.

Also, an older set of readers will probably wonder how an entire town goes crazy enough to try to burn a teenager at the stake. Really?!  As an adult, I found that questionable. While a younger group of readers might just assume that the Big People are weird like that, ya know? 

The writing is good enough that the author could get away with some of this stuff...if it were a middle grade reader. The content is definitely too mature for kids, though.

The f-bomb gets dropped even more than the poo, and even though Dora and Kieron never do it, there's quite a bit of sexual content. Including, but not limited to, a bad guy getting ass-raped by a Minotaur. Erk!

And then there's the (above mentioned) ring of Hell dedicated to reviewers. When Dora is finally introduced to the Worst Sinners, it turns out...dum, dum, dum...they're people who gave Bad Book Reviews. Which, was so totally hysterical I actually laughed out loud! I mean, how can you not love that, especially coming from an author?! Except, like the poop jokes, it went on too long. What could have potentially been one of the best one-liners that I've ever read, devolved into a personal rant from the author.

Frigid librarians, reviewers with tiny man-parts, wannabe writers, and baby killers! They are worst of all humanity rolled into a nerd with a keyboard. Gulp. It quickly shifted from really funny into really awkward.

One of the things I did like was the male character, Kieron. For once you get to see a teenage boy act like a teenage boy. He's continually trying to get into her pants, but he's not portrayed like some skeevy rapist. He's just a goofy kid who wants to touch boobies. Which, let's face it, is a pretty accurate description of the majority of teenage boys out there. I remember being in high school (they had just discovered fire), and none of the boys I knew wanted to 'wait for marriage'. Yet YA books are littered with young men who seem to be actively trying to avoid sex. Makes sense to me!

So, in conclusion, here's what I think:

This author has talent and a sense of humor, it just hasn't all come together quite yet. If Chilton polishes her quirky humor, she could be an extremely funny adult writer. Or she could  get rid of the adult content and write for the Percy Jackson crowd. There's definitely a lot of potential in this lady, and if she can find the right age group for her books, she could really do well.


                                                                

[Blog Tour & Giveaway] - Drowning in You by Rebecca Berto

   

Secretly crushing Crushed by a tragedy

Charlee May’s been crushing on Dexter Hollingworth since she was fifteen. Five years later, a horrific skiing disaster at Mason’s Ski Lift Resort leaves her millionaire dad critically injured and her mom dead at the hands of Dexter operating the lifts. Charlee is suddenly the sole caretaker for her little brother while their world falls apart. Dexter couldn’t be more different from Charlee. He’s tattooed, avoids exclusive relationships and his Dad has a fair share of illegal dealings. With Dexter’s reputation, almost everyone believes he planned the Mason’s skiing disaster. And after all these years he’s still crushing on Charlee May, the girl who’s too good for him. When this cruel twist of fate ties Charlee’s family and Dexter’s reputation together, Charlee and Dexter wonder if their feelings are reciprocated, while Dexter discovers his dad is trying to steal the May’s millionaire fortune. But like an addiction, one look, one touch, one taste—they’re hooked no matter the consequences.

Purchase: 

Amazon paperback 

Amazon Kindle

Smashwords

Kobo

Charlee

Dad and I look at each other at the same time and I need to speak first or else I’ll cop it, I know I will, and I need to explain that I was just being silly and I’m doing the best I can to be nice for Darcy.

However, getting in first, Dad says, “I’m never getting out of here.”

He doesn’t rub my shoulders or pull me to the bed so he can lean in, trembling with the effort, to kiss my forehead like he used to before a bedtime story. There’s no contact, no connection.

I want my mom. I don’t want to be Darcy’s mom.

There, I thought it. Did you hear that, Dad? I’m not ready for this. I’m not ready because Mom shouldn’t be dead and you’re not dead yet. You hear me?

He just says, “Charlee? You hear that?”

I bop my head up, left, down. It started as an I-don’t-know but I’m not sure what I did in the end. My brain didn’t compute his message. Refuses to compute it.

“Oh, Charlee.” Dad sighs a ragged breath.

This shouldn’t have happened. My best friend Rosa’s dad isn’t like this, so why should mine be? My dad’s not even fifty and hers is fifty-five! Dad winces as he tries to push himself up in bed and it’s so feeble that I can’t watch the same man who used to pin me down and tickle me ‘til I had cramps of pain from laughing struggle like this. I can’t watch, so instead his grunts pierce my ears because I close my eyes. I clench my fists by my thighs until he stops making those God-awful sounds and…

And would you look at that! My father is sitting upright.

“My liver now isn’t—”

“Dad!” Darcy hooks his arm around the doorjamb and skids to a stop inside. He puts his hand to his chest and says, “She’s coming right now.”

“Okay, okay. Come here. Whoa, did she give you coffee?”

“No, I just came here as quick as I could, Dad. I promise she said she’ll come real soon.”

“You’ve done great. Come sit down.”

Darcy, smiling and satisfied with what he’s achieved for Dad, trots over to his chair and sits on the edge. He pulls out his handheld game from his pocket and starts jamming buttons. Then, apparently remembering something, pulls out his cell from his other pocket and starts texting.

Dad’s eyes say come here so I scoot closer.

“He’s a smart ki—” Dad starts, but footsteps are approaching our door. He says, “No tomfoolery with him. You tell him straight up, Charlee. You’re Melissa now and I am —”

“Walter!” someone says from the door.

It’s Lisa. She’s my favorite, because she sometimes has a sour candy for Darcy to suck on, and she always says how Dad’s improving, giving him smiles and pats on the back.

As Mom to Dexter, Lisa has the same shocking blue eyes as he does. She wiggles her hips at the door, fingering her pocket. She has a somewhat round face, whereas Dexter’s is square and bulging with veins and all that sexy stuff I could only dream of touching, but Lisa Hollingworth is cute, in a Mom way. I bet if Dexter never opened that potty mouth I used to hear while I ogled him from the sidelines of the football field he’d look like a Mama’s Boy, too. But when he opens that mouth, his voice is sex oozing from those luscious lips.

“Watermelon,” she says to Darcy.

Darcy drops his electronics on his chair as if they are plastic toys from a McDonald’s Happy Meal and grabs the twenty-cent candy from her. Shame, really. That kid doesn’t know value. But there’s something comforting in that; Darcy is still learning, and I guess I can still tell him our Dad is going to be fine.

Rebecca Berto is the author or the dark contemporary/literary novella, PRECISE and the upcoming new adult contemporary romance novel, DROWNING IN YOU. She is also a freelance editor.

She writes stories that are a bit sexy, and straddle the line between Literary and Tear Your Heart Out. She gets a thrill when her readers are emotional reading her stories, and gets even more of a kick when they tell her so. She’s strangely imaginative, spends too much time on her computer, and is certifiably crazy when she works on her fiction.

Rebecca Berto lives in Melbourne, Australia with her boyfriend and their doggy.

Author Links:

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway