Andie
4.5 stars
The Queen is the last book in The Masterpiece Duet and it's so hard for me to write this review because I can't believe this amazing series is over.
First of all, I have to admit my expectations were crazy high, I've been waiting a long time for Damon and Penny's story and after The King I was literally counting the days to my most anticipated book of 2017: The Queen. The story begins a couple of years after The King's events and I don't want to give much away because in an epic story like this one, too much information can clearly damage the reading experience, so forgive me for being a little vague. I think it started slow but it kept building and building. Penny is in college and like the baby genius she always was, she's a superstar academically. But socially, not so much. She thinks of Damon a lot but she knows that Damon and Tanglewood come hand in hand and the more time she spends away from home, the more she can see a future away from the darkness of her hometown. Or the more she tries to convince herself that there's a future away from Damon. But then there's a catalyst. And Penny knows that something is going on in Tanglewood. Something wrong. Something that might involve her father, Avery and Gabriel. And of course Damon Scott. Will Penny be able to solve the most important puzzle in her life?
Damon is leading his life like he always does. Always in control, commanding, dark and dangerous and forever lonely. Calculating, assessing, deflecting, ruling, protecting... But now, Penny's in his doorstep again. Will Damon be able to protect her from the darkness this time?
Penny has an amazing sense of loyalty and strength. I already loved her but now everything about her is even sharper and the way she sees through Damon's facade is mind blowing. Damon is probably one of the most engaging and compelling characters ever! Insanely complex and strong (probably one of the strongest characters I've read about, particularly when he reveals his weaknesses), Damon shattered my heart repeatedly and then he would just turn around to glue it back together. Definitely unconventional, broken, damaged and yet absolutely captivating and magnetic.
The chemistry and tension between Damon and Penny is intensely palpable, their connection is soul deep, all of their feelings are so raw and powerful that I was emotionally drained when I reached the end. I've got to say that the only reason I'm rating it 4.5 stars is because I felt that the story could go on a little longer, I wanted a little more... Maybe because my expectations were sky high or because I read it super fast but it did feel a little short. Maybe it's just me.
Anyway, I really loved The Queen and I'm inconsolable after the end of this alluring, brilliant series. I'm not ready to move on! That's how much I loved Damon, Penny and their wonderful, broken, perfectly imperfect journey.
Books, Coffee & Passion
Say You'll Remember Me is one of the most intense YA books I've read. And I've read plenty, including some of Katie McGarry's books (if you haven't read her Pushing the Limits series, you're definitely missing out) but Drix's story is absolutely amazing.
Drix has a second chance but he knows he needs to change his life, actually he's realizing that maybe that's not that hard because he knows he's already different. During the year he lost, away from everyone he loves, he has changed. A lot. Still, he's terrified of falling through the rabbit hole again, so he's taking things slow.
Elle has an easy life. At least that's what everyone thinks when they look at her social media and perfect pictures dressed in fancy dresses, smiling with her family and joining her father's events while raising money to his campaign. But the truth is she's not happy, no one really knows her or cares about what she thinks or feels except her cousin, and she's struggling with her parents pressure and expectations.
Elle and Drix have an amazing connection and an insane chemistry. Even though they're very much attracted to each other, Drix knows they can't get involved: they're too different, from two very different worlds, Elle is out of his league and she's the governor's daughter. But even though they have a mile long list of cons they seem to be inevitably thrown together all the time...
I loved Drix and Elle's journey, there's family drama, angst, self discovery, healing, second chances and twists that I didn't see coming! It was so beautifully written, so emotional with such character growth that I couldn't put my Kindle down (and I ugly cried at some moments), I really loved how their friendship started to grow and how they slowly fell in love not only with each other but also with the person they had the potential to become. They definitely brought the best in each other and that just made their story so much more. I'm also in love with Drix's family, their moments together are not always perfect, but their loyalty and love for each other definitely shine through. Katie McGarry is my favorite YA author, she always tugs at my heartstrings and I love every second of it! Overall, an emotional story about self discovery, second chances, loyalty, love and family that will keep you captivated until the very last second and then you'll be wishing there was more. Highly recommended and a must read! I won't be missing Katie's next book.
Books, Coffee & Passion
Brix was a very enjoyable read, I was hooked as soon as I read the synopsis. A rocker-stepbrother-bully romance, I couldn't pick this one up fast enough!
Ivy returned home from college just for the summer and she was determined not to fall under Brix's spell, the heat between them was insane but Brix was always a jerk to her when they were in high school and as a result she just wanted to stay away from him. Yet, Ivy suddenly realized her mom married Brix's father, which meant they were now step siblings and she was going to stay in Brix's house for the whole summer.
Brix was a sexy brooding rock singer that hit on Ivy even before he recognized her, he couldn't believe Ivy was back and how much he wanted her. Even after he discovered he was her new stepbrother, everything he craved was her although Ivy was fighting him every chance she got. Brix wasn't going to let Ivy get away and it definitely helped that they were living under the same roof for the summer.
The push and pull between this two was great, it was steamy, heated, entertaining and there were sparks flying everywhere. I liked how their story progressed, how Brix opened up to Ivy and how their hate/love relationship was developed. I really enjoyed Brix and Ivy's romance but I wish there was a little bit more of grovel because Ivy's forgiveness was a little quicker than I would like. Also, I would have loved if we had more scenes from their past. Overall, it was a great start to this series, with a LOT of chemistry and heat, I definitely want more from A Rebels Havoc.
This series is amazing! I've been hooked since Pru and Finn's story and love it!
Kylie is really sweet, she's been through a lot in her life and she's a survivor. She's a woodworker, an art that her grandfather taught her, she has awesome friends, her dog is loving, loyal and hilarious and lately she's been trying to avoid Joe... you know after that kiss.
Joe is a hot, sexy, alpha who isn't afraid of anything. Well, at least he thought so but that chemistry between him and Kylie is freaking him out and he just can't get her out of his mind. It doesn't matter if she has dust all over her or even if she's wearing work boots, he's just drawn to her specially after that kiss.
Kylie and Joe have an insane chemistry! The push and pull, the way their relationship was slowly changing, how they couldn't resist and keep their hands of each other, their stubbornness, the hilarious stake outs, Joe opening up to Kylie and those kisses made their story unique, fresh and perfectly balanced between heat, heart, friendship, family (I loved Joe's dad), suspense and action. Joe is now my second favorite in this series (yes, Archer is still #1!).
Overall, a very sweet, funny, sexy and entertaining contemporary romance with amazing characters that will make you want to move to Heartbreaker Bay (I think I've said that in every review I've written about this series, honestly it's just that I get that Friends - yes the TV show - vibe every single time and I love it so, so much!), can't wait for Lucas and Molly's story - oh yeah, those looks between them and the sizzling chemistry are very promising. About that Kiss is a must read and I definitely recommend the entire series.
Skye Warren wrecked me with the Endgame Series and she did it again with The King, the first book in the Masterpiece Duet.
Damon and Penny's history is equal parts beautiful and heartbreaking. Penny's life is very far from easy, she never had a normal family life and her genius mind, her only hope to achieve more for her future, ends up attracting the wrong kind of attention. And she's only a seven year old. That's when she meets Damon...
Damon is the son of a criminal, his dad, Jonathan Scott, is a ruthless sociopath and Damon's on the run when he meets Penny. Their lives entwine and soon Damon chooses to make an ultimate sacrifice to save “baby genius” from a terrible fate: falling in his dad's hands.
The story fast forwards: Penny's now working at a dinner, trying to keep her dad from gambling but sometimes life comes full circle... And suddenly Penny is in danger of falling in Jonathan Scott's hands again. What exactly are the odds that Damon can save her again?
This may sound odd but I really loved how Penny and Damon met, she's a child and he's a young boy but they met exactly when they needed each other. Their connection as two damaged souls is so heartbreaking. Trust me, it's amazingly perfect. I loved both Damon and Penny, their strengths, their weaknesses and especially how Penny's resilience is truly inspiring.
Even though The King can be read as a standalone, it is a spin-off of the Endgame series so I would highly recommend that you read that series first, it's definitely worth it!
Dark, gritty, powerful, angsty, deeply compelling with complex characters, fantastic writing, a perfect pace and a cliffhanger from hell! Mind blowing! I loved every word of The King and now I just don't how am I going to survive until September for The Queen's release.
Trust hooked me in from the very first sentence, I was so enthralled by Edie and John's story that I literally couldn't put my Kindle down until I read every word!
Edie and John meet by chance, they interact with each other during a life threatening event that changes their lives. Edie never really fit into the private school she attended and after being held hostage during a robbery, she gets angry at a bully (good for her!) and ends up transferring to the local public high school where she runs into John.
John is trying to change his life around in order to achieve a different future. The path he was taking, drug dealing with his brother, doesn't work for him anymore and he wants to be better. So he's focusing in getting his grades up, thinking about his future, cleaning up his act. He can't believe when he sees Edie in his school. There's a connection between them, they need each other and even though superficially they couldn't be more different, they have so much more in common than even they thought possible.
I absolutely loved Edie. She's so damn brave, fierce, funny, she just kept fighting back and I it's impossible not to fall in love with her. Honestly, one of the toughest heroines I've read and she's only 17! And yes, she's flawed but even in her moments of insecurity she's stunningly honest with herself. I also loved John, how he shares glimpses of his feelings, his past, what he wants for his future, how he feels a little lost but he just keeps pushing himself to be better, how protective he gets and how he's so sweet with Edie. The secondary characters were also really good, I fell in love with Hang, Anders kept making me laugh and I wanted even more of Carrie and Sophia too, the power of friendship is perfectly shown.
Honestly, Trust was so much more than what I thought it would be: brilliantly written, realistic, angsty, heartbreaking, breathtaking, addictive and powerful. Definitely, a top favorite, a must read and a game changer.
Books, Coffee & Passion
Ride Wild is the third book in the Raven Riders series and my absolute favorite of this series!
I really thought it was going to be hard to top Ride Rough but I should've know Laura Kaye NEVER disappoints. I laughed, sighed and cried while reading Slider and Cora's story. I'm sorry Maverick, but Slider is my new favorite Raven!
Slider is a sexy single dad, he's been through hell and he has deep emotional scars, nonetheless he's trying really hard to raise his kids and, well, he's also fighting his attraction to Cora. He's aware that she makes his kids happy, so he hires her as a nanny, but, with Cora living in his house, it's getting harder to avoid noticing everything about her, however his past keeps haunting him and he's not willing to share his secret. At least not until he realizes that his boys aren't the only ones falling madly in love with Cora...
Cora is probably the strongest heroine of Raven's Riders world. She's gorgeous, funny, with a heart of gold, a soft spot for animals, she's an amazing friend and her relationship with Slider's kids is absolutely perfect! I loved everything about her, how brave she was, how she tried to protect the ones she loved (especially Haven) and her selflessness is utterly inspiring. Cora often has nightmares about her past, her life before the Ravens was hard and even though she wants to move on and heal, she finds herself still dealing with panic attacks and loneliness. She is deeply in love with Sam and Ben, Slider's kids, and when Slider offers her a job as their nanny, Cora thinks life can't get any better... except maybe it does...
I loved both Cora and Slider as individuals. But honestly when they finally give in to the intense chemistry between them... that's when I really fell hard for them as a couple: the way their relationship build, the steamy moments, their truly beautiful romance, everything between them was amazing. They were so perfect for each other, it was enthralling. I literally couldn't put my Kindle down! Everything flowed effortlessly! Even Sam and Ben provided lots of swoony moments and kept showing how Cora and Slider were meant to be together. Ride Wild wrecked me in such a great way. And, then, Laura describes one of the most horrible things humans do to innocent, loving dogs, which wrecked me even more and I couldn't stop my tears from falling. But I don't want to give much of the story away, so just trust me: if you haven't read Ride Wild yet, you're definitely missing out!
Ride Wild is an amazing, emotional journey, beautifully written with amazing characters, plenty of romance, swoony moments and an awesome suspense plot. I highly recommend it and I really hope we'll get Phoenix and Caine's stories too.
The Blade Itself is my newest obsession. I loved it!
After the first 50 pages, I didn't want to read any of the other books I was reading. I only wanted to reach for my copy of this book.
Joe Abercrombie's morally grey, witty characters were fabulous. Glotka and Logen's inner monologues were done so well.
This was a slow burn, very character-driven story and I loved every second of it.
A favorite of the year. Can't wait to read the second book in the trilogy.
4.5 stars
I loved this series. V.E. Schwab's writing really works for me.
I was invested in the story, the action (there was a lot going on!), and the characters. Especially the characters! Kell, Rhy, Alucard, Lila, and Holland were excellent characters. I really enjoyed the ending.
At some points, this book didn't feel like the last book.
(Apparently, there's going to be another book(s) in this series which is intriguing. Excited for it!)
Still not a fan of the “not like other girls” vibe that Lila maintains throughout the series.
Books, Coffee & Passion
Bountiful is the fourth book in the True North and it can be read as a standalone.
Zara is an independent woman, running her uncle's bar, she's a tough bartender trying to get over her ex and, well, a eye candy green eyed hottie doesn't go unnoticed at her bar. She has watched Dave watching her and she can't resist him after a particularly rough night. But she has no doubt that his grin means... trouble.
Dave is a hot cocky hockey player, he's spending a few weeks in Vermont and the hot bartender with an exotic name definitely caught his eye. Dave knows he isn't relationship material, so he's hoping to have a few fun nights with Zara but she's not exactly what he's expecting since she lays the rules even before him: no life stories, no strings attached. But sometimes life happens. Literally.
I absolutely loved Zara! She was strong, feisty, independent but she knew she needed help as a single mom and the way her family supported her was so heart warming. She was a great mom, an awesome friend and it was amazing to see how she changed after becoming a mom. Dave was a sweetheart, I loved how unsure he was around his daughter at first and how he gradually fell in love with her, their moments together were so sweet! I really liked the way Zara and Dave were absolutely perfect for each other, how they slowly opened up to each other and how they were falling in love without realizing it.
Bountiful was a captivating, emotional, sweet love story with steamy moments and with an utterly perfect ending.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Books, Coffee & Passion
One of my favorite tropes in romance is enemies-to-lovers and The Hook-Up Experiment did not disappoint me.
Peyton is a confident, sexy, sassy, independent, successful woman, who can't say no to a bet especially if she knows she's going to win it... So, Peyton bets her brother that it's possible to hook up with someone three times and not fall in love and well... she's the perfect test subject. She's going to prove him wrong and win 5 hundred dollars. But she wasn't expecting to hook up with her high school enemy. Elliott. Hot, sexy Elliott that aged so perfectly... There's no way she's going to fall in love with him, right?
Elliott is a hot, sexy, swoon-worthy, perfect, charming man who has his struggles as a single dad. He doesn't have much time to date, so he signs up on a website just to hook up, no strings attached. But the first blind date is one hell of a surprise...
Honestly, I think I might have a crush on Peyton! I loved her! Her style, her stubbornness, her spontaneity, everything about her was lovable. The chemistry and the banter are off the charts, Dominic (Peyton's brother) and Chloe's (Peyton's BFF) comical moments made me laugh so many times, I really loved the Friends vibe and Briony is such a sweet, sweet kid. The Hook-Up Experiment is a low angst, charming, hilarious, addictive, swoony, light romantic comedy. Can't wait for Dom and Chloe's story!
Runaway Groom made me realize I might have a soft spot for reality TV show's books (yes, only books). As soon as I read this blurb, I knew I had to read this story and I'm so glad I did!
Ellie is one hell of a character! I loved her! She's smart, cool, sassy, sexy, confident and she enters the show just because her business needed a serious boost (and also because her best friend convinced her to do it). She was hoping to stay just for a short period of time and advertise her clothing line, she wasn't exactly interested in Gage Barrett. At all. Until she meets him in person and sparks are flying everywhere.
Gage is a hot shot movie star who has several women at his feet, he's hot, sexy, cocky but he's not at all shallow or dumb. Still, he's on the show, not because he wants to meet his one true love but because he lost a bet... to his best friend and of course his pride stopped him from backing out. He's going to be surrounded by beautiful women at a paradise island, it doesn't sound so bad, the catch is he has to marry one of the girls on the last episode, not just get engaged, it's actually marry-marry! He gets to pick which one but it's still scary, nonetheless he's determined to see it through.
I'm not going to spoil the story, so I'll keep this short and I'll only share a few things. The banter between this two is EPIC! I loved it, the closet moments (you'll get it when you read it!) are hilarious and their chemistry is off the charts. They start out as friends, almost as buddies because there's a lot of crazy girls on the show, Ellie kind of helps Gage to dodge some crazy bullets, and the way their relationship slowly builds is absolutely perfect. I also loved their interactions with the secondary characters, the way the reality show went on (the eliminations, the “dates”, the manipulation), the plot was beautifully written. There was one of Ellie's choices almost at the end of the book (can't spoil it though...) that I think was a little off character and it bugged me a little.
Running Groom is a fun, charming, sexy, entertaining, easy read that will make you fall in love with Hollywood (yes, Gage!).
I enjoyed it a lot!
There were a few slow moments here and there, but overall the story was very entertaining.
I was intrigued and invested in trying to figure out what was happening.
Beneath the Truth is the seventh and final book in the Beneath series and it's the first one in this series that I've read. I was definitely missing out! While reading Ari and Rhett's story, I got more and more curious about Rix and Valentina's story, so I'll probably go back to read, at least!, Beneath These Lies.
Ari is absolutely wonderful, she's off the charts smart, beautiful, sexy, independent, fierce, brave, sassy, a badass CEO and I loved how she was a total nerd! Her awkwardness and impulsivity made her adorable. She made number one on my top of favorite heroines!
Rhett is an ex-cop who left New Orleans a year ago but an event makes him return home. I loved how sexy, passionate and strong Rhett was (and a dirty talker too!), even though he was going through some issues with his family, and was somehow a little lost, but what really made me love him was his sense of loyalty.
Honestly, I don't want to give much away because I don't want to risk any spoilers which could totally ruin the story so I have to keep this review a little vague. I loved Rhett and Ari, I loved them individually but I loved them even more as a couple. Their straightforwardness with each other once they finally gave in to their feelings is refreshing, but their story has bumps and it's hard to tell who to trust... Rhett has to keep Ari safe, there's a lot of danger surrounding both of them and their families and they have to analyse all the variables and discover the motives behind violent events... Will they be able to survive the drama and will they get the answers they've been chasing? Or will those answers ultimately destroy them?
Beneath the Truth is a mysterious, thrilling ride! I was rooting for Rhett and Ari, trying to figure out what the hell was happening, swooning with Rhett's dirty talking and falling in love with New Orleans (and might I say: Rhett's brothers and Lachlan!). Meghan March kept me on the edge of my seat and totally blew me away with this beautiful, gritty, sizzling story. Definitely a 2017 top favorite for me and I highly recommend it!
Books, Coffee & Passion
I didn't know that Jay Crownover was writing a cowboy romance, I just kind of stumbled on Retreat one day and as soon as I read the blurb, I was hooked! I mean Jay Crownover writes awesome inked bad boys, Rule was always my favorite, but I always had a thing for cowboys so I couldn't really resist Retreat!
Cy is Mr. Personality, at least that's how Leo calls him and honestly that's the best description ever. Cy is the oldest of 3 brothers, we also get to meet Sutton (“grumpy”) and Lane (“smiley”), they run a ranch in Wyoming and that's exactly where Emrys, Leo's bestie, booked a week-long wilderness retreat. But Cy is not exactly a picture perfect cowboy, with his styled hair, biker boots and no Stetson... Leo is a little thrown off about it and her insane attraction to him isn't helping. At all.
Leo is as feisty as they come, she got her heart broken by a scumbag boyfriend and she's still dealing with trust issues which means her walls are sky high. So, Leo is definitely angry and bitter at first, which kind of makes the banter between her and Cy amazing, but she's also healing and pushing herself out there. I kind of loved the moments when she pushed her bitterness away for Emry's sake.
The character growth is insanely perfect, the plot is flawlessly balanced, with amazing suspense, a lot of steam (the shower scene is one of my favorites!) and action packed but the damaged characters and how they grow through the story is definitely what I loved more about Retreat.
It's a story about love, yes, but there's so much more to it, it's also about an amazing friendship between two strong girls, a journey about trust, self-growth and self-discovery. If you haven't read Retreat yet, you're definitely missing out! Highly recommended for anyone who loves a romance with cowboys or “not really cowboys”.
This was a light read. Fast-paced, I actually found myself wishing that the book had more pages because the author didn't have much time to build a relationship between the MCs. I also think that it's easier to get into the book if you have read the previous two books in the series.
I liked Jeannette especially in the beginning of the book when she faces the mistakes she made but I liked Zach even more, the 180 in his life made sense and it takes a strong character to walk away from a comfortable lifestyle that turned him into someone he didn't want to be.
Definitely, a book about second chances and an enjoyable read.
Review here
I received a copy of this book for free, through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
For such a short book, this was amazing! I loved it!
Murderbot is an amazing character, the world was very intriguing - I wanted more for sure, but for a short book I was amazed by the fact we did get lots of info about the world-, and the plot kept me hooked. Martha Wells is a very talented writer.
I'll definitely keep reading this series.
Savannah and Travis are strong characters but I couldn't connect with neither and I can't quite put my finger on it. Still, it was an easy book to read. A few unexpected plot twists, a little romance, sparks flying and the author kept the story plausible. I really liked Savannah's determination in finding her mother, that definitely kept my interest. I also liked Savannah's sister, I think that I might try to read the book about her. A classic romance.
Review here
I received a copy of this book for free, through NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
Books, Coffee & Passion
What's more perfect than a book about a royal arranged marriage? That's easy: The Princess and The Player by Kat Cantrell. Why? Because the princess prefers her groom-to-be twin brother, their chemistry is off the charts and the twists in their story are perfect!
Bella is a free spirit who has been living her party girl life in Miami, but now that her brother will be Alma's King, she has to return to Alma to support her family. Unfortunately, her father also believes that an arranged marriage with Will Rowling is the perfect move for Bella to help her brother.
James is a famous soccer player who has been recently dropped by Real Madrid. He loves the sport and he's struggling with the most painful failure in his career, so he returns home even though his relationship with his father and his twin brother is cold. While Will was always the golden boy, James was obviously the black sheep so they never had much in common.
James and Bella are immediately attracted to each other and their first meeting is hilarious! I liked that James tried to do the right thing and keep his distance from Bella but they just couldn't resist each other. I loved their story and how they evolved together.
I definitely recommend The Princess and The Player to all readers who love a touching romance with well developed characters and a few twists and turns.