Danielle
EDIT: September 2023
Reading this book as a stand alone doesn't do Bones' story justice. I made that mistake the first time around. Rather read it alongside Halfway To the Grave. Even though it is the same scenes, reading the events from his perspective adds another dimmension to the story. Now when I read the other books, I feel like I understand him more as a character.
**
Original Rating: DNF (January 2022)
Normally I don't write reviews, but this book is the exception. How it got such a good ratings is beyond me.
Exhibit A: H apologises for kissing the h by blaming her for the dress she wore.
"So I think maybe I should apologize.” “Apologize for . . . ?” But she knew and she wished he wouldn't. “For kissing you last night. I'm still not sure how it happened.” He looked over her head as if the answer were written on the wall. “If you hadn't cut your hair and been looking so good, I don't think it would have happened ... Probably had more to do with that dress. That dress was designed with ulterior motives ... And the little gold chain hanging down your back was there for only one reason. ” “What? To hypnotize you?” She was being sarcastic, but she wasn't that far off. “Maybe not hypnotize, but it's there so any man seeing it will think about unhooking it...."It puts the blame on me, and I didn't walk into your apartment last night and kiss you. You kissed me.” “You didn't protest.” He didn't know what had shocked him more. Him kissing her, or her response. He never would have guessed that so much passion could be contained in so little a package. “You were so hot for it,” he said in a slow and deliberate drawl as he looked back up at her, “I could have had you naked in no time.”
Is this guy for real?
He only saw Jane once in Philadelphia, but the second she entered the locker room at the First Union Center, he noticed her red lips. And he knew she'd worn lipstick on purpose just to drive him insane .
Up to now the h never indicated (words or actions) that she wants to seduce him. He just assumes and acts on it. Nowhere does the h decide to ‘drive him insane.'
He slid his hand to the back of her neck and he lowered his mouth to hers. “I've never had you my way,” he said, and he kissed her because he couldn't seem to stop himself .
This guy is scary.
Exhibit B: He tells her what to wear so it doesn't inconvenience him.
"Are you wearing a bra?” “Are we back to that?” “Yes. Why don't you wear a bra like most women?” “Why do you care?” His gaze lowered to the front of her wool coat, but of course he couldn't see anything. “Your nipples stick out, and it's distracting.”
Excuse me?!
Exhibit C: He feels entitled to have sex with her, because she is a ‘tease.'
"I'm going to fuck you real good.” She didn't say anything and he looked down into her face. She unwrapped her leg from his waist and lowered her foot to the ground. “In a motel room?” “Yes. We can take my car.” “No.” “Where?” She pushed his hand from her breast. “Nowhere.” “Why the hell not? I'm hard, and I don't have to stick my hand down your pants to know you're wet."
When she still doesn't give in, he throws a tantrum and walks away.
“You're a tease and a damn prude,” he said and turned on his heels.He was sorry he'd ever met Jane. He was sorry he'd ever laid eyes on her, and sorrier that she made him so insane that he'd kissed her and now he was going home hard ... He backed out of the parking space and headed home. Someone should teach the little prude a thing or two about being a tease.
Ladies and gentlemen, our hero.
I. am. done.
To say I was unprepared for Savage Urges would be an understatement. Having just finished [b:Phoenix Unbound 34817019 Phoenix Unbound (Fallen Empire, #1) Grace Draven https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1517466848l/34817019.SY75.jpg 56036570], I was prancing in a world where love is something that grows alongside trust and friendship . Passion is something that follows the feeling of companionship . Grace Draven is famous for her slow burn romances, where love interests are asked to look deeper than outward appearances. In one of her books, the two main characters enter into an arranged marriage where they are from two different species : human and kai. They find each other's appearances repulsive and dreadful. In short, something out of a horror movie. The two gems below are taken from [b:Radiance 24473763 Radiance (Wraith Kings, #1) Grace Draven https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1422721500l/24473763.SX50.jpg 40780371]: “You find me ugly, don't you?” “Hideous,” he said. “A hag of a woman.” and “You might have a face to turn my hair white, but your honesty is handsome.” Going from Draven to Wright was therefore a mistake on my part. [b:Savage Urges 28075868 Savage Urges (The Phoenix Pack, #5) Suzanne Wright https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1455668131l/28075868.SY75.jpg 48077660] started of strong in the first chapter where Makenna (our heroine) meets young Zac (the hero's distant family member). It was a sweet scene that immediately draws the reader in and testify of Wright amazing writing mojo. Where it went downhill for me, was the insta lust between Makenna and Ryan. A hot mouth was then at her ear. “Why are you following me?” It was a menacing rumble. And just like that, at the feel of his breath against her ear and the sound of his gravelly voice, lust slammed into her. The reaction was instant, elemental, and totally unwanted... Ruan still said nothing. “Are you going to let go of me now?” “No.” He circled his thumb over her throat again, increasing the buzz of arousal between her skin. As Ryan Conner released her and took a single step back, she turned to face him. Big black-flecked cognac eyes that held a hint of something wild met his steadily; they acted as a punch to his gut and heightened the oppressive, sexual need that struck him the moment he'd inhaled her scent. She was a pretty little thing ... The fact that she was a lone shifter should have dulled his arousal. They weren't to be trusted - it was a well-known fact. His cock didn't seem to care about that. Nor did the instinct to possess her that was whispering over Ryan like a sensual touch. The same need for her also rode his wolf. she was speaking to him as if their statuses were reversed. No, she was speaking to him as though their statuses meant nothing. He inhaled deeply, seeking patience. And instead filled his lungs with her scent. God, that fucking scent ... wildflowers, black cherries, and innately sensuality layered with a tint of arousal. He could almost taste it on his tongue. So she wasn't quite as unaffected to him as she seemed. “I'll be seeing you soon, Makenna.” Makena almost shivered. His words sounded more like a sensual threat than a good-bye. All of the above quotes were from the scene where they meet each other. I wish I could say the lust toned down in the next chapters, but it continued with great enthusiasm. Seemingly of their own accord, Ryan's eyes dropped to the sway of Makenna's hips as she led them up the path to the shelter. Her pert little ass made his wolf growl with need. I am an emotional reader. I can both love or hate one book depending on when I read it. Part of the misunderstanding came from the genres under which the book currently fall. Before starting with it, I checked to make sure it does not fall under erotica (mind you, I only checked the top 5 classifications).A big part of my reaction to the book is influenced by the fact that I read it at the wrong time. I was not prepared for the lustful daze of the main characters. Would I recommend it? Sure, if you like insta lust, alpha male, romances where the characters are constantly turned on. Then this book is for you.
EDIT: September 2023
Every character has their best and their worst moments, their strenghts and their weaknesses. Scenes like the one below I can't unsee.
It sounded like Mencheres sighed. “My visions haven't returned. I see nothing anymore... and neither can I use my power to pinpoint Denise's location. That, too, is gone from me.”“Why the bloody hell haven't you found a way to fix that!” Spade almost shouted into the mobile, fear making him irrational. “I've never once asked you to use your power for me before. Why now, when I need you the most, are you of no use to me?”
I realise that due to trauma, this is the frantic rawest version of Spade, but his behaviour is a deal breaker for me. I don't like people who hurts others when they are hurt or scared.
There is, however, a bright and shining star in this book: Ian.
“Hallo, all !” Ian announced cheerfully. “That was a capital evening.”“Ian, mate , you look a bit worse for wear,” Spade gritted out, glaring at him. “Let's get you tucked into bed before you break anything else.”“I know our mythic history, King Arthur's and Sir Caradoc's,” Ian singsonged. Cat looked at Bones and let out a grunt. “Useless,” she muttered. Spade grabbed Ian, hissing something in his ear Denise didn't hear . Whatever it was, Ian laughed. “Charles, mate, you fret too much. I'm a grown man, I am, and I can blood my handle.”“Handle your blood?” Bones offered dryly.Ian grinned. “Exactly.”
In this book we start to see a different side of Ian. He's still the manipulative, morally questionable, licentious Ian we met in the previous books, but there is more to him than meets the eye.
“I know I'm a rotten bastard, but there are four people in the world I'd never see come to harm, even at the cost of my own life,” Ian said in a steady voice, turquoise gaze clear. “Two of them are here, yet neither of them trusts me. Believe me, even ruthless sods like me can be hurt by that.”“Yet you do lie, Ian, and you do manipulate, even the two of us,” Crispin said quietly. “Over little, insignificant things. Never over something that could mean your lives. Blimey, Crispin, you humiliated me over Cat, yet did I seek revenge? No. I went to bloody war for you less than a year later. I'll own what I am, but don't label me what I'm not when it comes to either of you.”
It moments like these that makes me want to skip the next few books and jump straight to Ian's story.
Spade had just risked his life to get Nathanial. So had Cat and everyone else ... Ian jumped over into the other boat, giving them a jaunty wave. “My compliments on an entertaining evening, everyone!”
Then again, if Ian and Bones are my type of hero, maybe I am not the right person to appreciate Spade.
Denise stifled her snort. As if Spade's chivalry would allow him to do anything to a woman. The harshest punishment she could imagine him dishing out to Cat would be refusing to open a door for her.
I am re-reading the entire Night Huntress Universe, let's see how this will go the second time around.
Some relationships are doomed from the start. You might try to force it, make excuses or go for couple's counseling, but sometimes you have to just give up and accept the inevitable.
This book was a doomed relationship from the start.
I gave it a chance, even though I did not like main characters when they made guest appearances in the other books. I tried to force the chemistry. As a last resort, I stopped reading to go through what others said to get me into the mood.
“I believe the most difficult choice you will ever have to make is whether you should just move on, or hold on a little tighter.” - Anonymous
It is with great regret that I am writing this:
I am giving up.
DNF
(April 2020)
It takes great talent to have me looking like this while reading the first chapter. I kid you not, I sobbed for young Tempest. It started of so well. I was willing to rally up the troops and go to war for her. It had all the makings for a 5 star book. I was bouncing in my seat with excitement, when it started to make a turn for the worse. The author, writing in the third person, kept using Tempest's name too often, instead of replacing it with ‘she' or rephrasing the sentence to help with the flow of the story. I kept tripping over “Tempest this,” “Tempest that” and “but Tempest.” Soon I was all fed up with poor Tempest. Other reasons that influenced my low rating: 1) Tempest was rather slow. I get it she's young, barely 18. If you give me a character who does not listen to ANYONE (even her mentors) and who makes reckless decisions out of ignorance and arrogance, AT LEAST have her be quick on the up take. In other words, realise that the King (a forty year old) who tries to force her into a sexual relationship (after he failed to kill her) might be a manipulative liar, and the people who are treating her well and nursing her wounds, honest. I know it seems far fetched, bizarre even.It takes Tempest the WHOLE BOOK to even consider this. There were some scenes were I cringed, her unwavering belief in her king made her unsympathetic to the pain and suffering of her ‘so called' enemies. 2) Nothing really happens I was expecting a quest, danger, awesome fighting scenes and a bad ass heroine who reminds me of Yelena in [b:Poison Study 60510 Poison Study (Study, #1) Maria V. Snyder https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388519019l/60510.SY75.jpg 1180409]. What I got was a heroine who acts before she thinks, who is slightly over confident in her fighting skills and who is consumed with judgmental prejudice. She's also under house arrest for a long period of the book. So we have a few scenes that goes like this:In terms of plot, the main focus is not evil schemes and action driven scenes, but Tempest's actions and self realisation (of the latter, I am not entirely convinced). 3) Little to no ‘enemies-to-lovers' Mostly cuz the heroine lives in her own ignorant world and cannot see WHAT IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER. Moving on.This book has a lot of potential and I am sad that it did not live up to the expectations I had.
Re-read: this book still hits all the feels. In its honour I've created a new tag “favourite-of-favourites.” Enough said.—-Some books stand out in the “psy-changeling” series, and [b:Shards of Hope 17159943 Shards of Hope (Psy-Changeling, #14) Nalini Singh https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1414670964l/17159943.SY75.jpg 42797145] is one of them. If I am honest I only still follow this series for the well written romantic matches that are made in the fascinating world of psy and changelings. After a while, the political/detective elements becomes a little bitMainly because by the time you've reach book 14, you have seen enough defeated villains to know that this one will also be defeated at some point. What set this book's villain apart, for me, was how it chose their apprentice. Without giving away spoilers, my heart went out when I read about its manipulative plan and I was hooked.I went from reading its pov like this:to this:The main characters were also amazing. Some the tropes from the previous books were used, but the overall awesomeness of the characters made it possible to turn a blind eye to it. Zaira is strong, possessive, independent, fierce and surprisingly gentle. I appreciated how protective she was of our hero. And after reading [b:Branded by Fire 5628753 Branded by Fire (Psy-Changeling, #6) Nalini Singh https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1334968711l/5628753.SY75.jpg 4606059] where Riley had to learn to trust that Mercy can take care of herself, this book was so refreshing. “Sleep,” she whispered. “I'll keep you safe.” Aden never doubted Zaira's ability. This book embraced a pair that was equal to each other. They have different strengths and weaknesses, but Aden did not shield Zaira or treated her differently because she was female. He trusted and respected her strength, and accepted her faults and all. Even when she could not give all of herself. He would take her exactly as she was, because one thing was true, would always be true: “I am yours.” It was his turn to stop her words. “Just stay with me,” he said. “In any way you want.”“You deserve better.” Rough, broken words.“There is no one better than you.”“I'll be the best soldier you ever have,” she repeated in a shattered whisper.“I know.” It would have to be enough. Aden, in turn, is honest, loyal, strong, dedicated and selfless. “He [Aden] has no capacity to care for himself,” Vasic said. “He believes everyone else is more important and that's what makes him a great leader. But he needs someone to watch over him, to make sure he doesn't lose himself in his responsibilities.” And he has it in Zaira: ... her voice fierce, “I'll allow him [Aden] no arguments. I'm doing the looking after even if I have to tie him up.”
