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ArecRain (8 KP) rated My Dirty Detour in Books

Jan 18, 2018  
MD
My Dirty Detour
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is not my normal read (mafia/gangster/etc.) But the author personally contacted me, and I have a hard time saying no. I figure if the author can go out of her way to personally ask me, I can take time to read it and give my honest opinion especially since I feel that, despite having my preferences, I can usually look beyond my biases to give it a fair review. I did not accept the author's offer of a complimentary copy, though, and instead bought it from Amazon.

First of all, whoa. I wasn’t not expecting this. At first, I felt the writing was a bit long winded. The first couple pages seemed filled with endless descriptions that I didn’t care about. That stopped there. Once Violet meets Rocky (within the first couple pages) it only gets better and the writer flows smoothly.

I loved Violet. I honestly related with her a lot on multiple levels from her love of organization to her wanting to try new things but not really follow through to her hesitance with Rocky. Omg their interactions are just the best! At first, Rocky is a raging d***, but that changes. Honestly, Violet’s interactions and dialogue with him mirrored my own and how I would have done it. She is such a strong character but different from what other typically consider strong. What others would see as giving up, I saw as the strength to walk away, from abuse she didn’t need and a situation that made her unhappy. Staying didn’t make her strong, walking away did. And Rocky truly redeems himself on multiple counts.

I don’t want to ruin any of the story for you because it is one of the best I have read in this genre. You can truly feel the blood, sweat, and tears the author put into this novel. It is such an intense powerful read both plot wise and erotically, that I had to put it down a couple times to pull myself together. The cast of characters is amazing. The steamy scenes full of fire. And the writing is spot on. Risata is clearly a skilled writer and story teller who knows how to bring everything together to make an entertaining story. So if you are looking for a powerful yet hot and hilarious Alpha male romance featuring a strong female, look no further!
  
Obsessed: Meik and Sebastian
Obsessed: Meik and Sebastian
Quin Perin | 2018 | Contemporary, LGBTQ+
9
9.5 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
so bloody short!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I purchased my copy of this book.

SHORT!!! SO bloody short!

I did know that going in, that it was only some 70 odd pages, but those pages got eaten up so quickly, I blinked and the whole book was finished!

Not the story, just THIS part of it.

Meik is, by his own words, bored. Bored of his day to day life; of the endless supply of secretaries (both male and female) willing to get down on their knees under his desk for the chance of a pay rise. Wandering the streets, a few guitar notes pull him in, and Meik is obsessed with Sebastian. It really is the only word that fits!!

After a blow job in the alley, Meik wants more of Sebastian, but he can't find him, and the longer Meik can't find him, the more he MUST find him.

I'm gonna be incredibly frustrated with these books, I know I am. Here's why: if they keep coming in these short bursts, I'm gonna be so bloody impatient waiting for the next one, and I don't do patience when it comes to my books!

I loved this, it pushes all my buttons and then some. It's super sexy and super hot!

BUT!!!

It does only come from Meik's point of view and this is the ONLY reason I can't quite stretch to 5 full stars: single person point of view. Because of COURSE I wanted to hear from Sebastian! I need to know what was going through his head in the alley, and later, when Meik takes him home. I NEEDED to hear that, and I don't.

At this moment, this is NOT a romance. This is simply about Meik first obsessing over, and then possessing, Sebastian. Whether that will change, I have no idea, I really don't care, to be honest. Meik is nothing if not honest about what, or rather, WHO he wants. But I have a feeling he might surprise us, maybe even himself.

Can't wait to see what these two get up to!

SO, because only Meik has a say, and even though its so bloody short...

4.5 stars (rounded up to 5 for the blog)

**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
  
A Wedding in December
A Wedding in December
Sarah Morgan | 2020 | Humor & Comedy, Romance
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Wedding in December is a book that was long overdue. I was supposed to read it for Christmas, but yet, here we are in February. Nevertheless, it was an amazing experience and I am so glad I finally read it.

Sarah Morgan has an extremely good talent in human relations and relationships. She puts these relationships on paper so easily… Do you know that feeling where you can sense people’s mood by just walking into a room? She managed to capture this moment in most of her scenes - and it was a true joy to read that.

The Synopsis
Maggie has two daughters: Katie and Rosie. While Katie has always planned everything in her life and never failed (becoming doctor is her biggest achievement), Rosie is the complete opposite. She changes her mind all the time and never knows what she truly wants.

And one evening, Rosie calls her mum to tell her she is getting married. All of a sudden. Not in her hometown in the UK, but in some snowy mountains in the USA. For Christmas. THIS Christmas. In just a few months.

Everything is happening so fast, and Maggie is afraid for her daughter. But most importantly, Maggie is afraid that she will finally reveal to her girls that she is getting divorced from their dad.

My Thoughts
In a lovely snowy atmosphere, we get to see this family, and their different personalities coming together, in a book where love wins in the end. Reading this book under a warm blanket and with a hot chocolate definitely gave me the true feelings of Christmas again.

I encountered some interesting scenes, a couple of plot twists, a bit of a mystery behind one of the sisters. The importance of mental health as well, and how important is to share our troubles with someone. Anyone.

Some of the relationships, new or current, happened at a very fast pace, which wasn't too my great pleasure. There was some sense of unnecessary urgency which didn't feel believable nor relatable to me. But in hindsight, a wonderful book to spend your evenings with.

If you love romance novels and you also love Christmas, A Wedding in December will probably end up being your favourite book. I highly recommend it!
  
A Kiss of Madness
A Kiss of Madness
K.B. Everly, Stacy Jones | 2018 | Contemporary, Romance
2
2.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Starts out good (0 more)
Too much smut (3 more)
Unbelievable plot
Underdeveloped and unlikable characters
Book is confused about the plot
Reads More Like a Rough Draft
I love reading books about mental illness, and even more so if they take place inside an asylum. When I saw A Kiss of Madness by K.B. Everly and Stacy Jones, it seemed like the perfect read for me. Unfortunately, I was left very disappointed.

The synopsis for A Kiss of Madness sounded very interesting. It could have been a very interesting book except there's too much going on in the story. Lydia gets sent to Brocker's Center for the Criminally Insane after having a vision and throwing a chair through a window as well as attacking an innocent bystander. She could have chose jail time or to voluntarily commit herself to Brocker's. She chose the latter. While there, she gets feelings about people and doesn't feel like she belongs. She meets three guys who are patients with their own issues. However, she ends up thinking they're hot, and they also think she's hot. The guys all agree to be her boyfriends and end up following her everywhere. When one of the other female patients goes missing, Lydia tries to uncover what really happened putting herself in grave danger. I was confused if A Kiss of Madness was trying to be more of a romance novel, a mystery/crime novel, or a paranormal novel. I got the insane asylum vibe for a few chapters, but soon this book lost its whole mental illness vibe. I felt like the insane asylum setting was just thrown in there to make this book sound more interesting than it actually was. It soon turned more into an erotic novel which made me like the book even less. There was just too much pointless fairly graphic sex for my liking. I feel like all the fairly graphic sex and sexual references really took away from the story. I also didn't like the ending. It just felt too rushed. Actually, the whole story just felt really rushed. I also didn't understand how one character who had a violent past could have such a great job. I won't go into further details because it's a spoiler.

I started out liking Lydia and was on her side for the first few chapters or so. However, I found myself losing the connection I felt with her the more I read. She just came across as being very irresponsible and immature. I didn't really care for Pierce, Emmett, or Mason/Jason either. None of the characters in A Kiss of Madness were fleshed out enough to be likable or believable.

The pacing starts out great in A Kiss of Madness. However, it soon slows down once the sex scenes come into play. Then it slows down and becomes more of a smut novel instead of a decent read. Luckily this is a short read or I would have given up on it when I got to the sex parts.

Trigger warnings for A Kiss of Madness include violence, murder, mental illness, attempted sexual assault, fairly graphic sex scenes, sexual references, and profanities.

Overall, A Kiss of Madness started out great. However, it soon went downhill close to halfway through the book. I feel like this book feels more like a rough draft on what could be a decent read. It just needs a lot more work to be good. Get rid of a lot of the pointless sex scenes and references, bulk up the story and characters a bit, decide on what angle to go with, and give this book some guts! At this time, I would not recommend A Kiss of Madness by K.B. Everly and Stacy Jones.
  
Vampire Academy
Vampire Academy
Richelle Mead | 2007 | Fiction & Poetry
8
8.5 (48 Ratings)
Book Rating
I found this book a bit unusual in that the background information that is usually relayed within the first chapter or so is not in this book. Instead, I am plunged into the action as if I were tagging along with Rose and not given relevant background information until it is actually useful to the plot. I prefer this rarely-used method because then I don't need to go back and find the definitions and explanations of things that I have forgotten when the specific topic is not addressed for half the book.
I really like the way that Mead separates the "good" vampires from the "bad" vampires with the Moroi and Strigoi (although I would love a pronunciation guide) as almost two different species. There is actually a major consequence to being evil - loss of magic - with no exceptions. Mead builds an excellent world of clear-cut rules that I can appreciate.
The interplay between Rose and Lissa is fascinating both for Rose's unwavering dedication to Lissa, as well as Lissa's almost surreal innocence. If it weren't for Lissa's "madness" she would seem almost faultless. Normally, I find characters like this to not be believable, but since she is bonded to Rose, it almost seems as if they are two halves of the same person, one dark and one light. The dhampir lifestyle that Rose is a representative of seems like a cross between brainwashing, slavery, and the use of a caste system, but Rose seems to be a very willing participant. I can't decide if I like this or not, but Rose seems to be quite happy with it, especially given her abilities.
What I like most is Rose's relationship with Dimitri. In a word - hot! There is nothing like a forbidden romance to make me want to keep reading way past my bedtime as I root for every training session to go beyond the norm. Of all the ways for Victor Dashkov to distract Rose and Dimitri, there are worse ways than the much-needed lust spell. That was a fantastic way to make them aware of their feelings for each other, which may never have happened otherwise due to each other's strong sense of duty and responsibility.
The one minor thing that bothers me about this world that Mead has constructed as the lack of addressing the topic of money. For instance, Rose has been attending the Academy almost since she was born, but who pays for that?
  
SS
Suicidal Since 1995 by Ängie
7
7.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
Ängie is an electric-pop singer from Stockholm, Sweden. Not too long ago, she released an explosive debut EP, entitled, “Suicidal Since 1995”.

Ängie – “Dope”

The 7-track project begins with the boomin’ lead single, “Dope”, produced by Canto. Everything about this song is dope, down to the title. Also, it’s hypnotizing frequency is so addictive that it has clocked well over a quarter of a million views on YouTube, and that’s within a month of its release.

The artist described “Dope” as a love song where she confuses love with the rush for music and drugs. In the music video, she performs among various vices including drugs, vehicles, and animals.

The second song, “Boss”, is a flirtatious ditty about foreplay in the back of a vehicle. It’s straight to the point, hot, and steamy. Also, it’s a remake of Lana Del Rey’s “You Can Be the Boss”, from the singer’s “Unreleased” album.

Not too long ago, we covered the third track, “Here For My Habits”, which is also the second single from Suicidal Since 1995.

“Here For My Habits”

On the song, Ängie talks about her sexual-invitation experiences with dealers from her past. She explains how some of them tried to hit on her, some even falling in love with her.

The fourth track, “We Run”, is a song about a drug-induced nighttime romance, perpetrated in the dark or secrecy. But when the sun comes up, the hypnotic-tranced lovers run for cover.

The fifth track, “2013”, speaks about living young, wild, and free. Also, lyrics of hiding from cops and papa indicates a certain level of paranoia due to probably smoking too much bomb weed and drinking alcoholic beverages. Then a deep thought sinks in, “18, I can’t believe where the time’s gone?”

The sixth track, “Coke Ain’t Brain”, takes the volume up another notch. The song speaks of someone being addicted to Mary Jane (marijuana) and now they’re trapped to a ball and chain with Charlie (cocaine) stuffed in their nose.

The seventh song, “Venus in Fur”, is laidback, trancey, with a backdrop made of fluffy pillows. When the singer sings, “I am tired, I am weary. I could sleep for a thousand years,” listeners might find themselves under her spell.


Overall, “Suicidal Since 1995” is a solid debut project worth listening to. It has replay value and we highly recommend adding it to your music library.

https://www.bongminesentertainment.com/angie-suicidal-since-1995/
  
OS
Other Side of Forever
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Disclaimer: I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Allie is that awkward girl in school with only a couple friends, trying to keep her head down and her nose clean and make it through each day without causing a scene. However, there's a secret she's been carrying for years, a secret not even her best friend knows, and that's how she wants it to stay. That is, until a new boy strolls into the shop where she works, and throws all her best-laid plans of staying off love's radar out the window.

I rather enjoyed this book right from the start, as I remember being one of those awkward high school kids. Although, it was never to the extent of Allie, as she has to hold her emotions in check due to her secret. Not too easy when you're being harassed by two older bullies just for accidentally pushing one down the stairs. But while the two girls are trashing the store where she works, Allie loses it, and now what does she do? They know there's something up with her, but not exactly what, and then this hot new guy shows up, and her day just keeps getting better. Although many people would love the gorgeous new kid to take a shine to them, Allie's the complete opposite, and it gnaws at her that she feels an electric attraction to him whenever he's around. The main characters really grabbed my attention, as Allie and Ethan are both hiding something, and I couldn't wait to get to the part where they finally opened up about their secrets. Ethan's is a little beyond what Allie could have imagined, but their bond is great, and he helps her cope with everything in her life.

My only issue is I felt the ending was rushed. It was a great story, don't get me wrong, but about 3/4 through, I was under the impression it would continue into a second book because of the issue with Ethan (I don't want to give too much away). However, only a couple of chapters later, it gets resolved in one of those "happened in the background" type ways, and it just didn't seem to flow with the pace of the story. I would love a continuation, to see how the characters cope with what happens in the end, but if that's the case, then I wish the last couple chapters of this one had been stretched into a sequel. Still, a very good read, and I'd recommend it to fans of the paranormal, paranormal romance, and YA.

4 stars