Claim Me (Stark Trilogy #2) by J. Kenner

For Damien, our obsession is a game. For me, it is fiercely, blindingly, real.
Damien Stark’s need is palpable—his need for pleasure, his need for control, his need for me. Beautiful and brilliant yet tortured at his core, he is in every way my match.
I have agreed to be his alone, and now I want him to be fully mine. I want us to possess each other beyond the sweetest edge of our ecstasy, into the deepest desires of our souls. To let the fire that burns between us consume us both.
But there are dark places within Damien that not even our wildest passion can touch. I yearn to know his secrets, yearn for him to surrender to me as I have surrendered to him. But our troubled pasts will either bind us close . . . or shatter us completely.
Release Me is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.

Hello, hello! Here I am, back with my review of the above book, which is Claim Me, book 2 in the Stark Trilogy by J. Kenner. I think I might have overshot just a tad bit, in having given book 1 four stars, so I gave this one only three. Even though the plot is steamy, it really lacks any substantial realism. Something you can actually grasp onto and hold onto really tightly, and believe. This genre is getting kind of tiring to me, I guess. All these stories and plots seem to be the exact same, with just different characters and slightly different writing styles. Obviously some of the other books in this same erotic genre are written better or worse, they all carry the same basic plot. It's just getting old! *yawn* And there was a slight little "break up" in this one, but damn, it literally lasted like 5 seconds and I didn't even get that gut wrenching sensation that generally comes with a break up! LOL! Desperate and embarrassing Nikki was groveling at Damien's overbearing and "I'm doing this for the greater good"s feet. This store, and these two characters are just getting really unbelievable and are lacking substance the further we go along in their story. Which, you'd think the OPPOSITE would be the case, you'd think we'd delve deeper into understanding their why's and what for's, but nope... it's all kinda the same stuff regurgitated and a bit stale. I WILL be reading book 3, but I've got a few on my list that I'm really looking more forward to, so I'll move onto those and eventually come back to Damien and Nikki. I just think I need a break from these two! They are starting to annoy me! LOL!

Only this many stars from me, hoping book 3 kicks it up a notch:

See you soon! :)

Anything He Wants (Dominated by the Billionaire #1) by Sara Fawkes

DOWN ON HER LUCKLucy Delacourt's temp position isn't quite her dream job but it pays the bills...barely. The highlight of her day is riding the elevator in the mornings: she always manages to time it so that she sees the handsome stranger every day. He's fuel for her fantasies and way out of her league, but a girl can look, right?
BUT NOT FOR LONG
Everything changes however the day the handsome stranger seduces a stunned Lucy, first in the elevator then again in the parking garage after work. Completely out of character, she yields without a fight, but she has no idea her wanton acts with a man whose name she doesn't know will start a sensual chain of events that forever change her life. Because the sexy stranger is none other than Jeremiah Hamilton, billionaire CEO of Hamilton Industries, and one taste of the hot little temp isn't near enough to satisfy his need.
The billionaire has big plans for the wayward temp, plans that have nothing to do with filing paperwork...

Hi all! *waves* Back with my review of the above book, Anything He Wants by Sara Fawkes. Apparently her books are all relatively shorter and are released in a mini series situation, and I saw no mention of anything audiobook related for upcoming titles of this book on her blog, facebook or Audible, so I have no idea when I'll ever be able to listen to any of the other books in this series, as there are quite a few! And this book had quite the cliffhanger ending! UGH! This book was okay... it was honestly really hard to GET INTO... like the first 3-5 chapters had me rolling my eyes, gritting my teeth and whining about how incredibly silly it was. Lucy started off having fantasies of a man that frequented the same elevator as she did (come to find out- yeah... billionaire @@!) and apparently the man noticed after a fashion that she always was eyeing him... one thing led to another in the elevator on that fateful day *snort* and he ends up fiddling with her and giving her the BIG O... then just goes about his merry way, getting off the elevator on his floor. Like... WHAT THE FUCK? Really? Oh and the next day... or later that day, who the hell could even keep up, he pins her against a wall of a parking garage and humps her face off!!!! No "Hi how are ya?" no "Hey,  by the by, are you on birth control..." or "Hi there, what the fuck is your name?" Just... really ridiculous and a horrible start to a book that ended up being sort-of, kind-of okay for me. It did have some risque sexy sexy parts to it, which were nice, but honestly, the average Jo, if put into the dominating situations Lucy was put in, probably would have had a lot more to say about it... like Oh, you're putting that where? Oh my... there? Um wait. I am a butt sex virgin!!! Oh what does REALITY have to do with books anymore?! NOTHING! LOL! So yeah... just a corny, typical ho-hum book for me. Nothing stood out as OMG, nothing amazed me, everything was pretty average and just OK.

Honest the first half of the book should get LESS than -5 stars, lol! But it all balanced out in the end... barely...

Not sure what's next! Stay tuned!

The Vampire King (The Kings #1) by Heather Killough-Walden

It was immediate for Roman. In three thousand years, he’d never lost control of his emotions, or his heart. But the moment he laid eyes on Evelynne Farrow, he knew she was the woman who haunted his dreams. And everything changed. 
Everything. 
Evie Farrow has always loved a good vampire romance. In fact, she makes a living writing them. While sitting in a coffee shop and working on her next mega-hot book, Evie is approached by a tall, dark, and handsome man who could have been pulled directly from one of her novels. 
Unbeknownst to her, Roman D’Angelo is exactly what he appears to be – a vampire, and not just any vampire, but the king of vampires. 
Unfortunately, while Roman is both ancient and invulnerable, Evie is flesh and blood. Just as Roman decides that he and Evie have a date with destiny, for reasons of their own, an ancient god and a homicidal vampire take an equally strong interest in her. To make things more complicated, there’s something very special about Evie. Something not quite human.
Can Roman fight off the incredible forces that would have Evie as their own long enough to win her heart, or will destiny betray him, and destroy everything he has ever dreamed of?

“Lalura had told him about her vision. Thirteen kings on a chess board – and thirteen queens….”

Hello, hello! I'm here with my review of the first book in The Kings series by Heather Killough-Walden, narrated by someone I've not listened to before; Antony Ferguson. I have to address the fact that I've NOT listened to this particular reader before, therefore my rating on that fact is reflected in my only having given this book 3 stars. It's not THE only reason this book is just so-so for me- there are many reasons, LOL! But, there is an extremely thick british accent going on here in Mr. Ferguson that some phrasing and words just threw me off and, well, quite frankly, annoyed the shit out of me! LOL! And, I just has a little sneak peek at the person who reads the second book in this series, and it's the same reader, which is kinda disappointing! :( Ah well. I was thinking about not imbibing in the second book because of the reader and I thought maybe it is just 'first book syndrome' where subsequent books would be much better, but I just am not sure at this point.

Why didn't I really enjoy this book so much? Well, setting the fact that the reader bothered me a bit, the plot was extremely confusing. There was just SOOOO much information thrown at me at once and there are even parts to it, that I'm like Wha?! What the heck is going on!? LOL! The lore is slightly interesting but also extremely confusing and it like almost forces you to take mental notes, or even written notes! *snort* It was THAT... what's the word? It was that extreme. Wayyyy too much to tell us for just one single book. I understand Walden wants us to know the history of her vampires and the warlocks etc, but it just came off as too much, too fast, way too fucking confusing! And if vampires weren't enough to contemplate and attempt to "believe" in, she throws this warlock twist, so you have massive amounts of magic flying around, this strange plot and all this information you're supposed to absorb... it was just odd. And how the whole story started was like the middle of the actual story, then the plot backtracked and explained HOW that situation came to pass or? I don't know... I'm still flipping confused! LOL! I sincerely hope this next book isn't set up that way and doesn't flood us with too much information, because that made it very detached feeling. It felt like "all business", no fun. And certainly no connection between the two main characters. I understood Roman's passion, he was a vampire, but it all felt very on the surface and I didn't even really KNOW how Evie even felt half the time, she just came off as a fishing bobber floating on the water, going whichever way the current went. I never once felt like there was a real connection between Roman and Evie, it was very odd that they were boinking at the end. Sorry... that was a total spoiler. But I waited for-freaking-ever to even get to "wet panties" and then luckily the last fucking chapter, there was some sort of turgid member action going on. Gah. It was bad. I don't even think this deserves 3 stars, but I'm too lazy to change the rating! LOL! Anyway. I'm giving book a go tonight before bed, and if it sucks as bad as this one... well, you'll be hearing about it, internets! :P

Barely...

See you next time!

Belong To Me (Wicked Lovers #5) by Shayla Black

She’s undercover and in over her head…
When FBI analyst Tara Jacobs’ fellow agent and best friend goes missing while investigating a sex ring, Tara goes undercover as a submissive in a Dallas BDSM club called Dominion. But no man can top a woman with Tara’s moxie convincingly enough—until an edgy, dangerous Dom takes control of the scene and sets her heart racing with a single, commanding glance. Too bad he’s also the man who stole her innocence years ago—and the one to whom she will never submit.
He’s got everything under control…until he falls for her again.
Navy SEAL Logan Edgington once left the woman he loved to save her life. He knows Tara will never forgive him, but he has no doubt that he possesses the knowledge to master her fears and the strength to guide her through an unfamiliar world of pleasure and pain. He alone can protect her on a dangerous mission that reveals both wicked depravities and terrible secrets. Logan relishes the exquisite torture of holding her again, feeling her uninhibited response. No matter how much Tara insists their fling will end after this mission, he’s determined that she will be his again—and this time, he’ll never let her go.

Hi, hi! I'm here to give you all my review of the above book, which is book 5 in the Wicked Lovers Series. I actually finished this late last night but haven't gotten a chance to sit down and really focus on a review since it's summer break and I'm super busy with the kiddo's! Anyway, this book was pretty okay. It focuses heavy on the BDSM world and gives the reader a lot of insight on that way of life, so that is kinda neat and interesting, and the characters were well rounded and vaguely familiar, as we've met Logan in previous books if you've read the other books in the series like I have. I do have to admit that through MOST of the book I kinda zoned out a lot, just hearing the words and barely letting them form an image in my mind, that is how this plot sort of went, a lot of hurry and wait type of moments, going here, doing this... it got very monotonous towards the end, and you kind of figure out who "the bad guy" is halfway through (or at least I did! LOL!) so it was a little flat there, but the "scenes" were pretty smokin' hot and the two main characters back story etc was pretty interesting, so that kept me hangin' in through the end! There are only 6 books so far and I just started book 6 late last night and I'm going to say that I will be happy once this series is over and I can get back into a paranormal groove! ;)

Only this many stars from me this time:

Until next time! :)

Surrender to Me (Wicked Lovers #4) by Shayla Black

A secret fantasy.
Hunter had everything until a bullet put his career as a Navy SEAL on hold. Restless and uncertain about his future, he accepts an intriguing proposition: share an acquaintance’s girlfriend and fulfill her fantasy of a ménage. It should have been just a night of sexual adventure between three consenting adults. But Kata is like no other girl Hunter has ever met. By turns audacious and sexy, then vulnerable and aloof, she’s a heartbreaker he’s determined to master. But he needs more than one night. And he wants to do it alone.
An uncontrollable obsession.
Kata never expected to leave her comfortable relationship and explore something so dangerously forbidden with a stranger. Hard as she tries to resist, the guilty pleasure overwhelms her, and she surrenders herself, inch by inch, to the hardcore man who wants her for himself. Consumed by blazing desire, they’re soon threatened by the shadows of the past. And now to keep Kata safe, Hunter makes her a bold proposition of his own. Saying yes will destroy her heart. But saying no could cost Kata her life.

Okay, so I'm reviewing this book that I finished earlier from my bed, on my poopy laptop which I hate, so bear with me. I know this post doesn't "appear" like my usual posts do, and I will get it fixed tomorrow, I promise! I started the next book in this series shortly after THIS book was finished and I don't want to give anymore of a listen before completing this review... so here I go!

This is the fourth book in the Wicked Lovers Series by Shayla Black, and immediately, I remember WHY I stopped listening to these books. I had gotten through three of them and thought MEH, that's quite enough. These books are just... (pardon me) stupid. That's all. The only reason I'm listening to these and continue to do so (there are 6 books so far) is because they are pretty freakin' smokin' hot to be honest! This one was heavy into BDSM which has always been an intrigue of mine, but the plot... gods! It was bad. It was like "love at first sight", which always bothers me. I guess a lot of the books I listen to are like that, and maybe those books get a lower rating but I like a book where it takes a little while for the characters to actually fucking KNOW one another to start professing their undying love. Now I can understand a bit in paranormal books where they are "drawn inexplicably" to their one true mate (ya de yah) but this book is chalk full'a HUMANS and Hunter professing his love for Kata straight forward, within like the first 3 chapters of the book was a little disconcerting to say the least. I understand the mindset of the book, the BDSM theme / lifestyle, but this felt more like Black googled "bdsm" and just kinda inserted much of the common phrases and feelings from confessions. I dunno. It was stupid, yes. But hot... so. Yeah. It was read by Lexi Maynard who read the other three books in the series and hearing her voice some of the previous characters (some of them made brief appearances in this book) like Kimber, oh lordy! The way she made Kimber sound in the original book she was introduced in was enough to make me kill a person, so hearing it again brought back a lot of gritting teeth and baring it! LOL! Anyway. Hot book. Lame and predictable plot. But like I said, I started the next one in the series because I have a morbid fascination to hear Hunter's brother's book ;)

Yup- only this many stars:

 

See You Next Time! :)

Dead Ever After (Sookie Stackhouse #13) by Charlaine Harris

{YES, I've listened to this book on audio and YES this post contains spoilers, as I am reviewing a book!! LOL! may contain questionable language, discretion is advised! Excerpt below from Good Reads.}

 

Read

My rating:

1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars[ 3 of 5 stars ]4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars

Dead Ever After (Sookie Stackhouse #13)

by Charlaine Harris

3.09 of 5 stars 3.09  ·   rating details  ·  10,377 ratings  ·  3,057 reviews

There are secrets in the town of Bon Temps, ones that threaten those closest to Sookie—and could destroy her heart...
Sookie Stackhouse finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.
Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime.
But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail. Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough...

Hello all! *waves* I'm back with my review of the final book in the Sookie Stackhouse series; Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris... read to moi by Johanna Parker. Parker read all of the other books in the series, which I've listened to, so her voice was familiar and friendly, which is nice... but this book, like the last one, was a snore-fest! Sadly! Being it the very last book in a 13 book series, you'd think Harris would have wanted to go out with a bang, but unfortunately, this book was not bang-worthy! LOL! I recall the last book giving me this same sort of feeling, so I wasn't surprised and felt sort of obligated to listen to this final book even though I really had no desire to do so... like I said; obligation! Everything was familiar, all the characters, the reading voice, the surroundings and everything else, it was just really flat. It was a 'who done it' plot, which we were kind of privy to the "bad guy(s)" and why's from the beginning of the book when it started out in a different POV than the rest of the books in this series (they are all in Sookie's POV) and honestly, when the book first started, I thought I had loaded on a different book! I kept saying WTF is going on!? LOL! It was very confusing at first, but you kind of had to trudge along and get through it, then the book shifted into Sookie's perspective and it flowed along that way until a few other perspective shifts back and forth. Very different and strange. It had been a while since I read a Sookie book, so the over-all plot was kinda fuzzy to me, I mean I recall the characters, recall them being in Bon Temps and whatnot, but where everyone was really, I just couldn't recall, but luckily, the plot did a fancy little "reminding" the reader/listener of sort of 'where we left off', which was helpful because I was a little forgetful! And... not to mention the fact that every time a character came onto the scene I would envision the True Blood actors lol! That never bodes well, when you have a tv series (VERY LOOSELY) based off a book series and you think of the tv actors/characters while reading/listening to the book! LOL! So yeah. Glad the series is over, and I'd have to honestly say the book were real good up until around book 6 or 7, after that, meh!

I gave this final book:

And I think I'll be starting this series next:

Redemption (Penton Legacy, #1)

Sandlin, Susannah

Primal Bonds (Shifters Unbound #2) by Jennifer Ashley

{YES, I've listened to this book on audio and YES this post contains spoilers, as I am reviewing a book!! LOL! may contain questionable language, discretion is advised! Excerpt below from Good Reads.}

 

Read

My rating:

1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars[ 3 of 5 stars ]4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars

Primal Bonds (Shifters Unbound #2)

by Jennifer Ashley (Goodreads Author)

4.04 of 5 stars 4.04  ·   rating details  ·  3,139 ratings  ·  225 reviews

When half-Fae, half-Shifter Andrea Gray flees an abusive would-be mate, the only way she is allowed to relocate to the Austin Shiftertown is if a Shifter there claims her as mate. 
Sean Morrissey, the Guardian of his clan and all of Shiftertown, is mateless, lonely, and has a tough job--to send the souls of deceased Shifters into the afterworld. He volunteers to claim her, sight unseen, but doesn't realize that one look at the gray-eyed, dark-haired Andrea will stir the mating frenzy in him. Even though the mate-claim isn't finalized, official, or yet blessed, Sean will do anything to get Andrea into his life and keep her there, forever.

Hi all! I'm back with my review on the second book in the Shifters Unbound series by Jennifer Ashley called Primal Bonds, read by Cris Dukehart. The reading was fine, a little off putting with the rhythm, but not the worst I've ever heard, fairly mediocre. Actually, everything about this book was mediocre. It wasn't spectacular and just run of the mill. I'm actually looking for something pretty spectacular right now... After finishing this one, I attempted to start book 3 which started out slightly different, but is read by the same person as this one was, so it kinda, right from the start put me off thinking I was going to stay on the same mediocre train... I'm just not feelin' it for this series. Book 1 started out interesting enough, I think I called that one run of the mill as well, and book 2 was pretty just meh. Nothing too exciting happened, other than the predictable 'mate frenzy'. It had it's ups and downs, I guess, a tiny bit of who done it / action, but nothing that kept me on the edge of my seat, or reaching for my mp3 player at all hours. It was sort of a snooze fest! LOL! The 'shifting' aspect is pretty cool, but after the first book, it's all pretty predictable and sorta kinda 'meh'. Not the worst book, not the best book, and def didn't blow my socks off. I'm in desperate need of something to blow my socks off at this point because the last several books I've listened to, I've been overwhelmingly under impressed! :(

I gave this one:

...and I'm not really sure what I'm going to start next. I gave a wee listen to Book 3 in this series, but got kinda meh'd out, so I started Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning... not sure which I'm going to go with at this point... ho hum!

See you next time!

Pride Mates (Shifters Unbound #1) by Jennifer Ashley

{YES, I've listened to this book on audio and YES this post contains spoilers, as I am reviewing a book!! LOL! may contain questionable language, discretion is advised! Excerpt below from Good Reads.}

 

Read

My rating:

1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars[ 3 of 5 stars ]4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars

Pride Mates (Shifters Unbound #1)

by Jennifer Ashley (Goodreads Author)

3.99 of 5 stars 3.99  ·   rating details  ·  5,180 ratings  ·  380 reviews

CALL OF THE WILDTo most, they are animals even when in human form. They are to be collared and kept on the fringes of society, scorned because they are feared, hated for their extraordinary powers. And attorney Kim Fraser has to go right into the heart of their lair.
It is her job to defend those in need. But there is absolutely nothing defenseless about Liam Morrissey. His soft Irish lilt and feline grace can t disguise his sheer strength. Nor can the silver chain at his throat, designed to control the aggression of his kind, completely reassure her that this man has been tamed.
Yet when a feral shifter begins to stalk them both, Liam is the only one she trusts with her life. She'll let him claim her for her protection, for her pride, and for a passion that knows no bounds.

Hello again visitors! I just finished up Pride Mates by Jennifer Ashley, read to me by Traci Odom. Lucky me, right? Meh, not so much! The reading was very monotone and dead pan, unfortunately! It sort of made the story LESS THAN for me in this particular case, too. Which sucks when it happens, but oh well! It's life! Not every book can be read by someone magnificent! LOL! At first, I really liked this story, I was feelin' it, getting into the few steamy scenes and enjoying it! By the middle, I kinda lost a bit of interest and by the time the end was upon me, I found myself going "whew, it's over!"... I am going to read the second book just because I think it's going to be about who I'm hoping (Liam's brother! *wink*) I think his story might be worth listening to! Otherwise, the "falling madly in love" and "mating" happened extremely fast, I was like "Whoa! That escalated quickly!" LOL! It was like literally what? A week, a week and a half? And the two were "mated" by shifter laws/ways. It was very rushed feeling and kinda meh! But it wasn't completely and entirely awful, it had a good story, although a pretty transparent plot, it was an alright listen, and I'm giving book 2 a chance! ;)

I gave this one:

And I'll be loading up shortly:

Primal Bonds (Shifters Unbound, #2)

Ashley, Jennifer

See you next time!

Bonds of Trust (Wicked Play #1) by Lynda Aicher

{YES, I've listened to this book on audio and YES this post contains spoilers, as I am reviewing a book!! LOL! may contain questionable language, discretion is advised! Excerpt below from Good Reads.}

 

Read

My rating:

1 of 5 stars2 of 5 stars[ 3 of 5 stars ]4 of 5 stars5 of 5 stars

Bonds of Trust (Wicked Play #1)

by Lynda Aicher (Goodreads Author)

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77  ·   rating details  ·  223 ratings  ·  67 reviews

After ending her passionless marriage, Cali Reynolds is eager to live out her forbidden fantasies. Her first step is attending new members' night at The Den, the most exclusive sex club in town. Perhaps here she can find a man who understands her desire to be dominated…
At first, Jake McCallister thinks Cali has come to his club for the wrong reasons. But when he discovers she is seeking fulfillment after years of denial, he's intrigued—and takes it upon himself to initiate her into the pleasures she's been missing.
Her first encounter with Jake is everything Cali has always craved, and more; she's not prepared for the feelings he inspires in her. And Jake is just as surprised by his overwhelming attraction to Cali. As their play intensifies, so does their bond. Now, Jake doesn't want anyone but Cali—but is he ready to officially claim her? And will she submit to being his forever?

Hello visitors! I just finished the above book- Bonds of Trust by Lynda Aicher, read by Emily Cauldwell. I had put down on my last post that I was going to start the Fever series Karen Marie Moning, but put those aside a little because I was told they don't contain any real sexy sexy, just a lot of "sexual tension"... and well, I'm just in the mood for sexy sexy right now! So all books w/o such content go on the back burner! :P And I came across this book while browsing around and thought I would skinny dip back into the BDSM scene a bit! As you know, from my reading history, that I'm NOT a newbie to the genre of books, and some of them are good fun and interesting too! This one, yeahhhh, I just dunno! It was super corny to me, unfortunately. I mean, who uses like REAL safe words in the BDSM scene? Really? Apparently, I must be naive or something, but I've read other books who're all like "We don't need no stinkin' safe words!" and then this one where the whole 'safe word' concept was crammed right down my throat! No... pun. Right? *wink* But I dunno, I guess the type of book I'm looking for right now needs to be much more gritty, less fluffy and cheesy. This was lots of cheese, lots of fluff. I mean sure, he spanked her, sure she ended up loving it, but the 'falling in love' thing just happened way too fast (like within 2 months?) and it all sort of "Well, that escalated quickly!"... I dunno! There were parts I really did like, and parts that I thought could have been explored more (...like when she confronts her ex husband!) and just over all more intensity and detail. Might have been the monotone way the reader, Emily Cauldwell, read the book as well, her voice was a first for me apparently, she's not on any of my labels/lists, so yeah... she was kinda just even keel, no real excitement of shifting tone in her voice for the different characters (a tad bit to differentiate the males from one another, but even then, only slightly) so yeah. This was just kinda middle of the road for me. It had some steamy moments, but the female character was painfully bland and boring, and the main male character was just OK for me! I guess if you want a boring plot but a few steamy naughty, spanky scene's that sounded like someone just sat around and google'd BDSM, then sure, this book will be for you!

This book got, from me:

And I actually think I'm going to load up, since the book before this one dealt with shifters and I really liked it:

Pride Mates (Shifters Unbound, #1)

Ashley, Jennifer