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Title: Tempt Me with Diamonds Author: Jane Feather Series: London Jewels Trilogy #1 Could have been better with different characters Thank you to Jane Feather, Kensington Books/Zebra, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review a couple years ago. Yes, a couple years ago I had tried to read the ARC so I could review it, but I hadn’t liked the characters and hadn’t had the patience to persevere to the end, …
Title: Where Dreams Descend Author: Janella Angeles Series: Kingdom of Cards #1 Had potential, but ultimately a disappointing drag I would like to thank Meghan Harrington for inviting me to join the blog tour, and also Janella Angeles, Wednesday Books/St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Every time I tried to read this, I either spaced off or fell asleep. I wasted so much time over the last …
Title: Call It Magic Author: Janet Chapman Series: Spellbound Falls #7 Started out somewhat promising…then tanked I would like to thank the late Janet Chapman, Berkley, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. I feel like I’m sacrilegiously speaking ill of the dead—rest in peace, Ms. Chapman—but that’s not going to stop me from giving an honest review. I wanted this book to be good so that it would honor Chapman’s …
Title: Mariana Author: Susanna Kearsley Series: n/a The end ruined the whole thing So I finished the audiobook last night, and I was left feeling so unbalanced and unsatisfied that I was quite worked up. And got more worked up the longer I thought about it. I free-wrote a rant that didn’t make much sense, and, recognizing that, I didn’t post it anywhere and let it rest. I did not rest, however. I got the ebook from the library and …
Title: Wicked Saints Author: Emily A. Duncan Series: Something Dark and Holy #1 Wow this is a lot better than I—never mind I would like to thank Emily A. Duncan and Meghan Harrington at St. Martin’s Press for inviting me to participate in the blog tour. I received a free ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Seriously, if you don’t want major twists spoiled for you, do not read on. *sigh* I avoided reading this book because …
Title: Moonlight & Whiskey Author: Tricia Lynne Series: N/A Choking on angst and cliches I would like to thank Tricia Lynne, Loveswept/Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book definitely wasn’t to my taste. I requested it several months ago and can’t remember what appealed to me about it to begin with, but I don’t usually get into the sexually graphic, angsty, uber urban young-and-free type of …
Title: Strawberry Hill Author: Catherine Anderson Series: Mystic Creek #5 Likable characters but terribly unfocused plot I liked this story, I found it both tragic and heartwarming, but it had some big problems narratively. At the center was Slade and Vickie, two sixty-something has-been sweethearts who were to be married until distrust broke them apart forty years ago. I didn’t relate to them all that much, but I liked Slade quite a bit. Vickie was meh. My biggest problem with …
Title: Summoned to Thirteenth Grave Author: Darynda Jones Series: Charley Davidson #13 A hollow narrative with only humor and charismatic characters as its merits I would like to thank Darynda Jones, St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review. I beg of you, don’t spoil any part of this series for yourself. Usually I don’t mind spoilers, but this is one series for which spoilers are simply criminal. If you …
Title: Summoned to Thirteenth Grave Author: Darynda Jones Series: Charley Davidson #13 A hollow narrative with only humor and charismatic characters as its merits Edit 1/23/19 – Changed rating to two stars So, after reading the book again and giving it more thought while writing my spoiler review last week, I realized very little of this story makes sense. The plots are hollow, and ultimately, there’s no reason Charley couldn’t have snapped her fingers and fixed everything. As has been …
Title: Jilliand Author: Clare Gutierrez Series: n/a Lots of heartbreak, lots of passive voice I would like to thank Clare Gutierrez, River Grove Books, and NetGalley for allowing me to read a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I kind of had a minor breakdown while reading this. This is what I wrote at the time: This was a different kind of romance, and not the kind I like. I’m sorry, I didn’t finish it. My heart couldn’t …