Hot Ticket by Olivia Cunning

Title: Hot Ticket
Author: Olivia Cunning
Blurb:
Book #3 in reading order of events in book series, per author

There are things in bassist Jace Seymour’s past that he is unwilling to share with anyone. To cover his guilt and anguish, he seeks dominatrix Mistress V (Aggie) to temporarily placate his inner turmoil.

Aggie doesn’t have much use for men–besides the power rush she gets when they’re begging for mercy at her feet–but Jace isn’t like her usual clients. His cool defiance and unexpected dominance in the bedroom drives her to distraction and quickly steals her heart.

When circumstances threaten Jace’s position in Sinners, Aggie must help him regain his rightful place in the band while showing him that time and love can heal all wounds.

Links:
Hot Ticket on Goodreads
 
 Kala's Review:
I absolutely LOVED the first Sinners book (Brian and Myrna). I felt a little meh about Sed/Jessica and I sorta liked the Trey threesome book. In those three books we really don't see much of Jace or get to know him very well at all, so I was a little bit worried when I got to his book.

And I shouldn't have been.

Cause JACE IS AWESOME!

I loved him! BDSM and dom/sub stuff isn't usually my thing, so I was really expecting to have mixed feelings about this one. Instead, I loved it!

Getting to know the story behind Jace was my favorite part. Where he came from. His past. His feelings about his bandmates. I thought all of the tie-ins between Jace's pre-Sinners past and various bandmates was a teensy bit convenient, but it was still okay.

I LOVED Aggie. I think she completely won me over in the mugging scene. I don't want to give anything away, so I won't go in to more detail, but yeah. Aggie rocks!

While I loved Aggie, I thought she got kind of clingy after that scene and while she redeemed herself later, her overly mothering/nurturing personality was reallllly annoying.

The sex was hot, as usual. Olivia Cunning writes some really awesome 'alternative lifestyle' sex scenes! I did laugh out loud a few times during the scenes with Eric - now I'm REALLY curious to read his book and see his motivations for why he is the way he is!

If you're a fan of the Sinners books and/or love erotic romance with a side of kink, this book is DEFINITELY something you should check out!
 
4 out of 5 stars.

Link to Kala's review on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/527739936

In My Mailbox Part Deux

In My Mailbox (weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren)

I read extremely fast.  Like ridiculously fast.  Sometimes I wish I read a lot slower because I tend to fly through books so quickly that I just couldn't afford to buy them anymore at $10/each!  When I got a Kindle and discovered free and cheap self published books, it was like

But then I realized that a LOT of those free books were crap.  While I still love seeking out those diamonds in the rough when it comes to self published books, I really wanted to read all the stuff coming from the big name publishers too.  However, when you read 300+ books a year, those can be big $$.  Then, I discovered the library.

Yeah, I know.  I probably should have discovered it long ago, but what can I say?  I like to own books and re-read them.  I still buy a lot, especially the ones by authors I know I will want to re-read, but DAMN the library is awesome!  I usually go once every 7-10 days and pick up a bunch of books.  Here's my current haul, which I'm extremely excited about!  I've already read four of them!

Hope everyone else is having a great week!  Happy reading!

The Thing About the Truth by Lauren Barnholdt

Title: The Thing About the Truth
Author: Lauren Barnholdt
Blurb:
In this humorous love story from the author of "Two-Way Street", an unlikely romance is the best sort of surprise—but the wrong secret can ruin everything. Kelsey’s not going to let one mistake ruin her life. Sure, she got kicked out of prep school and all her old friends are shutting her out. But Kelsey’s focused on her future, and she’s determined to get back on track at Concordia High.

Isaac’s been kicked out of more schools than he can count. Since his father’s a state senator, Isaac’s life is under constant scrutiny—but Concordia High’s his last stop before boarding school, so Isaac’s hoping to fly under the radar and try to stay put for a change.

When Kelsey and Isaac meet, it’s anything but love at first sight. She thinks he’s an entitled brat, and he thinks she’s a stuck-up snob. So it surprises them both when they start to fall for each other. Kelsey’s happy for the first time in months, and Isaac’s never felt this way about anyone before. But nothing’s ever completely perfect. Everyone has secrets, and Isaac and Kelsey are no exceptions. These two may have fallen hard, but there’s one thing that can ruin it all: the truth.

Links:
The Thing About the Truth on Goodreads
 
 Kala's Review:
This book was disappointing. I read Two Way Street this past week and thought it was alright, so I was hoping another book by Lauren Barnholdt would be just as good, if not better. Perhaps some of her other stuff is, but this one isn't.

I have two big issues with this book. First, the entire plot of the book is a past/future retelling of a ginormous event that happened because of a lie. We start off in the "Aftermath" where Isaac and Kelsey are about to get expelled. Isaac hates her for a lie she told and Kelsey hates herself.

Here's the issue... the lie (in my opinion) was so minor. It came about at the tail end and even when she does it, it seems like such a small thing. The majority of the "Before" part of the book is the build up of Isaac and Kelsey's relationship. I thought this was reasonably well done. Then the reveal of the "lie" and what happened to get them expelled happens and it's so underwhelming.

Then in the last two pages at the end they kiss and make up and it's all good now.

I mean, I knew there was going to be a happy ending (it's YA romance after all), but ALL this build up to this supposed HUGE event and they have an obscenely short and fast reconciliation.

My other major issue with the book is the cardboard secondary characters. None have real personalities. Marina is the slutty crazy girl. We never really learn anything about why she behaves this way, she's just the stereotypical 'mean girl' villain. Rielle is the shit best friend. We don't really get to learn much about her either, other than that she's a terrible best friend but for some reason Kelsey keeps being best friends with her.

I know the main focus on the story was the relationship between Kelsey and Isaac, but I would have loved to see more fleshing out of the secondary characters.

Goodreads says two stars means "It was okay" and that's pretty much exactly how I felt about this book. I didn't hate it, but I didn't like it either. It was just "okay."
 
2 out of 5 stars.

Link to Kala's review on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/529012839

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

There's way too many books I'm looking forward to!  My to-read list on Goodreads keeps growing and growing and despite reading over 300 books a year I can't seem to make a dent in it!

The book I'm looking forward to most this YEAR is probably Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare.  One more month to go!

GOODREADS BLURB:

Danger intensifies for the Shadowhunters as the New York Times bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy comes to a close.

If the only way to save the world was to destroy what you loved most, would you do it?

The clock is ticking. Everyone must choose.

Passion. Power. Secrets. Enchantment.

Danger closes in around the Shadowhunters in the final installment of the bestselling Infernal Devices trilogy

Making His Mark by Jennah Scott

Title: Making His Mark
Author: Jennah Scott
Blurb:
One kiss is all it took for Alexis Catori’s world to turn upside down. One kiss with a man she thinks can help her move beyond her past.

Bo Nantan has one rule when it comes to tattooing: he refuses to ink his friends. Until Alexis asks him to do her work.

Bo tries to refuse, but decides maybe there is a compromise that will work. Together they discover their compromise is about more than just art, it’s facing the past so they can move on with the future.

Links:
Making His Mark on Goodreads
 
 Kala's Review:
The cover of this book is pretty much the only thing good about it. I struggled to finish it and have put it aside many times to read other things. I don't even know WHY I finished it. I used to think I had to finish every book I started and I've wasted so much time reading things that I hate. I always try to at least get halfway before putting it down and I should have done that here.

Making His Mark starts off dull and continues that way. For the entire novel. There's no real conflict or plot, other than Alexis acting like a raging hormonal bitch all the time.

Example: (Bo buys her flowers)

"These are lilies and they're orange. Both my favorites, and I've never told you I loved lilies. These aren't just flowers. You got them for a reason, spill it."

"Guess you'll have to wait and see."

"Whatever. I have a job to do."

She's just rude like this throughout the entire book. While she's not the most hated novel heroine I've ever read, she's definitely top five. There's pretty much nothing likable about her. Bo isn't the best, but he's at least a decent person. Alexis just flies off the handle constantly, over the most minor things.

I guess I should expect it though considering the entire conflict of the novel is over whether or not Bo should do Alexis' tattoo for her. She asks him to do it, he says he doesn't tattoo friends, she gets emo about it, he tattoos a friend and she finds out (and flips out), and he agrees to do her tattoo.

His reason for not doing tattoos on friends doesn't even make sense (Waaa my parents told me I'd never amount to anything).

I like a fluffy romance novel, but there should at least be SOME real conflict. I don't give a fuck whether or not Bo does her tattoo. A tattoo is not a real conflict.

The author creates other bullshit conflict, but it's all so dumb and minor and facepalmingly bad. Another example, Bo gets Alexis tickets to a Taylor Swift concert (her favorite singer).

At the concert, Bo is kind of grinding/feeling up on Alexis. She gets pissed at him, telling him that the parents of kids at the concert wouldn't like that and makes him stop. He doesn't get mad, he just says okay and stops. Immediately after, Alexis starts molesting Bo. He tells her to stop and winces about his blue balls. Alexis flips out, cusses him out and breaks up with him.

UH... WHAT?

I could have dealt with the flimsy boring plot if the sex was good, but the sex was awkward and boring. Who wants to read a sex scene with lines like this?

Bo had an unobstructed view of Alexis' moistened entrance to her core.

I just get a vision of him between her legs staring in to a huge gaping vagina.

Pass on this one.
 
1 out of 5 stars.

Link to Kala's review on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/522728004

In My Mailbox

  

In My Mailbox (weekly meme hosted by The Story Siren)

I'm not a big time book blogger (wish I had more time for it!) but I do love to read and write reviews and interact with other people who love books as much as I do!  I am fortunate enough to get some ARCs, but I usually buy my books.  I'm so excited because this has been a great week for me on NetGalley!  This week I plan on reading Geek Girl and Dash and Lily's Book of Dares, both of which are recent approvals from NetGalley.  I also am completely addicted to the Karina Halle's Experiment in Terror series and I start book four, Lying Season, tonight!  Marie Lu's Prodigy is the sequel to her bestselling (and AMAZING) book Legend.  I just got it as well and can't wait to get started!  So many great books, so little time!

Happy reading all!

Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend by Becca Ann

Title: Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend
Author: Becca Ann
Blurb:
It’s stupid to fall for your brother’s ex. It’s even worse to enlist another’s help to win the ex over. But Brody is desperate and Hayley, his partner in American Sign Language, is more than willing to lend him a few tips.

She’s the school’s matchmaker,’ and with her bizarre and positive personality, Brody finds her easy to talk to, even about the most awkward situations. Hayley’s tips seem to be working, but as Brody learns more about his matchmaker, he starts finding reasons to spend time with her, and not the girl he thought he was in love with.

But Hayley isn’t ready to fall for anyone. Labeled the “Funny Fat Friend” within her group, her self image makes it impossible for Brody to share his feelings without Hayley shrugging it off as a joke.

Convincing her Brody can, and did, fall for the “Funny Fat Friend” turns out to be harder than simply falling in love.

Links:
Reasons I Fell for the Funny Fat Friend on Goodreads
 
 Kala's Review:
This book was bizarre. I mean, the plot itself is unoriginal and fluffy, typical of a YA romance novel (which I don't mind!), but the characters themselves were just... strange. And I don't know if I mean that in a good or bad way.

Brody is the narrator of this book, our male lead, and I wonder if that's why it has such a strange feel to it. Some writers can do a believable male POV and some can't. I don't want to say it was awful, but it just didn't feel right. Brody is pretty vanilla, we can call him a Bella Swan if you will. He's kind of just there, being hot, nice, funny, smart (aka no real flaws).

(slight spoilers after here)

Hayley is the really bizarre one. She considers herself the "funny fat friend" but of course she isn't "really" fat. Then again, Brody's brother calls him a "chubby chaser" for being interested in her, so I can't really tell. Brody says she's not, his brother says she is. I'm not really sure. Hayley also is apparently really against things like swearing, but she has no problem having sex with Brody THE FIRST TIME THEY KISS.

Yes, you read that right.

Hayley has never been kissed before and when she and Brody try it for the first time, it's so awesome she has to have sex with him right then and there. Most teenage girls value their virginity a little more than that and I would expect a girl as straight edge as Hayley to wait a bit longer before giving up the V-card.

As far as the swearing, Hayley apparently hates swearing so she uses all sorts of weird phrases instead of swear words (like 'holy f-bombs of glory').

She also uses the word "fart" instead of the "f-word" which drives me nuts. I've no doubt that it's a huge pet peeve of mine, but I hate the word fart. I hate talking about it. I don't like hearing it. And not only does Hayley use it as a curse word in this book, but she and other characters giggle over how it rhymes with "shart" multiple times. It grosses me out and that turned me off of this story a lot.

We also get to hear constantly about how bad Brody's room smells (like corn chips and ass). Over and over again.

I guess I just like to leave the 'gross' things about real life in real life. Farting and sharting and pooping and everything else along those lines just doesn't belong in a romance novel (IN MY OPINION).

My other major issue with this book was Brody's voice. He often loses the 'g' at the end of words (ie: comin' goin' droppin' etc). This isn't done consistently though. In one sentence we'll have the 'g' dropped off of 'droppin' but not off of 'thinking.' Some people might like it, but I'm not a fan of this type of writing (I also didn't like the strikethroughs and numericals in Shatter Me, for example). I prefer writing to be clean. That said, if you're going to write like this, be consistent!

Regarding the plot, it was nothing special. Brody is supposedly in love with his brother's ex-girlfriend Quynn. Hayley randomly decides to help him get with Quynn, but while he's getting tips from Hayley he starts liking her instead. I thought the first half dragged on wayyyyy too long. We have pages and pages and pages of conversations that are just dull. I thought the second half was much better (where we get more in to Hayley's personal life and issues with her mom) as well as the progression of her relationship with Brody.

I feel like this writer has talent, but she needs to streamline the plot more. This book stalled out so badly in the first half that I almost marked it as a DNF. I put it down and read other books for awhile, then came back and finished it. I'm glad I did, because it got better, but the first half was still a struggle.

I'd probably read another book by this author in the future, but I wasn't impressed enough to put her on the auto-buy list.
 
3 out of 5 stars.

Link to Kala's review on Goodreads:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/481354942