Book Review: The Villain by LJ Shen

 "As you know, clouds are more reliable than shooting stars. Common, but still magical. When the time comes and you grow up, ask for something you want--something you really want--when you see a lone cloud in the sky, and I will grant it to you. That's how you'll know I'm there watching."

LJ Shen has surpassed all of my expectations with this book, and hit another home run! 

After I read The Hunter I couldn't wait to get my hands on Cillian Fitzpatrick! He intrigued me the moment I read his name. There is just something about him that you can't quite explain, but love.

 One of my favorite things about Shen's writing, is that she isn't afraid to go above and beyond with her characters. She puts each and every single one of her characters in grueling and intense positions, whether that be with themselves or each other. 

As a reader, I could definitely tell the amount of thought and effort put into this book! The characters were flawlessly written, and the plot was exceptional! There is so much happening in this book, so let's start unpacking it, beginning with the characters. 

This novel is told in dual perspectives, Persephone and Cillian. As a reader, I loved going inside both minds and figuring out who they are as a person, and why. They are very different, so it's interesting to see their thoughts in certain scenes. 

I personally love Persephone! She is one of the sweetest characters I've ever read about, and she makes me want to do better as a person. I really love watching Persephone, and Cillian grow into the characters they are at the end. Cillian is one tough cookie to crack (lol). He is one of the most interesting characters I've encountered, and I loved seeing how Shen wrote his character arc. But, we can't forget all of the secondary characters, because they also made the story! They made me laugh, and swoon, and wish I had something similar to them in my life. 

The plot is very important, not just because of the love story, but because of the lessons and themes within. I love how Shen is able to tangle multiple storylines together to create this masterpiece. I highly recommend you go into this blind, because you won't regret it. 

This novel certainly took my emotions on a rollercoaster ride, with so many ups and downs, I lost track. But, I loved every second of it, and would never get off. There were scenes where my heart went out to these characters, or where I wanted to murder them for their idiocy. Most importantly, I learned about myself through this characters and storylines. 

I recieved an ARC in exchange for an honest review, thank you Social Butterfly! 

Book Review: The Devils Crown Part II by Monica James

 ' "I'm going to kill them...kill them all," I growl with murderous rage.'

Monica James has done it again with this duology/spin off! Every book I read by her just keeps getting better and better! I couldn't wait to go back into this universe! 

The Devils Crown Part 1 ended in a major cliffhanger, so I immediately needed the sequel ASAP. Unfortunately, school just started when this book hit my kindle, so I'm a little late. *face palms* 

But...it did not disappoint! I loved every single second!

We picked up right after the first book ends *and after me throwing my kindle at the wall*. Things took a VERY drastic turn, complete 180 in the first fifty pages. So much so, that I constantly checked to make sure I was reading the right book. The characters were acting very different, and little ole Jayli was just very confused. Have no fear though, because Monica wrote it that way on purpose. The minute I realized that, literally a light bulb switched on, and everything made sense. This novel was written in a very smart and calculated way. 

As the story progressed, my seat moved further away from me, until I was about one inch from falling. No Joke. The scenes grew so intense that I found myself furiously flipping pages. And 
OMG the last 20% or so blew my mind! I applaud Monica for creating such an explosive finale to this series. The twists and turns throughout this novel were crazy, dark, and gritty. It had everything I was looking for. 

The writing was phenomenal, and I loved the little details and tidbits. Obviously, I can't imagine anyone else with Alec other than me, but I suppose Ella can try. 

In this novel, we see the characters in a completely different light, and it was entertaining to read that. I loved seeing the shy, timid Ella come out of her shell a little. 

All in all, I highly recommend this mafia romance duology to anyone that likes a good romance with a  hint of violence and danger. 

Interview: Ali Dean

 

Hi! I hope you all had a great week, and here's to a great weekend. For me, I just finished my last online class of the day, so I am super happy about that! Today's interview is with the talented author, Ali Dean! She is the writer of many fantastic sports romances, like Pepper Jones, and my personal favorite, Stark Springs Academy. 

Ali is a USA Today Bestselling author of sports romance. She has always loved to read, especially when there's a happily ever after, but found that there weren't enough books out there featuring girl athletes. 

So, she decided to work on that. Like the heroines in her books, Ali is an athlete, with running and skiing her favorite sports these days. Ali hails from Vermont and now lives in her own happily-ever-after in Colorado with her husband, two sets of twins, and golden retriever Pancake. 

When she's not pursuing an outdoor adventure, Ali's less healthy passions include ice cream, coffee, and beer. 

Our interview: :)

J: Hello! Why don't you introduce yourself to new readers?

A: For those who don't know me, I'm a YA/NA contemporary romance author with nearly all of my books featuring a female athlete. Most of my stories have some suspense or mystery, humor, and coming of age themes. I'm originally a lawyer but now write full time. I'm also the mom of two sets of twins. No, they don't run in the family, both were surprises! The second set was just born on August 5, 2020.

J: Well congratulations on the twins! That must be super exciting! I like to start these interviews with a funny question. The question is, "What is a secret hidden talent you have?"

A: I can't think of anything too exciting for a secret talent. I used to speak French and studied abroad in France for a semester in college, but that was nearly 15 years ago and I pretty much never have a chance to speak French anymore so I don't know if it would come back to me in conversation or not! I probably should have learned Spanish instead it would have been a lot more useful, oh well!

J: That's so funny because I wish I learned French! 

Why did you choose to be an author as a career? Or in other words, what got you into writing and becoming an author? 

A: Initially I didn't choose to be an author. I've always liked to write but I guess it never occurred to me that being a novelist was a real career path I could pursue. Until indie publishing and ebooks and audio books became big, I guess it wasn't a career option for most writers. Anyway, I didn't even discover how much I loved reading romance until I was commuting by bus to my first job as a lawyer and reading a lot during that down time. I think I enjoyed knowing there would be a happily ever after; it was a nice reprieve from the heavier reading I did for work. But when I read "sports romance" books I was disappointed they were all about football, baseball, or hockey - all about MALE athletes. Where were all the female athletes? I decided to write the kind of book I wanted to read. That was seven years ago. After five years of writing on the side, I decided that writing full time really was a valid career option and I left the law. I've been writing full time for 2.5 years now. 

J: YES! There are so many events in our society that is overrun by males. It's about time we have a female kicking ass!

 After your success with some of your books, how has tour life changed, if at all? For example, do you have a different daily routine, or schedule?

A: Now that I write full time, I have a lot more flexibility over my hours. Overall, and especially as a mom and even more so during COVID, this control over my hours is absolutely awesome. However, it does mean I have to be very self-disciplined and make sure I do get the time to write. Before COVID hit, I wrote while my kids were in school. Since then I've been writing more in the evenings or weekends. I'm not quite sure what my writing schedule will look like with twin babies and remote-learning for the 6-year old twins!

J: I can't imagine how busy your life will get shortly. I wish you the best of luck. :)

What is your writing process like? I know for some authors it’s literally type and go process, but do you have a certain way you do things? 

A: I'm definitely a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants author. I like the IDEA of outlining and understand in theory why it is more efficient but every time I've tried that approach, it doesn't work for me. My characters go off and do something different than I expect no matter how much I plan. And if I try too hard to stick to the plan or outline, the story falls flat and it takes the fun out of writing for me. So I've given in to the pantsing approach. despite how frustrating it can be at times. 

J: I totally understand that! Sometimes words just flow onto the page. 

Many authors use different things for inspiration, like music and movies. Do you use personal experiences as inspiration in your books? 

A: I get a lot of ideas for books from real life, sometimes from friends or strangers or sometimes my own life. All of the sports I've written about are sports I've done myself (at least for the female athletes in the books), with the exception of my recent skateboarding series. I got the idea for the skateboarding series because my son likes to go to skateparks. He mostly bikes or scooters but sometimes skateboards. Anyway, I was spending a lot of time hanging out at skateparks with him and noticed there were hardly any girls. I asked a young woman skater about this and we got to talking about skate culture and next thing I knew, I had a crew of characters in my head I wanted to write about! I had to do a lot more research than I did for other books. I do snowboard, so that helped a little with describing how it feels to ride.

J: I snowboard too! I'm not the best, but I do love it. I wish I ran a lot, but unfortunately I get bored during the run. 

Ok, so the next few questions are all about characters. Personally, I feel like characters make up a large part of a book. You have multiple books, with a variety of characters in them.

Who would you say is your favorite character to write about, and why? Is it easier to write certain characters than others? 

A: Clearly, I love writing the challenges that come with being an athlete. I love writing about young women discovering who they are and how strong they can be through the people they met, the man they fall in love with, and the sport they are passionate about.

J: I'm not like a super athlete  but I do understand all the struggled and challenges an athlete faces.  think it's important to showcase their struggled, and that life is 100% perfect. 

Speaking of athletes, who do you relate to the most in your books, and why? 

A: It wasn't until I'd written over a dozen books that I noticed some themes with my characters. I suppose I identify with female characters who love something (a sport usually) and/or someone, but are afraid to admit it to themselves or go after what they really want for whatever reason (ie. familial or societal pressure, or internal battle like anxiety or lack of confidence). As for male characters, I know the asshole alpha male type is very popular with readers, but I'm not good at writing those characters. Most of the male characters in my books are genuinely good guys, so I suppose I identify more with women who fall for guys like that, since I did myself!

J: Yeah, just because people like a certain characteristic doesn't mean authors need to write them in. Authors should write what they want to write, so I applaud you for writing good guys. We could all use a little good in our lives. 

Let's talk about movie adaptations. If given the opportunity to have your book adapted into a film, which book would you choose? Who would be the leading actor and actress? 

A:I think the Pepper Jones series would make a great Netflix series! I know you asked for film but I could see that 6-book series unfolding in a tv show really well.

J: I agree! I think it would be really cool to see how that plays out. So, you have a new release coming out soon called Brazen Tricks! In honor of that, how would you describe it in 3-5 words? 

A: Brazen Tricks, the final book in the Brazen series, just released! In a few words I'd describe it as inspirational, suspenseful, and heartwarming.

Thank you so much for doing this interview with me! As always, definitely check Ali Dean out if you have never read any of her books before! I guarantee you will fall in love with all of them. My first series I read of Ali's is Pepper Jones. Then I read the Stark Springs Academy, which we all know is my favorite! 

So if you are a fan of good sports romances, go check these out. I will link everything down below! 

Links:

Book list

Pepper Jones Series

Stark Springs Academy Series

Brazen Series

Ali Dean

Website

Goodreads Page

Amazon Author Page

Interview: Penelope Douglas

 

Hi everyone! I know this week has been crazy, but I am so excited for you all to see the interview I did with Penelope Douglas! She is the author of my favorite series,  Devil's Night, and just published the fourth and final book,  Nightfall. I am so thankful that I got to interview her, and I hope you all enjoy it! 

Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. 

Her books have been translated into fifteen languages and include The Fall Away Series, The Devil's Night Series, and the stand-alones, Misconduct, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, and Credence. Please look for Tryst Six Venom and Motel, as well as the Hellbent series, coming next! 

She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their daughter. 

Without further ado, I present Penelope Douglas! 

Interview:

J: To begin with, why don't you introduce yourself to new readers?

P: Hi, I'm Penelope Douglas. A wife, mom, and writer, living in Las Vegas! I write mostly New Adult, but I dabble in contemporary and erotica. I love to cook. I love road trips. And I love lemon-filled donuts 😉

J: Let's start! I like to start off with a funny-type question. What was your least favorite food as a child? Do you still hate it, or do you love it?

P: My least favorite food was peas. My father made me sit at the kitchen table for hours one time until I ate them. I still refuse to eat them. Lol

J: Why did you choose to be an author as a career? Or in other words, what got you into writing and becoming an author?

P: I used to be a teacher, but when I read Fallen Crest High, I got sad that there weren't more books like it. It captivated my imagination, and I started dreaming up Bully.

J: I love that! I love how you found a book series you love that inspired you to write Bully. Today, you have written over 15 books! After your success with some of them, how has your life changed, if at all? Do you have a different routine than before, or it just hasn’t changed?

P: Well, I was able to become a full-time writer and a stay-at-home mom. We travel more for book signings now, and my time online has certainly increased! Lol. It is the hardest job I've ever had, but I'll keep doing it for as long as I can.  

J: I can imagine! My online time has also increased exponentially, it's becoming a problem...

    Most authors use personal experiences as inspiration in writing. Would you say you do too?

P: I use life lessons I've learned, and some characters are based on real people, but most of what I write in my books I've never done. No steam room, no illegal street racing, no affair with my boyfriend's dad 😉

J: Aw, you're missing out, lol. Speaking of characters, to me they are about 70% of the book. They make or break a book for me. You’ve written tons of books with all different kinds of characters. Who would you say is your favorite character/characters to write about and why? Is there a certain personality you like to write more than others?

P: My favorite characters to write are the flawed ones. K.C., Jared, Ryen, and Damon. Their character arcs are much more fascinating and engaging, even if they do drain my energy. 

J: Along the same lines, who do you relate to the most in your books, and why?

P: I relate most to K.C. and Ryen, I think. I was very much like them. It was easy to relate. 

J: You have a couple of standalone books, as well as series. Do you have a preference to which one you like to write more of? Is it easier to write a  standalone than a series?

P: A stand-alone is more enjoyable for me. Series books are great, because you can stay in the same world, grow it, and revisit the same characters, but there's a lot of stress, making readers wait for installments. And the demands and expectations get overwhelming as the series goes on. It's a lot of pressure. Standalones are nice respites, and readers have no pre-conceived expectations or opinions about what should happen with the characters. They're not invested yet, and it's nice to have that freedom as a writer.  

J: You make a great point. There are higher expectations in writing a series, because everyone is more invested in the story. 

    This is going to be a weird and probably awkward question, so bare with me. In your books, there are some steamy scenes! Are you ever uncomfortable writing those scenes?

P: Never. If I were uncomfortable with it, I wouldn't publish it. 

J: Ok, so you have written and released at least six books. The release of which book were you the most anxious about?

P: Probably Nightfall. It had been a long time coming and expectations were high. 

J: In honor of Nightfall, how would you describe that book in 3-5 words?

P: Angsty? Mystery? I really can't describe my books. Sorry! 😂 It embarrasses me. It's the readers' job to do that. 

I totally agree with you Penelope! Thank you so much for doing this with me! 

For those of you who have not read any Penelope Douglas books, what are you waiting for?!?! 

Penelope has written a couple of series and standalone, so definitely pick which ones you prefer. 

I have all the links down below, so go check them out. Text DOUGLAS to 474747 to be alerted when new releases are live! 

Links: 

Book List

Devil's Night Series

Amazon Books

The Fall Away Series

Penelope Douglas: 

Website 

Goodreads Page

Amazon author page

Book Review: Heart-Break You

                     "This seems to go on forever, but time for me seems to be at a standstill. It's like watching a slow-motion movie playing out in front of me and not knowing how to stop it." 

                    I could not put this book down! I read the whole book in one sitting, it is that good. Seriously!!! This picks right up from where we left off, almost like watching a movie scene play out. I love this book a lot more than the first installment, which is funny because I really liked the first one. The characters are just flawless, and the plot is spectacular! 

Summary: 

                    "Our story didn't exist, it was broken before it began. Kisses were covered with lies. Lies were covered with kisses. Hate turned into lust. And lust turned into fantasy. That's what we were, a fantasy. Nothing more, nothing less. Now it's time to move on. But how can you when your heart wants to say stuck in the fantasy? When even through all the lies and kisses, you still have lust?" 

Characters:

                    Theadora: I find myself loving Theadora more and more as time goes by. She is such a strong character with a personality to match; you can't help but love her. She goes through a lot more in this book than the last, and it definitely shapes her views on everyone. I love how she is able to love herself, and takes the time she needs to do that. She is a lot stronger than she was in the beginning, and she has a whole new respect for herself. 

                    Atlas: In the first review I wrote about this character, I didn't really like him. I felt like he was just an average character, nothing more. However, in this one, he stands out to me! He has such a great character arc, and we see him in a whole new light. He still has the same personality and attitude before, but we can see his growth and attempt at being who he wants to be, rather than who he should be. 

                    Secondary characters: These characters have a bigger role in this book than the last, and I love that. I was able to connect to all of them in a different way and perspective. The first book sort of had them there for just entertainment purpose, but in this book, they are there for plot and entertainment. They all help the story to be as good as it is. 

Plot:

                    Since this book takes place seconds after the first book, the plot continues from book one. It slowly progresses into a new plot, while still having parts and tidbits of the old plot. 

                    I loved the plot! I love how Theadora is her own boss now, and doesn't take sh*t from anyone, including Atlas. There are so many surprising moments, and emotional moments, you can't help but just get sucked in. The pace is pretty fast, but it's kind of a short book to me, so it works out. 

                    This novel seems to develop the characters a lot more. They all have a character arc at some point, which definately changes up the plot. However, the plot is still very suspenseful, and sometimes violent. 

                    Everything just comes together perfectly in a simple and concise way! I like that the author sticks to the characters, and remains true to them. She doesn't change a character, but rather makes them better. 

Rating:

                    I constantly changed my mind between a 4 or a 5, so I went right down the middle: 4.5 stars. This book is a rather quick read, but it keeps you on your feet at all times. There are so many great moments between characters, even the villainous ones. Overall, I really liked this book, and can't wait to see where the author goes in the future! 

*I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review*