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: Heart-Break Me by T.L. Smith

                                        "I've heard stories of this happening, how your body locks up, even though you should be running, screaming, anything to get yourself free. I didn't believe it was possible until this very second. How can your fight or flight response not kick in?" 

In the first three pages, I found myself seriously invested in this book. No joke! The beginning went straight to the action and plot, which I LOVED. There is only a certain amount of detail in a book I can handle before I start going crazy. However, I had a slight problem with one of the character names: Theadora. Ever since Hamilton: The Movie came out on Disney+, I have been listening to the soundtrack and watching the movie on repeat. So, when I picked this book up and read about Theodora, I couldn't get Dear Theodosia out of my head. Literally, it was such a problem because I would just burst into song and forget all about the book. 

Ps: I am currently listening to Dear Theodosia as I write up this review. 

Other than that and a few minor details, I really liked this book! 

Summary: 

                                        "He kidnapped me. That was how I met Atlas Hyde. A man known by many names and admired by all. but most didn't know he was ruthless, conniving, and always got what he wanted. No matter the cost. I was a good girl. Never in trouble with the law. Never took drugs. Always did precisely what was expected of me. Even with his hand around my throat and words that cut sharper than knives, I couldn't help but wonder what happened to this beautiful man to make him that way. That wonder disappeared when he threatened to kill my sister if I didn't follow his dark demands. The good girl I once knew had now been buried alive beneath this game of hatred and lust. And I had a feeling Atlas Hyde never lost." 

Characters: 

    Theadora: I really like Theodora! I feel like she is suppose to be in the book. There are some characters that authors write in that just don't fit into the script, but this one is an exception.  She has such a spunky and sassy attitude, which makes for great entertainment for me, and Atlas. I love how dedicated she is to her family, work, and just life in general. Theadora works to get where she is in life and she puts in the effort that is necessary to succeed. 

    Atlas: I have very mixed reviews of Atlas. He is a very confusing character to me, but I somehow ended up liking him. There are moments in the story in which he does some awful and ugly things that I do not agree with! Some of that stuff still makes me on-the-fence about him. I like how he deals with people and their actions. He isn't violent or ruthless, unless forced too. 

Plot: 

    The plot is very good and well written. I like where the author took this story. There are thousands of stories about being abducted, but this novel added its own twist to it. It is not like other novels, which I appreciate. 

    While I like the plot, there are a few thoughts I have about it.

    There are some scenes to me that do not need to be in this. They just do not add a lot to the purpose or plot. Some of the scenes also felt a little repetitive. In one chapter, a character does something, and then in other chapters, he does the same exact thing over again. Multiple times. Now, this isn't a huge deal to me, but I just felt like the author could elaborate on other scenes more. 

    While I like the main protagonist, and some of the other characters, I didn't really like a major character. I felt like that character didn't really add to the story a lot. 

Rating: 

    I give this novel 4 stars! It is a really fast, fun, and easy read. The book definitely picks up as you go along, even though it starts off with a ton of action. At some points it goes by slow, but it usually picks up after. I love Theadora and her personality. She made the book for me! I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes a dark romance, but not too dark. 

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 

Book Review: All The Little Lies by S.J. Sylvis

            "Since you're acting like a man-toddler, stomping around and yelling like a freaking Neanderthal, we're going to talk outside. So, let's go." 

I could not put this book down! Every time I put it down, I just kept thinking about it and all that was happening. There's so much happening, I love it. If you are a bully romance lover with intense chemistry and a great plot line, then PICK THIS BOOK UP NOW! It comes out this Thursday!!! (I didn't mean to yell, but hey, it's just that good) Now let's dissect this book! 

Summary:

                                        "English Prep stands tall with its ivy-covered exterior and old, wrought-iron doors. The stone gargoyles sit at the school's entrance, knowing just as much as anyone: I don't belong. Once upon a time, I did. I belonged in the "it" crowd with all the other well-endowed kids, but now, I am no longer welcome. Not after five years away from this place. not after the scandal that landed me on the wrong side of the track. i'd be lying if I said I'm not looking forward to seeing the one person who was always by my side. my old best friend. My safe place. Only, Christian isn't the same boy I left behind. His cold, brooding, devastatingly attractive glare sends chills down my spine. My old best friend doesn't welcome me with open arms, and I have no idea why. Lies continue to fall from our lips. Christian wants me gone. But I'm determined to stay. "

Characters: 

     Hayley: I really admire Hayley (and not because her name rhymes with mine, although that is a cool plus). I love how strong of a character she is. She doesn't give a crap what people think of her, and she constantly relies on herself for everything. I love how individual she is. She don't need no man to take car of her! (I don't know why I sounded like that 😊In my head it sounded better, oh well). 

However, Hayley has her fair share of baggage, and because of that said baggage, she has walls miles high around her, to protect her. Along with the walls, Hayley is a very stubborn and hard headed seventeen year old. At times, it's really funny to read her interactions with other characters because of the fun banter. The banter is hysterical. Overall, Hayley is a great heroine with an amazing personality. 

    Christian: AHHHH, Christian is such a sweetheart, and an a**hole at the same time. 😊 He is very protective of the people he loves. Sometimes he goes a bit above and beyond in the protective department, but that's what makes him Christian. He puts up a front, but underneath, he really is a caring and gentle person with real feelings. Like Hayley, Christian has a lot of baggage that shapes who he is in this book.

 There are a lot of characteristics within Christian, but I would say the main two are his loyalty, and determination. He is very loyal down to the bone, which is a great quality to have. He also has a lot of determination that may or may not be the best thing at times. But overall, he is a really loving character with good intentions. Ok, semi-good intentions. 

Chemistry: 

     The chemistry is soooooo there. If you can't feel it within the pages, then I don't know what you can feel 😊 (just kidding, but you get the gist). You can definitely see and feel their connection from the very beginning to the last page of this book. They didn't just have a physical connection, but a connection on a deeper level which created so much more depth and dimension. There was so much pull and tension between these two that the chemistry on fire!! 

Plot:

     The plot is spectacular! It's so original and unique. I've read so many bully romances, and I can safely say that I haven't read a book like this. Like I said in the beginning, there is so much happening, it's crazy. I loved it! There's action, suspense, romance, and even a comedic aspect. On the surface of this book, it's just another bully romance book, but I can guarantee you it's not. The characters deal with things (I can't say, but it's certainly juicy) that they haven't experienced before, and it's all new to them, so they aren't fully sure what to do. (I'm pretty sure everyone has been through this stage at least one in their lives, right?) There is violence, and suspense, which makes the plot a lot more intense, well to me it does. Overall, the plot is original, and really well written (cheers and applause for the author). 

Rating: 

     I give this book 4.5 stars, it was that good! I loved the characters, and the inner monologues they had.  Hayley and Christian's POVs are hilarious and very entertaining. I constantly found myself smiling so many times throughout this book. The suspense slowly built up in the book until BOOM. There are so many questions in the beginning that are answered with the BOOM, it's great.  

     I love this book, but I give it 4.5 stars because I feel  some parts seem a little bit unrealistic in this type of setting. However, it is a fictitious book, so...

     I completely fell in love with all the characters, and I'm really excited for the next book. The two leads in the next book...*inwardly screaming for their book to come out*  So, go check this book out, you won't regret it! 

     I almost forgot. Totally on Team Edward from day one. (You won't get this reference until you read it). 

                         I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

   

Book Review: The Hunter by LJ Shen

           

   " I'm afraid I'll have to run you over. So let's spare you the hospital visit and me the                                                     inconvenience. Can you tell me why you're here? You're getting me in trouble."

    Time literally flew by when I read this book. All I remember was starting the book around 7:00 am, taking some breaks (the normal food, and bathroom breaks) and BAM, it was 3:00 pm, and I had just finished this book. Even though this book is not a part of the All Saints High Series, I highly recommend reading that series because you will enjoy this book a whole lot more. Luckily, most of the series is on Kindle Unlimited, so you can get them for free if you are subscribed to that.😊 

I must've been living under a rock because I didn't even realize that this book was downloaded on my kindle. One day, I literally just went onto the kindle app and BOOM! There it was. This book was amazing, funny, charming, sizzling, emotional, and just an overall roller-coaster ride that I never wanted to end! 

Summary: 

                                       " Hunter: I didn't mean to star in a sex tape, okay? It was just one of those unexplainable things. Like Stonehenge, Police Academy 2, and morning glory clouds. It just happened. Now my ball-busting father is sentencing me to six months of celibacy, sobriety, and morbid boredom under the roof of Boston's nerdiest girl alive, Sailor Brennan. the virginal archer is supposed to babysit my ass while I learn to take my place in Royal Pipelines, my family's oil company. Little does she know, that's not the only pipe I'll be laying...

                                        Sailor: I didn't want this gig, okay? But the deal was too sweet to walk away from. I needed the pubic endorsement; Hunter needed a nanny. Besides, what's six months in the grand scheme of things? It's not like I'm in danger of falling in love with the appallingly gorgeous, charismatic gazillionaire who happens to be one of Boston's most eligible bachelors. No. I will remain immune to Hunter Fitzpatrick's charm. Even at the cost of losing everything I have. Even at the cost of burning down his kingdom. "

Characters:  

    Sailor Brennan: First off, I love the name. Seriously. It is such a special and unique name, that I just LOVE it. 😊 Besides that, I enjoyed reading Sailor's perspectives. They were very entertaining, yet serious too. There is a lot more to her than just a try-hard Olympic archer. I liked diving deeper into who she is, and who she wants to be. Although, at times I felt she was a little overly paranoid. 

    Hunter Fitzpatrick: As one of my favorite judges from So You Think You Can Dance said, "HOT TAMALE!" I don't know why, but I freaking loved Hunter. He was so childish at times, but very adulty at others. (Is adulty even a word?) He is a charmer, and able to put on the charm for most anyone. On the outside he is HAWT, but on the inside, he is a hot mess. So many things happened to him that built up time and time again, which created who we know as Hunter Fitzpatrick. I loved reading his perspectives, because they were just so funny. Hunter had very childish antics at times, but deep down he was a very loyal and caring character. 

Chemistry:  

    Did the room just get hotter, or was that just me? OK that sounded a little cringy, my apologies. The chemistry was everything. It was intense, funny, and fiery. I loved the banter between the two. The banter was so much fun to read, and I'd also imagine it was fun to write too. There were definitely many LOL (laugh out loud, in case you've been living under a rock and just entered the 21 century)(JK, it's just a common saying) moments, and swoon-worthy moments. When Hunter wants something, there's no stopping him. I loved how it wasn't an insta-love relationship. This one took it's sweet time, but the build up was totally worth it. 

Plot:  

    The plot was a lot more than I originally thought. It's not just a cute, nanny falls for the playboy romance. There is a lot more that goes on, and a lot of it under the radar. The story develops as you continue reading, especially at the end. WOAH, that ending! *mind blown* This book has depth and dimension that many do not even think or notice about while reading. The build up between the two characters was really well done. It was very well written in a way that makes the reader want to skip through the pages to see what happens, but also stay and read every single word. 

Rating:  

    I give this book 4.5 stars. I loved the plot, and Hunter Fitzpatrick. (Of course, hunter Fitzpatrick! Duh.) The characters were very well devolved, and detailed, as well as the plot. The plot had a lot of dimension and variety which I loved. The only thing I wasn't in love with was Sailor. I liked Sailor, but at certain times I just felt like she was very paranoid, a little overly paranoid. Overall, this was a spectacular read and I'm very excited to continue reading this series! 

Book Review: Forbidden Fate by Mary Catherine Gebhard

I have no words. Zero. 

I literally just finished this book about two hours ago, and I have just been sitting here trying to put my thoughts into words. HOLY COW!!! 

I decided to read the previous book before this because I like to read books back to back just in case I forgot or missed something important, and boy was I happy I did that. I feel like it made me love the book and the characters even more. 

Disclaimer: I will be gushing about the characters and this book the WHOLE TIME, so BEWARE!!!

Summary: 

    I do not want to give any important information away, so this summary will be a little general. 

    There is a place called Crowne Point where the Crownes are treated like royalty. Literally. They have tons of events, charities, balls, and parties. In this family there are three children, Abigail, Gemma, and Grayson. The first book in the series Heartless Hero is about Abigail's story, while Stolen Soulmate and Forbidden Fate are Grayson's story. In Stolen Soulmate, Grayson accidentally kisses Story instead of his true love. Story, a servant to Abigail, finds out about Grayson's secret that no one knows about. Grayson hates Story, and even goes so far as to torment her. They both sign a contract where Story agrees to fix what she broke, and if she fails, then Grayson gets all of her, maybe even her heart. Then, in Forbidden Fate, zero time has passed and we pick up right where we ended. Story had one rule, and one rule only: Do not fall in love with the Prince. She breaks it though, and soon finds herself in a predicament. Story is forced to find refuge in someone else, another cruel prince. The only way their happily ever after will end is in heartbreak.

Characters:
     Story: I love Story! I love her personality and her character. She constantly evolves into a better and smarter person from the moment we meet her. Story has been through a lot in her life, and I love how she uses that  to become who she is now. She is a fantastic heroine! I love being able to go deeper into her thoughts and mind, especially moments with Grayson. Being a servant does not define Story at all. She has such a big heart and a great personality.

     Grayson: OMG, can he be my book boyfriend. Just kidding. He belongs with someone else. Grayson is such a complex character that I love. I love getting to know the person he is behind the facade, especially when he is with Story. Even though people call him a cruel prince, he really isn’t. Inside, he has such a big heart with thorns build all around it. He is a smart, misguided, protective prince that cares deeply for his family. When he is with Story, Gahhh. It’s just so cute to see the two of them evolve.

     Secondary Characters: WE NEED THEM! Sometimes in a book secondary characters are pretty much useless. They serve no purpose to the overall plot and theme. This book isn’t the case. The secondary characters literally served a purpose and made this book the way it is. I can’t give too much away because that would ruin the book, but these characters are UBER important. They make the story, and give this book so much more depth and so many more layers.

Chemistry:
     HOT TAMALE! 😂 The chemistry was on fire. Literally! Ok not literally, but you get the point. There was so much tension and so much build up, I love it. From the very first book in the series, you could tell that this story would be epic. The moments these two characters have, whether they are apart or not, are epic. I felt the chemistry off the pages of this book. But it isn’t just chemistry these two have. They have a deeper connection. They understand one another and are able to talk about anything and everything. It is amazing to witness something like this.

The Plot:
     Ok, so I can’t give much away, but the plot is EPIC. I still cannot get my head wrapped around it, it was that GOOD! There are so many twists and turns, and many of them had my stomach in knots.  I could feel the pain and heartbreak these two characters go through.

The Writing:
     The writing was amazing! Seriously! There were so many thoughtful words and phrases the characters said to each other that even had me feeling so many emotions: anger, sadness. I loved the poetry in this book. Gebhard has such a way with words that makes so many emotions flow through you. When Story or Grayson were sad, I felt sad. 😊

The Rating:
     I give this book 5⭐️! Hands down! The writing was phenomenal, the characters were great, the connection and chemistry was there, and so was the emotion. I literally had to talk with some of my friends and family about this book, and what I thought. This book was able to take me to a different world. I loved every second of this book, and it sure took me on a dollar coaster ride of emotions, but that’s what a good book does.

Overall:
     Like I said in the beginning, there are no words to describe my thoughts, but I’ll try. There were so many scenes I had no idea was coming, and the things that happen in this book I couldn’t believe. Just wow! I can’t wait for the next book in the series, and I highly, highly recommend this book.

Book Review: Bennett Mafia by Tijan

This book has been on my TBRA shelf for sometime, but I haven't reread it until yesterday. I finished the whole book in one day. If that doesn't tell you how good it is I don't know what does. :D 

I officially put this on my TBRA because I loved it so much the first time I read it. Now rereading it again, showed me how much more I liked it. 

Discovering Tijan: I discovered Tijan with her series;Fallen Crest, and I have loved every single book she has put out. Her way with words is so interesting and unique, I just love it! 

The Summary: 

    -Before: The book gives some flashbacks to set up the whole story. Our main character, Riley Bello is just meeting her roommate, Brooke Bennett. From there, the readers are able to read snippets of these two friends lives. Riley meets some of Brooke's family members including Kai, the one Riley is drawn too. I cannot give too much away in case of spoilers, but these flashback are pretty darn important. 

    -Present: This begins when our main character, Riley Bello, learns that her former roommate and friend, Brooke Bennett is missing. However now she goes by a different name: Raven, and her lifestyle is very different from before. Unfortunately for her, Brooke's brother Kai, is on the lookout for her in hope that she can help him find Brooke. However, Kai is a part of the mafia, in fact he is the leader of the Bennett Mafia, so obviously there is danger ahead. One day Riley is kidnapped by none other than Kai Bennett, aaaand that is where I end the summary. I don't want to give too much away, but definitely read it. 

The Characters: 

    -Lets start with none other than Riley Bello. First of all, I loved her as a character. I loved how she was not afraid, and how she took life by the balls (figuratively but you get the point). She is able to take care of herself, and is not afraid to show people who she is. Riley is a kickass heroine who has spunk, and a backbone.I loved how her spirit was unwavered the whole time, and that she is very loyal to her friends and cares deeply for them. 

    Kai Bennett: Kai is very protective of his family and is willing to do anything to make sure they are safe. I admire him, and what he does to keep his family from dying. I just really liked Kia. I liked his protective side, but caring side. And that ending, wow! He seems very standoffish and such a brooding guy, but as the nove continues, you get to see more of him, and how he opens up to Riley. 

    Brooke Bennett: I liked her, and didn't at the same time. She sometimes got on my nerves at how naive she can be, but at other times we saw her kickass side. The novel did not go into too much detail about Brooke other than the search for her. She just seemed like a character that was there, but wasn't if that makes any sense. Like she was important to the storyline, but I didn't really make a connection with her. 

    The secondary characters: I loved the secondary characters like the other brothers, or Riley's friends whom she roomed with the beginning. They seemed to really make the story come together, and at times gave a bit of comic relief to the very intense scenes. 

The Plot:

    I loved the plot. It was unique and different from whatever I read. It had so many different twists and turns, I constantly kept finding myself asking "Wait what just happened?" which I love. I love the twists and turns, it keeps me on the edge of my seat. The novel ended way too soon for me. I would really like for this to be turned into a series, that would be PERFECT. The chapters blending into one another, and it was very fluent from the beginning to the end. There were a few times where I was confused, but Tijan explained herself after those scenes in a really well done manner. 

The Chemistry: 

    This book had quite the build up. There wasn't just BAM! chemistry, it had morphed into something over the course of 14 or so years, which I thought was a very good idea. I like novels that build up tension and chemistry, instead of insta love. 

The Writing: 

    The writing was spectacular. There were zero writing error, probably because Tijan has many editors. i liked the style of writing and her way of words is just phenomenal. Tijan is one of the few authors who can write a story, and a good story. She is able to twist her words into sentences that create a masterpiece. Her word choice was great, and the organization was amazing. The way she started from the past to the present was very smooth and fluent. 

Overall: 

    Overall, this book was hands down one of the best books from Tijan. The structure of the novel was on pointe and so were the characters. The characters blended the whole plot and book into one spectacular masterpiece. I give this book five stars!! It was just perfection. All the pieces needed for a book were in this, and the amount of detail and description was great. I do not like a book that just word vomits for the first one hundred pages. Luckily, this book did not do that. This book was out of this world and I highly HIGHLY recommend it. 

Book Review: Dear Enemy by Kristen Callihan

                               

OMG!!! I was not expecting this book to be as good as it was. I was just surfing through Kindle Unlimited when I saw this book. The cover is so pretty, and because of that, I decided to read it. (LOL). Anyway, my expectations were not that high because I went into this blind, but I am glad I read this. 

The story starts off with the two characters meeting, and then their relationship through the years, including elementary, middle and high school. The book really starts off about ten years later when Delilah (main protagonist) gets a random message on her phone about her sister. She then realizes that her sister disappeared when she stole Macon Saints valuable possession-an heirloom. Now, during the years that Macon and Delilah met, he dated her sister Sam, and actually loathed Delilah. So back to ten years later, Delilah has to go to Macon (an upcoming actor) who is intent on finding her sister, but her sister has run. They both hate each other, so this is a "recipe for disaster", but is it? Time may have lessened the pain, but does it lessen their hate for each other?

Ok let's start off with the characters. 

   ~ The main protagonist, Delilah, was spectacular. I loved her as the main protagonist. She was feisty, honest, blunt, caring, loyal, and protective. She loved her comebacks and I found myself laughing at some of the things she said. On the surface, she was just a normal teen, but as you got to know her more, it is very easy to relate to her, and understand where she comes from. 

    ~Macon Saint. OMG, are there any words? He was delicious, loyal, arrogant, and overall a great character. There were many layers to him, and as I continued reading, I discovered them and started caring for him. 

Chemistry: 

    ~The chemistry was SO THERE. I literally felt their chemistry come off the pages of the book. There were so many awe moments, and cute moments. Some even had me giddy. Their relationship was built up in such a good way that I felt was not rushed, which is great.   

Plot:  

    ~The plot was very good. There were some moments were I guessed what would happen, so that was a small thing for me. I like to be kept on my toe, and this book did that, but not as much as I would have liked. 

    ~The ending was my least favorite, just because I didn't agree with how she ended it. If you read it, comment down below your opinion of the ending. 

Overall:

I loved this book, and I cherished some of the moments. It was such a good read, and I am so glad that I read it. Highly recommend it for people who love a good romance. 

Genres:

Fiction, contemporary romance, bully romance, new adult 

 I give this book 4 stars, only because I didn't agree with the ending. Highly HIGHLY recommend!