REVIEW: Raw – Belle Aurora

Released: January 2nd, 2014

Growing up the way I did, you’d think I’d be more screwed up than what I actually am.

Soon as I turned sixteen, I left that bump in the road I called home and took my chances on the street.

Best decision I ever made.

Now, at the age of twenty six, I’m educated, employed and damn good at my job.

My friends have become my family. Like me, they know what it’s like to grow up unloved.

But the saying is true.

The world makes way for those who know where they are going.

That’s me.

I know where I’m going and I’ll get there eventually. On my own terms and at my own pace.

But then there’s him.

I feel his eyes on me. I see him hiding in plain sight. He watches me.

He makes me feel.

It’s unconventional.

But it’s real.

I’m sure you’re wondering how a person falls in love with their stalker.

So am I.

This isn’t a story.

This is my life.

"We're all addicted to something that takes away the pain."

**COPY PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**

This twisted novel was one of the most exhilarating, frustrating, goddamn awesome reads I've had this year. The characters all left such a huge impact on me from the main roles to the supporting ones. Each and every one of them was vital to the development of the story. This is a story that absolutely did NOT disappoint. I look forward to more work by Belle Aurora (and possibly a sequel to that horrifying cliffy). Seriously though.

I jsut. The ending killed me okay. IT MURDERED ME. CHOPPED ME UP TO PIECES. 

My first thought after the book ended:

Yes, I was that close to throwing my book (iPad) away after reading that one tiny part. And then it turned into this (which included me rolling in my tears)

Sweet Jesus, this book ruined my life. In a good way. 

I think Belle Aurora's trying to compete with J.K. Rowling and Suzanne Collins. The SPOILER ALERT character deaths END OF SPOILER tore me APART. Like to pieces. 

Anyway, let's move on to the characters. Wow. Lexi is sweet. She's independent, hard-working and super caring. I remember how much she loved Michael, how she's always so thoughtful and considerate of him. Very motherly. 

Then there's the connection between Lexi and Twitch (yes they call him Twitch). 

He's a raging fire. And I'm a fragile moth fluttering into the flame. Sooner or later, I'm going to get burned. I know this.

AAAAH ALL THE FEELS ARE FLOODING INSIDE ME.

We've also got Twitch who's a mysterious man. Goddamn. He's sexy, gritty, powerful, mm-mm, alpha male too! My kind of man.

There's something about Twitch. He's just… raw. Everything about him is raw. And gritty. And unbound.

Amen to that, sister.

Honest to God, this story was so fucking intense. Like, really intense. It was sort of a dark romance I guess, definitely not as dark as Pepper Winters' (because those are terrifying but fantastic) but this one is equally as awesome!

One teensy problem was the rush in the "I love you" department. However, really fucking good backup with the sexual and emotional chemistry.

Thus, I loved it. And I've been recommending it to everyone I know and now it's also you guys. READ IT!!!

Puh-lease, write a sequel for this! 

MY RATING:

4.5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BUY LINKS ✭

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ Raw ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

 

Belle Aurora is twenty six years old and was born in the land down under. 

At an early age she fell in love with reading. Boredom one summer had her scouring the bookshelves at home. She stumbled across Sandra Brown’s Breath of Scandal and fell in love with romance.

Having been brought up in a loud and boisterous family of Croatian descent, she developed a natural love for dramatics and humor. Only some years ago had she discovered a new love. 

Humorous romance novels.

Kristen Ashley and R.L. Mathewson had opened a brand new world where she could lose herself yet feel safe and at home in their stories. Belle has been known to become a screeching banshee while anxiously awaiting their newest titles.

Belle never thought she would write. It had never interested her until recently. Friend-Zoned began to form and in February this year Belle typed the words Chapter One. And she fell in love.

With words.

With writing.

With a creative imagination she never knew she harbored.

Friend-Zoned is the first in the Friend-Zoned series. Keep an eye out for this cheeky author.

Check her out in these sites:

Facebook | Twitter

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REVIEW: The Saint (The Original Sinners #5) – Tiffany Reisz

Released: June 24th, 2014

In the beginning, there was him.

Gutsy, green-eyed Eleanor never met a rule she didn't want to break. She's sick of her mother's zealotry and the confines of Catholic school, and declares she'll never go to church again. But her first glimpse of beautiful, magnetic Father Søren Stearns and his lust-worthy Italian motorcycle is an epiphany. Suddenly, daily Mass seems like a reward, and her punishment is the ache she feels when they're apart. He is intelligent and insightful and he seems to know her intimately at her very core. Eleanor is consumed—and even she knows that can't be right.

But when one desperate mistake nearly costs Eleanor everything, it is Søren who steps in to save her. She vows to repay him with complete obedience…and a whole world opens before her as he reveals to her his deepest secrets.

Danger can be managed—pain, welcomed. Everything is about to begin.

"It begins with a whimper but ends in a bang."

**COPY PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**

Never have I ever felt so much pain and happiness and frustration all at the same time when reading a book until Tiffany Reisz came along. The Original Series has continued to wow me over and over again and it was no different with The Saint. The emotional connection between Eleanor and Søren is uncontainable and undeniable. They have a wonderful relationship where aside from love and friendship, they've also got the fights that will crack you up. Really, you will never be disappointed with this series.

That's about the extent I can go before I go into full-blown fangirl mode. Here it goes…

OKAY HOLY SHIT WOW HOLY SHITTTTT. Oh my God, this book was just as good as the previous two. Eleanor really is the shit. My God, I love her character to bits. I couldn't stop laughing with her. 

I mean honestly this kid. When she refused to go to church (by claiming that she's turned buddhist and atheist), her mom had to convince her by telling her that they had a new handsome priest. Didn't work. The priest had a really expensive motorcycle? Sign her up.

"I'm coming. But I'm doing it for the Ducati, not for God."

Sometimes I wonder what I would do if I had a daughter like her. Sweet mama I love this kid so much. She was like fifteen at that time. Wow.

Honestly, I highlighted so many quotes from this book that it's impossible to fit into this review. Really. Just read the book. I'd probably highlight the whole book if I could.

In this story, we get the introduction to Eleanor Schreiber before she became the infamous, notorious Nora Sutherlin (we even find out where she gets that name from!). This is a story about a child who felt unwanted and trapped, and was saved both emotionally and physically by this hot goddamn priest, Søren.

I mean seriously, descriptions of Søren? Lord Almighty, take me now.

His voice, rich and resonant, echoed out to the very edges of the church and back again. His words wrapped around her like a golden cord binding her to him. The sanctuary brightened with each word he spoke as if the sun itself drew closer to hear his voice.

How do you not fall in love with a man who has a description of his voice like that? ONLY HIS VOICE MAN. Imagine the rest of him. Wow. He's like some kind of Greek god. Hell, he'll probably define a Greek god.

Then Søren's also just so wow. WOW. Like honestly, WOW. He's so fucking sweet and thoughtful and oh my God, I'm in love with him.

"Because there is nothing I wouldn't do to protect you, Eleanor. Nothing I wouldn't do to help you and nothing I wouldn't do to save you. Nothing."

 and…

"You're not fine, Eleanor. You're risking hypothermia and whatever you think of me right now, I'm not worth hurting yourself over."

Seriously? SERIOUSLY???

This man is utter perfection.

But really, Nora/Eleanor is my favorite heroine. EVER. Ever. Ever. EVER.

"What are you doing over here? Shouldn't you be all snuggled up in bed with Jesus?"

I can go on and on about this book and it would never be sufficient enough to describe it. Buy it. Read it. LOVE IT.

MY RATING:

5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BUY LINKS ✭

    

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ The Siren (The Original Sinners #1) ♕

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

♕ The Angel (The Original Sinners #2) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

♕ The Prince (The Original Sinners #3) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

♕ The Mistress (The Original Sinners #4) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

♕ The Saint (The Original Sinners #5) ♕
Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo

 

Tiffany Reisz is the author of the internationally bestselling and award-winning Original Sinners series for Mira Books (Harlequin/Mills & Boon). Tiffany's books inhabit a sexy shadowy world where romance, erotica and literature meet and do immoral and possibly illegal things to each other. She describes her genre as "literary friction," a term she stole from her main character, who gets in trouble almost as often as the author herself.

She lives in Portland, Oregon. If she couldn't write, she would die.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Just because I love this book so much, I'm giving it two of my own teasers!

BLOG TOUR: The Sordid Promise – Courtney Lane + Review, giveaway, excerpt & teasers!

Released: March 26th, 2014

"The monsters you really should be afraid of, don't need to hide in plain sight. The truly dangerous ones…have no need to hide."

When physical pain allows you to escape your reality; what do you do when the pain is no longer strong enough to quiet the emotional ache?

Diouana “Nikki” returned to her hometown six months ago to tend to her sick mother. She thought she’d left her “baggage” behind her on the opposite coast, only to find that it never left her side. As her self-destructive thoughts begin to consume her, her mother -- realizing Nikki’s torment -- pushes Nikki to complete her last wishes.

Eric Brenton, Nikki’s new neighbor, lives in a dark, chaotic world that is easily hidden behind his model good looks and cocky demeanor. Unapologetic about his dirtier intentions, he sets his sights on Nikki with an offer to help her. But his help comes with very unorthodox conditions and a huge price.

And Eric...comes with an extensive black box warning label.

Warning: Contains graphic language, frequent graphic sex, and dark themes.

"No matter how twisted and damaged we are, there's always someone out there who will love us as we are."

*ARC PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

The Sordid Promise was a dark, frustrating, hair-tearing book in a good way. It was so deep and mind-blowing. It made me want to throw the book out the window but also keep it close to me. I was just so confused whether I loved or hated this book. The writing style is undeniably captivating and the characters were all so beguiling. The story drew me in from the very start with the odd characters and also their shocking personalities that made me love them even more.

I was honestly so confused with my feelings for this book. At certain points, I love how their conflicts have finally ended so I thought, "Hey, they're finally getting their happily ever after." But then the author brings up more and more of their past that it kept me on the edge of my seat and had me screaming in frustrating (in a good way). It was just such a bewitching book. I couldn't put it down once I started.

Nikki's character was very interesting. I started out the book pissed off with her because she was anthropophobic (I totally googled that, it means she has social phobia). She has this sort of defense mechanism whenever people come close to her, she just insults them or tells them to fuck off. She doesn't care about any of them.

I'm…completely fucked up. My life and my past are completely fucked up. I'm so beyond messed up that there are numerous broken shards that even several years' worth of superglue can't fix.

And I have to admit, I was so fucking curious about what happened back then with her and her family, and once I learned more about her, I just went

Then there's Eric who's even more fucked up. I'm not even joking. Christ, I could've sworn he was crazy. He reminded me of Clay from Find You in the Dark. He was fucking terrifying and probably psychologically damaged. But then again, who really isn't? 

Eric has a fucking dirty mouth and brain. Trust me. Sometimes he can be discreet.

"I'll try my damnedest not to rip that dress off you before the night's over, but no promises."

Really, that's his mildest line from this book. Other times, which is most of the time, he just straight-up says it.

"I can't wait until I can make you beg for more than just my cock. And when I fuck you, baby, you're going to swear my cock was a gift from the heavens."

Oh and did I mention his egotistical nature?

Eric and Nikki fit together well. What she craves, he gives. What he needs, she provides. Although they are admittedly in a very destructive relationship built on lies and pain, they seem to also connect in a certain way that no other characters can ever connect. Somehow, through their fucked up pasts and mind-boggling thoughts, they managed to stay together and not murder each other. Well, not yet.

I was pissed off with how Nikki got easily sidetracked with Eric's method of deflection (sex). She was like his puppet and I hated how weak she was. But then when I learned more about them, I realized that that was exactly what she needed. And what he did. In the end, they somehow broke through some of their walls.

And they worked. According to Nikki…

He became… my angel of catharsis and my new addiction.

According to Eric…

"You are the center of everything. You have no idea how fucking monumental that is for me to say. Because, I love you, Nikki. I love you like I've never loved anyone."

And even the supporting characters were fantastic. They were just as deeply thought through as the main ones like Estelle, Melonie, Tamala, the mom. Oh God, I love Nikki's mom.

When she learned that Nikki finally let Eric in just a little bit…

"As I still breathe. Should i call the chaplain and the city clerk now? I have them on speed dial. Should I call up to the maternity ward and borrow an infant? Wonderful! i can die happy now."

And she is the one person who knows Nikki the best. She truly knows Nikki more than Nikki knows herself.

Wonderful, wonderful, dark, deeply thoughtful book!

MY RATING:

4 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ The Sordid Promise ♕

Amazon | Amazon UK

We get a glimpse of Eric's dirty mouth here! ;)

“You owe me ten thousand dollars.”

“Do you want that in cash...or check?” I asked.

“You’re not serious.”

“I’m very serious about clearing my debts.”

He examined me for a few minutes of silence. “I’m having a low-key housewarming party on Saturday.”

“Seems all you do is party.”

“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to celebrate on my downtime.”

“Only if it’s all the time.”

“Which it’s not. Stop making statements like we’re best buds who’ve known each other forever. More to the point, watch that mouth around me.”

I cleared my throat, hoping to regain control of the antagonistic tone he nearly succeeded in eliminating. “Were you going to invite me to this party? —because I don’t do social gatherings.”

“Nikki. I get it. I know what you’re going through. The way you’re behaving is not going to do you well. You can’t close yourself off from everyone. Janet told me that you have no other family or friends to be found anywhere. I’m trying to be friendly here. I really don’t want to continuously pull the asshole card to get you out of your bitch mode.”

“Isn’t that a conflict of interest?”

“Your mother isn’t my patient. I’m…doing her a favor.”

“Whatever that means. The answer is no.”

“I just shot out a number. The camera was worth more than that. How are you going to pay off a priceless debt?”

“You overpaid.”

“Are you always such a bitch? Or am I the lone recipient of this attitude?”

“Are you always a cocky ingrate who answers the door for strangers half-dressed?”

“I’m the ungrateful one?” he asked through an incredulous laughter. “Really, Nikki? I see the way your eyes are glued to what I worked my ass off to achieve. See the  way you’re drooling at the big gift between my legs, too. I know it doesn’t bother you. I think you’re only pissed that I’m not completely naked right now.” Slowly licking his lips, he stepped forward. His feverish form pressed against me as he looked down at me. He added in a sexually charged drawl, “I know I’m making your pussy the wettest it’s ever been. Just wait. I’ll get you wetter than a banana in a women's prison.”

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By way of Rochester, NY and several other places before I landed in California. I live with my husband, dog, daughter, and a demon masquerading as a dog.
When I began writing (I know this sounds familiar, over dozens authors state this) it was an outlet for me. Not only that, I was creating fan fiction before I knew what fan fiction was. Eventually, my writing evolved into standalone worlds with standalone characters.
While I write across genres (I find it hard to stick to one genre), I do have an archetype when it comes to the female protagonist -- they have to have certain type of strength, strong convictions, and layered personalities. There will often be a lot of darkness and depth to my stories, but I don't see the point in writing vapid characters who are thrust into "safe" situations.

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook

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This tour was hosted by Book Plug Promotions.

BLOG TOUR: Destroyed – Pepper Winters + Review, giveaway & deleted scenes!

Released: March 7th, 2014

She has a secret.
I’m complicated. Not broken or ruined or running from a past I can’t face. Just complicated.

I thought my life couldn’t get any more tangled in deceit and confusion. But I hadn’t met him. I hadn't realized how far I could fall or what I'd do to get free.

He has a secret.

I’ve never pretended to be good or deserving. I chase who I want, do what I want, act how I want.

I didn’t have time to lust after a woman I had no right to lust after. I told myself to shut up and stay hidden. But then she tried to run. I’d tasted what she could offer me and damned if I would let her go.

One secret destroys them.

"The beauty in this world was hidden by filth and lies while evil was painted in beauty and smiles."

**ARC PROVIDED BY AUTHOR**

A haunting read that definitely makes it to my favorites this year. Pepper Winters has once again blown me away with a dark romance novel that made my heart jump out of my chest. The characters were undeniably captivating and the storyline so unbelievably intense. I suffered through this book in a very good way and I'm definitely welcoming more of Pepper's works with open arms in the future.

Wow, just absolutely wow. I actually find this novel darker than the Monsters in the Dark series. Here, we have Fox who's got more issues than Q. As much as I loved Q, my heart ached for Fox as well.

Fox has a troubled past which disables him from truly connecting with people other than through pain. He's always been an introvert who relishes in lashes of whips and punches to the guts. That's the only way he knows to keep the voices in his head down and try to keep his past at bay. Then enters Hazel, who flips his world all around.

The fact that she seems so immune to his threats and doesn't even seem scared of him takes him completely by surprise.

The mixture of uncertainty and fear in her eyes undid me, and I'd never been so close to breaking down. After everything I'd done, she still hadn't left.

And Hazel comes in like a hurricane into his life. He never expected someone so beautiful, so fragile yet so strong to unravel him. All of him. She isn't afraid to take control although at times it frightens her that she has so much control over him. But she didn't even know it in the beginning.

She'd successfully done in ten minutes what I'd tried to do in two years.

She brought me back to life.

Those two lines!!! Masterpiece. Absolutely brilliant. This sums them up perfectly.

The novel's structure is alternating between two point of views and this gives us an in-depth look to each of the protagonists. We have Fox who we see is struggling to take control of his life and of his past. Then we have Hazel who's more careful because she has so much to lose and she's so scared that she'll lose that one important piece of her, which you'll find out if you read the novel.

The two seem to have a destructive relationship at first. Fox lives in the pain. He lives for the pain. And Hazel can't stay away from him. They both have pulls to each other which start out as a bond of lust and turns into a real connection through chemistry.

Fox and Hazel pushes through their fears and obstacles within their life in order to be together. But, there's always something holding them back even until the end. Whether it's family or their past. They both had to overcome each of their fears individually before they could reconnect their relationship.

I have so much more to say about this book but I'd probably end up spoiling the whole thing. So I'll leave this review with a quote by Fox/Roan:

"I thought I cold walk away and let you go, but I can't. I need you too damn much. You make me feel alive. You make my fucking heart beat for the first time, and I'm not going to give that up."

Now, let me go cry in a corner as I relive this story again. 

MY RATING:

4.5 - 5 APPLES!!!!!

✭ BOOK LINKS ✭

(Click book cover for Goodreads link)

♕ Destroyed ♕

Amazon (UK / CA / AU) | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

✩✮✩ Deleted Scenes ✩✮✩

✧ Deleted Scene #1 (Roan) ✧

I screeched to a halt outside the apartment block. Oscar refused to tell me the address, but I didn’t waste time arguing. I could’ve beaten it out of him, but I had other means. 

I’d learned from his refusal last time and attached a GPS tracker to his car. It was a simple matter of following the most recent route he’d taken with the app on my android. 

The purr of my black Porsche set my nerves on edge. The dash clock said it was one a.m. 

Too early for a house call, but this wasn’t just a house call. This was a flat out demand for her to come back. I would give her anything if only she’d give me one last chance. 

Turning the engine off, I dragged bruised and cut hands through my unkept hair, and climbed out of the sports car. The sleek lines glowed like an expensive gem beneath the street lights. Raindrops ran down my face, feeling like the world cried for me. The sky sensed my inability to re-enter the human life—it mourned on my behalf the regret I felt.

- - -

✧ Deleted Scene #2 (Hazel) ✧

It was an hour before Obsidian opened its doors to fighters and I had no problem getting past the bouncer this time. I didn’t know if it was because he recognised me or before of the rage in my eyes, but he had the door open for me the moment I screeched to a stop.

Fox was exactly where I thought he would be. 

In his basement, working on yet another weapon, forging yet more steel into yet more torture equipment. 

“You!” I yelled.

He snapped upright, turning off the welding torch. He spun to face me, tugging the protective goggles off his head. “You yourself.” His grey-white eyes looked as bleak as any snowstorm. “Where the hell did you go? I’ve been trying to track you down for days?” Prowling toward me he growled, “Didn’t you think I’d go out of my mind? I know how shitty I treated you but you ran before I could fucking apologise.”

Such beautiful, beautiful scenes! :"D — Sam

THIS GIVEAWAY IS INTERNATIONAL
Signed copy of Destroyed (1)
Signed Destroyed swag packs (2)
eBook copies of Destroyed (5)
eBook copies of Tears of Tess (2)
eBook copies of Quintessentially Q (2)
Signed Monsters in the Dark swag packs (1)

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Pepper Winters wears many roles. Some of them include writer, reader, sometimes wife. She loves dark, taboo stories that twist with your head. The more tortured the hero the better and she constantly thinks up ways to break and fix her characters. Oh, and sex… her books have sex.

She loves to travel and has an amazing, fabulous hubby (who speaks French—hot!) who puts up with her love affair with her book boyfriends. She loves to hear from her readers so hit her up at pepperwinters@gmail.com

Check her out in these sites:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

To see other stops in the tour featuring reviews, excerpts, and more, click here.