Category Archives: Book Reviews
Book Review- Blossom In Winter By Melanie Martins.
Book Review – Blossom In Winter by Melanie Martins.
I thought this was a fantastic dark, romance read… in the beginning. However, I felt it inconsistent and slow. The characters needed more development and so did the story, in my opinion. It’s classed as a romantic thriller so I was waiting for something to happen with maybe her best friend Emma, seeing as she liked to torture a boy or 2, but no. Or maybe there’d be some stand-off between her and Alex (the love interest) for Petra’s affections as it’s later revealed Emma seems to have feelings for her, but no. Instead, apart from at the beginning, Emma’s scenes are fleeting. I don’t even understand why Petra was best friends with her as she was a horrible person!
I couldn’t quite believe the relationship between Petra and Alex Van Dieren or that her dad came around to the idea of Petra dating and ultimately getting engaged to his best friend. The relationship just progressed too quickly!
It surprised me to find out quite late on in the book that Alex was a dom. Although it was hinted at that he had a dark sexual side and had a fetish/kink quite early on in the book, the author didn’t go into any detail until he mentioned about the girls that he had dom/sub relationships with. And this was only mentioned in passing in his narrative, it wasn’t a big revelation.
“If I recall properly, only my former subs used to beg me to f*ck their asses. Wow. I tremble at the thought that Petra might actually want to become one.” Page 388
That is well over half way through the story. There IS a contract drawn up but this is in relation to their relationship and the media (he’s a wall street businessman in his 40s, she’s just turned 18). Hmm I do wonder what a person living the sub/dom lifestyle would think to this book…
He never actually discusses this dom/sub lifestyle with her so he just comes across as controlling. Especially with him giving her rules such as not leaving the table without his permission and having to change into a nightgown when she does so. But also when he forces her to have sex with no warning at all just so he can selfishly get his rocks off! She had absolutely no idea what’s going on and is so confused and upset by it. Later, out of nowhere, Petra’s personality then changes and she goes on to be the dominatrix when she next sees him. I mean, I get her thought process, she wants to beat him at his own game and prove she’s not gonna be walked over BUT this isn’t explained. It’s just as though she’s turned into someone else. She’s also portrayed as naive yet mature but they don’t really go hand in hand and it was shocking to see her go from virgin to wanting to explore everything sexual within weeks of losing her virginity! Now, I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t wanna try anal so soon after having sex for the first time!
In the end I just really struggled with this book. The dialogue was cringey at time’s, especially during the sex scenes when Petra would say, “Ahhh…” instead of the author simply stating that she groaned/moaned. I was expecting more thriller alongside the romance but it left a lot to be desired and a lot of unanswered scenes and questions! Scenes which could have lead the book into a thriller but didn’t really take off. The sub genre is more taboo (age-gap plus he’s her godfather who brought her up like she was his own) than anything else.
this book was given to me by the author in exchange for an honest review
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Book Review – Waiting For Milo by Angel Devlin.
Book Review – Waiting For Milo by Angel Devlin.
Blurb:
“He called her Rapunzel.
Now she’s back in a tower of her own making.
Can he rescue his princess and live happily ever after?
After purchasing her nan’s old home, Violet Blake wonders if the mysterious Waite family still live in the house across the garden. But there are bigger things to worry about—like how she’s going to get the hole in the ceiling repaired and the neglected house modernised. Lucky for her, the Waite family do turn out to be her neighbours and run a property renovation business.
Enter Milo Waite.
Caveman. Protector. Stubborn as hell.
He won’t take no for an answer and sets about making sure his princess has her castle. But repairing the house isn’t his only project. He wants Violet.
Real life isn’t a fairy tale though, and buried family secrets threaten not only their budding relationship but to tear their families apart.”
Review:
I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this book! It’s one of those romance books that is perfect for taking on holiday to read in the sun whilst lazing by the pool or on the beach! It was so easy to get into that I finished it in just over a day, reading whenever I got a spare moment.
It was wonderfully written. The characters were all lovable making you want to get to know each and every one of them. But Milo Waite… Milo is my new book boyfriend! Oh he’s so dreamy! Everything you’d want in a boyfriend. He absolutely worships Violet and wants the best for her. Oh sure he’s a Neanderthal, as Violet would say, but she’s not afraid to put him in his place and point out when he’s being an idiot and overreacting. I loved seeing their romance blossom. Although a couple of obstacles were thrown their way and I wasn’t sure if they’d overcome them!
The book ends on such a cliffhanger! Oh my god! I was so shocked! I absolutely need to know what happens next!! Hurry up and release the sequel, Waiting For Cal, Angel Devlin!
You can purchase Waiting For Milo here:
US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B081Y545JN
UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B081Y545JN
#waitingformilo #angeldevlin #waitefamily #romancebooks #romancereads #bookreview #bookreviews #bookblog #bookblogger #bookpromo #bookstagram #outnow #summerreads
Book Review – If We Were Young by Anna Bloom.
🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤 Book Review – If We Were Young by @annabloombooks. 🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤❤️🖤
If We Were Young is wonderfully written with fantastic characters and great character development. I found Ronnie to be so relatable and wondered how I’d be once my own daughter becomes a teenager. I love the way her daughter was portrayed, as well as the moody teen mannerisms. What really resonated with me personally was the fact that Ronnie has social anxiety. She has it so bad that she can’t speak and/or throws up. I love that although this is primarily a romance, Anna touched upon the affects of anxiety and how it can affect us so that those who don’t have it can understand it better and those who do can relate right along with Ronnie and know exactly what she’s going through.
Ronnie and Matthew’s friendship had come to an end one sad night back in uni, then 15 years later they were reunited through a business opportunity. I loved seeing it all unfold before my eyes and found myself frustrated and on edge wondering if Ronnie and Matthew would be able to see past their anger and become friends again, wishing and hoping they’d become much more than that. You learn throughout the story that so many obstacles had been thrown in the way over the years, unbeknownst to them at the time, that had stopped them coming together and it made me feel so sad because their lives could have been sooo different!
This book captured my heart and didn’t want to let go! I have so many feels! I’m incredibly excited that there’s going to be a sequel! I need to know what’s next for Ronnie and Matthew! I’m also still mad at Angela and her selfishness!! Grrr!
This is a second change romance, friends to lovers story (will they/won’t they?) that is so easy to get into you won’t want to put it down!
You can purchase Anna Bloom’s If Were Young here: viewbook.at/AnnabloomIWWY
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Book Review – Summer Princess by Sloane Murphy.
Book Review – Summer Princess by Sloane Murphy.
Summer Princess, previously known as A Princess’ Duty, is revised and revamped with an additional 12K words (if memory serves). It was just as engaging as the first time around. That twist at the end! Omg I’d forgot about that twist, though! Oooh the double betrayal is real! I feel more hurt by the second betrayal than I do about the first. The second cut deeeeep! Yeah, you bet I felt it just as much as poor Emilia did!
Emilia, her twin brother, Edimere, and older brother Erion, have been friends with Rowan and Cade for years. Each month, the Summer or Winter fae court hosts a party. It’s not like your normal human party. These parties are brutal and bloody, a time for the fae to embrace their darker side. 19 year old Emilia’s world is turned upside down when her twin brother, Edimere, meets his death after he kills a Summer court villager who, unbeknownst to him, is Rowan’s love and was set up by Rowan and Cade’s father in an effort to show Rowan that the villagers are beneath them.
5 years later Emilia’s life is not what it was. Her parents blame her for the death of her brother and have been and done awful things to her ever since. She seeks love in the form of Oberon, a half fae Hunter, but keeps it secret because no one would approve of her being with a hunter. One day her father finds out and Oberon is captured and sent to the cages. Emilia is told the only way she can save him is to go to the Winter court and win Cade’s hand in marriage, forming a truce between the two courts. Emilia has never forgiven Cade so it’s the last thing she wants to do but she does it in an effort to save Oberon. But can she?
You’re really pulled into this story, feeling all the emotions the characters do, feeling as though you’re right there with them. The twists and turns were fantastic! I loved the character development of Emilia and Cade. Her friendship with Rowan was so precious. The writing is beautiful and really grips you, keeping you reading and not wanting it to end. I can’t wait for book two to be released. I need to know what happens! If you love a dark fantasy read then this one is for you!
The only negative I’d have to comment about is the grammar/spelling mistakes I came across. However, I was given an ARC in exchange for my honest review so I’m hoping they will have been smoothed out in the mean time ready for the final copy to be released to the public.
Blog Tour and Book Review – Dark Secret by Danielle Rose.
Dark Secret Blog Tour and Book Review!
Book Review – Dark Secret by Danielle Rose.
I fell in love with this book straight away! Witches AND vampires?! What’s not to love if you’re a fan of YA paranormal reads? I love how in-depth Danielle went with the witches and their magic lore and I love the spin that she took with the main character, Ava, after a fight with a vampire didn’t quite go to plan. Ava is tasked with protecting her coven and the village of Darkhaven from the vampires but her coven doesn’t trust her ability to sense the darkness that is coming which she tries to prove otherwise. Throughout the book she goes from strength to strength, but not without her flaws and weaknesses, whilst she struggles to adapt to a life she never wanted. There is a hint of romance running through this book which I really enjoyed and am excited to see where it’ll lead in the second book. Danielle’s writing is incredibly detailed and such a delight to read. I really enjoyed that it was written in first person too. This would be the perfect book if you’re just starting out on your YA paranormal journey.
🌹Blog Tour!🌹
Dark Secret (Darkhaven Saga #1)
by USA Today Bestselling author Danielle Rose
AVAILABLE NOW!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/33j5oDL
Print: https://amzn.to/2WMW3BR
Nook: http://bit.ly/2oQlGFn
Apple Books: https://apple.co/36BA1X3
Google Play: http://bit.ly/2LkrOxE
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2qnXxX2
#DarkSecret #DanielleRose #ReleaseBlitz #YAParanormal #Waterhouse #BareNakedWords
Synopsis
There’s no wrath like that of a witch scorned.
Seventeen-year-old spirit witch Ava López is the self-appointed guardian of the witches and humans of Darkhaven, an idyllic village nestled between the forest and the sea. Her watch: vicious and bloodthirsty vampires.
Ava is a novice in the eyes of her coven. If she expects to protect them and the secrecy of their powers, she must gain better control of her own. When a full moon ritual goes awry, control may be lost forever, and Ava is exiled from her coven. Forced to seek refuge among the beings she had always sworn herself to hunt, she vows revenge on those who have upended her life.
But the more time Ava spends away from her coven, the more she discovers a startling truth: the witches haven’t been honest with her. Ava’s quest to strip the truth from everything she’s ever known begins with the toughest realization of all—coming to terms with who she has become.
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DRoseAuthor/
Insta: https://www.instagram.com/DRoseAuthor
Website: https://www.droseauthor.com/
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Antonia Nicole Home Fragrance Wax Melts.
Some #happypost arrived from Antonia Nicole Home Fragrance today!
Some gorgeous wax melts in scents:
💙 Zoblue
“Inspired by a popular cleaning scent.
A fresh clean scent with citrus notes of bergamot and orange, followed by a heart of pine, rose and lilac, resting on a base of cedarwood and amber.”
💛 Enchanted Ale
“Inspired by a drink from a well known film series.
A sweet, sugary scent with sticky toffee, caramel and soft fluffy vanilla.”
💗 Peony and Blush Suede
“A fruity, floral fragrance with peony and red apple, followed by hearty notes of rose, jasmine and carnation. The fragrance is completed with soft notes of violet and plum and rich notes of musks and dry amber. This is truly stunning.”
They all smell absolutely amazing! And that’s before I’ve even melted them! I can’t wait to get them burning tomorrow whilst Willow is at nursery!
Purchase link for my fellow wax melt lovers: https://antonianicole.co.uk
#waxmelts #waxmeltsaddict #homefragrance #candles #smallbusiness #smallbusinessowner #womeninbusiness #womensupportingwomen #localbusiness #blogger #ukblogger #mummyblog #mummyblogger #mommyblog #mommyblogger #zoflora #harrypotter
Book Review – The Cake Fairies by Isabella May,
Book review – The Cake Fairies by Isabella May.
Blurb:
1960’s Somerset is no fun for cousins Polly and Annabelle Williams. Mourning their non-existent love lives, and the mundanity of village life, their only pleasure is baking – until a chance encounter has them magically transported to the bright lights of London… in 2019!
Promised a chance of love, first they must teach the people of the future about the simpler pleasures of life by becoming Cake Fairies. Over the course of a year they set off on a delectable tour of the UK, dropping off cakes in the most unexpected of places and replacing the lure of technology with much sweeter temptations.
But will their philanthropical endeavours lead them to everlasting love? Or will they discover you can’t have your cake and eat it?
My review:
What a book this is! It is so much more than a book about two cake making cousins running their own cake shop in the sixties, who may or may not find love! Sooo much more! For one, there’s time travel!! Which I thought was an awesome part of the book. What really spoke to me, though, was that it tackles the issues of how modern tech, like our phones, affects us today and how most of us just seem glued to our phones instead of engaging with the people and taking in the environment around us. In come Polly and Annabelle with their cake making skills who are sent forward in time to hopefully make people see how important it is to take a step back from their phones and really pay attention to those around them. It really hit home for me because I often think we should spend less time on phones, tablets, PCs etc. and more time with the ones we love! It’s a fabulous read and one I’ll cherish for a long time!
Purchase links:
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cake-Fairies-Because-century-having-ebook/dp/B07Z2S41TZ
US – https://www.amazon.com/Cake-Fairies-Because-century-having-ebook/dp/B07Z2S41TZ
#bookreview #bookreviews #thecakefairies #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #romancereads #romancebooks #isabellamay #timetravel #timetravelbooks #bookblog #bookblogger
Life update!
Wow, ok, so it’s occurred to me that I haven’t let the bloggersphere know that I’m pregnant again with our second little girl! I blame it on the baby brain! Although I have announced it on social media so if you follow me over there then you may already know!
Willow is incredibly excited to be a big sister! I’ve no doubt she’ll be wanting to help out as much as she possibly can. She’s turning 4 this month, can you believe it? I don’t even know where the time has gone! She’s turning in to this beautiful and bright little girl right in front of our eyes! She’s doing incredibly well at nursery and we’re so proud of her!
Today I thought I’d share with you some bump pics! I’m 23 weeks as of yesterday! I’m shocked at how fast this pregnancy is going! I’m so excited to meet baby Mia; I just wish she was here already.
For so long we were adamant that we weren’t having any more babies. My first pregnancy was an emotional rollercoaster with an awful lot of anxiety and I struggled physically, too, with being an amputee on top of the usual difficulties you get with being pregnant (ugh SPD anyone?). I didn’t enjoy being pregnant at all and I felt so guilty about that. I just wanted Willow to be brought to us by a stork or something haha.
When labour day approached I was perfectly fine and excited right up until the point it was time to go to the hospital. I get severe anxiety when it comes to hospitals and operations, so for me it was a pretty traumatic experience, especially as I had to be taken to a second hospital that was better equipped to deliver baby Willow by emergency c-section (I couldn’t get any further than 3cm dilated, my blood pressure was insanely high, Willow’s heart beat incredibly low, and they discovered I had an infection -sepsis). I’m not afraid to admit I was a mess and panicking because I didn’t know what the hell was going on. This time I’m having an elected C-section in the hopes I’ll feel calmer and more prepared about what’s to come. Hmmm I’ll let you know how that one goes lol. But they say it’s more relaxed when you have an elected C-section so fingers crossed. I’ll have a chat with them too about my anxiety and hopefully I can get a hold on that and squish it down so that I can actually enjoy the experience this time. 😊💜
Whenever I’d get asked if I’d wanted any more kids and I said no, explaining my reasons, my friends would always tell me no two pregnancies are the same. So far, they were right! My second pregnancy has been a joy so far – apart from the morning sickness in the first trimester. Although even that was a lot more smooth running than my first pregnancy! Hopefully things will continue to go well!
This time we’ll be doing some things a little differently. When I had Willow I was too shy to breastfeed, always worrying about other people’s feelings. This time I want to give it a go. I just have this overwhelming feeling to breastfeed. Hopefully I can do it for as long as baby Mia needs it. Any advice you have is welcome!
We’re also going to be using re-usable/cloth nappies! It’s shocking how many nappies get thrown away each week and put into landfill! I just can’t bring myself to add to it. If anyone has any recommendations on which cloth nappies to buy then please feel free to comment! I’d love to hear from you.
#mumtobe #pregnant #pregnantbelly #babybump #pregnancystruggles #pregnancystories #csection #csectionstory #mummytobe #mummyblogger #mommyblogger #mummyblog #mommyblog #anxietyawareness
Book Review – Chosen by Sloane Murphy.
Book Review – Chosen by Author Sloane Murphy.
Blurb:
“After everything that happened, all I wanted was to go to the Academy, and maybe, just for once, get to be normal.
But now my secret is out, with repercussions I could never have dreamed of and I can’t trust anyone.
Even the ones I thought I could.
With whispers of murder still in the air, and lines between friend and foe becoming blurry, the shadows that were once my closest ally, could just be my own personal nightmare.”
Review:
This was a stunning sequel to Marked and kept me rapt throughout! For those wondering, I’d class this as an upper YA para-romance as there are some very saucy scenes in it that may be too mature for younger teens.
Sloane has done an amazing job with the character development, the story structure and, once again, I fell in love with everyone and Sloane’s writing style! Also, we got more Cam! Yay! We also get introduced to Ziniyah, who is a mer, and get to know more about his abilities.
I will say that there was one part that did have me confused, though, which was the bonfire. Although it could just have been my brain not processing it properly, but we have Eden meeting up with Cam and then them heading off to join everyone. The next thing you know it’s the morning after and Eden wakes up in Z’s room (that part was explained). I would have liked to have read more about the bonfire and the party after. Going from that scene to the next morning just didn’t flow very well for me and felt it a bit strange that it was cut like that. I even wondered if Eden had dreamed the bonfire.
The relationship dynamics in this sequel is a whole lot different to what I was expecting but woah! I am totally digging the reverse harem that Eden has going on with the guys! Hey, if they’re happy then have at it! And it made sense as far as the plot was concerned, too.
With this book, I feel like I have just stepped into a paranormal version of the Hunger Games! Only the ceremony at Black Water Academy is much more regal and fancy! I loved this little twist in the tale and I’m excited and scared to find out what happens next for our chosen one, Eden! Bring on book number 3, Hunted!
Purchase links:
Book number 1 – Marked
US: bit.ly/MarkedUS
UK: bit.ly/MarkedUK
AU: bit.ly/MarkedAU
CA: bit.ly/MarkedCA
Book number 2 – Chosen
#chosen #sloanemurphy #ya #yabooks #pararomance #paranormalromance #harem #books #bookblog #bookblogger #bookreview #bookreviews #goodreads #tbrlist
Book Review – The Big Ohhh by Nikki Ashton.
Book Review!
The Big Ohhh by Nikki Ashton
Before I get on with the review, can I just say how much I ADORE this book cover! It’s so gorgeous and eye catching! I can just imagine it being front and centre in Waterstones and everyone just snatching it off the shelves!
Moving on to the review…
The Big Ohhh by Nikki Ashton is absolutely amazing, brilliant and hilarious! Such a funny read and one of the funniest books I’ve read in 2019! It had me laughing out loud at so many parts. There were also times when I’d be reading in bed and I’d have to stifle my laugh so I didn’t wake my fiancé! To balance it out, there were also more serious parts and angsty moments. Willow, the protagonist, is such a fun and quirky character. I loved her! I also loved the relationship she has with her family. Everyone was so down to earth and open about everything. They all really cracked me up! I loved seeing her new found relationship unravel with Charlie and see what disastrous sexscapades they’d get up to next. Amongst my laughing, my heart really went out to them though! That zipper moment! Oh my god! That had me howling even though I probably shouldn’t have been hahaha. They eventually got their happy ending though (pun definitely intended!) and I was so thrilled for them!
If you love a romance with laugh out loud comedy in it then this one is for you! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
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