Classics

Top Ten Tuesday 26

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Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme hosted The Broke and the Bookish. There is a new topic for each week and the participating bloggers are invited to post their Top Ten lists on it.

Here are some of the classic books that I've enjoyed the most. They are listed in no particular order - expect the final two which I'm not certain if they are generally accepted as classics . For me, they both are classics in their respective genres - romance and fantasy!

Which books made it in your Top Ten Tuesday post today? Leave me a comment and I'll stop by your blog to check them out :)


Top Ten Favorite Classic Books


Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen


Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte


Lord of the Flies - William Golding 

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald





East of Eden - John Steinbeck 


One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell



Alexi Lawless

Review: Complicated Creatures by Alexi Lawless

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Title: Complicated Creatures (Part One)
Author: Alexi Lawless
Date of publication: 24 April 2014
Genre: Romantic Suspense, Military

Author's links:
Website / Facebook / TwitterGoodreads

My rating: 4 Stars




Synopsis

What happens when curiosity becomes obsession? And when that obsession leads to an unstoppable journey you could never have imagined?

Luck is Jack Roman's middle name— and Chicago is his Empire. He lives to work, loves to play, and makes no commitments. But when the mysterious S. Wyatt moves into the adjoining penthouse, he's immediately drawn to her, a striking, elusive woman who transitions seamlessly from wood-paneled board rooms to high-stakes, high-risk rescue operations in the most dangerous parts of the world. 

Intrigued by her self-possession, aroused by her incredible passion, and disarmed by a vulnerability she cannot hide, Jack pursues her into the nexus of her dangerous present and her enigmatic past. An entire world is revealed to Jack, where living for pleasure becomes fighting for survival. And the only woman he wants may be the one he cannot have...

COMPLICATED CREATURES is a mesmerizing, labyrinthine romantic suspense that will leave you wondering: Do you really want to know everything about the one you love?

Review

What a pleasant surprise this was. When I was sent a copy of the this book for review I was hesitant to pick it up since I am not a big fan of billionaire, SEO type of stories. Now, after finishing it, I can only say that I'm very happy I chose to give it a try because I ended up loving it. 

For a debut novel it's very a very well developed story written in a sophisticated, engaging style. The author has a style of her own - complex, rich and sensual descriptions mixed with a lot of action.

I was surprised how in-depth she went in the discussion of military operations, real estate business practices, martial arts, Italian cuisine and so much more. I did like the careful attention to detail we see all across this book, but the information became overwhelming at times. It made things look too good to be true, taking away from the otherwise realistic nature of the story and the characters. 

That said, I really liked Sam and Jack and all the rest of the supporting cast. It's a densely populated world and it took me some time to figure out who is who and to keep track of all characters. Sam definitely stands out among most contemporary romance heroines - she is strong, independent, and at the same time loyal and caring. She is perfect at presenting a particular image of herself - self-possessed, composed, in control. but deep in her heart things are not exactly like this. 

Jack was just the perfect hero - smart, sexy, successful. He fell for Sam and he fell hard. It was a surprise for him but he was open and honest, willing to risk his heart and take a chance. The relationship was not easy with Sam keeping Jack at a safe distance, never truly revealing herself to him. 

The thriller element was very engaging and kept me involved throughout the story. There was a particular plot twist  in the end that I didn't see coming and it makes me very anxious about the next book in the series. 

While it's true that both characters can be described as complicated creatures, I'm not a fan of title, it makes me think of a paranormal story and there is nothing like this here. 

My biggest disappointment, in fact my only one, is that it's not a completed story of Jack and Sam. I knew this is the first book in a series but I expected the next ones to be about other characters/couples. My consolation is that the next installment is to come out some time this summer according to the author's website

I'm glad a took a chance on this book, it's a well written, complex and intriguing contemporary romance with some military/suspense elements and I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys such stories. Alexi Lawless is an author I'll be watching for in the future.

Purchase links: Amazon

Favourites

Review: Hostage to Pleasure by Nalini Singh

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Title: Hostage to Pleasure Psy-Changeling # 4)
Author: Nalini Singh
Date of publication: 2 Sept 2008
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters

Author's links: Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

My rating: 5 Stars




Synopsis


Separated from her son and forced to create a neural implant that will mean the effective enslavement of her psychically gifted race, Ashaya Aleine is the perfect Psy--cool, calm, emotionless...at least on the surface. Inside, she's fighting a desperate battle to save her son and escape the vicious cold of the PsyNet. Yet when escape comes, it leads not to safety, but to the lethal danger of a sniper's embrace.

DarkRiver sniper Dorian Christensen lost his sister to a Psy killer. Though he lacks the changeling ability to shift into animal form, his leopard lives within. And that leopard's rage at the brutal loss is a clawing darkness that hungers for vengeance. Falling for a Psy has never been on Dorian's agenda. But charged with protecting Ashaya and her son, he discovers that passion has a way of changing the rules...

Review

I loved this installment in the series. We are still with the DarkRiver cats and once again the romance is between a male cat (Dorian, a sentinel, a latent changeling and a brother of one of the victims of Santino) and a Psy female (Dr. Ashaya Aliene, M-Psy, who had broken Silence and is on the run)

The conflict in this story was pretty intense for both sides. Dorian may have the carefree surfer's good looks but on the inside he had his daemons to fight. The loss of his sister to a Psy-sociopath, brought him to the brink of madness. Initially, he resented his attraction to Ashaya, felt guilty about it. Add to this his connection and urge to protect her son, and things get close to boiling point. 

Ashaya had her own secrets to protect - she had defected the Psy world but this had placed both her son and her twin sister in danger. And like for most Psy in the series so far, the attraction she felt for Dorian was a completely new and unfamiliar thing which she needed to analyze and understand. 

I loved the plotline with Ashaya's twin, Amara. It was an interesting presentation of the struggle between good and evil, light and darkness and finding the gray in between. I think this conflict was resolved in the best way possible.

This story has thrown the characters in some rather complex relationships. There are no easy answers and tough decisions must be made. Despite these heavy undertones, there was also humour and lightness in the story. The interactions between the packmates could be quite funny and playful. The children Ms Singh has created in this series are also very entertaining - Keenan was rather exceptional and Noor and Jon, togther with Tammy's twins add so much colour to the story. 

Ms Singh continues building the suspense plot of the series. Here we meet new players - the Human Alliance and I guess we'll be seeing more of it in the coming books. The world of Psy, changelings and humans is already in turmoil and it looks like things are bound to escalate in the future. 

Purchase links: Amazon / B&NKobo / iTunes

Amalie Silver

Waiting on Wednesday #7

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I joined a new book meme last week. Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and it features books that we are eagerly awaiting to be released.

Title: Word Play
Author: Amalie Silver
Genre: Contemporary romance, comedy


Release Date: 14 July 2014






Synopsis

Smut sells.

Michael Rourke learned this the hard way.

Struggling to make ends meet as a mystery writer, he sold his soul - and his pride - as he pedaled sex and lust writing under the pen name Christoph Strong.

No one knew he was the one behind the steamy stories on the bestsellers lists. And he planned to keep it that way.

Until he met her.

Monica Singer, an infamous blogger, is keen to discover the truth of his secret identity.

During a chance meeting at a book convention, Michael and Monica form an instant connection. And soon, an industry rivalry becomes something else entirely.

But as Michael starts to let his guard down, he doesn’t realize that the person he's learning to trust may be hiding secrets of her own.

Secrets that could ultimately destroy everything.


What am I waiting for this? - There are a couple of reasons. I like romance novels told from male POV, being sarcastic and funny is an added bonus. And the fact that some of my GR friends have already reviewed it rather positively and all this gets me excited about this book. 

Comedy

Release Day Launch for Neanderthal Marries Human by Penny Reid

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rdl BANNER


Tour: Neanderthal Marries Human by Penny ReidNeanderthal Marries Human (Knitting in the City #3)
by Penny Reid
Publication Date: June 24, 2014
Genres: Contemporary, Contemporary Women, Humor, Humorous, Romance
Purchase from: AmazonNookKoboiBooks
Add to Goodreads.





Synopsis

There are three things you should know about Quinn Sullivan: 1) He is madly in love with Janie Morris, 2) He’s not above playing dirty to get what (or who) he wants, and 3) He doesn’t know how to knit.

After just five months of dating Janie, Quinn—former Wendell and unapologetic autocrat—is ready to propose marriage. In fact, he’s more than ready. If it were up to Quinn, he would efficiently propose, marry, and beget Janie with child all in the same day—thereby avoiding the drama and angst that accompanies the four stages of pre-matrimony: engagement, meeting the parents, bachelor/bachelorette party, and overblown, superfluous wedding day traditions. But Janie, much to Quinn’s dismay, tosses a wrench in his efficacious endeavors and challenges him to prove his devotion by going through the matrimonial motions, no matter how minute and mundane.

Will Quinn last until the wedding day? Or will he yield to his tyrant impulses?

Regardless, one thing is for certain, Quinn Sullivan will have to learn to expect the Spanish Inquisition (i.e. the unexpected) if he plans to have and keep Janie Morris as his wife.

Author's note: This book is not a standalone. It is the sequel to ‘Neanderthal Seeks Human,’ it is book #1.5 in the ‘Knitting in the City’ series, and it is a full length, 100k word novel.

Again, you must read ‘Neanderthal Seeks Human’ first before reading this book.

This book is written in first person, alternating POV (Janie Morris AND Quinn Sullivan; but more Janie than Quinn).


Also in the Series:
Neanderthal Seeks Human (Knitting in the City, #1) Friends Without Benefits (Knitting in the City, #2) Love Hacked (Knitting in the City, #3)

About Penny Reid

Author-Photo-Penny-Reid-300x300

SEX! It all started with sex, between my parents. Personally I don’t like thinking about it, but whatever works for you is a-ok with me. No judgment. The sex happened in California and much of my life also occurred in that state until I moved from the land of nuts (almonds), wine, silicon… boobs, and heavy traffic to the southeast US. Like most writers I like to write, but let’s get back to sex. Eventually I married and gave birth to 2 small people-children (boy-6, girl-4 as of this writing).

By day I’m a biomedical researcher with focus on rare diseases. By night I’m a knitter, sewer, lino block carver, fabric printer, soap maker, and general crafter. By the wee hours of the morning or when I’m intoxicated I love to listen to the voices in my head and let them tell me stories. I hope you enjoy their stories.

 
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The first book in the series,  Neanderthal Seeks Human where you meet Janie and Quinn is currently on sale for 0.99 and its sequel, Neanderthal Marries Human is available for 2.99 for the next couple of days. So, if you haven't started this fantastic, funny and quirky contemporary romance series, now is your chance. 


Look for my review of Neanderthal Marries Human on July 7, as part of the Blog Tour for it.


IndieSage PR

Covers

Top Ten Tuesday 25

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Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme hosted The Broke and the Bookish. There is a new topic for each week and the participating bloggers are invited to post their Top Ten lists on it.

For today's topic Ten Book Cover Trends I Like I've chosen covers where the people are with their backs to the readers. It can be sexy or just secretive and intriguing but these covers always catch my eye. 


Top Ten Watch Your Back Covers

I have this book on my TBR list and will hopefully get to it soon. In the meantime I absolutely love the cover
I haven't read this book yet but plan on it and the cover is super hot.









I love Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series and though I haven't try Guild Hunter series yet, this cover is so tempting
I loved this book - dark romantic suspense at its best










It's a favourite New Adult book - it has many flaws but the cover is beautiful










Melina Marchetta is one my all-time favourite authors and this cover fits the story perfectly. 








Another favourite by Ms Marchetta

It's a touching YA/NA story










I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the cover is rather unusual and quite fitting.










Ok, the focus is on the shoes, but she is with her back to us, so I think it fits in the list. And I loved the book.










Jill Shalvis

Review: Then Came You by Jill Shalvis

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Title: Then Came You (Animal Magnetism #5)
Author: Jill Shalvis
Date of publication: 1 July 2014
Genre / Themes: Romance / Small town / Animals

Author's links: Website / Twitter / FacebookGoodreads

My rating: 3.5 Stars



Synopsis

Veterinary intern Emily can’t believe she wound up in the small town of Sunshine, Idaho, instead of the Los Angeles clinic she had always imagined. Now she has to put her plans to move to L.A. on hold for a whole year while she fulfills the obligation of her vet school scholarship.

Then Wyatt, her gorgeous one-night stand from a Reno vet conference, introduces himself as her new boss. And Emily is just as drawn to his seductive looks and quiet strength as she was on that very steamy night. She soon learns that Wyatt isn’t just a laid-back doctor, but a delicious alpha male tempting her away from her carefully laid-out plans...

Review

It's another sweet and sexy romance by Jill shalvis in her Animal Magnetism series about the sexy vets in Bell Haven. This time we have two vets trying to stay away from each other and failing.

I liked the story a lot. Emily was easy to relate to. She is city girl with a plan and her plan doesn't include 1-year internship in Idaho, further more under the supervision of her one and only one-night stand, Dr. Wyatt Stone.

She is a well developed, believable character and all her preoccupations and fears of staring a relationship with someone seem very real. She carried the burden of her background and coming from a family who struggled financially all the time, she wants more for herself and works hard to get it. 

Wyatt was her opposite in many respect. His comes from riches but his parents care more about saving the world than about the well-being of their children. He wanted to settle down, to take roots in Sunshine, Idaho and he wanted to do it with Emily. Yet having grown up deprived of any choice as to his, as an adult he believes in giving the other person freedom to do as they please. He never insists, demands, to the point of coming off as disinterested. It took some good-natured nudging from his sisters and friends for him to actually fight for his love.

The affair between Emily and Wyatt as passionate and steamy from the start, yet they both guarded their hearts. Initially, Emily tried to keep things casual and didn't want to deepen them. Then she wanted him to fight for her, to aks her to stay. She felt insecure because he was too closed off about his feelings, trying to respect her wishes.

I loved the scene in the bar at the end with Wyatt writing Emily a message on a napkin. It was just hilarious.

We have the usual colourful secondary characters complementing the main couple - his 2 sisters and her 1 sister and I enjoyed the interactions between them. We also see some of couples from the previous books but I expected a closer connection between Wyatt and rest of the guys in Belle Haven. He felt a bit on the outside. 

Overall, it's a good addition to the series, though my most favourite. I can recommend this book to all fans of Ms Shalvis' writing and to anyone in the mood for a quick  the light sexy romance. 

Purchase links: 
Amazon / B&N / iBooks BAM

My reviews of other books by Jill Shalvis: 


Free Books

Friday Freebies #12

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I went a little crazy with the Amazon freebie this week, but they all sound really good to me and I couldn't help myself. Here is what I picked up:

Kingdom Series Collection (Kingdom #1-3) - Marie Hall - paranormal romance, classical tales - Amazon


Broken (Broken #1) - A.E. Murphy - New adult, abuse - Amazon


Invisible (Aerling #1) - DelSheree Gladden - Young Adult, paranormal - Amazon


Remember Me - Serenity Woods - Romance - Amazon


Troubled Son (Savage Sons Motorcycle Club #1) - Jayna King - Bikers, romance -
Amazon



Teasing Trent (The Alexanders 0.5) - M. Malone - romance, prequel novella - Amazon
Blind Love (Sulfur Heights #3) by M.S. Brannon

Blind Seduction (Team Red #1) - T. Hammond - romance - Amazon
 
 Embattled Hearts (Lost and Found #1) - J.M. Madden - military romance, suspense - Amazon
Mine to Take (Mine #1) - Cynthia Eden - romantic suspense - Amazon




Note: These were the correct prices/free books at the time of the publication of this post. Please, check them again before buying. I am only posting deals valid for international users, since I based in Bulgaria and very often some sales or free books on Amazon US are only available to US residents.
Follow me on Facebook to keep up to date with the latest freebies and sales I come across. Often they last only a short time and by the time a draft my post on Friday, many of them are no longer available.

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