Pages: 336
Publication date: January 7, 2014

Publisher: Sara B. Larson

How I got the copy: From Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars
  

  

From Goodreads:

A lush and gorgeously written debut, packed with action, intrigue, and a thrilling love triangle.

Alexa Hollen is a fighter. Forced to disguise herself as a boy and serve in the king's army, Alex uses her quick wit and fierce sword-fighting skills to earn a spot on the elite prince's guard. But when a powerful sorcerer sneaks into the palace in the dead of night, even Alex, who is virtually unbeatable, can't prevent him from abducting her, her fellow guard and friend Rylan, and Prince Damian, taking them through the treacherous wilds of the jungle and deep into enemy territory.

The longer Alex is held captive with both Rylan and the prince, the more she realizes that she is not the only one who has been keeping dangerous secrets. And suddenly, after her own secret is revealed, Alex finds herself confronted with two men vying for her heart: the safe and steady Rylan, who has always cared for her, and the dark, intriguing Damian. With hidden foes lurking around every corner, is Alex strong enough to save herself and the kingdom she's sworn to protect?

To say this review is late is an understatement.  But in all fairness I wrote it on my phone in the notes app back in January.  So I apologize to the publisher it took so long for me to post it!

Are you a fan of Mulan and Throne of Glass?  Then I highly suggest you try Defy.  It's got a girl pretending to be a boy in the kingdom's army.  She's vulnerable like Mulan and yet really kick butt like Celaena.

Publication date: September 3, 2013

Publisher: Christina Lauren

How I got the copy: Received from publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars
   

  

From Goodreads:

The gentlemen from Beautiful Bastard, Beautiful Stranger, and Beautiful Player are out for a wild night on The Strip.When Max, Henry, and Will steal Bennett away for a weekend of shenanigans and strippers in Vegas, the first stop of the night doesn’t go at all as planned. With their scheme for a Guys Weekend completely derailed anyway, Max and Bennett begin to play a wild game of stealth and secrecy in order to have their bombshells all over Sin City.

First, I need to apologize.  I received this audiobook a month or two ago right around the time I got a new job so I wasn't able to listen to audiobooks anymore.  So thank you to S&S Audio and sorry it took me so long!

As most of my followers know, I don't do Adult Fiction.  It just doesn't appeal to me usually.  So when I find an adult series that I like I'm so excited.  The Beautiful Bastard series is one of those few that has gotten my attention.  I love that they are companion novels so all the characters and plot lines are so different.  And yet when you get a novella like this you get to experience all the characters together.  I  don't usually care about novellas so I was pleasantly surprised when I liked this one.  It's like when you find a twenty dollar bill in your jeans when doing laundry.  You weren't expecting it, but it was a nice surprise.

Pages: 426
Publication date: November 15, 2012

Publisher: J.A. Redmerski

How I got the copy: Bought

Rating:  3.5 out of 5 Stars
   

  

From Goodreads:

Twenty-year-old Camryn Bennett had always been one to think out-of-the-box, who knew she wanted something more in life than following the same repetitive patterns and growing old with the same repetitive life story. And she thought that her life was going in the right direction until everything fell apart.

Determined not to dwell on the negative and push forward, Camryn is set to move in with her best friend and plans to start a new job. But after an unexpected night at the hottest club in downtown North Carolina, she makes the ultimate decision to leave the only life she’s ever known, far behind.  continued on goodreads

Reading this book was like riding a seesaw.  One minute the mood was up and fun and I was loving it.  Next, it's down and some serious stuff is happening.  But there were points in between all that where things just got weird.  And I'm still not really able to get over that to give this a higher rating.

I'm talking about the reason why Andrew would push her away.  Because he needed to "own her".  It went from cute little road trip book to weird in .5 seconds.  Like seriously, you just met her a week ago.  And now you want to own her.  What does that even mean?  Normally I'd just think it meant he'd want to marry her...like be the last guy who'll ever get to date her.  But when you've just met someone and you say this as you're getting physically intimate...it's just...weird.  There's no other way to put it.

Pages: 118
Publication date: December 21, 2013

Publisher: Kate Ashton

How I got the copy: Received from author in exchange for an honest review.

Rating:  4 out of 5 Stars
   

  

From Goodreads:

A New Adult contemporary romance - companion novella to Every Little Piece.

Needing to love…

Every day I’m with Chad, I prove my dad wrong, that I can be loved…that I am loveable. So why is our relationship so hard? When we’re together on the dance floor or between the sheets, I pray for a small twinge of lust or something. I remember when his lazy smile sent my toes curling and my lower regions throbbing. But lately, thoughts of Noah come even though I don’t want them to: his valiant efforts to rescue me, his tender, caring side, even though I was being an idiot that night. I just don’t know if I’m ready to shake off one bad relationship to trust in another one. 

Wanting to trust…

Her words echo in my head. Let’s be secret friends. Shh, don’t tell anyone. That girl ruined my life. Because of her and what happened I haven’t touched a girl since high school. I haven’t let myself fantasize about a girlfriend. About finding love. Or sex. Shit. Has it been that long since I’ve been laid? Then there’s Carly. The tantalizing goddess I rescued. For the first time I’m feeling things I swore I never would again. Somehow, she’s wormed her way into my heart, but I just don’t know if it’s too late for love and for the two of us.

I got hooked on reading from Sarah Dessen books back in the day.  And since her books I haven't found an author who gets me quite as much as she does.  But there is something about Kate Ashton's writing that is so similar and I'm definitely a fan.  She takes the same serious and contemplative tone that Dessen has, but puts it into a New Adult setting and adds so much more tension and romance.

She also uses metaphors, which any good Dessen fan would enjoy.  In this book the ocean kind of represents an ending and a beginning...almost like a baptism of sorts.  It's really clever and refreshing.

I loved that both of the main characters had issues to work through.  Their characters both developed so much, yet they grew together.  There were times I wanted to slap some sense into Carly...and if I'm being honest...Noah too.  But overall they were enjoyable characters that pulled at my heart strings.  I think that's the main reason I gave this four stars.  I just wanted them to stop being so blind about what they wanted and needed, but change is scary so I understand why they were hesitant.

I especially liked the ending.  We get hint that book three will be from Chad's POV and I've already started reading it...I couldn't wait!  I definitely recommend this to contemporary fans and it's really cheap on amazon right now so you should take advantage of that while you can!  This is definitely an author to keep an eye out for!

My review of book 1: Every Little Piece

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