Today we are stepping away from the YA world and jumping head first into the land of New Adult Romance.
You right now probably: WHat???? Rendz reading pure romance??? How???
And you are correct in questioning me because we all know I like romance as a subplot and not the whole plot! But when I got a reach out email about supporting Latinx romance writers I was all like “Well now I have to read it!” So that’s exactly how I talked myself into reading a book starring a school teacher and a male stripper. Yup.
Stripped by Zoey Castile
via Goodreads
Pub Date: Aug 28th, 2018 Publisher: Kensington Goodreads
Skilled, sculpted, and sexy, the men of adult entertainment are the kind of guys a woman reserves for her fantasies, not her reality. But is there more to these professional hotties than meets the eye?…
The day Robyn Flores meets Zac Fallon is one of those days. You know, when you’re already late for work. Mostly because you haven’t really slept since your best friend abandoned you for her fiancé and her exponentially better life. The kind of day you drag yourself to the cleaners to pick up your laundry, only to discover you’ve got the wrong bag—Star Spangled sequined thong, anyone? So Robyn is definitely not ready for the ridiculously gorgeous guy at her front door, except that they have each other’s clothes. But then, is any woman ever ready to meet the love of her life?
There’s just one problem: Zac Fallon is not the love of Robyn’s life. Zac knows, despite the all-too-intimate dinner they share, he doesn’t have a shot at her. Because the next time Zac sees Robyn, he’s front and center of the male revue headlining her best friend’s bachelorette party. So much for wooing the pretty schoolteacher, much less impressing her old-fashioned family, with his upstanding lifestyle. Now he’s only got one way to win his dream girl. It’s gonna be the steamiest, most irresistible seduction she’s ever seen. And this time it will be no act…
*I was provided a review copy by the editor in exchange for an honest review*
Context of Me:
I am probably one of the most awkward people on this planet when it comes to reading about sexy times. I mean I’ve read it before, I get red and blush but reading this was going to be different for 2 reasons. The first being that I 100% knew there would be plenty of sexy times so my face was prepared to blush. The second reason is that I told my sisters I would be reading this and the knowledge of them knowing I was reading a sexy-times book had me all kinds of colours. You know those memes about watching a movie and then all of a sudden a sexy times scene comes on and everyone looks at anything but the tv and each other??? You know that one, because basically its the same.
The Likes
The characters were interesting. I related a lot to the main character, Robyn. Her life’s story just resembled sort of where I’m headed and honestly that’s not the greatest thing, but you know it helped with relating to her. Some of the experiences with her Latinx family were really similar to my own, which was so awesome to read about. It talks a great deal about academics at one point and I was just hitting that #relate button time after time.
Now Fallon. Okay, after taking the time to get over his name (because I had a problem with it at the beginning) I enjoyed his character. He was interesting to say the least apart from his choice of career. I liked that we got to see the inner workings of his mind too and all the outside struggles that he had to deal with beyond his work. Personality wise, he is what I expected. Cocky, dirty boy with a soft heart.
Now let’s get to the romance because that’s what we are all here for!
Did I ship them? Sure.
Was it a little insta? Yeah yeah but like its cool. Actually it does take a little while for them to actually sleep together, so as a slow-burn lover I appreciated that!
On a scale of apple to firetruck, how red was I? Let’s just say my cheeks burned and I did my stupid giggle that comes out when I’m uncomfortable. That’s not to say the sexy scenes were bad, they were uh quite fun (is that a good adjective to use?). I’m a horrible judge of this, forgive me. I’ll just say that the sexy times were sexy, they are all different. I learned lots of new words. It was hot hot hot and I’m sure many people who gravitate towards the genre will find themselves enjoying the banter between Fallon and Robyn.
Now the cheese factor of this book was high. And I appreciate it because I was looking for cheese and I got the cheese and that made me happy.
Oh the DRAMA because if its one thing I live for in contemporary set books is the drama. There was good drama in this one. Lots of betrayal and awkward moments. I cringed, laughed and gasped so I’d say that the drama aspects were very successful.
The Questionable
The very ending. I just wasn’t on board with it because the realist in me came out and said “Woah, woah darlings, hold your horses there.” It didn’t spoil the whole book for me, but I just couldn’t get along with it.
Overall, for it being my first time reading a romance book it was a good experience. It’s a fast read, great characters, fun times, sexy times and a solid story. I’m glad I took a chance on it, reading out of my comfort zone is always a good thing. Next I hope to read a book that is a little bit more on the romcom side.
Rating: 3 / 5 Stars
Recommend: For my romance loving readers!
Let me know what you think! Have you read this? Do you ever read outside of your comfort zone? What romcom read would you recommend me?
I am so happy to bring you a lovely Q&A and Excerpt of a New Adult book, Saving Each Other by Stacy Mitchell. This book is perfect for the romantic in you! It’s a novel on grief and the strength needed to keep moving on in life. I’ve heard it’s the book to read when your looking to breach those hard to swallow topics and need a good cry!
Saving Each Other by Stacy Mitchell
Publisher: Create Space Pub Date: Aug 4th, 2017 ISBN: 1974591719 Find it!Goodreads | Amazon
Two hearts, two souls. Devastated by loss, united through destiny.
The rules: Communicate only through text messages and never reveal our real names or other personal details.
My name is Ean Montgomery. After the drunk driving accident that killed my wife, son, and unborn daughter, I was forced to see a grief counselor. In an unconventional move, she gave me a private cell phone and the first initial of the name of a woman who had been widowed by the same accident. I had no intention of ever texting her but with all hope and the will to live gone, I found myself quickly slipping down the rabbit hole. Desperate, lonely, and unbelievably sad, I reached out to her and she became my everything.
My name is Dani Adams. I was married to my college sweetheart, the love of my life. Together we were raising our four-year-old daughter and running a successful business. Then the accident happened and life as I knew it ended in the blink of an eye. I didn’t want to answer his text but I was barely hanging on by a thread and he was in tremendous pain, so I replied. And once again, my world was forever changed.
Over the course of a year, through texting alone, we bond. Friendship blossoms into something deeper. We were never supposed to meet, but fate had other plans, and in this world of loss and despair, something amazing began to grow… But can the passion we’ve found sustain itself with the deep, soul-twisting pain that never seems to fade?
About Stacy!
Stacy Mitchell was born and raised in Los Angeles, and lived in the South Bay for 20 years before moving to the Conejo Valley. She lives with her husband of 29 years and is the mom of two grown sons. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading, hiking in the Santa Monica mountains or enjoying a glass of cabernet.
Where did you grow up /live now? I was born and raised in Los Angeles, moved to the South Bay when I met my husband, and then relocated to the Conejo Valley when my oldest son, Jason, started middle school.
Do you have kids and/or pets? I have two sons. Jason graduated Rutgers, and stayed there, while my youngest, Brian, is about to start design school. I’ve never owned a cat but may get one. I lost my goldendoodle, Norman, last year, and my labradoodle, Maddie, is lonely. Look for my tribute to Norman in the back of my book.
Who are some of your favorite authors? My son Brian is gay and I wanted to be there for him, to guide him. So I turned to gay romance novels. I’m now completely addicted to them. People who live in the LGBTQ+ community have much higher hurdles they have to scale, so the love they share is much deeper than straight couples. Most of the time they’re better than mainstream books. NR Walker is my favorite M/M author. I also love Riley Hart, Lucy Lennox, Alexa Land, and Pandora Pine to name a few. When I read “straight” romance novels, I tend to lean toward Contemporary and romantic comedy. My favorite M/F author is Sandi Lynn. Other one-click authors are Adrianna Locke, Corinne Michaels, BN Toler, and Kristen Callahan.
What do you like to do when you are not writing? When I’m not writing, I’m reading. I could spend the day writing, and still want to read. My goal with Goodreads is 200 books. And, when I’m not reading, I can be found being creative in other ways. Brian designs fashion, and I love sewing with him. I also love designing jewelry, scrapbooking, and making gift baskets. Look for some of the fun give-aways, coming in the near future, many of them will be handmade.
What are some things unique to your books? Aside from adding details that make it seem like you’re watching a movie, I love quotes, or as my husband calls them, Squotes. It’s something you’ll see throughout my book. You also don’t find many books on the market where the main characters share chapters. Originally, I had five, but, over time, I narrowed it down to two. In the scene where Ean quotes Dani, mimicking her slurring her words, I actually slurred into my phone and let autocorrect do its thing. Also, in my second book, Josh talks with his mouth full. I shoved a bunch of crackers in my mouth and repeated his words. It was both messy, and effective.
Where/When do you best like to write? I have a small deck off my bedroom. I bought an oversized chair from Costco, and spend my days writing with my laptop on a polka dot, pillowed LapDesk. I’m a night-owl, and find I write the best when the moon’s smiling in the night sky.
What do you think makes a good story? I’m a very visual person, I was an interior decorator in my last life, so I love books with a ton of imagery. I also love books with real places in them. It’s so much fun to stumble across one when I’m reading, and I always Google and bookmark them. It’s also why I only include real places in my books.
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? Or what first inspired you to write? Let’s start with the first question. Until three years ago, I never read a book that I wasn’t required to read.
Eleven years ago, my son Brian went away to summer camp. My husband and I decided to take advantage of our time off, hopped in my car and took a road trip up the West coast, from California to Washington. We were in Oregon, nine hours away, when the call came in that Brian had had a seizure. It was the hardest drive of my life. Thankfully, we got in touch with my mother, so I knew he wasn’t alone. When I got there, I was a basket-case, and that’s where the double-edged sword of having my mother there came into play. She handed me a little blue pill, to calm me. She then gave me a few more. She also gave me the name of a “dirty” doctor and told me what to say. The little blue pill was Xanax.
By the time I ended my addiction, which was eight years later, I was, not only taking twelve to fourteen milligrams a day, I was also hooked on over a dozen prescription drugs. In 2014, I traveled to Ireland and ran out of most of them. The withdrawal was so bad, I spent the entire time there in the hotel room. When I got home, I was in the doctor’s office bright and early the very next day. Six months later, I was back in the same boat. The only difference was, this time I was still in California. That was when I said, “Enough is enough,” and flushed every other pill I had. In hindsight, it was completely the wrong way to quit. Three years later, I still feel the effects, especially when I’m stressed.
So this brings me to the second question. Dani and Ean inspired me to write. Six months after I stopped the pills, I was in bed in that space between consciousness and sub-consciousness when Dani and Ean came to me. The best way I can it describe is…like watching a movie. I felt their pain with such intensity it took my breath away. I got up, opened notes on my iPhone, since I didn’t own a laptop, and my thumbs got to work.
What are some of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books? Keep your ears open and your mouth closed. Ideas can come from anywhere. And it really does take a village. I originally published my book August of last year. When the reviews came in, I not only read them, I got in touch with the people who wrote them. Best. Move. Ever! I got great advice and made a ton of new friends. It’s because of them that I re-opened Saving Each Other and spent the last four months revising it. Look for their names in the acknowledgment page.
And, don’t even get me started on the amazing women who helped me make my book what it is today, Stacey Blake, Judy Zweifel, Francine LaSala, and Sara Kocek.
When you are struggling to write/have writer’s block, what are some ways that help you find your creative muse again? Writer’s block isn’t an issue for me. Saving Each Other is the first in a series of five books. I wrote my second book, Saving Them, a month after my first, and I also wrote it in a month. The last three in the series, Saving Ourselves, Saving Christmas, and Saving Maybe, are partially written and completely mapped out. Going back to “ideas can come from anywhere,” I was in San Francisco last year and met an amazing man, who sadly was homeless. While talking to him, a sequel series, The Finding Series, played out in my mind. It’s all their kids.
Even though I haven’t experienced “Writer’s Block,” I have times when I’m uninspired. My words come from my characters, their voices roll through me. So, for the times I can’t hear them, I found that stepping back usually does the trick. By the time I start writing again, the words are much easier to find. Brian helps too. He’s my official “name” man. Other than the main characters, he named everyone. Talking it out helps too. I bounce ideas off my best friend, Leslie, and after a half an hour, I’m good to go.
What was your greatest challenge in writing this book? You won’t see it, because I’m surrounded by such amazing women, but I suck at grammar! Like legitimately suck!
What is the one book no writer should be without? One word…Thesaurus!
Excerpt
The place D and I have been forced to go for counseling is called “OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center” and is about a half an hour away from my home. My mom insisted on driving me. And while she hasn’t read anything about the accident, she spent the entire ride, before my first session, alternating between trying to force me to read the articles flooding the Internet and trying to persuade me to attend the court proceedings. I’m not going to read what some scumbag has to say about my family and I’ve made everyone promise they won’t either. I’m also definitely not going to the trial. The minute I see the man who murdered my family, I’ll lose my shit and that wouldn’t be good for anyone, especially me.
“OUR HOUSE” usually holds group sessions, but because our sessions are court-mandated and high profile, D and I were able to meet separately with our counselor, Elizabeth Macintyre, on a one-to-one basis.
Since we’re both barely hanging on by a thread, Beth did something very extreme and very risky. She came up with the idea that connecting us with one another could help us get through the grieving process. Her thinking was that since we’re both going through the same thing, we could potentially help each other. She explained to us—that to her—this was worth the potential loss of her license.
She gave us each a new cell phone that contained only each other’s new phone numbers along with the first letter of our first names. She wanted us to have a dedicated line to one another and her only stipulations were that we only communicate through text message and never reveal our real names or other personal details. This I agreed to because I had absolutely no intention of ever contacting her.
Except today. Today I have to. So I turn on my phone and type:
D, this is E.
I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. I don’t see how it’s going to change anything but I can’t stand this anymore. I’m at my breaking point. I’m in constant pain. It feels like a huge band is crushing my chest and getting tighter every day. All I do is cry! Everybody’s been trying really hard to help get me through this, I know that. I just don’t have it in me to give a shit.
I lost it with my mom yesterday. Said things no son should ever say to his mother. All she did was ask me to move in with her, and I lost it. It got so bad that she ran out of the house crying with a very mad Riley on her heels. Sure she’s asked me before, but that’s no excuse. My dad laid into me, took Po, and left. I’m now truly alone; being sucked into an inescapable vortex of grief. I’m so lost.
They haven’t been by yet today and I hope they don’t come by at all; this way I can die in peace. I’m falling down the rabbit hole very quickly and that’s why I need to contact D, the only other person who could possibly understand what I’m going through.
So I continue.
I wasn’t planning on contacting you, but here I am. I’m sure you feel the same way since you haven’t reached out to me and I don’t blame you if you don’t respond. It’s been almost a month since my world ended, and let’s just say, unfortunately, suicide isn’t an option. Even though I really wish it were.
I push aside my tears but not my pain; it refuses to leave. I take a deep breath and keep typing.
I’m dying. With each second that passes, I keep dying more and more. I never leave my house, I just sit near the door waiting for their return. So yeah, I’m contacting you. Are you going through the same thing? Why did this have to happen? How am I ever supposed to move on or whatever the hell that even means.
Through my agony I type the plea that just might save my life.
I know I said I don’t blame you if you don’t respond, but at the same time, I really need you to text me back. I’m scared, sad, lonely, and extremely desperate.
Well, well doesn’t that just fill your tear ducts! Let me know what you think? Are you a crier when you read? Share anything in common with Stacy? I can’t wait to see your thoughts on this book if you have had the chance to read it!
Like, as hopeless as they can possibly get. I’m not into the cheesiest of the cheese, but sometimes cheese is delicious and heartwarming and just awwwww.
Hence, why my Book Boyfriend list is loooooooooonnng.
So every once in a while, I might pick up a romance novel, just for the feels. This one ended up being an (alternative) history with the beauty of romance intertwined! This book, ladies and gents, this book was it!!!!!!
From just reading the synopsis I was like “Yes, yes……oh yes!”. Then I got denied on Netgalley and it’s like:
via giphy.com
And then the lovely author asks for some diverse bloggers to give out some reviews, and I’m like:
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And then I read the book and just…just…just……………………
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The Beautiful Ones by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
via Goodreads
In a world of etiquette and polite masks, no one is who they seem to be.
Antonina Beaulieu is in the glittering city of Loisail for her first Grand Season, where she will attend balls and mingle among high society. Under the tutelage of the beautiful but cold Valérie Beaulieu, she hopes to find a suitable husband. However, the haphazard manifestations of Nina’s telekinetic powers make her the subject of malicious gossip.
Yet dazzling telekinetic performer and outsider Hector Auvray sees Nina’s powers as a gift, and he teaches her how to hone and control them. As they spend more and more time together, Nina falls in love and believes she’s found the great romance that she’s always dreamed of, but Hector’s courtship of Nina is deceptive.
The Beautiful Ones is a sweeping fantasy of manners set in a world inspired by the Belle Époque.
*Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with an advanced digital copy–this in no way influences my opinion!*
I didn’t know exactly what to expect. Going in all I really knew was that this novel was about manners, telekinesis and romance. Well telekinesis is like magic, so Rendz is instantly pulled in and as aforementioned, I am a hopeless romantic so I was ready to ship!ship!ship! The manners bit is was really had me going “hmmm”…because I didn’t know what would become of this. In short, I loved it. I loved this book, I read the ending twice and I’m tempted to go read it again because my heart! It was fun, deceptive, quirky and swoon-activating.
What I Liked:
Characters:
Nina:She was basically the oddball of high society, the country girl in fancy clothes who doesn’t know the manners of a proper young elite. I absolutely adored her. She was funny, quirky, a little naive and a hopeless romantic like myself. None of those make her a fool, but people seem to only see her as one. She has interesting telekinetic powers that have always made her the misfit of the group, but that’s what made her exciting and troublesome. She grows immensely in a single story and reading about her journey and struggles gave me all the feels!
Hector: Hmm…I had a bumpy relationship with him in this book. I never truly hated him, I just hated what he was doing! Still, he was the tortured, romantic heartthrob that was trying to exact revenge and failing to do so. He was stubborn and passionate which sometimes held him back…by maybe like a decade. “Gentlemen” is basically the best characteristic you could describe him (and he would want you too) as he had transformed himself from a little circus orphan to a true high class performer!
Valérie:I loved to hate her. I will be honest, back in the first couple chapters of the book, I admired her. She sacrificed a lot for herself and her family, she didn’t exactly have the happiest life……but that’s about where I stopped liking her. She was a total bitch. Like being a cold hearted bitch can sometimes be cool, but when you try to destroy the personal lives of others, inflict emotional pain and blackmail them into it for your own personal gain…now that is just being a bitch. While I pitied her to the end….my petty side was actually happy she got what she deserved.
Telekinesis: This is some next level Matilda works guys. Garcia explored the power in Hector and Nina and how it sets them apart, makes them the same and what it means for their future. I thought it added an extra pizzazz to the novel that would have been just a regular romance, this made it different and interesting.
via giphy.com
To be Different: The society that the characters live in is very posh. Very strict on what is in and what is out. If you don’t act classy, you are trash. If you say the wrong thing or are seen with the wrong person at the wrong time, labels spring up and you are ruined. Garcia explores what it is like to be different in this society. In Hector we see someone who wasn’t rich from birth, who makes his living as a performer and has no name to speak of. He climbed his way to the top to be seen a gentleman, but is it enough? In Nina we have a girl born with all the money, the famous name and yet she can’t handle the cutthroat expectations society has put on her, but does she really care? And then there is Valérie, the epitome of everything society expects and wants to see in a glamorous woman, but does she really have it all?
It’s a very intriguing theme and adds to my favourite thing…
Drama: I read this book in public guys. And when reading in public you try not to show too many emotions, but I’m telling you when I was getting to the more juicy bits I would be taking crazy intakes of breath, my eyes probably looked wild and while I wanted to smash my phone or just proclaim all my feels I stayed cool.*
*kind of
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Suffice to say, I liked the drama, the scandals and the blackmailing bits that just made me want to roar on the bus.
Romance: It’s a romance novel of course it’s going to appear in the review. As one of the most important elements of the novel I really liked how it was handled. It shows the repercussions of falling in love young and quickly, the pain and struggle it can cause when things don’t go according to plan and the slow healing process of opening up to possibility again and letting it just flow. Feeling love without need to control it. And the ship guys………heart eyes all around.
The Ending: As I said, I read it twice and I’m tempted to read it again. The final five or six chapters are just so full of feeeeeellllssssss. Things go right/wrong/WRONG/right. It’s just a roller coaster and I adored it! After finishing the book in the afternoon, I dived back into those five chapters that same night to highlight and bookmark all my favourite ship moments!
What I Disliked:
There isn’t really anything…I guess I could say a little predictable throughout the first half of the book. The second part wasn’t really, though as you read on you might get some theories and figure some stuff out. But definitely not all!
Overall, I really liked this book. Look at me, reaching into genres that are not fantasy *proud of self* I wish there would be a sequel (or maybe just an extension of that great ending) but Garcia isn’t really a sequel kind of person. So I’ll just have to stick with this solid standalone! I’ll definitely be diving into more of this authors works!
Rating: 5 / 5 stars! (Even if the predictability mathematically takes off 0.25, emotionally it gets all the stars!)
Recommend:YEESS, if you’re looking for an adult romance that’s maybe not that intense but still has all the feels, try this!
Let me know what you think! Have you read this? What’s your favourite romance novel? How do you keep all your feels in when you’re in public?
Some Fun Info!
Praise for THE BEAUTIFUL ONES:
“Moreno-Garcia (Certain Dark Things) fills her fantastic novel of manners with sumptuous language and plausible romantic complications in a setting that appears to be based on 19th-century France and is lightly garnished with minor magic…Readers who enjoyed Mary Robinette Kowal’s Glamourist Histories magical Regency series will be particularly enthralled by the genuine emotions evoked in the course of the unsustainable love triangle.”
—Publishers Weekly
“The telekinesis…adds a fantastical spin to a story that would otherwise be a great fit for fans of the 18th-century French classic Les Liaisons Dangereuses. The talented author of Certain Dark Things and Signal to Noise returns with a novel that is light on fantasy but overflowing with delicious melodrama.”
—Library Journal
“This elegant tale of hidden desires and misplaced amour will appeal to fans of historical fantasy.”
—Booklist
“Truly one of the most beautiful books I’ve read in a long time. This sweeping tale of love lost and found is told with old-world elegance, grace and just the right touch of magic.”
—M.J. Rose New York Times bestselling author
About the author:
SILVIA MORENO-GARCIA is the critically-acclaimed author of the novels Signal to Noise – winner of a Copper Cylinder Award, finalist of the British Fantasy, Locus, Sunburst, and Aurora awards – and Certain Dark Things, which was selected as one of NPR’s best books of 2016. She won a World Fantasy Award for her work as an editor and lives in Canada.
This book comes out today! So head to your nearest bookstore or library to check it out! Not feeling up for the walk? How about entering this giveaway to win the finished copy and a necklace!
(*Giveaway is hosted by the author, I’m just letting y’all know about it because hello..Free Book! US/CAN only*)
And because you are getting even luckier………
HERE IS A SNEAK PEAK AT CHAPTER ONE!!
Hector was like a castaway who had washed up on a room of velvet curtains and marble floors. The revelers might as well have been wild animals ready to tear off a chunk of his flesh.
He felt utterly lost, alien and alone.
As Hector watched from a corner of the room, ladies and gentlemen partnered to dance, women fanned themselves and smiled, and men greeted each other with a tilt of the head.
He had attended many glittering balls, but none in this city. He knew no one here except for Étienne and Luc, and he was waiting with breathless expectation for the arrival of Valérie Beaulieu.
The first thing he’d done upon disembarking was to make discreet inquiries about the whereabouts of the lady. He was glad to discover she was in Loisail and, moreover, that she would be at the ball thrown by the De Villiers. He had no direct connection to the De Villiers—or hardly anyone else in Loisail, for that matter, having spent the past ten years abroad—but he did know Étienne Lémy, who was able to secure him an invitation.
Hector had dressed according to the weight of the occasion in a new double-breasted black dress coat, white shirt, and a white bow tie. White gloves and mother-of-pearl studs completed the ensemble. In his excitement, he arrived unfashionably early, not wishing to miss Valérie, and after greeting his host had positioned himself strategically so that he could watch every elegant guest who entered the vast ballroom. But Hector had not been long at his post when he heard a couple of ladies commenting that Mrs. Beaulieu had been taken ill and would not be in attendance, which came as a shock to the women since Valérie Beaulieu’s missing the opening of the season seemed unthinkable.
All his plans in tatters, the whole reason for his attendance at the ball suddenly vanishing, Hector did not know what to do with himself. Unable to stand the music and the noise, he escaped to the library, which was gloriously empty, its furniture decorated with a profusion of brass inlays, the bookcases primly protected with glass doors. The only reasonable course of action at this point was to wait there until he could perform a proper exit without seeming rude. He could not possibly retire until nine o’clock.
Hector consulted his watch, and after deliberating, he decided he’d brush up on his history. He wound up flipping through the pages of a book without touching them, having dragged a chair closer to him with a motion of his left hand, his talent at work. He did not read a single line, too troubled by thoughts of Valérie Beaulieu to make heads or tails of the words.
When they last saw each other, they’d both been nineteen, nothing but children, really. But he’d loved her. She had been beautiful, sophisticated, captivating. A perverse part of him hoped that time had somewhat washed away the colors from her face, but in his heart he knew this was impossible and that Valérie Beaulieu must remain as he remembered her: the most devastating woman in the room.
And he would not be seeing her that night.
The clock on the wall struck nine and the door opened. In walked a young woman in a blue pastel silk and velvet dress with appliquéd flowers along the bodice and skirt, the sleeves rather puffed out, as was in vogue.
She closed the door, taking several steps into the room before she raised her head and caught sight of him. “Sir,” she said. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize there was anybody here.”
“It’s no matter,” he replied, closing the book with his hands rather than with his mind; he reserved displays of his talent for the stage. He did not add anything else. He was hardly in the mood for polite conversation. The De Villiers prided themselves on attracting the cream of the crop to their functions—the Beautiful Ones, rather than the New People. The barons of barely minted empires of telegraph wires and fresh steel could socialize elsewhere. Hector had been offered an invitation, proof of Étienne’s charm and his connections, but he knew he was, at best, a novelty for these aristocrats; at worst, an intruder. He did not wish to befriend any of them and threw the young woman a frosty look. The girl did not take his cue.
She looked at him carefully, her lips curving into a smile as she moved closer. “I know you. You are Hector Auvray.”
“Pardon me, were we introduced?” he asked, frowning. He was sure he had not seen this girl before. He had been presented to the hosts, and Étienne had pointed out a few people, but not her.
“I recognize your face from the posters around town. You are performing at the Royal. Phantasmagoric: Feats of Wonder, isn’t it? I was hoping to meet you,” she said.
“Oh?” he replied, a noncommittal sound, even if his interest had been piqued. Few aristocrats would admit to knowing the name of a vulgar entertainer. Instead, they nodded their heads politely and either assumed or pretended he was a slightly more elevated type of person.
“What were you reading?” she asked, pointing at the book he was clutching between his hands.
“History. Miss—”
“Nina,” she said, stretching out her hand. “Antonina, really, but I rather hate it. I’m named after a witch of a great-aunt, the most awful wretch who ever lived. Well, not quite, but I resent the association, and therefore it is Nina.”
“Hector, though you already know that part.” He shook her hand. “It’s probably best if we exit this room now. A bachelor such as myself, a young lady such as yourself—we wouldn’t want to cause a scandal.”
Truly, he wanted only to get rid of her and could not have cared what anyone thought. If the girl wished to walk around the house without an escort, then let it be. He had come to speak to one woman and one woman alone. If she was not there, then Hector would wallow in his velvet misery.
“I can’t possibly leave now,” she replied.
“Why not?” he asked, annoyed.
She did not notice his tone of voice or did not care. Instead, she took off the dance card dangling by her wrist and held it up for him to look at.
“If I go out there now, Didier Dompierre is going to ask me for a dance, and if you’d ever danced with Didier, you would know he is the most terrible dancer. I have been told he’ll put his name down for two dances, and you must be aware a lady cannot refuse a dance from a gentleman. It would be uncivil.”
Hector did not understand why a man might want to corral this particular girl for two dances in a row. She was not an enviable beauty— somewhat run-of-the-mill, to be frank—and her square jaw, black hair, and thin lips were rather unstylish. She possessed eyes of a pretty shade of hazel, though, and her dress was very fine; perhaps that was enough for a young chap with poor dance skills such as this Didier Dompierre.
“Then your thought is to spend the rest of the evening here, avoiding him?”
“Not the rest of the evening, but, say, a half an hour, and by then he will have found some other girl he can stomp on,” she replied, sitting in the chair in front of him and stretching her legs.
“This does not seem the best-conceived plan.”
“It is a plan, which is what matters. Whom are you hiding from?” she asked. If she were another woman, this might have been mistaken for an attempt at flirting. Valérie would have taken the opportunity to lace her voice with honey, but the girl was plain and spoke plainly.
“I am not hiding from anyone,” he said.
“Do you make it a habit to go to balls, then, and creep into the library to brush up on your history?”
“Do you talk to all men in this manner?” he replied, growing more curious than irritated.
She toyed with her dance card, putting it again on her wrist, and gave him a mortified look. “I apologize. This is only the second dance I’ve attended, and I can see it will end catastrophically already.”
“This is the second party of the De Villiers’ you’ve attended?” he asked.
“The second party in the city I’ve ever attended, and this is the beginning of the Grand Season, the true test of a lady’s mettle. You must not think me a complete fool. I went to a couple of dances in Montipouret, but it was different. Small affairs. Loisail is large and there are many people and the rules are different.”
He was talking to a country girl, for clearly the designation of “woman” would have been misplaced on her. Worse than that, a country rube. But Hector could not help but feel more sympathy than distaste. He had, after all, been a country nothing at one time and less polished than this girl.
He smiled despite himself, to assuage her. “No doubt you’ll learn them soon. You seem quick-witted.”
“Thank you,” she replied, appearing rather pleased with his words.
She looked at him curiously and another smile crossed her face. “I must confess, I know more about you than your name from looking at the posters. I read about you in TheGazette for Physical Research. Alexander Nicolay has been investigating your telekinetic abilities.”
“Are you a fan of TheGazette?” he asked, surprised that she’d be informed about Nicolay’s research. He’d bumped into the man a couple of years back. He was attempting to measure and classify all psychokinetic talents and convinced Hector to let him take his pulse while he manipulated objects with the force of his mind. It was the sort of thing people did not think to bring up in casual conversation.
“Not particularly. But I am interested in the phenomena. They say you are one of the great psychokinetics of our era.”
“I’m a decent performer,” he replied.
“Modest, too.”
She was a curious girl, and now he reassessed her again. Not an aristocrat and not a country rube and—what exactly? He didn’t like it when he couldn’t classify people.
He gestured toward the door. “Shall I escort you to the ballroom?”
She looked down at her dance card, carefully running her fingers around its edge. “Yes. If you feel inclined, you might partner with me for a dance. I would be really thankful. I was not exaggerating when I said Didier Dompierre is the worst dancer you’ve ever seen. Is that a terrible request? It’s not, is it?”
He was somewhat amused by the question and her tone of voice, and though the girl’s nervous energy at first did not sit too well with him, he had to admit he felt a bit relieved by her intrusion. He was full to bursting with thoughts of Valérie and could do with a few minutes more of light chatter. It would also satisfy the practical necessity of actually showing himself at the ball, which he ought to do at one point. He could not spend every single minute in the library. He could wallow later, in the privacy of his apartment.
“One dance.”
She took his arm before he offered it to her as they exited the library, which was presumptuous.
The owners of the house had placed mirrors on the walls of the corridor that led to the ballroom, an ostentatious touch, but this was a new trend that was sweeping the capital and soon the nation. Whatever took the fancy of Loisail would take the fancy of the whole of Levrene; this was a known fact.
The ballroom was huge, with tall gilded mirrors reflecting the attendees, magnifying the space: the party seemed to go on forever. Above them hung monstrous chandeliers that sparkled with all their might, and all around them there were ladies with their shoulders bare, in their fine silks, while the gentlemen stood sober and proud, creating a glorious rainbow of colors, from the restrained browns of the matriarchs to the pale pinks of the unmarried women.
Hector carefully took hold of Antonina’s hand and they joined the dance. He did not consider himself an excellent dancer, though he could manage. His partner fared poorly, but gave the feeling of being entertained.
“Do you know Loisail well, Mr. Auvray? Or is this your first time here? It wouldn’t be, would it?”
“I don’t know it well, no. I’ve spent only a few days in Loisail before my move here.”
“How do you find it? Is it different from the cities where you’ve lived?” she asked.
He thought of the myriad countries and stages where he’d toured. To be back in his country of birth, in Levrene, was to be back home, though not due to a quirk of geography but because this was where Valérie resided. Here, in Loisail, even if she was hidden away at this moment. She existed and colored the city for him, lit it brighter than the elegant iron lampposts.
“Interesting. I have yet to form a strong opinion of it,” he said politely.
“Then you intend to remain for a while?”
“I will be performing for a few months here, yes. As to whether I intend to make it my permanent base of operations, we shall see. And you?”
He did not expect her to launch into a complete and honest answer. A touch of coquetry, the outline of a smile, those would have been suitable. This had been Valérie’s way.
The girl clutched his hand excitedly. “I’ll most definitely be here until the summer. I am spending all of the spring with my cousin. My mother thinks a time in the city would do me good. Where are you lodging? My cousin’s house is in Saint Illare.”
“I think you’ve asked another bold question,” he informed her.
“Is it, really?”
Her words were candid and he found himself amused by the naivety. Rather than schooling her with a scowl and a clipped yes, which normally suited him magnificently, he gave her a proper answer.
“To the east. Boniface. Not as smart as your cousin’s house, I would wager,” he said.
“Boniface. Is that so you can remain near the theater?”
“Indeed.”
“I’m sure it’s smart enough. Boniface.”
As the dance ended, a young man moved in their direction, his eyes on Antonina. Hector was going to incline his head and release the girl, but on contemplating the look of pure panic that crossed her face, he did his best to suppress a chuckle and instead asked her for a second dance. She accepted and told him the man who had been moving toward them was poor Didier. In the end, he danced a total of three dances with Nina, but since two of the three were lively stevkas, they did not speak more than a few words.
After he had thanked her for the dances and strolled away, Étienne Lémy and his little brother, Luc, wandered over. Étienne was Hector’s age and Luc a handful of years younger, though looking at them, people always swore they were twins, so alike were they, both possessing the same blond hair and stylish mustache. They furthered the illusion that evening by wearing matching gray vests.
“There you are, you devil. I couldn’t find you anywhere,” Étienne said, clasping his shoulder. “For a moment I thought you’d left.”
Library hauls call for lots of books. Lots of books call for lots of reviews.
Lots of reviews make Rendz lazy, so she pushes them off for weeks!
Then full reviews turn into mini reviews and multiple mini reviews take up one post!
Making Rendz’s head ache!
But I’ve read so many good books that I just need to share them with you guys, so multiple mini reviews it shall be!
Sabriel by Garth Nix
via Goodreads
Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him.
With Sabriel, the first installment in the Abhorsen series, Garth Nix exploded onto the fantasy scene as a rising star, in a novel that takes readers to a world where the line between the living and the dead isn’t always clear—and sometimes disappears altogether.
This is a classic fantasy book that I have been wanting to read for a while!
The Likes:
Wow…..what a prologue of intrigue!
Sabriel = funny, smart and so, so, so brave! I loved every minute of her adventure!
WOW NECROMANCY MAGIC WOAH!!!! YES. YES. YES. With BELLS, how cool!
Travelling through the Nine Gates of “Hell”, WOAH!
Sassy talking cat!!! Mogget was the funniest character and honestly made the whole book for me!
The fantasy world itself was so magical! There was a lot of mystery and so much exploring to be done in the realm
Literally cannot pronounce any of the fantastical words.
The adventure itself was fun and very twisty. There were a lot of things that went wrong and the final battle held a lot of heartbreak! Right up to the last page!
The epilogue saved my soul.
The Dislikes:
I was confused quite a bit, there were so many different clans and types of magic that didn’t fully click in my mind!
It was a little slow sometimes…I kind of got tired of reading. And the beginning chapters when Sabriel was alone were the most grueling!
Despite there being so much magic, I needed more. I needed clarification. (Do I even make sense??)
Overall it was a good book. I look forward to reading the next book, but I’m afraid it focuses on other characters in the realm! Hopefully Sabriel’s story isn’t completely finished!
Rating: 3.5 / 5 Stars
Recommend: For the classic Fantasy lovers!
I’m Not Your Manic Pixie Dream Girl by Gretchen McNeil
via Goodreads
From acclaimed author Gretchen McNeil comes her first realistic contemporary romance—perfect for fans of Kody Keplinger’s The Duff and Morgan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone.
Beatrice Maria Estrella Giovannini has life all figured out. She’s starting senior year at the top of her class, she’s a shoo-in for a scholarship to M.I.T., and she’s got a new boyfriend she’s crazy about. The only problem: All through high school Bea and her best friends Spencer and Gabe have been the targets of horrific bullying.
So Bea uses her math skills to come up with The Formula, a 100% mathematically guaranteed path to social happiness in high school. Now Gabe is on his way to becoming Student Body President, and Spencer is finally getting his art noticed. But when her boyfriend Jesse dumps her for Toile, the quirky new girl at school, Bea realizes it’s time to use The Formula for herself. She’ll be reinvented as the eccentric and lovable Trixie—a quintessential manic pixie dream girl—in order to win Jesse back and beat new-girl Toile at her own game.
Unfortunately, being a manic pixie dream girl isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, and “Trixie” is causing unexpected consequences for her friends. As The Formula begins to break down, can Bea find a way to reclaim her true identity and fix everything she’s messed up? Or will the casualties of her manic pixie experiment go far deeper than she could possibly imagine?
Another summer contemporary read that I have been eyeing for a while!
The Likes
Beatrice is fun and quirky! A half Filipina MC! She is definitely flawed, but she does have a super amazing brain that can work things out so quickly. Things that are math related of course….things like relationships need more time in the processor for her!
Spencer…broody, moody artist! Très wow!
Gabe! The heart and soul of the book! Awwwwwwwwwwww!!!!
It took a bit, but I finally understand what a Manic Pixie Dream Girl is!
Although I was very #TRIGGERED by all the calculus that was in this book, I enjoyed it and it even made some sense! (not a lot though…)
Drama. Lived for it.
Second Hand Embarrassment is at an all time super high in this one.
I laughed A LOT. I love that French part XD
The ending: Millions of heart eyes!!!! Awwwwwwwwww!!!!
Romance: IT TOOK FOREVER *did I mention that Bea was not great at analyzing relationships?*
The Dislikes
Not a lot of girl friendships until the very, very, very, very end and it was super super minimal, it’s actually a lot of girl on girl hate because Bea has such a hard time relating to others.
It was super mellow! Even the most suspenseful or heart-stopping moments didn’t make me budge.
Maybe a little more detail in Bea’s messed up parents life?? (This is mainly me just wanting to know more because honestly her mom and dad are nuts. Locos.)
Overall, it was a cute solid contemporary. It wasn’t as heart warming and intense as I was hoping but it was very, very funny! A perfect summer read, even though it takes place during the school year 🙂
Rating: 3.75 / 5 Stars
Recommend:For the lovers of contemporary who want to laugh!
*wipes forehead* Phew! That was something! Two of my okay reads this past month! I look forward to reviewing some of my higher rated books later this month!
Let me know what you guys think! Have you read these? What classic fantasies do you have yet to get to? Any other humour filled contemporary recs?
In every book we come across those fictional characters that just completely capture our attention ADORATION. Sometimes feelings are so intense they capture our hearts ENTIRE BEINGS, until we are wishing that they were real people that we could touch, hear and talk too.
I have gone through this. A. Lot.
Like almost every book I have read.
It’s the Book Bae Syndrome.
via giphy.com
The one or two, maybe three(?) characters from a book that just seize your whole essence that you wish, dream and do all sorts of witch craft to make them real people, that you can love and cherish!!
Yeah……………………………..we all go through that.
AND WE SHOULD NEVER BE ASHAMED!
It is totally okay to have a crush on a character from a fictional book that could never possibly exist in real life.
Totally okay!
In fact I’m celebrating it!
Today I’m going to be sharing with you how exactly my Book Baes get ranked. I have a hierarchy for this guys. It’s not just a list.
It is a system.
Now for me, this list is basically going to consist of males. BUT I know for a lot of people out there this system could be different! It can be full of males, females or a mixture of both! Totally up to you! Whomever you desire 😉
So….The Hierarchy!
Let’s get to it!
The Book Boy Toy
Book Boy Toys are the boys in books that I find rather attractive but due to some issues I cannot fully commit to them, like lack of character development or they are literally the side characters. They have a little something-something that makes me bat my eyelashes, but they are also missing a little something-something to make them really stick in my mind!
The Boy Toy is simply a pass time Book Bae. I think about them ever so often, but not every single day!
via giphy.com
Sometimes Boy Toys level up…but usually they are side characters, so…. most of the time they end up dead. Not fun. I know.
Book Boy Toys are also usually the losing side of the love triangle. Even if I’m rooting for the other guy, in some cases I find myself feeling bad for the loser and categorize him as Boy Toy.
Some examples of my Boy Toys…
Rylan from the Defy Series by Sara B. Larson (Losing side of the triangle/Also the guy I rooted for so he’s a precious boy toy)
Jamie Watson from the Charlotte Holmes series by Brittany Cavallaro (TBH I think he is really hot and sweet and smart…but that’s it)
Jack from the Dust Lands trilogy by Moira Young (This series shook me to the core…and it helped that Jack was easy on the eyes!)
The Book Boyfriend
Now the Book Boyfriend is one level up from the Boy Toy. He is usually a character that really makes me swoon and catches my attention for most of the book. He doesn’t have to be the main character, although most of the times he is! When he pops up on the page, all my attention is on him. He is my precious cinnamon roll and I would do anything to protect him.
Book Boyfriends definitely have the swoon factor! Either in looks or actions. If he knows pretty words even better!
Book Boyfriends can level up or down (it is very rare, however). The Book Boyfriend list is rather long. Lot’s of guys end up on this list because they have a lot of memorable qualities!
They are however, missing that big WOW factor, that ultimate thing that just makes me faint.
But the swoon factor…
via giphy.com
Some examples of my Book Boyfriends…
Kai/ Wolf/ Jacin from The Lunar Chroniclesby Marissa Meyer (Three swoony and adorable boys who just make my heart squeeze with every little thing they say and do!)
Amar from The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Chokshi (Total sweet-talker. Holy cannoli, I would faint if he ever said any of those sweet things to me)
Arin from The Winner’s Trilogyby Marie Rutkoski (Just…uhgh….perfection. Him and Kestrel. UGH. LOVE.)
Day (Daniel Wing) from the Legend trilogy by Marie Lu (*cries for days on end* Get me a guy like him please.)
Kaz Brekker from the Six of Crows duology (Put. Those. Dirty. Hands. On. Me……………..*side note* I ship him too much with Inej so levelling up is hard for him.)
The Book Husband
The ultimate level a male character can achieve in my books. It is the highest and most distinguished level. This list is shorter, but full of amazing characters that are literally my e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.
To make Book Husband status this character has to be the total package. He has got to tick off all my boxes. The swoon, the sweet words, the humour, the flaws, the proclamations of love (depending on the situation.) Everything.
My Book Husbands are constantly in my thoughts. And when I think about them I get a weird googly-eyed face that makes me look a little crazy. I know this because my sisters are always pointing it out.
via giphy.com
If just the thought of them makes me giggle, swoon and squeezes my heart…YOU KNOW THEY HAVE MADE THE BOOK HUSBAND LIST.
Some examples of Book Husbands…
Chaol Westfall from the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas (My heart. MY HEART. It was his from the moment he walked onto the page. Total package. The build. The loyalty. I love him, flaws and all.)
Elias Veturius from the Ember Quartet by Sabaa Tahir (*faints* OMG. Just wow. Total heartthrob. Mask or No-Mask. Ticked every box so fast. He is so complex and swoony, I can’t!)
Carswell Thorne from the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer (*high-pitched girly squeals.* Thorne is very special. I have never gotten so giddy and silly over a fictional character before. BUT HIM. GOSH. It’s just squealing and swooning from me. Just a constant squeal/swoon)
SO yeahhhhhhhhhhh………………………….
My three levels of Book Baes
Of course, new guys are being added everything single time I read a good book. I should keep a written list, but that would mean having to go through all my books again! (Which I have no problem with….maybe I’ll do it!)
So now the tables turn to you!
Do you have a system? Are there some characters that are totally everything and hit that Husband list or are they still Boy Toy-like?
Let me know one of your favourite Book Baes or if you’re not so into romance, I would love to know about your Book Besties! Now that is a long list in my books.
I would also love to know what attracts you to a character! Do you have a certain type? A certain quality you look for?
So last month I made a great reading decision and picked up The Star-Touched Queen by Roshani Choshki. It was an incredible book, with beautiful writing and a story that will leave you breathless and aching for more.
Luckily Roshani blessed us.
She blessed us.
Death and Night by Roshani Chokshi
via Goodreads
Goodreads Summary
An exclusive Star-Touched novella over 100 pages long!
Before The Star-Touched Queen there was only Death and Night.
He was Lord of Death, cursed never to love. She was Night incarnate, destined to stay alone. After a chance meeting, they wonder if, perhaps, they could be meant for more. But danger crouches in their paths, and the choices they make will set them on a journey that will span lifetimes.
*I was a provided a free e-copy via NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review, thank you so much. *
I first heard about this story before I read The Star-Touched Queen, which kind of spoiled it a little bit for me…not really. This is a prequel novel to TSTQ and it revolves around the love story of the immortals Death and Night. I will try my best to avoid spoilers about The Star-Touched Queen, but it will be difficult just because of who this book is about!
What I Liked
Characters:
Death:I swooned as soon as he conjured himself a chair and sat on it as it magically appeared under him. I s.w.o.o.n.e.d. This is the thing about Death, despite having to deal with death, heartbreak and sorrow he also dealt with life, creation and choice. He was one of those characters that had yet to discover the good within himself when the rest of the world saw him as evil. He was broody, charming, suave, dedicated and passionate. He grew immensely in this story from learning to look beyond his curse to being compassionate. I loved reading about his transformation.
Night: LOVE HER! Gosh, she was just so amazing. She was independent, caring, imaginative and intelligent. She knew that the world saw her as something to be afraid of but she didn’t let that get to her. Instead she created stories and dreams that filled people with joy. She struggled sometimes with the fact that people found her demonic, but she continued to create anyways. I loved that she was resilient, patient and had a bite! She took no ones BS.
Gupta:BEST CHARACTER EVER! He was hilarious and the perfect side character. I loved him and his lessons in the art of love and flirtation!
The Writing: Once again, Roshani created the most beautiful phrases and passages that I lived for. Her words just elevated the magic and mischief in this story. Not to mention she created the most romantic moods and swoony moments! I think my favourite bit was her description of Night becoming night. Of her dance and transformation. ABSOLUTELY STUNNING! Her style is flowery yes, but I really enjoyed it. It was interesting, visual and magical. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. Roshani Choshki’s writing is magic!
Romance: This is a love story, and I loved every love aspect about it. I swooned in practically every chapter! There were so many cute moments. It was definitely a well paced romance. Neither Death or Night were particularly expecting to find each other but they did. And I shipped it so hard. So hard.
via giphy.com
The Declaration of Love: I would post it here, but I think it would be best for you to experience it from the book, where the mood is set and everything! It is just so perfect, I literally died and went to heaven for two seconds.
The World: This goes hand in hand with Roshani’s writing because she made me feel like I was in the Night Baazar! She made me feel the change between day and night. Correction, this world was not just a feeling, it was an experience! An experience of magic, dream fruit, death, night and love. The descriptions created so many amazing visuals in my mind that I was aching to draw and paint. *I’m hoping to very soon actually!* I want to explore the Otherworld so badly!!
What I Disliked
Nada people, it was all love!
Overall, I thought this was the perfect addition to the series. It made so many of the objects and events in the The Star-Touched Queen make sense. It was magical, romantic and out of this world. (In the Otherworld to be precise!) I want more! Is that being greedy? I need more on Death and Night!
Rating: 5 / 5 Stars
Recommend:100%! But, I would suggest reading The Star-Touched Queen first, followed directly by this!
I cannot wait to get my hands on other works by Roshani! Starting with A Crown of Wishes, followed by her new series Gilded Wolves which is coming out next year, I believe? It sounds amazing and I am super excited!
So, have anyone read this yet, what did you think? What are some of your favourite prequels?
via giphy.comA few weeks ago, I was contacted by the author Dallas Coryell to review his novel, Melody’s Key. Since I was in the mood for a little contemporary recently, I finally picked it up! If you read to the end of my review you can catch some cool extras like…an excerpt!
Release date: June 24th 2016
AsherRain Publications
Page count: 305
Stand-alone book
Synopsis
“His eyes settled on her…piercing green embers of flame that revealed the ferocity of his pain and passion, yet still shrouded him under veils of ever deepening mystery that made every ounce of her ache to unravel him.”
Tegan Lockwood’s dreams were dead, sacrificed on the noble altar of duty before they ever had a chance to live. Her entire existence was disappearing into the abyss of apathy as she laboured her days away keeping her family’s struggling business alive. There would be no emotion, no colour, no beauty in her life. That is, until a mysterious visitor begins to draw her out of the darkness of her past towards something that will challenge the boundaries of her world, and unlock the most deeply held secrets of her heart.
*I was given a free copy, in exchange for an honest review*
Okay, so like I said I was in the mood for a little contemporary and since this book sounded super lovey-dovey and fluffy, I decided to give it a try. Here is the thing with me and romance novels. (Now I realize, I should have mentioned that this is a romance novel.) Well Rendz + Romance don’t always mix. Don’t get me wrong I love a little romance in all my other books. It’s kind of like a requirement in a lot of YA, apparently. But me….reading a pure romance novel?…………It’s not always my cup of tea.
I get bored, or flustered or uncomfortable. I feel like for me, reading a book on just romance takes away the magic from those few fleeting romantic moments that I get in other books.
Yet, I found this book quite entertaining. It was cheesy, but fun.
What I liked:
Characters:
Teganwas a fun character. I found her nerdiness and fierceness very interesting. She had a tough past but ultimately survived through it. I love the fact that she would do anything to help her family even not go to college. The amount of sacrifice she preformed for them is admirable. I did find her a little boring sometimes, but it is a minor complaint.
Masonwas also a fun character. He seemed very, very hot.🔥 I mean he had full sleeve tattoos. 🔥I don’t know about you, but I don’t mind the ink on a man. 😍 He was funny and charming, but did he leave an overall book boyfriend impression? Not really. I mean his actions were actually swoon-worthy, but I didn’t particularly take too much interest into his character.
Simon, a.k.a the gay best friend was probably one of my favourite characters. He was funny and out-going, I wish there had been more of him. Plus his story was left open ended.
Tegan’s family. Just a funny, crazy and hard-working group of people that I really admired! Her mother and father were the best. Next to Ryleigh because she was hilarious.
The Rock Star falling for the Small-Town Girl trope: It is cheesy and delicious. Sometimes it got on my nerves, but Tegan and Mason connected really well over their passion for music. Reading about his hate of fame and her fear of it was cliche, but undeniably cute. I know, I am always contradicting myself!
THAT NARNIA MENTION: I bookmarked and highlighted that page. I don’t even remember the exact reference other than that it was there. 😍😍
There were actually numerous cameo mentions from different fandoms like; Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Disney…etc. EVEN THE SOUND OF MUSIC!
The Setting: I will be honest I didn’t realize it was set in London until Mason commented on Tegan’s accent which is 1/3 of the way through the book. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed the descriptions of the scenery (a lake-house!). It added to the romantic atmosphere.
The Letters: At first I wasn’t sure I appreciated the letters. In the end I really did. Again it added to the romantic atmosphere and gave a little insight into the history of Tegan’s family which is juicy!
Speaking of juicy…
THE DRAMA!: Ohhhh I love a good bit of drama and suspense. The chapters leading to the ending definitely had a good amount of drama to keep me going!
The Ending: I found very unrealistic…involving security measures. But I really enjoyed it. It was funny, cute and romantic. The perfect ending to the drama that had been in the previous chapters, I just soaked it all up.
What I Disliked
Overuse of the following phrase: His Piercing Emerald Green Eyes: I get it. His eyes are super green, hot and delicious. Let us focus on another body part. Seriously, Mason’s emerald green eyes got annoying after a while. It stopped being attractive…but only a little really!
Sexual Tension Galore: I know that romance comes with sex and above all else, sexual tension. I appreciated some of the sexy time moments…other times I was annoyed of them just thinking about ripping each other’s clothes off…for days on end. Also, this is totally aimed towards mature YA readers, borderline NA (new adult). There are some references to certain things that people under the ages of 13 (maybe even 14) should not read. At least in my opinion.
I’m not sure if certain issues were handled correctly…: This book has its darker themes, it is not all fluff. There is mention of rape, addiction and self-harm. I don’t think it was handled in the best way…but then again, I’m not sure I can judge this correctly since I have never been in any of those situations. However, I did find this as a book that used romance to fix those issues.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Considering I do not read a lot of romance novels, this did keep up my spirits. There were a few bumps in the road, where I felt a little bored or disconnected, but it was a solid novel anyways.
FUN FACT: This novel deals a lot with music! *see title/cover/synopsis* And the author actually wrote all the songs used by the characters. It was so awesome to see that Dallas was truly able to bring together his two passions for music and writing! You can listen to them on his YouTube channel! *Link down below 🙂 *
Rating: 3.75 / 5 Stars (It met my fluffy, romantic needs)
Recommend: For those of you looking for a cute story, with a delightful romance give this one a chance!
More FUN!!
Dallas Coryell
About The Author
Dallas Coryell is a musician and author residing deep in the untamed wilds of Michigan, USA, where he desperately attempts to assign meaning to his world through bouts of maniacal creative catharsis and pitifully doomed hopeless romantic fantasies. All of the songs written by the characters in this novel are real and can be viewed on the author’s fledgling YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/DallasCoryell1 Selfies and other assorted randomness can be found on the author’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dallascoryell
“It’s just an expression, I assume you have those in America?” This time Tegan completely intended the playful sarcasm that dripped from the comment. She even ventured a slight grin to put him on the defensive a little, but Mason was quick with his reply.
“Yes, we have them. For example, don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Mason had smiled disarmingly when he said it, but the underlying message to her was clear. Considering what happened at the pub, perhaps she had been a tad hasty in her judgment of his character. Tegan bundled the tools she had been cleaning and attempted to pick them up all at once in order to move them into the shed, but before she could take two steps they began slipping from her hands. Just as she expected to see the entire bunch go crashing to the ground, Mason’s hands appeared and encircled hers, stabilizing the load. His hands were strong, but soft, and their sudden steadying warmth took her completely off guard.
She had been careful to avoid looking directly at him during their entire exchange so far, but her discipline wavered for one instant and she allowed herself to meet his gaze. She immediately regretted it. His eyes were two fiery emeralds that seemed to have already been waiting millennia for her to find them. The depth they held was something she had not expected; there was profound suffering there, but also something wild and passionate and unbridled…like the feeling she got while walking through the estate gardens after a summer storm.
Somehow his eyes burned through the walls of her meticulously constructed defenses as if they were flash paper. She felt as though he was somehow seeing her…the real her, instead of the protective façade she normally projected to people she didn’t know. In that instant of unexpected vulnerability Tegan was surprised to find she was capable of anything. She felt the boundaries and inhibitions that normally constrained her fading like a winter sunset.
A moment after Tegan felt the hurricane begin to stir within her, she smothered it for fear of being consumed. Where in the world is this coming from? She had only been looking at him for a moment, but it felt as though they had been staring at each other for hours. She abruptly pulled her hands free, which sent the tools clattering loudly into the dirt. In truth, she had forgotten they were suspended between their interlocked hands. Grateful for the distraction, she kneeled down and began gathering the fallen load, which he immediately assisted her with. Between them, they got all the tools to the shed in one trip. As the electricity of the moment faded, Tegan began feeling silly for even thinking such ridiculous things. I know nothing about him. She made a mental note not to look into his eyes again. There was a reason so many girls went crazy over him, and he probably knew exactly what he was doing with those eyes…and that crooked smile.
Thank you again, Dallas for letting me read your wonderful story! Please go check him out guys and for my romance readers, take a shot at this one!
Reading with Rendz 