Review: Dark Angel by T.J. Bennett

Title: Dark Angel: A Gothic Fairy Tale
Author: T. J. Bennett
Genre: Fairy Tale Retelling
Source: Entangled Edge
Release Date: October 21, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

When young widow Catherine Briton is washed ashore, the sole survivor of a violent shipwreck, all she wants is to go home to London. But injured as she is, she can’t escape when a shadowy stranger rescues her and takes her to his castle—where she’s healed with suspicious, almost magical speed.

The more time Catherine spends in the castle, the more her curiosity rises where her fiercely handsome new "master," Gerard, is concerned. As she begins to investigate, though, her discoveries only bring more questions. It seems Gerard isn't the only one on the island keeping secrets…

The small town is full of strange mysteries and townspeople who know more than they should about her. And when a hulking beast that stalks the nearby hills and valleys catches up to her, Catherine must figure out what’s going on before it’s too late.

I've always thought Beauty and the Beast had a dark side to it.  Dark Angel brings that side out and makes it the star of the show.  Haunting and mysterious, Gerard and his island bring an aspect of the beast to life that I hadn't seen before.  Catherine was a perfect Beauty, without being too innocent.  The two are a perfect match for each other from the very beginning.

The story begins with Catherine washing up on the shores of a strange and magical island where Gerard is the Master in all possible ways.  Used to getting things how he wants and when he wants, Catherine's force of will is a refreshing change and he instantly knows that she will change is life forever.

The ending of Beauty and the Beast is what makes the story so special.  It's the ultimate true love story - falling in love with the person inside instead of relying on appearances.  Dark Angel's ending was the most magical fairy tale ending I've ever read.  The perfect retelling.

Purchase Links

Amazon - Barnes & Noble 

Review: Cinderella Screwed Me Over

Title: Cinderella Screwed Me Over
Title: Cindi Madsen
Genre: Comedy, Contemporary Romance
Source: Entangled Publishing
Release Date: October 22, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Darby Quinn has a bone to pick with Cinderella. Burned one too many times by ex-boyfriends, Darby has lost all belief in the happily-ever-after that the fairy-tale princess promised her. She's sworn off love, Prince Charmings, and happy endings and she's happy about it. Really. Or at least she was…until she met Jake, her gorgeous neighbor and the manager of her favorite restaurant. But Darby has rules about dating, ones she's culled from her years spent with so-called “princes,” and starting something with Jake would break all of them.

Charming, fun, and unwilling to give up on her, Jake doesn’t fit any of the profiles Darby has created from her case studies of ex-princes-gone-bad. Finally presented with her own Prince Charming, can Darby take a chance on a happily-ever-after?

Full of wit and sarcastic humor, Cinderella Screwed Me Over proves that sometimes the perfect love, like a perfect pair of shoes, is just within your grasp.

Cinderella Screwed Me over is the hilarious tale of a woman who no longer believes in true love.  Darby has gone so far as to write case studies for the various princes and why they aren't as good as they seem.  The case files were amazing, not only did it let Darby's personality shine, but it was a great way to shine a light into her past without the traditional flashback/reminisce scene.  After awhile you begin to understand why Darby is so set against ever falling in love again.

On the anniversary of her one year off men, she meets Jake and instantly assumes the worst about him.  But Jake is something special, he is the one that doesn't want to give up.  He sees something special and unique in Darby and won't accept no for an answer.  He is willing to give Darby all the time she needs to come to her senses and realize love is real.

With numerous ups and downs in their non-relationship the book was impossible to put down.  It's humorous scenes and incredible dialog made the characters jump right off the page.  I absolutely loved everything about it.

Purchase Links:

Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Book Depository

Review: Tempting the Cowboy by Elizabeth Otto

Title: Tempting the Cowboy (Paint River Ranch)
Author: Elizabeth Otto
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Entangled Indulgence
Release Date: October 14, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

After taking a job on a quiet Montana dude ranch, ex-cop Rylan Frederickson finds herself surrounded by unbelievably sexy cowboys. Too bad the one she wants is her boss...and the single dad of a four-year-old. It doesn’t matter anyway, because after a recent tragedy, there’s simply no more room in her heart.

Letting a new woman into their life is the last thing Cole Haywood wants for him and his daughter, Birdie. But as Rylan’s presence at Paint River Ranch breathes new life into his family he can’t ignore his growing attraction.

When the sparks between them turn into fireworks in bed, Rylan’s torn between the family she’s lost and the one she may have found. Now she must decide if something that feels this good is worth the risk.

Tempting the Cowboy is one of the most emotional romances I have read in a long time.  It was amazing how drawn into the character's lives I was.  Rylan  has left the city to work at the ranch to escape her past and the demons in it.  Cole runs the ranch while trying to be a father to his little girl and take care of his ailing mother.  Cole has a policy about not getting involved with the "help". but something about Rylan makes her so very hard to resist.

Several very emotional scenes had me practically crying (in a good way).  The whole story was written in such a realistic way that all the characters were so very real to me.  Cole's daughter, Birdie, was such a sweet little thing and really was the catalyst in the relationship in so many ways.  This is a must read for any lover of romance.

Goodreads

Purchase Links:

Amazon - Barnes & Noble

ARC Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Title: These Broken Stars (Starbound #1)
Author: Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Romance
Source: FirstReads
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. 

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds.

These Broken Stars had a great combination of science fiction with leaving on the land.  When the brand new, state of the art, hyper space ship Lilac and Tarver are travelling on (which happens to be build by Lilac's father) suffers from a horrible malfunction, they are stranded on a strange planet with little in the way of technology to help them.  Lilac, being the ultimate society girl, has no clue how they will ever make it until rescue arrives.  While Tarver, a soldier used to living off the bare minimums on the front line, immediately starts making plans to get them both through it alive.

But the planet itself seems to have other ideas.  With its strange whispers and shimmery images become a character in its own right - as it seems to be guiding the two along an unknown path.  Along the way Lilac and Tarver learn a lot about each other - the good, the bad, and the parts they'd like to hide.  It's hard to keep anything from the only other human an entire planet.  When they realize their feelings for each other have grown, it turns into more complications - mostly involving Lilac's family and their expectations.

Each chapters opens with a small piece of dialog from Tarver's debriefing interview which occurs after the events in the book - but it gives you a great perspective into what they are willing to share with the world and what they want to keep private, although the reason why isn't clear at first.  This was an amazing start to a new series - I wish the second was out sooner so I didn't have to wait for it.

Barnes & Noble: These Broken Stars

Book Depository: These Broken Stars

Blog Tour: Not Pretty Enough by Jaimie Admans Review and Giveaway

Title: Not Pretty Enough
Author: Jaimie Admans
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Not Pretty Enough Blog Tour
Release Date: August 1, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

“New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Lloyd Layton will know I exist. He once said three whole words to me, so this is obviously progress. If I don’t get a proper conversation out of him soon, then I’ll take my top off and streak through the cafeteria, because nobody could fail to notice these boobs.
2. I will not get expelled for streaking through the cafeteria.”

Those are the words that begin her mission.
Chessie is fourteen, not pretty enough, and very much in love. Lloyd Layton is hot, popular, and unaware of Chessie’s existence.
Her goal is clear: to get Lloyd to love her as much as she loves him, and she has exactly one year to do it.
As Chessie’s obsession with Lloyd reaches boiling point and she starts to spin a web of lies that spiral out of control, Lloyd turns out to be not quite the prince she thought he was. Can Chessie avoid the gathering storm before things go too far?

Not Pretty Enough has to be one of the most humorous stories I've read in awhile.  Chessie is a wonderful character that has lost her way in life - as in she's about as far off the path as she can get.  She is dying her hair crazy colors, walking into lamp posts and generally making a fool of herself for one very special boy by the name of Lloyd Layton.  She's sure they were meant to be, a match made in heaven - he just doesn't realize it yet.

Chessie's blunders, both big and small, are all life lessons, but they don't always feel like it.  The author isn't hitting you over the head with her point over and over, which is a very good thing.  Sometimes Chessie's antics got a little over the top and unbelievable, but that just made her an even more lovable character.  You never stop rooting for her, even when you see her heading into trouble, and I love that you can see her best friend, Debs, has the same attitude.  

The ending was a little predictable, but very fitting for the story.  It really opened Chessie's eyes to the ways of the world without causing too much hurt at the same time.  This is an excellent book for any young adult.

Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18142578-not-pretty-enough

Purchase Links:

Amazon: Not Pretty Enough

About Jaimie Admans

Jaimie is a 28-year-old English-sounding Welsh girl with an awkward-to-spell name. She lives in South Wales and enjoys writing, gardening, drinking tea and watching horror movies. She hates spiders and cheese & onion crisps. She has been writing for years but has never before plucked up the courage to tell people. Afterlife Academy is her third novel and she hopes you enjoy it. There are plenty more on the way!

Website: http://www.jaimieadmans.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/be_the_spark

Facebook: http://facebook.com/jaimieadmansbooks

Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/oDXZj

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Review: Heavy Metal by Natalie J. Damschroder

Title: Heavy Metal (Goddesses Rising #2)
Author: Natalie J. Damschroder
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: Publisher Request - Entangled Publishing
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

The world is not what Riley Kordek imagined. On the run from those who’ve targeted her, all Riley wants is a chance to figure out her new ability to bend metal's energy. When a hot guy who knows more than he should helps her escape her attackers, she thinks she might’ve found someone who can lead her to the answers she needs.

Three years ago, Sam Remington walked away from his employer and the woman he loved, and now, all he’s looking to do is fill the gaping hole left behind. Except, when Sam takes Riley to the Society for Goddess Education and Defense, the stakes rise beyond what either of them could have imagined.

After being alone for so long, falling for Sam would be far too easy—and far too painful, once his old flame calls needing his help. Worse, Riley uncovers a plot with disastrous ramifications not only for herself, but for Sam and the people he loves—and potentially every goddess in the country.

While it is not entirely necessary to read book - we learn of the events as Riley does - it does help things fall into place sooner and lets you know the character history a lot more.  All the main players from book one reappear.

I have to say my favorite thing about this book is Riley - and I think that's what the author intended.  Riley's ability to pull energy off metal is unique, both in the book and in my reading experience.  I love new ideas presented well.  While this is a very powerful ability, it has some major drawbacks - such as what do you do when in a forest with no metal?  Riley also is one of the more dynamic characters I've read.  She begins as a frightened and suspicious woman on the run from things she doesn't understand.  With lots of help along the way, help she is hesitant to accept at first, she turns into one of the most amazing characters ever.

The story is not only about Riley's journey and discovery of herself, and Sam of course, but also the next step in the Society's development.  The Society is the agency put in place to try and help Goddesses.  In book one they suffer a major set back that they are still trying to recover from several years later.  Heavy Metal resolves a few unanswered questions and opens a whole hallway of doors that need to be explored - many of which are throughout the book.

The romance was present, but not center stage.  I almost didn't label it as one, but it does seem the best description after all.  It's hard to imagine trying to start a relationship with everything that is going on in Riley and Sam's lives, but there is something brewing between them the whole story.  With both being very strong and independent types, there are a few very interesting scenes and conversations.

The end was perfect for me.  Almost everything important was wrapped up, but there was just enough of the big picture stuff still hanging out there to really drive you to read the next book in the series, although I have no idea who they will pick as the main characters - even more intriguing.  This is a series I am beginning to love and I'm so glad it found me.

Barnes & Noble: Heavy Metal (A Goddesses Rising Novel)