Penelope Douglas--Bully (Fall Away #1)

Adult Romance 18+

My name is Tate. He doesn't call me that, though. He would never refer to me so informally, if he referred to me at all. No, he'll barely even speak to me.

But he still won't leave me alone.

We were best friends once. Then he turned on me and made it his mission to ruin my life. I've been humiliated, shut out, and gossiped about all through high school. His pranks and rumors got more sadistic as time wore on, and I made myself sick trying to stay out of his way. I even went to France for a year, just to avoid him.

But I'm done hiding from him now, and there's no way in hell I'll allow him to ruin my senior year. He might not have changed, but I have. It's time to fight back.

I'm not going to let him bully me anymore.

***This novel contains adult/mature young adult situations. It is only suitable for ages 18+ due to language, violence, and sexual situations.


(5 stars)

I wasn't going to read this one, the topic hits too close to home for me. I was bullied as a teen, and I wasn't sure I wanted to revisit those memories. But my fellow GR reviewers had me giving it a try. I didn't think I would like it, but I found myself loving it. The fact that this is her first book is amazing. It's well written, great character development, and pulled me in emotionally. It's hard to read about the emotional rollercoaster that Tate has to endure during Jared's torment. But even as you read it, you can see that somewhere there is a reason behind it all (in the storyline plot, I never condone bullying). None of it makes sense, they were best friends and now he hates her? The puzzle kept me intrigued, and my need to see if they got their HEA was too much to stop me from putting the book down. Without giving away any spoilers, I will say that I am so happy with how this book all played out that I am looking forward to reading the rest of her series, and actually anything else she writes. It earned 5 stars from me for the fact that I fell completely in love with Tate and Jared and was so emotionally invested that I just had to give it a 5.

C. M. Stunich--Get Bent (Hard Rock Roots #2)

Adult Romance 18+

Naomi Knox is missing.
I don't even f*cking know whether she's dead or alive.
What I do know is that she's the air I need to breathe.
She's my redemption, an all consuming fire that burns in my blood.
And I'll do anything to find her. Anything. Even if it means the end for me.

& & &

Turner Campbell is searching.
But he has no f*cking clue what it is he's searching for.
There's darkness all around and enough secrets to choke.
There are angels, and there are devils. It's impossible to tell them apart.
Light needs to be shone on the truth, but there's no one left to hold the torch. The line between life and death is blurred, and the players are all thoroughly entrenched in the game. The question is: am I still one of them?


{4 stars}

Ugh!!! I hate cliff hangers! And I really don't know how to convey my feelings about this book. The synopsis won't help you decide, because, quite frankly, it sounds more like song lyrics than a book description. But, my first thought when I finished this one, was that it read like a song lyric. Have you ever had a favorite song, one where the lyrics just touched something deep inside you? The storyline flows like a never ending song, with emotion and angst, and truth. Sounds weird huh? But the "song" is layered on top of a mystery, and the puzzle pieces just get more cryptic as we go. The love/hate, passion filled relationship between Naomi and Turner is like the back n forth in a song. Each one takes turns singing lead. It's weirdly fascinating and magical all at the same time. The story is fast paced and has lots of puzzle pieces to put together to figure out the "who done it" that's behind all the drama. And just when I thought I had the answer.....cliff hanger! I am now thoroughly entrenched in the "song" and can't wait to find out what happens next..... 

C. M. Stunich--Real Ugly (Hard Rock Roots #1)

Adult Romance 18+

Turner Campbell is an asshole.
I f*cking hate him.
But I can't get enough either.
He sings like an angel and f*cks like a devil.
If I could, I'd run away and never look back because to tell you the truth, I think this man might be the death of me.

***

Naomi Knox is a bitch.
I can't f*cking stand her.
But I can't stop thinking about her either.
She looks like an angel and plays like a devil.
If I could, I'd f*ck her good and forget all about her, but to tell you the truth, I think this woman might be my last saving grace.


{4 stars}

WTF did I just read? It started out rough, I didn't like it, but I pushed through to give it at least a 25% chance. Then I fell into the story and forgot about the things I didn't like (and the proof reading errors). I just followed along on a rock journey that has little to do with music and more about the pain of decisions made on your way to that rock dream. Turner and Naomi have a past, one he doesn't remember at first. But Naomi holds on to that memory, and its aftermath, like a shield against the world. She pours all her pain and rage into her song writing, but her past is reaching out and slapping her in the face. Turner realizes who she is, and that she is the "one" he must have. She challenges him, fights with him, and is the one girl he remembers above all the countless girls he has slept with. They are a complicated mess. Sex, drugs, fighting, all the things that go along with a rock tour. Then add in their past encounter together, Naomi's murderous past, and you wind up with a rather intriguing mystery. It's not a romantic fairytale, it gritty, raw, ugly, and compelling. Didn't think I would like it, but wound up being captivated by it. Going on to read book 2.......

Kristen Ashley--Rock Chick Revolution (Rock Chick #8)

Adult Contemporary Romance

 Ally Nightingale has secrets. Secrets she doesn't even share with the Rock Chicks. But two men know what she's up to. One has her back. The other has her heart, but he doesn't know it.

As Ally rewinds the last year of her life, she knows two things. One, she’s never going to get what every Rock Chick should have—her own Hot Bunch guy. And two, she’s a Nightingale through and through. She just isn’t sure what to do about that.

But as her secrets are revealed, the men in her life react. Darius Tucker, a lifelong friend, as usual takes her back. Ren Zano, the man she loves, isn’t quite so sure. The Rock Chicks, Hot Bunch and the entire gang at Fortnum’s weigh in, and a Rock Chick Revolution starts brewing.

It’s up to Ally to control it and prove what she knows down to her bones.

She’s a Rock Chick, she deserves her hot guy and she’s going to keep the one she wants…

Because she’s a Nightingale...

{5 stars} **spoiler alert**

Ok...everyone that has read this series knows this is the end of the Rock Chick series. But is it the end of the Rock Chicks? I hope not, I hope we see glimpses of them in future KA books. Maybe their kids, or a Rock Chick Investigations series? 

KA is brilliant. She pulls every last string together and still gave me a little extra I wasn't expecting. Jane? Wow, to pull her in as KA herself was a stroke of genius for me. It made this series all the more special to me. Jane's take on writing the books almost made me cry. She believes all fairytales should be shared. And isn't believing in fairytales why we read these books? Ren and Ally have the true Rock Chick romance, alpa male dominance, rock chick stubbornness, fighting, hot make up sex, and true romance. I laughed out loud, cried a little, and truly enjoyed every word. I really didn't want it to end. Its 506 pages, and I usually struggle with that long a book. But not this time, it was the end of a journey with a lot of action, a lot of information, and a lot of storylines to tie up. Well done Miss Ashley! I will miss the Rock Chicks.....and I still believe in fairytales....

***There is a sneek peek hint that we are going to move to California for some Hot Bunch action.....

Crystal Spears--Seize Me (Breakneck #1)

Adult Romance 18+


Winter Belov was the sweet innocent one in her crime family, the dutiful daughter that never disappointed her father. One day, her father does the unspeakable. When he turns his back, Winter flees across the country, taking her life savings with her, determined never to enter that sort of lifestyle again.

No longer innocent, she now lives in Nevada. Lana is her best friend and the only family Winter has. Together, they are two of the best exotic dancers in the county. While working a shift, Pyro, Lana’s long time crush, propositions Winter. He begs her to do a private gig at Breakneck. She accepts, with the condition that Lana dances with her.

When Winter’s eyes lock with Braxxon Breaker's, the President of Breakneck, she realizes she is no longer free; she has been seized. He is everything she is running from but at the same time, everything she wants. Braxxon will not take no for an answer, and purposely disrupts Winter’s life.

Rivals of Braxxon’s club are vicious and they do something that will have him out for blood. Winter's and Braxxon’s relationship is anything but a normal one. If they want to be together, crimes must be committed, friendships will be broken and people are going to die.

What happens when all that chaos mixes with Winter’s father locating her? It will be a bloodshed when Winter and Braxxon seek revenge and take no prisoners.
***WARNING***

This novel contains explicit language, sex, drugs, abuse and some sexual situations.


{5 stars}

You have to be a fan of hard biker stories to like this one. I love the Undeniable series (by Madeline Sheehan), so this was a similar fit. I have read the reviews, and was already prepared for the impact of the assault scenes. But as much as I don't like them, they were part of the story. It was a part of what happens to Winter and how she deals, seeks revenge, and moves on with her life. This is a hard, no apologies, story. Raw, emotional, violent, and equally sweet. Life in an MC is never hearts and flowers, no "dating", no romantic dinners. It's survival, almost on a daily basis, but when that is the only life you know, you learn to take each day as it comes. The synopsis doesn't really give you the soul behind it, when you meet that one personal that makes you stop breathing, you will do anything to have it. Even disrupt their world to have them close. Braxxon doesn't know what to make of his new feelings, its never happened to him before. So he goes about trying to control Winter. But she comes from an equally scary world, and is stronger than he can imagine. They fight, they make up, they learn to deal with tragedy, and they love each other. I was hooked from the first page and could barely put it down. Can't wait for ZZ's story!

Chloe Neill--Biting Bad (Chicagoland Vampires #8)

Paranormal Romance

 

Merit has been a vampire for only a short while, but she’s already seen a lifetime’s worth of trouble. She and her Master, centuries-old Ethan Sullivan, have risked their lives time and again to save the city they love. But not all of Chicago is loving them back.

Anti-vampire riots are erupting all over town, striking vampires where it hurts the most. A splinter group armed with Molotov cocktails and deep-seated hate is intent on clearing the fanged from the Windy City come hell or high water.

Merit and her allies rush to figure out who’s behind the attacks, who will be targeted next, and whether there’s any way to stop the wanton destruction. The battle for Chicago is just beginning, and Merit is running out of time.


{4.5 stars}
This series is one of my "go to" series. I am never disappointed, and I get totally swept up in the story, forgetting about everything else. And find myself surprised when its over, I want it to keep going. I've read that Merit is described as the "Nancy Drew" of the vampire world, and they are right. She never catches a break, the action keeps going while her and Ethan are trying to really develop their relationship. It's just one mystery/problem after another. It seems there is always someone trying to end all vampires, or destroy Cadogan House. But Ethan and Merit, along with a few supernatural friends come together to save the day once again.....

Love this series!