"Ellie Parker is a master at building walls around her heart. In the twenty-five years she’s been alive, Dex Remington has been the only person who has always believed in her and been there for her. But four years earlier, she came to Dex seeking comfort and then disappeared like a thief in the night, leaving him a broken man.

Dex Remington is one of the top PC game developers in the United States. He’s handsome, smart, and numb. So damn numb that he’s not sure he’ll ever find a reason to feel again.

A chance encounter sparks intense desires in Ellie and Dex. Desires that make her want to run—and make him want to feel. A combination of lust and fear leads these young lovers down a dangerous path. Is it possible to cross a burned bridge, or are they destined to be apart forever?" (Melissa Foster)

Title: Game of Love (Love in Bloom: The Remingtons #1)
Author: Melissa Foster
Published: 2014
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary Romance

TL;DR Review:

For starters, this novel was so awful that I didn't finish reading it. Game of Love reads like an angsty teenager with all hormones and emotions with no sophistication, no eloquence and certainly no skill. The writing was cheesy and exaggerated and the plot line seemed to revolve around the same issue. It got so boring that I actually went and read another book (which is equally as boring but that's a story for another day). Furthermore, the main characters were needy, clingy and desperate. We're talking about adults here with jobs, not teenagers. Another point of contention I have with Game of Love is Dex's obsessive behaviour with Ellie. He constantly guilt trips her into staying by his side and if it's not guilt tripping, it is emotional blackmail. It got to the point where Ellie decided to stay! It didn't feel like she stayed out of love but rather out of necessity because he's been the one staying all this while. It was just awful, awful, awful.

Review: [May Contain Spoilers]

For starters, I didn't finish this book. I cannot find it in me to even read to the end because it just got so extremely boring and it became a chore to read it.

Game of Love is the latest addition to Foster's Love in Bloom series, making this the tenth-novel in the larger series. The moment I scrolled through the start with Foster's list of books, I knew something wouldn't go quite right with this novel. The list was far too extensive which meant that there wasn't enough time devoted to perfecting each and every novel that she writes. I pushed through.

I loved Foster's interpretation of the gamer industry (albeit a little optimistic) and it was a career that very few leading men seem to hold. Mostly because of the fat-lazy-sloppy-disgusting gamer stereotype which although has been broken by the likes of PewDiePie, has yet to change it. I was quite optimistic that this novel would be full of feels, angst and all things that make a good romance novel.

However, once Ellie was introduced (and far too early into the story, I might add), things went downhill from there. In my notes while reading, I wrote, "While Ellie sounds incredibly educated, she also sounds extremely pathetic and needy. So does Dex. Both highly educated individuals but extremely pathetic and cringe-worthy."

I also wrote, "The writing seems to be the stuff you write as a teenager, looking for an outlet for your angst, not the stuff that someone who wants to be a professional writer writes. It's just beating the same issue around the bush and not in a clever witty way. It's laying it all out there for you and expecting you to swallow the boring bullshit."

Yes, Game of Love reads like an angsty teenager who has all these pent-up emotions that he/she needs to release and is just writing it all on the page. There is no sophistication, no eloquence. Just angsty, immature teenage writing. It is like the stuff I wrote at seventeen. I cringe when I look at what I used to write. Very pathetic, very needy and very clingy and very, very desperate. It is the same cheesy stuff that people never, ever say in real life.

Not to mention, Dex is constantly blackmailing Ellie emotionally. He seemed very, very obsessive and he seems to want a girl that he USED TO KNOW. Not the woman that Ellie is today but the Ellie he used to know.

He constantly reminds and guilt-trips her her of the night she left and how that made him feel and how she should not run again. He constantly reminds her of how he was her emotional-support-rock and allowed her to climb in through his window and cuddle. And he never stops complaining about how much it hurt. We get it, Dex, you were upset that you were just a one-night stand, no matter how much you love her. GET OVER IT. (If I was Ellie, I would have ran as well. And ran so far away from this creep)

It was so bad that Ellie decided to stay. It didn't feel as if Ellie was staying because she loved him because let's face it, throughout reading this novel, not once did I feel like Ellie loved him. Ellie respected him and trusted him but she felt no inch of love. It also felt like she was staying out of necessity for his feelings because he's always been the one to stay so now it was her turn.

And don't even get me started on the sex. It's the most boring sex I've ever read and trust me, I have read boring sex.

There is nothing more I would like to do than to remove this from my Kobo.

Some Quotes: (Fair warning, creep alert)

Chapter 1: "By the time they were teenagers, he'd craved so much more of her than just friendship, and when she'd come to him four years ago, he'd thought they'd finally fall into each other's arms for good and he'd be able to finally show her how much he loved her."
Chapter 9: "She could still feel his heart beating against hers, his hand covering her lower back, the other cupping the back of her head, and the way his embrace had felt like he was claiming her as his own."
Chapter 13: "Ellie, I'm sorry. Don't go reticent on me, please. This is so hard. I'm trying, I'm really trying to stay with you, to stay with us, but I don't know what you expect of me. I hurt, Ellie. Every fucking time that you clamp down on your feelings. Every time you shut me out, it's like a gunshot to my heart. A man can love a woman for only so long without it being reciprocated. On some level, you must know that."

Rating: 1/5
Other Details: I read the Kindle edition, approximately 230 pages and published 2014.

For the first time ever, Bookworm in Pearls brings you two reviews in one because these novels were far too short and as one Goodreads reader calls, "cheating the readers". It is very frustrating when authors do that as I lamented in my review for Bad Boy Rock Star. I find that it's very lazy and bad writing to cut your novel halfway when there's still so much more you can fit in. It speaks about how limited a writer's imagination is when he/she has to resort to chopping the novel into three/four parts just to keep readers reading and the money flowing in.

"A woman dances the same way she fucks.

Soft and self-conscious; lithe and graceful. Or wild. Passionate.

Unleashed.

It’s not just women either. If you want to know how a man will perform between the sheets, just take him to the nearest dance floor. You’ll learn everything you need to know. His stamina, his rhythm, the slow grind of his hips. Some people are born to it, others learn through years of careful study.

And dancers? We fuck best of all.

Our bodies are our instruments, and we use them in a symphony of pure pleasure. We know just how far to push you, the breathless pacing of true art. The rise and fall that will make you beg for mercy; the ache of satisfaction when we give it to you hard and strong.

Dancing is the ultimate in sensual pleasure, a timeless erotic ritual that needs no words.

I thought I knew what it was like to dance with a skilled partner, a woman who could match my every step. My drive.

My passion.

Then I met her.

Every step she takes conjures wild, dark fantasies in my mind. Every sway of those hips demands satisfaction. My hands on her body. Her lips parted in the sweet gasp of release. Easing those sweet thighs apart and sinking inside deep her, inch by ravenous inch.

Her innocence is intoxicating. My lust is fierce. Primal.

To watch her dance is to know the torment of true temptation.

She will be mine." (Melody Grace)

Title: First Position (Dirty Dancing #1)
Author: Melody Grace
Published: 2014
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult and College Romance

TL;DR Review: 

Too awful for words.

Review: [May Contain Spoilers]

The blurb was hot, hot, hot and I was so excited to read this for I am a staunch believer in the sexual powers that dancing gives men and women. I did quite like Annalise in the beginning for she seemed like a headstrong woman who was flawed in that she liked dancing but she had to live up to her mother's name. There was also an insight into the insane dieting of ballerinas.

However, that was all ruined by Raphael, the lead male who seemed like a down right prick and of course, Annalise's reaction to him. She went from zero to sixty in three point five and one of the character's pointed out the same thing. She needs to stick her tongue back into her mouth and stop drooling over some stranger who seems to be written straight off the pages of a porn script.

Plus, Annalise is an innocent little virgin and I absolutely detest virgin stories. I don't appreciate having men teach me about sex which Raphael seems bent on doing with Annalise, the poor naive little girl. And I don't appreciate female characters who have no backbone and just fall into throes of awfully written lust and sexual fantasies. Annalise is constantly turned on by the sight of Raphael. He probably did some Italian voodoo on her or something with her lady bits constantly on high.

To reiterate, Raphael is just puke-worthy and nothing about him was remotely sexy. I kept trying to picture some hot Italian guy but nothing comes to mind.

Everything was cheesy and awful from the moment Annalise spies Raphael in a courtyard. I've never felt less turned on in my entire life.

Rating: 1/5
Other Details: I read the Kindle edition, approximately 83 pages and published 2014


"Charity Thompson wants to save the world, one hospital at a time. Instead of finishing med school to become a doctor, she chooses a different path and raises money for hospitals – new wings, equipment, whatever they need. Except there is one hospital she would be happy to never set foot in again--her fathers. So of course he hires her to create a gala for his sixty-fifth birthday. Charity can’t say no. Now she is working in the one place she doesn’t want to be. Except she’s attracted to Dr. Elijah Bennet, the handsome playboy chief. 

Will she ever prove to her father that’s she’s more than a med school dropout? Or will her attraction to Elijah keep her from repairing the one thing she desperately wants to fix?"

Title: Saving Forever Part 1
Author: Lexy Timms
Published: 2013
Publisher: Dark Shadow Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance

TL;DR Review:

Saving Forever Part 1 is the beginning of a cute and adorable romance. I expect that in the later parts, there will be conflict that will give this novel more substance. For now, it seems like an incomplete piece of writing designed to just introduce readers to the main characters at stake. Also, I'm not a fan of writers chopping their books and stopping half-short just to drag it out over a couple of publications. When I finished this one, there was more than half of my book bar left and even after the four "sneak peak" chapters, it wasn't quite full. A glance at the content page revealed just a lot of book-plugging and self-promotion. I loved Part 1 but I'm not interested in getting the rest because I don't feel like having each novel cut short just to force me to purchase the next one.

Review: [May Contain Spoilers]

Saving Forever Part 1 was actually a very, very good read but I didn't appreciate that the complete bar on my Kobo wasn't even half full when the novel ended. I finished it in about an hour. Four chapters of Part 2 were given as a sneak preview. Honestly, who gives you four chapters for a preview?

Like Timms so aggressively states in the novel, this is NOT erotica and I was glad for it. I'm quite tired of reading badly written erotica that makes me cringe more than get my lady bits all bothered. A sweet little romance is just what was needed to clear my palette. Most people didn't quite like it because this novel is honestly nothing but just a prequel. There was no conflict, no anything. Just two adorable characters liking each other.

The lousy length and novel-chopping aside, Timms writes and crafts rather well. It kept me interested to see what would happen between Charity and Elijah. Plus, I did fall quite a bit in love with Elijah but I kept picturing him as Dave Franco.


However, there was a scene where I felt was out-of-place, awkward and pretentious. I don't see a bunch of late-twenties and thirty-somethings going CLUBBING. Honestly, they'd go to a bar or to some dive-in or something but not clubbing for Merlin's sake. This scene, of course, served to showcase Charity as a trained dancer and gave Elijah a chance to be hero which seemed a little unnecessary.

Rating: 3/5
Other Details: I read the Kindle edition, approximately 116 pages and published 2013.

"Hannah Sorrento never planned to be a band manager. She’s a princess. The toughest obstacle she’s had to face is finding shoes to match her outfit.

Then her father disappears and she’s left with only the money in her purse and a contract for the management of hot, indie rock band, STORM. She plans to sell the management company, one or another, then head back to law school with her designer wardrobe and wait for this whole mess to blow over.

But lead singer, Jack Colt, has other ideas and he’s messing with Hannah’s head. Not to mention her heart.

With the help of crazy rock chick, Angie, Hannah sets the band on their first steps to the big time and learns that poor people can have a lot of fun.

But this isn’t some game she can escape from and soon her secrets get exposed.

He’s arrogant and infuriating but he’s the one that’s there for Hannah when her world comes crashing down. With secrets of his own, will Jack Colt save Hannah or destroy her?" (Candy J Starr)

Title: Bad Boy Rock Star
Author: Candy J Starr
Date Published: 2012
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary Romance

TL;DR Review:

I am not a fan of this novel but neither do I hate it with a vengeance. Bad Boy Rock Star began rather rocky and I almost gave up. Starr's portrayal of the posh princess seemed designed to inspire hatred and dislike for her which turned me off even when the posh princess was knocked off her pedestal. The novel, however, is saved by the characters who dominate the music of the novel, a world that Starr seems to be familiar an comfortable in. Jack Colt is the epitome of the novel's title and is designed to be as swoonworthy as possible. Angie, Hannah's sidekick and punk rock groupie, is raw and real and uninhibited. She is witty, charming and street smart, everything that our female lead is not. Even Jack's band mates are colourful and vibrant. However, what really saved this novel for me is Starr's insight and experience in the music industry that lends her writing voice an experience that research is not able to provide. I wouldn't rush to get the next book but it was a good read while it lasted.

Review: [May Contain Spoilers]

I have a love-hate relationship with this novel. On one hand, I was waiting with bated breath for the ending and on the other, the novel started off obnoxious and arrogant. It was impossible to find a connection with Hannah for she constantly complained. The emphasis the Starr placed on class difference between Princess Hannah and the musicians and their fans continued for quite a number of chapters with Hannah constantly comparing her designer duds to the laid-back, punk or grunge style of the fans.

However, once I got past that, Bad Boy Rock Star wasn't such a bad read, after all. Starr crafts a very believable story, allowing readers to empathise with the fallen princess and her struggles. There was something enthralling about watching the downfall of a socialite and her very real struggle of getting back on her feet.

While I didn't like Hannah (even towards the end), I loved Jack Colt who is the epitome of the novel's title. And as always with romance novels, he has a hidden side to him that just makes your heart melt with every turn of the page. He might have been a prick at times but what girl does not want a rocker of her own?

While Hannah soured the novel for me, Jack lifted it right back up.

I also loved Angie. She was real and raw juxtaposed against Hannah's smoke and mirrors socialite (up till when she immersed herself into Jack Colt's world). It is my belief that Starr is good at writing characters that she knows and is familiar with. However, she doesn't deliver the same finesse with writing a character that is not yet a part of the band and music world.

The amount of detail that Starr goes into with anything that deals with her musicians draws on her experience as a band manager. It makes the novel seem more real than if written based on research. All the parties, all the concerts and even down to the tiniest detail such as the merchandising provided incredible insight into the world of up-and-coming musicians. I am a huge fan of All Time Low and their associated acts (but mostly ATL) so this got me quite excited. It felt like I was peeking into a foreign world.

However, I did feel as well that there are certain scenes in the novel that were extremely unnecessary. She took her characters out of their comfort zones and threw them alone together. Their chemistry could have been forged in their comfort zones around people that they care about rather than out of it.

My pet peeve with this novel is the way Starr treated her only Asian character. He is a walking cliché of Asian people with his kimchi and his Korean food.

Lastly, I hate with a vengeance self-published authors who are determined to end their novels on cliffhangers so better to prompt readers to purchase the following novels. It doesn't prompt me to get the next one, it just prompts me to Google the ending.

While I didn't find much fault with this novel and I couldn't put it down for a good half of it, I'm not a fan of Bad Boy Rock Star. I liked it and it was enjoyable but Hannah isn't a character that I adored or even championed. I loved Angie and Jack and I wanted to read so much more about the world of punk rock music but as they say, first impressions last the longest.

Some Quotes:

Chapter 3: "A band is nothing without social media these days."

Rating: 3.5/5
Other Details: I read the Kindle version, approximately 196 pages and published 2013.

"At not quite fifteen, Stefan's father finally let him board the longship Sja Vinna to take part in his first Viking raid. But the battle was not at all what he expected and he found himself alone and stranded in Scotland. Thirteen-year-old Kannak's problem was just as grave. Her father deserted them and the only way to survive, she decided, was to take a husband over her mother's objections. Then suddenly she found herself helping a hated Viking escape. Could Kannak successfully hide a Viking in the middle of a Scottish Clan? And why was someone plotting to kill the clan's beloved laird?" (Marti Talbott)




Title: The Viking
Author: Marti Talbott
Date Published:  October 26th 2012
Publisher: NA
Genre: Historical Romance

TL;DR Review:

I went in to this book expecting of course, a romance and loads of cool Viking action per History's Vikings or even, Norse mythology. I got the former without the latter. In fact, the book shouldn't be called The Viking because the Viking didn't remain a Viking. I was disappointed. Also, I wasn't very comfortable with the focus on religion, specifically Christianity. I'd rather not have my romances filled with religion, even if it's a historical romance. Also, read, Viking and Christianity. Big, big problem that I have right there. I also feel that Talbott's Kannak/Stefan relationship captured a rather contemporary sense of a YA relationship rather than a traditional, sort of archaic relationship. However, I do feel that other than these stumbles, the book was written very well. The writing was perfect and gorgeous. It was descriptive but it wasn't annoyingly descriptive. The blossoming relationship between Stefan and Kannak was such a joy to read and it wasn't immediate. It took it's time to build and generate a huge amount of feels that made me "aww" out loud multiple times. Overall, although it was a good read while it lasted, it's not a book that I would return to because it disappointed me on the "Viking" level which I expected from a book titled The Viking.

Review: [May Contain Spoilers]

It started out rather slowly, really, really building on the lead character, Stefan and his background and home. It was slow to the point that I wanted to give up and just read something else. But, I have been a lover of Vikings and Norse mythology since forever so I pressed on. It got good actually. somewhere past the second chapter and then I was hooked. The blurb on BookBub painted it as a YA novel but the YA didn't kick in until slightly later. I was convinced that it was going to be a historical novel with some YA side-action. Also, as I read Stefan's character, all I could picture was young Bjorn Lothbrok in History's Vikings (played by Nathan O'Toole) Later, I did appreciate a lot of the description.

I loved this book up till a few chapters before the end where the main character made the biggest decision of his life to become a Scot. I was appalled seeing as I read the book "The Viking" to read about well, a Viking. Not a Viking for the first two chapters and then a Scot for the rest of it. Still, in the interest of fairness, I would give this book a 3 star rating, seeing as it was very well-written. But it fell rather flat. Halfway through, a tragedy happened, just as the young YA lovers realised how much they loved each other. It was cliched and it got extremely boring. At that point, I was reading just to get to the end and see what happens.

Stefan and Kannak's relationship was built very well and readers grow up with the two characters. We watched them grow from adorable younglings into their awkward teenager stages and then to their "adult" phase. They, of course, were raised as brother and sister and there was an awkward moment when it become something else. However, it is quite obvious from the beginning that Stefan and Kannak would be the book's Golden Couple and was just waiting for the golden moment where they realised their love for each other.

As with all typical YA novels, the moment our young lovers fall madly in love and realise that they want to be together, tragedy strikes and all sorts of unfortunate events befall either character.

It was also wonderful to watch Stefan grow and show a little of the powerful Viking leader that he could be. In line with the romance aspect of this book, it emphasised so much that only the thought of a loved one, especially a woman, girlfriend or wife could keep a man sane and alive in adversity.

This unfortunately titled novel is actually a prelude to the series on the MacGregor clan, or the Highlander series. However, at the time I was reading it, I didn't know that it was a prelude. Either way, I certainly did not expect a Viking to change sides, to throw away all that he has known growing up for a life that he has only known for four years. (There is a massive time skip as part of the "conflict" of the novel) I would have expected the novel for feature Stefan returning to his Viking roots, possibly combatting with whichever brute that had taken his rightful place as heir and/or introduce his new wife to his roots. None of that happened.

Furthermore, after not bringing up God very much in the rest of the novel, suddenly Stefan finds God in the midst of his turmoil. I wanted to love it up till this very point. Having been raised a Viking, I expected him to confer with Odin or some other Norse God, not...Christian God. And having all these Christian sentiments. It was just a turn off (I dislike any book that makes a big play on Christian religion, other than those that provide a non-orthodox view).

Once the conflict in the plot progression arose and all the mentions of God with it, I just wanted to get the novel over and done with. I breezed through most of it, found myself mildly surprised with the twist/magic moment and not at all surprised with the ending.

What I Liked:

1. Descriptions of Viking culture and their civilisation. It got me really excited because it was exactly what was described on History (although I doubt that is a good comparison, seeing as actual history has been manipulated for entertainment purposes).
2. The relationship between Stefan and Kannak is the cutest thing ever.

What I Didn't Like:

1. Macaron's wife seems to have an ungodly hatred for him and there is no other explanation other than that he took her away from her family.
2. There was a big emphasis on God which I find disconcerting seeing as it was about a Viking. Vikings confer with Odin, not God. As based on my knowledge, Vikings do not give up their faith so easily.
3. There was barely any Viking save for the first few chapters. It was Scot all the way.

Some Quotes:
Chapter 11: "He was beginning to realize he wanted to be more to her than a brother."
Chapter 12: "It was not the real reason but it was not yet time to tell her he loved her and could not leave without her."
Chapter 12: Stefan rolled his eyes and patted the horse's nose. "Ye she loves already. Loving me will take a bit longer, it seems."
Chapter 13: "It was worth being tricked, he thought, just to have her hand in his."
Chapter 13: "Her heart would not be still and the fluttering did not stop. Was this what her father had told her about? Had the man she would marry been beside her all these months?"

Would I recommend it?: Yes
Rating: 3/5

Title: Tempted by the Bride: Blue Moon Brides #1
Author: Anne Marsh
Date Published:  October 26th 2012
Publisher: NA
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Erotica

I am not usually drawn to erotic novels but I do love a good werewolf romance novel as opposed to it's vampire ilk. Perhaps it's the primitive animalistic appeal of a werewolf as opposed to their cold, fang-y counterparts. I wasn't expecting to like this novel considering that it is an erotic novel and I've reserved their likes only on certain occasions when I know I won't get bored with the insane amount of sex. I have too many books to read and this was the latest one I downloaded but for some odd reason, I was drawn to this book and I couldn't help but read it.

TL;DR Review:

Despite this being an erotic novel, I feel that the characters and the world have been sufficiently built to serve the purpose of the limited story. Rafer (and his many brothers) and Lark's character and personality clearly shone through and they were individualistic. What I loved very much is Lark's feisty and headstrong personality, always ready to headbutt. She wasn't some simpering heroine who crumpled and fell at the feet of the sexy, brooding male lead. I also love the emphasis on consent. Nothing is more important in a sexual relationship than consent. Readers should keep in mind that this is an erotic novel and they shouldn't expect much out of it (even though it surprised me). The only things that got me rolling my eyes was the overused vampire vs. werewolf battle and a ménage, having to share booty calls. It could also use some editing as there are some issues with sense of space. Overall, it is a simple and clean read, perfect for a couple of hours of leisure.

Review: [May Contain Spoilers]

Compared to what one reader on Goodreads has pointed out about not having much world and character-building, I think the characters and world has been sufficiently built to get the point of the book across. Despite it's novella-esque length, it communicated very well the setting of the bayou (I am somewhat familiar with the bayou setting from Sandra Brown's Slow Heat in Heaven) with one shaman woman, lengthy descriptions of the bayou and multiple mentions of the danger that it presents. I kept constant images of the water and houses on stilts in my mind. Perhaps a stereotyped vision but still, that was the image the novel presented. Although, I did find the flower farm rather out of place in the bayou area.

There was also enough character to read that the heroine, Lark Andrew is not a weak and submissive woman as more than one erotic novel has painted their heroines. She is the kind of heroine that I would love immediately and I could feel that my mental had made a connection with Lark (despite not having to pay a mortgage yet or suffer from monetary problems). I loved her from the first moment I read her. There was just something humanising about her, rather than just a sex object/character to achieve the means to and end in a book. However, towards the end, I experienced some disconnect on her level and things started to get a bit...awkward.

Somewhat Spoiler Alert: There was a less than exhilarating ménage where much like a sex scene in a movie, it was confusing, not knowing what was what and who was what part of the human body. It felt like a fight scene from Transformers where you can't tell what body part belongs to whom. Also, when I have a man that I am highly interested in, I will not share him with my sisters, no matter how desperate for pro-creation they are. I am highly selfish and possessive when it comes to my mates so, it is personal preference/disdain for this menage. I can see why Lark would consent to it though but I do not approve. And it certainly was rather awkward.

Some have commented that it ended abruptly but I think the ending worked rather well. It was a simple and clean ending to Rafer and Lark's romance which is exactly what the novel is about. It presents conflicts in the form of werewolf-hunting vampires but the main point of the book is not the conflict in the vampires but the conflict between Rafer and Lark. Take a look at the other books in the series and it is not a continuation of Rafer and Lark's story but rather the focus is on the rest of the Pack finding their mates. (There was the hint that Rafer wanted to turn Lark into a true werewolf but she wasn't ready. Perhaps we'll see this in future books.)

However, I did feel that the build up to the ending was rather rushed and not properly thought out. It felt like it was still a first draft.

Marsh has a rather fluid style of writing, drawing in the reader instantly, especially when it comes to a dark, sexy and brooding male lead, or rather, leads. However, there are a couple of things that should have been noted and cleaned up during editing. One glaring problem with the novel was the lack of sense of space. For example, in one scene, Rafer and Lark are on the porch of Lark's house but several passages later (and without any transition), they are suddenly in Rafer's bed. And there are many other instances more where space hasn't been given much thought and the characters appear to be able to tele-transport.

Overall, it was an amazing and simple read. It could use some clean-up but I was very pleased with what I had read. In fact, this is the only ebook where I was actually quite desperate to get the rest of the series. Now, if only I didn't feel so bad using the credit card, I would actually get it.

What I Liked:

1. The lead characters of Rafer and Lark had character and four-dimensional qualities, contrary to how characters are in erotic novels.
2.  Consent, Consent, Consent. The characters always asked and stressed consent before having sexual intercourse, Lark's well-being was always taken care of.
3. Tempted by the Pack jumps right into things without all the beating around the bush nonsense. (Although I did question how well it would work out)

What I Didn't Like:

1. Oddly enough, the book starts with Rafer stalking Lark. Perhaps he can be forgiven because of his wolf/animalistic side but it still drew a red flag for me.
2. The same, repeated and cliched vampire vs werewolf battle.
3. The typical woman-saves-man trope, where a man needs the loving of a good woman to save him from his "animal" or "wild" side which is threatening to consume him.

Some Quotes:

Chapter 1: "She smelled of sunlight, of honey and sage." (pg. 3)
Chapter 1: "A blue-moon brides always dreamt, sexy, erotic dreams that would wake her early and leave her sleepless and aching for a lover's touch." (pg. 4)
Chapter 3: "She was the spiritual and moral anchor that completed him. The missing half they all needed to find because they were unrepentant, soulless bastards who knew how to kill and how to fuck but not much more."
Chapter 7: "Skins touches were an important part of Pack life, and it was the responsibility of the female wolves to make sure the unmated wolves had what they needed."
Chapter 9: "Somewhere, somehow, her nice, ordinary life had done a 360 and the unexpected geometry had brought her here."

Would I recommend it: Yes. Definitely. (Although paranormal romances have only a small following) This is the only free novel I had gotten through BookBub where I really wanted to get the rest of the series.
Rating: 3.5/5

Title: Sons of Mayhem #1: The First Novel
Author: Nikki Pink
Date Published: June 8th 2014 (first published November 24th 2013)
Publisher: NA
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: ebook

This review arrived much later than I wanted to as I got caught up reading Scott Westerfeld's Afterworlds (which I recommend even without a review that everyone should go out and get it). In addition to this third part, readers can expect most likely one more part to this review as I have less complaints and actually, more compliments the further I read. (Which means that there are less screenshots of atrocious writing to go through and more talking about the novel as a whole) If you haven't read Parts 1 and 2, here and here you go.

I am going to introduce a TL;DR section for those who don't want to go through my long rambles.

TL;DR Review:

Although the first two parts of this review pretty much displayed my hatred for this disastrous novel, this review finds that as the novel progressed to more than half of it's chapters, the action and a real plot starts to kick in, finally veering away from the horrifying and lackluster romance of Jase and Nicole and delving into the criminal underworld and the darker side of biker gangs. Also, while readers have previously been assaulted by boring and senseless sex scenes, in this third half, there was a beautiful sex scene that was raw and revealing and represented the sort of sex that should be written about.

Full Review:

We begin with Chapter Thirteen where a prospective looking to join the Sons of Mayhem calls Nicole and Lucy sluts. "Less talking, more kissing sluts." What an atrocious man to call women sluts but when you consider that Nicole and Lucy thought of themselves as the very same in the beginning of the novel, it makes one wonder if they're being hypocritical. So, they are allowed to call themselves sluts but someone else can't? Why use "slut" in the first place when it is a derogatory term? It makes no difference if you're calling yourself a slut or calling someone else a slut. It's a term designed by the patriarchy for the patriarchy to control the behaviour and conduct of women. Then again, the two girls beat up the prospective because he was forcing them to do something they didn't want to, eg. kiss each other. You go, Glen Coco. And then the next page, we're back to derogatory slut-name calling, "...the only person I like fucking me are slutty young bitches."

I cannot understand what's the point of calling the girls who sleep with the Sons of Mayhem sluts. Is it some sort of identity for them, especially when you put this into reality and you think of the girls who do become the arm candy for real biker gangs? (Are there any? I don't know) Is it some sort of slut-shaming on the part of Pink because Lucy and Nicole are set apart as exclusive for both their men, Brodie and Jase, respectively? Is it slut-shaming real women who sleep with bikers? Is it a reinforcement of a stereotype? Is it critical commentary? I cannot fathom but it makes the book much less enjoyable in my eyes, especially when I am constantly assaulted by the words "slut". My same discomfort applies to "bitches" which is used much too liberally throughout the novel.

I think it's very noble that Jase has been sex-free for a long time and Nicole is his return to it but when Nicole thinks, "Where's this going? I don't want to hear about all the women you've been with", I find her pretty ignorant. As we've been able to see throughout the novel, having sex freely is apparently biker lifestyle and even if she likes it or not, she's going to hear about Jase's feminine conquests, if not from him, then from someone else. I'd rather hear it from Jase than to have someone else tell me. It would feel like he was hiding something from me.

At this point, everything is still Jase and Nicole. Here is a wonderful thought Nicole had when Jase took her on the sweetest and most romantic "date" by the river: "Take off my panties. I haven't needed it like I need it now in forever. Ever." I got a little confused. Is she using Jase for the sex? Does she not know self-pleasure? I can assure you, women have better orgasms with self-pleasure than penetrative sex. Okay, I can't assure you but I think it's pretty much true. This obsession must be a product of Nicole being unsatisfied by her "gay" boyfriend. Oh, and her eyes glowed. I thought you couldn't see you own eyes unless looking in a mirror. How very peculiar.

Here's a quote I rather like from Jase: "There's a time for peace and a time for war. There's a time to forgive and forget, to negotiate and make amends, to make agreements and agree to let sleeping dogs lie. And then there are times when you have to gather your crew, grab your weapons and kick some serious fucking ass." After this moment is when the novel really picks up. Of course, there is about one more sex scene featuring very rough sex and I think, perhaps, the most raw and real sex that this book has ever written. Although when I first read it, I found that scene rather unnecessary and atrocious but looking at it again, it as raw, real and it was beautiful. Congratulations, Pink, you finally did not make me want to throw up. Here's another gold quote from Jase: "Silence surrounded them. A dark, brooding silence; the kind of silence you can almost grab and hold, the kind of silence that forebodes unspeakable violence."

After this, I was practically glued to the novel, rarely putting it down because damn, Pink is absolutely amazing at writing crimes and the criminal world of gangs. That's one thing she has done right with this novel so far. But, there is a moment of racial insensitivity that really irks me. One of the Sons of Mayhem make a deal with a Korean gang and he offers the Son a "present" in the form of a massage and he thinks this, "What the fuck? I don't want you fried rice fingers on me." I was so appalled. First, it was so racist that I couldn't believe what I was reading. Secondly, Koreans aren't famous for fried rice. The Chinese are. I should know. I am Chinese.

And then, there's a lovely moment (after a senseless tragedy) where Lucy has an epiphany that she did not belong with biker gangs and being their sex toys. But Nicole seems convinced that they do belong with Brodie and Jase and the Sons of Mayhem. At this point, I am torn between cheering for Lucy's sensibility and siding with Nicole because for some odd reason, I am feeling a little soft spot for Jase. He has grown on me, much to my fervent hatred for him in the beginning.

Although, we had another mention of vibrations once more. And some more outdoor sex. Not as nice as the rough sex though. It was just another filler sex scene. My least favourite kind.

And then, there was a rape. I can't say that rape was glamourised in this novel because Jase expressed some qualms over hearing how the Son was recounting his experience with the Asian masseuse but it certainly was treated very, very poorly. Again, giving biker gangs a bad name. Then again, only to readers it was revealed that it was explicitly a rape. To the other characters, it was just sex with a girl.

There was considerably a lot more action and decent writing in this sections of the novel, keeping me glued to my phone screen and wanting to know what happened next. It makes me think that this is perhaps the third series in the serialisation where the story really has picked up and developed. The focus on the biker gang and the criminal underworld in this section of the novel shifts the story from Jase and Nicole's lackluster romance to the action-packed world that I expected when I first downloaded this novel. I read so quickly and so intensely that I didn't even realise how fast I was going through the novel as compared to earlier when it was so difficult for me to get through it. Which changed my whole point of view of the novel. Now, if only the action-packed segments were intertwined perfectly with Jase and Nicole's romance, then this book would be a definite read.

Would I recommend it: I would only recommend it if one can bear the horrible Jase and Nicole romance to get to the good action bits.
Rating: 2/5 (Taking into account the great action writing)

Part 1 | Part 2 |

Title: Sons of Mayhem #1: The First Novel
Author: Nikki Pink
Date Published: June 8th 2014 (first published November 24th 2013)
Publisher: NA
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: ebook

If you haven't read Part 1, read it here. I've split this review up into a few parts. I don't know how many yet but it is split. I've finally finished with all my exams and hence begins my summer break. So, I can't wait to bring you lovely readers more reviews and more narcissistic opinion pieces (if you've followed my opinion pieces so far, thank you). I recently bought Scott Westerfeld's Afterworlds (and so far, I am in love with it. Yes, I read more than one book at a time) so expect a review on that pretty soon. Onwards, my lovely bookworms.

Review:

In the last review, I left off at Chapter 4 where a couple of goons had just bust into the room where our lovely lead characters, Nicole and Jase were just wrapping up some steamy time. And Nicole had been complaining about getting down on a dirty floor. Immediately after this, Pink switches from first person to third person as Chapter Five begins with the subheading "Jase". While I'm pretty used to reading novels with switching point-of-views, I had never expected it to jump from first person to third person. It is so tough to just write it from Jase's point-of-view rather than third person?! But, I read on because, well, I wanted to write a complete review. A couple of lines into the chapter and I am confronted with this, "Goddamn she tastes sweet. Why'd we have to get interrupted? She's gonna be so pissed off at all this." Hi, there, Jase. If you're done sexualising Nicole, I'd just like to tell you that when a girl's life is being threatened, she won't be pissed about having sexual intercourse interrupted. She will be happy. Thank you.

Chapter six opens with this, "I should have stayed in the dorm. Damn Lucy for letting me come with her!" For starters, yes, Nicole, you should have stayed in the dorm. You're an immature twenty-year old. Plus, don't blame Lucy for your shortcomings. You make your own decisions, it's got nothing to do with Lucy. And just as she's wishing that she should have stayed in the dorm, Nicole says this, "There was something about that; a sexy tatted guy in a while tee shoving twin handguns into the back of his pants, just above his deliciously firm and rounded ass, that did something to me. Well, what girl wouldn't get at least a little flustered?" I'm all for male objectification (it goes on in my head every day when I stare at the likes of Ryan Reynolds and Josh Hutcherson) but isn't this being a little too specific? To each his own. Anyway, newsflash Nicole, even if he's the protector in this situation, no girl would get flustered. Even if they were just riot bullets/rubber pellets. They'd be frightened, not wanting to jump his pants. Nicole needs to make up her mind if she wants to be scared shitless, pissed or hot and flustered.

Two pages later, I am confronted with this, "I want to spit on them. Scum. Should I spit on them? What the hell am I thinking. I'd never been in a situation to watch a man in such a position of power before." Oh, there's definitely some psuedo-BDSM elements going on here. Just wait for the whips, chains and leather. Oh wait, there already is leather. Okay, whips and chains then. Nicole goes from scared, hot and flustered to wanting to spit on someone. If someone threatened my life, I'd want to kill them, not spit them. Her emotions/personalities are all over the place. I am unable to find myself connecting with Nicole. At this point of the novel, she's just some stupid little college girl with a leather and biker and rough sex fetish. Jase appears to have more personality than she does. And this story is supposed to be Nicole's.

Two pages more later, "I could see the anger and confusion on his face...Despite only having known him a couple of hours I didn't want him to feel like that, I didn't want him angry and perplexed. If only I could help." No, hunny. You don't want him angry and perplexed because you barely know this guy and he might turn around and kill you. You DON'T want to be the first to die in a horror movie, do you? "I wonder what it'd be like to step on them. I imagined stamping the sharp heel in to one of them, maybe a bruised stomach or their balls." Tell me there isn't some form of twisted BDSM going on here. Maybe I'll believe you. "It was only a moment, but standing over the druggie scum with his arm around me I felt like a queen. His queen." I just threw up in my mouth.

And we're still in Chapter Six. Damn, Pink. Are you trying to make me work to write my reviews?

Chapter Seven begins: Two Days Earlier. And finally does the novel not focus on the hypersexualised relationship between biker and college girl. Six chapters of that and I'm tired. Some bites from Chapter Seven, "The lifeless corpse stained the body-drawer red, alone and unloved as the man left." So, far, it's the only line that I love. Chapter Eight, returns to Nicole's POV and three pages in, I see this, "When Jase hopped on the front, I yelled, "Let's just ride right over them!" Them, being in reference to the two goons from earlier. Now, Nicole has added batshit insane to her repertoire of ever shifting personalities.

With Chapter Nine, an anonymous chapter with killing involved, I get the feeling that the plot is finally moving and I can rest easy that I will see less of Jase and Nicole being in an unbelievable relationship where Nicole deems herself in love with him and Jase, well, Jase just wants in her pants.

Chapter Ten opens, "I'd know to bring something warmer to wear next time." Yes, yes you should. You should not be riding motorcycles with cut-off-jean panties and a hole-y top. You'd be an icicle. There's a reason bikers wear jackets and gloves, y'know. (Probably not so much to protect them from the cold but there's an idea.) Second page in, "I'd only known the tattooed man with his arm wrapped around me for a few hours, but I already felt like I belonged to him." Mhm, belonged to him. Nicole, we are not in the 16th/17th century where a woman belongs to a man. What a backward novel for this age of feminism.

Three pages into Chapter Eleven, "He didn't seem interested in the slightest. Well fuck you buddy." When a guy isn't interested in you, you don't tell him fuck you buddy. That's just rude and uncalled for. He didn't do anything to you. He just wasn't interested.

Chapter Twelve. Ah, Chapter Twelve brings all the steamy sex which is probably why the book gets good reviews and ratings. That, and probably tons of women out there are trying to live their "rough and dirty biker" fantasy. Here's another BDSM snippet for you, "You want to push my head on to you, don't you? Can you wait? Are you going to push my head down on to you anyway? I don't mind if you do." Ladies and gentlemen, if you are going to be rough or engage in BDSM, please discuss things and set limits beforehand. Pushing someone's head onto your prick without consent is going to make for a ruined relationship and discomfort. Of course, apparently, Nicole's consent here is non-verbal and only in her head. "Give it all to me Jase. I'll take it all for you." It's like Pink read some crappy BDSM novel (50 Shades of Grey, anyone?) and then wrote these mildly BDSM sex scenes.

Only Chapter Twelve and although the novel hasn't gotten any better, it's gotten less tedious. Of course, with two very intriguing chapters about heinous crimes being committed, it's enough to keep me reading, to keep me wanting to know what happens next. With these crimes, of course. Jase and Nicole? I can already guess where the novel is heading. No need to tell/describe to me in awful, cheesy terms as to how their relationship will end.

Would I recommend it: I'm a little on the fence at the moment, considering the two crime-related chapters. But, then, you'd have to get through all the awful Jase/Nicole dialogue. And the slut-shaming. Always with the slut-shaming.
Rating: 1/5 (Taking into account the two chapters)

Part 1 | Part 3

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Zeke is no longer a geek—he’s gorgeous. And Mandy doesn’t feel so magnificent since her marriage fell apart and left her up to her eyeballs in debt and despair. One look at Zeke, and she knows he’s exactly the kind of trouble she should avoid. One look at Mandy, and Zeke turns his relentless ability to get what he wants into a full-on seduction. But can Mandy face down the secrets of her past to find a fairy-tale future with Zeke?" (Goodreads)
Title: Secrets on the Sand (The Billionaires of Barefoot Bay #1)
Author: Roxanne St. Claire
Date Published: December 9th 2013
Publisher: South Street Publishing
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: ebook

Again, this is another free ebook procured from BookBub's wonderful curating skills. I finished this book in about a couple of hours before realising that it was a novella. It being a novella affects my review somewhat.

I'm surprised by how many readers on Goodreads and Amazon can stand this sort of almost-trashy material and give it four to five stars. I, for one, was almost vomiting rainbows by the time the book ended. Although, I have to admit that I was hooked from the beginning.

Review:

I started the book out rather optimistic about it. The premise seemed rather interesting with a high school queen bee falling down to status of maid and high school geek raised to the status of Greek God Adonis (my description). It's something rather undone in the realm of contemporary romance where it's usually the shy, pimpled and gangly girl who blooms into the English rose and the male lead is always an Adonis.

However, this book was extremely disappointing. Perhaps, I set the bar too high as I had originally read St. Claire's Bullet Catcher series and was blown away by how articulate and how well-written the characters and the books were.

As always, I have my pros and my cons although, sadly, the cons outweigh the pros. And because the cons outweigh the pros, the cons go first this time.

1. It was so extremely cheesy and can only be considered a time-filler. I would not pick up this book again for the sole purpose of delving into the written world again. It reminded me very much of the Mills and Boons archetype (although I have never read any M&B) Like I said, I was vomiting rainbows and sprinkling glitter dust wherever I went. It was just that cheesy and it left a bad taste in my mouth. (If it has yet to be obvious, I hate, hate, hate cheesy romances)
2. St. Claire tried very, very hard to maintain the uncommon role reversal and I give her credit for that but far too many times, she slipped and Zeke was your typical romance novel "hero". He was cocky and overly confident and then suddenly, he slips back to being shy and bashful and humble. It doesn't work that way. No, it doesn't. He is either shy and bashful around his childhood crush, even tentative. He isn't both. It's very annoying and it grates on my nerves that his personality was constantly changing. St. Claire, I love your writing but you've got to write a better "nerd".
3. The time span of the relationship was insanely unrealistic. Of course, when reading a romance novel, I hardly doubt that many demand realism but a week? To go from imaginary girlfriend to fiancee in a week is so unrealistic that I was yanking my hair out by the end of the book. (Figuratively, of course) I understand that it is a novella but she could at least have tried to go from imaginary girlfriend to girlfriend rather than straight to fiancee. 
4. The relationship development was unbelievable. Zeke's attraction to Mandy is understandable but on Mandy's part? There seemed nothing but her infatuation with his good looks and possibly, on an unconscious level, his fat wallet and bank account. Oh, that and Zeke is suddenly so sexually confident that she couldn't resist him. Not to mention, Zeke bought her clothes and gifted her with designer dresses and even helped her get a divorce. It seems very much to me that Mandy and Zeke would never work out. She's interested in his wallet but he's madly in love with her. Plus, she seems very, very much like a bought woman.
5. This ties in to point two. Perhaps it was my feminist red flags flaring up but Zeke's handling of getting into Mandy's pants doesn't help feminists around the world. I don't see any signs of consent. All he did was put his hands on her and coerce her into sleeping with him with sweet talk and a few caresses here and there. He was domineering and he didn't respect her boundaries nor her "NO"s. What does he not understand? No is no. And they even draw up a contract saying "No" but he decides to find loopholes in that. Perhaps some women find that enchanting and adorable but it made me so sick to my stomach. And Mandy said no so many times yet Zeke still presses. It reinforces the notion that when a girl says "No", she really means "Yes". Not once, not once did Mandy ever explicitly say "Yes". I was so extremely appalled.

Title: Georgiana Darcy's Diary: Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice Continued
Author: Anna Elliot
Published: April 20th 2011
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Historical Romance, Regency

Skip ahead to section that says review if you don't want to hear me ramble about the preludes of me reading this book. Instead of studying and working on an assignment, I spent my early morning finishing the rest of Georgiana Darcy's Diary. In truth, I started reading this book while on the can so I didn't feel guilty about reading while I was supposed to be earning my grades.

If anyone knows me, I cannot resist a good Regency novel, especially one that involves Jane Austen and her characters. And when I saw that it was free, I snapped it up immediately because well, who cannot resist a free book. (I've got a huge collection of free books on Kobo ever since I discovered the beauty that is BookBub who never fails to update me on new books. Check them out on Facebook and see if you can find a few steals as well)

I won't give away too many spoilers because for one, I can't remember well or am articulate enough to recount the whole novel or give away any spoilers.

Review:

First and foremost, I enjoyed Elliot's take on Pride and Prejudice immensely and I couldn't put it down. Immediately after I finished Georgiana Darcy's Diary, I wanted to read the continuation. Unfortunately, it wasn't free.

I avoid reading Pride and Prejudice sequels mainly because I can't imagine having my most favourite characters in the world ruined by some writer who fails to capture what I imagine Elizabeth or Darcy is like. (My fault but I digress, most of P&P sequels are awfully written) I previously have read a sequel about Mary Bennett and that wasn't too bad so Georgiana Darcy, why not? She was a minor character and could use some imagination (and liberty) to bring her to life. Written in journal/diary format (as the title says), it centers the novel around Georgiana and her thoughts, bringing extreme life to a girl who was so often associated with George Wickham.

1. As with sequels who take minor characters and make them major, I expected that there would be a massive epiphany where they come out of their shells or grow from dowdy ladies to beautiful lilies on a summer's pond. Elliot didn't disappoint where the once shy and pitiful Georgiana bloomed into a fiery, headstrong woman of nineteen in a manner of pages. Of course, I found it pretty hilarious since that is pretty much the guidelines of bringing minor characters to life. You have to make them a round character or there wouldn't be much story to tell. I wouldn't say I am extremely pleased with turning her so sharply into a bold character, it was a necessary move on the part of Elliot.
2. I loved how Elliot turned a minor and shy character into a vibrant young woman that you want to cheer and root for. She took quiet, pitiable Georgiana and gave her some wits and some bravery and some ability to take initiative. It was nail-biting to watch Georgiana grow and battle with her inner shyness. And once she bloomed, it was wonderful to watch her often doubt herself. All in all, Elliot portrayed Georgiana wonderfully and I think a lot of young women who are just coming out of their shells can relate. Although I can't say that Elliot's Georgiana is the role model for shy wallflowers who want to become firehouses but she does show that shyness can be overcome. And that bravery is one of the better qualities to possess
• Not to mention, Georgiana is portrayed as a regular young woman and readers come to associate her with her own characteristics rather than the girl who was conned by Wickham.
• Lady Catherine de Bourgh, although received a brunt of the expected negativity, she was humanised as well. 
3. Elliot made her book accessible. Readers who have never read or heard of (likely story) P&P would be able to pick this book up and read it without being confused. For one, in one of the earlier chapters, Elliot makes it a point to introduce readers to the characters. It seemed a bit odd for me (since I am familiar with P&P) but perhaps to non-Jane Austen fans, it would be a good introduction to the characters.

Of course, I have some grievances which became more prominent towards the end of the novel. It felt like the ending was rushed and things seemed more manufactured (duh, it's a novel) than the chips simply falling into place.

1. Halfway through the book, I realised that something was a bit off with the language in the sense that it was far too modern. Of course, having read way too many Regency-era novels, this isn't too big a problem since it's to make the book as accessible as possible to the public. However, when you consider that it is JANE FUCKING AUSTEN, the extreme modernity of the book is slightly put-offing. I honestly doubt a nineteen year old Regency girl would write like that in her diary.
2. Often times, throughout the book, Elizabeth Bennett is described as playing the pianoforte. To my knowledge, Elizabeth does not play the piano. At all. The pianoforte is Mary Bennett's forte, no pun intended. And if my P&P memory serves me, she has spoken ill of these "supposed" talents that young ladies are supposed to possess.
•  Furthermore, Elizabeth sings. Elizabeth Anne Bennett does not sing. Maybe in private and to Fitzwilliam (Darcy) only but hell no would Elizabeth ever sing in public. Not even to Georgiana, much as she adores her sister-in-law (in Elliot's novel).
3. Somehow, Edward (Darcy)'s trauma from the war seems pretty...mild. Considering that he experiences flashes of the war in ballrooms, suffers from nightmares and doesn't fit in to society, I figured that his PTSD would cause him to react more. Perhaps it is because I am enamoured with Lisa Kleypas' Love in the Afternoon where her hero is in the same place as Edward. His (Christopher Phelan) seems so much more real and poignant than Edward who seems merely to be feigning PTSD.