Review: Trial By Fire

Author Chris Cannon
Format e-ARC
Print Length 330 pages
Publisher Entangled Teen

Published April 4, 2016

Bryn’s hopes for a peaceful new semester at school go up in smoke when someone tries to kill her—again. She’s not sure which is scarier, facing the radicals who want to sacrifice her for their cause, or her impending nightmare-of-a-Directorate-arranged marriage to her nemesis, Jaxon.

The one bright spot in her life is Valmont, her smoking-hot knight who is assigned to watch over her twenty-four hours a day. Is what she feels for him real, or just a side effect of the dragon-knight bond? At this point, stopping the impending civil war might be easier than figuring out her love life.

My Opinion

Bryn’s life is in danger so her grandma has decided that Valmont , her knight is her only hope. Her grandpa is working hard at insuring that she is arranged to be married to Jaxon, leader of the Blues and full-time jerk.

Valmont and Bryn recognize their feelings for each other. Yet both are unsure how much of the feelings are the bond verse real. Bryn doesn’t seem too concerned about it. That could be due to her break-up with Zavien. Zavien is surprisingly absent throughout much of the book. I miss him. I liked them together and am still pouting about their break-up.

The radicals are getting more dangerous. The Directorate is getting more extreme: curfews, imprisoning, students. Then Valmont and Bryn discover a secret lair. She has to let her grandpa know, but that means letting the Directorate know. Hopefully, they will be able to protect the dragon’s lair and Bryn.

Jaxon is still standing by Rhianna. He still seems like a jerk. Yet he keeps heling Bryn out, over and over again. He claims to do it so he doesn’t seem weak yet I like to think that it is because secretly he is a good guy. Who is jelling her out because his girlfriend told him to. So it could just be me but that is okay.

Of the three in this series, this is my least favorite. Still good but I felt like it was mean to enrich the story not move it forward. Byrn was also less confident in this one than the other two- this confused me.

My Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “Can’t you think of the bond like sprinkles on ice cream?”

Other People

Rhianna- Jaxon’s fiancé
Ivy- Bryn’s bestie
Clint- Ivy’s finance

Swoon Thursday (13) Dragon Mated

The fabulous girls over at YA Bound created this super HOT meme. Here's how it works.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering. 

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! I want to know & so do the gals at YABound.

Our lips crashed against each other, soft yet firm, the kiss deep and hypnotic. His tongue swept across mine before sliding deliciously into my mouth. I was drowning in sensations, the taste, the feel, the scent, the warmth. Being wrapped in Braxton's big body was like being home. It was everything.

Dragon Mated Kindle Location 1442

If I was forced to be separated from my mate for any period of time, this is how I would want to be kissed.

Waiting on Wednesday (13) The Wedding Pack

Hey y'all, thanks so much for stopping by my WoW!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Katee Robert

continues her smoking-hot series about the O'Malleys—wealthy, powerful, and full of scandalous family secrets. 

Carrigan O'Malley has always known her arranged marriage would be more about power and prestige than passion. But after one taste of the hard-bodied, whiskey-voiced James Halloran, she's ruined for anyone else. Too bad James and his family are enemy number 1. 

Hallorans vs. O'Malleys—that's how it's always been. James should be thinking more about how to expand his family's empire instead of how silky Carrigan's skin is against his and how he can next get her into his bed. Those are dangerous thoughts. But not nearly as dangerous as he'll be if he can't get what he wants: Carrigan by his side for the rest of their lives.

Why am I waiting?

We were introduced to these to in the first book The Marriage Contract and wooziers the chemistry is off the chain. I have to know how they get together.

Teaser Tuesday (13) Trial by Fire

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of

Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read

• Open to a random page

• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"I gave up my entire life to come watch over you. I want to tuck you away somewhere safe, where no one can come after you. I want to be the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see at night before you fall asleep in my arms. I want us to be together in every sense of the world, and above all, I never want to hurt you...Ever."

Trial by Fire Kindle Location 947

Such sweet words, too bad the wrong guy is uttering them to her. So I am biased- just wish she was with Zavien.

Exclusive Excerpt: Playing the Witch's Game

Exclusive Excerpt:

She threw his bathing suit at him. “No looking.” She whirled away from him.

“Oh, I’ll be looking. Lots,” he murmured.

She tried to make sense of the two pieces of cloth that must be a swimsuit. She peeled off her pants and underwear and shimmied into the bottoms.

“Is that a Celtic tattoo on your ass?” he asked.
Her head whipped around to find him staring at her butt. He leaned closer to her and squinted. “Or is it a tribal tat?”
“Shut up.” 

She yanked up the bottoms to cover her drunk sorority dare ink, not that the bikini covered much. Thank God she’d waxed this week.

Seconds later a woman stuck her head in. “You two ready? We’ve been waiting, like, forever.”

Jen yanked down the bathing suit bandanna top. Nikolai grabbed her hand.
She adjusted and squirmed to get the suit right as he pulled her outside, barely having time to get her chest properly aligned before they were out the door. After one look at his suit she completely forgot they were no longer in the changing room. She blurted out, “They gave you board shorts that go almost to your knees and I get this?” She plucked at the skimpy two-piece. “An eye patch and a bandanna?”

“Obviously the nice lady underestimated your assets.” He leered at her C’s that were one breath away from a complete spill out of the A-sized bandanna top. “I guess we’re headed somewhere tropical.” He flashed an annoying smile. “I would be glued to the TV every day if you wore that. Hell, I’ll probably have a hard time walking the entire time we’re doing this show if you’re wearing that thing. You’re like Tropical Bar—”

She pointed a finger at him. “Don’t you dare say it. If you utter it, I’m so far beyond kneeing. Now I’ll fist your nuts in a wad so tight that you’ll squeal like a choirboy for the rest of your life.” She plucked at the top again. “If I bend down I’ll flash the entire world.”

He said hoarsely, “I’ll be right there along with the rest of America holding my breath to see it.”

Playing the Witches Game Synopsis: Even a good witch knows how to play dirty.... Pleiades witch Jennifer Marcos is certain that the host of Extreme Survivor is her soulmate. All she has to do is find a fake boyfriend, get on the show, and voila! She'll have her destiny. Unfortunately, she has to rely on ex-Russian spy Nikolai Jovec's six-foot-something of gorgeous, infuriating hotness. To make matters worse, the electric attraction between Jen and Nikolai is hotter than ever. But the only way Nikolai can protect Jen is by hiding the identity of her true Destined...him.

Buy Links: Amazon | BN | Kobo | Google | All Romance

 Zoe Forward Bio: Zoe Forward is a hopeless romantic who can’t decide between paranormal and contemporary romance. So, she writes both. In addition to being a mom to one rambunctious kindergartener and wife to a conservation ecologist who plans to save all the big cats on the planet, she’s a small animal veterinarian caring for all the small furries, although there is the occasional hermit crab.   When she’s not typing at her laptop she’s tying on a karate belt for her son or cleaning up the newest pet mess from the menagerie that occupies her house. She’s madly in love with her globe trotting husband of ten years and happiest when he returns to their home base in North Carolina.

  Links: FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | GOODREADS | TWITTER | NEWSLETTER SIGN UP   

  Enter Zoe’s Giveaway: a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Review: Bright Blaze of Magic

Author Jennifer Estep

Format E-ARC

Print Length 368 pages

Publisher Kensington

Published April 26, 2016

Bad Things Always Come In Threes…

As a thief, I'm good at three things: hiding in the shadows, getting in and out unseen, and uncovering secrets. I put these skills to work for the Sinclair Family, one of the magical mobs that run the tourist town of Cloudburst Falls.

Everyone knows Victor Draconi wants to take over all the other Families--and kill every last Sinclair. What they don't know is that I'm on to him, and no way will I let the man who murdered my mom get away with hurting all the other people I care about. Especially when I've got places to break into, stuff to steal, and Devon Sinclair fighting right by my side…

My Opinion

Victor Darconi finally makes his move on the families. It is a good thing that Claudia (head of the Sinclair family) has had Lila steal the majority of his black blades over the course of the last few weeks. After replacing them with duds Lila then rehid them. When Victor does attach the other families Dah sits out earning her daddy’s err. Chaos ensues and Claudia is taken, Lila has orders get Devon, Felix and Deah to safety. From there they plan to rescue all who were taken as prisoners.

Devon is one of those swoon worthy guys who understands his girl. Yes, he is capable of protecting himself and those that are around. Yet he knows that her job is to protect him and he lets her do her job. He defers to her in areas in which he knows he is the expert. Treats her like an equal. Lila is as strong minded and willed as ever. She is steadfast and devoted to the family. She will save Claudia, she will stop Victor.

Black Blade of Magic reminded me why I love YA paranormal. The magic, the relationships, and the threats are real to the characters. This one wrapped up the series rather nicely.

My Rating 4 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote "You use that anger, that pain, that grief, and you fight back with it, with everything you’ve got."

Other People

Felix- Devon’s bestie

Deah- Lila’s cousin

Seleste- Deah’s mom, has the power of vision

Mo- Lila’s mentor

Blake- Deah’s brother

Review: Storm Born

Author Richelle Mead
Format e-book
Print Length 361 pages
Publisher Zebra
Published August 1, 2008

Just typical. No love life to speak of for months, then all at once, every horny creature in the Otherworld wants to get in your pants...

Eugenie Markham is a powerful shaman who does a brisk trade banishing spirits and fey who cross into the mortal world. Mercenary, yes, but a girl's got to eat. Her most recent case, however, is enough to ruin her appetite. Hired to find a teenager who has been taken to the Otherworld, Eugenie comes face to face with a startling prophecy—one that uncovers dark secrets about her past and claims that Eugenie's first-born will threaten the future of the world as she knows it.

Now Eugenie is a hot target for every ambitious demon and Otherworldy ne'er-do-well, and the ones who don't want to knock her up want her dead. Eugenie handles a Glock as smoothly as she wields a wand, but she needs some formidable allies for a job like this. She finds them in Dorian, a seductive fairy king with a taste for bondage, and Kiyo, a gorgeous shape-shifter who redefines animal attraction. But with enemies growing bolder and time running out, Eugenie realizes that the greatest danger is yet to come, and it lies in the dark powers that are stirring to life within her...

My Opinion

When there’s something strange and unexplained going on call Odile Dark Swan. She just so happens to be a shaman, with a great track record. And so Storm Born begins, with Odile/Eugenie tracking down a missing child. She ends up having to go to the Otherworld, the land of fairies.

There she finds many that want to kill her and some that want to mate with her due to a prophecy. Her bio-daddy was evil, having enslaved her momma to get her with child (Eugenie). Her step-daddy rescues her momma and helps to raise Eugenie as his own. So Eugenie knows nothing about her “legacy”. Or the prophecy that involves her child and the end of the human world as we know it. Once she discovers that her daddy was evil she also learns that Aeson (another evil fae king) has the girl, Jasmine, that she is looking for.

Along the way two guys come into the picture- Kiyo (shapeshifter) and Dorian (fae king). Both have intentions towards her, yet neither are pure. The question is who will she pick. There are going to be team Kiyo and team Dorian folks. I am team Tim. Eugenie’s roomie isn’t fake, no hidden agenda. Plus, even though he is a player, he is honest about it.

Eugenie is a strong heroine, yet there is something about her that rubbed me the wrong way. Maybe it was her judgement of the fae. Or is could be her wishy-washy ways with the two guys. Or maybe it was just her personality, it really grated on my nerves.

Storm Born is an unique start to a series. Not too sure where it is going, but for now I want to find out.

My Rating 3 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “Sometimes I thought internet access was like putting guns in the hands of toddlers.”

Other People

Dorian- mentor, fae King
Kiyo- shapeshifter, love interest
Volusian- demon attached to Eugenie
Tim- roomie

Book Trailer Saturday (14) Hearts at Stake

Some people believe you can fall in love at first sight. When it comes to books I believe those people. Book trailers are an excellent way to fall in love at first sight. I hope to feature a book trailer here every Saturday to help you fall in love at first sight..

On Solange’s sixteenth birthday, she is going to wake up dead. As if that’s not bad enough, she also has to outwit her seven overprotective older brothers, avoid the politics involved with being the only daughter born to an ancient vampire dynasty, and elude Kieran Black—agent of an anti-vampire league who is searching for his father’s killer and is intent on staking Solange and her entire family.

Luckily she has her own secret weapon—her human best friend Lucy—who is willing to defend Solange’s right to a normal life, whether she’s being smothered by her well-intentioned brothers or abducted by a power-hungry queen. Two unlikely alliances are formed in a race to save Solange’s eternal life—Lucy and Solange’s brother Nicholas, and Solange and Kieran Black—in a dual romance that is guaranteed to jump start any romance-lover’s heart.

Even fans of the genre who’ve seen it all will find a fresh read with kick-butt characters and family dynamics that ring true for all brothers and sisters—vampire or otherwise.

Review: Lady Midnight

Author Cassandra Clare
Format e-book

Print Length 720 pages
Publisher Margaret K. McElderry Books
Published March 8, 2016

The Shadowhunters of Los Angeles star in the first novel in Cassandra Clare’s newest series, The Dark Artifices, a sequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series. Lady Midnight is a Shadowhunters novel.

It’s been five years since the events of City of Heavenly Fire that brought the Shadowhunters to the brink of oblivion. Emma Carstairs is no longer a child in mourning, but a young woman bent on discovering what killed her parents and avenging her losses.

Together with her parabatai Julian Blackthorn, Emma must learn to trust her head and her heart as she investigates a demonic plot that stretches across Los Angeles, from the Sunset Strip to the enchanted sea that pounds the beaches of Santa Monica. If only her heart didn’t lead her in treacherous directions…

Making things even more complicated, Julian’s brother Mark—who was captured by the faeries five years ago—has been returned as a bargaining chip. The faeries are desperate to find out who is murdering their kind—and they need the Shadowhunters’ help to do it. But time works differently in faerie, so Mark has barely aged and doesn’t recognize his family. Can he ever truly return to them? Will the faeries really allow it?

Glitz, glamours, and Shadowhunters abound in this heartrending opening to Cassandra Clare’s Dark Artifices series.

My Opinion

Lady Midnight is the perfect start to a spin-off of the Mortal Instruments. Readers were introduced to Emma Carstairs in the original series after the LA institute was attacked. Emma now has a parabatai- her childhood besties Julian Blackthorn. The Blackthorn family has been through enoguht with their parents being killed and then losing both older siblings within a week of each other- one to the Great Hunt, the other as an exile Shadowhunter, now an Ironsister.

The fairies turn to the LA Institute for help. Find out who is murdering our kind and get your brother Mark back. Emma and Julian have no choice but to investigate even if it brings the Clave down on them. To be back in the Shadowhunter world felt like coming home after a long absences.

Emma is an excellent main character who isn’t afraid to get her feet wet. She trains hard, plays a little, then trains some more. Julian is so serious all the time you almost want to tickle him until he laughs. They are parabatai makes sense yet is heartbreaking at the same time. The sacrifices they are willing to make to get Mark back shows how they value family above all else.

The romance is bittersweet. I so wish the couple could have a Happily Ever After, yet I just don’t see that happening right now. The bond between them and then tension is off the charts. They complete each other.

Lady Midnight starts The Dark Artifacts series off with a bang! The side stories help keep the book at a fast pace. We got introduced to new characters and caught up with old. The ending will leaving you pacing the floor begging for more.

My Rating 5 out of 5 stars

Favorite Quote “As long as there is love and memory, there is no true death”

Other People

Diana- tutor, has a secret
Mark- older brother, ½ fae
Cristina- shadowhunter intern, Emma’s girl bff
Malcom- warlock
Kieran- prince of fae

Swoon Thursday (12) Bright Blaze of Magic

The fabulous girls over at YA Bound created this super HOT meme. Here's how it works.

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering. 

Shout it out on Twitter with the hashtag #YABound, post it here in the comments, or grab the adorable button above and share it on your blog! I want to know & so do the gals at YABound.

I cupped his face in my hands, leaned over, and kissed him,pouring all the emotion, all the feeling, all the love I had for him into this one kiss, this one moment. Devon's arms tightened around me and he pulled me over, so that I was sitting on his lap.

Bright Blaze of Magic Kindle Location 2298

For some reason I can feel this kiss down to my toes. They are such a cute couple.

And the Winner Is...

Gary N Jessica Manning

An email has been sent to the winner and they have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. Thank you everyone who entered and participated in the hop.

Waiting on Wednesday (12) Origins

Hey y'all, thanks so much for stopping by my WoW!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

From Ilona Andrews—#1 New York Times bestselling author of

Magic Shifts and the Kate Daniels novels—comes a stark, seductive tale of a world torn asunder by supernatural gifts and irresistible passions...

Karina Tucker is driving a van of children home from a field trip when an unplanned detour to a seemingly ordinary rest stop changes her life. There, she witnesses a world beyond humanity’s sight, of frightful powers and chaos, where she is in death’s grip... before an irresistibly dangerous male saves her—only to take her captive.

For she is a rare commodity in the shadowy realm she’s entered.

Karina soon finds herself caught in a violent civil war where those with inhuman powers strive to destroy each other without mercy. And it becomes all too clear that she must make a choice: submit and become a pawn, or take hold of her own destiny and fight for survival against impossible odds.

Alphas: Origins originally appeared in Angels of Darkness.

Why am I waiting?

I am a fan of Ilona Andrews and this is the start of a new series for her. I want to give it a try. It is listed as urban fantasy which I am falling more in love with by the second. So here is hoping that I like it.