Books, great reads, Out of the Box Blogs, rant, Reviews

The Last Book in a Series and Me

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So I have issues with reading the last book in a series. I buy them, but never read them. I have an entire shelf dedicated to last books. Does anyone else do this?

I want to read them, but then I don’t want to read them. I just can’t bring myself to read them. My reasons that I keep telling myself is that I don’t want the series to end, so if I never read it, then it never has to end. I also tell myself I am afraid to read it, because what if I hate the ending, and I will regret reading it, and be mad at the author for it.

Let me just say that I have been coerced into reading a few last books. I HATED EVERY SINGLE ENDING! I am sorry Jeanine Frost, but the ending of the Cat and Bones series sucked. (if you don’t know this series, you must correct that error) The ending only sucked because she should have killed Tate 3 books before the last one or at least gave us the joy of  Bones killing him in the last book. I HATE TATE!!

See this is what I’m talking about. Here I go on a tangent about the ending because she decided to keep the worst character in the book all the way to the end. This is what happens, so I don’t read them. If I hadn’t read the last Cat and Bones book, I could have pretended that Bones finally killed him! Can someone besides Karen and I who has read this entire series tell me if you agree with us?

I am stuck between a rock and a hard place right now. Darynda Jones will be putting out the last book in the Charley Davidson series soon, and I love that series, but I don’t know if I am going to be able to read it.

Ok I am ready for your comments, opinions, and if anyone has overcome this, please let me know.

Peace,

Les

Books, funny, great reads, indie author, Reviews, Romance

“Unconscious Hearts (Hearts of Vegas Book 1)” by: Harper Sloan

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Hi Everyone! I have been it such a reading rut. I finally found a book that held my attention. This is my first book by this author, but won’t be my last. Let’s get this party started!

Blurb:

Ari Daniels didn’t count on her whole world tumbling down around her in a mess of shredded promises, broken love, and unbelievable heartbreak. Alone and stricken with grief, she shouldered the blame and eventually closed her heart off, refusing to open it for another. After all, anytime she tried, guilt and regret were waiting in the wings to remind her how painful it was.

A bet and one steamy night with a stranger force Ari to confront all she’s been hiding behind. She tries to move on, but he refuses to stand down, wanting what she is terrified to give—herself. This man may very well destroy her in the end, especially when it’s clear he has his own demons.

What happens when two broken souls come together, finally allowing themselves to believe in the beauty of love … only to have to fight harder than ever to keep it?

 

Okay! So I feel like I should first tell you that this is a series, however each book is another set of characters story. NO CLIFFHANGER HERE! Thank you Harper! If you don’t know Harper Sloan, you need to look her up, and follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and snap chat. She is hilarious and amazing. She also has an amazing cat Kevin, who has his own instagram page, and is an outlet for her humor. I have followed her for a while before I actually bought a book. I don’t know why it took me so long, but I was having such a hard time finding a book that called to me, but I read this in one day.

This may sound surprising to any of you how read my reviews all the time, I like Ari, the main girl character! I know what is the world coming to! So, Ari is a girl with a devastating past and is content to be alone for the rest of her life. She owns a high end thrift shop, and works with her best friend Piper (who I also love). Ari, who’s real name is Paris, is estranged from her sister London, and her sister likes to call Ari and make her life a little harder.

Just when Ari has come to terms with being alone with only Piper and her business in her life, in walks Thorn. Thorn is a huge, tattooed, hot bad boy that needs to get rid of some high end items left to him in a will. He invites Ari to the house he was left and all the hundreds of items he wants to sell really fast. Only, Thorn sees Ari and has to have her, so he makes a deal. She will beg him within 30 seconds to take her, or she can take all the items for free. Let me just say, This is a Hugh bet, like a $4 million dollar bet. To say he is cocky is an understatement. And it just gets better from there.

They are both trying to stay away from attachments, and relationships, but both feel something immediately. They are drawn to each other, but the big question is whether or not they can convince themselves and each other to take the chance. Will it work when they want to run, or because of their past, will they fall back into old habits. Will they listen when someone tells them they deserve happiness, or believe that they still don’t because of their past? You know I am not going to tell you, you will have to read it to find out if they make it.

Finally, just when I thought this was just a love story, she throws in some serious action and a total “WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED?” moment that you don’t see coming.

Ahhhhh yes! My favorite part, it is written in both Ari, Thorn, and a mystery persons point of view. I love multiple point of views. Everyone says its because I am nosey by nature.

If you are modest and don’t like vulgar language, find another book. This is an erotic romance, and trust me it delivers. This is a steamy book, and is very descriptive. I don’t feel like it was done in a distasteful way, or took away from the story. Sometimes I feel like it is forced in some stories, however I didn’t feel that way at all in this book.

I have to say a congratulations to this author, she has officially written a story where I didn’t absolutely hate the lead girl, or the important characters. I can’t remember a book, since my last Darynda Jones book, or Jeanine Frost books, that this has happened. I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised since Harper is a great girl herself.

I would read this book again, I have since bought another of Harper Sloan’s book. I am sure it won’t be my last. I can’t wait.

You should definitely give this a chance, and read it. I can’t see how you would be disappointed!

 

Peace,

Les

Books, funny, great reads, Mystery, paranormal romance, Reviews, Romance

“The Librarian’s Vampire Assistant” by: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Hello Everyone!

Yes, we all know I love Mimi Jean stories. This one is no different, maybe a smidge more serious, but very entertaining none the less. Okay, here we go…

We have 400 hundred year old vampire Michael here searching for his maker’s killer. He wanders into a library for a moment and meets Miriam. She thinks he is there for a job, and he figures he has some time to spare and goes with it. There is something about her that pulls him to her. She is in trouble, and he decides to help her. By doing so he sends himself down an unfamiliar path he can’t control and isn’t sure he wants to be on.

Miriam is a Liberian. She isn’t all that likable, but then again you don’t know much about her. I feel like I should have gotten more info about her. I know more about Michael’s assistant Lula than the girl is is drawn to and trying to protect.

There is kidnapping, blackmail, and some weird old vampire. This is a mystery, but is still funny, and a little sarcastic. It’s also a bit of a cliffhanger.

I will be reading the second book in this series!

Go check it out!

Peace,

Les

Books, fantasy, great reads, Reviews, scifi, steampunk, Urban Fantasy

Vicious by V.E. Scwab

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I got this book about 6-8 months ago for $1.99 because I like the author and it sounded cool but for some reason I never read it. Well I have now and I have things to say. Let’s be orderly people! First the blurb:

Victor and Eli started out as college roommates—brilliant, arrogant, lonely boys who recognized the same sharpness and ambition in each other. In their senior year, a shared research interest in adrenaline, near-death experiences, and seemingly supernatural events reveals an intriguing possibility: that under the right conditions, someone could develop extraordinary abilities. But when their thesis moves from the academic to the experimental, things go horribly wrong.

Ten years later, Victor breaks out of prison, determined to catch up to his old friend (now foe), aided by a young girl whose reserved nature obscures a stunning ability. Meanwhile, Eli is on a mission to eradicate every other super-powered person that he can find—aside from his sidekick, an enigmatic woman with an unbreakable will. Armed with terrible power on both sides, driven by the memory of betrayal and loss, the archnemeses have set a course for revenge—but who will be left alive at the end?

 

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WHY DID I NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS BOOK EARLIER?!?! I only blame myself since I owned it and it still took me months to actually read it. It was amazing! It was complex, confusing and at times downright infuriating but all in a good way. Let us discuss.

This book follows two college roommates that basically make X-Men by following a formula from Flatliners. I know that sounds like I should hate I but I don’t, because the characters are so strong. This book is the definition of antihero, there are moments where you want to cheer for the wrong side, neither side, or you’re not sure if there are even sides.

Then there is the story telling. There is this weird time jumping, which at first I found very disconcerting but the more invested I became I more it just drove the anticipation for me. I’ve read books like that before but I rarely end up being sold on it. I did feel like this book needed a follow up, I just wanted a touch more and when I went online everyone talked about a promised second book but this is from 2013 and VE Schwab has written other series since then. But do not dispare, last week I got a notice about this..

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So this book is not only amazing as a stand alone but it will finally have its sequel. This ones a keeper.