The Tragedy Paper

The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm not quite sure where to start with this review. I have struggled to read these last couple of weeks, I literally looked through my kindle fifty times at the many books I have just waiting to be read, at first I struggled to find one that drew me in, then I kept seeing The Tragedy Paper. Between requesting it via NetGalley and choosing to read it I had actually forgotten what it was about. A quick check of the synopsis and I decided to give it a go.

The synopsis talks about Tim and Vanessa, very little is said about Duncan and so when the book opens with him its a bit of a surprise. Immediately you know something terrible happened last year, something Duncan doesn't want to talk about and when he discovers Tim's CD's you realise that he is going to have to relive it.
Like Duncan I was drawn in to Tim's story, I struggled to stay focused on what was happening around me when I wasn't listening to Tim. At bed time I struggled to sleep because Tim's story was going round and round in my head and I wondered what was going to happen.

The story was an easy one to sink into and it flowed freely, not once did I find it difficult to understand what was going on and the transition between Tim and Duncan's stories intertwined seamlessly.



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Golden

Golden by Monika Pardon

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After the sudden death of her grandmother, Sonora is forced to live with an aunt that she barely knows, her cousin, and Luke, her aunt's reluctant boyfriend. A fight with her aunt sends Sonora running into the woods where she inadvertently learns a web of family secrets and of a startling pact for revenge with her as the target. Now with the help of a pair of unlikely allies Sonora must travel to the Shadow Realm in search of a way to survive.

For me this book was a slow starter, it really took a while for me to get into the story. I struggled to read and comprehend what was going on with even the slightest of background noise so in the end I hid myself away in the bedroom. In the beginning there really isn't a lot of information given about the character and her back ground, we get sketchy bits of info and some of it can be confusing (I know others talk of using 'cheat sheets' until the info sticks but I mentally gag at the idea) which resulted in me re-reading certain bits over and over. Soon enough we get enough information for things to start making sense and from here on in the story flows quite naturally.

I might have found the story slow and confusing to start, but it soon redeems itself and I found it enjoyable and engaging. I will definitely be looking for the next instalment.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.



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Exposing ELE

Exposing ELE by Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckles

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Goodreads synopsis.

"I honestly wish I could believe that things will end perfectly, with one big bright happy ending. But these last few days have taught me that life isn't made up of shiny moments. Life is hard; it's gritty. One day you are filled with joy and the next, you are crawling through the muddy trenches with no inkling of when you might be able to climb your way back up again." ~Willow Mosby, Exposing ELE

Can Willow expose Project ELE for what it really is?

Just when Willow Mosby thought that her life might return to normal, her parents and Tony are ruthlessly abducted, along with many other victims from the shelter. In an effort to save them, Willow has to take a stand against the darkness brought forth by the masterminds of Project ELE.

In the midst of all of the chaos, Willow is faced with some impossible choices. Is Willow strong enough to make these decisions? How can she decide between the man she first loved and the man who has sworn to protect her?

When certain events are set in motion, Willow finds herself caught in the center of an even darker, more diabolical scheme than she could have ever imagined. With her abilities rapidly growing, Willow finds herself more powerful than ever before. What she hadn't realized is that someone else has noticed her power, and they will stop at nothing to get it.

From the authors of Project ELE and Finding ELE comes Exposing ELE. The third book in an all-new apocalyptic series with a paranormal twist: The ELE Series.

My review.

This is the third instalment of the ELE series, if you haven't read the first two  (Project ELE and Finding ELE) yet then what are you waiting for? Seriously! Go pick them up and read them. You will not be disappointed.

I can't believe I literally stumbled upon this series with absolutely no knowledge of what they were about. From the very first book this series has hooked me in and kept me on the edge of my seat. And has found its way onto my (rather short) list of favourite book series.

This book starts off right where Finding ELE ends outside the mountain trying to protect people from Zack and his father. During the conflict Willow's parents and Tony are captured, presumed dead. Willow feels guilty and runs off to try to save them... with disastrous results.

Once again this book ends on a cliffhanger. And that's something I'm getting used to with this series (doesn't mean I have to like it) but hopefully it wont be too long before the next instalment in the series is out.

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Bonds of trust

Bonds of Trust by Lynda Aicher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I requested a copy of this through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm giving this 4 stars because honestly I could not put it down, I fought sleep to finish reading this and let me tell you, that doesn't happen very often.

Whilst reading I had one thought that repeated through my head... I can relate to this woman. That's not to say our stories are the same, but I understood where she was coming from.
After 22 years of marriage, a marriage that provided her with very little intimacy and no sex in the later stages Cali is understandably frustrated and her self-esteem is at an all time low. She believes that she must be lacking if she could not entice her husband to have sex with her. What Cali craves is a man who can take the lead in the bedroom and give her the pleasure that she hasn't been able to get before. So she secretly joins a BDSM club in the hopes of finding someone who can give her what she needs. Here she meets Jake, the co-owner of the club and one of its Doms. Jake is supposed to give her another interview before deciding which of the clubs Doms would be best suited to introduce her to the club, but there is something about Cali that draws him to her.

For me this story felt natural. The progression of their relationship from Dom/Sub to something a little bit more wasn't instantaneous, their feelings about this was something they both tried to hide from the other. Their reservations about opening up and trusting each other outside the Scene were valid and added to the depth of the story.
The BDSM content in this was just right for Cali, it was an introduction to a world she was curious about. A world that she slowly begins to embrace. If this had gone full hardcore BDSM from the beginning it would have, should have, had Cali running screaming for the hills and probably a fair few readers too. I have read a few erotic novels that feature BDSM and sometimes I think they try too hard, they go to extreme and I get the feeling they are going for the shock factor, or they don't go hard enough and you find the Sub really just wants to have her hands tied while her partner pleasures her. This starts out fairly gentle with the BDSM aspect slowly increasing as Cali gets used to the experiences, each time pushing her a little further.

If you are expecting hardcore BDSM then don't read this.
If you are expecting degradation and punishments then don't read this.
If you are looking for a gentle foray into the world of BDSM then this could be the book for you.
If you read and enjoyed Fifty Shades of Grey then this could be the book for you.



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The Water Witch

The Water Witch by Carol Goodman

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I literally just got finished reading this and I am.... what's the word? Seething. Annoyed. Distraught. The story just ended and I didn't want it to. I wasn't prepared for it to, and now I don't know how long I need to wait until the next instalment is due out.

I thoroughly enjoyed the first book in the series The Demon Lover but the Water Witch builds on the story that was laid out in the first book and builds it into this wonderful world that is damn near impossible to step out of. It seemed to take me days to get caught up in Callie's world with the first book, but with this one I was sucked in immediately and I struggled to put the book down.

I loved the extended descriptions, sometimes when your reading a book there is so much dialogue going on that you can't see where the characters are. But Callie's world is so very clear in my head thanks to the descriptions it feels like I have been there and seen the things she see's.

There are a few points in the story where I found myself literally screaming to Callie "he's not who he says he is" or " how can you not tell?" but there were also a few points that surprised me.

I requested a copy of this from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.



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The Demon Lover

The Demon Lover by Juliet Dark

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I requested a copy of this book from NetGalley based solely on the synopsis. I have been looking fr something a little different to my 'usual' reads and this seemed to fit the bill.

The story was slow to begin with, to the point I had been reading it for several days and was still only 25% of the way through. I could easily set the book down and walk away to do other things, and when I had time to read I didn't rush to pick up my kindle , but I could see this story had potential to be great. So I continued to read it.
Soon after the story develops some real depth, you discover more about Callie and the people around her and you realise this town and college is not all that it seems. At this point it becomes a story i couldnt leave alone.

From here on in you become embroiled in the magic of faeries, witches, vampires and other mystical creatures. As Callie's knowledge of her surroundings grow so to does yours.

The story is well written and not once did I feel overwhelmed with information, back story or descriptive text (of which there is a lot). I honestly cant wait to read more in the Fairwick Chronicles.



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