DNF Mini Review: All Fired Up by Vivian Arend & Elle Kennedy

All Fired Up (DreamMakers #1)
Author: Vivian Arend & Elle Kennedy
Release Date: April 22, 2014
Publisher: Vivian Arend & Elle Kennedy
Format: ebook
Source: Personal Copy
Review by: Jenn

He’s ready to lead the way

Parker Wilson never thought he’d go from battle-hardened soldier to romance expert, but after his stint in the Rangers, that’s exactly what happened. As the owner of DreamMakers Inc., he helps other men win in the love department, using every resource available to plan the perfect date. When a routine recon turns into an unexpected night of passion, Parker’s mission becomes more personal—and he won’t give up until Lynn Davidson is all his.

She’s more than willing to follow

Lynn is a goner from the moment she lays eyes on the delectable Parker. She’s just ditched her boring almost-boyfriend and is tired of sticking to the straight and narrow. It’s time to walk on the wild side, and what better way than in the arms of the most irresistible man she’s ever met? But when their red-hot affair is threatened, it’ll take a team effort to make their dreams come true.

1 star out of 5 stars

**This is a DID NOT FINISH review. It includes my thought on the book up to 25% of it.**

Initially, I was really excited about reading this book. The first chapter hooked me and I proceeded onwards. However, I quickly realized that what I had liked about the first chapter and what had initially called me from the synopsis, the reality was taking a completely different turn. After the first chapter, I realized that the book was taking a turn I didn't really like. And to be honest, it even seemed weird that our heroine was going down that road. I didn't even know what to think of the hero. Or heroes, in this case, again, I'm not exactly sure. Very quickly, I decided that I didn't want to continue with the book, and gave up on it. I have more books to read anyways. Maybe it's a better book for someone else.

Mini Review: Just One Night by Gayle Forman

Just One Night (Just One Day #2.5)
Author: Gayle Forman
Release Date: May 29, 2014
Publisher: Vikings Children's Books
Format: ebook
Source: Personal Copy
Review by: Jenn

After spending one life-changing day in Paris with laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter, sheltered American good girl Allyson “Lulu” Healey discovered her new lover had disappeared without a trace. Just One Day followed Allyson’s quest to reunite with Willem; Just One Year chronicled the pair’s year apart from Willem’s perspective. Now, back together at last, this delectable e-novella reveals the couple’s final chapter.

4 stars out of 5 stars

I'm extremely happy that Gayle wrote this little novella and gave us a little more closure with Allyson and Willem's story. While I was okay with Just One Year's ending, getting this "epilogue" of a sort, definitely helped in moving on from these characters. It gave me enough to imagine how their story may continue.

Also, with just a few pages, Gayle gave me travel wanderlust all over again. Along with the feels with her words. I can't wait to read more of Gayle's words.

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Review: Open Road Summer by Emery Lord

Open Road Summer
Author: Emery Lord
Release Date: April 14, 2014
Publisher: Walker Books
Format: Hardcover
Source: Personal Copy
Review by: Jenn

After breaking up with her bad-news boyfriend, Reagan O’Neill is ready to leave her rebellious ways behind. . . and her best friend, country superstar Lilah Montgomery, is nursing a broken heart of her own. Fortunately, Lilah’s 24-city tour is about to kick off, offering a perfect opportunity for a girls-only summer of break-up ballads and healing hearts. But when Matt Finch joins the tour as its opening act, his boy-next-door charm proves difficult for Reagan to resist, despite her vow to live a drama-free existence. This summer, Reagan and Lilah will navigate the ups and downs of fame and friendship as they come to see that giving your heart to the right person is always a risk worth taking. A fresh new voice in contemporary romance, Emery Lord’s gorgeous writing hits all the right notes.

3 stars out of 5 stars

Here's the thing, I really want to like Emery Lord's book because I feel like everybody loves her and her books. But when I read When We Collided, it wasn't love at first chapter. I decided to forget about it because it happen sometimes. So I went in with high hopes to fall in love with Open Road Summer. And I did. For certain parts.

For the first few chapters, I was hooked on the story line and on Reagan and Dee's friendship. But then I started to dislike Reagan. She's mean and bitchy and judgmental. I excused it when I first saw a glimpse of her personality and once I learned about her mother abandoning by her dealing with high school bullies. She hates other girls for dressing with low cut tops and flirting over top with boys, all the while she did the same thing. I figured it would be addressed later on and/or she would come around and realized how she was acting. But I didn't see any growth from her. Even towards the end, I didn't feel like there was any character growth. As much as I didn't like When We Collided, Emery did write Vivi in a way that she realized that she screwed and that she needed to fix things. In Open Road Summer, I didn't get that from Reagan.

Aside from my dislike of Reagan, I really enjoyed the friendship she shares with Dee. I love that Emery wrote such strong female friendship and that Dee isn't on the back burner, only to come out to give her friend perspective or be in a filler chapter. I honestly haven't seen such friendship like his since the sisterhood of the traveling pants books. Also, I really loved the music portion of the book. I thought it was really creative and unique.

With this being my second Emery Lord book, and still not falling in love with her work, I have to admit I'm a little hesitant to pick up another of her books. I think I'll give her one more try and if it doesn't work, then that'll have to be it.

Mini Review: Emerald Green by Kerstin Gier

Emerald Green
Author: Kerstin Gier
Release Date: Oct. 7, 2014
Publisher: Square fish
Source: Library
Review by: Nahomi

Gwen has a destiny to fulfill, but no one will tell her what it is.
     She’s only recently learned that she is the Ruby, the final member of the time-traveling Circle of Twelve, and since then nothing has been going right. She suspects the founder of the Circle, Count Saint-German, is up to something nefarious, but nobody will believe her. And she’s just learned that her charming time-traveling partner, Gideon, has probably been using her all along.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5 stars

       I was so anxious to start Emerald Green after the ending in Sapphire Blue; so much so that if it weren't for my book buying band I would have bought it on the spot just to find out how the story continued. Emerald Green continued in the same manner as the previous stories; full of adventure and mystery. Although in this installment I finally got some of the answers I was looking for.

      There were some very funny scenes in this story; particularly one with Charlotte at a party (jejeje). I enjoyed imagining the dresses Gwyn would wear on her time traveling adventures. My heart raced as the book was coming to an end and everything was unraveling and I couldn’t figure out how everything would turn out.

      The ending was a little anticlimactic. Everything was wrapped up a little too nicely and open ended for my taste. Otherwise I really enjoyed Emerald Green.

Review: Cress by Marissa Meyer

Cress 
(The Lunar Chronicles #3)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Publisher: Feiwel and Friends
Source: Library
Review by: Nahomi

Even in the future. there are damsels in distress...

In the third installment of the Lunar chronicles, Cress, having risked everything to warn Cinder of Queen Levana's evil plan, has a slight problem. She's been imprisoned on a satellite since childhood and has only ever had her netscreens as company. All that screen time has made Cress a great hacker. Unfortunately, she's just received orders from Levana to track down Cinder and her handsome accomplice.

When a daring rescue of Cress involving Cinder, Captain Thorne, Scarlet, and Wolf goes awry, the group is separated. Cress finally has her freedom, but it comes as a high price. Meanwhile, Levana will let nothing prevent her marriage to emperor Kai. Cress, Scarlet and Cinder may not have signed up to save the world, but they may be the only hope the world has.

5 stars out of 5 stars 

Cress is one of my absolute favorite books of this series to date! Every time I think that I can’t fall in love with this series anymore, I read the next book and I fall in love all over again. Cress follows the same format as the previous two books but adds the perspective of Cress a Lunar shell that has been locked away in a satellite in order to hack earthen systems and spy for Queen Lavana.

Cress is fast paced and more of an emotional rollercoaster than the previous two installments. There is so much happening in Cress that I couldn’t finish fast enough! Experiencing life through Cress’s eyes is great because she is experiencing everything for the first, and has a sense of wonder that isn’t often depicted in novels.

It was fun getting to know Carswell Thorne and Cress. Carswell reminds me of Flynn Ryder from the Disney movie Rapunzel.  He adds a lot of the comedic relief during some of the more serious moments of the novel. Cress is brave and really comes out of her shell as the story progresses. She goes through some major personal growth throughout the novel and comes out stronger at the end of it. There are some major plot twists thrown at us in Cress, which left me speechless. I need to get my hands on Winter ASAP!
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Review: Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Silver Shadows
(Bloodlines #5)
Author: Richelle Mead
Release Date: July 24, 2014
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Personal Copy
Review by: Jenn

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.
In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.
Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.
For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .
Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

4 stars out of 5 stars

Holy crap, this book you guys. I remember starting this book and quickly reading the beginning chapters so I can find out what happened after the ending of The Fiery Heart. We were left in a crazy cliffhanger and so I anxiously read this book hoping for some answers and resolution. And I got them, just not as quickly as I was hoping.

Silver Shadows take us on a crazy ride of emotions. Both Sydney and Adrian are dealing with the repercussion of being together and the people they fear the most learning about them. Sydney manages to retain some strength and hope, even though it was almost extinguished, in getting out of her situation. Adrian, on the other hand, he really disappointed me. He fell back to some of his old ways and I really did not understand it. I thought he was above it yet with Sydney gone, he is unable to remain strong for her in battling his demons.

Silver Shadows made me nervous at times because time and secrecy is important and precious so I was a nervous wrecked throughout most of the book. I was worried about Sydney, then I was worried how Adrian was going to help her, and how they were going to get themselves to safety. Richelle Mead played with my emotions with this book, especially in the end. I knew something was going to happen so I was prepared for the other shoe to drop but it didn't make it any easier knowing. I can't wait to see how Richelle wraps up the Bloodlines series and how she gives Sydney and Adrian their much needed happy ending.

Review: Seducing the Playboy by Amanda Usen

Seducing the Playboy
(Hot Nights #2)
Author: Amanda Usen
Release Date: May 26, 2014
Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Brazen)
Source: Personal Copy
Review by: Jenn

The best desserts are worth the wait…

Pastry chef Jenna Cooper crushed hard on playboy chef Roman Gallagher when her older brother brought him home to share their family Christmas six years ago. Now she’s old enough to do something about it, and she won’t take no for an answer—for anything.

Out of the frying pan into the fire…

Roman has one hard and fast rule—don’t sleep where you eat. But he can’t say no to Jenna’s plea for him to help her save her family business. Soon she’s working for him, and their scorching chemistry melts Roman’s resistance.

If you can’t stand the heat…

Jenna knows Roman has reservations about enjoying the heat between them, but she’s got a plan. She’s going to keep this sexy man so satisfied in—and out—of the kitchen, he won’t regret a thing. But Roman has his own ideas. He wants more than a few hot nights, and he’s going to teach Jenna a lesson about playing with fire.

3 stars out of 5 stars 

Sexy, sweet, hot, and delicious. These are all words I would use to describe Seducing the Playboy. I was in an adult romance binge when I read this book and this book certainly satisfied the need for a quick and fluffy romance.

Jenna and Roman have some insane chemistry, both in and outside the kitchen. I loved reading their interactions because it was a great balance between flirty quips and professionalism. Jenna is eager to make her dreams of learning what Roman is like in bed come to life and Roman is more concerned with maintaining a platonic friendship with Jenna out of respect to her brother and family. Even if he can't stop picturing her naked. Trying to appease Jenna and maintain boundaries, he comes up with the worst idea that end up backfiring on him. Also, Amanda Usen also managed to catch my attention with all the recipes Jenna and Roman cooked up. My only complaint now is how I wish I knew a Roman in real life who would cook all these recipes for me.

While the book was predictable at times, I cannot hold anything against it. It was exactly what I looking for at the moment and it put Ms. Usen on the map for me. I look forward to reading more her and see how her heroes compare against Roman.

Review: Baiting the Maid of Honor by Tessa Bailey

Baiting the Maid of Honor
(Wedding Dare #2)
Author: Tessa Bailey
Release Date: June 9, 2014
Publisher: Entangled Publishing (Brazen)
Source: Personal Copy
Review by: Jenn

He’ll own her from the very first touch.

Julie Piper and Reed Lawson have nothing in common. She’s a people-pleasing sorority girl hiding behind her perfect mask. He’s a take-no-prisoners SWAT commander who isolates himself from the world. But when they’re forced together at their friends’ posh destination wedding, one thing is clear—Reed wants Julie more than he wants his next breath. Which is why he’s not about to stand by when she’s dared to seduce another man.

Julie wants neat, tidy sex, so she could get back to what she does best—making everybody else happy. She never expected to slip into a dark bedroom and have her mind blown by rough, demanding hands, and a sinfully filthy mouth—neither of which belong to the best man.

One night should have been all Reed needed to get the blond temptress out of his system, but when one taste is nowhere near enough, he’ll be forced confront the effects of his hellish past. One that may push Julie away forever... just when he realizes he can't live without her.

4 stars out of 5 stars 

Sweet Lord this book. This book was so hot and Reed, yowza. I read Baiting the Maid of Honor in a day because I just could not put it down. Tessa Bailey had me hook from beginning to end and now I want to read the rest of the series as well as more of her books.

Baiting the Maid of Honor follows Julie Piper as the maid of honor for her best friend's wedding. She's a people pleaser and would bend over backwards in order to help someone. Reed Lawson is the dark and dangerous, keeps to himself groomsman. Their personalities are complete opposite yet their chemistry is OFF. THE. CHARTS. Their banter, their smexy times, just them being around each other was incredible. Their romance felt real and palpable. Tessa Bailey definitely knows how to write romance that just jump off the pages.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I totally recommend it to anyone interested in a hot, steamy, and sexy romance.