*BOOK REVIEW* Overwhelmed By You (Tear Asunder, #2) by: Nashoda Rose + Giveaway

Title: Overwhelmed By You (Tear Asunder, #2)
Author: Nashoda Rose
ASIN: B00KKVN5BK
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Theme(s): Rockstar, child abuse, sexual abuse, MS
Length: 321 pgs
Binding: E-book, Paperback
Published: 25 May 2014
Buy: Amazon, B&N, Goodreads

Synopsis:

Love is ugly and secrets will destroy you.

KAT

I don’t beg. I don’t cry. And I don’t give second chances.

Ream, the lead guitarist of the rock band Tear Asunder, deserves a gold medal for best dick move ever when he ran the moment he discovered my secret after two days of hot sex. Then he brings some chick to my coming home party from the hospital—after being shot. I hate him.

Until …

Ream’s six foot two frame unfolds out of the car after being gone on tour for eight months. I stared. And in my defense, any girl would stare. It would almost be rude not to because Ream was the type of guy who stood out. Not because he was loud and obnoxious. No, it was because he was the complete opposite. Subtle and dangerously quiet. If he spoke, you’d better hope he liked you because otherwise you’d be falling at his feet begging for mercy. Except me … I don’t beg—ever. But when our eyes locked, it was Ream’s steady confidence that had my nerves shooting off like jet sprinklers.

Then…

Ream told me he didn’t need a second chance because he was still working on his first.

REAM

Sex is ugly. It’s using someone for your own narcissistic pleasure. I did it and I hated it—until her. She was unfuckinexpected. Then I had to wreck our beginning with my screwed up past. I don’t deserve her, but I’m selfish and I’m taking her anyway. This is who I am and it’s too late to change me.

My Rating:

When a book proclaims to be dark and filled with angst, I sometimes become a little skeptical. Maybe that's because every author out there seems to be using that label now. The good news is, Overwhelmed By You truly is a dark and angsty novel. It was quite an intense read and the first book I've read by Nashoda Rose. Although Overwhelmed by You, book 2 in the Tear Asunder series is technically a standalone, I found the beginning of the story very confusing. It felt like the author just throws you in and you are expected to understand who these characters are and their troubled history together. Obviously the story does smooth out and things start to make sense, but I found myself wishing that I had read Torn From You first for an easier transition.

After two days of explosive sex, Ream is ready to explore things further with Kat. Sex has always been meaningless and completely on his terms because of his horrific past. But Kat makes him feel things, allows her to do things in the bedroom that he would never allow with another woman. But that all comes to a crashing halt when he sees a needle come flying out of Kat's bag and instantly flies into a rage thinking she is an addict. And Ream doesn't do addicts. Kat is hurt and pissed off that Ream won't give her the chance to explain, that not all is what it seems. Once he does find out what the needles are for, Kat is beyond forgiveness and Ream has no choice but to put their tumultuous relationship on hold as he goes on tour with his band Tear Asunder.  Eight months later, he returns and while Kat has spent the time apart building up her defenses and preparing for verbal sparring, Ream completely does the unexpected. He confesses that there is definitely something between them and he refuses to ignore their magnetic pull. Kat is in for a rude awakening because once Ream puts his mind to something, there is no going back..

Without giving away a major spoiler, one of the things I really liked is how the author didn't shy away from giving one of her main characters-- in this case Kat-- a serious illness/disease. Many authors will try to build suspense by giving a character an illness or ailment but when it is finally revealed, you're left feeling disappointed. Oh, the character has an ingrown toe nail? That's it? Haha, okay maybe it is not that lame, but you get my point. In Overwhelmed By You, Kat's illness is serious and because of this element, it makes her more realistic and human, more relatable as a character.

Since I am on the topic of Kat, I really love her strength-- and her connection with horses. She's stubborn but not naive-- she actually reminds me a little of myself. I may not have a disease but I've had many medical conditions, surgeries at a young age. Kat never cries, she can't afford to break down and she is always used to being the strong one. That's exactly how I used to be. I never wanted anyone to treat me differently, just like Kat. Another interesting aspect about her character is when her face gets cut and plastic surgery never crosses her mind. After being attacked, she is rushed to the hospital and has several ugly cuts on her face. I thought to myself, well she can always go get plastic surgery. Why is she stressing over it? But strangely enough, it never pops up in the story. Kat carries the scars proudly, a survivor, to match the ones on Ream's back. I thought that sent a very powerful message.

Ream--where do I start? I'm not going to lie. At first I did think he was a d*ckhead, but as the story unfolded and the puzzle pieces started clicking into place, I realized Ream has many, many layers, that the wall he has built around himself as a form of protection is damn near impenetrable. This man has major baggage, skeletons in his closet that even I was scared to know about. Recently, I read a book with a similar hero (Rex from Fighting to Forget by JB Salsbury) and prayed Nashoda was going to be able to give a different twist to this type of character-- apparently I had nothing to worry about. Ream was quite swoon worthy even though you wanted to throat punch him a few times because of his attitude. When you find out that he spent every moment he could while he was on tour to learn about Kat's illness, visiting doctors from city to city-- that his disappearance acts after shows was not him running off to sleep with random girls--totally made my heart melt. Ream is very dominant and possessive, but it totally makes sense once you learn why. I also enjoyed how he tried to break down Kat's walls. He knows she is strong and independent, but he also knows what kind of burden it can be to try to carry it all on your own. He wants to prove to her that she isn't alone, that if she wants to cry, yell, scream, even feel sorry for herself, that it is okay and natural. However, I understood Kat's frustration-- how is it fair that Ream expects her to open up when he won't?

If you haven't guessed it already, the chemistry between Ream and Kat  is explosive. Literally. They are both stubborn people. Kat isn't afraid or intimidated by Ream's dominant behavior and I love when she puts him in his place. There is no denial between them-- they have no doubt that they will argue and disagree frequently, but look forward to making up. They are a completely believable, realistic couple because they knew they have issues and that they are going to have to work on their relationship. Oh, and did I forget to mention the sex between them is out of this world hot?

I think what makes Overwhelmed By You stand out even more is Nashoda Rose's ability to create interesting secondary characters. They play a HUGE role in this book, which tells me they will do so in the next. Ream's bandmates are more like a family to him. Logan is almost like the patriarch--dominant, alpha, what he says is law--getting glimpses of Logan throughout Overwhelmed By You defnitely made me want to stop so I could go read Torn From You which is his and Emily's story. Then there is Ream's best friend Crisis who is the comedian/manwhore of the bunch. But I absolutely love him because of his loyalty. Okay, and because he is funny as hell! Kite is quite interesting as well, a little mysterious--I definitely can't wait to see who he gets paired up with. Then you have Deck. Oh my. My absolute favorite hands down. His book is next which I believe is a spinoff and let me tell you...Georgie is supposed to be his heroine. She is bubbly and sweet-- Deck is so serious, the ultimate alpha male. I can only imagine how hot their story is going to be. If you want a little taste of Deck, check out the excerpt I posted below.

Here is what I had problems with. Other than mentioning that Ream is over 6 feet tall, has some tattoos, and pink hair, there is no real description of what he actually looks like. Does he have long pink hair, short pink hair? What kind of tattoos? Authors need to remember that the characters are in their head. Their job is to create a vision for us.

I have a couple of pet peeves, one is consistency. Kat gets beat up really badly, kicked in the ribs, choked, face cut up. She is in the hospital, in and out of consciousness for a couple of days. Ream gets this idea to take her away so they have time to deal with their problems. But what drives me crazy is she was beat up so badly, yet there is no mention of her bruises or soreness (other then her face). It's one thing if they waited a couple of weeks to go on this little trip, but they go straight from the hospital. I guess what I am trying to say is, authors need to be more aware of timing and do the proper medical research. The scene where Kat is attacked was brutal to read, so for me, it made no sense that she was able to walk around, go swimming, etc. if she was hurt that bad.

Another pet peeve of mine is when an author makes a character vomit and they forget to have them brush their teeth. Then the next thing you know they are kissing another character and it kills me, because all I keep thinking about is ewww, she just threw up!!! Don't kiss her! I know this may be a strange thing to complain about but I have read so many romances where the heroine vomits and then her and the hero are making out. Most authors will remember, but unfortunately, there is a scene where Kat has emptied her stomach a few times, her and Ream are in the bathroom, and he kisses her...*shudders* I'll leave it at that.

The story starts out in Ream's POV. Then it switches to Kat's perspective and that is where it stays. I found this a little disappointing. Yes, at the beginning of each chapter are little snippets of Ream's dreams or past, but it's not the same. I think the story could have been more effective if we were able to see more through his eyes.

Overwhelmed By You was quite a roller coaster ride. I won't say that it was completely original, BUT there is a quality to Nashoda Rose's writing that is unique and refreshing. She writes interesting characters and she isn't afraid to push them to the brink of darkness. While there were a few things that were predictable, she also threw in a few shocker moments. I definitely will be going back to read Torn From You, book 1 and I absolutely cannot wait to read Deck and Georgie's story in Perfect Chaos.

best wishes,mia

Excerpt

"You love him?"

Now that was a surprising question coming from Deck. I did't think he would even know about the emotion love. "He cheated on me."

"Harsh for a girl who cheated her best friend the truth for seven years."

"What?" Clifford started shifting his feet and pulling on the crossties. "What the hell, Deck. This isn't my problem. I didn't promise to love someone, care for them, protect them, and then shit all over them. That wasn't me. He did this. Don't you dare turn this around on me." Screw his scariness and the way his jaw clenched. Screw all of this. I went to walk past him but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back around.

"I didn't tell you that fuckin' story for the hell of it. No one knows that fuckin' story. No one except you now. He didn't cheat on you." I jerked, but it only pissed him off more and tightened his grip as he repeated, "He didn't cheat on you."

"I saw--"

"I don't give a fuck what you saw. Ream would never cheat on you. It's not in his makeup."

"Well, maybe, Deck...you think a little too highly of yourself to really know what the truth is this time."

"Probably do, but even if we bet on that point one percent chance I'm wrong, you owe it to him. You know why? Because he gave you more than he has anyone, and after his fucked up past, that was damn hard for him to do. Now you're going to save him because I have no doubt he needs saving right now. He should've crumbled down a real bad path a long time ago, but he didn't. For some reason he came back from that shit and found you. I'm not wrong, he'd never ruin that."

"You don't know that."

"Damn right I do." His harsh voice hit me--hard. "Let's go."

"Now?"

"I have men in the fuckin' desert waiting on me to get back so we can go in and kill some motherfucker who tortures innocent women and children. So yeah. Now. Car in five minutes."

He strode out of the barn.

Shit...

about the author

 

Nashoda Rose lives in Toronto with her assortment of pets. She writes contemporary romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it’s a tidal wave. Her novella "With You" is the first in the Tear Asunder series, followed by the novel "Torn from You" and "Overwhelmed by You". When she isn’t writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dog at her side while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers on Facebook and chatting about her addiction—books.

Connect With Nashoda

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

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BOOK REVIEW: Phenomenal X (Hard Knocks, #1) by: Michelle A. Valentine

Title: Phenomenal X (Hard Knocks, #1)
Author: Michelle A. Valentine
ASIN: B00JS9YJPQ
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: NA, Contemporary Romance
Theme(s): Professional Wrestler
Length: 335 pgs
Binding: E-book, Paperback
Published: 22nd April 2014
Buy: Amazon, B&N

Synopsis:

Good Girl. Notorious Bad-Boy. One Phenomenal Love.

From the mean streets of Detroit rises the newest superstar of professional wrestling, Xavier Cold, better known as Phenomenal X. His muscular physique makes men cower before him and women lose their minds with desire.

Anna Cortez is fresh out of college and naive to the harsh realities of the real world. Tired of living under the thumb of her conservative family, she defies them when she accepts a job as the assistant to wrestling’s most notorious bad-boy. Phenomenal X has an animalistic nature that even good girl Anna finds hard to resist.

One night forced to share a bed in a sold-out hotel, lines blur between them and they quickly learn that one lustful night changes everything and neither one of them will ever be the same.

My Rating:

Phenomenal X...where do I even start? I should start with the fact that as soon as I saw the cover, it was added to my goodreads TBR pile without even knowing what it was about. I knew I just HAD to read it. When I finally did check out the blurb, I wanted to drop everything I was doing and start it immediately. Phenomenal X by Michelle A. Valentine was surprisingly original in the sense that instead of another story about an MMA fighter, we finally have the first book (that I know of) that gives us an inside look at the world of Professional Wrestling. Being a huge wrestling fan when I was a kid, I couldn't contain my squeal at this unique spin on an otherwise overtaxed plot device. Sting, Ultimate Warrior, "Macho Man" Randy Savage-- these were the big, muscle bound, testosterone driven men I used to watch pound each other in the ring every week. Now I get to add Xavier to my list of favorite wrestlers =D.

The story definitely starts out strong. Anna, our heroine, is on a plane, leaving behind her old life in Portland to make a new one in Detroit. As she sits and frets about her angry father who definitely does not approve of her moving away, she becomes aware of a tall, broad shouldered, tattooed man moving through the plane to first class. They lock eyes and Anna knows he has "bad boy" written all over him, the kind of man mothers tell their daughters to stay away from. Startled at her own visceral reaction at the site of this stranger, she tries to focus on what awaits her in Detroit. But she can't help her curiosity when the kids in the seats in front of her start waving their hands, trying to get the man's attention, calling out, "X! X! Back here! Can we get your autograph?" Then the whole plane is abuzz, excitement in the air that "Phenomenal X" is actually on the plane. If only Anna knew who the hell this "Phenomenal X" guy actually was. In an interesting turn of events (don't want to give the whole beginning away), she suddenly finds herself sitting beside him in first class. And that's when sparks start to really fly! I really did enjoy how Anna and Xavier aka "Phenomenal X" first meet. The author did a decent job giving us a different way for the main characters to meet without dragging it out. Within two pages, I was hooked.

Anna starts off as a strong heroine, very likeable in the beginning. I can only imagine how stifling it must be to be raised by a controlling parent/parents, to have every single moment of your life micromanaged, every single dream not your own, but someone else's. That being said, sometimes change is scary, especially when you are used to having someone else make all your decisions for you, so I commend Anna for telling her father enough is enough and getting on that plane. Once she arrives in Michigan, it is almost like a culture shock for her. Between trying to fight her attraction to Xavier, keep up with her vivacious cousin Quinn, hold her own at a new job that she knows nothing about, and ignore her father's constant hounding states away, Anna has quite a lot on her plate.

Xavier definitely had that mysterious bad boy persona going on and he is 110% Alpha =D. Valentine has a gift for writing strong, sexy, dominant men with an edge. I could tell by some of the teaser quotes before reading the book that X was going to be on my list of favorite alpha male characters. He might not be at the tippy top of my list, but he at least made it. Xavier also suffers from the tortured hero syndrome that many authors use, but again, I give Valentine credit for trying to give us a different take on the wounded hero. I felt quite a few pulls on my heart strings as Xavier's painful past is slowly revealed. No child should ever have to go through what he did and understanding his past makes sense as to why he is constantly telling Anna he is no good for her. But it doesn't mean he heeds his own words. He can't stay away from her, she's like an addiction, one of the only people that isn't trying to use him because of his celebrity status. One of my favorite scenes is when Xavier stops a guy from potentially date raping Anna. Oh man, X is even more incredibly sexy when he is pissed off and all of his protective instincts are on full alert. (I included this scene as an excerpt below).

Together, Xavier and Anna were a hot couple and the chemistry was scorching. There was a nice build up in sexual tension and I like how Xavier went from trying to get Anna in his bed, to him respecting her enough to want to try being friends. They come up with these ridiculous, yet cute "rules" to keep things completely platonic. This was a great way for the author to create sexual tension and give the characters time to get to know each other without them automatically jumping in bed together (or at least the illusion of time since the time frame of the story spans only a few weeks if that). Xavier does have quite a few sexy lines in the book, like here:

“I don’t typically beg, beautiful, but if begging gets me access between those creamy thighs, I will. Just give in to your desires.”

I also like Anna's spunky attitude towards Xavier when he makes her angry. He gives her permission to use his real name, Xavier, and hates it when she refers to him as "X" like everyone else does. It's her way of putting him in his place which was cute. On a more serious note,  I like how she tries to be there for him during his horrible nightmares--he doesn't like her seeing him in such a vulnerable state, but she handles him with care.

The secondary characters were also a treat in this book. Once Anna lands in Detroit, she moves in with her eccentric Aunt Dee and her beautiful cousin Quinn who she views as more like a sister. Quinn helps her get a job as a waitress at the bar she works at. I really liked Quinn. Usually, authors make the naive heroine have a promiscuous, slutty sidekick which is so irritating. But Quinn is not like that. Yes, she is more outgoing and wants to help Anna loosen up and date, but she is far from a slut. I also adored Nettie and Carl, a black couple that owns a diner where Xavier frequents when he is in town. They play a very important role in X's life, especially for becoming the successful, humble man he is now. I'll leave it at that so I don't get tempted to give away any spoilers.

Valentine also switched up the use of POV in the story. It starts out with Anna's name at the top of each chapter, which prompted me to believe that the perspective was going to switch back and forth between her and Xavier. It's not until chapter 10 that we get to see things through X's eyes. I'm still unsure how I feel about that. I didn't completely hate it and it kept me on my toes because I never knew when his perspective would pop back up again. But I guess you could say that I wished to see more of the story through his POV.

There were a few things that kept Phenomenal X from getting a 5 star rating. The first thing that bothered me was when Anna loses her job at the bar. She convinces her boss to fire her instead of her cousin when Quinn is accused of stealing (I'm being vague on purpose). When Anna goes home, nothing is mentioned by Quinn about the drama at work. Wouldn't you apologize or thank the person who saved your job?

While Anna started out as a strong heroine, she began getting on my nerves towards the end of the book. I felt that she was way too pushy about X revealing his past. If someone spends their whole life never telling a soul about their past, it's going to take time for that person to open up. He kept telling her to back off, but she wouldn't listen and kept pushing. There were also a few awkward scenes in the bedroom, revolving around "protection". I don't want to spoil anything but yeah...you'll understand what I mean. Anna also becomes a little clingy and makes a few unwise decisions near the end of the story that causes a whole bunch of drama and puts X's career in jeopardy. What the hell happened to the independent girl from the beginning of the novel?

While I absolutely loved that X was a wrestler, sadly, that was the only original aspect of the book. The story felt contrived in many places and the plot was very predictable. Don't get me wrong, I am okay with authors using the same formula, but if that is the road you're going to travel, then you need to find ways to make it feel fresh. Valentine can definitely write a good story, she knows how to write a sexy as hell alpha male, but it's the plot devices that felt a bit forced or way too obvious. They should be seamlessly written in. It's almost like I could hear the author saying, "oh, I am going to throw that in there so this will happen."

Phenomenal X was a solid, addictive read, a great start in the Hard Knocks series. I might as well warn everyone that the story does end on a major cliffhanger. I have high hopes that book 2 will smooth out some of the kinks.

best wishes,mia

Excerpt

He grabs the drink from my hand and slams the plastic cup down on the floor, splattering its pink liquid all over a group of guys standing a little too close watching the action unfold. With a sharp tug he pulls me behind him, effectively putting a wall of muscle between Jared and me.

Xavier stars down at Jared, his fingers flexing into fists at his sides. It's like he's ready to rip into my would-be dance partner. "You think I didn't see what you put in her drink back there, motherfucker? There's no way in hell I'm going to allow a little pecker-stain like you to attempt to drug this girl and get away with it."

All the blood drains from Jared's face, leaving his skin pale,and his mouth hanging open in shock. But more frighteningly, he doesn't deny the accusations. Xavier shakes his head in disgust. "You just gave me the green light to end your fucking world."

Jared raises his hands in surrender and takes a step back. "Hey, man. I don't know what you think you saw, but I don't want any trouble."

Xavier rolls his shoulders. "You should've thought about that a few minutes ago because trouble is my middle name, and my foot has been twitching all night to kick your fucking ass."

"I'm sorry, okay." Jared's voice shakes as his eyes flit to Brad, who seems content on staying the hell away. "We'll just go."

Xavier shakes his head and laughs darkly. "Go? You think I'll let you just leave after that shit? You must be out of your fucking mind."

Jared turns to leave but Xavier grabs him by the bicep, turning him back around before drawing back his fist to crush every bone in Jared's skull. The instant I realize what's going on I gasp.

I can't let this happen. He can't get into trouble over me.

I wrap both my hands around his elbow, clinging on for dear life as I scream, "No!"

Xavier jerks his gaze to me, his thick eyebrows knitted in confusion. "You don't want me to pound this punk?"

I shake my head vigorously. "I don't want you to get into any trouble. He's not worth it."

"He's not, but you are."

The intense connection that always pulls me to him assaults me full force and I can tell he feels it too.

I stare into his eyes as I cling to him, my fingers woven together so tightly that they're numb, while he waits for me to give the word to destroy Jared. I have to remain calm and try to defuse the situation before things get ugly and Xavier gets arrested for murdering a man while defending me.

"Let him go and we'll leave."

His hard eyes soften a bit. "Together?"

I nod. "Anywhere you want to go."

A wicked smile cracks his face, and a weird tingle erupts in my belly. Maybe I shouldn't have promised that--who knows what's on that naughty mind of his. But if that means walking out of here without Xavier in handcuffs, I'm game.

About the Author

Michelle A. Valentine is a Central Ohio nurse turned New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of erotic and New Adult romance. Her love of hard-rock music, tattoos, and sexy musicians inspired her erotic BLACK FALCON series.

Connect with Michelle

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Instagram

Giveaway

Enter for a chance to win 1 of 2 e-copies of Phenomenal X by: Michelle A. Valentine. Worldwide giveaway! Anyone can enter. Ends 6/14. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Book Review, Author Q&A & Giveaway: The Devil's Flower by: Lisa Collicutt

Title: The Devil's Flower (Eternal Beings, #1)
Author: Lisa Collicutt
ISBN: 1620073838
Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance, NA Romance
Theme(s): Angels, Demons, Motorcycle Clubs
Length: 278 pgs
Binding: Paperback
Published: 19 November 2013; Curiosity Quills Press
Buy: Amazon.com, BN.com

Synopsis:

In a town called Nowhere, Colorado angels and demons battle for salvation. Who will win? And what will be the cost?

Killing isn’t exactly on Rosalie Lockwood’s list of things to do when she runs away from home. But despite her search for peace, guns and motorcycles become her latest fashion accessories as Divine interference leads her to Steele, co-leader of the Fallen Paladins motorcycle club.

Leathered and tattooed, Steele’s presence scares off most people he comes in contact with — but not Rosalie. She’s immediately drawn into the dangers of his biker world—and into his heart.

But Steele guards a secret that if Rosalie knew, could shatter their new love — along with destroy the human race. And the truth comes at a price.

Will Rosalie risks her soul to prove her loyalty to Steele?

The Dark and Light Realms collide as Rosalie chooses between life, death, and the ever-after to become that which she is fated to destroy.

My Rating:

My Review: We've read about angels. We've read about demons. We've read about angels vs. demons. But how about angels vs. demons and Motorcycle Clubs? The Devil's Flower by Lisa Collicutt is what I like to think of as a wildcard. The cover art is eye catching and sexy. The synopsis gives you the illusion that you are treading into familiar territory but you can't deny there is a sense of mysteriousness. You decide to give it a whirl out of sheer curiosity, albeit very skeptical and find yourself in a bit of shock by the time you come to the last page. These type of novels, these "wildcards", tend to be my favorite kind.  On a side note and I'm not sure why, but The Devil's Flower reminds me of the cult classic movie The Lost Boys. Even though this book has nothing to do with vampires, I think it shares the concept of innocence and perception. Both have a young, naïve person in a unfamiliar town that is drawn to a group of strangers. Instincts scream for them to stay away, but there is one in the group that they can't seem to stay away from and will eventually risk their very own life for. Definitely an interesting connection between the two.

Here is what I liked. The Devil's Flower is a refreshingly original novel. I know that may be hard to believe, considering there are very familiar elements on the surface. But what makes this story unique is how the author blends all of these pieces together. In the beginning, the story reads like a contemporary romance. Then somewhere around the 100 page mark, the paranormal element is introduced. This is an absolutely brilliant technique and here's why. Before even adding in the paranormal component, readers that are fans of contemporary romance, New Adult, MC (motorcycle club), even Young Adult, will find The Devil's Flower appealing. Not a fan of paranormal romance or new to the genre? This is the perfect novel to start and try because the transition from contemporary to paranormal is smooth and natural as strange as that may sound. The only complaints I've read are from hardcore paranormal readers that felt there wasn't enough of that particular element in the story. But I am confident this novel will appeal to paranormal enthusiasts who grow weary of reading the same type of story over and over again and are looking for something fresh and different.

The story itself was well written; great description, distinct character voices (and names), and had no issues with the pacing-- all topics that sometimes writers struggle with when writing the first novel in a series. I liked the third person narration and the switch in perspectives. The formatting and paragraph breaks signaled that a change in POV was coming, therefore eliminating any kind of confusion which sometimes happens.  Speaking of the format, the layout, font, and overall style of the book (including the chapter titles) created a very aesthetically pleasing reading experience.

I really enjoyed the romance between Rosalie and Steele. There definitely was an instant attraction, but a good portion of the novel was about Steele trying extremely hard to fight it. Part of it was to protect Rosalie from himself and the unsavory kind he surrounds himself with. He also feels that he is undeserving of her love and acceptance. The other part of his struggle to hide his growing feelings for her is to show no signs of weakness since he is the leader of the Fallen Paladins MC. There is also another reason he tries to hide his feelings, but I want to leave some mystery! There is some good sexual tension building between Steele and Rosalie, although the sex scenes themselves are more alluded to then explicitly shown which surprisingly works in this novel.

I found the angel/demon mythology in The Devil's Flower interesting and original. For example, in order for a half demon to become immortal, it would need 3 things: a) tear of an angel, b) blood of an angel, and c) death of an angel. Also, angels have souls but demons and half demons do not. If a half demon should mate with an angel, the angel would lose its soul to the demon. The use of the drug heroin plays a very creepy, yet important part in the story as well. These mythological elements add up to create some very tense, suspenseful moments in the novel.

Overall, Lisa Collicutt has spawned some very interesting characters, but I will admit, there were 2 that I struggled (won't reveal their names to avoid spoilers) with until I had a light bulb moment. These characters took Rosalie under their wing, taught her some survival tactics and how to fit within the MC. But then, out of nowhere, Steele starts thinking to himself that he has to protect Rose from them. At first I just didn't get the sudden wariness from Steele towards these particular characters when they did nothing to warrant his suspicious behavior. But then it dawned on me. The devil comes in many disguises and is a master of manipulation, seduction, and lies. It's this attention to detail that elicited my admiration for the author to grow even more.

I only had a few issues with The Devil's Flower, most of which were a bunch of small things that added up to annoyances rather than huge problems, so I will be going through them rather quickly.

First, I found Rose's statement here a bit startling: "...the fact that she was actually in a relationship with this person, a near stranger, hit her." She is obviously talking about her and Steele, but what bothered me is the fact that they have never talked about being together or being in a relationship. It's like the statement came out of nowhere. No declarations of love, other then Steele saying she can trust him and he wouldn't let anything happen to her as long as she is with him. And once you read that part, you will see why he says that. I'm also curious as to why Steele is so adamant about calling Rosalie "Rose" since the very beginning of the story. I get why Lithium calls her "Rosebud", but Steele is quick to correct people that she is to be called Rose instead of Rosalie, at least in the beginning. It's never revealed why and I am probably just looking too deeply into it, but it definitely left me pondering.

Second, I felt that Rosalie's stay with her grandmother was rushed and glossed over when in fact we learn the time she spends there plays a pivotal part in the story. This is where she discovers who and what she really is, what she is capable of and what is expected of her. When she meets back up with Steele, she is a wiser, stronger version of herself that apparently can now kick some ass. But we never get to see her training. We just hear about it in a sentence here and there when she is filling Steele in on her time away. I also didn't understand why she started college while at her grandmother's.  I'm not sure if she was biding her time, waiting for divine intervention, but the college thing bothered me since she ended up leaving to go back to Nowhere, Colorado. It just felt like an unnecessary detail.

Lastly, while I enjoyed the assortment of characters as I stated above, I did find Rosalie to be quite infuriating at times. I get that she is innocent and naïve (for more reasons that one) but I can only take the damsel in distress syndrome so much. Don't get me wrong, I love a strong alpha hero that comes to his woman's rescue-- it's sexy and it shows that Steele loves her and feels fiercely protective of her. But Rosalie puts herself in some really stupid and dangerous situations, especially with the drinking. Even when she knows the drinking got her into trouble before and she swears she will never drink again-- she still drinks AGAIN. Yeah, that's when my eyes start to roll and irritation sets in.

The Devil's Flower is a unique blend of contemporary and paranormal romance that doesn't fit into one specific genre. For this reason, it broadens its allure and I can see just about anyone picking this novel up and finding it an enjoyable read. This may also appeal to the YA crowd, since the female main character is 18. However, I would caution and recommend The Devil's Flower to  mature YA readers (16+) since there are some disturbing scenes including, drinking, drugs, and sexual situations (although not terribly explicit). Lisa Collicutt has given us a gem and I absolutely cannot wait to see the continuation of this story in book 2, The Demon's Wrath.

best wishes,mia

AUTHOR Q&A With Lisa Collicutt

1. Angels. Demons. Motorcycle Clubs? What inspired you to merge these very different elements together to create The Devil's Flower?

This is a great question I love to answer. Up until I wrote The Devil's Flower, all my books were about witches (my favorite supernatural beings). Then one day I had a vision of demons wearing leather riding motorcycles in the sky. Okay, so I didn’t put my leather-wearing, motorcycle-riding demons in the sky; I kept them on the roads where they belong. But the vision gave me the idea of writing a story about angels and demons. And at the same time, my husband suggested I write about an all female motorcycle club, because he thought it had probably not been done. So, I put his motorcycle idea together with my angel/demon one, and came up with The Devil's Flower.

2. One of the things I enjoyed the most about The Devil's Flower is the angel/demon mythology. I'm also fascinated with the MC culture which plays a pivotal part in your novel. What kind of research (if at all) did you do in order to write this story?

As with all things I write, I did loads of Google research. In fact, I swear I spent more time researching than actually writing. Having been around bikes since I was a teen, (my husband rides, I sit on back and think up story scenes) I had the biker thing down, but picked his brain on throttles, and clutches. Not belonging to an MC, made for a lot of patch research. And thanks to—I won't mention the name of the MC who displayed the different patches and rankings on their website—I became well informed. Because I've never been to Colorado or Texas, I did loads of research on them, but I chose to set the story in the fictional town of Nowhere. That way I could do what I want with the town and not offend anyone. But I still had to pinpoint Nowhere on the map and know roughly how many miles from there to Amaretto, Denver, and certain other places, even if they never show up in the story. Angels and demons are the paranormal aspect of the story, so you would think I could do what ever I want with them, and I can, but I still have to make them seem "real"; so a lot of research went into them as well. I wanted angel and demon names that were unique, and certain ethereal markings that made sense. And now I have to share; the weirdest thing I researched for this story—probably any story to date—was how to use heroin. I literally spent an entire weekend watching You Tube videos and reading case studies, along with forum posts of actual users. I can't say it was fun, in fact, some of it was downright disturbing, and all for a few lines in a book, but it shed some light on the subject, of which I otherwise knew nothing about.

3. The Devil's Flower is the first in a planned series and I am very excited and anxious to see how this new angel/demon/MC world and characters develop. Have you started writing book 2? Is there anything you can tell us about it? Tease us with?

I'm about a third into book two (The Demon's Wrath), and hoping for an autumn release, but have temporarily put it aside to finish the last book in The Serendipitous Curse series. Budding relationship over and fully into the MC life for Rose—book two gets darker in all aspects. You'll find more graphic intimate scenes, as well as more violence, all in keeping with the paranormal theme, which doesn't overwhelm the story. There are new and interesting characters as well.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lisa likes to write dark and twisted tales of magic and romance. She has a passion for Young Adult and New Adult Paranormal. When she's not conjuring tales about witches, demons, and other magical beings, she can be found leathered, and bound to the back of her husband's Harley, touring her homeland of Nova Scotia, Canada.

Enter Lisa's imagination where light ends and fantasy begins. But heed these warnings . . . it's dark, it's magical, you may experience tingles.

Connect With Lisa

Blog | Wordpress | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

GIVEAWAY

US & Canada: Enter for a chance to win 1 paperback copy of The Devil's Flower by Lisa Collicutt + Swag Package shown above! Ends 3/22

Worldwide/International: Enter for a chance to win 1 E-book copy of The Devil's Flower by Lisa Collicutt! Ends 3/22

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Book Review: The Ballad of Mila by: Matteo Strukul

Title: The Ballad of Mila (Mila Zago, #1)
Author: Matteo Strukul
ISBN: 1909223735
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Pulp Crime Fiction
Theme(s): Revenge, Strong Heroine
Length: 320 pgs
Binding: Paperback
Published: 25 February 2014; Exhibit A
Buy: Amazon.com, BN.com

Synopsis:

Hell hath no fury - Two perfectly matched gangs are fighting for control of the North-East Italian region of Venetia. But a formidable young woman with vengeance on her mind has plans to upset the balance. Abandoned by her mother and violated by a gang of criminals just after they slaughtered her father, Mila Zago is a cold-blooded killer, a deadly assassin. Brought up by her grandfather on the Sette Comuni plateau under a rigid martial code, she returns home to seek her revenge, conspiring to create a spectacular showdown reminiscent A Fistful of Dollars. The Ballad of Mila is the first novel in an on-going series focused on the formidable female Italian Bounty Hunter Mila Zago, a.k.a. Red Dread.

As well as being shortlisted for the Premio Scerbanenco / La Stampa, it won the Premio Speciale Valpolicella 2011, and in its graphic novel format was awarded the the Premio Leone di Narnia as "Best Italian comic book series of the year". Meet Mila - you'd better pray the cops find you first.

My Rating:

My Review: Kill Bill. The Fifth Element. Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. La Femme Nikita. What do these films/books have in common? Strong, memorable female characters that kick major ass. And I am absolutely thrilled to add The Ballad of Mila by Italian author Matteo Strukul to the list.

Here is what I liked. No matter what the language, Matteo Strukul obviously has mastered the ability to describe scenes in vivid detail. Whether he's illustrating a fight, a person, or trying to inspire a particular emotion, his use of personification and similes will have you pausing to admire such expressive rhetoric. Here are a few examples I found myself highlighting as I read:

"The short blade flew through the air like a hungry tongue, swinging fast in a macabre, shining dance."

"That day, I cried all my tears. All those I had been granted, a lifetime's worth."

"The shiny blue Ford Focus was speeding angrily through roads built over the ancient Roman borders as if it had a grudge against the asphalt."

"She kept moving on her feet, elegant and lethal. She swayed like a reed under the moonlit cloak of a night sky patterned with pale stars."

I also thoroughly enjoyed Mila's journal entries. Once I started the book and realized that the story was not entirely in her POV, I wondered how the author was going to give us Mila's backstory. That is the beauty of her journal entries. Strukul strategically works them in, so that as the story progresses, the puzzle pieces of Mila's life start to click into place. The entries also helps the reader to understand why she sets certain events in motion.

I couldn't help but be fascinated by the whole historical/political backgrounds of the Chinese/Italian criminal empires. The story takes place in Italy and there is no one more corrupt then Rossano Pagnan. But his days as the most notorious mob boss in Italian history are numbered because Guo Xiaoping, leader of a gang of Chinese assassins have been spreading across the Veneto region. And Guo wants nothing more than to knock Pagnan off his bloody throne. I will be the first person to admit I had no idea that the Chinese had immigrated to Italy and that there was this whole underground war between the two cultures. It's great when a novel entertains you, but it's even more awesome when you learn something, especially when it is unexpected.

I was also impressed with Matteo Strukul's knowledge of weapons, specifically firearms. Heckler & Koch USP Tactical, Knight's Armament Company Silencer, Colt .45, P38 Special, Semiautomatic Glock 17 loaded with 9mm Parabellum bullets, Armalite AR 15 assault rifle-- yeah, just to list a few. And I must say, there is something kind of sexy about Mila knowing and handling some of these deadly weapons.

More than anything else in the story, I absolutely loved our heroine. I know I already said it, but I'll say it again, Mila Zago is totally badass. Some may think that her lack of emotion throughout the story is unrealistic, but just be patient. It's towards the end of the novel that you begin to see some of her vulnerability shine through.

I want to talk about her physical appearance which plays an important part in the book. This is how
she is described:

"A bombshell: medium height, red dreadlocked hair, green eyes; sheathed in leather trousers and a tight jacket perfectly highlighting her curves. Breathtakingly hot."

She also frequently wears yellow tinted shades or "specs" which are significant and explained later in the novel. Known as The Red Fury and Red Dread, Mila's physical appearance is so important because it not only serves as a distraction in the very male dominated world she involves herself in, but men take beautiful women for granted all the time, as if a female's beauty can be her only attribute. This makes Mila a lethal enemy...and perhaps later a powerful asset.

Aside from her striking looks, Mila has spent years training, mastering, molding herself into a deadly assassin with one goal in mind-- avenge the death of her father and make those who brutally raped her pay. And God help those who get in her way:

"The Red Fury jumped in the air and kicked him smack in the groin. Ottorino fell to his knees then crumpled to the floor like a puppet broken by a moody child. She didn't waste any time. Took the Heckler & Koch, grabbed him by the hair and dragged him outside like a pig's carcass."

Reading Mila's story reminded me so much of some of my other favorite strong female characters, The Bride in Kill Bill, Leeloo (who also has the reddish/orange dreads) from The Fifth Element, Nikita from La Femme Nikita, and perhaps most of all, Lisbeth Salander from Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Yet while I see bits and pieces of these other women in Mila, Matteo Strukul was still able to create a female character that has unique qualities of her own.

So here is what I had some issues with. There were way too many random, abrupt shifts in character POV. I can handle reading the perspective of Mila and the two main villains, Pagnan and Guo. But for some ungodly reason, the author gave almost every single character in the book their own POV moment. One minute you're seeing things through Mila's perspective, then for 2 or 3 sentences you are her victim, then it shifts to another person in the room, then back to Mila-- and so on and so forth without any kind of warning or paragraph/chapter break. It definitely affected the flow of the story.

While I really enjoyed Guo Xiaoping as one of the villains, I had a hard time taking Pagnan seriously. He is supposed to be this scary Italian crime boss but some of the things he says throughout the story sound completely juvenile such as here:

"Mule, we're in deep doodoo, you should already be at the hospital and instead you start a game of twenty questions?"

Deep doodoo??? Really? From my understanding, The Ballad of Mila was originally a graphic novel, written in Italian. The author decided to expand it into a novel and the finished product was translated into English. While some lines work well in a graphic novel, especially with illustrations to go along with them, others may not translate well and I think that is what the problem is here and in a few other places in the story.

My only other complaint is something that trouble's Mila later in the book that conflicts with her character. There is a scene where Mila has to watch Pagnan feed one of the Chinese gang members to his dogs. She goes as far as saying to herself that, "it was too much, even for her." This, in my opinion, totally contradicts her character. Mila is an assassin, a woman who has chopped off the hands of a man, cauterized the wounds, cut some heads off, put them in bags, and delivered them personally, etc. Yet she can't stomach watching a man being eaten by dogs? Yes, it's disturbing, but her reaction just felt out of character.

The Ballad of Mila is a smart, fast paced thrill ride that has all the elements of a cult classic. Mila is a fierce heroine that may remind you of other famous strong female characters but can stand on her own thanks to author Matteo Strukul molding her with care. My only heads up to potential readers is to remember that this novel was translated from Italian to English and contains some words/phrases that you may not have come across before. The Ballad of Mila is the first book in a potential series. I can't wait to read the next installment in the Mila Zago saga!

best wishes,mia

Book Review, Author Q&A & 2 GIVEAWAYS: Under My Skin (Skin Deep, #2) by: J.M. Stone

Title: Under My Skin (Skin Deep, #2)
Author: J.M. Stone
ISBN: 1492889571
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Theme(s): Erotic, threesome
Length: 210 pgs
Binding: Paperback; E-book
Published: 18th December 2013
Buy: Amazon.com, BN.com

Synopsis:

One little piercing. That’s all Allie wanted when she dragged her best friend into Skin Deep. She never imagined that it would result in a busted lip and an engagement ring for Emma, or that it would come with a double side of six-foot plus, tattooed, sexy-as-sin, H.O.T. maleness for her! Now she’s torn because Brandon and Jackson have both let it be known that they want her. And both are used to getting what they want. But what about what Allie wants?

Brandon is hot for Allie. So is Jackson. Neither of them are willing to step aside for the other and they’re tired of Allie running. So they hatch a plan…

Add in wedding bells, a dog named Doug, and you’ve got a recipe for a good time. Or a disaster.

My Rating:

Make sure to check out the quick author Q&A and 2 GIVEAWAYS below!

My Review:  If you are a fan of erotic romance with a mix of hilarious laugh out loud moments, then you are in for a treat. If you've never read an erotic romance with large amounts of humor, then this is the series to start with. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Under My Skin is the 2nd book in J.M. Stone's Skin Deep series. About halfway through this book, I was fist pumping in the air. Why, you ask? Well, let me go back. Quite a few months ago, I came across Skin Deep, which was Emma and Luke's story. While I enjoyed it very much, there were some problems with the writing, such as excessive bouts of detail. I of course spoke about this in my mini-review on goodreads (which you can view HERE) and soon noticed that other reviewers had complained about the same thing. So why was I fist pumping in the air halfway through Under My Skin? I guess what I was feeling was a sense of admiration. I was proud of J.M. Stone for taking some of the negative (or helpful, depending on how you look at it) criticism that she received from Skin Deep and using it to clean up the problems going into Under My Skin. Now, I don't want people thinking this changed Stone's style of writing. Thankfully she was able to keep it intact which I was praising the heavens for, because this woman creates some of the most hilarious (and hottest!) scenes I've ever read, which is saying something!

I also liked that Under My Skin picks up where Skin Deep ends. There's no monkey business, we just dive right into the story. Allie, who for the majority of Skin Deep, was dodging both Jackson and Brandon's advances, gets tricked by her best friend Emma in the beginning of Under My Skin. She finds herself alone with the two hotties, where they both finally admit how they feel about her, forcing Allie to confront her own feelings. With some persuasion, they convince her to give the unconventional relationship a shot.

Now I must say that while this book could technically be read as a stand-alone, Under My Skin would be better enjoyed if Skin Deep is read first. There is some backstory in book 1 that is quite beneficial going into book 2, such as how Brandon and Jackson start to show their interest in Allie and how she doesn't really know how to handle it. Are they just looking for a threesome, or do they want something more serious? If they do want something serious with her, what would other people think? Also, Stone truly has a gift when it comes to creating lively, memorable characters. In most sequels, you are lucky if you get a few scenes with previous characters popping in for a visit. However, in Under My Skin, almost all of the characters from book 1, especially Emma (Allie's best friend) and Luke (Brandon's brother and Jackson's best friend), make an appearance in book 2, and they all have their important roles to play, especially to keep the...