Light in the Shadows by A. Meredith Walters

(Find You in the Dark series, book 2)

How do you keep going when you feel like your life is over?

Maggie never thought she’d see Clay again. So, she attempts to put her life back together after her heart has been shattered to pieces. Moving on and moving forward, just as Clay wanted her to.

Clay never stopped thinking of Maggie. Even after ripping their lives apart and leaving her behind to get the help he so desperately needed. He is healing…slowly. But his heart still belongs to the girl who tried to save him.

When a sudden tragedy brings Maggie and Clay face to face again, nothing is the same. Yet some things never change. Can the darkness that threatened to consume them be transformed into something else and finally give them what they always wanted? And can two people who fought so hard to be together, finally find their happiness? Or will their demons and fear drive them apart for good?

The thing about love, is even when it destroys you, it has a way of mending what is broken. And in the shadows, you can still see the light.

*I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review*

Because even I knew the hold Clay had on my heart wasn’t rational and it wasn’t gentle. It was a vicious tug that threatened to rip the beating organ straight out of my chest. My soul belonged with him, was so entangled in him that I was no longer a single being. I was tired of trying to deny something that was as natural to me as breathing. I loved Clayton Reed and no amount of time or distance would ever take that away from me.

We all have those certain characters that you love, that take up residence in your heart, that you cry for and laugh with, that break your heart and then somehow put it back together; the characters that, even after you finish the book, don’t leave you. They’re real to you, which is why you feel their heartbreaks and their triumphs and their rock bottoms and their happily ever afters; that’s why I love reading. Because of amazing characters that stay with me for days, weeks, months, even years after a finish a novel…

I love reading because of characters like Clay and Maggie.

Light in the Shadows was an absolute perfect ending to the tumultuous love story of Clay and Maggie. To me, this novel is about redemption; it’s about discovering the strength to find your way out of the darkness and into the light. When I finished Find You in the Dark, my heart felt like it had been run over by a car then stuck in a blender on high – yeah, it was bad. I read the teaser for Light in the Shadows and thought, “How the fuck am I ever going to wait that long to find out what happens to Clay and Maggie?!” Well, somehow, someway, I made it – and let me tell you, it was soooo worth the wait.

I really don’t want to give away any spoilers, so I am not going to go into the plot. Just know this: the story line was superb, and I found myself completely absorbed within just the first two chapters. The dual POVs transitioned seamlessly, and allowed the reader to see just how much their love and connection affected both Clay and Maggie. One of my favorite scenes in the whole book is when they see each other for the first time after Clay is back in town; the sheer magnetic pull they have towards each other radiated off the page (well…technically screen) and in that moment, when everyone seemed to disappear around them, it was clear that neither of them were ready to let go yet. And I sure as hell didn't want them to let go.

Clay and Maggie are two of my favorite book characters and this series will forever hold a special place in my heart. It’s just an absolutely beautiful series, and the fact that Clay and Maggie’s story is over is horribly bittersweet for me. While Find You in the Dark took me into the depths of darkness and left me gutted, Light in the Shadows put me back together and provided an overlying sense of hope…of recovery…of being able to leave your demons in the dark and learn to live in the light.

“For those searching for the light… Never stop.”

 AND because I love them so much, here are my Clay and Maggie........

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On Every Street by Karina Halle

(The Artists Trilogy, book 0.5)

When young con artist Ellie Watt decides to call herself Eden White and go after the drug lord who ruined her as a child, she never expects to fall for one of his henchmen. But Javier Bernal is no ordinary man. Subtly dangerous and overwhelmingly seductive, Eden finds herself passionately in love with Javier, the very person she’s set-up to betray. With her body and heart in a heated battle against her deep need for revenge, no one will walk away from this con a winner.

This 50K word (100+ pages) novella takes place six years before Sins & Needles. It can be read before or after Sins & Needles and may also be read as a stand-alone.

Javier…YOU SON OF A BITCH! You make me fall for you when I didn’t even want to like you in the first place, and then even though I knew what was coming, you managed to rip my heart right out of my chest! There has never been a more perfect example of a love/hate relationship with a character – ever. I want to smack him across the face and rip all his clothes off at the same time. Karina, what have you done to me?!?

This novella is Javier and Ellie’s story, and it’s a fucking whirlwind. After reading Sins & Needles, I was torn on how I felt about a novella involving Javier. I had already made my mind about him and firmly planted myself on Team Camden. But there’s no way this novella would make me change my mind about him, right? I had to read it anyway. Then the unthinkable happened – I started seeing people’s posts about how dashing and charming and sexy Javier is, and now they don’t know who Ellie should end up with. Um…excuse the fuck out of me…but WHAT?! How could you possibly change your mind about this man??

And then I read On Every Street and I’m just as confused about my feelings as everyone else. Well, maybe not as torn, but there's some hesitation in my decision now. This novella allowed us to see the side of Javier that never surfaced in Sins & Needles, and really delve into their relationship. It wasn’t a huge train wreck or horribly one-sided like I thought it would be; it’s sweet and kind and loving…with a dash of crazy mother fucker. With having read Sins & Needles prior to On Every Street, I knew how their relationship would play out and just what actions would lead to their demise, but you know what? My heart hurt just as much this time as it did reading about it in Sins & Needles. Ellie is one of my favorite characters of all-time, and her meltdown in the truck was like taking a freaking hammer to my heart.

I didn’t want to like Javier or think that there might be some good underneath all that asshole, but I can’t help it. He got under my skin. I’m not to the point where I can say I don’t care who she ends up with, but Karina Halle definitely planted a little seed of doubt in my mind. Sure, Javier’s batshit crazy, but Camden isn’t perfectly sane either. On Every Street was an intense and suspenseful novella, and while I’m still Team Camden – the lure of Team Javier is giving me it’s come hither stare and the temptation has made its presence known. There is only one thing I know for sure at this point; I need Shooting Scars, like, yesterday! 

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Sins & Needles Blog Tour

*I was gifted an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

Synopsis & My Review:

Ellie Watt is used to starting over. The daughter of a grifting team, Ellie spent her childhood being used as a pawn in her parents’ latest scam. Now she’s much older, wiser and ready to give her con artist life a rest. But returning to the dry desert town of Palm Valley, California means one more temptation than she bargained for – Camden McQueen. Once known as the high school weirdo, Camden is bigger and badder than the boy he used to be and a talented tattoo artist with his own thriving business. Ellie’s counting on Camden still being in love with her but what she’s not counting on is how easily unrequited love can turn into obsession over time. When Camden discovers Ellie’s plan to con him, he makes her a deal she doesn’t dare refuse, but her freedom comes with a price and it’s one that takes both Ellie and Camden down a dangerous road.

**The Artists Trilogy is a dark and sexy contemporary ride about three flawed individuals caught in a world where it’s so easy to justify the bad things we do. This is a pure adult read (Not YA or NA). **

"This was a high contrast world and I lived a high contrast life." - Ellie

Sweet Jesus – This book took a toll on me. If my emotions were a person, they would be the person drinking straight from the bottle of Jack; because really, who has time for a chaser or a mixer when you feel like you could cry, scream, and throw things all at the same time?! My emotions don’t.

Sins & Needles is a story about deception, manipulation, justification, and redemption. Ellie Watt grew up being used as a pawn in her parents’ schemes and con jobs, and as if it was in her DNA, she followed in their footsteps and decided to make her living conning men out of money. That is, until she cons the wrong man, and is forced to run back to the only place where she can ditch her alter egos and con lifestyle, and just be Ellie Watt – no schemes, no cons, no games. The only place she can attempt to go legit; Palm Valley. Her plans of making a decent living screech to a halt when she runs into Camden McQueen, her former best friend, and finds out he runs a tattoo business. Correction: a very successful tattoo business. While Ellie sees nothing but dollar signs and sets her plan in motion to con Camden, he devises a plan of his own – one that leaves Ellie with no choice but to agree to his terms, regardless of how dangerous they may be.

You know why I loved this book so much?? Well, one reason I loved this book so much…because it was something foreign to me. This story line was brilliant, and took me to a place I knew nothing about – con artists, fake identities, drug cartels, mafia relations; this story made me experience things I have never come close to being involved with in reality. Sure, it’s nice to be able to relate to the story line and the characters, but every so often you need a book that is purely alien to everything you know; a book that takes you out of your comfort zone. Sins & Needles is that book. The characters were extremely well written, albeit incredibly frustrating at times! Ellie damn near broke my heart when she went through with her plan to con Camden, and Camden kind of scared the hell out of me after he caught her. I mean, this line gave me fucking chills: “I own you, Ellie Watt.”

Sins & Needles by far exceeded my expectations, and I will definitely be waiting on pins and needles until the sequel is released. (See what I did there? Huh? Yeeeeah, you see what I did there). This book will take you on a roller coaster of a journey that will rip you apart, put you back together…and then rip you apart all over again. But it’s worth it; hot damn, it’s soooo worth it!

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Laced in Malice by Riley Gray

(Laced series, book 1)

Behind the creepy castle like exterior of Birchtree Academy is the sound of gossip, backstabbing, and malice. When Zara’s dad takes on the new principal job at the elite boarding school, Zara knows she’ll be an outsider. She dreams of true love and marriage instead of possible frenemies and secrets. Definitely not Birtchtree material.

In the cusp of everything are the twins. Oliver and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Nixon are renowned for their different – yet equally effective – methods of torture. And both have their eyes set on goody, goody Zara. Oliver wants to date her and Lizzie wants to befriend her.

At first, Zara is caught in the Nixons spell, but it’s not long until cracks begin to show through their dazzling façade. An anonymous email account, which targets students with their own secrets, has focused its energy on Zara using weapons only the Nixons could have provided. But have they turned on her? Is there a hidden agenda behind Lizzie’s interest in Zara? It’ll take four months, three warnings, two released sex tapes, and one dead body for Zara to finally learn the truth. And the truth can either destroy the boy she’s fallen for – and his twin sister – or save them both.

*This review does contain spoilers; although, they aren’t really spoilers if you’ve seen Cruel Intentions. Regardless, check yourself before you wreck yourself.*

It’s kind of hard for me to review this book – I love the story line, I really do, but it’s too familiar. Cruel Intentions has been one of my favorite movies since the day I first saw it, and I knew after reading the synopsis for Laced in Malice that it would be a similar plot; I just didn’t realize how alike it would be. Sure, there are a few tweaks but overall, it just seemed to me that this book was Cruel Intentions in book format.  

Here’s a brief rundown for you: Zara’s father accepts the position of principal at a prestigious boarding school, which she is will now be attending. Before she arrived on campus, she gave an interview to the school magazine that explained her stance on abstaining from sex until marriage, and she prided herself on the fact that she was still a virgin. Enter the Nixon twins: Lizzie and Oliver. Lizzie seems picture perfect on the outside, and immediately befriends Zara, while her twin brother, Oliver, continually tries to charm the pants of Zara – literally. It soon becomes clear the twins have ulterior motives for their actions with Zara, and everyone can see that…except her.

Now yes, there are a few differences between Laced in Malice and Cruel Intentions, but not many. When I started this book, I was hoping for a similar idea with a different direction, but (and this is just my opinion) what I got was a knockoff of a movie. I just wish the author had put more original concepts in this story, and then maybe I would have been able to enjoy it a little more. I just don’t like reading a book feeling like I’ve already seen the movie, when in fact; it’s a book that’s not even supposed to tie to a movie.

Here are a few examples of the similarities to support my opinion:

(The character names in Laced in Malice are Zara, Oliver, and Lizzie; in Cruel Intentions, they are Annette, Sebastian, and Kathryn)

1. The characters are essentially the same: Zara and Annette are both virgins who did an interview with a magazine pledging their vow of abstinence, and the importance of love and marriage before sex. Oliver and Sebastian are both womanizing, man whores that sleep with pretty much anyone, and then try to convince the virgin on campus that sex isn’t that big of a deal. Lizzie and Kathryn are both essentially the ringleaders; they have ridiculous control over their brothers, pretend to have a tremendous amount of faith in God, and on the outside they look like the model student.

2. Journals: Sebastian keeps a journal, Oliver keeps journals. Sebastian ends up giving his journal to Annette to read, hoping it will explain why he did what he did. Oliver ends up giving his journals to Zara to read, hoping it will explain why he did what he did. The notes that accompany the journals are awfully similar as well, but I don’t really feel like typing out both of them. Just know…they’re similar.

3. The hypocrite speech: Sebastian and Oliver both give a nice little speech where they call Annette and Zara hypocrites. They’re not identical, but pretty freaking close. Check out the comparison:

Sebastian to Annette: “You spend all your time preaching about waiting for love. Well here it is. Right in front you, and you’re going to turn your back on it. So I guess we’re just fucked. I’ll move on. But you’re going to have to live the rest of your life knowing that you’ve turned your back on love. And that makes you a hypocrite. Have a nice life.”

Oliver to Zara: “You’re a hypocrite, you know. You go on and on about waiting to find someone and love and intimacy and then when you finally find what you say you’ve been looking for, you run the other way. You did this to me, Zara. You made me fall for you and now I’m not good enough? You know what, screw you.”

4. The escalator scene: Anyone who has seen Cruel Intentions knows exactly what scene I’m talking about. It’s quite possibly the best…and most memorable…scene of the entire movie. It gives me chills every time. I love it. And that scene is duplicated almost exactly in Laced in Malice, even the dialogue is the same!

Cruel Intentions: Annette says, “I’m impressed,” to which Sebastian replies, “Well, I’m in love.”

Laced in Malice: Zara says, “Well, I’m impressed at least,” to which Oliver replies, “Well, I’m in love. With you.”

That scene was what irked me more than anything. How are you going to copy the dialogue and just add a few extra words?! Gaaaah, it drove me nuts! It was after that when I started to get really annoyed with the unoriginality; luckily I only had about 4% of the book left.

Ultimately, I gave it three stars because the book itself was very well written and Riley Gray obviously has talent as an author. I wish I could rate it higher, I really do, but the fact that it seems to just be a knockoff of Cruel Intentions bummed me out. You can’t top that movie, or even match it content wise, in my opinion. It appears Riley may be veering from the movie plot in the next book of the series, which would be pleasing; regardless, I’ll still read the sequel and hopefully I can produce a more positive review the second time around.   

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Bad Rep by A. Meredith Walters

“Who gives a damn about their reputation? Oh, that would be me! Especially since mine has gone straight to Hell in the span of thirty minutes.”

Maysie Ardin is soaking up the summer before her junior year of college, shopping, hanging by the pool, and shopping some more. But when her black belt in spending lands her in trouble with her parents, she is forced to take a second job at a local bar to dig herself out of a deep financial pit.

She thought she’d be miserable. But then Maysie didn’t count on Jordan Levitt, the hot, pierced and tattooed, drum playing bartender who also happens to be very interested in her. And the feelings are totally mutual.

It had the makings of the perfect romantic set up. Boy meets girl. Boy likes girl. Boy has girlfriend? Okay, maybe not.

But attraction is a hard thing to ignore and soon Jordan and Maysie find themselves in the middle of a gossip induced firestorm. Maysie has to learn whether she can set aside her fear of public disapproval in order to be with the one she wants. Or will she let the opinions of others dictate her life and her heart?

**ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**

“His voice was like liquid caramel. And I knew exactly what I wanted to do with him. I wanted no holds barred, throw-me-against-a-wall-and-pound-me-within-an-inch-of-my-life sex.” – Maysie

Maysie gets a little too swipe-happy with her credit card so after she racked up a $3,500 bill and royally pissed off her parents, she gets a serving job at Barton’s, a local bar, to earn more money and pay back her parents. Enter Jordan; the tattooed, pierced, bad boy-ish bartender. They are instantly attracted to each other, except there’s one little problem: Jordan has a girlfriend. And his girlfriend isn’t just anybody. After this new revelation, Maysie finds herself battling what her heart and her head are telling her to do; which will she let win?

You know those people who care more about what people think about them than how they actually feel? The people who will do things they don’t want to do, date people they don’t want to date, steer clear of confrontation at all costs because God forbid someone say something bad about them? The people who care more about their reputation than their character?

Well, you do now; Maysie is one of those people. She lives to please her constantly disapproving parents, keep her sorority sisters happy, and make sure her reputation stays intact. She lives in constant fear that someone will think badly of her. I gotta tell ya, it was a bit exhausting at times and there were several times I just wanted to reach through my Nook and smack her; the girl didn’t even necessarily like being in a sorority but stayed anyway because to her, it was a good way to meet people. I guess so? (I can’t speak firsthand, I was never in a sorority; I dropped out of rush week the second day when I found myself rolling my eyes at 90 percent of everything involved. Well, that and I didn’t want to stay away from the 3 B’s: boys, bars, and booze. Who wants to spend their first week on campus sober and surrounded by all girls? Not me.)

I was really torn on how I felt about Jordan. I ended up loving him, but really?! The dude says he’s crazy about Maysie, yet refuses to break up with Olivia?! That deserves a dick punch. I understand they’ve been together for a long time, but he gives perfectly good explanations as to why they aren’t good together anymore; so whyyyy is he still with her? Homeboy, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Pick a chick. He did manage to make it back into my good graces though, and ultimately I think he and Maysie are pretty damn great together. These are two people who, for the most part, really did try to do the right thing but failed miserably.

Bad Rep isn’t just an angst-driven romance – it’s about accepting the fact that you can’t please everyone. No one wants to be the source of whispers and rumors, but at some point you just have to tone it out. Live for you, do what makes you happy, and if somebody doesn’t like it…well…fuck ‘em. Throw in some incredibly panty-tingling sex scenes, bitchy sorority sisters, douchebag fraternity brothers, and a handful of genuinely great friends and you have the makings of a pretty great read.

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Find You in the Dark by A. Meredith Walters

(Find You in the Dark series, book 1)

Maggie Young had the market on normal. Normal friends, normal parents, normal grades…normal life.

Until him.

Clayton Reed was running from his past and an army of personal demons that threatened to take him down. He never thought he had a chance at happiness.

Until her.

Maggie thought their love could overcome anything. Clay thought she was all he needed to fix his messy life.

That together, they could face the world.

But the darkness is always waiting.

Sometimes the greatest obstacle to true love is within yourself.

“Maybe I was an idiot, or a glutton for punishment. Or maybe I naively subscribed to the foolish notion that my love could save him. Whatever the reason, I entered the room and sank to the carpet beside that sad and broken boy.” – Maggie

*I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review*

I finished this book at the end of the work day and as I got in my car to go home, my mind was still on Mags and Clay. I turned on the radio and the song that blasted through my speakers couldn’t have been more fitting; Hard to Love by Lee Brice. If you’re not a country fan, you’ve probably never heard it, but are a few lines….

“I’m hard to love, hard to love

I don’t make it easy.

I couldn’t do it if I stood where you stood.

I’m hard to love, hard to love

You say that you need me,

I don’t deserve it but I love that you love me.”

After you’ve read the book, you’ll understand why I found that song to be so fitting for Clay and Maggie’s volatile relationship.

Maggie was searching for spontaneity in her mundane, normal life; Clay was trying to escape his past and keep his bipolar illness in check. When they run into each other (literally) they both think they may have found the answer to their problems. Through a short few months together, they learn that the answer to their problems may not be so simple and that being together might be creating more problems than they ever had to begin with.

This book is the perfect example of what happens when you use love as a means of medicine; when you use your partner as a crutch. My heart was torn in two throughout this book because I just couldn’t pick a side. Clay had half, and Maggie had half. I felt for Clay when he was going through one of his episodes, but my heart ached for Maggie when he took out his aggression and anger on her. Their relationship was toxic almost from the very beginning, and I think some people would probably think Maggie was a whack job for staying with Clay. I don’t. I know firsthand the struggle of being with someone that suffers from internal issues. My ex’s issues weren’t as severe as Clay’s, but I dealt with the constant seesaw that was our relationship for almost two years. Why? Because I loved him. But there comes a time when you just have to walk away and stop trying to fix someone if they aren’t trying to fix anything on their own.

I was rooting for Maggie and Clay from the very beginning and to be completely honest, I’m pretty sure I still am. I want more of them as a couple. Maybe I’m a masochist or maybe I’m just plain crazy, but I really do love them together. The sweet things Clay did for Maggie made my heart smile, and during a couple particular scenes I had tears in my eyes. Their relationship was beyond the definition of angst-driven, but you could see that beyond the jealousy, the cutting, the mood swings, that Clay absolutely loved Maggie with everything he had. That’s why everything that happens between them is so hard to swallow. Oh, oh, OH! And his letter to her?! I was a crying puddle of woman-raging hormones after that. Let's just leave it at that. 

Find You In The Dark will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions; it will make you laugh, make you swoon, make you love, make you hate, and it quite possibly just might break your heart. This book resonated with me and I absolutely can’t wait to read the sequel. A. Meredith Walters does a fantastic job making you feel the characters’ emotions and brings to light a very real illness that is rarely talked about. This book definitely left me with a hangover, but damn it, it was worth it. 

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PS - Just in case you wanted to hear the whole song I referred to earlier, here ya go :)

Seduced in the Dark by C.J. Roberts

(The Dark Duet series, book 2)

What is the price of redemption?

Rescued from sexual slavery by a mysterious Pakistani officer, Caleb carries the weight of a debt that must be paid in blood.

The road has been long and fraught with uncertainty, but for Caleb and Livvie, it’s all coming to an end.

Can he surrender the woman he loves for the sake of vengeance?

Or will he make the ultimate sacrifice?

“For the love of Christ, shut – up! Let a bitch enjoy her mental breakdown in peace.” – Livvie

Holy mother of God. This book did something to me. I finished it over a week ago, and I’m still thinking about it; I’m still feeling it. I’ve even tried to read a couple light books to bring my emotions back to normal, and it’s not working. I have this book hangover that just won’t go away. C.J. Roberts, I think you have officially fucked up my head…and I’m not even mad about it.

Seduced in the Dark doesn’t pick up where Captive in the Dark left off; it’s months later. The story goes back and forth between Livvie and Caleb’s POV, as well as the past and the present, and ultimately brings the story of Livvie and Caleb to a close. I don’t want to give away any spoilers so I really can’t discuss any of the plot, but I can tell you how much I fucking loved this book…and how much it fucked with every fiber of my being.

The relationship between Livvie and Caleb was taken to an entirely different level than in the previous book, Captive in the Dark, and it tore me apart. It’s hard for me to explain how much of an emotional toll Seduced in the Dark took on me, but I’ll try. Do you know that feeling you get when something terrible happens to you? Where you start shaking and no matter what, you can’t stop? Where you feel like you’ve been gutted and your stomach is hollow? Like you could be sick to your stomach or cry or maybe both at the same time? That’s how I felt during some of the scenes between Caleb and Livvie. Seriously. I was that invested. Some of the scenes were just so incredibly hard to stomach. Some of the scenes were so tender that I thought maybe Caleb was going to change his mind. There were several times that I had tears in my eyes; I hurt for Livvie that much. You know, as the reader I almost felt like C.J. Roberts was Caleb and I was Livvie. She would dangle something in front of me to give me hope and then snatch it away. My emotions were tugged back and forth so many times that by the time I finished the book, I was emotionally exhausted. I love books that can do that to me; that make me feel like there is a void in me after I finish them. Seduced in the Dark did exactly that.

The scenes are just as intense, if not more so, than they were in Captive in the Dark so brace yourself. But guys…this series was absolutely incredible. I feel like a fucking sicko for loving it so much, but if being a sicko is wrong…I don’t wanna be right. (God, I don’t think I could get any cheesier than that.) I fell in love with Caleb and Livvie’s story, and this series is one that will stick with me for a long time. I’m sitting here now thinking that this review really doesn’t even do it justice; it just doesn’t. I could write a 10 page review and it still couldn’t possibly fully describe what I felt while reading this book. Seduced in the Dark was breathtaking, heart wrenching, gut twisting, mind fucking, and disturbingly, sickeningly perfect. 

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Wrong Bed, Right Guy by Katee Robert

(Come Undone series, book 1)

Prim and proper art gallery coordinator Elle Walser is no good at seducing men. Heck, she’s been throwing hints at her boss for months, but he’s completely clueless. Desperate to escape her mother’s matchmaking efforts, she comes up with a plan – buy some lingerie and climb into her boss’s bed. The plan goes brilliantly…until she accidentally seduces a sexy stranger instead.

Bad boy nightclub mogul Gabe Schultz just had the best almost-sex of his life. Too bad the smoking hot blonde thought he was his brother and bolted before he could finish what they started. Though her holier-than-thou attitude puts a serious damper on his mood, Gabe’s never been one to give up on something he wants. And he wants Elle. But does a man who lives on the dark side really have a chance with a proper lady?

Suck me sideways; this book was crazy good!!! Put together a smokin’ hot-tatted up bad boy, a conservative good girl, tons of flirting and sexual tension, and some of the hottest “hanky-panky” (read the book and you’ll know why I used that term) to ever grace a book’s page, and what do you have?? You have Wrong Bed, Right Guy. Now – tell me you don’t want to read it! You can’t; you physically can’t do it!

Elle hasn’t had the best luck with guys; bad boys in particular. After getting her heart broken by an ex-boyfriend who absolutely humiliated her, she has been trying to ignore her attraction to guys like him. Her mother has set her up on numerous dates, all of which have been miserable; there is one “good guy” that has caught her eye though; her boss, Nathan. He hasn’t picked up on the hints she keeps dropping, so against her better judgment she decides to get aggressive. She decides to show up at his loft, climb into bed with him, and rock his world. The only problem? The guy she climbs into bed with isn’t Nathan; it’s his brother, Gabe, who seems like the exact type of guy Elle has been trying to steer clear of, but Gabe isn’t about to let Elle walk away from him that easily.

Oh my goodness, I just positively loooove Elle and Gabe together! In all honesty, it took me a little bit to warm up to Elle. She was a little pretentious for my liking at first, but her feistiness towards Gabe was hilarious and after she started hanging around him more, her likability skyrocketed for me because she loosened up! I felt like I could absolutely relate to her in regards to always feeling like I find myself attracted to the wrong type of guy, and I have my mom trying to force “nice guys” down my throat (not literally!!) but those dates never turn out well. I love my mom more than anything but she has fixed me up with some lame dudes; bless her heart. I have my fingers crossed that I’ll find my “nice bad boy” just like Elle ;) I’m not ready to give up on that dream just yet!

Ohhhh, Gabe. I just love him. I want him to try out some of his hot bedroom moves on ME! Whew. He is just perfection. A bad boy with the heart of a teddy bear and the sex drive of a panther; sign me the fuck up! (I don’t know what the sex drive of a panther is really like…but it sounds good and you get the freaking the point!) And anyone who knows me, knows that tattoos are my weakness; the stories behind Gabe’s tattoos are just plain awesome. He is just exactly what Elle needs and these two could not be more perfect for each other.

Wrong Bed, Right Guy is one of the best books I have read this year, and I can’t freaking wait for the sequel!! I WANT MORE ELLE AND GABE! If you want a super steamy, incredibly well written, bad boy/good girl romance, look no further: THIS is the book you want to read. Go buy Wrong Bed, Right Guy now…and you can thank me later!

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Captive in the Dark by CJ Roberts

(The Dark Duet series, book 1)

Caleb is a man with a singular interest in revenge. Kidnapped as a young boy and sold into slavery by a power-hungry mobster, he has thought of nothing but vengeance. For twelve years he has immersed himself in the world of pleasure slaves searching for the one man he holds ultimately responsible. Finally, the architect of his suffering has emerged with a new identity, but not a new nature. If Caleb is to get close enough to strike, he must become the very thing he abhors and kidnap a beautiful girl to train her to be all that he once was.

Eighteen-year-old Olivia Ruiz has just woken up in a strange place. Blindfolded and bound, there is only a calm male voice to welcome her. His name is Caleb, though he demands to be called Master. Olivia is young, beautiful, naïve, and willful to a fault. She has a dark sensuality that cannot be hidden or denied, though she tries to accomplish both. Although she is frightened by the strong, sadistic, and arrogant man who holds her prisoner, what keeps Olivia awake in the dark is her unwelcome attraction to him.

“He was my tormentor and my solace; the creator of the dark and the light within. I didn’t care that he would undoubtedly hurt me at any moment, right now; I just needed somebody to hold me, somebody to be kind to me, somebody to tell me exactly those words. It’s going to be okay. It wasn’t of course, I knew that. But I didn’t care. I needed the lie.” - Livvie

Disturbing. Romantic. Fucked up. Sweet. Heartbreaking. Sexy. How in the hell can all those adjectives describe the same book? I don’t know, I honestly don’t…but somehow they do. If I had to sum up Captive in the Dark in six words, those would be the ones I would choose. I had heard from other readers that this book was intense, so I thought I was prepared when I started reading it; I wasn’t. I don’t think intense is a strong enough word to describe this book! As incredibly fucked up as it was at times, I never wanted to put it down. I would ask what that says about me, but I think that would open up a whole can of worms that I just don’t want to deal with…so I’m just going to skate past that and move on.

In a nutshell: Caleb wants revenge on the man who took everything from him, and there is only one way to do that; get close to him, earn his trust, and then destroy everything and everyone that matters to him. How does he plan to get close to him? By kidnapping an American girl (because apparently American girls are the bee’s knees) and selling her to him as a sex slave. Caleb just needs to find the perfect girl to kidnap and train into submission, and after secretly watching Olivia for weeks, he realizes she is exactly the girl he needs.

I loved Olivia and as crazy as it is to say it, I think loved Caleb. Olivia was submissive, yet defiant and Caleb was sadistic, yet loving. Some of the things he did to break Olivia down made me want to punch him in the throat, but there were several instances where he was so sweet to her. When he first kidnapped her, I hated him; when he tortured her, I hated him; then it was like I got Stockholm syndrome and suddenly he wasn’t that bad. Okay, okay, maybe it wasn’t Stockholm syndrome; it was more learning about his childhood and what he’s been through; dude had it rough. Olivia’s childhood wasn’t great either, and my heart ached for her when she was telling Caleb the story of why her mom doesn’t love her. I seriously can’t even describe how much I felt for her throughout the entire book; it was almost emotionally exhausting.

I could never have imagined how much this book would just completely own me. Maybe I’m a little premature in saying this, but damn it, I want Olivia and Caleb together. There! I said it! I’m incredibly anxious to see where their story goes in Seduced in the Dark, but I don’t think I can read it yet; it would just be an emotional overload and I’m not trying to have a breakdown and shit. I’m going to read a few lighter books and then when I feel like my emotions are somewhat stable again, I’ll come back to Seduced in the Dark and finish Olivia and Caleb’s story.

Captive in the Dark gets a 5 star rating from me, without a doubt. CJ Roberts somehow makes you love someone as sadistic and fucked up as Caleb, and as scary as that is…it’s also incredibly fucking brilliant. This book will take you on a crazy, whiplashy (yep, made that word up) emotional rollercoaster, but it’s a damn good ride. 

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The Devil's Metal by Karina Halle

(Devils series, book 1)

It’s the summer of 1974 and 21-year old Dawn Emerson has only three things she wants to do: compete one last time in the Ellensburg Rodeo, win back her ex-boyfriend Ryan, and become the best damn music journalist at Central Washington University. But all her plans are left in the dust when she’s contacted by Creem magazine to go on the road with one of her favorite groups, the up-and-coming metal band, Hybrid. 

At first the assignment reads like a dream come true. Not only will Dawn land some much-needed credibility as a female music journalist, but she’ll finally get to experience life from the other side of the stage, and maybe crack the drunken, enigmatic code that is guitarist Sage Knightly. Instead, Dawn finds herself on an aging tour bus filled with ego-maniacs, band politics and a whole lot of sex, drugs and rock n’ roll. When monsters start showing up in dressing rooms and some of Sage’s groupies become increasingly strange and dangerous, Dawn discovers the band is not only going places – they’re going straight to Hell.

And Dawn has a backstage pass.

*I was given an ARC of this book for review on The Indie Bookshelf. I have tweaked this review a little bit from the original…*

Sex, drugs, and rock & roll; that’s what this book is about. Oh, did I forget to mention demons? Yeah, throw some demons in there, too. Intrigued? Yeah, that’s right, you should be. The Devil’s Metal is an absolute trip that will leave you feeling like you were right there on the tour bus with Dawn, Jacob, and Hybrid experiencing all the highs (literally) and lows with them. Karina Halle perfectly captures the 1970’s lifestyle and uses extensive, but not overbearing details to paint a picture of life during the bellbottom-wearing, Quaalude-popping, rock and roll era. I’m a late 80’s baby, so I never experienced the rock & roll, hippie, Woodstock craziness of the 70’s, but this book made me feel like I was going through the motions right along with Dawn; from living on a sweaty, dirty tour bus to watching the shows backstage to being surrounded by a cloud of pot smoke in the middle of the concert crowd. Karina knows how to paint a picture, no doubt. She also gets a couple extra points in my book for the several Led Zeppelin references (they are one of my favorite bands), and a reference to Lawrence, KS (home of the KU Jayhawks!!) Yeah, I’m a nerd and get excited about things like that; don’t judge me.

There is an omnipresent hair-raising factor that casts a shadow over the entire book that will make you always feel like something just isn’t right; there is just always something or someone that is a little off. There is quite a bit of foreshadowing that leads you to believe maybe the band knows exactly what’s going on and they just aren’t telling Dawn, like this line for instance: “We all lost our souls when we joined this band…” Hmm…do they mean that figuratively or literally?? However, even with all the hints and foreshadowing, the cause behind everything happening isn’t super obvious; Karina picks the perfect moment to pull you out of the dark and bring to light the reasoning behind all these strange happenings…and strange is putting it mildly. I mean, it is just a big bucket of crazy topped with a nice, heaping pile of WTF?!

Karina does a wonderful job of giving each character their own, very distinct personality traits. It’s obvious she spent a great deal of time developing each character into their own, which makes it so easy to love these characters. Well… some of them. The relationship that forms between Dawn and Sage is slow moving, ridiculously teasing, and eventually crazy hot; the friendship between Dawn and her best friend, Mel, is heartwarming, hilarious, and in one particular scene, gut wrenching. One of my favorite lines of the whole book actually comes from Mel when she’s referring to Dawn’s ex-boyfriend: “He’s good for sloppy kisses and cherry popping and looking slammin’ at our prom.” That line makes me laugh every time! Dawn’s relationships with her Tourette’s-ridden brother Eric, Jacob, and the other members of Hybrid add to her likability as well.

The end seriously gave me chills, and I'm pretty anxious to read the sequel. I don't believe this is classified as YA, and most of the material really isn't appropriate for young adults; there is sex, drug use, profanity, and some pretty scary stuff, y'all. The only paranormal books I had read previously involved vampires, werewolves, things like that; I can't remember reading a book that involved demons and all that other freaky jazz that showed up in Lake Shasta, but I was pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed that different aspect of paranormal craziness. I'm not big on horror because I'm a big baby, but this book had my interest from almost the very beginning. If you want to read a dark, paranormal, creep-tastic novel with a little romance and a lot of rock & roll on the side, check out The Devil's Metal; it'll take you on one Hell of a ride...

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