Review: The Lost Prince by Julie Kagawa

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1) by Julia Kagawa
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Don’t look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase’s unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he’s dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister’s world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.

My Thoughts: I LOVED the Iron Fey series. Megan's journey was so well written and fun in a creepy, terrifying, heartbreaking sort of way. Getting the chance to see how Ethan has fared - the brother left behind when Megan took the Iron throne - is absolutely fantastic.

Honestly, Ethan hasn't had an easy time of it. He's had to pretend his sister is dead, pretend like he doesn't see the fey who bedevil him. He's become an outcast in the human world because of the things he has to do to protect himself. He's starting at a new school and his appearance (iron piercings to keep the fey at bay, inside-out shirt, general sullen attitude) is already a point against him. When he's caught by one of the popular girls arguing with a fey, things go from bad to worse.

I *get* where Ethan's coming from. I get that he had a really horrible experience with the fey the first time around and their constant watching and trickery has practically ruined his life. He's a good guy who's caught in a bad situation. Unlike Meghan, who had Puck and then Ash to help her through her issues, Ethan has no one he can talk to. He's alone in this until Kenzie comes along and even then he tries to protect her.

I loved getting back to the Nevernever. It's so darkly seductive. It's a candy apple that might be full of poison - pretty on the outside with the potential to kill you on the first bite. It was awesome seeing several familiar faces and getting to know some new ones. I'm heartily excited to see how Ethan and company handle all the twists and turns that I'm sure are coming in the next book!

Books in the Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten series
1. The Lost Prince - Paperback | Kindle
2. The Traitor Son

Books in the Iron Fey series
1. The Iron King
1.5 Winter's Passage
2. The Iron Daughter
3. The Iron Queen
3.5. Summer's Crossing
4. The Iron Knight
4.5. Iron's Prophecy

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Amazon |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge
The Lost Prince was provided for review by Harlequin Teen through NetGalley.

Amanda and Kelly review: Sugar on Top by Leigh Ellwood

Sugar on Top by Leigh Ellwood
Synopsis (Goodreads):

What happens when a werewolf with an appetite for lust finds an undercover reporter hiding in his pantry? A feast for all senses.

Our Thoughts:
(Due to technical difficulties, Amanda started reading the book before I did. She very kindly decided to give me a teaser to motivate me to get on the ball and get this bad boy read...)

Amanda: Here's a teaser: "Fly Melina to the moon with a few swats to her clit, more than likely."

Kelly:  I like this one!

Amanda: Invisible sex!

Kelly: LOLOL! INVISIBLE SEX!

Amanda: He was all, "Stay invisible" and she was like, "Okay," and then he was like, "I can see my cock inside you." And THAT is how you do invisible sex.

Kelly: That's how you do invisible sex with a #NakedWerewolf! RAWR! Might I just add, those #NakedWerewolves really know how to eat!

Amanda: He sure liked Sugar, didn't he?

Kelly: He did seem to have a sweet tooth where Sugar was concerned. He wasn't very picky, though, as far as his partners went. The stripping faerie would have worked. Or his manservant. Sugar was just lucky that it was her ass he ended up licking.

Amanda: OMG! When he was talking about doing his manservant, he mentioned that his cock was SO HARD it could go right through clothes. All he needed was for his manservant to be bending over and SLAM, BAM, THANK YOU.....SIR. Surprise anal sex!

Kelly: I've always said that werewolves do it better! Warner just proves my point. Better. Harder. Longer. All the rimming, half the wait!

Amanda: Are you ready for your turn with Warner? I bet he'd take you.

Kelly:  That's not really a glowing recommendation. Warner would do anything with a pulse (and some without) when it's that time of the month.

Amanda: A #NakedWerewolf has to do what a #NakedWerewolf has to do. As they say.

Kelly: Nudity really works in a werewolf's favor at times like this. Or so I gathered by Warner's enthusiastic pursuit of an orifice to plunge himself into.

Amanda: Didn't we learn a similar lesson from one of our other GLA books? With Princess Snow? Nudity works well for a lot of things. Even partial nudity works!

Kelly: That's right. She had surprise anal sex, too! Let this be a lesson to everyone -- wear sturdy clothes at all times or you just mind find your booty plundered! The alternate lesson is to not sit on fiery dwarfs because they'll burn a hole in your dress. Also, don't bend over during your werewolf employers time of the month because when a werewolf needs some sexin', a werewolf needs some sexin'.

Amanda: We might need to catalog all the lessons we've learned from these books. I think our readers could benefit from them.

Kelly: Let's be honest, I think the WORLD could benefit from what we learn from these books. *nods*

Amanda: You're not wrong.

Sugar on Top was a free ARE download we picked up 10/06/12.

Amanda and Kelly review: Little Red Hood by Angela Black

Little Red Hood (An Erotic Fairy Tale) by Angela Black
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Something is stalking Red through the woods, an unseen silhouette that dances in the shadows and forces her on a harrowing path of self-realization and sacrifice. If she hopes to make it home alive, she needs to act quickly before everything unravels around her.

Warning: This eBook contains graphic violence, coarse language and sexual intercourse. Adults only.

Our Thoughts:
Kelly: *stares at you*

Amanda: At first I was going to be all, "Hey, you got a #NakedWerewolf!" but then... THERE WAS BARELY ANY SEX. I am very disappointed.

Kelly: I know. It looks like someone forgot to put the erotic in this erotica. *is sad*

Amanda: I was just thinking that the "erotic fairy tale" lacked erotica. I mean, more time was spent with Redding Hood getting turned on by the #NakedWerewolf than anything else. And then she was like, "Shut up and kiss me!" and tried to tackle him to the ground.

Kelly: The attempted tackling was kinda hilarious. Speaking of which, I had no idea that werewolves could fly. None! In all my years of concentrated werewolf research, never once has this come to light.

Amanda: He flew and then they rolled around all night. I would have thought that #NakedWerewolves would be a little more... fun than that.

Kelly: A little more dominant? A little rougher? A little more with the naked time?

Amanda: Yes to all of that. Were you satisfied with your #NakedWerewolf time?

Kelly: Not really. I feel like we were cheated out of some good wolfman fucking. My disappointment is crushing me.

Amanda: Do we need to read another book to get rid of your disappointment? Because I almost felt like this book was a teaser for more fucking. Foreplay, if you will.

Kelly: YES! Another book is needed. I need to cleanse my palate with some filth!

Amanda: And let's hope we get our filth quota with the next book.

Kelly: *crosses fingers*

Little Red Hood was a free Kindle download we picked up 10/02/12.

Review: Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward

Lover Reborn (Black Dagger Brotherhood #10) by J.R. Ward
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment has been unrecognizable from the vampire leader he once was. Physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair, he has been brought back to the Brotherhood by a self-serving fallen angel. Now, fighting once again with ruthless vengeance, he is unprepared to face a new kind of tragedy.

When Tohr begins to see his beloved in his dreams—trapped in a cold, isolated netherworld far from the peace and tranquillity of the Fade—he turns to the angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost. But because Lassiter tells him he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed....

Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past and a very hot, passion-filled future…but can his heart let go and set all of them free?

My Thoughts: As a hardcore BDB junkie, part of me wanted to read this book as soon as I got my hands on it and part of me was worried that I'd end up a sodden, weepy mess who needed large quantities of therapy so my life didn't spiral down into an endless sea of emotional pain. It's highly possibly that I expected too much of this book because as much as I loved Tohr's story, I'm not emotionally crippled after reading it. This is a good thing. My therapy hour is getting awfully crowded with all my literary moaning.

Anyway. Tohr's story is sad and emotional and it's a journey that he has to take. Not just to free Wellsie, but because he's locked so deeply in his own grief that he's no longer living. The same could be said for No'One. She's locked in the past, unwilling to live her life as more than a servant. The two of them are pretty screwed up and it takes a whole lot of work to get them to the point where they're on the same wavelength.

I'm still kinda digging Xcor and his Band of Bastards. I *really* want things to work out and get those nasty fighters fighting alongside the Brothers but I sense a long, bumpy ride ahead of them. I did love the whole Xcor/Layla interaction and that Xcor had a bit of a change of heart as far as his Bastards are concerned. I want to know more about Throe and his tragedy. I want I want I want.

One thing that I felt was that there was a lot of set up for the future going one here. The idea of admitting males who don't fit the strict bloodline rules into the Brotherhood could open up a whole lot of doors down the road. Xcor had a fundamental change in his way of thinking that could very well lead to big, big things. I'm excited. EXCITED!

Also... Qhuinn and Blay, I'm ready for you!

Books in this series
1. Dark Lover
2. Lover Eternal
3. Lover Awakened
4. Lover Revealed
5. Lover Unbound
6. Lover Enshrined
6.5. Father Mine
7. Lover Avenged
8. Lover Mine
9. Lover Unleashed
10. Lover Reborn - Hardcover | Paperback | Kindle

Author Links
| Website | Facebook | Amazon |

Quickie Review: Better Together by Raymond M. Rose

Better Together by Raymond M. Rose
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Paul Rhoads, a successful horror novelist, has moved back to his hometown in Pennsylvania. Moving back home turns out to be more than just returning to his roots but starting up a relationship with his high school sweetheart, Annie. Annie, recently divorced, is the mother of a precious eight month old, Max. However, when Annie dies in a freak car accident, Paul finds himself catapulted into the role of father and decides to do something he would never have imagined himself doing: raise Max as his own.

My Thoughts: This book is pretty far outside my usual type of book. Yet... I liked it. While there is romance, the focus is more of Paul coping with suddenly being a single dad and all the triumph and heartache that goes along with that. Which isn't to say that there isn't any romance, because there is, it just isn't the main focus.

Paul's fumbling with his new role as a parent feels very real. He second-guesses himself. He worries. His worries are more than just the usual woes of a new parent, though. He worries that Max's father will suddenly demand his fatherly rights. He worries that the little boy who he sees as his own will be taken away from him.

A slice of life that deals with the very real fears of a new parent, it as enjoyable but not necessarily what I'd consider light reading. Coming from a parent, what Paul has to deal with in terms of potentially losing the boy he has raised gives me the chills.

Author Links
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Kindle |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge
Better Together was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Turn It Up by Vivian Arend

Turn It Up (Turner Twins #2) by Vivian Arend
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Maxwell Turner considers his stubborn and resourceful attitude a plus. After all, it usually gets him what he wants—except for Natasha Bellingham. The long-time family friend may be ten years older than he, but so what? He’s plenty old enough to know they belong together. Now all he has to do is convince her.

Over the past few years Natasha’s love life has degenerated into a series of bad clichés. Her biological clock is ticking—loudly. As a proven architect with her own house-design company, she’s financially ready for a baby. Who says she needs a permanent man in her life for that? She just needs a “donation”.

When Max discovers Natasha’s future plans include artificial insemination, he’s outraged. She wants to get pregnant? No problem. He’s more than willing to volunteer—no turkey basters involved.

But there’s one non-negotiable clause: He wants forever. And he intends to do everything in his power—fair and unfair—to make it happen.

Warning: This title contains one younger man ready, aimed and hell bent on giving one woman everything she wants. Includes interludes against the wall, in a Jacuzzi, on a car hood and even—shockingly enough—on a bed or two. Oh, and about that porch swing? Yup…

My Thoughts: The younger man, older woman storyline isn't one I normally go for but this one? It worked. They had the friend thing going for them first, which helped. They had the sexy, which helped (Rawr, did they have the sexy). They had the rambunctious family, the friend who didn't approve, and the desire to make a baby. All wins in my book.

Max and Tasha were deliciously sweet together. He's been lusting after her for years, she's determined to keep him at arm's length because he's her friend's younger cousin. Never mind the attraction, the sparks, the fact that he wants her as much as she wants him. She's set her mind on this course and she's determined not to waver from it.

Naturally, she ends up spilling her proverbial guts to Max after a few too many drinks and now he knows that she wants him like whoa. And he's just as determined as she is to get what he wants. Their push and pull was fun and sexy. Even when Tasha gave in and let max into her life, she still managed to hold herself apart from him and that drove him absolutely crazy. Their sexy shenanigans were fun fun fun as he set out to show her that wasn't like any of the previous men in her life.

Overall, this was a very fun book. Sure, watching Tasha's relationship with a friend deteriorate because the friend didn't approve of Max and Tasha together was uncomfortable. In a good way. I wanted to shake Lila and tell her to go deal with her own issues instead of bringing her friend down. However, getting to see Tasha build herself back up again and face her fears head on was pretty awesome.

Books in this series
1. Turn it On
2. Turn It Up - Paperback | Kindle

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Review: Slave by Cheryl Brooks

Slave (Cat Star Chronicles #1) by Cheryl Brooks
Synopsis (Goodreads):

He may be the last of a species whose sexual talents were the envy of the galaxy.

Cat is an enslaved warrior from a race with a feline gene that gives him awesome beauty, fearsome strength, and sensuality and sexual prowess unmatched by any other males in the universe. Even filthy, chained, and beaten, he gives off an aura of power and virility and his feline gene gives him a special aura.

Jacinth is an intergalactic trader on a rescue mission and she needs a man she can trust with her life.

She has spent years pursuing her kidnapped sister from planet to planet. Now her quest leads her to a place where all the women are slaves. "Jack" needs a slave of her own-one who can masquerade as her master.
Enmeshed in a tangle of deception, lust, and love, they must elude a race of violent killers and together forge a bond stronger than any chains.

My Thoughts: I decided to go back and play with some of the earlier books in this series since I read them ages ago. I'm so happy about this because these books are light and fun. They're the books you pick up when you need something to take your mind off a bad day. Sure, there's slavery and viciously stupid bad guys and an entire planet that's been wiped out of existence, but the sexy cat men balance all that out. Well, that and Jack's potty mouth.

Jack is... a character. She's offbeat and prickly. She doesn't want to get entangled with any man. She's driven by her need to find her sister and she's willing to do what she needs to do to follow her trail. Yet, underneath it all, she's a big, old softy. She thinks about buying Cat at the slave auction just tot set him free. She has her own code of honor that she stands by. She's weirdly obsessed with using ancient Earth sayings that no one else can follow. Buying Cat is probably the best purchase she's ever made.

Cat. How can you not like a guy who is determined to show a woman joy like nothing she's ever known? He's honorable and strong. He gives his word to Jack and he's willing to stick by her come hell or high water. It's pretty sweet. Plus, he has amazing penile control. It's pretty hot to read about.

Like I said, the series is fun. Heck, even the slaves on the world they end up on enjoy being slaves.

Books in this series
1. Slave - Paperback | Kindle
2. Warrior
3. Rogue
4. Outcast
5. Fugitive
6. Hero
7. Virgin
8. Stud
9. Wildcat

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |