Title: Lost in Distraction (Lost #1)
Author: B.J. Harvey
Release Date: April 3rd 2013
Publisher: Self Published
Source: Purchased by me
In the three years
after a horrible crime claimed her family, Elise Halliwell has been
alone, shut off from the world in a self-imposed emotional exile. She
goes through the motions, finishes high school and moves across country
to start college and begin the next step in her pre-destined life.
But
her exile is dramatically cut short by the entrance of a dark haired,
blue-eyed, smirking man who shakes her to the core, achieving what
everyone else before him has failed to do, he makes her feel again.
As
much as he wishes it were different, fate has not brought Braxton James
into Elise’s life, or has it. Brax has to keep her safe from people in
her life who have ulterior motives and may want to hurt her.
Elise
has no idea the threat she faces, and Brax wants to make sure it stays
that way. But as Brax struggles with getting close to her, he begins to
live a lie. Unable to resist the pull that is Elise’s bright green eyes,
infectious giggle, and loving heart, he finds it impossible to stay
away, so the double life of being Elise’s boyfriend and keeping her safe
begins.
Full of twists and turns, danger and revelations that no-one could predict, you won’t be the only one, lost in distraction.
My Thoughts
I
read all the sneak-peek snippets and excerpts and happily purchased a kindle copy once
released, it really did sound like a book I’d fall in love with.
But I found Lost in Distraction to be very slow. The story really didn’t seem
to move along and I found myself skimming over pages, and the constant POV changes and time jumps, ugh, not a fan.
Sadly, I also found the writing juvenile and repetitive, and the over use of
stale endearments like ‘my dear’ and ‘darling’ became annoying and I had to
give up after approx 60%, I just couldn’t bring myself to continue.
I REALLY wanted to like this book but it
just wasn’t happening for me, and as much I want to support a fellow ‘Kiwi’ with
a great review, it just isn’t going to
happen unfortunately.
One for the DNF pile – 1 star.
Title: Red Moon
Author: Benjamin Percy
Release Date: May 9th 2013
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Source: Received from the publisher via BooksellersNZ for an honest review
They live among us.
They are our neighbors, our mothers, our lovers.
They change.
When
government agents kick down Claire Forrester's front door and murder
her parents, Claire realizes just how different she is. Patrick Gamble
was nothing special until the day he got on a plane and hours later
stepped off it, the only passenger left alive, a hero. Chase Williams
has sworn to protect the people of the United States from the menace in
their midst, but he is becoming the very thing he has promised to
destroy. So far, the threat has been controlled by laws and violence and
drugs. But the night of the red moon is coming, when an unrecognizable
world will emerge...and the battle for humanity will begin.
My Thoughts
Red Moon is one of those books that has everything going for it including
a really interesting premise and a thought provoking book trailer. But for me that’s
where all the good stuff ended.
Red Moon is a very, very slow moving book. The action scenes take pages and
pages of overly descriptive writing before very much happens and so instead of
being heart pounding, frantic scenes of werewolf attack, you are left with a
snore inducing story that is a lesson in procrastination and long-windedness!
The writing is detailed and thought inducing but terribly boring and just didn’t do enough to hold my attention, so sadly Red Moon has ended up on
my DNF pile.
1 star :[
Title: Keeper of the Night (The Keepers: L.A. #1)
Author: Heather Graham
Release Date: December 18th 2012
Publisher: Harlequin
Source: Received from the publisher via NetGalley
In their new Keeper roles, these extraordinary women must balance the fate of the world with their desires…
New Keeper Rhiannon Gryffald has her peacekeeping duties cut out for her—because in Hollywood, it’s hard to tell the actors from the werewolves, bloodsuckers and shape-shifters. Then Rhiannon hears about a string of murders that bear all the hallmarks of a vampire serial killer, and she must confront her greatest challenge yet. Together with Elven detective Brodie McKay, they head to Laurel Canyon, epicenter of the danger, where they uncover a plot that may forever alter the face of human-paranormal relations.
My Thoughts
Sadly, Keeper of the Night did not meet my expectations of a decent read at-all.
Long winded, over complicated, rambling sentences of incoherent musings, thoughts, and feelings that go on-and-on until all you want to do is throw the book against a wall (I didn't though because it was on my Kindle!).
This book held great promise with an interesting blurb, but that's where it ended.
The prologue made me cringe with its overly preachy telling of how this world came into being and who rules it, who wants to rule it, and how all the beasties are governed. I would have rather skipped the whole history lesson and got on with a story that held all those answers within the plot.
The first few paragraphs were repetitive and boring and it felt like I was reading a manual - it was a chore.
I felt absolutely nothing for the MC's and the secondary characters irked me. The plot... was meh at best, and I found myself pretty much skim reading the second half.
I'm sad to say that this is the worst book I've read from Harlequin in a very long time.
1 star :[
Title: If I Were You (Inside Out Trilogy, #1)
Author: Lisa Renee Jones
Release Date: August 24th 2012
Publisher: Self Published
Source: Received via NetGalley
Fifty Shades of Grey meets Basic Instinct
How it began…
One
day I was a high school teacher on summer break, leading a relatively
uneventful but happy life. Or so I told myself. Later, I’d question
that, as I would question pretty much everything I knew about me, my
relationships, and my desires. It all began when my neighbor thrust a
key to a storage unit at me. She’d bought it to make extra money after
watching some storage auction show. Now she was on her way to the
airport to elope with a man she barely knew, and she needed me to clear
out the unit before the lease expires.
Soon, I was standing
inside a small room that held the intimate details of another woman’s
life, feeling uncomfortable, as if I was invading her privacy. Why had
she let these items so neatly packed, possessions that she clearly cared
about deeply, be lost at an auction? Driven to find out by some unnamed
force, I began to dig, to discover this woman’s life, and yes, read her
journals—-dark, erotic journals that I had no business reading. Once I
started, I couldn’t stop. I read on obsessively, living out fantasies
through her words that I’d never dare experience on my own, compelled by
the three men in her life, none of whom had names. I read onward until
the last terrifying dark entry left me certain that something had
happened to this woman. I had to find her and be sure she was okay.
Before
long, I was taking her job for the summer at the art gallery, living
her life, and she was nowhere to be found. I was becoming someone I
didn’t know. I was becoming her.
The dark, passion it becomes…
Now,
I am working at a prestigious gallery, where I have always dreamed of
being, and I’ve been delivered to the doorstep of several men, all of
which I envision as one I’ve read about in the journal. But there is one
man that will call to me, that will awaken me in ways I never believed
possible. That man is the ruggedly sexy artist, Chris Merrit, who wants
to paint me. He is rich and famous, and dark in ways I shouldn’t find
intriguing, but I do. I so do. I don’t understand why his dark
side appeals to me, but the attraction between us is rich with velvety
promises of satisfaction. Chris is dark, and so are his desires, but I
cannot turn away. He is damaged beneath his confident good looks and
need for control, and in some way, I feel he needs me. I need him.
All I know for certain is that he knows me like I don’t even know me, and he says I know him. Still, I keep asking myself — do I know him? Did he know her, the journal writer, and where is she? And why doesn’t it seem to matter anymore? There is just him and me, and the burn for more.
My Thoughts
I haven't joined the hyped up masses and read Fifty Shades of Grey, but I have read my fair share of (the now termed) mommy porn.
Right off the bat I'll tell you straight...I did not enjoy this book.
Shy good girl gets off reading somebody else's journal, seeks out the author, starts living her life, and having her sex; um creepy much?!
I dont believe her innocent, unworldly guise for a second.
Sara is nosy, dishonest and has a self confessed knack for meeting creepy guys. She hates liars, yet constantly lies herself. She invades someone's privacy by reading their journal and lies about it, and then she's spouting on about hating liars and secrets...its a double standard that makes me not like her at once, in fact she is a very unlikeable, unbelievable and un-connectable character throughout.
The men.
The men in this book are gross and pushy and in no way romantic, and if I have to read "hey baby", "oh yeah baby", "thats it baby", (*cue the skanky low budget porn music*) one more time I think I really will scream.
I did not like either of the males at all.
Seriously, what is it with arrogant, self centered men with over inflated egos that women seem to love? (yes, I'm questioning your self respect)
The sex.
So I've figured out that Master/Sub sex is not my thing in or out of the bedroom, it doesn't turn me on in the least.
I'm far too bossy myself to be told where I can and cant put my hands, legs, mouth...and find it arousing.
No matter how many times I'm told (by the narrative) that MS is all about control I only see it as weakness, and that just pisses me off.
Hard, eager, heated, and demanding, mutually beneficial I need you now sex, yes - but this whole shut up and do what I tell you thing just isn't for me.
So to the writing then.
The story is slow to develop, almost stagnant at times, and once the sex starts - a mere afterthought. And what story there is, is boring.
Its unimaginative, stale, and predictable.
Is it Fifty Shades of Grey meets Basic Instinct?
Well if what you're looking for is unappealing (IMO) sex with annoying and arrogant male plus bad non-thriller nineties thriller movie mostly famous for an unrevealing leg crossing scene...sure.
I really don't have anything that I can put a positive spin on, I just didn't like it from start to finish.
If you are a Fifty Shades of Grey fan, you will no doubt love it, but for me...
1 Star only :[
