Showing posts with label Reviews by Jill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reviews by Jill. Show all posts

Friday, August 14, 2015

Darkhouse ( Experiment in Terror #1)

Amazon Alibris 

11356211
  
There’s always been something a bit off about Perry Palomino. Though she’s been dealing with a quarter-life crisis and post-college syndrome like any other twenty something, she’s still not what you would call “ordinary.” For one thing, there’s her past which she likes to pretend never happened, and then there’s the fact that she sees ghosts. Luckily for her, that all comes in handy when she stumbles across Dex Foray, an eccentric producer for an upcoming webcast on ghost hunters. Even though the show’s budget is non-existent and Dex himself is a maddening enigma, Perry is instantly drawn into a world that both threatens her life and seduces her with a sense of importance. Her uncle’s haunted lighthouse provides the perfect catalyst and backdrop for a horrific mystery that unravels the threads of Perry’s fragile sanity and causes her to fall for a man, who, like the most dangerous of ghosts, may not be all that he seems

Review

Over the last few years I have heard many good things about this author and about this series. It has a very strong following. I am slow to jump on bandwagons but I have to admit that my curiosity was pricked and I finally folded and bought the first in the series.
I have to admit that this book begins slowly. There were quite a few times that I was wondering what all the fuss was about. However I had to remind myself, and you if do read the book yourself, that this is a fairly common thing in first books of a series. There is a lot of character building, background information etc. These are all good things, it builds your attachment to the characters, gets your interest, makes the book less shallow,so I pushed through ( I advise you do the same).
Perry Palomino is an interesting character, a little bit emo/grungy, I liked her style, her inner thought process, which seemed typical for a 22 year old who has been looked at funny her whole life for "seeing dead people". She was realistic and relate-able.I am quite attracted to characters like this, ghosts are my thing, my weakness. If there is a ghostly essence to a book/series I am there!
Any who, so Perry is sensitive to those pesky spirits around her and it seems to have gotten her into a bit of trouble over the years.She is a little bit of a loner. This leads her to a lonely midnight stroll at her uncles house where she walks smack bang into Dex Foray, another weird type character. The things we learn about Dex are few and far between in this book, in fact I was getting really frustrated by his "bipolar" type personality changes. I just couldn't get a feeling about him at all. I was once again told to prevail. Comments like "this is the slowest book in a great series" were said to me. I continued on.
These two together made an interesting pair. I am not sure how their dynamic will change over the series,however there seemed to be a small about of chemistry there. Maybe that will be built upon? The way that they are diving into this supernatural web show was interesting too. Even if the show is not successful it seems that these two are being guided by a mysterious ghostly old lady. Her appearances and clues are what has made me want to read the next book, in fact I have already bought it. I now simply must know about Dex and his past. I also want the ghostly details,plus, who the hell is that ghostly lady? lol
The creepy factor in this book was moderate. I wouldn't really say it was scary. But I am hopeful for some goose-bumpy reading in the next installment.
I have only rated this book a 3 out of 5 stars, this is purely due to the slowness of the story to get to some action. However I will be reading on and from what I have heard I will be rating the next books higher.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Dancer's Heart

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 Dancer's Heart
 Simon Leander is living a lie. He hides the truth from his partner in a relationship he's determined to tolerate…jealousy, rants and all. Michael was supposed to be the love of his life and he's not ready to let go of that dream even though the romantic has turned tyrant.
Then Drew appears and a little at a time Simon's determination starts to waver. Drew is everything Michael used to be but isn't anymore. Drew also knows his secret.
When the truth about Simon's double life bursts into the light he must decide whether he can trust Drew and if love deserves a second chance. 

Review

****The author provided me with a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review****
This was a satisfying gay romance. It wasn't just a boy meets boy and lives happily ever after. This was a story of a man searching for that happily ever after, taking a disastrous step into an unhappy and unhealthy and getting his way out of it.
Simon thought that he had found the love of his life, but Michael ended up being a nightmare. Jealous unpredictable possessive tantrums really put a dampener on things. Insecurities in a relationship are everyone's worst nightmare.
I struggled with Simon's inability to quit this relationship. Nobody should accept abuse and for him to excuse it instead of moving forward frustrated and annoyed me. However, I know how we can all me blinded by love or the acquisition of love.
I liked the writing of this book though, I felt it flowed. Even though it was a shortish book, only 141 on my reader, it didn't feel rushed. Characters didn't seem flat but rather well developed as well.
All in all, I enjoyed this romance and I would read other books by this author. 



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Monday, August 11, 2014

Truly


May Fredericks hates New York. Which is fair enough, since New York seems to hate her back. Just weeks after moving from Wisconsin to Manhattan, she receives the world's worst marriage proposal, stabs her boyfriend with a shrimp fork in a very public venue, and accidentally becomes notorious. And that’s before she gets mugged.
At her wit's end, May washes up at a Packers bar in Greenwich Village, where she meets a surly, unhelpful guy who hates her shoes and calls her ex a douche.
His name is Ben. He used to be a chef. Now he's a rooftop beekeeper with anger management issues. She wouldn't even like him, but he reminds her of home … and he knows where to find all the best food in the Village.
She makes him laugh. He buys her tacos and cowboy boots. The longer they’re stuck together, the better May and Ben get along … and the harder they fall. TRULY is a quirky, modern New York love story unlike any you've read before.


 Review

****I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review****
I loved this book, Truly I did ;)
May is alone in the big bad city after embarrassing herself in front of the whole world.
She is craving home and comfort.
Ben is an angry broody character. He obviously has social issues.
However after there meeting May discovers that he reminds her of home and you can't really judge a book by its cover.
And of course he makes her lost and unappreciated heart sing ;)
Both of these characters where brilliant, even with there multitude of demons.
Their journey from strangers to more, was a treat and even though these stories can get old (romance) and you feel like you have read the same tale over and to over, this one seemed fresh, yay!
I loved Ben, he was exactly what May needed! I could feel the chemistry bouncing right off the page and nothing seemed contrived.
It has been a while since I have done a review and I am just so glad that Truly by Ruthie Knox was my first to get be back into it. She has given me that thirst to read again and I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series......maybe Allie's story?

New York Times bestselling author Ruthie Knox writes contemporary romance that’s sexy, witty, and angsty—sometimes all three at once. Her debut novel, Ride with Me, is probably the only existing cross-country bicycling love story. She followed it up with About Last Night, a London-based romance whose hero has the unlikely name of Neville, and then Room at the Inn, a Christmas novella—both of which were finalists for the Romance Writers of America’s RITA Award.
Her four-book series about the Clark family of Camelot, Ohio, has won accolades for its fresh, funny portrayal of small-town Midwestern life. Ruthie also writes New Adult romance as Robin York. She moonlights as a mother, Tweets incessantly, and bakes a mean focaccia. She’d love to hear from you, so visit her website and drop her a line.




  





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