Dark Paradise by Angie Sandro (Dark Paradise #1)

Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Publication Date: July 1st 2014
POV: Alternating - First-person, Present tense
Smut-O-Meter: 3 out of 10
My Rating: 2 out of 5

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Mala LaCroix has spent her whole life trying to escape her destiny. As the last in a long line of "witch women," she rejects the notion of spirits and hoodoo and instead does her best to blend in. But when she finds a dead body floating in the bayou behind her house, Mala taps into powers she never knew she had. She's haunted by visions of the dead girl, demanding justice and vengeance.

Landry Prince has always had a crush on Mala, but when Mala discovers his sister, murdered and marked in some sort of Satanic ritual, he wonders if all the rumours about the LaCroix family are true. Yet after Mala uses her connection to the spirit world to identify his sister's killer, he starts to form his own bond to her . . . a very physical one. As they move closer to each other and closer to the truth, Mala and Landry must risk everything—their families, their love, and even their lives.

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I really did not enjoy this book. At first I enjoyed Mala and Landry, but the story just did not draw me in at all. The magic was introduced really oddly, and I hated Mala's mother and George, both secondary characters to Mala and Landry. I hated the whole town and how they ostracized Mala because of her mother's reputation. It was all really infuriating.

Mala and Landry's relationship was odd and seemed to progress in awkward jerking motions. At first they seemed to not get along very well, and then suddenly they are making out and I was like, "Whoa! What's going on?" But then they start yelling at each other again. But I still like them as individuals and as a couple. Landry was extremely troubled by his home life, but still funny and cocky. And Mala was pretty spunky and I love my heroine's with spunk. And they seemed to calm each other and help them deal with all the shit in their lives.

But all the shit in their lives still refused to leave them alone, and their families could not accept their relationship and it got in the way. Unfortunately it left Mala and Landry torn apart and introduced a love-triangle in the end, which really makes me angry, especially since I hated George. Although the book featured alternating POVs between Mala and Landry, so I am fairly certain that she will still end up with Landry in the end. But I don't think I have the energy to continue with this series. 

The Vast and Brutal Sea by Zoraida Córdova (The Vicious Deep #3)

Genres: Young Adult, Adventure, Fantasy/Mythology
Publication Date: July 1st 2014
POV: Male - First-person, Present tense
My Rating: 2 out of 5

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This epic clash of sand and sea will pit brother against brother-and there can only be one winner

In two days, the race for the Sea Court throne will be over-but all the rules have changed. The sea witch, Nieve, has kidnapped Layla and is raising an army of mutant sea creatures to overthrow the crown. Kurt, the one person Tristan could depend on in the battle for the Sea King's throne, has betrayed him. Now Kurt wants the throne for himself. Tristan has the Scepter of the Earth, but it's not enough. He'll have to travel to the mysterious, lost Isle of Tears and unleash the magic that first created the king's powerful scepter. It's a brutal race to the finish, and there can only be one winner.

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I found this series over all rather tedious. It was ok for the most part, but not good enough to keep bringing me back. I got really impatient with it most of the time. I just wanted to find out how it would end and didnt really want to do all the work to get there.

I read two other books on the side during the time it took me to read this one. And I fell asleep on this book on numerous occasions. As I have said in my reviews for both The Vicious Deep and The Savage Blue, I liked Tristan but I never really swoon over guys when the book is from their POV. I have to see them from the POV of a woman, to see them as the woman sees them and loves them, then I start to pick up those feelings myself.

I enjoyed most of the supporting characters, but I don't know if there were too many, or if I just didn't care about them enough, but I could never remember who was who. Who the hell is Kai? She was with Tristan for most of this book, but I have no idea who she is or when he met her. I just cannot remember.

I am glad with how things turned out for everyone. I don't know why, but for some reason I suspected the ending would go down something like it did. No tragic fates are hanging over anyone's heads. And I am glad that this series is over and I can move on.

Rain Shadow by Tess Oliver (The Barringer Brothers #1)

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Suspense, Romance
Publication Date: July 16th 2014
POV: Alternating - First-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 7 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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Luke Barringer finds himself in the desert near death, unsure of his name and with no recollection of his past. As the hot sun bears down on him, his will to live slips away, but he can't close his eyes. Sleep is the enemy and now it seems he has found his own slice of hell. But through the mist of his agony, a girl's soft voice drifts over him and the sound of it draws him away from the darkness.

While riding her horse, Evangeline "Angel" Sharpe finds a man bloodied and beaten. Despite knowing that she'll be in trouble for bringing him to the Bedlam MC compound, she takes him home to tend his wounds. While the handsome stranger heals, Angel finds herself falling for him. As the mystery of his past is revealed, she helps him struggle with the truth, a truth that will lead to his true identity . . . an identity that could destroy Angel's world.

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Tess Oliver has an incredible ability to write characters and relationships that are real and believable. The pace of this story was a bit fast but Luke and Angel's relationship was keeping up fine. They had an instant connection and a playfulness with each other that was a joy to watch. They already feel inseparable to me. 

Angel was an interesting combination of sweetness and balls. As Luke liked to point out, she was full of inconsistencies. But that is what happens when you are a good-natured person raised in a motorcycle club. Luke was an interesting combination of traits as well. He was light and funny, seemingly not taking anything seriously. But at the same time I got the sense that he could be stone cold when he had to be. He was dangerous. They made a perfect couple and I am anxious about where the story will go from here.

I really enjoyed the different twist of a hero with no memory of himself. It was like falling for a clean slate, but he was still himself, he just didn't know it. I don't think that having his memories back has changed Luke. It may have put his priorities and motives into perspective, but he is still going to be the Luke that Angel fell for, or the Reno that Angel fell for. I am not really sure if the story will still focus on Luke and Angel. The excerpt from book 2 at the end of my ARC made it seem as if it will, but the series is called The Barringer Brothers, so I don't know if they will later be introduced as heroes. But either way, I am a bit nervous for Luke and the situation he has found himself in. Dreygon is a dangerous man and I hope that Luke can get himself and Angel out of there safely. But with 4 more books in the series, a lot could happen.

I felt like this book was a bit short and incomplete though. It seemed to end abruptly. I know the story is far from complete, but I felt like the first book should have been longer. Not enough happened in regards to the suspense of the story to satisfy me yet. Nothing really major happened between the MC and Luke as of yet. But he did remember his identity which is a big step for him, but the book didn't have a real climax. I will just have to wait for book 2 to get that I guess, which is fine. I will certainly be back to see more of Luke. He has totally won me over with his devil may care attitude, and I am curious to discover if and how his memories have changed him and his relationship with Angel, and what he plans to do next. 

"You can call me Angel when you're in a hurry, or when we're laughing, or when you're mad at me, but don't ever be mad at me. But whenever you're looking at me like the way you're looking at me right now, then call me by my real name. Call me Evangeline."

Bittersweet Obsession by Tess Oliver (The Dark Romance Collection #1)

Genres: Adult, Historical Fiction, Romance
Publication Date: September 29th 2012
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 7 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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The Dark Romance Collection is a series of full length adult romance novels set in the nineteenth century and based loosely on horror classics. Bittersweet Obsession, the first in the series, is based on Mary Shelley’s classic, Frankenstein.

Angel Van Ostrand has returned from the Peninsular War wounded and dispirited from the horrors of battle only to discover that his father, Dr. Van Ostrand, a once renowned scientist, is engaged in a series of macabre experiments financed by a wealthy baron who seeks immortality. With the melting of winter’s frost, Angel is determined to leave his family home, Greystock Manor, forever. But when his father’s latest purported triumph over nature comes in the form of an ethereal beauty named Jane, Angel is drawn to her. And now he finds himself in a new battle— one that involves his heart.

After being stabbed and left for dead in an icy pond, Jane has woken in a strange house under the care of an odd physician and with no recollection of her past. As she recuperates and deals with the slow and painful return of dark memories, she finds that she is losing herself to the doctor’s son, Angel. But with each passing day layers of secrets from both the past and present are peeled away and soon Jane discovers that nothing is as it seems.

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I loved the setting in this book and it managed to keep a bit of the Gothic feel with the secluded old manor. Or as I would imagine it, since I have never actually read Frankenstein. I instantly felt for Angel as we are introduced to him and he is contemplating suicide. I would guess he had PTSD from the Napoleonic War, but that diagnosis didn't exist at the time.

As we get to know Angel a little better we see that he is moody and angry at the world for a lot of reasons. I felt instant sympathy for him and his situation and already started looking forward to the introduction of his true love. I was really excited for him to get that chance to heal.

Jane was sweet although I would have preferred a little more depth to her. Angel was the one always risking himself for her, and saying incredible things like "You possess me wholly." I still really enjoyed the way their relationship developed, and how Angel gradually let himself forget her origins. It was very romantic. They had great chemistry, and I know Jane loved Angel, but she wasn't as passionate about it as him.

There was a lot of mystery surrounding Jane's previous life that I enjoyed. We never really knew who the people were who were looking for her until the end. The mystery unraveled slowly and there was a bit of a twist which I thought was very neat and smart. And I enjoyed the ending, as Angel once again takes charge and sweeps Jane off her feet.

"There is no one else on this earth for me but you."

Undone by Shannon Richard (Country Roads #1)

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: July 2nd 2013
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 5 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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Things Paige Morrison will never understand about Mirabelle, Florida:

Why wearing red shoes makes a girl a harlot
Why a shop would ever sell something called "buck urine"
Why everywhere she goes, she runs into sexy-and infuriating-Brendan King

After losing her job, her apartment, and her boyfriend, Paige has no choice but to leave Philadelphia and move in with her retired parents. For an artsy outsider like Paige, finding her place in the tightly knit town isn't easy-until she meets Brendan, the hot mechanic who's interested in much more than Paige's car. In no time at all, Brendan helps Paige find a new job, new friends, and a happiness she wasn't sure she'd ever feel again. With Brendan by her side, Paige finally feels like she can call Mirabelle home. But when a new bombshell drops, will the couple survive, or will their love come undone?

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This book was super sweet! It was almost an HEA from start to finish. When Paige, a 25 year-old Phillie girl loses her job and her boyfriend in a matter of months, she decides to move to small town Florida where her parents have retired. She has trouble fitting in until she meets 28 year-old Brendan, hot mechanic and shop owner. Things start looking up. Brendan helps get her a new job that she loves, she meets a lot of new friends, and after only a few months they move in together. It was just smooth sailing for these love birds. I have said it a thousand times, but I hate unnecessary conflict in contemporary romances, so this book was really a dream come true for me.

Brendan and Paige had great banter and I really enjoyed both of their POVs. But I think the dialogue was sometimes a bit cheesy. And the fact that they are mature characters made it much more obvious than if this were a YA. But it wasn't enough to disrupt my reading experience. Brendan is the usual, absolutely perfect boyfriend. He never does anything wrong. Paige did get mad at him twice though, but both times were a major overreaction in my opinion. Paige was fun too. Pretty artsy and free-spirited. She was enjoyable but definitely more of a handful than Brendan.

Tragedy does strike the happy couple eventually and it put me in a bit of a rut. I don't like tragedy either. It made me kind of depressed for the rest of the day. It wasn't nearly the saddest thing I have read lately, but I am overly empathetic and sometimes more rubs off on me than I intend to allow. I seem to only have this problem with contemps because it feels more real.

The book ends on a very hopeful note and I am very glad that the series continues with other characters from the small town getting their own HEAs. I look forward to continuing the series.

"You're the warm sheets next to me every morning, and the bright colors in the dryer when we do laundry. You're the toothbrush next to mine on the sink. You're the first sip of coffee in the morning, and the last sip of win at night."

New Cover Reveal and Re-release of Bittersweet Obsession by Tess Oliver

Today is the re-release and cover reveal of Tess Oliver's adult, historical, paranormal romance, Bittersweet Obsession. It is a romantic retelling of Mary Shelley's classic, Frankenstein. Although I have read several of her books, I have not read this one yet. I can't wait to get a chance to read it. My reading schedule has been pretty tied up, but in the next week or so, hopefully. I love retellings, and I especially love retellings of classics, more so than fairy tales. Its hard to say no to a gothic romance! And if Tess' other work is any indication, I am sure I will love this! As I have loved two of her other PNR series, Camille, and Years From Home.

Below you will find the plot summary, a teaser, the jacket, and links to the book on Goodreads. If you have read this book, or if you are as excited as me, let me know your thoughts!

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Tess Oliver's Dark Romance Collection is a series of full length sexy adult romance novels set in the nineteenth century and based loosely on horror classics.

Bittersweet Obsession, the first in the series, is based on Mary Shelley's classic, Frankenstein. Angel Van Ostrand has returned from the Peninsular War wounded and dispirited from the horrors of battle only to discover that his father, Dr. Van Ostrand, a once renowned scientist, is engaged in a series of macabre experiments financed by a wealthy baron who seeks immortality. With the melting of winter's frost, Angel is determined to leave his family home, Greystock Manor, forever. But when his father's latest purported triumph over nature comes in the form of an ethereal beauty named Jane, Angel is drawn to her. And now he finds himself in a new battle-- one that involves his heart.

After being stabbed and left for dead in an icy pond, Jane has woken in a strange house under the care of an odd physician and with no recollection of her past. As she recuperates and deals with the slow and painful return of dark memories, she finds that she is losing herself to the doctor's son, Angel. But with each passing day layers of secrets from both the past and present are peeled away and soon Jane discovers that nothing is as it seems.

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Rett by Tess Oliver (Custom Culture #4)

Genres: New Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: May 28th 2014
POV: Alternating - First-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 8 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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Barrett "Rett" Mason has never found the one girl who can tame his wild heart. And sometimes life is just easier and less complicated without love. While working for Kingston Construction, Barrett becomes fast friends with the owner's son, Cole. They have one major thing in common-- their insatiable appetite for women. But when Barrett meets Cole's sister Finley, the easy, care-free, no commitment lifestyle he's grown used to suddenly loses its appeal. Now Barrett has met his match and the one girl who is just too damn impossible to walk out on.


For several years, Finley King has been a slave to the anxiety disorder that gripped her and kept her from enjoying life. Now with the support of her family, friends, and medication she is on the mend. But the one thing she lacks in her otherwise lush existence as a rock star's daughter is passion. Barrett Mason is about to change that...

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I think this might be my second favourite book in this series. My favourite is still Freefall. I always loved Rett. He seemed like such a genuinely nice guy. He never set out to hurt or use women. And especially after he saved Aimee from the fire, I knew he was a winner.

I never really though about it before, that women and sex were Rett's talent. Nix has tattoos, Clutch has cars, and Dray has fighting. Rett has women and sex. But it made sense. It suited him. This was exactly how I always imagined Rett's more personal side to be like, even though we never saw it before. Rett was around a little less than the other men and I feel like we knew the least about him going into his book. But I always knew he was yummy and I was really excited about this book.

Although I never imagined Rett to look like this cover image before it was revealed. I've gotten used to it now, but I didn't know he had long hair. The way everyone was going on about him I imagine him prettier. He is definitely good looking, but way more rugged than pretty. And he looks a lot like his brother, which of course makes sense.

I already loved Finley from Strangely Normal, and she was great in this too. I enjoyed seeing more of her, and Some Pig. Some Pig is awesome. Minus the sexual appetite, Finley really is like a Disney princess. She sounds so amazing, like a person I wish I could be friends with. And she and Rett go so well together. When I first heard that Finley was going to be back as Rett's love interest, I was so excited. I could already imagine the chemistry they were going to have. And of course it turned out to be so much hotter than the other books, with some semi-explicit sex. As I said above, this suits Rett and should have been expected. But I hadn't been expecting it, since the first two books were pretty moderate, and I don't even remember there being any sex in Dray.

But the meaning of all this is that Rett and Finley are perfectly balanced together. Finley can direct Rett's previously unchecked passion, and Rett can ignite Finley previously non-existent passion. I think Rett may be my favourite of the lead males in this series now, even if I preferred Freefall over all because it had an engrossing story. I already miss Rett.

Is this series over? There are no more males I can think of to be featured. None that are part of the same close knit group anyway. Although I would read a book about Cole, and possibly Taylor's brother, Jason. He needs a better girlfriend.

“Having you around is like having a piece of the North star break off and drop to earth.”

Alpha Goddess by Amalie Howard

Genres: Young Adult, Fantasy/Mythology, Romance
My Rating: 3 out of 5

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In Serjana Caelum’s world, gods exist. So do goddesses. Sera knows this because she is one of them. A secret long concealed by her parents, Sera is Lakshmi reborn, the human avatar of an immortal Indian goddess rumored to control all the planes of existence. Marked by the sigils of both heaven and hell, Sera’s avatar is meant to bring balance to the mortal world, but all she creates is chaos. A chaos that Azrath, the Asura Lord of Death, hopes to use to unleash hell on earth.

Torn between reconciling her past and present, Sera must figure out how to stop Azrath before the Mortal Realm is destroyed. But trust doesn’t come easy in a world fissured by lies and betrayal. Her best friend Kyle is hiding his own dark secrets, and her mysterious new neighbor, Devendra, seems to know a lot more than he’s telling. Struggling between her opposing halves and her attraction to the boys tied to each of them, Sera must become the goddess she was meant to be, or risk failing, which means sacrificing the world she was born to protect.

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The story in this was pretty interesting. Despite all the mythology that was in it, and the many different types of deities and demons and hells and everything else that we were introduced to, it still managed to make sense. It explained everything well enough to follow and there was a good amount of action. I don't have any complains really besides the characters, namely Dev and Kyle. I think this book handled its love-triangle rather poorly.

The book alternated between Sera and Kyle's POVs, so I was definitely Team Kyle. We got to know him a lot better than Dev because of his POVs, and I felt like that meant something for the outcome. Although I was really frustrated with the back and forth. You can trust him. You can't trust him. You can trust him. You can't trust him. My demon blood made me do it. Its really hard for a character to be an individual when they are so easily controlled, and their loyalties begin to mean nothing when it is not their own choice.

And Dev we hardly knew at all. I hated how he just strolled into Sera's life and started acting like he belonged there because of something that happened thousands of years ago. We never really got to know him, and any relationship he had with Sera was based on the past. We never saw them connect in the present, and it just felt really intrusive and presumptuous. It made me hate him in the same way that I hate River Song.

And what the hell was with that ending?! Who did she pick? Did she pick neither or both?! She spends months in a realm between realms, where she is mourning Kyle's death alone, which I assumed meant something in favour of Kyle. But then Dev shows up and tells her that Kyle is still alive. And what does she do? She kisses Dev! And while she is kissing him she thinks. "It was a kiss of hello and a kiss of goodbye, a kiss of love and of friendship. It was a bridge between the past and the present, and a promise of the future. It was a kiss for forever." I like the part where it says 'a kiss of goodbye and a kiss of the past'. But I certainly do not like the part where it says 'a promise of the future and a kiss for forever'. Blah. But then, on the very next page, she visits Kyle and when she sees him, she thinks, "Sera knew without a doubt that there was no other place she needed to be...there was no other place she would rather be. She was home." And then the book ends. Huh, sooo what just happened?!

I would recommend this to fans of books heavy with mythology, and especially books that visit hell. There is a lot of hell and demons in this book. Or I should say Xibalba. But not necessarily for fans of YA romance. The romance in this book was a mess.

“Why are you telling me this, Dev? You could have let me believe that she didn't love me. Things would have been much easier for you." 

Dev smiled. "Because its not the truth. And why would I hurt you when its clear she does love you? What she feels for you doesn't change what exists between me and Sera. That existed far before your time and will endure long after it. Even if she loves another, I bear that person no ill will because I love her. And love is infinite, is it not?”

Sempre by J.M. Darhower (Forever #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary, Suspense, Romance
Publication Date: January 29th 2012
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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Haven Antonelli and Carmine DeMarco had vastly different childhoods. Haven, a second-generation slave, grew up isolated in the middle of the desert, her days full of hard work and terrifying abuse. Carmine, born into a wealthy Mafia family, lived a life of privilege, never having to answer for anything he did.

Both now seventeen, a twist of fate causes their worlds to collide, making them question everything they ever believed. Entangled in a web of secrets and lies, they learn that while different on the surface, they have more in common than anyone would think.

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For the first half of this book I was totally in love. I loved Haven's story; where she came from, how she survived, where she would go from there. I am very fascinated by the psychology of surviving trauma such as slavery. That might be a somewhat insensitive way of looking at it, but I am always impressed by people who can come out of it and continue living their lives, even though they will need help at first. And Haven is definitely one of those impressive people. And then there is Carmine. I loved him instantly. Somehow his foul mouth made him endearing to me. I usually hate foul language but Carmine was so over-the-top with it that I could tell it was a form of protection for him. A shield. It made it instantly clear to me how much he was suffering, although, at the time, I didnt know what he was suffering from. I just wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him everything was going to be ok.

The first half of this book was one of the most beautiful and intense YA romances I have ever read. Although some of the content gives this a NA rating, most of Carmine and Haven's interactions felt very YA, and that is not a bad thing at all. They are only 17. They are so young but have already suffered so much and they understand each other so well because of that. Their age sometimes shows in the way they behave with each other but it just makes it all the more amazing that they can be so dedicated to each other.

I loved seeing their romance develop and I could see and feel their connection. And I could see them saving each other daily. It was a great love story between such amazingly broken but strong people. I was totally in love with both of them and the book. And I would have remained so if it had ended somewhere not long after Valentine's Day. If this book had taken out most of the mob story and had simply been a romance about two people with vague connections to it, I would be singing it's praises. It actually wouldn't be that hard to change. Everything that happened in the second half of the book wouldn't have happened, and there could have been an HEA.

I was really disappointed that this book started to drag in the second half. It was sooo long. I don't have a problem with long books if I am enjoying it, even if not a lot happens. But the second half of this book felt like things were just unnecessarily getting stretched out. And to think that there is a sequel. I will not be reading Sempre: Redemption, which really saddens me. But I already feel like this story has lived past its prime, and reading a sequel would be like kicking a dead horse. I don't see how this story could be continued, besides giving it the ending this book deserved to get. What a roundabout way of getting there. Haven and Carmine's story could have been a quarter of the length. I have as much interest in reading the sequel to this as I do in reading the sequel to Noughts & Crosses. Now that is a painful book. I'm not a masochist.

So I am not really sure who to recommend this book to. Fans of the intense young love, or fans of the suspense and violence of the second half of the book? I suppose you can decide for yourself and I hope I was able to help.

“Grabbing her hand, he pressed it gently to his chest. His skin was warm to the touch, and she could slightly feel his pulse pounding against her palm. 

“Do you feel that? I’m not going anywhere, Haven. This is yours.”

Twist Me by Anna Zaires (Twist Me #1)

Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Publication Date: February 10th 2014
POV: Female - First-person, Present tense
Smut-O-Meter: 10 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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I never thought this could happen to me. I never imagined one chance meeting on the eve of my eighteenth birthday could change my life so completely.

Now I belong to him. To Julian. To a man who is as ruthless as he is beautiful – a man whose touch makes me burn. A man whose tenderness I find more devastating than his cruelty.

My captor is an enigma. I don’t know who he is or why he took me. There is a darkness inside him – a darkness that scares me even as it draws me in.

My name is Nora Leston, and this is my story.

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This was the darkest book of this genre that I have read yet. It brought me places that I did not know that I wanted to go. It turned me into a willing victim, just like Nora.

I personally love 'love my captor' stories. I love the psychology behind it; seeing how the different women handle their situations, the motives of the different captors, and how things ultimately turn out. Is love able to conquer all the terrible things that happened between them? Or is love even involved at all? This one was different. The biggest difference is the fact that I found nothing redeemable about Nora's captor, Julian. I hated him all along. This is not the kind of leading male I can swoon over.

But he was the cause of all the games being played between himself and Nora. He was the catalyst for everything that had happened, so I accept his role in the story. But I knew unequivocally that Nora did not belong with him. He was not a good person, and he did not love her. And unlike the other books like this one that I have read, where everyone's emotions are shades of grey, I have no doubt that there is a lot of Stockholm Syndrome going on in this book.

Despite the fact that I never warmed to him, as I neared the end, I found myself hoping that they would remain together. I couldn't believe it had happened. I have no idea how or why I had found myself in that position, and I am slightly ashamed. But that is one of my favourite things about this sort of book. You have so many emotions going in different directions that you don't know which ones to follow. It can be overwhelming and it's a bit of a high for me. And Julian did put me at war with myself more often than I had anticipated.

As much as I enjoyed the psychology behind how Julian treated Nora, I did not enjoy the BDSM aspects of the story. That's just my personal preference, but it also definitely has something to do with why I hated Julian. I just can't separate my feelings and be objective about it. I think I remember Anna Zaires saying that the BDSM in this book would be mild, but if this is mild, I shudder at the thought of what true BDSM is like. I am glad I have avoided it thus far.

Another problem I had with this book is Beth. I hated her more than Julian because she seemed to serve no purpose but to piss me off. I don't understand any way that she could approve of what Julian was doing. No matter what she had been through, or what Julian had done for her, it doesn't make rape ok. And if Beth thinks it does, then she has some other, deeper issues besides her tragic past. Or Julian has brainwashed her as well. 

However wrong it may be, I cannot deny how expertly Julian handled and manipulated Nora. I enjoyed seeing her transformation, as Julian molded her into exactly what he wanted, or needed. It was by far my favourite thing about this book, and out of all the 'love my captor' and 'Stockholm Syndrome' books I have read, I think this is the most convincing and realistic. Although, I'm no expert.

I am looking forward to the sequel, Keep Me. I don't know where I would want their relationship to go from here, and I am not even sure that I would want it to change at all. Would I want to risk all of Nora's conditioning being undone? Regardless of what happens, I am excited by the fact that the excerpt was in Julian's POV. Twist Me was solely in Nora's. I cannot imagine what is going on in Julian's head. He treats Nora like a possession and has no regard for her free will, but he risked his life for her. I would love to see how he can reconcile those two things in his mind. He is certainly a complex, fascinating, and incredibly intelligent man, whatever else I may think of him.

Even though I was already in love with Anna Zaires writing and storytelling from The Krinar Chronicles, I was nevertheless impress with Twist Me. This may not have done it for me in the erotica department (and there is a lot of it. This book is like 80% sex!), but it did not take away from my experience. It was about the purpose and motives of Julian's brutality, not the brutality itself. With this new series, Anna Zaires has surpassed my already high expectations.

"He turns me inside out, takes me apart, and puts me back together—all in the span of one night." 

Deception's Web by Crista McHugh (Deizian Empire #3)

Genres: Adult, Sci-fi/Fantasy, Romance
Publication Date: December 7th 2013
POV: Alternating - Third-person, Past tense
Smut-O-Meter: 8 out of 10
My Rating: 4 out of 5

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A soldier looking for redemption falls into the arms of the empire's Black Widow...

Galerius, former Captain of the Legion, is honored to be given a chance to redeem himself by discovering who is behind the failing barrier. A series of anonymous letters all point to Hostilius, governor of Lucrilia, but Galerius thinks he'll learn more about the plot by seducing the governor's thrice widowed daughter, Claudia. Although he warns himself not to fall into snare of the empire's most deadly temptress, one kiss leaves him begging for more.

Claudia has spent years as a pawn in her father's political games and longs to break free of his rule, even it means betraying him to the emperor. When Galerius arrives in Tivola, she's not sure if he's there to aid her father or stop him. She willingly submits to his seduction, despite their class differences, in order to find the truth. What she doesn't expect to find is a man who indulges her secret fantasies, satisfying her in a way none of her previous husbands did, and treats her as something more than a conquest. As time runs out to thwart her father's plans, she must decide if she can trust Galerius not only with her life, but her heart.

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I enjoyed this one more than Poisoned Web, and almost as much as Tangled Web. The thing I loved the most about this book was the tension and level of danger in Galerius' mission. The scene in the tunnels at the end really had my heart racing.

Galerius and Claudia were as strong characters as the previous leads, and I can't really say who my favourites are. I love them all. I think I may have a soft spot for the brooding Galerius though. I am so happy that he got an HEA. He deserved it. So did Claudia. Its hard to believe that she is the same person who was trying to steal the Emperor from Azurha in book one.

The story in this one was well developed and I loved seeing Galerius' slowly unraveling Hostilius' plot. And the romance was perfectly paced. At first I was thinking it was all just sex, but before I knew it I could see their relationship developing into something so much deeper. It may have been too long since I read Tangled Web, but I think perhaps the relationship between Galerius and Claudia is my favourite of the series. They make a perfect pair.

I absolutely adore the beautiful world Crista McHugh created for this series, and she could always write much more set in the Deizian Empire. I would not be apposed to that a story about Marcus.

“Its practically suicide. And for what? For some woman?" 

"Not just some woman." He grabbed a dagger and strapped it to his thigh under his tunic. "The woman. The only one I'll ever need or want.”