Past Reviews

Before Reading Write Now, Jess and Iva were Kota's Book Kollection.   Any reviews published for Kota's Book Kollection remain on this blog. However prior to that Jess was a reviewer with the Bad Girls Blog It Better Team.  Below are my previous reviews for:

Vixen in Vegas by Emma Nichols

Adam's Apple by Liv Morris

Falling Into You by Jasinda Wilder

The Bitter End by Rue Volley

Jack Stone - Wild Justice by Vivien Sparx


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vixen In Vegas by Emma Nichols

Get it at Amazon

So I mistakenly read this story thinking it was a standalone.  I was 70% into the read when I discovered there was a prologue Novella. Now I don’t know if that was my poor preparation or being a little misled by the description on Goodreads.  What I need to say at the outset is DO NOT READ ‘VIXEN IN VEGAS’ WITHOUT READING ‘SIN AT SEA’ FIRST.  This is vitally important.  If you don’t heed this advice Vixen in Vegas will barely make sense to you as you read it.

Ok so having read Vixen in Vegas first, this review will seem somewhat critical, but I hope that these insights are seen as constructive.  These are the elements that to me, would limit the author’s audience reach.

It took over 1 ½ Chapters for me to learn the name of the main character, and about as long (maybe not quite as long) to figure out her gender.  The book picks up with the main character, who I eventually learned was Alysin, Sin for short, and her BFF Jolie preparing to move to Las Vegas, with the intention of Sin meeting up with a mystery man she had met on a cruise known as BE.  At no point in the book do I learn what BE stood for, but gee it was lucky that it was also his initials, unbeknownst to Sin.  Ben Everly is the lead man in this story, but we don’t learn his name until sometime later.

So Sin and BE have met on a week-long cruise where they spent the week living in the moment and being fake married.  There were rules of their relationship, however, these were not spelt out in Vixen in Vegas, except it became clear that they did not know each other’s names, nor did they have contact details for each other. BE however, did have Jolie’s contact number so he could keep in touch with Sin without breaking the rules.

Essentially Vixen in Vegas is Sin and BE’s story of how they reach their HEA.  It is a journey not without obstacles with significant life decisions having to be made.  I cannot say too much more as this would mean spoilers and you will need to read Vixen in Vegas yourself to see how it unfolds.  What can be said is that Sin has a reputation for running away whenever her heart becomes involved, so the personal journey she goes on to trust and love is huge one.

Unfortunately with or without having read Sin at Sea, the writing style of Vixen in Vegas did not do it for me.  I struggled to feel the emotion that was intended with this story, and I found this story so cliché that I didn’t believe it, nor could the author do the elements of this story justice in a book this length (Amazon has it at approx. 220pgs).  There is so much thrown into this tale that in order for it to be felt, it needed much more time to develop and be explored.  The sex scenes also did not do it for me either, I think it was the style of writing rather than the intent, but it didn’t ‘float my boat’.

Now….  

Having read Sin at Sea, if I had read them in order, the issues I found lacking in Vixen in Vegas would still have existed, but I would have understood the dynamics so much more. The questions that I had been asking all through Vixen in Vegas, I would have had the answers.  Sin at Sea very clearly explained how the relationship came to be, what the rules were, and how they fell in love.  So when in Vixen they kept mentioning renegotiating their agreement, at least I would have known what the agreement was!!

Sin at Sea is approx. 114 pages, it has HOT sex scenes (including F/F, F/F/M and F/F/M/M) and it has an emotional ability to connect with the reader.  Unfortunately it almost seems like the two stories were written by different people, their style was that different. 

I understand that the two stories do have significantly different premises, Sin at Sea is about a rebound relationship with no strings so anything goes, and Vixen in Vegas is about taking that relationship, adding the strings, and throwing in the emotion of a real loving relationship.  However, the similar elements (ie: the sex, the dynamics between Sin and Jolie, and Sin and BE) were so far removed from each other, it made no connection for me in Vixen.  

That said, if you were to read them in order, and in quick succession you may very well have as positive experience with Vixen as I did with Sin at Sea.

Adam's Apple by Liv Morris

Click here to buy at Amazon.com

This was a story that I was excited to read, the main selling point for me was it was written from a male POV.  I love a man’s brutal account of their behaviour and that of the woman that ends up taming them.  So the consciousness of this book is Adam.  That’s Adam Kingsley, ultra sexy young wall street billionaire man whore.

Adam and some college mates have an extremely successful business.  Adam is admired by the world, and wanted by every woman and willingly gives them what they want, his body to please!  Adam meets Kathryn at a fundraising event, and she is a woman who stands up to his shit.  She doesn’t fall to his feet, and this challenge is ever enticing to Adam.

As we know, every good book needs a great drama.  So the drama unfolds in this story, which throws Kathryn and Adam together, and certainly the sparks fly.  However, Kathryn’s barriers make the sexual tension build.  This frustrates the crap out of Adam, which I personally found very gratifying.

Unfortunately, even with all of the evidence that Adam was a typical Alpha male in this genre, he was broken, and his early life experiences really clouded his actions as an adult, I found I did not warm to Adam although I will acknowledge his redeeming character traits as he went on his journey to heal.

However, Kathryn on the other was an amazing leading lady.  She was vivacious, strong, emotional, and compassionate, she had spunk and sass in bucket loads and she called bullshit on Adam so often it was FABULOUS.  Kathryn also had her emotional baggage and life experiences which made her far from perfect.  For me her character creation was wonderful. Her Tantric teachings only making her even better, as a sexual being and a healer by nature. She was a successful, well educated, talented woman with amazing self worth, who could also sense the redeeming qualities buried deep in Adam.

The premise of this story was good, the writing was good, the characters on the whole were good. But unfortunately there was nothing exceptional about this story for me.  If I had to describe it, it would be a ‘nice’ read.  I wasn’t gripped, I didn’t wait to see where it went, it was (for me) very predictable.  I picked the motive behind the plot twist very early, and just waited for it to unfold.  

The book ended quite abruptly, leaving a need for book 2.  I think it takes a very special book to finish that way and leave my jaw hanging open, desperately needing to know what happens next, this one wasn't it.  This book it seemed to just finish, I guess it should be considered as a cliff hanger, but for me it was a bit ‘eh’.  I will likely read Adam’s Fall (book 2) just to try and fill in some blanks, but not out of desperate anticipation to complete the story.

Now I did like this book - there are some very emotional scenes that were well explored, and some great relationship development.  But, as I agree to provide honest reviews, i would have to say that I would recommend this story to someone who needed a nice, well balanced story to get them past a serious book hangover or mind fuck.  This would not be my OMG you have to read this one kind of book!

Falling Into You by Jasinda Wilder

Amazon.com

Falling Into You was an emotional read that had me sobbing (lets be honest, the tears and the snot were flowing!)  Nell and Kyle's story was perfect, best friends who were able to share their young love experiences together.  Their story made you think back to your first love, first time and wish that yours had been as perfect as theirs.  But alas - mine certainly wouldn't make a good book!  

As we know, tragedy struck in the worst possible way for Nell and Kyle, when Kyle died in a horrible accident.  The emotion that Jasinda wrote those scenes with was brilliant, Nell's reactions were so believable, my heart was breaking for both of them.  I felt like a bystander - by Nell's side the whole time! The days after the accident resonated with me and my own grief experiences, it was almost like reliving them... they had that feel of being so real and honest.  Props to you Jasinda for being able to fill the pages with pure emotion.

Then we meet Colton! Oh Colton....  He was just what Nell needed to survive those first few days, but of course we know they part ways.  And we fast forward two years, to when they meet again in New York.  Nell and Colton's relationship is not without its struggles and Jasinda was very respectful in capturing the dynamics of their relationship; the perceived forbidden nature of it, their grief, their individual journey's to get where there were, and the barriers to their HEA.

The character development was good, Jasinda gave us a great insight into what makes Colton, Colton and how Nell's loss has eaten away at the person she once was.  Jasinda covers highly confronting subjects while relaying Nell and Colton's story, from self harming behaviours, guilt, grief and loss, learning difficulties, gangs, crime, murder and the list goes on and on...  With all of these elements, this story was definitely a page turner!

I did love this story, it broke my heart over and over again, and then it filled it with a sense of hope, not for the perfect fairytale ending, but one of hope and realism, and just saying Colton was so flawed he was PERFECT!   

That said, there were some elements of the story that left me wondering... How could Nell and Colton have not known each other, Nell and Kyle were inseparable, surely Colton was the envied older brother; i felt Nell's sense of feelings towards Colton in the days after Kyle's death were a little unrealistic, but you know what, if she didn't have them, we wouldn't have a story!  I loved the build of Nell and Colton's relationship and the support and healing that Colton offered Nell, but i struggled with some of the scenes, with the really sensitive subject matter seeming superficial. 

I also have huge void... I need to know what happened for Nell in the two years between the funeral and New York.  I struggled to connect with Nell in New York because i didn't get a sense of her survival, or basic existence, and i truly believe her parents would have tried so hard to help her through her grief.  The gaps in this time period were a challenge for me, and probably my biggest frustration.  

Overall, i believe this was an amazing story, but one that had so many elements, i left thinking it was TOO MUCH... too much to fit into a book this size, the story was that good that a much longer book would still have kept you engaged, and allowed for more in depth consideration of the issues.... and shit.. really, who did Nell and Colton piss off in their previous lives, because they definitely faced some tough times in their young lives! 

Here's to Nell and Colton finding their Happily Ever Afters, and some time drama free!

The Bitter End by Rue Volley 
(Book 1 of the Golden Crown Series)

purchase your copy @ Amazon.com

Wow – where do I start with The Bitter End, at the beginning?  Well that is sort of the end… The book starts with a point at the end, then tells the story to bring you up to that point, and it starts at a pivotal point in the story, so it sucks you in.  Should I start at the end?  Well hell – that is just all kinds of what the fuck? That it might just scare you all away.

Ok seriously – if you think this review is starting out confused – that is the best indication of where the hell my head is at after reading The Bitter End!

It’s a hell of a hard book to review without giving away significant plot details, and that would mean providing spoilers like nobody’s business, and that would not be cool!

So the book is set around the life of Beth, a spoilt rich girl, and utter bitch, who of course really may just be misunderstood, thanks to her emotionally neglected upbringing.  Her best friend Holland, who tolerates Beth treating her like shit, because they both get something out of the relationship, and of course Ryan, the hot guy who is renowned for his sexual stamina, but also happens to be a high class whore.  Beth has a hate/hate, or a love/hate relationship with everyone.  And she is really unlikable.

Frankly, I didn't like any of the characters in this story.  It wasn't for lack of trying, but I really struggled to relate to the attitudes and behaviours of this ultra-wealthy trio, regardless of how they came across their money.  There were glimmer’s of hope, moments where empathy showed up, and then it just got sucked away in the turn of a page!  This is like a car crash – you know it’s going to be bad, but you just can’t look away!

Rue Volley does nothing, if not push boundaries and write in a very raw and confronting manner.  This is not an easy read – if you want hearts and flowers and happy ever after – this is not for you! No Way!  No How!  This story is twisted, brutal, raw, manipulative, confronting, and all kinds of WTF!

Where I found the book lacking, is with the depth of character development.  The story is there – the story is good, the drama is there in spades, the sex is hard and dirty, there is power, greed, lies and deception at every turn, but the length of the book meant that these elements were superficial and far from engaging.  It felt that the author was rushing to tell the story, so everything happened at break neck speed, and periods of time where implied significant events occurred went missing.

I really wanted to love The Bitter End because it was so different from my current genres of choice, and while I will read and review the Twin Dragons (because curiosity killed the cat…and I have a need to know where it goes, like that crash that you can’t look away from) I am not waiting in anticipation.  The Bitter End had so many twists and turns that I am still trying to figure out which way is up, but rather than go Whooaaaa, I am stuck reflecting on the lack of believability.  I know stories aren't real, but I still need to get some sense of buy in – that it could actually happen, or at the very least, if it couldn't happen, I still believe what I am reading. 

‘Jack Stone – Wild Justice’ by Vivien Sparx   (Book 1 in the The Dark Master Series)  

Buy it at Amazon

This was one book that i was highly anticipating.  The marketing campaign on social media for this book's release had me excited for a story about a different kind of alpha male, one that makes no apologies for all that he is.  With Vivien’s catalogue of BDSM books, I couldn’t wait to read this one!

The book description, albeit brief, tells us that “Jack Stone is the Dark Master.  A Tough man.  A hard man – and he is sexy as all hell.  When Jack Stone arrives in the small town of Windswept, Arizona all he wants is answers.  What he finds is a sexy woman with a lust for BDSM and a secret that locals will kill to keep.”

Sounds amazing right?   

I don’t want to give too much of the book away, because I really want you to make up your own mind about Jack Stone.  But what I will say, is that Jack Stone is on a personal mission to find his younger sister, who he believed to be dead.  While he is following up leads he ends up in the town of Windswept, which from all descriptions is bordering on becoming a ghost town.  The story of Wild Justice takes place here, and is as described, action packed.  Jack Stone is a one man show, ex-military and a real bad ass, essentially a vigilante, but I am not going to complain about his style, as those he encountered definitely deserved his kind of justice!

Unfortunately, that is about where the good stuff ended for me, so don’t read another word if you don’t wish to be influenced either way!

The BDSM that is talked about, well, at this stage, I’m still trying to find it.  Jack Stone is definitely an alpha kind of guy, in all aspects of his life, but in the bedroom, he seems like a pussy cat – well maybe a tiger… but a tame one!  

The sexy woman he finds, well who I am I to say if she is sexy or not – Jack seemed to think so, so that’s all that matters! But her lust for BDSM, was borderline curiosity and when she asked Jack to take her the way he knows she wants it….  Well he was kinda sweet and gentle and loving… it was nice…far from hot and a lot disappointing!  There was actually very little sex in this book and while I say it was ‘little’ (I’m sure Jack wasn’t) it was nice to read a book that had a story and plot as the driver and the sex secondary to that.

However, I also did find the sentence structure distracting (Jack seemed a bit caveman, and not in a good way!) and the book did seem to float from different perspectives without preface, so I found myself re-reading to try and follow who’s POV I was reading.  There were also some super corny one liners in the book which made the story lose credibility for me… Hello Mr Smith and Mr Wesson…

It may seem like I am being super negative, and I’m not.  Really, if the book was touted only as an action story with an alpha male, it would have been a good easy read.  My disappointment stems from the books description and the lack of substance to the content.  And really come on, Jack hitchhikes his way into every town, and lo and behold, a lonely ol’ female just happens to be his ride…. Does that mean each book will begin with the token anonymous sexual exchange?  Girls – remember to be safe…not all hitchhikers will be like Stone, Jack Stone and give you pleasure as payment for the ride….