{Review} Wanted! Ralfy Rabbit, Book Burglar by Emily MacKenzie

Posted by Donna
Release Date:  December 18th, 2014
Finished Date: December 12th, 2014

Publishers: Bloomsbury Children's
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Ages: 3-6 years 
Source: For Review
Format: Paperback

Pages: 32

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Some rabbits dream about lettuces and carrots, others dream of flowering meadows and juicy dandelions, but Ralfy dreams only of books. In fact, he doesn't just dream about them, he wants to read them ALL THE TIME. Soon his obsession sends him spiralling into a life of crime!

A wonderfully funny story from a talented new author/illustrator.

The Review: Ralfy Rabbit loves books. Rather than doing the normal things that rabbits should be doing, Ralfy Rabbit can’t stop thinking or dreaming of books and he reads as much as possible. Eventually it gets to the point where Ralfy Rabbit starts taking other people’s favourite books for himself. Until a boy called Arthur spots him and Arthur is determined to stop Ralfy Rabbit.

As a parent I really loved the premise of this book. As a fellow book lover myself, I can completely understand how Ralfy Rabbit feels. I want new books all the times. Even when I have a million to read already it doesn’t stop me from buying more. So I loved that I could connect to Ralfy. My daughter who is 4 years old couldn’t. I noticed that when we read this story she quickly lost interest and was easily distracted. I just don’t think she appreciated Ralfy’s story as much as me and I think maybe this story was a little ‘old’ for her mainly because it’s quite a lengthy story. It is only 32 pages but the story it quite long compared to some of the other stories we’ve read. It took about 10 minutes to read it. This is why I think this story may appeal to slightly older children (5-6 years). 

Even though my daughter didn’t enjoy as much as me, I still did. I thought the illustrations were perfect for the story and had so much detail to brighten up the story. I especially loved the police line up where each rabbit had their own I HEART BOOKS t-shirt on.  And I liked that Arthur could sympathise with Ralfy Rabbit and in the end, ended up helping Ralfy Rabbit. 

In all, this may not have been a hit with my 4 year old but it certainly was with me and it’s a story that I will try again with her in the near future.

3.5 stars! 

Thank you to Bloomsbury Children's Books for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

{Blog Tour} Red Eye Blog Tour with Alex Bell and Lou Morgan

We're hear today to let you know of the first two titles to be published in the new Red Eye horror series for teens from Stripes Publishing. So do you like young adult horror? Well then these two books are right up your street!

Frozen Charlotte
by Alex Bell
Release Date: January 5th, 2015

Publishers: Stripes Publishing
Genre: YA, Horror

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

We're waiting for you to come and play. 

Dunvegan School for Girls has been closed for many years. Converted into a family home, the teachers and students are long gone.

But they left something behind...Sophie arrives at the old schoolhouse to spend the summer with her cousins. 

Brooding Cameron with his scarred hand, strange Lilias with a fear of bones and Piper, who seems just a bit too good to be true. 

And then there's her other cousin. 

The girl with a room full of antique dolls. 

The girl that shouldn't be there. 

The girl that died.

Author Interview with Alex Bell.......

Could you tell us about Frozen Charlotte?

Frozen Charlotte is a YA horror story about a girl whose best friend dies after they muck around one night with a Ouija Board app. She thinks that they might have accidentally let her dead cousin, Rebecca, escape out of the board so she travels to a remote Scottish island to stay with her uncle and surviving cousins to find out more about Rebecca's suspicious death. They live in an old converted schoolhouse perched on the cliff top, with a burnt dead tree in the garden, a bedroom filled with antique Frozen Charlotte dolls and a family who are all keeping secrets from one another. Nothing is quite what it seems and a ghostly presence seems to haunt the house. How did Rebecca die all those years ago and do the Frozen Charlotte dolls *really* move around a night when nobody is watching? 

How did you come up with the idea for the book?

I originally intended the dolls in the story to be voodoo dolls but, whilst researching, I stumbled across the Frozen Charlotte ballad. I loved the idea of these creepy old white porcelain dolls that were based on a dead girl from the Victorian era and everything else took on from there. I remember messing around with a home-made Ouija Board with my friends at school so that gave me the idea for the app in the first chapter. And I wanted to use the Isle of Skye for the location because I love that kind of remote, creepy, very traditional horror story setting. I'm a total sucker for anything Gothic!

How long did it take to write?

Two months for the first draft. 

What was the most challenging thing about writing this book?

Probably the tight deadline! I had to write about a third of it whilst I was on holiday on a ship sailing around Aruba, Columbia and the Panama Canal. Everyone else was on deck drinking cocktails in the sun whilst I was down below, drinking coffee and writing like a lunatic. It was over Halloween, though, so there were a lot of paper skeletons, giant cobwebs and ghoulish pumpkins all over the place, which helped get me in the mood. I was in the middle of writing one of the spookiest chapters one day when the huge paper skeleton on the wall next to me suddenly fell down and made me scream. I get a bit on edge when I'm writing horror! I think the staff and other passengers were all very confused by me. 

Who is your favourite character?

Cameron is my favourite character. He's the oldest of the cousins and, although a skilled pianist, he can only play with one hand because the other was injured in a fire that took place at the house years ago. I'm also really fond of Lilias, the youngest cousin. She suffers from cartilogenophobia - fear of bones. Including the ones inside her own body.   

What is your favourite quote?

"Success is relative. It is what we can make of the mess we have made of things." T.S.Eliot

What’s next for you?

I'm working on another book at the moment, also YA, and I have a gruesome short story about Jack the Ripper coming out in May in the Mammoth Book of Tales from the Vatican Vaults anthology. 

About the Author: Alex Bell always wanted to be a writer, but embarked upon a Law Degree as  back-up plan, writing no fewer than six novels during her time at university. Now the published author of The Ninth Circle and Jasmyn, Alex happily dwells in an entirely make-believe world of blood, madness, murder and mayhem. 

Also publishing also this month is Sleepless by Lou Morgan. 

Sleepless 
by Lou Morgan
Release Date: January 5th, 2015

Publishers: Stripes Publishing
Genre: YA, Horror

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Young, rich and good-looking, Izzy and her friends lead seemingly perfect lives. 

But exams are looming – and at a school like Clerkenwell, failure is not an option. 

Luckily, Tigs has a solution. 

A small pill that will make revision a breeze and help them get the results they need. 

Desperate to succeed, the group begin taking the study drug.

It doesn’t take long before they realize there are far worse things than failing a few exams.

Next stop on the tour is http://www.yayeahyeah.com/

{Review} Breaking the Rules (Pushing the Limits #1.5) by Katie McGarry

Posted by Donna
Release Date: January 1st, 2015
Finished Date: December 30th, 2014

Publishers: Mira Ink
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Source: For Review
Format: Paperback

Pages: 464

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

“I wish life could be like this forever,” I say.

“We’d be okay then.

We’d forever be okay.”

For Echo Emerson, a road trip with her boyfriend is the perfect way to spend the last summer between school and college. It’s a chance forget all the things that make her so different at home. But most of all, it means almost three months alone with gorgeous Noah Hutchins, the only boy who’s never judged her.

Echo and Noah share everything.

But as their pasts come crashing back into their lives, its harder to hide that they come from two very different worlds. And as the summer fades, Echo faces her toughest decision – struggle to face the future together or let her first love go…

The Review: DNF at page 101.

Pushing the Limits was an instant favourite of mine back in 2012 and since then I’ve been eagerly waiting for more titles from Katie McGarry because I’ve loved everything she’s produced, until now. 

Breaking the Rules is if I’m honest is hard to read, it’s the reason I’ve not finished the rest of book. I knew going into the story that not everything was going to be easy for the characters but, I almost feel like they’re in a worse place now then where they were in Pushing the Limits and it’s pretty much bursting my imaginative bubble of these characters living their lives happily together. 

As the story is told from alternative points of view, we see Echo and Noah battle with insecurities, pain, issues and honestly, it’s painful to read. One minute they’re basking in their happiness with each other, but the next, their issues bring them down and they’re arguing and second guessing everything. These aren’t the two characters that I came to love from the first book. They feel like different characters. Yes, they’ve grown but has anything really changed other than being together? No. I just don’t feel like this book was needed – not a full length novel anyway. I feel like drama has been created just for this book where it isn’t needed. Echo started to grate on my nerves and I found her a lot more dramatic than before where I’m rolling my eyes at her. And it makes me sad that I feel this way but reading it isn’t enjoyable. I don’t want these characters so sad. I want them happy and I want to remember these characters for how they were in Pushing the Limits, not Breaking the Rules.

I applauded Katie McGarry for writing a sequel for these characters and getting out more of their story because I’m guessing it doesn’t come easy when you have two very complex characters dealing with real life issues, but for me, I’d have had rather their story finished at the end of Pushing the Limits, where I can continue to imagine the characters living in a bubble of pure happiness and not having any drama to deal with. 

Thank you to Mira Ink for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

{Feature} Waiting on Wednesday (#100)

 

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. 

Donna's WoW

Dark Instincts (The Phoenix Pack #4)
by Suzanne Wright
Release Date: April 7th, 2015

It happens whenever wolf shifter Roni Axton is near Marcus Fuller: a crackle of sexual awareness that’s intoxicating…and deeply annoying. Marcus is a pack enforcer who oozes power, but Roni is lethal in her own right—nothing like the flirty females who flock around him. Even still, his possessive gaze makes one thing clear. Marcus has singled her out for seduction, and he wants to make her sit up and beg.

No matter how aloof and unfazed Roni acts, Marcus can tell she wants him. When a brutal attack by a jackal pack forces them to work together, it’s the perfect opportunity for Marcus to chip away at her defenses—until he falls into his own trap, completely unprepared for the intensity of their connection. Roni is the only one who’s ever seen past his shifter charm and discovered the man hiding beneath it. And for Marcus, claiming Roni once will mean needing her forever.

Donna's thoughts: I can not wait for another instalment from The Phoenix Pack. I adore this series and I'm so excited for more! I do love a good Shifter book and Suzanne Wright gets it right every time! 

<What's your "waiting on" pick this week?

Want to participate? 
Grab the logo, post your own WoW entry on your blog, and leave your link at Breaking the Spine. 

Happy Reading!

{Book Promo} One Month of Elle Kennedy

Author: 
Elle Kennedy

Bio:
A USA Today bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a BA in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

Elle loves to hear from her readers. Visit her website www.ellekennedy.com or sign up for her newsletter to receive updates about upcoming books and exclusive excerpts. You can also find her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter (@ElleKennedy).


Author Website: 
www.ellekennedy.com

Author Twitter: 
https://twitter.com/ElleKennedy

Author Facebook: 
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorElleKennedy

Author Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1935000.Elle_Kennedy

Newsletter:
http://eepurl.com/OR9cr

One Night of Sin

Sometimes it’s good to be bad…

When it comes to sex, good girl Skyler Thompson always plays it safe, choosing stable and sedate over wild and thrilling. She doesn’t do one-night-stands, but one look at sinfully sexy Gage Holt and she’s willing to reconsider. He makes her want to be bad for once in her life, and she’s prepared to take what she wants.

Danger follows former MMA fighter Gage Holt like a shadow. Despite his successes as part owner of Sin, an exclusive nightclub in Boston, Gage can’t risk getting involved with a woman, especially one as sweet as Skyler. Still, he can’t resist a taste—and it’s so damn good he has to see her again.

As addicted as he is to her, Gage knows there’s no future for him and Skyler—not with his past lurking in the dark corners of an MMA cage. But Skyler’s tougher than she looks, and she’s ready to fight for her man.

Goodreads Book Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightSinGR

Amazon Buy Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightSinAM

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightSinBN

Entangled Page: http://bit.ly/OneNightSinEP

One Night of Scandal

The wrong man never felt so right...

Ex-fighter Reed Miller has been secretly lusting over his best friend’s girl for months, but he refuses to jeopardize a friendship over a woman—especially one who doesn’t like him all that much. Now that Darcy’s on the market again, it’s even more imperative to stick to his strict hands-off policy. But the sizzling attraction between them is too powerful to ignore, and once he’s had a taste of her…all bets are off.

Darcy Grant is tired of walking the straight and narrow path. She’s on the hunt for passion, and there’s no denying Reed is just the man to give it to her. Although she has no interest in dating a bad boy, and certainly not her ex’s best friend, it’s impossible not to melt beneath Reed’s skillful touch. Now it’s just a matter of setting a few ground rules—and hoping her rule-breaking, sweet-talking bad boy agrees to follow them. But if she lets Reed into her bed, does she stand a chance of keeping him out of her heart?

Goodreads Book Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightScandalGR

Amazon Buy Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightScandalAM

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightScandalBN

Entangled Page: http://bit.ly/OneNightScandalEP

One Night of Trouble

No More Mr. Nice Guy…

The moment AJ Walsh sees the sexy, tattooed pixie walk up to his bar, it's lust at first sight. He's always been labeled the "nice" guy―opening doors, buying flowers, and never, ever having one-night stands. But with this wicked little angel with red lips and unfathomably dark eyes? Oh, yeah. Tonight, "nice" has nothing to do with it...

Brett Conlon is trying to convince her family that she's put away her reckless wild girl side for good. Nothing―and no one―could be better for her reputation than golden boy AJ Walsh. So they make a deal: if he plays The Good Boyfriend for her family, he can be a very, very bad boy with her. Now their one naughty night is about to turn into a whole lot of trouble...

Goodreads Book Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightTroubleGR

Amazon Buy Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightTroubleAM

Barnes & Noble Buy Link: http://bit.ly/OneNightTroubleBN

Entangled Page: http://bit.ly/OneNightTroubleEP

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{Review + INT Giveaway} Trouble by Non Pratt

Posted by Donna
Release Date: March 6th, 2014
Finished Date: December 17th, 2014

Publishers: Walker Books
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Source: Bought
Format: Paperback

Pages: 384

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

In this dazzling debut novel, a pregnant teen learns the meaning of friendship—from the boy who pretends to be her baby’s father.

When the entire high school finds out that Hannah Shepard is pregnant via her ex-best friend, she has a full-on meltdown in her backyard. The one witness (besides the rest of the world): Aaron Tyler, a transfer student and the only boy who doesn’t seem to want to get into Hannah’s pants. Confused and scared, Hannah needs someone to be on her side. Wishing to make up for his own past mistakes, Aaron does the unthinkable and offers to pretend to be the father of Hannah’s unborn baby. Even more unbelievable, Hannah hears herself saying “yes.”

Told in alternating perspectives between Hannah and Aaron, Trouble is the story of two teenagers helping each other to move forward in the wake of tragedy and devastating choices. As you read about their year of loss, regret, and hope, you’ll remember your first, real best friend—and how they were like a first love. 

The Review: I’ll be honest, Trouble never really captured my attention until I went to an author Q&A/signing when Non Pratt visited Birmingham close to the end of 2014. It was then that I became more aware of the book and noticed the high praises. I adore YA contemporary but sometimes when something different comes along – like Trouble appeared to be – I hesitate. I start worrying if it’s going to be any good and if I’m going to enjoy it. I guess you could say I just needed a push in the right direction and going to the author signing was definitely the push I needed.

Trouble is Non Pratt’s debut novel and what an amazing story it is. After just a few pages I was quickly hooked and I found myself quickly devouring the story. Problem was, I was buddy reading the story with a fellow Goodreads friend and I had to force myself to slow down so I didn’t finished it within a matter hours. I just wanted to unravel the story because I found myself completely hooked by Aaron and Hannah’s stories. 

Told from both Aaron and Hannah’s prospective, we first meet Hannah who enjoys going out with friends and getting drunk every weekend. It’s clear that Hannah is trying to get over a boy because she gets drunk to distract herself and tries to find comfort in any other boy’s arms. But when Hannah discovers she’s pregnant – at fifteen – Hannah needs someone in her corner because once she tells her parents, she knows she’s going to be in trouble when she reveals who the real father is. 

Aaron – new boy at school – tries to fit in with the new crowd of friends but finds it difficult because of the difficulties he’s trying to overcome. It’s clear something terrible has happened to him but he blames no-one but himself. So when he discovers that Hannah is pregnant, he offers to pretend to be the father. 

As Hannah and Aaron’s stories slowly come together, it’s clear to discover these troubled teens have so much more in common and together they try to overcome the difficulties of their lives together. 

Like I said before, Trouble is an amazing read. It’s beautiful, raw  and very real. I loved how Non Pratt really captured the real life issues that teens go through daily. I knew quite a few people in school who were like Hannah’s friends and it’s easy how you forget things over the years. Reading Hannah’s story about her drinking, sex and smoking, honestly it made me cringe, but these are the things that happen in ever day life for some teenagers. It felt realistic, honest and it’s a brave story. 

I loved both Aaron and Hannah. I didn’t always agree with their actions but could always sympathise with them. Together, they were perfect. Even though it appeared to be just a friendship relationship – although I was rooting for more – but I could see why romance wasn’t added. These two didn’t need it in their lives because at that point of their lives, friendship was enough. It’s a tale of true best friends. 

I bet your wondering why I didn’t rate it 5 stars if I loved the story so much. Well, that’s because of the ending. I loved how the story ended but just felt as though it needed more. It ended too soon after a major moment. I wanted to know what happened next. An epilogue would have been fantastic! 

In all, Trouble was a pleasure to read and I wish there were more stories out like it. I’ll definitely been on the lookout for Non Pratt’s next novel. 

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{Review} Snappy Birthday by Mark Sperring and Laura Ellen Anderson

Posted by Donna
Release Date:  December 18th, 2014
Finished Date: November 23rd, 2014

Publishers: Bloomsbury Children's
Genre: Children's Picture Book
Ages: 3-6 years 
Source: For Review
Format: Paperback

Pages: 32

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

One day an invitation
Came to number 24.
It was from a next-door neighbour
Who they'd never met before.

The children can't wait - a birthday party? What fun! But their next-door neighbour is not all he seems. For starters, there's his large snout and very sharp teeth. Not to mention his scaly skin . . . Yes, there's no two ways about it, he's definitely a CROCODILE. Erm, crocodiles don't eat children, do they? 

A riotous romp of a picture book, superbly written by Mark Sperring and brilliantly illustrated by Laura Anderson. Snappy Birthday is the perfect present for any child - whether it's their birthday, or not! 

The Review: Snappy Birthday is an entertaining and fun picture book that will have you laughing out loud. 

When a special invitation arrives at number 24, the children are very excited to see who sent it. And they will find out soon enough because the invite was a party invitation from their neighbour. But once the children arrive next door, dressed in their party wear, they discover that it’s a crocodile and he plans on eating more than just party food for lunch…..

My daughter and I have read a few of Mark Sperring’s picture books and we’ve always come away satisfied and Snappy Birthday definitely hit all the marks for us. It’s highly entertaining with a lovely rhyming story that is not only witty but very well thought out and quiet clever. The story certainly has its funny moments too. 

I noticed that the illustrations appeared to be slightly older fashioned compared to some of the other stories we’ve read lately – like the children’s clothes and the houses – but that didn’t stop us from enjoying the story any less. I think it’s only something an adult might notice as my daughter didn’t. 

In all, we really enjoyed Snappy Birthday and I think many other children and parents will too. 

Thank you to Bloomsbury Books for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

{Review} Cougar's First Christmas (Cascade Shifters #1.5) by Jessie Donovan

Posted by Melanie
Release Date: November 4th, 2014
Finished Date: December 17th, 2014

Publishers: Mythical Lake Press
Genre: Adult, Paranormal, Shifters
Source: For Review
Format: eBook

Pages: 75

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

Willing to chance arrest and jail time, cougar-shifter Sean Fisher wants to make human Lauren Spencer his mate and Christmas is the perfect time to do it. However, on the way to obtain her parents' approval, a car runs them off the road. When Sean wakes up, he's tied up and alone, at the mercy of an anti-shifter group.

Six months ago, Lauren never would've pictured herself with a cougar-shifter, but Sean was everything she hoped for and was willing to risk it all to be his mate. Yet when a staged car crash tears him from her side, Lauren must reach out to his clan--a clan she's never met--for help before it's too late.

Can Lauren and Sean be together for Christmas? Or, will their differences be too much to overcome and rip them apart?

The Review: Cougar’s First Christmas is a novella in the Cascade Shifters series and as the title suggests we have a cougar to swoon over. Sean Fisher is a cougar shifter who has chosen to make Christmas all about his girlfriend Lauren by proposing and making her his mate. Lauren Spencer is human and really shouldn’t be with a shifter, it’s illegal for starters but with people being attacked by the Human Purity movement – times are scary for those connected to the shifters.
They are both willing to take the risk and start by setting off to meet Lauren’s parents…..but on the way they are crashed into and forced off the road. When Lauren comes to, Sean is gone and the only thing Lauren can think to do is contact the one person she knows will help him – his alpha. With that phone call, Lauren is thrust into the shifter world where she must show her mettle and demand that Sean be rescued…. Will they ever be together again? Will Lauren be able to give him her secret Christmas present? Will the shifters even accept her?
I really enjoyed this book and loved the Christmas theme, what could be more perfect than a Christmas proposal? I liked that Sean & Lauren’s relationship isn’t allowed but that they’re willing to take the risk for love, there’s something about a forbidden love that pulls at your heartstrings more because you know they could be dragged apart at any minute…. And of course that is what happens. We became aware of the shifter enemies in book one and it is carried over well here, we see just what they’re about in how far they will go to get their way. Everyone hates prejudice apart from those who inflict it but the lengths some will go to in the name of purity is horrid and really makes you feel just what the shifters are up against…. And that is just one of the enemies. It was nice to see a few familiar faces too as the shifters rally for Sean’s rescue and it was good to see how they reacted to Lauren. Even though there was plenty of drama and plenty of sexytime to steam up those pages…. there is an overwhelming sense of family, love, hope, acceptance and new beginnings. This was a great dip into the Cascade Shifters world and complimented book one perfectly – I look forward to more. 

Thank you to Jessie Donovan for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.

{Review} Secrets, Schemes and Sewing Machines (Love, Lies and Lemon Pies #2) by Katy Cannon

Posted by Donna
Release Date: February 2nd, 2015
Finished Date: January 2nd, 2015

Publishers: Stripes Publishing
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Source: For Review
Format: eBook

Pages: 368

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US / The Book Depo

Grace: This was supposed to be Grace’s starring year, until she opened the door to a family secret that changed everything. Now she’s stuck making costumes in Sewing Club and watching someone else play the lead role – unless she can find a way to win it back.

Connor: Far from home and exiled to a new school, all Connor wants is to keep a low profile and get through the year. But agreeing to help his step-dad out with the school play means he’s soon caught up in Grace’s schemes.

Grace had a plan for this year – and it didn’t involve learning to sew. But being out of the spotlight isn’t the disaster she imagined, even if Connor is convinced she’s still a diva extraordinaire. Can Grace prove she’s really changed and save the play from the sidelines, even though her family is coming apart at the seams?

The Review: Secrets, Schemes and Sewing Machines is a cute and fun read with a sweet romance that all readers will root for. 

This year Grace was supposed to be given the lead in the school’s new play, Much Ado about Nothing but when a family issue leaves her missing the auditions, Grace is stuck running the costume department for the play instead. Determined to get her role back, Grace knows it’s only a matter of time before the play director realises she’s the best person for the job, so in the meantime, Grace focuses on making the costumes. But what Grace didn’t count on is how much she enjoys making them and more so, it gives her time to spend with the new guy and stage manager Connor. But Grace and Connor didn’t have the best start and now it appears Connor hates her. With her family issues, the play and now Connor, this year just went from bad to worse. Can Grace turn her year around and show people she’s serious about making the play a success? 

Going into this book, I certainly had high hopes because of how much I loved Katy Cannon’s Love, Lies and Lemon Pies and I just couldn’t wait to see what she would come up with next and revisit some of my favourite characters. Secrets, Schemes and Sewing Machines is great follow up and although it could be read as a standalone, I’d recommend you read Love, Lies and Lemon Pies first because you can familiarise yourself with the characters. Not only that it has that added extra touch of some sewing patterns at the start of each chapter. I didn't quite connect to the sewing aspect as much as I would have liked - not as much as baking - but it was still interesting to read. 

For me, Grace’s continued growth as a character just shows how much of a great character she is and that’s something you don’t want to miss. She’s come a long way since Love, Lies and Lemon Pies and she’s really turned herself around. No longer is it all about her. She’s happy helping others and going about things the right way. Yes, she’s still very determined to reach the goals she wants but she soon realises that there is always good things from anything you do. And Connor was an interesting character as the love interest. You can see there is something between Grace and him from the moment they met but, it’s all tangled up with their own personal issues that it takes a while for either to realise they like the other. I liked Connor. I couldn’t always agree with his reasoning’s for some things but like Grace, he’s learning new things every day. 

The plot of the story was enjoyable. It had so good laugh out loud moments but it also had it’s harder times with the serious topics the characters had to deal with. And it was interesting to see Katy Cannon focus the story around sewing instead of baking. 

In all, I didn’t quite enjoy Secrets, Schemes and Sewing Machines as much as Love, Lies and Lemon Pies but it’s still full of friendship, romance, and of course drama and it’s a read that many will enjoy. 

3.5 flowers!

Thank you to Stripes Publishing for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review. 

{Review} Soul Enslaved (Sons of Wrath #3) by Keri Lake

Posted by Melanie 
Release Date: December 5th, 2013
Finished Date: December 15th, 2014

Publishers: Self Published
Genre: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Source: For Review 
Format: Kindle

Pages: Unknown

Buy: Amazon UK / Amazon US 

Imprisonment in Obsidius. Enslavement to a soul-sucking succubus. A reproductive cycle that’d send a sex fiend running into the arms of celibacy. Given the choice, most demons would opt for death.

Gavin, eldest son of Wrath, has been sentenced to all three.

When the succubus decides its time collect, though, he fears his nightmares have only just begun.

And Sabelle’s timing couldn’t be worse.

With a bad case of uncontrollable lust, thanks to his Savidon, the last thing Gavin wants is a vengeful succubus stoking his darkest desires, but debts must be paid—he just didn’t bank on enjoying his punishment so much.

Because the swinging bachelor may have found his perfect mate in the sexy seductress.

However, just as things seem to be looking up, past sins resurface, plunging the two into a deadly game of power and deception. As their worst fears merge into one unexpected threat, Gavin is determined to protect Sabelle and win her freedom. 

At any cost.

The Review: Could Gavin get any more luscious? You’re about to find out!
In the last book Gavin had been royally screwed by a conniving woman and even his princely status couldn’t get him out of his sentence in Obsidius….. except maybe the succubus who enslaved Gavin in exchange for his brothers’ life.
Sabelle has had enough and she wants out of the pimp/succubus chains she is bound by but in order to do that, she is offered a job which could earn her the freedom she so desperately wants. The job is dangerous but she will do whatever it takes for her and her childrens freedom so she decides to call in a debt from the boss of the vengeance business and all round bad ass – Gavin – the fact that she enslaved him could just work out for her, after all who would make a better bodyguard? Sabelle is the only one with a claim on him that can’t be overlooked so his freedom is in her hands.
Upon release from one sentence to start another, Gavin’s Savidon is thrust upon him and his thoughts turn to lust – all aimed at Sabelle – but sex would only complicate things even more especially when someone Gavin would rather forget dig the claws in deeper with an unexpected twist. Gavin isn’t the only one with troubles though as we see Sabelle in a different light and watch as her world crumbles down around her and she wonders at what cost will she and her family  have to pay for freedom? As Gavin remains steadfast by her side, will the burgeoning love between them be enough to see them through the horrors they’re about to face and will Sabelle ever let her walls down enough to let Gavin in?

Needless to say – I loved this book!
I took an instant liking to Gavin when he appeared in book one and was desperate for him and Ayden to reconnect….but alas, Ayden was meant for another. Anyhoo, he definitely made an impact in more ways than one and I have been looking forward to his book ever since.
Book 2 ended on an uncertain path for Gavin, sentenced to Obsidius AND enslaved to a succubus? Things weren’t looking very good for the boss but that was until we got to know Sabelle more. By releasing Gavin to work off his debt, there is the thought that she will use him for her own ends….. she does but not in the way you would expect a succubus to as we find out that Sabelle isn’t the stereotypical succubus that everyone is aware of. Both she and Gavin had preconceptions of each other - neither positive – and during the course of the book, they are forced to challenge those and re evaluate what they ‘thought’ they knew. I didn’t think anyone would be worthy of Gavin but I was wrong, Sabelle is totally cool, she’s level headed, safe, all about family and so proactive in her quest to be free. She could very easily have succumbed to the temptations of the succubus lifestyle but she wanted better and not from any man. I loved the way she handled Gavin, he needed that kind of woman – one who wouldn’t bow down to him – and their chemistry was palpable. It was fun and sexy to see Gavin going through his Savidon around Sabelle, both trying to resist urges in different rooms – talk about sexual tension! The fact is that they do make an awesome couple, this will be cemented as the story goes on and we find out just how far they will go for each other and how much they steamed up my glasses ;)
The storyline was just as good as previous books, filled with action and danger coming from all directions, we get some new players introduced throughout and we meet some of the governing bodies of the world that make you wonder who the enemy really is. I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again - this author is not afraid to write violent and gruesome scenes, some had me cringing at a few points in the story but I also love how she can off set those graphic scenarios by injecting the hotness, sexytime and tenderness throughout. I enjoyed how we have drama on both sides – Sabelle has pimp problems, money problems, problems with secrets, family problems, parenting problems, succubus problems – she’s got 99 problems and I’m afraid Gavin is one lol Gavin of course brings his own set of problems and some of them are unbelievable and what we already knew is only scratching the surface. What they go through takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster, believe me! and some moments really broke my heart in this – so be prepared for those feels. I also liked how we still get some of the brothers stories too and it makes me all the more excited for more books, Ferno & Zayne broke my heart also and it was hard to know who to feel for the most, so I can’t wait for those two books in what is an exciting, action packed series with a great premise, awesome characters and lots of sexytime that has tons more to give. 

Thank you to Keri Lake for giving me the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an honest review.