Half-Blood by Jennifer L. Armentrout

I bloody freaking loved this book!

I knew Alex was "special" for a reason and I'm glad that I was able to guess what she is. Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout is basically the love child of the Vampire Academy series and the Percy Jackson series. I'm not even joking. Alexandria Andros is the heroine of this series and let me just tell you this: She is KICK ASS, funny, witty, and is also extremely relatable. I felt so much sympathy for her throughout the entire book... but at the same time, I wanted her to grow stronger and become something amazing!

Aiden St. Delphi happens to be Alex's love interest and oh boy, was it definitely forbidden. The forbidden love stems from the fact that these characters live in a world where they are descendants of Greek Gods. Aiden is a pure-blood while Alex is a half-blood. Half-bloods are those who are born from mortal and pure-blood parents and there is a law that forbids half-bloods from romancing with pure-bloods. So yes, forbidden love factor? Check! It's very similar to Rose and Dimitri's situation from The Vampire Academy series. But even though I did love Aiden and Alex's chemistry together... the one character whom I'm actually very intrigued about is no other than SETH! Oh man. I know, I know. Not another love triangle again, right?! Well.... this is actually different and you will eventually see why. A love that is FATED or one that is FORBIDDEN. I wonder who Alex will pick in the end.

The thing I loved most about this book was the many twists and surprises throughout the book. It kept me very interested and wanting more! (view spoiler)[The fact that Alex's mom turned out to be NOT dead was a huge surprise for me. She had become a daimon instead. (hide spoiler)] Daimons are beings that had originated as pure-bloods... but because they chose to drink the Aether (I suppose it's a special elixir in the blood) from either the pure-bloods or half-bloods, they essentially become "monsters." Monsters with incredible strength and magic. I'm not going to go into much detail, but there is a school where half-bloods and pure-bloods attend so that they can fight and destroy daimons. After being attacked by a daimon, Alex decides to go back to the covenant and try to train herself to become a Sentinel.

Overall, I'm truly glad that I was able to read this book. I am definitely hooked! The Covenant series is everything that I've wanted in a YA novel and more. I am not disappointed and I highly recommend this book! Looking forward to the next book, Pure, and I can't wait for Deity in November!

Rating: ★★★★★

The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred

“You can’t turn love on and off like a light switch, no matter how hard you try. All you can do is wall it off, one brick at a time, until you’ve created an impenetrable fortress around your emotions. And once that fortress is built, you camouflage it so well that even you can’t see it anymore.”

The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred is a heartbreaking love story between two people who have loved one another since they were children. But due to certain circumstances, Alix and Nick's love for one another was also the reason that eventually tore them apart. Told from the first point of view, Alix first met Nick when she was only eight years old and he was ten years old. Spanning a total of nine years, the first part of the book essentially tells us how their friendship formed.

Coming from two completely different worlds, Alix is a daughter from a well-respected family while Nick is the son of Frank Anderson who is often drunk and owns the salvage yard. While accompanying the Judge, Alix's grandfather, she ends up meeting and befriending Nick with just a tin can of bee balm. The start of their relationship was absolutely beautiful and heartrending once you look at the whole picture. Nick has always believed that Alix deserved someone who was much better than him. But at the same time, the possibility of living a life without her was just not possible. The same would of course be said of Alix.

“There was only one boy I wanted, and I lived for the times when I could be alone with him. It was simple. When I was with Nick, I was happy. When I wasn't, I was restless and miserable.”

As Nick and Alix grew older, their love for one another was undeniable and it was getting harder and harder to resist. I can honestly say that I loved how realistic their relationship was. It wasn't fast-pace or love at first sight. It was a slow progress through the years until finally they both started realize it. But alas, as you know from the synopsis, their is a huge twist in this novel. One in which involves Nick's father being shot dead and Nick leaving Alix for fifteen years. Just thinking about their last scene together brings about tears to my eyes.

“To my surprise, Nick reached under his shirt and pulled out the half-heart pendant. With his gaze fixed on mine, he slid the chain over my head. “No one should have to go through life with only half a heart,” he whispered.”

In my opinion, this is definitely one of the most heartbreaking and sweetest romances that I have read in awhile. Even though there was so much pain and lies between Nick and Alix, their love for one another still shined through. It wasn't perfect, but in the end, everything did work out one way or another. This is what I call true love. Overall, so many tears came out for this book and I can say that they were all worthy tears.

Rating: ★★★★★

One Naughty Night by Laurel McKee

“You can tell me to stay away, if that’s what you want. I can’t promise I will do it, but you can tell me to.”

And that was exactly what she should do. But it was not what she wanted to do. Lily was suddenly weary of doing what she should do. She wanted to cease to be cautious for a moment, to be mischievous and seize life as her siblings did. Even as she knew it would not end well.

I absolutely adored the love story of Lily St. Claire and Aidan Huntington. It was sweet, extremely hot, and just heartbreaking at the same time. Their attraction to one another was just irresistible! One Naughty Night is simply a great start to a wonderful series about the St. Claire family. I can't wait to read Two Sinful Secrets, which features Lily's brother, Dominic St. Claire, and Aidan's cousin, Sophia Huntington next! We do get a glimpse of the start of their relationship in this book as well as a possible romance between Aidan's brother (David, the heir to the Dukedom) and Lily's younger sister (Isabel, the shining star of the Majestic theater). I can't wait! This book had romance, suspense, and plenty of hot scenes between Lily and Aidan.

“I… I have to go,” she whispered. He stood up beside her, not trying to touch her again. His blue eyes glowed in the shadows. “Where can I find you?” he said hoarsely.

She shook her head. He was a dream—and she had to wake up now. She whirled around and ran away from him, lifting her skirts to flee once again. “Wait! Please,” he called after her. But she didn’t dare look back.

Lily St. Claire is the first sibling to get her HEA in the series. Unlike her brothers and sister, Lily was actually adopted by the St. Claire's when she was a little girl... after trying to pick pocket Mr. St. Claire. Her past is her own story to tell, but I'll briefly explain it. Lily's childhood before she got adopted was actually really sad. After her mother's death, she ran away and met Tom Beaumont -- he is one sick, cruel, and disgusting man. Well, soon after she was adopted, he was caught and sent away to Australia and believed that Lily was the reason that this had happened. Which is why now he wants to enact revenge on her and her family.

She started to turn away, but he caught her hand and raised it to his lips for a quick kiss, his mouth hot through her glove. “You won’t escape me that easily, Lily,” he whispered.

Lily grows up to be a beautiful woman, even though she doesn't think so, and ends up meeting Aidan after her failing rendition of Juliet in the St. Claire's opening play of Romeo and Juliet in their theater. Lily has never forgotten about Aidan -- even though she ended up marrying Harry Nichols, but he died two years later. Three years have passed since then and their attraction towards one another is hotter than ever.

Overall, I'm really glad that I decided to read this book. I needed my historical romance fix and this certainly did the job!

Rating: ★★★★★

Unraveled by Courtney Milan

Oh, Smite Turner. Miranda Darling, you are one lucky girl to be able to finally win the love of your life. Unraveled is the love story of Smite Turner and Miranda Darling as well as being the last of the Turner series. It has been such a wonderful ride! I have been a fan of Courtney Milan since her book, Proof of Seduction... but this has to be one of my favorite book yet! I loved everything about. From the fragile and heartbreaking romance between Miranda and Smite to the mystery behind who the Patron was. Now was that an unexpected twist! I would have never known. But obviously my most favorite aspect of this book was definitely the romance. I loved how Miranda gets confused whenever Smite calls her name; whether it's Miranda Darling or Miranda, darling. I think it was absolutely adorable! They're a perfect match.

“I'm not broken,' he repeated. 'Although at the moment...at the moment, I may be coming a bit unraveled.”

Smite Turner is a someone who I think is the most tortured one of all between the brothers. He has a dark past full of pain and sorrow... and to this day, he often at times has nightmares concerning his past. That is, until he meets Miranda. His relationship with Ash has always been strained; I think deep inside, Smite hasn't really forgiven Ash for leaving him and Mark with his mother. Their relationship will of course finally be resolved by the end of this book. From the very beginning, I have always been intrigued with Smite. He was the brother who was always at the back of the room looking after his brothers. In a sense, this fits his character perfectly because what he does as a living is to look out for others by judging those who have committed crimes.

“You anchor me without holding me down. You frighten me without threatening my future. You're unflinchingly devoted. I love you.”

Miranda Darling is the half to Smite Turner. She is essentially the love of his life who heals the part of him that is broken. Even though as a child, Miranda was essentially happy, the life that she has lived up until now was harsh. She works as seamstress and wig-maker as well as a guardian to a twelve-year old boy named Robbie. Her meeting with Smite was actually quite amusing! For protection, Miranda works for the Patron by going to court-hearings and disguising herself in order to deliver false testimony for the convicted. Smite sees through her disguises immediately and that is how our two pair meet! One thing that I loved about Miranda was that even though she knew Smite had the power to destroy her, she never wanted to let him go. She's witty and just so damn beautiful to Smite that that's all that really matters.

Overall, I loved this book to pieces. It's one of my favorites and the love scenes between Miranda and Smite were smoking hot! Just an absolutely wonderful read. I will never regret picking this series up because even though Courtney Milan writes in a genre where things can often seem typical, there's actually something different about her books! Either it's the characters, the romance, or the story, everything is perfection!

Rating: ★★★★★

Unclaimed by Courtney Milan

Courtney Milan has certainly done it again when it comes to her latest installment in the Turner series. Unclaimed is about love, betrayal, and ultimately trust and committment in the end. Jessica Farleigh has decided to take up the task of seducing the perfect Sir Mark Turner in order to finally turn her life around and start anew. In fact, her story was truly heartbreaking to read... especially when she ends up falling in love with Mark and has to decide upon two choices: either to destroy Mark's reputation or desroy her own self. As for Mark, he is truly a her worthy of Jessica because of how much he loves her whole-heartedly and how he would anything at all for her. When it comes to love, even the best of men... or should I say women, would give up or do anythingat all in order to make their special someone happy.

The Characters:
I vaguely remember Sir Mark Turner in the previous book, Unveiled, but in this book... he definitely makes a big impression of himself. For someone who is supposedly a virgin and a chaste being, he is very wicked in his own way. In the beginning of the book, I didn't exactly get a sense of his 'real' self because of how he often tries to please the public an whatnot. Inside that person is someone who has been scarred by his past and irrevocably changed forever. He has so much dept and I loved his reason as to why he stayed a virgin this long. (view spoiler)[It's simple. He's a romantic who is waiting for that special someone that sees him for himself. Someone to love and cherish and be loved in return. (hide spoiler)] It's no wonder why he's Margaret's (the previous heroine) favorite brother. ;)

Oh, Jessica Farleigh. That's not really her name, mind you. But still. She has so many layers and I loved how even though she set out trying to seduce Mark... she ended up being the one seduced. Like I've said before, her story is so tragic and heartbreaking; mainly because of the fact that she never wanted the life of a courtesan and was forced to be one instead. When she first set out to seduce Mark, she thought that it was going to be an easy trap. But boy, was she wrong. Mark likes her for herself, not the fake persona that she's trying to be. And the more she becomes herself and starts liking him while doing so... this certainly smells like trouble!

The Romance:
One of the things that I loved most about this book was the dialogue and prose written by the one and only Courtney Milan. She's woven a truly wonderful tale full of flawed yet amazing characters. Neither of the main characters are perfect... and yet, I'd say you'll love them anyway. I'm somewhat disappointed in the lack of love scenes between the two, but the author definitely made it up by having plenty of steamy moments and sexual tension between the two. Not to mention that there were also a lot of sad moments between Mark and Jessica as well. I didn't like how even towards the end, Jessica kept shooting Mark down even though we all know that she loves him! Oh come on! Get with him already and get your happy ending! Thankfully, everything worked out in the end... and I got the perfect ending to a wonderful story.

I can't wait to read Smite's story next!! As readers, we sort of get an introduction to his story in Unclaimed... so I'm looking forward to it! Overall, 5/5 stars.

Rating: ★★★★★

The Governess Affair by Courtney Milan

I think I'm honestly in love with Courtney Milan and her writing. To me, every single book that she comes out with is a shining star in which I absolutely can't wait to read later on! The Governess Affair is a novella about the love story between Serena Barton and Hugo Marshall. It's a gorgeous romance that's absolutely fitting to start this off in an entirely new series called Brothers Sinister. I loved it. I just loved the story, the romance, and how strong and wonderful these two people are. They're different but alike in so many ways. It was so short that I just wanted more from the book! *sigh* Oh well, I'll get more in from Robert in the next book, which I think, is another wonderful story in store for us.

The ending was absolutely perfect! Like most of Courtney Milan's story, there has to be some kind of twist near the end. And that is exactly what happened here! I'm really glad that Hugo finally saw the light and went after his most beloved instead of deciding to live a life without her. Beautiful! There was also a short epilogue where we get to meet 11-year old Robert Blaisdell, the son of the Duke of Clermont, and his cousin Sebastian Malheur studying at Eton. From there, they end up meeting Oliver Marshall, Serena and Hugo's son. Oh snap! Things will only get more interesting from there...

Rating: ★★★★★

The Princess in His Bed by Lila DiPasqua

The Marquis’ New Clothes - ★★★★☆

I thought this story was quite charming and sexy in it's own way. Aimee, our heroine of the story, ends up finding herself in a situation where she has to retrieve a stole ring from Adam de Vey, Marquis de Nattes. What's so interesting is that Adam has essentially been in love with Aimee for six years without realizing it. It was probably because Aimee had been married to his friend, who unfortunately has been killed after a duel, leaving Aimee a widow. I really have no sympathy for the dead husband because even though Aimee had loved him so whole-heartedly, he still went out floundering about and got himself killed in the process. Anywho, and so the story begins with Aimee devising out a plan to seduce and distract Adam while trying to retrieve the ring in one of his many coats' pockets. While on the other hand, Adam believes that his dreams have finally come true and that the lovely Aimee has finally noticed him! It's quite funny, unbelievable, and cute at the same time to be honest.

The Lovely Duckling - ★★★★★

This sweet this story is my favorite one out of the three! It's about forgiving someone as well as finding true love in the end. Emilie de Sarron and Joseph d’Alumbert have known each other for many years; ever since the day he and his friends have scorned her and she left society as a result of it. At first, I didn't like how Joseph ended up lying to Emilie by impersonating himself as his twin brother, Vincet. But then... I would have to agree that if he had went and told Emilie that he was the man who had essentially 'ruined' her image, well. I don't think that would be a pleasant picture at all. But I loved how through all the letters that they wrote back to each other, they both ended up falling in love without realizing it. Overall, very cute story!

The Princess and the Diamonds - ★★★☆☆

Hmm, this was an okay story for me. I didn't exactly feel much for the heroine, Princess Gabrielle. The hero, Mathias Paul Thomas de Tesson, Marquis de Montfort.... Well, he is one fine hero. Very sexy too. Although the story was good, I felt as if it could have been longer and that the characters should have been more fleshed out. In the end, I liked it but I wouldn't be able to remember much about it afterwards.

Bared to You by Sylvia Day

Oh man, where do I start with this book. Bared To You by Sylvia Day was such a roller coaster of a ride for me! There was pain, passion, trust issues, and just overall possessiveness from both sides. Eva and Gideon are both tortured people. They're both messed up in a dysfunctional relationship that almost seems like it wouldn't be able to work out. How can their relationship take any step further... when they both have secrets that will eventually tear them apart?

Honestly, when I first picked up this book up, I didn't have much expectations for it. I thought that it was just like any other erotica novel that I would read to pass the time with. But sadly, I was mistaken. It literally blew my mind and after finishing it, I wasn't able to stop thinking about it! This book was just so sad and bittersweet for me-- so much that I can't help but really like it. Plus, the steam factor was a bonus as well! From the very beginning when Eva met Gideon, you could literally feel the sexual tension between those two. It was attraction at first sight and sparks were flying everywhere! I do have to admit that I wanted to slap Gideon a few times because of his proposal to Eva in the beginning. Glad that she stood up for herself and declined his offer, hah!

As for their relationship as a whole, did I already mentioned that it was pretty messed up? You have to understand that these two have had some pretty horrible events that happened in their past. It was pretty sad, to be honest. I didn't like how Eva would always run away whenever she would find out certain things about Gideon. They literally have an on/off type of relationship-- in which, I don't think, is healthy at all! Eva is very insecure about herself, which makes the entire thing even worse. I guess that's why this book lost a star for me. It's because of Eva's wariness and Gideon's lack of awareness that made me want to bang my head against a wall several times. There were just so many misunderstandings!!! Thankfully, the ending ended up with a hopeful note that made me can't wait to read the sequel, Deeper in You.

Overall, Bared to You is an intense novel full of hardships, heartbreak, overcoming obstacles, trust, and most of all... trying to find love in a relationship that may seem hopeless. I truly and wholeheartedly was amazed by this book. Even though Gideon came off as a creeper at times because he was sort of "stalking" Eva (just like how her mom was ). I liked how Eva wasn't afraid to ask him to stop and stand up for what she believed in. Girl, I'm glad that you have a backbone! Don't let that man control you. Anyway, great book and I definitely can't wait to read more from this series!

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Edited 6/15/12: I would also point out that I have never read Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James, so I wouldn't know all of the similarities that this book has with it. All I know is that even though Bared to You may seem like Fifty Shades of Grey and the premise is somewhat alike, it's actually quite different. There are significant differences in the book and honestly? I feel like it's more heartfelt compared to what I have skimmed when I looked through FSoG. Choppy sentence structures and metaphors that don't make any sense aren't my thing.

Rating: ★★★★☆

Undone by Her Tender Touch by Maya Banks

Let me just start out by saying that I have been a fan of the Pregnancy & Passion series ever since I've read Enticed by His Forgotten Lover. The last installment however? Not so much. I was really looking forward to Cam and Pippa's story... only to be sadly disappointed. Cam had always intrigued me ever since the beginning. He was such a pessimestic guy! What happened to him?! I had expected to be "dazzled" by him and be able to empathize with his character. Sadly, I did not. As for Pippa... Wow. I wanted to strangle her at times! The author writes her off as this independent, strong, and fierce woman but all I can see is someone who is way too dependent on her friends, rash, and has a temper problem. I could not connect with her character at all. I tried to like Pippa, don't get me wrong, but I stimply could not. Cam was just too wishy-washy and Pippa demanded so much from him when he told her from the very beginning that he did not do relationships. She wants a relationship while Cam wants no strings attached. What will become of them now?

Out of all the problems that I had expected Cam to have, it was definitely not this one. We all knew that from the very beginning, Cam was the one who often frowned upon his friend's relationships with their women. Apparently the reason why is because he had lost his wife and son to some unknown reason all those years ago. I'm not even sure if he ends up telling Pippa what exactly happened. Maybe. But I'm still confused.

Well anyway, Cam has been interested in Ashley's friend, Pippa, for quite some time. Ever since he met her at one of Devon and Ashley's housewarming parties, it's been attraction at first sight. Pippa has also been noticing Cam as well and these two hit off with sparks flying between them. They end up having a one night stand... and things take a turn. Ah, the usual type of scenario right? While reading this book, I ended up being so frustrated with these two that I'm not sure I wanted to continue. Halfway through the book, I still feel no sympathy whatsoever for Cam and Pippa. Pippa annoys me to no end because even though she comes off as this fearless woman who's not afraid of a fight, she's so weak when it comes to Cam. Oh, and don't get my started with Cam. After finding out that Pippa was going to have a son, he starts acting all jerk-like and cold towards her. As for the reason why, it's because he feels that by having a son with Pippa, it would be like replacing the memory of the son that he had lost with his first wife. Talk about a guy who needs to move on!

Overall, Undone by Her Tender Touch did not exactly leave me satisfied. But I'm truly happy that each and every one of the guys had their happy ever after.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for granting me access to read this book!

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

Seraphina by Rachel Hartman is a story about adventure. It's a story about finding self-worth and an unexpected love in a world where humans and dragons do not get along. Within that world lies our heroine, Seraphina Dombegh, who is both human and dragon. She lives in a world where humans and dragons are at peace with one another... but there is tension in the air when one of the family members of the royal court is found dead. I absolutely love Seraphina and the world that she is bound in! She is fierce, loyal, and extremely intelligent. Rachel Hartman stuns readers with her sightful imagination and world building! If you're familiar with epic fantasy books with dragons in it, you should definitely check this book out. I was fortunate enough to read this book months before it was released. Fans of this genre should not miss out the opportunity to read it once it releases this upcoming July! This is definitely a keeper for me!

One of my favorite aspect about this book was the mystery behind the murder of Prince Rufus and the blossoming romance between Seraphina and Prince Lucian Kiggs. I mean, how adorable can they be? And by that, VERY. Here's a scene that I absolutely found cute between them!

"Have you read Belondweg?"
"I couldn't call myself much of a scholar if I hadn't," he said.
He was so adorable and he made me smiled, but I couldn't let him see.

And can I just say how much I loved it when Kiggs slips and calls her Phina instead of Seraphina? I'm such a sap. Anyway, the mystery beind Prince Rufus' death was the main star of the book. Someone was trying the break the peace treaty between the humans and the dragons by killing the royals! And Seraphina plans to find out who.

In the end, I loved this book and the characters in it. Few of my favorites would be Orma, Seraphina's uncle and music teacher, and Princess Glisselda, Prince Lucian Kigg's fiancee. I know, shocker right? How can Seraphina and Kiggs be together now?! You'll just have to read and find out! The ending was rather bittersweet... but very hopeful at the same time. I guess it will lead us right into the sequel! It can't be the end already, can it? We'll see about that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for giving me permission to read this ARC!

Rating: ★★★★★

Romancing the Countess by Ashley March

This review for Romancing the Countess has been long overdue!

I've always had a thing for romance novels where the hero and heroine get a second chance at love. Leah and Sebastian were never supposed to be for one another... but fate tells an entirely different story. Romancing the Countess was definitely a book that I thoroughly enjoyed. It had all the elements that I look for in a romance novel and so much more! If you love this kind of genre, then I urge you to read this wonderful book. With a strong and witty heroine and a dark, brooding, and yet a loveable one at the same time to boot, it is sure to be a winner!

The most heartbreaking aspect about this book was the fact that Sebastian and Leah had spouses that were committing adultery with one another. I mean really, how can you live with yourself? Well... they didn't. I felt for both Sebastian and Leah because little did they know that his wife and her husband were doing "things" with one another. Ugh! Anyway, with the pain still fresh and also old as well, will these two ever be able to find and fall in love again?

Ooh, I love this book! Leah and Sebastian's love story was truly a slow transition from "enemies" to lovers. After her husband's death, Leah didn't want to stay as she was anymore. She wanted to change. And well, Sebastian wasn't exactly too happy about that. You see, Leah's husband happens to be Sebastian's best friend. She actually knew about the affair... but she never said anything. Pride is something after all. But personally? I really think she should have confronted those two instead of letting it go on for so long. Sebastian didn't want the affair to get out in public and cause scandal for his son, Henry. So as a result, he must stop Leah from being herself!

I admit, I did not get why Sebastian was so intent on stopping Leah from finding her true self. But eventually, I believe that Sebastian began to see the light! After that, we started little signs from him that show us how his view of Leah is slowly changing him. He starts noticing her lips at first... and then her real personality! Sebastian ends up falling for Leah, and I mean really fall, by the end of the book. Although towards the middle of the book, Sebastian claimed that he only desired her body... and we all know that that's not love! Leah still has trusting issues, so how exactly is this romance going to work now? Read the book and find out! *wink*

Rating: ★★★★★

Always a Temptress by Eileen Dreyer

When I first started reading Always a Temptress, I wasn't exactly sure how I felt about it. Just that I was really angry at both Kate and Harry. Especially Harry! Just because Kate apparently "betrayed" him when they were younger, he finds fault in her at everything she does. It's the usual misunderstanding where Kate believes that Harry betrayed her and he believes that she betrayed him. But the most surprising aspect of this book in the beginning was of Kate's dark secret... about her marriage to the Duke of Murther. Previously in Never a Gentleman, we knew the relationship between Kate and Harry was a special one. They hated each other, but why?

Ten years ago, Kate and Harry were the best of friends. Well, they were actually more than friends. They were both in love with one another. But because of their social status: Kate, a Duke's daughter, and Harry, the second son of a squire, Harry believed that his dream of marrying her was too high of a dream. Apparently right after, his love for Kate ended due to some unknown reason to the readers and Harry left to go to war. It turns out that Kate's father had lied to Harry, which lead him to believe that Kate had betrayed him. Ugh. Harry why are you so stupid? Another thing that frustated me was the fact that Harry took way too long to redeem himself for Kate. In my opinion, I think Kate should have gotten someone who was much more worthy of her. Oh well!

In the end, through the twists and turns of their relationship, everything fell right into place. I liked Always a Temptress, but sadly it was not my favorite book from the Drake's Rakes series. Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for giving me permission to read this ARC!

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor is a book about demons, angels, and magic. It's about finding out your true purpose in life (well, more like Karou’s purpose) is, reincarnation, and finding the love of your life again. This book is the true definition of star-crossed lovers. Karou was a kick-ass heroine from the very beginning, whose side is with the chimaera (demons), versus Akiva whose allegiance belongs with the angels. A war has been going on between these two races for thousands of years and now the angels are back. Karou and Akiva meet under unexpected circumstances where he attacks and injures her on one of her errands. And there, begins the raveling of Karou’s unique relationship with Akiva.

I absolutely loved this book. It was so heartbreaking and beautifully wrapped in one marvelous package. It almost reminded me of The Night Circus by Erin Morgernstern because this author's prose was that good! I honestly can't comprehend how gorgeous the writing was. The secret to Karou's past was both mind-blowing and so bittersweet. I can't condemn Akiva for doing what he did... but I also can't forgive him for doing that to Karou. I'm really interested as to where Laini Taylor will lead her story next. The ending will definitely leave you breathless and heartbreak because that's exactly how I felt. I refuse to spoil anything further because you will see the greatness of this book when you read it.

Definitely recommended to all YA readers and fans of paranormal romance. I even recommend it to those who hate reading novels about angels because this book will change your mind. I absolutely guarantee it!

Rating: ★★★★★

Across the Universe by Beth Revis

A story about love, murder, lies, secrets onboard a spaceship called Godspeed travelling to a unknown planet and future. Across the Universe by Beth Revis is defined by all the traits and more. It's a story about a group of people who plan to travel to a new world in order to build a better place; as a result, they’re frozen in time until the ship arrives there. The ship was planned to arrive in the new planet around 300 years into the future, but unexpectantly, Amy (our heroine) wakes up 50 years later trapped in a world that she doesn’t recognize and ruled by a disturbing system with an evil dictator. There, she also meets Elder (our hero) who pretty much falls from her ever since he set his eyes on Amy.

At first, I was quite wary of starting this book because in a lot of the reviews that I've read, many have said that it was 'sleep inducing.' While I do admit that the beginning started off really slow, the story soon picks up when Amy wakes up for the first time ever since she was frozen 250 years back. Amy is then thrown into a world where she doesn't really recognize as her own. Everything is so different... and we find out the reason as to who was behind it towards the end of the book. Thinking about it now still makes me shudder. How can... they stand it? It would be like living but trapped inside a cage until who knows when you'll arrive on the new planet. And as a reader, I also felt trapped like Amy and wonder like Elder because there are two point of views in this book.

All I can say is, the ending pretty much shocked me to the core. While other readers might say that this book was pretty predictable, I never really suspected that from Elder. Orion had always felt suspicious to me and it was quite obvious that Eldest was also evil as well. Overall, this was a great debut book for author Beth Revis! I absolutely loved it and I can't wait to tackle the sequel, A Million Suns soon!

Rating: ★★★★★

Tempted by Her Innocent Kiss by Maya Banks

Tempted by Her Innocent Kiss is most definitely my favorite out of the Pregnancy & Passion series thus far. Reading anything with unrequited love in it has always been one of my weaknesses. I truly sympathize with Ashley in here because while Devon went into his marriage knowing it was a business arrangement with no rules saying that he should love her, Ashley whole-heartedly loved him and wanted to marry him because he was the man that she chosed. This third installment by Maya Banks was heartbreaking and very emotional like the last two but I actually felt a connection in this one. I hated how Ash had to find out about the truth during her honeymoon, after she got married for heaven's sake! That was really cruel.

Ever since the beginning, we've known first hand that Devon married not for love. He married Ashley due to a business arrangement in order for his company to merge in with her father's. Only... the end result was definitely not what he expected. I honestly believe that Devon started to fall in love with Ashley little by little without even realizing it. When she found out that their marriage was a farce, he repeatedly told her that he never wanted to hurt her. But is lying to someone truly a way to start a relationship? No, absolutely not. When Ashley starts changing her personality to become "the perfect wife" in regards to Devon's ideal, things take a turn for the worst.

In the end, to win back a woman's love and trust, there can only be one solution: you either grovel and beg for her forgiveness, you show her you love her and that you can't live without her, OR you can do both! Which is why, Devon Carter wins the title for Best Grovelling so far... and you shall see! Overall, I definitely recommend this series for anyone who loves Maya Banks, drama, romance, and some good old fashion grovelling! Last but not least:

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for giving me permission to read this ARC!

Rating: ★★★★★

Enticed by His Forgotten Lover by Maya Banks

To be honest, I was wary of starting this series. It sounded really cheesy, Maya Bank's highlander series was a prime example of that, and I wasn't exactly fond of the pregnancy idea. I decided to try it out and ended up really like it. It was very sweet and the relationship between Rafael and Bryony was well-done. At first, it was really hard to believe that Rafe could forget everything about the woman that he supposedly love. He doesn't remember anything about their love for one another, so what does that say about a person? I had my doubts about him and Bryony. She could be lying as well. In the end, one of them was certainly lying... but as readers, we don't know who. The only thing to do was to keep on reading!

I actually thing that through all their ups and downs in the relationship, Rafe and Bryony were worthy of one another. You could tell that she honestly loved him a lot. I don't exactly think that he appreciated it, thanks to the reveal at the end of the book. Betrayal and forgiveness was probably the two big themes in the first book of the Pregnancy & Passion series. We ended up finding out that Rafe had indeed been the one lying to Bryony and claimed he loved her when he did not. Anyway, Rafe did some groveling in the end because while he didn't experience the 'passion' the first time around, he certainly did the second time! Overall, this was a good book to the start of a series. I'm definitely looking forward to the rest of Rafe's friends future happiness in the next upcoming books!

Rating: ★★★★☆