Death by Chocolate - Johanna K. Pitcairn

The Book
Release Date: 5 February 2013
At seventeen years old, Julie deals with more problems than most teenagers her age. After getting into an argument with her ex-boyfriend’s new girlfriend, she runs away from school. Quickly homeless and broke, her escape to Las Vegas leads her to an old Gypsy woman she meets outside of a supermarket when begging for food.

Julie’s hungry and heartbroken. She wants to find shelter from the rain and forget a life she has been despising for years. When the Gypsy offers to read her future in exchange for a meal, the challenge sounds like a dare. The tarot cards reveal a great destiny, and a perilous journey. What else can go wrong that hasn’t already happened? Julie finds the whole act entertaining until the Gypsy gives her a red heart shaped box containing twelve chocolates, and orders her to eat one.

Julie wakes up in an unwelcoming world filled with danger. A boy named Evan introduces himself as her guide, but will he really help her when she needs him the most? Demons of a long forgotten past haunt her dreams and seek revenge for something she doesn’t remember. Too many questions receive too little answers.

Reality and fantasy have melted to become one never ending nightmare where failure equals death. Will Julie accept the truth to survive?

My Opinion  1 STAR
**Provided by Netgalley and Curiosity Quills Press for an honest review**

I really struggled to read this book, and even being so short, it wasn't short enough.

Far to many unanswered questions, a total mental doozy. It was hard to make any sense out of this story to find the message behind it.

A disappointing read.

Saving June - Hannah Harrington

The Book
Release Date: 1 June 2012
‘If she’d waited less than two weeks, she’d be June who died in June. But I guess my sister didn’t consider that.’

Harper Scott’s older sister has always been the perfect one — so when June takes her own life a week before her high school graduation, sixteen-year-old Harper is devastated. Everyone’s sorry, but no one can explain why.

When her divorcing parents decide to split her sister’s ashes into his-and-her urns, Harper takes matters into her own hands. She’ll steal the ashes and drive cross-country with her best friend, Laney, to the one place June always dreamed of going — California.

Enter Jake Tolan. He’s a boy with a bad attitude, a classic-rock obsession and nothing in common with Harper’s sister. But Jake had a connection with June, and when he insists on joining them, Harper’s just desperate enough to let him. With his alternately charming and infuriating demeanour and his belief that music can see you through anything, he might be exactly what she needs.

Except June wasn’t the only one hiding something. Jake’s keeping a secret that has the power to turn Harper’s life upside down — again.

My Opinion  4 STARS
**Provided by Netgalley and Harlequin UK for an honest review**

Ok... So saving June is another of those books where someone close to our leading lady has died.

The book focuses on my she copes with the loss of her sisters suicide and the road trip she takes in order to fulfil a wish of her sisters and embarks on a voyage of self discovery and finds out how strong she really is.

A well written book that pulls you in and lets you feel all the emotions portrayed. A Brilliant book.

Pushing the Limits (Pushing the Limits 1) - Katie McGarry

The Book
Release Date: 3 August 2012

No one knows what happened the night Echo Emerson went from popular girl with jock boyfriend to gossiped-about outsider with "freaky" scars on her arms. Even Echo can't remember the whole truth of that horrible night. All she knows is that she wants everything to go back to normal.But when Noah Hutchins, the smoking-hot, girl-using loner in the black leather jacket, explodes into her life with his tough attitude and surprising understanding, Echo's world shifts in ways she could never have imagined. They should have nothing in common. And with the secrets they both keep, being together is pretty much impossible.

Yet the crazy attraction between them refuses to go away. And Echo has to ask herself just how far they can push the limits and what she'll risk for the one guy who might teach her how to love again.

My Opinion  5 STARS

**Provided by Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for an honest review**

So i finally got head out of my arse and read this book, and boy, am i glad i did.

I FINALLY know what all the fuss was about.

The story is about two troubled teens who find themselves drawn together and find acceptance where they thought they wouldn't find it. They are both fighting their own demons and help each other realise what it is that they both want.

they both have a very strong core strength, yet both feel powerless by themselves, weak. 

The author gave the characters enough credibility to make the story feel believable and real. I mean lets face it, how hasn't had a friend like Grace who only wants to be your friend on her on terms. Who hasn't struggled at times for acceptance of who we now, rather than who we were.

There is enough soul put into this book that you wont be able to stop yourself from crying at various points in the book, i certainly couldn't. The writing was excellent and the emotions felt by the characters were tangible. 

The tension and romance between Noah and Echo was lovely, it was a joy to watch them both grow.

The is a book that will stay with you, one you can't stop thinking about and will just HAVE to read again.

I look forward to reading the next in the series.

An astonishingly good book.

The Deepest Night (The Sweetest Dark 2) - Shana Abe

The Book
Release Date: 13 August 2013
A rich portrait of post-Victorian England, The Deepest Nightseamlessly blends thrilling romance with riveting history and adventure—perfect for fans of Libba Bray and Lauren Kate.

It’s 1915, and sixteen-year-old Lora Jones is finishing up her first year as a charity student at Iverson, a prestigious, gothic boarding school on England’s southern coast. While she’s always felt different from everyone around her, now she finally knows why: She is a drákon, a rare, enchanted being with astonishing magical abilities.

As war hits Britain’s shores, and Lora reels from an unimaginable loss, she finds that her powers come with grave and dangerous responsibilities. At the request of Armand Louis, the darkly mysterious boy whose father owns Iverson, Lora will spend her summer at his lavish estate. To help the war effort—and to keep Lora by his side—Armand turns his home into a military hospital, where Lora will serve as a nurse. For Armand is inescapably drawn to her—bound to her by heart-deep secrets and a supernatural connection that runs thicker than blood.

Yet while Lora tries to sort out her own feelings toward Armand, fate offers an unexpected surprise. Lora discovers there is another drákon, a prisoner of war being held in Germany. And that only she, with her newly honed Gifts, will be able to rescue him.

With Armand, Lora will cross enemy lines on an incredible mission—one that could bond her to Armand forever, or irrevocably tear them apart.

Beautifully written, deeply romantic, and filled with daring adventure and magic, The Deepest Night is a mesmerizing novel of the enduring pull of destiny, and the eternal strength of love.

My Opinion  5 STARS
**Provided by Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for an honest review**

Shana Abe is a gifted story teller.

This tale was wonderfully woven together to give you a tale about Drakons on which you have never read before.

She takes you on an effortless journey, which will make you cry, and show you true love.

A book to be recommended, and re-read time and time again.

The Sweetest Dark (The Sweetest Dark 1) - Shana Abe

The Book
Release Date: 9 April 2013
For fans of Lauren Kate and Libba Bray, The Sweetest Dark is filled with thrilling romance, exciting adventure, and ancient magic. Shana Abé brilliantly captures the drama of post-Victorian England, while unfolding a passionate love story that defies time.

“With every fiber of my being, I yearned to be normal. To glide through my days at Iverson without incident. But I’d have to face the fact that my life was about to unfold in a very, very different way than I’d ever envisioned. Normal would become forever out of reach.” 

Lora Jones has always known that she’s different. On the outside, she appears to be an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl. Yet Lora’s been keeping a heartful of secrets: She hears songs that no one else can hear, dreams vividly of smoke and flight, and lives with a mysterious voice inside her that insists she’s far more than what she seems.

England, 1915. Raised in an orphanage in a rough corner of London, Lora quickly learns to hide her unique abilities and avoid attention. Then, much to her surprise, she is selected as the new charity student at Iverson, an elite boarding school on England’s southern coast. Iverson’s eerie, gothic castle is like nothing Lora has ever seen. And the two boys she meets there will open her eyes and forever change her destiny.

Jesse is the school’s groundskeeper—a beautiful boy who recognizes Lora for who and what she truly is. Armand is a darkly handsome and arrogant aristocrat who harbors a few closely guarded secrets of his own. Both hold the answers to her past. One is the key to her future. And both will aim to win her heart. As danger descends upon Iverson, Lora must harness the powers she’s only just begun to understand, or else lose everything she dearly loves.

Filled with lush atmosphere, thrilling romance, and ancient magic, The Sweetest Dark brilliantly captures a rich historical era while unfolding an enchanting love story that defies time.

My Opinion 5 STARS
**Provided by Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for an honest review**

Shana Abe is a gifted story teller.

This tale was wonderfully woven together to give you a tale about Drakons on which you have never read before.

She takes you on an effortless journey, which will make you cry, and show you true love.

A book to be recommended, and re-read time and time again.

The Indigo Spell (Bloodline 3) - Richelle Mead

The Book
In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realises that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, the Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive—this time in a part-vampire, part-human setting where the stakes are even higher and everyone’s out for blood.

My Opinion  4 STARS
Sydney really did my head in with this book, and I felt so sorry for Adrian.

It was good however that at the end of the book we see Sydney losing the inhibitions and giving into her feelings, if nothing had happened I think I may have shouted at her, (fictional or not).

It would be good if she could actually see how strong a person she is, as she doesn't crumble at the first hurdle like many would. Hopefully we get to see her grow further in the next book.

A nice read, but not as good as the last.

18 Things - Jamie Ayres

The Book

Release Date: 4 February 2013

Can eighteen things save a life? 

Olga Gay Worontzoff thinks her biggest problems are an awful name (after her grandmothers of course) and not attending prom with Conner, her best friend and secret crush since kindergarten. 

Then Conner is killed in a freak boating accident and Olga feels responsible. When she downs an entire bottle of pills to deal with the emotional pain, her parents force her into counseling. There, her therapist writes a prescription in the form of a life list titled 18 Things. Eighteen quests to complete the year of her eighteenth birthday. 

All she has to do is fire-walk, try out for the cheerleading squad, break a world record, and err . . . go on her first date. Good thing Nate, a new hottie in town, enters her life with perfect timing. He brings the fun factor to her list and helps her discover the beauty and strength inside herself, then complicates things by falling in love with her. 

But there's more to Olga’s quests than meets the eye and when her therapist reveals a terrifying secret, her world is shaken. 

There’s only one thing she knows for certain: her choices won’t just affect her future, but all eternity.

My Opinion  5 STARS

**Provided by Netgalley and Curiosity Quills Press for an honest review**

OMG i have not had a cry fest with a book since i read If I stay by Gayle Forman.

This book was wonderfully written and had the best twist towards the end i've read in ages. If was also refreshing that the author was not intimidated to have her main heroine pray to God and have a religious background in the story.

The story is very well written and all the characters complimented each other perfectly. You are most certainly taken on a quest with the heroine to evolve and grow as the book progresses.

This book will leave you in a slight daze where you think about your own life choices.

I can't recommend this book highly enough!!

A Venetain Affair - Dana Mitchell

The Book
Release Date: 15 March 2013

When cool, reserved Helene Stoddart dons a mask in magical Venice, it changes her life forever. Her identity protected, she succumbs to a night of wild lovemaking with gorgeous Italian, Gabriel Venier. Convinced she'll never see Gabriel again, Helen returns home to Australia, where an old family scandal sees her hunted by the paparazzi. Then Gabriel arrives, looking for the mystery woman he can't forget. But the Helen he encounters is withdrawn, arctic, nothing like the gorgeous, sensual woman seared into his memory. Despite Helen's reluctance, Gabriel makes time for them to get to know each other, and for slow, delicious seduction …

My Opinion  4 STARS

**Provided by Netgalley and Penguin Books Australia/Destiny Romance for an honest review**

In this book our heroine Helene Stoddart is a shell of a woman with an icy facade which she uses to hide behind.

After having let her hair down for once in Venice, she goes back home to where she treated with distain for her families scandal, of which she had no involvement. But out of loyalty to her family she says nothing to anyone, hiding her anger and inner turmoil.

What she didn't see happening was the fact that the wealthy Italian man she had a one night affair with would come and find her, turing her world upside down and sideways.

He is the only one other than her sister who has managed to breach her hard worked for walls and smashes them. Gabriel Venier uses his dominant nature and patience to get what he wants, namely the blonde, blue-eyed Helena, where he wants her.

Although i loved reading this book, i felt the ending finished to abruptly, i would have loved an epilogue of a few months or even a few years later.

On the whole this is a lovely, quick read a a must for all romance readers.

The Spinster's Secret - Emily Larkin

The Book
Release Date: 20 February 2013

Penniless spinster, Matilda Chapple, lives at isolated Creed Hall, dependent on the austere charity of unloving relatives and under pressure to marry a man twice her age. In an attempt to earn enough money to escape this miserable existence, she writes a series of titillating 'confessions'. Her secret is safe -- until battle-scarred Waterloo veteran, Edward Kane, reluctantly accepts the commission to uncover the anonymous author's identity.

While staying at bleak Creed Hall, Edward finds himself unaccountably drawn to his host's lonely niece. Can Matilda conceal the secret of her scandalous writings, or will Edward discover that the spinster and the risqué authoress are one and the same person? And when Matilda feels the need to experience sex as her fictional courtesan does--will she lose her heart to Edward, along with her virginity?

My Opinion  4 STARS

**Provided by Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for an honest review**

The hero in this book that, for the first time in what seems like forever is not physically beautiful. He his scars, missing fingers and part of an ear missing. It makes a refreshing change from perfect men.

The book has a lovely story and seems to be based loosely round pride and prejudice in some areas. She even has the characters reading the novel.

The relationship between the characters are a joy to watch unfold and feel believable for the era the book has been set it.

A lovely read.

The Fetish Box, Part Three: What Remains (The Fetsih Box 3) - Nicole Camden

The Book
Release Date: 25 March 2013

The breathtaking final installment in the Fetish Box eBook series, where anything is possible…when passion is unleashed, only time will tell what remains…In an attempt to seek out the source of the violence against her friends, Mary takes on a role she’d never imagined she’d play—a role that requires Mary to embrace the darkest parts of her soul.

For the first time in her life, Mary understands who she is and where she belongs. What remains when you take away the sex and fun and adventure…is love. Love for her new friends, love for her lover, and love for the mother she never knew. She’s willing to risk anything—do anything—to keep them safe…

My Opinion  2 STARS

**Provided by Netgalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for an honest review**

This book literally starts where book two finished.

I still really believe that they should have been just one long novel and not split.

The story was short and sweet and had a good idea behind it.

A light-hearted read.

Finding Eden (Eden 2) - Kele Moon

The Book

Book two in the Eden series. Handsome, angry and spoiled, Danny Carlow struggles to find his place in the world when his hatred for authority makes survival difficult. The only thing keeping him from completely giving up and turning to a life of crime is his friendship with clean-cut Paul Mattling. More than his conscience and best friend, Paul's also the one Danny secretly pines for with every ounce of his being. Paul is a natural over-achiever with a football scholarship and straight A's to boast about. Yet he's haunted by an abusive childhood that's left him more scarred than anyone realizes. Looking for an escape from his demons, Paul has his own deviant secrets, ones he doesn't want anyone, especially Danny, to know about. When dark desires are accidentally revealed, Danny and Paul end up coming together in a clash of wild passion more tumultuous than either of them could have anticipated. Tasting the forbidden is sweet, but it turns the tables on their relationship, putting everything, even their lifelong friendship, in jeopardy. Reader Advisory: This story visits the dark side of BDSM, where the only thing more intense than the scenes the characters participate in, is the love they have for one another. Please note there is a very brief F/F encounter.

My Opinion  4 STARS

This book is the prequel to beyond Edin and explains how Paul and Danny got into BDSM and why.

The book is gripping and she's the trust between the two friends from the start. 

A book to reccomend.

Beyond Eden (Eden 1) - Kele Moon

The Book
Release Date:  1 September 2010
Three lifelong friends find themselves tangled in a web of love, pain and dangerous secrets in this erotic Garden of Eden tale.

Tall, dark and handsome Danny Carlow has always gotten whatever he wants except for the two he wants more than anything-his best friends, lovers Paul and Eve. Determined, he waits like a snake in the grass, poised for the right moment to offer them a temptation too delicious to resist.

Artist Eve Everton makes the painful decision to leave her true love Paul for the siren call of New York City. Ten years later, with her life in shambles, she returns. When Paul's waiting arms aren't available, Eve falls for Danny's charm and finds herself a willing accomplice in the dangerous games Danny plays.

Former college football star Paul Mattling is now a successful attorney with a bright future ahead of him. But behind those brilliant blue eyes are secret desires for a taste of the forbidden. Will he play it safe or give in to Danny and Eve and bite the apple?

Reader Advisory: Not for the faint of heart, the pain in this story is vivid and real, the emotions even more so. Haunting and poignant, Beyond Eden presents a darker side of BDSM. You might gasp. You might cry. You might find yourself reading it again and again.

My Opinion  5 STARS

**Provided by Netgalley and Ellora's Cave for an honest review**

WARNING: contains threesomes, guy on guy action as well as girl and guy action.

A seriously hot book.

The reader really brings you into the BDSM world with this story but keeping it as realistic as possible. You are able to identify with the emotions displayed by all parties and they the book is profoundly compelling to read.

This is honestly one of the best BDSM books i've read and i don't normally like the whole guy on guy reading aspect. In fact it gave me a bit of a shock to start reading it when i wasn't expecting it.

This book will leave you gasping, squirming, crying, smiling and laughing.

I throughly recommend this book.

Out in Blue (Return to Sanctuary 1) - Sarah Gilman

The Book
Release Date: 22 January 2013

In a violent world where fallen archangels are hunted for their valuable plumage, Wren knows one thing for certain: the human woman who saved him from a poacher attack will die if she stays with him. The demon responsible for his parents' gruesome deaths two decades ago pines for the chance to rip apart any woman who stands under Wren's wing. Wren doesn't expect Ginger to stay by his side once she discovers his ability to drain life with a mere touch, yet she lingers. When an unusual talent of her own reveals the location of Wren's father, Wren's isolated world implodes. With the help of the demon protectors he's sworn never to trust again, Wren risks everything to rescue his father, confront the demon who stalks his and Ginger's every step, and claim his eternity with the most courageous woman he's ever known.

My Opinion  5 STARS

**Provided by Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for an honest review**

This book grips you from the very first page.

I was so completely drawn into the story that i stayed up late just to finish the book to know what happened. The author brings a new twist into the world of angels and demons, which with the many books out there in this genre is surprising.

The romance between Wren and Ginger was lovely and the book offers the idea of sex without all the ins-and-outs of it like a lot of other adult books, which was a refreshing surprise.

The book is crammed full of mystery, thrills, danger and love and never leaves you feeling like your missing out until you reach the end of the book, where your clamouring for the next.

Definitely a book to recommend and i will be following this series and this author.

The Fetish Box, Part Two: What Escapes (The Fetish Box 2) - Nicole Camden

The Book
Release Date: 4 March 2013

The breathtaking second installment in the Fetish Box eBook series…open the box and see what escapes…Mary is surprised by the deep feelings that follow in the wake of her first sexual encounter, but fascination with her lover John doesn’t dim her desire for the unapologetically lusty Irish bar-owner, Max. Feeding one hunger has unleashed other needs, and Mary wants to experience everything her new life has to offer.

But Mary’s dark desires aren’t the only ones swirling in the depths of The Fetish Box, and violence erupts amid the passion. When one of the men is attacked and the people at The Box put in danger, Mary realizes that some desires are more dangerous than others…

My Opinion  2 STARS

**Provided by Netgalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for an honest review**

****Warning**** Explicit sex scenes

A very short book, but the writing brings the reader in.

The ending is very abrupt and the book feels too short, it would have been better as a full sized novel.

The Fetish Box, Part One: Open All Night (The Fetish Box 1) - Nicole Camden

The Book
Release Date: 11 February 2013
An enchanting eBook debut about a world where your fantasies come true and nothing is quite what it seems. Come on in to realize your heart’s darkest desire...Virginal twenty-two-year-old Mary has just inherited a sex shop in Florida from her mother. After a long drive from California, she arrives at her deceased mother’s house only to be confronted immediately with two equally sexy strangers: the strong, silent John and the irreverent, taunting Max. She’s innocent, almost completely untouched, but feels a completely uncharacteristic pull to each man. Shocking even herself, she realizes it’s not an unwelcome desire.

Max is a playboy who knows how to give women what they want, but John… John might just be able to give Mary something even she doesn’t know she needs…

My Opinion  2 STAR
**Provided by Netgalley and Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books for an honest review**

****Warning**** Explicit sex scenes

A very short book, but the writing brings the reader in.

The ending is very abrupt and the book feels too short, it would have been better as a full sized novel.

Forever Black (Forever Black 1) - Sandi Lynn

The Book
When Ellery moved to New York with her boyfriend, she thought they’d live happily ever after in their small New York apartment. She never thought he’d pack his bags and leave because he “needed space.” With her newfound single status and fear of being alone, Ellery buries herself in her artwork and paintings until one night she helps a mysterious intoxicated stranger get home safely. Little did she know the mysterious stranger is none other than CEO and millionaire Connor Black. After finding Ellery in his kitchen the next morning and assuming she broke his #1 rule about sleepovers, he becomes intrigued, not only by her stubbornness and defiance, but by her kindness.

Connor Black, emotionally dead and damaged, that stemmed from a personal tragedy, made a vow to never love or fall in love with a woman, until Ellery Lane walked into his life by accident. After she opens up and shows him her world, Connor starts to feel emotions and feelings he never knew existed. Despite the rumors and warnings regarding Connor Black and his use and misuse of women, Ellery finds herself being drawn into his world. 

Ellery knows they can never be together because she is harboring a deep secret that could destroy Connor emotionally forever. 

Join Connor and Ellery as they embark on a journey of courage, love and strength. Will it be enough to save them?

My Opinion 1.5 STARS
1.5 stars for the idea behind this story only. Certainly not the writing itself. It's upsetting, as this has the potential to be a good book.

This book needs a serious amount of decent editing. The use of language made it had to read and I constantly had to backtrack for it to make sense.

Besides who lightly smiles or just knows what someone is thinking. 

Both characters are wholly immature. They spend they entire book, yelling at each other, smiling at each other, then running out. 

Ellery herself is the most self absorbed, self entered brat I have every read, and how many people can one author have killed off in someone's already miserable life.

On the whole this book is very disappointing. Most of the time I was grappling with myself NOT to throw my kindle away with frustration.

Playing the Maestro - Aubrie Dionne

The Book
Release Date: 14 February 2013
Melody Mires has sworn off dating musicians, but when the sexy European conductor Wolf Braun takes over her struggling symphony, her hesitation almost flies out the window with the notes of her flute—until he opens his mouth. Wolf is arrogant, haughty, and seems to have a personal vendetta against Melody. Oh, and he’s her boss. If she wants to keep her job as principal flutist, she’ll have to impress Wolf while simultaneously keeping her undeniable attraction to herself.

Wolf came to America to get as far away from his past as possible, and to recover some of the swagger he had as one of the world’s best maestros. He never imagined being forced to reassess the entire orchestra’s talent—and potentially fire anyone who doesn’t make his cut. Dating the attractive flutist is out of the question, but as their feelings reach a fever pitch, can they risk both their careers for a chance at love?

My Opinion  4 STAR
**Provided by Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC for an honest review**

This is a short, sweet story that for once does not have a sappy ending, but all the same leaves you feeling the ending did not fall short.

The romance is sweet and believable and the tension between the two was good. 

Being a flutist herself, the writer is definitely able to bring her own knowledge in to the book.

I would recommend this book for those wanting a quick light-hearted read that leaves them wanting to read more from this author.