Review: Rapture & Ruin - Julia Sykes

Rapture & Ruin by Julia Sykes
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars

Rapture and Ruin is the first book in Rapture and Ruin series by Julia Sykes. The book focuses on Max and Allie. Allie is an innocent, trying to get on with her political internship, whilst dodging a former high school bully who likes nothing more to torment her and just living life in general. One night she is kidnapped by Italian mafia member Max Ferrara who accuses her of knowing about the dodgy dealings her father has had with the Russian bratva. Only Allie is an innocent and what starts off as a simple kidnapping turns into a slow burn relationship as they both try and find out the truth and try not to get killed.

Max is a scarred young man, who has dealt with a lot in his life. He also has to deal with family members who are horrible to him and would like nothing more than seeing him dead. His relationship with his sister is extremely toxic as his relationship with his mafia boss father. There are snippets that we see throughout the book of what life is like for Max and his saving grace does seem to be Allie who he literally becomes obsessed with. (The feeling is definitely mutual for both of them though.)

The book deals with a lot of topics from stalking, bullying to obsession and violence. It is certainly a page turner and ends with a huge cliff-hanger. I do like that Allie grows a spine throughout the book, but she still has a vulnerability to her which was refreshing. She also has some great people in her corner which help her grow. It will be interesting to see what happens next and what other truths are going to come to light about both Allie and Max’s family as there were a lot of twist and turns in this story and some seriously dodgy bad guys!

A really interesting, entertaining and slow burn read!

ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review. All opinions are my own. 😊

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Review: Wonderland - Jennifer Hillier

Wonderland by Jennifer Hillier
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars

Wonderland is by a new author to me Jennifer Hillier. The book focuses on the Wonderland theme park set in Seaside, Washington. An idyllic place which seems to harbour a lot of secrets, most of them coming out of Wonderland itself.  Vanessa Castro is the new Deputy Police Chief in charge, after tragedy strikes, she moves her young son and teenage daughter there for a new start, but not everything goes to plan when a body turns up and young men are going missing.

This is a book full of twist and turns as we’re immersed in the park and the nightmares that it has brought to many people. Vanessa as a character was great as she is really flawed and trying her best but always seems to fall a little short. I also enjoyed reading about her backstory and why she ended up in Seaside. Seaside as a location was great as it is definitely rotting from the inside out, with secrets, lies and people in high positions covering things up. This is definitely a great psychological thriller, with some really troubled characters in it. There’s definitely a lot of therapy needed in the small town of Seaside.

To add to this is the background of the story being set at a funfair, where everything becomes spooky and threatening on a night-time. The clown museum literally gives me the frights! There is just something so threatening about this setting, even though it is a fun and exciting place, Wonderland definitely has some bad stuff going on at its core!

I can’t wait to pick up another book by this author ! A really good, thrilling read!

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Blog Tour: Tears of Betrayal - Michelle Heard

 

TEARS OF BETRAYAL by Michelle Heard

Release Date: August 30th

Genre/Trope: Mafia Romance

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Blurb:

My father is the head of the Bratva, but being born out of wedlock, I’ve never been a part of that world.

Until a hit is taken out on me. I’m kidnapped in the dead of night and waking up, it’s to come face to face with Demitri Vetrov.

Dangerous and heartless, Demitri is the most feared man in the world. I’ve heard whispers of what he’s capable of.

I’m thrown into a nightmare where I don’t know who I can trust, and fear for my life is my only constant companion.

I’m forced to be at Demitri’s mercy, I’m just not sure he has any. It also doesn’t help that he’s disarmingly attractive.

Tall, dark, and deadly.

Knowing this, he uses it against me like a weapon, breaking down my walls faster than I can put them up.

There’s a war coming, and I’m right in the middle of it.

The only question is, will Demitri be the one to save me or kill me?

About the Author:

Michelle Heard is a Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling Author who loves creating stories her readers can get lost in. She resides in South Africa with her son where she's always planning her next book to write, and trip to take.

 

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New Release: Savage Heir - Jagger Cole

 

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Synopsis

Bratva Prince. Beautiful monster. Irresistible villain.

“Just remember...you had the chance to run, and didn’t.”

Our introduction was a warning. Our first meeting, a threat.

They call him The Wolf—savage heir to the most brutal crime family in the world. A tattooed, green-eyed devil. A seductive psychopath who trades in mind-games and leaves a path of destruction in his wake.

To know Ilya Volkov is to fear him. To defy him, lethal.

Except, I didn’t get that memo. As the new-student outcast at the ultra-exclusive Oxford Hills Academy, where the offspring and heirs of the world’s most elite churn like a viper’s nest, I spit in the dark prince’s face.

Now, he wants to break me.

My plan involves a prestigious university, law school, and a golden future.

Ilya’s involves grinding me under his heal until I bend to his will. The harder I fight him, the deeper his claws sink.

The more I tell myself I hate him, the harder it is to resist him.

There’s a wolf howling at my door; huffing, puffing, and ready to blow my entire world down.

And pretty soon, he might just devour me whole.

About the author

A reader first and foremost, Jagger Cole cut his romance writing teeth penning various fan-fiction stories years ago. After deciding to hang up his writing boots, Jagger worked in advertising pretending to be Don Draper. It worked enough to convince a woman way out of his league to marry him, though, which is a total win.

Now, Dad to two little princesses and King to a Queen, Jagger is thrilled to be back at the keyboard.

When not writing or reading romance books, he can be found woodworking, enjoying good whiskey, and grilling outside--rain or shine.

You can find all of his books at www.jaggercolewrites.com


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Review: Games We Play - Dana Isaly

Games We Play by Dana Isaly
My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 stars

Games We Play is the short but sinfully sexy first book in the One Night series by Dana Isaly. The book tells the story of The Joker aka Jack, an online faceless gamer with a sinful voice who also brings people’s fantasies to life. In a moment of weakness, he is interviewed by the sassy, vulnerable and curvaceous Quinlan, both of them having an instantly hot attraction to each other. They agree to a night together where Jack takes charge, but somewhere along the way the lines become blurred, and both are left wanting more. 

The chemistry is hot and instantaneous between these two and the kink is strong throughout the book. There may be some triggers for some readers but read the author’s warning before you go into it! I really enjoyed this book and although it is short, a lot happens between the pages which leaves you wanting more. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next book in this series. A wonderful, hot erotic romance which is going to keep you turning the pages rather quickly to see what happens!

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Review: Tears of Betrayal - Michelle Heard

Tears of Betrayal by Michelle Heard
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars

Tears of Betrayal by Michelle Heard tells the story of Demitri and Ariana. Ariana is trying to get her business to start up, look after her ailing mother and continue to connect with her Russian father, who also happens to be the head of the Bratva. Her life gets complicated when a hit is put out on her and Demitri is put in charge of keeping her alive. Although his methods of doing that at times can be unusual i.e., kidnapping, tying up, etc. His intentions do come from a good is slightly complicated place. Demitri Vetrov, is an assassin, a killer and protector of the innocent. When he is given a task of looking after an innocent, it throws his rather violent but structured life into a tailspin. He is really taken with Ariana who hasn’t lived the Bratva life but knows that she is strong enough to survive in his world, with both him and Andrei by her side. I really enjoyed the push and pull between the two characters as they try and stay alive whilst their relationship becomes something more. Both characters were self-sacrificing towards each other which highlighted how deep their feelings really ran. I also liked how Andrei ended up playing an important role in their relationship and I can’t wait to see what becomes of him and if he’ll get his own book. Scenes between the characters were sexy, sometimes sweet and with a touch of violence (mainly due to the lives that they needed to lead!) I also enjoyed the fact that Demitri didn’t cut Ariana’s wings, but let her flourish and become strong herself, even when she didn’t want to be. There are some genuine moments in the book that has some deep feels and vulnerable moments. Overall, another great Bratva read with some great twist and turns. ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review. All opinions are my own. 😊 
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Review: Romancing the Stone Witch - Keri Stevens

Romancing the Stone Witch by Keri Stevens
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars

Romancing the Stone Witch is book one in the Cards of Coventry series by Keri Stevens. The book focuses on main character Delia Forrest, who has the unique gift of being able to speak to statues. Being a stone conservator, the statues talk to her incessantly and seem to be her only friend in a world which has been quite cruel to her and her gifts. When her estranged father is hurt in a house fire, Delia’s world comes crashing down around her as a man from her past, Grant Wolverton comes back into the picture and tries to take her beloved house from her. But Grant is not the person that Delia remembers and the reason that he has come back into her life may not necessarily be altruistic.

This was definitely an interesting story with a good story line and some great characters. Delia is shy, quiet and vulnerable to begin with, but her confidence grows throughout the book as does her relationship with the ever-brooding Grant. I enjoyed the sometimes-hilarious interplay that Delia has with the statues as well as the twist and turns in the book as we figure out who the players are and how they all fit together.

A good read and a great start to a new series!

ARC received for a fair, honest and sometimes long review. All opinions are my own. 😊

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