I Can Think of Another Name

A Rogue by Any Other Name (The Rules of Scoundrels #1) by Sarah MacLean

Summary: A decade ago, the Marquess of Bourne was cast from society with nothing but his title. Now a partner in London’s most exclusive gaming hell, the cold, ruthless Bourne will do whatever it takes to regain his inheritance—including marrying perfect, proper Lady Penelope Marbury.

A broken engagement and years of disappointing courtships have left Penelope with little interest in a quiet, comfortable marriage, and a longing for something more. How lucky that her new husband has access to such unexplored pleasures.

Bourne may be a prince of London’s underworld, but he vows to keep Penelope untouched by its wickedness—a challenge indeed as the lady discovers her own desires, and her willingness to wager anything for them... even her heart.

Review: A forced marriage "romance" story with a complete asshole for a main male character.

I had wanted to read this for a while. Honestly, it was mostly because I liked the cover a lot. I'm a sucker for pretty covers, especially when there are pretty dresses and/or the cover isn't too terribly embarrassing. Perhaps I should have not been expecting too much since I read Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake and didn't it enjoy it much (it got two stars). The main character in that book, Ralston, was a jerk that took advantage of the heroine too many times to count.

What really bothered me was how Bourne went about forcing Penelope to marry him. They had been childhood friends and should have known damn well that Penelope would have still cared about him. He could have easily asked her to marry him (without trying to ruin her) and I'm pretty sure she would have said yes. Instead, he forces her into marry and acts like a jackass the whole novel. I know that Bourne was her childhood friend, but Bourne as a man was a completely different person and there wasn't a good reason for his change in character. There was nothing to redeem him.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that historical romances with childhood friends becoming more.

A Curse Never Forgets

One Blood by Qwantu Amaru

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review. 

Summary: A long-suffering convict. A villainous governor with an unbelievable past soaked incurses and blood. A kidnapped
daughter.

Review: An incredible horror story of revenge gone wrong (or horribly right?) with magic and voodoo.

I really liked One Blood. It was a horrific in its subject matter, but it wasn’t over the top horror or even what I would think of as a standard horror novel (I haven’t read too many to be honest). The idea of a curse is made so very real in this book. It stretches back hundreds of years and will not rest until revenge is had. I know little about voodoo, but the use of it in the book added a nice paranormal element to the story. Although I know this is a work of fiction, the curse felt so real.

There were a lot of characters to keep track of and more connections were made between the characters as time went on. It seemed like everyone was related to one another. I tried to keep track of everyone’s motives, but I am still not really sure exactly what everyone wanted. The story was very fast paced and certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. I was glad the story found its way to a conclusive and satisfying ending.

Rating:






Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy horror.

In Plain Sight

Soy Sauce Face by Sedonia Guillone

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. 

Summary: Sometimes the best kept secret is the one you keep from yourself…

“I’m an ordinary man with an ordinary life in every way. Except for Jun. That’s what I think to myself every night when I watch Jun getting ready for his work as a bar host in Kabukicho. He’s everything I’m not. He’s the beautiful, graceful, sociable and ambitious counterpart to me—a hulking, reclusive, completely unambitious guy who’d rather fix car and motorcycle engines all day than interact with people… I’d be happy if Jun just stayed here with me the rest of our lives, in this little apartment we’d once shared with Dad. But Jun has other plans.”

Or so Jun thinks. One night he gets ready and goes to work. But a tragic occurrence derails his career and all his plans for the future.

Through the eyes of his best friend, Tomo, the man who loves him above all others, Jun will be forced to confront himself, his deepest fears, hates, desires. And his deepest love.

Review: A cute, sweet, and very angsty story about two people finally getting together.

I had never heard of the term soy sauce face before so I imagine that term is known in Asian culture. But I can gather from Tomo’s description of Jun that a soy sauce face is a pretty boy. Soy Sauce Face is short, but packs a lot within its pages. There is plenty of angst, drama, past trauma, unrequited love, lust, and desire. Tomo and Jun seem like two very different people, but they really do need each other although I feel they need each other much more than is healthy.

Tomo is a very solitary guy and I understand that he wants to be home when Jun gets home, but that means that he doesn’t go out nor does he seem to have any friends besides Jun. Jun has kept his feeling hidden from Tomo for so long that they barely interact. It takes a life threatening experience for Tomo to come out of his shell. I am happy that they get together, but I feel that Jun and possibly Tomo will need a good deal of counseling before they can work through their own problems before they can be a healthy couple.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy angsty m-m romance.

I Doth Be a Warlock

The Brotherhood Of Piaxia by Michael Drakich

Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for a review. 

Summary: Years have passed since the overthrow of the monarchy by the Brotherhood of Warlocks and they rule Piaxia in peaceful accord. But now forces are at work to disrupt this rule from outside the Brotherhood as well as within! Follow Tarlok, Savan and Tessia as their paths intertwine, with the Brotherhood in pursuit and the powerful merchant’s guild manipulating the populace for their own end.

Review: A decent fantasy novel that suffered from stilted conversation and too quick resolution.

I enjoy fantasy although I haven’t been reading enough of it lately. It is a genre that I always enjoy because I do so love the idea of being able to do magic, living with elves, flying on dragons, and going on quests. I usually like my fantasy epic and with a variety of different races, but I can still enjoy less epic fantasy. Since spell casters are the main characters, I thought Brotherhood of Piaxia would be an enjoyable read. It was a decent read and I do like the world that the book took place in.

The interaction of the Brotherhood with the monarchy shows how power can corrupt people and how power can be used for ill means. Piaxia is one country or area and it would be interesting to see what other countries or areas in the world were like. I thought it was cool to have magic users be in charge of Piaxia. I didn’t like that girls did not seem to be magic users. Also, while the characters themselves were decent, the conversation between the characters was stilted. I felt the revolution happened much too quickly although I would be interested to see what the future holds for Piaxia.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this to those that enjoy fantasy with political aspects.

A Heart Blinded by Love

Secrets of the Tudor Court by D.L. Bogdan

Summary: When young Mary Howard receives the news that she will be leaving her home for the grand court of King Henry VIII, to attend his mistress Anne Boleyn, she is ecstatic. Everything Anne touches seems to turn to gold, and Mary is certain Anne will one day become Queen. But Mary has also seen the King's fickle nature and how easily he discards those who were once close to him. . .

Discovering that she is a pawn in a carefully orchestrated plot devised by her father, the duke of Norfolk, Mary dare not disobey him. Yet despite all of her efforts to please him, she too falls prey to his cold wrath. Not until she becomes betrothed to Harry Fitzroy, the Duke of Richmond and son to King Henry VIII, does Mary finds the love and approval she's been seeking. But just when Mary believes she is finally free of her father, the tides turn. Now Mary must learn to play her part well in a dangerous chess game that could change her life--and the course of history.

Review: An incredibly emotion story of Mary Howard that demonstrates the impact that Henry VIII had on people's lives.

Henry VIII's reign affected so many lives. So many people were murdered and many families lost a family member, be it a mother, father, son, daughter, cousin, etc. I've read a number of historical fiction novels about the Tudors and there has been a number of deaths in those books. Some of those books have been told from the viewpoint of queens that have been executed. None of those books have affected me as much as this book has. Mary Howard witnesses many deaths including those of her brother and cousins.

Along with all the great loss, comes the death of her true love. You can feel Mary's pain throughout the book and her burning desire to be happy, which includes being out of the grasp of her father. As much as I like Mary Howard, I do not understand her love of her father. He is downright abusive to her, puts her to work as a spy, and puts her in danger, yet she still wants to seek his approval and love. He is not a man worthy of admiration, much less love.

Rating:






Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy historical fiction about the Tudors.

Revenge Gone Wrong

Big Deal, Volume 1: Lust for Vengeance (Big Deal #1) by Katsura, Yuramei (Illustrator)

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. 

Summary: Bank robbers, bordellos and a whole lot of bed-hopping, as British black comedy meets Yaoi in a head on collision.

Fergus Campbell is straight out of prison with only one thought in his mind, to pay back his former friend and partner in crime, Judas MacGregor for stitching him up and sending him there in the first place. What he least expects on his return to his old haunts, is to fall head over heels in love with Mikhail, the stunningly beautiful owner of the best little whorehouse in town.

After one night of bliss with Mikhail, Fergus resolves to make the blond bombshell his own. But there is one thing that stands in the way between him and a relationship with the man of his dreams. He is already married the psychotic young alcoholic, Hugo. Although their marriage has been falling apart for years, the spoiled Hugo won’t let go of his meal ticket so easily. What follows can only be a wild ride of lust, mayhem and revenge!

Review: A m-m romance with plenty of sex, murder, and revenge.

I enjoy m-m romances so decided to give this book a shot. The first thing I must say is that the illustrations are wonderful and I would love to see this as a manga or graphic novel. The dramatic story line would lend itself well to illustration. While the pictures were certainly titillating, I didn't enjoy the book very much. The story line itself was ok. I personally don't watch or read too many mobster based books or movies. I am willing to read most yaoi or m-m regardless of the setting, but unfortunately, this setting really wasn't for me.

This book still could have been an enjoyable read if not for the characters. Vinny was my favorite character. He truly seemed to care about Judas although Judas certainly didn't see it. Judas was certainly no saint, but he had a sense of humor and swagger that was mildly amusing. Mikhail was too much. He honestly didn't seem real. I found myself detesting Fergus. I'm sure Hugo wasn't the easiest to deal with, but he didn't deserve to get hit, ignored, or verbally abused by Fergus. He's also so quick to cheat on Hugo yet wouldn't stand for Hugo doing the same.

Rating:

Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy darker m-m stories.

A Dangerous She Wolf

Rival to the Queen by Carolly Erickson

Summary: Powerful, dramatic and full of the rich history that has made Carolly Erickson’s novels perennial bestsellers, this is the story of the only woman to ever stand up to the Virgin Queen— her own cousin, Lettie Knollys. Far more attractive than the queen, Lettie soon won the attention of the handsome and ambitious Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, a man so enamored of the queen and determined to share her throne that it was rumored he had murdered his own wife in order to become her royal consort. The enigmatic Elizabeth allowed Dudley into her heart, and relied on his devoted service, but shied away from the personal and political risks of marriage.

When Elizabeth discovered that he had married her cousin Lettie in secret, Lettie would pay a terrible price, fighting to keep her husband’s love and ultimately losing her beloved son, the Earl of Essex, to the queen’s headsman.

This is the unforgettable story of two women related by blood, yet destined to clash over one of Tudor England’s most charismatic men.

Review: A tale of rivalry, lust, and love starring Lettice Knollys, Robert Dudley, and Queen Elizabeth.

Lettice Knollys is a great historical figure to write a book about. She and Robert Dudley risk the great wrath of Queen Elizabeth by marrying. Lettice Knollys was relatively lucky that she was only banished from court and still managed to see her husband. I am reminded of the poor Grey sisters who married with Elizabeth’s permission and became separated from their husbands permanently. With how much Queen Elizabeth cared for Dudley and how jealous she became when any woman paid attention to him, it is amazing that Lettice was only banned from court.

Rival to the Queen is a quick read that covers a number of years. Years could pass in a single chapter. A reader has to be paying attention to notice the time passing. I found Lettice to be a sympathetic and likeable character at first. She shows great sympathy and understanding towards those of a different religious faith. As the novel goes on, Lettice is shown to be a person that only cares about looks and fulfilling her lustful desires. Very soon after Robert Dudley dies, she marries a younger handsome man, because of his looks and money.

Rating:






Recommendation: I would recommend this book to those that enjoy reading about the Tudors.