One or two celebrations (Big Dreams Blog Update #17)

It's Update Day time!

Along with 18 other bloggers, I decided to air the dirty on my craziest goal yet... Though with each passing blog hop post I realize it's not entirely as crazy as it was when I first signed up to this.

Hosted by authors Misha Gericke and Beth Fred, Update Day is a time for us to re-cap our adventures for the month and if any of those said adventures had anything in moving us forward towards our wacky goals.

We're always looking for new blog hop members, so please join us for the fun. It's BYOB crazy btw.

Now was it me? Or was this month really long…?

I mean the last two weeks especially were just dragging by, and the blast of cold here from Mother Nature had a lot to do with it.

I always look forward to February because it means Groundhog Day, V-day, and when I was in school, our spring break, and some other family occasions take place during this month (i.e. parents’ anniversary), BUT I really look forward to it because it often means spring is around the corner and there’s a good chunk of sunshine and warm weather to come…

And the opportunities! Because it’s only the 2^nd month it totally feels like the rest of the year is mine for the taking, goal-wise.

Getting ahead of myself here, so let’s start with what I’ve accomplished this month:

In the reading sphere, I have my 21^st review ready to go for tomorrow. I didn’t read as much as I wanted this month. More so these last few days… But I’m still very happy with what I have read.

My writing, on the other hand, jumped all over the place. Once again fro the first week of February, I continued a pattern of lacking productivity. I hopped from idea to idea, never settling down long enough to build a rapport with the characters of any stories.

Until around February 8^th…

That’s when I learned of a contest being held by Mills & Boon for one of their miniseries, The Chatsfield. The contest was a twitter pitch that involved, as you might have already expected, writing a 140-character pitch of a story tagged as #HotelScandal and set in the fictional hotel chain, the eponymous Chatsfield.

So I wrote up a #HotelScandal pitch and entered early, and that happened on February 11^th.

And then all contestants waited out the rest of the week until noon BST/GMT Friday the 13^th. Initially there was supposed to be three pitch winners from the batch of entries, but because M&B editors were blown away by the quality, they chose FIVE winners.

I was, unfortunately, not one of the five.

BUT I did get this:

An honourable mention! Pretty snazzy if I do type so myself… ^0^

That was enough to motivate me to write the 10K story based on my pitch that the five winners have posted up today on the M&B blog. Please go check the shorts out HERE, read them and vote!

Anyways, because I wrote the story I decided to post it as well. It seems nonsensical for me to write something and not share it. I posted it on Wattpad. If you want to read it, here it is. Do enjoy.

Now my next writing/WIP move is to work on a PNR short story/novella. I’ve dived in today to get the beginning kick started—I’m not always a fan of beginnings, you see. I’m also hoping to have something ready to go for a contest I’ve been eyeing now for a month, so we’ll see if all of that works out.

Hopefully I’ll have this much more to say about writing, and then some at the end of March.

In other celebratory news, this is my 100^th post. Yay!

This one sorta snuck up on me… I realized I hit the big 1-double ‘oh’ a few days ago.

When I started this blog, it was totally with a noncommittal mindset. I honestly gave myself the leeway, room, whathaveyou to stop posting if I hated it. But as time went on I’ve actually enjoyed it and I don’t doubt that a lot of my success in setting goals and completing them, pushing out of my comfort zone is all due to this little piece of virtual property.

So here’s to the first one hundred, and one hundred more.

BOOK REVIEW (21): My Fair Succubi (The Succubus Diaries #3)

BOOK REVIEW:

My Fair Succubi

After reading the first 2 books (and the free prequel) of Jill Myles’ Succubus Diaries series, I’ve finally got book 3 in my hands.

And what a Book 3 it was! Phew.

It took 2 books to build up the conflict between Zane and Noah, Jackie Brighton’ masters, and the kerfuffle around her choice between the two of them as a lover. (Though tbh I’m still with the whole ménage idea).

Making this as spoiler-free as possible, all I’ll say is that Jackie DOES make a choice. It follows a bit of the history of bad blood Zane and Noah have going, and why Jackie is so important to them. Actually I personally think none of the guys deserved her, but if I had to choose, I’d pick the vampire. Jackie’s own reasoning behind her choice aren’t exactly sound.

But one of the most frustrating yet alluring aspects of her character is her thirst for self-preservation, and her constant whining: Jackie is a coward, and I hate it sometimes – because it means that some guy has to save her, mostly Zane or Noah, or Zane and Noah – but at the same time it’s too realistic.

Usually I don’t go around looking for characters to be like me. I don’t need Jackie to be “relatable” for me to enjoy the story. I just want to understand why a character does what they do. So from a writer/reader standpoint I want them to have great character motivation that support believable goals (regardless of the genre, fantasy/paranormal can make for some pretty interesting goals at the least).

 There were some new characters introduced, old characters making a re-appearance, and more of the Jackie-centered conflicts. Seriously the girl is a magnet for bad juju.

I personally thought the adventure in this one wasn’t all that of a rush. The most excitement I got was in the beginning… It sort of fell flat near the end, even though there were houses crumbling and piles of bodies. It was anticlimactic, especially as it neared Jackie’s choice between Noah and Zane.

There was a lot of back and forth near the end...I mean most of what Jackie says concerning her love life is pretty cheesy, but apparently it's contagious as well. Case in point:

Actually I really wouldn't forgive him... Yeah, I know it's Zane we're talking about here, but the guy needs to know somethings aren't fixed by the power of "love"

Okay, okay. I get you...but wait, didn't you say that you called her Princess because:...

Zane needs to get his stories in a row.

Stiill the ending caught my interest. You see officially the books are published by Pocket Star, a division of Simon & Schuster. However, the ending – as I’m sure you all will go out and read – is very cliffy. In the romance sense it ties up nicely, and this is a PNR so Ms. Myles did her job there. That leaves the action/adventure plot very open for another book.

Lucky for you, the author has written book 4 and self-pubbed it to complete the series. (Yay for Jill Myles!)

ohh. beautiful book 4 cover. Jackie's debut + glowing red hair ftw...

And yes, that does mean that book 3 was good enough for me to come back for more…

My verdict:

✮✮✮.5

(3.5 stars)

BAKING REVIEW (2): Red Velvet Cupcakes (w/out sour cream + vinegar)

BAKING REVIEW:

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Now this recipe was supposed to be for the previous Valentine's weekend, but my lazy bum couldn't drag myself to the kitchen...

But they're done now! And I have the wonderful pleasure of eating them after the hard work.

I had to search a bit for a Red Velvet recipe sans sour cream and white vinegar because I don't have both and I wanted to work on a budget. (Also I had no clue what I'd do with the remaining white vinegar...)

Anyways.

Here's what the original recipe looks like:

This is the full recipe, but I chose to half the original because i didn't want to end up with 2 dozen cupcakes... That's too much cake. :)

And here's what I ended up with:

Notice the lack of sprinkles...

A picture of my own first tasting...

Overall, I found the cake part is a bit dry and the sweet moisture of the cheesecake frosting saved this from just being too dry. All in all, a nice combo. (And I got the thumbs-up from my family. :D)

As you can see I have no future in cake decorating; however I stuck with the frosting recipe that wasn't intended for piping.

My verdict:

❤❤❤❤.5

(4.5 hearts)

BOOK REVIEW (20): Wickedly Wonderful (Baba Yaga #2)

BOOK REVIEW:

Wickedly Wonderful

After reading the first in Deborah Blake’s Baba Yaga series , I quickly hunted down the second. And just like with Book #1, I was expecting to be wowed with Wickedly Wonderful – and I wasn’t wrong!

What I really love about this book especially was Beka Yancy, a sister Baba Yaga/witch of the heroine, Barbara Yager in the first story, is that Beka is more likable and accessible.

I liked Barbara because she was stoic, but it was especially nice to see that Beka was the exact opposite. And – I say this part with total writer’s envy – but Deborah Blake is an amazing writer!

The theme of this book was watery landscape and associated imagery because Beka’s element as a Baba Yaga/witch is, you guessed it, water. So the story has a cast of magical water creatures (both enemies and allies) and the plot is associated with healing the waters dividing and yet housing/feeding both a supernatural population of Selkies and Merpeople, and the human fisher community in Santa Carmelita (the fictional California setting).

Unlike book 1’s heroine, Beka is super self-conscious about her abilities as a Baba Yaga: namely, is she strong enough to handle the problem on the seafront without outside intervention? As a trainee Baba, Beka has a couple months before her 30^th birthday when the magic in her system will become irreversible and she will never be human again, living a VERY long life as a witch. And up until recently, she now realizes she faces a very long AND lonely life as a single witch.

She blames Marcus Dermott, an ex-Marine who was raised in the fisher community that is now under attack by the disappearance of the main economic staple, fish. His father and his friends’ families are all affected negatively by the trouble happening in the ocean, and when he realizes what Beka is up to, he dives in the deep end in order to help restore land/sea divides.

Marcus was really wicked. Haha. I mean I liked Liam from book 1, but there’s something about the grouchy hero that I keep coming back to… Lol. Marcus is NOT, I repeat, not a bad boy. He’s too old for that crap, and too sensible. He’s just super suspicious of Beka and not a guy who trusts easily. But he also is super loyal, hella funny and…when push comes to shove, really needy in an adorable I-missed-you-but-I’m-way-too-proud-to-say-it-until-now-that-is… Phew.

The conflict was really intense. Like its predecessor, this is not a whodunit: mostly because you get the villain’s perspective in the story. And its not even a whydunit, at least it’s all about the dramatic irony. So watching Beka and Marcus team up to find out who and why, but knowing who and why and raging at the characters for not having figured it out. Ololol.

Also the ending was predictable. Much more predictable than the first book because of Beka’s sweet nature, but it doesn’t take away from the story – or at least I found it didn’t take away from my drooling over the writing and weaving of the plot and  characterization… ahh. So, so good.

If you want to know what I mean so you can put two-and-two together quickly, pick up Wickedly Wonderful and have a read yourselves.

My verdict:

✮✮✮✮✮

(5 stars)

BOOK REVIEW (19): Battle Castles: 500 years of Knights and Siege Warfare

BOOK REVIEW:

Battle Castles

All-righty.

We're going to do something different today.

A VLOG review!

Yay. So much fun.

Actually I've always kinda wanted to try the whole vlog review thing...but you know lazy as heck. But what motivated me today was that I lost the review I'd written up for this text.

Lesson today: don't just save on Blogger...always have back-up. (Lol. Though I totally feel like I haven't learned my lesson AT ALL).

So here it is (because I realized I was WAY more lazier to type another review):

*Note: I mention BBC covered the documentary, but it's actually Discovery UK/History Channel. Not sure if the two companies are connected. Sorry for the confusion.
Also all the castles are located in Europe. No middle Eastern adventures--again sorry for the mix up!

BOOK REVIEW (18): Vamps and the City (Love at Stake #2)

BOOK REVIEW:

Vamps and the City

Since last I left off in the Love at Stake world, Shanna and Roman were officially engaged…

But book 2, Vamps in the City, is not about Mr. and Mrs. Draganesti. Book 2 is about Darcy Newhart, the most modern of Roman’s ex-harem ladies. And also the latest member…

You see Darcy died and made vampire 4 years ago. So she’s been perpetually 28 for 4 years—like those people born on the leap year. Lol. I kid.

Now that Darcy’s free of Roman’s care and she’s out from under his roof, she’s trying to re-build a life inside the vampire world. Though all she wants is her old human existence back… And now that she meets Austin Olaf Erickson, that’s all she wants. That and to sex him and have his blonde, naturally tanned babies.

I loved this dynamic. I’m a sucker (pun entirely intended.) for a female preternatural and a human male. I think it gives an edge to the relationship and the option of having said female supe totally match, or outmatch the hero’s strength. And of course she could also be super docile, but have that quiet “I-can-mess-you-up-anytime” aura around her a la My Super Ex-Girlfriend.

Or you know this girl.

Even more awesome the story centers around a reality dating show for vamps, which has a super dumb title—The World’s Sexiest Man Alive—but still makes a background for some humorous and sexy scenes.

I liked Darcy a lot. Course there was that innocence, and the whole bullocks about wanting to keep Austin safe from her urges for his blood:

A tear rolled down her face. “We can’t do this again. I could have killed you.”

“But you didn’t. You attacked a pillow.” The slashed pillow made him wince.

“I had to bite something.” More tears slid down her cheeks. “I can’t let you live with me. I’m too dangerous.” (p. 334)

Clearly vampires don’t get the YOLO concept. Because I’d be throwing myself all over Austin.

Also the plot is in this book trumped Book #1. Like Shanna x Roman was predictable. And sure, the ending of Vamps in the City was SUPER cheesy. It was different though, and Ms. Sparks set up her world and explained it in a way that didn’t destroy my suspension of disbelief.

Overall, stick through Book 1 and Book 2 will be totally worth it. I know it renewed my drive to hunt down Book 3 of Kerrelyn Sparks’ Love at Stake series.

My verdict:

✮✮✮✮.5

(4.5 stars)

Year of the Sheep/Ram or Goat??

Happy Lunar New Year!

This year marks the Year of the Sheep (and alternatively the Ram and the Goat)*...and all the sheep-y people born under this zodiac animal (like me!). The sheep is supposed to be the most docile of the animals, and therefore the most timid and easily influenced to follow (which I guess makes sense...sheep = shepherds).

So it's one of the least desirable of the zodiac.

We're followers, us Sheeps, but I don't think that's true. Oddly, I'm both a Sheep and a Leo...a lion and a lamb...which might say more about me than I now.

But I've never been the type to believe in a pre-destined personality and fortune that often is associated with astrology. It's fun to read about and listen to. Nevertheless at the end of the day I do have a large say in my decisions.

But I would love my thoughts to be more docile. So maybe the motto for this lunar year should be "follow my instinct" because I tend to over-think a lot of my decisions which then makes it impossible for me to move on to more important tasks.

On the writing front I'd like to stick to whatever WIP I'm working on, and stop my jumping around from story to story.

Reading + reviewing is going well, so I'd like to keep up that momentum.

I've also been on a job hunt. Hopefully that comes to an end...

For now, I've busted out my PJs in honour of the day:

& another angle:

Lol, they're the only things I had that were associated with this Year's animal.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year! May 2015 be (or continue to be) fruitful. :)
Now go and multiply the successes.

***

*Random side note: Some people are arguing about the distinction between sheep and goat--I don't know why ram is in there because that's just a male sheep. To be more specific, a ram is an "intact" male sheep (i.e. his family jewels are safe), and a goat is a close relative of the sheep, but they're not the same species.

Unlike English, Chinese (and Japanese) use kanji (or Chinese characters), and the character for sheep and goat, 羊, doesn't make a distinction between the two species. So it's like, "ya'll choose what you want to be, sheep or goat?" year.

BOOK REVIEW (17): The Chatsfield Novellas Box Set Volume 3

BOOK REVIEW:

The Chatsfield Novella Box Set #3

GONNA PUT THIS HERE: Warning! Spoilers in this review.

I’ve been reading a lot of PNR and some UF lately, so I decided to take a breather with a contemp again.

I chose to stick to a quick read: a box set of e-novellas from Harlequin Presents (because nothing says relaxation better than glitz and glamour and sexual tension).

This particular box set is the 3^rd and final set of 3 sets of novellas in total. And all 15 novellas (5 per box set) actually build on the world of a 8-book miniseries that released last year from Harlequin called ‘The Chatsfield’ because all the stories revolve around an international hotel chain and the powerful and wealthy family that owns it.

The box set had 5 stories that take place at The Chatsfield, a hotel known for its scandalous going-ons, and considering that I thought it’d be best I approach it by breaking down the review into parts: 5 mini-reviews (lol as if my reviews are long anyways) for the 5 novellas in the box set.*

Let’s start from the beginning then:

New Beginnings at The Chatsfield by Fiona Harper

This first story focuses on Sophie, a jilted bride who decides to use her ex-fiance’s credit card—a gift to plan their wedding—to stay at her dream location for a honeymoon, The Chatsfield. So she goes off on her honeymoon, Carrie Bradshaw-style, with her friends/ex-bridesmaid and tries to convince herself to have a good time.

But she’s having a shitty time. At least until she crashes a wedding and meets Cristian, our Argentinian hero—Cristian was really interesting. Much more than Sophie, who although I sympathized with I found really bland as a character. Cristian wasn’t flashy, and he wasn’t in-your-face Alpha throwing commands at Sophie left and right. It was all quiet control for him, in a non-creepy way.

There’s no sex in this one. And though it was a short story, it definitely had the potential, seeing (err, reading?) the sparks flying everywhere between this couple. Still because I felt that it was WAY too quick, and both Sophie and Cristian didn’t seem the type to want a rebound, I was really happy there wasn’t undercover lovin’…

All in all, the story was totally plausible compared to some of the off-the-top stories in the Harlequin Present line.

My verdict:

✮✮✮✮

(4 scandalous stars)

*

Bollywood Comes to The Chatsfield by Tara Pammi

Speaking of over-the-top: the plot of this second one was definitely cray-cray as in a once-in-a-lifetime type scenario.

We have heroine Tanya Singh who’s recovering from the loss of her husband 12 months ago, and when her friends and family conspire to get her out there in the world and find some happiness in life (not just love), she meets her Bollywood crush, John Patel.

Crazy, right?

Crazier she ends up with the guy. I mean, he really wants her. He’s abrasive to Tanya at first because he’s finished settling a divorce and trying to find a way to stay connected to his daughter, but then he learns that Tanya doesn’t have stars in her eyes like most women around him do.

So she’s able to see clearly and then he’s able to see clearly that she’s no threat to him…oh, and that she’s superhot and he wants her.

This one is quick…and there’s sex, but because John is who he is and Tanya has to work out her own situation, get her life going—they decide to take things slowly and THAT is what makes this novella so worth it.

Really, this one had the potential to fall apart and be ridiculously clichéd, but Ms. Pammi made it…believable. And isn’t that what romance (and most fiction) should hold, some shred of reality even with all the glitz and glamour?

My verdict:

✮✮✮✮

(4 scandalous stars)

*

Bridesmaid with Benefits by Amy Andrews

So this one’s trope revolves around the bridesmaid’s woes. Think Heigl in “27 Dresses”, only not that crazy, and more sex.

The heroine, Johanna Windsor, is a bridesmaid for the third time—and for the third time she’s in a room with Ed Sullivan again, her long time school crush and sorta lover (hence the title). But this time putting her heel down Johanna decides to not hook-up with Ed after the wedding and reception.

Too bad Fate—err, their friends conspire against them and book one room for the two at The Chatsfield where the reception was held.

What Johanna doesn’t know is that Ed wants love and a family someday, too. I liked Ed a lot. He was so carefree when he needed to be and though the novella doesn’t cover his work, I got that sense he had a great balance for work-play in his life—totally the perfect guy. J

Too bad I didn’t like Johanna all too much. She was super whiny and real mean to Ed when he didn’t do anything to her. I mean he even mentions it from his POV just how much of a ballbuster Johanna could be, especially to him ever since their high school years through to law school together.

I really don’t see what he sees in her. And I don’t think that it’s excusable that she used that attitude as a front for her feelings for Ed.

No, Johanna, you can’t devour your cake and have it too.

My verdict:

✮✮✮

(3 scandalous stars)

*

The Sports Star at The Chatsfield by Melanie Milburne

Tbh I forget what the heroine, Alice Hammond works as but I’m pretty sure it’s something “dowdy” (sarcasm) because novella #4 features a girl-next-door type story. Angus Knight is a football star who is out enjoying the night with his teammates at The Chatsfield when he chances upon Alice.

Poor little Alice who’s supposed to be celebrating her birthday with her estranged father, but who now has the company of Angus and her inexperienced-self shies away from the prospect of being courted by the sports star…

Okay, I’ll stop that now.

Cuz I liked Alice and Angus (hehe, Angus, that name always makes me giggle). These two were cute! By far the cutest couple yet in the box set. Again it’s over-the-top, and even though the Alice and Angus do have sex, I still found it believable. A trustworthy story if someone told me they met their significant other this way… But it’s also mindlessly happy.

Because Alice doesn’t want to spend her birthday alone and she deserves fun times with the sexy Angus, just sayin’. (It doesn’t help that the story is written in first-person, making it all the more sad that she’s been stood up by her dad on this day of all days).

Actually I hated that it was written in first-person. I wanted to know what Angus was thinking and Alice was sorta annoying sometimes… She thinks too much, and her thought process was, well let me give an example:

[…] I jerked back in my chair so forcefully it almost toppled over backwards. I gripped the arms to rebalance myself, my heart rate soaring, my cheeks furnace-hot at the thought of everyone in the bar seeing what I was wearing under my off the peg little black dress. I said I was sensible but that doesn’t mean I don’t like sexy underwear. Mind you, I guess there’s not a lot that’s sensible about a hot pink thong, but I hate VPL (visible panty line) so I always wear a thong under this particular dress.

Really frustrating to get through this sort of internal monologue throughout the story. But that’s my own personal taste.

Also it was sorta crazy that she accepted (AND FORGAVE?) her father for marrying her best friend… Oh vey. Gag me with a stick.

My verdict:

✮✮✮.5

(3.5 scandalous stars)

*

The Real Adam Brightman by Roz Fayrer

Wrapping it up is the final novella, and the oddest of the .

Like if we were playing a game of ‘What doesn’t fit?’ this novella would be it—for two reasons:

Ms. Fayrer’s story delves into the world of Adam Brightman, a New York-based media mogul and well-known playboy who is a canon character in original world of “The Chatsfield” miniseries. A canon character who never got his own tale…until now, though it’s still not fully developed…

Leading me to Reason 2, Adam’s story is not a romance like the other four novellas presented with their non-canon couples. The story is a personal struggle or a prelude to something greater…like a longer novel-length chance at his HEA.

So if you already didn’t figure this out, there is no HEA in this final novella. Adam is spending the anniversary of a past mistake and he’s confronted by the least likely of people, his ex-wife, Talia.

They were supposed to have a baby by now and be one big happy family, but after they lose the baby, Talia and Adam’s relationship falls apart. But Talia is back and she’s engaged to another man, and she helps Adam close their chapter so they can both move on: Talia to her husband (and their pregnancy) and Adam to confront Jessie Loe, a woman who plays an important part in his redemption of said past mistake.

And that’s where the story ends. Adam leaving a message on Jessie’s answering machine/voice mail and that’s that.

Which is why I LOVED this story—totally crazy considering I expected romance all around, not even HEAs but at least HFNs. But the potential in this story is crazy. (It also helps that I love Jessie Loe! Check her out at The Loedown vlogs).

I see so much more for this couple…ahhhh!

Thank God for fanfiction. ;)

My verdict:

✮✮✮✮✮

(5 scandalous stars)

BOOK REVIEW (16): Once Bitten (Wolf in Disguise #1)

BOOK REVIEW:

Once Bitten (Wolf in Disguise #1)

Okay, considering this is a review for a novella the back story of how I actually ended up picking up this book is a bit longer.

I've been sitting on this review for a month now, not exactly sure how to approach this. You see I don't purposely choose books I know I'm going to dislike to go on and review them for that reason. I can find other ways to waste my time if I want--marathon-ing Buffy for instance--so I didn't pick up Jodie Sloan's Once Bitten knowing that I would hate this book. I picked it up because I wanted to read a BBW paranormal romance.

Now I'm all too happy I "bought" the novella off Amazon Kindle.
 I got the free sampler of the first part of a novella series. Specifically a PNR BBW erotic series, but who's really nit-picking the details.

The main thing is the book was free and it was bad.

I mean bad. (I thought it deserved a highlight.)
The book was free, so I don't care as much as I would if I actually paid for this because...yes, well you know, bad.

And because I didn't like this I'm going to give it a bit more attention--explain my rating and all.

Caution: I will be dropping (racy) spoilers here and there... You've been warned.

SPOILERS BELOW

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1) the characterization was god-awful. I didn't sympathize or care for the H/h (Josh and Sal), I didn't care for the only other secondary character (Sal's friend, Anne). Case in point, "...Anne was trying her very best to get her friends [sic] mind off of a certain someone. They had talked about it at length and there were even times that Anne was a little jealous of her friend and the connection that she made with Josh."
Why is this written from Anne's perspective? The author could have made it more evocative if she spun it from the heroine's side...you know, without making the whole "jealous" bit all that annoying to read.

2) this book is a great example of telling rather than showing: "Josh looked at Sal and they began to run into the forest, showing a little baby bump and the revelation that they were with child. They were going to be a family and they couldn't be happier." (And it goes on...) "Unfortunately, they weren't alone and found themselves being watched by a man with a scruffy beard and wearing hunter's clothes.

So I don't get it... Are they aware this guy is watching them.

3) mythology...I read PNR for great plotting, careful plotting that weaves together some good mythology; all we learn from this book is that Josh was bitten by some African-American slave and that for 160 years he's been dealing with his werewolf-ism... That's it. And the most effed up thing is that based off of this info--oh and the fact that she's "in wuv" with Josh, Sal's all gung-ho about becoming a werewolf too.
"I just feel excluded from a part of your life that is very much a part of you and I want to know you and the wolf inside. The only way to do that is for me to walk in your shoes and become a true couple with the same affliction and maybe have your children."

That's like saying "the only way we can be a true couple is if I get hit by a car and become physically handicapped, too, sweetheart".

I digress...

4) euphemisms. Gawd, stop with the vague language. I'm reading an ADULT title so I expect a little maturity from the narrative. I can handle my naughty, thank you very much. I don't need my hand held, dear Author. Here's a sample of what I put up with:

"[...] his hand up on her inner thigh, so close to her treasure trove that she was almost screaming out for him to go further."

"'I love YOUUUUUUUU." She felt her body tremble and her insides begin to quake, squeezing and convulsing around his mean meant. She could feel his cock swelling to mammoth proportions, the head about to let go with a volcanic white hot substance that would keep her coming back for more."

Uhh, no. You should be dead if we're talking lava...

"I'm...I'm CUMMMMMING." His body betrayed him and it had only taken 20 minutes to hit the right buttons.

The hurt and pain of being alone was his weight to carry on his shoulders and she touched his chest and ran her finger down until she had met the V leading to the promised land.

Almost done guys...

5) the pace was really the last nail in the coffin; it was all over the place in terms of pacing. It jumped around and although I'm all for moving the story along, I'm also even MORE about not wanting to fork my eyes out as I read...so yeah. Timeline is crap.

In writing this review I feel it's my duty to stress that I'm not bashing indie books.

That isn't what this is about.

True, I haven't read too much indie material, BUT I would recommend some of the few I have read and that are testimonies to the merits of well-written self-pubbed fiction. (i.e. Beth Fred, Christa Wick, Christin Lovell are some of the few).

And for the sake of amusement, one more quote... Because Josh's "climaxes were always legendary", Sal decides to give it a test run... Question of the day: can guys climax while sleeping--err, can Josh climax while sleeping? (And no, wet dreams don't count.)

He was asleep before she finished, but that didn't stop her from continuing her exploration of his flesh, until she felt the rising of his balls and then the flow of hot cum that made her smile on the outside as well as the inside.

Something tells me Josh is the kinda guy who's MIA at every party. And apparently his own climax.

My verdict:

✮

(1 star)