Little Devil - Bethany Winters

Ruminations of an Insomniac..

I saw Little Devil, by Bethany Winters, on my instagram feed and knew I needed to read it. She's a new-to-me author and I'm so glad I found her! With the perfect blend of steam and some of the best banter I've ever read, this book checked all the boxes. 

Jordyn was absolutely not what I expected, but I'd love to be her friend. Her humor is dry and she comes into herself as this story progresses. Xander though? I think that everyone needs a boy like him in their lives; even if it's platonic. The guy is nice to look at and just bad enough to make a girl smirk, plus he's funny and bursting with adventure.

"When I first saw you I thought you looked like a quiet loner boy, but then you opened your mouth and turned into this cocky, big headed player with no chill." - JJ (Jordyn James)

The dynamics between the JJ and Xander were gold. A cherry pie, straight from the oven. Sweet, sour, and a little salty all at the same time. But most of all, Hot. All in all, Bethany Winters pulled me into this story - hook, line, and sinker. Her words gave me the perfect distraction, one that I really needed. I can't wait to read more of her writing. 

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 9/10 
Flow: 9/10
Plot: 9/10
Overall: 9/10

Currently available on Kindle (and Kindle Unlimited).

 

Synopsis:

JORDYN

My life’s been laid out for me since before I was born.
Graduate high school, marry the mayor’s son, get my degree and take over my mother’s company.
I don’t want it – I don’t want any of it – but I’d never say that out loud.
Girls like me aren’t supposed to speak our minds. We’re supposed to smile and look pretty and do as we’re told without argument.
I keep my mouth shut for an easy life.
A boring life.
But then I meet him.
Xander Reid doesn’t follow rules.
He’s a cocky bad boy with a devil may care attitude and a tongue bar I can’t stop staring at.
He treats life like a game and dares me to play with him.
And even though I know he's bad for me, I’m not sure how much longer I can resist.

XANDER

Lakewood is supposed to be a punishment.
A way to fix me and my unusual take on life.
Seven months before the end of my senior year, my parents ship me off to live in a strange town with a family I barely know and a private school full of entitled rich kids.
They seem to forget change doesn’t bother me.
I get bored easily, can’t sit still for five minutes and nothing holds my attention.
But then I meet her.
Jordyn James isn’t as innocent as she makes out to be.
She’s a bad girl trapped in a life fit for a princess, desperate for freedom from the chains that hold her back.
Making her mine just might be the worst thing I’ve ever done, and yet I regret nothing.

This is a full length, opposites attract romance with themes some readers might find offensive.

Complete standalone with a HEA and no cliffhanger.

Suicide Season - Yolanda Olson

Ramblings of a Bookworm...

I'm going to start off this review with a warning, since the book itself contains none, and I wish it had: This book is not for the faint of heart. It contains gore and disturbing scenes in the first few chapters.

Maybe it seems obvious, given the title and the fact that it's classified as an MM Vampire Romance, or if you've heard of the author before, but oh boy... I was not prepared. 

Now that that's out of the way, let's review...

Overall, the story was interesting. It was a very quick read, separated into three parts with three different perspectives. It was unique and very different from anything I've ever read before.

The characters were complex enough to be believable and the detailed imagery of the scenes was enough to create a movie in my mind.

I feel like I was left with a lot of questions, but as this is only book 1 of a series, I feel like that's to be expected.

Knowing what I know now, I probably won't be grabbing the next book because it simply was not my genre, however I can see and appreciate the appeal. Whilst not your average romance, the relationship between the two mains was unique and oddly adorable.

Rating:

Flow: 6/10

Plot: 6/10 

Overall: 6/10

It’s a vicious cycle.

Stop, start. Stop, start.

We move when the hunt has ended in one place, only to begin again.

It has nothing to do with the warmth of spring and summer or the chill of autumn and winter. Our seasons are measured by something else entirely. And while I sometimes wonder if he’ll ever tire of his god games, I also know that he enjoys it far too much to ever stop.

Hunger is never an issue for us, and because of that, what we are isn’t apparent. I prefer animals, and so does he in a roundabout way. It’s how he sees humans—as animals that lack the common instinct to survive when presented with something beautiful.

As we leave our current home for the next, I wonder what time has in store for us. Whatever it may be, as long as we’re by each other’s sides, nothing else will matter.

We’ve already gone to the end.

Now it’s time for the cycle to repeat itself.

Dirty Curve - Meagan Brandy

Bookworm and Insomniac- Dual Review

Ramblings of a Bookworm..

 Meagan Brandy, once again, "hit the ball out if the park". With one of the best character arcs I think I've ever read, Dirty Curve has secured its spot as one of my top 5 books of 2021, no question about it.

She’s fire, I know it, and call me a fuckin’ pyro ‘cause, goddamn if I don’t crave the flame. - Tobias Cruz

One of the many things I've always loved about Meagan Brandy's books is her strong female leads, and this one was no exception. Meyer is brilliant, hard-working, and an all around beautiful person. Tobias is a hard-headed stereotypical golden boy, but there's more to him than meets the surface.

Not going to lie, I struggled for the first few chapters. Not because of the story in itself, but because of Tobias. The texts I sent to my partner in crime whilst reading were less than stellar and I labeled him a firm 0/10 on the BB scale. But like I said, this book had one of the best character arcs I've ever read, and he definitely redeemed himself as more of him was revealed. It was a solid reminder that there's more to people than meets the eye, and you should never judge someone at face value.

 

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 10/10 
Flow: 9/10
Plot: 10/10
Overall: 10/10

 

Ruminations of an Insomniac..

 I've said it before and I'll probably repeat it again, but it takes a lot to render me speechless. Yet Meagan never fails to do it. Dirty Curve tested my patience in the beginning, but I know that nothing is ever quite as it seems. 

Meyer and Tobias made my heart stutter. Their dynamic isn't one you come across often, even in book world. The girl has secrets and the boy keeps his promises. She was bold and brave and brilliant. He was a smoking hot, arrogant asshole. The heat he brought, melted the walls of wax she built. While her reality lit a spotlight on his soul.

 "Expect it. Whatever it is, expect it, want it, demand it even... Girl, you didn't even want the spot, the way I remember it, but you stole it regardless." - Tobias Cruz

 I was in so deep, and Meagan threw curveball after curveball. Hitting the mark every time, she pitched a no-hitter. And in the final inning, she wound up at bat. And in the moment her bat connected to the ball, the echoing grand slam stole my breath. (I couldn't help myself, ha, sorry) But in all seriousness, Meagan has this way of dropping these catalyst moments, building a world and making you get lost in it; before she snatches the ground out from under your feet. That said, she may shatter us with her words, but she always makes sure to catch all our broken pieces on a soft place to land.

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 9/10 
Flow: 10/10
Plot: 10/10
Overall: 9.5/10

 

Currently available on Kindle (and Kindle Unlimited).

 

Synopsis:

You know how in college there’s that one guy everyone wants to be?
That’s me. 
I’m the top dog. 
The number one. 
The big man on campus.

Some say those things are solid wins. 
My new tutor would disagree. 

My title means nothing to her. 
My status lost on her. 

And now my mind? That sucker is stuck on her. 

She was told to make our sessions priority over all, to drop everything when I need her, and come to me. She does.  
But I don’t want to steal her time anymore. 
I want to earn it. 
If anyone can do that, it’s me. 

I’m Tobias Cruz, the king of the curveball. I don’t lose. 
Not the game, and surely not the girl. 

Little did I know, this girl has a secret...and it’s the dirtiest curve yet. 

Fractured Reign - Caitlyn Dare

Ruminations of an Insomniac..

Caitlyn Dare has tied her Gravestone Elite series up with a pretty bow, in the form of Fractured Reign. A book just as vivid as it's predecessors and filled with answers to so many questions. After a tumultuous time following archaic rules, through the first two books of this trilogy, the time has finally come to take their lives into their own hands. To write some new rules.

Mia blew me away in this conclusion. The girl, trying to carve her way through the first two books, finally comes into her own. Strength pours from her as she heals and grows. Mia changes so fast, she barely recognizes herself. But once she has a moment to catch up and collect all of her pieces, nothing can stop her. And Bexley is by her side through it all. Waiting for his moment. The moment she's ready to be seen again for everything she is. 

"..Sometimes there is no villain. There’s just pain and heartache and a series of unfortunate events." - Mia Thompson

I questioned a lot through this story, whether Mia and Bexley would get their happy ending. And while so many corners held something unexpected, truth and love prevailed. Like I've said before, Shattered Legacy built a solid foundation and Tarnished Crown gave us elaborate framework. Now, the house is complete. Every intricate detail of Mia and Bexley's world fell into place. Not necessarily where I expected, but exactly where it was needed. 

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 8/10

Flow: 9/10

Plot: 9/10 

Overall: 9/10

Currently available on Kindle (and Kindle Unlimited). 

Synopsis:

When Mia wakes up in the hospital with no memory of how she got there, she braces herself for bad news.

But nothing can ever prepare her for the truth.

Betrayed by the very people who were supposed to protect her, Mia no longer knows who to trust.

All Bexley wants is to fix things for the girl he loves, and keep those around him safe.

Even if it means embracing his legacy.

Can Bexley and Mia fight their own demons while fighting the enemies closing in around them...

Or will it be too late to save each other?

Fractured Reign is the conclusion to Mia and Bexley's dark and twisted story.

Fractured Reign in the final book in the Gravestone Elite trilogy. It is a DARK BULLY ROMANCE and contains mature content that some readers may find disturbing. You have been warned.

Badly Behaved - Meagan Brandy

Bookworm and Insomniac- Dual Review

Ramblings of a Bookworm..

I am proud to say that 90% of the times that I read a book, by about 25-30% in, I'm able to guess the endings, and I'm usually pretty spot on. Badly Behaved falls into that 10% category that always leaves me baffled, my eyes darting over the words frantically trying to weave together what is going on.

With characters deeper than many I've read before, a plot that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout, and a social class that always leaves me dumbfounded, I am completely in awe of Jameson's story.

"Who really cares to hear what’s on your mind when it’s not of benefit to the one forced to listen? No one, that’s who." - Jameson Filano

I had no idea what I was getting myself into when diving into a book about the lifestyles of the rich and the privileged, but I can wholeheartedly say that I was not disappointed. Once again, Meagan Brandy has hit it out if the park.

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 10/10 
Flow: 9/10
Plot: 10/10
Overall: 10/10

Ruminations of an Insomniac..

I went into this book, completely unaware of what to expect. And even a quarter of the way through, I found myself questioning "where is she going with this?" But Meagan is an expert weaver of worlds and this book is no exception. I put my trust in her storytelling and was rewarded with an amazing ride.

At first, I wasn't sure of her intent with this story, she said herself that she specifically chose not to trope it so the reader sort of goes in blind. But it holds so many facets that I'm not really sure she could have, even if she wanted to. The dynamics Meagan bridges between Jameson and the rest of the cast are all so vast and beautiful.  As with many of her arcs, hard issues are delicately balanced with witty characters. And each one has their own deep history, as we all do outside of book worlds.

"Like an acrobat on a tightrope, I balance like a pro, never allowing myself to fall over the dreaded 'did you hear about the Filano's daughter' line." - Jameson Filano

Suffice to say, I can deeply recommend this story. It had a lot of unexpected turns and several wide-eyed, what-was-that moments. Even the big "Aha" I had, wasn't the end of the curveballs here. Take a ride with the crew from Badly Behaved. Fair warning though? Bring a hair-tie, convertible hair sucks.

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 15/10 😉 (I can't explain this, you'll just have to read it)
Flow: 8/10
Plot: 10/10
Overall: 10/10

Currently available on Kindle (and Kindle Unlimited).

Synopsis:

I’m a Monet.
A chameleon.

I’m whatever I must be.

And what I must be is a flawless daughter, a skilled socialite, and the perfect prize to the man who signed along the dotted line.

Not that I’m complaining.

I’m all for a contractual agreement, a quick and clean catapult into the next phase of rich girl life. One that takes little thought, less effort, and zero devotion.

It’s exactly what I want.
An impassive life.
A calculated future.

Or, it was until the lights went out, darkness took over, and I learned what it meant to live.

To feel.
To fall.
But everyone knows what thrives in the night burns in the light and flames were among us.

There is no escape.
No turning back.
No ending within my control.

My mother always says our choices determine our consequences.

𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵.

Tarnished Crown - Caitlyn Dare

Ruminations of an Insomniac..

Once again, I found myself at the edge of my seat. In her continuation of the world of the Gravestone Elite, Caitlyn Dare spared no detail. There is a few points that I will admit definitely need the warning provided in the synopsis, but I felt they were critical to the tone of the story. Starcrossed feels like incomplete terminology for Bexley and Mia. But in this world, where decisions are rarely their own, it fits better than anything else I can come up with. 

This second book shows us more of Mia's capacity but also had me shaking my head at her, like a parent witnessing the antics of a child with misplaced confidence. That said, she has progressed from fickle to calculated; weighing her decisions, following her gut more than her heart. And Bexley, dear Bexley. I have to say that he disappointed me in parts of this book. I understand his choices, but that doesn't mean they weren't unfortunate. But fear not, I sincerely feel that he was merely biding time, through those choices.

"We are but pawns in his game, and as I'm learning, the price of dissension is sometimes far greater than the price of submission." - Mia Thompson

The cliffhanger on this one left my heart racing, for many reasons. I'm so deeply grateful to Caitlyn for releasing Gravestone in the manner that she has. Because absolutely cannot wait to read the conclusion of this trilogy soon. If Shattered Legacy was the foundation, Tarnished Crown is the framing. And I can't wait to see this house completed, in all it's glory. In the meantime I'll be over here, mulling over the countless possibilities of the conclusion. Granted, I'm not sure anything will actually prepare me for what's to come. 

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 8/10

Flow: 10/10

Plot: 9/10 

Overall: 9/10

Currently available on Kindle (and Kindle Unlimited).

Synopsis

Waking up the morning after the night before, Bexley soon realizes his life will never be the same.

He’s Electi now.

One of them.

Everything that Mia despises.

She says she’s done, that his betrayal is too much of a burden to bear, but Bexley refuses to let her go.

When Mia wakes up the morning after the night before, she realizes she has two choices: accept her fate or fight.

She’s stronger now.

Unwilling to submit.

Determined to uncover the truth.

But to defeat the devil sometimes you have to walk through hell. Even if you risk losing the one person you really care about.

As the lies and secrets pile up around them, will Bexley be able to protect the girl he’s falling for...

Or will he lose himself and Mia to Gravestone’s dark history for good?

Tarnished Crown is the second book in the Gravestone Elite trilogy. It contains mature content that some readers may find disturbing. You have been warned. 

Paper Hearts - Brittany Taylor

Ramblings of a Bookworm...

Once again, Brittany Taylor has captured my heart with her beautifully written words and dynamic characters. 

Experiencing the ups and downs that are Asher and Charleigh was both heart breaking and heart warming. Between their flashbacks and barely concealed insecurities, both characters were relatable and expressive in their own right.

He is tattooed on my past, forever influencing the kind of people we have become. I attempted to move on after he left, but I was foolish to think I could erase him from my heart. Tattoos are permanent after all.

The overall theme and reasoning behind the title had my entire being fan-girling, complete with tears at the cuteness of the whole thing. But no good story is complete without a gut-wrenching back story that makes you feel, and Paper Hearts had that in spades.

*Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited*

Rating

Book Boyfriend: 9/10

Flow: 9/10

Plot: 9/10

Asher Owens. 

Gorgeous. Arrogant. Liar. 

It’s been ten years since Asher left me with nothing but the remains of our shattered dreams.  

The last place I expected to see him was at a small bar in a city of over eight million. 

With my heart set on expanding my business, I needed one of New York City’s best real estate executives. Little did I know it would be the same man who had torn my heart like a piece of paper before setting it on fire.  

Once my gaze lands on his, I know Asher is no longer the boy I loved when I was eighteen. No, this Asher treated me like a stranger. All for the sake of not wanting to sift through the ashes of our past.  

Yet Asher’s arrogance rivaled any sort of rejection, even mine. Using his own selfish ambition, he needed me to claw his way to the top. 

Despite his true motives, I had foolishly let him back in.  

I’d fallen in love with Asher Owens once before and this time I would try my best not to make the same mistake twice.