Mine to Hold [Wicked Lovers #6] by Shayla Black

Publication Date: June 5^th, 2012

Berkley Heat

Format: Kindle Edition and paperback, 352 pages

RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

A friend’s duty.

Tyler Murphy was an LAPD detective, single and happy—until a near-fatal tragedy crippled his friend, fellow detective Eric Catalano. While Tyler supported Eric, he also became a shoulder for Eric’s wife, Delaney, to lean on. But with one naughty suggestion from Eric, a drunken night with Delaney spilled into erotic abandon. Before it was over, Tyler saw his best friend’s wife as a woman and yearned for more. When Eric struggled to deal with the aftermath, Delaney begged Tyler to leave. Crushed, he fled to Louisiana, hoping to escape his longing for the one woman he could never have again…and unaware of what he’d left behind.

A lover’s desire.

After two years of living with regret, Tyler finds Delaney on his doorstep, her husband having abandoned her long ago. She’s protecting a shocking secret and desperately needs refuge from a stalker determined to see her dead. As they fight to stay alive and catch the killer, they struggle to resolve the guilt of their past pleasures. But they can’t deny that what was once a spark is now a flame burning out of control. To possess Delaney—body and soul—Tyler must heal her pain and thwart the evil that’s a mere breath behind her…

Warning: Mature review for a mature book.

The Gist: Two years ago, a drunken night ended up with Tyler and Delaney having sex while her invalid husband looked on. The two was so desperate to please the man whom they thought deserved everything he wanted and needed just because he got dealt a bad card – including his ridiculous request to watch them have sex. Two years later, Del is now divorced and knocking on Tyler’s door with a toddler in tow looking mischievously like a diminutive version of his father.

Delaney is on the run; an expose involving a corrupt Assistant District Attorney has her dodging bullets, exploding car and running to the man whom she thought she would never see again. But desperate times call for desperate measures as her circumstances left her no choice but to finally end all threats even if it would cost her life.

The Review:  Finally. I reached the end of the line for this series and have to wait for the next book to come out. Judging by the up and down reactions with the books, you’d think I’m going to flounced on this series once and for all. But I digress. I can’t deny Ms. Black’s innate talent to write some incredibly steamy erotica, co-mingled with some crime stories that even I would be honest enough to admit to an addiction. I think this series is prime Erotica novels but only if you’re a fan and you’re used to all the rough sex. I, on the other hand have found the need to skip a lot of pages. I’m not ready to forgo missionary over whatever kink was described in this series.

The best thing I liked about this novel is the sex – that’s hardly a surprise, isn’t it? I just meant that it’s vanilla all around except for the beginning where it involved Tyler and her paralyzed ex. And oh dear. Tyler is like an Olympian in sex. He can do marathon sex without breaking a sweat. The man is like a gold medalist for Strong Man or for triathlon or something equally enduring. I swear, my lady parts were hurting for Del. *grimaces* Sorry for the nasty picture.

I enjoyed how they dodged the thugs who were after them. I also liked that while the bad guys are spelled out from the beginning, this story didn’t lack for suspense. Xander, the billionaire Bond guy was a cad of a character who added bits of comic relief from time to time. I can’t wait to read his and his brother, Javier’s story.

VERDICT: This is the best book among the series, as far as I’m concerned. The plot is well-developed and the characters were well fleshed-out. In short, Ms. Black had achieved a balance in this novel. I’m definitely looking forward to book #7 and would probably check out some of her series as well. But for now, because I’ve gorged myself with Erotica this month, I think I’m going to go back to the kiddie pool and stick to something that doesn’t involve high dives (whips, chains, canes, leathers).

Shelf Envy [5]: JustJo

Graphics courtesy of TheJay2xA

Hello! I am so excited to have one of my good friends here on Shelf Envy today. I have seen her bookshelves before and I salivated over it! Hard to believe her bookshelf is from - none other than, IKEA. It looks custom made! So, without further ado...

Sorry pictures are a bit small! But feel free to double click them for a larger view. 

And this is Jo's reading nook. Isn't it pretty? 

Who is (are) your favourite author(s)?

I feel that a favorite changes, depending on where I am in life - who I am. If I would have to pick one, it would be Jeffrey Archer. His Kane and Able can still make me laugh and cry. I don’t think I’ve read one single book by him that I haven’t loved. His first book, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less, was actually published the year I was born, and is a favorite too.

In my late teens, I loved all books by a Norwegian writer, Margit Sandemo. Unfortunately, most her books haven’t been translated to English. 

Right now I read a lot of YA and love the books by Suzanne Collins, Stephenie Meyer  (my favorite is The Host), Veronica Roth and Tahereh Mafi.

When did you start collecting books?

I never really knew I started. I think I like to keep things I like, no matter what it is. I want to own the books I like. And I just can’t imagine them not being there. After I got my E-reader, I usually read a book there first, and if I like it, I buy the “real” book too.

If you could pick a world from the books that you've read, where would you be and why?

Oh, this one was a hard one. Hm........ I was going to answer that the Norwegian mountains in the ‘Ice people series’ is wonderful, but it’s cold, dark and mean too. I don’t think I’ve read a book (because it would probably be really boring) with a sunny, nice, not scary world, that I would want to live in. LOL

Is there a series of books that you never forget to keep up with? What is it about?

Oh yes. I love series, so there’s plenty. All 47 books of ‘the Ice people’. I’ve alse re-read them several times. There are also 2 series after that that I loved. The Ice people starts in the year 1581 in Norway, where the plague killed lots of people. 17 year old Silje looks for shelter and gets help from a man from the Ice people. Dark, strange, frightening but attractive.  In the series we get to follow the Ice people all the way to present time.

The Swedish author Camilla Läckberg writes awesome books about an author, located in a town not far from mine. I get it the books as soon as they come out. Now, I also stalk Ms. Roth and Ms. Mafi to make sure I get to read their new books as soon as I can.

Can you recommend a book that's completely out of my choice of genres that you think I'd like? 

Yes! Kane and Able, by Lord Jeffrey Archer

A little background about Jo: we found each other through the Twilight Twitter fandom years ago. Jo is just one of those good people that you'll want to get to know and keep for as long as you can. She's an awesome mom to two wonderful, beautiful girls, and a great friend who never had a bad thing to say about anyone. She's so full of positive vibes even when things are so tough. I love her to pieces! She's currently taking some time off from any social media, otherwise, I'll link you up to her Twitter account. 

I miss you, Jo. 

xoxo

P.S.

A little housekeeping: I'd like to thank TheJay2xA of We Fancy Books for the brand new Shelf Envy button. Love it! Also, if you're interested in being a guest on Shelf Envy, please contact me at topee3atgmaildotcom, I'd love to have you!

Belong To Me [Wicked Lovers #5] by Shayla Black

Publication Date: October 4^th, 2011

Berkeley Trade

Format: Paperback, 385 pages

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

She’s undercover and in over her head…

When FBI analyst Tara Jacob’s fellow agent and best friend goes missing while investigating a sex ring, Tara goes undercover as a submissive in a Dallas BDSM club called Dominion. But no man can top a woman with Tara’s moxie convincingly enough – until an edgy, dangerous Dom takes control of the scene and sets her heart racing with a single, commanding glance. Too bad he’s also the man who stole her innocence years ago – and one to whom she will never submit.

He’s got everything under control…until he falls for her again.

Navy SEAL Logan Edgington once left the woman he loved to save her life. He knows Tara will never forgive him, but he has no doubt that he possesses the knowledge to help her master her fears and the strength to guide her through an unfamiliar world of pleasure and pain. He alone can protect her on a dangerous mission that reveals both wicked depravities and terrible secrets. Logan relishes the exquisite torture of holding her again and feeling her uninhibited response. No matter how much Tara insists their fling will end after the mission, he’s determined that she will be his once more – this time, he’ll never let her go. 

Warning: Mature review for a mature book.

Yeah. I guess I’m a glutton for punishment because here I am, reading yet another BDSM. But hey, this I actually liked...mildly.  Logan wasn’t as pushy as his brother Hunter. If anything, I thought he was the sweetest Dom I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. 

The Gist: Old high-school flames who burned bright and fast, Logan and Tara didn’t expect their reunion would be in a D/s dungeon. Logan had to make a choice back then to let her go; twelve years later, he's still reeling from having lost the only woman he's ever loved. Logan has been celibate for the last five years - either to punish himself, or he just couldn't stomach having sex with another woman other than Tara. 

Tara would like to admit that she’s moved on, but her one true love was hard to forget. Her first assignment with the FBI was to rescue another agent who disappeared while infiltrating a slave for sale sex ring. She didn't expect to be training in the hands of Logan, the man who broke her heart after he'd taken her virginity. 

Brought together by perilous mission, connected together by a tumultuous past, would an old wound and old threats keep them apart again?

The Review: Like I said, I liked this one better. I think I may have my fill of alpha-males for a while. These books did a number on me, for sure but I’m one away from completing this series so I’m not going to give up. Besides, the next one seemed to have a “normal” relationship and one that I’m interested in. It'll be a nice break from all the monkey sex, I tell ya. Anyway, this book was a standard Shayla Black: sex with multiple partners, crime solving suspense and characters in need of a life-long stay at a therapist’s couch.

It seems impossible for a Dom to remain ‘celibate’ for the last five years but Logan will beg to differ. At first, I chuckled at the thought but seeing him go through a play with another sub and watching him agonized about his inability to uhm… (I can’t believe I’m about to say this) penetrate, I sort of got him. What I wasn’t convinced of was how all-encompassing their love was for each other even after all these years. I don’t know, it seems too far-fetched and over dramatic.

Logan as a Dom is different from Logan outside of his dungeon. He leaves his dominance in the bedroom, which is why I liked him. Majority of the books in this sub-genre tend to have Doms dominating in and outside of the bedroom. They ultimately drove me nuts with all their orders and commands. Let’s leave the kinky fuckery in the bedroom and don’t tell me how I should dress, mkay? I've always seen BDSM as a sexual preference and not a lifestyle so I don't get why these Doms get to dictate how their subs dress, eat, and speak outside of the bedroom. Perhaps I don't know any better. But if I were to indulge, Logan would be my number one candidate. 

The training session took most of the entire book. And while I can only hazard a guess as to how long it would take for an inexperienced sub to get to where her mind is supposed to be, I was driven to skip the pages until I got to the actual case (busting a sex ring to rescue another agent).

The suspense was not suspenseful. Saw it from a mile away. 

The Verdict: Admittedly, this book had much more substance than the rest in this series. Be warned: disturbing scenes which alludes to gang-rape and asphyxiation. Who am I kidding? If you're not into BDSM, the entire book would be disturbing! 

New Downloads [2]

Hello! Welcome to this week's New Downloads. I downloaded some pretty awesome books this week - a couple of them I've already read and another two that I can't wait to get started on.

While It Lasts by Abbi Glines

Publication Date: July 31st, 2012

$3.87 Amazon

Love this book! I loved it so much I bought a paperback copy as well. 

This was worlds better than the first two books of the Sea Breeze series. Abbi definitely grew better with every book that she pens. I can't wait to see how far she'll go into this series!

False Start by Janey Chapel

Publication Date: April 25th, 2012

$3.43 Amazon

I have read and loved this one as well. It's one of those short novels that though, you'd end up wishing for more, it just couldn’t be because it's perfect the way it is. It's a story about one man's courage to love and another's fear of accepting that love. Beautiful and poignant. 

Unchanged by Heather Crews

Publication Date: March 21st, 2012

$0.99 Amazon

I haven't read this yet but it sounds amazing. From the little amount of reviews I've gathered, this book is a self-published work but a cut above any other. It's about immortal love, transcending over generations that doesn't die along with the deaths of the characters. I can't wait to read this! 

Water [Akasha #1] by Terra Harmony

Publication Date: September 26th, 2011

FREE Amazon

This is an old one and currently free on Amazon. I love books that has characters with elemental powers so I'm hoping this one would will not disappoint. 

Well, that's all I have for the week. I'm trying to cut down on downloading e-books but that's like trying to cut down on cursing at idiot drivers. It'll never happen.

Surrender To Me [Wicked Lovers #4] by Shayla Black

Publication Date: March 1^st, 2011

Berkeley Trade

Format: Paperback, 353 pages

RATING: 2 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

A secret fantasy

Hunter had everything until a bullet put his career as a Navy SEAL on hold. Restless and in need of distraction, he accepts an intriguing proposition: share an acquaintance’s girlfriend and fulfill her fantasy of a ménage. It should have been just one night of sexual adventure among three consenting adults. But Kata is like no other girl Hunter has ever met. By turns audacious and sexy, then vulnerable and aloof, she’s a heartbreaker he is determined to master. But he needs more than one night. And he wants to do it alone.

An uncontrollable obsession

Kata never expected to leave her comfortable relationship and explore something so dangerously forbidden with a stranger. Though she tries to resist, the guilty pleasure overwhelms her and she surrenders herself, inch by inch, to the hard-core man who wants her for himself. Consumed by blazing desire, they’re soon threatened by the shadows of the past. To keep Kata safe, Hunter makes her a bold proposition of his own. Saying yes will destroy her heart but saying no could cost Kata her life. 

Warning: Mature review for a mature book. 

I was not disappointed with this book.

Nope.

What I am...is PISSED.

For the love of all that's latex and shiny! The two main characters tested my limits. I've never exclaimed, "you're an idiot!" as much as I have while in the throes of reading this book.

I'm not going to bother with a brief summary.

The Review: Hunter is an alpha-male and a half. He went past Fifty Shades of Neanderthal. Listen, man. If the woman says NO to BDSM, I really think you should back off. But nooooooo you insisted, you refused to listen, and plowed on like her wants didn't matter. As if you really know that she's meant for that type of relationship. Regardless of how this book ended, or how Kata felt afterwards, I am not convinced that Hunter read her right.

Oh and Kata? Your wishy-washy attitude overshadowed how "independent and strong" you claimed to be throughout the book. It's just a dick, for heaven's sake. Listen, girl. If having sex with that man makes you cry afterwards, I think you should run for the hills...or go back to your fuck friend, Ben. Even if the sex is mild, at least you don't have to lose your self-respect and your right to orgasm when you want.

The Verdict: This book was exhausting, not at all "hot", and extremely maddening. Honestly? I had sympathetic groin pains for Kata because Hunter refused to let her orgasm. I will never get the appeal of BDSM. It's probably because I have very little tolerance for pain. And it's why I had a hard time seeing this book through the end. This book was painful to read.

Delicious [Wicked Lovers #3] by Shayla Black

Publication Date: March 2^nd, 2010

Berkley Trade

Format: Paperback, 353 pages

RATING: 3 out of 5 Stars

SUMMARY

Savor this: the new contemporary erotica in the Wicked Lovers series, from the author of Decadent

Luc's entire future is planned out-but there is one very sexy obstacle in his path: Alyssa, a strip club owner with whom Luc recently shared one night of wild abandon. It left Luc terrified by his loss of self­control-and Alyssa desperate for more. But Luc is not the only man desperate to have Alyssa...and that's just one of her secrets-secrets as dark and mysterious and delicious as her fantasies.

Warning: Mature review for a mature book.

It didn't take me long to finish this book; and this time, it wasn't because I skipped the sex scenes. Heh. This book was hot! As in, Ghost chilli hot in the Scoble scale. Even so, I was still not as enamoured as I expected to be with this series but I'm going to plow through; because no matter how many times I quibble and complain about these books, I can't deny that I'm addicted. I've said this before; Ms. Black can burn off the pages with her steamy erotica and wouldn't you know it? I can't look away.

The Gist: After a steamy night spent with Alyssa, Luc worked very hard at avoiding her. As far as Luc was concerned, there's no room in his life for the sex goddess. It doesn't matter if he can't be around the woman without getting all hot under the collar, or that he couldn't even feign interest in the women whom he thinks are the right 'marriage material'; he just refused to acknowledge the fact that Alyssa got under his skin and in the bad way. A week working with Alyssa is a not a good idea but he can't turn back on his promise and crush the woman's dream to get out of the stripping business. Especially when he learned that her life is constantly threatened by men who lust after her.

Alyssa has it all planned out: seduce Luc to her bed and make him want her enough so he'd never leave. But she didn't anticipate Luc's steadfast determination for a future married to the 'right' woman, have 2.5 kids with her and white picket fences. She also didn't realize just how discriminatory the man was to a woman like her whose part time profession was disrobing in front of men. He simply didn't trust her as far as he can zip up his pants when she was around. They can burn up the sheets but she doesn't see a future with a man whose idea of the right woman doesn't involve money earned in the flesh industry. Even more so to a woman whose past keeps knocking on her door and intent on ending her life.

The Review: Don't get me wrong, this book was light years better than its predecessor. But Luc didn't really give me the warm fuzzy feeling, ya know? Actually, he was one discriminatory Alyssa is such a slut-whore opinion away from being neutered. I'm not kidding. I wanted to rip his balls off and feed it to him. She was good enough to warm his bed but because she's a former stripper-turned-club owner, he thinks that he's too good for her. Excuse me while I hunt down a pair of dull, rusted pair of scissors.

I wanted Alyssa to run as far away from this guy and actually run to Tyler's, her bodyguard, arms. She definitely deserved someone as good and most definitely not Luc. He did have an about-face eventually but by then, it was hard to like him.

Alyssa was a dichotomy, in my opinion. She's strong, independent, beautiful but man, was she weak when it comes to Luc! Okay, so maybe I can't really blame her, love tends to weaken the strong it seems like.

As far as story-telling goes, I'm sensing a pattern here; Ms. Black likes you to believe that when the initial perp is caught (in this case, Alyssa's creepy stalker), the story ends there. But she's actually not satisfied until at least two more suspects play with her like a cat plays with a mouse before it eats it. So yeah, for the next three remaining books to this series, I guess I'm not going to rest easy until I flipped to the end of the book.

The Verdict: Shayla Black's scorching tales have just enough enjoyable qualities that will distract you - even for a tiny second - from their flaws. Regardless of how many times I wanted to make a Eunuch out of Luc, I still enjoyed this book.

Cover Reveal: Naturals [Chosen #2] by Tiffany Truitt

Red, red, red!

I don't know about you, but I'm pretty partial to red-haired heroines. There's just something about the contrast of the porcelain skin and bright red that looks even more empowering than the flame of their tresses. 

Today on the blog, I'm lucky enough to be a part of this cover reveal. If you haven't had the chance to read Chosen Ones, you still have ample time to read it before Naturals comes out. 

The Blurb.

Tess is finally safe from the reach of the Council, now that she is living in the Middlelands with the rebel Isolationists. With James having returned to Templeton, she easily falls back into her friendship with Henry, though her newfound knowledge of Robert’s chosen one status still stings. Even surrounded by people, Tess has never felt more alone. So she’s thrilled when James returns to the settlement, demanding to see Tess — until she finds out that it’s because her sister, Louisa, has been recruited into Tess’s old position at Templeton, and that the dangerously sadistic chosen one George has taken an interest in her.

NATURALS is the second book in The Lost Souls trilogy, and follows the dystopian hit CHOSEN ONES.

Publication Date: April 9th, 2013

Entangled Teen

Preorder Naturals on Amazon!

The Author. 

Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of  one McDonald's and Banana Rats (don't ask) she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book).

Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie Series. First book she read in one day? Little Woman(5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered “low brow” or outside the “classics.”     

Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom. She currently teaches the following novels: The Outsiders, Speak, Night, Dystopian Literature Circles: The Hunger Games, The Giver, The Uglies, and Matched.

The Links.

Naturals on Goodreads

Tiffany's Website

Tiffany's Twitter

Isn't this cover lovely? Hit me up, let me know what you think!