Reviews: Kissing Vicious by Brooklyn Ann, Minotaur by Naomi Lucas, The Traitor by T.J London
Review Time!!!
Just like I promised I have a few new reviews for you of the last few books I've read. I've been meaning to post these reviews for a long time but haven't gotten the time to do so, until now.
So let's move right along with these reviews. First up is...
Kissing Vicious by Brooklyn Ann
Kissing Vicious is the first book I've read in a while that wasn't either a paranormal romance (mainly J.R. Ward) or a literary classic. But I'm glad I decided to take a break from demons, vampires and all the things that go bump in the night. I also needed a break from the heavy reading required for classical literature, as its not so much the content of the story but the way it is written or translated that requires me to pay a littler more attention. KV was a light and fun read for me. However, that doesn't mean the quality is any less. I finished the book in about three days. A great thing given that finishing a book has been hard for me these last few months. There are many I started and put down and never picked back up.
While KV has a somewhat serious note to it, with pointing out and highlighting how women are perceived and treated in the metal world, it is leveled out by the comedic interactions between the characters. The band members of Vicious are just as entertaining as the main characters and often provide their own brand of comedic energy to the story. Although, I do wish that the sexism in the world of metal was pushed a little more it didn't take away from the story. There is more than enough conflict to move both the characters forward as well as the plot.
Of course both Quinn and Kinley have their traumas that they have to work through. Quinn has issues with women in the band due to what happened with his little sister because of that he often comes off as controlling. Kinley is out to prove that she is just as good as one of the guys and can do what they do and do it better, also that she isn't a sexual object or a groupie who throws herself at the band. As you read the story and these two characters come together their personalities collide, with Kin refusing to be objectified and treated as less than to Quinn trying to fight his attraction to her and protect her from the big scary metal world around her as if she was a weak child. Kin quickly proves that she is not a delicate flower and is more than capable of taking care of herself. The best demonstration of that is in the beginning of the book and we witness a "job interview" like no other. Basically, she kicked a security guard's ass to get the job. A great scene in the book and Quinn's reaction was just as great.
I wouldn't say there is a "villain" in this story, just a few misguided people that do stupid stuff. But not vile and evil things you would see in one of my books lol. Like I said before it was a light read with a very simple plot. The only thing I would have liked more of would have been more of Quinn's story with his sister and childhood, while it is mentioned it is never explored. On the other hand I also know that this is the first book in the series and that his sister is the heroine in her own book so maybe its explained more then. There a several loose ends that I am interested in seeing resolved as well as learning about the other band member.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Minotaur: Blooded by Naomi Lucas
Okay, so for a long time I've been eyeing this book because of its cover and after read the back blurb I purchased the book, also I've had thoughts to creating my own world involving the Minotaur. So glad I did. First off let me start by saying that this is not a light and fluffy type of romance (in case you couldn't already tell). This book has a lot of content that could easily trigger people that are sensitive to the darker sides of romance and dominance. However, if you have read any of my books, you know I am not one of those people. So let's dive on in.
(Because this book has a lot I can dwell on, I am going to focus on the relationship between the characters, because I feel that if I touch on everything I will end up giving away the story and this is one I feel everyone should read.)
This book was everything I expected it to be. It was refreshingly original, dark, sexy, and some what taboo given the fact that the male MC is literally a bull man. Aldora and Vedikus Bathyr (love his name by the way) are characters that grip you from the very beginning. Aldora with her curiosity and her strength and Vedikus with his savagery and violent beauty that honestly made me swoon. Watching the two of them fall for each other was one of the most entertaining things I have done in a while. I devoured every page and before I knew it I was done with the book.
Aldora's character was that of a young towns woman who was basically trying to keep a low profile to keep from being feed to the Mist and the creatures that live within the labyrinth in it. Unfortunately for her, she gets caught talking to the labyrinth wall and ends up being a sacrifice. What I like about Aldora was that she didn't give in or up easily, she fought as much as one could in a world full of monsters to gain her freedom. It doesn't work but it was fun to watch her try.
Vedikus is just how I prefer my men to be, rough, raw, powerful, unforgiving, dominating, more beast than man. To watch a character that was birthed in blood, nursed in darkness and violence, take care of a human woman was endearing and made me love him even more. He is by far in my list of my favorite characters I have read in the paranormal world. He takes what he wants and makes no excuses.
Their journey takes them far and wide, farther and farther away from the world Aldora knows and into the darkness that Vedikus is made of. She is his prize and prisoner at first. As they are forced together they begin to connect with each other. I guess you can say this is another beauty and her beast story, another case of Stockholm syndrome, but in my opinion it was executed in a much better way. One, he didn't technically imprison her. Given that her world tossed her over the wall and left her to die, he in a sense saved her life and kept her alive when she would have been killed otherwise.Main difference already.
And then there was those sex scenes. (Fans self just remembering). Like I said before this book is not for the faint of heart. I wondered how the sex between the two of them would work give the size difference of various body parts but Naomi Lucas delivered hot and steam sex, sometimes bordering on violent, that left me feeling satisfied. Mainly because she never softened the characters animistic instincts when it came to sex. Vedikus is a more bull than man and as such more beast than man, so it only makes sense that sex with him is wild and raw. Again, not for the faint of heart or sensitive. While his feelings developed and he opened up, he never lost that raw side of him. He was tamed but untamed at the same times, rough but gentle to his lady. Sometimes I found myself wanting to touch his horns.
Overall, as I have said this book was a breath of fresh air for me. But I will say read at your own risk. It is a dark romance that can easily trigger people who are sensitive about issues like these. The plot is original and full of creatures that are barely seen is books. I can't wait to read the next book in the series because while I love Vedikus, I feel as if I haven't met my favorite Minotaur yet. I'm excited to see how this world continues to develop.
Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yup
The Traitor by T.J London
First off I just want to say that John is back and he's more conflicted than ever.
The Traitor is the second book in the Rebels and Redcoats and just like the Tory it grips your from the first page. The Traitor is filled with action and woven with excellent story telling. While I enjoyed the Tory, I enjoyed the Traitor more because it was more story driven, where as the Tory being the first book in the series had to focus more on setting up the world and events.
TJ London once again does an excellent job of pulling you in to her world of rich imagination and history with the use of complex characters. I'm not just referring to the main characters. Aside from them, there are a host of secondary characters that are able to sway you just as much as our MCs. Like I have said numerous times, I love a bad bad guy or rather a bad woman in the Traitor's case. While yes, there are a few characters that could be considered the main antagonist in this book, Celeste is the one who stood out to me the most in this book. Is she a villain or a woman trying to survive in a male dominated world by the means given to her? Good question isn't it. She is un-apologetically cunning and deceptive and does what she wants when she wants. And although some of her motives are revealed, such as her love and jealously over John, you can't help but feel that the truth of what she does is still hidden deep inside of her. Adding more of her to the story and overall plot of the book was an excellent choice on Ms. London's part but then again when you have a character like this I doubt she will tolerate being ignored. I can't wait to see what other grief she causes as the series continues.
And then there is John and Delis. The last time we saw them their relationship was pretty decent (for them anyway lol). However, all the changes in the blink of an eye as truths are revealed and the past comes to collect what is owed. It sounds harsh but I do enjoy John's suffering, he is such a complex and scarily human character. He is a painfully clear personification of the daily struggles we all face when we have to deal with the deeds of our past, obviously John's dealing with a little more than the average person but you get my point. Love or duty, what will he choose? Same goes for Delis, although she still annoys me a little bit, her character is perfectly written for this story and for John. I feel her development as a character has been just a big as John's if not more so over the last two books. While she is still a little naive, she has learned to harden herself and stand up to those around her and speak her truth. In the face of impossible decisions, that will eventually make or break not only her tribe's future but her relationship with John as well, and she doesn't run away. Courage, that's what she had developed, courage to stand up for herself and her beliefs, the courage to confront those who lied and hurt her no matter how much it hurts her to do so.
If anyone has read The Tory and enjoyed that, then you are going to love the Traitor even more. It's packed with more action, lies, treachery, betrayal and down right nasty guys and gals that leave you wanting more. And like I said there is John and who doesn't love John. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Rating: 5/5
Recommend: (thumbs up)
And the concludes my post. Until next time
-Layla-
Just like I promised I have a few new reviews for you of the last few books I've read. I've been meaning to post these reviews for a long time but haven't gotten the time to do so, until now.
So let's move right along with these reviews. First up is...
Kissing Vicious by Brooklyn Ann
Kissing Vicious is the first book I've read in a while that wasn't either a paranormal romance (mainly J.R. Ward) or a literary classic. But I'm glad I decided to take a break from demons, vampires and all the things that go bump in the night. I also needed a break from the heavy reading required for classical literature, as its not so much the content of the story but the way it is written or translated that requires me to pay a littler more attention. KV was a light and fun read for me. However, that doesn't mean the quality is any less. I finished the book in about three days. A great thing given that finishing a book has been hard for me these last few months. There are many I started and put down and never picked back up.
While KV has a somewhat serious note to it, with pointing out and highlighting how women are perceived and treated in the metal world, it is leveled out by the comedic interactions between the characters. The band members of Vicious are just as entertaining as the main characters and often provide their own brand of comedic energy to the story. Although, I do wish that the sexism in the world of metal was pushed a little more it didn't take away from the story. There is more than enough conflict to move both the characters forward as well as the plot.Of course both Quinn and Kinley have their traumas that they have to work through. Quinn has issues with women in the band due to what happened with his little sister because of that he often comes off as controlling. Kinley is out to prove that she is just as good as one of the guys and can do what they do and do it better, also that she isn't a sexual object or a groupie who throws herself at the band. As you read the story and these two characters come together their personalities collide, with Kin refusing to be objectified and treated as less than to Quinn trying to fight his attraction to her and protect her from the big scary metal world around her as if she was a weak child. Kin quickly proves that she is not a delicate flower and is more than capable of taking care of herself. The best demonstration of that is in the beginning of the book and we witness a "job interview" like no other. Basically, she kicked a security guard's ass to get the job. A great scene in the book and Quinn's reaction was just as great.
I wouldn't say there is a "villain" in this story, just a few misguided people that do stupid stuff. But not vile and evil things you would see in one of my books lol. Like I said before it was a light read with a very simple plot. The only thing I would have liked more of would have been more of Quinn's story with his sister and childhood, while it is mentioned it is never explored. On the other hand I also know that this is the first book in the series and that his sister is the heroine in her own book so maybe its explained more then. There a several loose ends that I am interested in seeing resolved as well as learning about the other band member.
Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Next is...
Minotaur: Blooded by Naomi Lucas
Okay, so for a long time I've been eyeing this book because of its cover and after read the back blurb I purchased the book, also I've had thoughts to creating my own world involving the Minotaur. So glad I did. First off let me start by saying that this is not a light and fluffy type of romance (in case you couldn't already tell). This book has a lot of content that could easily trigger people that are sensitive to the darker sides of romance and dominance. However, if you have read any of my books, you know I am not one of those people. So let's dive on in.
(Because this book has a lot I can dwell on, I am going to focus on the relationship between the characters, because I feel that if I touch on everything I will end up giving away the story and this is one I feel everyone should read.)
This book was everything I expected it to be. It was refreshingly original, dark, sexy, and some what taboo given the fact that the male MC is literally a bull man. Aldora and Vedikus Bathyr (love his name by the way) are characters that grip you from the very beginning. Aldora with her curiosity and her strength and Vedikus with his savagery and violent beauty that honestly made me swoon. Watching the two of them fall for each other was one of the most entertaining things I have done in a while. I devoured every page and before I knew it I was done with the book.
Aldora's character was that of a young towns woman who was basically trying to keep a low profile to keep from being feed to the Mist and the creatures that live within the labyrinth in it. Unfortunately for her, she gets caught talking to the labyrinth wall and ends up being a sacrifice. What I like about Aldora was that she didn't give in or up easily, she fought as much as one could in a world full of monsters to gain her freedom. It doesn't work but it was fun to watch her try.
Vedikus is just how I prefer my men to be, rough, raw, powerful, unforgiving, dominating, more beast than man. To watch a character that was birthed in blood, nursed in darkness and violence, take care of a human woman was endearing and made me love him even more. He is by far in my list of my favorite characters I have read in the paranormal world. He takes what he wants and makes no excuses.
Their journey takes them far and wide, farther and farther away from the world Aldora knows and into the darkness that Vedikus is made of. She is his prize and prisoner at first. As they are forced together they begin to connect with each other. I guess you can say this is another beauty and her beast story, another case of Stockholm syndrome, but in my opinion it was executed in a much better way. One, he didn't technically imprison her. Given that her world tossed her over the wall and left her to die, he in a sense saved her life and kept her alive when she would have been killed otherwise.Main difference already.
And then there was those sex scenes. (Fans self just remembering). Like I said before this book is not for the faint of heart. I wondered how the sex between the two of them would work give the size difference of various body parts but Naomi Lucas delivered hot and steam sex, sometimes bordering on violent, that left me feeling satisfied. Mainly because she never softened the characters animistic instincts when it came to sex. Vedikus is a more bull than man and as such more beast than man, so it only makes sense that sex with him is wild and raw. Again, not for the faint of heart or sensitive. While his feelings developed and he opened up, he never lost that raw side of him. He was tamed but untamed at the same times, rough but gentle to his lady. Sometimes I found myself wanting to touch his horns.
Overall, as I have said this book was a breath of fresh air for me. But I will say read at your own risk. It is a dark romance that can easily trigger people who are sensitive about issues like these. The plot is original and full of creatures that are barely seen is books. I can't wait to read the next book in the series because while I love Vedikus, I feel as if I haven't met my favorite Minotaur yet. I'm excited to see how this world continues to develop.
Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yup
Last but certainly not least:
The Traitor by T.J London
First off I just want to say that John is back and he's more conflicted than ever.The Traitor is the second book in the Rebels and Redcoats and just like the Tory it grips your from the first page. The Traitor is filled with action and woven with excellent story telling. While I enjoyed the Tory, I enjoyed the Traitor more because it was more story driven, where as the Tory being the first book in the series had to focus more on setting up the world and events.
TJ London once again does an excellent job of pulling you in to her world of rich imagination and history with the use of complex characters. I'm not just referring to the main characters. Aside from them, there are a host of secondary characters that are able to sway you just as much as our MCs. Like I have said numerous times, I love a bad bad guy or rather a bad woman in the Traitor's case. While yes, there are a few characters that could be considered the main antagonist in this book, Celeste is the one who stood out to me the most in this book. Is she a villain or a woman trying to survive in a male dominated world by the means given to her? Good question isn't it. She is un-apologetically cunning and deceptive and does what she wants when she wants. And although some of her motives are revealed, such as her love and jealously over John, you can't help but feel that the truth of what she does is still hidden deep inside of her. Adding more of her to the story and overall plot of the book was an excellent choice on Ms. London's part but then again when you have a character like this I doubt she will tolerate being ignored. I can't wait to see what other grief she causes as the series continues.
And then there is John and Delis. The last time we saw them their relationship was pretty decent (for them anyway lol). However, all the changes in the blink of an eye as truths are revealed and the past comes to collect what is owed. It sounds harsh but I do enjoy John's suffering, he is such a complex and scarily human character. He is a painfully clear personification of the daily struggles we all face when we have to deal with the deeds of our past, obviously John's dealing with a little more than the average person but you get my point. Love or duty, what will he choose? Same goes for Delis, although she still annoys me a little bit, her character is perfectly written for this story and for John. I feel her development as a character has been just a big as John's if not more so over the last two books. While she is still a little naive, she has learned to harden herself and stand up to those around her and speak her truth. In the face of impossible decisions, that will eventually make or break not only her tribe's future but her relationship with John as well, and she doesn't run away. Courage, that's what she had developed, courage to stand up for herself and her beliefs, the courage to confront those who lied and hurt her no matter how much it hurts her to do so.
If anyone has read The Tory and enjoyed that, then you are going to love the Traitor even more. It's packed with more action, lies, treachery, betrayal and down right nasty guys and gals that leave you wanting more. And like I said there is John and who doesn't love John. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Rating: 5/5
Recommend: (thumbs up)
And the concludes my post. Until next time
-Layla-
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