Review: The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen

The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen 
Release Date: September 27th, 2011
Pages: 438
Publisher: EgmontUSA
Series: The Mephisto Covenant #1
Review Copy: ARCycling in exchange for an honest review
Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Description from Goodreads:
Sasha is desperate to find out who murdered her father. When getting the answer means pledging her soul to Eryx, she unlocks a secret that puts her in grave danger--she is an Anabo, a daughter of Eve, and Eryx's biggest threat.

A son of Hell, immortal, and bound to Earth forever, Jax looks for redemption in the Mephisto Covenant--God's promise he will find peace in the love of an Anabo. After a thousand years, he's finally found the girl he's been searching for: Sasha.

With the threat of Eryx always looming, Jax knows he has to keep Sasha safe and win her over. But can he? Will Sasha love him and give up her mortal life?

What drew me to this book was the fact that romance seemed to be the dominant aspect. They need to fall in love for his redemption--and it isn't just a dramatic teenage thing. It's a legit situation. I was so pumped to read that and see how things went for Jax and Sasha. All in all, I wouldn't say The Mephisto Covenant disappointed me, but I wouldn't say it was as wonderful as I was expecting it to be, either. 

First there's Sasha, who was okay. She wasn't AMAZING or anything, but I didn't completely dislike her, either. She was going through a very suckish situation and dealing the best she could. Do I like the way she dealt with every single thing? Nope. But she didn't do anything too crazy that I wanted to slap some sense into her, either. The only big thing that bothered me was how Sasha took care of the situation with Jax. I get that it was all way out of left field, but it still bothered me that she was so standoffish about everything he had to say and then BAM accepted his help the moment she needed it. She works through that problem, though, which I obviously approved of.

Jax wasn't a bad boy. For all intents and purposes he should be. He was supposed to be. But he wasn't. Pretty sure Sasha had something to do with that. Goodness knows how reckless he might have been before he found Sasha and focused on her. And you know what? I liked that he was so conscientious of Sasha. It showed that he could be a great guy, and I much preferred seeing that side of him as opposed to the brief descriptions of how he was before. And now I totally heart me some Jax.

The romance was actually really nice. Sort of insta-lovey, but I was expecting that going in. It's actually central to the story, so it didn't bother me. Plus, I loved watching their romance develop as the story progressed. At first, it was just a sweet thing that they were looking at in an Anabo/son of Hell way, but then later it turned sweeter and into something that was just them feeling their feels. And yeah, I loved that.

I'd say the biggest issue I had with this story was the world-building. I pretty much understand everything (or at least I think I do), but there was too much info-dump. Not only that, but it happens more than once. With the SAME information. I understand why it happened--Sasha gets her memory wiped at the beginning of the book after she learns a bunch of stuff. But OUR memories weren't wiped. I don't see why we had to go through so many double explanations. Sasha needed them. We didn't.

The writing was good, though I would have preferred the story in first person POV. I liked that it was dual POV, but I feel like I could have gotten more into the story if I'd ACTUALLY been in the characters' heads, you know? There's something more connected about first person, and I tend to be partial to it. Not saying I don't adore any books in third person (ALL of the L.J. Smith books, anyone?), but with some stories, I feel it'd be a better experience from first person. 

Overall, I really liked The Mephisto Covenant. I fell for Jax, ended up on good terms with Sasha by the end of the book, and adored the whole premise. Though this book wasn't all I expected it to be, I found it enjoyable regardless and totally plan to read the next book in the series. 

 

Blog Tour: Ex-Factor & Unbreakable by Elisa Dane (Reviews & Giveaway)

 

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Ex-Factor by Elisa Dane 

Release Date: April 14, 2014

Pages: 207

Publisher: Swoon Romance

Series: Diamond Girls #1
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Description from Goodreads:

Nevaeh Evan’s life is uprooted after her father’s death, when she moves in with her aunt and cousin, Livvie. Her plan to lay low at her new high school isn’t working. Her friend’s jerky boyfriend keeps asking her out, the guy she likes treats her like garbage, and the thought of tumbling again makes her want to hurl. 

So when her aunt pushes her into joining the elite X-FACTOR cheer leading squad, Navaeh goes along with it. 

But Nev feels she doesn’t deserve to be happy. Not after what happened the night her father died. 

Bodie Scott knows about grief all too well. Critically injured in an alcohol related accident the year before, Bodie struggles with the fact that he’ll never play football again, and he’s so far behind in credits he can’t see straight. That is, until he meets Nev. Haunted by their bloody pasts and wary of a shared future, Nev and Bodie turn to one another for comfort and support, and realize they’re not so alone after all. And when the party scene at school threatens the life of a loved one, the two stop at nothing to keep the past from repeating itself. 

Ex-Factor is book 1 in the Diamond Girls series from Elisa Dane.

This is one of those books that pretty much sucked me in right from the start and didn't let me go until the end. I started this book with every intention of pacing myself as I read, but I ended up flying through it in a day. There was so much I liked about this book, and though it was not perfect, I still highly enjoyed it.

The characters were real. They had real feelings, problems, and thoughts, and I connected with them well. The main character, Nev, was the one who narrated the story, and I definitely felt her struggle throughout the story. Not saying I didn't roll my eyes at her a time or two, but she was overall a good character. And Bodie, her guy. Goodness I heart him. He was just fantastic. I kind of wanted to slap a bit of sense into him a few times, but he ultimately won me over with his sweet, swoon-worthy ways.

The romance worked for me. In all ways. I would have liked things to have been straightened out between Nev and Bodie earlier than they actually were, but that's almost always something I want, so this book isn't hurting me any. They were cute and I wanted them to be together.

I enjoyed the plot and liked the general message. It's a serious thing, and I liked that it wasn't taken lightly. I somewhat felt like the situation was dramatized a little bit, just in the things that were said. I get why it was like that (since we couldn't actually SEE what was going on), but it seemed like sometimes things were said that we all already got. Like at one point a girl said something to the effect of "she's going to drive--DRUNK!" and I was like...yeah. I got that. Other than those little things, though, I liked the seriousness of the topic.

Overall, I absolutely enjoyed reading Ex-Factor. I liked the characters and their stories, and going through their struggles that felt real. Plus, I loved the swoonage. Ex-Factor may not be perfect, but I'd say it's definitely worth reading.

 

Unbreakable by  Elisa Dane 

Release Date: June 4, 2014

Pages: 223

Publisher: Swoon Romance

Series: Diamond Girls #2
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Description from Goodreads:

Perception is everything to sixteen-year-old Olivia Brown. With her freakishly hot boyfriend, volunteer work at the local animal shelter, successful beauty channel on YouTube, and well-earned spot on X Factor Cheer's elite level five Diamond Girl team, Livvie's the girl every other girl wants to be. At least, that's the illusion she's aiming for. 

But Livvie's seemingly perfect life is anything but. Lying about the bruises her boyfriend gives her, and cowering beneath his raging temper becomes a regular way of life until she unwittingly witnesses her drunken neighbor beating his step-son, the town bad boy, Reid Tate. 

For Reid, vulnerability is the enemy. Opening up, and letting people in gives them the power to disappoint. Growing up with a co-dependent mother and an abusive alcoholic father, Reid has endured all the disappointment he can stomach. 

But when his pretty, do-good neighbor witnesses his step-dad beat him to within an inch of his life, and not only call the cops, but keeps quiet at school about what she saw, Reid wonders if maybe, just maybe, he's found someone he can finally trust. 

UNBREAKABLE is book two in the Diamond Girls series from Elisa Dane. EX-FACTOR is an Amazon bestseller in three categories in the United States, including Girls in Sports, Teen Sports and Teen Sports and Hobbies. 

I love how this book contained a bunch of things I LOVE in novels. It had characters that were pretty darn cool. There was a perfect amount of romantic elements. There was a common issue between the protagonist and her boy toy. Honestly, this book had SO MANY things within it to make me love the crap out of it.

Livvie took time for me to like. At first, I was adjusting to how different she seemed between the first book and the second. She felt like a whole different character in this one. Ultimately, I liked her, but it was still weird at first. She is also a character that needs to chill and COMMUNICATE. Her issue made it hard for her to feel comfortable telling people, I understand (seriously--I UNDERSTAND), but that doesn't change my feelings. Especially her communication issues with Reid. It took me until close to the end to completely like Livvie, but I respected her and her situation the whole way through the novel.

Reid was my favorite kind of guy. He was a bad boy who didn't exactly make nice with loads of people who he didn't know for a while. Something of a manwhore before Livvie, but he didn't show that in this story, so I couldn't hold it against him. He was a bad boy who was actually a nice guy with his own troubles. And goodness gracious, I heart him something fierce.

The romance made me feel happy inside. It was so sweet to see Reid become the kind of person who helped his girl bake desserts and whatnot. And he was so protective. They made my favorite kind of couple--not exactly surprising, considering he was my favorite kind of guy. 

I enjoyed the plot of this one even more than the one of the first book. This one tackled a different topic, and this one was tackled in a much smoother fashion. I LOVED watching the characters deal with their situations and make it through in their own ways. The plot paired with Elisa Dane's writing worked for me positively. I just enjoyed this book oh so much.

Overall, I absolutely loved Unbreakable. I adored Reid and I swooned so much for him. Reid and Livvie's story isn't completely smooth, but it was enjoyable and felt real in so many ways. I can't wait for the third book in this series, so I can fall in love with another work from Elisa Dane!

I'm a lover of books (YA & Adult romance), chocolate, reality television, and am a proud mother to three All Star cheerleaders. Woot!

I write Contemporary YA romance with cheerleaders. Yep. I write what I know, and it's my hope that my stories will not only take you on a romantic journey that will warm your heart, but that you'll find a new respect and interest in the sport of Cheerleading you may not have had before.

Author Links: 

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook 

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Review: The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings

The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings 
Release Date: June 10, 2014
Pages: 398
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Series: The Murder Complex #1
Source: Gifted
Buy It: Amazon | B&N

Description from Goodreads:
An action-packed, blood-soaked, futuristic debut thriller set in a world where the murder rate is higher than the birthrate. For fans of Moira Young’s Dust Lands series, La Femme Nikita, and the movie Hanna.

Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.

The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?

Action-packed, blood-soaked, and chilling, this is a dark and compelling debut novel by Lindsay Cummings.

I've been extremely excited about this book ever since I first heard about it goodness knows how long ago. Just the words on the cover make this book pique my interest, "She's trained to survive. He's programmed to kill." I mean, sounds crazy awesome, right? In theory, this book seems wonderful. The actual execution of this idea, however, turned out to be somewhat rocky for me.

I really liked the characters. It took a while for Meadow to grow on me, but she eventually did. I liked how strong and confident she was, and I loved how she was determined to protect her family--especially her little sister. I didn't like how she very often assumed she knew best, so she jumped to conclusions several times. I get why she was that way, but that doesn't mean I liked it. I totally loved Zephyr, though that guy confounded me more than once. Just when I thought I had him figured out, things changed. Still, he was so in awe of Meadow and that endeared him to me so that when he got perplexing later in the story, I was sort of...okay with that.

Along with the characters working well for me, the plot didn't do so bad either. It took a bit to really get into the book, but after that point it held my attention pretty well. I was there with Zephyr and Meadow trying to figure out what the stars was going on. I was also a fan of Lindsay Cummings' writing style. It just felt so unique to me, and somewhat simplistic. That fit well with all the bloody kickassery going on within the story (which I loved).

While I liked the characters and the plot was fine, the world and the world-building fell flat for me. I spent way too much of the novel confused as to what was going on. I mean, there's a point where that's fun. It's mysterious and riveting. This book crossed that line for me, though. The world was like Zephyr--I kept thinking I knew what it was like, but then it changed somehow and I got confused again. It was fine for Zephyr, but the WORLD should have rules. It should be set so we can understand it. I have a feeling more of my questions will be answered in the next books in the series, but I would have liked a better grasp everything NOW, in this book. 

Overall, I liked The Murder Complex. I was a huge fan of Zephyr, and Meadow grew on me. The plot was bloody and fast-paced after the initial introduction to the story. My only wish is that the world would have been better explained in this novel. All that said, I do plan on sticking around for the sequel to see where the story goes for these characters I do enjoy. 

Review: Bound by Lies by Hanna Peach

Bound by Lies by Hanna Peach 
Release Date: January 21, 2014
Pagecount: 312 pages
Publisher: Gypsy Publishing
Series: Bound #1
Source: Author in exchange for an honest review
Buy It: Amazon

Description from Goodreads:
Our love is on his terms. He contacts me only through notes − unpredictable and untraceable. When we meet, he can touch me, but I’m not allowed to touch him. When we make love, it’s only after I have been bound and blindfolded. It’s the only time I truly feel alive. Which is why I play along with it. For now.

Caden Thaine is the most sinfully beautiful man I have ever seen. But more than that, his touch sets me on fire. And dear God, do I ache for him. I don’t know where he lives or even what he does. But this doesn’t scare me. My only fear is that one day his messages will stop.

I know he’s hiding something. But that’s okay. I am hiding things too. Like my real name and... who I really am. But the deeper I fall for him, the stronger my curiosity becomes.

I could never have imagined just how much our lives are bound. And that pulling at his tangled web of secrets would cause my own dark past to come back to try and reclaim me. Will we survive? Will our love? 

I was so intrigued by this synopsis. It's so mysterious, but it also hints at some kind of fierce love story, which is definitely right up my alley. I didn't know what to make of the main character, but I knew that the guy sounded very much like one I'd like. Technically, this book met my expectations both in the mysterious and in the love story department, but it also fell short in some ways.

I don't think we ever learn the main character's name. Do we? Because I don't remember reading it. Other than that, I can't think of anything really remarkable about her. Which is ironic, because the one thing I remember best about her is that she was nameless. Or at least to me she was. She wasn't terrible, but she wasn't awesome either. I started to like her better in the second half, except for how she stops trusting Caden. Because, I mean, of course I trust him. 

Caden was so...odd. In an attractive way. It was weird. He was so cautious, but also protective and caring. I liked that. I didn't like how he threw around his rules and how if she broke them, they were over. I get that he has his secrets and that he intends to keep them, for the most part, but come on, man. Give her at least the tiniest break. Still, though. I loved him. Because I'm like that. 

Their romance was pretty fast-moving. I don't think I could call it insta-love because of how the trust had to be earned and whatnot, but it was something akin to it. But I didn't find it too annoying. I just wanted them to get closer, and I wanted to spend more time with Caden and I wanted to figure out what was up with the dude. I like to know what's going on with the characters I heart, you know?

The first half-ish of the book was kind of irritating. I was so into the story, but I was also wanting for MORE to happen. I understand that that chunk of the novel was to introduce us to that characters and the situation, but it still felt like a whole bunch of nothing. We don't get to know a lot about our MC, and we only get very specific background information for her. And Caden...we don't get much about him, either. I'm assuming we'll find out more in the next book(s), but in this book I was all kinds of grabby hands for ALL OF THE INFO. 

The second half was way more fast-paced, however. I enjoyed it so much and it was truly the saving grace for this story. I could have done without the MC being all skeptical about Cadan (because I heart hiiiim), but I'm letting that slide for now because she was also somewhat badass at that point. And honestly, if not for all of the happenings in the last 40 or so percent of the novel, I'm not sure I would have been interested in the story enough to want the next book. That said, I am totally Jonesing for what comes next. 

Overall, while the first half of Bound by Lies wasn't the best, the second half totally won me over to this series, these characters, and this author, and turned the book into something I truly enjoyed. I am seriously looking forward to the next book, and I can't wait to find out what comes next!

Review: The Story of You and Me by Pamela DuMond

The Story of You and Me by Pamela DuMond 
Release Date: November 12, 2013
Pagecount: 286
Source: Author in exchange for an honest review
Buy It: Amazon | B&N

Description from Goodreads:

Recommended for New Adult and Mature Young Adult Readers
*
HEA for Sophie and Alejandro!
*
She's driven to save her life. He's haunted by breaking one. Some secrets are risky to share. But nothing's more powerful than falling in love...

Nineteen-year-old Sophie has the kind of hope that makes her do weird things--like leave her family and friends behind in her small hometown and travel thousands of miles to a strange city--Los Angeles.

She didn't plan on getting into the middle of a bar fight on the USCLA campus her first night in town. She didn't want to be rescued by twenty-one-year-old Alejandro, the hottest guy she's ever met. She has no time to fall for a guy because her stakes are high--life and death.

Sophie's starting a promising, experimental USCLA Medical study that could heal her debilitating disease. But California's filled with all kinds of alternative healers offering medical miracles. When she ventures on her own to find them, she quickly discovers that L.A.'s a tough city, with bad guys more than happy to take advantage of her.

She hires Alejandro to be her driver and her bodyguard. Their journeys take them to sunny beaches, dicey ghettos, campus hang-outs, gang-infested hoods and celebrity parties. And she learns that healing doesn't always come the way you think you need it.

Sophie's healing is six-foot-two-inches tall, has stunning hazel eyes, black, shiny hair and a rock solid chest that shelters her. Her healing is a smart, gorgeous Alpha Boy with a killer sense of humor--Alejandro.

As they fall in love, she realizes Alejandro isn't your typical college party boy--he has a dangerous past. And Sophie isn't the only one who keeps secrets.

A Story of Hope. A Story of Love. A Story of Redemption.

My expectations for this novel were kind of simple. I just thought this would be a cute romance that I'd swoon over once or twice or several times. I imagined this would be the love story of Alejandro and Sophie. And I was sort of right. Half way. But this book also told how they both moved on from their own individual issues that held them back. Mixing together the elements I expected with the elements I did not expect, I ended up really liking this book.

Sophie was a generally good character. She was strong, she was pretty self-aware, and she was kind. However, she had this habit of jumping to conclusions that got on my nerves. Instead of talking things out, she automatically assumed things and left or something, and I was not okay with that. Plus, she did her fair share of secret keeping. Like, to an annoying level because Alejandro was so accepting. She had literally NO reason to be so uptight with him, especially after he opened up about what was up with him.

Alejandro was magnificent. From the very beginning, I was a total fan. Like, for real. I'm not going to say I was never suspicious or whatever, because he DID leave abruptly a couple times, but he never really gave me a reason to be jealous, and that is a HUGE deal for me since I am the most jealous person ever. Even with book characters. I just am. But Alejandro was great. And sweet. And protective. I heart him. He had his issues, but his secret keeping wasn't as bothersome as Sophie's. Alejandro didn't really let his get in the way of the relationship. So, as I said, I am a fan.

The romance was just as sweet and cute as I'd thought it would be. I have no qualms with how that played out, save for Sophie messing things up. But at least she owned up to it, so I suppose she deserves some points for that. Though the romance was nice, the aspects I wasn't expecting--the deeper ones--sort of dragged the story down a bit. I'm a sucker for sickness stories just like anyone else. I find them interesting, and they can be sweet, and even though I cry, I get SO into them. But I felt like this one never made it to the emotional level a story like that needs. Maybe I never connected with Sophie enough? I don't know, but it didn't work very well for me. 

Another thing that didn't bode well with me--some of the narration. The story is told from Sophie's POV, and that actually turned out to be pretty amusing. But it also meant we were in Sophie's head jumping to her conclusions with her. Generally speaking, this isn't a huge problem. But at some points, Sophie was moving on in a direction I'd never even considered. Like when she asked Alex why everyone called him a driver. I didn't remember EVERYONE calling him a driver, nor was I interested enough to ask about it. I understand that we needed to know his driver status for the rest of the story to work out, but it was an odd jump in conversation, and that happens more than once throughout the story with different topics.

Overall, The Story of You and Me is a cute, fun story. I highly enjoyed the romance, and had a genuinely good time reading this book. There are some flaws within, but they weren't enough to make me dislike the book, and I'd say they were worth dealing with to get the love story aspect. Goodness knows I'm a sucker for a good love story ;)

Indie Girl March: If I Didn't Have You by Kimberly Larson (Review)

 Tiff over at Escaping...One Book @ a Time hosts this marvelous event called Indie Girl March. This year, I'm taking part by reviewing an indie novel. If you'd like to see the full schedule for Indie Girl March, just click the banner above! :)

 
If I Didn't Have You by Kimberly Larson 
Release Date: November 2013
Format: ebook, 255 pages
Source: Author in exchange for an honest review

Description from Goodreads:
Throughout Lydia’s life she has always had her best friend, Greyson, at her side. Their bond is unbreakable and undefinable.

At the age of twenty-four, she has everything that she’s ever wanted ... a family. Unfortunately, her husband dies in a tragic accident and she’s left to raise her one-year-old son by herself.

She pulls herself together with the help of her close friends, especially Greyson, who has always been there for her. As life's tragedies and obstacles collide with them, Greyson and Lydia find themselves together. Their bond, stronger than ever, that grows into so much more than friendship.

While the premise of this story wasn't the most original thing ever, I liked that there was the added factor of Lydia's son, Theyer. I was interested in seeing how throwing a child into the mix would change things for a story like this. Now that I've read it, I can say that it didn't change it too much, but it did make the protagonist appear more responsible, this making me like her more than I would otherwise.

The characters in this novel were all pretty likable. There wasn't any one in particular that I spent the whole time wishing they would just GO AWAY and never come back. Of course, I had the characters I favored more than others (Greyson, Theyer, and Caleb), but the others were pretty darn amusing as well. Especially Alivia. I liked her. The MC did a nice job of not making me hate her even as she went through such a hard time--and I even kind of like her a little. She was responsible, and she dealt with things logically. 

Greyson was the best friend who turns into more than a friend, unsurprisingly. Now, I say it was unsurprising, but that doesn't mean I didn't like it. I am totally down for a story like this every now and then, and this was one that I did enjoy. Greyson's character was one that I liked more than others, as well. He wasn't a complete and total manwhore because he wanted to forget about Lydia or anything. He didn't make me angry--he made me love him. Definitely a male lead I preferred over some others. 

This is a novel about how Lydia deals with the loss of her husband, and then moves on with her life. In some ways, this was a great story. The loss and how she dealt with it were portrayed wonderfully, and understandably. But while we were watching her work through everything and trying to move on, I couldn't help but notice how slow it was going.

And that is my one huge problem with this book--the slowness of the plot. I liked the characters, and the premise was one I do love to dive into, but the pacing didn't work very well for me. It took me a while to get into the story, and then I kept wanting things to just HAPPEN. And things DID happen, it simply took them longer than I would have preferred. 

Overall, If I Didn't Have You is a nice story with characters I definitely liked and a premise I can totally get behind. While the pacing of the story could have been better, I still thought this was a really good novel.