Review: Nobody's Lady by Amy McNulty

Nobody’s Lady (Never Veil #2) by Amy McNulty

Publication Date: April 12, 2016

Publisher: Month9Books

For the first time in a thousand years, the men in Noll’s village possess the freedom to love whom they will. In order to give each man the chance to fully explore his feelings, the lord of the village decrees all marriages null and void until both spouses declare their love for one another and their desire to wed again. What many women think will be a simple matter becomes a source of village-wide tension as most men decide to leave their families and responsibilities behind.

Rejected by the lord and ashamed of her part in the village’s history, Noll withdraws from her family and lives life as an independent woodcarver. This changes when her sister accuses her of hiding her former husband Jurij from her—and when Jurij eventually does ask to move in. Determined not to make the same mistakes, Noll decides to support her male friends through their new emotional experiences, but she’s soon caught up in a darker plot than she ever dared imagine possible from the men she thought she knew so well. And the lord for whom she still has feelings may be hiding the most frightening truth of them all.

Link to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25745858-nobody-s-lady    

Purchase Links:

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Amazon | B&N | TBD | iBooks

MY REVIEW:
Wow. I DEVOURED NOBODY'S LADY and its prequel NOBODY'S GODDESS in, like, two days. (while working a full-time job). And now I can't WAIT for book 3 (NOBODY'S PAWN, January 2017).

You *could* read NOBODY'S LADY without reading NOBODY'S GODDESS, bit I don't recommend it. I think you need to go through that journey with Noll to really get Book 2.

I loved the exploration of the consequences of the happenings in Book 1 (no spoilers--but the description of Book 2 is itself a bit of a spoiler for Book 1, so just, you know, go read it already). The concepts of love and identity are fascinating to watch play out--and a little frustrating, but in a good way.

And the love interest--well, that's the main reason I'm now dying for Book 3. I can say no more on that--too spoilery. ;)

Finally, I really appreciated how NcNulty brought in a whole new thread of mystery in Book 2. I like how the new mystery (again, no spoilers) saves NOBODY'S LADY from "book 2 syndrome"--like all the best sequels, it deepens and broadens the story in an unexpected way.

This was one of my favorite reads of 2016 so far. I highly recommend it for lovers of YA fantasy, romance, and mystery.

**I received a copy of the ebook for review.

Giveaway Information:  Contest ends April 15, 2016

·         Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Nobody’s Lady by Amy McNulty (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author:

Amy McNulty is a freelance writer and editor from Wisconsin with an honors degree in English. She was first published in a national scholarly journal (The Concord Review) while in high school and currently writes professionally about everything from business marketing to anime. In her down time, you can find her crafting stories with dastardly villains and antiheroes set in fantastical medieval settings.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads

Resisting Ruby Rose Blog Tour and Giveaway!

I'm back with the second installment in Jessie Humphries' Ruby Rose series! Check out my review of the first book, Killing Ruby Rose, here. Scroll all the way down for a rafflecopter giveaway, too!!!

Also, can I just say how much I LOVE what Skyscape is doing with their series?! I love that the subsequent books don't take a year to come out. <3

About RESISTING RUBY ROSE: Still reeling from the heartbreaking events that unfolded on Grissom Island, Ruby Rose is trying to come to terms with the fact that she’s gone from a vigilante in killer shoes to a stone-cold killer. Everyone from her therapist to her smoking-hot boyfriend keeps trying to convince her that she hasn’t crossed over to the dark side, but Ruby isn’t so sure. It doesn’t help that her nemesis, Detective “Mastermind” Martinez, is still out there, waiting for another chance to take her down.

When an alleged CIA agent named Skryker shows up and asks for a meeting, Ruby figures it just means more questions about her case. But he has information of an entirely different nature and a job offer: join an elite force of young assassins, including Skryker’s right-hand guy, Quinn Donovan. Quinn is distractingly charming, handsome—and deadly. Ruby resists becoming a killer again, but as she becomes more ensnared in a web of deceit, no one around her is safe.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Resisting-Ruby-Rose-Book-ebook/dp/B00J9SOH62

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/resisting-ruby-rose-jessie-humphries/1119294592?ean=9781477825082

My Review:

I actually enjoyed this book better than the first. The first half of this one is less about Ruby being a bad-ass, and more about what being a bad-ass and having killed people has done to her. I liked getting deeper into Ruby's character in this book. 

Of course, there's still plenty of action, as Ruby and Liam get pulled into an organization of elite young assassins, and Martinez continues to come after Ruby and what's left of her family.

Quinn is an intriguing and fun new character, and I loved getting to know Damon Silver, Ruby's biological father, better, too. As with the first book, there's room for a sequel without leaving the reader hanging. I will be looking forward to that third book if it comes. 

About Jessie Humphries: Jessie Humphries was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV. She received a BA from San Diego State University, where she cultivated her love of the beach, then lived in France, where she cultivated her weakness for shoes, and finally earned a law degree from UNLV, where she cultivated her interest in justice. After practicing law for several years she began writing, and, appropriately, her debut novel Killing Ruby Rose is a thriller about vigilante justice set in sunny southern California with a shoe-obsessed protagonist. Jessie currently writes and practices law in Las Vegas, where she lives with her husband and children.

Social media links:

Website: www.jessiehumphries.com 

Blog: http://jessie-humphries.blogspot.com

Twitter: @JessieHwrites

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MsJhump

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessieHumphriesAuthor

Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/jessiehumphries

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7058718.Jessie_Humphries

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Brushing Off the Boss Review

The one passion they had in common was the one that would keep them apart.

Artist Sienna Sacchi is about to have everything she’s ever dreamed of, when sexy playboy Jack Montgomery comes strolling back into her life as the owner of her gallery. Her plan to buy it herself ruined, she refuses to let him interfere with the most important thing—her debut exhibition. But Jack’s not just taking over her workplace, he’s also intruding on her art studio, her home, and maybe even her heart.

Jack Montgomery has few rules for his carefree life, but never mixing business with pleasure is one he is determined to keep. He’d planned on finally satisfying the tension between him and Sienna, but discovering he’s her boss puts an immediate end to that. Unfortunately, being forced to share a tiny apartment with the gorgeous, tempting sculptor is pushing Jack to his limits. One brush with desire could ruin everything they’ve worked for.

Goodreads - Amazon - B&N

My Review:
Brushing Off the Boss is a fun, flirty new story from Annie Seaton. I loved the heroine, Sienna! She's focused and determined, and I loved how she put herself first. She really held her own with the hero, Jack. 

Oh, Jack. He's hot, rich, and an artist. *swoon* I really liked the way Ms. Seaton developed his character throughout the story. I really saw him grow as a person, which can be rare in category romance. 

The two have some great push and pull, and the chemistry is there from the beginning. This is a great, entertaining romance. I highly enjoyed it. 

4 stars.

Killing Ruby Rose blog tour

I'm so excited to be part of the KILLING RUBY ROSE blog tour!!! Keep reading for my review and a GIVEAWAY!

About KILLING RUBY ROSE: In sunny southern California, Ruby Rose is known for her killer looks and her killer SAT scores. But ever since her dad, an LAPD SWAT sergeant, died six months ago, she’s also got a few killer secrets.

To cope with her father’s death, Ruby has been trying to stay focused on school (the top spot in her class is on the line) and spending time with friends (her Jimmy Choos and Mahnolo Blahniks are nothing if not loyal), but after months of therapy and more than a few months of pathetic parenting by her mom, District Attorney Jane Rose, Ruby decides to pick up where her dad left off and starts going after the bad guys herself.

But when Ruby ends up killing a murderer in defense of another, she discovers that she’s gone from being the huntress to the hunted. There’s a sick mastermind at play, and he has Ruby in his sights. Ruby must discover who’s using her to implement twisted justice before she ends up changing Valentino red for prison orange.

With a gun named Smith, a talent for martial arts, and a boyfriend with eyes to die for, Ruby is ready to face the worst. And if a girl’s forced to kill, won’t the guilt sit more easily in a pair of Prada peep-toe pumps?

My Review:

Seventeen-year-old Ruby Rose is a baddass main character. She is mourning the death of her father, an LAPD SWAT sergeant, by trying to hunt down five bad guys on his To-Do List. Unfortunately, she's not the only one doing the stalking...

KILLING RUBY ROSE is an exciting, action-packed thriller. Ruby has personality quirks that may turn some readers off, but I found them to be unique. Liam, the love interest, is smokin' hot and fun to read. The twist at the end was unexpected, and leads nicely into a sequel without leaving readers hanging. 

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Ruby-Rose-ebook/dp/B00HZ6EEN6/

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/killing-ruby-rose-jessie-humphries/1118811500?ean=9781477820063

About Jessie Humphries: Jessie Humphries was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV. She received a BA from San Diego State University, where she cultivated her love of the beach, then lived in France, where she cultivated her weakness for shoes, and finally earned a law degree from UNLV, where she cultivated her interest in justice. After practicing law for several years she began writing, and, appropriately, her debut novel Killing Ruby Rose is a thriller about vigilante justice set in sunny southern California with a shoe-obsessed protagonist. Jessie currently writes and practices law in Las Vegas, where she lives with her husband and children.

Social media links:

Website: www.jessiehumphries.com 

Blog: http://jessie-humphries.blogspot.com

Twitter: @JessieHwrites

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/MsJhump

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessieHumphriesAuthor

Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/jessiehumphries

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7058718.Jessie_Humphries

GIVEAWAY! Enter here, via the Rafflecopter! Jessie is giving away 4 Kindle paperwhites, 4 digital copies of KILLING RUBY ROSE, and 4 Skyscape/Amazon books + swag from the authors.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Eighth Guardian Blog Tour

I'm so excited to be a part of the blog tour for THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN by Meredith McCardle! See below for my review and a chance to win a giveaway!

About THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN: Amanda Obermann. Code name Iris.

It’s Testing Day. The day that comes without warning, the day when all juniors and seniors at The Peel Academy undergo a series of intense physical and psychological tests to see if they’re ready to graduate and become government operatives. Amanda and her boyfriend Abe are top students, and they’ve just endured thirty-six hours of testing. But they’re juniors and don’t expect to graduate. That’ll happen next year, when they plan to join the CIA—together.

decades. And she receives the opportunity of a lifetime: to join a secret government organization called the Annum Guard and travel through time to change the course of history. But in order to become the Eighth Guardian in this exclusive group, Amanda must say good-bye to everything—her name, her family, and even Abe—forever.

Who is really behind the Annum Guard? And can she trust them with her life?

Release date: May 6, 2014

Publisher: Skyscape (Amazon)

Genre:  YA time travel thriller

ISBN: 978-1477847138

ASIN: B00DH3MP82

Buy links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Eighth-Guardian-Annum-Guard/dp/1477847138

B & N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-eighth-guardian-meredith-mccardle/1117781240?ean=9781477847138

Book Depository: http://www.bookdepository.com/Eighth-Guardian-Meredith-Mccardle/9781477847138

My Review:

Amanda is a student at Peel Academy, expecting to go into the CIA with her boyfriend Abe when they graduate next year. But when she is pulled after Testing Day a year early, Amanda is whisked away to become the eighth member of the Annum Guard, a secret time-traveling agency. She is allowed no further contact with anyone, including Abe, and is even given a new name--Iris. Even worse, she discovers her place in the Annum Guard is far from secure. If she fails, she'll be incarcerated in solitary confinement for the rest of her life.

This was a fun, entertaining read full of intrigue and twists. The historical parts as Iris travels back in time are interesting and well-written. The novel is fast-paced, and the characters we meet are compelling and fully realized. My only real issue was the romance. It didn't feel fully fleshed out to me, probably because Amanda is whisked away from Abe by the second chapter. I would have liked some flashbacks to their relationship so that when [something spoilery happens] it has more of an impact.

4 stars.

About Meredith McCardle: Meredith McCardle is a former lawyer who lives in South Florida with her husband and two young daughters. Like her main character, she has a fondness for strong coffee, comfortable pants, and jumping to the wrong conclusions. Unlike her main character, she cannot travel through time. Sadly. Her debut, THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN, will be published by Skyscape/Amazon Children’s in Spring 2014.

Social media links:

Twitter: @MeredithMcP

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MeredithMcCardleAuthor

Blog: http://meredithmccardle.com/blog

Book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17357347-the-eighth-guardian

Author on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6930476.Meredith_McCardle

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/meredithmcp/

Tumblr: http://www.tumblr.com/blog/meredithmccardle

GIVEAWAY! Meredith is giving away 2 Kindle paperwhites, a signed hardcover of THE EIGHTH GUARDIAN, and a paperback + book-themed necklace.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Entangled Bliss Release Day! And a Review!

We’re thrilled to announce two new stories releasing today sure to melt readers’ hearts: Her Summer with the Marine by Susan Meier and Stealing the Groom by Sonya Weiss. Both stories are full of the emotion, humor, heartwarming moments, and relatable characters that have come to define Bliss.

We’re particularly excited, however, to announce that Susan’s novel will be the first in an expansion of the Bliss line called Red-Hot Bliss: the same focus on the nice, but with a bit of naughty added in for good measure. We’re opening the door at Bliss, and we can’t wait for you to see how sexy sweet romance can be!

Read on for Larissa's review of Her Summer with the Marine!

Don’t miss out. Both books are on sale for a limited time.

Pick each title up for just $.99 each!

Her Summer with the Marine by Susan Meier

Their competition has never been so irresistible

The last person Ellie McDermott wanted to run into after returning to her hometown is Finn Donovan, her high school nemesis and the guy she crossed the line from enemies to lovers with one night years ago. Now ex-military, tattooed, and still sexy as hell, Finn is a complication Ellie doesn’t need—she needs to concentrate on saving her family business.

Finn’s entire life, Ellie was there, going head-to-head with him in every class, bee, and test. So it’s no surprise she’d show up just as he was about to take over her father’s struggling business. It is a surprise, though, that his attraction to her is even more explosive than it had been. Acting on their attraction is one thing, but Finn has to turn a profit to save his own family, and nothing—not even love—will get in his way.

Find Her Summer with the Marine Online:

Amazon | B&N | iBookstore | Goodreads

Find Susan Online:

Facebook | Twitter | Website 

Giveaway

Win a Her Summer with the Marine beach bag – includes a Kindle, beach towel, sun glasses and sunscreen. Everything you need for the summer! (Intl winners will receive a gift card in place of the gift bag).

 Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway Here

Stealing the Groom by Sonya Weiss

Friends don’t let friends marry the wrong woman…

Chad Walker may be a take-no-chances man with a plan, but there’s no way Amelia Snyder is going to let her best bud marry Mean Girl #1—even if the wedding is solely so he can secure the controlling shares in his family’s company. But free-spirited Amelia’s at-the-altar groomnapping scheme takes a surprising turn when she ends up as the blushing bride instead.

Suddenly, with Amelia living in her handsome husband’s home—in his bedroom, no less—she starts to reconsider their strictly platonic arrangement. But Chad’s always been anti-risk and definitely anti-love, and betting a lifetime of best friendship on the chance at forever might be the biggest gamble of all.

Find Stealing the Groom Online:

Amazon | B&N | Kobo Books | iBookstore | Goodreads

Find Sonya Online:

Website | Twitter

Larissa's review of Her Summer with the Marine:

Her Summer with the Marine is a fun, sexy frenemies to lovers story. Ellie McDermott has to move home and take over the family funeral parlor because of her dad’s worsening Alzheimer’s. Finn Donovan, the guy she competed with all through school, and who she had one night with, has also returned to town and opened a funeral parlor.

And there isn’t enough business in this small town for both of them.

This story is so sweet and fun, I can’t even tell you. I LOVED the tension from the fact that both characters had a NEED for their business to succeed. And you want both of them to succeed, even though it’s not possible. And then there’s the romance. They both have feelings for each other, or at least desires, but they are competing for their lives (or the lives of their parents, really). The tension this causes is spectacular, and when they give in to their desires, the scenes are HOT! Bliss readers who have been looking for a little more steam will be thoroughly satisfied. And readers who love a small town, enemies (or frenemies) to lovers story, will be in heaven.

 4.5 stars.

Review: RELIC by Renee Collins

I

After a raging fire consumes her town and kills her parents, Maggie Davis is on her own to protect her younger sister and survive best she can in the Colorado town of Burning Mesa. In Maggie’s world, the bones of long-extinct magical creatures such as dragons and sirens are mined and traded for their residual magical elements, and harnessing these relics’ powers allows the user to wield fire, turn invisible, or heal even the worst of injuries.

Working in a local saloon, Maggie befriends the spirited showgirl Adelaide and falls for the roguish cowboy Landon. But when she proves to have a particular skill at harnessing the relics’ powers, Maggie is whisked away to the glamorous hacienda of Álvar Castilla, the wealthy young relic baron who runs Burning Mesa. Though his intentions aren’t always clear, Álvar trains Maggie in the world of relic magic. But when the mysterious fires reappear in their neighboring towns, Maggie must discover who is channeling relic magic for evil before it’s too late.

Relic is a thrilling adventure set in a wholly unique world, and a spell-binding story of love, trust, and the power of good.

My thoughts: 
Relic is an uber-creative alternate historical fantasy. The magic system and world-building in this story are amazing. The opening chapter is COMPLETELY GUTWRENCHING--I immediately felt for Maggie's situation. The characters felt both historical and very true to the world. I didn't connect with the romance as much as I would have liked, but overall this was a great read.


*The publisher provided a digital copy for my review.

Review: The Best Man's Baby

The Best Man's Baby by Victoria James

Buy links available on Goodreads.

Florist Claire Holbrook has always played by the rules her entire life, but breaks them to spend one night with sexy lone wolf Jake Manning, a man she's adored since she was a teenager. Six weeks later things get complicated when she discovers they created a bond that will last a lifetime...Jake has never played by the rules. Getting Minister Holbrook's daughter pregnant wasn't part of any life plan, but he won't run from his responsibilities. He'll step up and be the best man he can, even if he doesn't have a clue where to begin. The more time he spends with Claire, though, the more he wants her, and the harder it is to get close because that would mean sharing the one thing he hasn't with anyone--the truth and his heart. 

Connect with the author:

Twitter: @vicjames101

FB: https://www.facebook.com/victoria.james.7146557

 

My Review:

I'm not usually a fan of the pregnancy romance, but I loved this book. Claire's spunk gave me a few laugh-out-loud moments, and Jake is just H. O. T. What took me by surprise, though, was the emotion the author was able to convey at an important moment in the story (I won't say more--don't want to spoil it for you). 

Guys, I cried. And that is so rare, I cannot even. So. Color me impressed. This is a fantastic read. I highly recommend it.

*The publisher provided a digital copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Come back tomorrow for my review of Talking Dirty With the Player!

Indulgence Book Birthdays and a review!

I'm super excited to be part of Entangled Indulgence's special team of readers! Today, Indulgence has three books releasing.

I have all the info on all three, and I'll be posting reviews today, tomorrow, and Wednesday.

Releasing today:

Talking Dirty With the Player by Jackie Ashenden

Buy links available on Goodreads.

Up-and-coming photographer Judith Ashton is pretty sure she has everything in her life under control. That is, until a blast from the past comes back to taunt her, in the shape of Caleb Steele, her older brother's best friend...and the man who broke her heart eight years ago. Their chemistry is combustible, but she's been fooled once by this player, and she's not going there again. To pro rugby player Caleb, Judith has always been his Kryptonite. But his former playboy lifestyle is the last thing she wants to be involved in. In the midst of her brother's threats to back off, and the deal of his career sending him far away from her, he knows he's playing with fire. And this is one game he's going to lose.


The Best Man's Baby by Victoria James

Buy links available on Goodreads.

Florist Claire Holbrook has always played by the rules her entire life, but breaks them to spend one night with sexy lone wolf Jake Manning, a man she's adored since she was a teenager. Six weeks later things get complicated when she discovers they created a bond that will last a lifetime...Jake has never played by the rules. Getting Minister Holbrook's daughter pregnant wasn't part of any life plan, but he won't run from his responsibilities. He'll step up and be the best man he can, even if he doesn't have a clue where to begin. The more time he spends with Claire, though, the more he wants her, and the harder it is to get close because that would mean sharing the one thing he hasn't with anyone--the truth and his heart.


Something's Cooking by Meg Lacey

Buy links available on Goodreads.

 Tess Banyon has turned her brilliant recipe and crafting ideas into a multimedia empire. Landing her own TV show throws her into a panic. If she's not careful, the public will discover she isn't the domestic diva everyone thinks she is. Investigative reporter Josh Faraday smells something smoking in Tess's world. His goal to expose the real Tess goes into overdrive when she lands a television show deal. He secures an assignment to shadow her, reporting on her program, but what he's really doing is getting dirt for his expose. Things get even stickier when Tess's family play matchmaker. There's no shortage of fire between them, and after an impulsive night together, Josh discovers a story he never expected--or bargained for.

Connect with the author:

Twitter.com/MegLaceyBooks

Facebook.com/MegLaceyBooks

Goodreads.com/MegLacey

 

My review of Something's Cooking:

I really enjoyed this fun twist on the enemies to lovers trope. The spark between the two main characters was instant, and I loved the resulting witty banter. The interference of Tess's family members is priceless, and the ending is sweet. I normally prefer a little more heat to my romance reading, but if you like sweet and sassy, this is the novel for you.

*The publisher provided a digital copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Check back tomorrow for my review of The Best Man's Baby!