Audiobook Review: Rock Chick Rescue by Kristen Ashley

Rock Chick Rescue by Kristen Ashley

(Rock Chick #2)

November 19, 2009

498 pages

Genre: Romance, Humor, 18+

Contains: sex, language

Jet McAlister has a secret. Eddie Chavez has the hots for Jet (not to mention Eddie’s just plain hot). Jet has too many problems to realize that Eddie’s interested. Eddie loses patience when Jet ends her waitressing shift at a strip club with a knife at her throat. Since Eddie’s a cop, he figures he can help. Since Jet’s used to solving everyone’s problems she doesn’t want Eddie’s help.

Throw in a Dolly Parton look-alike, a gruff but lovable strip club owner, Jet’s ne’er do well father, his ne’er do well friend, Bear, Bear’s long-suffering, chain-smoking wife Lavonne and the crew from Rock Chick and you’ve got Rock Chick Rescue.

Rock Chick Rescue takes you on a wild ride with Jet, Eddie and the gang as they wrestle bad guys in a bagel shop, hit Denver’s backstreet poker tables (with big hair), and help the strippers at Smithie’s take down a would-be murderer.

Through this, Jet’s got to learn that even when life made you give up your dreams, you can still end up with the (hot) guy. Eddie’s got to rescue Jet from a bad man (so he can do better things with her) and teach her that some dreams can come true.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first book, but enjoyed it nonetheless, and am still enjoying this series. It's a fun break from reality. Once again we find our main heroine getting into trouble, requiring assistance (much assistance) to get the bad guys off her back, as her level of danger increases day by day. But she's not alone because the Rock Chick gals and Hot Bunch guys are well equipped to help (or hinder in humorous ways).

There are several things that I really enjoyed about this book. Eddie is awesome. Eddie is really the star of this show. The way he jumps into action for his woman, the way he protects Jet, the way he can't take his eyes off of her - swoon. In addition to Eddie's awesomeness, we get great side characters and returning characters. Lee and Indy are back in full force, and you gotta love them. Tex steps up to the plate, and I got a bit giddy at his potential future. Daisy was a hoot, and I loved her addition to the story. The cast of characters is amazing. Then throw in the crazy actiton and drama they experience, and this story is thoroughly entertaining.

What drove me nuts, though, was Jet. I really tried to like her, and I could sympathize with some of her feelings, but she was seriously irritating. She's right that she wasn't in Eddie's league, but not because she wasn't pretty or whatever her hang-ups were. It's because she was such a pain in the butt. Even up to the very end, she was killing me. I hope she and Eddie show up in future books (as I imagine they do), because I need to see that she is treating Eddie right.

But overall, I was very entertained by this energetic story of bad guys, good guys, generally hot guys, and the women that drove them all crazy. Looking forward to the rest of the series. Side note: The audiobook narrator is fantastic, and it's very easy to go back and forth between audiobook and ebook.

Amazon ~ Audible ~ Goodreads

Rock Chick series:

Rock Chick #1
My Review ~ Amazon ~ Audible ~ Goodreads

Rock Chick Rescue #2

My Review ~ Amazon ~ Audible ~ Goodreads

Review: Lightning Sealed by Lila Felix

Lightning Sealed by Lila Felix

(Lucent #2)

February 1, 2016

238 pages

Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy

Contains: some language (no f-words)

 "No matter what his words conveyed, Theo would leave me soon. It was just a matter of time."

The Fray is calling Theo. Every day, the voices get louder. Every minute, he gets pulled closer. Every second, their love is tested. Their life is a constant question of who they can trust and who they can't.

Sanctum, Theo's brother and enemy, stalks them like a predator, waiting for his chance to pounce.

Theo will leave Colby soon to do what he, as the Eidolon, was born to do. He can't deny the yearning in his heart to go, but he can't find it in his heart to leave.

Colby will be left with a decision. She can wither like the mates of Eidolon before her or she can go after the Synod, the women who murdered her grandmother, while Theo is gone.

With Theo missing and Colby desperate, Sanctum is only too eager to fill in.

Outside of the slow start, overall I enjoyed this sequel even more than the first book. Colby and Theo are coming into their own. No longer ignoring their feelings for one another (mostly Colby's issue), now they not only look forward to life together, but have a greater purpose in life that goes beyond any personal happiness. But there are forces working against them. And those forces are working hard. But Theo and Colby are working not only just as hard, but even harder, to fight against the powers of their enemies. I particularly loved how Theo and Colby grew throughout this book. They've matured in tremendous ways, but have also stayed true to themselves. They also have a sweet tenderness to their relationship, and I loved them as a couple. Plus their real friends have stayed true to them, giving them great support. The revelations that ultimately come about in this story were fantastic. What started slow ended powerfully, and I'm excited to see how everything turns out in the final book.

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Lucent Series:

Lightning Kissed #1

My Review ~ Amazon FREE ~ Goodreads

Lightning Sealed #2

My Review ~ Amazon ~ Goodreads

Lightning Forgotten #3

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Sunday Post: Weekly Wrap-Up (06.26)

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It's a chance to share news, recap the past week on your blog, showcase books, share upcoming news, etc. See rules here: Sunday Post Meme.  

What I Read Last Week:

We Are Gathered by Jackie Ivie

Top Ten Tuesday:
Favorite 2016 Releases So Far This Year

My Reviews Last Week:

 
Poison or Protect by Gail Carriger (my 4 star review)
Rock Chick by Kristen Ashley (my 4 star review)

What I'm Listening To:

Rock Chick Rescue by Kristen Ashley

What I'm Currently Reading:

Lightning Sealed by Lila Felix

Stacking The Shelves (166)

Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews, is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Hardback Hotties:

 
Highly Illogical Behavior by John Corey Whaley
Hamilton: The Revolution by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Paperback Pretties:

 
The Bird and the Sword by Amy Harmon
Charged by Jay Crownover

eARC Goodie:

Always by Nina Lane

Kindle Koolness:
 
The Falling Series Box Set by Ginger Scott
Life and Other Near-Death Experiences by Camille Pagan
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata

Audiobook Love:

Rock Chick Rescue by Kristen Ashley

Audiobook Review: Rock Chick by Kristen Ashley

Rock Chick by Kristen Ashley

(Rock Chick #1)

December 1, 2008

412 pages

Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+

Contains: strong language, sex

Source: Personal purchase

Indy Savage, cop's daughter, rock chick and used bookstore owner, has been in love with Lee Nightingale, once bad boy, now the man behind Nightingale Investigations, since she was five years old. No matter what ingenious schemes Indy used to capture his attention, Lee never showed an interest and Indy finally gave up. Now Indy's employee, Rosie, has lost a bag of diamonds and bad guys are shooting at him. When Indy gets involved, Lee is forced to help. Complicating matters, Lee has decided he's interested, Indy's decided she's not. But she can't seem to keep Lee out of her life when she's repeatedly stun gunned, kidnapped and there are car bombs exploding (not to mention she's finding dead bodies).

Indy's best bet is to solve the mystery of the diamonds before Lee. Lee's challenge is to keep Indy alive and, at the same time, win back her heart.

This was a fun book, and I especially enjoyed listening to it on audiobook. Indy has loved Lee forever, but finally gave up on him 10 years ago, and has been avoiding him ever since. But now that Indy has found herself in a heap of trouble - which includes people shooting at her - Lee has quickly involved himself as well. What ensues is a crazy whirlwind adventure to solve a mystery and get the bad guys off Indy's back. But also - and more importantly - a crazy whirlwind romance to finally get Indy and Lee on the same page and in love at the same time.

Indy was quite entertaining. She's a "rock chick," so she's quirky with her music and fashion sense, which I enjoyed. She's a fun gal. But she's also a pain because she's stubborn and a bit of a liar. This leaves Lee frustrated, but forced to pursue Indy even harder. This was good for Lee and his alpha male ways. He had to work for her, but the payoff was well worth it.

So the relationship-building was a lot of fun, but also supr sweet. Indy and Lee were great together. The romantic part of their relationship was actually pretty funny. Those two could not catch a break. But the suspense and the build-up was pretty sexy, and made it worth the wait. Then, add in a rich set of side characters, and this story had it all - adventure, suspense, fun times, sexy times, humor, and love. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series and this great set of characters.

Amazon ~ Audible ~ Goodreads

New Release & Giveaway: Always by Nina Lane

It's finally here - the last part in Liv and Dean's incredible love story. Get your hands on NYT bestselling author Nina Lane's ALWAYS, available now!

 

Purchase Link:

AMAZON

About ALWAYS (Spiral of Bliss #5)

Without darkness, there can be no light.

Dean has always been Liv's white knight. Not once has he retreated from battle. Not once has he failed to keep his wife safe. Not once has he broken his promise to slay monsters for her.

Then Dean encounters a monster he can’t destroy. A monster he can’t even face. And for the first time ever, there is nothing he can do to protect the woman who owns his heart.

The love story of Liv and Dean West that started with AROUSE and continued in ALLURE, AWAKEN, and ADORE now comes to a breathtaking conclusion as the professor and his beauty fight the battle of their lives.

Cover design by Victoria Colotta, VMC Art & Design, LLC (www.vmc-artdesign.com)

ALWAYS releases June 21st - sign up for Nina Lane's mailing list here to be notified when it goes live and keep an eye on her facebook page for updates!

Need to catch up on the series? Find out more about AROUSE, Spiral of Bliss #1!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iTunes | Kobo | Google Play

Want to win?

Nina Lane is giving away a set of Spiral of Bliss series paperbacks and a $25 Amazon giftcard! Just enter via the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sign up for Nina Lane's newsletter for a free novella!

Did you know newsletter subscribers have access to ARRIVE, a free novella written by Nina Lane? Find out more and subscribe here on her website!

About Nina Lane

New York Times & USA Today bestselling author Nina Lane writes hot, sexy romances and spicy erotica. Originally from California, she holds a PhD in Art History and an MA in Library and Information Studies, which means she loves both research and organization. She also enjoys traveling and thinks St. Petersburg, Russia is a city everyone should visit at least once. Although Nina would go back to college for another degree because she's that much of a bookworm and a perpetual student, she now lives the happy life of a full-time writer. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Goodreads | Newsletter

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite 2016 Releases So Far This Year

Top Ten Tuesday is a meme created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.
For more information and a list of past and future topics, go here.

Top Ten Eleven Favorite 2016 Releases So Far This Year

(These books are listed alphabetically by author.)

Perfekt Balance by ST Bende

The Player and the Pixie by LH Cosway & Penny Reid

Charged by Jay Crownover

Adore by Nina Lane

Walk the Edge by Katie McGarry


Dark Sexy Knight by Katy Regnery

Grin and Beard It by Penny Reid


The Goodbye Year by Kaira Rouda

Written in Fire by Marcus Sakey


Dirty by Kylie Scott

The Consequence of Seduction by Rachel Van Dyken

Novella Review: Poison or Protect by Gail Carriger

Poison or Protect by Gail Carriger

June 21, 2016

147 pages

Genre: Steampunk Fantasy Romance 18+

Contains: Super sexy times

Source: eARC for Honest review

 Can one gentle Highland soldier woo Victorian London’s most scandalous lady assassin, or will they both be destroyed in the attempt?

New York Times bestselling author Gail Carriger presents a stand-alone romance novella set in her popular steampunk universe full of manners, spies, and dainty sandwiches.

Lady Preshea Villentia, the Mourning Star, has four dead husbands and a nasty reputation. Fortunately, she looks fabulous in black. What society doesn’t know is that all her husbands were marked for death by Preshea’s employer. And Preshea has one final assignment.

It was supposed to be easy, a house party with minimal bloodshed. Preshea hadn’t anticipated Captain Gavin Ruthven – massive, Scottish, quietly irresistible, and… working for the enemy. In a battle of wits, Preshea may risk her own heart – a terrifying prospect, as she never knew she had one.

Buy Poison or Protect today to find out whether it’s heartbreak or haggis at this high tea.

Warning: Contains men pleasing women, and ladies who know what they want and ask for it, sometimes in detail. May also contain plaid, appearances from favorite characters, and the strategic application of leather gloves.

Having read three of the four Finishing School books (which I loved and look forward to finishing that series even more now), I got a kick out of seeing Preshea as an adult in this very adult novella. Lady Preshea Villentia is now the widow of four dead husbands, and has an understandably bad reputation. But her training and  abilities bring her on assignment to a certain house party, with an assignment that seems straight-forward enough.

But the unexpected catch is a certain captivating Scotsman.

Captain Gavin Ruthven is a guest at the house party as well. But his intentions are unclear to Preshea. Is he working for the enemy? Is he trustworthy to someone who doesn't trust at all? But the one thing growing in clarity is the attraction between Gavin and Preshea.

From the start the banter and chemistry between Gavin and Preshea really appealed to me. I love that Gavin subtly chipped away her walls. I also loved that Gavin was very much a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of guy. He was the perfect match for Preshea. There was a sweetness about their budding relationship, even in the midst of assassination attempts and house party drama.

And then there's the sexiness. This is where this novella distinguishes itself from the young adult series. There were some great sexy times. But what I particularly liked was the depth of these encounters, as they were a great catalyst for learning so much more about these characters. I also loved that there was sweetness with the sexiness. Let's just say that Gavin is fantastic!

Overall, this standalone novella is a quick read, but packed with great characters, relationship depth, a bit of adventure, and a sweet and sexy romance. I loved Gavin and Preshea. I look forward to what comes next in this fun series.

Amazon ~ Goodreads

Gail Carriger writes steampunk comedies of manners mixed with urban fantasy. Her books include the Parasol Protectorate and Custard Protocol series for adults, and the Finishing School series for young adults. She is published in 18 different languages and has 13 NYT bestsellers via 7 different lists (including #1 in Manga). She was once an archaeologist and is overly fond of shoes, octopuses, and tea.

www.gailcarriger.com