Tonyalee

Amazing ending to a favorite series

Revisado: 02-11-16

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Aw, it will be so hard to let go of this series!

This series has been one of my favorite since I picked it up. Which is surprising, because with the heavy military presence, these books just don’t ever sit well with me. But Laura knows how to write such realistic, broken characters that sold me from page 1.

In the final installment of the Hard Ink series we get Kat and Beckett’s story plus, the conclusion of the overall plot arc of the series and what really went down that devastating day in Afghanistan and their determination to get to the bottom of what happened and to clear their name.

Of all the couples in the series, Kat and Beckett are probably my second favorite couple. Like all the other males, Beckett carries a lot of guilt about that day. Not to mention, a pretty dark past that keeps him isolated from all emotions. Kat brings out a lot of emotions from Beckett; most good but either way, he isn’t really used to it and it makes him a hot mess.

I adored Kat. She is fierce and feisty, but vulnerable at the same time. She is such a great support for both her brothers and Beckett. She wears her emotions on her sleeve and I loved that. True to the other Hard Ink novels, Kat and Beckett have many hot & sexy scenes. Their scenes are the hottest ones in the series I think!

The ending had me in tears. Simply because everything that the team has worked so hard for in the weeks clearing their name, comes to a close. It was heartbreaking but uplifting.

The Narrator

I love Seraphine Valentine. She has done all the books in the series. She handles every aspect of these novels with grace. The emotions and the sexy times (haha). I am excited to see more for her in the future!

If you couldn’t tell, I loved Hard to Let Go. I also loved that things are left open to the spill off series about the MC. I highly recommend this series to EVERYONE.

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Engaging, sexy and fun

Revisado: 02-11-16

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The premise of Sweet Sinful Nights immediately piqued my interest. Of all romance troupes, second chance romance has been a go to for some time and I was excited to start it once I got my hands on it!

There were quite a few elements to the story I was quite surprised by. The suspense and small mystery being the best ones. There were a few things regarding Shannon’s past that we slowly learn about as the story progresses. Not just with her family, but that happened to her after they split up all those years ago. It was engaging and I loved how it developed.

Shannon was an easy character to like. She is tough and hilarious. I loved the deep connection to her family that she had, especially her brothers. My heart ached for her on many occasions, and my respect grew for her throughout the entire book.

Brent, was a little harder to like. Mainly because he is selfish, and never really took into consideration that Shannon *might* have moved on, or that she went through some tough things after their break up. He redeemed himself later on, but man it was difficult sometimes to listen to his monologue.

These two together are just HOT. The sexual tension and attraction are FELT upon their first “meeting” and I just loved it. It is hard sometimes, to see the connection between characters when it comes to second chance romance, but I happy to say that it was written really well and I was rooting form the beginning. And hello, their scenes together were hot and one time, had me blushing.

Since there was a cliffhanger, I am BEYOND excited to get my hands on the next book. I love series that have ongoing plot lines, but focus on many different characters.

The Narration
I swear, I hit the jack pot when it comes to narrators, only have a few that I don’t care for. I adored Josh’s narration, even though I thought it was weird at first that there wasn’t a second narrator. But he did an amazing job with the entire book!

All in all – I adored Sweet Sinful Nights. Engaging, sexy and suspenseful to boot, I recommend this one to all of those that love romance!

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Absolutely Loved

Revisado: 05-03-15

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If there is one name that people recognize that read New Adult – it’s Colleen Hoover. I read Hopeless– which I loved. And then there was Never Never – which I didn’t like at all. I’ve heard so many lovely things about ALL of her books – but it just hasn’t been a ship I have jumped on, for no reason in particular. But I see the appeal, because I am *THIS CLOSE* to adding Hoover to my auto-buy list.

What surprises me – and maybe shouldn’t – is that she writes characters with so much depth. They are flawed and layered, and unapologeticly real. Emotion pours off the page, and in all-consuming and at times, suffocating (in a good way). The chemistry between Owen and Auburn came natural. Their scenes together were my favorite and not just the sexy times.

It’s hard to really get into the plot without spoilers – but holy moly is it twisty. You think you have everything figured out – but you don’t. And how intricately their stories are intertwined will blow you away. I will also go on the record and say that the Confessions are one of my favorite things. I loved how they were real confessions, from real people. It also adds an additional layer of depth to the paintings, since these are what was used as Owen’s inspiration. (There is more to it than that but SPOILERS!!)

Narrator remarks
Elizabeth Louise & Sebastian York nailed it. It’s hard to find two narrators that are both “in-sync” with the characters. Not to mention Sebastian York’s voice is sexy. I can listen to this man all day long, seriously.. Both will be added to my favorite narrator list for sure.

As you can see – I loved this book. I am itching to go and buy a physical copy so I can see the paintings for myself. Plus – it’s a new favorite and MUST be added. I highly recommend it. (Especially on audio, because OMG sexy voice).

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I enjoyed this one!

Revisado: 05-03-15

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I went into this book with zero reservations or expectations. Honestly, I snagged this up with my credit because the narrator was recommended to be by another avid audiobook listener. I was pleasantly surprised by both the book and Julia’s narration.

The plot – while far-fetched – was fun and beyond intriguing. It’s fast pace, mystery and non stop action had my gripping my steering wheel and listening way beyond my break times. The romance, while subtle, was so cute and added flare of the “forbidden” of it made it that much sweeter. There is a slight hint at a possible triangle – but I don’t think it will go that far.

Julia is a fantastic narrator! I can see why she is a favorite (and now one of mine). I always have issues when the narrator sounds too mature for the character and that just was not the case with The Conspiracy of Us. There are many different accents in this book and she nailed each one.

Also, hello cliff hanger! Absolutely adored this one!

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Dangerous and Sexy

Revisado: 04-05-15

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I still remember how excited I was to read Killing Sarai when it was first published. For whatever reason, I didn’t read it right away – but it was always sitting on the back burner. Yet, after receiving The Swan and the Jackal for review, I realized – belatedly – that these should be read in order. So, I drove in.

This book is messed up. Not in a BAD WAY. On the contrary, I loved the world with assassins, the mob and all that fun jazz. It’s always been fascinating to me to read about because even though you know what they are doing is wrong – it’s interesting to see how the characters were molded this way and how their moral compass works. Loyalties and such.

Sarai and Victor are both pretty damaged, fucked up people. But for different reasons. Sarai puts on a good front – but you can feel the determination and desperation poring out of her. All she wanted was to live a “normal” life. But after finally having a (small) opportunity to, she realizes it isn’t what she wants.

Victor, the assassin that helping Sarai, is not a good person, yet… he isn’t bad either. Granted, his line of work isn’t the most moral of things, but there is a small (and I am, SMALL) part of him that is still soft, kind and just a good man.

Their romance isn’t the sole focus of the book – and I am SO happy about this. Yes, there is attraction, sexual tension and more, but what we really see is how Sarai is coping since her escape. How the life she has lived has affected her. There was a tiny part of me that felt like her feelings for Victor were only because he was the only man to HELP her. But, again, there is so much more to it than that.

Also, kudos to the fact that people die. I mean, good people die. That sounds awful, I know. But it makes the situation more REAL. It adds more tension and anxiety. They aren’t just random kills either – they MEAN something.

Now the narrators. I don’t’ think I will read the next one on audio, because the narrators didn’t fit. Kate Reinders sounds 16. Innocent, and it was weird hearing the word FUCK come out of her month. It had me wincing every time. And Stephen Bel Davies sounds… old. There is an age different between Sarai and Victor, but not 16 and 50. It was just so ODD. Their voices just didn’t work FOR ME. (Sadly, I think it’s the same narrators for the other books, and one of them IS for review).

The set up for book 2 was PERFECT and I can’t wait to read it! If you love books that are challenging and dangerous, you’ll enjoy Killing Sarai.

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Absolutely Loved!

Revisado: 02-08-15

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Oh, the love that I have for this book.

I put off reading this book for ages for two reasons, 1) hype and b) its Fantasy. If there is one thing to know about me, is that Fantasy and I just don’t always get along. That isn’t to say I don’t like, or even love the genre; I do. But we have a weird relationship, one that I am frequently taking a break from.

Yet, when I saw it available on Audible I decided to take the plunge. And I am so glad I did.

This book is brilliant. It has every element that I love and look forward to when heading into a Fantasy novel. Strong heroine. Beautifully crafted world building; with writing so descriptive I can picture myself right along side the main characters(s). A history was isn’t bumped and a love interest(s) worth swooning over. Even my boys’ listened to the book (quietly) and they would often beg me to go back or explain in detail what they missed.

Told mainly from Lia’s POV, we follow her as she flees to a remote village on her wedding day. She is remarkably crafty in her last-minute escape, and her planning into it made me admire her more. I loved her strength, her witty and snarky attitude. Although fleeing could potentially put her kingdom at war – and one might think this a selfish act – I admire her brazen act and her dreams for more. She is far from a weak, prissy princess and it was so refreshing to have a bold yet likable character that goes after what she wants.

The love interest(s) twist was quite interesting and entertaining. We have The Prince – the one Lia was slated to marry – who admires Lia’s bravery for leaving yet wants answers. And then we have the assassin – who is sent from his own kingdom of Venda (I THINK that is how you spell it, I don’t even know) sent to kill Lia to stop an alliance between the surrounding kingdoms.

Aaaaand, then you have Kaden and Rafe. But who is who!?

Quite honestly, I figured it out pretty quick – but that didn’t mean I wasn’t questioning this until the reveal. (The kids were shocked, haha) Both Kaden and Rafe are very complex characters, who both genuinely care for Lia. I don’t find this to be a “typical” love triangle. It has the feel of one, because you don’t know who is who. And while Lia is attracted to both and cares for both, she only loves ONE. I can’t say anymore than that though!

Setting aside the romance aspect of the novel, there is so much more going on. Between all the perilous journeys, there are secrets that Lia is in the wake of uncovering about herself, her kingdom and those that are closet to her father. I loved the chapter headings with the stories and “history” too.

The Narrator

It’s slightly confusing that only Emily Rankin is listed as the narrator. Not only is there a male that does the voice of The Prince, assassin, Kaden and Rafe, there is also an older woman who narrates the small parts before the beginning of each chapter. And I just want to KNOW who these people were! Anyway – Emily was perfect for the role of Lia. I loved her voice, and i think she did an amazing job. I often find myself searching for audio’s narrated by the ones I love and Emily is definitely on my list to search!

And the ending. PURE PERFECTION. Meaning, only slightly cliff-hanger. ;)

My Peeve

I feel like there was a bunch of random stuff thrown in, as a way to give us clues to the bigger picture.. Yet, there were never talked about again. Like, a tiger for example. What the freak was that? There is more, but this is driving me insane. Anyway – I am 99.99% certain that anything left unresolved will be handled in book 2.

Overall

I loved this book to pieces! It’s a such a beautiful book, truly. I can’t wait for book 2.

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This series is fun, sexy and full of suspense

Revisado: 02-03-15

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

YES. I recommend this series to all fans of romance and suspense!

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

The climax of the story came at the end. It’s one of those series/books that builds and builds, and then BAM! Action scene(s) over and so is the book.

Have you listened to any of Seraphine Valentine’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I just adore Seraphine Valentine. She was the same narrator of the first book too, and I’ll admit at first, I didn’t like the idea. But she is amazing at changing her voice to all the characters. Also, she is not at all awkward with the steamy scenes. I have yet to “read” one that has been awkward, but she does an amazing job at it. She is by far, my favorite narrator. I do wish though, that there was a male narrator for Shane, or any male, but it’s a small peeve that I can overlook.

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Good

Revisado: 07-05-14

What did you like best about The Winner's Curse? What did you like least?

The world. It's very descriptive and unique, I loved learning about the different customs.

Least? The narration and the characters.

Who was your favorite character and why?

I didn't HAVE one. The two main characters were hypocrites.

Was The Winner's Curse worth the listening time?

Honestly, I probably would have enjoyed the book more, had I read it vs listenin to the audio.

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Cute!

Revisado: 07-05-14

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I would to those that LOVE YA Contemporary. But for those of us that like a little more depth and less fluff, I would say skip it.

Would you be willing to try another book from Jenny Han? Why or why not?

This was the first book of hers that I read, but I own a few. This was too fluffy for my taste, so maybe.

Have you listened to any of Laura Knight Keating’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No, but I adored her!

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Action packed and full of twists

Revisado: 11-22-13

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Depending on the genre you choose to read/listen to; absolutely. Anyone that loves action, spy's and a complicated twisty plot will love this!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Lethal Circuit?

What really shocked and awed me (and honestly, I am still thinking about) is the ending. The last 2 hours was non stop action and everything really starting to click in place. Not to mention, the last few chapters really threw me for a loop.

Did Lethal Circuit inspire you to do anything?

Yes, to look between the lines and not trust anyone!

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