Kailin Gow

Even as I disliked the majority of the characters and the plot itself (which was nothing new--woman searches for female friend who has gone missing while doing shady sex work for charismatic man) I still wanted to keep reading. I couldn't resist what was going on between Terrance and Staci and the writing itself is compelling. (Provided by publisher)

This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.

Samantha is an endearing character, even if she's a bit irritating at times. She has so many buried problems that we gradually get to see, and it's a real revelation. I would have loved to see a little more of the real her, with less breakdowns involved though. It seems like she has some super big issues there.

I couldn't believe how clueless show more she was though! Sawyer House, Daggers, they're all one and the same! Arg! How can she miss something so major? The reader will be bonking their heads against the wall for how clueless she is.

Derek and Sam's relationship is very strange. it's part of the allure that had me unable to put the novel down, and dreading the end of the book. The romance here was good. Sam is such a sexy character, yet she's unaware of it or unwilling to acknowledged it.

Innocents, bah. It's like a teenage, or young adult version of fifty shades. That's exactly what it is. Except that now they both have issues. Another problem I had with this novel was that there are some odd time jumps, where I had no idea how much time had passed, or if I did, I didn't know where it went.

After my disappointment with Bitter Frost, I was hoping for something awesome from this novel. I went in with an open mind (as far as that's possible) and was happily surprised. Some of the problems were the same, such as the stilted dialogue in sections (don't is just as good as 'do not') and over descriptions of things, but the rest was good. I'm automatically predisposed to liking this kind of novel, with its themes of self harm and abuse. It was just what I wanted to read too.

I'd recommend this novel for uncritical young adults and mature teenagers. I don't think it has the level of complexity that would make it suitable for adults, and the sexual content (relatively mild, but still here) makes it unsuitable for younger teens in my opinion. show less

Book 2 in the Kings of Fire series is the story of Kobe and Kat, and it left this reader underwhelmed. As a newcomer to the series, I may be missing something, but the characters failed to captivate me. In fact, I was more interested in Axel and Layla's story.

The book takes place in a culinary academy, providing an intriguing backdrop for the story's unfolding. The dynamic between Kat and Kobe is promising as the friends-to-enemies are forced to collaborate on a restaurant project. However, show more I found myself hoping for more depth in the characters. Kobe is a whiny bully who seems unable to think for himself and is heavily influenced by his father. Kat comes across as a spoiled rich girl primarily concerned with her designer clothes and outward appearance rather than standing up for herself. Both characters have potential, but I felt they had little complexity and growth, leaving much to be desired in their development.

If you are seeking a fast-paced dark romance set in an intriguing venue, this may be the book for you. show less

Loving Summer did not go the way I expected. I was expecting a typical love triangle, but the book was so much more than that, and not just because there was third love interest.

Summer is the central character and she comes across as very likeable. She struggles with her seemingly unrequited love for Nat, and her growing attraction to Drew and a popular actor who is working for her aunt, who is showing an interest in her as well. There was a lot of room for Summer to make selfish, or silly show more decisions, but she doesn't. What really made me like her was that she doesn't try to play games with them. Instead she tries to be fair, and honest with not only herself, but also with the three guys.

The other characters, especially Nat and Drew felt very well developed and thought out. Drew starts off as the playboy, interested in sex and, well, more sex. But he goes through a gradual change that seems believable and makes him into someone that the reader could see being with Summer. Nat on the other hand, has fewer scenes in the book, but they reveal his character very clearly. He's the responsible older brother, and it's not until near the end of the book that the reader learns all of the things he's been dealing with, which only makes him more attractive.

The ending of Loving Summer definitely had me wanting more, if only so Summer could end up with the person I wanted her to be with! This was a great summer read and I am looking forward to reading more of this series. show less