Thursday, December 31, 2015

PLR, ~Selena's Top 15 Reads of 2015

This year has been a slow reading year for me. I was in such a funk for a couple months but I think I am pulling myself out of it. Here are my top 15 favorites from this year (in no particular order). A few of my favorites were series so I have include them as one. ~S



Blood Kiss (Black Dagger Legacy Book 1)

 The legacy of the Black Dagger Brotherhood continues in a spin-off series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author…

Paradise, blooded daughter of the king’s First Advisor, is ready to break free from the restrictive life of an aristocratic female. Her strategy? Join the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s training center program and learn to fight for herself, think for herself…be herself. It’s a good plan, until everything goes wrong. The schooling is unfathomably difficult, the other recruits feel more like enemies than allies, and it’s very clear that the Brother in charge, Butch O’Neal, a.k.a. the Dhestroyer, is having serious problems in his own life.

And that’s before she falls in love with a fellow classmate. Craeg, a common civilian, is nothing her father would ever want for her, but everything she could ask for in a male. As an act of violence threatens to tear apart the entire program, and the erotic pull between them grows irresistible, Paradise is tested in ways she never anticipated—and left wondering whether she’s strong enough to claim her own power…on the field, and off.



Black Dagger Brotherhood series #13 

Two brothers bound by more than blood fight to change a brutal destiny in the heart-wrenching new novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood by #1 New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward.

Trez “Latimer” doesn’t really exist. And not just because the identity was created so that a Shadow could function in the underbelly of the human world. Sold by his parents to the Queen of the S’Hsibe as a child, Trez escaped the Territory and has been a pimp and an enforcer in Caldwell, NY for years- all the while on the run from a destiny of sexual servitude. He’s never had anyone he could totally rely on... except for his brother, iAm.

iAm’s sole goal has always been to keep his brother from self-destructing- and he knows he’s failed. It’s not until the Chosen Selena enters Trez’s life that the male begins to turn things around... but by then it’s too late. The pledge to mate the Queen’s daughter comes due and there is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and no negotiating.

Trapped between his heart and a fate he never volunteered for, Trez must decide whether to endanger himself and others- or forever leave behind the female he’s in love with. But then an unimaginable tragedy strikes and changes everything. Staring out over an emotional abyss, Trez must find a reason to go on or risk losing himself and his soul forever. And iAm, in the name of brotherly love, is faced with making the ultimate sacrifice...




The Fiery Cross (Outlander 5)

The year is 1771, and war is coming. Jamie Fraser’s wife tells him so. Little as he wishes to, he must believe it, for hers is a gift of dreadful prophecy—a time-traveler’s certain knowledge. Claire’s unique view of the future has brought him both danger and deliverance in the past; her knowledge of the oncoming revolution is a flickering torch that may light his way through the perilous years ahead—or ignite a conflagration that will leave their lives in ashes.








The Bourbon Kings (Book 1)

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Black Dagger Brotherhood delivers the first novel in an enthralling new series set amid the shifting dynamics of a Southern family defined by wealth and privilege—and compromised by secrets, deceit, and scandal.... 

For generations, the Bradford family has worn the mantle of kings of the bourbon capital of the world. Their sustained wealth has afforded them prestige and privilege—as well as a hard-won division of class on their sprawling estate, Easterly. Upstairs, a dynasty that by all appearances plays by the rules of good fortune and good taste. Downstairs, the staff who work tirelessly to maintain the impeccable Bradford facade. And never the twain shall meet.

For Lizzie King, Easterly’s head gardener, crossing that divide nearly ruined her life. Falling in love with Tulane, the prodigal son of the bourbon dynasty, was nothing that she intended or wanted—and their bitter breakup only served to prove her instincts were right. Now, after two years of staying away, Tulane is finally coming home again, and he is bringing the past with him. No one will be left unmarked: not Tulane’s beautiful and ruthless wife; not his older brother, whose bitterness and bad blood know no bounds; and especially not the ironfisted Bradford patriarch, a man with few morals, fewer scruples, and many, many terrible secrets.

As family tensions—professional and intimately private—ignite, Easterly and all its inhabitants are thrown into the grips of an irrevocable transformation, and only the cunning will survive.




Gus (Bright Side 2)

The journey that began in top-rated, best-selling Bright Side, continues ...

This is the story of Gus. 
Losing himself. 
Finding himself. 
And healing along the way. 

“ … but the honest-to-God truth is I don’t even know how to function anymore. Bright Side wasn’t only my best friend; she was like my other half ... the other half of my brain, the other half of my conscience, the other half of my sense of humor, the other half of my creativity, the other half of my heart. How do you go back to doing what you did before, when half of you is gone forever?” 




Archer's Voice

A New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling book. Archer's Voice is a full-length, standalone romance.

When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man no one else sees.

Archer's Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the man whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love.



Confess

Auburn Reed has her entire life mapped out. Her goals are in sight and there’s no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a risk and puts her heart in control, only to discover Owen is keeping major secrets from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

The last thing Owen wants is to lose Auburn, but he can’t seem to convince her that truth is sometimes as subjective as art. All he would have to do to save their relationship is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin…





November Nine

Beloved #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover returns with an unforgettable love story between a writer and his unexpected muse.

Fallon meets Ben, an aspiring novelist, the day before her scheduled cross-country move. Their untimely attraction leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in L.A. together, and her eventful life becomes the creative inspiration Ben has always sought for his novel. Over time and amidst the various relationships and tribulations of their own separate lives, they continue to meet on the same date every year. Until one day Fallon becomes unsure if Ben has been telling her the truth or fabricating a perfect reality for the sake of the ultimate plot twist.





Law of Moses

If I tell you right up front, right in the beginning that I lost him, it will be easier for you to bear. You will know it’s coming, and it will hurt. But you’ll be able to prepare.

Someone found him in a laundry basket at the Quick Wash, wrapped in a towel, a few hours old and close to death. They called him Baby Moses when they shared his story on the ten o’clock news – the little baby left in a basket at a dingy Laundromat, born to a crack addict and expected to have all sorts of problems. I imagined the crack baby, Moses, having a giant crack that ran down his body, like he’d been broken at birth. I knew that wasn’t what the term meant, but the image stuck in my mind. Maybe the fact that he was broken drew me to him from the start.

It all happened before I was born, and by the time I met Moses and my mom told me all about him, the story was old news and nobody wanted anything to do with him. People love babies, even sick babies. Even crack babies. But babies grow up to be kids, and kids grow up to be teenagers. Nobody wants a messed up teenager.

And Moses was messed up. Moses was a law unto himself. But he was also strange and exotic and beautiful. To be with him would change my life in ways I could never have imagined. Maybe I should have stayed away. Maybe I should have listened. My mother warned me. Even Moses warned me. But I didn’t stay away.

And so begins a story of pain and promise, of heartache and healing, of life and death. A story of before and after, of new beginnings and never-endings. But most of all...a love story.




Broken Juliet  (Starcrossed 2)

How do you fix a love that’s been broken beyond repair?

For years, Cassie Taylor tried to forget about Ethan Holt. He was the one great love of her life, and when he failed to return her love, a part of her died forever. Or so she thought. Now she and Ethan are sharing a Broadway stage, and he’s determined to win her back. Claiming to be a changed man, he’s finally able to say all the things she needed to hear years ago, but can she believe him? What makes this time different from all his other broken promises?

Ethan knows he can’t change their tumultuous past, but if he’s going to have any chance of being with the woman he loves, he’ll need to convince Cassie that her future belongs with him. 

Don’t miss this stunning conclusion to the unforgettable love story that captivated over two million fans online. 


The following are the book series I read and loved this year....



Never Never (book 1 and 2)

 Best friends since they could walk. In love since the age of fourteen.

Complete strangers since this morning.

He'll do anything to remember. She'll do anything to forget.



Nocte and Verum (Book 1 and 2)

My name is Calla Price. I'm eighteen years old, and I'm one half of a whole. My other half—my twin brother, my Finn—is crazy. I love him. More than life, more than anything. And even though I'm terrified he'll suck me down with him, no one can save him but me. I'm doing all I can to stay afloat in a sea of insanity, but I'm drowning more and more each day. So I reach out for a lifeline. Dare DuBray. He's my savior and my anti-Christ. His arms are where I feel safe, where I'm afraid, where I belong, where I'm lost. He will heal me, break me, love me and hate me. He has the power to destroy me. Maybe that's ok. Because I can't seem to save Finn and love Dare without everyone getting hurt. Why? Because of a secret. A secret I'm so busy trying to figure out, that I never see it coming. You won't either.



Collide and Pulse ( Collide series book 1 and 2)

A missed first encounter…

Colliding with a second chance…

On the heels of graduating college and trying to cope with her mother’s death, Emily Cooper moves to New York City for a fresh start.

While harboring secrets of his own, Dillon Parker takes care of Emily through her grief. Knowing he can’t live without her by his side, he’s sweet, thoughtful, and everything Emily has ever wanted in a man.

Until she meets Gavin Blake—a rich and notorious playboy who is dangerously sexy and charming as hell. Emily tries to deny the instant connection she feels, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome is not inclined to let go so easily. Recovering from his own painful past, Gavin will stop at nothing to win Emily over. 

This unexpected encounter compels Emily to question her decisions, forcing her to make a choice that will destroy friendships, shatter hearts, and forever change her life.



The Deal and The Mistake (Off Campus book 1 and 2)

She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy...

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

...and it’s going to be oh so good.

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

The Mistake (Off-Campus Book 2)




Switched, Torn and Ascend (Trylle Book 1,2 and 3)

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might've been telling the truth. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed—and it's one she's not sure if she wants to be a part of.














Sunday, December 6, 2015

Review: Switched (Trylle #1) by Amanda Hocking


8564935
Photo Credit: Goodreads

4 Stars

When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might've been telling the truth. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed—and it's one she's not sure if she wants to be a part of.



Buy NOW on Amazon


   






My Thoughts: I listened to this book on Audible. When I am working on a project or doing chores I like to put on a book and listen while I work.

I have had this book on my TBR list for a really long time. Paranormal YA is quite possibly my favorite genre and I always find myself coming back to it over and over again. I'm not sure what made me put off this series for so long, but after my niece asked me to read it, so she would have someone to talk to about it, I decided to give it a shot.

I only have book one in the bag, but I feel like this is going to quite possibly turn into a favorite among Young Adult series that I have read. Stay tuned for how I feel at the end of the series. *winky face*

A quick note on the Audible version. After listening to this book I have become quiet fond of the narrator, Therese Plummer. She did a fantastic job with this book and played well to each individual characters personality. I am sure I will have more thoughts on her as well, as I finish this series.

Friday, December 4, 2015

Review: Blood Kiss by JR Ward

Photo Credit: Goodreads

5 Stars


The legacy of the Black Dagger Brotherhood continues in a spin-off series from the #1 New York Times bestselling author…

Paradise, blooded daughter of the king’s First Advisor, is ready to break free from the restrictive life of an aristocratic female. Her strategy? Join the Black Dagger Brotherhood’s training center program and learn to fight for herself, think for herself…be herself. It’s a good plan, until everything goes wrong. The schooling is unfathomably difficult, the other recruits feel more like enemies than allies, and it’s very clear that the Brother in charge, Butch O’Neal, a.k.a. the Dhestroyer, is having serious problems in his own life.

And that’s before she falls in love with a fellow classmate. Craeg, a common civilian, is nothing her father would ever want for her, but everything she could ask for in a male. As an act of violence threatens to tear apart the entire program, and the erotic pull between them grows irresistible, Paradise is tested in ways she never anticipated—and left wondering whether she’s strong enough to claim her own power…on the field, and off.

Buy now on Amazon



  My Thoughts; When I first heard about this spin off series I was over the moon excited. The idea that we would get MORE BDB each year was beyond epic. And then to hear that the Brothers, that we have all fallen in love with, would be the calmer side characters/sub plot was even better.

  I was crazy excited to get back to the training center. I mean.... This is where I truly fell in love with my John Matthew. Watching him progress from who he was when we first met him in Lover Eternal (BDB book 2) to where he is today. So, yes the idea that we would be back to the "old days" was an amazing feeling.

  We first meet Paradise and Craeg in The Shadows (BDB book 13). She is working as a receptionist for her father, Abalone; First Adviser to The King aka Wrath. Craeg comes in to get an application for the training program and she is smitten right away. Blood Kiss picks up where her side story in The Shadows leaves off, we get to follow along on her journey to the training center and everything that follows.

  As the "featured" Brother, Butch aka The Dhestroyer and his Shellan are having a bit of a bumpy road and their story is intertwined with Paradise and Craeg's HEA. There is not a lot of POVs, it sticks to these two couples jumping back and forth between the characters.

  I fell so in love with Marissa after this book. She was never one of my favorite shellans from the (original) series but that has definitely changed. Butch is as he always has been. You love him even when you are shaking your head with utter disappointment. (oh Butch....SMH).

  I admire Paradise. She is such a strong character. She was sheltered, as any child of the Glymera would be, but she has risen so far above that. She has chosen to be her own person and pave her own path. She is outspoken and brave. I love her. I had a little harder time with Craeg, it took time for me to really care for him. This is probably the first couple that I have more love for the female. Craeg came a long way and in the end I did really grow fond of his character. However, love would probably be too strong a word.

  The original BDB series has transformed into such a complex story line, with twists and turns, new characters and character development. The world has grown leaps and bounds and icludes multiple storylines in each book; reading them can be very intense. This book, for lack of a better phrase, was palate cleansing it slows things down a bit and that is completely refreshing for a wait between one BDB book and the next. I think any true BDB fan will love this book. Anyone who remembers the old "Slices of Life" JRW used to do will definitely enjoy this book. It is a steady pace of drama, falling in love, levity, and Lassiter-type-shenanigans. I strongly recommend this book.


*Note-- the girls and I believe this book (in our opinion) could be read without having read Black Dagger Brotherhood series. You would not know all of the original characters in as much detail as someone who has, but you could totally enjoy this story alone. 

***For more from JR Ward check out our "PLR's Favorite Author" post. This will give you a complete list of all of her books as well as reading orders for her series.

PLR's Favorite Author: JR Ward (Books plus Reading Order)


JR Ward 
Photo Credit: Goodreads

About this author 
J.R. Ward is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous novels, including the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. She lives in the South her family.


We have not reviewed all of her books here at PLR. However, for the ones that we have reviewed I will add a link. ~S



Black Dagger Brotherhood Series (Ongoing Series)

  1. Dark Lover
  2. Lover Eternal
  3. Lover Awakened
  4. Lover Revealed
  5. Lover Unbound
  6. Lover Enshrined
  7. Insider's Guide (This book focuses on the previous 6 books in the series)
  8. Lover Avenged
  9. Lover MINE
  10. Lover Unleashed
  11. Lover Reborn
  12. Lover at Last
  13. The King
  14. The Shadows
  15. The Beast
Novellas
BDB Legacy Series (Ongoing Series)
  1. Blood Kiss (Click HERE to read our review)
Fallen Angel Series (Complete Series)
The Bourbon Kings Series (Ongoing Series)
  1. The Bourbon Kings (Click HERE to read our review)
  2. Angel's Share


Writing as Jessica Bird

Standalone Novels

  1. Leaping Hearts
  2. Heart of Gold
  3. The Billionaire Next Door (The O'Banyon Brothers)
An Unforgettable Lady Series (Complete Series)
  1. An Unforgettable Lady
  2. An Irresistible Bachelor

The Moorehouse Legacy Series (Complete Series)
  1. The Rebel (Originally published as Beauty and the Black Sheep)
  2. The Player (Originally published as His Comfort and Joy)
  3. The Renegade (Originally published as From the First)
  4. The Rouge (Originally published as A Man in a Million)