Holly's Favorite Reads of 2014

(In no particular order)

DIRTY ANGELS (Dirty Angels #1)

by Karina Halle

***WARNING*** This book deals with drug cartels and as such it contains a lot of sex and violence and some violent sex. It can get pretty ugly, pretty dark and pretty crazy. There is drug use, abuse, a bit of torture and dubious consent. The hero is not a hero and the villains...well, they're even worse. If this sort

of thing bothers you, PLEASE DO NOT READ IT. This ain't no cupcake farting unicorn kind of book. If you are even a bit squeamish about violence, brutality and rape, this is your warning to stay away from a book that you certainly will not like (and why read books that you know you won't like?)***

Enough said, right??

AMAZON | Goodreads

THE STORY OF US (CARNAGE #1)

by Lesley Jones

ASTONISHING, BREATHTAKING, EXTRAORDINARY, BRILLIANT, INCREDIBLE, MAGNIFICENT....THESE ARE JUST A FEW WORDS THAT COME TO MIND WHEN I THINK ABOUT THIS STORY, AND I AM NOT KIDDING WHEN I TELL YOU I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT!!!

This was probably the BIGGEST book hangover of the year for me!! All I can say is READ IT!!

AMAZON | Goodreads

THE EVER TRILOGY

by Jasinda Wilder

O.M.G – The feels in this trilogy almost did me in!! I cried so much it was ridiculous! Loved every single minute of it!!

Forever & Always (#1) ~ AMAZON | Goodreads

After Forever (#2) ~ AMAZON | Goodreads

Saving Forever (#3) ~ AMAZON | Goodreads

BAD ROMEO (Starcrossed #1)

by Leisa Rayven

This was a random pic for me that just sounded good and I was RIGHT!! It was great! It was actually about 400 pages of foreplay with some smokin’ hot sex at the end!! Lots of fun and a hot read!

AMAZON | Goodreads

INSIDIOUS (Tales from the Dark Side #1)

by Aleatha Romig

I love ‘em dark and twisted and Oh Yeah! This one totally fits the bill. Aleatha Romig is a Queen of Mind Fuckery, and to that I say…THANK YOU!

AMAZON | Goodreads

CLIPPED WINGS & INKED ARMOR

by Helena Hunting

These came highly recommended to me by a dear friend who knows what a sucker I am for a tattooed, pierced bad boy and IT WAS FANTASTIC!!

Clipped Wings (#1) ~ AMAZON | Goodreads

Inked Armor (#2) ~ AMAZON | Goodreads

DEBT

by Nina G. Jones

OMFG!!! This one just soared to the top of my all time favorites list!!!! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!

AMAZON | Goodreads

THE SAINT & THE KING

by Tiffany Reisz

Everything by Tiffany Reisz is PURE GOLD!!! The End!

The Saint (Original Sinners: The White Years #1) ~ AMAZON | Goodreads

The King (Original Sinners: The White Years #2) ~ AMAZON | Goodreads

ETERNALLY NORTH

by Tillie Cole

This was my very first Tillie Cole book and I was instantly in love!! Tudor North is delicious!!

AMAZON | Goodreads

IT AIN’T ME BABE (Hades Hangmen #1)

by Tillie Cole

What I love most about Tillie Cole is that she can write with such amazing diversity! She can write a beautifully sweet story like Eternally North and then this AWESOME biker/cult gem that was one of the best things I read all year!!

AMAZON | Goodreads

 

NINE MINUTES (Nine Minutes #1)

by Beth Flynn

This was a very different type of biker story, I think – but if you are a fan of the biker stories and you aren’t squeamish, then I highly recommend this one!

AMAZON | Goodreads

UNDERESTIMATED & UNDERESTIMATED TOO

by Jettie Woodruff

This was my first book(s) by Ms Woodruff and HOLY SHIT did I have massive book hangover!! These books are dark, twisted and have several ‘Oh Hell No!’ moments! I mean seriously, how can you resist a warning like this….Warning! This is not your everyday fall in love romance. This book contains disturbing situations, strong language, graphic, sexual content - some forced, some not. If it's a happily ever after love story that you are looking for, you should probably move on. If you are up for the ride, stick around and it may just turn into a love story after all.

Underestimated ~ AMAZON | Goodreads

Underestimated Too ~ AMAZON | Goodreads

PUDDLE JUMPING

by Amber L Johnson

“I don’t believe there’s such a thing as conventional love. Love is bending. Love is breaking. Love is constantly learning about the other person until you go crazy because it will never be perfect, but there’s no fault in trying. I’ve loved a boy who was extraordinary beyond words, in my eyes.” I FUCKING LOVED THIS BEAUTIFUL BOOK!! HARD!!

AMAZON | Goodreads

THERAPY

by Kathryn Perez

Accepting the ugly shit in life is just part of living. Pain tells us we are still here; it lets us know we've survived. Phenomenal story! Some parts were a little hard to read but excellent and incredibly emotional!

AMAZON | Goodreads

PUSH (Push #1)

by Claire Wallis

I wasn’t really sure what to make of this book when I finished it, I just kind of sat there for awhile letting it all soak in. I’m still not sure I can accurately describe my feelings for this story other than to tell you that it gave me almost a week-long book hangover! Oh, and that I can’t wait for book two.

AMAZON | Goodreads

TRANSCENDENCE

by Shay Savage

This book has the award for most unique – I had my doubts about a story about a caveman but it was FANTASTICALLY AMAZING and caused another major book hangover.

AMAZON | Goodreads

SOCIOPATH

by Lime Craven

I truly love me a great anti-hero and that is exactly what you get with Aeron Lore! I loved him, loved the writing and can honestly say this book alone has made Lime Craven and auto buy author for me!

AMAZON | Goodreads

Insidious (Tales from the Dark Side 1) by Aleatha Romig #Review

Title: Insidious

Author: Aleatha Romig

Series: Tales from the Dark Side #1

Genre: Dark erotica

Release Date: October 21, 2014

Synopsis:

Dark desires…Deadly secrets…Devious deceptions…Nothing is exactly as it seems in INSIDIOUS, the new erotic thriller from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Aleatha Romig.

When a powerful man is willing to risk everything for his own satisfaction, only one woman can beat him at his own game: his wife. Or so she thinks…

“Let’s start with you calling me Stewart. Formalities seem unnecessary.”

Stewart Harrington is rich, gorgeous, and one of the most powerful men in Miami. He always gets what he wants. Anything is available to him for the right price.

Even me.

Being the wife of a mogul comes with all the perks, but being Mrs. Stewart Harrington comes with a few special requirements. I’ve learned to keep a part of myself locked away as my husband watches me submit to his needs. But the more he demands of me, the more beguiled he becomes and that’s to my advantage. So I keep fulfilling his fantasies and following his rules because he doesn’t know that what he’s playing is really my game. And winning is everything, right?

Insidious is a stand-alone novel and the first Tales from the Dark Side title. Due to the dark and explicit nature of this book, it is recommended for mature audiences only.

Five+ Stars

ABSOLUTELY FUCKING FANTASTIC!! BEST STORY I'VE READ IN AWHILE!! 10+ ROCKED MY WORLD STARS!!

Do you know what I think is the sign that what I just read ROCKED?? When 3 days later I still can't stop thinking about it and pestering my husband wanting to talk about these fictional characters that have become oh so real in my head!

That is exactly what Insidious was for me! Bravo yet again to the wonderful Aleatha Romig.

Without giving any of this great story away I will simply say if you have not read this book yet and you love a great story, GO GET YOUR COPY RIGHT NOW!! You will not be disappointed! If you loved Tony & Claire's story(or even if you have no idea who they are) You absolutely can't miss the story of Victoria & Stewart Harrington!!

Ms Romig is, IMO, the Queen of the Mind Fuck Story and I love her for it. Please keep them coming sweetie, I will be in the front of the line every time!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | iBooks

Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the Author

Aleatha Romig is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in Indiana. She grew up in Mishawaka, graduated from Indiana University, and is currently living south of Indianapolis. Together with her high-school sweetheart and husband of twenty-eight years, they've raised three children. Before she became a full-time author, she worked days as a dental hygienist and spent her nights writing. Now, when she’s not imagining mind-blowing twists and turns, she likes to spend her time with her family and friends. Her pastimes include reading and creating heroes/anti-heroes who haunt your dreams!

INSIDIOUS is Aleatha’s seventh novel. It is her first time to delve into the world of erotic thrillers. The Consequences Series, her first series has been categorized as psychological thriller and dark romance. With INSIDIOUS, Aleatha took the twists and turns of CONSEQUENCES and turned up the heat. 

CONSEQUENCES, her first novel, was released August 2011, by Xlibris Publishing. Then in October of 2012, Ms. Romig re-released CONSEQUENCES as an indie author. TRUTH, the sequel, was released October 30, 2012, and CONVICTED, the third in the series, was released October 8, 2013. Unexpectedly, the fourth book of the Consequences series came to life with REVEALED: THE MISSING YEARS. It is the fourth full-length novel in the series. It explores the years in CONVICTED that previously were only mentioned, as well as a complete character glossary and timeline. REVEALED was released May 20, 2014. 

INSIDIOUS, the first released book from TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE was released in October of 2014. TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE will be a series of standalone, dark, erotic thrillers guaranteed to take you on a wild, hot, and dark ride. Each novel in the series will be independent of the next. The characters from one book will never be revisited. Instead, Aleatha leaves it up to her readers to imagine how each story ends while remembering it is the journey that is the most fun.

Aleatha is a “Published Author’s Network” member of the Romance Writers of America and represented by Danielle Egan-Miller of Brown and Miller Literary Associates.

http://www.aleatharomig.blogspot.com/

Behind His Eyes - Convicted: The Missing Years (Consequences #4) by Aleatha Romig #Review

Title: Behind His Eyes-Convicted: The Missing Years

Author: Aleatha Romig

Series: Consequences #4

Release date: May 19, 2014

Synopsis:

THE MISSING YEARS is the final piece to Aleatha Romig’s CONSEQUENCES SERIES puzzle. Follow the twists and turns as secrets are revealed, consequences are delivered, and the future is shown. 

In CONVICTED we saw what happened that fateful afternoon at the Rawlings Estate. Now experience the shocking repercussions firsthand. More than a companion, this full-length novel fills in the gap of time that was only mentioned, beginning when Claire Nichols forgets and seen through the eyes of collective men (the HIS is plural). 

In THE MISSING YEARS, readers will see Anthony Rawlings fight for what belongs to him and cope with the reality of his past. Watch as Harrison Baldwin discovers the truth that threatens his beliefs, and as John Vandersol comes to terms with his revelations. Witness Phillip Roach, as he decides with whom his loyalties lay, and Brent Simmons, as he demonstrates the meaning of friendship—no matter the cost. 

As the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, BEHIND HIS EYES CONVICTED goes beyond. This final installment of the series offers a glimpse into the future of the lives that will forever be changed because there was a man who...

Once upon a time, signed a napkin that he knew was a contract. As an esteemed businessman, he forgot one very important rule—he forgot to read the fine print. It wasn’t an acquisition to own another person as he’d previously assumed. It was an agreement to acquire a soul.
—Aleatha Romig, CONVICTED

BEHIND HIS EYES CONVICTED also contains a complete glossary of characters and a timeline that covers the entire series. If you have read New York Times bestselling author Aleatha Romig’s CONSEQUENCES, TRUTH, and CONVICTED, you must learn the rest of the story:BEHIND HIS EYES CONVICTED: THE MISSING YEARS!

Book Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Author's Blog:

http://www.aleatharomig.blogspot.com/

5 Stars

Have you ever finished a book and/or series and just sat back and felt complete contentment?? I don't know that I ever really have....until now!!

Now, you all know that this series, when it was only 3 books long was a great big 50+ star read for me!! I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT, EVERY MINUTE, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING!!! So, I really never imagined that it could get better. But O.M.G. - it totally did!!

"In our fuck'n wasted game of chess, the king can survive without the queen, but he doesn't want to - he needs her." ~Tony 

The Missing Years is like the icing on the cake, it made the story of Tony and Claire go from absolutely wonderful to completely phenomenal!!! It was that little bit extra from all of the characters that you never even really realized you needed or was missing!! Ya know what I mean?

I fell head over heals in love with this story and the characters(well maybe not Tony, right away) from the beginning and couldn't get enough of being a voyeur in their lives, so you can imagine how giddy I was to get to spend more time with them!! I loved getting to spend more time inside Tony's head, since he is one of the most amazingly complex characters I have ever had the pleasure of meeting!

If you haven't had the pleasure of facing the Consequences or learning the Truth, please don't waste another minute!! I promise, you will devour the entire series, companion novels and all!! Believe me, you wouldn't want to disappoint Tony!

Convicted (Consequences #3) by Aleatha Romig

You must stick to your CONVICTION, but be ready to abandon your assumptions - Denis Waitley

Book #3 of the Consequences Series—

There were still lessons to learn and consequences for the truth!
When Claire Nichols met Anthony Rawlings, she didn’t know they had a past, or that he had plans for her future. Over time, the role of teacher changed—games became reality—and domination turned to desire. Despite an insurmountable history, Claire and Tony found their way back to one another.

Just when they seemed to have it all—love, respect, and the promise of a family—the game master exposed the truth. Claire’s world once again spun out of control. Unwilling to allow her child to suffer the consequences of an old vendetta, Claire fled...

At one time, Claire was held captive in an opulent mansion—then her incarceration was a cell inside a state penitentiary. Was her new prison—a tropical island—truly less lonely? Perhaps that was the game master’s plan, all along?

Who will save Claire from her oldest nightmare and her newest reality? Will it be Tony? Can he forgive her for leaving him—again? Harry? Will he utilize previously unknown connections to save the woman who infiltrates his thoughts? Maybe Phil? Will his devotion in keeping Claire and her child safe be rewarded?

As the cards are played—sins of the past, innocent victims, and truths are revealed. With compartmentalization no longer an option, is the reality too much? Could there be an even worse isolation?

With the game master dealing from a stacked deck, can this new high-stakes game possibly be won?

When it’s all over and their cards are on the table—SOME will discover their bets were too high—they have nothing left to lose—ALL will learn the crucial lesson—the most important rule—there are CONSEQUENCES for the TRUTH!

Five Plus Stars 

OUT OF 5 STARS I GIVE CONVICTED 100+ STARS - AND THEN A WHOLE BUNCH MORE!!!

I must first, before I start this review, thank the beautiful and talented Aleatha Romig!! These books put me in a constant state of anxiety and I FUCKING LOVED EVERY MINUTE!!!

Theirs was a long, complicated story with a monster and a knight. What made their story unique was that these two players were the same person.

I went into Convicted with no illusions and no assumptions. I seriously had no idea where we would end up. Now, I say we, because the wonderful way this book, and entire series, was written made me feel all the pain, anxiety, love, joy and all of the emotions in between right along with Tony and Claire. And Holy Shit, what a fantastical ride it was!

I don’t want to give spoilers, which I believe I said before each review of every book, but I seriously believe everyone should experience this series for themselves! There were so many parts of this book that I loved that I will try not to run on forever but the thing I loved the most was getting to feel everything from both Tony and Claire’s POV’s! I know we got to get the POV of the other characters as well, but getting into Tony’s head was my favorite part. (So of course, I can’t wait for Behind His Eyes!!)

We all know what an unbelievable bastard Tony was in Consequences, and I for one, thought he went a long way to redeeming himself in Truth, but there were still so many unanswered questions.

Above all, Tony wanted to hold Claire in his arms, tell her how sorry he was, and how much he loved her.

Convicted was a beautiful conclusion with so much detail I felt like I was actually in the story at times. I have read a few reviews where people have complained it was slow going but I tend to disagree only because I felt that we needed each and every detail. I truly loved every minute!

I don’t feel like I can say really anything without giving something away so I will only say one more time that you MUST READ THIS ENTIRE SERIES, BECAUSE IT IS JUST FUCKING…

Truth (Consequences #2) by Aleatha Romig

Claire Nichols endured the CONSEQUENCES of Anthony Rawlings’ vendetta.

When she first arrived to his home, her goal was survival. Through strength and compartmentalization Claire captivated her captor. Her resilience in the face of his rule threatened Anthony’s well developed plan. Domination became desire and power turned to love.

Their passion and adoration in a world of opulence appeared perfect. Yet, reality was a roller coaster of emotion. Claire’s world teetered on the edge of sanity as Antony monitored her every move. When given the opportunity to flee, Claire drove away. A fateful decision which set a well laid plan into motion.

However, unbeknownst to either of them, there were others who saw past the perfect facade of Anthony Rawlings. There were others who saw the TRUTH. Conspiracy and unfulfilled promises result in an early prison release for Claire. Not just a release – a pardon. According to the law, her crime never happened!

Will it be that easy? Faced with freedom from her past... can Claire seize it? Can she build a new life, mend her broken spirit, become the woman she once was, and seek her own revenge? Or is it all a game? And does the game master have different plans?

How does Sophia Burke fit into the puzzle that is Tony and Claire? Will her presence affect the future of this well esteemed man? Can he dominate twice? Is that his goal?

TRUTH continues the tumultuous saga of CONSEQUENCES, introduces new players, and uncovers more intrigue. Aleatha Romig skillfully weaves past transgressions through current deception to create a fervent world of obsessed desire. In this reality can an all-consuming relationship survive?

When buried sins are discovered they threaten not only Tony and Claire’s future -- but their very lives! Will the TRUTH be revealed in time?

Five Stars

**If you haven’t read book one, Consequences, there are spoilers below**

Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strength. When you go through hardships and decide not to surrender, that is strength. ~ Mahatma Ghandi 

HOLY MOTHER!! That was good. No. Fuck that. It was excellent. First off, thank you, Trish for convincing me to read this. After the mind fuck that is Consequences (book #1), I was waiting for my emotions to simmer down before even considering picking up the sequel. I was livid after book one.LIVID! It was mostly directed at Tony. Frankly, I was scared to read this. My mind wasn’t ready to take another beating. (Pun completely unintentional. Sorry!) 

Tony – his magnetism, his control, his dominance – was erotic. 

Book one elicited so many different feelings towards Anthony: Anger, lust, confusion, but most of all, betrayal. Tony is his own entity. I’ve never met a character that had me so conflicted, ever. I had such a strong love/hate thing for him. By the end of the book, after his ultimate betrayal, I concluded that I hated him. There was no way he was redeemable after what he did. It would take a fucking miracle. I mean, how could Claire possibly forgive him?

Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it. ~ Helen Keller 

Claire is given a second chance, a pardon if you will. She’s very fortunate to have friends and allies to help get her life back on track. She has found refuge with her ex-boyfriend’s fiancé, Amber McCoy, along with Amber’s brother, Harry. Oh, and may I just go off on a little tangent by saying: I LOVE HARRY! He is such a sweetheart. Okay. I could continue to gush about him, but I don't want to spoil it too much. Anyway, Claire finds comfort and friendship with them both. They welcome her and help her as best they can. She wants nothing more than to move on and leave her past behind. However, it isn’t easy considering Tony is still as obsessed with her as ever. When he finds out about Claire’s pardon, Tony is not a happy man, but he can’t help that he still loves her. He’s seriously twisted that way. How can she move on with her life knowing he’s following her every step? 

Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves. ~ Confucius 

This sequel wasn’t as much of a mind fuck as book one was, but some parts did have my mind spinning. So many questions were answered, but more questions arose. More layers are unraveled and more secrets are revealed. There were so many little twists and turns that when it finally ended, I was left thinking: Who was manipulating whom? My perception of Tony is still up for debate; I am still left with this internal battle when it comes to my feelings for him. I hated him after book one. Now? Not so much. Is he redeemable? It looks like he might be. Can I ever forgive him for what he has done to Claire? I didn’t think it was possible, but there’s a good chance that I might be able to. And that ending? What was that? I have my theories, but I guess they won’t get answered until book three, Convicted, is out, which I want like NOW. **Deep Breath** This really is an exceptional story. It’ll drive you bat shit crazy, but I loved the journey I have taken so far.