"The Red" Book Review

My Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3 Stars

I am not a fan of the genre, but its always good to expand your literary horizon. 

I presume erotic books are meant to transport you into another world and render you completely oblivious to the real world while you’re engaged in reading. I also believe it is written to be so far from reality that you can’t help but forget about your problems and stressors; that being said, someone who loves this genre would absolutely love this book. 

It is “action” packed and not exactly plot-driven. If you’re expecting to read a solid plot filled with rich character development then this isn’t the book. 

The Red is truly an erotic piece written for the sole purpose of transporting its reader into a salacious fantasy. 


Digital copy received from publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

"The Devil's Prayer" Book Review

My Rating: ★★★★☆ 4 stars

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I like my torture books with enough torture and gore to make me cringe. This book, to a certain extent and in certain areas throughout made me very happy; however, it is not solely torture, as you can see from the premise given. The Devil’s Prayer presented us with a rollercoaster of themes – history, romance, horror/gore, violence and abuse among others.

Following the death of her mother Denise Russo, who abandoned her two children a few years ago with no warning, Siobhan Russo travels across the world to the convent where her mother lived. In search of answers, she is given a book with her mother’s confessions. There, Siobhan learns of the horrors her mother went through and her subsequent deal with the devil in order to take revenge on those who wronged her.  

For the historical aspect, this book was very well-researched. I like when authors take the time to research before writing a book. It gives me the sense that they are truly committed to the success of their book and will work hard to produce it rather than give a lackadaisical attempt.

However, toward the end, the history became a bit overwhelming and took away from the plot. I found myself simply reading the words just so I could move forward to read the actual plot. Lots of history in there that I didn’t much care for, but I do understand why it was filled with this much information. The author wanted to present us with all this history to make the story more believable and to leave us wondering where history ends and fiction begins. The history was a fundamental part of the story, but I disliked history class, always have and always will.

The other parts were really well done and I was hooked. I won’t give details, it’s better to find out on your own. 

"A Dark Billionaire Romance #1-6" Book Review

My Rating ★★★★☆ 4 Stars Thanks to the author for sending me the full series free of charge. I really do appreciate it. Before I go into my review I just want to say, objectively, this was a good book. Buy the book, support the author. My review is a bit odd. How can I give it 4 stars, say it's a good book that you should pick up, but not be in love with it? Well, it all comes down to preference; and I'm a very picky romance reader. 1. Romance. 2. Billionaires. 3. Lavish lifestyle. 4. BDSM? What's not to love?! I'm not a fan of romance, never will be. Not a fan of Billionaires either, nor the lavish lifestyle. Absolutely no comments on the fourth. BUT, I am a fan of Aubrey Dark since I first read Mine & His. I respect her writing. This is not a review of her previous work but I feel it necessary to comment on how I was initially intrigued by her dark spin on romance and how I ended up wanting to read THIS series. Three reasons: Her writing style - clear, concise, far from pretentious, one or two typos. Her imagination - she has a dark mind, almost as much as mine, except mine is devoid of romance and would include much more torture. Her research skills - she writes like she is an expert on the profession of all her male protagonists. I liked this one, not as much as I liked the one featuring Rein (or was it Rien) but this was a good book. I can see the appeal. As I said, her writing style in her previous works was superb and that style was carried over to this series. There was a plot to keep readers intrigued. Enough romance scenes to satiate the erotic genre fans. There was a scene featuring a character from one of her earlier books which made me speed-read then left me wanting more. Do you see? More than a year has passed since I read His & Mine and that one character has somehow always found a way to sneakily cross my mind. That's how much I enjoyed that book and in addition to the previously mentioned reasons, I wanted to read this series so that I could somehow recreate and forge a new connection to another character of hers. It didn't happen but not because of any negatives on the part of the author, but it's because I can only stomach certain types of romance. And those romance books need to be a lot dark with just a bearable hint of anticipated romance. I don't mean Fifty Shades of Grey dark or Stonehart dark (Uncovering you series). Those aren't dark in my books, those are merely mild BDSM bullshit. I mean dark dark, the real kind where the professional is in his element, has a scalpel peeling off the face of some bad guy while the girl is in the other room panicking but aroused (you know the book I'm talking about! Damn it!!). Again, this was a good book. It really is. Go read it if you get a thrill out of the erotic genre. Support the author, buy her books

"Depravity: Beastly Tales Part 1" Book Review

My Rating: ★★★★★ 5 Stars

Let me just start off by saying that this was the very first Melissa Haag book that I read and I gained immense respect for her after this book. I’ve read other titles under her other name and they have not disappointed me, at all.

1. Cover ★★★★★
A beast lurking in the shadowy background, dark-haired young girl in a beautiful gown, creepy woods? Sold!! I loved the cover, something about it called out to my inner dark side and we made a pact to stick together till the end of the series.
When I first stumbled upon this book, can’t exactly remember how, (since I’m writing this review based on my second read of this book. I first read it in 2015) I think I was into fairy tale retellings. At the time I had just tossed a book into my DNF folder (A Cameron Jace retelling of Snow White?), one I tried to complete reading over a course of maybe a month. So I desperately wanted to read something that would pull me out of my reading slump.
When I came across the MJ Haag book I suddenly had the urge to check out the summary, so I did. Then I ordered a sample from Amazon because I really didn’t want to buy it then regret my purchase (somehow, even then I knew I wouldn’t regret the purchase, I don’t know how).
I guess that’s how engaging the cover was, so for that it deserves a 5-star rating.

2. Premise ★★★★★
Benella, a less fortunate, sixteen year old is being tormented by two village boys whom she desperately tries to avoid while she forages for food to help feed her family of 4. The best food however is on an enchanted estate in the dark woods which houses an unwelcoming, scary beast.
After the two village-boys lock her behind the gates of the estate she knows this is the end of her life and she has accepted that, but what she didn’t expect was a beast that would be so forgiving. There begins a “relationship” between the two where she keeps bargaining with him.
I loved the premise and I think I’m using the word love way too much already. But I loved it! It was appealing, gripping and I wanted to find out more.
I also thought of it as unique, since the beauty and best story we have grown to love did not include a pair of brothers torturing the demure Belle. I also liked the scrounging part – it felt a bit like a post-apocalyptic survival novel which I always enjoy. I enjoy reading about humans in distress and how they survive.
So I gave the premise a 5-star rating for being gripping and unique.

3. Plot ★★★★★
The plot was superb, in my humble opinion. Now, I know someone else might give this 1 star or 3 stars etc. because to them it wasn’t what they expected, or not what they wanted to read. But in my opinion, and only my opinion and based on my preference, I gave this 5 stars because I loved the plot.
Too many times the sexual encounters in an adult book take away from the plot. Or there are just too many sex scenes that the plot development gets placed on the back burner.
This was complete 180. The plot was paramount, with the sexual tension being interwoven in there with as much vigour. The plot and sexual tension was executed brilliantly as a whole.
I don’t want to give away any spoilers, I really don’t….
This is a love/survival story which will have you so invested in the life of our main character that you’ll laugh, feel every emotion she goes through and root for her from Depravity to Devastation.

4. Genre Representation ★★★★★
If you’re looking for something overly erotic, you might as well move along. If you want an adult book, with mild sexual language, a gripping plot with enthralling sexual tension and anticipated romance then look no further.
I loved the mild sexual language; I also absolutely loved the anticipated romance. You know it will happen, you’re not sure when but you’re willing to wait and ride the journey with our protagonists while they get to know and tolerate each other. I think the tension and anticipation is so much better and worth it.

5. Characters ★★★★★
The character interactions were believable. Maybe I’m in love with this book so much that I am biased, because even when I hated some of the things a character did I still loved the book. Those interactions had to happen so that we could feel for our main character and thus get us (the readers) fully invested in the story.
So, we have Benella, our Belle, who is strong, opinionated, caring, hard-working and pretty darn fit, since she runs a lot and fights a lot in this book. She is a bit naïve in the art of all things sexual though, but that’s okay because she’s young and more concerned with feeding her family. However, she does know what the phallus is so Kudos to you girly!
The beast – he’s angry, forgiving (ish), self-centred, wants what he wants and must have it. His satyriasis controls him and is the main reason he’s in this mess.
The interaction between Benella and Beast is to die for. They have a sort of witty banter while they’re bargaining. Benella isn’t too afraid of Beast so she basically tells him what’s on her mind paying no attention to her attitude. Beast attributes that to her being smart and knowing how to negotiate, but it infuriates him to no end. No doubt he has ever met such a highly opinionated female. He’s probably accustomed to only hearing moans from the women with which he has had encountered in the past.
There are the sisters – Bryn and Blye. Selfish, inconsiderate, skilled in their respective art and what more can I say? They’re a great addition to the supporting characters’ cast.
While Benella scrounges for food, Bryn is the one who cooks, cleans and does laundry for the family. She has a fling with Tennen, the elder of the awful village boys who torments Benella. She believes Tennen’s family will rescue her from her poor lifestyle and whisk her away into blissful marriage. Boy! She couldn’t be more wrong, since Tennen’s family is also poor and I don’t like to gossip butttttt –Did you hear that his mom Sara was on the bakery’s counter top with that corpulent, pervy baker? Apparently he samples her goods in exchange for some coins. But you didn’t hear it from me.
So yeah, Bryn thinks she’s in love with a guy she couldn’t be more wrong about.
Blye on the other hand sews, it’s her passion and she hides whatever money she makes in the hopes that she’ll one day leave her home and happily be on her own.
The reason I said they’re both selfish is because they both hide their money and refuse to spend even when the family is going through a rough time. There was once the family had nothing to eat and they flat-out refused to admit that they had a stash of coins. I mean come on! Just spare a coin.
Their father, Bernard, works in the village as a teacher for a modest salary. It’s quite small and he gives his family every last coin that he makes, same as with Benella. He is a good father who loves his daughters and tries his best to support and provide for them. Despite their egotistical ways, she still loves Blye and Bryn and would gladly die for them.

6. Journey ★★★★★
Did I enjoy the journey this book took me on? Yes, yes, a thousand times YES. I thoroughly enjoyed the character interactions especially between Benella and the Beast. I loved reading how she grew to tolerate being around him. It actually felt like a journey, I read and understood what she thought of him on the first encounter, I was invested in the book so I also felt like I was gradually getting to know him and letting him in.

7. Ending ★★★★★
Was it predictable or unique? Well, it’s a series, so the author had to write it in such a way where a book 2 would continue where the book 1 left off.
The ending had to happen for book 2 to be possible, it just had to, but the way it happened left me thinking “Yeah, I don’t think it could have ended any other way”.
I didn’t see that situation coming from a mile away but somehow I should’ve because there was really no other way. I doubt Benella would have agreed to what the beast was proposing so he gave her an ultimatum. There was simply no other way.
I liked the situation her family was thrown into; I did – a bit of harmless coercion.

8. Writing Style ★★★★★
Her writing style was pretty simple, but in a positive way. I didn’t have to trudge through simile hell to get to the next point. It was clear, concise, very straightforward and well-edited. There was only one error which is still fine in my books.

"Touched:The Caress of Fate (Touched Saga #1)" Book Review

OVERALL ★★☆☆☆ 2.4 1. Cover ★★★☆☆ I always start with the cover because this is the first thing a reader sees when they stumble upon a book. “Don’t judge a book by its cover” they say. Well, to that, I say “Judge the darn cover cause that’s all part of presentation”. The cover (the first thing we see) is supposed to reel a potential reader in and pique their curiosity enough so that they end up reading the synopsis. So, let’s get on with it, shall we? I gave this cover a 3-star rating, denoting “It was OK”. It didn’t exactly reel me in like other covers usually do and I was ok with that. I did not choose this title, but it was on my kindle and I thought -why not? The guy, just from first glance, is portrayed as an Angel; right away the reader could differentiate it as paranormal, so in a sense the cover does represent its genre quite well. He also looks transparent, which I guess Angels usually are? The girl, (from first glance) seems mortal, quite corporeal and is being supported/held up (or not?) by the Angel. I don’t really know what’s truly going on with the cover to be honest – they’re seen in a romantic (supportive? Ugh this cover is difficult) embrace in the ocean (well, sitting on a rock to be exact). It’s an OK cover but as I said, I usually expect a book to stand-out so much that it catches my attention and makes me pause or scroll back up just to read what it’s about, because yes, I come across a lot of books, a lot! And I can’t spend time reading what each book has to offer so I usually go by how pretty, haunting, dark etc. the cover is. 2. Premise ★★★☆☆ Evan, who is an angel of death, is sent to “kill” a teenage, female mortal – Gemma. When they lock eyes for the first time a shadow creeps into her life (whatever the H that means) ultimately leading her to face her destiny (I am simply using the words from the summary). Gemma doesn’t know that Evan is an angel of death and that he’s been sent to “kill” her. They fall hopelessly in love even though he still has a mission to carry. So, what happens when the only person who can save you is also the one who has to “kill” you? Ah, sweet forbidden love. Or is it? It didn’t feel much forbidden to me but I am getting ahead of myself. I found this premise to be appealing, but not gripping nor unique. Forbidden love between an angel and a mortal has been done many times, too many times, but I haven’t read a lot of them (not my favorite genre this paranormal romance thing). I wouldn’t mind being the one to fall in love with Death though! I mean come on! Its death we’re talking about – dark, evil, bad boy? I wouldn’t go so far as saying “love” though. I mean just a fling with death would satiate this reader here. Yeahhh; however, the numerous praises from critics that the author places before the actual summary definitely took some of the excitement away. It seemed like the author was trying to convince new readers that this book is really great. It certainly made me lower my expectation just because of the praise inclusion, somewhere deep down I knew it wouldn’t be as amazing as the reviewers claim, but that’s usually the case. I would love it and appreciate it if critics were more honest with their reviews, it would save us the trouble of reading awful books. 3. Plot ★★★☆☆ First off, the premise mentioned vampires, werewolves etc. None of those were mentioned in this book. It made it sound like vampires and other mentioned creatures were now extinct and the Angels of Death are the new species of supernatural; however, later on in the book we see that these Angels of Death have been around for a long time. It seems they’ve been here since the dawn of time – just after Eve’s days. So technically they were there first; unless in this story’s world, vampires were roaming around while Adam and Eve were casually living life. So, we all want to be in love right? We relish the idea of someone being completely ours, someone wanting and caring for us blah blah. Evan is in love with Gemma, declaring it at 48%, he’s absolutely, positively sure that he loves her but they’ve only had encounters about 3 times so far? The bleachers, crashing into him running from the woods, the diner, other times were in dreams (2 times). Apparently it’s not infatuation, he’s in love, and he’s been stalking her for the past few weeks (you’ll see how creepy he is later on in the book). How is that love? Ok, I get that it’s a romance book, paranormal BS and there’s usually the instant love but it just didn’t feel that way. Love? Come on. Their connection felt a bit too magical, far from real. As a reader I’m supposed to be taken on a journey where I can clearly feel the interest grow into adoration which would then grow into love. There was none of that; it was love from the moment she saw him in the woods, or a magical pull. Apart from the unrealistic love, something I didn’t like was the brutality of their job. I love horror books, I love a good torture novel but their job is to “kill” the mortal. Aren’t angels of death supposed to escort souls to the other side? Having a hand in the death of the victims made it sound brutal and portrayed them as cold-blooded murderers. So, this book : 40% - In we find out what “Wild Thing” truly is – he’s an executioner. Why wait till 40% to tell us? Masala is also mentioned for the first time but it wasn’t a full explanation. 42% - Masala mentioned again, more information was given but not enough to truly understand. 48% - “There was no way to be sure; I’d never felt it for myself. Not during my mortal life, let alone during the empty shell of the existence in which I’d been trapped for hundreds of years since” He had a mortal life? Why are we now finding out he was once mortal. Excuse my lack of knowledge when it comes to Paranormal romance but I had no idea Angels of Death were once mortal, so it’d be great if the author could give adequate background information early on in the book so that I could understand the turmoil within Evan. Also, I’d have preferred less mystery because in this case it was purely annoying, having to wonder who or what he is, what he does, who he once was etc. It took away from building a liking for the characters. Sigh. Things were better explained much later in the book, in the 80s, 90s percentage range. It could have been a tactic by the author to maintain the mysterious air but it would have been exponentially better without having to wait so long to find out about our main characters’ history. 4. Genre Representation ★★★★★ So yes, it did represent its genre very well – Paranormal romance, fantasy, magical realism. We got the supernatural realm blending into the natural familiar world. An angel, a witch, lucid dreaming (which isn’t totally dreaming but real alternate life taking place in a dream?) dark shadows, magic and so on mixed with piercing gazes, forbidden longing, sexual stuff (not really, at all, just kisses). So this section got its 5 stars. 5. Characters ★★☆☆☆ Gemma – flat, annoying, talks too much in her head, Evan- hot, creepy, possessive, mysterious (in a very annoying way) You know what? I’d like this story to be re-written with Evan being a below average looking guy, with normal dark brown eyes. All this forbidden love would have been avoided. That’s how much the connection between the two main characters was lacking. There was just no real emotional connection; I saw it as purely physical. From the first time she saw him in the woods, she felt something. Before they even had their first conversation, she knew she was completely in love with Evan. Throughout the book their chemistry with each other was mentioned, but that doesn’t justify their love for each other before they even shared a conversation. It just doesn’t. Simon and Genevra – hot, in love, having sex all the time? Drake – hot, enjoys his job. Basically, the characters are all hot, they’re all flat. 6. Journey ★☆☆☆☆ Did I enjoy the journey that this book took me on? I certainly did not. I found myself ranting and talking to myself, asking so many whys! 7. Ending ★☆☆☆☆ Predictable. There was something which was left unexplained – why did the smell of the poison entice Gemma? I’m guessing the readers who continue reading this story will find out in the other books. I bet she’s a witch or a descendant of Eve or something like that. 8. Writing Style ★☆☆☆☆ I think the author was going for a poetic or lyrical sort of writing style but ended up producing something quite verbose, elaborate and overly descriptive packed with unnecessary similes and overused words. This could have been a 250- page book if all the pointless similes and descriptions were removed. Words now stuck in my head from reading this book – wild, Wild Thing, dark, mysterious, cold, ice, ominous. On almost every 2 pages one of these words, or a combination of a few were used. (less)