Strings by Kendall Grey
Free-spirited musician Letty Dillinger adheres to a strict, “no strings attached” policy when it comes to men. After a wild night of unabashed sex in a fancy hotel room, she never expects to see the adventurous stud she dubs “Shades” again. When her all-girl rock trio books a tour at the last minute as the opening act for their archenemies, Letty’s shocked to discover she knows the competition’s new lead singer. Intimately. Shades is no longer a one-night stand. Now he’s the guy she has to one-up on stage every night for the sake of her career.
Sharing close quarters on a bus with her sexy nemesis and his bad-boy buddies puts Letty’s Golden Rule to the test. On this tour, guitar strings aren’t the only things being played. And when heartstrings are pulled too hard, they’re bound to snap sooner or later.
My rate & take
Heat Index 5 ☼☼☼☼☼
Before I begin my review I would like you to read the warning the author wrote, while it is humorous it makes the point that this book is not at all for the faint of heart...
"WARNING: STRINGS is not suitable for slut shamers, uptight stone throwers, Holier-Than-Thou prudes, humorless virgins, persons with chronic neck or back pain, pearl-clutching bitties, those who disparage crude humor or vulgarity in their many forms, closed-minded people with sticks up their asses, or anyone under the age of 18. The vile, base language and shocking, unholy sexual acts contained herein are not condoned by anyone with a lick of sense and should certainly not be reproduced without proper training and protection. The potty-mouthed and perpetually horny "heroine" (the term is used loosely) of this book does not resemble a normal, well-adjusted, or remotely believable person in any way, shape, or form. The author acknowledges that the characters in this book are shallow and two-dimensional; the plot is both ridiculous and insipid. She makes no apologies for any of it.
* Readers are strongly advised to wear latex gloves whilst reading to minimize contamination risks."
So my friends, consider yourselves warned. This book has a lot of vulgarity, shocking escapades, and a very thin plot. This ain't no romance novel and should only be read by the stoutest of smut reader who wants to walk on the very wild side of the genre. If you are still not sure if it's for you I recommend reading the free pages of the book from Amazon, that will give you a clearer picture of some of what you can expect.
As for me I laughed out loud, was shocked once or twice, and overall had a rocking good time with this crazy little read....I choose to not look too closely at what that says about me and instead focus on the fact that it was just a fun read.
For any brave enough to give this title a go I would love to hear your thoughts on it.
The Ivy Lessons by J. Lerman
When Sophia wins a post-graduate place at Ivy Drama College, she can't believe her luck. The college is owned by one of the most well-respected young actors in London, Marc Blackwell – who not only founded the college, but teaches the students.
Known for his strict classes and belief in discipline, Marc has a reputation for being arrogant and aloof, yet Sophia soon finds herself drawn to this cold, fascinating young man.
Soon, Sophia is embarking on a journey of sexual discovery that promises to explore all that is forbidden between teacher and student.
AND
Where the Ivy Grows by J. Lerman
It's time to disobey...
When Sophia first meets Hollywood actor and Ivy College teacher, Marc Blackwell, she never dreams they’ll share a forbidden, obsessive relationship.
Now, dawn is breaking and they’ve decided to tell the world of their affair.
But as paparazzi hound Sophia’s every move, Marc steps up his control – dominating Sophia in every way possible, and drawing her into his dark world of intensity and passion.
Soon, Sophia is led into Marc’s troubled past, and shown the shadowy secrets that torment him.
However, Marc’s desire to discipline Sophia awakens her deepest fears, and she realises it’s time to disobey.
My overall rate & take
and 1/2 
Heat Index: 3 ☼☼☼
This is book one and two of the Devoted series, book three will be out this summer.
In the promotional photo of these books it says it's for the fan Of Fifty Shades of Grey. My belief is publishers should be wary of the comparison if the actual title or in this case titles have only the smallest likeness to the hugely best selling Fifty Shades....and now I know buyer beware as well, as I jumped right in and purchased book one and two without a blink.
Overall I did like the books, I enjoyed the setting of London and the school grounds and buildings sounded lovely. I also didn't find the dialogue overly cheesy...another plus. What I found most difficult was the lack of character development. They main male and female character never owned up to who they were, the author never made them fully committed to their personalities. For the female it was 'oh I don't like how you make me feel' but she never let that stop her. For him it was 'I'm such a bad dark person' but we're never shown or learn anything truly shocking, in fact most new characters we meet sing his praises. Book two was left in a will she/won't she moment, and darn it I will be buying book three when it comes out to see what her decision is and find out what obstacles will be thrown in the way, and also because I am hopeful that the author will grow and improve as the writing progresses. I've seen it happen many times and have always been glad to witness it.
When in Paris by Beverley Kendall
College freshman Olivia Montgomery is thrilled at the chance to start over, escape the rumors that plagued her in high school. And she can finally put her juvenile crush, Zachary Pearson, where he belongs--in her past. Then her unrequited love strolls into her French class, shattering Olivia's new found peace, and the feelings she'd thought buried for good come rushing back. Now she can't shake her unwanted attraction to the one guy who can twist her stomach into knots with just a smile...but has never given her the time of day.
Zach's good looks may have always gotten him his pick of girls, but it's the star quarterback's skill on the football field that gives him his pick of the Big Ten colleges. To escape the crushing demands of his win-at-all-costs father, Zach opts for a private university in upstate New York where...his present and past collide. And the one girl he's always wanted but can't have--and a class trip to Paris--turn out to be the ultimate game changer that has him breaking every one of his rules.
My rate & take
Heat Index 3 ☼☼☼
Does the mention of romance in Paris just make you sigh wistfully like it does me? I'm not sure it's even on a conscious level, more like something bubbling up from my ancestral DNA. And so with that in mind, of course I really liked this book. Was it cheesy in spots and a bit simple with the plot? Sure was, but this bothered me not in the least. Not only did I get my happy ending but in the future I also get spin off books that have side characters getting their own love story's showcased. It's good to know my happy reading future just got a little more secure.
Damaged by H.M. Ward
Life sucks. And, as soon as Sidney picks up the pieces something always knocks her back onto her butt. It's never pretty, but this time is different. This time pretty isn't even the right word.
Peter is the personification of perfection. It's like he fell off his angel perch in purgatory, because let's face it--any guy that hot has got to be naughty. He was probably sent here to ruin her life.
Peter is beyond beautiful with his sexy blue eyes, dark hair, and toned body. Add in his charming wit and Peter is everything Sidney ever wanted in a man, but when things get hot and heavy Peter shows her the door. Sidney takes the walk of shame and leaves. It's the end of the worst blind date ever. Her life couldn't possibly reach higher levels of suckage, but it does.
The next morning everything comes crashing down. The insanely hot guy from last night, the one that saw her half naked, is teaching at the front of the class room.
My rate & take
This little book had me glued to it, and as I neared the end I know it wasn't going to be enough for me. As luck (and torture) would have it I found out this is book 1 of the Damaged series. Sadly I will have to wait for book 2 to continue my crush. I loved the way the main characters flirted and some of their killer looks for each other were scorchers in their own rights. Of course with the fun comes the pain, both characters are dragging a boat load of hurt around on top of the balancing act of not seeming to be 'too friendly' since they are on opposite sides of academia. I am going to be eagerly awaiting book 2!
Letters to a Scret Lover by Toni Blake
The last thing she needs right now is a man
Lindsey Brooks had it all—an awesome job doling out advice to the lovelorn, a fabulous high-rise apartment, and a to-die-for fiance. But then she got dumped—wearing nothing but a Kiss the Cook apron—and desperate to escape, she retreats to a tiny Montana town to reclaim a family treasure. She never dreamed anyone would try to stop her – or that he’d be sexy as sin.
Too bad she finds such a hot one …
Rob Colter isn’t into relationships—but Lindsey sees Rob as the perfect guy to help her “get back on the horse.” The sex horse, that is. Unfortunately, he comes complete with a mysterious past, which gets even more mysterious when she finds his passionate letters to another woman – whose name happens to be tattooed on his chest.
And too bad he has so many secrets …
Now Rob’s dangerous past is about to catch up with them both. And if that’s not horrible enough, Lindsey is falling for him – hard. For a girl who usually has all the answers, Lindsey is up to her neck in trouble.
My rate & take
Heat Index 3 ☼☼☼
I thought this was nicely done, at times the writing of the main female character felt a bit cheesy but the story helped control it from being too over the top. I have no complaints about the main male character....in my book the hot, gruff, handy man who choses to live alone makes for some fun reading reading. And once we get that gruff exterior to crack, my do things ever get steamy!!
Beautiful Darkness by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl
Ethan Wate used to think of Gatlin, the small Southern town he had always called home, as a place where nothing ever changed. Then he met mysterious newcomer Lena Duchannes, who revealed a secret world that had been hidden in plain sight all along. A Gatlin that harbored ancient secrets beneath its moss-covered oaks and cracked sidewalks. A Gatlin where a curse has marked Lena's family of powerful Supernaturals for generations. A Gatlin where impossible, magical, life-altering events happen.
Sometimes life-ending.
Together they can face anything Gatlin throws at them, but after suffering a tragic loss, Lena starts to pull away, keeping secrets that test their relationship. And now that Ethan's eyes have been opened to the darker side of Gatlin, there's no going back. Haunted by strange visions only he can see, Ethan is pulled deeper into his town's tangled history and finds himself caught up in the dangerous network of underground passageways endlessly crisscrossing the South, where nothing is as it seems.
My rate & take
I was eager to get this book (book 2 in the Caster Chronicles, Beautiful Creatures was book #1) on my reading list, and while it turned out to be very good, I struggled with the first third of the book. I knew I would be rewarded if I stuck with it (but I'll admit I did read other books around it when the I was overly stuck) but the drag in the beginning had put me off a bit. Thankfully everything picked up and revelations were had and reconciliations we made, and I felt like all was right with the world at the end - well except for the fact that there is still a lot of actions to come in the Caster world before our hero and heroine can breathe a sigh of relief. So I will happily stay tuned with the series.
Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines
AND 1/2 
