Review: Addicted to You by Renita Pizzitola

In the sleepy fishing town of Port Lucia, everyone knows everyone, but Isla Diaz really knows Colby Callahan, with his blue-gray eyes and the tousled brown hair always tucked sexily into his cap. After all, Isla has been crazy about Colby ever since she can remember—even if he treats her like a kid sister. Now, without her best friend, Felicity, around, Isla spots a golden opportunity to take things to the next level . . . or at least wrangle a kiss out of Colby.

By random chance, a tropical storm is headed toward the coast, leaving them stranded together overnight—and there’s nothing to do but drink. As the evening wears on, Isla gets the feeling that her not-so-secret crush may finally release her from the friend zone. With her dreams finally coming true, Isla isn’t about to pump the brakes, but is this just a one-time thing? What if the next morning, she needs more than Colby’s prepared to give?

Little does she know, Colby would like nothing more than a real relationship with Isla. She’s always been the one. But there’s a very good reason he’s been keeping his distance. Someone else loves her too, someone who also means the world to Colby: his brother.

 

I’ve been looking forward to reading Addicted to You by Renita Pizzitola since the characters in this novel were first introduced in her Crush series. I wasn’t disappointed.

I felt like I connected with Isla through her grandmother. I love how nurturing she is and the fact that she speaks Spanish is another connection to me. It got me invested into the story more with that bit of diversity sprinkled into the novel.

The way the novel progresses with Isla and the Callahan brothers was a little maddening. Isla was clueless on both brother’s feelings for her but I still liked where the story went. I think Pizzitola did an amazing job of creating these interesting characters that came alive. I want to keep reading more about them and will continue to look forward to any new novels from Pizzitola.  

 
An advance complimentary copy of this book was supplied by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

 

  

Renita Pizzitola is the author of New Adult contemporary romance and Young Adult fantasy. When not writing, she can be found feeding her caramel macchiato addiction and reading just about anything she can get her hands on. She lives in Austin, Texas.

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Review: Day Dreamer by Aaron L. Speer

Alex Hensley thought that discovering vampires existing in Sydney was as dangerous as her life could possibly get, but she was wrong. Her very survival still depends on her ability to keep the secret. Just when Alex believes she has a grip on her new life, Nicholas, the teenage son of her estranged cousin shows up unannounced and gives her a chilling note from his mother, begging for help; the boy is in grave danger. 

Nicholas, though kind and mild mannered is not forthcoming and Alex senses something is dreadfully wrong. The more Alex delves, the closer she is to igniting a war more personal for her than she ever dreamed. Though she cannot turn the boy away, something perhaps even worse than vampires has been unleashed in Sydney. The vampire nation scrambles as tensions rise. Their hold over the city has never been challenged like this, and they would rather destroy Sydney than relinquish it. 

How can Alex hope to protect Nick, when the entire city is under threat and Alex can warn no one? 

Ideals will be shaken. Friendships will be tested. Allegiances will be questioned. 

The streets of Sydney will shatter as a bloodthirsty battle, once thought to exist only in myth, rises at the full moon.

MY REVIEW

Day Dreamer by Aaron L. Speer is the second novel in the Undeadly Secrets series.

I really liked how all the characters changed from the first book to this next one. They grew and evolved through the writing and plot. Nick is my favorite character in this book. He was different than your average hero. He had so many different traits which made him a great character. I also liked how his relationship with Nicole progressed. For Alex and Damon I would have liked to see a different path.

What I thought could have been different was the amount of characters involved. I feel like I was being introduced to so many characters without giving each more time. With so many characters the POV seemed a little jumpy for my taste. I would have liked the story to have centered on a few main characters instead.

Overall it was an interesting take on the Vampire vs. Werewolf plot. 

I give Day Dreamer 3 out of 5 stars.

About Author

I've been writing since I was around 11, and have rarely been seen without staring off into the distance or with a pen in my hand ever since.

Whatever my genre I happen to be writing at the time, I am passionate about bringing this beautiful country I live in, Australia, to light. (Hint hint...even if that includes epic fantasy and vampires)

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* Review * Sugar Daddy by Sawyer Bennett

Seduction has never been so sweet! The New York Timesbestselling author of the Cold Fury series—Alex, Garrett, Zack,and Ryker—returns with the first novel in a hot new trilogy.

Sela Halstead lost her innocence in a way that no sixteen-year-old should ever have to endure. She’s spent years trying to forget that night even while wondering about the identities of the monsters who brutalized her—until a telltale tattoo flashes across Sela’s TV screen. The incriminating ink belongs to Jonathon Townsend, the millionaire founder of The Sugar Bowl, a website that matches rich older men with impressionable young women. Obsessed with revenge, Sela infiltrates Townsend’s world, only to come face-to-face with a tantalizing complication: Beckett North, his charismatic business partner.

The tech mastermind behind The Sugar Bowl, Beck always gets what he wants, in business and in bed. And yet, for a man who’s done every dirty thing imaginable, there’s something about the naïve, fresh-faced Sela that sparks his hottest fantasies. Because with her, it’s not just about sex. Beck opens up to her in ways he never has with other girls. So why does he get the feeling that she’s hiding something? In a world of pleasure and power, the shocking truth could turn them against each other—or bind them forever.

Note: Sugar Daddy ends on a cliffhanger. Sela and Beck’s story continues in Sugar Rush and Sugar Free!

    

The beginning of this novel started iffy for me. It had drama, but I didn’t think it would be one of those reads that I wouldn't be able to stop reading. I thought the first few chapters were the typical story of a sex club, but then it became more.

Sugar Daddy revolved around two characters that have amazing chemistry. It was great to read how their relationship progresses while knowing there was an ulterior motive. I always favor male characters with their need to keep their women happy. Beck was no exception when it got into the nitty gritty. I do wish their connection was more than merely physical but their chemistry made up for that.

I knew it had a cliffhanger but I still wasn’t prepared for how strong I would feel that it ended. I wanted to know what happened next. Looking forward to reading the next in the series.

About The Author

Since the release of her debut contemporary romance novel, Off Sides, in January 2013, Sawyer Bennett has released more than 30 books and has been featured on both the USA Today and New York Times bestseller lists on multiple occasions. 

A reformed trial lawyer from North Carolina, Sawyer uses real life experience to create relatable, sexy stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From new adult to erotic contemporary romance, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone. 

Sawyer likes her Bloody Mary’s strong, her martinis dirty, and her heroes a combination of the two. When not bringing fictional romance to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to a very active toddler, as well as full-time servant to two adorably naughty dogs. She believes in the good of others, and that a bad day can be cured with a great work-out, cake, or a combination of the two.

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Review - Love: Uncivilized by Sawyer Bennett

How did things ever get to be so difficult?

Nearly eight years of marriage.
Two kids.
Hectic careers and major life choices.

Throw in sexual frustration, doubts, insecurities and one wild man not completely tamed by society, and you have a Christmas that’s bound to get out of control. Zacharias Easton will show you just how uncivilized love can be.

** Love: Uncivilized is a follow up novella to the book, Uncivilized. While it can be read as a stand alone, it is best appreciated after having read Uncivilized first.

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Review

Love: Uncivilized is set a couples of years after the conclusion of Uncivilized. Moira and Zach have been married for eight years and have two children together. Zach is immersed in the business he intends to take over and Moira is a stay at home mom. Their marriage is beginning to show strain and it gets worse when Moira gets a part time job.

What I really liked about this novella was that it contained issues that married couples face. When life is busy with work and children it’s hard for a couple to have quality time together. This is the major issue with Moira and Zach. Sawyer does a great job of creating these frustrating situations.

She also did an awesome job of showing chemistry between Moira and Zach, even with everything going on. That is one thing that Sawyer always delivers on. What I thought was a little disappointing was how easily their issues were resolved. I thought the story needed something more to create a smoother resolution.

I give Love: Uncivilized 3 out of 5 stars. 

About Author

USA Today and New York Times Best-Selling Author, Sawyer Bennett is a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. Her husband works for a Fortune 100 company which lets him fly all over the world while she stays at home with their daughter and three big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weaknesses but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Sawyer is the author of several contemporary romances including the popular Off Series, the Legal Affairs Series and the Last Call Series. She will be releasing her third book in the Cold Fury Hockey Series with Random House Loveswept, June 2015.

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NOVEMBER 9 by Colleen Hoover REVIEW

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.

Available Now!

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My Review

I’m always looking forward to reading anything Colleen Hoover writes and she never disappoints. From the beginning I loved Fallon and Ben. They had chemistry and their interactions were so funny and effortless. I just knew I was in for a roller-coaster of emotions.

Colleen’s writing is beautiful. I loved the writing references and how Fallon teaches Ben about romance novels. She wrote these incredible emotional scenes where after each intense scene I was afraid to read what was ahead. At one point I was pounding my fist into my mattress at the unfairness of things and then I hated Colleen for making my heart ache to the point where I was crying for two fictional characters.

I started reading November 9 the day it was released, standing in line to meet Colleen Hoover at a book signing. I got a few pages in that day. For some reason which I can’t seem to recall, I thought it was a good idea to finish another book I was reading before I immersed myself in November 9. Biggest mistake I made. When I did get a chance to read the novel I couldn’t stop. I stayed up late saying another few pages every few minutes and when I finished it was 2am. I loved the ending.

November 9 is an incredibly written book that takes you on an emotional ride. I give it 5 out of 5 starts.

About The Author

I love to write and I love to give away things that I write.

For information about The Bookworm Box, visit www.thebookwormbox.com

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CORRUPT by Penelope Douglas - REVIEW

Erika 

I was told that dreams were our heart’s desires. My nightmares, however, became my obsession. 

His name is Michael Crist. 

My boyfriend’s older brother is like that scary movie that you peek through your hand to watch. He is handsome, strong, and completely terrifying. The star of his college’s basketball team and now gone pro, he’s more concerned with the dirt on his shoe than me. 

But I noticed him.

I saw him. I heard him. The things that he did, and the deeds that he hid…For years, I bit my nails, unable to look away. 

Now, I’ve graduated high school and moved on to college, but I haven’t stopped watching Michael. He’s bad, and the dirt I’ve seen isn’t content to stay in my head anymore. 

Because he’s finally noticed me. 

Michael

Her name is Erika Fane, but everyone calls her Rika.

My brother’s girlfriend grew up hanging around my house and is always at our dinner table. She looks down when I enter a room and stills when I am close. I can always feel the fear rolling off of her, and while I haven’t had her body, I know that I have her mind. That’s all I really want anyway. 

Until my brother leaves for the military, and I find Rika alone at college. 

In my city. 

Unprotected. 

The opportunity is too good to be true as well as the timing. Because you see, three years ago she put a few of my high school friends in prison, and now they’re out. 

We’ve waited. We’ve been patient. And now every last one of her nightmares will come true. 

***Corrupt is a stand-alone dark romance with no Cliffy

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MY REVIEW

I’ve read every one of Penelope Douglas’ novels and I’m always anticipating her next novel as soon as I finish her current one. I started reading Corrupt with great expectation and was blown away by how much I loved this book. This novel is definitely suited for a mature audience.

Penelope did an amazing job with the characters. The more I read the more I wanted to know about each of them. I also really enjoyed her choice of going from present to past. Normally I don’t really like the back and forth but I think it was necessary in this novel. I loved getting into Michael’s head and knowing the why’s behind his actions. Erika is strong and stubborn which I liked. I did think that the ending was probably not needed. I felt like it was pushing the connection that Michael and Erika shared when they were younger.

I just have to say what an incredible erotic scene in the sauna. I hoped for something like that scene since the begging and when it happened, I was like Yes! (If you don’t know what I’m referring to, then go read the book. I don’t want to give out any spoilers.)Thank you, thank you Penelope for that scene. So many of the scenes were intense and I just couldn’t believe what I was reading. My pulse was racing the more I read. It was like I was watching a movie and everything was starting to unravel and it had me on the edge of my seat.

Advice I want to give readers: start reading Corrupt when you can sit for hours and read. I made the mistake of starting the book during the middle of the day on a work week and hated that life was getting in the way. Learn from my mistake.

I also have to beg Penelope to please, please consider writing a novel on Kai. I was drawn to him since the beginning and I want more of him. I’m sure many readers agree.

Corrupt is incredible, a provocatively sexy read. I give it 4 out of 5 starts.

About The Author

Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author living in Las Vegas with her husband and daughter. Her books include the Fall Away series (Bully, Until You, Rival, Falling Away, and Aflame). Please look for her new erotica, Corrupt, releasing Nov. 17th, and her new contemporary romance, Misconduct, releasing Dec. 1, 2015. 

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