CHASING CHAOS by Katie Rose Pryal

Chasing Chaos (Entanglement Series, #3) 
by Katie Rose Guest Pryal 




From Goodreads:

Daphne Saito, a beautiful and talented Hollywood screenwriter, might look like she has the perfect life, but on the inside she’s lost. She’s wandered from one meaningless relationship to the next—and now, just as she breaks up with her longtime boyfriend, Dan—she finds herself facing someone new, someone she could fall in love with. But Daphne, still traumatized by an accident involving her best friend, Greta, five years earlier, is afraid to love. Harm has always come to those close to her. 

Over five life-changing days, Daphne lets her guard down and steps toward this new love. But trouble is never far behind. Dan, angry at Daphne’s departure, has targeted an innocent young woman, someone close to Daphne’s new love, as part of a plan for revenge. And an enigmatic woman from Daphne’s past returns with revenge plans of her own. Danger is on the horizon for all of Daphne’s friends—and for her. 

What I thought:

Daphne is a great, flawed character and I really enjoyed her story. I loved the friendships here and how the other relationships developed. There was a bit more narrative distance here than I'm used to, but Daphne is a more closed-off character, so it feels organic and juxtaposes nicely against the moments of deeper POV. Overall, it works well, and the places where we get closer to the characters gave me all the feels. Like, seriously, major feels.

This is not the first book in the series, but it is the first one I've read. It definitely stands alone. That said, there is a major event--Greta's accident--that is hinted about repeatedly, but never explained. I assume the actual event is in one of the earlier books. Here it's a mysterious thing that happened. If that sort of thing eats at you, then read the series in order. Earlier books might also give characterization that is missing here, but all the characters are well-realized so it would just be a bonus.

I'm hooked. I will definitely keep up with the series to see where it goes. 4.5 stars. *I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Find more reviews and links to buy on Goodreads. If you pick this up, I'd love to hear what you thought about it. I adore comments. What are you reading? What is your most anticipated book of 2016? If you like my reviews, follow my blog via email (I'll never use your email address for evil. Acutally, I'll never use it at all), google+, or bloglovin.

Happy reading,

Chelly
@chellypike

SPELLS OF BLOOD AND KIN by Claire Humphrey

Spells of Blood and Kin

by Claire Humphrey

From Goodreads

Where we love, we ruin…

Some families hand down wealth through generations; some hand down wisdom. Some families, whether they want to or not, hand down the secret burdens they carry and the dangerous debts they owe.

Lissa Nevsky's grandmother leaves her a big, empty house, and a legacy of magic: folk magic, old magic, brought with Baba when she fled the Gulag. In the wake of her passing, the Russian community of Toronto will depend on Lissa now, to give them their remedies and be their koldun'ia. But Lissa hasn't had time to learn everything Baba wanted to teach her—let alone the things Baba kept hidden.

Maksim Volkov's birth family is long dead, anything they bestowed on him long turned to dust. What Maksim carries now is a legacy of violence, and he does not have to die to pass it on. When Maksim feels his protective spell fail, he returns to the witch he rescued from the Gulag, only to find his spell has died along with the one who cast it. Without the spell, it is only a matter of time before Maksim's violent nature slips its leash and he infects someone else—if he hasn't done so already.

Nick Kaisaris is just a normal dude who likes to party. He doesn't worry about family drama. He doesn't have any secrets. All he wants is for things to stay like they are right now, tonight: Nick and his best buddy Jonathan, out on the town. Only Nick is on a collision course with Maksim Volkov, and what he takes away from this night is going to crack open Nick's nature until all of his worst self comes to light.

Lissa's legacy of magic might hold the key to Maksim's salvation, if she can unravel it in time. But it's a legacy that comes at a price. And Maksim might not want to be saved…

My Review:

The language here is stunning and so visual. The world building is layered and feels effortless. The characters are multi-dimensional. Told in multiple POVs, each voice was distinct and every character was alive on the page. The pacing was steady all the way through and kept me reading. I like my stories dark and this was definitely that. My only complaint was the end felt a little abrupt, but maybe that's because I didn't want it to end. Not sure if this is a stand-alone or a series, but I can't wait to see what comes next from this author. I give this book 4.5 stars and I'm adding Claire Humphrey to my auto-buy list. *Received an eARC of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Find more reviews and links to buy on Goodreads. Leave me a comment and let me know what you think of SPELLS OF BLOOD AND KIN or tell me which book you can't wait to read. Happy Reading, Chelly @chellypike

The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You by Lili Anderson

The Only Thing Worse Than Me Is You

by Lily Anderson

Blurb from Goodreads:

Trixie Watson has two very important goals for senior year: to finally save enough to buy the set of Dr. Who figurines at the local comic books store, and to place third in her class and knock Ben West--and his horrendous new mustache that he spent all summer growing--down to number four.

Trixie will do anything to get her name ranked over Ben's, including give up sleep and comic books--well, maybe not comic books--but definitely sleep. After all, the war of Watson v. West is as vicious as the Doctor v. Daleks and Browncoats v. Alliance combined, and it goes all the way back to the infamous monkey bars incident in the first grade. Over a decade later, it's time to declare a champion once and for all.

The war is Trixie's for the winning, until her best friend starts dating Ben's best friend and the two are unceremoniously dumped together and told to play nice. Finding common ground is odious and tooth-pullingly-painful, but Trixie and Ben's cautious truce slowly transforms into a fandom-based tentative friendship. When Trixie's best friend gets expelled for cheating and Trixie cries foul play, however, they have to choose who to believe and which side they're on--and they might not pick the same side. 

What I thought:

I loved this book. Smart and funny, fast-paced, and the mystery kept me guessing until the end (which hardly ever happens). The characters are so well drawn and (no spoilers--though I did see it coming pretty early on) this trope is one of my favorites.

Trixie is the quintessential unlikable/lovable character from page one, and I adored her. Ben is her nemesis, complete with a villainous curly mustache. Lili Anderson paints a vivid picture on every page and I couldn't stop turning them. Can't recommend this book enough and I'm giving it all the stars!  *****

Find it on Goodreads for more reviews and links to buy. Drop me a comment and let me know what you think or find me on twitter @chellypike.




Happy Reading, 

Chelly



*I received an eARC of this title from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange

for an honest review, and I honestly loved it.

THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN by Roshani Chokshi

My review of THE STAR-TOUCHED QUEEN by Roshani Chokshi:



From Goodreads:

Fate and fortune. Power and passion. What does it take to be the queen of a kingdom when you're only seventeen?

Maya is cursed. With a horoscope that promises a marriage of Death and Destruction, she has earned only the scorn and fear of her father's kingdom. Content to follow more scholarly pursuits, her whole world is torn apart when her father, the Raja, arranges a wedding of political convenience to quell outside rebellions. Soon Maya becomes the queen of Akaran and wife of Amar. Neither roles are what she expected: As Akaran's queen, she finds her voice and power. As Amar's wife, she finds something else entirely: Compassion. Protection. Desire...

But Akaran has its own secrets -- thousands of locked doors, gardens of glass, and a tree that bears memories instead of fruit. Soon, Maya suspects her life is in danger. Yet who, besides her husband, can she trust? With the fate of the human and Otherworldly realms hanging in the balance, Maya must unravel an ancient mystery that spans reincarnated lives to save those she loves the most. . .including herself.

A lush and vivid story that is steeped in Indian folklore and mythology. The Star-Touched Queen is a novel that no reader will soon forget.

What I thought:

From the first page, I loved this story. Cursed and ostracized, Maya is at once charming and heartbreaking. I wanted to hold her hand and follow her through the story, and I'm not a hand-holding kind of girl. Wow. The language here is stunning and the world building is expertly done. 

Amar. Sigh. His words. Sigh. I seriously couldn't adore him more. It's hard to explain what this book did to me without spoilers, so I'll just say that I savored every page. I highly recommend this book. 

*I received an eARC of this title from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review and I honestly loved it so much that I bought a physical copy so I could pet it like a kitten. This one gets all the stars ***** and you can find it on Goodreads to order your very own because you need this book in your life.

Are you dying to read this? Have you already read it? What did you think? Leave me a comment and find me on twitter @chellypike.


Happy reading, 
Chelly

P.S. Can anyone please tell me where I can acquire my very own demon horse? Because I need one.

MY PERFECT MISTAKE by Kelly Siskind

MY PERFECT MISTAKE by Kelly Siskind




Goodreads says:

What happens in Aspen
is definitely not staying in Aspen. . .

A girls’ trip to Aspen was exactly what Shay needed to forget about her toxic ex-boyfriend. She’s got her girls, pristine slopes for skiing, and hot guys everywhere. Of course, her epic self-rediscovery goes completely to hell when a wild (and deliciously hot) skier knocks Shay on her ass . . . and war is declared. 

Kolton doesn’t know what it is about Shay that makes him lose it. Not just his cool—although she does have an unholy gift for that—but his restraint. When anger gives way to explosive chemistry, they’re both shaken with the intensity of it. But somewhere between lust and hate, Kolton and Shay realize they could have something real . . . if they don’t kill each other first.

My thoughts:

Hate-to-love is my favorite romance trope.

The beginning of the book is explosive. Hot. Hot. Hot. Their chemistry is off the charts. I loved the immediate connection (figuratively and literally) between these two. Shay is snarky and funny. She's self-aware and ...complicated. Kolton is smoking hot and pushes all Shay's buttons. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments.

No insta-love here. They're both carrying some serious baggage and have to put aside their pasts to find their Happily-Ever-Afters. Real life and past relationships test them at every turn. I'm not a big fan of kids in romance, and there is a kid in this one, but it works here to show the other side of Kolton.

Overall, I really loved MY PERFECT MISTAKE. I'm giving it 4.5 stars and highly recommend it. If you haven't read CHASING CRAZY, click the link for my review. Trust me, you need both.

Happy reading,
Chelly

P.S. Have you read it? Are you going to read it? I'd love to know what you think. Leave me a comment or find me on twitter @chellypike.

THE INFIDEL STAIN by M.J. Carter

                           

 

The Infidel Stain

M.J. Carter

It's 1841, and three years after we left them at the close of The Strangler Vine, Blake and Avery are reunited in very different circumstances in London. There has been a series of dreadful murders in the slums of the printing district, which the police mysteriously refuse to investigate, and Blake and Avery must find the culprit before he kills again.

My thoughts:
I loved THE STRANGLER VINE and was excited for the sequel, but I found the beginning of THE INFIDEL STAIN a little slow. The author, for me, relied too much on characterization built in the first book, which took away some of what made the relationship between Blake and Avery work so well. Blake isn't as much of an enigma now.

So the pace wasn't as quick as I'd have liked, and the setting, London, wasn't as evocative, but the mystery was front and center and I love how the author weaved everything together. Secondary characters are well-drawn and alive on the page and the city was a character in itself.

The action picked up around the 50% mark and all the things I loved about THE STRANGLER VINE were back on the page--the fast pace, Blake's quiet, mysterious charm, Avery's internal struggles, and the pieces of the mystery falling into place.

I'm hooked and will definitely read whatever M.J. Carter writes next.

Find it here: Goodreads

Happy Reading,
Chelly

Let me know what you think. Leave me a comment or find me on twitter @chellypike

CHASING CRAZY by Kelly Siskind

My Review of CHASING CRAZY by Kelly Siskind:





From Goodreads:


Dear Mom & Dad, I dropped out of school. I’m going backpacking. Sorry. Love you both.

At nineteen, Nina has endured two lifetime’s worth of humiliation. Tired of waiting for it to get better, she decides to get going—across the globe to New Zealand. There she soon faces what she most fears: a super sexy guy ready to be Nina’s next mistake.

Once Sam’s life was all about having fun. That was before the accident. Now his friends have bailed and his world is broken. But when a gorgeous girl on his flight looks at him with passion instead of pity, Sam feels his old self coming back to life.

Now traveling together, Nina and Sam know this isn’t just a fling. They’re falling fast, hard, and deep. More than anything, Sam wants Nina to forget her fears. But to help her do that he must reveal his own painful secret—and risk Nina never seeing him the same way again.


What I thought:

I've been in a bit of a reading slump--as evidenced by the stack of books I need to review--but CHASING CRAZY showed up in my Netgalley a few days ago. I read the first few pages and bumped it to the top of the list. And then I plowed through this baby in one day. So glad I did.

Never have I ever played Never Have I Ever, because, seriously, I might die of alcohol poisoning, but I'd risk it if I could play with Nina and Sam. Oh my God, they are...oh my God. The first scene had me laughing aloud. Nina is awkward and insecure and Sam is scarred and insecure, and they're perfect for each other and I wanted to smoosh them together and have a happily-ever-after before the end of chapter one. But I didn't want it to end. So there's that. Conflict.

Traveling through New Zealand gives great scenery, and that both Nina and Sam are there to start over starts a ticking clock. When will they have to go back to their old lives? The characters and their many layers are so well constructed. The pacing is flawless and the conflict is so true to life. And it's hot! Did I mention it's hot? The sexual tension is off the charts and the smexy times get all the freaking stars.

And I can't say anything else without spoilers, so I'll just say go buy it.


If you love romance, I highly recommend CHASING CRAZY and give it all the stars. *****
Find it on Goodreads for more reviews and links to buy.

*I received an eArc of this title in exchange for an honest review, and I honestly loved it.


What are you reading? What should I read next? Drop me a comment or find me on twitter: @chellypike

Happy Reading,
Chelly