LIOOS goes to RARE17- Penny Reid

Title: Neanderthal Seeks Human 

Author: Penny Reid 

Synopsis: There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris: 1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and 3) She doesn't know how to knit. After losing her boyfriend, apartment, and job in the same day, Janie Morris can't help wondering what new torment fate has in store. To her utter mortification, Quinn Sullivan- aka Sir McHotpants- witnesses it all then keeps turning up like a pair of shoes you lust after but can't afford. The last thing she expects is for Quinn- the focus of her slightly, albeit harmless, stalkerish tendencies- to make her an offer she can't refuse.

I love this book so much that I´ve been non- stop reading the whole weekend all the other books in the series. My eyes feel like gritty sandpaper after the reading marathon but it was so worth it! This is not my first rodeo in Penny Reid´s awesomeness of books but I swear every new book I read from her has me falling in love once again for her writing. I haven´t read anyone with such a unique writing style. It is captivating, witty, heartfelt and hilarious all at the same time.

Neanderthal Seeks Human is the 1st book in the Knitting in the City series and after reading all the available title in this series I can say without a doubt that it is my favourite. The beginning of this book was like landing in the middle of the ocean. It was sudden, unexpected and had me thinking "who the hell is Janie"? But then Sir McHotpants aka Quinn comes in and is like a flying unicorn suddenly appeared, it was something truly magical. All the nerdy things and characters in this book suited perfectly my inner geek because in the end we are all freaks about a certain topic. I proudly consider myself a book nerd, so why not embrace it? That´s what this series of books is about, in accepting your wonderfully unique personality with every quirk and flaw and about making the most of it. It was something truly eye-opening for myself.

I have only praise and admiration for this book and its author, I wouldn´t change anything about it! The main characters are amazingly developed and the secondary characters bring even more live to the whole story. And I can assure you that you won´t be able to stop on the first book, is like and inner compulsion that makes you want more and more! 

Living In Our Own Story Goes to RARE17

Hey Everyone!

You all know that we have been loyal fans to the RARE signings from the very beginning. We were there on the first one back in 2014 in the lovely Edinburgh and again this summer in the same lovely city. We, unfortunately, did miss the the one last year in Montreal, Canada but it was slightly too far for us. Anyway, after the blast we had on both signings we attended, we are undoubtedly going to do it again!

Next year RARE17 is going to be on June 17th and take place at the Estrel Convention Hotel in Berlin. We are so excited because we haven´t been to Berlin yet =) And holly cow! the line up is out of this world! Since it is still so far away there will be for sure some changes but so far the authors that have confirmed are amazing! 

That is why we decided to do two authors´spotlights every week! In this spotlights you may find reviews, author's info and maybe some giveaways too. Also Bad Boys Monday is coming back with more mysteriours, sexy and addictive male characters that will leave you breathless and drooling after them. 

Here is the list of the attending authors as of today. We will keep you posted on any change that might occur =D



A.M. Hargrove
A. Zavarelli 
Adriane Leigh
Alexa Riley
Alice Clayton
Amy Plum
Annie Stone 
Audrey Carlan
B.B. Reid 
Bella Jewel
Brenna Aubrey
Carina Adams 
Catherine Bybee
Celia Aaron
Chelle Bliss 
Christina Lauren
Claire C Riley 
Clarissa Wild 
Denise Grover Swank
E.K. Blair
Emma Hart
Emma Scott 
Felicia Lynn
Georgia Cates
Harper Sloan
J.J. McAvoy
Jana Aston
Jenika Snow
Jennifer Probst
Jill Patten
Jo Raven
Jodi Ellen Malpas
Julia Kent
Karina Halle
Katherine Stevens
Katie Ashley
Katie Reus 
Kelly Elliott 
L.A. Casey
L.H. Cosway
L.P. Lovell
Lauren Layne
Lauren Rowe
Lesley Jones 
Liv Morris
Mariana Zapata
Marina Adair 
Meghan March
Molly Harper 
Monica James
Natasha Boyd
Penelope Douglas
Penelope Reid
Poppy J. Anderson 
Portia Moore
Rachel Van Dyken
Raine Miller
Rebecca Donovan
Rhyannon Byrd
Ruth Clampett
Samantha Towle
Sawyer Bennett
Scarlett Cole
Shayla Black 
Skye Jordan 
Sloane Howell
Sophie Jackson
Stacey Marie Brown
Stevie J. Cole 
Suzanne Wright
Terri E Laine
Tillie Cole
Toni Aleo
Zoraida Cordova


So what do you think? It's incredible, right? We so can't wait to meet some of our favorite authors that are coming to Europe for the first time. And of course, we get to say "Hi" who've been here before and we love dearly.

Tell us what you think of the line up. And we won't mind if you share with us your favorites of this incredible list :)
Just leave a comment below ;)

Measuring Up

Title: Measuring Up 

Author: Nyrae Dawn 

Synopsis:Seventeen-year-old Annabel Conway is tired of the Hillcrest High School elite making her life miserable because she’s not a size two. This summer, she's hiring a personal trainer to help her lose weight. Annabel doesn’t expect her trainer to be a gorgeous guy around her age. Boys like Tegan are jerks. They pretend to like girls like her so they can make an idiot out of them. Been there, done that. Totally not going there again. She kind of hates him on principal. Blond. Muscular. Funny. It doesn’t help that he knows her measurements! Soon, Tegan's so much more than that. He’s the boy who teaches her to box when she has a bad day. Who jogs with her and lets her set the pace. Who kisses her until she melts. He makes her feel beautiful regardless of what the scale says. Unlike her mom, he doesn’t expect perfection, and he doesn't try to shield her from the world like her dad and best friend. Tegan likes her the way she is. But what happens when he’s not there? He can’t always be there… Will Annabel be able to stand on her own and learn that she already measures up? That her worth doesn’t lie in what the world thinks, the scale says, or even what Tegan tells her—but in herself?(Goodreads)

Review:

This book was part of my RARE Event challenge. Before Measuring Up I read just one previous book from Nyrae Dawn and it was OK, but not memorable. But after reading the synopsis of this one I knew I had to read it because I like books that deal with difficult topics.

Measuring Up follows Annabel  journey to accept herself as she completely is, both physically and emotionally. With the help of Tegan her personal trainer she will learn to see the beauty in her and not focusing on the negativity of other people.

In a world were beauty, fitness and unattainable role models, Measuring Up gives readers a look on how to fight against society and self-acceptance. I´ve been quite lucky in the part of accepting myself as I am but I know this book could be really useful for girls in every range of age because loving yourself and your body it´s a difficult thing in today´s world.

So I really think this light-hearted book would be perfect just for any girl. 

Review: Rome

Title: Rome (Marked Men #3) 

Author: Jay Crownover 

Synopsis: Sometimes the wrong choice can be just right . . . Fun and fearless, Cora Lewis knows how to keep her tattooed "bad boy" friends at the Marked in line. But beneath all that flash and sass is a broken heart. Cora won't let herself get burned again. She's waiting to fall in love with the perfect man—a baggage-free, drama-free guy ready for commitment. Then she meets Rome Archer. Rome Archer is as far from perfect as a man can be. He's stubborn, rigid, and bossy. And he's returned from his final tour of duty more than a little broken. Rome's used to filling many roles: big brother, doting son, supersoldier—but none of those fit anymore. Now he's just a man trying to figure out what to do with the rest of his life while keeping the dark demons of war and loss at bay. He would have been glad to suffer through it alone, until Cora comes sweeping into his life and becomes a blinding flash of color in a sea of gray.Perfect may not be in the cards, but perfectly imperfect could just last forever . . .

My Review:

Rome is the third book in the Marked Men series by Jay Crownover. It was definitively one of the most anticipated books in my 2014 TBR list. I loved Rule and I liked Jet so when I had in my hands Rome I didn´t know what to expect because each character is so different: Rule is the bad boy, Jet is the rock star and Rome is a badass. Archer brothers rule!!

Rome follows the same narrative dynamic of alternating point of views. Rome narrates the uneven chapters while Cora narrates the pair ones, even though some scenes overlap each other they don´t feel repetitive because by getting inside each character´s mind we get a completely different feeling while reading the same scene, it is like you are reading a whole new scene. Rome is the most real book, it feels believable, there are issues that need time to resolve, there is drama and the relationships between the characters builds slowly. In Crownover´s fashion, the characters have to fight till the end of the story in order to achieve the happiness they are looking for.

I loved both Cora and Rome, they seemed like an unlikely couple at the beginning but in fact they are perfect for each other. Cora´s feisty attitude crashes with Rome´s fierceness and their loyalty and sense of rightness made them perfect. I also liked that we still get to know more about the previous couples and the characters that are still single. The author makes you enjoy the story that is currently taking place while at the same time she makes you remember why you loved the series in the first place while making you need the next books in the series. Jay Crownover is a master teaser!

Rome is full of angst, romance, tears and hope. It is the most heartbreaking book of the Marked Men series till the moment and I cannot wait to read the rest about the lives of these hotties and tattooed men.

Review: Wallbanger

Title: Wallbanger (Cocktail #1) 

Author: Alice Clayton 

Synopsis: The first night after Caroline moves into her fantastic new San Francisco apartment, she realizes she's gaining an intimate knowledge of her new neighbor's nocturnal adventures. Thanks to paper-thin walls and the guy's athletic prowess, she can hear not just his bed banging against the wall but the ecstatic response of what seems (as loud night after loud night goes by) like an endless parade of women. And since Caroline is currently on a self-imposed dating hiatus, and her neighbor is clearly lethally attractive to women, she finds her fantasies keep her awake even longer than the noise. So when the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts Simon Parker, her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. The tension between them is as thick as the walls are thin, and the results just as mixed. Suddenly, Caroline is finding she may have discovered a whole new definition of neighborly... In a delicious mix of silly and steamy, Alice Clayton dishes out a hot and hilarious tale of exasperation at first sight...

Amazon

My Review:

Wallbanger is the first book I´ve ever read by Alice Clayton and I wasn´t quite sure what to expect from it. I was hoping for a funny read, with steamy scenes and flirtatious characters and luckily for me, it fulfilled my expectations and more.

I had so much fun reading the story of Caroline and Simon. While I was reading it, it was as if I was watching something like Modern Family but for couples. Clayton´s refreshing and witty writing style made the story believable and made her characters approachable. I loved every character, from the main ones to the secondary ones.

I love that Spain plays an important role in the story from the beginning. I felt really proud of being Spanish because Clayton has portrayed Spain as a beautiful and exotic country full of hidden treasures and magic. And Spain is all of that and more! I loved how she made me cherish the things we have, the friendly people, the weather, the food. OMG the food…when she was describing it I was craving for a paella so badly! People out there, you should definitely try Spanish food at least once in your life, I wouldn´t be able to live in other country for a long time without my wonderful food.

I am not usually a cat person because I´ve always had dogs. But Clive was really funny and he plays such an important role, that I think about him as a character not a pet. And I really loved the epilogue, it was hilarious and very clever to use it as a closure for the book.

I can´t wait to read the next books in the series to discover how Simon, Caroline and Clive are doing. I really recommend Wallbanger as a funny, refreshing and easy read.

Review: On the Rocks

Title: On the Rocks (LAst Call #1) 

Author: Sawyer Bennett 

Synopsis: He left to travel the world for fame and glory, but only after spurning Gabby Ward and crushing her young heart. Now Hunter Markham has come back home to the sand and salty breeze of the North Carolina Outer Banks so he can open up Last Call, a beach bar nestled among the dunes of the Atlantic. Gabby Ward is not happy that Hunter has returned. Bitter over his rebuff years before, she’s content to stay far away from him and his dangerously charming ways. Gabby’s well-schemed plans to ignore Hunter go up in flames when he presents an offer to her that she simply can’t refuse, throwing them together in a common quest to each reach their goals. Working together day in and day out proves to be problematic for Gabby, who soon realizes that the feelings she had for him are still very much alive. Hunter struggles to reach through to Gabby’s cold heart, all while starting a new career away from his life as a top ranked, professional surfer. What starts out as a mutual business arrangement soon turns into a passion that neither of them can continue to deny. Hard choices lay ahead for both of them when Hunter is offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to return to the pro surfing tour. Choices that could destroy what they have built or take them further than they ever had dared to hope.

                                                                  Amazon

My Review: 

On the Rocks is an easy and light reading with a very interesting start that hooks you to the story.This is the first book I read of Sawyer Bennett and I really like her writing style.

It has a really hot main character, Hunter, with a very likeable female protagonist though I didn´t like Gabby´s behaviour in the end, is kind of understandable but I still didn´t liked it and the fact Hunter just let her go away didn´t fit with the image I had of Hunter.

On the Rocks has also wonderful secondary characters, there were times when I wanted to read more about Brody that about Hunter, can´t wait to read about Brody and Alyssa, the author was able to write a story while creating a lot of suspense around the upcoming couples.

It is a reading full of twists, sexual tension and funny moments. I really enjoyed reading On the Rocks and I can´t wait for the next book on this series!

Review: Bully

Title: Bully (Far Away #1) 

Author: Penelope Douglas 

Synopsis: My name is Tate. He doesn't call me that, though. He would never refer to me so informally, if he referred to me at all. We're neighbors, and once, we were best friends. But then, one summer, he turned on me and has made it his mission to screw up my life at every opportunity. I've been humiliated, shut out, and gossiped about all through high school. His pranks and rumors got more sadistic as time wore on, and I made myself sick trying to hide from him. I worried about what was around every corner and behind every door. So I left. I spent a year studying abroad and bathed in the freedom of life without Jared. Now I'm back to finish up high school and get the hell out of here forever. I'm hoping that after a year of breathing room, he's moved on and forgotten all about me. But even if he hasn't changed, I have. I'm not interested in avoiding him or turning the other cheek anymore. We're going to go head to head, because neither of us wants to back down.

Amazon

My review:

Bully is part of my RARE Event challenge and is the first book I´ve read by Penelope Douglas.

Since I read the synopsis I had a bad feeling about this book because I don´t like bullies and as I knew it would happen, this book made me get crazy in a bad way but also in a good way. When I finished it my head was a turmoil of mixed feelings.

As a reader I knew I had a problem when Jared appeared, he was completely hot but at the same time an awful person. And if you don´t like one of the main characters it is really difficult to enjoy the reading. Bullying, the main issue of the novel, is the thing that disturbed me the most about this book.

I think Jared should have man up and face his problems with Tate, if he couldn´t do it when his problems started then try later but bullying is never ok.

I liked Tate, I really liked that she is a strong character that knew that what Jared was doing was completely wrong, even if from the beginning we know they are going to end up together, the fact that she fights against it for most of the book, made her win some points.

I thought that after knowing  what was behind Jared´s behaviour I would understand him better, but no, I know what happened to him was fucked up but he could have done a lot of other things, I don´t see any logic in pushing away the most important person of your life and when he has decided he had enough just take her back, it was wrong in so many levels.

This book was kind of reading a child quarrel in teenage bodies but I don´t know the author narrates the story in a way that she makes you like he book, maybe is that the book is narrated from Tate´s POV and she was a strong character. Maybe if I read Until You I will understand Jared better than I do know.

To sum up this turmoil of ideas: I liked the book, well written, strong heroine, bad boy character with some fucked up ways to show it, some sweet moments, lots of sexual tension. And just to be clear bullying is wrong in every level, fight against it, don´t let other mistreat you, no matter their reasons, bullying should always be condemned.

REVIEW: Always You

Title: Always You 

Author: Missy Johnson 

Synopsis: I was thrilled when I was offered a graduate teaching position at the prestigious Tennerson Girls Academy. At twenty-three, this would be my first ‘real’ teaching assignment. Working at the elite boarding school, home to the daughters of some of the wealthiest people in the world, was a great opportunity that I would’ve been stupid to pass up. One week into my new job, and I suddenly had no idea why I chose high school…I was a seventeen year old boy once, I knew how teenage girls behaved. You can’t even imagine the hell of trying to teach thirty, hormonal driven seventeen year olds who have been cooped up, away from any male contact. I could handle the whispers every time I entered the room. I could even handle the obvious attempts at gaining my attention. What I couldn’t handle was her… Rich bitches and way too many rules. Was it any wonder that I hated school? Add to that the lack of male contact, and I was going insane. Like literally. I wasn’t used to this. A year ago I was normal. I had a boyfriend, friends and a loving family. There is nothing normal about me anymore, and nobody here lets me forget that. My name is Wrenn, and I’m only here because my aunt took me in after what happened, but my aunt also happens to be the headmistress of this academy…Can you see my problem? I’m hated for my lack of money, and I’m hated for who my Aunt is. Then he arrived. Dalton Reed. My new history teacher. Slowly, he helped me see that even in the worst situations, there is always hope.

                                                                 Amazon

My Review:

I really liked the beginning, it was very sweet and I was eager to read where it was heading. The book has a dual point of view. I usually don´t mind reading about teacher/student, but it was kind of unbelievable having such a young teacher in a girl boarding school.

I liked Wren till she started being a selfish child, she has a lot of potential but I really didn´t understand why they couldn´t wait to be together, if you tell me they had to wait a year... ok, but it was just around 8 weeks, I mean you are just out of college and you want to throw everyhing out for a chick you just met? Not my style at all. Dalton´s possible illness brings something very interesting into the story, I have to say I even cry in some parts.

Through the whole book I was expecting to read the moment when they realize they have already met each other, but I was completely let down. I mean I was expecting that scene since the beginning and it was simple and it didn´t bring the feelings I was expecting.

I enjoyed reading it, I liked reading the alternating point of view of the characters but I think that the fact that such a wonderful beginning and end of story were possible but at the same time the whole development of the story was just OK, didn´t made up for the flatness of what was in the middle, because the whole time I was expecting something more, more feelings, more drama.

Review: Whispers in the Dark

Title: Whispers in the Dark 

Author: K.I.Lynn 

Synopsis: A power outage leaves Mia Harmon stuck alone in the dark with no source of light except her cell phone. Frightened, she heads to a neighbor to ask for a light. Tristan, the new guy in 7D, is more than willing to help her out. A bad day turns into a night where Mia ends up getting much more than she bargained for.

Amazon



My Review:

This short story is part of my RARE Event reading challenge. I´ve never read anything from K.I.Lynn before Whispers in the Dark and I have to say that after reading this story I am a fan of her writing.
Lynn has created an story full of witty, sexual tension, love, fun and incredible characters in a bunch of pages while other authors in whole novels cannot even express half of the emotions Lynn described in this novella.

It has a very interesting beginning, a difficult situation, a witty heroine a hot guy (love Tristan) and it even has believable secondary characters. The author´s writing style hooks the reader into the story so easily that I didn´t even realized it was ending till I keep trying to turn the page on my Kindle and it said 100%. I was so deep into the story that I didn´t want it to end.

Whispers in the Dark is the perfect reading after a hard day at work or school when the only thing you want to do is to get lost in a story but one that wouldn´t keep you up all night. I really recommend it.

Review: Seven Years to Sin

Title: Seven Years to Sin 

Author: Sylvia Day 

Synopsis: The longer the resistance… Seven years ago, on the eve of her wedding, proper Lady Jessica Sheffield witnessed a licentious scene no innocent young miss could imagine. Shocked, yet strangely titillated, she’d held her silence regarding scandalous Alistair Caulfield, and walked down the aisle as expected. But through years of serene, unremarkable marriage, Caulfield’s image remained burned into her imagination, fueling very illicit dreams… …the sweeter the reward Alistair ran far from the temptation of the prim debutante with the fire of passion in her eyes–all the way to the West Indies. As a successful merchant, he has little in common with the rakehell youth she knew. But when newly widowed Jessica steps aboard his ship for a transatlantic passage, seven years’ worth of denied pleasures are held in check by nothing more than a few layers of silk–and the certainty that surrender will consume them both…

Amazon

My review: 

I read this book as part of my RARE Event reading challenge. I think I am one of the few romance lovers that haven´t read any Sylvia Day´s books till the moment, but in my defense I have to say that I am always afraid to read authors that are very popular. Though in this case I am really happy I read Seven Years to Sin because it reconnected me with my love for Victorian romances.

The story is wonderfully written, Day´s writng style reminded me of a mixture of Lisa Kleypas and Nora Roberts, two of my favourite authors. Seven Years to Sin is a book full of unexpected twists, the main plot hooks you from the very beginning but the subplots are the basis that make Jess and Alistair´s story reliable. There is a lot of sexual tension in the whole book and it come from everywhere not just from the main couple. Thruth to be say, with such a hot man as Alistair I don´t know how the book didn´t combust from the sexual power. Seven Years to Sin is a historical romance with touches of contemporary romance since I missed more historical facts and dates to portray the whole setting of the novel.

I really liked that it is not the typical historical romance where the heroine is a helpless virgin and the hero is a flawless gentleman. I loved all the dark secrets around Alistair and the hidden desires Jess had without her realizing it. I would give a 10 out of 10 to the characters, even the secondary ones are perfectly described. There were even times when I wanted to read more about Michael and Hester than about Jess and Alistair. The sex scenes were hot but in the end I kind of was tired of them, half book is about sex, which I like reading about  but in the end I was more interested in their feelings than in their sexual encounters.

Seven Years to Sin is the perfect mix of a historical novel and a contemporary romance story full of sex, mysteries and unexpected twists. It is the perfect book for romance addicts looking for a hot hero and a determined heroine fighting for their future in an England full of social constrains.

This song reminds me of Alistair and Jess relationship in the beginning. What do you think?

Review: Naked

Title: Naked (The Blackstone Affair #1) 

Author: Raine Miller 

Synopsis: Brynne Bennett is living the good life. An American art student at the University of London and part-time photographic model, she’s putting her life back on track with school and lots of hard work. When ultra successful London businessman, Ethan Blackstone, buys her nude portrait, he isn’t taking ‘no’ for an answer. He wants Brynne in his bed and makes plans to keep her there no matter what. His dominant nature captivates and ensnares despite the demons she carries inside her. But there are secrets in this relationship. Huge ones. Can Ethan free Brynne from the past that has marked her? Will Brynne let him or will the specters tormenting her resurface to destroy them both…

My review: 

I started reading Naked for the RARE Event challenge of reading and posting a review of a book of every author attending the signing event. I didn´t read any Miller´s books before Naked.

The synopsis and development of this story reminded me in a way to 50 Shades of Grey. The controlling, over protective, rich man obsessing over the insecure, beauty student. Though I have to say the writing style is a lot better. I also liked the setting of pre-olympic London and all the detailed descriptions of one of the cities I love the most. Sometimes it was as if I was back in London for a couple of hours while reading Naked.

From my point of view the main problem for me were the main characters. But not because they were weak or bad developed, it is just a matter of taste. Rich men are my least favourite kind of heroes and if we add overprotective and kind of caveman...just not my kind. I have to say there is a cliffhanger at the end so you may want to have All In, the 2nd book in The Blackstone Affair series to avoid the tension!

Naked was a short and easy read perfect for romantic readers that are looking for insta attraction and caveman behaviour while enjoying a detailed narration in the wonderful city of London.

Amazon