Kishaz Reading Corner: Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Disclaimer: I have received no compensation from the author or publisher for this honest review.

About the Book

Lena Duchannes is unlike anyone the small Southern town of Gatlin has ever seen, and she's struggling to conceal her power, and a curse that has haunted her family for generations. But even within the overgrown gardens, murky swamps and crumbling graveyards of the forgotten South, a secret cannot stay hidden forever.

Ethan Wate, who has been counting the months until he can escape from Gatlin, is haunted by dreams of a beautiful girl he has never met. When Lena moves into the town's oldest and most infamous plantation, Ethan is inexplicably drawn to her and determined to uncover the connection between them.

In a town with no surprises, one secret could change everything.

Buy the Book

AMAZON

Here's what I'm giving it:

Rating: 4 stars

Here's why:

I saw the movie first and, while it takes some things from the books, it didn't get it all. I enjoyed reading the story about Lena and Ethan.

I'm not much on history, but i loved the way they weaved the civil war setting with the present day. The supernatural and paranormal elements blended seamlessly and made this love story a believable one.

The secondary cast of characters (Macon, Amma, Ridley, etc.) were well-fleshed out and added flavor to the story.

Ethan, smart and full of tenacity. Lena, vulnerable, intelligent and very conflicted. All the things I like in characters. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.


Would I recommend this? Yes and I plan on reading the rest of the series.

Kishaz Reading Corner: The Prince's Ultimate Deception by Emilie Rose

Disclaimer: I have received no compensation from the author or publisher for this honest review.

About the Book

American Madeline Spencer arrived in glitzy Monaco with dreams of a vacation fling. Dangerously attractive and maddeningly mysterious Damon Rossi filled the bill. Their nights of soaring passion left Madeline breathless--and craving more. Then she discovered her seductive paramour was actually a prince. Being considered a royal mistress had not been part of her plan. But she could almost get used to a lifetime of pampering.

Until she found out her disguised prince was set to marry another woman.

Buy the Book

AMAZON

Here's what I'm giving it:

Rating: 4 stars

Here's why:

Where to start....

Madeline is awesome. She knows how to protect herself physically and can handle weapons thanks to her father who is a cop.  Her past romantic relationships have left her burned and she really detests liars.

Damon Rossi is a prince in disguise. He falls for Madeline. There's one problem: he hasn't revealed the truth about who he really is. He wants her in the forever kind of way but he might not get what he's hoping for.

The relationship between the two of them was full of sparks and chemistry.

Would I recommend this? Yes, I would also recommend this one. All in all, a good romantic read.

Kishaz Reading Corner: The Sheik and the Bought Bride by Susan Mallery

Disclaimer: I received no compensation from the author or publisher for this honest review.

About the Book

It was bad enough being hauled out of bed by palace guards. Now Victoria McCallan has just offered to pay off her father's gambling debts--with herself as the prize! So the palace secretary was shocked when sexy Prince Kateb made her a counteroffer....

When Kateb whisked Victoria off to the desert to be his mistress for six months, the widowed ruler had no intention of falling in love. But the outspoken Texas transplant was soon tempting him to change his royal ways. Duty decreed the El Deharia sheik should wed a proper mate, but Kateb's heart was telling him something else: to claim Victoria as his woman--now and forever.

Buy the Book

Amazon

Here's what I'm giving it:

Rating: 4 stars

Here's why:

Let's hear it for strong women. Victoria had a really messed up background but it didn't stop her from blazing a trail so bright it hurt to see it.

Kateb was an interesting mix of honor and stubbornness as well as a man afraid to open his heart, especially because of the tragedies of his past.

The back and forth banter, sexual tension, and clash of traditions vs present political changes made for a nice read.

Would I recommend this book? Yes. I'd love to read a continuation story about these two.

Kishaz Reading Corner: The Sheikh's Seduction by Emma Darcy

Disclaimer: I received no compensation from the author or publisher for this honest review.

About the Book

Who was seducing whom?

With her family's future happiness in Tareq al-Khaima's all-controlling hands, Sarah Hillyard was persuaded to become the sheikh's traveling companion for a year. She remembered his gentleness toward her as a young girl, but now she suspected Tareq's scheme was a calculated means of getting closer to the beautiful woman she had become—with no promise of commitment on his part.

Tareq claimed to have lost the capacity to love and he was so totally self-contained, so frustratingly untouchable that Sarah surprised herself by wanting to find out how he would react if she turned the tables—and set about seducing him!

Buy the Book

Amazon

Here's what I'm giving it:

Rating: 3.5 stars

Here's why:

This story is about a man with divided loyalties and a vivacious young, dedicated young woman who values family above all else.

The ruthlessness and calculating behavior of Tareq was a bit off-putting at first until you get more info from his backstory. Sarah drove me nuts because she was a "doormat" and naive to the point of being scary.

I almost put the book down until she had an "omg" moment and the story changed. After that it was all good.

Despite their flaws, the pairing worked well and the ending was satisfactory.

Would I recommend this book? Yes.

Kishaz Reading Corner: The Bridesmaid's Secret by Sophie Weston

Disclaimer: I got this book from the public library and have received no compensation from the author or publisher for this honest review.

About the Book

Bella Carew is dreading going home to England for her sister's wedding! In New York she has a glamorous job, a whole new circle of friends. Best of all, nobody knows anything about her love life.…

Gil de la Court interrupts a major business deal to go to his friend's English wedding. Still, a dance with the beautiful bridesmaid feels like more than adequate compensation! But why does Bella seem to be working so hard to pretend she's having fun? Gil suspects this bridesmaid has a secret.…

Buy the Book

AMAZON

Here's what I'm giving it:

Rating: 4 stars

Here's why:

After a little bit of a hiatus, I'm back! And what better way to start it off than by reviewing some romance.

There are four major reasons why I liked this book. Here they are in no particular order:

1) I'm a speed reader so any book that I can finish in under 2 hours is a good thing. (Mainly because I rarely get 2 hours straight, uninterrupted time to myself anymore.)

2) Both romantic leads, Bella and Gil, had flaws that were believable and had me going back and forth on the emotional rollercoaster with them. She acted like a party girl but wasn't as shallow as people thought her to be. He was my favorite kind of guy, a nerd who seemed sophisticated, but was a true clueless geek at heart.

3) Both had past love issues that shaped their behaviors and attitudes toward each other, relationships and love.

4) The biggest, but most pleasant shock, was the lack of overly descriptive sex scenes. Foreplay was shown but when it came to the down and dirty, the author tastefully faded to black.


Would I recommend this? Yes, I would recommend this one. It is a nice change of pace from the way most romances are written today.