Maryse's Book Blog

This is my list of the books I’ve read this year, to help me keep track. I read 110 in 2011. Let’s see if I can beat it!

(P.S. I’ll leave quick summary/feeling notes next to the ones I haven’t reviewed yet. I do intend on reviewing the majority of ’em. In fact, reviews for ALL of them would be great!)

1. Breaking Free by Cherise Sinclair – abused woman in hiding from her “Master” husband meets a new “Master” who works to ease her back into trusting, again. (Good!! If you’re into reading that sort of thing ;). Review to come – 4 stars
2. An Unlikely Pair by Carla Krae (short story – two high school students/neighbors become friends. She’s shy, he’s the high school rock star. She crushes… he treats her like a kid sister). Quite good – I wanted to go on to book #2 however reviews are really *iffy* about it.
3. Callum & Harper by Fisher Amelie (I didn’t love this as much as other readers say they did, unfortunately. It had it’s good moments and so much potential but had too many moments that had me more irritated then anything. Too much drama for the sake of drama, unbelievable life circumstances, much too far-fetched for me to accept it. —  2 stars)
4. Gateway to Heaven (reviewed)
5. Obsidian by Jennifer L Armentrout (reviewed)
6. Willing Victim by Cara McKenna (reviewed)
7. Wild Man by Kristen Ashley (reviewed)
8. Lothaire by Kresley Cole (reviewed)
9. Fifty Shades Freed: Book Three of the Fifty Shades Trilogy by E.L. James (reviewed)
10. Coming Undone by Lauren Dane (I put it down halfway through, since I wasn’t connected. Picked it up and finished it a couple of months later, but still… I never bonded with it. Good story, seemingly hot bad-boy, but I just never became one with it. Something was missing, I didn’t get excited, emotional or anything. – 3 stars)
    
11. Perfection: A Neighbor From Hell by R.L. Mathewson (reviewed)
12. Playing for Keeps (A Neighbor from Hell) by R.L. Mathewson (reviewed)
13. Rock Chick by Kristen Ashley (currently reading – not connecting much yet… At the half way point – I hear they get better as the series goes, and I LOVE this author, so you know… i’ll be back 😉 )
14. Dirty by Megan Hart (reviewed)
15. Broken by Megan Hart (reviewed)
16. Stranger by Megan Hart (reviewed)
17. Tempted by Megan Hart (reviewed)
18. Unsticky by Sarra Manning (reviewed)
19. A Modern Love Story by Jolyn Pallata (reviewed)
20. Play It Safe by Kristen Ashley (another great Kristen Ashley read, had a few very exciting moments, but I didn’t fall for Gray as much as I would have liked to. He’s swoon-worthy, for sure, but I could put this one down – 3.75 stars)
21. Don’t Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala (great hardship story about homeless teens, with a hint of romance, but not enough to have me get carried away with it. I was hoping for a bit more intensity, but the overall story was interesting.) Review to come… 3.75 stars
22. Untitled by Jackie Chanel (yes that really IS the title. LOL!) It’s about a rock star (from his first person perspective). I just started it. He’s a teen right now, and is obsessed with his guitar. So far, not bad but a bit slow… eventually I put it down (may pick it back up)…
23. Noah by Elizabeth Reyes (reviewed)
24. The Marriage Bargain (Marriage to a Billionaire) by Jennifer Probst – (reviewed)
25. Sempre (Forever) by JM Darhower (reviewed)
26. Gabriel’s Inferno by Sylvain Reynard (reviewed – 3.5 stars)
27. The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons (reviewed)
28. Tatiana and Alexander: A Novel (The Bronze Horseman Trilogy) by Paullina Simons (currently reading – will finish)
29. Slammed by Colleen Hoover (reviewed)
30. Point of Retreat by Colleen Hoover (reviewed)
31. Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward (reviewed)
32. Sacrificial Magic by Stacia Kane (reviewed)
33. Grounding Quinn by Stephanie Campbell (YA good, touching, kind of deep at times, but wished there was more to the romance aspect. Mostly about a girl’s growth and acceptance) – review to follow… 3.75 to 4 stars
    
34. Love is Darkness by Caroline Hanson (reviewed)
35. Love is Fear by Caroline Hanson (reviewed)
36. Knight (The Unfinished Hero Series by Kristen Ashley – Unfortunately I didn’t fall in love because I didn’t really feel it. While I was curious as to where it was going, I didn’t fully connected to the characters. I felt like something was missing. I think it simply went too fast for the immensity of the issues at hand. It had potential to be big in terms of the story and commotion, but it was so quick (even the initial attraction) that I missed out on feeling excited or tense. I feel odd saying this considering this circumstances in the novel, but I’d almost say… not enough drama. And maybe missing that personal, emotional contemplation that I need, for me to love both of them with my whole heart. I also struggled with some of the dialogue, and a “pet name” that was repeated throughout. Good, but not my kind of “great”. Epilogue however was great! (3 to 3.5 stars)
37. Bared to You: A Crossfire Novel by Sylvia Day (reviewed – 5 stars)
38. Blood Law – by Karin Tabke (still reading… I got distracted, and put it down but intend to start up again. I hear this one is an intense awesome love triangle)
39. Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas (reviewed – 3.75 to 4 stars)
40. Stolen by Lucy Christopher (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
41. Coming of Age – Ciana Stone – actually really good short story, although the theme was uncomfortable and made me nervous. Overall pretty good. 3.5 stars
42. From Rags by Suzanne Wright (still reading – not yet finished, after 35% I’m still having trouble connecting to “her” but so many fellow readers absolutely loved it…)
43. Her Russian Billionaire by Theodora Taylor (not yet finished – good but not wowing me enough to the point of not being able to put it down.)
44. Connected (Twists of Fate) by Jolyn Pallata (fantastic short story. Very steamy and heartwarming. It had just enough of everything to satisfy my reading “sweet tooth” – especially the rock star angle!! 4 stars!)
45. Seithe (Pravus) by Poppet (reviewed – 4 stars)
46. Venix (Pravus) by Poppet – unfortunately, this one didn’t have the same impact on me as book #1 did. I felt as if it jumped in too quickly and moved so fast I didn’t have time to decide on a favorite or *hope* for anything really. That magical attention to detail in the first book appeared to be missing in this one and the speed at which the story was told prevented me from truly bonding with the characters. I think there was simply too much going on, for the short length of the book, to fully explore all of the possibilities and the reader, or at least I, was unable to form any real attachment. Three seemingly wonderful men, but not enough time allocated to any of them and their potential and I struggled somewhat, with the heroine. However the underlying themes and lore, still had profound messages and I did enjoy taking them in. Eyeopeners for sure! (3 stars)
47. It’s All Relative by S.C Stephens – 4 stars. Somewhat repetitive at times but I still couldn’t put it down. The romantic tension and “eeeeek” factor was high, and at times, reminiscent of her “Thoughtless” characters and some of those intense scenes. Considering the circumstances and theme of the book, I felt bad for enjoying it so much, but I loved it. LOL!
48. Sheltered by Charlotte Stein (reviewed) 4.5 stars
49. Eden by Jamie McGuire (reviewed – 4 stars)
50. Reason to Breathe by Rebecca Donovan (reviewed – 4 stars)
51. Beyond Eden by Kele Moon (reviewed – 4 stars)
52. Barely Breathing by Rebecca Donovan (reviewed – 4 stars)
53. The Siren (The Original Sinners) by Tiffany Reid (reviewed – 3.5 stars)
54. Slade (New Species, Book Two) by Laurann Dohner (4 stars review to come) – a relief after the dark book I had just read. Old school alpha-romance-erotica. Light read, nothing too serious or heartbreaking (but still had it’s angst misunderstandings and “mine” qualities) and plenty of steam.
55. The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher  (reviewed 4.5 stars)
56. Bear, Otter, and the Kid by TJ Klune (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
57. Who We Are by TJ Klune (4.5 stars – reviewed)
58. Motorcycle Man by Kristen Ashley (reviewed 5 stars)
59. Easy by Tammara Webber (reviewed 4.5 stars)
60. Law Man by Kristen Ashley (not yet finished.. not connecting as much as I’d like to with Mitch. I think I prefer Kristen’s all-out bad-boys to her good-guys. 😉 )
61. Gio by Elizabeth Reyes (review to come 3.5 stars – good! Had a slight “Thoughtless” feel to it, but there was something about it that held me at a distance. I mostly felt what I needed to feel while reading it… anxious and worried about the drama that was to come, but I didn’t quite fall for them as I would have liked to. Not sure why… maybe I’ll work it out in the review. I think the “miscommunication and misunderstandings” towards the end were a bit over the top and lost me at some point…)
62. Damaged Goods by Lauren Gallagher (reviewed – 4 stars)
63. Dark House by Karina Hall (reviewed – 4 stars)
64. Red Fox by Karine Hall (reviewed, 4 stars)
65. Dead Sky Morning by Karina Halle (reviewed – 4 stars)
66. Lying Season by Karina Halle (reviewed – 5 stars)
67. On Demon Wings by Karina Halle (reviewed – 4 stars)
68. Sound Bites: A Rock & Roll Love Story by Rachel K. Burke (reviewed – 3 stars)
69. Butterfly Tattoo by Deidre Knight (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
70. Avoiding Commitment by K.A. Linde (reviewed – 3.75 stars to 4 stars)
71. Avoiding Responsibility by K.A. Linde (4 stars – very fun read!! Actually a bit more soothing than the first one – super-angsty, too, but easier to take)
72. Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost (reviewed – 3.5 stars)
73. Bone Deep by Bonnie Dee (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
74. Chasing Magic by Stacia Kane (reviewed – 4 stars)
75. About Last Night by Ruthie Knox (reviewed – 4 stars)
76. Curio by Cara McKenna (reviewed 4.5 stars)
77. Star-Crossed (Battered Hearts 2) by Kele Moon (reviewed – 4 stars)
78. Going too Far by Jennifer Echols (reviewed – 4 stars)
79. Untouchable By Lindsay Delagair (unfinished… this one might not be my thing. I found myself too uncomfortable with the characters. Due to a few “issues” & circumstances regarding the hero, and the heroine’s easy acceptance of it all, at a certain point, I gasped, *squinched* my nose, and had to walk away. It was too much for me & I unfortunately, did not forge a bond with the book.)
80. Unidentified Redhead by Alice Clayton  (reviewed – 4 stars)
81. Redhead Revealed by Alice Clayton (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
82. Slave by Sherri Hayes  (reviewed – 3.5 stars)
83. Need by Sherri Hayes (reviewed – 3.75 stars)
84. Crash by Nicole Williams (reviewed – 4 stars)
85. Abduction by Varian Krylov – not finished (I felt like the sex was bogging down the story and I started skimming too much). The story however, seems like it would be very good, if it wasn’t for that.
86. The Winemaker’s Dinner by Everly Drummond & Dr. Ivan Rusilko (not finished – I’m about 50% in and it appears to be steamy intimate romance so far without much conflict. Nice if you’re just in the mood to read two people falling for each other (sex, dates, sex, dates, sex… dates… hehe 😉 mostly without issue) although I like more angst and resistance in my romance reads. Hero seems too perfect for my reading pleasure. But then again I’m only 50% in, so maybe something is coming up?)
87. Fall From Grace by Christine Zolendz (reviewed – 4 stars)
88. Tender Mercies by Kitty Thomas (reviewed – 4 stars)
89. Judgment by Denise Hall (reviewed – 4 stars)
90. Cutters Vs. Jocks, A Prequel Novella to Binding Arbitration by Elizabeth Marx (great short story/intro to her full length book – 4 stars – review to come – two people from different sides of town reluctantly become friends against the odds, and… fall for each other? But they both have different plans for their futures and that’s where book #2 is going to bring us.)
91. Evelyn Vine Be Mine by Chelle Mitchiter – 4 stars (review to come… fun read, slightly angsty, and full of romantic tension. It had all of my favorite things… “friends” that sleep in the same bed together (and do only that – keeping it sweet and platonic). A hot bad-boy rock star drummer that is tough as nails and nobody will mess with (and all of the girls want). He doesn’t speak much but that’s part of his charm, because when he does speak… *sigh*. Loved it overall, very very steamy, and sweet as anything, misunderstandings, jealousy issues, the works. But… I just wish “she” was at least 18 considering the intensity and detail of what I read. In fact I was under the impression that she was an “adult” and that I must have missed her birthday or something, only to realize that wasn’t the case. And that is my only complaint. The book could have worked just as well if they were both adults (considering they were both in university).
92. Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between (Rhiannon’s Law) by J.A. Saare (reviewed – 4 stars)
93. The Renfield Syndrome by J.A. Saare (reviewed – 4 stars)
94. Seducing Cinderella by Gina L. Maxwell (reviewed – 4 stars)
95. Giving It Up by Amber Lin (reviewed – 4 stars)
96. Taken by Kelli Maine (reviewed – 4 stars)
97. Seduction and Snacks by Tara Sivek (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
98. No Takebacks by Kelli Maine <— 4 stars – LOVED! Although it really messes with the ending of book #1. Now I’m all antsy for the next one!
99. The Dom of My Dreams by M.F. Sinclair (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
100. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry <— still reading. I’m at 75% but for some reason I put it down. I connected more with the first half… was a bit exhausted by it, at this part.
101. Onyx by Jennifer Amrentrout (reviewed – 5 stars)
102. The Mighty Storm by Samantha Towle (reviewed – 5 stars)
103. If I Were You by Lisa Renee Jones (reviewed – 4 stars)
104. Seduced in the Dark by CJ Roberts (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
105. On Dublin Street By Samantha Young (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
106. Taking Chances by Molly McAdams  (reviewed – 3 stars)
107. Love Unrehearsed by Tina Reber  (reviewed – 4 stars)
108. Old Blood by Karina Halle (reviewed – 4 stars)
109. The Dex-Files by Karina Halle  (reviewed – 5 stars)
110. Naked by Raine Miller  (reviewed – 4 stars)
111. An Early Spring by Anne Lister (reviewed – 3.5 stars)
112. Falling Stars by Sadie Grubor (review to come – 3.5 stars)
113. The Devil’s Metal by Karina Halle  (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
114. Risking It All by Jennifer Schmidt (reviewed – 4 stars)
115. Knight In Black Leather Leather by Gail Dayton – (still reading – I’m 35% in, but I’m having a hard time imagining the characters. Enjoyed the premise of the book hero, but I’m not “seeing” him as I think a street/gang guy would be, and heroine portrayed as much older, but really she’s only 39, so again, having trouble connecting to them). I’m having a hard time “seeing” them in my head.
116. Beyond Shame by Kit Rocha (reviewed – 4 stars)
117. Consequences by Althea Roming – still reading… 40-something % in and I chickened out (for now). Fellow readers insist no matter how dark it gets, it is worth the read, so I intend to pick this one back up once book #2 (Truth (Consequences) is released,  in November, in case of horrible scary cliffhanger in this one. I’m dying to finish this…but *bok bok* <— me, bein’ a chicken. 😉
118. Down to You by M. Leighton (reviewed – 4 stars)
119. My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron – 22% in, was enjoying it but struggling with heroine. She says and calls potential hero bad names, but I found myself thinking those things about her. For now I gave it a rest, until I’m in the mood for that kind of push and pull. She has her reasons, but I found myself too irritated with her to understand her…
     
120. The Sea of Tranquility by Katja Millay (reviewed – 5 stars)
121. Reflected in You by Sylvia Day (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
122. Love Left Behind by S.H. Kolee (reviewed – 4 stars)
123. Hear Me by Skye Warren (reviewed – 4 stars)
124. The Perfect Game by J. Sterling (reviewed – 3 stars)
125. MADversary By Jade C Jamison (3 stars) – good enough short read but not enough emotion, detail or length for me to get worked up. Still, I read it in one sitting, so not bad.
126. Losing It by Cora Cormack (reviewed – 5 stars)
127. Exquisite (Exquisite Series) – by Ella Frank – still reading… I’m 40% in and I put it down temporarily. Good, but not giving me an “unputtdownable” need. I like “him” but struggling with “her”. After a couple of days of reading it and only just getting to the half mark, I decided to hold off for now. Many fellow readers seem to love it.
128. Butterfly Weeds by Laura Miller (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
129. Paradise Hops by Liz Crowe (reviewed – 3.5 to 4 stars)
130. The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen – (I wasn’t completely connecting yet, even though it seems like a book I might like, so at 30% I put it down, for now. Another that is very popular amongst our group, so maybe it was just my mood…)
131. Flesh by Kylie Scott (reviewed – 4 stars)
132. Undeniable by Madeline Sheehan <—-  (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
133. Happy Hour by Shay Stahl <— (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
134. Down & Dirty by Reese Madison <— 3 stars. Had an interesting start, promising “biker gang” story but too many different “things” happened that never really went anywhere big (but totally could have). The “biker life” and the biker/claiming of his old lady and all of that. Respect… etc. Thing is, I found it too rushed and had so much “stuff” happening that had a lot of potential for really good big drama, but kind of fell flat. Too fast for me to get excited or really connect. Still though, I was craving more “biker gang/club” action, and it had some of that. I was still inclined to finish it.
135. Groupie by Ginger Voight  (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
136. Rock Star by Ginger Voight (reviewed – 3.5 stars)
137. Leave Me Breathless by Cherrie Lynn (reviewed – 4.5 stars)
138. Charade by Nyrae Dawn (reviewed – 4 stars)
139. Just Remember to Breathe by Charles Sheehan-Miles (reviewed – 4 stars)
140. Into the Hollow by Karina Halle (reviewed – 5 stars)
141. The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski (reviewed – 5 stars)
142. Rock the Heart by Michelle Valentine (3 to 3.5 stars) –> Good enough, but I found that a lot of the “feeling” was rushed. The angst-y stuff was there in principle, but it never seemed to reach it’s potential (for me to really feel it). A certain emotional depth was lacking. The hero went from hot to cold (loving to moody and angry) in the blink of an eye. A good in-between quick read, but I didn’t connect wholeheartedly.
143. Back to You by Priscilla Glenn (reviewed – 4 stars)
144. With Everything I Am (The Three Series) by Kristen Ashley – 4 stars (very good! A little lengthy in detail, and thought processes, and I did put it down a  few times, but so romantically intense that I overall, really enjoyed it. Review to come).
145. Lexi, Baby (This Can’t Be Happening) by Lynda Leeanne  – I’ve put it down temporarily… Interesting angsty story so far, but find it’s moving too fast for me, and at 30% I still hadn’t really connected. I felt as if momentous moments and conversations were somewhat glossed over. Maybe it’s just the build-up, so I’ll pick it back up later.
146. The Submissive by Tara Sue Me – Enjoyed the writing style, but at 30% I put it down thinking that it seemed too familiar. Too many similar moments that reminded me of “Fifty Shades”. Maybe later, when I’m looking for a Fifty-fix.
147. Embracing My Submission (The Doms Of Genesis) by Jenna Jacob – 3.5 stars –> review to come. (gave me my BDSM club masters “fix” with some angst and drama. I liked the heroine, but struggled to connect to some of the character reactions, and dialogue. I liked the “Master” sometimes and other times I found him just too… wordy. 😉 But overall, good!)
148. Wallbanger by Alice Clayton – 5 stars (reviewed)
149. In Flight (Up in the Air) By R.K. Lilley – 4 stars (reviewed)
150. Hopeless by Colleen Hoover 4.5 stars (reviewed)
151. Letting Go by Michele Zurlo – 3.5 stars (reviewed)
152. A Song for Julia by Charles Sheehan-Miles – 4 stars (reviewed)
153. Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker – 4.5 stars (reviewed)
154. Razing Kayne By Julieanne Reeves – 3.5 stars (reviewed)
155. Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines – 4.5 stars (reviewed)
156. The Final Piece by Maggi Myers – 4 stars (writing is 5 stars and more, but I was lacking a certain something. I think I needed more time in respect to the romantic angle, for me to give it 5 stars. Also the detail in a few of the “bad” scenes was almost too much for me to handle The shock of them kept me at arms length and didn’t allow me to fully connect. I would have “understood” the initial premise of her horrible background, without the intense detail.
157. Dirty Red by Tarryn Fisher – 5 stars (reviewed)
158. Me Before You by JoJo Moyes – 4.5 stars <— almost perfect and made me cry. I wished for something… more… but still. The writing, and depth and growth of the characters was incredible. Amazing story. But I cried and cried. (review to come)
159. Bad Rep by A. Meredith Walters – 4 stars (reviewed)
160. Painted Faces by L.H. Cosway  4 stars – maybe even 4.5 stars when I think about it…. (reviewed)
161. Forged by Becky Banks (currently reading… good so far. Not blowing my mind (yet!) but he reminds me of a Kristen Ashley alpha and I’m loving it ’cause of him!)
162. Opal by Jennifer L Armentrout –  reading…