Release Blitz // Coldhearted Bastard by Jenika Snow

October 05, 2021



Title: Cold Hearted Bastard
An Underground Kings Series Standalone
Author: Jenika Snow
Genre: Contemporary New Adult Romance
Release Date: October 5, 2021


BLURB

From USA Today bestselling author Jenika Snow comes a full-length gritty mafia romance that blurs the lines between right and wrong... and love and hate.

He didn’t have a heart... but he wanted hers.

All I knew about life was anger and violence. Pain and suffering. Kill or be killed.

I was a “fixer” for the Ruin—a syndicate for the Bratva, Cosa Nostra, Cartel, and any other organized crime faction that dealt in the darker, crueler aspects of humanity.

I was a free agent who was called upon to do things weaker men didn’t have the stomach for.

And when you surround yourself with death for long enough, soon, you didn’t remember what it felt like to be alive.

And then I saw her. She was a fragile little thing who tried to be strong. But I could tell she’d seen too much horror in the world, too much of the ugly within people. I should have stayed away. I’d only bring her farther down into the darkness.

But for the first time in my life, I felt a stirring in my chest, this protectiveness and possessiveness toward another living person. And it was painful. It made me feel alive.

Lina tried to hide how broken she was, but I was an old friend of being ruined. She held secrets I’d find out. Because for the first time in my miserable life, I wanted something for myself. I felt something more than apathy and indifference.

I wanted to possess the innocence she clung to. I wanted to break it open and consume it for myself.

I could look into her too trusting blue eyes and knew I’d maim for her. I’d kill for her. And that became our truth when her past finally came back for her, when my present tried to destroy her.

They thought they could take the one thing—the only thing—I’d ever wanted for myself. They were wrong.

When I looked at her, I felt some of the monster that made me who I was retreat back to my black soul. He’d never leave... but he’d share the space.

For her.

A complete standalone novel in the Underworld Kings series.




My Review








PURCHASE LINKS

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU





EXCERPT

He had me off the ground and spun around so fast I grew dizzy. And then my chest was pressed against the boxing ring rope, Arlo’s massive body against mine, every inch of him burning me where he touched.
“You should get your money back if this is what they taught you.” I could hear the teasing, annoyed note in his voice, and my own irritation rose.
“You’re bigger than me, stronger.” I turned my head to the side so I could look at him, but that was a foolish move, as it brought our mouths dangerously close together. “I don’t have my pepper spray, and I don’t have the added benefit of fearing for my life and getting that kick of adrenaline.”
My breath caught, my lungs tightening, when this dark, strange look covered his face.
“You should be afraid right now, moy svet.” His words were low… deadly. “You should be more afraid of me than anything else in the dark.” He leaned in an inch. “If you knew who I truly was, you wouldn't be so close to me.”
I looked down at where his hand gripped the rope on either side of me, the tattoos on his fingers sneaking up the back of his hand disappearing and going up his wrist and forearm. I’d never been one to think tattoos were attractive, but on Arlo, it made him brutally beautiful to me.
“You’re so tiny, moy svet.” He made a low, gruff sound and pushed away from me. I closed my eyes and breathed out just as he said, “Again.”
And so for the next several hours, I sparred and grappled with Arlo until I was sweaty and sore, more tired than I’d ever been, but had never felt more liberated in all my life.






AUTHOR BIO


Starting out as an avid reader, Jenika took up penning her first story and published it in 2009. Since then, she’s written books in just about every trope and sub-genre in romance.


AUTHOR LINKS




Review // Scarred by Ari Reavis

October 04, 2021

Scarred by Ari Reavis

"Let yourself fall apart if you need to, and I'll be here to help put you back together when you're ready."

────── ♔ ──────


Scarred by Ari Reavis

Scarred by Ari Reavis


Standalone
Release - October 20, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance / instant connection
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 202
Publisher - Indie

It’s the scars of the past that keep us from seeing what the future could hold.

Liam has scars that remind him daily why he refuses to allow love into his life. What good is it when it only leads to anger and hatred later on? But then he literally bumps into someone who makes him wonder if there is more to life than reliving the pain of what he’s been through.

Some scars are easier to bear than others.

Nia can’t look in the mirror without being reminded of what she’s endured. She carries the past with her like a living darkness wherever she goes. When she meets someone who looks beyond her scar, she dares to hope for a future she never thought possible.

But the past never stays dead for long.

When the ghosts of the past come back to haunt them both, can they make it through together? Or will the fear and uncertainty tear them apart before they can find happiness? The past and present collide and they’ll have to fight for each other if they want to have a future.

Find your copy of Scarred by Ari Reavis on Amazon
https://amzn.to/3B7NDrV


My Two Cents

I consider every book by Ari Reavis to be a comfort read. While no two stories are alike, and each one gives me a unique experience, they all read like I'm coming home.

After meeting Liam and then Nia in Imperfect, I didn't think I needed more. I was cool with what I knew. Then I picked up this book and realized how necessary their story was. How else was I going to fall in love with them?

Both characters had traumatic pasts, things done to them that affected how they went about their daily lives, and yet they thrived. Neither of them hid or fell apart. And together... they created something magical. Liam and Nia were such wonderful, kind, compassionate, patient, and understanding characters. I felt their pain, their confusion, their fears, their blossoming love, and all of their joy.

I love when an author can give us something so stunningly beautiful out of the ugliness that created deep emotional and physical scars.

About the Author

Ari Reavis is a wife and mother of five. Born in New York and raised in New Jersey, she enjoys staying in, devouring books and watching movies. Her kids are running around, her husband is trying to show her martial arts moves, and she's trying to write. Her day in a nutshell.

Visit https://arireavis.wordpress.com/ for more information

Review // Chalk Dirty To Me by Lani Lynn Vale

October 02, 2021

Chalk Dirty To Me by Lani Lynn Vale

I reached forward and threw myself into his arms, wrapping my own around his neck, and place a very thorough kiss on his lips.
He returned the kiss, being careful not to pen me in with his arms, and instead rested his hands just over the tops of my hip bones.
He may not know what happened to me, but I suspected he had a hunch something had happened to explain why I was skittish.

────── ♔ ──────


Chalk Dirty To Me by Lani Lynn Vale

Chalk Dirty To Me by Lani Lynn Vale


Standalone - Madd CrossFit #3
Release - October 5, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance / instant connection
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 4 out of 5 / slower burn / a few scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author
Page Count - 262
Publisher Indie

Two years ago, Cannel Crow experienced the worst day of her life. She was taken from a supermarket, and forced to spend a year with a man that treated her worse than a neglected, chained up dog.

One year later, she’s saved by a shadow organization that believes the law is a joke, and the only person you can count on is you.

After another year, she finally realizes the law’s limitation firsthand when the man that bought her from human traffickers, and then forced her to comply to his every whim for a year, is given a plea bargain for names of others in the operation.

Knowing that her abuser will spend the rest of his life in the lap of luxury under an assumed name, Cannel spirals.

At least, she begins to.

Then Wilhelm Schultz, call me Will, walks into her narrow world, larger than life, and changes her reality between one breath and the next.

The abrasive, larger, gruff police detective sees the world in black and white. There is right, and there is wrong.
Until he falls for a woman that needs him to see shades of gray.

The second he sees the world like she needs him to, there’s not a single thing on the planet that’ll stop him from fighting for her.

Not even the oath he swore to protect and do no harm.

Purchase Links


Chalk Dirty To Me by Lani Lynn Vale

My Two Cents

After the brief glimpse I got of Cannel in Conjugal Visits, I knew I wanted to know more about her story. Who took her? How was she treated? Was she healing? And would she ever forgive Toot?

I wish I could say that what happened to Cannel wasn't pretty, but I can't. Here I am again, hoping that LLV would dip a toe in the dark side. However, the author did give enough of a hint to make me feel for the girl. Whatever she experienced had traumatized her. She was a changed woman who wished to erase the abuses she suffered. She didn't even believe she would ever find happiness again... and then she met Will.

It only took a moment for Will to know that something bad had happened to Cannel. In that same moment, he knew that he would stand in the way of anything and anyone who even thought about hurting her. He wanted to be her hero and I've gotta admit, he most definitely was. He was patient and understanding and gave her everything she could possibly wish for. He became her happy place.

"I need slow."

His eyes shifted to something between interest and regret. "I can do slow."


Aside from some drama (I see you, Brianna) and an unexpected suspenseful element (I can't be the only one who thought it was weird, right?), the romance that developed between Cannel and Will was smooth and breezy. I loved their banter, their natural ease with one another, their love. These stories are like chocolate cake to me — I CAN'T RESIST!!

Check out the previous books:

No Rep by Lani Lynn Vale Jerk It by Lani Lynn Vale


About the Author

Lani Lynn Vale is married to the love of her life that she met in high school. She fell in love with him because he was wearing baseball pants. Ten years later they have three perfectly crazy children and a cat named Demon who likes to wake her up at ungodly times in the night. They live in the greatest state in the world, Texas. She writes contemporary and romantic suspense, and has a love for all things romance. You can find Lani in front of her computer writing away in her fictional characters world...that is until her husband and kids demand sustenance in the form of food and drink.

Visit https://lanilynnvale.com/ for more information!

Review // The Boss by Melanie Moreland

September 29, 2021

The Boss by Melanie Moreland review

Every day with Evie was like another present I got to unwrap and discover.
She was clever and witty.
Shy and sweet.
Passionate and sexy when I lit the flame inside her.

────── ♔ ──────


The Boss by Melanie Moreland book cover

The Boss by Melanie Moreland


Standalone - Men of Hidden Justice #1
Release - October 14, 2021
Genre - Contemporary Romance with suspenseful elements
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 3 out of 5 / several scenes
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author (Thank you @Grey's Promotions)
Page Count - approx. 200
Publisher - Moreland Books Inc

Men of Hidden Justice
Because love can bleed into the darkest heart


Terrified and on the run, I was lost.

He found me.

I witnessed his crime and he gave me a choice.

Marriage or death.

I never expected to love him.

But the choices were never really mine.

Could this avenging angel of death ever love me back?

His touch consumed me.

Did my heart stand a chance?

Previously published on Book+Main and in Take Me To Bed Collection. New added content for a complete romantic suspense experience.

Purchase Links

Amazon CA * Amazon US


The Boss by Melanie Moreland teaser

My Two Cents

For a story that started out so dark, it ended up being a sweet romance!

Evie was a woman who basically came from nothing, had no one, and was a fool's punching bag. Matteo was the kind of man who ate fools for breakfast. And when Evie sees some things that she should have run away from, her life, as worthless as she saw it, changed for the better.

While I did find parts of the story dragged a bit, I was captivated. I do wish that Matteo's action was on page rather than having to deal with the emotional fallout because of it. I guess I wanted the tone from the beginning to flow right through. However, I was still entertained by the writing and all of the characters that I'm sure will feature in some way in the books to come.

At some point, I thought with Evie being passive, submissive, and fragile would get on my nerves... but it didn't happen. I really enjoyed the dynamic between her and Matteo. He was a man who was used to getting his way in all things, but showed a softer side to the woman he loved. She was a woman who didn't seem to know her own mind sometimes and seemed in need of direction. And yet, not once did I find her pathetic or worthy of pity. She found the perfect man for her in the most imperfect of circumstances.

Why can't I stumble upon some hot vigilantes, killing some bad people, and find myself a husband too?

About the Author

New York Times/USA Today bestselling author Melanie Moreland, lives a happy and content life in a quiet area of Ontario with her beloved husband of twenty-seven-plus years and their rescue cat, Amber. Nothing means more to her than her friends and family, and she cherishes every moment spent with them.

While seriously addicted to coffee, and highly challenged with all things computer-related and technical, she relishes baking, cooking, and trying new recipes for people to sample. She loves to throw dinner parties, and also enjoys traveling, here and abroad, but finds coming home is always the best part of any trip.

Melanie loves stories, especially paired with a good wine, and enjoys skydiving (free falling over a fleck of dust) extreme snowboarding (falling down stairs) and piloting her own helicopter (tripping over her own feet.) She’s learned happily ever afters, even bumpy ones, are all in how you tell the story.

Visit https://www.melaniemoreland.com/ for more information!

Review // The Killer's Vow by Aria R. Blue

September 27, 2021

The Killer's Vow by Aria R. Blue

A sense of responsibility settles in my being.
She's mine to take care of.
Mine and nobody else's.
Her dreams belong to me.
Her orgasms belong to me.
And with time, her heart will belong to me too.

────── ♔ ──────


The Killer's Vow by Aria R. Blue

The Killer's Vow by Aria R. Blue


Standalone
Release - October 2, 2021
Genre - Mafia Romance / assassin
Dual POV - 1st person
Heat Level - 3.5 out of 5 / several scenes / Simon is a dirty talker
Format/Source - eARC provided by the author (thank you Book Sirens)
Page Count - 400
Publisher - Indie

I was sent to kill her, but…
They say that she’s cursed.
Every man that locks eyes with her meets the strangest death.
The first time I saw her was through the lens of my rifle.
I was sent all the way from Russia to kill Vera Reznikova, the Bratva princess.
She was my exquisite target.
But I knew when I saw the beautiful torment in her eyes that I’d end up breaking all of my rules for her.
All I’ve ever been is a businessman and a killer.
And she’s a breath of fresh air. Something wild in this predictable world.
Something about her makes me turn my back on the men who sent me and forget about the consequences.
Her lush body fits right in my hands. Her soft mouth yields to my touch. Her icy eyes sparkle just for me.
I claim her as mine.
I vow to protect her at all costs.
She doesn’t know who I really am, but it goes both ways.
And as I uncover her family’s secrets, I learn that there’s a kernel of truth in every rumor.
Even ones about curses.

Get your copy today! https://amzn.to/3l0ubIl
Free to read with Kindle Unlimited

My Two Cents

You know I picked this up because of the cover, right? You see those eyes? 😍😍😍

So to say that I was already predisposed to love the hero of this story would be an understatement. Simon was delicious! Not only was he a natural born killer, he had a soft side and an absolutely filthy side. I loved getting his dirty talk.

This story had tons of potential, but I wanted it to push it a bit more. Every time it seemed to touch a darker edge, too many notes of sweet kept butting in. And the romance of Simon and Vera was sweet, even when she tried to be hard towards him.

I adored the fact that the author made the heroine someone who should never be underestimated. She had her 'damsel in distress' moments, but really, she was able to be her own hero, which I thought was so cool.

The writing was excellent, the characters were lovely, the plot was interesting. Enough so that I would enjoy reading more from this author and perhaps get to know some of the side characters who played such important roles in Simon and Vera's lives.

Review // Angela Davis: An Autobiography

September 25, 2021

Angela Davis: An Autobiography

"The forces that have made my life what it is are the very same forces that have shaped and misshaped the lives of millions of my people.

────── ♔ ──────


Angela Davis: An Autobiography

Angela Davis: An Autobiography by Angela Y. Davis


First Published in 1974
Ebook Release Date: October 5, 2020
Audiobook Release Date: October 19, 2021 (Blackstone Publishing)
Hardcover Release Date: February 18, 2022 (Haymarket Books)
Genre: Biography / Non-Fiction
Format/Source: eARC provided by the publisher (Thank you, Edelweiss)
Page Count: 420

Angela Davis has been a political activist at the cutting edge of the Black Liberation, feminist, queer, and prison abolitionist movements for more than 50 years.

First published and edited by Toni Morrison in 1974, An Autobiography is a powerful and commanding account of her early years in struggle.
Davis describes her journey from a childhood on Dynamite Hill in Birmingham, Alabama, to one of the most significant political trials of the century: from her political activity in a New York high school to her work with the U.S. Communist Party, the Black Panther Party, and the Soledad Brothers; and from the faculty of the Philosophy Department at UCLA to the FBI's list of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.
Told with warmth, brilliance, humor and conviction, Angela Davis’s autobiography is a classic account of a life in struggle with echoes in our own time.

Purchase Links


Angela Davis: An Autobiography

My Two Cents

This was but a glimpse into the life of one of the most pivotal and prolific activists in the world and it packed one heck of a punch. I loved that Ms. Davis revealed her vulnerabilities, her doubts, her growth, her learning, and eventually her stance. She didn't just spout rhetoric — this book was full of her strengths and her flaws, her ups and her downs, her rise and her falls. What an incredible woman!

I was transported to Birmingham in the late 40's and early 50's, experiencing the blight that was segregation. I walked with her as she excelled at school, work and play... all around the world. I held her anger at the continued injustices the police, the politicians, the white public were inflicting onto innocent men and women. I felt her passion to provoke and inspire change. From her philosophical lessons to her charges of conspiracy, kidnapping and murder, Angela Davis took us along for all of it.

I spent as much time researching the people mentioned throughout this book as I did reading about them. My heart broke with hers over the senseless deaths of Jonathan and George Jackson. Her pain was all I could see when she went on trial with Ruchell Magee. Her words: [He] was all of us, not only in the way he was made a scapegoat of racism, but also in his resiliency, in his refusal to concede defeat.

While I did find the writing to be extremely dry, more textbook than story, I couldn't help but find myself lost to the history amidst the pages. The people she crossed paths with weren't just characters. They were people who lived and died, people who gave her so much, people who she connected to on another level. It is terribly difficult to find those types of connections these days. In a time with no cell phones and what we would call primitive technology, their words transcended small towns or major cities. They were spread across the globe!

And while I didn't agree with all of her ideology, I could see the logic behind many of her concepts and beliefs. Angela Davis is Black, a woman, and a communist. During the time period this autobiography covers, everything that made her... well her... was something to be persecuted. However, she had so much support that she couldn't let it get her down, even if she wanted it to. Despite the manipulations, lies, and illegal acts of those in the system, she didn't fall. She didn't waver. She stood strong and proud, knowing and understanding that it wasn't about her as an individual. She became a beacon for anyone who wanted to fight. A ray of hope for those who felt hopeless. She was someone to admire and respect and I love her for continuing to charge into battle to right every wrong.

Oh, you should check out this interesting interview I found between Angela Davis and Ava DuVernay: https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2020/08/angela-davis-and-ava-duvernay-in-conversation

Free Books & Book Deals - 9/24/2021

September 24, 2021


Happy Weekend! Once again, I'm bringing you the book deals I've found on Amazon. Let me know if you found anything to binge this weekend because while I'm off to one-click some of these sales, I need to know I'm not alone. Happy hunting!!

Please Note: All books are listed for $2 or less (prices valid at time of post). I apologize in advance if the sale is over by the time you found yourself here.

A. Zavarelli

  • 99 cents - Crow (Boston Underworld #1)

Adriana Locke


Amelia Hutchins


Amy Daws


Aurora Rose Reynolds


Bella Jewel


Brittainy Cherry


CD Reiss


Christine Feehan


Elle Kennedy


Helena Hunting


Ilona Andrews


Ilsa Madden-Mills


J.B. Salsbury


J.R. Ward

  • $1.99 - The Jackal (Black Dagger Brotherhood: Prison Camp #1)

Jay McLean


Jennifer L. Armentrout


Jessica Gadziala

  • 99 cents - Malcolm (Henchmen MC - Next Gen #2)

Karina Halle


Kelly Elliott


Kendall Ryan


Kresley Cole

  • $1.99 - Lothaire (Immortals After Dark #12)

L.A. Casey


L.J. Shen


Larissa Ione


Lylah James


Mariana Zapata


Meghan Quinn


Mimi Jean Pamfiloff


Penelope Douglas


R. Scarlett


Rebecca Zanetti

  • $1.49 - Vampire (a Dark Protectors/Rebels novella)
  • $1.99 - Wicked Edge (Realm Enforcers #2)
  • $1.99 - Shadowed (Dark Protectors #6)
  • $1.99 - Marked (Dark Protectors #7)
  • $1.99 - Talen (a Dark Protectors novella)
  • $1.99 - Twisted (a Dark Protectors novel)
  • $1.99 - Tempted (a Dark Protectors novel)
  • $1.99 - Tamed (a Dark Protectors novel)

Renee Rose


S.T. Abby


Sarina Bowen

  • 99 cents - Epic (a HIM novella)

Susan Stoker


Suzanne Wright


T.L. Smith