Carries Book Reviews

Kindling Flames Boxed Sets
Julie Wetzel
(Kindling Flames #1-3 & #4-5)
Published by: Crimson Tree Publishing
Publication date: May 16th 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

KINDLING FLAMES BOXED SET (Books 1-3)

From the best-selling author of Kindling Flames, comes a boxed set of the first 3 full-length Kindling Flames books. This boxed set includes exclusive bonus content and offers the reader a discount over purchasing each novel individually.

*** Bonus Short Story Included ***

The Ancient Fire Series (Also known as the Kindling Flames Novels) is a paranormal romance saga with over 2,300 five-star reviews on Goodreads. Dive into a series filled with sexy vampires, werewolves, shifters, Fae folk, and more. Science fiction and urban fantasy romance lovers unite because this series has seven exciting books that readers have compared to other popular vampire romance novels such as: A Shade of Vampire Series by Bella Forest, the Immortals After Dark Series by Kresley Cole, The Sookie Steakhouse Novels (True Blood) by Charlaine Harris, The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, The Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, and The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series by J.R. Ward.

BOOK ONE-

Kindling Flames: Gathering Tinder

After landing a job as assistant to a handsome CEO, Victoria Westernly feels like her life is finally on the right track. But when she discovers her new boss is the city’s most powerful vampire, she’ll have to decide whether her attraction to him is worth the risk…

BOOK TWO-

Kindling Flames: Flying Sparks

When Vicky becomes the target of a serial arsonist plaguing the city, Darien calls on the supernatural community to help. Pulling the creatures of the night together to cooperate on any project is troublesome at the best of times. The fact that the one responsible for the city’s woes is a being of fire and magic leads the reluctant groups to a truce that makes Vicky start to think that her job might be a bit more than one normal human can handle.

BOOK THREE-

Kindling Flames: Smoke Rising

Is there such a thing as a normal life when you live with an ancient vampire and a temperamental hellhound? Victoria Westernly was just starting to think so. With Samhain just around the corner and the promise of a Halloween Ball, her life was looking good. Even the addition of a new master vampire couldn’t bring her down. When Victoria and Darien become the victims of a series of unfortunate accidents, they know something’s up. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire. But, the question is… who is burning what?

BONUS CONTENT-

Kindling Flames Short Story- First Kiss

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KINDLING FLAMES BOXED SET (Books 4-5 and Granting Wishes)

From the best-selling author of Kindling Flames, comes a boxed set with the 3rd & 4th full-length Kindling Flames books, the Kindling Flames: Granting Wishes Novella, and three exclusive short stories. This boxed set includes exclusive bonus content and offers the reader a discount over purchasing each novel individually.

*** 3 Bonus Short Stories Included ***

The Ancient Fire Series (Also known as the Kindling Flames Novels) is a paranormal romance saga with over 2,300 five-star reviews on Goodreads. Dive into a series filled with sexy vampires, werewolves, shifters, Fae folk, and more. Science fiction and urban fantasy romance lovers unite because this series has seven exciting books that readers have compared to other popular vampire romance novels such as: A Shade of Vampire Series by Bella Forest, the Immortals After Dark Series by Kresley Cole, The Sookie Steakhouse Novels (True Blood) by Charlaine Harris, The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer, The Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead, and The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series by J.R. Ward.

THIS BOXED SET INCLUDES:

Kindling Flames: Stolen Fire

Night. A time of quiet, of peace, of rest, and now, a time of terror.

With an uncontrolled vampire plaguing the city, the Vampire Council of Brenton once again calls on Darien Ritter for help.

Overwhelmed with the issues of a new menagerie and plans for his wedding, Darien still manages to step up and answer the call. The only problem is, he suddenly finds himself a little too… human.

Kindling Flames: Burning Nights

After a wedding filled with werewolves, fay, and vampires, Vicky is looking forward to a nice, quiet honeymoon away from the chaos of Darien’s daily life. But nothing is ever simple with an Ancient Vampire around. When the Vampire Council of Hawaii finds out Darien and his new bride are coming, they are determined to see that Darien is honored properly. But vampire etiquette isn’t for the faint of heart. The nights could burn when lines are drawn… and Darien finds himself in a turf war he never intended to start.

Kindling Flames: Granting Wishes

Leprechauns don’t exist. Or that’s what Cathren has always believed, but a chance encounter changes everything. When she saves a handsome stranger from a nasty

electrical shock, not only does he claim to be one, but he also insists on granting her wishes. Now she must decide— is he insane, or a magical creature of lore? Unsure which is true, she grabs at the first three wishes she can think of: true love, happiness, and waffles. A tall order for most men, but not for Patrick Brogan. With a little persistence and just a touch of magic, anything is possible.

BONUS CONTENT-

Elliot’s Bad Day (A Kindling Flames Exclusive Short Story)

Christmas Morning (A Kindling Flames Exclusive Short Story)

Telling the Girls (A Kindling Flames Exclusive Short Story)

KINDLING FLAMES BOXED SET (Books 1-3)
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KINDLING FLAMES BOXED SET (Books 4-5)
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EXCERPT:

“Where is she?” Dakine asked the group.

They scattered, giggling, away from him. A path opened up that led them into another chamber. The two men stopped as soon as they walked through the door, and Darien let out a deep sigh. The lesser fay had done what they were told, but they had also found a hitch in her protection.

Darien walked over and looked down at his assistant sleeping upon the bed of flowers. Vicky was wrapped in a white, corseted gown. The sleeves attached at a point on the shoulders and split open to reveal the pale skin beneath. Bands held the material together at the wrists and elbows. The skirt of the silken dress was made of white scarves, attached by one corner to her waist. The fay had arranged them so they split up her leg to show off a long line of creamy thigh beneath. One of the fairies had attached a ring of silver flowers around her ankle.

But, it was not the clothing that had Darien sighing. Vicky had been fair before, but her skin was now kissed with moonlight, and her hair hung in golden curls to her waist.

Dakine stepped up next to Darien and looked down on the girl surrounded by giggling fairies. “I told you the magics didn’t mesh well.” He sighed regrettably, looking down at the medallion still resting on Vicky’s chest.

Darien reached down and petted the curls at her temple.

The fay giggled at him. A choral went up with instructions on how he should wake her up. “Kisses! Kisses! Kian Dubhlainn has to give cailín kisses!” The fay giggled.

Darien leaned over Vicky, and the fay urged him on with cries and laughter. “Miss Westernly, if you don’t wake up this instant, I will fire you.” His voice was soft with the threat.

Vicky’s eyes popped open as she pulled free of the fragile spell.

He stood up to the boos of the lesser fay.

Dakine laughed at the foiled attempts to humiliate the great vampire.

Unsure of what was going on, Vicky went to sit up and clutched her head as pain shot through it.

Darien dropped to sit on the bed next to her. “Careful there.” He pulled her over to lean against him. “Fighting off fay magic can be taxing.” Taking her hand from her head, he caressed her back lightly.

The fay squealed in delight.

Vicky curled her legs under her and sat in his arms until the pain and fog in her head cleared. “What happened?” she asked, when she became more aware of her surroundings.

“The little ones found you a delightful distraction,” Dakine answered from where he was watching.

Vicky looked down at the dress she was wearing, confused. “This isn’t what they gave me.” She lifted one of the scarves and looked at it.

Amusement slipped across Darien’s face. “Where’s her clothing?” he asked, and the fay giggled again.

A rain of scraps fell from the swarm of winged creatures. Vicky picked up a piece with a button on it. She gasped in horror as she recognized the button from her shirt.

Chuckling at the fay’s joke, Darien looked down as the soft gown Vicky was wearing. “I’m going to be very mad if this doesn’t survive outside the mound.” He glared up at the swirl of giggling beings.

Author Bio:

Originally from Ohio, Julie always dreamed of a job in science. Either shooting for the stars or delving into the mysteries of volcanoes. But, life never leads where you expect. In 2007, she moved to Mississippi to be with her significant other.

Now a mother of a hyperactive red headed boy, what time she’s not chasing down dirty socks and unsticking toys from the ceiling is spent crafting worlds readers can get lost it. Julie is a self-proclaimed bibliophile and lover of big words. She likes hiking, frogs, interesting earrings, and a plethora of other fun things.

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Why I Loathe Sterling Lane by Ingrid Paulson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Harper Campbell has 537 rules rules that keep her life in her tiny boarding school very organized and under control. When Sterling Lane transfers to the school however he immediately begins to break Harper’s rules putting her at odds of how to deal with the new bad boy.

Harper’s twin brother Cole ends up rooming with Sterling so Harper needs to come up with a way to keep Sterling away from her brother. But when Cole gets himself into trouble Harper knows she needs to protect him at any cost, even if that means teaming up with Sterling to help save her brother.

Why I Loathe Sterling Lane was another of those books I was back and forth on how to rate all during reading this one. It had potential to be a really cute young adult contemporary read but unfortunately Harper herself really brought this one down for me as I really didn’t like her from the start. It is one thing to be the goody goody character going against the bad boy and even falling for him eventually but Harper bordered on being more of a bit too manic in her rules to sit well with me from the start and then ends up breaking more rules than Sterling.

But with this story I think if Harper had been written a bit differently I probably would have really enjoyed the book. The overall plot was interesting with a bit of mystery to solving Cole’s dilemma, a bit of fun and laughter involved with Sterling’s antics, family loyalty between the twins with Harper wanting to do everything for her brother and a case of opposites attracting between Harper and Cole. Probably more that I’m failing to mention too so while I didn’t care for Harper I still thought this one ended up being an OK read in the end.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

The Antique House Murders: The Oakwood Mystery Series by Leslie Nagel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Charley Carpenter is the owner of Old Hat Vintage Fashions, a clothing store selling gently used antique fashions. Charley finds herself at Mulbridge House after the owner, Augusta Mulbridge, had passed away and her children decided to have an estate sale when she overhears that there may have been a second will leaving the estate to become a historical site instead of to the children who seem like nothing but greedy heirs wanting to profit from Augusta passing tearing down their childhood home to build on the property.

After visiting Mulbridge house Charley knows her shop could use the clothing up for auction so she visits Calvin Prescott the auctioneer but what Charley walks into find is Calvin has been murdered. The police think Calvin’s death is linked to a series of recent break ins in the neighborhood but Charley knows that the crime very possibly could be linked to the shady land deals and the greedy heirs of Mulbridge House so she sets out to prove her theories.

The Antique House Murders is the second book in the Oakwood Mystery series by Leslie Nagel. While Charley, her shop and other characters in the stories were introduced in the first book it may not be totally necessary to have read the first book to enjoy the second with only a slight bit of character/world building being missing. This installment features a new case that Charley is determined to solve so the story could be read as a standalone if desired.

I’ve read both books in this series and have enjoyed this cozy mystery series so far. Charley is a strong and determined female lead character that I’ve found very likable and she is dating a police detective so that gives her opportunities to further her own investigating. There are plenty of twists to keep engaged in the story throughout while trying to figure out just why the murder had taken place. Will look forward to any additional books added to this series to see just what Charley gets herself involved in next.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Gage
Nana Malone
(The Player, #6)
Publication date: May 16th 2017
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Sports

Money, power, prestige…Legacy. Gage Coulter is —The Player.

His whole life, all, basketball player, Gage Coulter, has heard is how he was meant to play basketball. Meant to be on the court. Meant to be elite. So what happens if he can’t even play on the damn team? With his father in and out of the hospital and more practice time than he’s used to, he’s struggling to hold up the ship and his grades are showing it. With his starting position in jeopardy, he needs help from the one girl on campus who can’t stand him. Too bad, she’s also the one girl he can’t get out of his head.

Becker Johnson has a plan for her life. And it doesn’t include doing some jock’s homework so he can toss a ball in the net or whatever. She’s getting the Collins Scholarship and moving to New York. See, all planned out. Until her adviser drops a bombshell. While her grades are excellent, she’ll need some work experience to be eligible for the scholarship. And lucky Becker, he’s got just the right student for her.

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EXCERPT:

“Now comes the part of the night where I warn you I’m going to touch you.”

She swallowed hard. “Uh, okay. Just where are you going to touch me?”

He leaned close and whispered. “This is the part where you’ll just have to trust me.”

She couldn’t help but hold her breath. “You’re telling me you know how to dance?” she inquired.

“Well…my mother was a dancer before she married my father,” he told her. “All of us at least have a sense of rhythm. It can come in handy where coordination and learning intricate plays is concerned.”

He was right about having a sense of rhythm. Considering his height, he moved well to the music. He might not have had very fancy moves, but he was able to sway and keep time well for someone with such a tall frame. She might have expected him to look like some sort of disjointed marionette, but he was smooth as he pulled her in against his chest, curling around her so that his head hovered above hers and she could feel his warm breath near her ear.

She was hyperaware of his hands, his breath, his scent. She wanted him to touch her. Wanted his hands on her. Because you are a glutton for punishment. She turned in his arms, her ass gently brushing his thighs, his arm reaching around her and pressing her backwards so his chest would brush against her back, his arm inadvertently rubbing against her breasts.

The music switched from quick, pounding beats to something a little slower, but still so deep that it throbbed in her blood as she swayed and reached up behind her to get a hold of Gage, her hand sliding along his shoulder until she found his neck, gently tugging him to her.

He trailed his fingers up her side until he reached her elbow, then he curled his hand so his palm skimmed the flesh of her arms, leaving goose bumps behind.

Gage leaned down. “Becks?”

“Hmm?”

“I think we have an audience. Daniel’s got his eyes trained on you like a hawk right now. And we probably need to establish that we’re for sure a thing.”

Oh boy, he was talking about the kiss. Not the teasing ones he’d been giving her all night, the ones they’d been putting on for show. But the big one. “Uh, okay.”

Gage took her hand and led her through the crowd to the quieter hallway near the bathroom. At the end of the hallway, there was an alcove with a huge bay window that looked over the canyons of the backyard. It was the perfect spot. Just enough traffic so that everyone would report that they’d been all over each other, and private enough that it wasn’t just an outright show.

Gage studied her, paying close attention to her lips. “Hey, Becks,”

“Yeah?” she whispered.

“I’m going to kiss you now.”

Becker acted before her brain could think her out of doing the one thing she’d been dying to do. Tipping her head up, ever so slightly.

His chest rumbled with a low growl. For a second, he held her tighter, bringing her closer against his lean, hard frame.

A shiver stole up her back. “Uh, maybe we could go slow. I don’t think—”

“We’ll go as slow as you like.”

He was going to kiss her. Even as she braced herself, Becker knew she was in trouble. She’d been able to keep him at arm’s length for so long.

He dipped his head, and his lips hovered over hers for a moment. “Relax, this is supposed to be fun.” The first brush of his lips over hers was soft.

As soon as Becker relaxed into him, he wrapped his hand around her in an embrace so tight it could keep the world at bay. He shifted the angle of his head and deepened the kiss. She couldn’t help but respond to his insistent tongue as it probed and slid over hers. Teasing, tasting, testing to see if he could intensify the heat. The moment his hands went to her hips and pulled them against his, Becker was lost.

The heat that pooled in the center of her chest spread throughout her body, scorching the fine hairs on her skin from the inside out. His hands stayed at her waist, but his thumbs drew slow circles on her hip bones that promised hotter things to come.

For once, Becker didn’t overthink. For once, she didn’t overanalyze. For once, she didn’t let fear rule and she just felt. Hot. Tight. Itchy. Gage was her balm. She needed more. She wanted more. Becker moaned, and the sound bounced off the walls.

Gage kissed like an expert, demanding that she respond to him. This guy could give kissing lessons. And she’d be the first one in line. Every. Single. Time. Her nipples hardened to points with every movement of his chest against hers. He backed her against the wall of the deserted hallway and pressed his body into hers.

The cautious part of her brain tried to send up a flare. Tried to send out a warning. Tried to send out fear signals, but every instinct told her to feel, to enjoy, that she had nothing to fear here. All she had to do was feel.

Author Bio:

USA Today Best Seller, Nana Malone’s love of all things romance and adventure started with a tattered romantic suspense she “borrowed” from her cousin.

It was a sultry summer afternoon in Ghana, and Nana was a precocious thirteen. She’s been in love with kick butt heroines ever since. With her overactive imagination, and channeling her inner Buffy, it was only a matter a time before she started creating her own characters.

While she waits for her chance at a job as a ninja assassin, in the meantime Nana works out her drama, passion and sass with fictional characters every bit as sassy and kick butt as she thinks she is.

Want to know when the next book is coming? Hit up her Newsletter here. You’ll only get updated when there is a new release or a special promotion for her Sexy, Sassy Readers. http://eepurl.com/2PeXb

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White Fur: A Novel by Jardine Libaire

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Official Synopsis:

A stunning star-crossed love story set against the glitz and grit of 1980s New York City
When Elise Perez meets Jamey Hyde on a desolate winter afternoon, fate implodes, and neither of their lives will ever be the same. Although they are next-door neighbors in New Haven, they come from different worlds. Elise grew up in a housing project without a father and didn t graduate from high school; Jamey is a junior at Yale, heir to a private investment bank fortune and beholden to high family expectations. Nevertheless, the attraction is instant, and what starts out as sexual obsession turns into something greater, stranger, and impossible to ignore.
The unlikely couple moves to Manhattan in hopes of forging an adult life together, but Jamey s family intervenes in desperation, and the consequences of staying together are suddenly severe. And when a night out with old friends takes a shocking turn, Jamey and Elise find themselves fighting not just for their love, but also for their lives.
White Fur follows these indelible characters on their wild racethrough Newport mansions and downtown NYC nightspots, SoHo bars and WASP-establishment yacht clubs, through bedrooms and hospital rooms, as they explore, love, play, and suffer. Jardine Libaire combines the electricity of Less Than Zerowith the timeless intensity of Romeo and Juliet in this searing, gorgeously written novel that perfectly captures the ferocity of young love.”

DNF @ 41%

White Fur is a book that I debated on reviewing when offered the chance because I was afraid that I wouldn’t like this book. The synopsis sounded like it could go a couple of different directions and that I may or may not become a huge fan but unfortunately as I began reading I knew that this one just wasn’t for me.

What I was hoping for was some fun nostalgic 80s remembrances but I never found those in the pages that I read. There were some mentions of the 80s but the story just seemed like a darker version than what I had hoped to read about. It’s quite erotic in a lustful sort of way with the story and never seemed any romance at all to remind of Romeo and Juliet that the synopsis mentioned. And on top of those things I just didn’t care for the characters or plot going on so much so that I found myself just skimming along when I did pick it up so since I kept putting this one on hold to read others I just decided to not finish as I wasn’t finding it to get any better for me. Plenty of others are enjoying this one but unfortunately I just wasn’t one of them.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.