Pulling At Those Heart Strings With Strum Your Heart Out By Crystal Kaswell

I opened the second book of this series invested in the characters because they were in the first book, Sing Your Heart Out.  Kara is Meg's best friend and Drew is in the band as the guitarist.  He's Kara's other best friend.  I was excited about learning more about them and if I'm honest, a little worried because as a reader sometimes, you get so involved then you read the story for the characters and it falls flat.  I was thankful that didn't happen in this book.  Crystal Kaswell brought all the hotness from the first book and turned it up to scorching.  What she does so well with them (Besides the hotness of course) is she makes them real.  They have real fears and real worries and ugly part to their pasts.  They are far from perfect.  Her characters have went through things and are beautiful in their imperfections.  I love that.  I grasp onto that.  The heart and soul in the first two books made me care for them and want them to find their happily ever after.  I laughed with them and I cried with them.  Those emotions mean so much to me as a reader and I'm grateful she brought them out.  

How she described band life is also perfect.  How do I know?  I've been around bands...I even lived with a band.  Bandmates aren't always happy with each other.  There is drama and people are always in each other's private lives.  I'm glad she didn't make it all roses because it's not.  I would be very surprised to find that she hadn't been around bands and how they work because she writes it so well.

I love her side characters.  She has successfully hooked me in for the next books.  I can not wait to read Tom and Pete's stories.  I really have no complaints about this book.  I loved every minute of reading it.  

I recommend this book for anyone who loves romance and if you haven't read band romance, this is a good place to start.  It will make you have high expectations.  The only ones who should not read this book are children because of those very steamy, hot naughty scenes.

Book cover rating: 5+

Book Rating: 5++++++

Book Reviews by Amanda : Becoming A Groupie with Crystal Kaswell's Sing You...

Book Reviews by Amanda : Becoming A Groupie with Crystal Kaswell's Sing You...: I started this book a while ago and didn't get to finish it because I was healing from surgery.  Oh!  I am so glad I got to finis...

The Next Series To Be Reviewed: Crystal Kaswell's Sinful Serenade

As you know, I promised once I read a book in a series, I would finish the series.  A while ago, I reviewed Crystal Kaswell's first installment in her Sinful Serenade Series.  I have recently re-read Sing Your Heart Out and I want to finish the series.  So, I will be re-posting the review for the first book and I will review the next books in the series.
As always, I pick the books and these are honest reviews and will remain honest reviews.  You can request for a review but I can never promise that I'll read them right away or at all.  I will let you know if it goes on my to be read list.  On this series, I can say that Crystal Kaswell didn't request me to review though I did inform her that I was because it's polite.  I will also be asking for suggestions in the future for certain genres.  Also, all reviews are free and I buy the books to keep the reviews honest. 
So, check out the reposting of Sing Your Heart Out's review and I look forward to the next review of Strum Your Heart Out!  -Amanda

I'm So Emotional Because of The Book of Eve by Julia Blake

Before I get to the review, I want to let everyone know, I do reviews on books I choose on my own.  However, because of facebook's new rules, I will allow someone to send me a request for a review because I am seeing less books on my timeline.  You can do that through messaging my facebook page.  I can not promise that I am going to review your book in a timely fashion or at all.  I will let you know if I put the book on my to be read.  I have a long to be read list but if your book is interesting to me I will read it.  My book tastes are eclectic and I read almost everything.  The reviews are honest reviews and I don't accept payment for them to keep them that way.  

Now for the review:

The Book of Eve came across my timeline a few months ago and I put it on my to be read list.  From the moment I opened this book my heart was pounding because it threw me back into my teen years when I discovered V.C. Andrews.  This book has all of the gothic mystery that made me realize how much I wanted to be a writer.  The twists and turns in it had me constantly guessing what was happening.  The symbolism is strong in this story.  Every single thing means something that only comes to light when the author wants it to be known.  Pay attention to everything, including the chapter titles.  The characters are multi-dimensional allowing the reader to peel back layer after layer of their personalities and pasts.  I love Eve, Scott, Annaleise, Mimi and all the others.  The Book of Eve had me knee deep in emotions and tissues.  Warning: You will need more than one box for this story.  The descriptions are vivid and Julia Blake's writing creates nostalgia that reminded me of days past even though the story is modern.  It is a book that after finishing, I held my Kindle to my chest, dazed with my heart pounding.  Julia Blake surprised me because usually I can figure out what's going on in a story within the first five chapters.  I did not figure out what happened until the end.

So, I recommend this book to anyone who likes gothic family dramas and mystery.  I do not recommend this for children because there are some scenes which have tragedy and sex.  

Book Cover: 5

Book Rating: 5+++  (Read it!  You won't regret it)      

Lords of Carnage by Daphne Loveling Series Review

Most of you probably don't know this but I don't have authors contact me for reviews.  I choose what I review by what interests me.  However, I do contact the author after the first reviews because I'm an author myself and I would want to know any reviews I may receive.  Also, this means my reviews are always honest.  I have found a lot of books that have become my favorites just by scrolling through amazon or by seeing them on facebook.  With facebook's new rules, I want to reach out and tell any authors that they may send me book suggestions through my messenger.  This doesn't mean that I'll choose your books but if it interests me, I'll put it on my to be read list and it will get its spot.  Also, I do both series review and single review and I will let you know when your books are being reviewed and what type of review it is.  That being said, onto my series review for the awesome story-weaver Daphne Loveling.
If you can't tell from my reviews of the books before, Daphne Loveling has cemented her role as one of my favorite authors.  The Lords of Carnage is action packed, full of family love and full of scorching hot men and strong women.  It is a rare find in the M.C. Romance genre to find every element moving into such a wonderful series from beginning to end.  From the very first book, she had me hooked and continued catching me in her vibrant storytelling.  Her character building is above par, making her characters both relatable and believable.  There is true emotion in her books and I can tell she takes a great amount of care with her story.  I will be recommending these stories for the foreseeable future.  Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if I was still recommending these books on my deathbed.  (Let's hope that's not for a long time.)  I promise I will be reviewing any new books in this series and I will most likely be reviewing more of her books in her other series.  I want to thank Daphne Loveling for her books.  They have been truly entertaining.  I mean...I couldn't even just give them five stars.  They are worth more than that.  Anyone writing an M.C. Romance, take notes.  This is how you do it.  I am absolutely thrilled with the Lords. 


Series Rating:  There isn't a number high enough.  They've earned a place on my bookshelves.  (I'm picky about what goes there and she is now one of my recommended authors.     

This Girl Needs an Avenger Like Angel by Daphne Loveling

Holy hotness!  Daphne Loveling just sent me on a wild ride that only the president of the Lords of Carnage M.C. could take me on.  I can not express how happy I am with this book...But I'm gonna try.  Anyone who has read the Lords of Carnage books knows Angel is hot as Hades and cocky with a sinful grin.  These qualities are amped to the max in this book as he takes the helm as the president of the Lords.  I am absolutely thrilled that his lady is none other than Jewel who has been my favorite side character until now.  She's taking center stage in all her sassy but classy glory and now, I have a new favorite side character, Jude...Her brother!  Jewel is the perfect partner for Angel because she takes none of his crap and can stand toe to toe with him without flinching.  Jewel has never been a wallflower.  Nope!  This girl is a wildflower.  

As always, Daphne does an excellent job of making every aspect of the town and characters real.  There is a real sense of family among the Lords and as I may have mentioned, that is important to me.  If I expected her to slow down on the action, I was wrong.  If anything, the action has become even more explosive for this book.  So, anyone who needs a burst of adrenaline, you will get it from Angel.  

The only problem I have with this book is now I'm having problems figuring out who my favorite Lord is.  I think I'll have to re-read them all to figure it out.  

I recommend this book to anyone who loves protective alpha males, family that would die for you and scorching hot bedroom play.  I do not recommend this for anyone who is under the age of 18 because of the mouth-watering naughtiness.

Book Cover Rating:  1,000 Charlie Hunnam smiles because he's got it.

Book Rating: There isn't a number high enough but I think I'll be drinking the whole damn bar for this one.   

Hanging with a Beast by Daphne Loveling

If I thought that Daphne Loveling was going to slow down and give my heart a rest after Thorn, I was absolutely wrong.  From the first page, I was hooked.  The sense of adventure in this book is outstanding but it also pulled at my heartstrings as the book continued.  Beast is filled with passion and fire but also a real heart where bad things happen but people become survivors.  

Beast, himself is everything an alpha male should be.  He's strong and stubborn with a way to fire up arguments as well as the sheets while still showing that protective nature and that he truly cares for not only Brooke but his M.C. family.  Brooke isn't a damsel in distress though she is far from stiff.  She is strong and caring and not afraid to cry while allowing Beast to protect and comfort her without it appearing that she is a weak come save me girl.  Brooke is definitely all woman and matches Beast's alpha maleness perfectly.  As always, the side characters are interesting and make you want them to have their own stories.  As I mentioned in an earlier, I love Jewel as well as the other characters who have already shined in their own books.  I even liked Lemy's character even though my heart goes out to him.  Mrs. Loveling actually keeps the scenery in town consistent within her books inserting Sydney's coffee shop, The Golden Cup in this book as well as the hospital where Isabel works and Twisted Pipes and the tattoo shop the Lords frequent.  Those businesses give Tanner Spring a heart.  The bad guys are especially bad in this book. Daphne Loveling has made a great story.  She's also made sure my list of book boyfriends have grown with every book.  Beast is heart-poundingly hot!  

I would obviously not recommend this for kiddos but for anyone who likes motorcycles, hot guys and strong females with a lot of action and emotion, I suggest you read it.  You will not be disappointed.  

Book Cover Rating: An inch from the sun's rays hot!  

Book Rating: Thorn made me drink 100 proof Irish Whiskey.  For Beast I'm going for 140 proof Moonshine