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MANGA: Sora no Deau Basho de
Sora no Deau Basho de – Inoue Nawo
An Inoue Nawo title that focuses on a man whose job description includes disposing of dead bodies and the stray who blackmails him into sheltering him.
Hinting on a dystopian world, going for a certain mood but didn’t quite get there.
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REVIEW: Deadly Dorian by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
Someone is trying to kill Marc Foster.
Attempted poisoning was bad enough, but when the would-be killer messes with the brakes on Marc’s precious Porsche, the art dealer admits he needs help. He just wasn’t expecting help to be quite so dark and sexy.
Royce Karras loves his job at Ward Security. He’s making up for a lifetime of bad decisions and a bloody past he’d rather forget. But Marc isn’t the spoiled rich boy he thought he’d be protecting. Sticking close to Marc as his “boyfriend” gives Royce insight into his toxic family, but it also reveals a brilliant, compassionate man who completely disarms Royce. Against his better judgment, Royce finds himself falling.
But can they find a way to make it work when Royce’s past threatens to tear their lives apart? Their futures hinges on a lost Renaissance painting, six Bichon Frises, and a pornographic Robin Hood.
No worries, right?
Ward Security is the spin-off series of Unbreakable Bonds. This features Ward Security employees from the bodyguards like Royce to the tech specialists like Quinn. Ward Security is like a family to many of them
Hmm…
Okay so I really like Royce. I really liked Marc. They were great together but finishing their book was a struggle. Seemed like the story let them down somehow.
There were two major threads running. First was somebody was trying to kill Marc, possibly someone from his own family. This led to him hiring Royce as a bodyguard and pretending to be a couple to avoid letting his siblings know he was suspecting them. This in turn led to their fake boyfriend deal turning into the real thing.
I loved this part. Sure there was too much ‘desperate need‘ for my liking and also a little too insta but Royce and Marc had undeniable chemistry. Even Marc’s homophobic siblings could see that. So I’m all in for their romance. The mystery of who was trying to get Marc out of the picture had a neat little twist to it that I didn’t see coming. All in all the mystery side of the story was well done.
The second plot point was Royce’s family woes. Royce was the nephew of a Greek mob boss. Royce mother took him away from the family business when he was young and the uncle never forgave her for that. Royce still ended up working as an enforcer. Somewhere along the way, he met a gentle writer named Michael with whom he had a serious relationship. After some dirty deals gone sour and a tragic incident occurred, Royce resolved to leave the past behind and live a new life. However, the past caught up to him and now his mother was in danger.
This one could have been great. I loved that we finally learn more about Royce’s past and why he is so damn angry and closed off all the time. However some things here were a bit too OTT even if I did my usual suspension of disbelief trick. The part of him and Marc pulling off a heist in order to get a valuable painting had me scratching my head for a bit. Angelo the thief was kind of unnecessary. Royce could have handled things more smartly than this while still staying true to his Dark Lord persona. The rescue could have been done much sooner.
Also Royce was being an idiot with his ‘for your own good’ reasoning when he very stupidly pushed Marc away because he was scared he might put Marc, with his heart condition, in danger. Like if his uncle’s goons jumped his boyfriend and have a heart attack. Eh, should have have let him grovel more, Marc.
But of course, this series is all about the characters. It’s great that Garrett finally had more page time. He should get his own book. Quinn was adorkable as always (where the hell is Shane) and yay for Sven and Geoffrey. Rowe and Noah nearly stole the show simply by being their usual crazy selves.
Overall, it was a mixed bag of highs and lows.
Ward Security might not be as strong a series as Unbreakable Bonds but even if I’m not so impressed with Deadly Dorian, I’m not throwing in the towel just yet. I love these boys too much.
P.S.
Dom is next. I’m not so sure about the age-gap thing but we’ll see how his story works out.
Ward Security is best read in order. WS books here
Unbreakable Bonds books hereRating:
2 Stars – it’s a struggle to finish the damn bookSoundtrack: Fear and Loathing
Artist: Marina and the Diamonds
Album: Electra Heart -
SOUNDTRACK: Fear and Loathing by Marina and the Diamonds
Soundtrack to Ward Security: Deadly Dorian by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott
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I’ve lived a lot of different lives
Been different people many times
I live my life in bitterness
And fill my heart with emptinessAnd now I see, I see it for the first time
There is no crime in being kind
Not everyone is out to screw you over
Maybe, oh just maybe they just wanna get to know yaNow the time is here
Baby, you don’t have to live your life in fear
And the sky is clear
Is clear of fearDon’t wanna live in fear and loathing
I wanna feel like I am floating
Instead of constantly exploding
In fear and loathingGot different people inside my head
I wonder which one that they like best
I’m done with tryin’ to have it all
And endin’ up with not much at allAnd now the time is here
Baby you don’t have to live your life in fear
And the sky is clear
Is clear of fear
Of fearDon’t wanna live in fear and loathing
I wanna feel like I am floating
Instead of constantly exploding
In fear and loathingAnd when the time comes along and the lights run out
I know where I will belong when they blow me outDon’t wanna live in fear and loathing
I wanna feel like I am floating
Instead of constantly exploding
In fear and loathingI wanna be completely weightless
I wanna touch the edge of greatness
Don’t wanna be completely faithless
Completely faithlessWhen the time comes around
When the lights will go out
When the time comes around
When the lights they go out -
MOVIE FEATURE: Tremblores (Tremors)
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COVER REVEAL: The Wolf and the Sparrow by Isabelle Adler
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COVER REVEAL: Unbreakable (a Heaven and Hell Club prequel) by Colette Davison (Excerpt)
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73 QUESTIONS WITH NEVERHOLLOWED (VOGUE-INSPIRED)
So here are 73 Questions ala Vogue. I will be doing my best It Person impersonation.
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MANGA: Koi Wa Kamen No Uchigawa Ni
Zoukiya is a true hero show fan at heart. Wanting to be on the side of justice, he tries to correct those who have strayed from the path of the righteous. But somewhere along the way, the people have written him off as a gangster. But when this is all happening, he happens to meet a suited up part-time actor at a nearby amusement park, who is his ideal type of hero. So he wants to befriend this mysterious man, but…!
Adorbs! Adorbs! Adorbs!
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REVIEW: Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid
Game Changers: Heated Rivalry – Rachel Reid
Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander’s game—definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.
Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night.
Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him—except Shane. They’ve made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hookups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great.
As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option…
This book is what every sports romance fan dreams of and more!!!
Heated Rivalry is the second book of the Game Changers series and can be read as a standalone. Admittedly, the super generic cover did nothing to encourage me and I put off reading this for a while. Tsk! Should have read it sooner. I haven’t read the first book but the blurb for book two grabbed my attention as I am on the look out for a true enemies-to-lovers story. Some of the ones I’ve read lacked intensity or don’t even hate each other at all. This one promised to be intense!
From Rachel Reid’s twitter And it was!
You can see from the list above that the enemies as lovers, opposite attracts, sports rivals combination mean all kinds of fun, fun dynamics. From the get go, you can feel the super fierce competitive spirit between the two players, each trying to be number one at everything from first draft to Rookie of the Year to the Stanley Cup, to the Olympics to Cosmopolitan’s hottest hockey player. The smacktalk pops up every chance they get. It continues in the bedroom and long after they exchanged L-words. I would gladly read, or better yet, watch an entire series of just Shane and Ilya trying to get one over the other.
He wanted to kiss Rozanov and maybe also punch him for being such an arrogant fucking prick. And he hated himself for wanting any of this. But not enough to stop. Never enough to stop.
I totally relish the crazy, crazy combination of their animosity and the magnetic pull that drew Shane and Ilya together. Their inner turmoils and character progressions were portrayed beautifully. Their chemistry was fireworks!!! My favorite part was that even in the moment of truth, their confessions were so true to their characters.
“Yes. Listen. These women, they are so sexy and fun, but is no matter. I cannot stop thinking about this short fucking hockey player with these stupid freckles and a weak backhand.”
“A weak backhand?” Shane couldn’t stop smiling.
“Yes. And he is just so boring and he drives a terrible car and…that is my problem. All of these beautiful women and I am always wishing they were him.”
LOVE IT!!! ♡(─‿‿─)♡
This one is right in the kokoro:
“…And I want to learn Russian. I wasn’t kidding about that.”
“I’ll teach you.”
Shane smiled so wide and bright, Ilya almost had to look away.
“I should let you sleep,” Shane said.
“Da. Yes. Okay.”
And then… Shane kissed the tips of two fingers and reached out and touched them to the screen. And Ilya’s heart fucking stopped.
Bam! My heart stopped too. Σ>―(〃°ω°〃)♡→
The story covered the span of seven years or so starting from when they first met as rookies up to the present day when they started planning to come out as boyfriends. It documented each encounter and how they evolved from mere hook ups to something the two men can’t quite wrap their heads around. And all this time, they had to keep it a secret.
Author, Rachel Reid, wisely kept game play to a minimum but successfully incorporated the sports in such a way you still felt the game. It was the ideal style for those like me, who had zero knowledge of the hockey. We can enjoy the story while not be overwhelmed with the sport.
I never thought I would enjoy a sports romance book this much. I never even imagined giving one 5 stars but Heated Rivalry took my frosty view of sports-rom and set it on fire! I even googled hockey players and OMG, they’re cute! I’m so into this series now.
Absolutely recommended for when you’re into stories of people who are so wrong yet feel so right for each other.
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: Nicotine
Artist: Panic! At The Disco
Album: Too Weird To Die Too Rare To live
