Review: Beautiful Bastard (Beautiful Bastard #1) by Christina Lauren

 Source: Received an egalley from the publisher and Netgalley.

Publisher: Gallery Books

Release Date: February 12, 2013
Number of Pages: 320 (Paperback)

(Goodreads Link.)

Description from Goodreads:

An ambitious intern. A perfectionist executive. And a whole lot of name calling. Discover the story that garnered more than two million reads online.

Whip-smart, hardworking, and on her way to an MBA, Chloe Mills has only one problem: her boss, Bennett Ryan. He’s exacting, blunt, inconsiderate—and completely irresistible. A Beautiful Bastard.

Bennett has returned to Chicago from France to take a vital role in his family’s massive media business. He never expected that the assistant who’d been helping him from abroad was the gorgeous, innocently provocative—completely infuriating—creature he now has to see every day. Despite the rumors, he’s never been one for a workplace hookup. But Chloe’s so tempting he’s willing to bend the rules—or outright smash them—if it means he can have her. All over the office.

As their appetites for one another increase to a breaking point, Bennett and Chloe must decide exactly what they’re willing to lose in order to win each other. Originally only available online as The Office by tby789—and garnering over two million reads on fan fiction sites—Beautiful Bastard has been extensively updated for re-release.

While I do read fanfiction...and the Twilight variety happens to be one of my favourites, I hadn't actually read Beautiful Bastard in its original fanfiction format, so this book was completely new to me! First, I will state that Beautiful Bastard does have mature content in it...so yes, there is sex. It's definitely an adult story, so you've all been warned. Second, Bennett is a class-A douche at times...oh boy is he ever, but he definitely grows on you once he lets down his whole domineering boss facade...although that was kind of hot sometimes, too. ;)

Beautiful Bastard starts out with Chloe having an awful morning where she ends up being late for work, and her boss, Bennett...or rather Mr.Ryan (if you didn't the first time, reread that last bit and say Mr.Ryan in a deep, deep voice---yes, it's totally necessary :P), managed to make her day even worse by assigning her a work project that she is to present to him by the end of the day. Once they get in that board room though, it's much more than presenting going on. And right away a new aspect is introduced to their work relationship.

The thing that I loved about Beautiful Bastard was that while there is a lot of sex, the relationship between Bennett and Chloe is a lot more than that. There is a tonne of tension between the two of them, the sexual variety and just plain ol' stubbornness. Chloe has worked hard to get where she is at in her career, and when Bennett doesn't respect that, she doesn't take it lying down. I loved that Chloe had respect for herself because often too many women don't! Although Bennett did govern quite a bit of their relationship in the workplace, Chloe always held her own. She was pretty much the only one in their office who even stood up to him, and he respected that about her, even though he was rather nonchalant about her abilities. I loved that Chloe was willing to stand up for herself and when it came to their romantic relationship, she didn't always let Bennett have control either. Seeing the power struggle between the two of them was another fascinating aspect in their relationship, and once the power struggle morphed into something else....something else entirely, it was amazing to see the two of them finally let their guards down.

I absolutely LOVED Beautiful Bastard! It was sexy, funny, and just an all-around enjoyable read! As I mentioned earlier though, it does have sex and is most definitely an adult book, so don't say I didn't warn you. :P If you're a fan of steamy stories with wonderful characters and some awesome tension, I think you'll enjoy this one. ;)

So...are you a fan of steamy stories, too?
Any other Twilight fanfic fans out there? Come on...don't be shy. I admitted it, you can too!
Finally, what do you think of Beautiful Bastard? Do you think you'll be reading it?

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (91)

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?, is a bookish meme hosted by One Person's Journey Through a World of Books, where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It’s a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list. So hop on over to Journey and join in...and leave a comment here so I can check out what you are reading.

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Books I Read Last Week:

• Playing Hooky (Paranormal Investigations #1) by Rita Webb

This novella starts off Rita Webb's Paranormal Investigations series, and I really really enjoyed it! It was a pretty short story, really fast-paced and I loved it! I'm looking forward to reading more of this series, and I'll hopefully have a review for this one up some time soon. :)

• The Next Forever (Pretty Amy #1.5) by Lisa Burstein

I read this one for a blog tour (happening this week :P), and I enjoyed it. :) I haven't read Pretty Amy yet, and I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I had, but I still thought it was a great story! It also made me seriously curious about Amy and Joe's past....so I will definitely be checking out Pretty Amy and then it's companion novel, Dear Cassie. ;D

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Reading Now:

• Spartacus by Lewis Grassic Gibbon

Okay...I have to confess that I am sooooooo bored of this book! Seriously, so bored. I'm one of those people who needs characters I like (notice I say "people" not readers because for me this transcends to TV and movies, too). I can do action, and I even like action when it's well balanced with characterization...this is pretty much all action, and I'm really not a fan of that. :( I feel about this book pretty much the same that I felt about the Casino Royale movie...and I fell asleep when I watched that. :S Hopefully I can manage to trudge through to the end without falling asleep. :P

• Boundless (Unearthly #3) by Cynthia Hand

I didn't get the chance to read this one during the week, but my reading week is next week, so I think I'll get to finish it then. :) I have 2 essays due this week, so it'll have to wait until Friday. :P


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Books I Want to Read This Week:

• When the Stars Threw Down Their Spears (Goblin Wars #3) by Kersten Hamilton

If you read my Stacking the Shelves post, you might have noticed my fangirl-freakout over this book. :P Needless to say, I won't be able to wait very long to read this one! Hopefully I can get motivated, finish my essays and get started on this baby soon!!!! :D

So, that's what I'm reading....what are you reading???

Check out One Person's Journey Through a World of Books to see what other people are reading. :)

Stacking the Shelves (19)

Stacking the Shelves is Tynga's Reviews' version of In My Mailbox (from The Story Siren and inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie).

Stacking the Shelves is a way to share the books that you're adding to your physical and virtual bookshelves. It's easy to participate. You just make your own post, and link it to the main post over at Tynga's Reviews. Also, in case you're curious, Tynga's post for it goes up on Saturdays, but you can post it any day that you like. :) You can find out more about participating by reading the Stacking the Shelves Launch post.

So, here's what I got this week!

For Review:

When the Stars Threw Down Their Spears (Goblin Wars #3) by Kersten Hamilton (Thomas Allen and Sons)
Fuse (Pure #2) by Julianna Baggott (Hachette Book Group Canada)
Strength (Mark of Nexus #1) by Carrie Butler (Xpresso Book Tours)
Robin in the Hood by Diane J. Reed (Xpresso Book Tours)
The Sea of Tranquility ( #1) by Katja Millay (Netgalley)
Black Feathers (Black Dawn #1) by Joseph D'Lacey (Netgalley)
Cold Light (After Trilogy #2) by Traci L. Statton (Netgalley)
Creeps by Darren Hayes (Netgalley)

Okayyyyy....I may have emailed my contact at Thomas Allen and asked (okay...pretty much begged :P) her for an ARC of When the Stars Threw Down Their Spears...and they had some...and I got one...and I'm TOTALLY EXCITED!!!! :D I absolutely love the Goblin Wars trilogy, so I totally fangirled when I got this one in the mail (and just now...sorry, but not really :P). I also got a surprise copy of Fuse, which means I really need to get to Pure. :P haha I got a couple of books from Xpresso Book Tours this week that I'm really excited about too! Both Robin in the Hood and Strength sound AWESOME! :D I also found some awesome Netgalley titles this week! :D

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Bought:

Unloved by Jennifer Snyder (Amazon Kindle Store) - SALE! (Amazon.ca | Amazon.com)
The Reunion by Elizabeth Aloe (Amazon Kindle Store) - SALE! (Amazon.ca | Amazon.com)
Ashes and Ice (Ashes and Ice #1) by Rochelle Maya Callen (Amazon Kindle Store) - SALE! (Amazon.ca | Amazon.com)
The Tease (Darling Killer Trilogy #1) by Nikki M. Pill
Duplicity (Spellbound #2) by Nikki Jefford (Amazon Kindle Store) - SALE! (Amazon.ca | Amazon.com)
Shadowhunters and Downworlds: A Mortal Instruments Reader edited by Cassandra Clare (Book Depo)
Everbound (Everneath #2) by Brodi Ashton (Book Depo)
When God Was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman  (Book Depo)
Brightly Woven by Alexandra Bracken (Book Depo)
Shadows in the Silence (Angelfire #3) by Courtney Allison Moulton (Book Depo)
Warm Bodies ( #1) by Isaac Marion (Book Depo)
Drawing Closer by Jenny Schwartz (Amazon Kindle Store)
 
It looks like I bought A LOT this week...but I really didn't! :P Most of these were my Book Depository purchases and most of those were preorders, which all finally came in! I also bought a few Kindle titles this week because some authors are having an awesome sale right now. I've included both Canada and US Amazon store links, and if you want the UK page, just replace the ".ca" or ".com" with ".co.uk" in your address bar. ;D Anyway...I'm sooooo excited for these! Honestly, this was an AMAZING book haul. I've already read Warm Bodies actually, but I really wanted my own copy, so I bought one of the movie-tie-ins and I love it! :D I'm especially excited for Everbound and Shadows in the Silence!!! :D Also, I sponsored Nikki's project for The Tease a while ago and so I got a copy of the book, which she was kind enough to sign! :D

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Other Awesome Buys: 

Game of Thrones: Daenerys Vinyl Figure
Game of Thrones: Set of 4 Magnetic Bookmarks
Game of Thrones: Stark Sigil Mug

I purchased all of these from Entertainment Earth...and I'm so excited that they arrived! The Dany figure is adorable, and I'm loving my Stark mug! I also can't wait to use my bookmarks...which were a total steal by the way! Only $3.99 for the set...and it has both a Dany and a Jon one!!! :D Okay...fangril freakout ends NOW! haha I swear I'm not advertising for them or anything, I'm just totally psyched about these purchases...and I'm pretty obsessed with this series. :P haha

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Won:

Signed Bookmarks and a V is for Virgin Keychain

I won some bookmarks and a keychain from V is for Virgin author, Kelly Oram, and they came this week! :D The keychain is really cute, and I loved the book...so I'm pretty psyched to have some bookmarks for it! :D

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Thank you to Thomas Allen and Sons (and Catherine!!!), Hachette Book Group Canada, Xpresso Book Tours, Netgalley (and its awesome publishers!),  Nikki M. Pill, and Kelly Oram! :)

So that was my fantastic book haul (and other awesome stuff) this week! :D What did you get??
Feel free to leave a link in the comments and I'll check out your IMM, StS, or other mailbox-related post! :D

Review: Make Believe Anthology

 Source: Received an ebook from publisher for an honest review.

Publisher: J.Taylor Publishing

Release Date: February 1, 2012
Visit its page on the publisher website: Make Believe

(Goodreads Link.)

Description:

 Sacrificial Oath by Terri Rochenski

An impetuous act unwittingly makes Alesuela the fulfillment of the Sovereign’s Blood Oath to their Goddess. In five days, she’ll be forced to make the greatest choice of her life: become the virginal sacrifice already promised, or force the man she loves most to die in her place.

With an impossible choice in front of her, she searches for ways to undo the oath, and in her quest, finds not everything in her life is as she expects.

The Amulet of Ormisez by J. Keller Ford

There is only one way to save Elton Fletcher’s brother from an insanity-ridden death.

After years away from home, fighting for his people, Elton returns to discover his only sibling, Cayden, possessed by greed and malice, and responsible for malicious, unthinkable deeds. Cayden, though, isn’t the only one afflicted by the Amulet of Ormisez, and Elton finds himself in yet another battle, where the price of failure could be his own life.

Birthright by Lynda R. Young

Christa can mask the pain and hide the scars, but running from a birthright is impossible.

She’s tried to escape her grief by fleeing to a small town in Florida. Much to her frustration, the locals think they recognize her even though she's never been there before. To make things worse, a man named Jack spouts outrageous theories about her.

Both spur Christa to bolt, to start fresh yet again, but there’s something about Jack that intrigues her enough to stay. The only problem? Someone else wants her to leave, and they won’t stop until she’s dead.

Petrified by Kelly Said

A mysterious storm has replaced summer with winter, devastating crops and smothering Castle lands in snow. Prince Sterling August stands alone as a leader, lost in personal grief as well as a desire to help his people but with an inability to do either.

The answers he needs await him, but without Lochlyn, a woman who’s just as isolated as Sterling, he’ll never see what stands before him, cloaked in illusion.

Last Winter Red by Jennifer M. Eaton

Emily is a Red, a woman whose sole purpose in life is to produce offspring. When her husband dies and leaves her childless, she risks her life and forsakes the safety of Terra—a disease-free city born after the nuclear holocaust. Beyond its boundaries, she knows, survives a man with whom she can be properly paired.

The Outside, though, holds secrets the government struggles to keep, and what Emily discovers on her quest for a mate will change her life forever.

Escort to Insanity by J.A. Belfield

From a charity auction, to a stroll in the park, to the craziest night of her life. Nicole Harrington can’t help but wonder how a simple event went so drastically wrong.

Of course, the male escort she booked is wholly to blame. Not only charming but shrewdly intelligent, Benjamin Gold drags Nicole into a platoon of unimaginable problems—ones from which she’ll have to find the courage just to survive.

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I don't read anthologies very often, but I do like to pick them up when I don't have a lot of time to read. That way I can read one short story for a bit and not feel rushed to keep reading. The Make Believe anthology was great for this. I read it sporadically during the final weeks of the school semester and while on study breaks between my finals. Each story stands on its own, but they all share one similarity...in all of them a woman or girl is in a red cloak at one point or another, just like on the cover. They also shared one more thing...I wanted them all to be longer! ;D

"Sacrificial Oath" by Terri Rochenski was interesting, and as the first story in the anthology it quickly lets you know that these worlds are going to be different from our own. Similar, but slightly different all the same. Alesuela's story was heartwrenching, but she was such a strong character. I really enjoyed how Terri Rochenski managed to give Alesuela so much strength, and I thought that it was a wonderful opening to the anthology.

"The Amulet of Ormisez" by J. Keller Ford was intense! Elton just spent years battling, and he comes home and has to face something even crazier. This short story was fairly dark, and it packed quite a punch. It brought in some very interesting backstories, and through Elton, the reader sees the destruction that the Amulet of Ormisez can cause, and I found it to be a very compelling short story.

"Birthright" by Lynda R. Young was short and sweet. The story had a mystery element, and the narrator was trying to cope with her past. Unfortunately, she managed to arrive in a place where her past, or rather the past, was something that she was going to have to face. I really enjoyed how the mystery involved in this story was revealed, and I although it was just a short story, I really enjoyed the characters, too.

"Petrified" by Kelly Said was very mysterious. I enjoyed that there was magic invovled, and liked getting glimpses of the whole magical backstory that seemed to revolve around the world that this short story was set in. I felt like I could've read a whole series on it and would've still been interested. :D "Petrified" also alternated between two narrators, Prince Sterling and Lochlyn, and I thought that it was a great choice for this particular story because they both brought such different perspectives to it.

"Last Winter Red" by Jennifer M. Eaton was very dystopic, and I loved that! I love dystopians and this short story was no exception. Emily was the perfect dystopic citizen: clueless to the truth, and in major denial of the truth once she knew of it. I loved that even though this was a short story, Emily actually faced quite a bit...she didn't start any revolts or anything, but she still faced the desolate truth about her world as she knew it. I found that I really liked getting to see just a flash of a dystopic world. Jennifer M. Eaton did a great job with characterization, and I was very fascinated with Emily's world...I also totally wouldn't turn down getting to read more about it.

"Escort to Insanity" by J.A. Belfield was the last story in the anthology, and it was definitely my favourite! I loved the characters, and I absolutely loved how the author brought in paranormal elements. I'm not going to tell you what she brought in...but it was fantastic! I'm kind of hoping that she'll pick up these characters again some time because I would love to read more about Nicole and Benjamin! They were amazing characters, and I definitely wanted to see a lot more of them...haha and I mean that both in the dirty way that it sounds, and because I want to read more. ;D

Overall, this was a fantastic anthology! Each of the stories was entertaining on its own, and together they became a wonderful collection of short stories that left me wanting more!

Have you read the Make Believe anthology? Would you like to?
Also, are you a fan of anthologies in general? If you are, do you like specific kinds?

Cover Reveal: Shooting Scars by Karina Halle

 Shooting Scars by Karina Halle (The Artists Trilogy #2)

Publication date: May, 2013 by Metal Blonde Books

 A second chance at first love.

There are a few things worth risking everything for - even your life. For Camden McQueen, this is one of them.

Shooting Scars is the second book in The Artists Trilogy and is told from the dual POV of Camden and Ellie.

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17230559-shooting-scars

Purchase links (Sins & Needles): 

Amazon | Barnes & Nobles | Smashwords

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AUTHOR BIO

 

Karina Halle

The daughter of a Norwegian Viking and a Finnish Moomin, Karina Halle grew up in Vancouver, Canada with trolls and eternal darkness on the brain. This soon turned into a love of all things that go bump in the night and a rather sadistic appreciation for freaking people out. Like many of the flawed characters she writes, Karina never knew where to find herself and has dabbled in   acting, make-up artistry, film production, screenwriting, photography, travel writing and music journalism. She eventually found herself in the pages of the very novels she wrote (if only she had looked there to begin with).

Karina holds a screenwriting degree from Vancouver Film School and a Bachelor of Journalism from TRU. Her travel writing, music reviews/interviews and photography have appeared in publications such as Consequence of Sound, Mxdwn and GoNomad Travel Guides. She currently lives on an island on the coast of British Columbia where she's preparing for the zombie apocalypse.

Author Links:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

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I haven't had the chance to read Sins and Needles yet...but I really REALLY want to! It sounds amazing, and I won't lie the cover is gorgeous....and so is the cover for Shooting Scars! :D
I love that the same filtering and text is used on both covers...it matches so well, and looks beautiful! The pose of the guy on the cover totally makes me think of Dexter too! haha I love it!

So...what do you think?
Do you like the cover?
And what do you think of this series?