• Welcome to BookAndReader!

    We LOVE books and hope you'll join us in sharing your favorites and experiences along with your love of reading with our community. Registering for our site is free and easy, just CLICK HERE!

    Already a member and forgot your password? Click here.

Triskele Reviews

APBullard

New Member
23595441.jpg

Title: Time Served

Author: Julianna Keyes

Publisher: Carina Press

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 211

ASIN: B00OHWE8Z0
**Contains Adult Themes**

** TW: Mention of Rape**

**I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review**


In this steamy romance, Rachel Moser is a fourth-year attorney at a big law firm. She has worked very hard to get where she is, and is currently in the middle of a high-profile case. With so much at stake, she can’t afford to lose focus right now. Unfortunately, that is exactly what happens when she runs into her ex-boyfriend, Dean, in one of the most unlikeliest of places.

Rachel and Dean have not seen one another in ten years. He represents the past she ran away from, but could he also represent her future?

This story is as intense as Rachel and Dean’s relationship. It’s gripping, steamy, and hard to put down. I was pretty reluctant to set it down to even do necessary things, such as eat. Some of the scenes focusing on her career drag on a bit, and I really wanted it to hurry up and get back to their relationship.

It is very well-written, and both the plot and characters are incredibly realistic. The straight-to-the-point narrative works perfectly, and Dean is positively delicious. I had to wait for my glasses to unfog, so I could give it the 4 out of 5 stars it deserved!

Definitely worth buying! Expected to come out on March 23rd, so be sure to set aside that $3.79 to purchase your own copy of Time Served on Amazon!

You definitely don't want to miss out on this one!
 
8793878.jpg
Title: The Keeping (Law of the Lycans, #4)

Genre: Romantic Paranormal Suspense

Publisher: Smashwords

ISBN: 2940011080654

Pages: 1047 (eBook Edition)

**THIS BOOKS CONTAINS ADULT THEMES**


Werewolves, secrets, romance, and loyalty are the central themes of this continuation of Nicky Charles’ Law of the Lycans series. Fans of her earlier works asked what happened to her characters after the previous installments ended, inspiring The Keeping to be written. So, what did happen to the fans’ beloved characters? A lot!

Melody Greene, a journalism student, takes on an investigative journalism job that seems almost too lucrative to be true. Interview a nature photographer, have an all-expenses paid trip, and accrue a small fortune in the process? Definitely sounds easy enough but, like most things, it’s far from being as easy as it seems.

Ryne Taylor, a breathtaking ladies man, took a picture several years ago that continues to complicate his life. Now, this journalist won’t stop hassling him when all he wants is to have his privacy respected. She’s a fun distraction, to be sure, but her nosiness could turn his world upside down.


I was interested in the characters and the story from the very beginning, and that interest never waned. In fact, I stayed up late and woke up early, just to find out what would happen next!

It did drag on a bit towards the end, which tapered the intensity a bit. However, that didn’t keep me from sitting at the edge of my seat (Well, it got me sitting up straighter in bed), glued to my Nook’s screen. Plus, there are those steamy scenes! Not only does Nicky Charles write suspenseful shape-shifter stories, but she writes some of the hottest romantic scenes I have ever read.


I definitely plan to read more of her works, a decision only solidified by the request she made at the very end. Planning to always keep her books free, she wishes that her reads donate to an animal shelter with the money that would have been spent on her books.
4/5 stars!
 
You write 'em, we review 'em!

Blog: https://triskelereviews.wordpress.com/

We read all kinds of books, though A.P. Bullard’s top two preferences are Romance and Horror, and J.A. Steckling’s top two preferences are Mystery and Horror. We are not limited to these genres, we just happen to read the most of them.

What kinds of books do you NOT want for review?

We will not be reviewing any type of religious fiction and, with the exception of comedic writings and memoirs, we will not be reviewing non-fiction. We will also not be reviewing any poetry.


Formats for Submissions:

To begin the process of submitting your book for review, please fill out the author form located in our post, “We Invite You to Contact Us!” Make sure you have filled out everything as specified, in order for your book to be considered.
We will only be accepting digital copies of books, which you can upload in an eBook format, a .PDF file, a .DOC file, or a .DOCX file. You may also opt to share your story with us via Google Docs, if you do not have the right software for our submission guidelines.
We are not accepting physical copies of books at this time.


Time Frame:
To take into account personal life, the books we are reading at the time you submit, and the length of the book, please give us 2-5 days minimum to read and review your book. Your review will be emailed to you, as well as posted on our social media sites.

Rating System:

Our rating system is as follows:
5 stars – This book was amazing! It was memorable, and I loved it, and I want to tell everyone all about it.
4 stars – I loved this book, and would highly suggest it to a friend.
3 stars – This book was pretty good, but something was missing.
2 stars – This book was okay. It wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t great.
1 star – To be frank, I did not like this book at all.

Book Tours:

We would be more than happy to participate in your book tour, as long as time permits. Please send us an email so we can correspond further about this, or submit your information via the contact form found on our About page.

What You Can Expect:
We only write 100% honest and unbiased reviews. If we are asked to provide only a positive review, we will decline to read and review your book. We reserve the right to decline any book, to not post a review, and to express our opinions in a respectful manner.

Thank you for your interest. We look forward to hearing from you! Triskele Reviews.jpg WellnessBadge.png
 
A-Beckoning-Hellfire-by-J.-D.-R.-Hawkins-Book-Cover.jpg

Title: A Beckoning Hellfire: A Novel of the Civil War

Author: J. D. R. Hawkins

Publisher: iUniverse

Genre: Historical Fiction

ISBN: 0595435319

Pages: 200

**I received a complimentary copy from eBook Review Gal, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review**

J. D. R. Hawkins does it again! A Beckoning Hellfire follows the same family as in her previous book, A Beautiful Glittering Lie. When the family receives devastating news, David is set on enlisting, and going into war against the North. He and his best friend, Jake, join up in the Cavalry Regiment. David leaves his family behind, and Jake leaves his family and fiancée, as they go off to finally get a taste of the adventure they had been craving.

The experience is far from what either of them pictured, and it gets worse when they have to be in different regiments. Driven onward by his faith in God, thoughts of his father, and the memory of those who took their last breaths at the hand of the North, David fights with every fiber of his being.

Hawkins should come with a Tissues Needed warning label, since she keeps breaking my heart. Her novels are poignant, beautiful, and thoroughly-researched. As with her previous book, I was drawn in from the very first sentence of A Beckoning Hellfire, and regretted how quickly I can read. I didn’t want it to end!

I love the way Hawkins develops her characters, and portrays their personal growth and the coming-of-age of David. With her novels, you’re doing more than just reading; you’re having an experience. I highly recommend this to everyone that likes fiction, even if historical isn’t usually your cup of tea. Students would also benefit greatly from this being adapted as part of the curriculum.

Hawkins should be nicknamed ‘Arachne’ for the beautiful tapestries she weaves of the Civil War. Without a doubt, 5/5 stars. I would give more but, alas, there are not enough stars on the scale.

5 of 5 Stars

Available on Book Depository for $12.89!
http://www.bookdepository.com/Beckoning-Hellfire-Hawkins/9780595435319/triskerevie-20
 
15775310.jpg

Title: The Night Everything Changed

Author: Kristopher Rufty

Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

ASIN: B008H459W0

Genre: Horror

Pages: 21 (eBook)

The night the carnival came to town is a night nobody will ever forget.

Vincent Carlson lives on a small, family-run farm in Wisconsin with his teenage daughter, Leanne. She has just graduated from high school, and plans to go attend college in Green Bay once the summer ends. Knowing he was going to miss her terribly, he wants to do something wonderful for her that she will always remember. When she comes to him with talk of the carnival of tiny people that the townsfolk call ‘Elves’, he consents to letting them set up on his land.

Vincent told Leanne to be home by midnight, and it was half past. He knew something was wrong, but it would take thirty minutes to drive out there in the tractor. He sits down to think of a plan, when he gets a horrifying surprise.

This was a short, but sufficiently terrifying read. The imagery and descriptions used had my skin crawling, and I was definitely frightened for the characters. The entire situation was incredibly creepy, and the pace was great. It could have been much longer, and it would have been great to get some more character development going on, but it still worked just fine as it was. The ending was left fairly open, so it’s up to the reader to figure out what happens next. Sometimes, this can seem abrupt and unsatisfying, but it worked well for this story. The ideas that one can come up as a reader are truly horrific – or is that just my brain?

It’s a fast, short read, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys horror. It’s available for free on Amazon, so you have nothing to lose by downloading it.

4/5 stars

Reviewed by A. P. Bullard
 
I just read a complimentary copy for review, and reviewed it over on my site: Triskele Reviews. Have any of you read this? It is a FREAKY gore-fest of a novel. It's like what would happen if Lord of the Flies became a person, took acid, and showed us his thoughts. It's crazy!!



21900205.jpg
 
Get Ready to Swoon Over Anna Campbell’s novel, Captive of Sin!

Title: Captive of Sin

Author: Anna Campbell

Publisher: HarperCollins eBooks

Pages: 384

Genre: Regency Romance

ASIN: B002SR2Q7S

As some of you may know, I have an undeniable love for romance novels. This book, I am pleased to say, did not disappoint. Lady Charis, a wealthy heiress, desperately flees from her evil stepbrothers and manages to run into Sir Gideon, hero of the realm. He makes the decision to defend Charis and stand by her side, even though he has his hands full with his own inner demons. For one thing, he cannot touch another human being without becoming violently ill. This, as one can imagine, causes some dire complications.

Lady Charis’ stepbrothers do not give up easily, and Charis leaves in fear of them capturing her. She and Gideon decide that the best way for Charis to be able to keep her vast fortune is for the two of them to marry.She doesn’t find the idea entirely displeasing, unable to deny the warmth that spreads throughout her entire body when she looks at him. However, she is completely clueless as to what demons Gideon keeps locked away.

Have you ever read something that made your chest ache deep inside? It’s an ache that radiates deep, and spreads its tendrils out to your fingertips – and it hurts. Oh, does it hurt. Everything is just so well-written that you fall into the scene, and identify with the characters as though you are reading about parts of yourself, and you feel their pain with them. The reader-character emotional engagement is off the charts, and you have no choice but to lose yourself in their emotions. Everything they feel, you feel. That is what this book does to you.

This is not the lighthearted romance the cover would lead you to believe (Yes, yes. We all know the obligatory phrase that goes here.), but it’s also not some cheesy, overly-angsty novel. No, there is a perfect balance of beyond-warranted angst between characters, and also within themselves.

This novel is swoon-worthy. It has heaps of romance, with just the right amount of angst to keep you on your toes. Whenever I had to put the book down to deal with life, I did so with great reluctance. The moment I picked it up again, I was sucked back into their world. When I was not reading it, the story lingered with me, wrapping around me like a silk scarf. Sir Gideon gives Mr. Rochester (I will always defend my love for him) a run for his money.

Ladies and gents, this gets a 5/5 star review, and I urge you to pick up your own copy.

Reviewed by A. P. Bullard
Triskele Reviews
 
Last edited by a moderator:
upload_2015-1-24_12-51-20.png
Title: Blackmoon Beginnings

Author: Kaitlyn Hoyt

Publisher: Self

Series: Prophesized #1

BN ID: 2940044325296

Genre: YA Fantasy (13+)

Pages: 284 (eBook)


Ryanne Arden has had a tough time of things. She used to be the top student in her school, and well on her way to graduating top of her class as Valedictorian. Everything changed, though, when her mother died in a tragic car accident. Traumatized by the loss of her mother and closest confidante, Ryanne no longer sees the point in putting effort into anything. She is sent to live with her Aunt Jane, who has become her legal guardian. Life is okay there, albeit lonely. Ryanne relishes the solitude, though.

While walking to the local bookstore, she experiences a mighty close brush with death, only to seemingly have been saved by the wind. The owner of the store, and the store owner’s nephews, care for her wounds. She meets Colton, the most gorgeous guy she has ever seen in her life. She doesn’t put much thought into it, though, knowing that the school classifies her as a “freak” and the popular kids tend to bully her.

A strange daydream reveals more about her than she originally thinks, and her life begins to take a drastic turn. She learns she is a mage, and becomes part of the bookstore household – which, she is pleased to see, includes the gorgeous Colton. She learns that she is being sought after for her power, and turns to the household to help her become stronger. Friendships are built and fortified, and Ryanne finds herself in the middle of romantic drama.

Will she be able to accomplish everything expected of her? Will she figure out what to do about Colton? Can she keep the enemies at bay?


From the very first page, I was drawn into the story. It is told from the first-person POV of Ryanne, and I immediately identified with her. The way she looks at her situation, and everything going on with her, is exactly how I would react. The narrative is terrific, and it’s incredibly well-written. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the men in her life! Goodness. Talk about temptations!

There were a good amount of grammatical issues, but they did not really detract from the story enough for me to dock points as a result. I was still engrossed in it right through to the ending, and holy-cliff-hanger-Batman!! I cannot wait to read the second book!!

I give this 4/5 stars, and definitely recommend it to anyone (especially teens 13 and up) who enjoy YA fantasy. Plus, it comes with just a dash of romance to give things a bit of a twist!
 
Ever Mine, by Eden Ashe – – > Some fairytale romance for you all!

Title: Ever Mine

Author: Eden Ashe

Publisher: Lyrical Press

ASIN: B00JF7ZFAY

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Ages: 18+

Pages: 105

In this magical novel, Nathan Alexander is preparing to meet his ex-fiancee, Rhiannon, after a long day at the office. A delivery of (yet another) plant from his Aunt Millie arrives just before he takes off. This time, it comes with a note about finding and keeping his one true love.

As he sets the pot down, a fairy comes flying out of it. After getting acquainted with the stunning fairy, Katenia, he decides to take her with him. Everything is fine, until she suddenly becomes human-sized!

They find themselves thrust into a state of confusion as their two worlds collide. Their attraction to one another is undeniable, but they make a pact to not fall in love. But, when they find themselves in a battle of control and evil, the fairy and her human strive to protect one another. Will they be able to keep their vow of not falling in love? Will they be able to keep each other safe?

Reactions:

From the very beginning, I was in love with this story. It is written so well, and sorealistically that fairies and fairytale magic seem perfectly plausible. The characters are incredibly easy to like, and I liked Katenia right away. She’s spunky, determined, fiercely independent, and curious about her new world. She does not allow herself, or anyone else, to place her in the role of Damsel in Distress.

The plot twist is one I really did not see coming, and it was executed perfectly. Oh,and those…ahem…intimate moments? Goodness! *fans self*

“It wasn’t until he hit the twilight area before exhaustion took over, that he realized her hand was lying over his heart, as if protecting it.”

Everything about him touched something inside, reaching places deep in her soul she’d never realized were empty.”

He wasn’t hers, but damn if she wouldn’t fight until the end of time to find a way to make him happy.”

tumblr_inline_mgnbkjw0oe1qa7upk.gif

Eden Ashe creates a vivid fairytale, and makes doing so seem effortless. I would even go so far as to say the magic was not only in the story, but also in the experience of
reading it.

5/5 stars

Available for FREE on Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Reviewed by A. P. Bullard
Triskele Reviews
 
Anna and the French Kiss – -> A Ranting Review

Title: Anna and the French Kiss

Author: Stephanie Perkins

Publisher: Usborne Publishing

Genre: YA Romance

Pages: 273 (eBook)

Summary: Seventeen-year-old Anna Oliphant is the daughter of a biology teacher and a famous author whose books are popular movies.

For her senior year of high school, her parents send her away to a boarding school in Paris, forcing her to leave her life in Atlanta far behind. She imagines it will be horrible, as she doesn’t know anything about French culture, and cannot imagine being without her best friend and her crush.

When she gets to the boarding school, she spends the night crying. Her next-door-neighbor, Meredith, hears her and comforts her. They form an instant friendship, and Anna is invited to sit with them in the restaurant-like cafeteria. She befriends the group, though some come around more slowly than others. The best part of all, though, is when she meets St. Clair.

A French-English American with perfect hair, St. Clair steals Anna’s heart from the moment she first sets eyes on him. Charming, polite, and funny, he shares her interests and they develop a friendship. She knows Meredith is jealous, but she spends time more and more time with him anyway. St.Clair also has a girlfriend, who Anna hates on principal.

Things change between Anna and St. Clair when they are left alone at the boarding school for the four days of Thanksgiving holiday. Their friendship grows, and they realize they want more than just friendship. However, there is the problem of the girlfriend and Meredith’s crush on St. Clair. Will Anna get the boy of her dreams?

Reactions:

It was incredibly hard to not sound a bit sarcastic when writing the summary. To begin with, I absolutely could not stand Anna. At all. She is a prime example of the failure of the America educational system and has a serious case of the SpoiledRottens . She outright says that she only knows one French word, “oui”, and only recently found out that it was not spelled “w-e-e-.” Oh, come on! She cannot possibly be that daft. It’s one of those common foreign words that isn’t even considered all that foreign anymore. It’s used so often, like “si”, that everyone knows what it means! She even has a pillow with her family crest’s motto that has an embroidered French phrase. However, she didn’t even know it was French until St. Clair pointed it out. For seventeen years, she assumed it was Latin or some other language. Are you serious?

9129980.gif


She is incredibly ignorant, and relies heavily on stereotypes. In fact, she does it to such a high degree that St. Clair calls her out on it. Heck, she even believes that the main thing Parisians do for fun is watch mimes! She also apparently has never had a Panini in Atlanta, which I find very hard to believe. She has the adorkable, clumsy-but-oh-so-cute trope down pat, and it’s just far too obnoxious.

She acts as though she is sent away to some horrible, horrible place in the middle of nowhere because her parents don’t love her. It couldn’t possibly be that she is sent to a prestigious boarding school in Paris, because her parents want her to have outstanding educational experiences that she could use to fluff up her college applications. Yeah, couldn’t possibly be that.



Moving on. . .

Not only does the main character of this book maintain this “I’m so much better! I’m a good person! I’m a victim!” attitude, but the main heartthrob perpetuates the idea that it’s okay to cheat in a relationship. I feel bad for Ellie. She’s written as a “holier than thou”, slutty-dressing jerk, which is supposed to make it okay for St. Clair to cheat on her. Oh, and then for them to rub it in Meredith’s face all the time,even though Anna allegedly did not want to make her jealous.
tumblr_inline_mte2jaftat1rm672e.gif


When she that her crush back home isn’t as interested as he originally seems, she cries and cries as though it’s the end of the world. Even though she has been pining over St. Clair this whole time. Then, she ‘dates’ someone else in an attempt to get back at St. Clair for…what? Not breaking up with his girlfriend?

The Verdict:

Good: The writing is really good, and I loved the descriptions of Paris. The prose was beautiful, and the author writes cutesy scenes really well. I liked how she wrote the supporting characters, Rashmi and Josh.

Bad: Everything else. I was really disappointed by this book. I’ve heard a million great things about it, and now regret using part of my birthday gift card on it. The main characters annoyed me to no end, and it was just full of teenage angst. It could have been a fun read, if Anna wasn’t such an annoying toddler.

Rating: I give it 3 out of 5 stars. The story itself is good, and the writing was good. Anna and St. Clair just really ruined it for me. He was so charming, but the whole cheating thing was just bad. He didn’t feel guilty, and it just made the entire book seem like it supported the idea that cheating on one’s partner is okay, as long as said partner is a jerk.

Grab your own eBook copy of Anna and the French Kiss for just $5.81.

OR

Grab your paperback copy of Anna and the French Kiss for $6.12

Reviewed by A. P. Bullard
Triskele Reviews
 
Back
Top