Monday 25 February 2013

BOOK REVIEW: Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard

BOOK REVIEW of Gabriel's Inferno by Sylvain Reynard




First of all, I got this book because of the explosion of new novels following the 50 Shades success. I made it my mission to read everyone of them in the little ‘If you liked 50 Shades, you’ll love this’ area of my local bookstore. I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.

I went into this expecting sexy hijinks and not much else. I was very wrong:

One man's salvation, one woman's sensual awakening . . .

Gabriel Emerson is a man tortured by his dark past. A highly respected university professor, Gabriel uses his notorious good looks and charm to lead a secret life of pleasure where nothing is out of bounds.

Sweet and innocent, Julia Mitchell enrols as Gabriel's graduate student and his immediate attraction to her, and their powerful and strange connection, threatens to derail his career.

If the tortured professor hadn’t caught my interest, the references to Dante in the first few pages definitely did. Now I won’t lie, this was not an easy read for me. I got angry, a lot. I got book whiplash, and wanted to throttle both characters on numerous occasions.

Julia is very meek, she’s shy and innocent and a little damaged, and she lets people walk all over her. She isn’t prepared, and I believed, not strong enough to handle Gabriel Emerson. He’s a very angry hurricane, and she takes the brunt of his verbal aggression, a lot. For apparently no reason, he hates her, and she can’t stop thinking about him.

That aside, I strangely liked this book. The Dante elements were woven in brilliantly, the writing style is engaging and evocative, and there is so much UST and angry passionate want that I found myself yelling ‘Just fuck her already!’ rather loudly and often on public transport. You get caught up with the edgy storytelling, the broody, intense professor and the innocent woman who stirs him to madness.

And the sex: I’ll admit, there isn’t a lot of sex. But this is so much more evolved than 50 Shades, and so much hotter, despite the lack of orgasms, that you really don’t care. When you get it, it’s sweet, it wasn’t world changing, I preferred the build up, which is odd for me, but it’s written beautifully and leads on to much more in its sequel. Which you should also read.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I would recommend it to anyone looking for something intelligent, beautifully written and provocative.

I awarded it 4.5 Throbbing Hearts and a heat rating of 1 Saintly Sweet


 
Some quotes, because I’m a sucker for loving on words:

“If he thought this disgusting display of food porn was going to get her attention and maybe make her a little hot and bothered until she was putty in his hands……he was right.”

“Sometimes people, when left alone, can hear their own hatefulness for themselves. Sometimes goodness is enough to expose evil for what it really is.”


Disclaimer: Reviewer bought copy

Available from Amazon


Sunday 24 February 2013

BOOK REVIEW: For The Love Of A God by Rosanna Leo


GUEST REVIEW 

For The Love Of A God by Rosanna Leo (Published 2012 by Liquid Silver Books)




Hades hath no fury like a bunny-boiler scorned. 

Highly enjoyable and entertaining romantic comedy.
For me this was the book equivalent of a feel-good chic-flick you'd watch with your girlfriends. Yes, it's a bit silly and cheesy and predictable and the distressed damsel swoons regularly (yes literally) into the hero's waiting arms, but the characters are so engaging and the witty banter so entertaining that you really just don't care.
Leo's writing style is a joy to read.
I'll admit I normally gravitate towards darker stories, but I've also had a thing for the Greek Gods since my teenage years when I took Classical Studies in school, and Leo's Eryx is delicious. I readily identified with Maia, the female MC, who is intelligent, geeky, self-possessed and highly likeable.
I especially enjoyed the first half of the book, and the rapport between the main characters. Later on, the action rather eclipsed those charming interludes, and whilst the action was very well written, I found myself lacking that gut-wrenching feeling I love when the characters are in peril. Maybe because the light-hearted style left me in no doubt whatsoever that the HEA was on its way.
All in all a sweet, romantic guilty pleasure.
Highly recommended read.

Paula

Things you might hear a character say: 'Great Poseidon's crotch! She had nothing to wear.'

Laugh out loud moment: 'Eric's cock shot up like one of Poseidon's dolphins, shooting towards the surface of the water.'

4.5 throbbing hearts: Heat rating: 2 Saintly Sinner

Disclosure: Reviewer purchased the book from Amazon



Just an Introduction

So...I’m not good at introductions. I generally babble through an awkward name exchange, or fall completely silent and hide behind the nearest friend. But I’ll give this a try. So.

Hi.

A little bit about me and this blog.

I’m an author, I’m a reader, I’m an avid paranormal fan and have a thing for werewolves and gladiators. Like seriously. Give me Derek Hale and Crixus and I’m a happy girl. My guilty pleasures are reading TV Show fanfiction and prowling the internet for inspirational pictures, and my taste in music crosses nearly every genre. I’m a song lover, not an artist lover. Meaningful lyrics will get me addicted in no time. I’m a sucker for something I can write to, and if it gives me insane feels, all the better.

I have a lot of feels.

Now, about the blog. It will be a lot of things. It’s where I review books I’ve read, and since I know how hard it can be to get your written baby out to the public, I’ll be tweeting daily about all sorts of romance and erotica books and I’d love to promote you too, just get in touch :)

I’m always looking for new things to read. And I’d love to get some recommendations.

I’ll read almost anything, but, like anyone, I have favourites in PNR, Urban Fantasy and Historical. I can be easily hooked on something new; if you have a good blurb, I’ll want to read. If you don’t, give me a few reasons, tell me why I should read it, and I’m pretty easily persuaded :P

So...

To authors, readers and any one else in the book industry, Hi and enjoy.

Email me with any questions, review requests or any other booky requests :) sevendeadlysinspromotions@gmail.com