Down the Bookland

My rating:  5 of 5 stars The titles of all of Rebecca’s books have always been very symbolic and this one doesn’t disappoint either. The Darkness Within kept me engrossed since the beginning. We first met Darkrip and Arderin in The End of Hatred and since then their respective stories have always been at the back of my mind, no matter what I was reading at the time.   Darkrip was so tortured because of his past actions and because of who his father was and felt that he wasn’t worthy of love. Nothing could be farther from the truth. He used his rudeness towards Arderin as a defense mechanism whenever he felt things he shouldn’t (according to him) towards her. But, Arderin never let him get away with it and that was one of the most admirable thing about her character. She kept him on his toes and fought for him with her everything. There were times when Darkrip crossed the line in making her hate him but Arderin never gave up.   Darkrip’s transformation from befor...

Oh my god, this book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. Janie Crouch outdid herself with this book. The first thing that intrigued me to read Dorian’s story was the character build-up that was in the previous books. The way Janie Crouch built Dorian’s character through Zac, Finn, Aiden and Gabe’s book left me wondering about what actually goes on in his head and I finally got to know that after reading this book.  Another thing that made me keen to read this book was the synopsis, especially the part “And the man she helped break—the man she’s always loved—is the only one who can stop the danger threatening them all. When it comes to keeping the people he loves safe, including the one who thinks she’s not worthy of it, there is no danger—past, present or future—Dorian won’t battle. The Ghost will rise.” Ghost and Wraith were perfect for each other in every sense. So far, we’ve seen how Dorian has always liked to be alone but this book gives an insight into a whole othe...

My rating:  5 of 5 stars The Elusive Sun far surpassed my expectations. If you liked The End of Hatred then you will absolutely love The Elusive Sun. A big congratulations to Rebecca Hefner for writing yet another enthralling novel. The Elusive Sun is the story of Latimus, Sathan’s brother and the vampyre army’s commander and Lila, the sweet aristocrat who will definitely win your heart. I was so excited for their story ever since I first came across the two characters in The End of Hatred and I must say it was worth the wait. I think I liked Latimus even more than Sathan. Even though he was mean before, his transition after what happened to Lila amazed me. He was strong, sweet and so romantic in his efforts to court Lila that it made me swoon. But, at the same time he was a warrior at heart. Lila was kind, resilient and her true strength was highlighted after she suffered a major tragedy. I loved how Latimus was always there for Lila and vice versa even when they did their best ...

My rating:  4 of 5 stars Welcome to New York was a refreshing change from angst-filled and action-packed novels. It is on the longer side which helps the readers develop a better understanding of the characters. Harry and Alana have scars from their past that led them to leave their homes and come to New York for a fresh start. When they meet each other for the first time, they connect and as time passes they grow closer because they start to recognize that maybe they are not that different from each other. They start to recognize each other’s scars. Harry and Alana were both likeable characters although I think what Alana did to Brandon and how she treated Brandon for most of the book was not justified, even though she redeemed herself in the end. I think she should have given Brandon a chance to explain. I felt Brandon’s story could have been explored a little better. Harry had all the traits of a hero. He was loving, supportive, rational and to top it all, he was handsome. Ala...

My rating:  5 of 5 stars Securing Brenae is Rear Admiral Dag Creasy and Brenae Creasy’s story. We first met Dag in Securing Caite and even though he played a small part in that book, it intrigued me enough to want his own story and Susan Stoker definitely did not disappoint. This book is different from others written by Susan Stoker because it focuses on a couple that has already been married for 30 years and how despite of all odds and hardships they still love each other as much as they did when they first met if not more. Dag and Brenae first met when Dag was a student in the Naval Academy and Brenae was a waitress. I loved how confident and honest Dag was since the beginning. He was strong and he radiated power without pulling his rank. The thing that I loved about him was that even though he was so strong and responsible, he didn’t hesitate from being vulnerable in front of Brenae. Brenae was the perfect partner for Dag. She was smart, supportive and understanding and never ...

My rating: 5 of 5 stars The End of Hatred is the first part in a series which takes the readers into a world created by goddess Etherya. This world consisted of four species namely, the Slayers, the Vampyres, the Deamons and the humans. There was a time when the Slayers and the Vampyres used to live peacefully with each other, however, because of one instance their truce ended and the species were at war. Both Miranda and Sathan aspired to bring peace among their kinds and to end hatred. However, there were too many obstacles to overcome to achieve this goal and they fought valiantly to overcome those obstacles. I loved how different yet so alike Miranda and Sathan were. Sathan was stable to Miranda's impulsive nature and the calm to her storm. Sathan had an aura about him that made him very intriguing and likable. He was authoritative when needed to be, level-headed and practical. Miranda was fearless, passionate and at times a little impulsive but that just added more cha...

Things We Never Said   (Hart's Boardwalk #3) by   Samantha Young Local metalsmith and gift shop owner, Dahlia McGuire, likes her quiet life in Hartwell, Delaware. It’s the perfect place to hide from her family and the tragic events that led to their estrangement. However, when her father, the person she loves most in the world, needs her Dahlia has no choice but to return to Boston to face her ghosts. One of those happens to be her ex-boyfriend’s best friend, Michael Sullivan. The man she was never supposed to fall in love with. Michael Sullivan has never forgotten Dahlia McGuire. Some might say he’s never gotten over her. For years he lived with the anger of her desertion, and now, newly-divorced, he’s finally ready to move on. That proves impossible when Dahlia returns to Boston and reawakens their explosive connection. Despite everything, Michael wants her back, but Dahlia can’t seem to let go of the tangled emotions of the past. When she flees home to H...

    My rating:  5 of 5 stars More Than Tempt You captivated me from the beginning like all other books by Shayla Black. It had romance, suspense, mystery, family bonding and excellent supporting characters, all the makings of a good book. I felt it impossible to put down since the first page leading to a sleepless night and bleary eyes but this book was worth it. Clint Holmes experienced a loss so profound that it filled him with rage and anger. All he could think of was getting revenge against whom he presumed was the enemy and get justice even if that required romancing her but what he never could have imagined was falling for her. He was kind, protective and level-headed. Bethany Banks was sweet yet sassy, vulnerable yet strong and smart yet at times slightly gullible. She has always been hesitant to trust men and for good reason because of the pain she had suffered at the hands of the one man who she did everything for, her father. Beth and Clint’s relationship s...

My rating:  3 of 5 stars I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Saving Hanna is a short and sweet novella by A.L. Long. It is a wonderful love story between Hanna who had lived her entire life on her farm until she was forced to move away and Aiden, a greedy and powerful millionaire. Hanna was a true farm girl until she was forced to move away because of the consequences of her brother, Carter’s greed. after which she started working at a diner to support herself and to save her farm. Aiden was a true businessman down to his roots who bought the farm and wanted to buy the diner. He visited the diner regularly as a result of which he met Hanna for the first time. Aiden was sweet, protective and had a good head on his shoulders. I felt like he was a good contrast to Hanna’s gentle nature. There were times I felt Hanna was being childish and impulsive like running away multiple times without telling Aiden and not giving him a chance ...

My rating:  4 of 5 stars Susan Stoker has once again delivered an amazing story with an alpha hero who is as sweet as he is deadly and a heroine who even though is insecure about herself still shows tremendous strength when it comes to protecting those she loves and a very loyal and supportive team. Wendy is working two jobs to make sure she can provide her younger brother who she took responsibility for after their parent’s died with all the comfort that one should have. Even though what she did in her past may be frowned upon by most people, her intentions were pure which made her very likable. Aspen or as his teammates call him “Blade” is an alpha male through and through. He is strong, protective, caring and loves Wendy’s brother as much as he loves her. He was always there when Wendy needed him and respected her enough to trust her choices which made him very endearing. I really liked how their story was not insta-love or insta-lust but actually developed over time. It shed ...

My rating:  3 of 5 stars Rescuing Macie is a short novella which I felt was a quick read. It was a relatively light book compared to other books by Susan Stoker. The story has an exceptionally gripping start with Macie climbing out her bedroom window to get away from intruders. Macie’s anxiety was heartbreaking to witness but at the same time it was very realistic. I am sure there are a lot of people who have anxiety issues, maybe not to the same extent but a little anxiety is present in every person. Colt was a calming influence on Macie and it was nice to see him always being so understanding of Macie’s issues and helping her through them without a single complaint. I liked how even though Macie suffered from anxiety issues, she still did not hesitate to defend Colt when needed. I felt that the relationship between Colt and Macie could have been developed a little better. At the start of the book itself, Macie trusts Colt more than anyone else so I just hoped to see a little mo...

My rating:  5 of 5 stars “Our love story was so much more than a romantic tale. Our story was about friendship. About family. About looking out for those who always looked out for you.” This quote described Eleanor and Grey’s story better than anything. This story shows that all you need is love and time to mend the broken pieces of a person’s heart. This book is one of a kind and will stay with me for a long time to come. Eleanor and Greyson first met when they were teenagers and Ellie was going through a tough phase of her life. I really loved how Grey was always there even when Ellie distanced herself from him, always helping her deal with her pain and heartache because he understood what she was feeling. I loved how resilient Grey was and how different he was from the characters we always read about. Even though he was popular and a star basketball player, he wasn’t self-absorbed or cocky. He was down-to-earth, patient, kind and lovable. On the other hand, Ellie was strong,...