This Chick Read: Catalyst (The Deception Game #1) by Kristin Smith

Catalyst is set in a world where genetically altered teenagers are the norm and being naturally born is abnormal. When her father dies suddenly, Sienna has to leave school to find a way to make money to support her mother (who has lupus) and her little sister. Uneducated and “normal” Sienna turns to a life of crime. Taking a job to steal from the man who created the technique to genetically alter human life, she is caught by a military group and blackmailed into killing that scientist. Sienna turns to the Fringe, a semi- terrorist group that is helping extract teens from science labs where they are being tested on against their will not wanting to be a killer. Yikes, there’s a lot going on in this world and really very little explanation, which did make my head spin a bit.

Sienna was a hard headed girl who had good intentions. She’s trying to take care of her family but really just wants someone else to take care of her and make this all go away. I mean, what 17 year old wouldn’t want that? She was torn between two men, Zane, the first genetically altered boy/man, and Trey, the leader of the Fringe. Zane, protected since he was a child, seemed very naive. He was friendly, handsome, charming, but somehow innocent. Trey was also friendly, handsome and charming but a little more dangerous. I am a bit tired of the torn between two guys trope and was looking for an angle that hadn’t been taken in previous novels. Unfortunately, other than they were both nice guys instead of one being evil, Sienna’s situation wasn’t unique.

I really wanted to feel more for this book more than I did. The concept was interesting and I love a strong good versus evil theme, but I thought the world building needed more explanation and I didn’t connect with Sienna. That lack of connection hurt the impact of the final moments of the novel. What happened rocked Sienna’s world, but it just didn’t rock mine. Was it horrible? No. I saw a lot of promise in this novel that just wasn’t fulfilled. Can the author deliver on that promise in the next novel? If she gives Sienna more heart, yes. Will I pick up the next novel, Forgotten? Undecided. ❤️❤️❤️

Kudos to the beautiful covert art which grabbed my attention and made me pick up the book. (Although it didn’t scream apocalyptic genetically altered teen novel.)

On January 31, 2018January 31, 2018 By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads6 Comments

This Chick Read: The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory

When Alexa and Drew get stuck in an elevator together at the Fairmont Hotel during a power outage they pass the time by flirting and eating the cheese and crackers she brought to share with her sister. When the elevator starts moving they are both slightly disappointed. Arriving at their floor Alexa gets off the elevator but Drew stops her with a question. Would you be my date to a wedding and rehearsal dinner this weeken? Alexa, normally shy and insecure feels somehow confident in his company and agrees to this kind of strange blind date. When she shows up for the rehearsal dinner they totally click and she helps him navigate what could be a rather uncomfortable event. He’s a groomsman in his ex girlfriends wedding.

There were a lot of things that I really liked about this book. Alexa and Drew were a bi-racial couple. Seeing things through Alexa’s eyes while navigating the relationship were eye opening. Something as simple as going to a backyard barbecue can be difficult as the only black person at the party. I cringed in horror at some of the things Alexa had to endure. Crude talk from drunk white men hitting on her was normal to her, and it just shouldn’t be. Her job as Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Berkeley was a highly qualified position. She had a law degree and was beautiful and personable, but was denigraded by men because of her race. It pissed me off for her. How did Drew handle this? Extremely well. He was mad on her behalf and tried to save her from these unsavory characters, but being a part of a bi-racial couple was not something he was used to navigating. Although to give him credit, the mistakes he made in the relationship were normal man-woman mistakes and didn’t have anything to do with race.

Drew was also an adult with a big job. He was a pediatric surgeon, used to making life altering decisions in the blink of an eye. However, when it came to women Drew was a man-child. His only long term girlfriend being the bride whose wedding he was in. Both characters had their insecurities, but Drew’s were about his failure to make a commitment. It took having to fight for Alexa and for them as a couple to make him grow up.

The topics I talked about above make this sound like a serious book. There were moments that were eye opening and serious. But really, this was a fun romance. Drew was charming, as was Alexa. Their courting song and dance was similar to other books I’ve read, but it was the topics above that gave this book heart and these characters something to overcome to fight to be together. It didn’t take long for me to be charmed into reading the whole novel. Really, I think it was by page 3. These two characters had great chemistry and the sex scenes (NC-17 rated) didn’t get in the way of a very good story. This is Jasmine Guillory’s debut novel and boy did she hit a home run. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review and it was honest!

Jasmine Guillory is a graduate of Wellesley College and Stanford Law School. She is a Bay Area native who has towering stacks of books in her living room, a cake recipe for every occasion, and upwards of 50 lipsticks.

Click this link to purchase! The Wedding Date

On January 29, 2018January 28, 2018 By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads4 Comments

This Chicks Sunday Commentary: Book Blogging Pro’s and Con’s

My blog, The Reading Chick, is now almost two and a half years old. Wow, where did the time go?!!

Initially I started blogging because I wanted to talk about all of the books I read. When I first started blogging all of my book choices were what I was drawn to read. As time went on I started following authors Facebook pages and twitter accounts, sometimes reaching out to let them know I’ve read and liked a book. Even making friends (of sorts) with some of them, joining review clubs and Facebook discussions, etc. Then I discovered NetGalley. Like many bloggers I went out of control. All of those books, free!!! All I had to do was write a review and post it on my blog, Amazon and wherever. When I couldn’t keep up, I had to reign myself in, stopping those requests until I honored the commitments I had made. Although I’ll confess, there were a few books that I just couldn’t get into and just sent a note back to the publisher saying I was sorry but I wasn’t going to be able to review the book. I felt so bad!

Once I was back in control I asked myself why I was doing this? The pressure of putting out a blog a few times a week can be another full time job, and one that doesn’t even make me any money. Is it worth it? I decided to make a list of my Pro’s and Con’s of being a book blogger to help me decide my feelings.

PRO’s

I read at least two hours a day. On weekends sometimes 4-5 hours. At 50 pages an hour I get through 2-4 books a week. The point is, I read A LOT.
I love to write. I get a really great feeling when I craft my post. Not all of my reviews are great, but some of them are really really good. When an author take one of my quotes and tweets it at me? Wow, there’s no better feeling.
I have made friends in the blogging community that I can discuss my passion for books with? How cool is that? Something I have in common with hundreds, if not thousands of other bloggers!
FREE BOOKS. I have a few authors that I jones for. If you know me well, you know I love Urban Fantasy authors like Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs and Anne Bishop and romance authors like Jill Shalvis and Kristen Ashley. If I can read them free? Bonus!
Helping authors get the word out about a new book. Although this can also be a Con because they don’t hit a home run EVERY time they write a book, but still, I do love supporting them and seeing other bloggers talk about those same books.
Reading a review about a book that I’ve already read and reviewed myself. I LOVE this! I love writing a note about what I liked or disliked. I love opening up that conversation.
I love that I seem to be on a couple of publisher’s lists to send out notes asking me to read a novel because I’ve read and reviewed a similar novel for them. It makes me feel special.
Reading my fellow bloggers posts. I love to find new books that you all recommend as well as chime in on some great discussions.

CONS

Keeping up with my blog schedule. I put out three reviews a week and on Sunday I try to be more creative. Either a discussion, interview, or well, anything besides a review. It is HARD to come up with good ideas!
Book review requests. I would love to help discover that next great novelist. It is hard to find the time!! Lately, I’ve started to get about 5-10 book review requests per week. Does everyone else get these too? How do you handle them? I try to respond to everyone thanking them for sending me their letter and I so want to support them, but I am only one person reading and just don’t have as much time as I’d need to get through them all.
Not getting carried away on NetGalley. It’s so easy! I have my favorite authors, and sometimes they all have publishing dates close to one another. It makes life difficult when I’m a day away from their release date and I haven’t read the book yet. I know, they’re my favorite. I should read it as soon as I get it, but I don’t. I try to honor all of my commitments, so soonest date published gets read first. When they stack up? It freaks me out. LOL
Sometimes I just don’t want to write a review but with the need to put out three a week I feel like I have to write one. I know that reviews mean a lot to an author, especially on site’s like Amazon where they get ranked and show up in more recommendations the more reviews they have listed, either good or bad. It’s the thought that I should write one that makes writing difficult.
I have a full time job. Occasionally I write during the week, but the majority of my writing gets done on the weekend. So, that’s 2-4 posts I have to write in two days. The first one goes down like a fine wine, and then it gets less sweet and more acidic.
Finding the time to keep up with commenting on other blogs. I love having that conversation, but there are some weeks where I just don’t get to it. I feel like I’m letting people down.

I could throw a couple more Pro’s and Con’s onto the list, however, I think these help you get my point. There are many great things about blogging. That’s why I keep doing it! There are also a lot of things that weigh me down when it comes to blogging. However, I do think that the Pro’s out weigh the Con’s. It all comes down to the fact that I like to read and I like to write. Now that I’ve started could I stop? I think I would miss it too much! I would miss you all too much too.

Do you have some of the same Pro’s and Con’s on your list? How do you handle the sacrifice you make to write daily or spend your weekend writing like I do?

How do you keep your commitments to put out a review as the book comes out? Do you fall behind? Not care? Are you always on time?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Until next Sunday,

Deb

On January 28, 2018January 27, 2018 By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads23 Comments

This Chick Read: Score (San Francisco Thunder #1) by Victoria Denault

When Zooey was a teenager she rebelled in all ways. The daughter of a minister, she liked to cross the line. Now, going through a hellish divorce, Zoey runs into the sisters of a childhood crush, Jude Braddock. Jude hearing about his sisters run in with Zoey, immediately flashes back to that one night… the problem is, Zoey is no longer the same girl and Jude is not the same boy.

Jude is a professional hockey player and gets all of the benefits that go along with that role. Tons of one night stands have given him a rotten reputation in the news. When he finds Zoey again, he spends hours of time trying to get her into bed. However, Zoey is going through a divorce, and while she is definitely attracted to Jude she is not going to break those vows before the papers are signed. Her dedication gives the two of them time to settle down and actually get to know each other again. Jude finds himself in a new role of supporter and friend. A role that does not come very easily to him.

I have to admit, I struggle with reading about sluts, whether they are male or female. Spending time in Jude’s head as he strategizes on how he wants to get Zoey in bed only annoyed me, but also being inside his head while he struggled with how to be a good friend to Zoey while she was fighting feelings of insecurity over her failed marriage, redeemed him a little. There was more to his storyline than just sex; trust issues with his teammates, sisters who were too much into his business, and his own feeling of low self esteem even though he was a pro hockey player. All of these things added to the story giving it more of a plot than he trying to sleep with Zoey, but unfortunately that was still the overriding theme.

Zoey was really forgiving of all of Jude’s sexual shenanigans and in fact was kind of turned on by his aggressiveness. Totally not my thing. I found myself overlooking and skimming through all of the sexy scenes trying to find heart. I did really like Zoey’s character. The contrast between a wild teen and a conservative adult who struggled with her identity and self esteem was interesting. The Jude who helped her find herself again, I liked. I just wish that we didn’t have to dig through so much of slutty Jude to find that guy. Zoey was the girl that got away for Jude, and the fact that she still meant so much to him after all of these years was sweet. Together as a couple, they did seem to bring out the best in each other and that was why I stuck with the book.

I do love sports romances and find it interesting that a lot of authors go the slutty male character route. Is that attractive to women? I guess? Maybe some women like the fantasy that a good woman can tame him? I like the fantasy of “this couple brings the best out in each other” and that’s why I gave it ❤️❤️❤️

On January 27, 2018January 19, 2018 By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson

An Enchantment of Ravens is a fairy-tale fantasy about a girl named Isobel who is a portrait artist to the fair folk. In the town of Whimsy, the fair folk come and purchase craft from the artisans. In return they exact payment in the form of spells. Isobel has learned at the tender age of seventeen to be very exact in her negotiations because the fair folk are not honest in their negotiations and what seems an innocent wish for true love may become an obsessive infatuation. When Rook, the Prince of the Autumn lands comes to have his portrait painted Isobel see’s something in his eyes that she must paint on canvas. Unfortunately what she paints is a humanity that the fair folk do not wish to see, and Rook spirits her away to stand trial for her error. During this journey she and Rook come to an understanding finding friendship and love which is against the fair folk’s laws.

I was captured by the charm and spirit of this novel. The author painted her words so they flowed lyrically across the page. The melding of commonly heard folk tales such as the fae can’t speak a lie, with a new fair folk history made the story both familiar and foreign, making it easy to huddle into my blanket on the couch and immerse myself into this enchanted land.

Isobel for being a seventeen year old girl, was wise beyond her years. She was essentially the adult in her household, responsible for her two sisters and her aunt. When she is spirited away by Rook, she gives in to the adventure, worrying about her family, but also seeing new shapes and colors in every hill and tree opening her eyes to the world as a whole rather than Whimsy’s summer colors and sounds. I loved how her emotions were painted in colors.

Rook was an interesting hero. He was one of the fair folk and his glamour was beautiful, but underneath that glamour was a reality that contrasted with that beauty they all wanted to portray. That contrast between fae reality and glamour was found throughout the story giving this a real fairy tale feel, more Grimm than Disney. He and Isobel’s love ran a similar juxtaposition from her innocent first love to gritty heart wrenching pain. I loved how this novel ran from one spectrum to the other in a rainbow of colors from light to dark and back again. The story and the feelings all those colors imbued captured me completely.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

On January 25, 2018January 25, 2018 By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads2 Comments

This Chick Read: Judgment Road (Torpedo Ink #1) by Christine Feehan

Anya Rafferty has taken a job as bartender in the bar owned by MC Club Torpedo Ink. She’s trying to fly under the radar, friendly but not flirtatious with the bikers and customers, but her beauty gets her noticed. Reaper is the enforcer for Torpedo Ink. His first job is to protect their President, Czar, but he can’t keep his eyes off Anya. He tries to scare her off but she’s broke and doesn’t have anywhere to go. When they go head to head their chemistry is fierce and against his better judgment he decides to make her his own.

I don’t normally read MC biker romances. I don’t have anything against them, they just aren’t my thing. However, when Christine Feehan writes well,her books are really, really good. This book had elements of greatness. Judgment Road and those bikers in Torpedo Ink had a background that was different and drew me in. Stolen when children in Russia, they were abused, trained, and raised to be assassins. When they escaped Russia they stayed together forming this club and using their skills to help others who have been victimized. I liked that theme, but wow, this was a pretty dark book. If you have triggers about rape, abuse, etc. this will be a difficult read. I don’t have those triggers and at times I cringed in horror.

Anya and Reaper were kind of typical of a biker and his babe. He was totally Alpha and she was sassy and sweet. There was a ton of smoking hot sex (a little too much at times) but they had a lot of past trauma to get over, on both their sides to get to their happily ever after. Anya was on the run from a group that wanted her dead and without giving away the story, Torpedo Ink ended up saving women who were brutalized by this same group. I wish Judgment Road was a little less sex and a lot more of that story because it was a really good romantic suspense tale and got me totally hooked. If Reaper hadn’t had trauma in his own background that he and Anya worked through with sex, passages that were important, I would’ve skimmed a lot more than I did.

This series is an offshoot of the Sea Haven series, if any of you are fans. Viktor (Czar) and his wife Bythe were the last book in that series. There is a mystical element to the Torpedo Ink members, just as there was in the Sea Haven series, with each biker having a trait that was kind of magical and mysterious. This magical element gave the series a little boost into the unreal, but made it a lot more fun to read.

Judgment Road was a pretty dark, grueling start to this series, but there were some other members that I found pretty fascinating. I think I’ll need to keep an eye out for the next one, but am hopeful it will be a little lighter read. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

On January 23, 2018January 21, 2018 By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chicks Uppercase Box Reveal- Jan18

It’s a new year and just to switch things up a little I’m going to start including a monthly post called This Chicks Uppercase Box Reveal. I subscribe to a Young Adult book of the month club called Uppercase Box. Yes, I am a little outside the demographic but I got the subscription when I was writing a young adult novel and have kept it because I got addicted to the fun monthly surprise in a box, and a book pick that was not usually on my radar. In addition to some book themed goodies, what makes this subscription so unique is that each novel comes with keywords that you can use to sign in online and interact with other readers, view videos from the author and read tidbits about what the author was thinking when they wrote a certain portion of the book. Behind the scenes insight which makes the reading experience even more enjoyable! If you’d like more information go to uppercasebox.com and read their blurb.

Now, for the big reveal! When I first open the package, I see an Uppercase Box bag filled with goodies.

There were a few things inside the bag besides the book: A magnet with a quote from the book- No One Knows But We Will , a typewriter sticker (a little young and sweet for my taste, but great to pass along to a fellow reader), and wooden rocket bookmark. There is a couple of hints in this photo below that reveals a little bit about the book…

The above card would be great framed wouldn’t it? It has a nice quote from Jane Austen that reads “I Declare After All There Is No Enjoyment Like Reading”. Amen sister! This is definitely true in my household!

Now for the January 12018 Uppercase Box Book, drumroll……..

A signed copy of A Conspiracy of Stars by Olivia A Cole

Synopsis:

Octavia has always dreamed of becoming a whitecoat, one of the prestigious N’Terra scientists who study the natural wonders of Faloiv. So when the once-secretive labs are suddenly opened to students, she leaps at the chance to see what happens behind their closed doors.

However, she quickly discovers that all is not what it seems on Faloiv, and the experiments the whitecoats have been doing run the risk of upsetting the humans’ fragile peace with the Faloii, Faloiv’s indigenous people.

As secret after disturbing secret comes to light, Octavia finds herself on a collision course with the charismatic and extremist new leader of N’Terra’s ruling council. But by uncovering the mysteries behind the history she’s been taught, the science she’s lived by, and the truth about her family, she threatens to be the catalyst for an all-out war.

This is a recent release and I haven’t heard of this book. However, I really enjoy Science Fiction books and think this one sounds pretty good!

Have any of you read this book yet? If so, let me know if you liked it!

When I get it read, you will definitely see my review on The Reading Chick!

Happy Reading!

Deb

On January 21, 2018January 20, 2018 By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads1 Comment

This Chick Read: Survive the Night (Rocky Mountain K9 Unit #3) by Katie Ruggle

Survive the Night is the third installment in the Rocky Mountain K9 Unit series and Sarah is my favorite heroine of the three. Sister to a wanna be mob boss she has been locked behind doors and abused for her whole life. That may sound like Sarah would be a victim but she has a bit of steel in her spine. After escaping her brother she moves in with Jules and Grace (heroines from books one and two)and starts to practice what she has been internally preaching…she wants to live a normal life. When she sets eyes on K9 cop Otto she isn’t scared by his size, she is captured by his sweetness watching as he rescues animals and rehabilitates them with a soft touch.

Of course, this is a Katie Ruggle novel so you know trouble is coming and Sarah needs to gear up for a fight. Sure enough, when her brother tracks her down it affects Grace too as their reasons for being in Monroe are tied together. There are some great action scenes that really drive the story. Sarah, separated from her friends when the trouble starts does not hide until its all over. She takes the bull by the horns and seeks out her friends showing she has spunk and is a fighter even after being beaten down for years.

If there was one thing missing for me it was with Otto. He was a big sweet lug who loved animals and took in strays. He was pretty one dimensional and I would’ve liked to have made more of a connection with him. After all he was in the previous two novels, unlike Sarah so I should’ve felt more for him than I did. His purpose was to be there to help save the day and win his girl. He got to do both in a very satisfying way. I enjoyed reading this book on an overcast Saturday afternoon and it hit the spot. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I was given a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest.

On January 19, 2018 By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads1 Comment

This Chick Read: When It’s Real by Erin Watt

When Vaughn Bennett meets pop star and teen idol Oakley Ford she is totally unimpressed. He’s late, rude and well, a bit stuck up. She used to be a big fan of his music, but that attitude! Vaughn unfortunately has to suck it up because she’s been hired to be his fake girlfriend to help improve his image.

It took Vaughn and Oakley a long time to warm up to each other, so the first two thirds of the book was all about the tension between the two of them. Oakley was also used to getting everything he wanted, so his lack of courtesy towards Vaughn really made him out to be a jerk. That lack of courtesy wasn’t just one sided though, Vaughn was also not very nice to Oakley for that same period of time. This may have been why I had a hard time with these two characters. I’ll admit that when they finally learned how to be friends with each other I grew to like them more and had an easier time with their transition to love.

I thought it interesting that Vaughn and Oakley were both so independent. Vaughn because her parents died in an accident leaving she and her older sister to raise their younger brothers. Oakley was raised by actor parents and had emancipated himself at 15 from them so he could make his own decisions about his career. His parents pretty much dropped out of his life at that point leaving him to raise himself. Vaughn and Oakley’s history should’ve given them a commonality, and it was certainly used, but not until much later in the book when they stopped antagonizing each other and became friendly. Once they did, those similarities did provide that bond, but I wanted it much sooner!

This was a book that should’ve been easier to like. I thought the plot was interesting, and the characters back stories made them human and sympathetic. When they finally really became a couple I really did enjoy the story, I just wanted them to get there a little sooner than they did. However, once they got over that hump I found that I easily forgave them for taking so long to get there, and Erin Watt really does craft a good story. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

On January 17, 2018 By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads7 Comments

This Chick Read: A Treacherous Curse (Veronica Speedwell #3) by Deanna Raybourn

When a previous expedition partner of Stoker’s goes missing details from his past threaten to make headlines again, stoking those old flames of gossip. Veronica Speedwell is determined to investigate this mystery and keep Stoker’s name and heart from being dragged through the mud again. As they traverse the Egyptian curse that seems to have followed the Ankheset exhibition to London they unravel not only the mystery, but also the intricacy of their friendship.

There are many reasons why the Veronica Speedwell series strikes a chord with me. Even though set in Victorian times, a somewhat prudish era where women are still entrapped by societies rules and station, Veronica is a modern woman. She and Stoker are business partners in life as well as in their investigations. She is outspoken and loves to shock Stoker with pithy statements and fantasies about the male form, and has great wit, charm and a dry sense of humor. She is a woman that I really enjoy reading about. As she and Stoker investigate the disappearance of his previous partner and the curse of the Egyptian exhibition that he had been traveling with (that has now come to London), Veronica’s inner lioness comes out as protector to Stoker’s fallen hero. A Treacherous Curse is a very fine tooled mystery but also we are given insight into the feelings Veronica and Stoker have for each other in a couple of very emotionally moving scenes that I honestly didn’t know these two characters had inside them.

A Treacherous Curse, although set in Victorian London, is uniquely flavored with all things Egyptian. When finding a tomb can mean instant fortune, and also fame for those who uncover those treasures. Although a different era, I had visions of Indiana Jones running through my head while getting to know some of these new over the top adventurers, which was tremendous fun. The pace of the story seemed a little quicker than the previous two novels only slowing down to a simmer for the introspective thoughts Veronica had regarding Stoker. This was my favorite novel of the three so far, and I truly liked the other two! A perfect mix of action, adventure and yes, a glimmer of a future romance. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

I was given an ARC of this novel through NetGalley for my honest review, and it was honest!

On January 15, 2018January 15, 2018 By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads6 Comments

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