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review 2018-12-27 15:08
I did not like Blue!
A Deeper Blue - S.E. Harmon
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my copy of this book. A year ago, Kelly and Blue took the friendship to a whole other level. But Blue plays football, and doesn't wanna come out yet. He just needs to bide his time. Kelly, however, is growing impatient with Blue. Can Blue keep Kelly happy, while he gets himself together? This is book two in the Rules of Possession duet, and you NEED to read book one, The Blueprint, first. I listened to book one, and I said that I found that the narrator for Blue didn't quite for me, even though Sean Crisden is a firm favourite of mine. However, since READING book two, I've decided it's NOT the narrator, but Blue himself who is the problem! I could hear Kelly when I read his chapters, but not so much Blue. I connected better to Kelly than Blue. I loved Kelly, but Blue?? Nah, wanted to punch him so bad! Keeping Kelly happy is Blue's number one priority, but he still has to work, to play football, and to leave Kelly from time to time and that does rather kill Blue. He DOES love Kelly, that much is obvious, but he just can't come out yet, not to everyone else. BUT everyone else? Those around Blue and Kelly all the time?? THEY know, they knew BEFORE Kelly and Blue did! When a couple of players voice what they know, and Blue gets caught kissing Kelly on their vacation, he knows he has to come out. And he does. I just *insert sigh* expected the fall out of that to be . . . MORE . . . you know?? Blue goes on about how big a deal it is, to come out as a football player, about how BAD it will be, and I expected the fall out to be nuclear. But it's more of a damp firework, to be honest! I DID enjoy reading this, but the thing I struggled the most with was Blue himself. But Kelly's voice is so strong, it balances out Blue perfectly. And the story rounded off beautifully, in a very Kelly way! 4 solid stars **same worded review will appear elsewhere**

 

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review 2018-10-29 16:57
desperately wanted to hear from Edmund!
Escaping Solitude (Escape Trilogy #2) - Sara Dobie Bauer
I was gifted my copy of this book, direct from the author, that I write a review was not required. Andrew takes Edmund back to civilization, to his home in New Orleans. Andrew's coven has some members who wish to harm Edmund, to take him away from Andrew and Andrew will not have it. To turn Edmund, Andrew needs an Elder so Edmund is let lose in the coven's library to find him. Then Andrew is called home to England, so the trip to find the Elder is put on hold. That is, til a terrible accident on board. Again, written only from Andrew's point of view, in the first person/present tense, same as book one. Knowing this going in, made it easier to overlook that personal quirk that I don't much care for books written as such. And of COURSE I wanted to hear from Edmund! There were several keys points along the way that I really needed to hear what he was thinking. Andrew introduces Edmund to some of his more baser pleasures, several of them, in the club with the red door, and oh that was such a surprise cos I did not see that one coming at me! So bloody hot! He also introduces Edmund to his coven's parties. But rather than Andrew go all ALPHA-protect-what-is-mine, it's Edmund who goes all don't-touch-what-isn't-yours on Felix, the one who touches Edmund. Oh of course Andrew wanted to rip Felix' head off for that, but he left Edmund stake the claim of Andrew, rather than the other way round. The trip home to England brought some more surprises, but also tragedy, when there is a storm. And we're left hanging! Cliff hanger, people, of the highest order! Not QUITE the one I was expecting, but still a massive one, that could still go either way! And I have to wait til Jan next year for the final part, and Lord is that gonna be a wait!! So, ONLY, only because Edmund doesn't have his say, because I think if he had, this may well have been a 5 star review... 4 stars

 

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review 2018-10-29 16:37
kinda creeps up on ya!
Escaping Exile (Escape Trilogy #1) - Sara Dobie Bauer
I was gifted my copy of this book direct from the author, that I write a review was not required. Andrew didn't know how long he'd been on the island, but it was a long time. When a ship wrecks on his beach, a scent pulls him to find Edmund, half dead from the wreck. But there are others who want Edmund, and they don't mean to save him. Andrew has to keep HIS monster at bay, along with those on the island, if he wants to keep Edmund safe. So! I'm in a bit of a quandary about this book! If you follow my reviews, you'll know I'm not a fan of books written in the present tense and first person. I don't know why I don't like them, I just don't. You'll also know, I will ALMOST always say I wanted to hear from the other main character, if a book is written from a single point of view. And thus: my quandary. This book is written present tense AND first person. Had this book been written from both Andrew AND Edmund's point of view, in resent tense/first person, I have no doubt, NONE at all, I would have dumped this book as soon as that became clear. But it's ONLY Andrew who has a voice here. And of course, at this point I'm gonna say I needed to hear from Edmund, because I really did! But HAD Edmund had a say, I might not have finished it! You see my problem?!?!?! Putting that fact aside, I really did enjoy these 80 pages of a vampire falling in love with his rescue, who in turn rescues him from his banishment. Andrew has been banished for killing one to many humans and keeping this human alive might just be his salvation. Edmund, curious mind that he has, wants to study Andrew's kind. And as they grow closer, Andrew's beast pushes hard for Andrew to bite Edmund, which Andrew doesn't want to do. But Edmund takes the choice away from him. Andrew's voice is strong and clear, and he tells his story well. I saw no spelling or editing errors to spoil my reading. It's just my bloody quandary! So, since I really am surprised I enjoyed this first person/present tense... 4 solid stars **same worded review will appear elsewhere**

 

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review 2018-10-26 11:15
Russo's narration broke me!
Beneath This Mask - Victoria Sue,Nick J. Russo
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted my AUDIO copy of this book. This is book three in the Enhanced Series. I wouldn't say it was necessary for you to have read books one and two, but it might give you a better reading experience. It would also give you a a better experience of these men, and just what being Enhanced means. Gael doesn't want a regular human partner, especially not one from the task force they have all come to hate. But Jake is different, he's not got that inbuilt hatred the others seem to have. When Jake and Gael come across a non-verbal Enhanced child, who later becomes a murder suspect, Gael has to put his feelings aside, even if they threaten to be his very undoing. Oh Gael, Gael, Gael! My heart bled for this man, it really did! He's in a whole lotta pain, and he hides it from the others in his team, who are his family too. But Jake?? Jake sees, really SEES Gael, and Gael isn't entirely sure he wants to be seen. While there is the murders of the Enhanced as the back story, what I particularly loved about this one, was the emotions involved between Gael and Jake. With the emotions involved with turning, and the aftemath of that. Gael's history wasn't the best before that point, but it became a whole lot worse after. Jake has his own demons, and when Gael finds out what that is, he lashes out, quite LITERALLY. But he does come around, once the awful truth becomes clear. It's not as explicit as books one and two, but it doesn't need to be. I did find it a little more graphic, though, but I think that really IS needed. When Gael is caught by the one doing the murders ( I knew! I knew when that person first showed up, I KNEW they were no good, that something bad would happen!) his feeling for Jake, his own abilities are used against him, and Gael has to trust the guys find him in time. And after that, when Gael pulls away from Jake?? That boy pulls out all the stops to make Gael SEE Jake, he really does. That Jake wants a family with Gael, and all who come along too. And I cried then, great heart wrecking sobs, because it's such a beautiful scene! We are introduced to Sam, AKA Angel, who pushes ALL of Vance's buttons and then some! Can't wait for their story, really can't. But I'll wait for the audio, don't wanna flip between reading and listening. Again, Nick J Russo narrates. This above mentioned scene? When Jake makes Gael SEE Jake?? I have no doubts, none at all, that it's the way that scene was deliver by Russo, his NARRATION, that wrecked me! Reading would not have had the same impact, not for me, anyway. Russo KILLS it, he absolutely does. His voices are clear and consistent across all three books, he has a way of getting so much emotions across, that really is beyond compare. I love his narration, so please keep them coming! 5 stars for the book 5 stars for the narration 5 stars overall **same worded review will appear elsewhere**

 

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review 2018-09-18 15:50
different,very different but brilliant!
Five Minutes Longer - Victoria Sue
Independent reviewer for Divine Magazine, I was gifted the AUDIO file of this book. Some 30 years ago, children began waking up with a mark on their faces and enhanced abilities: speed, strength, mental abilities. Talon, now given the job of setting up a human/enhanced task force within the FBI, was one of the first. He doesn't want to work with normals on his team, but this task force is his, and the other enhanced team members, last chance at becoming a useful member of society, not just a mark on his face. Finn wanted to join the FBI forever, and worked hard to get to apply, but he is not accepted. Instead he gets a cryptic phone and flies to Florida, and finds himself face to face with several huge enhanced, one of whom makes Finn want that boyfriend he never had. They have four weeks to make this team work, do or, quite possibly, die. Oooooo-eeeee! Loved this! Different, very different and different is always good in my book! The guys on the team really don't want Finn around, but know they gotta put up with him, at least for a little bit, but he grows on them, Talon especially but Talon fights that attraction all the bloody way, and when he finally gives up the fight?? Oh yes ma'am, that boy falls hard and he falls FAST! And when Finn gets caught in the cross fire at a bank robbery?? Talon goes all MAJOR Alpha-Male- Protect-What's-Mine! I loved that not everything is fully revealed about the guys abilities, I think there is quite a bit more to come! Nick J Russo narrates and he does a sterling job! He's a firm favourite of mine, and each and every time I listen to his work, it becomes my NEW favourite! Russo's voices are clear and distinctive, even in multi person conversations. He reading voice is deep and even and I had no trouble, not at all, keeping up. He gets cross all of Finn's emotions and his reactions to the guys, to Talon. His intense dislike of his brother and how his mum was with his dad. Russo gets across all of Talon's fighting, and that boy fights hard, his feelings for Finn, and you get just how much Finn means to him, when he thinks Finn is lost. This is book one, there appears to be an underlying story arc running through these books, and I look forward to watching that unfold, and to watching these guys fall, like dominoes, one by one. Off to listen to book 2, which is a continuation of Finn and Talon's story. 5 stars for the book 5 stars for the narration 5 stars overall **same worded review will appear elsewhere**

 

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