Uncovered (95): The Shining Girls

I am a girl who judges books by their covers and Uncovered is a weekly post on my blog where I share a cover that I am currently lusting over. Enjoy!

This week's cover love is for The Shining Girls by Lauren Beukes. I am not sure what it is about this cover that I find so striking but I really like it. It's pretty simple but the bold red is very eye catching and I like that it creates a frame for the cover. The wasp (bee?) and the styling of the woman's face and hair give the book a sort of vintage look. The expression on the woman's face is somewhat flat and emotionless, giving the whole thing a sort of creepy vibe, that I actually like. And it turns out that this book is about a serial killer, another creepy thing that I like. :)

Hope you guys liked this week's pick. Let me know what you think of it in the comments below. Have a great weekend!

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It's Finally Here - Official Trailer for The Fault in Our Stars

You've all probably seen this by now but I figured you could watch it one more time. :) The trailer for The Fault in Our Stars looks pretty amazing and true to the book. Since I read the book really recently, it's very fresh in my mind. I think it's going to be good and I love the shots of Amsterdam. I didn't really cry while reading the book but I just might when I see the movie.

The Fault in Our Stars hits theaters June 6, 2014. Get your tissue box ready.

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Review: Romancing the Duke by Tessa Dare

Title: Romancing the Duke (Castles Ever After #1)

Author: Tessa Dare
Publication Date: January 28, 2014
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Adult Historical Romance
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N
Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

In the first in Tessa Dare's captivating Castles Ever After series, a mysterious fortress is the setting for an unlikely love . . .

As the daughter of a famed author, Isolde Ophelia Goodnight grew up on tales of brave knights and fair maidens. She never doubted romance would be in her future, too. The storybooks offered endless possibilities.

And as she grew older, Izzy crossed them off. One by one by one.

Ugly duckling turned swan?
Abducted by handsome highwayman?
Rescued from drudgery by charming prince?

No, no, and… Heh.Now Izzy’s given up yearning for romance. She’ll settle for a roof over her head. What fairy tales are left over for an impoverished twenty-six year-old woman who’s never even been kissed?This one.

Isolde (Izzy) Ophelia Goodnight is twenty-six, plain and penniless. The daughter of a well-known children's book author, Izzy grew up dreaming of knights, romance and a life of adventure. However, after years of disappointment, Izzy no longer believes in fairy tales. Orphaned and homeless, she suddenly receives word that she has inherited a castle in Northumberland. Thinking that perhaps her luck has changed, Izzy uses everything she has to travel to the castle and claim her inheritance. Unfortunately she finds the castle still occupied by its former owner, a very irate and brooding Duke of Rothbury (Ransom). Nearly blind from a recent duel, Ransom has been hiding out in his castle and claims that it was never sold. It's a standoff now as neither Ransom nor Izzy is willing to give up the castle. They decide to work together to unravel the mystery and end up finding more than either of them bargained for.

I am fairly new to Tessa Dare's writing but have become a fast fan. Her stories are charming and sweet with a lot of humor. Romancing the Duke is the first book in a new series, each with a heroine who inherits a castle. Izzy is the heroine of this book and I really liked her. She's been disappointed a lot in life but she isn't jaded or mean. I liked her curious mind and the fact that she didn't let Ransom scare her away. She's tenacious, loyal and more than a match for the Duke.

The Duke is a difficult character to love - at first. He's moody, mean and gruff and does everything in his power to get rid of Izzy. His scars, inside and out, have made him a hardened man who pushes people away. But as Izzy chips away at his rough exterior, we find a man who is romantic and charming (though still rough around the edges).

Both of them have grown up believing that they weren't good enough - Ransom because of his jackass of a father who blamed him for his mother's death, and Izzy because she she thinks herself plain and isn't able to live up to the legend of The Goodnight Tales. It broke my heart to see how neither of them really knew their own value. But, as their relationship grows, they do as well and both start to see each themselves in a different light.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. While it's not my favorite Tessa Dare book (I still prefer the Spindle Cove series a bit more), I had a lot of fun reading it and will definitely be re-reading it in the near future. I am excited to see what is going to happen in the next book in the series. Romancing the Duke is another great romance to add to my growing Tessa Dare collection.

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

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Visit the author online at tessadare.com, Facebook and follow her on Twitter @tessadare

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links. For more details, please see our full disclosure policy here. 

Teaser Trailer: Disney's Maleficent

Have you guys seen the new trailer for Disney's Maleficent (and do I really have to write Disney before it?)? This is just a teaser trailer but I think it looks really promising. It almost feels like a horror movie trailer, and I am hoping that it's a bit darker than normal Disney fare. Angelina Jolie seems made for this role. And what the heck did they do to her cheekbones? That's some amazing CGI or makeup.

Maleficent opens on May 30, 2014.

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Manicure Monday (48): Sea Glass

Manicure Monday is a weekly feature that combines my love of nail polish and reading. Each week I'll show you one of my current reads along with what's on my nails.

Well it looks like Monday has come around again. It seems to do that quite often. :) Today's Manicure Monday is Sea Glass by Maria V. Snyder. This was a part of the series of manicures I did to celebrate the release of Snyder's new book Taste of Darkness. I am currently reading an ARC that doesn't have a cover so I thought I'd show you guys this one. It was pretty simple to do with fun results.

First, I painted 2 coats of Sephora by OPI Mermaid to Order on all of my nails. Mermaid to Order is a very pretty metallic blue-green shade that reminds me of, you guessed it, the ocean. 

Then, using a small nail brush, I painted a starfish on my middle finger with CND Silver Chrome. To create the bumpy, sand-like texture I wanted to go for, I used two textured polishes. (Side note: In case you don't know, textured polishes are a somewhat recent trend in nail polishes and refers to polishes that are meant to be work without top coat and dry to a gritty, sand-like texture).. The two polishes I used were Julie G Sleigh Ride (blue texture) and Julie G Silver Bells (silver texture). I used a makeup sponge to sponge the blue and silver onto my nails to create a textured surface that I hope mimicked the look of sand and ocean. I used a nail brush with the same textured polishes to create texture and depth on the starfish.

This is the finished look. I am not sure why my fingers looks so skinny here, but they do. This was a super easy look to do and it would be really easy to re-create on your non-dominant hand as well.

I hope you all liked today's manicure. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Have a fantastic week!

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Stacked (91)

Hi and welcome to Stacked, a weekly post where I share with you all of the books I've bought, borrowed or received for review for the week.

Hi, everyone! I hope the weekend is going swimmingly. I finally saw Her last night, and really liked it. Such an interesting movie with great acting and great music. Those high waisted pants killed me though. Seriously, in my sci-fi future world we'll all be wearing yoga pants. :) My book haul this week is pretty tame. I've been doing pretty good at reading the books I have and not requesting too many. I still need to write a ton of reviews, but that's another story. 

For Review

The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkowski - I have been seeing this one all over blogland lately and it showed up as a Read Now for a limited time on NetGalley, so I decided to go for it.
 

Borrowed

Champion by Marie Lu - I just grabbed this at the library a couple of days ago. Yay! I've been wanting to read it but was holding out for the library since I don't want to buy it until it's in paperback (to match the others in my set).

Those are my bookish scores this week. What did you add to your TBR pile? Leave a link to your stash post or let me know in the comments below. Happy Sunday!

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Uncovered (94): Evernight

Hi, everyone. Friday is here again. My office move got pushed back a week so I have one more glorious week of a 10 minute commute before I start my grueling new drive. I am trying to enjoy every minute of it.

This week on Uncovered, I have Evernight, the newest book in Kristen Callihan's Darkest London series. I am loving this cover. It fits in really well with the rest of the covers for the series but it still unique. I love the blue and red color combo. The smoky train looks quite mysterious and I am wondering if it'll play a role in the story. The couple is also quite attractive. Holly Evernight is beautiful and I love her hair and that dress is to die for. Will Thorne looks suitably devilish and handsome. He's also appropriately attired. While I adore Jack Talent, his oddly half-open and drapey shirt on the last book was a little off putting. Here Will looks ready for anything.

I know I am always pushing this series but that's because it's awesome. If you haven't given it a try yet I highly recommend it. :)

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Review: Catwoman, Vol. 1: The Dark End of the Street

Title: Catwoman, Vol 1: The Dark End of the Street

Author: Ed Brubaker
Illustrator: Darwyn Cooke, Mike Allred
Publication Date: November 1, 2002
Publisher: DC Comics
Genre: Comics/Graphic Novels
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N
Source: Library

For years, Selina Kyle has prowled the skyline of Gotham City as its most famous thief, Catwoman. But when word spreads of Catwoman's demise, Selina decides to leave the costumed world behind and continue her trade cloaked in the shadows. Unable to enjoy her newfound anonymity for too long though, Selina decides that she must return to her infamous persona. Donning a new costume and attitude, Catwoman returns to the streets and sets her sights on the serial killer that has been preying upon the streetwalkers she calls friends.

I recently picked up the first TPB volume of what the Catwoman reboot that was first released in the early 2002. The series, written by Ed Brubaker with art by Darwyn Cooke and Mike Allred finds Catwoman at a crossroads. With both Catwoman and her alter ego Selina Kyle believed to be dead, Catwoman decides that it's time to lay low and re-evaluate her life and the direction she wants to take it.

The story starts off in classic Brubaker style with a noir-type storyline featuring a detective, Slam Bradley, very clearly inspired by Dick Tracy, who is hired to find out if Catwoman is really dead. Brubaker does hard-boiled and gritty really well and the first couple of issues of this volume really showcase that. I wasn't familiar with Darwyn Cooke's work before this. At first I didn't think I was going to like it, but it slowly grew on me. I really liked the redesign of the Catwoman costume. It is sleek, sexy and functional - perfect for a vigilante cat burglar.

Since most of my knowledge of Catwoman comes from the movies (and I am still trying to forget the Halle Berry Catwoman), this was a really nice jumping off point into the character. It's a rebirth of sorts for Catwoman and Selina Kyle and we see her coming to terms with her life and the things she's done. She even has a therapist. Unlike Batman, Catwoman doesn't see things in black & white, but shades of grey. I like the ambiguous nature of her character. She isn't afraid to bend the rules to get what she wants. I liked her snark and attitude but also the vulnerability beneath it all.

Catwoman's first mission after coming out of hiding it to find a serial killer preying on the prostitutes of East End. I found the story to be well paced and interesting, though the identity of the serial killer and the overall resolution of the storyline was somewhat underwhelming.

Overall The Dark End of the Street is a good intro to Catwoman and is a good starting place for those who might be new to the character. Brubaker has laid the groundwork for what could be a really exciting series and I definitely want to see where he takes Catwoman next.

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Visit the author online at Comic Vine and follow him on Twitter @brubaker

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links. For more details, please see our full disclosure policy here. 

Review: Hope Flames by Jaci Burton

Title: Hope Flames (Hope #1)

Author: Jaci Burton
Publication Date: January 7, 2014
Publisher: Penguin Group
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository
Source: Purchased

Thirty-two and finally setting up her veterinary practice in the town she once called home, Emma Burnett is on her own and loving it. Independent and driven, she's not letting any man get in the way of her dreams. Not again.

That's fine with Luke McCormack. Divorced and hardly lacking in female company when he needs it, he's devoted to the only faithful companion in his life--his police dog. Still, there's something about Emma he can't shake.

When a series of local break-ins leaves Emma vulnerable, she seeks help from the first man to spark her desire in years. And now they're giving each other something they thought they'd lost forever...hope.

This time last year, I began reading Jaci Burton's Play by Play series, which for the most part I really liked. I also recently read and enjoyed her Christmas series with the Kent Brothers. When I saw that she was going to be starting a new series, I pre-ordered the first book. When it arrived, I was eager to start reading it.  Since I was already comfortable with Burton's writing style, I settled in fairly quickly.  Unfortunately, as I was reading, something felt missing, which is why I gave this book 3 stars rather than four.

In the story, you have two likable characters - Luke (the hero) and Emma (the heroine). One thing they have in common is their love of animals, especially dogs.  Luke is a cop with a canine partner and Emma is a vet. As with many romance novels,  both of the main characters come with emotional baggage.  Readers learn fairly early that Luke experienced a terrible first marriage.  It takes longer to discover Emma's past, though it is easy to guess at some of it. As a result, they are both hesitant to get involved in a relationship again. This is fairly standard fare for a romance story and something that usually Burton delivers on pretty well. Unfortunately, there seems to be something missing with the romance in Hope Flames.  I wonder if the characters' indecision on the whole relationship thing put a little fizzle on the passion for me?! The whole "we are not in a relationship" thing, when they  are obviously in a relationship became slightly grating and, though I can see that it was supposed to be part of the build-up and conflict, it was mostly frustrating. 

One of my issues is that it took 60% of the book for Burton to reveal what Emma's issue was with men. Not that I hadn't suspected it, but it felt dragged it out.  I suspect that was a plan to keep readers in suspense, but in this case, it was more frustrating for me.   We knew Luke's issue from the beginning of the book, why couldn't we know Emma's issue? Seriously, Burton could have told the readers much earlier even if she didn't want to reveal it to Luke until later on. I think it takes exceptional skill to reveal a secret very slowly without it just becoming annoying for the reader. When you do finally find out, it feels like a bit of a let down. Additionally, Burton uses this as the issue that is central to the conflict.  It did not feel like it was developed properly nor did it have the level of suspense that was needed.  In order to remain spoiler free, I am trying to limit what I say about this part.   

Another issue with the book - why do women always apologize when it's the men who should be doing the apologizing?! Early in the book, Luke says something that Emma finds annoying/irritating/insulting.  In a later scene, you learn that Luke knows on some level that he has insulted her. He admits he needs to fix it but doesn't until after she apologizes. For the most part, Luke is a great guy but I found myself fuming with this part.

What I did like in the story were Emma's friends Jane and Chelsea and her parents. There are books that frequently isolate the couple from friends and family and I particularly like how Burton always builds family and friends into the story.  I liked Luke's older brother Logan and am interested in reading Hope Ignites and learning more about him. There is also a prequel novella with Jane and Will coming in February which I am interested in reading. 

Despite some of my frustration with Hope Flames (which may not be things that bother other readers), I will stick around and see where the series goes.  

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Visit the author online at jaciburton.com,  Facebook and follow her on Twitter @jaciburton

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links. For more details, please see our full disclosure policy here. 

TV Spot: Vampire Academy

A new TV spot was just released for the upcoming Vampire Academy movie. It has a darker tone than the previous trailers, which some thought were too cheesy (but I loved them). Dark or campy, I don't care. There's no way I am missing this movie. The release date has also been moved up a week and is now set to release on Feb 7, 2014.

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Manicure Monday (48): The Fault in Our Stars

Manicure Monday is a weekly feature that combines my love of nail polish and reading. Each week I'll show you one of my current reads along with what's on my nails.

Happy MLK, Jr. Day! I am lucky enough to have today off. I never have staycation type holidays so it's a real treat to just have a day off to catch up and chill out. I hope to finish The Fault in Our Stars by John Green tomorrow. Yes, I am finally reading it. Yes, it's pretty great so far. So that's the book I decided to do my Manicure Monday post on. 

I started off with a black base on my pointer and middle finger. Using Kleancolor Black, I painted on 2 thin coats. After they dried, I used a small nail brush and white acrylic paint to draw on the stars. 

On the other fingers, I used 2 coats of Barry M Cyan Blue as a base. Barry M is a UK brand and is, unfortunately, not available in the US. However, just pick a nice teal blue cream and you should be good to go. On my ring finger, I used acrylic paint to draw on the clouds to match the book's cover. For the last two nails I decided to use a fun black and white glitter topper to give my nails a fun, splattered look to match the book's colors.

I hope you liked today's manicure. Let me know what you think in the comments below. happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, everyone!

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Stacked (90)

Hi, everyone and welcome to Stacked, a weekly post where I share with you the books that I have bought, borrowed or received during the week.

Are you guys having a good weekend? Mine is going awesomely. Yesterday I spent most of the day knitting and eating crazy amounts of cheese with friends. I even tried baked brie for the first time and it was amazing. Today I am seeing Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit and possibly having donuts. And I have tomorrow off for MLK Day so yes, the weekend is off to a great start.

This week's book haul is pretty light. I am still aiming to read a lot of books I have and, to tell the truth, there hasn't been anything that I have been dying to get so it's been pretty easy not to buy. I am sure that will change soon though because I think some really good stuff is coming out in the next few months. 

For Review

Misbehaving by Tiffany Reisz - I must read everything Tiffany Reisz writes. This is a novella about a woman who writes a blog column about sex. I should be reviewing this soon.

The Given by Vicki Pettersson - Even though I am way behind in this series I could not resist getting this one. I love all of the covers to this series, too. I will probably get them all in physical form one day. 

Won

Precious Blood & Passionaries by Tonya Hurley - I actually won one of those Goodreads contests (that I never win) and it came really quickly. I am so behind on this series and, now that I have both books, I plan on starting it soon.

That is my book haul this week. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!

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What Does the Bookworm Say?: Love Triangles

Hi and welcome to a new feature here on Nite Lite called What Does the Bookworm Say? that I am doing with my friends at The Reader's Antidote, Elegantly Bound Books and The Windy Pages. We often get into bookish discussions over email and thought it would be a fun idea to discuss these topics as a bi-weekly feature on our blogs. Hopefully you find these topics interesting and learn a little about the blogger behind the review. This week's topic is Love triangles: Love 'em or hate 'em?

I have a love/hate relationship with love triangles. On one had, if they're done well, with well developed characters and relationships, I think they can be really great - adding drama and complexity to a story. On the other hand, when done badly, they seem gimmicky and serve no real purpose. They also usually involve a girl who, until then, hasn't had much luck in the love department who suddenly becomes the object of attention to two super hot males. I'm all for fantasy but sometimes this is just too much.

Examples:

Good - I like the love triangle in Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas. I can see why Calaena would be attracted to both Dorian and Chaol. They are both well written characters with both their weaknesses and strengths and I can see why she would be attracted to each of them for different reasons. I can also see why she would be attractive to them.

Bad - So don't throw stones at me but I really did not like the love triangle in the Twilight series. I never understood why Jacob kept hanging around Bella when she treated him so poorly and clearly was never going to be with him. And I think the bigger mystery was always why either of the two hot male leads wanted to be with Bella. Sorry, I know. I like the series but the whole triangle thing was always super annoying.

So that's what I think about love triangles. What do you think? Do you have a love triangle that you think will change my mind about them?

Be sure to check out the other lovely bloggers who are also participating - The Reader's Antidote, Elegantly Bound Books and The Windy Pages. If you have a topic you'd like us to cover, just leave it in the comments below. Thanks!

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Uncovered (93): The Kiss of Deception

Uncovered is a weekly post on my blog where I share a cover that I am currently lusting over. Enjoy!

Hello and happy Friday, everyone. I hope you've all had a good week. I've been a bit crazed at work this week because we are packing up to move offices. It's a big move and a new, much longer commute but I'm trying to just stay positive and go with it. I have a fun knitting party planned this weekend (knitter and proud!) and also hope to get some reading done. I've been in a bit of a slump lately and am hoping that I can get some of my mojo back this weekend. Also, the new Jack Ryan movie came out and you know I am going to see it. :)

Today's cover love is for The Kiss of Deception by Mary Pearson. This cover was just revealed this week and I love it. The washed out colors and ominous clouds give it a really spooky air. The figure in the background is also hard to see. Is he friend or foe? The lettering and illustrative touches are great, and really tie everything together. Her is the blurb for The Kiss of Deception:

In this timeless new trilogy about love and sacrifice, a princess must find her place in a reborn world.

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia’s life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn’t—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom—to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive—and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assasin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets—even as she finds herself falling in love.

Sounds fun, right? I see the beginnings of the dreaded love triangle but, since it's Mary Pearson, I am going to give it the benefit of the doubt. Anyone else excited about this one?

Have a great weekend, all!

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Trailer: Transcendence

Transcendence is a movie that has somehow managed to slip my radar until today, when I stumbled across this trailer. Looks like a futuristic sci-fi movie with an existential twist. I can't tell if it looks creepy or cool. I'm on the fence about this one. What do you guys think?

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Review: The Professional: Part 1 by Kresley Cole

Title: The Professional: Part 1

Author: Kresley Cole
Publication Date: December 16, 2013
Publisher: Pocket Star
Genre: Adult Contemporary Erotic Romance
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Kobo
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

He makes the rules . . .
Mafiya enforcer Aleksandr "The Siberian" Sevastyan’s loyalty to his boss is unwavering, until he meets the boss’s long-lost daughter, a curvy, tantalizing redhead who haunts his mind and heats his blood like no other. Ordered to protect her, Sevastyan will do anything to possess her as well—on his own wicked terms.
Rules are made to be broken . . .

PhD student Natalie Porter had barely recovered from her first sight of the breathtakingly gorgeous Sevastyan before the professional hit man whisks her away to Russia, thrusting her into a world of extreme wealth and wanton pleasures. With every day she spends under his protection, she falls deeper under his masterful spell.
Are you ready to play?

Yet all is not as it seems. To remove Natalie from an enemy’s reach, Sevastyan spirits her into hiding. From an opulent palace in Russia to the decadent playgrounds of the mega-wealthy in Paris, the two lovers will discover that even their darkest—and most forbidden—fantasies can come true.

The Professional: Part 1 is the first installment of an erotic romance by Kresley Cole, author of the Immortals After Dark and Arcana Chronicles series. The book is being published in 3 parts, with each part being a little over 100 pages. This is my first Kresley Cole book and I wasn't sure what to expect. While it has its faults, I found this story to be sexy, entertaining and extremely addictive.

Life is pretty normal for grad student Natalie Cole. To make ends meet, she works 3 jobs when not at school. This leaves little time for romance. But even if she did have the time, Natalie isn't interested in any of the men she meets. Then one evening, tall, dark and Russian wanders into her bar and the attraction is immediate. But Aleksandr Sevastyan isn't an ordinary customer but a hit man and bodyguard sent to protect Natalie. Stevastyan informs Natalie that the biological father she's been searching for is the head of a Russian mafiya clan. As his only heir, she is in danger and Stefavtyan whisks her away to Russia and introduces her to a life of wealth and forbidden pleasures.

Part 1 of The Professional throws you right into the thick of things. To say that the plot moves quickly is a bit of an understatement. One minute Natalie is cozy in her Midwestern house and the next, she is given a new life in a Russian palace, complete with jewel and a new wardrobe. I generally enjoy fast paced plots, but I wish we could have slowed down just a little. Natalie seems to accept her new life a bit too quickly and I would have liked to have seen a little more of her internal struggle. Though, to be fair, if a hot Russian came up to me and told me I was a millionaire Mafia princess, I might not argue either.

Natalie and Sevastyan are not the most original characters, but I liked them. Natalie is feisty and funny and loves pushing Sevastyan's buttons. Sevastyan is your typical alpha male. He's domineering and possessive, and also very sexy. I was a little annoyed at how hot and cold Sevastyan was. One minute it's "you're mine" and the next he's sworn off of her. Natalie is quite frustrated with these mixed signals and I can understand why.

While there isn't anything groundbreaking about this story, it's a fun guilty pleasure read. The love scenes are hot and I have a feeling that they're going to get even hotter in the next installment. I am not sure if I am sold on the serialized format. I do not see the point of it, though the cliffhanger ending does leave you wanting more. And I've already downloaded Part 2, so Cole must be doing something right. Now to read Part 2 and find out what happens in that sauna!

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

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Visit the author online at kresleycole.com, Facebook and follow her on Twitter @kresleycole

Please note that this post may contain affiliate links. For more details, please see our full disclosure policy here. 

Manicure Monday (47): Ketchup Clouds

Manicure Monday is a weekly feature that combines my love of nail polish and reading. Each week I'll show you one of my current reads along with what's on my nails.

Hello, again! I hope you all had a lovely weekend. Mine was pretty chill and I got to knit and do some shopping. I am still reading quite slow lately and haven't managed to finish a whole book yet. I know, crazy. But I am hoping to finish a couple soon. Today on Manicure Monday I have Ketchup Clouds by Annabel Pitcher. It's about a girl writing letters to a death row inmate because she feels guilty about killing a boy. I am just getting into it but it's interesting and a little creepy so far. This cover just begs to be a manicure.  

I used 2 coats of OPI My Boyfriend Scales Walls as a base for the manicure. Then I used black, red, and white acrylic paint and a small nail brush to pain on the ketchup clouds and the bird. I also decided to stamp some dandelions on my pinkie and ring finger. Very early on in the book the main character talks about dandelions and there is even a little illustration in the book. I could have drawn it but I really wanted to try this stamping plate. The plate is Vivid Lacquer VL006 and I stamped it with Kleancolor Black.

I am really not great at stamping so it took a few tries to get them right, but I finally managed it. you can see the dandelions below in the close ups.

with thumb!

up close and personal

I hope you liked today's manicure. Let me know what you think in the comments below. Has anyone read this book yet? 

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