Confession of a Book Junkie

Romero celebration this week! Interview, GIVEAWAY's and bonus scene!!!

I loved Rule Archer since the first moment I ever laid eyes on him. He was everything I shouldn't want and the only person I went out of my way to not try and please. He only saw me as a brat, as an entitled, stuck up princess but worse than that all he saw when he looked at me was his deceased twin brother's girl. It broke my heart because as much as I had loved Remy Archer there was never anything romantic between us and no matter how hard I tried to convince myself that loving Rule was a terrible idea, my poor heart just wouldn't listen. We tolerated each other, barely. We forged an uneasy alliance until one night I had too much to drink and changed the way we were forever. Suddenly life long secrets were no longer hidden and the one thing I always wanted for myself seemed obtainable as long as I was willing to go through hell to hold onto it.

Shaw Landon was a class act and I had no idea what to do with her. She was tied to my family, tied to the person that was my other half so I tolerated her and her haughty attitude because I didn't have any other choice. What I didn't know was that a short skirt and too many cocktails on her birthday was going to change my outlook on her for the rest of my life. Some people thought I hid behind all my tattoos and piercings, that I tried to distance myself from my dead twin, Shaw saw through it all and wasn't scared of what was underneath. We weren't supposed to be together, weren't supposed to be anything except uncomfortable acquaintances but that all changed in the blink of an eye. Now I had to figure out just how a girl like her and a guy like me were supposed to be in love without destroying each other. Add in her custom made ex and two disapproving sets of parents and the whole situation sounded to me like it was more trouble then it was worth. (Recommended for mature readers due to sexual content, language and drinking,)

Rule is a debut book from another indie author, Jay Crownover. Does it have grammatical errors and such? Yes. Is the book being sent off to an editor and to be re-released as an updated version? YES. Did this distract me from this awesome book? No. Did I give it five stars anyway? Why yes, yes I did and let me tell you why.

First the book is told from first person perspective, BUT it is told from both main characters points of view. I found that I LOVED THIS. The gap that I usually find from first person POV was missing as you knew what the other character was going through during the times that you needed to. From this perspective it was easy to see why decisions were made, as well as, mistakes.

Rule is about two people who basically have grown up together. Shaw was a girl that was basically drawn into Rule’s family by his twin brother Remy. With her home life less than stellar, she and Remy became close until his unfortunate death. Everyone in the family believes that there was a romantic relationship there, no matter how vehemently Shaw denies this. For her although she and Remy were close, she has always had feelings for Rule. But as she has been pigeon holed as Remy’s girl, even after his death, she can’t seem to get him to look her way.

Rule has lived his life the way he wants. He’s the black sheep of the family, being the tattoo artists with almost a full torso of tattoos, as well as many piercings. He doesn’t believe in living in Remy’s shadow either now or then and being who he is despite how his family view him. He lives for himself, but never realizes that even as he says he doesn’t need approval, the way he lives his life actually screams that he needs love. He tends to be self destructive, but it’s very understandable as you delve more into his family life and the way his mother has treated him in the past as well as the books present.

The story isn’t all candy hearts and flowers; I do believe it’s why I loved this book so much. While the pivotal turning point was something that I thought was a bit abrupt, it was really the only fault I could find with the book. (There was another and it had to do with a reaction to a secret Remy had where I thought it was blown a little out of proportion and was hard for me to identify why it was such a huge deal.) But it wasn’t too big of a deal and didn’t distract from the story in any way making it unbelievable. Rule in this book is one of the better alphas that I’ve seen. He doesn’t see the light and automatically know that Shaw is the one, he only knows that he has feelings for her that he has never previously experienced, wants to find out what it means, but in no way doesn’t make mistakes along the way. The mistakes that he makes are explored and I believe it helped that there were chapters that were told from his point of view so you could see where his mind was at. His realization isn’t instant, nor does he just seem to know what love is or how it feels as he’s never really experienced it before. This for me makes him one the top 10 of male alphas for me. The struggle to change but not change while trying to understand the need for communication and self-realization in a relationship is something you watch Rule come into. He’s not a natural, nor is he beyond help.

Shaw suffers from what everyone expects of her and what she’s supposed to be, rather than ever doing anything for herself. This leads to her being unhappy. It also seems that even when she speaks, no one really listens to her, but rather just assumes she agrees. She’s like this about every subject except for Rule. While she was best friends with his brother, she had always been in love with Rule. Rule saw her but never really SAW her, but that is explained in the book. Shaw is the one that defends Rule, puts up with his shenanigans and temperament, even though all they do is argue. Her defensiveness definitely seems like a mechanism to stop Rule from figuring out her true feelings. She presents the prim and proper Shaw to the world, but has always felt that she’s someone different underneath. Shaw grows in the book and finds the courage to take a stance against people in both big and little ways. There is a reason that she was attracted to Rule that neither she nor he understands until later in the book. I will state that there are parts where she seems a little too over the top, but at the same time it works for her and you come to accept that’s just who she is when it comes to Rule.

The side characters from Shaw’s roommate, to Rule’s tattoo buddies, as well as Jet from the local band, Rule’s brother Rome and Cora who is the no nonsense receptionist at the tattoo parlor, only add to the story. In no way do they take over the story or distract from it. They each have me hoping they all get their own book. Rome was full of sound elderly brother advise, Cora spunk and the others just enough here and there to help move the story along. There is also a villain there does live up his maniacal build-up and although it’s over fairly quickly, the scene in the hospital is heartbreaking.

I could go on and on about this book, but don’t want to give anything away. It was hard writing what I did without gushing over favorite parts. Rule is one of the better books I’ve read in a while. I would definitely recommend it to friends. I can’t wait for the next one about Jet and Shaw’s roommate. I gave this book 5 stars because I know that I will be rereading it in the near future. It’s already on my favorites in my Kindle.

Wilde Ride (Ride Series)
by Maegan Lynne Moore
Rating: ★ 1/2
Version Read - Kindle
Want it? Buy it HERE


An embarrassing run-in leaves her wanting more.
Ella Scott, ready for a change and the chance to escape family tragedy, heads to familiar Del Mar, California, after her college graduation.
No one could prepare her for what she’d find.
After starting her new job as a high school teacher, a scary encounter with some local thugs and a co-worker’s unwanted advances and attention send Ella into the arms of local bar owner Ryder Wilde. But Ryder comes with his own complications. As president of his motorcycle club, Mayhem, Ryder must choose between his biker family’s plans and whatever chance of a future he has with Ella.


If you’ve read any of my previous reviews, you know that I’m pretty forgiving when it comes to indie authors, especially when it comes to their first published book. I can put up with a lot, as in run on sentences, grammatical errors, lack of scene dividers, etc.  The reason being is that the author can always have it (re)edited and release an updated copy to do away with any errors that happen to be distracting.

With that being said, let’s get to this debut book from a new indie author. I love stories about motorcycle guys and their ladies; it’s a new thing for me. So when this book came up I got a copy hoping for the best after reading the teaser available on Amazon. While reading this book, I posted this on Facebook – “That moment you realize you’re reading a book in hopes that it will get better. You know that it won’t but are too stubborn to admit it, so read all the way to the end and then get mad at yourself for wasting your own time when you knew better.” While it wasn’t that extreme I would have to say that there was some major disappointment.

I will try to use as little spoilers as possible and they will be vague, but it will be somewhat necessary as I point out my issues with the story. From the beginning, the writing seemed promising. A young woman, named Ella, who has graduated college and wants to strike out on her own in a different town on a different coast seemed like a good lead in. She has a flash back to her last visit and we meet Ryder. That’s right the main man in the book’s name is Ryder Wilde, I personally hated this because it ranked on the cheesy scale of bad names for a biker. Honestly from mid-chapter 2 the book written wise goes downhill and can’t seem to pick itself back up.

First there seems to be no reason to why these two are attracted to each other. They literally meet once for five minutes, then again one year later. After her first day on her own and saying how much she likes her apartment, she spends the night with him only to basically moved in with him on the second day. Ella never spends one night in her apartment. There is no reason for them to be together other than sexual attraction, literally. Only in one part of the book do they find they share a similar tragedy in their life, but basically it was two paragraphs long and then done. There is no building on the character of the characters only how weak and unable to take care of herself Ella is and how much Ryder seems to be able to drop anything and everything to constantly baby her. How she was going to try and survive on her own is beyond this reader. Although the author tried a couple of times to redeem her and show her “tough” side, it came off as a desperate attempt to try to negate the crybaby that Ella was. Even though it was told in her perspective, she came off as weak, with really no redeeming qualities. Again her character was completely underdeveloped.

On to Ryder. Badass leader of West Coast Biker Club? Ummmm I’m thinking NO. Besides the author’s attempt to make him sound like a tough, alpha, macho badass, he mostly came off as a whipped man who had anger control issues. There were times when I would read a line that he said and go “uh no”. An example “ ….As sexy as they look on you, they block my access. They are the enemy, and the enemy must be destroyed.” Besides having that small conversation ripped from the pages of “The Mighty Storm” does the end of the sentence sound anything like a badass biker would say? This isn’t the only instance where the book takes from other books in a subtle way, but I didn’t note them specifically, more that I noticed and shook my head. (Take note of where Ryder lives. Sounds a bit like Kristen Ashley’s Tack’s house.) Ryder seems to be to drop everything in the blink of an eye just to rescue, comfort or be with Ella in general. He goes from trying to be super, dirty talking sexy, to bad ass biker to sweet, but unfortunately falls short. (Again she refers to him in all these different personas which is a part of another Ashley book.) He comes off as sporadic and all over the place, especially in the last portion of the book. This would probably have to do with his underdevelopment, as well as any insight to his behavior. Surprisingly though the epilogue in the end written from his point of view was probably one of the better written chapters of the book.

The book jumped all over the place, there was no consistent flow or reason for the story really (unless you can count all the ways that Ryder and Ella have sex.) There are too many pop culture references and things that don’t fit or add up at all in the “small town” this takes place in. It seemed as if Ms. Moore was trying to throw in every scenario or fantasy that every woman on the Earth may have, from wall sex to showing up in nothing but a trench coat. The fight scene between an antagonist and the heroine was so outlandishly out of character and improbable it was almost too much. I can’t say more without a spoiler. Ella and Ryder fight and within four paragraphs all misunderstandings are laid out and resolved so easily you almost wondered why they bothered in the first place. Not that I’m a fan of strife, but simply saying x, y, and z doesn’t just make the feelings about the situation go away in my opinion. The main points in the stories, where one is actually well done and had potential even though I figured out who the stalker was, could possibly throw readers in a good way. On the other had the “problems” with the club could have been brought more in to the light in perhaps book 2 where one of the main characters from this book will be the lead in the next. It was a good storyline that was completely underdeveloped and could have been so much more.

I wish I could say that I liked this book more. The only saving grace it seemed to have been the two side characters of Payton and Diesel (which are the leads in the next book). Payton made crack up more than once. I’ve NEVER, EVER have given out one star, but this time I think I’m going to have to. I’ll add a half on for potential. But I wouldn’t read this book again, and more than likely wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. My advice to the author is to take away the $2.99 price tag on Amazon and lower it to $0.00 for a while to build up some fans and possibly take criticisms to correct her errors with the story or have a very good editor help her out with the grammar, flow and voice of the story. Also to be careful as this story reads more of a fan-fiction an actual book. The author has potential, but needs to find her own voice and not one of Kristen Ashley (who she mentions in the book) or any other popular book at this time.

1 1/2 Stars

Ember Walsh was always the quiet one, enjoying a book and a glass of wine over the noise and crowds of a club, but when her best friend asks her to come out and meet the boy she likes Ember's world is turned upside down. He appears like a mythical avenging angel, inked, gorgeous and completely out of her league but one look and Ember no longer wants the quiet, she wants him.

Trace Montgomery has buried his damaged past with women and fighting until one day he meets an angel and suddenly he wants more, he wants her. For her, he's determined to overcome his demons but will the dark secret that links their pasts bring them closer or will it tear them apart.

This book reminded me of a cross between Beautiful Disaster and My Favorite Mistake. But it was still unique enough to be on it's own. While I was torn between 3 1/2 or 4 stars, I decided to round up. Masyie and Jordan have a lot of sexy moments and very tender moments, all wrapped up in what seems to be the drama of being attracted to someone you shouldn't, but fate has a different idea for you. Even though the description states something about Maysie and her spending habits, it's really just a blip in the whole story, enough to get the ball rolling where she has to take a job to basically to keep up with Joneses. So don't let that turn you off.

The story in itself is a story about learning to standing up for yourself. Finding that it doesn't matter what others think of you but rather what you think of yourself. It also shows how bad group mentality, bullying and rumors can be vicious, although again this is just a side blip. It's a coming into yourself story, that includes self forgiveness, realization, and learning not to hide but rather stay and fight. But....

 The only thing that seriously bothered me was the "guilt" in this story. It almost seemed to focused on, making it almost annoyingly frustrating in some parts. I couldn't understand why, if she understood her issues, had a friend to help her point out her issues, the same issues of self esteem kept coming back into focus over the same subject in several chapters, why she couldn't help herself and do something to get past it or honestly, professional help. At some point you almost think she might actually be happy there instead of just lost. (If you have read Dublin Street, it almost to that point, but magnified.) You just wanted to shout enough already, yes this and this happened, but it doesn't make you this horrible person that you think chapter...after chapter....after chapter, literally. Even when Jordan is blatantly honest with her at one point, baring his soul, she whips something out of left field and then basically stands there and lets him go because of herself. In a way she seemed selfish, but with legitimate reasons that I think could have been solved sooner in the story.

While it is told in first person, I really think it would have benefited from a third person POV as most of the time you have no idea what is going on with Jordan, or how the situation is effecting him. I say this because in some sense while he seems sympathetic to Masyie's plight, he's almost oblivious to the harsh nature of the way she's being treated. There's no way if the campus was that small that he wouldn't have at least heard or seen something that would have tipped him off to the backstabbing she was going through.

With that said, I didn't like the story immensely. The ending was good, even if the self-realization was a tad rushed. Jordan was sweet and romantic wrapped up in a Alpha male. The sex scenes had me fanning myself several times. They weren't overly done or graphic, but just right enough to be hot. Again his POV would have been nice because of the sheer nature of the relationship as well as the main situation storyline of the book. It was worth read and I will re-read it. at it's price on Amazon, it's worth it. I was involved in the characters lives. I sympathized with them and their choices. That is the reason I starred up instead of down. Would I recommend it? Absolutely as I think we can all identify in one way or another.