Playing Dirty by Jennifer Echols

Playing Dirty by Jennifer Echols
Release Date: October 29, 2013
Publisher: Pocket Books
Pages: 448
Series: Stargazer #2
Review Source: Edelweiss

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
A public relations expert tries to prevent the breakup of a raucous country band and corral their wild—and very sexy—lead singer in book 2 of the Stargazer Series.

As an expert in public relations crisis management—that is, babysitter to the stars—Sarah Seville just spent nine months in Rio trying to keep rock singer Nine Lives out of jail long enough to record his new album…and barely succeeded. Now she needs a triumphant success so she can keep the Manhattan-based job she loves. Trouble is, her new assignment is to travel to Alabama to prevent the breakup of the raucous country band The Cheatin’ Hearts, headed by sexy Quentin Cox. As she edges closer to Quentin, she discovers layers of secrets. It seems Quentin is taking the spin doctor for a spin.

The Cheatin’ Hearts have stayed on top of the charts two years following three rules. Rule One, no drugs. Rule Two, no sex with other band members. Rule Three, no sex with record company spies. Quentin figures he’d better follow the rules, because he made them. And because if you break a rule, you’re out of the band. But he can’t resist the record company’s beautiful PR agent, and inevitably he breaks Rule Three with hot Sarah Seville. As he falls for her, he finds out that she has plenty of secrets of her own, and one of them comes knocking on her door: what really happened to her in Rio.

My Thoughts:
I definitely liked the first book of this series (Star Crossed), but I loved this one. Usually I don’t like books where the main characters are lying to one another, but something about Sarah and Quentin was just perfect, even when they aren't being 100% truthful with one another.

There are such crazy antics going on in this book (drugged up past clients going after our heroine, massive lies within the Cheatin’ Hearts, etc) that it could have easily felt way over the top. Thankfully it didn't feel that way at all. All the elements came together and just worked so well, telling a crazy story, but an awesome one too.

I loved how Quentin wanted to appear one way to the public, and even to Sarah, but that he was so different underneath. The guy he really was was amazing, and I so enjoyed reading about him. I also liked how this book was romance focused, but that the band issues and Sarah doing her job were of equal importance. The band dynamic in this book was so much fun, and I loved seeing them work together, even with all their problems. Another big focus of the book was Quentin’s allergy and asthma issues. I haven’t read many books where this is such a serious issue, so it was really interesting to read about.

Overall, this was super enjoyable, and one of the best I've read from Jennifer Echols.

The Cover:
Cute!

Rating:
[4/5]

Purchase Links:
Book Depository | Chapters-Indigo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble

Fractured by Sarah Fine

Fractured by Sarah Fine
Release Date: October 29, 2013
Publisher: Amazon Skyscape
Pages: 357
Series: Guards of the Shadowlands #2
Review Source: Netgalley

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
In the week since Lela returned to Rhode Island as Captain of the Guard with Malachi as her second in command, local news has been dominated by chilling sightings of human-like creatures running on all fours. Lela knows there’s only one explanation: the Mazikin have arrived in the land of the living.

Needing to maintain the appearance of a normal life for her foster mother, her probation officer, and her classmates, Lela returns to Warwick High along with Malachi. At night they secretly hunt for the Mazikin nest. To assist, two new Guards from very different parts of the Shadowlands are assigned to Lela’s unit, including the bad boy Jim, who repeatedly challenges Lela's authority. Lela struggles to keep all her Guards on the right side of the law, but their mistakes come at a terrible cost.

As one painful revelation follows another and the Mazikin start targeting those closest to her, Lela finds herself more vulnerable than she’s ever been, wanting a future more than she ever has. With an enemy determined to separate soul from body, one question remains: how much is she willing to sacrifice to protect those she loves?

My Thoughts:
I feel the need to point out that this is definitely not a happy story. Does that need to be pointed out, when the first book takes place in a version of hell for suicides? I’m not sure, but yes, this is a great book, but one that was definitely tough to read at times. There are some good moments, but they quickly dissolved into angst and pain and despair. While this sounds pretty horrible, it really is a good book (I feel like it's somehow necessary it keep pointing this out).

Fractured picks up where book 1 (Sanctum) left off, fighting the Mazikin in the human world. Our characters are trying to prevent them from taking over people, and are attempting to figure out and stop their end game. While a lot of the “twists” in the book are generally predictable, they still bring about some major feels. There were definitely moments when I was flailing (in a horrified way) and crying. It takes talent to bring about such visceral reactions, and Sarah Fine has talent in spades.

One thing I’m always impressed by in Fine’s writing is how intricate the world building is. Even though we’re physically in the human world for this book there were many details revealed of the different afterlife options, and also about the Mazikin. I’m looking forward to seeing more of this in the next book.

Fractured definitely leaves its readers with a cliffhanger. We’re left with a big decision and a question of “what now??”. There are such big things on the horizon for this series, and it definitely made me wish there wasn’t a big wait for the next book. If you’re looking for something happy and light, I’d strongly recommend you find something else (Cinderella Screwed Me Over, anyone? So cute!), but if you’re looking for something intricate and gritty, I’d really suggest you check out this series. I know I’ll be waiting with bated breath for the third installment.

The Cover:
A little busy, but gorgeous!!

Rating:
[4/5]

Purchase Links:
Book Depository | Chapters-Indigo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble

Horde by Ann Aguirre

Horde by Ann Aguirre
Release Date: October 29, 2013
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Pages: 432
Series: Razorland Trilogy #3
Review Source: eARC from publisher through Raincoast Books

Synopsis: (from Goodreads)
The epic conclusion to the USA Today bestselling trilogy.

The horde is coming.

Salvation is surrounded, monsters at the gates, and this time, they're not going away. When Deuce, Fade, Stalker and Tegan set out, the odds are against them. But the odds have been stacked against Deuce from the moment she was born. She might not be a Huntress anymore, but she doesn't run. With her knives in hand and her companions at her side, she will not falter, whether fighting for her life or Fade's love.

Ahead, the battle of a lifetime awaits. Freaks are everywhere, attacking settlements, setting up scouts, perimeters, and patrols. There hasn't been a war like this in centuries, and humans have forgotten how to stand and fight. Unless Deuce can lead them.

This time, however, more than the fate of a single enclave or outpost hangs in the balance. This time, Deuce carries the banner for the survival of all humanity.

My Thoughts:
This book is incredibly intense, a completely action-packed conclusion to the Razorland trilogy. I’ve enjoyed this series from the beginning, but this was definitely my favourite installment. There was a little bit of everything (action, character development, romance), and it concluded the series perfectly.

Horde features a lot of time at war. What I enjoyed (“enjoyed” being an odd word, but I’ll go with it) so much is that there real consequences and that war was never glorified. There were injuries and there were losses, and while it was sad, it was also real. Similarly, there are scenes where Deuce describes the bone tiredness she feels in long battle. Despite her skills, she’s not perfect, and she needs help from Fade or from others at times. Everything was all the more real, because Deuce is a strong and mighty character, but she’s also not invincible. I just loved how that was shown, making the book feel more real and the character more relatable.

Deuce has grown as a character throughout the trilogy, but it really shows in this book. She starts out as a Huntress, prizing the fight over anything else, but she’s learned to value people: to build a family and accept love. This book, and this series, is her journey as a warrior, but also as a person and a woman. Deuce has learned what bravery and fighting are all about. She no longer fights for glory or for the sake of fighting, but she fights for a peaceful future for her and her family.

On the romance end of things, I totally forgot how much I ship Deuce and Fade. You might not expect to find such a swoonworthy romance in a series about zombies, but these two love each other something fierce, and they are so lovely together. Horde shows such an awesome progression of their relationship.

What this book needed to really succeed was answers about the Muties, and Ann Aguirre provides them in spades. There’s a lot of discussion throughout the book about how the Muties are changing, and why they are the way they are. There are also some revelations which were definitely surprising, yet still made sense.

This book definitely wraps up the trilogy so well. I really loved how there was a happy and hopeful ending after all the misery the characters went through, but that there was also loss and a sense of the bittersweet. It left you in a good place, but it didn’t feel unrealistic. The one thing I’m not sure about is the epilogue. On the one hand it was kind of nice and sweet, but on the other hand it felt a bit cheesy and not really necessary. Either way, I am such a fan of this series, and I’m so grateful and happy that Horde was the strongest and most epic of the three books. I love when the last book of a series can remind me why I fell for the characters and the plot to begin with, and then make me want to read the series all over again, and that definitely happened here.

The Cover:
So freaky!! I like it, though.

Rating:
[5/5]

Purchase Links:
Book Depository | Chapters-Indigo | Amazon.ca | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble