Audiobook Review: Ripped by Katy Evans, Narrated by Sebastian York and Elizabeth Louise

I have to say that this series has been pretty hit or miss for me. While I loved Real and Rogue, I thought that Remy and Mine were just okay. So when I first heard about Ripped, I didn't know what to think. I really didn't care for what little I had seen of Pandora so far in this series, and I honestly didn't expect to really change my mind about her. But I love a good second chance romance and I am a sucker for sexy rockstars so I wanted to see what this one was all about. All that being said, I ended up loving Ripped! While I loved the story itself, what really brought it to life was the audiobook. Katy Evans has written a great story for Pandora and Mackenna, but narrators Sebastian York and Elizabeth Louise were able to give the reader/listener a unique experience by perfectly capturing the raw emotions between these two characters.

Pandora is the goth tough chick friend of Brooke and Melanie. She got her heart broken years before, and ever since she has focused on her niece and her friends. But when she hears that her ex-boyfriend's band will be performing in her hometown, she decides that it is time for her to punish him for the hurt he caused her. Things don't turn out as planned though, and she is forced to agree to his conditions if she is going to escape him pressing charges against her. As the two set out on the rest of his tour, they must both learn to deal with close contact after many years apart. Soon they are rediscovering each other and the passion they once shared. But they both have secrets that destroyed them once before, and when the truth finally comes out it could destroy them again.

I really loved Mackenna and Pandora. I really wasn't crazy about Pandora before as I said already, but I knew that beneath her tough exterior there had to be more to her story. She was tough as a way to cope with everything that she had been through and the more that was revealed, the more I understood and connected with her. I thought that Elizabeth Louise really showed each side to her character through her voice, and she really made Pandora seem real. The emotions that Pandora was experiencing came through perfectly and I thought that Elizabeth Louise really did the character justice. Kenna was a cocky rockstar that was used to getting his way in everything, and it was clear that a lot had changed for him over the years. But as we got to see underneath the facade he projected, it was also clear that he had been through a lot as well. He had never forgotten about Pandora, and he still loved her despite everything that had happened. He had made some bad choices and he also had a bit of an issue with over-sharing at times, but I did think that deep down he was doing what he thought he needed to do or was best. I might not have always liked what came out of his mouth, but I did appreciate his honesty. Sebastian York has one of the sexiest voices that I have ever heard from a male narrator, and I thought that his voice was perfect for Kenna. It was filled with the sex appeal that a rockstar should have, and he really added so much depth to the character.

Overall, I went into this story skeptical and ended with it possibly being my favorite of the series. There are several things that I think will drive some readers nuts, and I do think that this book will be one that some cannot connect with. But for me, I thought that Mackenna and Pandora were perfect for one another and it showed through all their interactions, even when they were trying to get back at one another or were being jerks. Pandora and Mackenna really clicked for me because of their fantastic chemistry, their complicated history, and how sweet and sexy they could be with one another. I will say that the end of this story doesn't have a huge cliffhanger, but it does end with things a bit unresolved. I am so anxious to get more, and I really hope that Katy Evans will let us know how things proceed from here for these two and what all was revealed at the end of this book. I loved getting to see familiar faces, but Mackenna and Pandora really grew on me over the course of this book and I will not forget them anytime soon. If you are a fan of this series, I highly recommend this book and if you haven't read any in this series yet I think that Katy Evans is worth the read. I also look forward to more from Elizabeth Louise and Sebastian York in the future. While I have loved everything I have listened to by Sebastian York so far and actively seek out stories that he narrates, Elizabeth Louise really surprised me and I will definitely be on the lookout for more from her as well.

**Audiobook Provided by Simon & Schuster Audio**

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Guest Post with Author Josie Litton and Giveaway

Meet Josie Litton, author of Anew.

Josie Litton is the author of several NY Times and USA Today bestselling romances.

After taking time off to raise a family and get a master’s degree, she is delighted to be writing again. Inspired by the story of “Sleeping Beauty”, her new erotic romance, ANEW: Book One: Awakened will be published on January 12, 2015.

Married and living in Connecticut, she is the parent of two grown children. Becoming an empty nester has left her plenty of time to write, think about writing, plan what to write next, and read. When she isn’t doing that, she’s cooking, gardening, and traveling.

Find Josie at:

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ARC Review: Contradictions by Tiffany King

Contradictions is the third book in the Woodfalls Girls series by Tiffany King. After reading and loving Misunderstandings (Book #2 in the series) I couldn't wait to read more from Tiffany King. I have to say though that this was not the book for me. I had a very tough time connecting with the characters in this book, and it didn't hold my interest like Misunderstandings did. I found myself wanting to either put the book down or skim through it. While I liked Trent, I didn't really care for Tressa.

Tressa Oliver is in her third year of college, and spends her time out partying with her friends rather than studying. Her love life isn't going anywhere, and each new guys seems to be worse than the last. When she gets put on academic probation, she knows that some changes need to be made. That along with a tragic accident wake Tressa up and soon she is finally trying to focus on making something of herself. When Trent Lawson agrees to help tutor Tressa, she views him as the same nerd he was in high school. She has no idea why her friends have always thought that she should give him a chance. He has had a crush on her for forever, but while she is the type to party, he is everything she is not. But when Trent and Tressa begin to spend more time together, she quickly realizes that there is more to him than just the computer geek. But can these two opposites find a way to make things work?

I really liked Trent. He was a bit shy and quiet, but I loved that he was so much more beneath the surface. He was sweet and kind, and just a genuinely good guy. He gave Tressa far more credit that she deserved, and I really felt like he put up with far too much from her. Despite all of her mean or snappy comments to him, he never gave up on her. I wanted her to treat him better or for him to put her in her place. Tressa was impossible for me to connect to. I didn't understand her lack of motivation for bettering herself, and I didn't get why she treated others the way she did. She just seemed to be pretty bitchy and I didn't understand why she had as many friends as she did. I did enjoy seeing her wake up though and start to make some changes. Unfortunately I felt like it was a bit too little too late, and I honestly didn't feel as though she deserved Trent. I wish that I had felt more of a connection between them or chemistry, but there was just something missing and I never felt that they fit one another. There just wasn't anything that really clicked between them for me.

Beyond my issues with Tressa, I felt as though this story was very slow. It took so long for me to get into this one at all, and there really wasn't anything happening at all for about the first 25% of the book. Before that it was all Tressa and her friends going to parties and I was waiting for more. I also felt like there were a ton of extra characters in this story that weren't needed. It got hard to keep things straight at times, and I felt like a lot of them were pointless. I wondered why they were even brought up. I got to the point that with each new character I couldn't even keep their names straight. Overall, I think that this one just wasn't for me. As much as I loved the last book and liked Trent, the rest of this one didn't work for me. I do think that Trent was amazing though, and I really wish that I would have been able to feel as though Tressa deserved him. I will give Tiffany King another shot in the future though, because I really did love Trent and her previous book Misunderstandings.

**ARC Provided by Penguin Group Berkley**

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Feature and Giveaway: Contradictions by Tiffany King

When everything starts spinning out of control . . .

Three years into college, Tressa Oliver’s life is a nonstop party. She’s skating by in her classes, and there’s no shortage of drinking, dancing, and general hell-raising. The only aspect that hasn’t been much fun: She can’t shake the toxic jerks that always seem to gravitate toward her.

It will take someone totally wrong . . .

Trent Lawson is the classic anti-bad boy: smart, boring, and way too serious. To a wild girl like Tressa, there’s no way in hell they’re compatible—especially since Trent seems to see straight through her defenses.

To set her right.

When a college prank goes terribly wrong, Tressa starts to suspect that her partying ways are leading nowhere fast. Now she has to turn to the last person she ever thought she’d ask for help—and quickly discovers that there’s more to Trent than meets the eye . . .

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ARC Review: Enduring Fate by Alicia Rae

I am a huge fan of Alicia Rae's, and I have loved every story I have read by her. So I was super excited to see that she had a new series coming out. I always know that when I start one of her books I am going to really lose myself in a well written and heartfelt story. Enduring Fate was everything that I had been hoping for, and it proved once again why I love Alicia's writing. This book was sweet and emotional, and I am already waiting for the next book!

Colton Kingston and Paige Summers have loved each other since they were children. They always knew that their fate was to be together, and have been pursuing their dreams together since they could remember. But after a tragedy struck, Paige suddenly began to question everything. She left town and asked Colton for space while she tried to pick up the pieces and figure out what to do with her life. Now she is back and things between them are different. The love they once shared might have changed, but it is still there for both of them and Colton will do whatever it takes to not let go of Paige this time around. But when even more obstacles get in their way, Colton and Paige must figure out if their love can endure all.

I loved Colton. He was beyond sweet and thoughtful, and I loved how devoted he was to Paige. His love for Paige never wavered, and he would do absolutely anything for her. He was protective and caring, but without being controlling or overbearing. I loved everything about him, and I thought that he was perfect for Paige. Paige was great as well, and she had a sweetness to her that was completely true. She was kind and caring, and you could just instantly tell that she had a goodness to her that you don't often see. She had been through a lot though, and my heart really hurt for her and everything she was going through. While trying to heal herself physically from an accident that had happened, she was also trying to heal herself emotionally as well. She was struggling so much, and the guilt of everything that had happened really weighed on her. I loved seeing Colton support and encourage her though, and by his showing her things he also started to bring her back. She thought that she no longer fit with the world they had grown up in, but Colton did everything he could to show her that wasn't true. These two had such history together, and their connection was undeniable. They had loved each other for so long, and you could see that it was a love that was true and rare. They had great chemistry, and were one of those couples that would almost make you sick if it wasn't so adorable.

Overall, I thought that this was a really great book! I loved seeing characters from Alicia Rae's Beautiful series, and it was nice to catch up a bit with them. But Colton and Paige really grabbed a hold of my heart and I need more of them. I will warn you that Enduring Fate does end on a cliffhanger, and it kills me to have to wait. But trust me when I tell you that this book is definitely worth the read. The next book is scheduled to come out in March of 2015 as of now, and it honestly can't get here soon enough! I highly recommend Enduring Fate as well as the rest of Alicia Rae's books. If you haven't read anything by her yet, you are seriously missing out on some great stories. Alicia Rae is quickly becoming one of my favorite contemporary romance writers, and at this point I would literally read anything with her name on it.

**ARC Provided by Inkslinger PR**

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