That's What I'm Talking About
I generally review romance, paranormal and urban fantasy. I tend to pick review books that I want to read, so generally my reviews will be positive. I always give my honest opinion: good, bad, and indifferent.
Note: on my blog I use a letter grading system. I've listed the ratings below. For sites with stars, I have listed the equivalent rating. If I didn't finish the book, I will not rate it with stars.
A+ Personal Favorite (5 stars)
A Loved It (4.5 or 5 stars)
A- Enjoyed A Lot (4 or 4.5 stars)
B+ Liked It A Lot (4 stars)
B Liked It -- Recommend (4 stars)
B- Liked It -- But I had a few small issues (3 or 3.5 stars)
C+ Liked It -- But I had issues (3 or 3.5 stars)
C Finished It -- Liked some, didn't like some (3 stars)
C- Finished It -- Liked a little, didn't like a lot (2 or 2.5 stars)
D Not A Big Fan (2 stars)
E Don’t Waste Your Time (1 star)
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TW: Reading this book was like watching a Train Wreck
DNF: Did Not Finish
updated July 9, 2015
Currently reading
Review: Dark Mafia Prince by Annika Martin
Nearly 20 years ago, Aldi Nikolla made a play for power by killing off his best friend and associate, along with his wife. And to prevent the prophecy of their three sons taking over the Mafia, Nikolla tried to kill Aleksio, and sent his two baby brothers off, far away. Now Nikolla and Viktor are reunited and will do anything to find their baby brother, Kiro. Taking Aleksio's childhood best friend, Nikolla's daughter Mira, as a hostage, the pair race against time to be the first to find Kiro.
Loving Annika's kinky bank robbers, I completely trust her to write an anti-hero I can get behind and enjoy. My faith was well-placed with Dark Mafia Prince. Yes, Aleksio is a dark killer, but his love for Mira and her faith in his kind heart prove to be a strong influence. The pair have a childhood bond that snaps back in place once they are together again. The romance is unconventional, as she is technically his captive, but their previous history and his trust in her allow the love to feel organic rather than Stockholm syndrome-ish.
The story is shared from multiple first person POVs, but because each character's voice is different and unique, I never felt confused. The use of present tense gave the story a feeling of urgency; however, at times, the constant use of "I" made it feel like I was being told rather than shown what was going on.
For focusing on such a dark world, full of violence and the ugly side of human behaviors, the love feels pure and right. The story was a quick read, leaving me ready to tackle Viktor's story.
My Rating: B
Review copy provided by author
 - Annika Martin)