Author: Dirty Girl Anne

Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Styxx (Dark-Hunter, #23)
Grade-A
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level- Moderate Kink
Series- Dark-Hunter #23
Genre-Paranormal Romance
Reviewed by Kay
836 pages

Back many months ago when I read the blurb for this book, my heart raced. I’ll admit I was a little tentative about a book featuring Styxx, but the blurb says that we only know half of the story. If you don’t want to read a review with spoilers stop now.
Here’s a little refresher on this very long series. Styxx is the identical twin to Acheron except for the eyes. They shared a womb even though they were not blood related. I’m not going to summarize all the details to Ash’s (Acheron) conception and subsequent birth. Just know that Ash was put in a queen’s womb who was already pregnant as a way to protect Ash from those who were hunting him. See, Ash is the son of the Destroyer and he can bring an end to the world.
In Ash’s book, we learn of his birth and life up until this point. He and his twin, Styxx hated each other. Ash was made to suffer atrocities that no one should suffer, especially a small child. We all developed a hatred so intense for the golden child, Styxx. But in this book, we realize that we only knew Ash’s story. Styxx’s story was in my opinion even worse. Not only was it over one hundred pages longer but it was almost double the size of Ash’s back story. A back story that had me either too stunned to cry or sobbing uncontrollably. I won’t say anything more about the back story other than you have to read it to truly know the story and the ultimate betrayals that take place.
The most beautiful part of this book is the love story between Styxx and Bethany. It was so precious and innocent. Styxx is the future king of his country and became a true war hero and a master strategist. His one and only true love was a blind girl who he met when she was fishing.
He didn’t realize that his love was really the Goddess of Misery as she didn’t realize he was Prince Styxx.
I don’t want to give away too much about the book. Just read it even though it is 836 pages long. It moves quickly and I devoured it in less than 48 hours. I’ll end this review with my favorite quotes from the book.
“Never once in my life did I feel the sunshine on my skin until the day you touched me.”
“And without my Bethany, I dwell in total darkness.”
“It’s not fair that we’re forced to live without them while the world goes on, oblivious to the fact that it’s missing the most vital part of it.”
“I let go of your hand eleven thousand, five hundred thirty nine years, one hundred and eighty three days and roughly ten hours give or take a few mintues ago.”
“You really did count the heartbeats.”
“Oh Beth, you have no idea.”
This time Styxx knew that nothing would ever separate them again. And if anyone or anything was dumb enough to try they were going to learn the lesson he had given both Archon and Apollo. Styxx of Didymos fought for what he wanted. He didn’t back down. He didn’t give up. He didn’t lose. Even if it meant coming back from the dead, he wouldn’t be stopped and he would never again live without his most vital part. Bethany.

Protecting What’s His by Tessa Bailey

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Protecting What's His (Line of Duty, #1)
Grade-A
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink-Level-No Kink
Series-Line of Duty #1
Genre-Romantic Suspense
Reviewed by Kay
273 pages

Quote of the book for me- “Let me clear. I want you underneath me in my bed. I want to be buried inside you so deep I have to remind you of your own name. And I want those motherfuckers leering at you from the other side of the bar to smell me on you for a week afterward.”

Derek is a lieutenant in the Chicago P.D. who is a bit of a control freak. Ginger comes from a very troubled background. They end up being neighbors after Ginger and her sister flee Nashville looking for a better life. Their initial interaction with each other isn’t very good because Derek is being a douche. From that point on, this becomes a hotter than fire love story. I loved both people even with their faults and learning about their pasts was both intriguing and heart breaking.

This was my first Tessa Bailey book but not my last. I love a streetwise heroine and a dirty talking hero. Throw in a little suspense with the hot sex and I’ve found myself a new author! If you haven’t read her yet, you should get started.

Drawn Together by Lauren Dane

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Drawn Together (Brown Siblings, #6)

Grade: A
Hotness Level: Inferno
Kink Level: Moderate Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Published: 10/1/13
Reviewed by Anne
304 pages
 
Raven is a tough tattoo artist who can be very hard to like.  She’s got a prickly protective shell that not many bother to work through.  Jonah Warner is a single dad whose only child is growing up and has moved away from home.  He’s ready to look for a relationship and Raven intrigues him, and their chemistry is off the charts.  
 
(Here’s my favorite quote)
When he got this woman naked they were going to set shit on fire. (p. 28)
 
OK, disclaimer first, this series is a favorite of mine.  We’re talking top 3, maybe my favorite of all time.  So, I certainly went in predisposed to enjoying this book, and it was no surprise to me that I loved it.  I’ll try to explain why.
 
This is a low conflict book.  There’s not a lot holding Jonah and Raven apart.  Not much they have to overcome, except Raven’s internal issues.  This is my favorite kind of book.  I love the slow but sure journey as they move from instant lust to falling in love.  They talk with each other – so there’s no conflict created by their lack of communication.  It’s wonderful to watch them grow closer and closer.
 
This is a well written book.  It’s clever and funny in parts.  Hot in parts.  It made my heart ache in parts.  It took me away from everything and made me not what to go back!  
 
This is an extremely hot book.  I think Lauren Dane writes scorching sex scenes, and this book is a great example.  I also really enjoyed that Jonah and Raven came together in a Dom/sub relationship that didn’t require a kinky club or anything over the top.  From the moment they started moving in a sexual direction, you could see that Raven liked to be subservient to him.  This is a stark contrast to how she is with everyone else in her life.  Jonah is not an experienced Dom, but he’s learning what he likes, and Raven trips all his triggers in a very good way.  I think it was different than other things I’ve read because it didn’t come off like they were playing a scene, more like they were letting their true personalities show, and this was how they clicked together.
 
I would have liked to see them talk through some of their Dom/sub behavior a bit more.  It’s hard for me to buy that they slipped into these rolls so effortlessly.  I certainly think there should be some  amount of discussion before trying a new toy.  That it worked for them so effortlessly and that they never had a problem stepping over each other’s boundaries… that was a bit unrealistic for me.
 
There are some family issues in the book that I don’t want to give detail on, as I believe they would be spoilers, but I really liked the way they were handled.  Families are messy and not perfect.  You don’t always get a neat and tidy ending.  That’s done well in this book.
 
This book is 6th in the series.  It would probably stand alone, but I think you’d get more out of it by reading the series in order.  Raven has been in every book so far, and she was often in the roll of villain.  Her character is well established and it’s consistent throughout the series, including this book.  I love that Dane can take the feisty/prickly/bitchiness normally reserved for secondary characters and KEEP it even when the Raven moves to being the main character.
 
I highly recommend this book.  It’s a Best of 2013 read for me!

Do you have an all time favorite series?  Or are you like me with one or two favorites in each genre?