Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon

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.

Glory, Glory and Snowbound With the Bodyguard Reviews

Today’s review is for a double edition Kate got to review from NetGalley.  This review contains two books:  Glory, Glory by Linda Lael Miller and Snowbound With the Bodyguard by Carla Cassidy.  The two books contain 416 pages together. Please make sure you read down to the second review, because it is so much better than the first book!

 
Glory, Glory: Snowbound with the Bodyguard
Glory, Glory by Linda Lael Miller
Grade: D
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Published: 10/1/13 (Glory, Glory originally copyrighted in 1990)
Reviewed by Kate
 
Glory is returning to her hometown for her mother’s wedding.  10 years ago, she was blackmailed into leaving town without telling her boyfriend Jesse that she was pregnant and giving the little baby girl up for adoption (please tell me you see where this is going).  That’s right.  The first time Glory sees Jesse’s orphaned niece (who was adopted by Jesse’s older brother) she just knows that it’s her little girl-the little girl Liza looks just like a picture of Glory’s great-grandma. 
 
There is so much that I wanted to like about this book.  I love secret baby books and I had such high hopes.  Sadly, this one came off more as a soap opera than a romance.  Why, you ask? 
 

Signs this book may really be a soap opera:
  1. No one questions Glory’s claim that Liza is her daughter, everyone believes her.  There are no blood tests and no one searches the adoption records.  Glory confronts Jesse (who, remember, didn’t even know about the pregnancy), blaming him from keeping Liza from her all these years.  And while confused, even he believes her,
  2. Jesse is a border-line cheater.  He tells his girlfriend that they need to slow things down a bit (and rumor has it he had already bought a ring for her) then proceeded to come on to Glory later than night.  When Glory doesn’t give in right away (can you believe she actually had some backbone?) he makes a date for a few days later.  He’s also the king of “I know you said ‘stop’ but we both know what you really want.”  Oh, and he doesn’t officially break up with his girlfriend until after he’s slept with Glory,
  3. Glory decides that leaving again may be what’s actually best for little Liza, but manages to get a few shags in with Jesse on the way out of town.  No one finds time for nookie quite like a soap opera.  And finally,
  4. Jesse and Glory are finally brought together because Liza asked her dead parents (Jesse’s brother and sister-in-law) to make it happen.

 
I struggled to rate this book.  It was pretty terrible as far as romances go, but I actually found so much of it to be really funny (although I don’t think it was written with that intent).  Unfortunately, I think fans of secret babies and fans for Miller’s more recent books will be disappointed in this book.
 
***
Snowbound With the Bodyguard by Carla Cassidy
Grade: B
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Published: 10/1/13 (Snowbound with the Bodygurard originally published in 2008)

Reviewed by Kate

 
Janette was raped by the town sheriff and had little Sammy as a result.  The sheriff hasn’t paid any attention to her since the attack, until he hears she had a little boy.  Now he wants his son.  Janette takes Sammy and runs, but gets stuck in a small town in the middle of a huge snowstorm.  With no place left to turn, she heads to the only place with a light on-West Protection Agency.  Dalton West has been protecting his heart by closing himself off to everything but work.  Janette threatens to crack the shell he’s built around his heart, but he has no choice but to offer her a place to ride out the storm-both outside and in her personal life.
 
Strong, gruff, and at times abrupt, Dalton was the perfect counterpart to sweet determined Janette.  Add a scumbag of a villain and just enough suspense to keep me up late at night turning pages and you have yourself a solid, well written romance.  Although this is the first book I’ve read by Carla Cassidy, it definitely will not be my last!

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Cosmo Red-Hot Reads Week: Everything You Need to Know by HelenKay Dimon

This is day 4, the final day of our Cosmo Red-Hot Reads Week.  (Note: we here at Dirty Girls’ Good Books generally make an effort to only review books that you can buy RIGHT NOW.  We’re making an exception this week, putting up some early reviews of Red-Hot Reads.)
Everything You Need to Know
Grade: A
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary, novella
Published: 10/15/13

Reviewed by Kate
105 pages


Jordan owns a website that shares the nitty-gritty about all the bachelors and playboys of our nation’s capital with all the single women looking for love. Forest is the owner of a large company, and more importantly, a mystery. Nobody knows anything about him or his love life (past or present). So for Jordan, it started out with a good healthy dose of attraction with the excuse of getting the down low for her website. For Forest, it started out as a challenge and quickly became something a lot more. But while Forest is beginning to think things might be getting serious, Jordan’s running in the opposite direction. She’s terrified that her instant attraction and need for Forest means she’s turning into her man-eater mother.

Flirty, sexy fun from beginning to end.  The perfect balance between all things good in romance.  Strong, determined alpha. Independent, intelligent woman.  Their budding relationship was sweet and tender.  Their chemistry was hot, hot, hot!  A must-read for fans of HelenKay Dimon or anyone who hasn’t tried her yet!