Book Reviews - The Reading Cat

Poison Kisses Part 2 - Lisa Renee Jones

2/13/2018

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I received an ARC of this novel from the author and I voluntarily reviewed it. Thank you Lisa Renee Jones!

This is getting interesting! I’m so into this book it’s crazy. Part 2 definitely gets into the thick of things. It is so angsty and suspenseful. I love how Julie is a character! Yes, yes, I’m a cat person.

There was good character development in this book, showing Seth and Amanda’s internal battles on who to trust, how they feel about each other. There are changes on where their loyalties and trust lies.

I love how intelligent Amanda is. Not only intelligent, but independent and strong as well. I really enjoyed all the science jargon and the complexity of the situation she is in!

Poison Kisses : Part 1 - Lisa Renee Jones

2/6/2018

★ ★ ★ ★

I received an ARC of this book form the author and I voluntarily reviewed it. Thank you Lisa Renee Jones!

This novella was completely enthralling. Oh my, in true Lisa Renee Jones fashion, we know there is more than meets the eye with this story. We know the characters have secrets, and that lies are abundant in this story. Even as a reader, we do not know who to trust. Who to believe.

I love how this book starts off with already having an intense history, and that it's not a fresh meet and fall in love scenario. There is angst, tension, suspense, and of course, a cliffy. Good thing part 2 is ready to go on my kindle!

I don't think I could tire of Lisa Renee Jones' writing. It is just so well put together. She is able to hook the reader nearly instantly with this story. This is a good one by Jones.

Falling Under - Lisa Renee Jones

1/24/2018

★ ★ ★ ½

I received an ARC of this book and I voluntarily reviewed it. Thank you Lisa Renee Jones!

This book was a typical Lisa Renee Jones book, filled with stubborn yet strong characters and angst. I like the direction Renee is going in, shifting towards more law enforcement. I absolutely loved the denouement of the story, and how it all came together in the end.

What bothered me slightly was the constant back and forth between the characters at the beginning. I felt as though the first 2/3 of the novel dragged o slightly, and there wasn't much happening other than a few developments, compared to the fast-paced, avalanche which was the end.

I really liked the law enforcement aspect and the whole "crime solving" premise. It felt more like a mystery/suspense with an inkling of romance, which I found quite enjoyable.

Overall, however, this was still an entertaining read, and the end was both surprising and captivating!

Murder Notes - Lisa Renee Jones

1/17/2018

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I received an ARC of this book and I voluntarily reviewed it. Thank you Lisa Renee Jones!

WOW! This was so different from Lisa Renee Jones, yet so in line with what she writes. I feel like many of her previous books have lead up to this book. It was suspense the whole way through. It held intrigue from page one to the very end. It makes you doubt what you think you know. It forces you to try and decipher her characters. It makes the reader take active participation in the book. It was REFRESHING.

I loved Lilah Love as a character. She was believable. She was well posed, and careful with her words, just as an FBI agent should be. I loved reading about how her brain worked, and her theories formed. I actually like, how romance wasn't at the centre on this. I definitely loved the investigation aspect, the dual facets of people.

This book proves that Lisa Renee Jones is no one-trick pony. She can write a captivating book with no romance. She can write a book simply based on intrigue, and keep the readers hooked throughout. I am so happy I picked up this book, and you will too.

End Game - Lisa Renee Jones

1/7/2018

★ ★ ★ ★

I received an ARC of this book from the author and I voluntarily reviewed it. Thank you Lisa Renee Jones!

What a satisfying ending to this series. I absolutely loved this entire series and the story of Shane and Emily. This constant back and forth and trying to decipher people’s intentions was unbelievably captivating and fun. This is the kind of book and series that doesn’t leave your mind once you put it away. It stays with you.

I was kind of looking for a final “POW” at the end that didn’t come, but nonetheless, I am not dissatisfied with how it ended. It is fitting, and I am happy for Emily and Shane, even though 90% of the time, I don’t like HEAs *collective gasp from the romance reader community*

I cannot wait to open Poison Kisses!

Pulled Under - Lisa Renee Jones

11/28/2017

★ ★ ★

I received an ARC of this book from the author and I voluntarily reviewed it. Thank you Lisa Renee Jones!

This story was good, but left me craving more - not a continuation, but more details, more angst, more danger and adrenaline. I felt as though this book didn't really get interesting until the very end, and I wish the end had been more expanded upon and impactful. Jones is such a great angst writer, that she could easily write a super angsty book (that may be my wish).

Other than that, I liked the intertextuality with her other series. I think it brings a unity among her works, and it (haha) works.

To return on the "more" point above, I would have maybe liked more people to have been involved in the whole Ju-Ju situation. This would have showed the reach of the person in charge and how present they were in the book.

Lisa Renee Jones remains one of my favourite authors, this just wasn't her best work in my opinion.

Bad Deeds - Lisa Renee Jones

8/7/2017

★ ★ ★ ★

I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Lisa Renee Jones!

I need to start with the end. Holy mole guacamole, Jones knows how to leave us hanging by a thread! That cliffy was utter evil, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Some of you may say I'm crazy, but I really enjoy cliffhangers. They get me super excited for the next book, and even though I can't read that sequel right away, my brain will keep thinking about it sporadically until I can read it.

I love how well plotted this is. It's very calculated and precise. Jones will make you think her characters are in impossible situations, and she will provide solutions where you are just sitting there saying: "Well of course that's the answer". Yet, she has us so well controlled that we can't figure out her endgame until it happens.

A lot happens in this book, making it extremely exciting and thrilling. We see sides of characters we didn't know existed, and some of our previous questions get answered. I cannot wait for the final book!

Shameless - Lisa Renee Jones

7/27/2017

I received an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Lisa Renee Jones!

I love how connected yet completely separate and different all of Lisa's books are. They all form this great big story full of angst, love, betrayal and thrilling adventure. This book was no different.

Th character development was very strong in this book. We saw gradual changes in the characters as the story progressed. Their changes in character were directly linked to the plot, and that type of cohesiveness really makes me happy.

The one thing that was slightly off for me was the speed at which the conflict was resolved. I feel like it was such an integral part of the book, yet was skimmed over a little.

Regardless of this, I shamelessly adore this series. (See what I did there?) Lisa has been a go to author of mine for years because of how she constantly delivers, and this is no exception.

Shameless - Lisa Renee Jones

Provocative - Lisa Renee Jones

4/16/2017

I received an ARC of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Lisa Renee Jones!

This is why Lisa Renée Jones is one of my go-to authors. Her novels are the perfect mix of suspense, betrayal, and steamy romance. She has the proportions of the equation down to the decimal point.

I love how Provocative connects with her previous series in very slight, but apparent ways. Like many of Lisa's books, I absolutely loved that there was a crime aspect, and what I enjoy most, is that although the same components make up the books, they are all inherently different.

I really enjoyed how the main character was an artist, and the way Lisa wrote about art; how I could so clearly picture the art pieces and connect with them without seeing them (Black and White art with an accent colour is my favourite style of art). In fact, I'd love to have one of Faith's works.

Side note: As a student of architecture, why would there ever be a triangle room? Such a waste of space haha. That was my little tangent.

Overall, another great work by Lisa Renee Jones!

Damage Control - Lisa Renee Jones

2/11/2017

I was given an ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Lisa Renee Jones!

Wow. What a ride this book was. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I found it was a much better novel than the first installment . I was so into it that I did not want it to end!

In this sequel, the story picks up exactly where Dirty Money left off - right where we were getting somewhere. Shane and Emily come clean with each other and figure out their relationship. It was action-packed with BP / Derek vs Shane drama and cunning plots. We even begin to see glimpses of another, softer side of Brandon Sr. the master manipulator.

That ending was so tense! Oh my God Lisa, my heart was pounding. This family takes family feuds to a whole other level, and I cannot get enough of them.

If I were to give a slight criticism, I would have liked to have had maybe some more Gemini/Rick involvement, but I'm holding out for the last installment where it's sure that Lisa will connect the dots!