Anti-Stepbrother by Tijan

Blurb: He told me to ‘settle, girl.’
He asked if ‘something was wrong with me?’
He said I was an ‘easy target.’
That was within minutes when I first met Caden Banks.
I labeled him an *sshole, but he was more than that. Arrogant. Smug. Alpha.

He was also to-die-for gorgeous, and my stepbrother’s fraternity brother.

Okay, yes I was a little naive, a tad bit socially awkward, and the smallest amount of stalker-ish, but if Caden Banks thought he could tell me what to do, he had another thing coming.

I came to college with daydreams about being with my stepbrother, but what if I fell for the anti-stepbrother instead?

4 stars

I love me some Tijan. This is her best work so far in my opinion. I was expecting a step-brother romance even though the title clearly states it’s the anti-stepbrother. And we kinda-sorta get a little something.   I loved the slow burn of this novel.  It isn’t as fast and intense at The Fallen Crest Series and it definitely doesn’t have nearly the drama.  You almost don’t realize when they fall.

And the step-brother!  He was a great jackass! Head of a big fish but poor kid didn’t seem to realize he was in a little pond.  I almost felt sorry for him.  But then he would go and say something and ‘Bam’ I’d remember why I didn’t like him.  He was almost unredeemable…almost.  I think the author did a great job of giving you the mixed emotions regarding his character.

And I really liked Caden.  Yeah, he may have been a bit stereotypical when it comes to frat boys: alpha, muscle-filled, arrogant, and dominant.  But then you get to see the underneath and you are are all, “Damn, this is why you don’t judge a book by it’s cover.” He has a way with words my friends.  That’s all I’m gonna say about that.

Summer was a bit flat as far as female leads go.  With her stubborn, yet soft side and her blind attraction to her step-brother. She couldn’t seem to be alone, and her lack of dealing with shit was pretty lame to me.  But she redeemed herself by the end of the book.

Now, I must say that the ending was a bit anti-climatic for me.  But the overall story was so good I was able to overlook it.  This is my second read through and I don’t think it will be my last, in fact, I’m kinda itching to re-read it again right now.

Fallen Crest University (Fallen Crest High #5) by Tijan

Blurb:  Samantha, Mason, and Logan are all together and united with one common enemy: Sebastian Park, the king of fraternity douchebags.

With professional football scouts eyeing his every move, Mason Kade has to walk the line for the first time in his life. Any move he makes against Sebastian has to be perfect and under the radar. One mistake, and his career is over.

Sebastian has other plans. Mason’s career isn’t his target—not even close. Wanting to destroy Mason completely, Sebastian knows he must hit him where it hurts the most: Samantha, who doesn’t give a rat’s ass that she’s the target.

Sam is bound and determined to protect Mason herself, no matter the cost, but what if the cost is beyond her imagination? What if this time, the villain wins?

Favorite Quote:

“What are you looking at?” A broken daughter. I shook my head. “Nothing.” Me. I was looking at myself.

4 stars

I didn’t think there could be a more dramatic ending after the last book. Turns out, I was wrong.

At least in this one I see more growth in Mason, he seems to realize that he can’t do everything his way.  It is quite a humbling for him I’m sure.  Sam and Logan team up in this one to dun dun dun…..keep stuff from Mason.  Again! And guess what, Mason is keeping his own counsel as well.  Well slap my ass and call me Sally!  (No offense to anyone named Sally)

This one seems to have more about protecting Mason than anything else.  Protecting his career and making sure he doesn’t get kicked out of school.  You gotta love Logan’s commitment to his brother.  For him to be willing to do the dirty work even if it means he will be kicked out of school shows some serious loyalty.  And I know I’ve mentioned his loyalty before but damn, its worth another mention.

But the one character who stood out to me was the big bad.  Park Sebastion is the best bad guy I have ever read!  He is like Malificent to all the other Disney villians.  Seriously evil dude.  I applaud Tijan this time around.  The plot was definitive, not sloppy or unrecognizable.  Although I would be remiss if I didn’t add, “‘Bout time!”

And while I still think she uses too many plot devices in her books, it seems to work for her.  Breezy got some a serious following.  And I am one of them.

Until the next book…

Fallen Fourth Down (Fallen Crest High #4) by Tijan

Blurb: My mother tried to destroy me. She doesn’t exist to me anymore and my father, the one who raised me and the biological one, are both works in progress. The only two people that I can trust are Mason and Logan, and they’re the two people who I could lose. It won’t happen. I won’t let it. No matter the truth, no matter who loves me, I won’t let anything or anyone come between us.
They’re my world. They’re my life.
They’re my family.

 

3 stars

Ok, I think I may be cured you guys!  I mean, not enough to stop reading the series.  But enough to stop rating them so high.  We have another one that has almost no plot.  This one goes every which way.  You know those ‘choose your own adventure’ books.  This one is like that, except I’m reading it straight through and its all garbled.

I’m serious guys, there are so many different stories running through this book its difficult to figure out what the plot really and truly is.  Which makes me think there actually isn’t one and the author just threw a whole bunch of stuff together to give the illusion of one.

Mason hasn’t changed, he is an asshole who thinks everything is about him.  And he still thinks its his world and everyone else just lives in it.  And they bring Marissa back!  For what?  She was a nobody in the previous books, and the author tried to make her a somebody now.  There is no earthly reason to have her character show up now, except as a plot device.

Sam hasn’t changed, she still has no backbone and allows others to speak for her.  She still keeps her own counsel, even after claiming to trust Logan and Mason.  She lets people fight over her and then at the last minute when it looks like there will be a physical fight, she steps in and acts like she’s all hard, mouthing off to everyone.  I don’t like her.

The only redeeming thing about this series is the sex scenes.  They are great.

I will say I personally love Nate and Logan in this book.  They have evolved the most I think as the series has progressed.  Nate is trying to branch out and network in college, a smart move IMO.  And Logan is getting a taste of what its like to be out of Mason’s shadow.  He shines. I’m gonna see this series through, or, I will read the next book and see if its worth it to keep reading.

Fallen Crest Public (Fallen Crest High #3) by Tijan

Blurb: Sam’s first day at Fallen Crest Public doesn’t go well. Some girls want to be her. Some girls want to destroy her. And some just don’t like her. All in all, despite being protected by Mason and Logan, it’s still only the strong survive. Sam will not only have to survive, she needs to learn how to conquer too, but there’s another battle growing. Things are about to come to a disastrous end between the towns, Roussou and Fallen Crest. Sam’s other main dilemma? Keeping Mason and Logan from getting arrested or hospitalized.

 

4 stars

Oh dear god this one wins for most crap that happens that doesn’t make sense. I can’t stop you guys. I might need an intervention.  These books are so ridiculously over the top and I shouldn’t like them but I am addicted to the drama they provide.  Halp!

Somehow every male in her school district wants her and every female in her town hates her and wants her boyfriend Mason and his brother Logan.  (OK, I admit I want Logan, he’s dreamy).  Its filled with trope after trope and cliche after cliche.  But…. I like it.  Damn it what is wrong with me?  Was I not loved enough as a child, like Sam.  Actually….we are not gonna go there. Moving on…

Sam is such a pushover playing at being a hard ass.  Instead of ignoring the girls she pays attention to them.  Everyone one knows if you pay attention to them, it gives them power. I was a bit of a mean girl in HS but DAMN, I never did any of this crap.  These girls were psychotic!

I wasn’t expecting the amount of violence in this book since the other books had been straddling the line between violent and quasi-violent.  This book said, “Nope. We are gonna fuck you up real good this time around.”

The ending!  OMG, the ending was just so…un-freaking-believable.  No, I mean like that would never happen…ever. This world that Tijan has built is full of shallow females who think that sex is power and men that treat women like objects.

And yet, its still a 4 star for me.  What is wrong with me?

Fallen Crest Family (Fallen Crest High #2) by Tijan

Blurb: Samantha and Mason are together. Everyone knows it. Not everyone is dealing with it. While Mason’s ready to give them the middle finger, there’s one not going away. Her mother. Threats are issued. Ultimatums are given. Even blackmail is used, but only Samantha can put a stop to Analise. However, when a trauma from her past is triggered, she may not have the courage or strength to do what’s needed. If she doesn’t, Mason’s future could be destroyed.

 

4 stars

Even though this book didn’t really have much of a plot (again) I still liked it.  This series may be my guilty pleasure.  This review may seem to have a lot of criticisms, but rest assured I enjoyed this read.  Its weird, its like I love to hate it or something.

I remember thinking that Sam is a bit of a drama queen and not minding.  Which is shocking since I hate drama queens. I’m way more into problem solving than making a big deal out of something.  And that’s what she does in this book.  She makes a big deal out of a bunch of little things.  But she doesn’t really do anything to try and change her circumstances until the very end.  It just seemed like the book could have been a short story, a lot of emotional torment was added, what I call fluff. It wasn’t needed IMO.

Mason is the strong one and he pushes her to do what she needs to do, and he allows her to do it in her own time. I don’t like that about his character for some reason.  To me he seems manipulative and filled with stubborn pride.  He refuses to do the smart thing, instead doing things his way, which gives the same result, but just takes way longer. More fluff.

Logan is by far my favorite character in this series.  He is easy going, fun loving, loyal and doesn’t allow his pride to get in the way of his ego.  He is willing to do whatever is necessary to help, even if the idea didn’t come from him.   His way of bending without breaking endears him to me.  There comes a time in everyone’s life when we all realize that we don’t know whats best for ourselves and have to ask for help, and Logan embodies that to me.

Fallen Crest High (Fallen Crest High #1) by Tijan

Blurb:  Mason and Logan Kade are two brothers who did their own thing. They were rich and expected to attend her school, Fallen Crest Academy. They chose public school and now Samantha has to live with them. The problem is that she doesn’t care at all: about them, about her friends, about her cheating boyfriend, or even about her parent’s divorce. But maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe change is a good thing.

This book contains adult/mature young adult situations.

 

4 stars

OMG, this book has so much teenage angst in it that it kinda hurt to read.  I mean, I love this book, don’t get me wrong.  It’s just that everything happened so fast and a lot of the communication was done via looks.  There wasn’t a whole lot of actual talking, I think that’s what kept me from giving it 5 stars.

It was like everyone was a mind reader in this book.  His look said this, her look said that. I don’t know about you, but I have never had so many looks mean so much in such a short time.  If you can look past the ‘looks’  haha, see what I did there?  This book was very good.

I mean, sure some bits are confusing because the plot shifts quickly (or is nonexistent), but once you realize its about Sam’s life and not a single experience, it all becomes easier to swallow.  I was drawn to the teenage drama and angst immediately. It’s wholly unrealistic, but that’s one of the things that I liked about it.  The things that happen in Fallen Crest would never happen in a ‘real’ high school.

Also, it was very much internal.  A lot of feelings being felt.  All the action that happen is just surface shit, like decoys from what is going on in Sam’s effed up life.  Not of it means anything, some people would have a problem with that.  And generally, I would to, but this book for some reason, I like….A Lot.  And I don’t know why!!!!!

Wicked Steps by Cory Cyr

Blurb: Strong language, explicit sexual situations, M/F. F/F. 18+

If anyone had asked ten years ago, I never would have imagined I’d be a thirty-five-year-old widow today.

I could tell you I married Hartman Wick out of love, but it’s complicated. We were friends. He was dying. And he needed me. He also made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. Of course, I agreed with the very best of intentions. But we all know what the road to hell is paved with.

All I ever dreamed of was owning my own gallery. A place where my best friend and I could introduce the masses to inspiring and new artists. Hartman promised me the deed to the gallery, wealth, and security for the rest of my life.

Instead, I find myself in a war with his estranged son Kieran—my stepson and one of the most prolific painters, known for his erotic shock art. He’s been plotting revenge against his father for years, and now that Daddy’s dead, he’s seized the opportunity.

Between the constant battles, heated exchanges, and threats of blackmail, I find myself inexplicitly drawn to this twenty-four-year old. He’s beautiful, seductive, arrogant, and evil. Not only is he a gifted artist, but he’s certainly inherited some of his father’s more unsavory traits. He truly is a Wick.

But then he takes things too far and pushes me to my breaking point. I’ve had enough. In retaliation, I make a plan.

And I almost feel sorry for him—almost. I’m sure, even as a child, he was never read a single fairy tale. Poor bastard.

He has no idea how truly wicked a stepmother can be.

3 Stars

I do love me some step-romance.  Don’t judge me by my reading preference!

This one kinda bothered me though. First of all, the blurb doesn’t do this book any justice.  I didn’t find her to be wicked at all.  If anything, she came across as incredibly meak and demure with really no self confidence to speak of.  I had a hard time liking her to be perfectly honest.  Which probably affected my reading.

It was the step-son who was wicked.  He was a douchebag and a half.  And seriously, it read like a predators guide on how to victimize a weak woman.  Cause that’s exactly what he did.  He used her already fragile psyche and alienated her to the point of silence.  Not attractive to me.  I do love an alpha, but this guy was like two alphas on crack.

I had a hard time reading this book.  It was very graphic and I would never have been so forgiving to anyone who treated me that way.  But thats just not how I am built so I had a difficult time identifying with either character.  The emotions this book evoked were so intense that I finished reading it even though I was a bit repulsed by their behavior.  And I’m not talking about the sexually explicit stuff, that was hot.  I’m talking about the psychological abuse they inflicted on each other.  It was just horrific to witness from the outside looking in.  ::shivers::

I was ready to put it down because the mind games were getting a bit out of hand for me. But then, the second half of the book did this weird 180 and everything was different.  I got whiplash from the quick change.

And it went from being about hate and revenge to forgivness and hope.  Two very contradictory things.  I couldn’t find it in my heart to even entertain the idea of forgivness at this point.  While I’m a huge fan of forgiveness in general sometimes things happen that just go to far and are unforgivable.  Some of the stunts pulled in this book could be catagorized as unforgivable to me.

She is a better person than me to retain the ability to trust and forgive.  I wouldn’t have.  I suppose I would recommend this book to others, but only to people who don’t get too emotional while reading and also to folks who don’t have any triggers.  This one was a bit dark.