Page Turners: Book Reviews and Obsessions

Menace is the first book in the Scarlet Scars series, written by J.M. Darhower. If I had to sum it up in a sentence, I'd say it's part mafia, part romance, and a whole lot of messed up as it follows the two main characters, Lorenzo and Morgan. Lorenzo Gambini, often referred to as Scar because of the scar on his face (yeah, so clever), is a scary dude. He's a complicated character in that he's definitely got psychopathic tendencies and won't hesitate to kill someone, but there's this really human side to him as well. He's a cunning mob boss, but he also raised his younger brother and made sure he didn't go down the same path as him. His inner dialogue and witticisms were the best of the story for me. As a reader, I love up close and personal glimpses of characters because it makes me relate to them, which of course makes them feel like real people. "You shoot one scumbag in front of a pretty little blonde and suddenly you go from being James Dea...

Bound by Honor is the first book in the Born in Blood Mafia Chronicles series by Cora Reilly. It's the complex love story of Aria and Luca, two seemingly polar opposites married off as part of a Mafia arrangement. Both were born into the Familia - Luca in New York and Aria in Chicago - and are married as a sort of peace agreement between the two factions. I felt really bad for Aria at the beginning of the novel. Her mobster father just informs her that she'll be marrying a total stranger and she's just expected to go along with it, regardless of how she feels about the guy. She's basically just a piece in a pretty vicious game of chess, and it was sad how she just accepted it out of love for her family and this twisted sense of duty to them. She was obviously scared of her husband, especially after Grace's nasty warning at the wedding, and a good chunk of the plot ended up revolving around her fear and avoidance of being with him, if you catch my drift. WAY too mu...

Saint is the fourth book in the Boston Underworld series, following the twisted and complicated relationship between Scarlett and Rory. While all of the books in the series have a darker theme, this one certainly takes the cake as the darkest (to me, anyway). Scarlett is definitely the anti-heroine. I was curious about her from the bits of information in the previous books, especially after Talia confirmed that she wasn't a call girl but rather a trick roller. In short, Scarlett endured unspeakable trauma at the hands of her so-called boyfriend and his friends as a teenager, and she's been out for vengeance ever since. Understandably, she also despises men and prefers to mostly keep to herself. "Relationships are just a headache. I've never understood why anyone would want to put themselves through such hell. And willingly too. I might be sadistic, but a masochist I am not." Despite her ice cold demeanor toward him, Rory falls for Scarlett and does what he h...

Ghost is the third book in the Boston Underworld series by A. Zavarelli, following Talia and Alexei. ...it's also my favorite book of the series, thanks largely in part to Mr. Alexei Nikolaev. The 6'6 (wowza!), heavily tattooed Russian Vory just stole my heart. He's almost completely deaf, and knowing that it would be seen as a weakness in the Mafia, hides his condition by mostly isolating himself in his home out in the country. That changes when, as a favor to Lachlan and Mack, he tracks down Talia. Although their marriage was simply supposed to be one of convenience, it's obvious that these two are meant to be together. I think I loved Alexei so much because he accepted Talia, even in her worst state. He understood her darkness because he also experienced it, first at the hands of his parents and then as a result of Katya's betrayal. Magda was right that these two were more alike than either of them realized, and I loved that together they were able to learn h...

Reaper is the second book in the Boston Underworld series by A. Zavarelli. It follows Sasha and Ronan, a seemingly unlikely pair who share a deadly secret, as well as some pesky feelings for one another. Unlike Mack, who willingly dove into the Mafia world in an effort to save her best friend, Sasha was forced into the life at the hands of her abusive ex, Blaine. She's been working as a stripper at Slainte for the past few years, mostly because she needs the money to care for her dying mother. I really felt for her because it was obvious that Sasha just got in over her head and realized that there was no easy way out of the Mafia life. The other strippers don't like her because she's too sweet, and some of the guys just take advantage of that sweetness. Ronan is no such guy. He's this sinister Clark Kent type, always wearing suits and glasses, and he's well-earned his nickname, the Reaper. The guy is a stone cold killer who never shows emotion, and yet there...

Crow by A. Zavarelli is the first work in the Boston Underworld series. It follows Mackenzie (Mack for short) as she dives into the gritty, dangerous, and downright scary world of the Irish Mafia, all for the sake of finding out what happened to her best friend, Talia. Soon, though, she gets more than she bargains for in the form of a hot as hell mobster named Lachlan. The chemistry between them is electric, and both parties get shocked as they try to sort out their complicated feelings. Mack is just such a cool, kick-ass lead. She's had a pretty rough life and has had to fend for herself since her father's death when she was just 13. Still, under her tough outer shell she's got a good heart and is fiercely loyal to and protective of the few people she cares about. Seriously - she volunteers for an underground fight as a way to infiltrate the Irish Mafia and hopefully gain some leads on Talia, and the girl kicks some major ass. That's above and beyond best friend stuf...