Phenomenal X By Michelle A. Valentine

Yes! It's World Cup time so I have been a little absent. I apologize but I did get to read one book in this time frame and let's just say that it didn't live up to it's title. There was nothing phenomenal about this story or it's odd characters and weak progression. I don't even know what to say about that unnecessary ending.

Firstly, this isn't MMA. That was my first mistake. This is WWE RAW kinda fights, that were terribly scripted, like the novel. The ending was very unimaginative and unrealistic and I never once felt them as a couple. I could see them as friends with benefits though and for someone who is all, "I walk a straight line", Xavier has quite the temper on him, which naturally became his downfall.

In true Michelle Valentine style, the back stories were different and interesting and the ending, even if you don't agree or like it, has you wanting to take a chance on book 2. You just can't help it! It's a gift really.

Xavier had more realistic qualities in the beginning including his moment of weakness. We hate it in stories but let's be honest ladies, guys will screw anything that moves, that they can look on while they screw it and sometimes it's not even a requirement. His back story is a sad but solid one and I actually like the times we went back in his past because it provided a different  take than stories I have read. His relationship with his mother and grandmother differ in ways I didn't expect and the heavy religious theme threw me but was a good direction because it provided a different dimension.

This book spans a total of two weeks with 2 years worth of emotions so naturally you know my eyes were on the roll. I didn't believe half of what they said or claimed and their conversations were quite dull if you ask me. Not much interesting things happened in the present except for Xavier beating the crap out of his co-workers. To be honest, the man needs a sport that 's not as tame. He should try MMA or boxing, the refs there are actual refs too. o.O

Anna's contribution to this story was her majority narration, as well as, her vagina that made her the female counterpart. I didn't see the point of her character otherwise because she has nil spine in the grand scheme of things and what was her purpose again?

I don't hate her character but she did nothing but narrate most of the story and lust after X while rebuking her own self and Jorge, where are you buddy? Also, it took about 95% of this novel for me to know the chick has a sibling o.O

Then again, I keep forgetting it's only been 2 weeks . Silly me.

The sex doesn't happen until 70% in so don't expect that kind of story line and when it does come, I was over their irresponsible behaviour, cheesy sex lines and quite basic sex before the sex itself was over. If I wanted that, I'd do an internet search for basic porn -_-

Some might call this a rant but that's not the case. I felt like this story went no where and dropped in important points when it remembered. I was thoroughly underwhelmed and even though I was glued to the World Cup coverage for the better part of the days I preferred to play Quizup at nights than to finish this story in more than a week.

The story line is weak, the characters themselves are questioning their roles and I am still trying to piece together the point of this all. Hopefully, it will all come together in the next book. I have read better bodies of work from Michelle Valentine so I won't write her off as an author I can jam with but this just wasn't that great of a story.

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18756982-phenomenal-x

Demon At My Door By Michelle A. Valentine

This was a fun, fluffy and dark version of  'The Time Traveler's Wife'. Even though it was a paranormal novel, I occasionally had to remind myself that the aim and path we were on was to stop a demon that was days away from claiming her soul. The story as it progressed became airy and fluffy with serious undertones closer as got to the end.

Ms. Valentine is a good writer and she gives you stories that you can float along and feel comfortable with but they rarely  have those blow your mind moments! This was another of those good stories but it was also flat. Nothing really spectacular happened and while I was interested to the see the end I could have skipped a few pages to get there.

As it relates to decisions, the final ones were kinda crappy and made the entire novel seem redundant. I am baffled as to her final choices and completely unaware of what made her come to those decisions. I understand setting the stage for a book 2 but this finale was not it. It's like we unwound the entire book 1 to make way for the next in the series.

On the plus side, I liked the main characters of Natalie, Rick, Stewart and eventually Taylor. In my mind, I've already made them up to be a super demon fighting team. Each character has and brought their own elements that helped to enhance the experiences within this story.

There are a few discrepancies, especially in Stewart's world with his abuse and true identity but I can't really disclose those without spoiling the plot for potential readers. All I can say is that he must have not been beaten enough because the Stewart at the end of this novel wouldn't have the marks the Stewart at the beginning received.

I like the occasional bad boy, so you can just imagine how in love I was with Rick. I had already put the pieces of the puzzle together with his entrance so I got over his big reveal and reveled in his version of bad. Currently, I would want him to find another chick, who helps funnel that bad side that brings the sexy smirk I love so much, instead of the ever doubtful Natalie who really does not have much care for her soul  as she thinks. The girl seems to have no trouble bartering it away regularly like it's a piece of beef jerky.

I got to respect Taylor a little more at the end of this story but we barely got any time with her so I hope that book 2 will see us interacting with her more. Where Lilim is concerned, I know we will be seeing her again, I just don't care much about her character right now.

Stewart has always eluded me because he was too bland and all american to hold my interest. So I didn't care to note his reactions and personality as the story progressed. He too however got more interesting in the end and also brought another major discrepancy with Taylor being all besotted to him in light of her revelations. It became one paranormal style college drama.

There is no penetration sex in this novel so it's heavily NA based but that's fine. I do hope though that book 2 gives us some demon sex cause it looks like it would be a good one. Once again though another discrepancy formulated with dude levitating. Why? Gravity seemed to be holding you just fine all the other times.

The final fight in this novel was hilarious more than serious because it was straight out of a 'Looney Toons' cartoon. I wouldn't be surprised is they drew for an anvil hammer as they kept summoning weapons out of thin air like a video game. That was too much fiction even for no limits, deal making demons. It also brought up the discrepancy of who can see these demons, as a character with an unclaimed soul, who wasn't marked for death, was impervious to them freezing time and that went against every thing we were lead to believe over the course of this novel.

There is an abundance of loose ends in this novel and juxtapositions a mile long! I was however kept engaged, intrigued and interested as I made my way through the chapters to the final decisions and lines drawn in the sand. I loved the early banters with Natalie and the 5 year old demon, as well as, the times spent in the present trying to break the contract with said demon.

Natalie kept this story interesting, fierce and most importantly, moving. Even if we were thrust right back to the beginning by the end, there wasn't a break in momentum and the story kept steady to the end as we went against the rules on the countdown to doom.

- https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16300439-demon-at-my-door