Gates of Thread and Stone

I was completely enthralled when I started reading this book. So much so that I couldn't put it down. I finished it in one day. 

Lori M. Lee does a great job in creating and describing this magical world. I was actually able to picture and imagine where the characters were and what they were doing. 

We start off by meeting Kai who seems to be a pretty girl, but is different. She relies on her brother Reev, and the way that she describes it is that she can't seem to be alone. She depends on him. There's a reason for that though. He found her on the side of a river when she was 8 years old. She has no memories, and doesn't know where she comes from, or who she is. All she knows is that this 16 year old boy basically adopted her and took care of her. 

I absolutely admire her. The love and loyalty that she showed for her brother was amazing. She was brave enough to wander out into the Void looking for her brother, without knowing what to expect. I love how her character grew in this book. There were some times when I wanted to smack some sense into her. 

Then we meet Avan. He's maybe a year older than her and absolutely beautiful. He and Kai seem to form some kind of friendship. He's nice enough to her. And aside from Reev, he's the only other friend that she has. He decides to join her in her travels. At first I was confused as to why he would do such a thing. But go over it rather quickly. I did want something to happen between those two. There were so many missed opportunities, that I couldn't handle it. 

I do have to say that he does a great job in being there for Kai, no matter what. He protects her and has her back through out all of their trials. I think I wanted to smack him more than Kai though. In her defense, she's naive when it comes to the whole relationship thing. I mean, she's never even been kissed. But Avan, I mean, he's as experienced as anyone his age can be, and some. 

That twist in the ending is what I'm having issues with. I can assume that anyone else that may have read this book will be siding with me on this. I mean, come on. 

The problem that I have is that I have to wait until March of 2015 to read the next book. I'm anxious to see where Lori takes us with this book. The decisions that will have to be made, most importantly by Kai will be interesting. 

In case you didn't know, the next book will be titled The Infinite. 

The Law of Moses

Amy Harmon has done it again! Do I really need to say anymore? If you've read any of her other work, then you know that she's an amazing writer. 

If you know me, then you know that I have professed my love for her work. She's one of my go-to authors. She's also one that I have learned to One-Click and Pre-Order because I know that she will not disappoint me. 

I actually waited a couple of days to sit down and write my review for this book. I wanted to make sure that my feelings and emotions had settled. 

"This is the story of love with no end... though it took me a while to get there. 

If I tell you right up front, right in the beginning that I lost him, it will be easier for you to bear." 

That's what she gives us in the Prologue. I took tentative steps after I read this. I knew that whatever she gave us would be good, I just didn't know what the journey would be to get the great. 

The book is separated into two parts. And it alternates between Georgia and Moses' characters. Which I thought was great!

We start off with Georgia telling us about Moses' story. He was a "crack baby", and if that doesn't tug at your heart, then I don't know what will.  

"People love babies, even sick babies. Even crack babies. But babies grow up to be kids. Nobody really wants messed up kids."

We get his back story, which totally breaks my heart. I wanted to crawl into the book and just hold that little boy and tell him that someone cared for him.

We also get to know Georgia a little bit. She's a strong and beautiful smart girl. She knows what she wants in life and is willing to do whatever it takes to get there.

"Whatever it was, when Moses came to Levan, he was like water- cold, deep, unpredictable, and, like the pond up the canyon, dangerous, because you could never see what was beneath the surface. And just like I'd done all my life, I jumped in head first, even though I'd been forbidden. But this time, I drowned."

I knew that whatever happened between those two, would be good. 

"She was a small town girl with a simple way of speaking and thinking, a frank way of being that turned me on and turned me off at the same time. I wanted to run from her. But at the same time, I spent all my time thinking about her."

I really really liked Moses. Yes he was different. But remember, different is good every now and then! He was an extremely talented artist. Unfortunately, not everyone appreciated his art. 

"I think your work is strange and beautiful, Moses. Like a discordant melody that resolves itself as you listen..."

The trials that both went through separately and together were gut wrenching. I hated the suffering that happened because everyone else was ignorant and stupid towards Moses. 

"We can't escape ourselves, Tag. Here, there, half-way across the world, or in a psych ward in Salt Lake City. I'm Moses and you're Tag. And that part never changes. So either we figure it out here or we figure it out there. But we still gotta deal. And death won't change that". 

I absolutely love the friendship that he found in Tag. He was an anchor and understanding that he needed. It worked both ways for them both. 

"We'll just keep running, Moses. How did you say it? Here, there, on the other side of the world? We can't escape ourselves. So we stick together until we find ourselves, all right? Until we figure out how to deal."

That's the kind of friendship that everyone always wishes for. To have someone that is willing to go anywhere and everywhere to help you with your problems, and is willing to admit that they need help as well. 

I liked Tag a lot. I hate how they met and the circumstances that brought them together, but I understand it.

I don't like how Moses was brought back into Levan, but I do. If you've read the book, then you'll understand what I mean by this. My heart broke all over again once I figured out the situation. My heart hurt, for Georgia, Moses and everyone else. 

Eli. Such a beautiful description of who he was and what he accomplished. 

"I knew, and yet it still hurt. So much. I didn't lose him the way Georgia did. But I still lost him. I lost him before I knew him. And I wasn't prepared."

"I can't tell you how it felt to say goodbye. How it felt to choose. But in the end, mercifully, the choice was made for me, and I didn't have to do either."

There are some definite twists in this book that I totally did not see coming. I was blindsided by them. But then the light switch turned on and I was pissed. Because of the suffering that happened. So many lives were affected. 

On a side note, I TOTALLY LOVED that she mentions Josie Jensen, and that she and Sam make a couple of appearances in this book. Love them!!! 

I don't think that I can fully express my feelings for this book. It was beautiful and amazing. She did such a great job. She managed to allow me to loose myself in her writing. 

Moses stuck with me even after I finished reading this book. But it was more than just him, or his description. It was his life and the experiences that he went through. It was the fact that he was able to take something bad and cruel (because that's what everyone else saw) and turn it into something beautiful. 

I love it and I don't think that I can get enough of it. I'll definitely be re-reading this book. 

I cried and was so emotional. And I think that's the beauty that I want to find when I loose my self in a book. To be able to feel so much for those characters. To be able to travel on those journeys with them, and to rejoice when they find and discover what their greats are. 

Thank you Amy Harmon; for creating something beautiful and gifting us, your readers with it. You amaze me with what you create. I have yet to have been disappointed by anything that you have done (Not that I'm looking to be).

Lull

Just noticed that it's been a month since the last time that I published a book review. It's not that I haven't read anything between now and then. But I don't think it's been that Great!

I'm of the belief that if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it anything at all. 

I don't mean anything bad by that. I just mean that what I have been reading hasn't wow'd me. Or amazed me. It's been enough to keep me busy and my reading addiction appeased. 

I just went through my reading queue in my Kindle and I see that I have read quite a few. I might write a review for one or two of those reads. One of them is Nine Minutes. I won't get so into it right now, but I just want to scream at Beth Flynn for what she did to me with that book. 

Ohhh.. I have also been reading the Rose Gardner Series by Denise Grover Swank. They are pretty funny. I got hooked with the first book since it was free. I'm just kind of hesitant to continue with the 4th book because of what happened in the last one I read. 

But before I get into those reviews, I might start reading Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee. And let's not forget that I have The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan and Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare sitting at home. I also have Dreams of God's and Monsters by Laini Taylor, which I just can't finish. Not because it's bad, but because I don't want to say good bye to Karou and Akiva. 

Anyways. Hopefully I can find the time and energy to finish reading and to write an actual review for those books.  

Storm Siren

I was definitely sucked into this Fantasy YA book from the very beginning. And even after I finished it, I couldn't stop thinking about it or the characters. I went to bed mad and sad, and I woke up thinking "nope, I couldn't have read what I just did". But, I did. 

I think that's the beauty in loosing yourself in a book. When it sticks to you no matter what. It's the fact that you can't stop thinking about it or what happened. 

I have to say that this is the first time that I've read any of her work. I was impressed with her writing style. She did a great job in creating this magical world where I could loose myself. 

I loved her characters. 

Nym was definitely a winner in my book. She's an Elemental, and she truly believes that she is cursed. She's also a slave who has been sold and bought fifteen times. She's also pretty smart and witty. She has sass and attitude. Her downfall is that she doesn't know how to control her powers, so she basically ends up killing anyone that's around her when she's pissed or looses control. 

Eogan. The mysterious and beautiful trainer. The only one who has been able to calm Nym when she is having one of her "tantrums". I loved his personality. The fact that he cared for her. We learn a lot about him in this book. 

There was definitely an attraction between Eogan and Nym that I absolutely craved. It's the reason why I couldn't put my book down. I kept hoping and wishing that I would get "just one more kissing scene" or "just the right physical contact" between those two. They were good for each other. 

The accompanying characters are great as well. Colin is awesome with his abilities. His twin sister Breck is interesting in her own way. 

I hated Adora with a livid passion. I detested her. With her odd and peculiar outfits and her threats. She drove me nuts. 

Eogan's secrets killed me. Destroyed me. I couldn't believe it. And that ending. I kept thinking after I finished reading the last words, "How could she do this to me?" "How am I going to recover from this?" "How can I move on knowing what I know?"

Yes. I was devastated. I still am. I can't wait for the second book to know what happens next. I don't know if I will be able to read it though. I'm hoping for some kind of miracle. Which lets not kid ourselves, this is a Fantasy book. Anything can happen!!!

Will I read this again? Maybe!
Will I be purchasing the Hard book? Absolutely!!! I need to add this to my collection!!!

I am definitely glad that I decided to read this and give the author an opportunity. 

Locke

I KNEW from the very first moment that I came across Locke's' character in Axel that he was something else. Something different. 

"I'm looking right at you motherfucker. It shouldn't take a big leap of 'clue the fuck in' for you to realize I'm looking right at your dumb fucking ass" he snarls at me with such ferocity that I'm momentarily rendered speechless."

And I was rendered speechless. Here was this big beautiful man with black eyes. One who kept to himself and looked out for his family and loved ones. He was in so much pain. But what was worse is that we didn't know why.

We do get to experience the intense friction between Locke and Emmy through out the other books. And while I thoroughly enjoyed the others, I kept rushing through them hoping and praying that I would get my temporary short fix of Locke. 

My heart broke when Coop was killed and Emmy suffered because he literally gave his life for her. But it shattered when she ran away and Locke couldn't do anything to help her.. Like I mentioned before, I've kept reading because I wanted/needed to know where their story was going. So needless to say that I preordered this book. Started reading it the minute that I had the opportunity to do so. 

Oh my goodness! There are no words to describe what I felt while I read this. I know that I always say this. But seriously. This was freaking awesome. 

"I'll taint her. I'll ruin her. And in the end, it will destroy her. One smile from her made me fall. So I pushed her away..."

We finally get to learn about Emmy's past. And what a fucked up past it is. She had it bad. From a sick and twisted father and mother to a bastard ruthless abuser. What's worse is that her parents let it happen because of their lifestyle. Until her savior shows up.  

"I'm seconds from passing out when I feel his body disappearing. I sit up, struggling to let the air in, and meet the crystal-blue eyes of my savior. 'You okay?' He asks. I nod mutely. A million questions rush through my head, but not a single word escapes before he nods and slams his fist into Shawn's face. I want to weep when I watch him crumple to the floor, passed out cold. 'I'm Zeke, but my friends call me Coop."

Gah. To know that it was Coop that saved and rescued her from that life. It finally made sense as to why it hurt her so much to loose Coop. Not that they had any kind of romantic involvement. But that he became more of a brother figure to her. 

Locke. His name alone. I waited FOREVER to know more about him. I knew that he was intimidating and scary. But he was also such a loveable man. He cared for those that were a part of their family unit. He protected them fiercely. But he wouldn't allow himself to love or feel anything especially for Emmy. 

The things that he went through. From having such a miserable young life, because of the way that his mother treated him. To being deceived by the one person that he had decided to give his heart to at such a young age. 

There was so much that he suffered through. 

I have to say that I absolutely LOVE Harper Sloan. I love what she does and what she gives us. To me, it's such a precious gift. To be able to loose myself in a book. To feel so much while I read a book. To be able to laugh while I do so is amazing. I loved meeting the other Alpha characters. But to be able to experience Locke was something else. 

Reading Funk

I am in a total reading funk right now. I've got about 20+ books sitting in my TBR pile (patiently waiting in my Kindle).
I made the mistake of reading all of Amy Harmon's books in a matter of days... I was so greedy that I couldn't get enough of her writing style. I really do believe that she's turned into one of my Author crushes, kind of like Kristen Ashley. The beauty of her books though is that they have all been clean writes. They have stayed with me. Every single one of her characters. Especially Johnny Kinross.
Anyways, I can't seem to find anything that will grab my attention... I'm searching and searching. Hopefully I'll come across something soon.

Running Barefoot

I honestly and truly believe that I have found one of the best books that I have read, and has become one of my favorites.

We start by meeting Josie Jensen at a very young age. Unfortunately for her, she finds sorrow and pain at such a young age. She basically has to grow up very fast and take care of her loved ones. But despite her troubles, she has a yearning and need for learning. She develops many talents. From understanding and mastering her need for music and playing the piano - to developing an unyielding love for reading and knowledge. 

Then we meet Samuel Yates. He is different in every aspect, so to speak. He is half white-half Navajo. He neither fits in the "white" world or in the "Navajo" world. He is judged and discriminated against where ever he goes. That is, until he meets 13 year old Josie on the back seat of a school bus. She gets picked on by an older boy, and Samuel kindly steps in. But quickly keeps to him self. 

Over time, they develop a "strange" friendship. I say "strange" because this happens while they read and analyze "Wuthering Heights" for an assignment that he has. Little by little, they become dependent on each other. 

I love how that friendship grows. It truly is beautiful in every sense. Josie teaches Samuel a lot. Most importantly how to let go of grudges and to be more than what every one else wants him to be. 

I like that she didn't take it any further with Josie being 13 and Samuel being 18. He joins the Marines right out of High School and is gone for several years. While he's gone, Josie falls in love again. Unfortunately for her, she experiences pain again. Samuel comes back after some time, and helps Josie like she did for him many years ago. 

The trials and troubles that they go through to get where they need to be amazes me. Thee were several times where I wanted to cry - some from heart ache, others from happiness. 

I love what Amy Harmon did with this. It's essentially what I look for in a book.  

Infinity + One

I do have to say that I'm in love. I'm in love with Amy Harmon. With her books. With her characters. I had completely forgotten how much I enjoyed her writing style. That is until I remembered that she wrote Making Faces, which happens to be one of my favorite books.

I was captured from the very beginning. I love how the main characters were almost like a modern day Bonnie and Clyde. They went on a full adventure, without meaning to.

I love that Finn was a total math/number nerd. And Bonnie, well, she was a well know country singer. There was more that tied those two together, and it almost felt like it was their destiny. It was complete beautiful.

I couldn't get enough of them. I feel like the more you say about the story, the more you give away. And I honestly believe that this is one story that you should fully experience for your self.

A Different Blue

"Once upon a time there was a little blackbird, pushed from the nest. Unwanted. Discarded."

I think I was hooked with just reading the Prologue. I wanted - NO - needed to know what had happened to the little girl sitting in the car, while her mother was plotting who knows what.

I felt a lot of pain and sorrow through out the entire book. I'm not saying that it was a horrible book. All I'm saying is that I certainly captured my emotions.

We get to meet Blue Echohawk, a senior in high school. A possible 19 year old. She has no idea who she is or where she came from. All she knows is that James Echohawk became her world when he took her in at a young age. He taught her every thing that she knows but left her alone again at a young age.

Needless to say, Blue has suffered a lot. She also doesn't fit in. But that's because she wants it that way. That is until the new History teacher - Mr. Darcy Wilson - at only 23 years old decides that he wants to help her.

I love how he approaches the situation and how he handles it. He becomes her constant and is there to support her through her trials.

"What we believe affects our choices, our actions, and subsequently, our lives".

I love how she overcomes those trials. But I think what I truly enjoyed the most was how this story came to a full circle. That was a definite tear-jerker for me. When she finally found out the truth about her past and who she really was.

There was "some" romance in this book. But I like that it wasn't all about it completely. It was about that little Blackbird learning how to spread her wings and taking on the sky.

Ugly Love

Every time that I start one of her books I think that it won't be as good as her other work. I feel like such an idiot for thinking so. She has yet to disappoint me from the very first time that I picked up Slammed. I didn't think I could genuinely love an author as mush as I love her, for the work that she does.

She is absolutely amazing. You can definitely see how much she has grown Her work gets better and better. There is more beauty with each chapter that you read.

My goodness. My emotions were everywhere and nowhere while I was reading this. I felt so much for Miles. I loved reading his past. It was pretty intense for someone so young. I kept wondering why he was such a jerk and kept to himself. Once I figured it out, I hurt for him. I understood why he closed himself off, but at the same time, I didn't understand why he wouldn't allow himself to feel anything for Tate. I knew that she was reaching some part of him that had been lost.

Tate was awesome. She never truly gave up. I liked her character. I was pissed at her for accepting what  and how the "relationship" was originally offered to her. I understand why she did it though. She would rather have something than nothing at all.

Cap was one of those characters that was freaking hilarious. An 80 year old man that piloted the elevator in their building complex. I loved his sense of humor and his mart remarks.  I love that he was Tate's best friend and was there for her to help and support her.

 Overall, I absolutely love this book. Everything was perfect. From the way that she wrote Miles and Rachel to Miles and Tate. Everything was beautiful.

I was trying to figure out why Ugly Love. Until I finally understood it all. And it was Beautifully Heartbreaking...

Unbeloved

I started my affair with this series when I came across Undeniable in October of 2012. I've read the other books as well. I was very curious when I realized who this book was about because Dorothy is mentioned in the other books as well. 

I'm glad that I took the time to read it. I freaking loved it from the first chapter to the very last. I was very happy that we get to hear her side of the story and what really happened.

Needless to say that my appreciation for Hawk grew. There was so much that I learned that made me understand him a lot more. He really wasn't a bad person. I mean, yeah he does all the dirty work for the MC, but he's not that bad. Not if he can truly fall in love with someone. 

I enjoyed that we get to read the book through Dorothy, Jase and Hawk's POV. That was a bonus for me. To be able to really know what is going on inside their heads.  

I like that we get to learn how Jase and Dorothy meet. I find it very messed up what he put her through. Although she was always the "other" woman in the rest of the books, I feel like this one justifies her. She really did fall in love with him, although she did it and acted in a selfish way. I say this because she put the needs of her daughter aside for Jase. 

The ending in this book has me all sorts of twisted right now. I don't think I can wait until May of 2015 for it to be released. 

A Life Less Broken

I wasn't sure what I was getting my self into when I started this book. 

"So what do you guys think we should feast on this weekend?" 

"I've got a taste for brunette"

"We had three brunettes in the past two weeks. Can't we have something more exotic?..." 

I had to go back and look to see what the book was about. I finished reading the Pre-Prologue. Then I moved to the Prologue, and my heart felt like it shattered into small little pieces. I just felt like my breath was knocked out of me. 

I couldn't put it down. I literally mauled it within a matter of 6 hrs. I felt like my breath depended on the next page and I just HAD to read it to take that breath. It's books that can bring that out in me that mean so much to me. It really felt like an emotional roller-coaster.

We get to meet Allyn, who is about 23 years old and she literally lives like a prisoner in her own home. Not because someone is holding her captive physically, but because she's tied down emotionally & mentally, which keeps her tied up physically (<- does that even make sense?). She has experienced something so tragic, that she really doesn't know how to live. She doesn't allow herself to step out side of her home for fear that she might be hurt again. 

She then meets Dominic Shriver who's a psychologist, and is suppose to assist her in moving forward and getting to a "normal" life. He helps her without her realizing it. She's able to make small tiny steps, which are a HUGE deal to someone like her. 

Somehow, they develop feelings for each other. Which can be hard due to the whole Dr./ patient issue... But, they make it work. What they have between each other is actually wonderful and special. It has such a beauty to it, that you can't help but root for them and hope that everything works out for them. What's beautiful is that he shows her that even though she's scarred physically and emotionally, she's still a beautiful person with a beautiful and pure soul. 

I definitely enjoyed this book.  I felt like the author did a great job in writing it. The circumstances where a little troubling, but I like where she went with this. 

Beautiful Oblivion

I was so freaking excited when this book finally released! Extremely excited! So much that I finished reading it in one day! It took me a while to sit and write this review because I'm still trying to come to terms with a lot of things that happened with this book and the characters. Hopefully, those questions will be answered in Beautiful Redemption, which will be Thomas' book. 

Trent Maddox! We slightly meet him in Beautiful Disaster, as the brother that hangs back with Abby while Travis is fighting... 

I'm pretty glad that he got his own book. Like any Maddox boy, his life and story is one that is worth hearing and knowing about. In my eyes, he was total perfection! Yes, even with the tattoos covering his body. 

Travis was my very first book boyfriend ever. I fell for him, and he opened up a whole new world for me. But Trent, he managed to wiggle him self in there right next to his brother! 

I'm still trying to make up my mind on Cami. I'm glad that she gave Trent a chance and made him her First Choice!

“I hope you like Cherry Coke, baby doll, or we can’t be friends.”

Um, hello? Cherry Coke? Yes please! He had me with that line! 

I felt for him. He tried and tried so hard. I'm not sure how else to say it without giving the whole book away.

“But I am so fucking in love you, Cami,” he said, reaching for me. “I have been since we were kids. The first time I saw you on the playground, I knew what beauty was. The first time you ignored me was my first broken heart.”

Just know that I absolutely loved every bit of this book. Jamie McGuire did it again! She was able to create a bad boy that is completely lovable! She managed to write a book that kept me up until I finished it!

The Promise

So here is a book that I started reading the minute it was released. I'm talking about coming through my iBooks and downloading on July 7 at 8:30pm thanks to the beauty of pre-ordering, even though it wasn't live until July 8. 

So it took me a total of 5 days to get through this book. Not because it was horrible and I couldn't stand it. But because it was beautiful and amazing and everything that Kristen Ashley could offer us. 

I mean, my goodness! Benito Alessandro Bianchi is just, how do I explain everything that he is? I hate that it took him 7 years to rightfully claim what should have been his from the very beginning... But when he finally did, WOW doesn't even begin to describe it. He was all sorts of overprotective, like you could expect from a KA male. And we can't forget the sexy part... 

Then there is Francesca Angelica Concetti.. She was a total kick ass babe! How else can you explain her? 

Together, they were perfection. I love that they were able to make their relationship work. They had their ups and downs. But were able to work through their (more like Frankie's) problems. It just goes to show, that The Promise of everything that Benny is, was definitely worth for Frankie! 

“You open yourself up, you could find it’ll be the best you ever had.”

It Ain't Me, Babe

This is one of the books I picked up while I was in a reading funk. It released on 4/26, I bought it 4/27 and had finished it by midnight! 

From the first time that we meet River, I was hooked. Come on, he's a young boy who is along for the ride while his dad is getting rid of a stiff. We learn that he doesn't communicate verbally with others. He has some sort of speech impediment. He comes across a beautiful little girl. She's so gorgeous that he is compelled to talk to her. In his whole life, he's only talked to 3 people, the girl included. 

Fast forward several years! And we meet Salome. How do I explain her without giving much away? I can say that she was raised under really fucked up circumstances. Like REALLY fucked up... If you can even call it "being raised"... 

I was physically sick after learning about the things that she went thru. I'm grateful that she decided to run away. The why she ran away, is really messed up. But, I'm glad that it served as the final shove that she needed. 

Styx, also known as the "Hangmen Mute", is the president of the Hades Hangman Motorcycle Club. He comes across Salome in the parking lot of his MC, and decides to help her. Gahh, how to say the things that you want to without giving it all away? 

I absolutely loved the drama, the action and the freaking romance that we get with this book. It was freaking amazing. The way that Salome "Mae", learns to truly love and trust people is amazing. She was basically ignorant and naive about everything, but with the help of rowdy bikers, she learns how to deal with life and this world. And what a messed up world it is. 

I think what I loved the most is how Styx learns to grow as a person, and how Mae helped him with his issues. They do great together. I do understand that this type of story isn't for everyone, it definitely works for me. 

I absolutely loved the story and the writing. I'm hoping that we get more out of this MC. There are several screwed up characters that I NEED to know about. Like badly. Call me crazy, but I want to know what happens with Maddie and Flame, if anything happens. (I'm hoping that there is something there, because he is one FUCKED up person!!!)

Monster in His Eyes

So anyone that knows me, knows that I absolutely love ANYTHING J.M. Darhower. I have to be honest and say that this book literally sneaked up on me. I didn't know that she was releasing a new book. I was shocked and thrilled at the same time. 

So I bought it April 27, but because I was in the middle of another book, I waited. I hate that I waited, even though it was only a couple of days. 

I wasn't sure what to expect with it. Her previous work has been amazing and addicting. I didn't know if we would get the same or better with this one. Gahh... Even thinking about the book and the characters, I get chilly goosebumps. Like crazy. 

We meet Karissa who is a college student literally struggling to keep her GPA up so that she can keep her scholarship at NYU. She lives off of Top Ramen. (<-- that's how much she's struggling). 

Then, there is Naz... He's older than her, much older. That doesn't keep him away from her though. He has money and "connections". And most importantly, he wants to take care of Karissa. 

I like how they meet, not once but twice... 

Their relationship was thrilling to me (Does that make sense? Cause that's exactly what I felt every time that they were together). 

Back to those chilly goosebumps... Yeah... The history behind Naz's story is freaking CRAZY and fucked up. I wanted to throw up and cry and throw my kindle away so that it would go away. Now that I think about it, I'm glad that I didn't do that. I needed it to get to the end of the book. Freaking HELL... Once I got to a certain part, I wanted to go backwards and erase everything that I had learned...

Naz was everything that I expected and some. (all in a good way - I think...)

The author did an amazing job. It was more than what I expected. I love that we still get some kind of Mafia twist with this book. I can't seem to keep away from them. I seriously CANNOT wait to read the next book. I DESPERATELY need to know what happens next. The crazy in me wants everything to work out for them. The normal in me is hoping for, I'm not sure... An HEA... How that'll happen, I don't know. All I can do is trust the author!

Push

I started reading this book a couple of days ago. I have to admit that it did take me several days to get thru this one. And although it took me a little bit to finish it, I felt like I couldn't let go. I kept trying to steal reading moments for myself. When I couldn't read, I kept thinking about the characters and what they were doing next, or what dark shit we would learn about Emma... It was worth it! It had me on the edge of my seat. It pulled several emotions out of me.

We get to meet the hot headed Emma who has just moved into an apartment building on her own. We also meet David. He introduces himself as a carpenter to Emma, and tells her that he is there to fix the cabinets in her apartment (which apparently look completely trashed). Anyways, they start off by pissing each other off. And he seems to be everything that she isn't interested in. Needless to say that that changes REALLY fast with the help of someone from Emma's past. 

She seems to have a very dark past. As we delve into the book, we learn what toughened her up. I hated what she went thru. I completely hated everyone in her life. 

I hated her mom even though she loved her. I later learned why she did (or didn't do) what she did... It still didn't excuse her. 

I hated Michael. He was such a BASTARD! I hated him from the first time that we meet him.

Then there were her brothers. I have an older brother who was literally my first best friend. He is 30 & I'm 28 now, and we still are like best friends even though we live hundreds of miles away from each other. So when I think of older brothers, I think of this huge loving teddy bear who is there to defend and protect you, to tease you and help you every step of the way. THAT is not what she had. I wanted to stab her brothers and really hurt them... 

I felt like Emma and David's relationship happened quickly. They were both dysfunctional separately, but functional together. It was a roller coaster that I am definitely willing to ride again. 

I don't want to give much away with David, cause you'll have to figure that one on your own. It all made sense in a very screwed up way... 

I really enjoyed what the author did with this book. I definitely look forward to the next book. I have to admit that I was pissed the hell off at the end of the book! And yes, there is a cliffhanger.

Beautiful Ink

I had such terrible anxiety while reading this book. Not because it was bad or horrible... 

I went into this thinking "ok, another MC story... Great, I'll definitely dig this..." 

Well, I definitely DID dig it... I just have A LOT of mixed feelings over this and the characters...

For one, Holder... GAHHH!!!  How can you not fall for him? First of all, he's a biker dude. Extremely loyal! Caring (in his own way)! Secretly, I was rooting for him... Like badly... You'll have to read this to know and understand the twisted mess that comes with him...

Then there's Vin ;) ... Yeah... Total hotness! Need say no more...

There is SO MUCH pain... And my freaking ANXIETY... I felt like my heart was going to beat right out of my freaking chest more than several times. How did I survive this book? It's been days since I put it down, but let me tell you that I'm still thinking about the book and the characters. 

I think that's the beauty with this. The simple fact that it can draw so many emotions at the same time, is amazing. This is another book that I finished in one sitting. Actually, in one night. I stayed up all night reading it! I payed for it greatly, nothing that coffee couldn't help or fix the next morning. Totally worth it! 

Loved it completely! 

Point of Return

Holy Fucking Hell

I was in a reading funk the last weeks or so. I probably started about 5 different books but couldn't get past the first couple of chapters. I just wasn't feeling it. But then I came across this on FB (someone else's blog) and thought "Oh heck, what's the worst that could happen?..." So I took a dive and bought it. 

What can I say? Other than I'm a sucker for MC books... And good looking (HOT) biker dudes with the name of Daemon Knight!

He literally swings in like a knight in shinning armor when Olivia is in a pinch... And what a pinch it is...  She's found herself in such a dilemma. She returns to her hometown after being gone for 5 yrs, running from a life in which she wants no part of. She wants a normal life with a white picket fence, 2.5 kids and a dog... Except that she's the daughter of the President of the Nordic Lords MC... Yeah. Now you see what her dilemma is? Or at least a part of it... 

I thoroughly enjoyed the ride in which Stacey Lynn took us with this book. She did a great job with the love story... I don't want to give much a way... Just know that there was pain and heart ache while reading this, but there was also to beauty to it... 

I can't wait to see if the author takes us on even more rides... There are several characters in which I NEED to know what happens to them or where their story takes us...

Just to let you know, I did read it in one sitting. Actually in one night. I started reading right before going to bed, but couldn't keep away from it. The characters kept calling to me... I went to bed REALLY late, which sucks because I have to be up by 5:30a.m to go to work... It was worth it though!!! 

Reclaiming the Sand

Amazingly beautiful!

I wish that those two words were enough for you to understand exactly what it is that I'm feeling after reading this book. 

This isn't your typical girl falls in love with the boy next door - or your good girl falling madly in love with the bad boy and straightening him up. 

This story is full of so much gutt wrenching pain. Literally. Even as I sit here thinking about the characters, I can't help but feel sad and hurt over what they went thru. 

We first meet Ellie. Her POV is in the present time. We know she was a trouble maker (I don't even think that that word is good enough to describe her). We know that she has served time in Juvie. The entire time I kept trying to figure out why though (Don't worry, I won't spoil it for you!). We do know that she had a very troubled and painful life as a little girl, someone that was carted around in the foster system. 

"I had stopped feeling sorry for myself by the time I had entered my third foster home at the age of seven. The tears had dried up. Emotions packed away. The need to survive at all costs taking their place."

I had to put my Kindle down and walk away as the tears rolled down my face. It pained me to learn this about her. She was trying to survive in the fucked up life that she had.

Then we meet Flynn. We do know that he is different. And by that I mean he has Asperger's. He has no social skills whatever and is extremely particular. He's smart though. And he is artistic. He also has no emotions and doesn't really know how to read others emotions. He gets picked on when he's in high school. Like BADLY. Did I mention that his POV is from when he's in high school? Right. That there breaks my heart. I hated how he was treated. I wished I could have reached inside my Kindle and strangled every single one of those kids that hurt him. 

I was very impressed at how the author developed the romance. 

"Seeing him again up close was like being sucker punched in the jaw. It wasn't pleasant. He stirred up memories I didn't have time to think about. I didn't have the emotional capacity to allow myself the pain and grief a normal person would have felt. Because you see, I wasn't normal either. We were a perfect, messed up pair, Flynn and I. We always had been." 

As fucked up as it sounds I was rooting for Ellie and Flynn to be able to work past their troubled past. Because there was one. A major one. 

They had a relationship which was surprisingly beautiful. Ellie was able to "deal" with Flynn whenever he had meltdowns. She was the ONLY person that was able to physically touch him. And surprisingly enough, he wanted to touch her as well (If you know anyone with Asperger's or Autism, you KNOW what a HUGE deal this is). 

"His fingers trembled in mine but he didn't pull away. Our hands were joined together, his arm stretched out in front of him. He didn't move any closer. We did nothing to close the distance between us but his palm pressed against mine was more intimate than if he had been holding me."

I think that the author did an amazing job with this book. I've only read two other books by her, and I enjoyed them just as much as this one. There were times where I had to stop reading because the emotions pouring out of those words were just too much. 

"He lifted his head and swept his dark hair out of his face. His eyes flitted around the room until he saw me. And he grinned. His heart in his eyes. He was more than amazing. He was amazing."

I went to bed thinking about Flynn and Ellie and the fucked up world that they lived in. I lived that they both tried their best to overcome the obstacles that were in front of them. From Ellie actually going to college and trying to get an education to Flynn moving away from his comfort zone and teaching. 

I absolutely loved this book. I do have to admit that I HATE Dania. With a passion. What she did is just wrong and unforgivable. 

Either way, I'll definitely be re-reading this book again. 

Red Hill

Okay, I have to start by saying that I don't do scary! At all!

I decided to set my fears aside because this is by none other than Jamie McGuire. I have to admit that I was very hesitant at first because it deals with Zombies.

"I know the world ended on a Friday. It was the last day I saw my children."

 



That alone gave me anxiety issues. And it was only the Prologue...

The story is beautifully told from three different POV's.

We meet Scarlet who is a divorced mother of 2 girls. She's an X-Ray tech and is at work when the outbreak begins. She knows that she needs to get to her daughters because they are suppose to be spending the weekend with their father. Hers is an emotional journey that is extremely painful to witness. As a mother my self - I would do anything to get to my children. I loved her character. She was such a tough person who is willing to stop at nothing. She literally does everything within her ability to reach her children. Even when she can't find them, she continuous to have faith that she will see them again.

We also meet Miranda and the people that are with her on their way to her father's ranch - Red Hill Ranch. She has Bryce, her long time best friend and boyfriend; her sister Ashley and her boyfriend Cooper. They literally go thru hell and back to get to the safety of the ranch.

And then there is Nathan. His wife left him the same day that the outbreak began. The kicker with his story is getting his daughter to safety. She's slightly different with certain needs. We don't ever get to find out what is really wrong with her. Not that it matters. What matters is that Nathan is a great and amazing father who loves his kid and does everything within his power to keep her safe.

I love how all three stories / characters cross paths at one point or another but don't know about it until the end.

I think that the beauty that Jamie created is in the willingness of others to help those in need. Even though they are in the middle of what they consider the end of the world, they are willing to help others. And the help that is offered or provided to each of these characters is amazing.

I will have to admit that I cried several times through out this book. I kept finding my self on the edge of my seat while each character tried to get to their final destination with their loved ones - which happened to be the same one for all them - Red Hill Ranch.

The romance between some of the characters is sweet. I was kind of upset at one of the characters - but I won't say who!

Just know that I really did enjoy this book.

(P.S. I did have trouble falling asleep after I finished reading this book. Not sure if it was because it dealt with Zombies or because the characters and that ending was so good!)

Maybe Someday

So for the last couple of days, I've had this story stuck in my head. I've had the characters running on and on in my head. I've had the soundtrack that goes with it on replay (in my head).
I've had so many emotions - from frustration to anger, to sadness to happiness to sorrow - sometimes a couple of those at the same time. How is this possible you ask me? Well, I've learned over the past couple of years that with Colleen Hoover anything and everything is possible.
I've learned that in order to read one of her books I have to get my mind (and emotions) ready. I have to tell my self that a tornado will wreak havoc within me while I'm reading, and after (and I mean several days later).
Sydney - What can be said about her? Other than she's a kick-ass girl who knows what she wants in her life.

"I just punched a girl in the face. Not just any girl. My best friend. My roommate."

She gets handed a really shitty card in life and she has to learn to deal with it.

The beauty in this story is when we are introduced to Ridge -

"It's so mesmerizing to watch him that sometimes I catch myself holding my breath, and I don't even realize I'm doing it until I'm gasping for air."

We know he's some kind of musician and because Sydney truly loves music, she falls for his talent. They develop a friendship and she starts working with him. As if the card that she's been dealt isn't good enough, Ridge & Sydney develop an attraction. I mean, how could they not? under those circumstances.

But life is cruel.

"My entire boy is battling itself. My left brain is telling me this is somehow wrong. My right brain is wanting to hear her sing again. My stomach is nowhere to be found..."

I was soooo mad. I mean how could you not when you have such a beautiful moment and connection happening, but YOU KNOW that it's absolutely wrong in every single way...

Of course, Colleen being who she is makes it all work one way or another. It does break my heart, the way in which it all happened. But it is what it is - beauty in its own.

"I don't want Sydney ever to feel like my second choice, when I know in my heart that she's the right choice. The only choice."

Sigh.

You can't help but fall for that guy.

"Her smell, her touch, her voice, her love. I've never felt so much at once. I've never needed to feel more..."
The journey to their happiness is one full of trials, pain and sorrow. But in the end, it's all worth it.

I've said it once, and I'll say it again, Colleen is AMAZING. Her writing style leaves me in awe. I managed to swallow (yes, literally) this book in a matter of 4 hours.

And of course, I can't NOT mention Griffin Peterson and his collaboration in this project, it was amazing. It added so much more to the story.

I loved it all! Thank you Colleen for the beauty that you so willingly share with your readers. Thank you for giving us Ridge and his amazing talents, even with all of his flaws. Thank you for giving us Sydney and her kick-ass self. Thank you for Maggie. And yes, Thank you for Warren and all of his pranks and comments.

They were all amazing in their own way and will forever remain with me!

Simple Thoughts

I usually keep a Goodreads account and I try to update it on an almost daily basis. I decided to "Challenge" myself by setting a goal of reading 120 books in the year 2014. So far, I have read 27 of those, which according to their tally I'm 5 ahead of schedule. Awesome, right? I seem to think so. My goal is to write some kind of review or "thoughts" on each and every one of the books that I have read so far. It may not be much of a review, but if I can put my feelings out there for each book, then I would feel like I have accomplished something.
My reviewing skills may not be the best there is to offer, or the most grandiose like those other bloggers out there that dedicate their time to this, but my passion for reading is great! I think I have mentioned in the past that I love reading.

Cinder

 

So this book here is exactly why I keep reading YA! I picked this up at my local Target the other day and am so happy that I'll be able to have a paperback copy of it. Don't get me wrong, I love reading on my Kindle, but every now and then I love the feel of an actual book... We get the re-telling of Cinderella in this, and I freaking LOVE it! I'm a total sucker for the fairy tales! The world that Marissa Meyer creates is beautiful and magical in it's own way. I sometimes seem to forget that my i...more So this book here is exactly why I keep reading YA! I picked this up at my local Target the other day and am so happy that I'll be able to have a paperback copy of it. Don't get me wrong, I love reading on my Kindle, but every now and then I love the feel of an actual book... We get the re-telling of Cinderella in this, and I freaking LOVE it! I'm a total sucker for the fairy tales! The world that Marissa Meyer creates is beautiful and magical in it's own way. I sometimes seem to forget that my initial love/interest in reading started with Young Adult. It's authors like her that remind me why. I love that I was able to carelessly loose my self in her writing. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book Scarlet! (I was at Target and literally ran back in to check and see if they had it, and YES they did!!)

My Life Next Door

This is one of those books that I really wanted to read a LONG time ago, but I didn't. Again, stupid right? Yes... It really was such a beautiful story. I enjoyed Samantha's character a lot, and even Jase - the boy next door (literally). But I think that my favorite was George. I totally fell in love with that little kid. The things that came out of his mouth had me cracking up so much. "I might marry you..." <-- this is what George tells Samantha the first time he meets her. Or when he tries...more This is one of those books that I really wanted to read a LONG time ago, but I didn't. Again, stupid right? Yes... It really was such a beautiful story. I enjoyed Samantha's character a lot, and even Jase - the boy next door (literally). But I think that my favorite was George. I totally fell in love with that little kid. The things that came out of his mouth had me cracking up so much. "I might marry you..." <-- this is what George tells Samantha the first time he meets her. Or when he tries convincing Samantha that she should marry Jace (also during the first time that they met) "His bed's comfortable. And he never pees in it ." There was some heart ache, but not that whole teenager angst or a complicated romance. Both main characters grew up a lot. But they did it together. Bettering and helping each other. I definitely enjoyed it!

Unravel

FUUUCK!!!
This is one of those books that my sister read before me. Yes, she actually beat me to the punch... I bought it because I heard so much good things about it. An then my sister confirmed this. She said that she liked it so much that she was still thinking about it several days later (which is hard for her).
Oh my fucking hell!!! This book just tore my heart to pieces... I read the last words in this, and I swear that my heart was racing a million miles a minute... I'm still sitting here, trying to figure out what exactly this book means to me.
I know that I'll read it again. Maybe over and over.
I felt SO much for the characters. You can't really say much with out giving ANYTHING away. And I mean that.
I literally just want to sit here and cry like a little girl and hold my self, or curl on my husbands lap while he holds!!!

Pieces For You

This is one of those series where it gets better with each book!
Where to begin? I freaking love Sam and the person that she grew to be. I was so proud of everything that she accomplished and the way in which she did it. There were moments where I was pissed off at her for the "poor" or stupid decisions that she made, but all in all, she did good. She was able to rectify those mistakes. I love that she was able to overcome the tragedy that marked her. What I love the most is that she didn't want to be the same old Sam, but a different one, with broken pieces, but better.
Griffin. The name alone is pure hotness. He definitely reminds me of my husband.
He was so beautiful and wonderful and understanding and caring and loving.
He was such a safety net for Sam after everything she went thru. I knew I loved him after meeting him in Only for You when he jumped over the bar to kick Heath's ass. And then when he beat the living shit out of Robbie for being such a whimp and trying to force him self on Sam. I could seriously go on an on about him and how perfect he is.
All in all, I truly and genuinely enjoyed this book and the characters. I'm excited to hear Megan's story and see what her troubles are and how ("Mark") will be able to fix them. She sounds like she has a dark/troubled past. I'm glad that the Huntleigh / Sam & Grifin adopted her into their group!

Only For You

 

More of a 4.5 for me. I don't usually justify my half stars and I don't take the time to explain either. But I feel that I need to with this book. I definitely enjoyed it.
I guess it's because at some point in the book I wondered how much longer I would have to finally find out what the deal was with Hunter... But I'm thankful that I didn't give up.
I don't want to put the author down because she did a good job. She really did. I just felt like sometimes the story kept going and going and I wasn't really getting anything from it. I know, I was totally wrong. What I didn't understand at the time was that their relationship was slowly being built to be something beautiful and wonderful. (Cheesy of me right?)
For now, I'm excited to start Pieces For You! I'm definitely looking forward to knowing what happens next and if we'll still see Everleigh and Hunter in this one.