Category: Review (Page 189 of 297)

BOOK REVIEW – All In (Full Tilt #2) by Emma Scott

November 16, 2016 / Jen / 0 Comments

All In (Full Tilt #2)
by Emma Scott
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
*HUGE SPOILERS FOR THE 1ST BOOK - FULL TILT*

*********************************************************************************

Reeling from her loss, Kacey Dawson is grieving and heartbroken, her addictive demons hauling her back into the alcohol-soaked abyss she worked so hard to crawl out of. Kacey teeters on the edge of oblivion, and must fight her way through the pain, to build a new life for herself with her music, and somehow fulfill the promise she made to Jonah…one she feels is impossible to keep.

Theo Fletcher has a secret burning in his heart, one that he holds close, while he struggles to keep strong for his family that is falling apart. His mother’s health is fragile and his father’s disapproval is breaking him down. Theo is afraid if he follows his heart, he’ll fail, and not just himself, but his brother who believed in him when no one else did.

Drawn together by their pain, Theo and Kacey slowly build a friendship, re-forge old ties, help each other to heal, and give one another the courage to reach for their dreams. Together, from the depths of grief and guilt, they learn to laugh again, to trust again, and quite possibly find something beautiful and lasting amid the shattered pieces of their broken hearts.

***HUGE SPOILERS FOR FULL TILT! You can read my review of the 1st book, Full Tilt → here***

*********************************************************************************************************

Review:

All In was an enjoyable conclusion to the Full Tilt trilogy. Their lives were nicely wrapped up, and we received not one but two epilogues looking into their future. I fell for both Kacey and Theo in the first book, and I loved the moments that showed us clues Theo was interested in Kacey. It gave me hope that Kacey would get her happily ever after since it seemed inevitable that Jonah wasn’t going to survive. So I started this book with my heart in the palm of my hands. Especially since the Prologue backtracked to when Theo went into Jonah’s hospital room to say goodbye for the very last time. Their conversation brought tears to my eyes, I miss Jonah so unbelievably much! But I knew Theo would keep the promise he made to his brother. That Theo would make Jonah more than proud!

Goddammit, Jonah, come back and fix all this because I fucking can’t. – Theo

Fast forward six months after the funeral and Theo is still reeling. Not only from the loss of his brother, but Kacey has fled and he has no clue where she went. Watching Theo’s interactions with his parents, friends and co-workers was devastating. He tried to put on a good show, but he was so stilted from all of the pain weighing him down. And when he was alone, the amount of suffering he radiated was monumental.

My chest constricted and tears burned behind my closed eyes. After six months, I should’ve been used to the way he snuck up on me. Little bits of conversation. Little slivers of memory.
Little moments.
Jonah. – Kacey

Kacey is in an even darker place than Theo. She is drowning herself in alcohol to numb the pain. Being drunk 24/7 allows her to continue on with her life and her music. Even if she knows she’s teetering on the edge of killing herself. While Kacey continued to spiral hard out of control, I held out faith that Theo would rescue her. Much like how Jonah rescued her in Full Tilt.

But as the story progressed, I found myself struggling here and there. At times I couldn’t fully connect to the characters. It was like what I went through while reading the second half of How To Save A Life. Which shocked me, because Full Tilt was a solid 5 Stars and I loved these characters. While I more than loved how the story played out, I constantly found myself being pulled away from being emotionally connected. I’m not sure if it’s because I was still hung up on the epicness of Full Tilt or if in fact parts of this book just honestly fell flat. So I’m going to try and pick this book back up again down the road. These characters more than deserve that and I’m going to hold out hope that I fall just as madly for this story as I did for Full Tilt!

*ARC kindly provided by author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Full Tilt #1 Reviews: Jen	Full Tilt #2 Reviews: Jen

BOOK REVIEW – Full Tilt (Full Tilt #1) by Emma Scott

November 10, 2016 / Jen / 6 Comments

Full Tilt (Full Tilt #1)
by Emma Scott
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
"I would love you forever, if I only had the chance..."

Kacey Dawson has always lived life on the edge--impulsively, sometimes recklessly. And now, as lead guitarist for a hot up-and-coming band, she is poised at the brink of fame and fortune. But she is torn between wanting to be a serious musician, and the demons that lure her down the glittering, but alcohol-soaked path of rock stardom. A wrecked concert in Las Vegas threatens to ruin her career entirely. She wakes up with the hangover from hell and no memory of the night before, or how she ended up on her limo driver’s couch...

Jonah Fletcher is running out of time. He knows his situation is hopeless, and he's vowed to make the most of the handful of months he has left to him. His plans include seeing the opening of his glass installation at a prestigious art gallery…they do not include falling in love with a wild, tempestuous rock musician who wound up passed out on his couch.

Jonah sees that Kacey is on a path to self-destruction. He lets her crash with him for a few days to dry out and get her head on straight. But neither of them expected the deep connection they felt, or how that connection could grow so fast from friendship into something more. Something deep and pure and life-changing…something as fragile as glass, that they both know will shatter in the end no matter how hard they try to hold on to it.

Full Tilt is a story about what it means to love with your whole heart, to sacrifice, to experience terrible grief and soaring joy. To live life with all its beauty, and all its pain, and in the end to be able to smile through tears and know you wouldn’t have changed a thing.

Review:

Full Tilt was an emotional powerhouse that kept me on a wonderfully vicious cycle. I found myself smiling, then laughing, then swooning and then crying. And I would repeat that time and again. I completely loved this book, even when I didn’t want to. Even when I was scared out of my mind, right alongside Kacey, that Jonah wouldn’t make it. *shuddering breath* So I must advise you to step into this story at your own risk, because your heart will definitely be on the line and put through the wringer. But it’s worth it. I swear. It’s more than worth it.

I kissed Jonah Fletcher with all of my heart, and with every piece of my soul that would love him forever.

Kacey and Jonah met in the most different of situations. You see Kacey was an up and coming rock star. She was in a band that was on the brink of huge stardom. She drank herself into blackouts to avoid the world and her reality. And those that surround her sure as hell weren’t going to help pull her out of that cycle. Jonah on the other hand kept to his strict schedule, since receiving a heart transplant. He didn’t drink or smoke, ate crazy healthy and he had his days and life planned out for him. Then one night, Jonah was Kacey‘s limo driver. Kacey was in one of her blackouts and Jonah being the good guy that he is, took her home. So she could be safe. He rescued her in a sense, and Kacey realized it.

“Every time I see you, I think, This is it. She cannot possibly look more beautiful than she does right now. And then I see you the next time.”

While they seemed worlds apart, they were both desperately looking for a connection. For someone who they could confess their deepest, darkest secrets and fears to. A friend that would always be there. No matter what. And after spending not even five minutes together, you could just tell that they were going to be something spectacular. You know how sometimes you meet someone and you just know they’re going to be your best friend in the world? Well that’s how their interaction felt like. While there was an underlying simmering of sexual tension, what stood out was their connection. How they pulled out the best from one another. How they were able to feel comfortable just being around each other. I loved watching their friendship unfold.

“So, the whiskey bottles ,” I said, nodding at the lights. “Are you repurposing my bad habits?”
He smiled. “No, just a friendly reminder.”
“Of what?”
“That you can find beauty everywhere, even in the things that scare you the most.”

I became invested in hoping that Kacey would get her act together and I became terrified of how Jonah’s healing after his transplant panned out. And as the pages passed, I can’t even put into words how alive and real they felt to me. How they became insanely important to my happiness. The more I learned about them, the more they interacted, the more I fell for this book. I loved how much I smiled, laughed and even had tears in my eyes. Full Tilt was filled to the brim with characters whose emotions were pounding against my heart to feel what they felt.

“***You don’t give up*,” I shrieked, making him flinch. Making** me flinch at the hysteria that was lurking just below the surface.

As the clues unfolded, I had a good idea where this book was headed. Especially when it became.. View Spoiler » I don’t want to say whether I’m elated or devastated, because I don’t want to give away the ending. But know that I am most definitely looking forward to diving right into the second book in this duology! I can’t wait to see what happens, even though this book doesn’t have a cliffhanger! While How To Save A Life and I didn’t mesh all the way, I completely fell in love with Full Tilt. Full Tilt was beautifully heart wrenching and I can’t wait to read more of her books!

*ARC kindly provided by author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers) & Book Depository (click on book #)
Full Tilt #1 Reviews: Jen	Full Tilt #2 Reviews: Jen

BOOK REVIEW: Carve the Mark (Untitled Duology #1) by Veronica Roth

November 1, 2016 / Chelsea / 8 Comments

Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Fans of Star Wars and Divergent will revel in internationally bestselling author Veronica Roth’s stunning new science-fiction fantasy series.

On a planet where violence and vengeance rule, in a galaxy where some are favored by fate, everyone develops a currentgift, a unique power meant to shape the future. While most benefit from their currentgifts, Akos and Cyra do not—their gifts make them vulnerable to others’ control. Can they reclaim their gifts, their fates, and their lives, and reset the balance of power in this world?

Cyra is the sister of the brutal tyrant who rules the Shotet people. Cyra’s currentgift gives her pain and power—something her brother exploits, using her to torture his enemies. But Cyra is much more than just a blade in her brother’s hand: she is resilient, quick on her feet, and smarter than he knows.

Akos is from the peace-loving nation of Thuvhe, and his loyalty to his family is limitless. Though protected by his unusual currentgift, once Akos and his brother are captured by enemy Shotet soldiers, Akos is desperate to get his brother out alive—no matter what the cost. When Akos is thrust into Cyra’s world, the enmity between their countries and families seems insurmountable. They must decide to help each other to survive—or to destroy one another.

Wow. I just…there are times when the words flow out of me in torrents and I can’t stop no matter how hard I try, but then there are times when I have literally one million things to say…and no idea how to say them. This book touched me in a way I’m not often used to-at least, not anymore. A long time ago, when I finally found my favorite genres and what made me the happiest, I was finding a seamless stream of five star books because I had finally found what worked for me. But lately, those streams of winners are harder to come by.

For one, I’m extremely picky now-I know what I like, down to the very last word, and anything less is unacceptable. It’s no secret to any of my friends that I love all things mayhem, death, destruction, forbidden love mixed with peril peril peril. But not many authors truly, truly give you all those things at once. It’s so rare, anyway. And, because it’s so rare, those authors who do deliver on all things nasty and despicable in the name of love make it impossible to forget who they are.

“You’re a Noavek,” he said stubbornly, folding his arms. “Brutality is in your blood.”

I have this little niche of what I like to call ‘peril authors’. They are my go-to when I want something that isn’t always rainbows and unicorns. Now, I’m not saying the stories don’t eventually end happily…but they leave you with some very nasty cliffhangers. Did I happen to mention that nasty, white-knuckle cliffhangers are literally my favorite thing EVER?? So, these authors, they never shy away from doing what they need to pack a devastating punch. I never go all in when my head isn’t in the right place-after all, even the most dastardly and peril obsessed reviewers need a break from all the heart-break. We aren’t robots, ya know?? And, after a while, if you read hardcore books one after the other, you are bound to become a little bit jaded.

So, when I was offered this beauty from the publishers of Veronica Roth’s newest MASTERPIECE, I, of course, accepted. For one, what an honor-little ol’ me, getting a book from a best-selling MEGA FAMOUS author before most of the world. It’s crazy, and I did not look a gift horse in mouth-I didn’t hesitate in responding. Secondly, I adored-ABSOLUTELY ADORED-the Divergent trilogy. And not just the first two-all three. Veronica Roth, while a very cunning and devious woman, is someone I wholly admire. Her writing is poetic and flows effortlessly from paragraph to paragraph, page to page. I have ALWAYS lumped her in with my favorite poetic authors.

“A knife,” I said. “A hot poker. A rusty nail.”
“You are more than any of those things.”

And, while she isn’t someone I think of weekly, or even monthly, I have never forgotten her after her shocking finale to the Divergent series. The ‘what-if’s and ‘what will she do next’s were never far from my mind…it has just taken a while to finally see a new book in the works from this spectacular woman.

“And you’re starting to sound kind of cocky, for someone I routinely beat up.”

I know many people are weary of what comes next from the daring author who shocked the world (and that is the LAST time I will mention her former series, because it is doing a great injustice to this beautiful book), and I know there are going to be a million comparisons-it’s just inevitable. But I truly saw something so amazing here-something I never thought I’d see. It would be such a shame to not give this duology a chance because of an uncertain future and phobia of the past. I know everyone is quick to fall in love with main characters (I fell so hard, so fast for these two new characters that it shocked even me) and people are quick to protect those they love—but the love I feel for these two AMAZING characters is so unparalleled, and permanent, that I must insist on reading this the moment it comes out.

When I looked at him again, he was smiling at me hesitantly.
“You love them,” he said. “All these places, all these things.”

I’ll admit that I was scared of the prospect of space travel-and for that matter, space lingo-but not once did I ever slow down or feel lost as I was racing through this fast-paced, addicting story. And that’s my favorite thing-I never wanted to put this book down. Roth’s passion was reflected on each and every page, echoing to us in a new, inventive way with each arising issue. Each character was created in a delicate manner, making for layered, flawed, and believable characters. These were people you wanted to root for, and you never really knew if they were going to win-in both mental and physical scenarios.

“You and I, we’ve become what we were made to become.”

Their minds were tested in unimaginable and barbaric ways, twisting what they believed and hoped for in life to the point of utter despair. Loyalties were bent and broken, repaired and restored-the boundaries of love and family snuffed out in a manner of minutes. You were forced to pick a side and survive…whether you wanted to or not.

The same thing she always did, only now he noticed-noticed that he knew it, that was; knew her routines, knew her.
And liked her.

Akos is from the peace loving Thuvhe, a wintery world where you have to wear goggles to walk around outside. It’s beauty is unparalleled to its inhabitants, crystallized and serene and snowy as can be. Grays are the norm, much like the environment…which can be seen as dull to others. Cyra is Noavek-Brutal and unforgiving Shotet tyrants who wear blue. Their beliefs couldn’t be any different, nor could the difference in style of life: One place bloodthirsty, unrelenting in its quest for power and dominance. Pain is no stranger here. You can immediately see why our two main characters are the way they are, and you instantly feel for both. Sides are hard to choose and lines are blurred…as becomes evident the farther into the story we get.

And here comes the good stuff, the stuff that makes this beautiful love story possible. Forbidden love…isn’t it the best thing ever, when done correctly? Yeah. I think so, too. Cyra’s currentgift is pain, Akos’s is to diffuse people’s gift. Both very valuable currentgifts…and both susceptible to manipulation and vulnerable to almost everyone. When paired together without a say in the matter, they realize they can be an asset to one another. Neither is willing to put all their trust in the other, but they also don’t fight what seems to be a tentative alliance. After all, it’s nice having someone who understands you (to a degree), someone who is there to take some of the burden away, who wants to help (again, to a degree-they do have differing conclusions to what they believe to be their story).

“Honor,” I said with a snort. “Honor has no place in survival.”

But, as they get closer, what was once clear begins to become a convoluted cloud of emotions and hope-could they possibly want the same thing?? Is she truly a monster, or can she still be someone who helps make the world a better place? Does she want to help Akos…even at the expense of going against her only brother?

Akos’s kindness was something that resonated deeply within me right away-but, even more than that, his gradual fierceness. He’s not perfect, nor is he indestructible, but his silent fury mixed with an unrelenting kindness made him an instant book boyfriend that I was absolutely obsessed with. And then Cyra-one of my favorite female leads of all time. Some might say I even have a girl crush. Yeah-serious stuff, right?

“Next time, when something that sounds remarkably like war drums is going to wake me at dawn, could you maybe warn me?”

Cyra deals with pain 24/7. Literally-all day, all night-no matter what. Until she dispenses that pain into an unwilling victim, causing them pain so severe they would reveal their deepest, darkest secrets. She is numb to the power now, her brother’s little torture device. Cunning, witty, and skilled in combat like nobody’s business, she is not to be trifled with-seriously, she’s so badass. But-and probably why my girl crush (on top of my book boyfriend crush (so much win)) is shining so bright-she wasn’t so strong she didn’t have vulnerability or weakness. She lost sometimes. She didn’t always make the right choices. And, if I’m comparing here, I kept thinking of a female book character I really didn’t like…she kind of made up the anatomy of Cyra, here.

It was not hope; it did not soar; it slithered, clawed, and dragged, and it would not let me stop.

I saw a lot Adelina from Marie Lu’s most recent trilogy. Dark, corrupted, and willing to do what she had to for those she loved-and herself. She had to relieve the pain sometimes, you know? It’s not all about choice. But, see, I hated Adelina. She was okay, I guess, but I found her pathetic and whiny-not here. Cyra took the BEST PARTS of Adelina and made her someone I adored. Okay, I didn’t really read the second or third books of that trilogy, nor is there a direct line that connected these characters in any way-I just got the vibe, that feeling, and I dug it.

“I like to move.”
“I’ve noticed.”

She is a tool of destruction, of torture, she is a key to be used in war-she can bring any one person to their knees with her amazing power-but she is vulnerable to the pain, and to herself-she is resigned to be the monster she was fated to be. But not ONCE does she whine about it-it’s her life and she lives with it daily…And I found that so amazing. She just goes about her life in suffering, trying to (at Akos’s influence) be the best she can be. And, again, she doesn’t always succeed. Did I mention I love her? And Akos? And I ship them? Hm. Well. I’ll say it again: they are everything to me.

He offered touch to me so freely, without realizing how rare it was. How rare he was, to a person like me.

So, as you can see, I’m hooked. I was hooked from the first part that was in his POV, and I was sunk-line and sinker-when I met Cyra. These two were made for one another, but born enemies. They don’t want to like each other, and they don’t always understand, but…things happen. And isn’t slow burn romance the best kind of romance (especially paired with forbidden romance-HA thought you caught me there, didn’t you)?? Roth’s writing was, as promised, better than ever and even a bit more mature, if that’s even possible. She writes in a way you don’t once get confused about, no matter the content, and makes you physically ache for more. It’s been a long time since I was so stressed out I couldn’t breathe, but more than once I found myself gasping for breath and clutching my heart-stopping and staring at the page with wide eyes as I tried to calm my breathing (maybe this partially has to do with being pregnant, but I say no, I was just super excitable because…excellence at work, people) and get myself under control. I smiled so big without even realizing it that it bordered on embarrassing. I tried, and failed, repeatedly to find errors with the book and why my best of friends wouldn’t like the story (or anyone, for that matter, if I’m being honest), but never once could think of anything. And, if there was something, it was nit-picky and I completely missed it. I don’t know if this book is for everybody, or even what everyone else will think-All I can do is go with my heart and my gut, and they both say this is a winner. I know, without a doubt, that when this releases it will be my (late) Christmas gift to all friends and family that read. I know it’s a certainty I will be rushing to Barnes and Noble on release day to buy myself a hardback of this new absolute favorite. I have found three favorite books this year, all by amazing authors almost everyone loves…and this book tops them all. So, my hope is, with this long-winded review, that I’ve convinced or intrigued almost everyone to give this book a shot. And, for those who are not so easily swayed (or manipulated), honestly, its their loss.

*I was sponsored by HarperCollins to share my review, but all opinions are my own!*

**Quotes taken from an uncorrected galley and are subject to change upon release of the finished book**

Download a free “First Look” at Carve the Mark on Epicreads.com

Follow CarveTheMark on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Follow EpicReads on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Follow Veronica Roth on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

veronicaroth

Save

BOOK REVIEW – To Love and to Cherish (The Wedding Belles #3) by Lauren Layne

October 25, 2016 / Jen / 4 Comments

To Love and to Cherish (The Wedding Belles #3)
by Lauren Layne
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
Sex and the City meets The Wedding Planner in The Wedding Belles, a contemporary and witty romance series about three high-powered New York City women who can plan any wedding—but their own.

Alexis Morgan has spent the past eight years devoted to turning her tiny start-up into Manhattan’s premiere wedding planning company, The Wedding Belles. Now that her business is thriving, it’s time to turn towards her much neglected personal life, and Alexis approaches her relationships like she does everything else: with a plan. Not a part of that plan is Logan Harris, the silent partner in the Belles, and the one person who’s been there for her since the very beginning. But Alexis needs someone fun, and Logan’s all business, all the time—except when a late night at the office ends with an unexpected kiss that leaves the usually cool and together Alexis reeling.

Logan has lusted after Alexis since the day he walked into the tiny Harlem apartment that used to double as her office. But the ambitious wedding planner has always been untouchable...until now. Alexis has made it clear that she’s on the dating market—and equally clear that he’s not in the running. But when Alexis finds herself in need of a date for her sister’s last minute wedding in Florida, Logan knows it’s the perfect time to show Alexis that there’s more to him than numbers and spreadsheets—and beneath the pinstripes and glasses lies a hot-blooded heartthrob. As Florida’s sultry days turn into even hotter nights, Logan’s out to convince Alexis that the fling of a lifetime could just maybe turn into forever...

Review:

To Love and to Cherish started out so fabulously! That prologue quickly pulled me in and I could feel the electricity between Alexis and Logan. I laughed, I smiled, and I was having a blast flipping through the pages as I fell hard for Logan. But then Alexis and I started to butt heads, and it only got progressively worse. Which is so devastating, because I have struggled with this series *cries because LL is one of my favorite authors*. Thankfully there is one book in this series I can highly recommend, For Better or Worse. I fell madly in love with the second book in The Wedding Belles. The banter, the fighting, the sexiness, the emotions that were pulled out of me, its definite a must read. You can read my 5 Star review for that book here. But for this current book, I couldn’t get past Alexis’ behavior and how she treated Logan.

Alexis is the creator of the Belles, and I could never get a good grasp on who she was in the previous books. She could be such a conundrum at times, and I always wondered what had made her that way. Well it doesn’t take us long to get a clear understanding to why Alexis is the way she is. I felt beyond awful for what happened to her, and I fully understood why she had such severe trust issues. But the poor guy who was put through the ringer, because of her trust issues, was Logan.

Logan is Alexis’ accountant, who’s been a constant in her life for the last 8 years. He’s a true friend who she not only trusts with her company, but she even gave him a key to her apartment. Now you see, this is where I struggled. Because Alexis didn’t trust Logan with her heart at all. Even though he proved himself multiple times throughout this book. He showed her how he was loyal, how he cared for her, how he desperately wanted her. Yet, she continually stepped backwards, and hurt him again and again. Regardless of how much hurt she caused, he still wanted her and was patient. And it got to the point where I thought he deserved someone better. I wouldn’t have even batted an eyelash if Logan would have walked away. I mean, a person can only take so much rejection. And the amount of rejection that was shoveled his way was too much. It broke my heart again and again.

Now what I loved about this book was Logan. He was intriguing and easily pulled me in. I loved learning the different sides of him. Ohhh and I loved watching him interact with Josh (he’s the main male character from For Better or Worse, that’s the favorite book I was talking about in the beginning of this review). So for Logan’s sake, I truly hope you’ll end up falling for this book way more than I did. It was a lot of fun and there’s this cake tasting scene that was smile inducing and hot! But then Alexis kept happening and that didn’t help me out any. But on a positive note, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that the next series LL creates will go back to being 5 Star status in my eyes!

*ARC kindly provided by Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
From This Day Forward #0.5 Reviews: Jen	To Have and To Hold #1 Reviews: Jen Chelsea	For Better or Worse #2 Reviews: Jen
From This Day Forward #3 Reviews: Jen

BOOK REVIEW: Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires #1) by Rachel Caine

October 21, 2016 / Chelsea / 8 Comments

Glass Houses (The Morganville Vampires #1)
by Rachel Caine
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
From the author of the popular Weather Warden series comes the debut of an exciting new series set in Morganville, Texas, where you would be well advised to avoid being out after dark.

College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life, but they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood. Will she be able to face the town's terror or will she drown like everyone else?

So. I’ve always been a lovey dovey vampire lover as opposed to the GRR, I’M AN EVIL BASTARD kind. But, as it turns out….I fell really hard for this book. And, instead of sexy bites shared between vampire lovers (or, rather, a human AND vamp), we had the scary as shit psycho vampires. Honestly, I was disappointed at first. I mean, really. Who doesn’t like a little neck biting action? WHO I ASK, WHO?! But as the story progressed, it gave me something….a little more.

-and Dad, who was glowering at Shane in the background, was as tall and twice as broad. “Is it him?” Dad asked. “Did he get you into trouble?”
“Not me,” Shane said. “I’ve just got that kind of face.”

I won’t say it wouldn’t be a cool future twist (I’m looking at you, book two *wink*), but, for now, I’m satisfied. Why am I satisfied, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you. Instead of sexy neck play between two lovahs, we have a million other things: Mean girls who are actually VERY mean, evil vampires that cause a lot of heroic romantic suspense, not one, but TWO sexy boys, and a cast of four characters that live in a house together, doing everything they can to protect one another. Oh, and there’s an EPIC twist somewhere in this story-I like. I approve.

For me to love books that are….well….paranormal, the author better be hella creative. In this case?? She was. And I even thought it was a BIT more addictive than my other vamp series I’m reading…but only by a hair! To me, that’s amazing. I LOVE Evernight-I love the atmosphere, the boy, the main girl (most of the time), but sometimes it’s a bit lighter and not as intense in the writing area. I love that, but starting this series certainly made my heart pound in ways that are completely out of this world.

This book was creepy as shit, but it doesn’t really kick up the scary SCARINESS until book two. Oh yeah, I’m running through these vamp series like candy, so, yeah, I’m extremely behind on reviews FYI. These poor books aren’t getting NEAR the reviews they deserve, I realize. But, I digress, my point is this: These books are a lot more adult. They aren’t really……mature, per se, but they do border that fine line where you’re like, shit, are they really going to burn this guy alive? And are they honestly going to kill off one of my favorite characters brutally? I really can’t say….and I kind of dig it.

Now, okay, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t defend my darling males. You’ve got Shane and Michael. Michael is who everyone seems to like. I guess I did, too? But that’s only because I let reviews influence me. From the very beginning it’s clear that Shane is totally into Claire and he is going to be uber protective of her. I love this. So, in essence, I LOVE Shane. He is nothing but sweet and kind and funny from the very beginning-And when things get serious, so does he. So…what’s not to like? I swear, people lol. Who cares!!! But. Anyway. Moving on. Michael is great, too, but….I don’t see the large hype for him??? Other than loving him as a main character-I do, too. I guess I’m just still trying to figure that one out. Not trying to dwell on it.

She didn’t look up.
He came a step closer, and his bare feet and sweatpants came into her vision. “Claire. You’ve got to promise me.”
“I can’t,” she said. “I’m not some little kid. And I’m not your sister.”
He laughed, low in his throat. “Oh, yeah. That, I know. But I don’t want to see you get hurt again.”

OH OH OH!!!! And, okay, I must say-these might be some of my favorite kissing scenes EVER. Or, at least, in a long long time. I just am extremely enamored with how she writes the exchanges-sexy, sweet, swoony, and then there’s how she explains the body? I don’t know…I just was very attracted to the way she described something as beautifully simple as kissing. It’s like authors forget how to, you know?? I have very high hopes for, ahem, future endeavors hehe.

God this review is so weird. I’m sorry guys-I’m sitting at work and going back and forth between work and writing this sad excuse for a review, so that’s likely it. I’d rather post something rather than nothing at all so, well….here you go. All I can really say is I adore this series very much and I am EXTREMELY excited to see what’s next for my darling Claire and Shane-I love Eve and Michael, too, but babies first!!! I think a lot of people are missing out on this-Yes, it’s silly. Yes, they get into some crazy situations….but it never once felt cheesy. So. Um. SCORE. That is all.

**************

Shockingly..I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK!! I’ve been waiting FOREVER to try and I am so glad I waited until my comeback (from being sick) for my month of vampires….Though, these vamps are pretty mean lol And I ADORE Shane. EEPS.

RTC!!

View all my reviews