Tag: Paranormal (Page 8 of 51)

BOOK REVIEW – The Prophecy (Titan #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

March 19, 2018 / Jen / 3 Comments

The Prophecy (Titan #4)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
History is on repeat…

Seth never thought he’d have a future. But now he’s on the brink of having it all with Josie: A tomorrow. A family. A forever. And all that's standing between him and that forever is the Titans. If he helps Josie entomb them -- without killing them, a nearly impossible task for him -- everything he could ever want will be in reach. But he soon realizes that as a god, every little choice he makes can reshape the world for the better… or worse. And in meddling with the Titans, Seth may have just set into motion catastrophic consequences that will force the Olympians to enter the mortal realm and reshape the delicate balance of power that keeps the world from total collapse.

A price must be paid…

Entombing the Titans is Josie’s top priority. After all, it was what she was born to do. But the plans her father put into play to help her are no longer an option, and the odds she and Seth face in forging their own path are grim. The escalating violence between halfs and pures only increases the danger closing in on them and their friends. Josie knows their chances of succeeding in their task are slim at best -- and if they fail, they might lose everything. But she also knows she's not fighting just for herself -- she's fighting for the man she loves, for their future, for the world. Together with the Army of Awesome, Josie and Seth will face the unthinkable. And to win this war, the ultimate sacrifice must be made.

For the end is here and the Prophecy will be fulfilled….

Review:

***Spoilers for the previous books in this series***

The Prophecy was a stunning conclusion to the Titan Series! It was action packed, emotionally gutting and completely addicting! This is going down as one of my favorite series ever! Here are some of the reasons why I fell so crazy hard for The Titan Series……

✮ Characters that captured my heart

So damn lucky.
Another three words that kept replaying over and over. The thing about luck, though? It was bound to run out.
Always. – Seth

From the beginning of this series, Josie and Seth enraptured my heart. And as I closed each new book, I felt myself grow even closer to them. Along with every one else in the pages. They all felt so real. As though I could feel their emotions radiating off of the pages. It was so easy to love them, flaws and all. But Seth? Oh, he will always be one of my favorites. He was the tortured soul whose past continually haunted him. His choices broke his own heart, and mine. Yet he was more than redeemable. And he proved that. Especially in this book! I’ve never been more proud of Seth! Although, just wait. Because Josie’s love and faith in Seth made me cry. She was the perfect match for Seth in every way possible.

Her eyes narrowed. “I think you can find a better use for your mouth instead of talking.”
I laughed. “Damn, girl.”
She grinned at me as she rose onto her elbows. “Just speaking the truth, Sethie.”
“That you are.”
And so I did.

✮ True Love

“What I feel for you increases every waking moment and sometimes that scares the hell out of me, but I love you. Yesterday. Today. A thousand tomorrows from now, I will be in love with you.” – Seth

There is something so powerful about love conquering all. And what Josie and Seth had was definitely true love. It not only conquered all, but it gave them strength. Strength with each other and it also helped them find strength within themselves. But they definitely didn’t have an easy path. They had so many obstacles in their way. Yet they persevered. And their love grew stronger because of everything they faced. I loved that by the end, Seth and Josie truly felt like a power couple.

“My life really didn’t have much meaning until I met you. I always hated the idea of fate, but it feels like this is fate.” – Seth

✮ An emotional journey

I curled into myself, a scream of vast agony and despair still pouring from me, tearing from my very soul. – Josie

The Prophecy was the most emotional book in this series. And that’s saying a lot, because the last book? I thought that one would break me. Oh how naive I was. I found myself sobbing through chapters of the Prophecy. So make sure that you have a box of tissues with you, because I found myself crying all kinds of tears. There were happy tears, hopeful tears and then there was also the gut wrenching tears that stole my breath and left me shaking. This was an extremely emotional book. And looking back, I loved every minute of it!

Lifting her against my chest, I buried my face in her neck as I lost all control. Didn’t even care. I fucking sobbed as I held her. – Seth

✮ Friendships

“I want to go with you,” Aiden announced.
Seth looked over his shoulder at him. “Are you trying to be my best friend?”
Aiden smirked. “I thought we already were best friends.”

Here’s another beautiful thing about this series, it was not just about Seth and Josie. There were so many characters that had captured my heart all the way back to The Covenant Series. And they played such an important part throughout this series! They added so much lightness and humor. They had Seth and Josie’s backs. They were true friends. And I loved all of the smiles, laughter and even tension they created. Alex, Aiden, Luke, Declan, Solos, Marcus, Apollo and so many others added so much heart to this book!

A surprised laugh burst out of me. “Baby shower?”
“Of course! We’re going to have a huge one.” He clasped my hands and squeezed. “Like, the baby shower to end all baby showers. It’ll be Supernatural-themed.”
My brows flew up.
Luke’s grin was now a full-fledged smile.
“How far along are you ? Do you know if it’s a boy or girl? When are you due?” Excitement filled Deacon’s eyes. “Can I name it? If it’s a boy, it has to be Sam or Dean. No other options.”
“Geez,” Alex laughed. “Come get your boy, Luke.”

✮ Sacrifice

The finality of this slammed into me. This was happening. There was no way out of this. He was going to do it, and I broke. Deep, soul-crushing sobs racked my body as Seth held me. I buried my face into his chest, gripping his shirt once again. – Josie

Sacrifice was such a beautiful, emotional theme throughout this series. Seth sacrificed his happiness to keep Josie safe, and far away from him. Josie sacrificed her duties and relationship with someone, so she could make Seth realize how much she loved him. I watched this theme happen again and again throughout this series. Every single time it was magnificent. But the sacrifices that took place in The Prophecy? It blows all of the other sacrifices out of the water. These crushed my heart and soul. I sobbed hysterically and there was no stopping the pain. Yet the love it showed? It was beautiful. It was selfless. And it was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Hope dared spark alive deep in my chest, but so did a terror I’d never tasted before, because hope— it could kill me. – Josie

The Covenant Series was one of my favorite series. To be able to stay in that world, in a spin-off series, with characters I loved with my whole heart?! Priceless! And with the addition of new characters I absolutely adored, that just made this series such a huge win! So it should be glaringly obvious that The Titan Series easily become one of my favorite series ever. Yet I’m still in complete awe over all of the emotions that were pulled out of me. I loved every single smile, laugh, heart clutching, sobbing hysterically moment. And to end out this series, I have to say that the Epilogue was EVERYTHING!!!!! It was absolutely perfect!!!!! Sigh.

“You’ve always been the best of me, Josie. I love you.” – Seth

PS Anybody else want to know more about Erik? I feel like he has a world of issues and trouble just waiting to be dived into. Possibly with Erin…..can a bound demigod even be with a fury?

PPS Chapter 33 “from what we can tell”, I’m holding onto that phrase. You’ll see what I mean when you read that scene muahaha.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
The Return #1 Reviews: Jen	The Power #2 Reviews: Jen	The Struggle #3 Reviews: Jen
The Prophecy #4 Reviews: Jen

BOOK REVIEW – The Struggle (Titan #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

March 12, 2018 / Jen / 2 Comments

The Struggle (Titan #3)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
A bloody path has been chosen…

The war against the Titans continues, and they remain determined to wreak havoc on the world, but Seth has become something all gods fear. Now the most dangerous, most absolute power no longer resides in those who have been freed from their tombs.

The Great War fought by the few is coming…

All may doubt and fear what Seth has become. All except the one woman who might be his final chance at redemption. Josie will do anything to prove that Seth is on their side, but fate has a nasty way of changing lives, of changing people.

In the end, the sun will fall…

The only way they can save the future and save themselves is by facing the unknown together. It will take more than trust and faith. It will take love and the kind of strength not easily broken. No matter what, their lives will never be the same.

For what the gods have feared has come to pass. The end of the old is here and the beginning of the new has been ushered in…

Review:

The Struggle had me on the edge of my seat, and I thought my emotions would burst out of me! With pages filled to the brim with sacrifice, redemption, forgiveness, friendship and love, I couldn’t help but continue to fall madly in love with this series. It was such a huge win! And I loved that the characters constantly pulled at my heart, it made me turn the pages that much faster. So yes, I loved every single thing about The Struggle, and I can’t wait to see how it’s going to wrap up in the final book!

Doing the right thing had never felt more wrong than it did right then.
Maybe that was how it always felt.
I wouldn’t know.
It was so rare when I actually did the right thing. – Seth

*Cries* Seth continued to break my heart. I hated that he only saw the bad in himself. And every time he hurt others, it weighed so heavily on his shoulders. So his emotional anguish easily became mine, and I ached to make it better for him. But there’s finally a but in this series, because something happened in The Struggle that was a game changer. And I loved how it all unwound and how Seth took control. And on top of that, Seth had Josie, even when he didn’t realize it. She refused to walk away from him. No matter what happened.

Locating the other two demigods was what my father—Apollo—had ordered me to do, but that had fallen way down my priority list, and I didn’t even care. Didn’t give a flying Pegasus about what that said about me, because no one, no one had ever fought for Seth before.
And I would.
I would fight till my dying breath for him. – Josie

I’ve said it before, but I love Josie! Not only because of her realistic take on this world, but because of how she viewed Seth! I loved her for that! I loved that she was going to fight for Seth! That she planned to prove to him that he deserved love. And that they both deserved to stand side by side in the upcoming battle. But while that may have been her focus and goal, the situation changed. And this became Josie’s most emotional book so far.

“Oh my god,” I whispered. “No. No way.”
This couldn’t be happening. I couldn’t be ***here*. Panic unfurled in my chest. My gaze swung around the room as my pulse pounded erratically. Oh god, I couldn’t be here. – Josie**

Josie’s pain ripped me to shreds. Her suffering was so horrific, that at times it felt like I couldn’t breathe and that I was choking on her emotions. There was no escaping the horror in Josie’s thoughts and surroundings. So I found myself with so many tears, and I couldn’t get them to stop. Even when there was a moment of solidity or bonding, I found myself with tears in my eyes. Again. The pain that came off of Josie, and some of the others, just went straight through my heart.

“Well, maybe you should try to control your murderous impulses,” Aiden suggested. “You never know when the gods might actually be useful.”
Seth snorted as he placed the last of the eggs on a plate. “That is just as likely as you actually being useful.”
One side of Aiden’s lips kicked up. “You know, I think you have a crush on me.”

But this book wasn’t just about Seth and Josie. Friendship was such a strong theme, and I was beyond ecstatic that many of our favorites from The Covenant Series could be found in The Struggle. Alex and Aiden played an even bigger role in this book. And on top of that, we got another favorite character, who made an appearance. Oh my gosh, I screamed when they appeared on the page! So if you loved The Covenant Series, then you’re going to love seeing this face again, along with all of our other favorites too *smiles hugely*.

“If something happened to you again?” Lighting shot between the clouds, lighting up the sky in brilliant white. “I would burn this fucking world to the ground and then I would destroy Olympus.” – Seth

The Struggle was beyond amazing and that ending, oh, it was breathtaking. I’m so excited to see how the final book is going to play out! I just known that it’s going to be beyond epic!!

“The Army of Awesome reunited at last.” Deacon grinned while his brother sighed heavily. “It’s been a long time coming.”

See?!?! Amazing I tell you!!!!

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
The Return #1 Reviews: Jen	The Power #2 Reviews: Jen	The Struggle #3 Reviews: Jen
The Prophecy #4 Reviews: Jen

BOOK REVIEW – The Power (Titan #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

March 7, 2018 / Jen / 13 Comments

I re-read this book in anticipation for the final book releasing this month. And it was even more amazing the second time around, so I tweaked some stuff in my review. Here it is.......

BOOK REVIEW – The Power (Titan #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

BOOK REVIEW – The Power (Titan #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

The Power (Titan #2)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
With any great change, there is always strife, and the Covenant University has become the frontline between pure-bloods who want the Breed Order reinstated and the half-bloods who want the right to control their own destinies.

Fate has other plans.

The violence is escalating and war between the races seems inevitable, and it couldn’t come at a worse time. Hyperion may be out of commission, but Josie and Seth know they have only earned a reprieve. Seth must get Josie fully prepared, which means controlling her newfound abilities, and they need to find the other demigods before the Titans do.

But the gods are sensing a greater threat.

Only one thing is more dangerous than a bunch of starved Titans, and that’s an out-of-control Apollyon. The aether in Josie is drawing Seth in deeper, and when lust mixes with love and gives way to power, he knows being close to her is not only dangerous to her, but to everyone around them, but letting her go requires a level of selflessness that just isn’t Seth’s style.

The paths taken in the past are becoming the roads of the future.

Just as chaos breaks out, familiar faces from the past return, complicating the already strained bond between Josie and Seth, and when the danger from the Titans erupts with devastating consequences, the dark allure of power calls to Seth again, but this time Josie might not be able to pull him back.

And when the struggle between power and love becomes the deadliest battleground, there may be no salvation.

Review:

The Power was emotionally gripping and powerful! Even though my adrenaline was still running high after those last few scenes, I kept swiping at the tears falling from my eyes. I couldn’t seem to shake off the heartache, fear, and nervousness that was still thrumming through my veins. But that’s not all that I was feeling. The Power captured my heart all over again. It was hilarious, heartwarming, sexy and extremely addicting. Seth and Josie’s story is a must read for all paranormal lovers out there!

I didn’t . . . I didn’t deserve this with her.
I didn’t deserve her in general. – Seth

Seth continued to pull at my heartstrings. He tried so hard to be good, yet he had this innate ability to tap into the darkest part of himself. It always seemed to just be a breath away, even with Josie in the picture. But I didn’t care how dark his demons were. And I sure didn’t care that he was judged and looked down upon by others. Because he had the most pure feelings when it came to Josie. He sent my heart into a tailspin with just the way he protected, cared and touched her.

There would be no room for anything else, because after this—after having her, after knowing that she was mine—there was no way I could stay away from her.
So I would do right by her.
Even if it killed me. – Seth

After how The Return ended, Seth was even more adamant about training Josie in not just hand to hand combat, but in learning to control and use all five of her elements. The Titans were still out there, and they would try to get their hands on Josie again. She had to learn to protect herself and be ready to go to war with them in the future. And just like how Alex and Aiden’s training sessions were sizzling hot, Seth and Josie’s were scorching.

“I know I have the power,” she argued. “Duh.”
I arched a brow. “Yeah, you know you do, but you don’t really believe it or trust yourself. If you did, you wouldn’t be setting every damn thing on fire every time you get horny.”
Her cheeks flushed pink. “I do not!”
I smirked.
“That was like once or twice.” She threw up her hands. “Okay, maybe four times. I didn’t this morning.” A light sparked in her eyes. “Then again, maybe that just means you were slacking.”

By that last page, I was so proud with how far Josie had come! She continued to find her voice while being determined to protect herself and fight right alongside with the others. And I loved that some of her mannerisms were so relatable. I mean she loved french fries and saw running as a necessary evil. Hello, welcome to my life lol. But again, I found that my favorite thing about Josie was the way she saw Seth. Her faith and hope in him shined brightly. She didn’t care about his past and what others thought. She saw the good in him and believed he deserved his happily ever after, just like every one else does.

I felt bad poaching the dagger from him, but it was heavy and warm in my hand as I forced myself forward, knowing I was making the right choice. I was not a weakness that needed to be hidden away.
I was a mother-freaking demigod. – Josie

And Josie and Seth were surrounded by characters that I loved from The Covenant Series – Luke, Deacon and Solos. But this time we got a few more additions…… (view spoiler) I loved having them back in the mix. And seeing them through Seth and Josie’s eyes felt so very different from how we viewed them through the Covenant Series. Eeks, you must read this!

Pressure increased in my chest and more tears snuck free. They kept falling silently, and I squeezed my eyes shut. By the time exhaustion dragged me under, I wasn’t sure who I was crying for the most. – Josie

So I closed the book in complete awe of my feelings. While my heart is sad over some things that happened, I can’t deny how elated I still feel! From that first page I was utterly addicted and so happy to be in a world that feels like home! The Return and The Power are both books that I can’t wait to pick up and read all over again!

*ARC kindly provided by Spencer Hill Pres via Inkslinger in exchange for an honest review*

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
The Return #1 Reviews: Jen	The Power #2 Reviews: Jen	The Struggle #3 Reviews: Jen
The Prophecy #4 Reviews: Jen

About Jennifer L. Armentrout:

# 1 New York Times and #1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.

She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

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BOOK REVIEW – The Return (Titan #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

March 3, 2018 / Jen / 8 Comments

The Return (Titan #1)
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
The Fates are cackling their bony asses off...

It's been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they've given him have been violent and bloody--which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He's got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet.

Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy's deal might be, but it's a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her.

But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all.

Because history has once again been flipped to repeat.

Review:

The Return was amazing. Absolutely, brilliantly done amazing. It was more than I ever could have asked or wished for. Not only did I get to step back into a world that felt like home, but I got to be with so many characters that I loved. But somehow, that wasn’t even the best part. Because Seth and Josie made this book. Their interactions of banter, animosity, anger, laughter and sexiness were perfection. I fell hard for them and this story. But, if you haven’t read The Covenant Series yet (Half-Blood #1), I highly recommend it before reading this series! While Jennifer does an astounding job of pulling in previous information to keep a new reader abreast, I’d still want my friends to meet those characters and watch the events unfold firsthand. Trust me, you’ll fall in love with that series too!

“Go away,” Seth said, his voice low.
Jesse blinked slowly, his lips forming a word that never came out, and then he pivoted around, stiffly walking off. What in the holy hell?
My mouth dropped open as my heart kicked in my chest. Jesse seriously had just turned and walked away, leaving me with Crazy Hot Guy! I spun back to Seth, and he was closer now, maybe a foot away.
He winked at me.
– Josie

I am so over the moon excited that Seth got his own story! I loved Aiden, don’t get me wrong, but I always wanted so much more for Seth. My heart always ached for him because even though he could be a pompous ass or a manipulative little shit at times, there was always that part of him that constantly suffered. From not having a mother that wanted him, to then being manipulated and used by a Pure and the God Ares to help take over the world (uh yeah, huge screw up on his part), he somehow always seemed to get the raw end of a deal while trying to find acceptance, family and love. But after all of the horrible things he did, I still could never hate him. He was just Seth. Sexy, cocky, beautiful, infuriating, playful Seth. And the fact that I got to read almost half of this book in his head still has me going hamana-hamana. Lol. I love him completely, flaws and all.

His gaze flew back to mine and for a long moment he didn’t speak. A sense of hyperawareness rushed over my skin, forming tiny little bumps. Tension poured into the air like kegs of it had been tapped open above us. My pulse picked up as I drew in a shallow breath. A muscle spasmed along his jaw and his lips parted as he said, “What in the fuck are you?”
– Seth

We also got to hear the story from Josie’s point of view. Josie was a girl that Seth had been ordered to protect by Apollo. I had an easy time warming up to her. Probably my favorite things about Josie was that she was understanding and pragmatic. She owned up to her screw ups and realized what she did was wrong. She didn’t make the same mistakes again and again, thank goodness! When she was introduced to Seth’s world, she definitely fought it. Not only because there was this whole other world that she didn’t know about but because her mindset would have to change. Heck, I’d have a hard time coming to terms that it’s ok to kill certain people/creatures. But she got it, understood it and dealt with it even though she doesn’t have to like it. Wait! Scratch what I said earlier, because my favorite thing about Joise was the way that she viewed Seth. She saw him how I always did. That Seth was someone with the potential and heart to be a true friend because he was a good person. That he was someone that deserved to be trusted and cared for. I love that she got that about him!

When I opened my eyes, she was staring at me with those big, blue ones. “When I’m with you, I don’t feel like a monster. I forget.” And that was the damn truth—a scary truth. “I forget all the things I’ve done that make me not deserve this.” – Seth

The Return was such a page turner. It literally pained me to put this book down so I could get more than 4 hours of sleep at night. That’s because Jennifer Armentrout has this ability to make me become completely swept away with my emotions. I become lost in the story and the peril that she weaves throughout it. The characters she creates become an intricate part of me while I’m reading and I truly feel as though I become invested in them and their story! Sigh, I always find myself getting too attached to her characters, can you tell? But I wouldn’t have it any other way.

She had no choices now. She had a destiny she’d never known about, probably didn’t want, and might end up getting her killed. I got how much that sucked. My heart pounded in my chest for no reason. “I’m sorry.” – Seth

So for anyone who loves paranormal, mythology, or is looking for a story that will make you become lost in the pages, well then this is your book! And in case you didn’t know, Jennifer L. Armentrout is on my “I-will-buy-whatever-she-writes-list”! I can always count on laughing, swooning, being over the moon happy, then scared shit-less, and of course the sexiness is so insanely hot! If you can’t tell already, this is a definite must read!

PS YES, there are characters from The Covenant that are in this book. Want to see an example? Then read the quote below!! EEKS!!

“This is Josie,” Seth continued. “Please don’t be weird and scare her.”
“Be weird?” Deacon rolled those gray eyes. “Ha. Whatever, dude. All you need to know about me is that I’m like a dolphin in a sea of less-smart fish,” he announced, spreading his arms with a flourish.
Luke turned to him slowly as his eyebrows inched up his forehead. “What?”
He shrugged. “Just saying I have a lot in common with dolphins. They’re smart. I’m smart.”
Seth rubbed his hand down his face.
There was a beat of silence, and then Luke sighed and shook his head, lips twitching. “It’s a good thing I think you’re fine as hell.”

PPS There were SO many quotes I wanted to use BUT I couldn’t because it would give too much away. Quotes that made me sigh, quotes that made me cry and quotes that made me feel so much! Not fair….I just wanted to whine about that for a minute haha.

Reading Order & Links: Amazon (click on covers), iBooks (click on titles) & Book Depository (click on book #)
The Return #1 Reviews: Jen	The Power #2 Reviews: Jen	The Struggle #3 Reviews: Jen
The Prophecy #4 Reviews: Jen

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BOOK REVIEW + GIVEAWAY – Haven by Mary Lindsey

November 20, 2017 / Jen / 4 Comments

I’m so happy to be on the tour for Haven! This paranormal tale wove mystery and suspense throughout the pages and was a lot of fun! So check out my review below and enter a fabulous giveaway! Enjoy!

BOOK REVIEW + GIVEAWAY – Haven by Mary Lindsey

Haven by Mary Lindsey
Purchase on: Amazon, iBooks
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:
"We all hold a beast inside. The only difference is what form it takes when freed."

Rain Ryland has never belonged anywhere. He’s used to people judging him for his rough background, his intimidating size, and now, his orphan status. He’s always been on the outside, looking in, and he’s fine with that. Until he moves to New Wurzburg and meets Friederike Burkhart.

Freddie isn’t like normal teen girls, though. And someone wants her dead for it. Freddie warns he’d better stay far away if he wants to stay alive, but Rain’s never been good at running from trouble. For the first time, Rain has something worth fighting for, worth living for. Worth dying for.

Review:

Time had simply been a bookmark. Something that held his place while he waited to finish the story.

Haven was a paranormal tale that wove mystery and suspense throughout the pages. It definitely leaned heavily on the mystery side, and we started out just as clueless as Rain Ryland. When Rain arrived in the little town of New Wurzburg, to live with his Aunt Ruby, he realized that something felt off. And as Rain started school, met his Aunt’s coworkers and even got a job, things become even more confusing. While little clues appeared here and there, Rain became more than determined to get to the bottom of whatever was going on in New Wurzburg.

He’d never feared losing something before because he’d never had anything worth keeping. This girl, though. She was different. And he wanted her.

While I easily guessed what the paranormal element was, there was so much shrouded in mystery that I wasn’t able to decipher. I loved being as lost as Rain sometimes, and I had fun trying to figure it all out right along with him! Rain was by far my favorite thing about this book. You know I’m a sucker for a tortured soul, and with his history of a hard life and being raised on the streets, it drew me right into him. Rain wasn’t expecting much in this little town, but moving in with his Aunt Ruby was the new start he desperately needed. He slowly started to make connections, find hope and even some happiness. And I have a good feeling that a lot of people will fall in love Rain just as much as I did. He was intense, put his heart on the line and I loved that he jumped in feet first. His intentions proved again and again that he had a heart of gold, despite his hard past. And when Rain first met Friederike Burkhart, I loved how he saw her.

“So, you want me to listen to my instincts.”
“Yes.”
He reached out and pulled her to him by a belt loop on her jeans. Her eyes widened as she crashed into him. The contact with her long, muscular body made the blood roar in his ears and other places. “My instincts aren’t telling me to go home. They’re telling me to do this.” He took her face in his hands and covered her mouth with his.

I was so addicted to Rain, that I thought I’d easily love Freddie and their romance too. And while Freddie was intense, tough and struggled with her father’s recent passing, I just couldn’t connect to her. Which made me not connect to the insta-love romance either. But I still loved watching him fall in love with her. And I loved even more how Rain vowed to protect Freddie, when he learned that her life was on the line. Sigh, Rain was beyond amazing. I desperately wanted to love and be obsessed with everything that he was, yet I wasn’t. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you connect to Freddie and the romance much better than I did!

Never had he been kissed like that— like the world revolved around that moment. And he wanted more. He wanted everything.

But I still had a lot of fun reading Haven despite my inability to connect to Freddie or the romance. So if you love stories that keep you guessing until the very end and have characters that will do anything to protect the ones they love, then definitely check this book out! After finishing Haven I picked up Shattered Souls by this author, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I completely connect with that duology!

“I’m not afraid of dying,” Rain said. “I’m afraid of dying for nothing.”
Looking up, Petra met his eyes directly, and it struck him again how large and nonhuman they looked. “You’ll make a difference. It’s not for nothing.”

PS I loved Petra! She’s a girl who is hmmm yeah I’m not going to tell you that lol. But she was by far my favorite secondary character and I wish I got to spend more time with her!

*ARC kindly provided by Entangled:Teen via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

About Mary Lindsey:

Mary Lindsey is a multi award-winning, RITA® nominated author of romance for adults and teens. She lives on an island in the middle of a river. Seriously, she does. When not writing, she wrangles her rowdy pack of three teens, two Cairn Terriers, and one husband. Inexplicably, her favorite animal is the giant anteater and at one point, she had over 200 “pet” Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches. The roaches are a long story involving three science-crazed kids and a soft spot for rescue animals. The good news is, the “pet” roaches found a home… somewhere else.

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BOOK REVIEW – The Prophecy (Titan #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis:

Review:

So damn lucky. Another three words that kept replaying over and over. The thing about luck, though? It was bound to run out. Always. – Seth

Her eyes narrowed. “I think you can find a better use for your mouth instead of talking.” I laughed. “Damn, girl.” She grinned at me as she rose onto her elbows. “Just speaking the truth, Sethie.” “That you are.” And so I did.

“What I feel for you increases every waking moment and sometimes that scares the hell out of me, but I love you. Yesterday. Today. A thousand tomorrows from now, I will be in love with you.” – Seth

“My life really didn’t have much meaning until I met you. I always hated the idea of fate, but it feels like this is fate.” – Seth

I curled into myself, a scream of vast agony and despair still pouring from me, tearing from my very soul. – Josie

Lifting her against my chest, I buried my face in her neck as I lost all control. Didn’t even care. I fucking sobbed as I held her. – Seth

“I want to go with you,” Aiden announced. Seth looked over his shoulder at him. “Are you trying to be my best friend?” Aiden smirked. “I thought we already were best friends.”

The finality of this slammed into me. This was happening. There was no way out of this. He was going to do it, and I broke. Deep, soul-crushing sobs racked my body as Seth held me. I buried my face into his chest, gripping his shirt once again. – Josie

Hope dared spark alive deep in my chest, but so did a terror I’d never tasted before, because hope— it could kill me. – Josie

“You’ve always been the best of me, Josie. I love you.” – Seth

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BOOK REVIEW – The Struggle (Titan #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis:

Review:

Doing the right thing had never felt more wrong than it did right then. Maybe that was how it always felt. I wouldn’t know. It was so rare when I actually did the right thing. – Seth

“Oh my god,” I whispered. “No. No way.” This couldn’t be happening. I couldn’t be here. Panic unfurled in my chest. My gaze swung around the room as my pulse pounded erratically. Oh god, I couldn’t be here. – Josie

“If something happened to you again?” Lighting shot between the clouds, lighting up the sky in brilliant white. “I would burn this fucking world to the ground and then I would destroy Olympus.” – Seth

“The Army of Awesome reunited at last.” Deacon grinned while his brother sighed heavily. “It’s been a long time coming.”

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BOOK REVIEW – The Power (Titan #2) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis:

Review:

I didn’t . . . I didn’t deserve this with her. I didn’t deserve her in general. – Seth

There would be no room for anything else, because after this—after having her, after knowing that she was mine—there was no way I could stay away from her. So I would do right by her. Even if it killed me. – Seth

I felt bad poaching the dagger from him, but it was heavy and warm in my hand as I forced myself forward, knowing I was making the right choice. I was not a weakness that needed to be hidden away. I was a mother-freaking demigod. – Josie

Pressure increased in my chest and more tears snuck free. They kept falling silently, and I squeezed my eyes shut. By the time exhaustion dragged me under, I wasn’t sure who I was crying for the most. – Josie

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BOOK REVIEW – The Return (Titan #1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis:

Review:

When I opened my eyes, she was staring at me with those big, blue ones. “When I’m with you, I don’t feel like a monster. I forget.” And that was the damn truth—a scary truth. “I forget all the things I’ve done that make me not deserve this.” – Seth

She had no choices now. She had a destiny she’d never known about, probably didn’t want, and might end up getting her killed. I got how much that sucked. My heart pounded in my chest for no reason. “I’m sorry.” – Seth

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BOOK REVIEW + GIVEAWAY – Haven by Mary Lindsey

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Review:

Time had simply been a bookmark. Something that held his place while he waited to finish the story.

He’d never feared losing something before because he’d never had anything worth keeping. This girl, though. She was different. And he wanted her.

Never had he been kissed like that— like the world revolved around that moment. And he wanted more. He wanted everything.

“I’m not afraid of dying,” Rain said. “I’m afraid of dying for nothing.” Looking up, Petra met his eyes directly, and it struck him again how large and nonhuman they looked. “You’ll make a difference. It’s not for nothing.”

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So damn lucky.
Another three words that kept replaying over and over. The thing about luck, though? It was bound to run out.
Always. – Seth

Her eyes narrowed. “I think you can find a better use for your mouth instead of talking.”
I laughed. “Damn, girl.”
She grinned at me as she rose onto her elbows. “Just speaking the truth, Sethie.”
“That you are.”
And so I did.

“I want to go with you,” Aiden announced.
Seth looked over his shoulder at him. “Are you trying to be my best friend?”
Aiden smirked. “I thought we already were best friends.”

Doing the right thing had never felt more wrong than it did right then.
Maybe that was how it always felt.
I wouldn’t know.
It was so rare when I actually did the right thing. – Seth

“Oh my god,” I whispered. “No. No way.”
This couldn’t be happening. I couldn’t be ***here*. Panic unfurled in my chest. My gaze swung around the room as my pulse pounded erratically. Oh god, I couldn’t be here. – Josie**

I didn’t . . . I didn’t deserve this with her.
I didn’t deserve her in general. – Seth

There would be no room for anything else, because after this—after having her, after knowing that she was mine—there was no way I could stay away from her.
So I would do right by her.
Even if it killed me. – Seth

I felt bad poaching the dagger from him, but it was heavy and warm in my hand as I forced myself forward, knowing I was making the right choice. I was not a weakness that needed to be hidden away.
I was a mother-freaking demigod. – Josie

“I’m not afraid of dying,” Rain said. “I’m afraid of dying for nothing.”
Looking up, Petra met his eyes directly, and it struck him again how large and nonhuman they looked. “You’ll make a difference. It’s not for nothing.”