Month: January 2014

Review: Beautiful Disaster, by Jamie McGuire

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517HnHcEuWL After seeing Jamie McGuire, in October, I was drawn to reread Beautiful Disaster. Can I just say that I LOVE Travis. I truly do. He is, and forever will be, my book boyfriend. I just love him to pieces. He is the epitome of a bad boy. But his heart wants to love. And when he finds his love, she will make him whole.

If you haven’t read BD, then you don’t know the true feeling of angst. I remember reading this, for the first time, right after I got my kindle. I didn’t understand what angst was, at the time. But I was trying to find my perfect book. Well, this was perfect in my eyes. It has everything I love, and need, in a book. After I read this, I remember looking on Goodreads and Amazon for all the books that were similar to this. I’ve read a ton, since then, but none can compare to Beautiful Disaster. They come close, but this one’s on the top.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, and haven’t read it, let me tell you a little bit about it.

Travis Maddox was an underground fighter, and lover of many women, at Eastern University. He gets good grades, but likes to fight for his money. It was at one of his fights that he met Abby Abernathy. She wasn’t impressed by him or his fighting. But he wasn’t letting her go. He would do anything to keep her, even if it meant just being her friend.

Abby, at first, wants nothing to do with Travis cuz he reminds her to much of what she left behind. She wants nothing to do with that life anymore. But as luck would have it, she is about to spend a great deal of time with him.

He is determined to show that he can be just a friend, if that’s what she wants. But you know how that goes. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy but is determined NOT too. So boy becomes crazy protective and drives girl away.

I loved watching their friendship blossom and their love sneak up her. Abby was so oblivious to everything Travis said or did. She just thought he wanted to be friends. But he wanted so much more. She had no idea how she was slowly destroying him.

“I didn’t know I was lost until you found me.”

Travis made me so mad at parts. I was yelling at him. But then at others, I was totally swooning. He has a way of invoking such crazy feelings that you can’t help but love him, even though he does just stupid things. I loved watching him interact with his brothers and dad. You could see how he loved them, even if growing up wasn’t a walk in the park.

I know some people didn’t like Abby, but I did. She was so clueless, I don’t think she realized how fiercely he wasn’t letting her go. He was gonna get her back if it killed him. He changed his entire behavior for her. He was determined to go down fighting, if need be.

“You can’t tell me what to do any more, Travis! I don’t belong to you!”

In the second it took him to turn and face me, his expression had contorted into anger. He stomped toward me, planting his hands on the bed and leaning into my face.

“WELL I BELONG TO YOU!”

*seriously swooning*

Words cannot express my true feelings for this book. And when I read Walking Disaster, I was seriously destroyed. Travis is amazing and I don’t think I’ve ever enjoyed the male POV so much, like I did in this one. I highly recommend it. It wasn’t just a recap of BD, it was a whole new story. And of course I sobbed. That’s really not a surprise, I know. But I never expected to sob in the beginning. Whew!!

And since I love love love this book, when I was writing my Top 10 post, I knew which book belonged on top. If you’ve never read this, you really should get on the ball, since the next book, Beautiful Oblivion, comes out in July. I can’t wait!!!

~Melpomene

Buy Beautiful Disaster: A Novel

Buy Walking Disaster: A Novel

Review: Off the Edge by Carolyn Crane

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18169700 I hadn’t read the first Associate’s book when I read this one but the synopsis appealed to me so I went for it anyways. I loved this book from the beginning. Peter’s position as a Linguist breaking down everything from phrases to song lyrics to its’ smallest parts made pieces of the books almost poetic. Laney and Peter have such heat between them almost immediately and between the poetry and the heat I was drawn into the book and captivated.

Peter Macmillan is a Linguist working for The Associate’s trying to bring down a criminal and will use anyone or anything who gets in his way. Laney does just that. Laney gets under his skin incredibly easily and he find himself drawn to her and unable to maintain his normal cool facade. Laney is in hiding herself from her ex and doesn’t allow herself to get involved with anyone but can’t seem to help it when it comes to Peter.

I really loved the humor between these two. It was a nice balance between the seriousness of the situation they were in and even in the middle of the danger the humor was still there.

“You bleeding?”
“No. I’ve shifted to the coagulation and infection stage. I’m running them concurrently.”

I was laughing at some parts and holding my breath at others. The author did a great job at keeping me at the edge of my seat for this romantic suspense read. The writing is very colorful and vibrant as in it seems to jump off the page. The talents of the heroes are cerebral as well as physical which I absolutely love as a change of pace in a romance book. I highly recommend this book as a different type of romance novel.

This was a surprising read for me. In a very good way!

I received this ARC in return for an honest review.

5 stars

~ Clio

Buy it Now Off the Edge (The Associates)

Review: Crazy by Han Nolan

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20131230-191409.jpgYoung adult book about teen drama-check. Mental illness as the main focus-check. Been there, done that, right? Except this one is insanely (bad choice of words, I know) different. In this refreshingly unique novel the tables are turned and this time it’s a child who has to cope with his parent’s mental illness.

Jason can’t remember a time when his life wasn’t overshadowed by his dad’s odd behavior. Going as far back as age six when his dad tried to bury him alive “to protect him”, it’s always been a part of their lives. However, when Jason’s mom dies unexpectedly things begin to rapidly deteriorate. She was the one who always held things together, and without her their lives start to spin out of control. Money is tight, food is scarce, and their house is falling apart. Despite his best efforts to hold things together and keep their way of life a secret, his grades and behavior at school are being affected. When he’s sent to group therapy, he finds comfort in an unlikely group of friends who are living with family issues of their own. In a short span of time he’s forced to confront his own feelings of grief at his mother’s death, guilt at not being able to protect his dad, and fear that he, too, is losing his mind. He has to learn to accept help from others and to be a kid again after being the adult in his family for so long. There’s a hospitalization and a confrontation with social services before everything is finally resolved. Along the way, Jason is kept company by running commentary from a cast of characters he has created in his mind to help him cope with his dysfunctional life.

This was an amazing story from beginning to end. It could have been another run-of-the-mill story of teen angst and drama but Han Nolan inserts humor and emotion into every page. The ever-present conversation going on in Jason’s head has the potential to be annoying and distracting but instead is entirely believable, and you can see how that’s his one little lifeline to sanity. He’s never really confronted his grief at losing his mother, and he eventually realizes he harbors a lot of anger as well for being forced into the position he’s in. The author skillfully captures the voice of a young teenage boy in the reversed role of being the parent. It’s also a safe read for teenagers without speaking down to them, which is hard to come by these days. Five stars for me!

~Thalia

Buy it Now: Crazy

Review: Playing for Love at Deep Haven by Katy Regnery

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20140110-091609.jpg Wow! Playing for Love at Deep Haven is INTENSE. Like, Falling fast and hard in love with your soulmate intense. And Kept these feelings buried for a decade and now they are at the surface all at once intense. And I ran away from myself a long time ago and now I want me back intense.

This book is like a musical composition that increases in intensity and volume until you all of a sudden find the book at forte and then fortissimo. When you think you’re hearing the biggest music you’ve ever heard, it quiets. Until Crescendo. Fortississimo. Amazing.

Violet made me remember what it’s like to be yourself when you’re not trying to meet other people’s expectations. Zach made me realize that not everyone knows how to be loved. I so wanted to know what happened next that I was reading as fast as can be, but then everything I read was so good that I’d go back and re-read to make sure I didn’t miss anything. I was in it 100%. I was inside Zach and Aubrey’s heads. I could hear the music, I could anticipate the poetry. I identified with the characters’ feelings, and I cried. Decrescendo. Piano. Pianissimo. Fine.

–Calliope

Buy it now! Playing for Love at Deep Haven

Review and Blog Tour: Masquerade, by Nyrae Dawn

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Summary
A biker. A tattoo artist. A love to last a lifetime.

Maddox Cross has always had to be tough. When his father went to jail for murder, the teenager took care of his sister and mother. Now on his own and working security at a night club, Maddox wants to become a tattoo artist-a dream that comes closer to reality when he falls for the hottest, most tatted woman he’s ever seen. She’s wild and beautiful, and Maddox will do anything to be with her.

Bee Malone came to town to open up her new tattoo parlor, Masquerade. Since being kidnapped as a young girl, Bee has had trouble getting close to anyone. But when she meets Maddox, she sees that under his hard biker’s body is the sensitive soul of an artist. What starts out as a sizzling one-night stand soon becomes so much more.

Bee wants Maddox to join her tattoo business, but letting him into her life means revealing all her most intimate secrets. And as the past begins to intertwine with her present, Bee fears their love may not be as permanent as their ink . . .

I knew I liked Maddox. When we meet him, in Facade, we knew he kept secrets. And, in doing so, he is slowly crumbling from the guilt. Even though he was a child, and not responsible for his dad, he still can’t let the guilt go. And when he meets Bee, he tries to not get sucked into her life. He already thinks he needs to look out and protect his sister, he doesn’t want to do that for anyone else.

Bee has been struggling with who she is and what is real love. How can she let go of her past? How can people love, if they hurt you? What if she loves someone and they get taken away, like she did? So she tried to keep everyone at arm’s length. But Maddox has a way of getting to her, even though she tries to stay away.

“Stop making me want you.” The same heat from eyes is now in his words. “Stop letting me have you.”

The tension between these two was very thick. One explosive scene after another. I was in Heaven. My heart broke for both of these two. The trauma that they have had to deal with, was crazy. They have to learn to let go of their past and move on. Eventually secrets are shared and families are reunited. But of course, it has to all fall apart first. 🙂

I was glad to see characters, from the first two books, in this book. It was nice to have a bit of closer, for one of them.

“Life is fucked up, it hurts, and it’s not always pretty, but damned if it can’t be beautiful too.”

~Melpomene

Buy it now Masquerade: Book 3 in The Games Series

Review – Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.

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11925514My fellow muses are probably going to banish me to the stables for this, but I have to begin this review by stating that YA fiction is not a genre that I read or enjoy…. Yes, I can feel the death stares permeating through my skin as I type! However, I like a challenge, and so I decided to read a YA, yes you read correctly, a YA novel called Code Name Verity. Actually, truth be told, I listened to it on audio, rather than read, but same difference!
Frustratingly, this is one of those novels where you can’t give too much of a synopsis due to spoilers, so this will be brief: WWII, two young women, one of whom is captured in Nazi occupied France. The novel begins with “Verity” writing a confession in a prison cell, and thus begins the tale. Through this epistolary novel, Verity tells a story of Queenie and her friend, Maddie, and their experiences being stationed together during the war. The story is split between 1st person narrations (Verity’s experience in the prison), 3rd person narration (the story of Queenie and Maddie’s friendship) and the narration is primarily shared between Verity and Maddie.
Listening on audio, you get the added advantage of hearing different voices for different characters. This helped a lot, and was appropriate due to the style in which the novel is written. As I mentioned above, I don’t usually read YA, but this one was so different. It had the usual components of a YA novel – very little swearing, not really any sexual situations, and no gratuitous violence. However, this one presented certain situations in an extremely frank and honest manner, without sensationalising and gratuitousness: E.G., the interrogation scenes were very frightening and horrific, but they were honest, and didn’t feel like they were exploiting it. It’s hard to explain, but I felt like it read as an adult book, but at the same time, it would still be appropriate for an older teenager.
If you do decide to pick this story up, which I highly recommend that you do, be prepared to find yourself laughing, possibly crying, gasping, cringing, and recoiling. It will hit on most of your emotions and it will leave you asking yourself what if? What if you were captured by an enemy agent? Would you divulge crucial secrets? Would you do anything to survive? Would you break? Elizabeth Wein has written a fresh, unique and interesting WWII story that is brutal, honest, emotive, and effective. Do yourself a favour and read this gem of a novel before some big film studio ‘effs it up and makes a piss poor adaptation.
Enjoy ~ Pegasus
Code Name Verity (Edgar Allen Poe Awards. Best Young Adult (Awards))

Review: The Countess Conspiracy by Courtney Milan

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13489925 Something great over the Holidays I discovered was a lot of random giveaways from authors! So, I won this book directly from Courtney Milan herself via Twitter. I’ve been reading romance book a ton over the last year or so and just kind of assumed I had read this author. I’ve definitely heard of her and seen her beautiful book covers. So I was kind of stunned when I checked and realized I had not read a single Milan book! I triple checked and realized this series of books (The Brother Sinister) could be read as stand alones and not in order as the characters all know each other but are not super intertwined. So I dove right in.

I absolutely loved these characters. They felt incredibly real to me. Sebastian Malheur has a reputation of a rake and a womanizer of sorts. His brother is ill and he is unsure at leaving his son with Sebastian if he should pass, the excuse he gives originally being that Sebastian would be too busy to spend time with the boy. In response to this tender hearted Sebastian immediately chooses to stop a charade he’s been living so he can be at his brothers disposal. He soon learns that he still is not up to par for his brother and this crushes him.

Sebastian is a scientist who scandalizes society with his theories on genetics. He gives speeches and presentations which draw huge crowds and wild criticism. Generally, none of this bothers him as long as Violet Waterfield is accompanying him. But they share a secret he feels he can no longer keep – none of his scientific discoveries are actually his, they are all hers. Violet is horrified to learn he will no longer keep her secret. She doesn’t think her mother or sister will support her or her scientific ways since it is not proper for a lady. She doesn’t have to worry about her husband as she is a widow.

Meanwhile Violet is struggling with being exposed as the one behind Sebastian’s scientific discoveries. She is trying to understand if her family will stick by and support her. She has always felt lacking in every way except science and when she comes to realize that Sebastian wants more from her she doesn’t know if she can handle it.

I love Violet, her exacting ways and watching her trying to figure out emotions. Sebastian was the kind of hero that I adore – completely flawed, with real problems, but very patient and in love with the heroine. The two maneuver their individual family problems on their own and together and both was heart breaking and touching. The romance and courtship of these two was ridiculously pleasing and sweet yet didn’t lack passion.

This set me off on an immediate Courtney Milan read. I am now caught up on this whole series, including novellas and have started on her other back list books. So far what I can tell is that The Brothers Sinister books are truly great. The characters are all quirky and have interesting things about them and the books all seem unique to me. I completely loved this book the most though!

5 stars

~Clio

Buy it Now The Countess Conspiracy (The Brothers Sinister, Book 3)

Review: Once Upon a Winter’s Heart by Melody Carlson

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20140107-143208.jpg New Release!

Emma’s Poppi died, and with him all romance and true love – or so Emma thought. When she left Seattle to go home and take care of Nona, Emma was jaded as. Watching her parents’ marriage crumble and her sister Anne’s neglect of her marriage, Emma was set to start the new year in mourning.

Then Emma began helping at Poppi’s bookstore, spending time with her young nephew Tristan, and having fun with friends – especially Lane, Poppi’s protégé. She remembered Poppi’s wisdom and open heart, and tried to do what would make him proud – and make herself happy. Lane joined her on the journey.

Emma and Lane had a roundabout way of realizing that romance and true love was alive and well. Once they did, it warmed my heart. This was a well-written novella with nice, drama-free main characters, and a family feel. I especially liked Nona’s cooking lessons and the spontaneous singing of That’s Amore!

-Calliope

Buy it now Once Upon A Winter’s Heart

Review: The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

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a“The White Tiger” is a written confession from an Indian driver who murders his employer. It is told with matter-of-fact nonchalance by Balram Halwai. A man who grew up in the slums of India, “overcame” his birth status, became a #1 driver, a murderer, and finally an employer himself.

What can one say about a book such as this? I look at the some of the reviews and I wonder how it can have such a low rating. Is it because people are turned off by the matter-of-fact tone of Halwai? Are they disenchanted with the unsaid social commentary of India? Are they disgusted with the story that Halwai tells? Are they dissatisfied with “justice” in the world Adiga paints? Are they waiting for the author to tell them what to think? Are they waiting for Halwai to justify his actions? To show some redeeming quality, allowing you to forgive him? Are they the type that think every novel should have a beginning, a middle and an end? Do they expect happily ever after?

Here’s the thing….This might be Adiga’s story….it might also belong to Halwai….one can say it even belongs to all of India…but the thing is…this is the reader’s story as well. What you take from this story is what you put in to it. Aravind Adiga is young author…but he’s smart enough to know that sometimes the best novels are the ones left to the reader to decide. Some travesties don’t need pointed out. It might seem that Halwai has no feelings or is two dimensional…but this is his life. He’s not painting a pretty picture…he’s just laying out the facts. Adiga is the one who is leaving it up to you, the reader, to sort through these facts.

So, once you’re born into the social caste system of India, are you ever *really* able to move from one to the other? Should one be resigned to his/her own fate? Do we follow the customs of generations, even if they are the very same customs that bind us to future failures? Must we follow the way it has always been done, even if that way ensures us that no new path can be forged? Do we never question how things are, simply because they are the way things have always been? Does Halwai really have no feelings about right and wrong? Are is it that he is just so bone weary tired of it all? Does he really not care? Or is he just overcome with so much feelings of hopelessness?

What about nature and nurture? How does that play into how we justify our actions? Can one really blame society for that which we become? Is it possible to justify our actions in our own minds by blaming the limits our society puts upon us?

How can one even begin to change the history of the past? How corrupt does a government need to be before a nation lose all hope for any type of change? Can a person who benefits from a broken social system ever really want to be the one who fights to make it right? Will we ever learn to trust one another? Can someone who has nothing ever be satisfied with that? Should they?

Can an outsider ever *really* understand?

Yes, the questions I have after reading this novel are more than I had before. Will I spend countless hours debating this? Will I look at the world a bit differently now? yes. yes. yes…..yet….Adiga did not ask a single one of these questions. Halwai did not point out a single one either. It’s a brilliant writer that can evoke so much from a reader….that can sit back and not try to lead you down the path to self discovery. That doesn’t feel the need to blurt out the answers…..I thank him for his discipline….

How can I not love a book like this? Yes, it’s ugly and it’s dirty. Yes it’s unfair. Yes, it’s true….it has no beginning…nor even a middle…and certainly no ending. It has no one clear victim. It has no single hero. This is life….pure and raw….ugly and bleeding….helpless and innocent….corrupt and hopeless….

So tell me….what are you going to do about it? Turn the other cheek, give it a bad rating, and hope to forget all about it? Go on then….I dare you to….

Until next time….

Urania xx

Buy it now The White Tiger

Review, Blog Tour and Giveaway: The Destiny of Violet & Luke, by Jessica Sorenson

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OH.MY.WORD!!!! A cliffy!!!! A STINKIN’ CLIFFHANGER!!!! I am devastated after finishing this. How can I deal with this?? Now I have to wait months to find out what happens. I am just sick, thinking of it. But I must clam down. *deep breath*

Luke and Violet have had the hardest time, growing up. They were exposed to things, as children, that no child should see.

Luke has tried to forget his past, by throwing himself to every girl that shows interest. He’s a big tough on the outside, but on the inside, he just wants to be loved. If he could only escape his mind, he would be whole. But the past always creeps up on him.

Violet’s parents were murdered, when she was 6. She was bounced for foster home to foster home. Never truly finding a real home with real love. She wakes up every morning, from a dream of their deaths. In order to get a break from feeling real, she avoids everyone, and does very dangerous things, just for the rush. She just wants to finish college and move on, but then she meets Luke.

Luke and Violet’s relationship is very hard on each of them. They can’t stand each other and yet can’t stand to be away from each other. After a while, they realize that they have feelings that they don’t know how to handle. They’re not used to needing anyone. But soon they find themselves leaning on each other, when they need it the most.

However, that ending…I am still reeling from it. I just can’t believe it. Seriously. What am I supposed to do now??

Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway

EXCERPT
Luke
She reaches for my fries with an undecided look on her face. “So I have a question.”
“Okay…”
“About you.”
I slowly chew my food. “I’m not really sure I want to hear your question now.”
She picks a pickle off of her burger, pulling a repulsed face. “Well, I’m still going to ask it.”
I grab a handful of fries from the tray that’s on the table between us. “Go ahead and ask but it doesn’t mean I’ll answer.”
She props her elbows onto the table with her burger in her hand. “Why haven’t you ever talked to me before? I mean, we’ve walked past each other probably a hundred times, but never so much as acknowledged each other and then suddenly you’re stalking me.”
I pick up my soda and sip from the straw. “First off, I’m not stalking you. I just can’t seem to get rid of you.”
“You didn’t have to stop to pick me up.”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Why? You don’t know me—you’re in no way obligated to help me.”
“I know, but I wanted to.”
“Why?”
I shrug, setting my drink down. “Why not?”
She gives me a funny look, like I’m the most confusing person in the world, when really she should be looking at herself like that. “I don’t get it. Why would someone like you help someone like me?”
I open up the bun of my chicken sandwich to pick the tomato off. “What do you mean someone like me and someone like you?”
She points at me. “You as in a football player who has friends.” Then she points at herself. “And me as in the loner girl who could probably kick your ass.”
I choke on a laugh and my mouth full of food almost shoots out of my nose. “You could not kick my ass,” I cough, and then take a swallow of my drink.
She scans me over while scooping up some fries. “I beg to differ. I think you’re not as tough as you try to look.”
“Do you really?” If only she knew what really lay inside me. “Because most people think I am and for a good reason.”
“I think it’s all for show,” she replies nonchalantly and I can’t tell if she’s being serious or not. “I think that deep down you’re just a softy.”
“Are you trying to pick a fight with me right now?” I set my sandwich down on the tray and crack my knuckles. “Because I’m not going to fight a girl.”
“That’s such a typical guy answer.” She hurries and takes a drink, but I detect a hint of a smile before her lips wrap around the straw.
“You know what I think?” I cross my arms on the table and lean in, cocking my head to the side as I observe her closely. “I think you like arguing with me and that’s why you’re bringing this up.”
Her shoulders lift and descend as she takes a bite of her hamburger. “Maybe, but maybe I’m being serious.”
“You know that as a football player I have to tackle guys, right? It takes strength to do that.”
“Maybe you just run, though,” she counters. “Maybe you’re just good at running.”
The way she says it reminds me so much of my past and it’s like a kick to the stomach. “Maybe I’m not, though. Maybe I suck at running.” I sound choked and I decide it’s time to cut this conversation short, my brain seeking that potent taste of Jack and Tequila mixed with nicotine. I glance at my watch, pretending to check the time. “I just remembered that I have to meet Kayden somewhere in like a half an hour, so I’m going to have to take you back.”
She balls up the wrapper for her hamburger, acting nonchalant, but her shoulders are stiff. “Sounds good to me. I was done anyway.” She seems irritated and I have no idea why, other than she seems to be able to read through my bullshit and test me, which most people can’t and won’t even try. I’m supposed to be a closed book. A mystery. That way no one can see who I really am. It’s the way I’ve been living for years and it’s comfortable. Not ideal, but nothing is ideal.
We don’t talk as I collect our garbage and then walk next to her as she limps out to my truck. I try to offer her my arm and open the door for her, but she denies my offer, moving to the opposite door and pushing it open.
During the car ride, she barely says two words to me. I should be happy about it. That way there’s no room for sudden questions and statements that will set me off, however I find myself missing the bantering thing we had going and the way she pushed my buttons. By the time I drop her off, all I want to do is ask her to stay, talk some more, let me get to know her. But I don’t understand why. I’ve never wanted to get to know anyone before. I’ve never even been out on a date. Each woman I’ve been with, I’ve only been with once. Just sex. That’s all it’s ever about. And I’ve never wanted anything more.
Until now.

The-Destiny-of-Violet-&-Luke-Launch-Day-Blitz

~Melpomene

Buy it now The Destiny of Violet & Luke (Callie & Kayden)