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Review: Darken the Stars by Amy Bartol

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01 dark Oh.my.gosh……I can’t…..my heart…..oh man….what do I do now?? This book has left me devastated. Amy Bartol tugs at your heartstrings with this epic and very emotional conclusion. I was in a constant state of nervousness the entire book. I had no idea this ending would leave me feeling like this. I can’t even put it in words.

This book takes place immediately after Sea of Stars and now Kyon has Kricket. He’s never going to let her go. He’s wanted her for so long and he’s not taking any chances. He’ll do anything to protect her. I was happy with this storyline, because I love Kyon. But at the same time, I’m so mad because I hate him also. He’s evil and bad, but Kricket was growing to love him, the more time she’s with him. That was a hard pill to swallow. I didn’t want to see her get closer to him.

The more I think about the story, the more my heart hurt for Kricket. She just wants to go home to Earth and get her life back. She doesn’t want to be the answer to everyone’s problems. She wants to stop feeling things for these men in her life and she wants them to stop feeling for her too. It would make her leaving that much easier on everyone. But most of all, she wants to be free. Watching her struggle, with these burdens, hurt me.

And let’s not bring up the scenes with Trey. Oh my word. Every time Trey’s emotions got the better of him, I cried. I mean, tears falling down my cheeks. He loves her so much and is doing everything in his power to get her free from Kyon and all those who would use her for their own good.

Without giving away spoilers, I will say that the ending is not what I expected, but it was needed. There’s so much more that could’ve happened. There’s so much more that I wanted to happen. I hope she surprises us with another one. I think we need it. I understand the way she ended it. I get it. I won’t say that I was cheering at the end, but I get it. I really do…

~Melpomene

Buy
Under Different Stars (The Kricket Series Book 1)
Sea of Stars (The Kricket Series Book 2)
Darken the Stars (The Kricket Series Book 3)

Review: Restless Waters(Left Drowning #2) by Jessica Park

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01 rest My heart has been squeezed and shredded, and glued and mended. Restless Waters is filled with enough emotion to sweep you out to sea, unless you’re holding tight to someone.

“Breathe. Just breathe.”

“There’s no air, Blythe.”

“Reach for me. I won’t let you drown. I’m right here.”

He rubs my back some more and then laughs lightly. “You’re already taken.”

“I have two hands, Sabin. Grab one.”

I have loved Sabin from the very first moment we met him, in Left Drowning. I knew there was more going on inside his head than he let on. I KNEW that his story, however it was told, was going to make me feel. I was so right.

SYNOPSIS
A storm is coming, and with storms come restless waters.

Pulled from the depths of catastrophe and depression, Blythe McGuire has learned to escape from her past while embracing the future. A future now entwined with the Shepherd siblings.

With Chris, she shares a staggering romance that kicks heartbreak’s ass.

With Sabin, she shares an intense friendship, one that’s becoming more complicated than either had expected. A friendship now being put to the test because Sabin’s brutal past still haunts him. Because trauma is the gift that keeps on giving without mercy.

Now Sabin is the one left drowning and struggling to breathe, and his turmoil threatens to send all three into dark currents they cannot escape. Even after going through her own hell, saving Sabin will take much more than Blythe had anticipated. Their connection and their love could help, but getting him to reach for her hand could be Blythe’s biggest challenge ever.

Blythe has found a way to breathe, with the love of Chris and Sabin. Sabin is her best friend. In fact, everyone would count themselves lucky to have a friend like Sabin. He is charismatic and loving, and loyal to a fault. He wants his loved ones to feel no pain. But as they grow closer, she notices that Sabin is falling apart. He wants to be free, but at the same time, he can’t stand being alone. If Blythe isn’t strong enough to save him, she’s going to drown right along with him.

My heart was breaking this entire time. True to the Left Drowning feel, I had to step away from everyone, as I couldn’t contain the sobs that overcame me, at one scene. I was completely caught off guard and my heart squeezed so tight.

I wanted Sabin to be happy. But no matter how loud and crazy he was, there was undercurrent within him, that you felt through the pages. Restless waters is the perfect description of him. He was all over the place. Never settled. He was hurting and helpless. After growing up the crazy household they did, there are bound to be scars that remain below the surface. Healing doesn’t happen overnight. It takes a lot of fierce love and compassion to prevent someone from drowning in sadness and pain.

So hold on. Grab a box of tissues and get cozy. You won’t want to get up until you’ve finished.

~Melpomene

Buy Restless Waters: A Left Drowning Novel (Left Drowning Series Book 2)

Read Left Drowning (Left Drowning Series Book 1) first, to fully understand where Sabin is coming from. This book is in my top 10 of all times. I have much love for this series.

Review and Giveaway: In the Dark by Monica Murphy

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01 in I remember meeting Gabriel in Fair Game and I was excited to read what his story would be about.

SYNOPSIS
Stuck spending the summer with his screwed up family, Gabriel Walker is bored out of his mind and looking for an adventure. And he seems to find it with the hot girl who lives next door. The attraction between them is instant. Electric. Soon they’re spending every stolen minute together. Talk about the perfect summer fling…

Lucy isn’t what she seems. She doesn’t live next door—she’s the girl who’s been hired to house sit for the summer while the family goes on a worldwide vacation. If Gabe wants to believe she’s a spoiled rich girl looking for some fun, she can go along with that. After the summer, she’ll never see him again.

They don’t count on running into each other at college. Now Lucy must keep up the pretense of being a rich girl—and it’s exhausting. She knows she’s falling in love with Gabe and she’s scared he feels the same. Will he still care about her when he discovers the truth?

The majority of this story takes place on the beach, even though the synopsis doesn’t make it sound like it. That was the best part of their story. I enjoyed seeing Gabe, this super in control, always gets the girl, ladies man, seem unsure of what to do. He sees this gorgeous girl and is intrigued by her, without even knowing a thing about her. And when he finally takes the shot, his world is flipped upside down.

Lucy decides to house sit for one of her mom’s clients, all summer long, in order to help pay for college. She thought she’s be spending it all alone cooped up in the house. She had no intentions of getting out. But then her “neighbor” decides to come over one day, and BAM, her life is flipped also.

This was a sweet story filled with lots of flirting and banter. Lucy is nothing like the girls the Gabe usually goes for, but he likes what he sees and he’s gonna let her know every chance he gets. Lucy is your typical insecure girl who isn’t used to guys liking her for her, so it made my heart happy to have him tell her not to change. But when she sees him in college, the thought of him finding out that she’s not up in his league, was very scary. She thought he was going to be just a summer fling, but that silly heart of hers wouldn’t let her get away with that.

~Melpomene

Buy In The Dark (The Rules Book 2)

Click HERE to enter the giveaway.

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**Credit: WordSmith Publicity**

Review: Capture by Rachel VanDyken

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Designed grunge paper texture, background

Designed grunge paper texture, background

Oh, my happy little heart. This book was quite a sweet read.

Dani blames herself for her parent’s death. After a trauma like that she lost the ability to speak. She functions with texting. She’s lost many friends over this, and people think she’s snotty or just acting. She wishes she could just open her mouth and say the words, but she can’t. It’s not a life she wants, but no matter what she does, she can’t break through this barrier.

Lincoln Green goes through assistants a bit more often than he wishes, so when he hires a non speaking Dani, he hopes this might work in his favor.

Dani is very nervous working the hot actor, but there’s something about him. He’s super funny and very patient with her. Soon she finds herself falling for the guy who is so out of her league, but, at the same time, seems to be just what she needs.

I positively loved this sweet story. My heart broke for Dani and the way she struggled. We each function differently and handle trauma the same way. I am so glad this was shown in a positive light. I wanted to reach in and give her a hug and tell her it’s ok.

I was so happy to see all the Seaside gang there. It was fun. And also there was a nice surprise tucked in there, and that REALLY made me happy. Well done, Rachel!!

~Melpomene

Buy Capture (Seaside Pictures Book 1)

Review: Crystal Kingdom by Amanda Hocking

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01 cry This is the third book in the Kanin Chronicles, and I was totally taken in with this series. An epic fantasy with enough action to get your heart racing and enough romance to make your heart happy. I know this is a spin off from the Trylle books, but I haven’t read those yet. But after reading this series, I have to bump them up my tbr list.

SYNOPSIS
Bryn must decide: follow her head or her heart.

Thrown into a world of suspense and intrigue, Bryn has to fight to clear her name. But she’s not alone. With help from the Trylle – including Finn Holmes – she’s on a quest to discover the truth.

With her life and her world on the line, will Bryn be able to risk it all?

Bryn has to make some very difficult choices in this final book. She is an outlaw, and must rely on some unlikely alliances if she wants to clear name and find out who’s behind all this trouble. Her heart was pulled in so many different directions, I felt so bad for her. I wanted her to find happiness, but not at the expense of all that she, and her loved ones, had to endure. Just when things were looking up, the rug was pulled out from underneath her. So many times….

I loved all these characters. Konstantin was so bad, and yet not really. He was a wild card, and I love him. I wanted only good things for him. Ridley was amazing. He endured so much for her. The pain he went through was insane. But for Brynn, he would do that and so much more. I was glad to see many of the Trylle characters in this story. They seem to have a great story to tell. Like I said already, that series is getting bumped up. I need to know how they came to be.

Brynn was so used to doing a job and not thinking of love, that she missed out on so much. She was all about the job and never understood why so many of her friends were choosing love. By then end, she knew. Without feeling love for others, this battle was pointless. But perhaps now, she’ll be able to move on to bigger and better things knowing that there’s more to this life now.

All in all, a fabulous conclusion. Mind you, there were quite a few scenes in which I yelled, “NO!!!” and my heart was crushed and ripped out a few times, but I was left satisfied. The last chapter wrapped everything up, with a nice little bow. I wish we were able to see a wee bit more of Brynn’s future, but perhaps we’ll get a surprise novella later. That would make me happy.

~Melpomene

Release Date: Aug 4, 2015
Buy Crystal Kingdom (The Kanin Chronicles)

First you must get caught up.
Frostfire (The Kanin Chronicles Book 1)

Ice Kissed (The Kanin Chronicles)

Review: When You’re Back, by Abbi Glines

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01 whenTHIS!!! This is what I was waiting for. I am very happy with the way this book transpired. I knew Mase was going to have a good story.

“Before Reese, I didn’t know the world could be full of dreams. That you could wake up every day excited to breathe. That one little smile from her could make me feel like a fucking king. Loving her is worth…it’s worth it all. Living in fear of love isn’t living.”

I like Reese in this book. She was strong and trying to move past her setbacks, by taking control doing something with her life that she never thought she could do. I love that she had Mase to encourage and support her through this. That boy would do anything for her.

That cowboy loves fiercely. He will do anything within his power to protect those he loves as well, even if that means dealing with his dad, so his sister doesn’t have any added stress. He loves his sister so much, that he still tries to protect her.

I was glad to see the past characters throughout this book. I like to keep up on them and see how they’re doing.

The theme of this book, however, was crazy family. No joke. Well, maybe crazy isn’t the right word. Maybe wild?? Either way, family members had a way of causing all sorts of trouble in this book. Mase’s “cousin”, Aida, thinks she loves him and tries to do anything to get him to notice her. Then have Captain(River), Blair’s brother, who decides to set his eyes on Reese. But with Captain, it was friendship bordering on a little something more. But I did like his character. I didn’t always like his actions, but I understood them. I am DYING for his story. I know there’s a perfect girl for him.

There are quite a few heart stopping and dropping moments and a twist or two in here, that I never saw coming. And seeing how this ended, I am seriously dying for the next book. THAT ENDING!!!!! I can’t wait!!!

~Melpomene

Buy When You’re Back: A Rosemary Beach Novel (The Rosemary Beach Series Book 12)

Review: Chasing River by K.A.Tucker

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01 chas Let me start off by saying that normally I’m not one for suspense books. They makes my nerves shot and my stomach all twisty. But this Burying Water series by K.A.Tucker is one of the exceptions. This series has characters that draw you in. While some may not be the “perfect” characters(I mean, let’s face it, no one’s perfect) but you’ll find yourself rooting for them and hoping they find the right path. River is one of those characters.

SYNOPSIS
Armed with two years’ worth of savings and the need to experience life outside the bubble of her Oregon small town, twenty-five-year old Amber Welles is prepared for anything. Except dying in Dublin. Had it not been for the bravery of a stranger, she might have. But he takes off before she has the chance to offer her gratitude.

Twenty-four-year-old River Delaney is rattled. No one was supposed to get hurt. But then that American tourist showed up. He couldn’t let her die, but he also couldn’t risk being identified at the scene—so, he ran. Back to his everyday life of running his family’s pub. Only, everyday life is getting more and more complicated, thanks to his brother, Aengus, and his criminal associations. When the American girl tracks River down, he quickly realizes how much he likes her, how wrong she is for him. And how dangerous it is to have her around. Chasing her off would be the smart move.

Maybe it’s because he saved her life, or maybe it’s because he’s completely different from everything she’s left behind, but Amber finds herself chasing after River Delaney. Amber isn’t the kind of girl to chase after anyone.

And River isn’t the kind of guy she’d want to catch.

I liked River. I mean, let’s face it, he’s Irish. What’s not to like? He risks his life for someone, when most people would’ve just ran away. He works hard to keep his family’s pub running smooth, while trying to keep his trouble maker brother out of harm’s way. So when this American girl shows up and shows interest in him, he really should try and push her away. He’s not good enough for her.

Amber Welles has wanted this trip for years. She even made a crazy vacation bucket list, with her brother’s girlfriend, Alex.

#1 Have a torrid affair with a foreigner.

Sounds easy enough. Everyone does that. Well, when you’ve just been saved by a ridiculous hot Irishman, an affair sounds like a good idea. YOLO, and all that. What she doesn’t know is that her savior, isn’t all she thinks he is. He has secrets that could change this course she’s on, if she’s not careful.

Their love affair was not without lots and lots of bumps in the road. His past isn’t all sunshine and roses, and getting mixed up with the Sheriff’s daughter, who always does the right thing, may not be in his best interest. But maybe, just maybe, being chased is the best thing for him.

I actually found myself really liking all the side characters, in this one. The Delaney family, with the exception of the oldest brother, was fun to read. I could hear Rowen’s teasing tone, right through the pages. But my favorite was Ivy. She may seem tough on the outside, but that girl has a sweet side that I’m sure will come out in the next book. I just know her book is going to be great!!

~Melpomene

Buy Chasing River: A Novel (The Burying Water Series)

Review: The Song of David by Amy Harmon

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01 song “The most intimate thing we can do is to allow the people we love most to see us at our worst.”

My heart is full and happy. The Song of David was so beautifully written, I can’t seem to wrap my head around any coherent words that will make this review even a hint of what it should be. I can’t see through my tears, even if I could think well enough to do that. Amy Harmon’s stories are perfect. The characters are real. The problems are real. The hurt is real. She is the master creator of stories that will change you and heal you.

SYNOPSIS
I won my first fight when I was eleven years old, and I’ve been throwing punches ever since. Fighting is the purest, truest, most elemental thing there is. Some people describe heaven as a sea of unending white. Where choirs sing and loved ones await. But for me, heaven was something else. It sounded like the bell at the beginning of a round, it tasted like adrenaline, it burned like sweat in my eyes and fire in my belly. It looked like the blur of screaming crowds and an opponent who wanted my blood.

For me, heaven was the octagon.

Until I met Millie, and heaven became something different. I became something different. I knew I loved her when I watched her stand perfectly still in the middle of a crowded room, people swarming, buzzing, slipping around her, her straight dancer’s posture unyielding, her chin high, her hands loose at her sides. No one seemed to see her at all, except for the few who squeezed past her, tossing exasperated looks at her unsmiling face. When they realized she wasn’t normal, they hurried away. Why was it that no one saw her, yet she was the first thing I saw?

If heaven was the octagon, then she was my angel at the center of it all, the girl with the power to take me down and lift me up again. The girl I wanted to fight for, the girl I wanted to claim. The girl who taught me that sometimes the biggest heroes go unsung and the most important battles are the ones we don’t think we can win.

No one fights alone.

David “Tag” Taggert has been a fighter for most his life. He will fight for those he loves and cares about, until he can no longer swing. We met Tag in The Law of Moses and I’m so glad we get to see more of him. He hasn’t had the easiest of times, since the death of his sister, but he puts on an act and carries on. On the outside he seems like the most confident and happy go lucky kind of guy, but there’s a secret that he’s keeping from those who love him most.

I adored Millie!!! She was the best girl for Tag. She’s a fighter and a mighty protector. She lays it out there and tells him what he needs to hear, not what he wants to hear. No matter how much he wants to protect her from the ugly side of life, she forces him let her in and be there for him.

“When you’re with me, I feel like I glimpse a David nobody else knows is there. It’s a Song of David, and nobody else can hear it but me.”

This book struck a chord with me. So many parts of this story I could relate to, and it made me connect and feel it, even more than I normally would. There is a connection between David and Goliath that everyone faces at some point in their lives. They must fight their giants, and keep fighting til they’re taken down and destroyed. Never stop fighting. No matter what.

“You hold onto me. You trust me. You lean on me. You rely on me. You let me shelter you. You let me love you. All of you.”

~Melpomene

While you can read this as a standalone, to avoid spoilers and get the full experience, read The Law of Moses
first. You can thank me later.

Buy The Song of David

Review and Giveaway:Trusting Liam by Molly McAdams

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01 tru You know how books have short epilogues, that just give you a small glimpse into their futures? Well, this book was like the most epic of epilogues. For those who don’t know, Liam is the son of Chase and Harper, from Taking Chances and Stealing Harper. I’ll admit, when I hear Liam was getting a book, I said a little prayer to the book gods that I was going to be able to handle it. Taking Chances was my first book ugly cry, and Stealing Harper about killed me. Molly pretty much destroyed me and everyone else, with those books. So you can understand my nervousness.

SYNOPSIS
When Kennedy Ryan moves to California, she never expects to come face-to-face with Liam Taylor—the intriguing man who has haunted her thoughts for a year. A man who led her to breaking every one of her rules for a single night of passion that ended up meaning more than it was ever supposed to. Accustomed to disastrous experiences with men, Kennedy shields herself before he can break down more of the carefully built control she’s clung to for the last four years. But every time she sees Liam, she feels her resolve weakening.

Liam Taylor has been asked to help socialize his boss’s nieces. But what he thinks sounds more like a babysitting job ends up leading him to the only girl who ever slipped away before morning—a girl he thought he’d never find again. And now that she’s within reach, Liam’s determined to never let her go.

But when a secret from her past tests their relationship, will they be able to cling to the trust Liam has worked so hard to build?

I adored Liam!! He’s had some big shoes to fill. His dad was loved by a lot of people and sometimes that can be overwhelming for him, since he never met him. Many times throughout this story I found myself tearing up as they reminisce about the past. My heart would splinter a little bit, when they talked about Chase. I know the book is about Liam, but Chase played a huge part in this entire series, so it’s really hard to forget about him.

Kennedy was a tough nut to crack. I kept yelling at her to loosen up, but she never listened to me. But then, I found out why she was the way she was. Then it all made sense. The past few years have been rough on her.I can see why she had such apprehension, when it came to Liam. But he wasn’t going to give up. He’s much like his dad in that sense. If he wants something, he will fight for it.

I was so happy to see all the past characters, especially the side ones like Brian. He was a funny, and very loving guy. Comments like dude number one and dude number two, when he was talking to Kennedy and her sister, made me snort a bit. When he would speak about Chase, with such love, tears were forming in my eyes. He loves Liam just as much as his father. And let’s not talk about the name Little Chachi, unless you have a tissues nearby.

All in all, I am very happy with this ending. It’s not a happily ever after, because life isn’t always happy, but it’s about as happy as you can get with what life’s dealt you. Well done, Molly!

~Melpomene

Trust me when I say that you should read Taking Chances and Stealing Harper before you read this. You will benefit more from it. And then when your tears have dried up, you can start on Liam.

Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Date: June 9, 2015

Buy Taking Chances (Taking Chances and Forgiving Lies Book 1)

Buy Stealing Harper (Taking Chances and Forgiving Lies Book 2)

Then buy Trusting Liam: A Taking Chances and Forgiving Lies Novel

TrustingLiam

Review: Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

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01 nowhere “The only way to break free is to understand the past so you don’t continue to follow in their footsteps.”

Oh my gosh!! Katie McGarry has done it again! I love MC series and Katie’s books. So when you combine them, this is a match in my book nerd heaven.

SYNPOSIS
Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she’s curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn’t mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both.

Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They’re the good guys. They protect people. They’re…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club’s most respected member—is in town, he’s gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it’s his shot at his dream. What he doesn’t count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down.

No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.

This is a story about being proud of where you come from. It’s about love and forgiveness and being true to yourself. Emily has been told ties all her life, but she never knew it, until she came back and was thrust into her biological father’s world. Now she is slowly unraveling the lies and falling more in love this life and these people who she’s been told to fear.

Oz made a mistake and has been put a babysitting duty, of the leader’s daughter. He knows she’s bad news and wants her to go home as soon as possible. But the longer he stays near her, she brings out feelings that he has no right to feel. But no matter how hard he tries, he can’t deny that this MC princess is going to be his downfall, if he doesn’t get a hold of himself.

In true Katie McGarry form, this book is perfect for mid teens. There is no over the top sexiness. There was a fair amount of tension, but nothing explicit. Oz and Emily try and fight their attraction, but sometimes the heart doesn’t work with what we want.

“I thought your job was to prevent me from learning the truth…”

“No. My job is to love you.”

This book was full of excitement and had an emotional story line that will tug at your heartstrings a bit. I found myself even tearing up a bit at the end. You fall in love with these characters and don’t want any harm to befall them. But sometimes life isn’t perfect. So if you find people who love you, except their love and hold on tight.

~Melpomene

BuyNowhere but Here (Thunder Road)