New Adult

Review: 180 Seconds by Jessica Park

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When will I learn to read JP books with a box of tissues nearby? I mean seriously, these books reek havoc on my heart.

Allison is a very closed off person. She’s been tossed around in foster care and has learned it’s better to keep to herself than to put herself out there and be rejected or left behind. She had my heart all twisty. She struggles with letting people in. I wanted to reach in and hug her.

After a social media experiment she was pulled into, she realizes that she needs to let people in and to open up her heart a little. There are so many people around her that would love to get close, if only she’d let them. Anxiety is hard to face and even more difficult to let go.

I loved Esben. He’s bigger than life, with a heart of gold. Really, he’s perfect in all the ways that matter. It was wild to see his reaction to the 180 Seconds experiment and to watch him chip away at Allison’s wall until it falls at her feet. It will not be easy. There will be tears. LOTS of tears. But they’ll be worth it.

“I don’t need protection from your past. I need protection from mine.”

Jessica’s books have a way of stringing you along, then tearing your heart out and forcing you to take a deep breath before continuing. Angst must be her middle name. If you loved Flat Out Celeste and Left Drowning/Restless Waters, then this book is right up your alley. This story made me take a good long look at my own life and others around me. You never know who might need a little extra patience and love.

Be brave.

~Melpomene

Buy 180 Seconds here: http://amzn.to/2pTVpo4

Review: Keepsake(True North#3) by Sarina Bowen

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keepsake
There’s just something about this series that I love. I can’t put my finger on it, but whatever it is, I hope it continues.

Lark has lived through a horrific ordeal and is struggling to get back to what she was before. She goes to stay at the orchard for the summer, in the hopes that the peace she finds there will put her back together. But she has no idea that the peace won’t come from work and fresh air, but from a certain sheltered boy who’s had his own share of trials.

I loved Zach, from the very first book. I was so curious about his story. I loved his vulnerability and yet his strength. He was sweet and patient with Lark. I loved the way he helped her at night. He’s compassionate about her struggles and soon finds himself with feelings that he’s unclear if he should run with.

She looked vivid, as if God had painted her features with bolder paints than he used on the rest of the world.

Watching these two tiptoe around each other was cute. Gah! I love these characters! This entire family, whether blood related or not, is the perfect family. They care and love each other and would just about anything to help each other out. At one scene I had tears pouring down my face from how much these guys care fo each other. They may tease and give a lot of grief, but it’s all in love. I wish I lived on the Shipley’s farm.

This may be book 3 in a series, but it can totally be read as a standalone. However, I highly recommend you read the first two books also. You will love this family as much as I do.

~Melpomene

Buy Keepsake HERE.

Review: Just Friends by Monica Murphy

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just-friends-amazon Have you ever read a book so crazy insane with angst that you wanna set it down and walk away, but you JUST CAN’T DO IT? Well, that is how I felt read Just Friends. My word… Teenage drama to the nth degree. Seriously.

Just Friends is about…well, friends. Friends and enemies. Frenemies really. The characters were so insane with teenage drama and feelings, I thought my head was going to explode. At one point I hated every single character. None of them were making good choices. They only cared about hooking up, which is true for most teenagers, but my word… Selfish, emotional and so over the top wishy washy. He likes her, but she doesn’t know if she likes him. But the he hooks up with someone else. But he really likes her, even though she doesn’t know if she can be with him. All of that and more. Teenage drama.

Now I say all of that, but in reality, I was sucked in from the very first chapter. I couldn’t take my eyes off the page. I needed to know what happens and who “really” like who, and why is she acting this way. GAH!!!!

If you stepped into your local high school, you would probably hear lots of the same conversations that were in the book. Ms. Murphy nailed the inner feelings and actions of teenage girls. Supremely. Not to mention that the boys were realistically stupid as always. Sex and sports.

I haven’t read an angst filled NA book in quite some time, so I wasn’t sure what my reactions were going to be. But it’s safe to say, there was a lot of yelling and “What are thinking?’ being shouted.Again, teenage drama. I know the characters are in high school, but they are doing lots of grown up things that I can’t label YA. This book will get your heart racing and tugging. Your heart will hurt and twist at the same time. So much fun.

And that ending? I need more NOW.

~Melpomene
Buy Just Friends HERE

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Review: Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas

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empire Well, now…where to begin…I have so many feelings all jumbled up in my head. But, here goes.

This is the first book that I actually read with my children. My daughter read the first five books, including the prequels, last year, and my son was sucked into them after we went on vacation and we listened to the first one on our trip. So it was kinda fun reading along. It was crazy to be able to scream and yell and vent together.

Being that this is the 5th book in a series, you should be all ready to handle the amount of emotions that Sarah’s books will pull out of you. But this one was different. This book seemed more epic, if that’s even possible. So many storylines were going on at the same time, it was stressful. I kept waiting for the massive explosion from when they all crashed together. And let me tell you, explosion was exactly what we got. There were alliances made. Deals drawn. And that ending…my heart was messed up. My kids were NOT happy with that ending. They were yelling at me. I was laughing at them. I’m used to this kinds of devastation, but they are not.

While I was enjoying myself, this book seemed to take a turn for the NA world. Just a heads up there. This series, up til now, was pretty YA and the sexy scenes were fade to black. Not so with this one. It was quite descriptive and I had to block off a few spots for my teens. Now don’t get all huffy. I’m not about censorship, but I will do that for my kids. I like the sexy parts, but not for my kids. I won’t go into more about that, but I will say this, those scenes are the reason I gave this a 4 instead of a 5.

Besides all that, I will recommend this series if you like fantasy. Sarah creates worlds that are so unbelievable and yet they sound so real. I haven’t heard the audible for this one, but I did use it for my reread/relisten and the stories are even better when you hear them.

~Melpomene

Buy Empire of Storms HERE

Review: Broken Prince by Erin Watt

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01 abr I am royally ruined.

After that shocking ending, in Paper Princess, we were left with a ton of questions. To be honest, we were left screaming and yelling. But once we calmed down, we were able to think and ponder and then come up with all our questions.

Ella is gone. The Royals are falling a part. The world is not what it should be. Who knew that a girl was the key to a smoother life in the Royal household?

Reed has been the king of his world for some time now, but when Ella walks into his life, she flipped a switch. And now that she’s gone, he realizes that he needs her more than he ever knew. He’s made so many wrong decisions and now they’re all back to bit him in the rump.

“I’ve spent the last couple of years trying to destroy everything around me. Who knew success would taste so bitter.”

This book had so many “Oh my gosh!” and “Holy crap!” moments, I could barely keep up. So many deceptions and new questions, it’s no wonder we can’t pick up a book for a few days. My stomach was in knots the entire time. This book turned me into one of those annoying people who use all caps to get their feeling across on social media. I mean, between Ella, Reed, evil Brooke, Callum and the rest of the Royal boys, how’s a person supposed to function with all that drama and deception flying around?

Again, this book will leave you wanting so much more. Too bad we must wait until October for Twisted Palace. And let me tell you, that name is PERFECT for this insane story.

~Melpomene

Buy Broken Prince HERE.

Review: Up in Flames by Abbi Glines

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01 aa3 I had so many preconceived ideas about how I thought this book was going to go and I was COMPLETELY wrong. From the very first page this book had me guessing.

Nan deserved a hea. Heck, everyone does!! But true to form, Nan doesn’t do things the normal way. She goes all out and makes sure it drama filled. I was never an official Nan hater, but I didn’t really like her. As we’ve seen her actions, in the past few books, we begin to realize that there’s more her than she lets on. And when this book was announced, I was so totally excited and curious as to who was going to tame this crazy girl. HA! As if she could be tamed.

To say that this had twists and turn would be an understatement. So without too much, I’ll say this, Hold on tight.

Nan had become a part of me even before I touched her for the first time.Watching her, I’d slowly started feeling things for the beautiful woman who was so alone yet so tough. The small things no one saw I began to cherish.

I never read the synopsis until after I wrote this review. I didn’t want any influence or ideas, so I had no clue what is was about except that it was finally Nan’s turn to shine. So, to say that this shocked the crap outta me, would be an understatement. But why did I ever expect Nan to do anything the easy way. As you come to expect, the drama queen of Rosemary Beach closes out this series with a bang.

I have been a fan of Abbi’s since July of 2012, when I happened to stumble upon The Vincent Boys and then immediately into the Sea Breeze books and from then on, I was hooked. She was officially an auto buy author. I enjoy her books as they have a way of making the world calm down. While they may be emotional at times, I look forward to the break they give me, from all the angst I read. So now we say goodbye to these characters and call me crazy, but I don’t think I’m ready to let go. But I’m still crossing my fingers that she surprises us with a little something in a few years.

Thank you, Abbi, for giving us such wild and crazy characters that made me laugh, cry and swoon.

~Melpomene

Buy Up in Flames

Get caught up with the whole gang, so you can fully enjoy the ride.

Fallen Too Far
Never Too Far
Forever Too Far
Rush Too Far
Twisted Perfection
Simple Perfection
Take a Chance
One More Chance
You Were Mine
Kiro’s Emily
When I’m Gone
When You’re Back
The Best Goodbye

Review: Paper Princess by Erin Watt

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01 ar Dude. I am speechless right now. My heart is racing a mile a minute and my hands are shaking. This book was a wild ride and I don’t think I was strapped in tight enough. Whew!

Ella has done what she needed to do to survive. While it wasn’t the wisest choice, it was her only choice. But then Callum Royal plucks her out and take her to his home, with his five sons, claiming he is her guardian. She is thrust into a life that is clearly nothing she’s ever experienced.

I liked Ella’s spunk. I liked her soft side as well. Just because she has taken to the more rougher choices in life doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel or cry. My heart broke a few times right along with her. She is just trying to get through high school unscathed, but these Royal boys aren’t going to make it easy.

This will never by my home. I don’t belong in splendor. I belong in squalor. That’s what I know. It’s what I’m comfortable with, because squalor doesn’t lie to you. It’s not wrapped in a pretty package. It is what it is.
This house is an illusion. It’s polished and pretty, but the dream Callum is trying to sell is as flimsy as paper. Nothing stays shiny forever in this world.

This book is definitely angst to the nth degree. I inhaled it in one sitting because I’m pretty sure my nerves couldn’t handle this dragged out any longer. And now that it’s over, I’m feeling like I need the next book, or I’ll just DIE. It’s like a soap opera, and the hour is done, and now I must wait for the next episode with bated breath.

~Melpomene

Buy Paper Princess HERE.
Pre order Broken Prince HERE.

Review: The Wrath and the Dawn by Renee Ahdieh

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01 wra “She was a dangerous, dangerous girl. A plague. A Mountain of Adamant who tore the iron from ships, sinking them to their watery graves without a second thought. With a mere smile and a wrinkle of her nose.”

This is one of the most epic and beautiful stories I have ever read. The backdrop was so rich in details I felt like I was there. The romance was a slow burn that had my heart twisting. The story itself had me neglecting my family, just so I could read faster. I was completely drawn into the story so much, that I never wanted to put it down. The words…oh, sweet heaven, the words…so romantic.

SYNOPSIS
In a land ruled by a murderous boy-king, each dawn brings heartache to a new family. Khalid, the eighteen-year-old Caliph of Khorasan, is a monster. Each night he takes a new bride only to have a silk cord wrapped around her throat come morning. When sixteen-year-old Shahrzad’s dearest friend falls victim to Khalid, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to be his next bride. Shahrzad is determined not only to stay alive, but to end the caliph’s reign of terror once and for all.

Night after night, Shahrzad beguiles Khalid, weaving stories that enchant, ensuring her survival, though she knows each dawn could be her last. But something she never expected begins to happen: Khalid is nothing like what she’d imagined him to be. This monster is a boy with a tormented heart. Incredibly, Shahrzad finds herself falling in love. How is this possible? It’s an unforgivable betrayal. Still, Shahrzad has come to understand all is not as it seems in this palace of marble and stone. She resolves to uncover whatever secrets lurk and, despite her love, be ready to take Khalid’s life as retribution for the many lives he’s stolen. Can their love survive this world of stories and secrets?

I’ll admit, at first, I never saw this turning into a romance, even though everyone said it was. I just couldn’t see how anyone could love a boy who had his wives murdered each night. I thought that there was no way he could ever be loved. I was so very wrong!

“What are you doing to me, you plague of a girl?” he whispered.
“If I’m a plague, then you should keep your distance, unless you plan on being destroyed.” The weapons still in her grasp, she shoved against his chest.
“No.” His hands dropped to her waist. “Destroy me.”

Shazi is a good wife. She will do her duties to the king, even though she is terrified. She has more determination to stay alive and find out why all of the wives are found dead each morning, and to not become one of them. She is different than Khalid’s past wives and he finds himself intrigued with her.

The more I read, I knew there was more going on with Khalid!! I just knew it! Heck, I even fell in love with him. This murdering boy-king stole my heart.

“This dangerous girl. This captivating beauty.
This destroyer of worlds and creator of wonder.”

I read this book back in December but I could never review it fully, due to the fact that my simple words could never convey exactly how much I love this story. Now as I prepare for my reread, in anticipation for The Rose and the Dagger, I felt I needed to try. I highly recommend this story to those who are in the mood for a rich romance set in the beautiful Arabian nights backdrop. Your heart will thank you. If you are unsure as to how much I loved this book, look at this picture and notice the amount of tabs I used. So many beautiful words. I wish I could use them all in my review.
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~Melpomene

Buy The Wrath and the Dawn

Be sure and check out the short story,The Moth and the Flame: A Wrath & the Dawn Short Story, which, even though it’s only a few pages, will make you fall in love with Khalid all over again and have you wanting more from his point of view.

Preorder The Rose and the Dagger before it release April 26th.

Review: Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

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01 ill This book is the epitome of roller coaster. I have no words. When I first heard about this book, I was doubting all these people who said it was the best book they’ve read in a long time. I mean, c’mon, how can a book, with not a single “real” page, be the best book?? Well, I stand corrected.

Illuminae is not like anything I’ve ever read before. The pages are amazing. At first I wasn’t sure if I could understand it, but it took just a few minutes to get the hang of it and to realize what was going on. Then I was instantly sucked into the story. The interactions between all the characters completely sucks you in. Kady and Ezra especially, had my heart tugging. Here’s a pair of teenagers thrown into a war with nothing but their brains to keep them alive. They desperately want to find each other and are doing everything they can to stay alive until that happens. With the plague all around them, they must make decisions that will affect not only them, but the 1000s of others who’s lives are at stake as well.

To be honest, I almost didn’t finish it. I was so angry. Like legit furious and book burning angry. But again, roller coaster. My friends talked me down and back into my seat. I buckled down and held on tight. So many ups and downs. One minute my heart was racing with nerves and the next I was tearing up. Lots of love and loss.

I tried listening to the audible but, one, there are no chapters to tell where you are, so it’s hard to find where you left off, and two, so many pages get lost in translation. To fully enjoy this unique story, you must read the DTB. (DTB=dead tree book=”real” book) That being said. the audible is FANTASTIC. I mean, the talent of the three narrators is amazing. You felt like you were right in the action. You could feel all the emotions and that made this book even better. I was reading along with them, because I wanted to experience it fully. I can’t wait until it’s on the big screen. To see the full action will be almost as good as what I just experienced.

I am quite looking forward to the next book. If it has half of the emotion and excitement as this one did, I think I may need to take a chill pill beforehand. WHOA.

~Melpomene

Buy Illuminae (The Illuminae Files)

Review and Giveaway: The Best Goodbye by Abbi Glines

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01 good “Oh, Captain, my captain.” Seriously. Swooning.

When I read When You’re Back, a few months ago, I completely fell for Captain. I wasn’t a big fan of some of his actions, but he intrigued me. And then the ending of that book left me with a fierce need for his story. I knew it was going to be good, because deep down he’s a good guy, but I had no idea his story would turn out this way. He may not always seem like it, but his intentions are in the right place, even if they seem like they’re not.

SYNOPSIS
After ten years in the employ of a mysterious crime boss, River “Captain” Kipling is ready to leave his sordid past—and his cover occupation as an upscale restaurateur—behind him. The only thing standing in the way of his “retirement” is his commitment to launch a new restaurant in the resort town of Rosemary Beach. With his sister, Blaire, nearby, Captain can delay his dream of running a humble bar on the waterfront, but the unwanted attentions of his head server, Elle, have him itching to get out.

Until he notices Rose Henderson, the new server at the restaurant. All he knows about the pretty redhead with the cute glasses is that she’s a hardworking single mom from Oklahoma. But there’s something overly familiar about her laugh…something strange about the way she looks at Captain…

I am so happy with this book. I wanted Captain to have someone to love him. I knew there was someone made just for him. It was too bad that life put a few road blocks in his path and making it difficult to live the life he wanted.

Finding out his past, broke my heart. His life turned tragic, years ago, and he’s spent the last 10 years trying to make the world a better place for those who can’t do it themselves. His ways aren’t what you consider “right.” But in my eyes, he was doing a job that many wish they could do but never had the guts to do it. After surviving what he did, he wanted no one else to suffer like that.

“No one touched my soul, Addy. Only you.”

I would say more, but there’s a bit of a turn in this story that makes me both happy and sad. Lies and deception have a way of messing up Captain’s world, but little does know that it’s all about to come out in the open and change his life again.

Abbi has created a world of characters that you wish you were a part of. The way they stand up for each other and drop everything to help each other, is refreshing. I love seeing the past characters come in and out of each book. It’s so good to see how their lives have been. And let me tell you, in this book, we get a snippet of a possible future, and I.CAN’T.WAIT.

~Melpomene

Be sure to go HERE and enter the rafflcopter.

Buy The Best Goodbye: A Rosemary Beach Novel (The Rosemary Beach Series)

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