Simon and Schuster

Review: Safe with Me by Amy Hatvany

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20131209-100752.jpgA parent’s worst nightmare must surely be the death of a child. It disrupts the natural order of things. Children are supposed to outlive their parents. There’s nothing that can be done to prepare for such a loss. And when the death is sudden and unexpected it must be that much more difficult.

Hannah Scott is a successful business woman who is also a single mom by choice. The owner of a thriving salon, she made the decision to conceive daughter Emily through artificial insemination. Emily is the center of Hannah’s very happy and full world. Olivia Bell is also a mother, but her life is not as pleasant. Daughter Maddie has been in and out of the hospital since she was a toddler and will die without a liver transplant. Olivia also has problems in the form of an abusive, domineering husband. These two women couldn’t lead more different lives. However, their worlds collide when Emily’s life is tragically cut short and Hannah must make the difficult decision to allow her organs to be donated. What follows is a story of so many things-grief, illness, friendship, domestic issues.

This was my first Amy Hatvany book but it definitely won’t be my last. She writes with such emotion that it’s impossible to not be drawn deeply into the story immediately. Reminiscent of Jodi Picoult and Kristin Hannah, her writing is true to life and entirely believable. This book tackles real-life topics without being preachy or presenting an overly optimistic “happy ending” for all and reads true to life. A warning for those of you who get emotional when you’re reading: this one may require Kleenex. I can’t wait to read more by this author.

~Thalia

Buy it Now: Safe with Me: A Novel

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: Remy by Katy Evans

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“When I take you, you’ll be mine.”

Holy sexual tension, Batman!! I love reading male’s POVs cuz of all the emotions they feel, but this books is nothing like those. Now, don’t get me wrong, this book had emotion, but most of it was filled with sexual tension so raw, I was fanning myself a few times. He is a fierce lover. FIERCE!

It’s starts off on their wedding day. And while he’s waiting for Brooke, he remembers all those things that happened between them. I thought this book was going to basically be Real from Remy’s point of view. But I was wrong. It was Real and Mine together. I was very happy about that. It basically alternated between the now and then. I’m glad we got to see some of his scenes, where Brooke isn’t there. We never knew how he felt about going black and needing the shots. I felt so horrible for him, at those parts. I can’t imagine not being in control like that. Scary.

When we first see Remy meet Brooke, you see how he was thrown off balance, just like she was. It’s nice to see a guy off kilter. The way he wanted her was slightly overwhelming. He was quite obsessive for her. I never knew the depths of his needing love, until this book. He was basically thrown away, when all he wanted was love. He wants to give all of himself to Brooke, if she’ll take him.

And once he has Brooke, he will do everything to keep her.

“I’m not letting anyone take her. I’m not letting her go. I’m her Real. She’s Mine.”

I still loved the way music was intertwined throughout the book. Remy uses songs to show Brooke how he feels, since he can’t quite say the right things. The songs they picked were perfectly written for them. She seems to understand him more and more, with his song choices.

This was a nice ending to the Remy and Brooke story. I know there are more books coming, but those will be about some of their friends. Not that I’m complaining about this sexy fighter, but it will be a nice break from all his obsessive ways.

I received this ARC for an honest review.
~Melpomene

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Release date: Nov 26
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Buy it now Remy (The REAL series)

Review: Four Seconds to Lose, by K.A.Tucker

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I believe you don’t have years, or months,
or weeks to impact a person’s life.
You have seconds.
Seconds to win them over,
And seconds to lose them.
–Cain

This was definitely not the like the first two books. It was still good, but just different.

Cain wasn’t your traditional strip joint owner. He set out to help girls get back on their feet. He knew if he didn’t help them they’d end up lost and forgotten. He’s very good at his job and he never wanted to mix business with pleasure.

Well, that was until he met Charlie.

Charlie needs cash. And she needs it FAST. She is in a horrible situation and need is desperate to get out of it. So desperate that she’ll become a stripper to do it.

Soon she finds herself falling for Cain, but she knows she can’t. She can’t risk him knowing who and what she really is. She doesn’t want him to get hurt or worse.

She tries everything to get away from him and her new friends, but she is so lonely she doesn’t want to leave.

Cain doesn’t want to let Charlie go. He is determined to help her with whatever she needs help with. He doesn’t care what she’s done in her past. He wants to be in her future. He’s done things in his past that he’s not proud of, so he understands why she’s leery.

When everything comes out in the open, they both need to make some very hard decisions. Decisions that will tear them apart, before they can even think of being together.

We get a glimpse of the past friends from the other books. Storm and Dan play a bigger roll than Ben, Kacey, Trent and Livie do, but they all play a minor roll.

I knew I liked Cain, after reading the other two books. But after reading this, I REALLY liked him! Something horrible happened to him, in his late teens, but he chose to turn it around and make a better life for himself.

I can’t wait to see what trouble Ben gets into, in the next book. But I have to wait til February for that one.

~Melpomene

Buy it now Four Seconds to Lose: A Novel

Review: Mine, by Katy Evans

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“Remy, you’re my king…There’s no chess game for me without you.”
“You’re the queen who will protect me.”

Oh my word!!! This book had my emotions all over the freaking place!! I remember how intense Real was and this is right up there. This takes place right after Real ends. Brooke is back with Remy and she continues to fight for him at every corner.

They have such a fierce, and an all consuming love for each other, it made their struggles even more hard to read. And boy did they have struggles. They had such doozies, that I remember the exact percentage that these happened. Brooke had to come to terms with what happened when she left him, in Real. She knows she was gone, and shouldn’t hold anything against him, but it’s much easier said than done.

“You…are going to love me until I die. I’m going to make you love me even if it hurts, and when it hurts, I’m going to make it better, Brooke.”

I felt so bad for Brooke during this book. She seemed to draw the short straw at every turn. At one point, I was reading, thinking it was a dream, until I realized it was actually happening. I was shocked and appalled. I couldn’t imagine anyone surviving that.

But then something wonderful happens and that totally made the book for me. But, as with all good books, the good parts can only last for so long, before the drama and turmoil starts to seep in and tries to destroy everything that is good. Brooke has to face something so hard, and Remy can’t help her. And when he’s away from her, the poor guy can barely function. He may appear so strong, but even the strongest beasts can fall. And if she’s not there to catch him, no one can.

Scorpion is still a major player in this book. He’s also the creator of some of the drama. Brooke’s sister play a role in the drama as well. I was getting so mad at her for not supporting her sister and Remy. He was the reason she’s alive and back in good health. But of course, drama is needed.

“You deserve this and more. While you fight out there, I will fight for you to come home to this.”

I was so strung out on the all the fight and sex scenes. FIERCE. Every time I turned around, someone was getting thrown to the floor or the bed. Not that I’m complaining. If I had a Remy of my own, I’d probably be the same way. He’s a force to be reckoned with and you better watch out. He loves and protects the ones he loves and he’s not afraid to fight hard or dirty.

There was a point where him being bipolar produced a scene that was extremely hard to read. My stomach was in feet. He was so down, there was no other option for him. Watching Remy try and fail to bring himself back up, was so sad. Growing up with people who basically threw you away, will change you, and not for the better. Even if he has caring friends, that love and support him now, not having that in the beginning of his life, has done damage to him. I know there are many people who suffer from this also, I just hope they are surrounded by loving people who will help them.

“Your family isn’t with you because of destiny or blood or because they have no choice. They’re with you because they love you. And chose you.” I gaze into his blue eyes. “I choose you.”

~Melpomene

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Buy it now Mine (The REAL series)

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Review: Red Hill, by Jamie McGuire

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Let me start out by saying two things. First, I love Jamie McGuire’s writing. Beautiful Disaster has been in my top 5 books, since I read it. Absolutely LOVED that book! And second, and the most important, I hate zombie books. I really do. Hate, hate, hate. Can you see my dilemma? I wasn’t sure I wanted to read Red Hill, when she first told the world about it. But I kept going back to my first point, I really do like her writing. What’s a girl to do?? I was gonna wait til October 1st, when it comes out, and see what others said first. I don’t like gore, so I needed a warning. But then I was approved for an ARC, so that basically made my decision for me. I started it the very day it showed up. And I’m so glad I did.

It starts out on the cusp of a total world outbreak. You see glimpses of Scarlet and her two daughters, Daniel and his daughter Zoe and Miranda with her sister and both their boyfriends.

When the world finally ends, you watch them all travel to get to Red Hill. They meet all different kinds of people. The way everyone seemed to help each other, was very reassuring. If any world collapse happened, I’d hope people would be like this. It was quite a bumpy ride. I totally loved figuring out how their lives all intertwined. At one point, I chastised myself when I realized who a character was, in the big picture.

It was written from many POVs, but it wasn’t confusing. That was probably why I missed characters until they’re basically slapping me in the face. I love how all the character intertwined with each other. At one point I was cheering for one who showed up in the end. I thought this person was dead. I was sure of it. So glad I was wrong.

I wondered how Ms. McGuire would be able to swing a love story in the midst of zombies, without it being like Warm Bodies: A Novel. But she succeeded. The story spans over several months, which is the right amount of time for love to blossom.

And plenty of time for loss also. I did find myself tearing up at a few places, cuz I was attached to these characters. I was crossing my fingers that pain wouldn’t touch them. But, life is pain, and no is immune to it.

Let me just say, the pain that Scarlet was going through, I don’t know how she did it. I doubt I’d be able to stand like her.

The gore wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be. It’s there, and it’s descriptive, but I’m just glad I was reading it and not watching it. I don’t think I could have handled seeing some of those on the big screen.

All in all, this was a good book. I’m glad I took a chance and read it. Who knew zombies and love went so well together.

I received this ARC for an honest review.

~Melpomene.

Buy it now Red Hill

Review: REAL, by Katy Evans

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I love Remington Tate!!

OK, now that that’s out of the way, I can continue.

Remy is a fallen boxer who takes to underground fighting, after he was kicked out of the professionals. He is gorgeous, super sexy, and damaged.

Brooke specializes in sports rehab therapy and works hard to prevent injuries. So she isn’t happy to be to be dragged to one of his fights, by a friend. However, she instantly feels connected to him, just after seeing him from across the room. (typical, I know) He chases her down and she thinks it’s for a hook up, but turns out he wants to offer her a job and his personal rehab therapist. She takes the job even though she is utterly attracted to him, and wonders how she’ll be able to be professional.

They continue in this kind of flirting relationship. She likes him, but he won’t take it any further. But yet, he won’t let anyone else have her. The sexual tension is very enjoyable. 🙂

“I don’t want to be yours. I want to be your fucking REAL.”

Eventually you find out that he’s bi-polar and that’s what makes him “speedy”. I’m not crazy with the way he’s handled in some situations. I won’t spoil it, but it doesn’t seem right. So he has a hard time being with or without Brooke.

Eventually they get past the flirting.

“Have you ever been anyone’s?”

“No. And you?”

“I’ve never wanted to.”

“Neither have I. Until I saw this lovely girl in Seattle, with big gold eyes, and pink, full lips… and I wondered if she could understand me…”

About 80% I was dying!! Something very awful happened. I kinda saw it coming, but yet, I didn’t how how exactly it would come out. I was heartbroken for both Remy and Brooke.

I was so very happy with the ending though. It all turned around and we weren’t left with a cliffhanger.

Thank goodness!!

Buy it now Real

Review: Losing Hope, by Colleen Hoover

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Give me a moment to collect myself……

5 stars isn’t enough. It’s a 10!!

I fell in love with Holder all over again. I remember being heartbroken when he talked about Les, in Hopeless, but hearing it from his POV was downright overwhelming. It broke my heart watching as he went through the loss of his twin, while still dealing with the loss of Hope. The poor boy.

I wasn’t expecting to feel any different than I did when I read Hopeless, but I was wrong. Holder lived and breathed his sister and finding Hope. But when she is taken from him, “It was like all our hope was taken right along with our Hope.” *wipes eyes*

When he meets Sky and starts hoping she’s not Hope, I started to lose it. I really didn’t want her to be Hope either, but I knew there was nothing I could do about it.

The best first kiss without even kissing…WOW! That was so very hot! “I need to know for sure that you’re feeling every single thing that I’m feeling the moment my lips touch yours. Because I want your first kiss to be the best first kiss in the history of first kisses.” *swoon*

When he found the notebook and starting writing letters, I felt my heart break after every one.

When he found the letter…I had to step away. I knew, but yet I didn’t know. I wanted to reach in and hold onto him and never let him go.

“In order to miss someone, that means you were privileged enough to have them in your life to begin with.”

Holy cow. I just can’t get myself together. This was an amazing book. Colleen Hoover just made my heart break and then slowly put it back together. I will never be the same though. This book did a number on me. As do all of her books. I don’t know how she does it, but I am thankful she does.

-Melpomene

Buy it now Losing Hope: A Novel