Saturday, January 31, 2015

The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

The golden skies, the translucent twilight, the white nights, all hold the promise of youth, of love, of eternal renewal. The war has not yet touched this city of fallen grandeur, or the lives of two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha Metanova, who share a single room in a cramped apartment with their brother and parents. Their world is turned upside down when Hitler's armies attack Russia and begin their unstoppable blitz to Leningrad.

Yet there is light in the darkness. Tatiana meets Alexander, a brave young officer in the Red Army. Strong and self-confident, yet guarding a mysterious and troubled past, he is drawn to Tatiana—and she to him. Starvation, desperation, and fear soon grip their city during the terrible winter of the merciless German siege. Tatiana and Alexander's impossible love threatens to tear the Metanova family apart and expose the dangerous secret Alexander so carefully protects—a secret as devastating as the war itself—as the lovers are swept up in the brutal tides that will change the world and their lives forever.

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/16dnR7h
MY THOUGHTS:
5 HUGE STARS


Oh Gosh, I honestly could not swoon more over a book! This one is an epic love story that should not be overlooked. My heart ached and my gut wrenched several times. Everything felt so real and even when the book was closed I was still consumed in the characters lives.

It is a story of hardships, war life, and forbidden romance. The main characters will grab your heart and hold it captive. The romance is so intense. It's not a mushy kind of love, but more of a I'll do anything to be with you kind of love. The sexual tensions pours off the pages and leaves you begging for more. It was intimate, intricate, and just flat out EPIC.

Normally, I have the urge to skim when books are long, but this one held my attention and sucked me in one word at a time. Even now, three days later, I cannot get into another book because my brain is still with Alexander and Tatiana. They were a couple like no other and the story was one I will never forget.

The Bronze Horseman will leave you appreciating the life you live and it will have you holding onto your loved ones a little longer. It is a fictional story based on a past time reality. It will mess with your mind and heart so be prepared!
I can't wait to start book two.

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

God Shaped Hole by Tiffanie DeBartolo Review


When I was twelve, a fortune teller told me that my one true love would die young and leave me all alone.
Everyone said she was a fraud, that she was just making it up.
I'd really like to know why the hell a person would make up a thing like that.

Written with the snap, glitter and wit of The Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing, God-Shaped Hole is a memorable, poignant love story that will leave you weeping with laughter. It is told in the wry, vulnerable voice of Beatrice "Trixie" Jordan who replies to a personal ad, "If your intentions are pure I am seeking a friend for the end of the world."

In doing so, she meets Jacob Grace, a charming, effervescent thirty-something writer, a free spirit who is a passionate seeker of life. He possesses his own turn of phrase and ways of thinking and feeling that dissonantly harmonize with Trixie's off-center vision as they roller coaster through the joys and furies of their wrenching romance. Along the way they try to come to terms with the hurt brought about by their distant fathers who, in different ways, forsook them.

This story will prove so touching you will rush to share it with a friend or loved one or even a stranger.


My Thoughts:
5/5 stars

I'm going to be honest with you... When I picked up this book, I had no idea what to expect. I thought is was your everyday romantic comedy, but what I got was something extraordinary. The characters were unique and the storyline was witty, romantic, heartbreaking, and inspirational.

It is a story about Beatrice, a woman in her late twenties, looking for something more from life. When a personal ad in the newspaper catches her eye she thinks what the hell and dials the number listed. She never expected the guy to be her soul mate. When they meet in person there is a quirky kind of love at first sight. Both have outrageous personalities with crazy interpretations of life.

The romance is fast paced and they quickly move in with one another. Things are great. Their sexual connection is fierce and their mental connection is on point. Something changes though... Jacob sees his father after many years of absence and is thrown off by what he comes face to face with. His whole outlook changes and he turns into a bitter person that leaves Trixie to wonder where he goes when he leaves and doesn't return for weeks. Their romance is still there, but Trixie is forced to move forward and let Jacob face his problems on his own.

*SPOILER*
The ending, GAH, the ending.... It was gut wrenching! Everything was just starting to get better and them BAM. All of sudden, Trixie's nightmares become reality. My heart ached, but I felt inspired. It showed us that we must make each day in our life memorable. That no matter what we always should chase what we believe in. To never let absent relationships eat us alive and to always put the present first and foremost.

I HIGHLY recommend this one to all readers that like a funny, emotional, inspirational story with some sexiness!

The Force of Gravity by Kelly Stevenson Review

"I blast the stereo in a vain attempt to drown out my thoughts. I don't want to be thinking about him and analyzing every detail of first period. It makes me feel like a young, foolish girl, and I'm embarrassed that I can't control the way my body reacts every time his eyes meet mine."In a quiet town in the East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona, everything in life is seemingly perfect for eighteen-year-old Kaley Kennedy. She has loving parents, loyal friends, and is dating the hottest boy in school. With only a few months left of her senior year, she's looking forward to an epic summer before heading off to Los Angeles for college.

Without warning, a gorgeous new math teacher interrupts Kaley's predictable little world, challenging who she is. Suddenly, parties, dates, and Friday nights with her friends seem empty and unfulfilling as she finds herself obsessing over his every move. Desperate for something more, but determined to ignore her fierce attraction, every single relationship in her life begins to crumble by forces beyond her control. Struggling to transition from adolescence to adulthood, Kaley must choose between playing it safe or risking more than just her heart. . . .


AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/154msOA
My Thoughts:
4.5/5 Stars

I love student/teacher romances and this one did not disappoint.
It is a story about a High School senior falling for her math teacher. They have to keep their feelings a secret so both go back and forth between flirting and pushing one another away. Kaley falls hard and fast. Her outlook on life changes completely. She puts her friends on the backburner and slowly pushes her boyfriend farther away. Professor McHotty consumes her thoughts and she tries to block them out only to fall deeper into the web of love.

Eventually the two can't stay away from each anymore. They meet up in secret and try to keep their relationship on the down low. At school they act as if nothing is going on between them. Not everyone believes that though. There is tons of mystery, suspense, and parts that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

I really enjoyed the plot and my only complaint would be that certain details weren't always believable. I thought some minor tweaks in the storyline could have portrayed reality instead of fantasy. It was still a fantastic forbidden love story though!

If you are one of those people who hate huge age gaps... You will appreciate this one. Kaley is 18 and Mr. Slate is in his twenties. Nothing feels wrong about the relationship they share. There is a personal connection along with the intense sexual one.

I highly recommend it to all readers who like a mouth watering book boyfriend!

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Nine Minutes by Beth Flynn Review

On May 15, 1975, fifteen-year-old Ginny Lemon is abducted from a convenience store in Fort Lauderdale by a member of one of the most notorious and brutal motorcycle gangs in South Florida.
From that moment on, her life is forever changed. She gets a new name, a new identity and a new life in the midst of the gang’s base on the edge of the Florida Everglades—a frightening, rough and violent world much like the swamps themselves, where everyone has an alias and loyalty is tantamount to survival.
And at the center of it all is the gang’s leader, Grizz: massive, ruggedly handsome, terrifying and somehow, when it comes to Ginny, tender. She becomes his obsession and the one true love of his life.
So begins a tale of emotional obsession and manipulation, of a young woman ripped from everything she knows and forced to lean on the one person who provides attention, affection and care: her captor. Precocious and intelligent, but still very much a teenager, Ginny struggles to adapt to her existence, initially fighting and then coming to terms with her captivity.
Will she be rescued? Will she escape? Will she get out alive—or get out at all? Part psychological thriller, part coming-of-age novel, filled with mystery, romance and unexpected turns, Nine Minutes takes readers into the world of one motorcycle gang and inside the heart of a young girl, whose abduction brought about its fall.

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/151YynW
 
My Thoughts:
5/5 Stars
 
This book sucked me in from page one...
I was captivated by the plot and intrigued by the mystery.
 
It was a dark, gritty read about finding love in all the wrong places. A girl is abducted and doesn't realize it at the time, but the love she receives while being abducted is greater than any love her family ever gave her. She is scared at first, but slowly becomes comfortable with her new identity/life.

Grizz, her captor is and has been obsessed for years. He is a dangerous man with many secrets. He is part of a gang and commits crimes daily. Kit or Gin tries to block out the bad parts and embrace the good. He is compassionate towards her and will do whatever it takes to make her happy, sometimes though, he crosses the line.

I quickly became obsessed with this book. It was hard for me to put it down once I started. I loved all of the characters, but Grunt was definitely one of my favorites. Even though he was a background character, he shined. His love poured through the pages. I wanted him to sweep Kit away and for them to start a life of there own. However, Grizz was also an equally appealing character in some sick way. Yeah, he was dark and edgy, with a bad attitude, but he cared for Kit and protected her with everything he had.
 
I wasn't expecting the ending and my heart hurt in so many ways. It was a tear jerker with an HEA. It worked... and I can't wait for the next book!

I highly recommend this one to all readers that are okay with a darker read.

 

Sunday, January 11, 2015

YOU by Caroline Kepnes Review

Love hurts...

When aspiring writer Guinevere Beck strides into the East Village bookstore where Joe works, he’s instantly smitten. Beck is everything Joe has ever wanted: She’s gorgeous, tough, razor-smart, and as sexy as his wildest dreams.

Beck doesn’t know it yet, but she’s perfect for him, and soon she can’t resist her feelings for a guy who seems custom made for her. But there’s more to Joe than Beck realizes, and much more to Beck than her oh-so-perfect façade. Their mutual obsession quickly spirals into a whirlwind of deadly consequences . . .

A chilling account of unrelenting passion, Caroline Kepnes’s You is a perversely romantic thriller that’s more dangerously clever than any you’ve read before.




MY THOUGHTS:
5/5 Stars


Let's talk about the book that left me feeling like I was slowly, seductively, and intricately mind f*cked.
 
I didn't know what to expect when I picked up this book, but with all the hype around it, I had to give it a read. Boy am I glad that I did, because this story was like no other.
Was it a romance? Kind of, but not really. It's basically a thriller that centers around obsession.

There is a guy that is infatuated with a girl. He makes her life his. He steals her phone and begins to control her life from the outside.  When he places himself in her life intimately things take a dangerous turn. Nothing will stop him from what he wants. He kills for her and eventually the danger spins out of control. The ending was not what I expected, but it was an ending that leaves you thinking "Damn, this Author is gooood."

What I liked most about this book is the fact that it's not a one and done. You don't sit down and devour it in one day. It's a detailed, thought provoking book that makes you want to take your time to savor and comprehend all that's happening. It's a book that you do not skim. Each page has a purpose and each gritty word has meaning.

I loved it and really hope that there is another book about Joe. Even though he was a messed up sicko... In some twisted way, I liked him. I enjoyed being in his cryptic mind and I devoured his story one murder at a time.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a read that brings more than hearts and flowers to the table.

Friday, January 2, 2015

The Girl in 6E (A Deanna Madden Novel Book 1) by A R. Torre Review

My life, inside this apartment is simple. It works, as long as I follow the rules.

1. Don't leave the apartment. Not in case of fire, not to mail a letter, not to run an errand. The door stays shut, and I stay inside.
2. Don't get attached to clients. I take off my clothes, I stand in front of the camera, and I perform. What they want, I give. Their secrets, I keep. Everything I tell them, is a lie.
3. Don't kill anyone. I've obeyed that rule for over three years.

My life, inside this apartment was simple, and it worked. Then, I started breaking rules.

Enter a world of lies, thrills, fears, and all desires, in this original thriller from A. R. Torre.
 
 
My Thoughts:
5/5 stars
 
This book is one of those books that you wish you could unread just so you can read it again for the first time... It was so freaking good on so many levels! I found myself sucked in from page one and shutting everyone else out until the story was finished.
 
The intensity that came with each page was something I haven't felt in a long time... While some of the material border lined on taboo, it was so much more. I found myself torn when it came to my feelings toward the characters. Especially, Deanna/Jessica... She was such a controversial character. Some of her actions will disgust you, but in the end you will see that each action had a profound purpose.
 
The plot was unique to say the least. The way the Author molded an ugly story into a beautiful one was intriguing, awe inspiring, & overall AMAZING.
 
Lately, I have found that when I am searching for a fast paced, must read I have been going to Alessandra Torre. Her books always captivate the audience and pull them into a different world.
 
I highly recommend this book!
Hurry and go read it.