All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven Review

The Fault in Our Stars meets Eleanor and Park in this exhilarating and heart-wrenching love story about a girl who learns to live from a boy who intends to die.
Soon to be a major motion picture starring Elle Fanning!
 
Theodore Finch is fascinated by death, and he constantly thinks of ways he might kill himself. But each time, something good, no matter how small, stops him.

Violet Markey lives for the future, counting the days until graduation, when she can escape her Indiana town and her aching grief in the wake of her sister’s recent death.

When Finch and Violet meet on the ledge of the bell tower at school, it’s unclear who saves whom. And when they pair up on a project to discover the “natural wonders” of their state, both Finch and Violet make more important discoveries: It’s only with Violet that Finch can be himself—a weird, funny, live-out-loud guy who’s not such a freak after all. And it’s only with Finch that Violet can forget to count away the days and start living them. But as Violet’s world grows, Finch’s begins to shrink.

This is an intense, gripping novel perfect for fans of Jay Asher, Rainbow Rowell, John Green, Gayle Forman, and Jenny Downham from a talented new voice in YA, Jennifer Niven.Includes a PDF Help Line Resource Guide and a Note Read by the Author.

AMAZON LINK - http://amzn.to/1xqJWez

MY THOUGHTS:
4.5/5 Stars

Violet struggles to live life to the fullest because she has the weight of guilt and loss on her shoulders. Finch thinks about death on a daily basis and struggles with mental illness. Together they embark on a unique journey of finding the beauty in their state and their connection to one another.

The early chapters were a bit slow and at times I felt like I wouldn't make it to the end... However, I am so glad I continued on because as the story progressed, it grabbed onto my heart and squeezed tight. It was a beautiful, heart breaking story. The characters were intense and their romance was truly one of kind.

All the Bright Places is one that sticks with you long after the last page. It is a raw and intense plot that will leave you feeling vulnerable and exposed. While it had the cutesy YA additions, it also had a deep set message behind it. I was consumed by the romance and mystery and in end ... my heart was shattered into a thousand little pieces.

It's not a light read and it's not for those who like a perfect happily ever after, but I definitely recommend it to readers of all ages!

The Contradiction of Solitude by A. Meredith Walters Review

You may notice me, but you will never know me.
I prefer it that way.
I am the daughter of a monster.
Born from blood and lies.
Dead before I have truly lived.
But Elian tells me that I'm different.
He tells me that I'm beautiful.
That I'm an enigma wrapped in irresistibly complicated skin.
Elian says that he loves me.
These words terrify me.
I can't trust love.
Or hope.
Or truth.
Because I fear the beast inside.
It threatens to drown Elian and his sweet, unconditional love.
It's a beast that will destroy everything.


**Reader Warning**
There is NO warning. I won't tell you if there's a HEA, a cliffhanger, or a love triangle. Just read it and find out for yourself but please don't post spoilers.
The fun of a story is figuring it all out!

*Note- this is a psychological thriller and nothing like my previous books!**

Amazon Link- http://amzn.to/1MROKeO

 

MY THOUGHTS:
5/5 Stars

This book goes straight to the top of my 2015 Favorites list...
Talk about a psychological thriller!! This one picked me up, carried me to a dark, crazy world, and eventually blew me away. My mind was blown and my heart was shattered into ten million tiny little pieces time and time again.

I honestly feel like my mind was violated. I learned to trust and that was my downfall. The darkness slowly consumed me and I couldn't see anything in front of me. The story crawled deep within my soul and began controlling my thoughts and feelings. I was manipulated by fictional characters... How silly is that? I felt pain, but in some sick, twisted way... The pain set me free.

If you liked YOU by Caroline Kepnes... You will LOVE this one. It is similar, only better. The writing was flawless and the story was captivating. The Author gave us just enough info to rob us of our sanity and keep us guessing the whole way through. You may think you know what will happen in the end, but until that last page closes... nothing is certain.

Forgotten Treasures by D. Hart Review

*** Based on actual events ***

“Forgotten Treasures is beautifully layered with twists and revelations you will never see coming! Dani Hart keeps the pages turning in this sweet romance sprinkled with the hope of undying love. I found myself engrossed, demanding to know what happens next. Each revelation is another key to the puzzle. Perfectly complex! Mesmerizing.” Addison Moore, New York Times Bestselling Author

In the aftermath of destruction, hearts were destroyed, strengths were stripped, and vulnerabilities were exposed.

A community was ripped apart after a tragic accident, and the loss hit one family particularly hard as it claimed the lives of three, leaving only one surviving member to pick up the pieces and move forward.

Baylor’s life was wiped clean in the blink of an eye. No family, no home, no name. That is, until she met Brandt. He took a chance, giving her hope and a reason to start over. A reason to rebuild a life full of forgotten memories. A reason to trust. A reason to love.

Finding love in all the right places should be easy, but when truths are revealed, it's anything but. Brandt will help her rediscover the true meaning of unconditional eternal love that will prove painful, life altering, and redeeming.

Together, they will try to face the future and will use each other’s strengths to learn how to live again. Can they rewrite history, or in the end, will the tragedies of their pasts be too much?

AMAZON - http://amzn.to/1ACHz6A

MY THOUGHTS:
4/5 Stars

*I received an advanced copy for an honest review*

This was an intense story about living with amnesia and getting a second chance at love.
It was fast paced and held my attention the whole way through...

The female lead woke up in the hospital with no memory of her name, who she is, or what happened that put her there. Her mind is worn out, her body is physically drained, and her heart feels shattered... When she is forced out, she relies on strangers Grady and Brandt to take care of her. Together they work together to pull the past out, one secret at a time.

The parts that made this story so addictive to me were the gut wrenching moments. As she relived her memories and experienced those vivid dreams, I became consumed in the character's grief and desperation. My heart raced, my stomach clenched, and my palms became sweaty. I felt connected to the characters and it made it hard for me to put the book down.

I loved the mystery that went with this story... The whole time you are reading, your mind is working double time trying to figure out what really happened. Some of it is predictable though... I don't want to give away too much, but my intuition was right. It was intense and unique, but I was hoping for a huge twist near the end... when really we just get confirmation. I would've liked for there to be more of a shock factor. Something that left me thinking... "Wow, I never saw that coming".

However, I definitely recommend this book to all readers. It was a beautiful story about the mourning process, tragedy, forever love, and learning to live again.

Ten Tiny Breaths by K.A. Tucker Review

Just breathe, Kacey. Ten tiny breaths. Seize them. Feel them. Love them. Four years ago, Kacey Cleary’s life imploded when her car was hit by a drunk driver, killing her parents, boyfriend, and best friend. Still haunted by memories of being trapped inside, listening to her mother take her last breath, Kacey wants to leave her past behind. Armed with two bus tickets, Kacey and her fifteen-year-old sister, Livie, escape Grand Rapids, Michigan, to start over in Miami. They’re struggling to make ends meet at first, but Kacey’s not worried. She can handle anything—anything but her mysterious neighbor in apartment 1D.

Trent Emerson has smoldering blue eyes and deep dimples, and perfectly skates that irresistible line between nice guy and bad boy. Hardened by her tragic past, Kacey is determined to keep everyone at a distance, but their mutual attraction is undeniable, and Trent is desperate to find a way into Kacey’s guarded heart—even if it means revealing an explosive secret that could shatter both their worlds

AMAZON LINK: http://amzn.to/UGBtBU

 

My Thoughts:

5/5 Stars

 

What a beautiful heartbreaking story....

 

From the first page I was instantly sucked into an emotional rollercoaster ride.

 

The book is about a young woman who went through a tragic life event and is still holding it all in. She moves with her sister, escaping their previous life, but the nightmares continue to occur daily. When she meets her new neighbor, Trent, a relationship brews and Kacey puts her walls up, keeping him at arms length. She eventually lets him in and together they embark on a beautiful journey. What happens when Trent reveals his secrets and the truth is exposed?

 

I will forever favor this book. The writing was fantastic and the storyline was intense and real. While there was a love story, I was consumed in the family and friendships within this book. The Author did a great job making you feel like you were living in the characters shoes. It was a fast paced book packed with romance, mystery, emotions, and suspense.

 

I highly recommend this book.  

Sempre by JM Darhower Review

A sexy ebook about two seventeen-year-olds—one a victim of human trafficking; the other the son of the man who enslaved her—who fall in love and question everything they ever believed…

Haven Antonelli and Carmine DeMarco grew up under vastly different circumstances. Haven, a second-generation slave, was isolated in the middle of the desert, her days full of hard work and terrifying abuse. Carmine, born into a wealthy Mafia family, lived a life of privilege and excess.

Now, a twist of fate causes their worlds to collide. Entangled in a web of secrets and lies, they learn that while different on the surface, they have more in common than anyone would think.

In a world full of chaos, where money and power rule, Haven and Carmine yearn to break free, but a string of events that began before either of them were born threatens to destroy them instead. Murder and betrayal are a way of life, and nothing comes without a price—especially not freedom. But how much will they have to sacrifice? Can they escape their pasts? And, most of all, what does it mean to be free?

 

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1lM8Bhm

 

5 HUGE STARS OUT OF 5

 

This book was unlike anything I have ever read before. It gave me butterflies, made my heart race, and left me with a huge book hangover.

 

Haven is living in hell. Her mama always tells her to get out and when she does, she gets caught. She is taken to an unknown home that occupies a man and his two boys. She has no idea what to expect... The man is nice, yet mean. He wants to be kind, yet he wants to hurt her. She is scared and when the sons befriend her she is not sure what to think.

 

Carmine is the typical popular, bad boy with a major attitude. He hooks up with many girls and can't get through a day of school without trouble. He is intrigued by Haven and can't accept what she went through. The more he learns, the more he wants to protect her.

 

Together they embark on an emotional rollercoaster of first love and forbidden love.

 

The Author is now on my list of Favorite Authors of All Time!! The storyline pulls you in and doesn't let you out. I found myself wanting to read for hours and never put it down. While it was dark and emotional, it brought light and hope. I was so twisted up in this story and the characters that I found myself talking to the book. There were parts that gutted me, parts that made me swoon, and parts that made me think what in the .... is going to happen. When I finished, I  immediately needed book 2.

 

I highly recommend this book!
Please keep in mind that it is a dark read with an unconventional romance.

 

Lick by Kylie Scott Review

Waking up in Vegas was never meant to be like this.
Evelyn Thomas's plans for celebrating her twenty-first birthday in Las Vegas were big. Huge. But she sure never meant to wake up on the bathroom floor with a hangover to rival the black plague, a very attractive half-naked tattooed man in her room, and a diamond on her finger large enough to scare King Kong. Now if she could just remember how it all happened.

One thing is certain, being married to one of the hottest rock stars on the planet is sure to be a wild ride.

AMAZON LINK: http://amzn.to/1qLTRY4

My Thoughts:
4.5/5 Stars

I loved every bit of this book. It was fun, sexy, emotional, and romantic.

 

It is every girl's fantasy to wake up with a huge rock on your left ring finger and a rock star in your bed. This book is about just that...

Evelyn has a wild 21st birthday that leads her to Rock Legend David Ferris.

When she wakes up married to him she can't remember a single thing from the night before. She wants it all to go away and heads home where she is greeted by paparazzi and fans. When it all becomes too much she decides to take up David's offer to live with him for a bit.

They try to figure out the annulment papers, but begin to fall for one another.

 

This book was a page turner! I'm not much for Rock Star romances, but this one balanced both worlds perfectly. The built up romance was great and the little details added life to the story.

 

I highly recommend this book!

Vital Sign by J.L. Mac Review

I used to have a great life. My little world was bright. I had no complaints. My perfectly simple life made the fall from grace that much more devastating. I plummeted from the heavenly little bubble that I shared with Jake. I fell fast and hard straight into the fiery pits of hell. The knowledge of how things used to be is a bittersweet torture that refuses me even one moment of respite. I live in a painful reverie that I can’t escape.
I had it good once.
That’s gone now.
All of it disappeared like vapor into the ether. I’m a lost woman, wandering through grief and struggling to come to terms with my new title: widow. My family says I need understanding and closure. I say a cigarette and a bottle of wine is a much better option for instant gratification.
I’m the awkward, depressed one standing in the corner making everyone around me miserably uncomfortable. I’m the one with vacant eyes that society strives to help but can’t. I’m the one who hands out tight smiles and derisive snorts. I’m the widow adrift in this world with no direction. No meaning. No hope. No vital sign.

***

Sadie sets out on a journey to healing without knowing that things will get far worse before they get better. Despite her general indifference to organ donation, she finds herself on a journey to seek out the only people who benefited from her husband’s tragic death.
Resentment runs rampant as she meets the thriving organ recipients. Anger and jealousy spiral, sending the delicate structure of Sadie’s emotions into a tailspin.
Alexander McBride got a second chance—one that he didn’t necessarily want. Alexander is a game changer for Sadie. She hates him for his health but can’t help feeling at home in his presence. He soothes her grief in a way that is intoxicating, addictive even.
The heart that once fell in love with her now resides in Alexander McBride’s chest. It’s a circumstance that forces her to wage an internal war fueled by grief, anger, guilt, love, lust, and loyalty.
Sadie must discover the things that are vital to going on with her life if she has any hope of finding her way through the all-consuming grief that dominates every waking moment.

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1oJ3a6p

My Thoughts:

3/5 Stars

 

I wanted to love this one, but sadly for me ... it fell short.
 

The beginning was great! I was consumed with emotions and I felt everything Sadie did. I was scared to sleep at night and I replayed the break in over and over again. However when you she sets off to meet the people who received organs, I didn't feel as connected. She never asked questions about what happened or how the organ impacted their families and I just didn't feel it.

When she met Alexander I was pulled back in. You can see hints of her beginning to live again. Her chats with the Inn owner were emotional and real, which I loved!

Once we find out the truth about Alexander I was a goner. The normal, hot guy was now a state celebrity. His appeal went out the door. The ending felt rushed and once I closed the book I didn't think about it again.

Like I said before, I wanted to love this one as much as I loved the Author's other work... I just didn't.
While the writing was really good... The storyline lacked the depth to keep my interest through the entire book.

 

Stages of Grace by Carey Heywood Review

Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance...

When facing death a mourning period is to be expected. But what if it's not a person but a relationship that dies? Grace and her boyfriend Jon have been together for three years. They live together and have shared many beautiful memories. Those memories are what keep Grace from admitting Jon has changed and is no longer the man she fell in love with.

Afraid of being alone and holding on to something that no longer exists Grace is a shadow of her former self. Her daily objective is to hide her pain from the world. Then, an unexpected letter sets off a whirlwind of potential life changes. In life sometimes the hardest thing to do is let go.

 

AMAZON LINK: http://amzn.to/1faSDy0

 

My Thoughts:

3.5/ 5 Stars

 

This story was full of heartbreak, love, and changes.

 

I found this book to be enjoyable, but slow at the beginning.

 

I hated seeing Grace's boyfriend treat her terrible like he did and my heart ached each time she had to go home. The shit she put up with on a day to day basis was enough to kill a woman. She was so strong and it was amazing to see her carefree in Florida.

 

I loved Ryan and how they instantly had a connection. He treated her as a woman should be treated and I'm not sure she knew how to handle it.
Grace tries to let her guard down, but still has Jon in the back of her head.

 

When returns from Florida Jon basically ends whatever they had and she decides to go back to Florida. Ryan and her move forward and begin to date. Their dates are romantic and unforgettable. Grace smiles again.... 

 

The Author did a fabulous job writing a heart felt story about moving on and letting your heart love again.

 

I recommend this book to all readers.