Night Circus by Morgenstern Review

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called "Le Cirque des Reves," and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus performers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.  

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

MY THOUGHTS:

4.5/5 Stars

 

Do you know the saying... "escape reality with a good book"? Well this one quickly provided that escape for me. Every time I opened the book I was pulled into a dark, magical world with lots of mysterious elements. At times I had no idea what was going on, but that's what pulled me deeper into the pages. I felt the words consume me and the illusions felt within my grasp. It was a twisted tale, but in some weird way it was also beautiful.

 

The main story was about Marco & Celia. They were chosen to compete using their talents. Neither came face to face for a while so they threw punches in the dark. They played off one another and built these magical tents that brought people joy and hope. In a subtle way their challenge drew them near and created an electric connection. When they were finally brought together in the flesh their passion was instant and in full force. They felt what was forbidden... love. Their coaches warned them and they quickly realized why. The challenge had an awful twist that left a future together out of the question.

 

When I look for books, I look for unique plots that will capture my attention and leave me craving more at the end. This one did just that. I was engrossed in the story and felt a deep rooted connection to the characters. There were multiple stories within this one and even though the Author gave them closure, I still wanted more. The writing was great and the flow was even better. I look forward to reading more by this Author and I highly recommend this one to all who like to "escape reality with a book".

Never Let You Go by Katy Regnery Review

In this modern retelling of “Hansel and Gretel,” 13-year-old foster children, Holden and Griselda, escape from their abductor after three years of brutal captivity and try to cross the Shenandoah River on foot. Tragically, one of them makes it to safety but the other is left behind.

Ten years later, Griselda’s boyfriend drags her to a fight club grudge match where her world is turned upside down when she watches Holden step into the ring.

Though the connection between them is fierce, bitter regret, simmering rage and a cache of physical and emotional scars lie between them, just as dangerous as the whitewater of the Shenandoah.

Never Let You Go is a story of fear and hope, defeat and survival, and two people - once profoundly broken – who discover that love is the only thing that can make them whole again.

This is a standalone novel inspired by Hansel & Gretel. New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to profanity, scenes of physical abuse and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. (Note: children are not sexually abused in this book.)

(The next standalone a m o d e r n f a i r y t a l e novel, Ginger’s Heart, inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, will be released in Winter 2015/2016.)

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1MvhmLX
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

 

MY THOUGHTS:

4/5 Stars

 

Never Let You Go was a beautifully crafted story. It was about two foster kids that were abducted. Together they faced verbal abuse and brutal beatings. They found comfort in one another, but eventually were separated and left with questions and broken lives. After years apart, fate reunites them and they find out the person they once knew is there, but buried deep beneath secrets and a new name. Their connection is still as strong as ever, but in order to find happiness, they have to face reality and reality is often ugly.

 

This story definitely surprised me. It was unique with lots of twists and turns. Just when I thought things were looking up, something happened and changed everything. I found the characters to be well developed and their story pulled at my heart strings. I personally loved the kidnapping retellings. The memories of their time spent together in that cellar felt so vivid and raw. It was tragic, but in some sick, twisted way it was also beautiful. I found their romance to be all consuming. I loved how they grew together and kept one another in their hearts even when they were apart. It was a heart breaking tale, but each word you read is worth it.

 

Overall, I really enjoyed this retelling of Hansel and Gretel. I have no complaints other than it felt a tad slow at times and the cover wasn't my favorite. Babies, children, and pregnant women are an instant turn off when I'm choosing books so... I'm definitely thankful to all the people that pushed me to look past the cover. It turned out to be a great read that I recommend to all!

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously--and at great risk--documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

 

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1Tf53r6

 

MY THOUGHTS:

5/5 STARS

 

Between Shades of Gray grips your heart at page one and slowly begins to dig it's nails in with each page you turn. It's an emotional book about survival and how having hope can make a world of difference.

 

Lina and her family are deported and we get to experience the journey through paragraphs of words. Each sentence holds a certain punch and each tiny mark of punctuation pulls out a new emotion. It's not always pretty, but it's a story that's felt deep within the soul. I couldn't believe all that Lina went through. The way she was treated made me sick. To think that there are people out there that experienced the life in which these characters lived makes my heart hurt. It was an awful way of life and so many were lost during this historical time. Children, adults, women, and men... Some even lost their selves. They were broken down, stripped of all rights, and left with little dignity. It truly makes you appreciate the life you live and all of the privileges that you take for granted each day.

 

I can't say enough good things about this book. The writing was flawless and the story is one that is all consuming. I loved the way everything played out and I especially loved the quaint hints of romance. It wasn't an in your face love, but more of an I will do everything to protect you kind of love. It is definitely going on my all time favorites list. I recommend it to anyone that loves stories with an utter rawness that will leave you breathless at times.

Forever, Interrupted by Taylor Jenkins Reid Review

This heartrending debut novel weaves a beautiful love story with an homage to the redemptive power of female friendship.

 

Elsie and Ben are average twenty-somethings, but this is not your average love story. It begins bright and promising: the newlywed couple is head over heels in love, having eloped six months after they met. But it all shatters in an instant; Ben out riding his bike, is hit by a truck—and dies on impact.

Elsie hears the sirens outside her apartment, but by the time she gets downstairs, his body has already been taken to the hospital. When she arrives, Elsie is greeted by an unexpected visitor—her mother-in-law, Susan, whom she has never met and who doesn’t even know she exists.

Both are seared with grief; Susan is still mourning the death of her own husband several years earlier, and the loss of her only son is almost too much to bear. The two women immediately sour on one another, fighting over what to do with Ben’s belongings and how to fulfill his wishes. But as time goes by, Susan and Elsie both realize that despite the terrible accident that brought them together, they are now the only family they have left.

Interweaving Elsie and Ben’s charmed romance with Elsie and Susan’s healing process, Forever, Interrupted will make you laugh, make you cry, and remind you that there’s more than one way to live happily ever after.  

 

AMAZON LINK - http://amzn.to/1Hdo3Os

MY THOUGHTS:5/5 STARS

 

I don't think I'll ever look at fruity pebbles the same way again... Talk about an emotional, gripping story that is life changing, inspiring, and an absolute MUST READ. This one exceeded all of my expectations. My heart was shattered into tiny colorful pieces at the beginning and with each word after, was slowly pieced together again.

 

Forever, Interrupted is about a woman finding her one true love only to lose him six months later to a tragic accident. Don't worry though... This isn't one of those books that makes you love the main guy, kills him off, and then sends in a new Casanova to sweep the woman off her feet. No, this one was about the mourning process and how sometimes in order to move on you have to face the past head on. You will get a love story, but through flashbacks. The root of the story is that time doesn't signify feeling. In the briefest moment you can experience something that others never feel.

 

I loved it... I absolutely loved it! The writing was superb. The story was intense and the characters were one of a kind. It made me thankful for my life and it made me hug my husband a little tighter. It is a story that every reader should experience!

A Shattered Moment by Tiffany King

In the new series by Tiffany King, the USA Today bestselling author of the Woodfalls Girls novels, six friends—fresh from high school graduation—discover that the future can come at you from out of nowhere.

This is Mackenzie’s story…

Mackenzie Wilson once had hope for what life had to offer, but everything changed on the night of her graduation. A year later, the only way she can find comfort is by keeping her head down and hoping she remains unnoticed at college.

When Bentley James discovered Mac in that twisted SUV, he was just a newbie EMT on his first call. It was a gut-wrenching moment that made him realize not everyone can be saved—and sometimes they don’t want to be.

A chance encounter on campus brings Bentley back into Mac’s life. Despite her initial resistance, he sets out to discover the girl hiding beneath a shield of seclusion. He evokes painful memories in Mac—but also feelings. As the spark between them grows, Mac must decide if she can let go of the past and believe in something as fragile as love…

 

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1PKQWGd  

MY THOUGHTS:
5/5 STARS

This was one of the most emotionally charged books I've ever read. It was gut wrenching, raw, and intense. While at times the story was truly ugly... somehow, someway it turned out to be a beautiful story about healing, hope, and love.

 

It was told in dual POVs and at times gave us flashbacks to the day that changed everything for Mackenzie. The day of the accident... The day that took lives and friendships. It was so hard to read these parts, but they were crucial to the story. In these parts you see Mac and Bentley meet for the first time... and get to see how their lives intertwined them both.

 

I think what made this book so special is that fact that it was unique. It didn't follow the cliché NA mold, but rather created a category of it's own. The characters were one of a kind and their emotions easily captured my attention. I quickly became addicted and finished the book in just two sittings. I definitely recommend it to all readers over 18. While it isn't packed with intimate scenes... It does have few.

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes an epic novel of love and war, spanning from the 1940s to the present day, and the secret lives of those who live in a small French town.

In love we find out who we want to be.
In war we find out who we are.

FRANCE, 1939

In the quiet village of Carriveau, Vianne Mauriac says goodbye to her husband, Antoine, as he heads for the Front. She doesn’t believe that the Nazis will invade France...but invade they do, in droves of marching soldiers, in caravans of trucks and tanks, in planes that fill the skies and drop bombs upon the innocent. When France is overrun, Vianne is forced to take an enemy into her house, and suddenly her every move is watched; her life and her child’s life is at constant risk. Without food or money or hope, as danger escalates around her, she must make one terrible choice after another.

Vianne’s sister, Isabelle, is a rebellious eighteen-year-old girl, searching for purpose with all the reckless passion of youth. While thousands of Parisians march into the unknown terrors of war, she meets the compelling and mysterious Gäetan, a partisan who believes the French can fight the Nazis from within France, and she falls in love as only the young can...completely. When he betrays her, Isabelle races headlong into danger and joins the Resistance, never looking back or giving a thought to the real--and deadly--consequences.

With courage, grace and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah takes her talented pen to the epic panorama of WWII and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women’s war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France--a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime.  

Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1FiQ10i
 

MY THOUGHTS:
5 HUGE STARS
This was a beautiful, heart wrenching story about two sisters doing whatever it takes to protect their family and those around them. It was inspirational, romantic, suspenseful, and life changing. I wasn't sure what to think when I started reading, but I never expected to feel such an intense connection to the characters and story. It was truly an epic read that should be experienced by all.

 

Please keep in mind that this wasn't an in your face kind of romance... While it had intimacy and romantic scenes, the overall gist of book is classic love, family love, and love that can withstand war. The ugly words come together to form a beautiful journey. Please one click this one. You won't be disappointed!

The Storm Inside by Alexis Anne Review

“The only thing holding me back was my heart. You know, the broken one.
It knew if Jake and I got back together we’d make our past relationship look like child’s play. It would be a sweet footnote to this new, torrid love affair. ‘Jake and Eve 2.0’ would be an uncontrolled explosion of sex and adoration.

Uncontrolled explosions were dangerous. Everyone knew that.
And yet, I couldn’t seem to stop myself from playing with the matches…” ~Eve

Loving someone and being in love aren’t always the same thing.

That’s what Eve Daniels is trying to come to terms with when Jake Spencer suddenly returns to her life after ten years of silence. Haunted by a past he had no power to control, Jake left everyone and everything behind in hopes of saving Eve from his demons. His one regret was breaking her heart.

From the moment they reconnect, it is clear to Eve the passion, brilliance, and determination that first attracted her to Jake are stronger than ever. So strong that fighting their pull seems useless. But falling back in love isn’t as easy as letting the walls down. Eve soon realizes the choices they’ve both made come with consequences. Ones that will test how deep her love runs for a man living with a storm inside.
**Recommended for ages 17+ due to explicit language and sexual situations**

 

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1q9F42I

 

My Thoughts:
4.5/5 Stars

 

I really enjoyed this book. It had a great storyline and kept me turning the pages.

The characters were likeable and relatable. Eve is trying to get over the guy in her past... She is content spending countless hours at work and building relationships with men who will never compare to her one true love. When Jake, her ex, shows up at her house her world is turned upside down. Her feelings are torn and she can't decide if she wants to let her guards down... Together they embark on a second chance at love.

 

The Storm Inside kept me interested through the whole book. Jake was the sole reason. He was damaged, yet dominant... controlling, yet caring... sexy & successful. Him and Eve's romance had a real feel. Things weren't always perfect. There were struggles they had to overcome to make their relationship work.

 

While I liked the story a lot I would have liked to see more of the family drama instead of just retellings of it. There were also parts that felt wordy... All in all I recommend this book to all mature readers. It was sexy, consuming, and entertaining.

 

 



Puddle Jumping by Amber L. Johnson Review

When it comes to love there’s no such thing as conventional. Everyone thinks Colton Neely is special. Lilly Evans just thinks he’s fascinating. Once friends when they were younger, their bond is cut short due to her accident prone nature and they go their separate ways. Years later, they meet again and Lilly learns that there is something special about the boy she once knew, but she has no idea what it all means. And she’s not sure if she’s ready to find out. When he walks through the corridor of her school the first day of her senior year, she knows that it’s time to get to know the real Colton Neely. The more she learns, the deeper she falls. Their friendship grows into love, even as Colton does not express it in words. But one decision threatens to break down the world that Lilly has tried so hard to integrate into and she must figure out if the relationship can survive if they are apart.

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1riqatv
 

My Thoughts:
5/5 Stars
A beautiful, emotional, forbidden romance...

Fans of Archer's Voice will love this book!

I cannot say enough wonderful, positive things about this book! It really brought reality to fiction. Everyday someone is dealing with Autism and to see a book about it made my heart swell with love.

 

The characters were amazing together. There was an understanding below the surface. As much as Lilly wanted to hear Colton profess his true feelings, she knew by his actions how he felt.

The romance was forbidden and later became more difficult. As they battled to try to beat to the same drum, they also had to experience loss and heart ache.

 

Everything about this book had me hooked. I found it to be emotional and beautiful all tied up with a pretty bow.

I highly recommend this book to every reader!

Kismet by A.E. Woodward Review

Katie’s world came crashing down in an instant.

Her husband, daughter, and unborn baby. . . all gone in a flash. The life that she’d come to know, gone before she ever really got to live it.

With a broken heart, she deals the only way she knows how, by shutting it all off. No communicating, no feelings, just pure nothingness.

Alone with nothing but her own thoughts and a well meaning family, she moves back to her childhood home, a horse farm. It’s there that she finds herself healing along with the horses her family rehabilitates. But when Parker McKenzie comes back into her life she’s reminded of all that went wrong, and all that she lost.

Will Katie ever begin to heal? Or will her secrets and loss be too much for her to overcome?

Perhaps, this is her kismet

 

AMAZON LINK- http://amzn.to/1nkNjw2

 

 

My Thoughts:

5/5 Stars

 

This is an emotional read that will consume you from page one...

 

I love tear jerkers and this book did not disappoint.

From the moment I opened the book, I was pulled into Katie's world, living with hurt and guilt. I felt my heart get ripped from my chest and my words dissipate. Each day was another day of breathing, but not actually living.

 

As she reunited with Parker, my heart strings were tugged. Secrets from the past were revealed and a forever love was formed.

 

I never expected the ending and as gut wrenching as it was, It was also bittersweet and beautiful.

 

The characters are what made me love this story so much. They were developed and unlike most books these days, they were real. Katie was a normal girl living with guilt. Parker was a typical guy working at a local shop. There was nothing far fetched about them and that's what makes the connection so much better!

 

The emotions felt while reading this book were also real. Yes, the story is fiction, but I felt sadness, pain, lust, and suspense as I turned the pages. As Katie progressed and started living again, my heart had hope. As her and Parker were on and off, I felt joy because she was feeling again. I became quite addicted to this book. My brain wouldn't shut off and I even found myself dreaming about Dr. Stevenson.

 

At the end of the day sometimes a story is just that a story. This book was far more... A work of art about loss, first love, and second chances at life.

 

I honestly cannot recommend this book enough!

If I could give it more the 5 stars I would, in a heartbeat.

 

Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher Review

When reclusive novelist Senna Richards wakes up on her thirty-third birthday, everything has changed. Caged behind an electrical fence, locked in a house in the middle of the snow, Senna is left to decode the clues to find out why she was taken. If she wants her freedom, she has to take a close look at her past. But, her past has a heartbeat…and her kidnapper is nowhere to be found. With her survival hanging by a thread, Senna soon realizes this is a game. A dangerous one. Only the truth can set her free.

 

AMAZON LINK:
http://amzn.to/1g19zEi

 

 

My Thoughts:

5/5 Stars

 

This beautiful story was filled with tragedy, hope, mystery, undying love, and gut wrenching emotion.

 

Words really can't express how much I loved this book.

The storyline was unique and with each page I became more and more consumed.

 

Senna is a woman dealing with emotional instability. Due to heartbreak and life changing events, she thrives to feel. After a unexpected event, a tragic diagnosis and one oncological surgeon her life is turned upside down. She falls for him, but can't seem to express her true feelings.

 

When she wakes up in a un known place and finds Issac tied up she feels lost and confused. Together they have to face being abandoned, hungry, and upset. Through the pain and hard times they find love... an all consuming love.

 

This book was well written and had me begging for more with each turn of the page. I loved the mystery aspect and I loved the lesson behind the book. To me, this book shows that love is about not giving up and sacrificing everything for one another. With them being locked away together, Senna was forced to express herself and how she truly felt through her actions. She was forced to feel in the deepest way.

 

The romance in this book is not your typical romance. It is dark and twisted. It will mess with your mind and have you thinking "What the heck is going on?".

 

This story grabbed my heart and squeezed tightly.

I highly recommend this read!

 

 

 

 

Insatiable - A Mermaid's Curse by Daniele Lanzarotta Review

Amazingly Beautiful Love Story

 ...no less than 5 stars from me!

 

This book blew me away and left me speechless. I am still in disbelief to what a creative unique, yet sexy and intoxicating story this was!

 

Arianna was a mermaid who spent the better part of her life wishing she had legs and a certain someone named Blake. Her father was not happy about her pining over a human, so he decided it was time to marry her off to a man named Bram. After the wedding she decided to leave and find her happiness. There she met a mysterious stranger that made all of her wishes come true. Little did she know along with happiness, came hurt and heartbreak.

 

Obviously Blake and Arianna were the main characters... But the other characters had strong personalities too, which I loved! Blake's mom was sweet, Molly was adorable, Owen was unpredictable, Brooke was jealous, and ugh Blake's dad- can you say jerk?!

I cannot praise this Author enough! It was mystery, romance, suspense, struggles, and family drama all wrapped into one fab book! From the beginning the love story grabs you and doesn't let go. The sex scenes are hot and the emotional scenes are intense. 

The story had enough twists to make you interested and the ending definitely leaves you craving book 2!

 

I can't wait to see where the Author takes the story next!

 

 

 

 

Gabriel's Rapture by Sylvain Reynard

If you liked "Fifty Shades of Grey"

I recommend this 5 out of 5

Throughout this book you'll learn about a famous historical romance and a romance between a professor and his student. Gabriel and Julia met when she was seventeen, yet he doesn't remember. When she shows up to her class and sees him as her professor feelings arise immediately. Through the struggles of school laws, ex's, and an aborted baby they continue to stay united. Gabriel feels he can fix his problems with sex, while Julia urges him to talk to someone. They travel to all different places and build a classic love story. Towards the end though things take a turn for the worse and they are seperated by legal obligations. Will they get back together? .... you'll have to read to find out. Remember this is the second book in the series.

April & Oliver by Tess Callahan

The romance in this 5 out of 5 is breathtaking.

The story line in this book was beautifully written. It is about a young man and woman who grew up as best friends their whole life. As life takes them down different paths they are brought together by the death of April's brother. There are instantly sparks and they begin to wonder if they are meant to be together. Oliver's perfect life (fiance, law school) starts to fall apart as he tries to protect April from her sorrow. They both learn secrets about one another that leads to a shocking ending. Must Read!