Joseph Fallen - M.S. Willis

This is the prequel to Madeleine Abducted (The Estate, #1).

This is the story of Joseph and Arianna Carmicheal, Aarons parents.

This book is not for the faint of heart. It is dark and gritty and full of sadness and disappointment.

Because I loved book 1 so much, I had to read this and know more about the madness of The Estate.

The story started out with the newlyweds Joseph and Arianna. Told in third person view, it tells us of a time when Joseph is still human and has feelings and how his obsession made him become the vile creature that he is until his death. The story tells us of how his madness came to be and how it affected Arianna.

The story was heavy all throughout and the only redemption we get is by the end of the book when Arianna gave Joseph the final blow to his sanity.

This is a really good supplement to the series. Now we know more about Aaron and Xander. How they came to be and we get to know that Arianna is nothing like Joseph.

Oh and before I forget, I really liked the cover of this book because it is relevant to the story, it is actually one of the scenes in the story. Read it to find out.

I cannot wait to read about Xander’s life in the sequel Hope Restrained (The Estate # 2) coming out hopefully within this month.

Book Review: Eleonor & Park - Rainbow Rowell

“You can be Han Solo," he said, kissing her throat. And I'll be Boba Fett. I'll cross the sky for you.” 

“I just can't believe that life would give us to each other," he said, "and then take it back."

"I can," she said. "Life's a bastard."

"But it's up to us..." he said softly. "It's up to us not to lose this.” 

I am in love with a teenager. I am totally and unabashedly in love with a sixteen year old. His name is Park Sheridan.

I have already finished reading this book but the story of Eleonor and Park is still in my heart and mind. I have a major book hangover.

I totally get it now why this book won 2013 Goodreads Choice Award for Best YA Fiction. At first I was hesitant to read this because I thought it was a better fit for young teens, hence it’s young adult category. But I sucked it up and tried it and I never regretted reading it.

This book not only proves that even married wives will love this book but also that age is not a matter when reading wonderful stories like this book.

It is innocent, young and fresh. It talks about the wonders of first love, first kiss, first fight, first relationships and first heartbreak. It's thrilling, nostalgic and exciting.

It is swoon worthy and emotional, every pain and heartache is truly felt. My heart bleeds for Eleonor and it beats for Park. I felt every sadness and disappointment and I also felt the pure, unadulterated and untainted love between them.

I want to hug Park's dad and his mom. I want to be like them and follow their example of raising their children. I also want to slap and kick Eleonor's parents and her stepfather Richie.

The ending is not so clear, it's open ended. The readers get to determine it on their own. But I have a pretty good feeling that we will be reading more of them hopefully soon. I read somewhere that the author is not yet done with the characters and I really hope the she writes a sequel. I want to read more how Park and Eleonor will continue with their relationship. I want to see them get married and have kids. I want to know what happened to Eleonor’s awful mother and kid sister and brothers. And I also want to read more of Park’s crazy yet lovable family.

This is highly recommended! 5 stars! This is my first book for 2014 and I love it!!!

Book Review: With You and Torn From You - Nashoda Rose

With You (Tear Asunder, #0.5)

Torn from You (Tear Asunder, #1)

 

“Trust is built. Ours just needs to be rebuilt and it takes time. But baby, we’ll do it together.”

 

I decided to first read the prequel to the series, With You. Since it was a prequel to book 1, it was short and fast paced. It tells us of how Logan/Sculpt and Emily first met.

 

In this book their connection they built wasn't as strong yet. I wasn't feeling the connection at first. But what was clear was that Logan is an alpha male and I liked him from the start.  While Emily is a bit frustrating already, with all the repetitive Lego building and self-doubts.

 

The final scene in the prequel is a major cliffhanger. Good thing the next book is also out.

 

Meanwhile, book 1, Torn from You, started with a prologue taken from With You, on Logan/Sculpt and Emily's first time.

 

This book was slow paced and tells us the details of their ordeal. Logan and Emily are frustrating with all the secret b*llsh*ts.But I felt the thrill and frustration of their attraction, longing and disappointments. At about 70% we get snippets of the confusing and mysterious Logan in his view. It was refreshing with all the whining and indecision of Emily. I couldn't help but fall more in love with Logan for not giving up on them.

 

The book has the right amount of action, violence, mystery, romance and sex with light BDSM. This book is highly recommended to those who loved The Artists Trilogy series.

 

It is also important to note that I also loved the other supporting characters, Matt, Kat, Deck, Georgie, Crisis, Ream and Kite. I'd also like to know more about Kai and Raven.

 

I can't wait to read about Ream and Kat in Overwhelmed by You (Tear Asunder #2). I bet it is going to be so angst-y as I already felt it in this book.

Pulled - Amy Lichtenhan (A.L. Jackson)

"I wanted to shield from this man the hurt that invaded every fiber of my body. I wanted to protect him from the envy that flowed through me, infecting my heart, my mind, and my very soul. I struggled to pretend I did not covet what I could not have, but I couldn't stop the tears from falling. I turned away to spare him my reaction, one I had tried in vain to contain, ashamed of the jealously ravaging me."

There is no better way to describe this book than it being a big ball of heart ache.

I literally cried my heart out with this book. Because I was kinda depressed, I was looking for something emotional and heart wrenching. Well, this book gave it to me. The book summed up what I was feeling at the moment. Inadequate, broken and numb. 

The author is the queen of angst and gut wrenching books I swear! 

The story is narrated in alternating views of Daniel and Melanie. Watch out readers, because I am pretty sure that you will want to shake Melanie to wake up and stop prolonging their agony.

I read this fast and quick because I couldn't take Daniel's pain and longing anymore. It was so frustrating. 

However, there is just one wish that should have been in the book, that they also get to deal with Stephanie and what she did to them. 

Book Review: Greed - Fisher Amelie

Greed - Book 2 of the Seven Deadly Series

“You are an awful person,” I replied with acid and she began to cry. “But not because you supposedly cheated. It’s because you haven’t really been with Ethan for months now, yet you keep stringing him along. Just like me. You’re cruel, Cricket Hunt. And I’m officially done with you.”

This book is really an eye opener. Much like the first book, Vain, the story inched it's way into my heart. I loved the characters and i loved how the story teaches us something we already know but most likely doesn't follow.

It is emotional and gut wrenching. I believed in Spencer and that he has conscience despite what he thinks. We were introduced to him in Vain and I already liked him then. I felt his pain when the first time in his life he felt rejection. I felt his love and devotion to his sister. I felt his attraction to Cricket.

Pain, sacrifice and true love propels the story. There were no hot scenes necessary. Just the three makes it worth reading. Though i loved the hot cover!

I can't wait to read Ethan's story. I felt his wrath and his Fury. I love this series!

Vain - Book 1 of the Seven Deadly Series

Book Review: Eversea and Forever Jack - Natasha Boyd

Eversea Book # 1

Forever, Jack - Eversea Book # 2

“If I'd known you were in my future, I would have chosen differently.”

“If you had chosen differently, you would have never found me.”

“The way I feel about you was never a decision. It just was. I was made to love you. I never fell, I was already there. From the very first moment.”

What captured my interest and made me read the Eversea series were the pretty covers. They are eye catching and once you read the books you will learn that the covers are pretty significant to the story.

In book 1, Eversea, we meet the heroine Keri Ann. She’s the small town naive but sweet young lady who everybody loves. Her sullen world became chaotic when the handsome hot young actor Jack came to their town to hide. We read about how they met and how they fell for each other and how they struggled for their relationship. Since the odds were against them from the start, this is where the issues unfold and continued until book 2. 

The next book, titled Forever Jack, we read about how Jack fought for Keri Ann and we get to know the events that transpired, we get the answers we’ve been waiting for and we get to understand Jack more. 

At first I wasn’t feeling giddy about Jack and Keri Ann’s relationship. Then I started to love Jack so I really wanted to find out what will happen and I wanted to know more about his past. I felt the opposite for Keri Ann though, I didn’t like her weakness and she has become a whiner and I felt that she was too dramatic. In both books, I browsed through the parts of Keri Ann because it was too dragging. The series was narrated in alternating views of Keri Ann and Jack. But mostly I enjoyed Jack’s view especially Jack’s Journal. It was a good part in book 2.

I loved Jack's character and I fell more in love with him in book 2. I found myself reading the series mostly because of Jack. I also like Colt’s character. I don’t totally dislike Keri Ann, I liked it when she’s feisty and I like her smart mouth. But then I get irritated when she starts with her self-doubts. The story has so much potential in fact it was interesting to say the least. I just wish for an improved heroine, less of the cheesy parts (like the horse riding scene) and less of the dragging scenes in Keri Ann’s view. 

Book Quote: Worth the Fight by L.D. Davis