review :: Carnage by Lesley Jones

"Georgia Rae, when we made love you used to cry, you said... I love you like the stars above, I'll love you till I die."

~ 

Wow. In a good way? Bad way? I don’t know! I’m so confused and lost as to how to start this review. Anyone care to lend me a hand? Gosh. Okay… I won’t quote from the book for a change, I want you to go into it open minded and untouched as possible in terms of actual content. But…

To be honest with you, my first reaction when I finished this book wasn’t good. Like, at freaking all. I was like, “all this freaking trouble for THIS mother fudging ending?! Are you kidding me?!?!?!” Yeah. You can tell you’ll be displeased as fudge. But then again, the author doesn’t promise a HEA. Still, I was really, really mad. And I guess I still am, in a way. But I think that after sleeping on it, and analyzing things, it wasn’t that bad. I mean, I enjoyed the book – or at least the majority of it – and I was thoroughly entertained, so there’s that. Yet, for me, it somehow fell short. I don’t know. In theory, though, love triangles, second chance romances? Count. Me. In!!! Gimme more, please.

Let me just tell you, this book is definitely not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. All those warnings you get beforehand and stuff are maybe what drew me to this book in the first place, more so than the actual blurb because I love a good adventurous, outside the box kind of read, but I suppose it just lacked… something? But let’s review a little bit of the actual story before I dive in some more. As always, not spoiler free. Sorry!

Georgia Rae and Sean McCarthy are meant to be. They have loved each other ever since Georgia was 11 and Sean hung out with her family – and even formed a band with her brothers! – that went on to become super successful. By now you must know the drill: fame shot up to his head; drugs, booze, girls and you are able to spell disaster with a capital D. If anything, this book is brutally honest and raw. I’m not used to reading books where the hero cheats (it’s a gazillion times harder for me than dealing with an asshole), so it made me uncomfortable right from the start. I really didn’t like Sean for the most part, maybe until he got his act together. But the thing is, right before he got his head on straight, in comes Cam. And, trust me, I hated wishing Gia would end up with Cam instead of Sean, because I knew that wasn’t going to happen, but gosh darn if I didn’t hope for it anyway! See, this book just wasn’t meant for me from the get-go. Sigh.

Despite my own leaning towards Cam thing, I started to warm up to Sean again when he reentered Georgia’s life, despite being gutted at how things between her and Cam happened. Truth is, the passion between “Maca” and George is undeniable and beautiful and I couldn’t frown at them being back together. Before I go on, let me tell you I was not the biggest fan of Georgia’s (read: at all!) either, so I only disliked her more by the end of the book, especially in THAT scene. I was THIS close to strangling the hell out of her. Ugh! But by then I was already so taken with Sean again that I didn't care about anything other than their preciousness together. Swoon!

GOD! I’m still so lost as to how to approach this review or this book. I’m doing it very differently than usual, so I’m just going to divide this into what worked for me and what didn’t. Yep, I’m that torn! Sheesh. Okay. What worked?

I loved Lesley’s idea and intention with the book. The very, very emotional, raw, passionate, thrilling feelings you get despite what you may or may not think of it in the end. The English slang, bringing back so many memories of my time being close friends with my Brit babes and their awesome lingo. Cam, Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome! The honesty in this book, while a punch to the gut at first, quickly became refreshing and a testament to Lesley’s ballsy approach to writing.

Now… what didn’t work?

Well, I’m not one to be deterred by faulty writing (and I know this is an unrevised copy), but it did take away from the experience a bit for me. I was distracted over the spelling and the formatting issues, even though I tried really hard not to (not an insult to you, Lesley, at all! Just an OCD issue for me I suppose). The juvenile, overly dramatic feel to the book, especially in the beginning. The slow pace at first, that almost lost me if I hadn’t forced myself to power through at the insistence of the recommendations I read. THE ENDING! I’ll never get over it. Ever. Being blindsided like that isn’t nice, you know? Yep, still angry.

In a nutshell, those are my considerations. I’m not pleased with this review, I feel like there’s so much more I wish I could articulate, but this book was literally the hardest I’ve had to review so far. I get the intention of the author, to show that life isn’t always rainbows and butterflies and books can’t always have a happy ending. But, thing is, I never knew there wouldn’t be one until I was past the point of no return, or else I would’ve avoided the book. My own fault, but still bitter? CHECK!

I didn’t exactly sob at the end (more like mouth formed in an “O” shape, disbelief etched on my face, sheets fisted on my palms, teary eyes, afterwards an ugly bitch baby ready to burst into loud wailing face…) but it was still one hell of a ride that you should definitely take, despite what you’ve read here. You’ll never really know until you experience it yourself, and maybe you’ll feel 100% differently than me. That’s the beauty of reading, isn’t it?

Will I read the sequel? I don’t know. Probably not. BUT, WAIT! DON’T SHOOT! I’m not saying this because I think Lesley isn’t fucking brilliant (pardon my French, I had to!), but because I’m not invested in the way the book ended. Not after that. Not after that ending. I can’t. Oh, what the hell, I probably will. Ugh. ANYWAYS. I will abso-freaking-lutely dive into “Saviour” by Lesley herself, because that one seems like such an amazeballs ride I’m itching to go on! I’ll keep y’all posted.

P.S. – Here’s something Lesley said about the ending of the book (yes, my bitterness had me Googling “WHY THAT ENDING ON CARNAGE BY LESLEY JONES?!” … or something like that, I was still seeing red LOL): “Then, just as I was reaching the conclusion, a number of awful events happened around me that just made me realise - you know what? Sometimes in life, we don't get what we want, things do fall apart, and bad things happen to good people.” Sigh. I hear you, Lesley, but still, fuckin' hell. Oh shit, now I'm getting all misty eyed over the book again. Oh, Sean... Damn it! Abort these feelings! Abort!

~

{ RATING :: 3.5/4 stars

SEX SCENES :: Steamy

GENRE :: Contemporary romance, music, new adult

AUDIENCES :: 18+

LENGTH :: 406 pages

HAPPY ENDING :: No

SEQUEL :: Yes }

review :: Bully & Until You by Penelope Douglas

 (Small introductory FYI: I’ve been absent from this little corner of the web for a little while because of college crappery and illness. I’m still reading – not a lot of new books, mainly rereading as you can tell from my tweets – but I simply haven’t had the time to sit down and write reviews because I don’t want them to be half-assed. I want to pour my all into them, so… yeah. This is my life lately. Let’s review, shall we?!)

~

“Yesterday lasts forever. Tomorrow comes never.”

Okay, this is actually cheating because I read these books way back when. Um, yeah, this sounds like I read them way back in the 80’s or something, which I didn’t because first, I wasn’t even an embryo yet and second, they weren’t around back then, so… uh… yeah. Rambling and stuff. Anyway, this wasn’t a recent read, but I reread these awesome sauce books today and felt like it was a crime not to write about them because they still made me tingle all over. Sigh, Jared…

So, the title of the first book is pretty self explanatory, and the blurb is quite simple: Jared Trent gets off on bullying Tatum Brandt, and no matter how much we glamorize it, it’s still bullying, it’s still wrong and it’s still a risky subject to touch. And yep, despite all this, I. Freaking. Loved. It!!!! I wonder why I actually gravitate towards things I strongly frown upon in real life, like bullying and taboo matters and all sorts of things. I just feel like, if done right, it’s one hell of a ride to take. Things aren’t always black and white in life. Aren’t books great that way? Drama! Thrills! Goosebumps! Tears! Wanting to die a little inside because of the angst!

Jared and Tate were best friends ever since they were little kids and lonesome Jared found out a new neighbor just moved next door. See, Jared didn’t have the best life growing up, with an absent and abusive dad and a drunk mom, while Tate had only her (kickass) dad to rely on, seeing as her mom passed away. Through it all, they relied on each other the best they could, with Tate being the clutch to Jared’s sadness and vice versa. It was so sweet to read about! But then, of course, all the happiness is ripped away by something you’ll have to read to find out about.

“You were my tempest, my thunder cloud, my tree in the downpour. I loved all of those things, and I loved you. But now…you’re a fucking drought.”

Our story begins with Jared filled with hate and bitterness, and a sad, beaten down Tate who is on the verge of spending a year studying abroad. With Tate’s absence, Jared is forced to face all the underlying issues that plague him, that maybe his hatred of Tate is nothing but a cover up for the love he still feels for her. Gosh, you guys, you can practically feel the emotion rolling off the pages! It’s like you’re there and it’s ripping your heart apart because you know Jared needs Tate like oxygen, but he’s too bitter to swallow his pride and get her. And Tate… poor Tate.

“What was worse than losing you was when you started to hurt me. Your words and actions made me hate coming to school. They made me uncomfortable in my own home.”

Grrr! I wanted to slap Jared silly for the first half of the book, because dang, be warned: he could be cruel as fudge. But then, against all natural instincts and all cruelty, I still found myself rationalizing his behavior and trying to understand where he was coming from, because I knew, in my heart of hearts, that he loved Tate like no one else. He wanted her anger, her fire, he craved it. And I’ve read people saying that despite all that, what he did was unjustifiable, but that wasn’t the case with me. Maybe my tune would be different had I experienced all that myself, but…

“I hate you!”

And there it was.

“Good!” I shouted, bearing down on her, my heart beating wildly. “Finally! Because it’s been a long time since I could stand the sight of you.”

Ouch, ouch, ouch! Jared sure knows how to deliver the blows. He was taught to believe needing someone was showing weakness, apologizing made him look like a pussy. But, for Tate, he was willing to swallow his mammoth pride because the need for her was stronger. Jared's sidekick Madoc also helped tremendously in helping Jared take his head out of his ass and man up enough to realize he wanted and needed Tate.

Apologizing was a sign of weakness.

But I wanted Tate back.

My heart only beat for her, and I’d rather spend my life hating, loving, fucking, and breathing her than losing her.

You need to apologize, dickhead.

“Shhh, Tate,” I whispered into her ear. “I won’t hurt you. I’ll never hurt you again. I’m sorry,” I said, closing my eyes as I swallowed the bitter pill.

See? In accepting that his love and need for her overshadowed the sadness and anger over his past, therein began the healing. Not without many more twists and turns I want you to experience – because the road to their love story was paved with spikes and thorns –, but the outcome was sweeter than sweet and was worth all the near tears I spilled and the angst we had to power through!

“Yesterday lasts forever. Tomorrow comes never. Until you.”

I’d say that this book isn’t for those easily offended and whose feathers are ruffled easily. This book is maddening and cruel pretty much through the first half, and you’ll hate Jared once or twice or a bazillion times, but I really recommend it if you love redeemable bad boys; amazing, deep, thrilling love stories and an overall roller coaster ride. Penelope wrote a ballsy, unforgettable, amazing book that, despite the content and your approval or otherwise, anyone would or should be darn proud to read. Buckle up – you’ll need it, little devils! It’s gonna be painful, but it’s gonna be fuuuuun!

“I can’t change the past, Tate. I wish I could, because I’d go back and relive every day that I existed without you, and I’d make sure that you smiled.” My eyes burned with regret, and I saw the pools in her beautiful blues, too. “Every minute of my future belongs to you.”

(Sidenote: shhh, I'm sorry, I know this is so long already, omg, but I cannot freaking wait for Madoc's story in Rival, releasing Summer 2014! YES, YES, YES! Gimme, gimme, gimme! Penelope, love, if you're reading this, consider the donation of my firstborn in exchange for the book. Kthnxbye!)

~

{ RATING :: 5 stars

SEX SCENES :: Steamy

GENRE :: Contemporary romance, series, new adult

AUDIENCES :: 18+

LENGTH :: 332 pages

HAPPY ENDING :: Yes

SEQUEL :: Series continuation, different characters }

review :: The Will by Kristen Ashley

AMAZON :: GOODREADS

The most mainstream and “vulgar” comment I can make about this book (and Kristen in general), is: “superb, magnificent, fulfilling!” And yep, those are common comments. You know why? Because Kristen and The Will are so. Much. More!!! Holy mother-oo, y’all! This book is phenomenal! Kristen is phenomenal! A sure 4.5 stars, bordering on a full on 5!!

Y’all know from the get-go (yep, it rhymes!) that anything Kristen writes turns to gold. She definitely has the Midas touch in book form. I’ve been sort of wrecking my brain trying to figure out what differentiates Kristen’s books from any others, and it wasn’t too hard to figure out. She writes books about real life (stay with me, here!), about mature people engaging in mature situations. There’s a hearty dose of story lines that anyone can relate to, books that resonate with mature audiences as well as younger audiences (such as myself). There’s a flavor for everyone, basically! I’m not exaggerating when I say Kristen has a rare gift of storytelling that only a few writers are ever graced with. She’s unlike any other!

Right, well, aside from the initial jibber jabber I can’t help myself with; let’s get down to the nitty-gritty of the story. Josephine Malone is a career oriented woman, with little going for her in the relationship department apart from her gorgeous connection with her Grandma Lydie. The book starts with Lydie’s funeral, but I wasn’t really feeling the book at first Took me a while to really get into the story… But, yes, Josephine is one of a kind. Holy Christ, she’s seriously the most intriguing character (I think) Kristen has presented us with. She is hilarious without knowing, she’s kickass without believing so, she’s amazing in her own right. Just a badass bitch, y’all!

“You talk so freakin’ cool,” he replied. “Weird. But cool.”

“Indeed. And you will find, young Bryant, as you grow older that things that are normal are just normal. Anyone can be normal. Thus it’s my experience that most things that are weird are cool.”

Do you not feel that if women nowadays had Josie’s confidence, self assurance, positively blasé attitude, life would be grand? Like, seriously grand! And funny as hell, too, because Josephine Malone gets off on calling youngsters “young Taylor”, “young Bryant”, like she’s some kind of hilariously polite monk. Love. Her. To. Death!!! Her language is so freaking awesome, y’all. Now let’s introduce Jake before we get any further.

 

“First time I walked into Lavender House, looked left, saw that photo of you behind the couch…”

He shook his head. “I was with Sloane, shit was not good with her, but it still makes me a dick because I took one look at that picture and fell in love with you.”

Oh…my…

God.”

Swoon… Yep, Jake Spear is badass, the kind of badass only Kristen can write about without looking like she’s trying too hard. It’s serious work, peeps! I don’t mean that Jake is any less of a character by saying this, but he’s classic KA. In my perspective, she writes different heroines but maintains the same basis for the hero. I mean, I’m all for it sister, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, yeah? So there’s that. Jake’s awesome sauce. But, like every good KA character, he messes up from the get-go. Remember Tate from Sweet Dreams and the fat comment? ‘Cause I do. And Jake kinda messed up a bit, too. Saying Josie’s not his type, fffs. You big ass liar, you.

“My type,” he explained. “I get off on big hair and big…” he hesitated, his lips again quirking before he continued, “other stuff and don’t mind my women showin’ skin. You’re a seriously good thing. You’re just not my thing.”

Oh no, you diiii-dn’t!? You utter ass, Spear! Even though Josie is apparently as impenetrable as they come, she recoiled from that “blow” (à la Kristen!) and was surprised as she did so. I mean, she’s not supposed to like Spear, is she?! Of course by now you’re missing a big part of the puzzle, which I choose not to unravel for you because you have to experience what connects Jake and Josie. And lemme tell you, Kristen is clever. Kristen is sneaky. Kristen is friggin’ fab. You with me?

“Look at me when I tell you I love you,” he ordered.

I focused on the man I loved who loved me in a return for an instant before he said the words.

“I love you, baby.” 

SOOO Kristen Ashley! Wouldn’t you say?! Before we conclude matters, y’all should know about Jake’s amazeballs children, and should you read the book, you’ll also be amazed at Josie’s work with them. Josie is so amazing, you guys. So lovely! I loved the romance between Josie and Jake, but I may have loved even more seeing them become a family, especially with Amber and little Ethan – the “runt”, heh! Josie fights tooth and nail for every one of them, but especially for Amber, an insecure girl hiding behind a full face of makeup and a different persona trying to land a dude that was way beneath her. Waaaay. And me, basically a teeny bit older than Amber, can totally relate to all she felt.

“As you can see,” I started quietly and she turned her eyes to me. “You are very pretty, Amber. Very.” I stressed and that marvel again suffused her face as I carried on in a whisper. “Don’t hide that, lovely girl. Give us a treat and show it to the world.” Her lips parted and I reached out a hand to touch the back of hers before I decided to leave her be and move to Ethan.”

And Lydie… Sneaky, brilliant, amazing Lydie. You’ll know why I’m saying all of this when you really read the book and realize what a beautiful, priceless gift Josie’s grandma gave her when she passed. Tears in my eyes, I swear!!

“My girl, know this and never forget. It’s never too late to reach for happiness and no matter what life has done to you, it’s never too late to find it. Please don’t be offended when I share with you that I know you’ve been hiding. I know why. I understand it, buttercup, but it’s time to come into the light. I’ve found someone special to help guide the way. Please, Josie, take Jake’s hand and let him guide you to happiness.”

This is a story about unexpected love, happening at an unexpected time to two people who were shot in the heart quickly but surely. I loved this book, and you will not be disappointed if you’re craving a sweet, deep, emotional love story for both Jake and Josie, but also Jake’s children. Sigh… Thank you so much, Kristen. <3

“Don’t,” I whispered back.

“I didn’t fuck that up, coulda tried to make a baby with you.”

“Don’t,” I pleaded, pressing into his jaws with my hands.

“Had no clue you’d want me.”

“You’re everything,” I told him.

~

{ RATING :: 4.5 stars

SEX SCENES :: Steamy

GENRE :: Contemporary romance, series

AUDIENCES :: 17+

LENGTH :: 375 pages

HAPPY ENDING :: Yes

SEQUEL :: Series continuation, different characters }

review :: Hothouse Flower by Krista and Becca Ritchie

AMAZON :: GOODREADS

 Ryke Meadows, meet Daisy Calloway... she's all grown up...

YOU GUYS!!! I am so addicted, all over again! Binge read (is that even a thing?!) the entire series again this weekend, because Krista and Becca Ritchie did it again!! I sincerely doubt this amazing duo can do any wrong, to be honest. They’ve rocked my literary world in such a way that no matter how many New Adult books I read from this point forward, they’ll always lack majorly when compared to the Addicted series. Yep, it’s THAT FREAKING GOOD!! In a few words, this book is intense, riveting, fulfilling, exhilarating... fucking A. Good. Freaking. BYE!

These books are so intelligent. So, so intelligent! They make me actually want to think instead of just immersing myself in the book and “zombily” read up on characters. They’re so refreshing, so indescribably good that not reading them is practically a crime against humanity. I swear!! I sincerely wish I could grab some bits and bobs off Rose’s personality, Lily’s personality and Daisy’s personality, mix them up on a huge stirring pot and magically transfer them into my own. They’re so likeable; such a breath of fresh air on the writing scene… just thinking about it makes me want to set myself on fire. No friggin’ joke, LOL But let’s start the review.

"She’s beautiful because she can make the saddest person in the world grin. And she can make the loneliest guy feel something more. She’s youthful and wild. Primal and really fucking innocent. She’s all these things that scream big fucking risk."

Daisy and Ryke’s story began way back in Ricochet, I believe, hence why you should never read Hothouse Flower (or Kiss the Sky, for that matter) as a standalone novel. DON’T. You need to read the series as a whole because I promise you that you’ll feel as if you’re a part of this big old dysfunctional family!! I love every single one of the 6 main characters of the book and I’m equally fascinated by all of them, and while Lily and Lo are still my main couple in the series, I’ve always been super eager to really delve into Daisy and Ryke’s forbidden love story, especially because of all the teasing and built up anticipation. But why is it forbidden, you ask? The age gap, frowned upon especially by Loren. But let's meet the characters.

“Hyperactive, fearless, crazy, and probably the happiest unhappy girl I’ve ever met.”

Now this describes Daisy to a T! So much that I even tweeted the authors this exact quote since it resonated so much with who she is. See what I mean with K&B being such smart writers? I can’t even. Anyway, Daisy is the daredevil of the group. While Rose is uptight and Lily is shy, Daisy is the forever young spirit we read about. She’s literally the most refreshing character out of all of them, with absolutely no inhibitions or shame (on the surface…). She’s the kind of girl that will impulsively throw herself off a cliff and into the ocean. Yep, she’s a badass bitch! Wooo-hoooo!! She’s such an intriguing character and one of the reasons why I was so immensely pumped for Hothouse Flower. Also, can we a take a moment to cry tears of liquid glitter because of Daisy’s answering machine? Because it’s amazeballs!

“Hi, it’s Daisy. Not Duck and not Duke. Definitely not Buchanan. I’m a Calloway. If you haven’t misdialed then leave your name after the beep, and I’ll call you when I return from the moon. Don’t wait around. It may take a while.” BEEP.

Sigh… she’s made of pure win, that girl. BUT! What about Ryke, you ask? Oh, Ryke… *fans self, throws panties out the window* Ryke is, like they say, a jackass. But you know what people also say about jackasses… Sometimes not everything is as it seems. Jackasses can also be the most caring and protecting people simply hiding beneath a layer of hard stone. That’s Ryke, my friends. A total tactless prick at times. He’s such a walking contradiction, because while he’s hard as nails, brooding, a total potty mouth and super rough around the edges like Lo, he’s also the glue that holds the group together. He’s a freaking awesome guy and I love him to death. I’m not too proud to admit I cried right here…

“Ryke…” He [Connor] shakes his head and rubs his lips. He drops his hand. “You ran with her in your arms for over three miles. Your brother’s existence caused your parent’s divorce, and yet, you gave up most of your time and energy to help him through his sobriety. How can you possibly think you’re a pain in their life? What you’ve done for them, it’s nothing short of heroic, and if you can’t see that, then you’re blind, my friend.”

A hot tear rolls down my cheek.

Did you hear that cracking sound? That was my heart breaking!! *sobs* I love you, Ryke!! So… yep, they’re amazing apart, super unique and super interesting, simply a joy to read about. But, you guys… this is no match for when they’re together. The sexual tension! The anticipation! The fun (read: sometimes torturous) initial parts of the book was Daisy teasing Ryke evilly and both of them skating on very thin ice, crossing and uncrossing the line between friendly banter and sexual flirtation… Phew! It was steamy as fudge.

Answer me this, do you believe in soul mates? I truly, madly, deeply do. I believe that our hearts are separated at birth and we spend all our lives waiting to find our other halves (Connor might actually kill me for this super irrational chatter… oh, bite me, Mr. Cobalt!) The Addicted series only solidified my belief in this, to be honest. Lily and Lo aren’t Lily and Lo unless they’re together. Rose and Connor are each other’s match in every single way. And Daisy and Ryke…

“Soft to his hard. Sweet to his rough. Wild to his stone. (…) We chose this because nothing else felt right. Nothing else felt as good. Our greatest happiness has always been with each other.”

HELP!! I’m a disintegrated mess, a liquid puddle of feelings on the floor!! Literally reduced to a pile of mush, y’all. These couples are my favorites, gosh. I live for these 6 beautifully flawed people in a way I can’t even explain. This story lived up to every single one of my expectations and then some. It even created and fulfilled new expectations I didn’t have. It’s so complex, even being about Daisy and Ryke it manages to throw the spotlight into Connor and Rose’s relationship, Lily and Lo’s relationship… it’s every. Single. Thing. And. You’re. An. Epic. Idiot. If. You. Don’t. Buy. These. Books. YESTERDAY!! I’m screaming like a banshee in your ear and I’ll personally haunt your dreams if you don’t read this series. I can be dangerous. Beware!

A blissful moment before something that could be the end. The rush before the fear. He whispers, “I fucking love you.”

I smile, my lips tingling. “Guess what?”

“What?”

“I love you more than chocolate cake.”

Ummm… my dying wishes, you ask? (I know you didn’t ask and I don’t know why you would ask such a thing but roll with it). Firstly, I wanna have a relationship like Lily and Lo, because…

“The minute she sees him, her whole body lifts, and my brother—he wears a smile that’s rare in anyone else’s presence but hers. I’ve never really seen love until I saw them together, truly.”

Right? Secondly, I wanna have the banter and intelligence that Rose and Connor possess and taunt the rest of us mere mortals with, because Connor is seriously the bomb of the universe on so many levels and I’m 50% Rose so…

And lastly I want to have Ryke in my life, in all his caring broodiness and brazen attitude. Also, I want to be Daisy because I also happen to want to dye my hair like a rainbow. I mean, why not, right?!?!

"She has bigger pink highlights, a couple green ones, and a few purple scattered around her head. Still mostly blonde, but the color reflects her erratic personality. I know she’ll love it when she sees it, which is why I begin to smile."

Up next are my loves Lily and Lo, my favorites, so we’re going back to where it all began… Yay! Yay! Yay! I cannot contain my excitement!! I love, love, love, LOVE you Krista and Becca Ritchie!! You guys give me life with the Addicted series – please, with all my heart, I beg that y’all don’t ever stop. You guys have a once in a lifetime gift of storytelling. It’s so beautiful! Thank you.

Signed,

Francisca Cobalt Meadows Calloway Hale

P.S. – Yes, I’m nuts.

P.P.S. – No, I regret nothing.

P.P.P.S. – In case it wasn’t totally clear, I need Thrive. Like, yesterday.

~

{ RATING :: 5+ stars

SEX SCENES :: Very steamy

GENRE :: Contemporary romance, new adult, series

AUDIENCES :: 18

LENGTH :: 441 pages

HAPPY ENDING :: Yes

SEQUEL :: Series continuation, different characters }

review :: Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover

AMAZON :: GOODREADS

Wow. Just… wow. It’s not often that I’m rendered speechless by a book, but that happened while reading this masterpiece by Colleen Hoover. This book was so good that a 5 star rating simply isn’t enough. So, let me tell y’all, Maybe Someday is clearly on a league of its own with a 5+ star rating that I’ve only given to Beautiful Disaster, Fifty Shades of Grey, Crossfire, possibly Remy and some of Kristen Ashley’s novels. This book is not only the best book I’ve read in 2014, it’s also one of the (very few) best books I’ve read in my life. LIFE. By this, y’all should know I mean business!! LOL

There’s soooo much I want to say, but the words are running over themselves in my brain because they all want to come out at once. Gosh, you guys, it was such an amazing, touching, life changing surprise seeing as I went into this book absolutely blind, no blurb or any spoilers whatsoever. Can I erase my memory and start all over?! Sigh. ‘Kay, let’s start this.

I think I should start by saying I’d heard about this book some months before, but it wasn’t even on my radar. I wasn’t minimally interested in reading this because the books that made Colleen über famous – Slammed, Hopeless, etc… – fell short with me. Everyone and their mommas raved about them, but I just didn’t connect with the books at all. I even gave them a 2 star rating over at Goodreads, I believe. Yeah, there’s something about Colleen’s writing that is so special, but maybe I just couldn’t bond with the characters or whatever. However, everyone was raving, once again, about her new release, so I decided to give Colleen another chance. God bless the minute I did so!

“I keep my hand clutched tightly to my chest without reading it. I refuse to accept that whatever words are written on my palm will obliterate what little hope I had for our maybe someday.”

I normally quote the hell out a book I loved, but I want you guys to go into the story as I did. Trust me, you have to. There are so many (so, so, so, so many!!!) twists and turns, and right off the bat there’s something about the book that just pulls the rug right off your feet. It’s life changing. It really is. This book is so emotional, you guys. It awakens your soul in such a deep, terrific level that you just want the story to go on and on and on... It’s a standalone novel (sobs!) but I’ve never wished harder for a sequel in my life.

“I never realized how powerful desire could be. It consumes every part of you, enhancing your senses by a million. When you’re in the moment… all you can do is focus on the person in front of you.”

Let me ask you this… Do you believe in soul mates? Because I do. And Colleen wrote my idealization of soul mates so perfectly, it was hard not to cry. I don’t know what kind of magic Colleen managed to weave with this book, but I connected to Sydney and Ridge’s story in such a profound level. I was Sydney. Ridge was “him”. It just was… us! Me, him and Warren, too. And Maggie. How?! It baffled me. I gasped, buried my head in my pillow at 2 a.m., and cried tears of joy and heartbreak. It was every single thing and beyond. I never cry reading a book. I can’t even deal. Literally, you guys, I can’t. Through Sydney’s eyes, I fell in love with Ridge.

“I also know that my soul is compatible with Sydney’s, but it’s also so much more than that. Our souls aren’t just compatible—they’re perfectly attuned. I feel everything she feels. I understand things she never even has to say. I know that what she needs is exactly what I could give her, and what she’s wishing she could give me is something I never even knew I needed.”

What can I promise you? You’ll fall head over heels with Ridge. By a clear mile, the sweetest hero I’ve ever read, experienced, had the utter privilege of meeting. You’ll become Sydney. You’ll live every single minute of this story as if you transcended the pages and landed right there in Texas with them. The musical side of this story will heighten your experience to a level you never thought possible. Your senses will go into overdrive and you’ll feel every bit of this story in your skin. In your soul. In your heart! This I can promise you. Scout’s honor! *wink* Seriously, read this. Please. It’ll literally stay with you forever. What do you say? Too soon to reread this book? Because I really want to… heh!

“Beat, beat, pause.

Contract, expand.

Inhale, exhale.”

~

{ RATING :: 5+ stars

SEX SCENES :: Mild

GENRE :: Contemporary romance, new adult, music

AUDIENCES :: 17

LENGTH :: 299 pages

HAPPY ENDING :: Yes

SEQUEL :: No }

review :: Lifers by Jane Harvey-Berrick

AMAZON :: GOODREADS

Sometimes you come across an author that writes books which are just... different. These books are amazing, breathtaking, daring, ballsy. Real books about real topics everyone else is seemingly too scared to address, but which Jane gladly takes on and brings home in the most beautiful, unique and heartfelt way. 

I fell head over heels in love with her books "The Education of Sebastian" and "The Education of Caroline", both of which are about a relationship between a married woman in her 30's and a boy in his late teens - namely 17 years old. I'm all about these "taboo" reads because they bring that "omph" you crave in a book every once in a while, you know what I'm saying? Not only because they're shocking and all, but because they bring such real emotion out of you, in that "so wrong it's right" kind of way. It reminds you that life's not black and white, but rather black and white and grey and yellow and pink and neon. And that's what Lifers is all about!

In a nutshell, Jordan Kane was labeled the ex-con for a mistake he made when he was too young to know any better. He paid his dues in prison for eight years, but still, everyone in town hated his guts with such fiery passion, I was floored. Literally. My heart squeezed inside my chest in pity for Jordan a million times during this book. Whenever we switched to his POV - which was aaaah-mazing! -, I wanted to cuddle him, run my hands through his hair and softly whisper 'everything will be okay' in his ear. It was THAT sad. 

“Go on now! You skedaddle!” snapped Hector. “The preacher-lady has done gotten her good deed for the day and I don’t want you on my property no more.”
I nodded, expecting nothing less.
“Murderer!” he yelled after me, as I drove away.
I expected that, too.

Sigh... Can you imagine living like this? I think what slayed me the most wasn't the outspoken hatred he got from everyone in town. I think he could attempt to brush it off his shoulder if he had a good support system at home. But, alas, he didn't. And that's what punched me in the stomach that much harder.

“I don’t think you do!” she said, her voice shaking with fury. “Every time I look at you it sickens me! All I can see is your brother’s cold, dead body rottin’ in that grave, and you’re walkin’ around wearin’ his clothes, breathin’ God’s good air. It’s not fair. It’s just plain wrong!”
“Do you think I don’t know that?” I yelled back. “Don’t you think I wish a thousand times a day that it had been me and not him?”
Momma’s eyes snapped to mine. “I wish that, too.”

On the other side of the spectrum, Torrey Delaney is the daughter of a preacher lady... but is the most rebellious kid in town. You guys, you have NOT seen a firecracker until you meet Torrey. Guaranteed, 150% true, lay down my life to prove this. She is the BOMB.COM. Yes, ma'am, I said that. And yes, ma'am, Jordan did call Torrey ma'am like a gazillion times at first. It was hilarious.

We sat there in comfortable silence for several minutes. Well, I think she was comfortable—my dick was so hard, looking at those long legs of hers stretched out in front—comfortable was the last thing I was.
She seemed to be staring into the distance, but I guess she must have noticed my condition after all, because she said in a conversational tone, “If you want to use the bathroom to jack off, better do it now because I’m going to take a shower in a minute.”

And she's stuck living with her momma, the preacher lady. Her mom left them when Torrey was 13, to "pursue her true calling". Ever since that day, Torrey has resented her to hell and back...so imagine living together, with Torrey being a spitfire and Reverend a preacher lady. Yep!!

“Fine. You busted me eye-fucking the hot handyman. So sue me.”
“I don’t want you talking like that, Torrey!”
“Oh, jeez, Mom! I didn’t hump him on the porch!”
“There’s no need to be so crude!”

Aha! Funny, no? But yes, Jordan a.k.a. the introvert and Torrey a.k.a. the fearless spitfire... boooooy, what a match. What. A. Match!!! My brain was telling me to brace myself for this tough ride, and so I did. But not nearly as well as I should have.

“Well? How do I look?”
Beautiful. Gorgeous. Sexy. Off limits.
“Um, fine,” I managed to squeeze out.
She raised her eyebrows. “You smooth talking stud. I can see that I’m going to have to watch myself with you.”

It was truly a treat to see Torrey and Jordan's relationship blossom slowly, it made everything that much more gratifying. Jordan was genuinely one of the sweetest heroes I've ever come across in my lifetime, and seeing him struggle so harshly with his own demons while attempting not to think about suicide at times was the most heartbreaking thing I've had to read in a while. I will let you read on to find out what happened that lead him to prison for eight years but I'd honestly advise you to buckle up before you start this emotional ride... because there's a ton of bumps along the way! But rest assured, it's all worth it in the end.

Jane's books give you a chance to look at things from a different perspective, and to see the world in a million other shades other than simply black and white. You will laugh, you will cry and you will most definitely swoon and fall in love with the MC's!

He took a shuddering breath. “I love you, Torrey Delaney. You don’t have to say it back to me, but I love you. I didn’t believe life was worth living ‘til I met you. I’m so, so happy I was wrong.”

♥♥♥

{ RATING :: 5 stars

SEX SCENES :: Steamy

GENRE :: Contemporary romance, drama, dark

AUDIENCES :: 18+

LENGTH :: 382 pages

HAPPY ENDING :: Yes

SEQUEL :: No }

may's most anticipated books of 2014 :: pt. I

Oh hi, February!! Fancy seeing you here, you little nugget! I'm sooo excited to be rid of January, even though it was full of amazing books. Now we're onto the ever so lovely Springtime, where everything is better and clean and fresh and a great prologue to Summer. Plus, there's a TON of delicious books waiting to be released from here on out... Squeeeee!!!

HOTHOUSE FLOWER by KRISTA AND BECCA RITCHIE

release date :: march 2014

Ryke Meadows, meet Daisy Calloway...she's all grown up.

Oh my sweet baby Jesus!!! I think the title of this series is so apt to everything I feel whenever I read these books... I am nothing short of absolutely, hopelessly, ridiculously addicted! It's kind of embarrassing, really, but who cares? Certainly not me! Who needs dignity anyways? Crawling pathetically and begging Krista and Becca for a new book or even a little bone or a teaser to quench my urges is the way to go, my friends! You'll understand once you read this series, believe me.

Oh. What's that? Huh? You've never read this series?! Ummm... OK. First, WHAT!??! Second, you need to reevaluate your life choices...majorly. Third, BUY THESE BOOKS. And finally, I suppose I could try to crack this for you real quick, but you really must buy these books. Like, legit have to. You'll be doing yourselves a favor, peeps. No joke. But anyway... In a nutshell, Daisy Calloway and Ryke Meadows were never meant to happen, or so everyone thought... She's 18 and a sweet girl living a life way beyond her years. He's 25 and a hothead with a potty mouth and a rough exterior that would scare everyone away. Not her, though, not our little daredevil. There's so much more than what meets the eye between Daisy and Ryke... and you know what they say, the forbidden fruit always tastes the best. Or something. You get my drift. Anyway... Expect an unhealthy dose of explosive chemistry and a nice little dose of some harsh reality that you'll never want to escape. Can I wake up tomorrow and see that it's March? Please? Oh come on, I'm doing puppy eyes here! -- See the book on Goodreads right here.

CRASHED by K. BROMBERG

release date :: march 3, 2014

When life crashes down around us, how hard are we willing to fight for the one thing we can't live without: each other?

Yep! Holy mother of (cruel) cliffhangers!! If you've read the two previous books, Driven and Fueled, you'll be familiar with Colton Donavan, a sexy as all hell racecar driver who makes women swoon and panties drop everywhere on the globe; and Rylee Thomas, a sweet, feisty girl whose dreams include helping troubled kids overcome their deepest, darkest problems. Colton and Rylee have faced their fair share of drama in the previous 2 books (that Tawny beeee-otch, ugh) and were finally on the right track when... boom! Tragedy strikes again. Seriously, these cliffhangers drive me stinkin' mad! Especially when book 2 was released on August 25th, 2013!!! YES!!! Aaaaaahhhh!!! If I didn't love Colton and Rylee so much... sigh! Now we have a one month wait until the final installment of the Driven trilogy and I can't wait! Buuuuh-ring it! -- See the book on Goodreads right here and my Driven review right here. Spiderman. Batman. Superman. Ironman. Yeeep...

CAPTIVATED BY YOU by SYLVIA DAY

release date :: TBA (seriously, though? gaaah!)

We faced a terrible choice: the familiar safety of the lives we'd had before each other or the fight for a future that suddenly seemed an impossible and hopeless dream...

Squeee!! Yes, Sylvia, I am beyond captivated by you! You and this series. Y'all know what I'm talking about. Crossfire is just the bomb diggity. It is, no one can argue that. Gideon Cross and Eva Tramell are just on a league of their own, I'm afraid. If you're unfamiliar with this series - which I sincerely doubt, but you never know -, this is the FOURTH book of the Crossfire series bonanza. Yep, the sequel to Bared to You (#1), Reflected in You (#2) and Entwined with You (#3) - which, by the way, was released on June 4th. If things go on this way, it'll have been a YEAR when the new book is released. We don't even have a cover yet, nor do we have a release date (!!!!) At first I'd heard some murmurs about it being in May, but now I'm unsure. Still, despite all these anti-climatic dealings, I am still panting for this book like a friggin' dog in heat. I am, no denying. Embarrassing, but it is what it is. Personally speaking, I'd be content with 3 books, but I'm not gonna turn away from 2 more... *wink* I'll never have enough of Gideon and Eva, to be honest. The last book was so intense (airplane scene, anyone?!) and no one can write like Sylvia can. It's just impossible. So, yep, here I am, pathetically begging for a release date or a cover (or the book itself, hey! If you want to give it to me, who am I to say no?!?). Pleaaaaase, Sylvia? Pleasepleasepleaseplease? -- See the book on Goodreads right here.

RUSH TOO FAR by ABBI GLINES

release date :: may 6, 2014

Fall all over again...

Have I, by any chance, mentioned how much I LIVE for a guy's POV from books I fell in love with? No? Well, allow me: I LOVE A GUY'S POV FROM BOOKS I FELL IN LOVE WITH! Yes!!! Case in point: Walking Disaster, from my favorite book ever Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire. Ooooh, Travis. Next? Hmm... Remy, from one of my absolute favorite alpha males books ever to exist - Real by Katy Evans. Ooooh, Remington Tate. Until You, from one of the books that I still can't shake off to this day - Bully by Penelope Douglas. Love you, Jared! Need I go on? I could, but I'll just tell you that Rush Finlay is one hell of a sexy mother phuckaaaah. Yep, he is! He and Blaire Wynn are one of the sweetest couples I've read to this day, and his love for her can withstand anything (whoa, Nannette! One of the most hateful characters I have ever read, hands down!). This is a book I cannot wait for, and it basically tells the story we've seen on Fallen Too Far through Rush's eyes. Dying for it?! I know!!! I am too!!! Only downside is having to wait until May... sigh. But I still love you bunches for doing this, sweet Abbi! Thank you, love! BRB, peeing my pants in the meantime! Oopsie! -- See the book on Goodreads right here and my major freak out over hearing the news here. 3 months to go! Start the countdown! Eeeeek!

THOUGHTFUL by S.C. STEPHENS

release date :: TBA

Ladies, meet Kellan Kyle, the world's hottest D-Bag! And then meet me, the proudest D-Baguette!!! Bahaha, how crazy does this sound?! Continuing the major freak out that happened up there about guys' POV's, here we have none other than THE sexiest musician, Kellan Kyle! Mr. Kellan "Delicious" Kyle here was at the center of one of the most anguished, craziest, hottest, most sinful love triangles in recent times -- the Thoughtless trilogy, anyone?! Yep, thought that might ring a bell with y'all! The absolutely amazeballs S.C. Stephens is giving us the mother of all treats... a book in Kellan's POV! Yaaaaay!!!! Squeee squeee squeeeee!!!! Let me hug you real tight, S.C.! Sigh, the Thoughtless trilogy literally took my heart out of my chest, went on to grind it into hamburger meat and then served it to me on a silver platter. I might've had a small heart attack or two, mind you. We had Kiera Allen's version of events, now it's our chance to get inside Kellan's head! I just had to wipe a fat drop of drool off my chin, you guys. I'm serious. While we don't have a cover or a release date as of yet, we've been given small teasers by the author, and my appetite is certainly awoken! Gimme, gimme, gimme! -- See the book on Goodreads here. 

---

That's part I for you! Holy mama, I did have a lot to say, didn't I? Oops... Part II to come real soon! Which books are you most excited for? Leave me a comment below! ♥