Beyond the Veil (The Grey Wolves #5) - Quinn Loftis

I finally allowed myself to purchase a book for my Kindle rather than reading free books.  Of course I picked the 5th book in Quinn Loftis's The Grey Wolves series.  I am absolutely in love with this series.  With each book, I change which character is my favorite.  I was nervous about diving back into this series because it has been quite awhile since I have read any of them, but from the first page, I was reminded of why I love this series so much.

I love this supernatural world.  At first, it's a world of just wolves and humans.  Then as the books go on, we find out there are witches and gypsy healers and fae.  In this book, we learn that there are also pixies and warlocks and who knows what else!  It's a magical world to read about.  I love how each of the wolves has a different personality, just as each of the girls has a different one.

One thing I really loved about this book was that each chapter begins with a quote from one of the characters.  By the fifth book, I have learned so much about each character that I was able to figure out who the quote was from before getting to the end and seeing the name.  That's how I know that Quinn Loftis writes and develops her characters well.  I knew their tones and personalities just like I know my own friends.  She has a great writing style and I just can't get enough of these wolves!

This book kept me on edge, wondering what the evil witch Desdemona was up to and whether our beloved wolves and healers and fae would make it through the forest alive.  Though there were no huge battles like in books past, there was plenty of action to keep me interested.  I can't wait to use my Kindle settlement funds to purchase book #6.  I need to know what happens to Jacque's mom, what happens to our male wolves, and whether the fae will step up and help the wolves defeat Desdemona.

The Redemption of Callie & Kayden - Jessica Sorensen

I must admit, I am slowly moving Jessica Sorensen up my list of authors I love to read.  I think I have mentioned before that I liked the Fallen Star series, and I have previously made a post about the first book in The Coincidence Series, The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden.  I was at Half Price Books last weekend and found both The Coincidence and The Redemption on sale, so I purchased them, even though I have the Kindle version of the first book.  I like the covers, so they will be nice additions to my collection.

This book begins where The Coincidence left off . . . Kayden in the hospital and Callie falling apart.  The book follows them on their heartbreaking journeys.  Kayden has to deal with the aftermath of what his father has done to him and his inability to believe that anyone could love him.  Callie faces her fears of loving someone and finally doing something about what happened to her on her twelfth birthday.

I think I liked the first book better because I was just getting used to the characters and I was interested to find out what secrets their pasts held.  By the second book, I still loved the characters, but sometimes I wanted to smack them.  I felt like Kayden was unnecessarily pushing Callie away when he knew her and knew she deeply cared about him.  On the other hand, I understood that after everything he had been through, it would be very tough to accept love.  To quote Stephen Chbosky, "we accept the love we think we deserve."  After having such an abusive and unloving home life, Kayden probably didn't think he deserved love.

With that being said, I was frustrated with Callie for pushing him too hard, yet being a hypocrite because she wouldn't face her fears either.  In the end, I decided their frustrating behavior and irrationalities were forgivable.  Who knows what I would do if I was in that situation.  I like both characters and I like Jessica Sorensen's writing style.  I am looking forward to reading the rest of Callie and Kayden's story as well as the story of Violet and Luke, both characters that I really like from this series.

I am also looking forward to Jessica Sorensen's stand alone book coming soon, The Forgotten Girl. This is a mystery-ish novel from what I understand.  After reading so many romancey novels lately, I am going back to supernatural and possibly mystery/horror for a bit.  My emotions need a short break.

Cover Reveal - Gorgeous Chaos by T.K. Leigh

Title: Gorgeous Chaos

Author: T.K. Leigh

Anticipated Release Date: May 5, 2014

Genre: Romantic Suspense

Synopsis

How long can you keep a secret from the one you love? How can you possibly say the words that will rip both your worlds apart? Finally able to face her fears of abandonment, Olivia Adler begins to prepare for the next phase of her life. But Alexander Burnham is still holding on to all the secrets about Olivia’s past, trying to protect her. As days go by, Olivia is slowly starting to remember her past and Alexander realizes it’s only a matter of time until she puts all the pieces together and figures out who he is… And who she is... But if she remembers, her life could be in even more danger than it already is. And Alexander cannot have that happen. When shadows of Olivia’s past threaten not only her life, but also those around her, will Alexander finally put Olivia’s needs ahead of his? Will she be able to put all the pieces of her past together in order to save her own life and those she’s close to? Can she figure out who she can trust and who is threatening her very existence? Gorgeous Chaos is the explosive conclusion to T.K. Leigh’s Beautiful Mess series. RECOMMENDED FOR AGES 18 AND UP DUE TO EXPLICIT SEXUAL SITUATIONS, STRONG LANGUAGE, AND GRAPHIC VIOLENCE.

About the Author

T.K. Leigh, otherwise known as Tracy Leigh Kellam, is a producer / attorney by trade. Originally from New England, she now resides in sunny Southern California with her husband, dog and three cats, all of which she has rescued (including the husband). Her debut novel “A Beautiful Mess” has garnered relative praise, having been an Amazon Best Seller, as well a Number 1 Best Seller in Romantic Suspense, Women’s Action and Adventure Fiction, Women’s Crime Fiction, and Women’s Psychological Fiction. Recently, the book was named by The Guardian as a top reader-recommended self-published book of 2013 as well as a 2013 Reader’s Favorite in Publisher’s Weekly in addition to being named an Amazon Romance Editor’s Fan Favorite for Top Debut Author and Best Page Turner. The sequel to “A Beautiful Mess”, entitled “A Tragic Wreck”, became an Amazon Top-50 Best Selling Book on the day of its release. It is also an Amazon Number 1 Best Seller in Women’s Sagas, Women’s Psychological Fiction, Women’s Action and Adventure Fiction, and Women’s Crime Fiction. When she’s not planted in front of her computer, writing away, she can be found running and training for her next marathon (of which she has run over fifteen fulls and far too many halfs to recall). Unlike Olivia, the main character in her Beautiful Mess series, she has yet to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

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The Fault In Our Stars - John Green

Once again, I am late to the game for something.  This is the first time I have read a John Green book.  I picked this one so I could read it before the movie, of course.

If you are one of the few people who have not read this book, please allow ample time after you have read the book to have an emotional breakdown.  I finished this book last night but couldn't bring myself to post about it until today.  I seriously ugly cried for about ten minutes when I got to the end.  Then I was angry because I was somehow expected to get up early and go to work this morning after experiencing that emotional trauma last night.  *sigh*  Such is the life of a book addict.

This book is a beautifully written love story of the lives of dying teenagers.  Sounds pretty upbeat, huh?  The characters were so interesting and lovable that I ached because of their suffering.  A spunky girl with terminal thyroid and lung cancer whose life revolves around America's Next Top Model meets her match one day at support group.  The book takes readers on the journey of their relationship and last wish to track down the reclusive author of Hazel's favorite book.

I liked this book because it is realistic.  People get cancer.  Kids get cancer.  They die.  They suffer.  Their families do not know what to do or how to survive.  Famous people aren't always what you picture them to be like.  Alcoholism exists.  People aren't always nice.  Some people are A-holes.  Some people cling to unrealistic hopes, while others make the best of what's around.  All of those things exist in this book.

If I was still a teenager, Augustus would totally be my fictional boyfriend.  Terminal cancer and all.  I loved this book at the same time that I hated it for being so darn sad.  I am definitely looking forward to reading more of Mr. Green's books, but I think I will wait a little while so I can recover from this one.

Silence - Natasha Preston

I thought I was on a roll with books that I enjoyed, but then I ruined my streak with this one.  It has been sitting in my Kindle for ages and I just now got around to reading it.  I got it because it was free on Amazon.  A good amount of the time, if the first book in a series is free, it entices me to read it and I usually end up buying the next books.

Silence had great potential.  The premise was interesting. A girl goes through a traumatic event in her life and stops talking for eleven years.  I really liked the idea behind the book.  However, what turned me off was the writing.  I realize that the author is from England, so spelling and terminology will naturally be different from the typical books I read.  However, the book was so laden with grammar errors and typos that it made it difficult to get through.  I also felt that the book was rushed.  A scene that could have taken an entire chapter was broken down into a couple paragraphs, yet things that could have been quickly written took up pages.

I also did not like how the first ten or so chapters were written from Oakley's perspective, then all of a sudden there was a random Cole POV chapter.  If alternating POVs are going to be used, it would be easier to follow if it started out that way in the beginning rather than just throwing in another POV randomly.

With that being said, it is not my intention to trash this book.  I really did find the plot to be interesting.  The ideas were good.  The cliffhanger at the end left room for an interesting development in the next book.  I think I previously downloaded the second book for free, but it will be awhile before I attempt to read it.

The Eye of Minds - James Dashner

I was excited to read this book after reading the Maze Runner trilogy.  I like the ideas that James Dashner comes up with.  This book was no different in terms of having an interesting idea.  I didn't like it as well as I liked the Maze Runner books, but it a decent read.

I think I was not so into this book because it was about a futuristic take on video games.  I don't play video games now, so I don't really understand the camaraderie and strategies.  It was interesting, though, because the games were like in Avatar where a person gets into these pods and are transported to a fantastical place where they move their characters through their minds.  It is kind of neat to think of being able to create your avatar for lack of a better word and to interact and engage with other players that way.

The voyage that the main characters went through was exciting and scary.  I am glad that I will never be in that situation.  Maybe the situations were so intriguing to me because I have never been engrossed in a game world before.  It was a very interesting premise and I am curious to see where the next books in the series go.

White Hot Kiss - Jennifer L. Armentrout

I picked up this book about a week and a half ago and just now got around to finishing it because other things got in the way.  It's the first full-length novel I have read by Jennifer Armentrout, and I was pretty impressed.

This book was not at all what I had expected.  I didn't really read the back cover to see what it was actually about.  Judging from the cover and the title, I expected it to be full of sex scenes that would make me blush.  It wasn't.  Sure, there's love involved, but it's not like the other books I've been reading lately.

This book follows a world where Wardens (gargoyles in human form) live on Earth to protect the humans from demons.  There are more types of demons than I could have ever imagined.  Layla, the main character, is half-Warden and half-demon.  Her demon mother mated with a Warden and the rest is history.  The story line of why the demons were hunting Layla was intriguing.

I like Layla as a character.  She's seventeen and acts like a seventeen year old would (well, except for the whole demon/Warden thing).  She is awkward around guys, she is stubborn, she acts before she thinks, etc.  I could relate to her character as far as the whole always needing junk food thing goes.  She is not an obnoxious character and I did not secretly wish for her to die.  So that's good.

I also liked the two hot guys in the book.  Zayne, who Layla has known forever and is off-limits to her, and Roth, the super-hot demon that should be off-limits because he's a demon.  Zayne's off-limits because Wardens are not supposed to marry anyone with demon blood.  Also because Layla has this little problem where if she kisses someone, she could take their soul.  That would definitely put a damper on any relationship.  Lucky for Roth, he is a demon and thus has no soul.

The book is well-written and full of drama and humor.  The only problem with reading it so soon after it was released is that now I have to wait entirely too long for the next book.  I am definitely looking forward to it.

Take Me To Your Reader: An Otherworld Anthology

I finally got around to reading this awesome anthology of aliens.  As I mentioned in a previous post, Take Me To Your Reader is the theme for the UtopYA convention in June.  It's an awesome weekend filled with authors, readers, bloggers, and other awesome people in the young adult and new adult writing world.  Some of the authors graciously wrote short stories to go in this anthology and all of the stories are about aliens.  

We all know that I absolutely adore Tammy Blackwell and Tiffany King.  Aside from my excitement for this year's UtopYA event, they are the main reasons I could not wait to read this anthology.  I had never read anything by the other authors, Amanda Havard, Amy Bartol, Sarah Ross, Raine Thomas, Heather Hildenbrand, and C.A. Kunz, but I am glad that I had this chance to do so.  Now I will definitely be checking out some of their other work.  I also do not make a habit of reading alien stories, but these were pretty interesting.

It's hard to independently review stories this short, but some of them left me longing for the rest of the story.  Some of these short stories ended at points in which I was just like "Oh my GOSH!  Whyyyy does this author hate me so much?  I need MORE!"  I probably did say that out loud a time or two.  

Anyway, if you haven't read it, I suggest picking up a copy.  It's available in e-book and paperback.  It helps support UtopYA con.  

A Tragic Wreck - T.K. Leigh

I know, two T.K. Leigh books in a row.  Like I said, I had a romance book marathon this weekend.  Yesterday was so rainy/snowy/icy that I seriously just laid on the couch all day and read this entire book.

This book picks up in Florida, where A Beautiful Mess left off.  Olivia ran from Boston to get away from true love.  In Florida, she finds a nice (and super hot) distraction, but her heart still belongs to Alex.  The author does a great job describing Olivia's pain and agony over leaving Alex.  I had to grab a few tissues as I was making my way through the book because I could actually feel the pain she was in.  I alternated between being very sad for her and being very angry at her.  I was angry at how she refused to let herself feel true happiness and fall in love.  I felt like she was being self-destructive.

I was also very angry at Alex and his rebound relationship with Chelsea.  I mean as pretty as she might be, she was not the nicest girl in the world.  I was frustrated with how fast he jumped into an intense relationship with her when he didn't really have strong feelings for her.  As awful as she may be, nobody deserves to get strung along like that.  I was also angry at him for keeping secrets from Olivia.  I guess all in all, I was not a huge fan of Alex in this book because he kept doing things to make me upset.

I liked Olivia's character development.  It seemed for awhile that she was falling back into her old ways,  but eventually, she began growing as a character and I respected her as much as I pitied her.  I desperately wanted her to get all of her memories back or for Alex to tell her the truth about who she was.

I also enjoyed the story line behind the men who were searching for her and plotting against her.  It was a nice accompaniment to make sure that the book was not entirely about Olivia and Alex's tumultuous relationship.  All in all, I enjoyed this book as well and I am looking forward to the next installment in the series so I can see how the danger from Olivia's past all plays out.

A Beautiful Mess - T.K. Leigh

I had a romance book marathon this weekend and T.K. Leigh's Beautiful Mess series was on my agenda.  After this, I am pretty sure that I can't say that I do not read this type of book anymore.  I've read too many of them lately to be able to say I don't read them.  

Olivia Adler has a tragic past.  Everyone she ever loved has been taken from her.  Alexander Burnham lost the love of his life when he was nine years old...and he still hasn't gotten over her.  On a fateful evening, the two unexpectedly meet and their lives will never be the same.  A Beautiful Mess takes readers on a roller coaster of a ride through the lives of two people who are meant to be together, but sometimes seem too self-absorbed to realize it.

This book sent me through an emotional whirlwind.  I laughed, cried, got angry, and wanted to either hug or punch the characters.  I read some reviews that discussed the characters being TSTD, but sometimes, aren't we all?  It frustrated me that Olivia ran every time someone tried to get close to her, but if I had been through her traumatic life and had the financial safety net to do so, I would have ran too.  I felt sorry for her for being unable to open her heart to love because she was so afraid.  

I legitimately wanted things to work out between the two characters despite some things that I was not comfortable with.  Like the time Alex just walked into her house because she didn't answer.  If a guy I had just met did that, my creeper alert would go off.  I also would have been freaked out if a guy suddenly wanted to put protection detail on me without fully explaining what danger I was in.  Keeping such a close eye on someone is usually the beginning of a domestic violence situation.  But because Alex knew something about Olivia that she didn't know, I can understand how in his mind, it was perfectly acceptable.  

I'm not going to comment on the intimate scenes from the book because 1.) my blog isn't set for adult content and 2.) it makes me uncomfortable to talk about it.  I'm not a prude by any means, but discussing it in a public forum is not my cup of tea.  I will say that these scenes were so intense that they made me blush.  

I wasn't a huge fan of the jumping third person point of view; however, it wasn't bad enough to make me stop reading.  I really enjoyed the story line.  It was passionate and fun, yet dramatic and suspenseful.  It sucked me into the world of Olivia and Alex enough that as soon as I finished it, I purchased A Tragic Wreck, the second book in the series, and immediately began reading it.