Review: Burning Bridges by @nadegerichards

Summary:

Do or Die...

In a world that has been divided amongst the Hunter race and the Warrior, prisoners who have fallen prey to King Cyrus' decrees are forced into the arena to fight until death. Winner is granted mercy and privilege to see another sunrise. Death unto the weak. In an attempt to get back at everyone who has ever shut her out, seventeen year-old Princess Echo becomes another victim, dragging Ayden, her forbidden love, along in a race to freedom, to find out who she really is, and to put a world that has been swallowed by lies back together again.

In the first installment of The Bleeding Heart Trilogy, life becomes a dangerous game of kill or be killed, love or let go. When death threatens the forbidden love of an unlikely couple and they are forced to do the unthinkable, to what extent will they go to be together?

My Review:

3.5 Stars

"This is love. This is your life, Echo. Own it. Start over. Fight."

Echo is born into privilege and is the country's future queen. She is sarcastic and funny and wants to be a warrior but her place in the kingdom is strictly queen. All she wishes to be is free. 

Ayden is from the other side of the tracks. He is poor and works multiple jobs just to make ends meet for his family. Life has always been hard on him and to make matters worse, his mother is ill and his father is a drunk. 

"There is only so much time I have on this world; I do not want to spend it alone if I can spend it happily with you."

This is a story about forbidden love; very much like Romeo and Juliet. Destined to be together but both from different worlds. 

I thought the story started off very strong. I loved how it opened up to us as an audience. It had me intrigued and quite excited. I adore forbidden romances, they're deliciously fun! 

For awhile the story dragged and I felt as if nothing was happening. Or some things would happen so fast that it felt unrealistic.

The romance between Ayden and Echo for instance. I am all for insta-love. But I felt that in Burning Bridges, the main characters didn't have the time to fall in love the way they did. It didn't feel genuine. Which is weird because in chapter one, the opening scene, their love was what hooked me. I guess I would have liked to have more of a build up to the relationship. More forbidden. But everyone knew about them. 

Aside from that, I did very much enjoy the book. Echo is a strong willed and "doesn't take no crap from nobody" kind of girl. At times she could be very whiny and annoying. But I think it's just her being an immature teenager. 

"If I could, I would knock down every border that dared stand in my way of getting to you everyday."

I think Ayden is positively dreamy. His loyalty and love for his family is what makes him such a great guy. And his eyes. His eyes which are violet! Ah I love it! 

Burning Bridges is an action packed book filled with forbidden romance, betrayal, and some twists that will drop your jaw. 

I can't wait to read the next one and to see what kind of journey is in store for Ayden and Echo. 

*revew copy given to me by author for honest review*

Review: Tears of Tess by Pepper Winters

Summary: 

A New Adult Dark Contemporary Romance, not suitable for people sensitive to grief, slavery, and nonconsensual sex. A story about finding love in the strangest of places, a will of iron that grows from necessity, and forgiveness that may not be enough.


“My life was complete. Happy, content, everything neat and perfect.
Then it all changed.
I was sold.”


Tess Snow has everything she ever wanted: one more semester before a career in property development, a loving boyfriend, and a future dazzling bright with possibility. 

For their two year anniversary, Brax surprises Tess with a romantic trip to Mexico. Sandy beaches, delicious cocktails, and soul-connecting sex set the mood for a wonderful holiday. With a full heart, and looking forward to a passion filled week, Tess is on top of the world.

But lusty paradise is shattered.

Kidnapped. Drugged. Stolen. Tess is forced into a world full of darkness and terror. 

Captive and alone with no savior, no lover, no faith, no future, Tess evolves from terrified girl to fierce fighter. But no matter her strength, it can’t save her from the horror of being sold.

Can Brax find Tess before she’s broken and ruined, or will Tess’s new owner change her life forever?

My Review-

Kidnapped. Stolen. Taken. Sold. Look at it however which way you want, but the cold hard truth is that Tess has been trafficked. And sold to the highest bidder. Say what?

Tears of Tess caught my eye from a friend on goodreads recommending it to me. Of course I was intrigued. I just had to have the book. 

What I read was so much better than what I thought i was going to get. It's true erotica with some BDSM, which I tend to shy away from. (Fifty shades of grey doesn't count.) Anyways, there were some parts in the book where I had to stop reading and put it down. Like I said before, I am more of a romance chick with some sex thrown in the story. So BDSM and slaves, is well on past my comfort zone. 

But...

I couldn't stop reading. It was so intense...

It was dark...so dark. And it had such a sensual feel to it that it made you think as if you were just as messed up in the head like the characters in the book were. 

I loved this. 

It's like a f*cked up version of Beauty and the Beast. Except instead of Belle wishing there was more to life(like in her books), it has to do with a girl's dark desire to be a submissive. Both are clearly unhappy with their lives. Then they are both held captive in a mansion by a monster but fall in love with said monster. Monsters have secrets with secret desires. But where as Beauty and the Beast is a love story taught as a lesson in life; loving someone for who they are on the inside. Tears of Tess is about breaking free from the cage. The cage of someone you pretend to be, when what you really feel deep down inside  makes you a completely different person. A true person to one's identity. A dark person. Someone who has desires beyond "normal". 

You shy away from that desire and you're ashamed. But then...you find someone whose mind may be just as f*cked up as yours. 

"I'm no one's possession. I belong to me, and for the first time, I know how powerful that is." -Tess

Tess is a fighter. She has fire in her eyes and doesn't back down to anyone. It's her saving grace and her downfall. It's her blessing and her curse. 

Q is a f*cked up man. I don't know how else to put it. Underneath the monster though is a kind and gentle man. We sometimes get to see that side of him. But mostly he's battling demons that we as readers don't even begin to understand. 

Ooh I can't begin to tell you how much this book has made me feel. So I'll save you the trouble of reading my words and give you some advice. Go buy the book! You won't regret it. 

Review: Indigo by Fiauna Lund

Title: Indigo
Author: Fiauna Lund
Expected Release Date: September 1, 2013
Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing
Genre: Fantasy Fiction | Young Adult

INDIGO Synopsis:

When Brit Kavanagh was a baby her mother disappeared, but not before she gave her daughter wings—sewn into her skin with needle and thread.

Seventeen years later, Brit’s quiet, protected life is turned upside-down when her father dies, leaving her in the care of relatives she hardly knows. Almost from the moment she arrives in her new home, Brit is haunted by the terrifying apparition of a banshee and disaster strikes wherever she goes. From a near-drowning experience to a house fire at a crowded party, no one around her is safe.

Brit is desperate to unravel the mysteries behind her wings and the curse of the banshee before someone else gets hurt. The only person who can help her is Gentry O’Neill, a handsome lifeguard who knows more than he’s telling. With Gentry’s help, Brit must embark on a journey of discovery that will lead her through her mother’s troubled past, her father’s dark secrets, and the horrifying truth of her own existence.

ABOUT FIAUNA LUND:

Fiauna Lund is a grown woman with an overactive imagination, a passion for writing, four children, and the dirty house to prove it.

Reading and writing have always been passions for Fiauna. During her childhood she spent hours exploring the woods of rural western Pennsylvania where she first began creating stories about faeries, pixies, magic, and mystical creatures.

She met her husband, Aaron, while attending Utah State University, and later earned a degree in human services from Columbia College which allowed her to study the uniquely challenged and inspiring people who serve as her collective muse. She now resides in Farmington, Utah. When she's not reading, writing, or running, she spends her time caring for her four adorable children and one rambunctious dog.

REVIEW--

 After losing her father to a car accident, Brit finds herself living in a new town with her aunt and family. It's there in the town of Tigard, that Brit starts noticing weird things happening to her. Weird things such as near death experiences. 

After almost drowning at a pool party for her aunt's homeowners meeting due to seeing a mysterious woman in the pool; Brit has no idea who this enchantingly beautiful woman is. And why she wants her dead.

Indigo is a YA paranormal novel about the fae. Or Fairy folk. As you read in the synopsis, this story involves a banshee and how Brit may or may not be in the path to becoming one. I love how Indigo isn't at all what I expected it to be.

Books about the fae are one of my favorite types of books. Of course I like seeing the different ways authors portray what fae is to them. Some of my favorite series involving fae are The Fever series by Karen M Moning and The Iron Fey by Julie Kagawa. Both completely different from Indigo but I love it all the same.

Brit is not your typical teen, well obviously, the girls got wings! At the beginning she was closed off and aloof. For good reason but it was nice seeing her make friends and have a cute boy interested in her.

Which brings me to Gentry. Sweet gentry.

Gentry is the type of guy your parents want you to date and the guy that every girl wants. He reads poetry(swoon), he is a runner, and he is super hot. Oh and he is nice but did I mention he's hot? Anyways, Gentry has some secrets as well as Brit.

Want to know the secret? Well, too bad. You will need to read the book to find out what the secrets are. You will also find out why her mother wants her so bad. You might even find out if Brit is a banshee...or not.

Indigo is for those who enjoy YA paranormal romance that involves fairies.

I want to thank Rhemelda Publishing for giving me the chance to read and review Indigo. 

LINK UP!!

Twitter and Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/RhemaldaPublishing

https://twitter.com/FiaunaL or Follow @FiaunaL

https://twitter.com/Rhemalda or Follow @Rhemalda

Product Pages

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18304892-indigo

http://shop.rhemalda.com/product/indigo.html

http://www.amazon.com/Indigo-Fiauna-Lund/dp/1936850826/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377037966&sr=8-1&keywords=indigo+by+fiauna+lund

Publisher and Author Site

http://rhemalda.com/

http://fiaunalund.com/

ADVANCED PRAISE FOR INDIGO:

"The world and characters drew me right in. Fiauna Lund had me right from the start." -Elizabeth Mueller, YA author ofDarkspell

"Indigo weaves a tragic legend into an intricate, delicious tale. Put wondrous creatures like the fae into an achingly real setting like this one, and you've got real magic." -Michelle Davidson Argyle, author of The Breakaway and Bonded

"Indigo is a must-have for every young adult who loves the fantasy genre. They will be captivated by the mystery, suspense and believable romance that continues throughout the novel until you're left wanting more. Don't miss this new novel by upcoming author Fiauna Lund." -Rachel McClellan, author of the YA Fractured Light series and Confessions of a Cereal Mother

"In Indigo, fans of Aprilynne Pike and Julie Kagawa will discover the next twist in fairy lore-and it's all about the banshee." -Amber Argyle, author of Witch Song and Witch Born

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: When It Rains by Lisa De Jong

Title: When It Rains by Lisa De Jong

Release Date: September 27, 2013

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17833493-when-it-rains

Blurb:

One night changed my life forever.

Beau Bennett has been my best friend since I can remember. He was my first crush before everything came crashing down, and now he wants more, but it's more than I can give him. Things are different now. I wish I could tell him why, but I can't.

I haven’t told anyone.

I never knew how much I really needed him until the day he left for college, and I was completely alone.

Then one day, Asher Hunt rides into town with his dark, captivating eyes and cocky grin. He doesn't care who I used to be, he's simply breathing life into what’s left. People warn me to stay away from him, but he helps me forget the pain that has held me hostage for so long; something I thought was impossible before he walked into my life.

I’ve been hurt.

I’ve been saved.

And I’ve found hope.

I thought my story was written that night, but now I know it was only a new beginning. Until one secret turns my world upside down…

Again.

About the Author:

Lisa De Jong is a wife, mother and full-time number cruncher who lives in the Midwest. Her writing journey involved insane amounts of coffee and many nights of very little sleep but she wouldn't change a thing. She also enjoys reading, football and music.

Author Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-De-Jong-Author/172608966217903

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LisaDeJongBooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6670530.Lisa_De_Jong

Website: http://lisadejongbooks.blogspot.com/

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal&Giveaway--My Now and Forever HJ Bellus

SYNOPSIS

Whose parents abandon them in a trashy trailer when they are five years old? Oh Yeah! Mine do!

Hey Hoochies! I'm Milly, and I am tired of taking kicks to the gut. A broken family, an asshole husband and the loss of loved ones have left me crying Uncle, and declaring a serious case of the Fuck-Its! 

I had my heart broken, stomped on and shattered before I ever started on my journey to find my little piece of happiness. With a bucket list, a '66 Ford and wild dreams, I set out on an adventure that changed my life forever. Follow me on my journey that resurrected my inner badass.

I found my soul sista from another mista, and opened my dream shop along the way. Just when I gave up on finding true love, a pirate and a princess swept me off my ever lovin' feet and filled my world with sprinkles, mac n’ cheese and the courage to live again. They forced my fragile heart to trust and love without fear.

 

Truth is, nobody’s past stays hidden forever. It’s an invisible monster waiting to attack and destroy. It has the capability to ruin everything you’ve worked to set right. All it takes is one final blow to the gut to end everything.

***Sexual Content and Adult Language***

Amazon --> http://amzn.to/17xa6hT

Goodreads --> http://bit.ly/12L12hm

AUTHOR BIO

I am an independent author excited about releasing my first novel very soon. A big dream coming true!!! I'm all country...the kinda country where green grass grows and corn pops up in rows....love Miranda and her bad ass music!!! Just a simple country girl getting one story out of her head at a time...I always fall hard for a trucker style hat...especially if it's a John Deere hat....loves me a good ol' farm boy!!!!!!

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/14h8SkD

Twitter: http://bit.ly/1e1Fru9

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/17xaLzM

a Rafflecopter giveaway

LOVE AT FIRST SLIGHT by J. Marie Croft

Cover Reveal

 

Genre: Fiction | Romance | Historical | Regency | Jane Austen Sequel

Publication Date: October 1, 2013

About the book:

In this humorous, topsy-turvy Pride & Prejudice variation, all the gender roles are reversed. It is Mr. Bennet’s greatest wish to see his five sons advantageously married. When the haughty Miss Elizabeth Darcy comes to Netherfieldwith the Widow Devonport nee Bingley, speculation—and prejudice—runs rampant.

William Bennet, a reluctant and irreverent future reverend, catches Miss Darcy’s eye even though he is beneath her station. However, his opinion of her was fixed when she slighted him at the Meryton Assembly. As her ardour grows, so does his disdain, and when she fully expects to receive an offer of marriage, he gives her something else entirely ….

Links:

 

Product Pages:

http://shop.rhemalda.com/product/love-at-first-slight.html

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18311075-love-at-first-slight?from_search=true

 

 

Author’s Website:

http://www.prideand.com/

 

Publisher Websites:

http://rhemalda.com/

https://www.facebook.com/RhemaldaPublishing

 

 

About the Author:

 

J. Marie Croft, a Nova Scotia resident and avid reader all her life, discovered Jane Austen's works later than others but made up for lost time by devouring the six novels and as many adaptations and sequels as she could find. In the midst of reading prodigious amounts of Austen-based fan-fiction, she realized, "Hey, I can do that." In her spare time, when not working at a music school or on a wooded trail enjoying her geocaching hobby, she listens to the voices in her head and captures their thoughts and words in writing. Her stories are light-hearted; and her motto is Miss Austen's own quote, "Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery." J. Marie Croft is a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America (Canada)

and admits to being "excessively attentive" to the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. She can be contacted atjmariecroft@gmail.com.

Take It All by Emma Grayson

Synopsis:

***Inspired by true events***

Judy Garland said it best, ‘For it was not into my ear you whispered but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed but my soul.’

If you asked her why she loved him, she would only be able to tell you it was because he was who he was and well, she was who she was.

Plain and simple.

All her life Lennox Ward felt incomplete. That her heart was always searching for that one special thing; that special someone she had yet to find.

Then Caleb Kingston came strolling back into her life unexpectedly, and little did she know her world was about to come crashing down around her; forever shattering it.

Is love enough to conquer all?

Will she be able to lead them out of hell and off their path of self destruction?

Or will Caleb take it all?



*This book contains mature subject matter and is not intended for those under 17 years of age.*

My Thoughts:

Take it All tells the story of two souls destined to be together but have all the odds stacked up against them. Caleb and Lennox were childhood best friends who secretly loved each other. They lost touch with one another when Caleb and his family moved away. As fate would have it, they meet again ten years later through a chat forum online. But they don't know who the other one is until they decide to meet for a date. When they realize who they've been chatting it up with all along, they decide they want to try and have a relationship.

Where to start? I am still sort of emotionally drained after reading Take it All. When I first started reading I was somewhat annoyed with Lennox. After all, characters like her usually annoy me. But Emma writes a note before you begin reading that the story is based off life events. So I stopped judging and ended up getting engrossed in a world that I am unfamiliar with. Such as the main character, Lennox.

Take it All deals with a very heavy subject matter. I repeat very heavy! This is not a light read about two people reconnecting and falling in love. Well it is about that but not so much a light read. It's dark and dangerous. It's opened my eyes into a lifestyle that I can't fathom being apart of.

Emma states that you don't know what a person would do for love and what you are capable of until you are put in that type of situation. I'd have to agree with her on that. The whole time I'm reading I keep wanting to hit Lennox upside the head and ask her what she is thinking. Caleb on the other hand I felt anger and resentment towards.

But as I read on, I started to feel for these characters. Caleb in particular. It was a complete 180 from how I had originally felt about him. For some reason I found myself shedding some tears for the situation he was in, then the compassion and pity came in. Like I stated above I can't even imagine being in his position! To the real Caleb out there, I'm sorry you had to go through what you did.

Before I said that it was an eye opener for me. And it was. I've never known anyone to be in the same predicament as Caleb. In a way, I am ignorant in that subject matter. But afterwards, when I finished the book, I feel like know a little bit more.

Even though Take it All has a somewhat depressing feel to it, it does have some great parts. Such as Lennox and her friends. Well, more like Raine. That guy is awesome. Lennox and Raine meet one night in a bar and the two decide to be friends. He is the epitome of what a good, no great, friend is. I think I loved him at first sight. The things he does for Lennox when she is in an emotional bind or when she finds out Caleb's secret, is just amazing.

Caleb and Lennox's love is wonderful. It's not what you would say is rainbows and unicorns. Lennox knows no boundaries. She is loyal, strong and such a good person for sticking by someone when they needed her the most. I'm ashamed to say I don't think I would have done the same. Which is why this story has had such an effect on me. I feel like if someone in my life is going through what Caleb is going though, I will think of this book and stick by that person. I will channel Lennox's strength to be compassionate to a person in need.  So i want to thank Emma, for making a person on the outside see how hard it is when you are put in a situation as hard as Lennox and Caleb.

I highly recommend reading Take it All. A book I thought I couldn't love has been bumped up to one of my favorites of the year.

*thank you to Emma for providing me with a copy for an honest review and for letting me be apart of the blog tour.
*also a huge thank you and shout out to Book Geeks Unite for being freaken awesome.

Peace out and have a lovely day<3

a Rafflecopter giveaway