Five Things Friday, No. 3

Hey, ladies!


I've seen the Five Things Friday posts on KimberlyFaye Reads and Brandie is a Book Junkie, and they're some of my favorite post types, so I wanted to jump on the bandwagon. Also, I'm lazy and was getting bored of Cover Lust. ;)

Let's jump right in!

1. Book of The Week

This was AMAZING and definitely lived up to the hype around it! This is new adult at its finest and I highly recommend. 

2. New to My Shelf

I'm in the mood for romantic comedy!

3. Fun This Week

A great reading week with a couple or fantastic books! The weather skyrocketed to almost 90 degrees, then dropped back down to the upper 70s. 

Not so fun this week was our fridge kicked the bucket...then the new one needed a part...thankfully that's sorted out!

4. Pic of the Week

Orange blossoms!

5. Looking Ahead 

Crazy busy on Saturday, but then on Sunday we're heading out to the little beach town half an hour from here for a few days of working vacation. Minus the relatives that'll be there was well (but different house, thank god!), it'll be fun! 

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite Protagonists

Hey guys! Happy Mardi Gras!

It's Top Ten Tuesday by The Broke and The Bookish! This feature is actually on hiatus until next week, but...I'm lazy and am doing this solo this week. ;) 

Today I want to do some of my favorite protagonists. Let's jump in!

10. Jake

I'm actually really picky when it comes to the male POV, especially when the author is a woman. Some people really can't pull it off, but Emma Chase always does a great job!

9. Charley

She's just such a riot!

8. Mac

I have a love/hate relationship with Mac, but I do admire the massive character development she went through.

Plus, you know, Barrons.

7. Sophie and Gabriel 

6. Kate

Seriously, she's #goals. 

5. Cat

Cat is probably the character I connect with most in terms of personality.

4. Levee and Sam

This is such an underrated book, and I don't even know why. It is such an amazing story!

3. Delilah 

I found her both fascinating and highly relatable. I'm dying for book 2, and does anyone else want a romance between her and Gallagher? 

2. Matilda and Jay

Loved!

1. Ellie, Camden and Javier

This is an amazing trilogy. One of my very few 6 star reads. So screwed up, but so good!

Mini Reviews Monday

A typical day in the life of Charley Davidson involves cheating husbands, missing people, errant wives, philandering business owners, and oh yeah...demons, hell hounds, evil gods, and dead people. Lots and lots of dead people. As a part time Private Investigator and full-time Grim Reaper, Charley has to balance the good, the bad, the undead, and those who want her dead. In this eleventh installment, Charley is learning to make peace with the fact that she is a goddess with all kinds of power and that her own daughter has been born to save the world from total destruction. But the forces of hell are determined to see Charley banished forever to the darkest corners of another dimension. With the son of Satan himself as her husband and world-rocking lover, maybe Charley can find a way to have her happily ever after after all. 

4.5 stars!

I just adore this series, and Lorelei King adds a whole new layer to the awesomeness with her impeccable narration. It's one of those series that's a genuine joy to read, and I'm always eager to get back to it when I'm forced to put it down.

While this book didn't add too much to the overall storyline or do much to push the points of the previous books into the spotlight, it was still incredibly enjoyable, and I flew through it. I was endlessly entertained and amused by Charley and her merry band of misfits, swooned over Reyes, and even teared up a time or two over Charley's cases. 

It leaves with a bit of a cliffhanger, though! Book 12 releases on Halloween of this year!

Vanessa Mazur knows she's doing the right thing. She shouldn't feel bad for quitting. Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary.

But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she's beyond shocked.

For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn't find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He's asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?

5 stars!

This was quite possibly the slowest burn romance I've ever read. Ever. 

That said, I really loved it! The characters were well developed and quite likable, the plot had good pacing, there was a good bit of humor and steam when the heat finally hit. It was a pleasure to watch the friendship and romance between Vanessa and Aiden unfold, and once the intensity between them finally  picked up, they felt very solid and well deserved. 

It's not a short book by any means, at around 670 pages, but I was surprisingly not bothered by that. Most contemporaries just can't handle that many pages, but Mariana Zapata has quietly proved to me that she can pull these lengths off. 

She was my nightmare. Every time I closed my eyes, I watched her fall into that inferno. Over and over, I failed to save her.

I hadn’t been able to reach her, and the guilt only burned hotter over time. Four years later, I was the unreachable one.

Heroes aren’t always saints. Sometimes, we’re nothing more than jaded sinners driven by sleepless nights and hearts full of darkness.

And then I met her. She was a dreamer who managed to soothe my scars and heal my wounds.

But, as the flames closed in around us, I feared I wasn’t the right man to save her. That is until I realized she was the one woman I’d burn the world down to protect. 

3 stars!

Aly Martinez is one of my auto-buy authors, and she's written three of my all time favorite books (Fighting Silence, The Fall Up and Retrieval). She's an insanely talented writer and her stories are riveting and intensely emotional. 

Unfortunately, this one just didn't jibe with me, and it's entirely a case of "it's not you, it's me" here. 

While the writing was great and the plot pretty solid, I just wasn't invested in either hero or heroine, and couldn't connect to either one. 

I love a good alpha, but more often than not Jude was too alpha, giving me the unfortunate feel of reading a Kristen Ashely novel...if KA's heroes could speak in complete sentences and use proper grammar. And if the books had a viable plot.... And the heroine at least had some personality.... And the side characters were enjoyable... But I digress.

That said, I couldn't put it down and finished in just over a day. I definitely wouldn't take my word on this one, since nearly everyone else is loving it!

#1 New York Times bestselling author Karen Marie Moning returns with the epic conclusion to her pulse-pounding Fever series, where a world thrown into chaos grows more treacherous at every turn. As Mac, Barrons, Ryodan, and Jada struggle to restore control, enemies become allies, right and wrong cease to exist, and the lines between life and death, lust and love, disappear completely.

Black holes loom menacingly over Dublin, threatening to destroy the Earth. Yet the greatest danger is the one MacKayla Lane has unleashed from within: the Sinsar Dubh—a sentient book of unthinkable evil—has possessed her body and will stop at nothing in its insatiable quest for power.

The fate of Man and Fae rests on destroying the book and recovering the long-lost Song of Making, the sole magic that can repair the fragile fabric of the Earth. But to achieve these aims, sidhe-seers, the Nine, Seelie, and Unseelie must form unlikely alliances and make heart-wrenching choices. For Barrons and Jada, this means finding the Seelie Queen who alone can wield the mysterious song, negotiating with a lethal Unseelie prince hell-bent on ruling the Fae courts, and figuring out how to destroy the Sinsar Dubh while keeping Mac alive.

This time, there’s no gain without sacrifice, no pursuit without risk, no victory without irrevocable loss. In the battle for Mac’s soul, every decision exacts a tremendous price.

4 stars...I think?

I don't think I've ever been more conflicted on how to rate a book. Parts of Feversong were amazing, stunning, freaking spellbinding 5 stars. Annnnnd other parts were purple prose, sketchy plot issues (not sure if I can call them plot holes, per say, but it's something along those lines!),unnecessary POVs and outlandish developments 2 stars. As you can imagine, I'm quite conflicted!

Not gonna lie, I skimmed a good portion of the POVs that weren't Mac's. I've never been a Dani fan - but I will give props to Moning for taking me from despising her to finding her okay over the course of this story -, and the other view points I found a bit irrelevant, especially once I hit the end.

But back to Mac, and more importantly, Barrons! 

Ahh...Barrons. That man is fine, and will forever rein as one of the kings in my book boyfriends society. There was quite a bit of relationship development between Barrons and Mac in this story, and I freaking reveled in it. A lot of the issues I had with how they were handling themselves and each other post-Shadowfever, and I'm happy to report that they were all resolved. The development that happens in this story left me teary eyed and swooning something fierce. Seriously, I can't put into words how much I adored where they went in this book.

I do wish there were some more sex scenes, though. ;) Especially considering there were paragraphs of moderately graphic sex in the other books!

Despite the sometimes ridiculous turns this book took, I was completely addicted and wrapped up in what was happening. I barely put the book down, and finished the near-600 page novel in about 6 hours. This series is definitely one that grabs your attention and refuses to let go. 

I feel a bit sad that it's over, even though I'm happy overall with how things wrapped up. This is one of my all time favorite series, and it's a bittersweet feeling to have it finished. Huge thank you to KMM for brining this series to such vivid, glorious life! 

Well, that review definitely wasn't mini, haha. Let me know your thoughts on that one if you've read it! 

Cover Lust, No. 39

Her life changed in an instant. 
And he's the only one who could have prevented it. 

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Pact and The Lie comes a new standalone contemporary romance about those McGregor men. 

Jessica Charles shouldn't have even been in London when the unthinkable happened. 
She should have been back at home in Edinburgh, perhaps hanging with her boyfriend, having drinks with her sister or doing yoga with her group of friends. She should have been going on in her normal, dependable life as always. 
But on that fateful day in August, when a mentally-ill ex-soldier opened fire in public, Jessica's world changed forever. 
Now single and crippled from the gunshot wounds, Jessica finds herself scared and alone, losing faith in herself and humanity with each agonizing moment that passes. 
That is until a stranger enters her life. A stranger who makes her live again. 
Keir McGregor has always been the strong, silent type. Throw in tall, dark, and handsome and you've got pretty much the perfect Scotsman. 
Except Keir is anything but perfect. He's got a past he's running away from and a guilty conscience he can't seem to shed. But the more time he spends with Jessica, the more he falls in love with her. 
And the more his secret threatens to tear them apart. 
He may have been a stranger to her. 
But she’s never been a stranger to him. 

I love all the covers in this series of interconnected standalones, and this story was fantastic!

{Book Review} Idol by Kristen Callihan

Libby

I found Killian drunk and sprawled out on my lawn like some lost prince. With the face of a god and the arrogance to match, the pest won’t leave. Sexy, charming, and just a little bit dirty, he’s slowly wearing me down, making me crave more.

He could be mine if I dare to claim him. Problem is, the world thinks he’s theirs. How do you keep an idol when everyone is intent on taking him away?

Killian

As lead singer for the biggest rock band in the world, I lived a life of dreams. It all fell apart with one fateful decision. Now everything is in shambles.

Until Liberty. She’s grouchy, a recluse—and kind of cute. Scratch that. When I get my hands on her, she is scorching hot and more addictive than all the fans who’ve screamed my name.

The world is clamoring for me to get back on stage, but I’m not willing to leave her. I’ve got to find a way to coax the hermit from her shell and keep her with me. Because, with Libby, everything has changed. Everything.

5 Rocker Stars

This book got so much hype when it released in June, and I was hard pressed to find a Goodreads rating lower than 4 stars. I'm a sucker for rockstars, so I was eager to test it out. Usually I'm the one that doesn't like hyped books, so I was skeptical going in. 

Holy crap, I was blown away from the very first page!

This was, by far, the best rockstar romance I've ever read! It was incredibly well written, with a cohesive storyline that flowed effortlessly from start to finish. It was the perfect mix of sweet, sexy (so steamy!), hilarious, and enough emotion to give me all the feels.

I loved Liberty right off the bat. It's not often I find a new adult heroine that's enjoyable, but this girl was great. She was very strong, and not afraid to contradict authority, even in a face of the alien world of rock and roll touring. She took everything in stride and was a good friend to all. It's so refreshing to see a woman that doesn't act like an child.

"You can be anything you want. It's whether you're happy that's the question."

And Killian....well, I know who August's Book Boyfriend of The Month will be. ;) That man is to die for! He wasn't even a big manwhore, either, which I appreciated hugely.

Killian holding a guitar is the stuff of both my dirtiest fantasy and my most girlish daydreams.

Their chemistry was off the charts, with sex scenes so hot they nearly set my Kindle on fire. There was the perfect balance of smut and sass, emotional connection and lighthearted fun. 

The bit of drama that came was well thought out, pertinent, and believable. There wasn't mistrust, jealousy, or lies, nothing ridiculous or trivial. I actually liked it.

"No one who knows you would ever consider you a regret."

The side characters were three dimensional, intriguing and gave the story good depth. I want to read more about the band's manager, and can't wait for his book!

The musical aspect of this book was phenomenal, with an emphasis on classic rock. It focused more on the musical and crowd aspect rather than the fame and fortune, and that's not something I've read before. The way the performances were described with visceral and sensual, and made me feel like I was watching it live. 

"I met my best friend on the lawn of a farmhouse. I'd lost my way, my music. She helped me find it again. Back then, she asked me to sing one of my songs for her. I wouldn't do it. I wanted her to like me more than she liked my music."

I was incredibly satisfied with this book, and recommend it to any rockstar or new adult fan. It more than earned its place on my "Best of 2016" list. Highly recommend!

{Book Review} The Bird and The Sword by Amy Harmon

Swallow, Daughter, pull them in, those words that sit upon your lips. Lock them deep inside your soul, hide them ‘til they’ve time to grow. Close your mouth upon the power, curse not, cure not, ‘til the hour. You won’t speak and you won’t tell, you won’t call on heav’n or hell. You will learn and you will thrive. Silence, Daughter. Stay alive.

The day my mother was killed, she told my father I wouldn’t speak again, and she told him if I died, he would die too. Then she predicted the king would trade his soul and lose his son to the sky.

My father has a claim to the throne, and he is waiting in the shadows for all of my mother’s words to come to pass. He wants desperately to be king, and I just want to be free.

But freedom will require escape, and I’m a prisoner of my mother’s curse and my father’s greed. I can’t speak or make a sound, and I can’t wield a sword or beguile a king. In a land purged of enchantment, love might be the only magic left, and who could ever love . . . a bird? 

5 Beautiful Stars

I don't like fantasy. Urban fantasy I can do and enjoy with a little pushing and patience, but legitimate fantasy doesn't hold my attention. In fact, it frustrates me. I often find it dry, confusing, and trying-too-hard.

Given that, I'm not sure why I picked up The Bird and The Sword, knowing full well it was fantasy. To be perfectly honest, I was expecting it to be a did not finish.

That wasn't the case. At all.

Instead, it's now on my "Best of 2016" shelf, and has earned a permanent spot as one of my favorite books ever. 

The Bird and The Sword is a stand alone, new adult (I think) romantic fantasy, set to a backdrop of what reminds me of the Middle Ages. In this world, some people are Gifted with strange and intense powers, such as shifting into animals, healing the sick or wounded, and transforming objects.

Our heroine, Lark, is Gifted. After witnessing a horrible tragedy as a young child, she no longer speaks. Not a word, not a whisper. Silence does not mean weak, as Lark finds out on her joinery throughout the story.

Normally, I'd go far more in depth into the storyline than that, but I really feel it's something you have to experience for yourself. I went in nearly blind, and am so glad I did. It's the best way to do it! 

It feels a little Beauty and The Beast to me, which I loved. 

I think part of why it was so good for me was because I didn't view it as a fantasy read. I read it as a romance with a fantasy backdrop, rather than a fantasy with a romantic subplot. That made all the difference. 

The pacing was flawless, and enthralled me from the very first page. The writing is spectacular, as per usual with Amy Harmon's work, and I have pages and pages of highlighted notes on my Kindle!

One thing I enjoyed was the fairly minimal dialogue. Since Lark cannot speak, there isn't much chatter between her and other characters, at least not in the traditional sense. The interactions between her and other characters was all the more enjoyable because it was meaningful.

I was only limited by my ignorance, by my fear, and by my own sense of right and wrong. 

Lark had some wonderful character development throughout the story, and it was fascinating to see her grow and change. The way she got around not being able to speak made her all the more respectable in my eyes, as she does so much with so little.

And then there's Tiras, the King and Lark's love interest. It's been a long time since I've enjoyed a character as much as I enjoyed him! I bounced back and forth between swooning over him and wanting to give him a solid smack on the head. He's undeniably a bit of a jackass, but...there's something about him I couldn't get enough of.

He was sexy and intense, infuriatingly haughty, proud and noble, a fearless warrior and at the same time, a scared little boy. He cared deeply about his people, and watching his love for Lark grow and evolve was lovely to see. 

"I have loved you every moment of every day, and I will love you until I cease to be."

The action was spectacular, gory battle scenes painted with such vivd detail that it felt like I was right there with them.

My one and only issue with the book is that I wish the sex scenes were as vivid as the battle scenes, rather than mostly fade to blacks. That's just my inner hussy, though. ;)

I loved the side characters, even the ones I wasn't suppose to like!

Overall, this was a fantastic story than I cannot recommend enough. 

{Book Review} Showmance by L.H. Cosway

From Goodreads

Damon Atwood was Hollywood’s golden boy. Having won an Oscar at the tender age of thirteen, he had the life many could only dream about. But his success came at a price, and after a short but fruitful film career, he chose to live a life of obscurity on a remote Scottish island. Almost a decade later he’s finally ready to make his return, starting with a lead role in a musical on London’s West End.

As a choreographer’s assistant, Rose Taylor has always faded into the background. She watches shows come to life from the side lines, but has never craved the attention of stardom. When rumours begin circulating of Damon’s involvement in her latest gig, she doesn’t predict how she will be thrust into the limelight, nor how the mysterious and strangely introverted man will need her to teach him how to be a star again.

Rose knows that show crushes don’t last. Actors fall for each other during the intensity of a production, often losing themselves in their roles. These kinds of affairs burn bright and then they fade. The question is, should Rose let herself shine with Damon, or guard her heart from being broken after the final curtain call? 

Add to Goodreads

My Thoughts*

5 "2016 Favorite" Stars!

*cue dreamy sigh* 

And this is why I adore L.H. Cosway's writing. I loved everything about this novel, and it quickly earned a spot on my "2016 Favorites" shelf. Let's jump right into this review!

Showmance is told in alternating points of view by Damon Atwood and Rose Taylor. Both are in their  twenties and have a passion for the stage, but that's where the similarities end.

Damon is a gifted actor and singer, who's talents garnered him much praise and attention at a young age. Sadly, his career came to a screeching halt after a unspeakable experiences, and he chose to isolate himself in Scotland, on the Isle of Skye. Ten years passed, and he's taking to the stage in London as the lead in Moulin Rouge. Damon is quite shy and a tad socially awkward, not to mention out of touch with the stage life, so it's bound to be interesting.

Rose Taylor is a choreographer's assistant working in London. Despite being a talented dancer, serious stage fright keeps her behind the scenes. Despite a rather...unconventional upbringing and a several relationships with actors that eventually lead to heartache, Rose remains an incredibly sweet and level headed person. She has, however, sworn off ever getting involved with another actor.

Here is where she meets Damon, and sparks fly. A friendship soon turns into a slow building romance between these two unlikely people, but not without a few bumps in the road!

Normally I'm the kind of person that takes anywhere from 15% to 25% of the book to really get into it, really start feeling the characters and immersing myself in the story. That was not the case with Showmance (or any of Cosway's stories, come to think go it). I was hooked from the very first page, and the book didn't let me go. I absolutely devoured it, and couldn't wait to get my hands back on it when I was forced away! The pacing was superb, effortlessly carrying me along the story and keeping me enthralled the entire time. 

I'll be honest and admit I'm usually not a huge fan of dual point of view stories. I like the completely get inside the character's head, and it tends to be a little jarring when I read dual or multi POV books. I was very surprised to find myself loving the alternating perspective here! It worked quite well with the story, each person filling in what the other may have glossed over, and giving a new view on circumstances I otherwise wouldn't have considered. It helped that both voices were so insanely likable!

I wished I'd been born asexual. That way I could just focus on my career and not get sidetracked by pretty men with wandering penises...penii?

L.H. Cosway always does well with her female leads, and Rose was no exception. She didn't have a bitchy or catty bone in her body, and was a truly nice person. Something pleasant to see was her genuine affection for her friends, Damon included. Smart, strong, kind and funny, this heroine was one I thoroughly enjoyed. She was someone I'd love to be friends with!

It's easy to be someone else. Being myself is the problem.

Damon...wow. I've never read a hero quite like him! He was a complete mass of contradictions: strong, yet fragile. Awkward, yet charismatic. Quiet, but sharp and intense. Confident in his talents, but humble. Sweet and gentle, but passionate and fiery. Being in his head was so interesting. I kinda love him, not going to lie.

"The way you move, it bewitches me. When you dance, when I sink inside you, when you come."

Hands down, my favorite part of this story was the pure, sizzling chemistry between Damon and Rose. It's not an insta-love story, but there is a strong connection from the first meeting, and it was 100% believable. Their romance was a slow building once that starts with friendship, something I am a total sucker for. Their relationship felt more deep and meaningful because of that, especially because they didn't hop straight into bed.

Speaking of which, the sexual tension is off the damn charts with these two. The current trend is to have the couple banging their brains out as soon as possible, usually before the 50% mark, and I've forgotten how freaking sexy good, smoldering tension is. It made the climax of their tension (haha, see what I did there?) all the more better.

Panty melting sex, that's all I'm going to say. Well, there is some incredibly sweet and tender moments to go along with it, too!

"Today was perfect, and it was perfect because I got to spend it with you."

Despite both characters having some issues with their pasts, I wasn't drowned in a sea of angst. The author never fails to do angst in a controlled, believable way. They acknowledge their issues and move on with it. I can see her characters as real people. Most other characters, especially in the new adult genre? I have a hard time believing anyone has the time to wallow that much. 

The background of the stage setting was titillating and exciting, the perfect setting for the couple!

Home wasn't a geographical location on a map anymore, it wasn't a place set by four walls and a roof. Home now was a much more intangible, yet solid thing.

She was my home.

My beautiful, sweet, and forever enchanting Rose.

Overall, I was thrilled with this story and can't wait for the next character's book, releasing in 2017. It was engrossing, sexy, funny, relatable, and throughly awesome. Highly recommend!

* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Top Ten Tuesday: Coming of Age Stories I'd Like to See

Hey, ladies!

It's Top Ten Tuesday by The Broke and The Bookish! This week's topic is ten childhood characters you'd love to visit as adults, or ten characters you'd like to see coming of age stories of.


In no order, here are my picks, thought not a full ten.  Not all would be in childhood (most are actually just set before the book/series started), and not all are the main characters!

Barrons from the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning

I would love to see a novella from Barrons' point of view, before he met Mac. He's such a fascinating character, and I would love to see the circumstances that shaped him. 

Kate from the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews

Speaking of circumstances shaping characters, who wouldn't want to see a younger Kate?

Lily and Lo from the Addicted series by Krista and Becca Ritchie

While it'd be incredibly sad, it'd be so neat to watch the bond between these two form during their childhood. 

Reyes from the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones

I could totally get on board with a Reyes story set before First Grave on The Right. Damn, that man is fine.

Bones from the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost

Bones will always and forever be my favorite book boyfriend. I want to see him before Cat!

Gallagher from Menagerie by Rachel Vincent 

If there ever was an interesting character, it's Gallagher.

{Book Review} The Air He Breathes by Brittainy C. Cherry

Goodreads

From Goodreads

I was warned about Tristan Cole.

“Stay away from him,” people said.
“He’s cruel.”
“He’s cold.”
“He’s damaged.”

It’s easy to judge a man because of his past. To look at Tristan and see a monster.

But I couldn’t do that. I had to accept the wreckage that lived inside of him because it also lived inside of me.

We were both empty.
We were both looking for something else. Something more.
We both wanted to put together the shattered pieces of our yesterdays.

Then perhaps we could finally remember how to breathe. 

My Review

4 "I Am So Conflicted" Stars

Elizabeth knows what it's like to struggle to breathe. After losing her husband and soulmate, she fled to her mother's home to escape all the memories. A year passes, and together with her young daughter, she's back in her hometown. Everything is exactly how she remembers, with the exception of a viciously closed off man moving in to the house next to hers. 

The town gossips are quick to warn her about this beautiful, scornful man. 

They all warned me about Tristan, begging me to stay away. 'He's an asshole, he's wild, and she's broken, Liz.', they would say. 'He's nothing but the ugly scars of his yesterdays.', they swore.

Tristan struggles every day to take just one more breath. He lost is wife and best friend, along with his son, in a horrific car accident. With the two most important people in his life ripped away from him, he's beyond damaged. He is hateful, he is bitter, and he is lost.

The two share dozens of interactions, fueled by Tristan's cruelty and Elizabeth's heated confusion. Reluctant sexual tension crackles around the couple, and soon they start using each other.

Using each other to forget.

Using each other to remember.

I saw the broken parts that somehow matched by own. 

This was my second Brittainy Cherry book (the first being Loving Mr. Daniels), and everyone and their mother raved about it when it came out in late September of 2015. Because I am incredibly lazy with new releases, save for a select few authors, I only got around to picking it up a week ago. Oops.

I blew through this book in less than a day, and was left feeling more than a little conflicted, especially when it came time to rate it.

Let's get to it.



The first half of this book was absolutely amazing. It was so, so emotional, so intense, and I connected so strongly with both Elizabeth and Tristan that their emotions felt like my own. I loved the side characters, and I really enjoyed the author's more minimally descriptive writing style.
 It was ugly cry heartbreaking, but with surprising bits of humor woven in that made me laugh out loud. It was a really nice balance, and worked flawlessly for the story and characters.



She undressed me and made love to her past.
(that is just gorgeous <3)



Elizabeth and Tristan's chemistry soon turns into a sexual relationship. They use each other in the most basic, primal way, each envisioning their dead spouse in the place of the person in front of them.  There was absolutely zero love, or even much affection between the two to begin with, and I loved the refreshing lack of insta-love. Their raw yearning and all consuming love and grief they had for their spouses brought tears to my eyes, and painted the most potent picture of tragedy and loss. It was incredibly well crafted, easily enthralling the reader with the characters' heartbreak.


"I'll help. I'll help you hold onto him. I'll help you remember."


I was sure I had a 5 star read on my hands for that first 50%, certain I was going to reread this story, and being confident that it'd wind up on my Top 2016 List.

And then I swiped to the next page on my Kindle, and it all started going downhill.

One of my favorite things about the first half was the straightforward, fairly drama free (well, as drama free as you can get while fucking someone and picturing your dead husband/wife...) story. Boy, did it make up for that in the second half.



"Show me the shadows that keep you up at night. Kiss me with your darkness."



So. Much. Drama. One thing after the other happened in the second half, each one more farfetched than the next. It completely took away from the beautiful slow burn of the first half of the book. Everything in the second half was rushed, forced, improbable, the secondary characters became obvious and juvenile (this is an adult book), and two of the big "revelations" were easy to spot. The book took an overused plot twist, one I saw coming from miles away.

The writing stayed consistently pretty and emotional, and I still read it with feverish fervor. The first half was a solid 5 stars, and the second a 3. I'd recommend it just for the beautiful first half!

I saw the broken parts that somehow matched by own. 

STATS

Rating: ...4 stars??
Genre: Adult, contemporary romance
Series: Elements, #1
POV: 1st person, alternating perspective
Steam/sexual content: Some semi-graphic sex, moderately steamy
Warnings: Tissues needed!
Length: 308 pages
Published: September 25th, 2015

{Book Review} Fighting Silence (On The Ropes, #1) by Aly Martinez

From Goodreads

Sound is an abstract concept for most people. We spend our lives blocking out the static in order to focus on what we believe is important. But what if, when the clarity fades into silence, it's the obscure background noise that you would give anything to hold on to?

I've always been a fighter. With parents who barely managed to stay out of jail and two little brothers who narrowly avoided foster care, I became skilled at dodging the punches life threw at me. Growing up, I didn’t have anything I could call my own, but from the moment I met Eliza Reynolds, she was always mine. I became utterly addicted to her and the escape from reality we provided each other. Throughout the years, she had boyfriends and I had girlfriends, but there wasn't a single night that I didn’t hear her voice.

You see, meeting the love of my life at age thirteen was never part of my plan. However, neither was gradually going deaf at the age of twenty-one.

They both happened anyway.

Now, I'm on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life.
Fighting for my career.
Fighting the impending silence.
Fighting for her.

Every night, just before falling asleep, she sighs as a final conscious breath leaves her.
I think that's the sound I'll miss the most.

My Review

5 "You've Always Been Forever For Me" Stars!

Till Page and Eliza Reynolds stumble upon each other in an abandoned building late one night. Each hiding from grim homes lives, they continue to meet in secret throughout the years, and soon form an incredible bond that is more than friendship. They become vital to each other's sanity in a dirt poor, damn near hopeless life.

"It was more than a friendship, but there wasn't romance or sex. There was definitely love, though. Immeasurable amounts of it. I knew Till had this grand fantasy about me, but what he didn't realize was all that he gave me in return. He was the only thing I'd ever had that I honestly thought I couldn't live without."

With his father in jail and his mother completely unconcerned, the responsibility of his two younger brothers falls to Till, in order to keep them out of the foster care system. Till and Eliza are as close as two people could be; Eliza is Till's fantasy, his escape from their bleak reality. He is terrified of loosing that, so much love for each other and one unforgettable night, their relationship never goes further.

With the stress of being a parent to his brothers at such a young age, struggling to keep a roof over their heads and food in their mouths, and Eliza going away to college, their lives are split apart as they move in different directions.

A twist of fates lands them smack back into each other's lives, and this time will be different. Despite fighting poverty, raising Till's brothers, navigating a new relationship, and dealing with Till's impending silence, these two stay strong. 

This time, it's no longer an escape. This time, it's their reality. 

I read Fighting Silence in one sitting, and fell in love from the very first page. It's high on my best books for 2015, and is one of my favorite books of all time. There honestly wasn't a single thing I didn't enjoy about this.

"There is nothing in this world that was ever more mine than you."

Eliza was a fantastic heroine. It was incredibly refreshing to read a heroine that was strong, capable, intelligent, and a genuinely good person. She wasn't whiny, despite how tough their lives are more often than not, and she gave so much. She loved Till's brothers like they were her own kids, and the way that family was together....that, combined with the level of gentle adoration she has for her lover and best friend, brought tears to my eyes, and inspired all kinds of:

Now Till...good god, he's a man after my own heart. I normally don't like fighter romances. The fighters are usually big, dumb, violent assholes. Till wasn't like that. He was compassionate, dedicated, hard working, smart, and loved his family beyond all reason. Even though he has so much working against him, he never once faltered in his tenacity for what he wanted. I admired him more than pretty much any character I've ever read.

"You always say that you love me, but you have given me so much more. And because of that, I will spend a lifetime fighting to give you the world."

The couple had fantastic chemistry! A truly deep, loving, understand relationship that was beautiful to watch.

Till's struggle with going deaf was fascinating to watch. How he dealt with it, how his family dealt with it, and how it affected every single aspect of his life and career was raw, and intense. It was so interesting to see how it nearly broke him, but he still pushed through and worked past it. It was inspiring and humbling, to be perfectly honest.

She burst out laughing. God, I loved that sound. I knew I'd never be the same when I lost it to the silence. I'd happily give up every noise in the world if I could just keep her laugh.

I loved the pacing and flow of this story. We start off with a bang, then we're in their childhoods. From there you're shown the evolution of the characters and their relationship, their mounting challenges, and every success. It was enthralling and addictive. I laughed, I cried, I swooned, and loved every second of it. 

This is the first book in the On The Ropes trilogy, each focusing on a Page brother. My review of the second book, Fighting Shadows, can be found here. The third and final book, Fighting Solitude, releases February 2nd!

Overall, this is one of the best contemporary romances I've ever read. If you like intense emotion, sexy boxers, strong family ties, amazing character development, and a gorgeous love story, I highly suggest this one! Go with the print of eBook version, though. The audio narrator doesn't do it justice. 

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- The Bibliophile Babe