Thursday, June 5, 2014

BEWARE by Shanora Williams


Synopsis:

Ace is bad.
Very bad.
After losing my brother, I know I should stay away. So why can’t I?
He’s irresistible. He’s confident. He’s amazing… but he’s dangerous.
He was there the night my brother was murdered. He watched it all go down.
I should stay away. The things I saw weren't acceptable.
I should want Ace as far away from me as possible—I should consider him a monster and a threat—but when my life is at stake I know I no longer have a choice of the matter. He's the only one that can protect me.
He's done what he can to keep me out of danger, but it's not enough. I need answers. I need the truth. He refuses to give it to me, and because of that I don't trust him. He refuses to tell me what really happened and to just forget about it but I refuse.
I won’t back down until I get answers.
But there’s one thing wrong with getting too many answers. It leads to lies. It leads to trouble. It leads to danger. But worst of all, it leads to me falling deeply and madly in love with him.
I've gotta be out of my mind.

London Stallone hasn't always had the perfect life, but she did have the perfect older brother. He did everything for her. He took care of her when no one else would. He’s always been the shoulder she could lean on, but when he ends up murdered, things turn for the worst.
London soon demands answers, and the first person she runs to is her brother’s co-worker and good friend, Donovan “Ace” Crow. Ace isn't the ordinary guy. He doesn't come equipped with flowers and chocolate. He doesn't hand out smiles and hugs to every female he meets. He’s strict and only about business, and London believes he’s a part of the reason her brother was murdered.
Soon, after finding out life-threatening news, it leads to something Ace never thought he’d have to do for anyone.
Protect her.
Although he doesn't want her to get hurt, it doesn't stop him from being selfish or bitter. He's promised to protect her, but has he done enough? Has he sacrificed everything in order to keep London out of harms way?
Sometimes love can get in the way of your priorities. And sometimes love can easily become your enemy—you worst nightmare. It can destroy you.

This is a story full of dishonesty. Disloyalty. Broken hearts. Pain. Suffering. Lies. Destruction. This isn’t a fairy tale love story. This is real. And it just might break you.
You've been warned…

BEWARE.

Nicky's Review

3 Stars

Characters- I LOVED the characters. They are so well written. Ace and London are super hot together!
Plot/Storyline- Okay, the plot and story were AMAZING! I couldn't put the book down. The love story (not your conventional hearts and flowers relationship, but I loved that) was awesome and the added drama and action just made this story addictive. It was a great emotional and mental ride ;)

Steam Factor- Get out your sham wow panties!! Ace KNOWS how to please a woman and things get down and dirty at times. Raw and hot as hell!!
Cover- Sexy, just like ACE!!
Cliffhanger- Nope. This is a standalone. No HEA though.
Overall- I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY enjoyed this book... all the way up to the end. The end just deflated the whole story for me. The entire book was great and very well written, but I'm a HEA person and this book doesn't deliver for that need.

We meet London, who happens to be a walking bad luck charm. Everyone around her dies. First her parents, then her brother, and others. Her whole life is quite upsetting and just one bad circumstance after another.  The loss of her parent's is the reason her brother, Jonah, starts to work for Ace in order to make lots of money to support London with her expenses (housing and college); despite it being illegally earned.  Things go wrong during an exchange and London is left alone with no living relatives.  

Ace and Jonah were pretty close so Ace takes London in under his wing after Jonah passes.  There is a lot more that goes on between Ace and Jonah that you find out throughout the story and explains the REAL reason why Ace takes in London after Jonah's passing, but I won't go into that so that you can enjoy the story yourself.

When Ace and London interact, there is a strong attraction and they both lust for each other. The sexual tension is fun to read as well as the actual sex. Their sexual interactions are so raw and primal and sexy as hell. Ace makes me want to start dressing in silk and pearls.... wink,wink.  

The story's ability to pull you in with the love story and the action/suspense aspect was perfectly executed.  The writing was spot on with plot/story details and character development. I was consumed with the story and was happy with the flow and delivery throughout the entire book. There was never a moment where I wanted to set the book down unless I had to. That was... until the end!! I wanted to throw my iPad and then call Shanora myself and ask her why she would just keep dealing London a rotten hand in life. The ending was so frustrating, but I am an HEA addict, so if you're good with an ending that doesn't end happily (because not all stories do, but I avoid them) then I HIGHLY recommend you read this book because the story is AMAZING and you will love it!!

Shanora, I tip my hat to you in your amazing ability to tell a story. I ate up every last word and was able to fully lose myself in your story, BUT the ending girl!! I needed an HEA after all the crap London had to deal with in life, I needed it for me and for her. Thank you for the escape and for giving us the privilege to read your creative work. XOXO ;)


Favorite Quotes:

“You don’t scare me,” I whisper. Revealing a simple dimple, he says, “Really? ‘Cause you should be terrified.”

"I shouldn't be getting close to her. Getting too close is dangerous for both of us. Spending time with her is wrong, but something inside me enjoys it. There's some part of me that likes her laugh, her smile, her jokes, her careless attitude. I don't want to get close, but the closer I get, the less I feel like I'm a monster or a threat. The more I feel... alive. Human."

"Yes. Love. It's what we feel... we just aren't brave enough to admit it to each other. We have too much pride. We're too afraid of the outcome... the future. We're too afraid to love damaged goods. Monsters. Crooks. Loners. We fear losing something that means so much to us after being alone for so long. We fear falling because We're falling into the unknown."


~Purchase This Book~


  BEWARE
 
~CAST~



Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Review: Maybe Someday by Colleen Hoover


Synopsis:
At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She’s in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori—and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can’t take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there’s something about Sydney that Ridge can’t ignore, either: He seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one…

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance—and the enchanting music that inspires one young woman to put her life back together.

From the author of the New York Times bestsellers Slammed, Point of Retreat, Hopeless, This Girl, and Losing Hope, Maybe Someday is destined to become another bestseller and long-lasting fan favorite.

Includes a free original soundtrack by musician Griffin Peterson


Nicky's Review

5 Stars

Characters-  The girls involved in the love triangle were so well written that I didn't know who's corner I was in until the very end. I LOVED Ridge!! I also loved Warren! The characters in this book are so well written I felt like we could totally be friends. Just loved them all.
Plot/Storyline- Oh my golly! This was one of the hardest Love Triangles I have ever read! I found myself rooting for both girls (one more so than the other at first, but then I rooted for the winner in the end) but ultimately had to pick one. The story took hold of me and didn't let go the entire time. Perfect flow and series of events. Colleen Hoover, you make writing seem effortless, which we all know it is not.

Steam Factor- Gah!! The sexual tension is excruciating, but worth every bit ;)
Cover- Cute and perfect for the story. Oh that bed, that evil mattress of temptation. Hehe!
Cliffhanger- No Cliffhanger. This is a standalone novel with a HEA, at least in my opinion it's an HEA :)
Overall- I loved every combination of the 26 letters of the alphabet in this story. Every word, every sentence, every emotion set down in ink. I read it, I saw it, and I felt it. Two words of recommendations: READ IT!!! :)

This story is a constant internal struggle between the heart and the mind. I think this quote really expresses a big point of focus in the book:

 “However, I've learned that the heart can't be told when and who and how it should love. The heart does whatever the hell it wants to do. The only thing we can control is whether we give our lives and our minds the chance to catch up to our hearts.”

So, we meet Sydney when she's at her lowest point: recently made aware that her boyfriend is a cheating bastard, that she is now homeless since not wanting to live with the cheating bastard, and it all happens on her twenty-second birthday to top things off.  She is taken in by a familiar stranger, Ridge,(the beautiful musician who lives across her apartment courtyard) and his crazy roommates (who I LOVE). And in true Colleen Hoover style, she has provided great moments of hilarity through the roommates with the pranks they pull on each other. I was LITERALLY LOL!

After Sydney is taken in by Ridge and his roommates, this is where the real story begins. Ridge and Sydney begin to explore writing songs together (he provides the music and she provides the lyrics) and the lines of friendship blur. But there's one problem, Ridge has a girlfriend.

We experience the internal struggle Ridge and Sydney face, especially when it comes to Ridge's sweet as can be girlfriend, Maggie. I found myself being SO turned off by Sydney. I wanted to scream at her and tell her where she could go many times.  This book made me feel so conflicted with myself when it came to which girl I thought I was rooting for. I truly didn't really even know until almost the end. It was fantastically excruciating and kept me invested and searching for reasons to pick one over the other.

You will go through so many internal battles as to what is right and wrong. And you will discover that love can be equally as painful as it is euphoric.  I started this book and could not put it down. It was a one day read for me and I will say no more about the story because I want you to be able to read this story and feel and experience everything Colleen Hoover has created for you. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone, plain and simple. Colleen Hoover, you are a readers dream. You create these beautiful books with characters that take up residence in our hearts and brains. Thank you for borrowing that laptop years ago and for your dedication to your writing. I am forever grateful and will forever be a fan. XOXO


Favorite Quotes:

“Today is a really bad day, Syd. A really, really bad day. Sometimes in life, we need a few bad days in order to keep the good ones in perspective”   

“We try so hard to hide everything we're really feeling from those who probably need to know our true feelings the most. People try to bottle up their emotions, as if it's somehow wrong to have natural reactions to life.”  

“However, I've learned that the heart can't be told when and who and how it should love. The heart does whatever the hell it wants to do. The only thing we can control is whether we give our lives and our minds the chance to catch up to our hearts.”

“Tears begin to well in my eyes. I have no idea how or if I even deserve him, but there's one thing I know for sure. As long as he's part of it, I'll never live a life of mediocrity.”

“There isn't a doubt in my mind that we could be perfect for each others life, Sydney. It's our lives that aren't perfect for us.”

“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, it enhances your sense of sight, and all you can do is focus on the person in front of you. It enhances your sense of smell, and suddenly, you’re aware of the fact that his hair has just been washed and his shirt is fresh out of the dryer. It enhances your sense of touch and makes your skin prickle and your fingertips tingle, and it leaves you craving to be touched. It enhances your sense of taste, and your mouth becomes hungry and wanting, and the only thing that can satisfy it is the relief of another mouth in search of the same.”

Me: Oh! One time in high school, I spent the night at a girl's house who I didn't know very well. We made out. I wasn't into it, and it was really gross, but I was seventeen and curious.
Ridge: No. That does NOT count as a flaw, Sydney. Jesus Christ, work with me here.” 

~Purchase this Book~
Kindle Link:

~CAST~








Brittany's Review

5 Stars

Characters-  The characters are so incredible. The feel real to me as if they really exist. I love them all!! Ridge, Sydney, Warren and Maggie were my favorites!
Plot/Storyline- Exceptional!! Colleen Hoover's writing is flawless. This story is so different and unexpected. Once you start this book you will not stop until you reach the end. This is a love triangle and to say I had anxiety the entire book would be an understatement! HAHA...I fell in love with both of these ladies and I can see how Ridge could too.
Steam Factor- Very romantic and sexy...EXTREME sexual tension.
Cover- It's absolutely perfect for the story. It portrays and sums up what the story represents.
Cliffhanger- No Cliffhanger. This is a standalone novel with an amazing HEA.
Overall- 



Favorite Quotes:



~CAST~