Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars







Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she’s returned—to her old life, her family, her friends—before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can’t find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there’s a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he’ll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki’s time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she’s forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole’s...

Juls Review
Everneath had me on the edge of my seat from the first word to the last. All the sensations from numbness to when Nikki comes home to the desperation of the final hours before her departure, I felt them all.

After a fight with her father Nikki runs off not to be seen or heard from for 6 months. Theres lots of speculations of her whereabouts. She returns looking years older and to the untrained eye she may be under the influence of drugs.
Nikki has been away in a between place called the everneath, a place between heaven and hell. She went willingly with a everliving being, Cole. He was her haven after all her insecurities come to light. Seeing Jack’s ex come out of his room while he was away at camp was the last straw.

Nikki’s mom was hit by a drunk driver and was killed on impact. After the man who hit her was cleared of all charges her only thought was to seek comfort from her boyfriend Jack. When she see his betrayal she runs off to Cole to make the hurt go away. Like the last time they she was with him, he made the hurt go away. But that’s not all that he takes from her. Slowly as he feeds off her bad emotions the good follows. And before long she is just a shell of a girl.

Nikki may not remember but a face of a boy still lingers in her mind and she fights to go back to her world, her life before she made the mistake of going with Cole.
Nikki returns home to regain her strength and after 6 months she will be taken back. She wants these last few months to say her goodbyes to her family and friends.

Jack hadn’t stop searching for Nikki. He worked tirelessly to find her but with no success. The one day she shows up and nothing. Its like she doesn’t even know him.
Jack is resourceful and knowing she is working after school with teacher he soon joins her there to reignite the love they once had for each other. Soon she remembers everything. The boy she had been friends with from the time she was little to the man she knows and loves. Their bond was so strong and every day it grow stronger.

This book had a love triangle feel to it but the more I read the more I could tell that there is LOVE and then there’s desperation of something that can only perceived as love. Cole may have thought he found the one thing that could over through the queen he served but the love that Nikki and Jack shared was too strong. And in the end there was an ultimate sacrifice. I hope there is hope and things can be made right. Book 2 better have a HEA!

I am recommending this book to everyone!


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HIVE by Marc Davies - Giveaway

M/M - Sci-Fi/Paranormal

Title: Hive

Author: Marc Davies

Date Published: 8/6/12

Publisher: Champagne Books

For centuries the Hive has waged a secret war, pitting psychic powers against the monstrous appetites of the Silencers.  Now its visionary leader has an ambitious plan to tip the balance, and the conflict threatens to boil over onto the streets of modern dayLondon.

Nineteen-year-old Luke is thrust into the conflict when he foils an assassination attempt on the charismatic Dr. Jean-Paul Lysayer, a world renowned expert on telepathy.  Down on his luck, and torn between an old flame and blossoming desire, the last thing Luke needs is to be used as a pawn in the eternal conflict.

But the Hive needs Luke's unique abilities, and when he uncovers evidence of a conspiracy it will take all his street-smarts to stay alive long enough 
to separate friend from foe.

Marc Davies

Marc started writing as a teenager, and has always been obsessed with science fiction and fantasy. He has a soft spot for books with fast plots, unusual characters and twisted humor. The more unusual, the better. He predominantly reads sci-fi and fantasy, depending on mood.

Marc is an active member of several writers groups, including the Online Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, and maintains a blog at www.marcdavies.net.  He lives in an old house owned by a Golden Retriever and a Labrador, with a mountain of books, an impressive collection of half-finished wine bottles, and the occasional ball of drifting dog hair.

Contact Information

Website

Facebook 

        

Purchase Links

Amazon

Burst Books - Imprint of Champagne Books

—Excerpt—

We raced against time, frantically clicking on links that disappeared even as we viewed them. Repeated error messages forced us to chase obscure mentions of Lysayer now, websites that fed information from other websites, blogs and forums. They dropped like flies, forcing us to move on ever faster.

An email popped up on screen from Poppy Smoke. It said, Try this. A URL was pasted below, together with an alphanumeric password.

Ben looked at me. “This guy is beyond shady. Anything he suggests that we haven't found ourselves….”

“Do it,” I said.

He shrugged, clicked and entered the password when prompted. An index page loaded, displaying discussion threads. My eyes picked auction: FBI hit list and unreleased WikiLeaks files from the list.

“Freedom hackers.” Ben's face turned white. He went to close the browser.

“Wait!” I grabbed the mouse.

“Do you have any idea how illegal this is?” he asked. “There's probably a team of agents tracking access to this site as we speak.”

“Please.” I shook his shoulders. “I have to find out why she wanted to kill me and why I’m the only one who remembers.”

“Okay,” he said eventually.

There was a simple text search facility at the top of the page. Ben typed Lysayer into it. A discussion thread loaded, the topic called Hive, though it was also linked to Lysayer’s name.

Ben scrolled down. There was only one entry.

If you're reading this, it's already too late. The Hive will find you and make you forget.

Juls Review 
There were three movies going through my mind while reading this book, Fight Club, The Bourne movies and x-men. 
The Fight Club reference came when Luke is recruited into the Hive. No one talks about it.
The Bourne movies came in with the mind games and the tests you must perform before you are fully accepted into the Hive. And X-men well not really all the characters, just the professor. Him and his telekinesis. 

The Hive is a secret society that fights off alien like creatures known as Silencers. They are like body snatchers and take people as hosts to do their bidding. 

Luke along with his best friend Courtney attend a conference that is being held by Dr. Lysayer. While there Luke witnesses events that no one else remembers. He sees death only to see that person alive and kicking. Something is not right! Luke has no clue what is going on but before he knows it he’s thrown into a world that no longer makes any sense. 

Lysayer’s knows there’s more to this boy Luke. He has unspeakable powers that the kid doesn’t even realize he has. It’s time to recruit him into the secret world. 

Luke may have only been a boy yesterday but today he has powers where he can go inside the mind of anyone and manipulate them. 
Luke is in deep and swears his oath to the Hive. His findings have affected him and his friends. He doesn’t know who to trust and who to call his enemy. Someone within the Hive is a mole but to get more info he has to decipher the two. With the need to help his friends and to find the truth he stumbles into a fight he isn’t sure he was ever ready for. 

There were lots of twists and turns and this book never lacked action. Marc does an amazing job with his descriptions and the world he’s created comes to life. 

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*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Ceaseless by Abbi Glines

Ceaseless by Abbi Glines
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
YA - PNR  Book 3

Can we dare to hope for another book featuring Gee and Loose??? That would be soo cool!



Can he make her fall in love with him… again? 

When Pagan Moore proved worthy of Death’s devotion, he was given the gift of getting to keep her. 

But Dank was never promised that Pagan would keep him.

When a soul is created, so is its mate. In every lifetime those souls find each other. They complete the other’s destiny. It’s time for Pagan’s soul to choose if she truly wants an eternity at Death’s side or if she wants the mate created just for her. 

Dank didn’t think he had to worry about her choice. He knew where her heart belonged. Until he realized that every kiss, every touch, every moment of their time together would be washed from her memories. He would have to win her heart all over again and prove to her soul that he was where she belonged. 

If only her soul’s mate wasn’t right there standing in his way.

Jen's Review 

What a great way to end a series though - in the last book we found out that Pagan's soul wrapped around Jay - and we were all hoping for a book with more Jay in it.. well we got it..

The good thing about being Human, is free will. We are able to choose the one that our soul has already picked out for us... or we can go with who our heart wants.. sometimes Fate isn't always the right way to go.

When Pagan and Miranda get to their new dorm at collage, they are so excited. They have no memory of what happened with Dank or Gee, or Leif. They don't even know who they are. So when they pull in to their parking spot, and see the gothic chick with the black hair and pink tips getting out of her sleek black convertible, they both look afraid of her.

Taking their boxes up to their room, a motorcycle pulls up in front of the dorm causing Pagan to drop her box of shoes. She looks over to the offending machine, but can't help but double take her eyes when she sees the guy riding it.

when she tells him his noisy motorcycle caused the mess in the road, he calmly got off his bike and helped her pick up her shoes. Then he took the box and asked her where to bring them..

Thats when she hears the ever so loudly shrill of a scream of Miranda "DANK WALKER!!!"

Ok Miranda is a fan, and Pagan doesn't even know who he is. great. But since she found out that he's a Rock Star, there is no way should could like him.. sex drugs and rock and roll, and Pagan just don't mix.

That night, Miranda and Gee pull Pagan into a club by the Collage. Miranda see's Jay first, and warns Pagan. When Pagan sees the girl dancing all over Jay, she doesn't even feel concerned.
When Jay sees Pagan, he stops and walks over to her. Shocked he would be seeing her again after a year of not speaking.

Miranda hooks up with Nathan, one of Jays friends.
When Dank shows up at the club things start to feel more comfortable for Pagan. She feels at ease in his arms.

So now Pagan is stuck - Miranda wants to go out with Nathan and needs Pagan there for support. Which means she has a date with Jay now..

Things couldn't go more wrong.
Jay has changed since the 3 years they dated -

I love this book, this whole series - Dank is such a sweetheart! I love the idea of Death falling in love - he sees the human soul instead of the person. It's just really sweet -

Loved it :D Abbi Glines is moving up to my top 5 favorite authors :D


Check out my reviews for
Existence - book 1
Predestined - book 2


Check out the book trailer for the Existence Series

White Trash Beautiful by Teresa Mummert

White Trash Beautiful by Teresa Mummert
My rating: 4 of 5 stars






"I’m not naive. I know I don’t get the happily ever after. My knight in shining armor took the highway detour around this god forsaken shit hole. I’ve made peace with that. That doesn’t mean I’m going to lay down like a doormat and let every cocky prick in the trailer park have his way with me."

Cass lives a depressing life in a small trailer park in Eddington, Ga with her mother and abusive boyfriend Jackson. She works hard to barely make ends meet. One day Tucker White, the lead singer in the band Damaged, walks into her diner. He tries to show her that there is more to life than the hand she has been dealt but being with Tucker will come at a high price.

Juls Review
There were two things in this story that I didn’t like and they were at the end. Don’t want to say what they are because that would give away the story.

I'm also not a fan of the author, hate her honor student series but I actually liked this book. I loved Cass. She was such a caring person. She has a lot of baggage but she just does what she needs to do to get to the next day. She was in a sucky situation but I really admired her for sticking around. You know, the more I think about the story the more I realize why the ending was so crass. I think without those obstacles she can properly move on.

Cass doesn’t trust Tucker. Who would? Especially the life she’s lived she doesn’t give that away to anyone! He comes into her life but she’s not letting him have it easy. But he wont give up. He’s determined to have this girl however he can get her.

I really liked the fact that Tucker was a rock star but that still didn’t make Cass think that much better of him. She saw him as a person and treated him as such. And Tucker, he may have been her knight coming to rescue her from her horrible life and even with her attitude and coldness to him he saw the girl he could love.

Some parts were very cheesy but overall a very cute read.




Jen's Review 

The ending was a bit rushed, but this was a really cute story!

I love the whole Rock star looking for true love – I wish there was a little of Tucker’s POV in the story, but we got the idea :D

The book starts off and we find out how sad Cass is. She's working hard in a diner just outside her trailer park. She lives with her abusive, drug addict boyfriend and her mom.

She works hard for lousy tips and barely gets by with the bills. But she puts whatever she can away in her  special hidden spot. She has a dream to get out of the trailer park. She knows once she's out, her mother will get clean, and they can be happy again.

One day all that changed when Tucker White came into the diner on his noisy motorcycle. When he first came in, Cass was intimidated by his good looks.

But when Jackson, her boyfriend came into the diner demanding cash that she didn't have, Tucker had decided then and there that he was going to help Cass out. Leaving her a big enough tip to get Jax out of the diner.

The next day, Tucker showed up again and sat in the booth. They talked a little, flirted, but she knew it was a hopeless dream. She was stuck with the reality of life. Jackson was her life.

And when Jackson came back into the diner, again demanding money, Tucker did what he could to make sure Cass was safe.

Even the next day, when Tucker couldn't make it to the diner, he had sent a couple of friends to watch over Cass for him. And when Jackson, again came into the diner, Tucker's friends were right there to help out.

Cass couldn't understand why he cared so much about her being safe from Jackson.

When Cass came back to the diner after a fight with Jackson, Tucker saw the tears in her eyes. His first instinct was to blame Jackson

Cass had enough. She couldn't take the guilt anymore and told him off.

Tucker threw a ticket to a concert on the ground for her and took off. She picked it up and put in her apron and went to work.

Just about the time the concert was about to start, she decided to ask the other waitress to cover for her. Giving her all her tips, she took off for the concert.

She had no idea who Tucker White was! But she had the time of her life at the concert.

After the concert, they parted ways, knowing he had to leave to go back on the road.

" In a perfect world, I would have run into Tucker's arms and never looked back at this godforsaken place, but that wasn't reality. I had a mother to take care of, and bills to play "

Pulled - Giveaway

 
Pulled by A.L. Jackson

April 5th 2012 by Sapphire Star Publishing

Contemporary Romance

    Melanie Winters and Daniel Montgomery shared a love most only dream of; a love they believed bonded them together for life. When their world is shattered by the tragic loss of their daughter, overwhelming grief and misguided guilt distorts the truth, and their relationship ends in uncertainty and unanswered questions.

     For nine years, they drift through life, each unable to forget the one who holds the strings to their heart. In an attempt to escape the pain of her past, Melanie finds herself trapped in a loveless marriage, while Daniel loses himself in a career that means nothing without Melanie by his side.

    Now, when their lives again intersect, neither can deny the connection they felt so long ago.

    But will the power that drew them together be enough to heal the wounds from their past, and will they have the courage to overcome the insecurities and fears that threaten to keep them apart?

    Pulled is a story of attraction and separation, of destiny and duty, of a love so strong it refuses to give up even when all others have.

Meet A.L. Jackson:

Amy Lichtenhan first found a love for writing during her days as a young mother and college student. She filled the journals she carried with short stories and poems used as an emotional outlet for the difficulties and joys she found in day-to-day life.

Years later, she shared a short story she’d been working on with her two closest friends, and with their encouragement, this story became her first full length novel, Pulled.

Amy resides in Southern Arizona where she lives with her husband and three beautiful children, where she enjoys the freedom of working from home. Her favorite pastime is spending time with the ones she loves.

For more information, visit:
Publisher's Web / Blog / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Buy Link:  Amazon

—Excerpt—

I glanced at the clock.
Shit—nearly six o’clock. I needed to hurry. I’d lost track of time and Nicholas would be home soon. I wiped the tears from my face before carefully gathering the pictures from the bedroom floor. My chest weighed heavy as I collected each one, cherishing the memories a moment longer as I tucked them away in the envelope. The memories were all I had and I clung to them as if they were my last breath, knowing that once they faded, there would truly be no reason to go on. I hid the envelope at the bottom of the large jewelry box in the back of the closet, mindful to spread the necklaces out over the hidden compartment. Nicholas had never found them, but I was certain he would destroy them if he ever did.
Drawing in a deep breath, I ran my hands through my hair and dragged myself from the past I had immersed myself in for the last two hours and forced myself downstairs.
My footsteps echoed against the marble floor, each an accent of emptiness. I entered the kitchen, the only sanctuary I had. Every room of this house was gaudy and overdone, designed by the pompous for the pompous, except for this haven. It was no less extravagant, but held a warmth missing from all of the others.
As I worked, my thoughts inevitably wandered back to those beloved pictures hidden away in the back of my closet, but even they weren’t enough to ward off the anxiety steadily building within me as the passing minutes warned of Nicholas’s arrival. At six thirty-one, I heard the garage door open. Bile rose in my throat.
“Melanie?” Nicholas called from the entryway.
“In the kitchen,” I called weakly. Maybe he would go upstairs and spare me a few more minutes, but of course, I never had that kind of luck. I heard his footsteps approaching and prepared myself. “Dinner ready?” He yanked at his tie as he came through the door.“Um, not quite, just a couple more minutes,” I said, not meeting his face.
I felt him pause, though I refused to look up. I’d learned a long time ago how to survive in hell. The less I interacted with him the better. He snorted through his nose, muttering, “Worthless whore,” under his breath. I gritted my teeth, holding in the anger his accusation triggered. He set his briefcase on the island next to me and tossed his tie over the top of it. “What time do I get home from work, Melanie?” Nicholas dipped his head, forcing me to look at him.
“Six-thirty.”
“Is it too much to ask that dinner is ready when I get home?” he said, “or do you have something better to do with your useless life?” I cringed but said nothing. He was the one who didn’t want me to work.
“I didn’t think so.” He leaned in closer, his words a low warning. “When I tell you dinner needs to be ready at six-thirty, it means dinner is to be ready at six-thirty. Do you understand?”
I saw the threat in his eyes. He had never hurt me physically, but he made sure I knew who was in charge. I’d given up any control nine years ago when I’d followed him here to Chicago, looking for an escape from the pain.
I knew then what this life would be like. I’d met him at the airport when I’d fled Colorado that final time, the trip that severed the last thread holding my heart together.
Nicholas hadn’t seen the broken girl who sat numb with nothing but pain swimming in her eyes. He saw the young, beautiful girl, the one who said nothing at all but seemed to be willing to do whatever he said.
I wasn’t stupid. I had known exactly what he wanted, but I could never go back to Colorado Springs to face what I could no longer have, and I refused to stay with my mother in Dallas.
>So I left all of it behind, moving with Nicholas to Chicago just days after I returned from Colorado.
I knew then Nicholas would never bring me happiness. That had never been the point. My heart belonged to another and would never be his. All I wanted was a way out, while Nicholas got the trophy wife he thought he deserved. The only thing I hadn’t anticipated was how the numbness I felt for him would evolve over nine years into bitterness and loathing.
“I’m going upstairs to change, and I expect dinner to be on the table when I get back down here.” He had been this way since the first day I arrived; I had a role to play, and he expected me to play it well.
When he left the room, I gathered our plates and took them into the dining room. I wasn’t really afraid of Nicholas, but I didn’t want to fight. It was exhausting and got me nowhere, and even if it did, I still wouldn’t be happy, so it really didn’t matter anyway. It was just easier to do what he said.
Ten minutes later, I heard him returning. Just the sound of his heavy steps made my stomach turn. It still shocked me that I could feel so much hatred for one person. I watched him bound down the stairs, his tall body well muscled and agile for his forty-four years. His black hair hadn’t thinned and it was usually meticulously styled, though he obviously had run his hands through it. His eyes were nearly as dark as his hair and filled with unmerited pride. He may have been attractive, though that was something I could never see. His mere presence warned my instincts to escape, always smarter than my head.
“About fucking time,” he spat, letting me know just how disappointing I was.
Asshole.
Taking a seat across from me, he lifted his fork and began to eat. I picked at my chicken, pushing it around my plate. I could rarely stomach anything when he was around.
As he ate, I lost myself in the silence, my mind drawn back to Colorado.
“We have a dinner Thursday,” he abruptly broke through the quiet, pulling me from my daydream. I had to run his words through my mind again before I realized what he had said.
I closed my eyes, suppressing a sigh. Great. Another business dinner. It was the perfect time for me to play my part—the perfect wife with her perfect smile plastered across her  perfect face, nodding mindlessly while her husband gave his proposal as if her presence would somehow change the outcome. The whole thing was ridiculous. It was part of my job though, so I nodded that I’d heard him and looked back to my plate.
“This is a huge account, Melanie.” He sat back, eyeing me critically as if I didn’t already understand my role in this little charade. “It’s a medical complex that’ll bring in a couple million in profit, so I don’t want you fucking this up for me." I almost laughed.  Did he really think that my presence would sway the decision?
Nicholas went on about details I really didn’t care to know, about how much money he would make and how much recognition his company would gain if they built this complex.
>The only comfort I found was in knowing Shane would be at the dinner. Shane Preston was Nicholas’s business partner and the nicest guy I knew. While Nicholas was cocky and arrogant and felt the world owed him, Shane was modest and thankful for all he had. He continually cleaned up the messes Nicholas caused, soothing clients’ nerves and regaining their trust after Nicholas had done something unethical.
>The dinner also meant that Katie, Shane’s wife, would be there. She was the one friend I had in this world. She knew the real me and was the only one I had ever taken into my confidence since I’d married Nicholas. Shane and Katie’s presence there would at least make the evening bearable.
Nicholas finished his food, while I cleared the table and took the dishes into the kitchen. I was exhausted. I wondered how much more of this I could take. Surely, I would never survive this life sentence I’d imposed on myself. I loaded the dishwasher and went upstairs to take a bath.
Turning the hot water valve full blast, I let it run, anxious to feel the heat relax my muscles. I unbuttoned my pants and slid them down, shrugging them off my feet. As I pulled my shirt over my head, my gaze reflexively dropped to my stomach as I caught my reflection in the mirror, my first instinct to seek out the marred skin that bore her wounds.
I caressed along the puckered, angry scar that slanted in a long, jagged line across my lower abdomen, wishing she could somehow find comfort in my touch. Chills shook my body as I ran my fingers over the still sensitive skin and, just like every night, the bitterness and anger I found myself feeling faded away into sadness as I lost myself in this tangible reminder of my child. I loved her so much.
Steam filled the room, and I eased myself into the water and allowed myself to drift back to Daniel. I missed him, almost more than I could bear. This was never supposed to have happened to us. We were supposed to make it—we should have made it.
>“Melanie, hurry up and get in here!” I cringed as Nicholas yelled from the bedroom.
Shit. I’d hoped he’d be asleep by now.
Reluctantly, I rose and pushed the memories aside. I wrapped myself in my robe, slow to finish my normal routine. I shouldn’t have been stalling; he’d wait. Still, I took my time as I brushed my teeth and ran a brush through my long brown curls. I inhaled deeply and took one last look at myself before going into the bedroom.
“Don’t keep me waiting like that,” Nicholas rebuked from his place under the covers.
>This was by far the worst part of our arrangement. I couldn’t help but feel like a prostitute, cheating on my own heart, when I lay beneath this man. I crawled into bed next to him, praying he would at least have the decency to turn off the light.
He untied the belt on my robe and groped my breast with his callused hand. My body roiled with disgust that he mistook as anticipation. “You like that, don’t you,” he growled as his foulness spread across my face. I fought against my instinct to flee and, instead, reached over to the bedside table and flicked off the lamp.
The blackness enveloped the room, allowing me to remove myself mentally from the sick situation. I closed my eyes to find an image of Daniel—a flash of messy blond hair.
“You’re mine.” Nicholas’s voice jerked me back into reality, making me acutely aware of his sweaty panting body hovering above me. I closed my eyes tighter, willing my mind away.
>“Melanie, my love. You’re so beautiful,” he said as he held my body against his, tender caresses igniting a fire deep within me.
“Daniel,” was all I could manage as he made love to me, each touch a whisper across my skin. He gently kissed my neck as he moved against me, and I felt the pressure build with each stroke of his body.
>“Melanie, you feel so good,” he ground out, his voice rough with emotion.
I couldn’t help the little moan that escaped my lips, the flash of desire that washed over my body as it remembered the way only Daniel could make me feel.
“That’s right. I feel good, don’t I?” Nicholas grunted as he finished and collapsed with all of his weight on me.
The nausea swept through me, and I pushed Nicholas away. “I need to clean up,” I choked over my standard excuse as I rushed to the bathroom. I fell to my knees at the toilet, desperate to purge away the hate I had for myself. The act only left me feeling more empty and alone.
Holding onto the vanity for support, I pulled myself up to stand. I rinsed my mouth and splashed water on my face—anything to make me feel clean again—but there was nothing that could wash away the shame.
I stared at myself in the mirror, the reflection no longer one I recognized. The girl I remembered was seventeen—full of life and love. The one staring back at me may as well have been dead. The only life left flickered in the periphery of my consciousness where a familiar comfort waited in the darkness. As I climbed into bed, I grasped for it, desperate to feel him for one moment more.

Jen's Review....

*Dreamy Sighs* I wonder if there really is love like that out there. Someone who's soul calls out to you, where you can physically feel it's pull drawing you closer to them...

I wouldn't mind finding that.... but then again, the feeling of emptiness that you feel when you're not together... I'm not sure if that would be easier to deal with...

This book was very emotional , very deep . The first time Daniel felt the pull, he was 16, sitting on his bed when his sister's friend Melanie stepped out of her father's car and ran up the driveway. He tried to ignore the longing to go down there, but after a few mins, he caved in and made his way to the stairs.

When their eyes met, they clicked instantly. When he made his way down the stairs and took her hand in his, the spark made it feel like their souls were wrapping around each other.

They spend the day snuggling up and talking, and when she has to go, they end with a kiss. A kiss that they feel down to their toes and back.

If life could only be that simple. Things were going well for so long, then Daniel went off to college, but coming back on the weekends to spend time with Melanie.

One thing leads to  another, and all of a sudden, Melanie is pregnant. Oops

She's not 18, and he is... so deathly afraid of what her father is going to do, they keep it a secret from him for as long as they can.

But Daniel's parents are the best. they're the type of parents everyone wants. They love their kids no matter what. And they're there to help Daniel and Melanie through her pregnancy.

it isn't until that one night when things go wrong. Melanie not only loses the baby, but she can no longer have children. her father hates her, her mother is making her take a break from Daniel and she has to take intense therapy to learn to walk again!

The heart breaks - shattered into a million pieces - we're back to the present  9 years later, Melanie is stuck in an emotional abusive marriage. She didn't care. Her heart didn't belong to him. She had no reason to live happily any more.

Daniel was a hollow shell. Going through the motions in his life. But never happy. He knew why. They all did. And even after 9  years it still hurt. But Melanie was always on his mind.

When fate brings these two together, Even though they've been apart for so long, the pull was still there.

This book was very emotional. The loss of the baby, the lies that were told to keep them apart, their past, their future - how can they overcome the obstacles’ they have in their lives now in order to hang on to one another, for good this time?

Juls Review 
Oh man! As much as I wanted to rate this lower I just cant. The more I thought about this book and what happened the more I loved it. Some decisions made by Melanie really made me question if I really liked this book. I finallyhad to step back and some advice from a friend I soon realized that she was a victim. 
Melanie meets a boy who becomes her everything. No one really understands the extent of his power over her but Melanie and Daniel cant deny what they have. 
Unforeseen circumstances breaks them apart and the journey the two have without each is so destructive and so harsh. Melanie being with a man who has doesnt care about her. He just wanted to rule her under his thumb and she allowed it. Because she doesnt feel anything anymore after she lost everything thats meant anything to her. 

And Daniel moving from woman to woman to fulfill what none of them could ever fill. That one and only is no longer available to him. He lost everything that one fateful day. He was just taking Melanie back home. It was too late. Everything that was anything to him was gone.

An unlikely reunion throws them both back to the day they met. Those emotions and love they felt for each other are still there and now stronger with every glance they have towards each other. 
Was it fate? 

I'm still not sure how I feel about them being together when they had other responsibilities. Yes they are soul mates but thats not an excuse or makes it okay for them to go that route. Daniel was there for Melanie. He was is her rock and I think she should have taken that and made the right decision. 
In the end the tragedy and sorrows that were thrown at them were put to right and they both got their deserved happily ever after.

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*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or  readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising*  

Eighty Days Yellow by Vina Jackson

Eighty Days Yellow by Vina Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars






Caught in a frustrating relationship with a man who can't accept her for who she is, passionate, flame-haired violinist Summer finds release in her music. She spends her afternoons busking on the underground, lost in the works of Vivaldi or Mendelssohn. When her violin is damaged beyond repair, Summer receives a surprising proposition from Dominik, a university professor with powerful desires, who has been captivated by Summer ever since he heard her perform. Dominik will replace her priceless violin, but only if she agrees to play for him in a private concert.

Unable to deny the chemistry between them, Dominik and Summer embark on an intense affair full of daring twists and turns, as unpredictable as it is thrilling. For Summer it is a chance to finally embrace her long-denied dark side, but she'll soon learn that where there's pleasure must come pain. And can a relationship born of such all-consuming passion, ever really survive?

Juls Review
Note to self: Do not judge a book by reviews.

Summer is a girl whose everything lays with her music. Once she places her violin on her should she is lost to the sound and the feel of the cords. The music she conducts drowns away her surroundings and leaves her lost in a world that is created by only her.

An unfortunate situation occurs and now her violin is in pieces. No longer can she escape. But a message from a stranger could be her answer to her problem. Would this fix everything or will it open doors to the unknown?

When Dominik is introduced he almost seemed bored and kinda bland with his life. Even through his sexual exploits his lust doesn’t have that extra umph you would expect from a man who oozes sexuality. And he does. You can feel it off the pages.

Dominik stumbles upon Summer playing and the music moves him. They almost seem in tune with each other. After a moment he turns and leaves her only to think of her and search for her. Upon hearing about the incident Summer was in Dominik messages her and offers her a new violin but with stipulations. Summer doesn’t know what they are but agrees.

Dominik has ideas for Summer and its with her naked and playing for him. Every call he makes to her he sees more and more of the sub that lies underneath. Their relationship is not your typical one. They are free to go and do what and whoever they want. Which leads Summer to explore her curiosity of the Dom/sub lifestyle. It starts with spankings and progresses from there. Dominik and Summer don’t see it but their relationship has become something. They may not want to admit it and they don’t but everything is dull for them without the other.

A night full of sex but not with each other has brought them to a standstill and Summer decides to move on. Move on to the other side of the world! She’s in New York and Dominik has no clue.

The side characters may only be that but they have a lot of influence over what happens to the two of them. Charlotte and her way to have her cake and eat it too has her claws in Dominik. She’s been sleeping with him ever since Summer left and she doesn’t plan on letting him go any time soon. In fact it sounds like she has plans for him being the main attraction on her camera. And Vincent, he may have seemed to be gentle when he watch Dominik and Summer performing together but he has his own motives. He sees the sub within Summer and wants her as his own. Wants to brand her. He gets pretty close but then through it all Summer grows a pair.

Summer is put through the ringer when Vincent shows up in New York. I’m not sure what exactly happened to her because she seemed like she was the type to go after what she wanted but then after she and Dominik has a tiff she is not the same person. I’m not sure how I really feel about her. I’m hoping my feeling for her will change in the next book.

I’m so glad the publisher contacted me to review this book. I had a great time reading and reviewing it.


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Sierra by Taylor Dean

Alyssa Fontaine’s life, loved ones—everything familiar and dear—are brutally taken from her.

Taken captive by two men, she endures a horrific nightmare. A new life is forced upon her and even a new name.

Just when it appears that no hope is in sight, she is saved by an unlikely twist of fate. Trapped in the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains, life will open its arms to her again and she will embrace it. She will find love such as she never knew existed.  

Sierra is a heart-wrenching story of the power of the human spirit to survive amidst impossible circumstances and severe losses. It is a story of survival . . . and hope. 

Romantic Suspense 

Date Published: 6/13/12

Synopsis: 

Taylor Dean 

 Author Bio:

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding that she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of romance in her line-up. 

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—Excerpt—

Stay strong, Alyssa. Another opportunity for escape will come, you just have to wait for it. And yet, she wondered if she would live through the next day.

It wasn’t a matter of being lost in the woods, it was a matter of being totally, and utterly, lost.

“WE HAVE TA find our community today. We’re out of food,” Pa said at lunch as they ate the last of the granola bars. “I know wur close.”

As they hiked, Adam walked behind her and pushed her every time she slowed down. They were all slow today. He never walked behind her. The trip was getting to all of them.

Alyssa felt as though she could simply lie down and die. Her pain, which had been significant, seemed to have diminished into a dull, anesthetized feeling that enveloped her. Maybe this is what death feels like—a sluggish, agonizing death, that is, she thought numbly.

As they hiked down the mountain through a heavily wooded area, a deluge of rain descended upon them. They did not stop or seek any shelter, they hiked right through it. The noise of the storm hid the fact that Alyssa sobbed out loud. The moisture hid her tears. She didn’t even try to rein it in—she just let it out and was glad for the cover of the storm. Lightning and thunder roared around them and still they walked. Pa was sure the community was just below them.

Alyssa knew that life—as she knew it—was over.

Her fate was to be with Adam.

The thought set in and her heart sank. She couldn’t remember ever being so terrified in her entire life.

It soon became obvious they were nowhere near their precious community, however. Pa cursed and yelled in a fit of temper. They were all hungry and tired. When they stopped for breaks, Alyssa fell asleep each time, hardly able to hold herself in an upright position.

 That evening as they walked through an area dense with pine trees and foliage, to their surprise, they came across a cabin in the woods. Pa and Adam stood in the trees staring at it. It was obviously occupied. Smoke wafted out of the chimney, the smell of fresh bread was in the air, and the tinkle of music could be heard if you strained your ear.

As Alyssa's eyes alighted upon the cabin for the first time, she thought perhaps she was dreaming. It was like seeing a mirage in the desert. It couldn’t be real—the sight, the sound, the smell. It was . . . charming. She was seeing things. It must be her imagination. After all, who lived up here in the middle of nowhere? But if she was seeing things that weren’t really there, then so were Adam and Pa.

They decided to pay the occupant a visit and cautiously began the walk up to the door of the cabin. Alyssa suddenly felt like Dorothy along withtwo cowardly lions approaching the wizard. The cautious music from the movie played in her befuddled brain.

Yep, she was losing it.

Puffs of smoke shot out of the chimney and she wondered if Adam would turn around and run.

Maybe the wizard would grant her deepest wish.

Freedom . 

. .

Jen's Review

This book was pretty good. The story line, the adventures, the couple, just great. 

In the beginning, we see Alyssa and her husband Sam, and their 2 year old little boy heading home from their family vacation in Tahoe. While driving through the Sierra Mountains (a trip I have taken many times in my youth as well) they were getting antsy. Sam was getting tired, Clay was fast asleep. Alyssa knew she'd be driving a little ways, soon. When Sam pulled into the rest stop to stretch their legs a little, Alyssa couldn't have dreamed her life was about to change forever. 

When she met her guys back in the car, she noticed first the man in the backseat with the gun to Sam's head. Then the knife at her throat, and a stern voice telling her to drive. 

Alyssa was scared, she was afraid for Sam and Clay, and herself. She thought once they got these guys where they wanted to go, it would be ok. 

But that wasn't the case at all. When Adam told her to pull over, and get out, they thought this would be the last they saw of them. 

But it just got worse. 

All of a sudden she was in a truck, and images of Adam and Clay falling to the ground haunted her. 

When Adam and Pa reached their destination, they got out of the truck and started to walk towards the woods. They hiked until they couldn't walk anymore. With a concussion, sore feet and only a few pieces of jerky (with pocket lent on them) and a small amount of water, Alyssa was struggling to keep up. But Adam wouldn't let her fall behind either. 

Days went by, after a couple of times of trying to escape, and their beatings, she gave in. She felt numb. 

After about 5 days, they were about out of food, and still not where they were supposed to be going. That's when Pa saw the cabin. 

Alex lived alone in the middle of the mountains. it was a good 6 day hike to any amount of civilization. and that's how he liked it. He didn't want to be bothered. After 3 years of living in the mountains, with helicopter delivery once a year with his supplies, he was happy. 

At least he thought he was happy. Until that one night when the front door burst open, and 2 men with shot guns pointed at him entered his life. 

Once he got a look at those big doe eyes begging for his help, he knew then and there the battered, badly beaten woman was about to change his life forever. 

Like I said, i really enjoyed the storyline to this book. It was a bit tame from what I usually read. But it was still pretty good. It had more than a few places where I cried. And I'm not talking about those silent tears that come when reading something emotional. I actually had to take a break to get myself under control - 

I think the ending was a little rushed, though, as well as a few places in the story where they skipped through time. They spent so much time preparing for those 4 months of being snowed in, but we only got a page or two or what happened during those 4 months :( 

 

 *Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*