Review ~ Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

Synopsis:

The new Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University's Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby needs—and wants—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

Review:

This book is likable for the first half. The second half might just be enough to make you bang your head against a wall, or worse. I fail to see what is beautiful in this disaster of a couple.

It started out fine. I actually liked Abby and Travis for a while. I like it that she’s determined not to be one of Travis’s sexcapades, and that Travis is not determined to make her. They became friends, and there were some sweet moments that made me smile. But then attraction is a bitch. 

Abby started being dense, and despite the obvious signs that Travis was into her, she still didn’t think so. Not even when everyone started telling her. This convinces me that Abby is stupid. Everyone notices Travis’s feelings for her, how can she not know?

I should have stopped reading there, but I wanted to give the book a chance. Surely Abby was just in denial?

When I got to the second half, everything is just annoying. Abby became even stupider, Travis became annoying, America started being childish, and everyone else just became unreasonable. The second half of the book is full of Abby and Travis staying away from each other while telling the other they are still in love. I understand that Abby is trying to make a point, but MY GOSH. The way she does it got on my nerves. I hate reading a book where the characters spend a long period avoiding each other when they’re clearly in love with each other because it feels like such a waste of time. The second half of Beautiful Disaster happened to be one of those books. Ugh.

There are some things I really liked about this book, like Abby’s back story and Shepley and America’s relationship, but sadly it’s not enough to overshadow the parts that I hate. This book is just not for me.

~ Zee

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Review ~ Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna #1) by Kendare Blake

Synopsis:

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. They follow legends and local lore, destroy the murderous dead, and keep pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

Searching for a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas expects the usual: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

Yet she spares Cas's life.

Purchase Links:

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Review:

Anna Dressed in Blood is a morbidly good read—for the most part.

I usually steer away from books that include ghosts, not because I am easily spooked but because ghosts just don’t appeal to me. Why I took the plunge and read this book, I don’t know. Perhaps it was because I expected some gory things based on the description and title of the book, and I’m a girl who likes gory and morbid things.

I like it that this book is written from Cas’s POV. I didn’t have to read a lot of description about how hot a guy is, or how much a character is drooling all over him. I like hot guys, sure, but only when I’m not being reminded of how hot they are every page. Anyway, being inside Cas’s head is entertaining, but it can be annoying, too. The constant I’m-too-good attitude is sometimes very irritating, but let’s face it: everyone thinks like that once in a while. Even fictional ones, apparently. Cas is pretty cool for the most part, but he lacks certain emotions, especially about Anna.

Anna could have easily been my favorite character. She was portrayed to be this badass girl who kills everyone who dares to step inside her house. For the first half of the book, she’s that girl, but then. . .nah. She had been tamed too soon for my taste. I understand that it has to be that way, that it’s part of the plot, but I was just starting to enjoy the badassery (I strongly suggest this should be a word) of her character, and it was taken away from me too soon. I do liked her story. It was the highlight of the book for me, because it’s the only thing that spurred my emotions.

I like the description of the icky stuff and the way the action was written, but it didn’t give me the creeps that I was expecting (is it because I don’t mind morbid things?). I could have done without the romance, though. The romance between Cas and Anna seems like a sorry attempt of romance to me. I’m a sucker for romance, but this one is just very weird for me. Not because it’s between a living guy and a dead girl, but because it lacks emotions. There are no sparks, no intensity, no out-of-this-world feelings, nothing. Cas sounded robotic when it comes to this part. He’s protective of her, but that’s just about it. He’s a guy, sure, but I believe even guys can think about something sweet and romantic, or Anna should have said something of the like. I’m looking for a. . .deeper emotion between them. I find Carmel and Thomas more romantic, and the crush in there doesn’t even seem mutual, so I think that’s saying something.

I hate it that I only liked the morbid things and action that went down in this book, and not the romance. I want a book with a complete package, but this one didn’t do it for me. Still, if you take out the romance part in the equation, I liked this book. I’m going to read the sequel, and I hope there’ll be an improvement in the romance department if it’s going to be a major part of the book (and it looks like it will be).

~ Zee

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Review ~ Opposition (Lux #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis:

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

Purchase Links:

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Review:

JLA did not disappoint. Opposition is a keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat, bite-your-nails-in-nervous-anticipation, throw-the-book-clear-across-the-room-in-impatience, read-it-in-one-seating-or-else kind of read. I cannot count the times I’ve wanted to peek in the end of the book just to know what freaking happened, but then the rising action of the book won’t let go of my attention even once.

I am still not fond of Kat and Daemon when they are together in this book, because everytime they have each other within touching distance (which is very often since they are never separated except in the start), the cheesiness is over the roof. I love reading romance, but I always cringe when it becomes overdone. Yeah, go figure. So Kat and Daemon still made me cringe a lot, but in Opposition I felt it less than in the previous two books.

I love the action that went down in this book, though in some parts (especially near the climax) I felt meh because it started becoming too convenient for the main characters. Still, it kept me entertained and happy (on most parts).

What I love the most in this book—and even in the whole series—is the secondary characters. I am a little disappointed that, again, I did not see more of Dee here. She’s a badass character but I feel like she didn’t get the chance to show it off. Luc is my favorite character, and I am so sad to see that he didn’t get the happy ending he wanted. Perhaps his happy ending will be with me. *winks* I also like Archer. He’s a badass in a cool, quiet way. I like it when he and Daemon are in the same room. Oh, how they amuse me.

You know that feeling when you badly want to take a sneak peek but you cannot take your eyes off the page you’re reading? Yeah, that’s what I’m like when I was reading this book. It made me smile, scream in frustration, smile again, and feel somewhat sad when I finally closed the book. I’m done with the Luxen world, and no matter how many times I re-read it, it just won’t be the same.

~ Zee

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Review ~ Lux: Consequences (Opal and Origin) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis:

Opal

After everything, I’m no longer the same Katy. I’m different…and I’m not sure what that will mean in the end. When each step we take in discovering the truth puts us in the path of the secret organization responsible for torturing and testing hybrids, the more I realize there is no end to what I’m capable of. The death of someone close still lingers, help comes from the most unlikely source, and friends will become the deadliest enemies, but we won’t turn back. Even if the outcome will shatter our worlds forever.

Origin

Daemon will do anything to get Katy back. After the successful but disastrous raid on Mount Weather, he’s facing the impossible. Katy is gone. Taken. Everything becomes about finding her. But the most dangerous foe has been there all along, and when the truths are exposed and the lies come crumbling down, which side will Daemon and Katy be standing on? And will they even be together?

Purchase Links:

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Review:

Opal

Sweet baby aliens in the whole Luxen world, this book felt like a rollercoaster of emotions! I cannot decide which are dominating while I was reading, the negative ones or the positive ones. No matter, though, I still like it in the end.

Things get a little more interesting here in Opal, but some decisions they’ve made get a little more stupider, too. Still, I like this because the climax is in line with the rising action. Surprisingly, I did not care that the book is a little predictable. For each telling sign, I actually anticipated what comes next more.

There are times when I’d feel a strong sense of déjà vu from Twilight, and I cannot decide if I love it or not. One thing is for sure: Katy gets a little irritating at most of these déjà vu moments. 

The only thing I hate about this book is their carelessness…AGAIN. I do not understand how they could let themselves be played by the DOD. Seriously, in Onxy I thought they already know that implants are everywhere, and most often than not those implants are not just one person. It’s like they didn’t even acknowledge Katy’s discovery in Onyx about the DOD and for how long they have been watching. I cannot count the times I have wanted to shout at these characters for their carelessness.

The ending—oh, garsh, I thought the ending was going to be the end of my bookworm self. I mean, REALLY? YOU ENDED IT RIGHT THERE, Ms. Armentrout?! That ending chopped my heart in little pieces. WHERE IS THE JUSTICE?

I am so glad Origin is just right here, else there may have been casualties in my haste to get to the next book.

Origin

“I’ll burn the world down to save her.”

*scans the book and sees dual POV* A DAEMON POV! *fan girl dance*

*after reading everything* Oh. Okay. It’s not that special, but it’s good.

My problem with a dual POV story is the sound of the “voices” of the narrators. The tendency is they’ll sound the same, and most often than not the male POV starts sounding like a girl, which is not appealing to me at all. Now, Daemon’s POV doesn’t sound girly, but it didn’t come off as very masculine either. So I’m undecided about how I like his POV.

Origin felt like a whole new world, but at the same time it felt the same. A lot of things have happened, and Origin feels a lot like the “game changer” for the series. Things have become more twisted and a lot of things are being revealed, and all of them made me want to pull my hair out in frustration, annoyance and sometimes impatience.

I don’t know how else to put my feelings in words, but let me just say that Origin is full of surprises, both good and bad ones. The way it’s written made it easy to sympathize with the characters. This book carries a lot of information that will force your brain into info overload, contains a dose of betrayal from the one person you might never have expected, and an action-packed climax that will leave you grieving unexpectedly.

Hats off for JLA. 

~ Zee

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Review ~ Lux: Beginnings (Obsidian and Onyx) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Synopsis:

Obsidian

There’s an alien next door. And with his looming height and eerie green eyes, he’s hot…until he opens his mouth. He’s infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, he marks me. Turns out he has a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal his abilities and the only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to him until my alien mojo fades. If I don’t kill him first, that is.

Onyx

Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems. I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

Purchase Links:

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Review:

Obsidian

I’ve been hesitant to read this book right from the moment I’ve discovered it back in 2013, like Aliens? Really? Nah. That time I haven’t read anything by Jennifer L. Armentrout, so I absolutely have no idea how good she is at this business. When I finally took the plunge and invaded the world of Lux, YES, I TOTALLY REGRETTED WHY I HAVE NOT READ THIS BOOK SOONER. I know. I’m a walking cliché.

So Obsidian is totally not what I expected, and I liked it more than I’d hoped. You’d think it’ll be too much drama to have a very stubborn heroine and an overly self-confident hero, but it’s actually a very enjoyable read. I didn’t even think of aliens so much, except for the frequent reminders about them. I’ve never thought in my bookworm life that I’ll read a story about aliens, but then I did and even fell in love with it. Go figure.

Katy Swartz is a typical Armentout heroine—sassy, stubborn and I’ll-cut-a-bitch-when-one-gets-in-my-way girl. She’s got a sense of humor, which is a very important trait I’m looking for in a character. She’s got a huge dose of hormones in that little body of hers, or maybe that’s just the effect of being in Daemon’s vicinity. Still, sometimes this girl feels like a walking hormone that will spew off lust auras when it comes to Daemon. Is that an alien effect?

Daemon Black is one heck of an overly confident male specie. He’s almost irritating, except he’s totally adorable because anything arrogant he says is laced with humor that makes him forgivable. He’s the kind of hero that makes you want to know what he’s thinking—the one who makes you want to be inside his head. Plus, he makes everything look hot. Who knew aliens could be so hot?

The structure of Obsidian is light—the you-know-there’s-going-to-be-a-sequel-and-this-is-just-easing-you-to-it-slowly kind of light. It’s the, shall we say, introduction of things. You know there’s going to be bigger things to happen and this book makes you anticipate it so much.

I’m not giving it a perfect rating because I there are some things that I feel lacking. Like Dee. I understand that she needed to spend time with Daemon because of the mess they’ve gotten themselves into, and I understand that this is their story—the two of them—but I would’ve liked to see more of Dee or just more of Katy spending time with her friends. If Daemon is a medicine, I think I’ll overdose because he’s everywhere. I didn’t get a break from him, which made him somewhat easily tired of.

The characters’ chemistry is undeniable, but both are not willing to give in to it or even admit it even to themselves. You can feel the sexual tension between them spiking up in unbelievable measures. Seeing them together everytime is a little too much, even for my romance tastes. I don’t like overly romantic things because then it’s just cheesy.

I think, for a couple of days, I’ll be burrowed deep in this series. It has its claws on me, and there is no way I’ll be getting out of it anytime soon—or maybe never until I’ve known all there is to know. Until I’ve finished the whole series. *winks*

Onyx

So this book did not give me the same high I got from the first book, but I still liked it. Although my feelings are sixty per cent frustrated, twenty per cent annoyed and twenty per cent happy about what was happening.

Sixty per cent frustration went to Katy Swartz. I want to crawl inside the book and get in her face to demand, What happened to your judgment, girlie? It seemed like she’s too dense to read too much into Blake’s business. All the clues were there, but then she passed it as normal since they were the same and all that. Ugh. Since many chapters contain Katy and Blake, my frustration is right with them.

Twenty per cent annoyance goes to all of the characters and the climax. 

First, the characters, especially the Daemon, knew they were being watched by the DOD, but they seemed to not take that into consideration before they do something. They knew someone was watching, but they still appeared to be too careless. The aliens didn’t want the DOD knowing about Kat being aware that they’re aliens, but they’re showing off their abilities nonstop around her. They didn’t want the DOD to know about her mutation, but they didn’t give enough warning about her practicing out in the open. Ugh.

Second, the climax. It’s not much of a climax for me. It’s too simple, too dull to be called a climax considering the intense rising action. It’s like the two elements have switched places.

The last twenty per cent goes to happiness about what’s happening. Katy is finally spending a lot of time with other friends, and with Blake her Daemon time has lessened, too. It’s not that I don’t want some Daemon-Katy time—I do—but lessening it has also lessened the cheesy factor and the overly romantic feels. Lessening it added to my anticipation of their time together. Did I say that right? I hope I did.

I like this book, but I’m not very fond of many occurrences.

PS—Yes, a PS in a review. LOL. I really want to see Katy’s blog and I FRICKING WANT TO WATCH THE VLOG WITH DAEMON IN IT!

~ Zee

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Review ~ The Young Elites by Marie Lu

Synopsis:

Adelina Amouteru is a survivor of the blood fever. A decade ago, the deadly illness swept through her nation. Most of the infected perished, while many of the children who survived were left with strange markings. Adelina’s black hair turned silver, her lashes went pale, and now she has only a jagged scar where her left eye once was. Her cruel father believes she is a malfetto, an abomination, ruining their family’s good name and standing in the way of their fortune. But some of the fever’s survivors are rumored to possess more than just scars—they are believed to have mysterious and powerful gifts, and though their identities remain secret, they have come to be called the Young Elites.

Teren Santoro works for the king. As Leader of the Inquisition Axis, it is his job to seek out the Young Elites, to destroy them before they destroy the nation. He believes the Young Elites to be dangerous and vengeful, but it’s Teren who may possess the darkest secret of all. 

Enzo Valenciano is a member of the Dagger Society. This secret sect of Young Elites seeks out others like them before the Inquisition Axis can. But when the Daggers find Adelina, they discover someone with powers like they’ve never seen. 

Adelina wants to believe Enzo is on her side, and that Teren is the true enemy. But the lives of these three will collide in unexpected ways, as each fights a very different and personal battle. But of one thing they are all certain: Adelina has abilities that shouldn’t belong in this world. A vengeful blackness in her heart. And a desire to destroy all who dare to cross her.

It is my turn to use. My turn to hurt.

Purchase Links:

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Review:

I am not one to cuss too often, but while reading this book I’ve strung about a million curse words in my head which means I really liked this book (go figure). There’s something in the way Marie Lu writes that hooks my attention. She doesn’t write overly romantic scenes and she’s fricking good at fight scenes—the perfect combination I’m looking for in YA books.

The Young Elites is a dark story with twisted characters. As what my friend would say, it’s very hard to find someone to cheer on. I do not know why I really liked this book because I am not normally into dark reads and twisted characters. I must say Marie Lu is a really good writer. There’s not much romance in here, but the few romantic scenes made my toes curl in my feet. Marie Lu might not be comfortable in writing romance scenes, but when she does, she does it very intensely.

I like the world building. I’m never going to get tired of Renaissance-Italy-like setting, and this one is beautifully written. The details are good and I can see it clearly in my head as if I’m remembering it, not imagining it. The only thing I got confused about is the blood fever—where did it come from? That wasn’t quite clear in the book.

Adelina Amouteru is my kind of heroine. Some might not think she’s not a villain, but I say she is. Or rather, she will be. The Young Elites feels like the making of a villain, because I got the impression that this is just showing her story, how she became a very twisted person. It shows what makes a person a villain. There are times when she sounds very flat, emotionless, and I can’t decide what I feel about it.

Enzo Valenciano is a very driven character. You do not want to mess with him. He’s very harsh, but I love this guy. You don’t get a lot of emotions from him but I love him. I have no idea why. Perhaps it’s because of his driven nature, making him a great leader. Perhaps it’s because of the charms that he seems to have no idea he possesses. Perhaps it’s because of his loyalty to his friends (though he wouldn’t call them friends aloud). Perhaps it’s because he a no-nonsense kind of guy. Perhaps it’s because his intense personality. Perhaps it’s all of the above. So when Marie Lu decided to put him in a very dire predicament I almost threw my book across the room. I CANNOT accept it.

Teren Santoro. Oh, boy. At first I thought he’s the most sane character in here, seeming to have clear intentions and goals: to punish all malfettos in the name of the king. But then we get his POV and boy, oh boy, he’s even more twisted than the most twisted in the history of twisted characters. So many times I want to shake this boy so hard it’ll rattle his teeth and ask What is wrong with you? Please tell me what’s wrong with him.

Raffaele is my favorite character in this book. He’s a gentle soul, and he seems to be the most cheerful person—and nothing is cheerful in this book, so I think that’s saying something.

So what did I get in this dark story with very twisted characters? I got to see a story of pain, betrayal, and the story behind what makes a villain. Intense, dark, extreme and creepy, I had no choice but to turn page after page until there’s no more and all that’s left is the anticipation for the next book.

~ Zee

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Blog Tour ~ Felix (5th Street #5) by Elizabeth Reyes (Review, Author Guest Post and Giveaway)

Title: Felix (5th Street, #5)

Author: Elizabeth Reyes

Genre: NA | Contemporary Romance

Release Date: November 13, 2014

Synopsis:

They say the only good thing about hitting rock bottom is that it can't get any worse . . . or can it? 

World famous boxing champ, Felix Sanchez, had it all—the fame, the fortune, and all the women any man could ask for. When the hours of partying followed by hours spent in court and in rehab begin to outnumber the hours he spends training, losing his title comes as no surprise to everyone. The world assumes he deserved to lose it.

Only those closest to Felix know the real truth behind his sudden downward spiral. And if Felix has his way, no one else ever will. With an uncertain future ahead of him, he heads back to his roots—5th Street—the gym that started it all for him. It's where he meets the humble but mighty little Ms. Ella.

The only times Felix had ever decided to forgo the usual meaningless fling and try a real relationship he was burned badly. Now the adorable but tenacious self-defense instructor has him considering this love thing one more time.

Then just when he begins to worry that his past is letting his possessive and jaded heart get the best of him, he's blindsided in the most brutal way—he's brought to his knees—to what could be the one low in his life he may never recover from.

Purchase Links:

Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

Review:

This book made me want to pull my hair out. Not in a bad way, though.

In the past books of the 5th Street series, Felix seemed unreachable because of his status. He’s the one you wouldn’t see more of, except in Gio. That made the anticipation almost unbearable. He seemed like this mysterious-but-not-really guy.

Being inside Felix’s head felt like a huge relief. Finally I could see how his mind worked, what he was thinking, what he really thought about how other people perceived him. It felt nice to finally understand him. I liked his character well, although it would have been nice to see something in him that is different with the other 5th street guys. So far, they were all alpha, hot-headed when it comes to other guys near their girls, the jealous and possessive type. I was looking for something in his personality that would make him unique, but I didn’t see that.

The thing that made me want to pull my hair out the most is Ella. She’s great and all that, but she was really frustrating at times. Some of her actions really got in my nerves.

The twists and turns in this book are very unexpected. I think it’s the best plot twist Elizabeth Reyes has written yet. Save the best for last, right? *winks* However, I wasn’t satisfied with how fast things went from there on. The plot twist could have wrenched my heart, but the words lacked enough emotions to really get to me. Everything happened so fast—literally. I would have liked to linger in that emotional state and feel the emotions of the character in their predicament, but I wasn’t allowed to do that because the story was fast-paced and before I know it everything was done. It was like I just breezed through it because of how it is written—how fast the narration went. For someone like me who needed a heavy dose of drama before my emotions locker can produce some serious feelings towards a book, the fast-paced narration of the characters’ predicament didn’t get to me that well.

Felix is another roller-coaster ride constructed by Elizabeth Reyes. It will make you laugh, frustrated, laugh again, get all giddy from all the sweetness, and it might even squeeze out a good measure of tears. All that’s left for me to say is I’m very sad to see the series end. I can already feel the nostalgia coming.

*complimentary copy provided for an honest review

~ Zee

Author Guest Post:

Topic suggestion -  "Finding Your Voice: Writing in Third Person (or First)".  I (Zee) am curious on why you, Elizabeth, has decided to write your books as third person and have you ever tried writing it in first person or would be interested in writing in first person?

Thank you Diary of a Book Enthusiasts for having me. 

Finding my voice. I think how you decide to write is just a matter of your own personal opinion and what you feel most comfortable with. I'd like to think my characters are very real. Flaws and all it is what it is and that's what you get. I have a bit of a potty mouth and this does come across in my writing particularly in my hot headed alphas. I've mentioned this before, as much as my guys cuss they're so much worse before the re-writes when MANY of the f-bombs get deleted. =/ Some of my guys (coughs!*Romero! Hector and Lorenzo!* cough!) are worse than my others. But for the most part the overall voice (mine) comes across in all of my stories.    

As for why I choose third person over first? It really depends on the type of story. I've actually written in first person but then gone back and changed it to third. For me contemporary romance just feels like it reads better that way. 

I've read in a lot of different genres. In my personal opinion some genres are better told in first person like paranormal and fantasy. I'd find it awkward for a narrator to be narrating such odd scenes where say someone or something does something unnatural. I'd prefer to be in the characters head feeling instantly what they're feeling as they watch another character morph into a wolf or disappear or fly  or whatever unnatural thing might be happening. 

The same goes for thrillers and some mysteries. It's best to be in their head, experiencing it as they're seeing it. At least that's how most of the stories I've read in those genres have felt for me. 

However when I started reading contemporary romance I really enjoyed the books written in third person. Therefore when I decided I'd be writing romance I felt that was the best way to go. Same went for dual POV's. I know some readers prefer first person single POV. I'm a very curious person. I like to know what's going on in the other MC's head AS the story is being told. I don't want to have to read the entire same story again just to see what he might've been thinking especially because I already know how the story ends. I like the suspense of having to wait but not that long. I'd rather just wait until we're in his POV in the next scene or chapter but we'll know AS the story is being read. 

Now with that said. I have written other stories or begun some in other genre's or slightly different twists to the love story that I do feel better if it's told in first person. Some of these stories I do hope to publish eventually. I haven't decided if I'll use a pen name or not but I do anticipate sharing my first person stories with the world soon. =) 

Thanks again for the interest and for having me! 

Eli

I, too, hope that you publish it one of these days. It would be really interesting to see how Elizabeth Reyes writes in first person! I'm looking forward to that. :)

~ Zee

Grab the rest of the series!

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About the Author:

USA Today Bestselling Author, Elizabeth Reyes continues to answer to her calling on a daily basis. Since releasing her debut novel Forever Mine (Moreno Brothers #1) in 2010 she has now published 9 full length novels total and fast at work on the next. The excitement her Moreno Brothers, 5th Street, and Fate series have garnered has far exceeded her wildest dreams. It is with as much excitement that she'll continue to put out books related to these series as well as introduce brand new ones very soon.

In 2014 she will take her next step in the exciting world of writing and publish her first traditionally published book with Simon & Schuster/Atria. But she will continue putting out self published books as well.

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Review ~ In Deeper (In Deep #2) by Kella McKinnon

Synopsis:

This is book 2 of the 'In Deep' series, which needs to be read in order.

Brielle

What would you do if you met a man that made you burn like wildfire from the inside out? Burn so hot that with one touch you forgot to breathe?

And if you knew that he had dangerous secrets? Would you be able to walk away?

I couldn’t. As strong as I know I am, I kept going back for more of him. That body… those eyes…

I saw him for the first time on my very first day in Vegas, and even then I think a part of me knew, because I couldn’t look away. It was like that moment when you see something flying towards you and you know it’s going to hit you before you can ever move out of the way, so you just watch, transfixed, as it crashes into you. Cristos Vicario: owner of the illustrious Adagio hotel and casino and reputed billionaire playboy. He sure as hell wasn’t what he seemed on the surface. That man had secrets. No one knew what a dark and dangerous world he lived in, and when I finally saw him for what he was, it was already far too late. I found myself inextricably tied to him forever. The course of my life altered. My entire world changed forever as he took away my freedom and gave me the key to my dreams in one fell swoop.

How could I have known that the one man who should have been my greatest nightmare would become the one thing I couldn’t live without? And all I had to do was forgive him…

Cristos

I was only living for one thing, one goal, one endgame… until I saw Brielle. And when I touched her, it was all over for me… I just didn’t know it yet. Not until I broke all of my rules for her, one after another, and that still wasn’t enough. I wanted more.

I wanted it all. Yeah, what I did to her was pretty much unforgivable. I know that now. Some small part of me might have known it then, too, but it didn’t matter. I had to hold on to her. I would have done anything to keep her… and I did.

Now I’ve put her in danger, dragged her into my world, and I don’t know whether to push her away or hold her tighter. Letting her go would be the right thing to do… but every time I try to do the right thing… I can’t.

When I take her, it’s always hard and desperate, as if she’ll disappear if I can’t make her feel the same things I feel... if I can’t force her to care about me enough that she’ll look past everything else and see into my heart.

Last night, after she fell asleep, still wrapped in my arms, I rested my lips against the top of her head and inhaled the scent of her as she slept. Trusting me, even though she shouldn’t. “I don’t deserve you”, I whispered. “But I want you. God, I want you so badly.”

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Review:

Again, the Fifty Shades déjà vu, but fewer this time. I also liked this book so much better than the first, because this is where everything went down: the action, the secrets, the conflict—everything.

In Deep ended right in the middle of everything, and I can’t start In Deeper fast enough just so I won’t have to be tortured about what happened next. It started right where In Deep ended. I lost precious sleep over this book, and I’m so pleased that I am not disappointed with how things worked out in the end.

I liked Brielle and Cristos’s chemistry. This is where Cristos has toughened his resolve to get involved with Brie completely, though his past and other issues are conflicting with it, which is a total bummer.

I still haven’t decided if I liked Brielle. It seemed like there is not much to learn about her, since there is no big revelation about her character. I like my heroine mysterious, too, and I always enjoy it when they have something to surprise me with.

Cristos is the biggest mystery. It seemed like he gets more messed up in the head as the book progresses, but it I am satisfied with how the author pulled off his character. Despite his really weird messed up ideas, the resolution in the end justified it, I think. He surprised me with his biggest deception stunt, which has to be the most messed up idea in the history of messed up alpha males. Still, he’s realized it all in the end so…yeah.

One thing I’m disappointed about, though: the falling action. The ending felt rushed, and I think the last conflict wasn’t really necessary. It just gave the ending the impression of being rushed. I could have done without it.

Final verdict: I liked the plot, the rising action, and the resolution. I’m not fond of the climax and the falling action. The way things went down in this book made the first book (somewhat) unnecessary. This is where things got really interesting and almost everything is here, so I felt like In Deeper could have done without In Deep.

*Complimentary copy provided for an honest review

~Zee

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Review ~ In Deep (In Deep #1) by Kella McKinnon

Synopsis:

Brielle

What would you do if you met a man that made you burn like wildfire from the inside out? Burn so hot that with one touch you forgot to breathe?

And if you knew that he had dangerous secrets? Would you be able to walk away?

I couldn’t. As strong as I know I am, I kept going back for more of him. That body… those eyes…

I saw him for the first time on my very first day in Vegas, and even then I think a part of me knew, because I couldn’t look away. It was like that moment when you see something flying towards you and you know it’s going to hit you before you can ever move out of the way, so you just watch, transfixed, as it crashes into you. Cristos Vicario: owner of the illustrious Adagio hotel and casino and reputed billionaire playboy. He sure as hell wasn’t what he seemed on the surface. That man had secrets. No one knew what a dark and dangerous world he lived in, and when I finally saw him for what he was, it was already far too late. I found myself inextricably tied to him forever. The course of my life altered. My entire world changed forever as he took away my freedom and gave me the key to my dreams in one fell swoop.

How could I have known that the one man who should have been my greatest nightmare would become the one thing I couldn’t live without? And all I had to do was forgive him…

Cristos

I was only living for one thing, one goal, one endgame… until I saw Brielle. And when I touched her, it was all over for me… I just didn’t know it yet. Not until I broke all of my rules for her, one after another, and that still wasn’t enough. I wanted more.

I wanted it all. Yeah, what I did to her was pretty much unforgivable. I know that now. Some small part of me might have known it then, too, but it didn’t matter. I had to hold on to her. I would have done anything to keep her… and I did.

Now I’ve put her in danger, dragged her into my world, and I don’t know whether to push her away or hold her tighter. Letting her go would be the right thing to do… but every time I try to do the right thing… I can’t.

When I take her, it’s always hard and desperate, as if she’ll disappear if I can’t make her feel the same things I feel... if I can’t force her to care about me enough that she’ll look past everything else and see into my heart.

Last night, after she fell asleep, still wrapped in my arms, I rested my lips against the top of her head and inhaled the scent of her as she slept. Trusting me, even though she shouldn’t. “I don’t deserve you”, I whispered. “But I want you. God, I want you so badly.”

Purchase from Amazon

Review:

In Deep didn’t get me immediately hooked, but it intrigued me as I read on. The prologue is very telling, which lessened the anticipation for me because I knew what I was looking for, what I should prepare myself for. It made the book a little predictable.

Brielle’s POV is a little dragging at times, and I am still deciding on whether I like her or not. She didn’t made an impression on me. Sometimes she really confused me in an irritating way. I also didn’t understand why she didn’t put up too much fight when Cristos forced her to move to Adagio. For a woman who was sending off the I’m-an-independent-woman-and-I-can-take-care-of-myself vibes, she really gave up too easily in that.

Cristos’s POV, on the other hand, is really interesting. His story is what really intrigued me the most. He has serious issues, and some of them are a little too twisted. I liked it more that the reasons for his puzzling behavior are slowly unveiled, as opposed to one big revelation.

While reading this book I had a sense of déjà vu (of Fifty Shades of Grey) too many times. Some moments felt like I was back in the world of Fifty Shades, and this is another thing I can’t decide if I like it or not.

I’m not fond of the climax. It’s not much of a climax at all. It felt weird, considering the rising action of the story. I would have liked to see more.

Overall, I like the story, the plot (although it’s a little dragging at times), and the twists. I am not fond of the characters, the climax and the way In Deep ended (though I think I can forgive the author for that since this is a series. You’ll have to read the book to know what I’m talking about).

*Complimentary copy provided for an honest review

~ Zee

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Release Day Promo/Review Tour ~ What's Left of Us by Amanda Maxlyn

Amanda Maxlyn is excited to share the release of "What's Left of Us", the heartwarming conclusion to What's Left of Me.  Make sure to check out the teasers, pick up your copy and enter the $100 Kate Spade Gift Card GIVEAWAY below!

Synopsis:

The heartwarming conclusion to What’s Left of Me.

 Love found me three years ago.

 I’m cancer free, happily married to the love of my life, and working toward my dream career.

 Our life is complete. Perfect, really.

Or is it?

 I’ve always wanted a family of my own, but never dreamed I could have one. Now Parker’s ready to make my dream our reality.

But sometimes our dreams are haunted by our deepest fears. Fears of failure, having a child, and in our case … death. How do I help the person I love get over his fear when I’m still trying to overcome that same fear myself?

Together we must learn What’s Left of Us.

Purchase Links:

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Click Here To Read the Prologue and First Chapter!

For more fun & giveaways, come join our Facebook Release Party & Blog Tour Event ~ Friday, November 14th

Review:

“No matter what our fears are, or what happens in the future, this is what’s left of us.”

You’d think, after the river of tears in What’s Left of Me, there’s no more tear-jerking event that could happen in what’s Left of Us since Aundrea has survived her cancer and all that. WRONG. What’s Left of Us may not be as heart-wrenching as the first book, but it sure squeezed out a week’s worth of tears from me.

In this book, Aundrea is a cancer survivor and she’s been married to Parker. This is three years after What’s Left of Me. They are practically living their happily ever after. However, Aundrea might have survived her cancer but the emotional scars are there, reminding her of what she’s been through. Doubts and fear are still lurking in the shadows, waiting for the moment of weakness to pounce.

Parker’s devotion to Aundrea is something to behold. I love that we get his POV in this book, because it gives us a clearer view of his emotions and lets us see Aundrea through his eyes. I’m not particular in their steamy scenes, but I do love it when Parker starts talking about his feelings for Aundrea and his fears in losing her.

What’s Left of Us isn’t just about Aundrea anymore, but the two of them together. It’s a story of devotion, hope, courage, and overcoming their fears. Amanda Maxlyn knows how to inject the emotions in her words, because even the simplest words have the power to tear through me. She knows how to write in the way that will get a reader’s sympathy.

I love this book. I recommend a box of Kleenex to go with it.

*I received a complimentary copy for an honest review

~ Zee

Other books in the series:

Life works in mysterious ways.

Four years ago I became known as the girl with cancer.

I refuse to cry.

And I refuse to give in.

A relationship with a man is the last thing I’m looking for

right now, but one night with Parker changes everything. He is persistent, and he knows what he wants. Me.

He doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile.

But he doesn’t know, and I’m not ready to tell him.

What if it changes everything?

Tragedy found me when I was seventeen.

Love found me when I was twenty-one.

My name is Aundrea McCall, and this is my journey.

Amazon | B&N | iBooks

About the Author:

I am the mother of two little boys, married to the love of my life, and living in one of the smallest towns in Minnesota. When I’m not chasing or cleaning up after my boys (yes, all three), I can be found writing or snuggled up with my kindle, a glass of wine, and spending time with my fictional friends and family.

I am first and foremost an avid reader! I love to read anything romance from paranormal, young/new adult, contemporary, and even yes, (wide eyes) erotic/BDSM.

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