Monthly Archives:: November 2013

Entangled Publishing Spotlight Tour: In the Arms of a Stranger by Virginia Kelly Review

November 19, 2013 Uncategorized 11


In the Arms of a Stranger by



Published October 28th 2013
by Entangled Ignite

ebook, 269 pages

Series: Stand-alone?


Genre: Adult Romantic Suspense
Heat Rating: Steamy!


Source: From the publisher in exchange of an honest review!
Amazon |  Goodreads

Mature Content Advisory, must be 18+ for language and sexual content

Summary from Goodreads

A dangerous man on the run…

Wounded
and accused of treason, CIA operative JP Blackmon is on the run from
his own agency and desperate to clear his name. When he finds out his
old partner is dead, he’ll do anything to get to the truth…including
using his partner’s widow.

A vulnerable woman looking for answers…

Abby
Price wanted nothing more than a family and a safe home. But her late
husband kept big secrets from her—secrets that got him killed and have
government agents watching her every move. Fearing for her life, it
seems the only man who can help her is a mysterious stranger who
suddenly appears out of nowhere. But can she trust him?

Together they discover a passion worth dying for.

As
danger stalks them at every turn, unexpected passion flares between JP
and Abby. But the last thing either wants or needs is more
complications. Romance? No. Way. That would involve trust—something
neither is willing or able to do. But in the end, sharing their deadly
secrets is their only hope for survival…their only hope to hold onto the
love they’ve just begun to share…

Hello JP Blackmon!
Besides the irresistible cover, In the Arms of a Stranger was a thrilling romantic suspense that I have been craving for a while. I think it’s been a couple of months since I have had my fix and since most of you know I love to read just about anything - there are times where I always crave for a specific genre types once in a blood more.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. When everything goes wrong and JP is suddenly found as a marked man by his own country, he travels to find the only man that can fix what had gone wrong. Too bad in his journey he discovers that his only best friend that would know anything about what is going on - is already dead and has left behind a lovely widow and a son.
Abby Price has suddenly come to a conclusion that she might have never really known her husband. She sort of knew what he worked as but as his boss and a few other people keep showing up looking for answers - she is suddenly found herself trapped in a web of lies looking for her own way out.
Fascinating story! thrilling and entertaining. Kept me guessing and looking for clues until the very end as JP and Abby set out to find the true and danger follows them around every corner. JP is unable to deny the attraction that keeps growing between Abby and him until flames are hot and hard to ignore.
I enjoyed the romance in this one and Abby’s struggle with not only facing some ugly truth about her husband, but also the fact that she finds herself alive again but with the wrong kind of man. But she was a strong woman and even a stronger mother. I really did like her character and it was hard not to feel for everything that she had going wrong for her.
Virginia Kelly really knows how to tell a wonderful suspenseful but romantic story and I am looking forward to more from this author!

Excerpt:
“Is
JP your real name?”
He
smiled, and she realized she hadn’t seen one of his real smiles
before. This one lit up his face, made his eyes laugh. There was
devilment in the smile. “I don’t know you well enough to tell you
that yet.”
Yet?
The
look of him, the timbre of his voice, as if he really would know her
well enough to—
Her
breath caught. She couldn’t look away. That
well?
She
wanted to frown, to be outraged. But his eyes… Good heavens, his
eyes. Everything about him, from his short dark hair, to his smile,
to his broad shoulders, he was all captivating male.
Instead,
she laughed. It was a totally unexpected reaction. She’d never
reacted to anyone the way she did to JP. If that was his name…
And
what came out of her mouth next was a total surprise. “When do you
think you will?”

Virginia
Kelly Bio:
An
RWA Golden Heart® finalist, Virginia Kelly’s first book was
published as To
the Limit
and finaled in several contests such as the Holt Medallion, The
Golden Quill and The Aspen Gold.

Virginia
has always loved adventure novels, but romance is at the core of her
stories—romance with the adrenalin rush of danger. Against
the Wind,
a full-length novel, and Dancing
in the Dark,
the prequel novella to In
the Arms of a Stranger,
are
about dangerous men and the adventurous women willing to take a
chance on them.

Traveling
is a passion that came early in life. Her first airplane ride was a
trip over the Andes Mountains in Peru at the ripe old age of two
months. Her travels provide the settings for her novels, whether it’s
a fictitious Latin American country based on Peru, the country of her
birth, or Florida and the American South where she now lives.

A
graduate of the University of Alabama with a master’s degree in
Library Science, Virginia is an academic librarian. She tries to
include a librarian in all of her books as either the heroine or as a
minor character. Having taught high school and college, she has a
great appreciation for teachers and often uses that as the profession
for her heroines.

 



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Review: The Unexpected Wedding Guest (The Wedding Season #1) by Aimee Carson

November 19, 2013 Uncategorized 3

The Unexpected Wedding Guest (The Wedding Season #1) by Aimee Carson


Published  June 18th 2013
by Harlequin KISS


(first published January 1st 2013)
Paperback, 224 pages

Series: The Wedding Season


Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Heat Rating: Steamy!


Source: From the publisher through Netgalley in exchange of an honest review!
Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads

Mature Content Advisory, must be 18+ for language and sexual content

Summary from Goodreads

Getting caught in her
wedding dress by her drop-dead-gorgeous ex-husband is Reese Michael’s
worst nightmare. Especially when her perfect-on-paper fiancé then
cancels their wedding!

Reese has spent years trying to forget how
her marriage to Mason Hicks crashed and burned—yes, their chemistry was
incredible, but a girl can’t live on lust alone! And what’s a jilted
bride supposed to do when the one man she could never forget is back in
her life, as irresistible as ever?

Mason might be her own personal brand of Kryptonite, but surely life is meant to be lived a little dangerously…?
Wow it has been a while since I read a Harlequin Romance. I miss them. It was the publisher that got me hooked on them when I first read B.J Daniels and I still devour them many years today.
The Unexpected Wedding Guest was a sweet touching story of Reese Michael’s a rich girl who’s ex-husband decides to show up a few days prior to her wedding.
Reese and Mason had been crazy in love and married when she was only 19-years-old  It lasted about a year before Reese hurled his dog tags at him and watched Mason walk out that door.
Ten years later she is finally getting married to the man her wealthy parents wanted her with to begin with and life seemed easy until Mason showed up. Now her fiance has cancelled her wedding until Reese can settle her feelings and make up her mind.
Did really enjoy this one, finished it pretty quickly. The passion and the sparks between Reese and Mason are oh so wonderful. I did love the romance in this one, even if some might stray away simply because there is another man involved and not a lot of people would justify Reese’s actions. But when reading the book and everything that came out in the end, it did really make sense!
I enjoyed Aimee Carson’s writing, a simple yet wonderful way to tell the story with characters you cannot help but feel sorry for. Mason is a marine who almost died after a C4 exploded near him. Now he has a bit of damage, headaches, and a short term memory loses with insomnia. He came to Reese to settle what happened between them per his shrinks request, never did he imagine she would be falling into his arms again. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him, despite the fact that he is absolutely horrible at communicating. He had a good heart, he was brave and very loyal!
Reese is angry, as far as she knows the marriage ended because Mason was the one who was unresponsive to her - but could there had been more? It was nice learning what came between them and that even Reese wasn’t perfect when it came to her marriage or her relationships. Not realizing just how dependent she might be on everyone else besides Mason. Always looking for an easier way out and dealing with things how she was grew up dealing with. It felt realistic, and I enjoyed it.
Already have the next book in this series so am kind of excited!
For those that are interested The Wedding Dress Diaries is currently free on amazon!



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Review: Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver

November 18, 2013 Uncategorized 8

Delirium (Delirium #1) by Lauren Oliver 

Published  February 1st 2011
by HarperCollins

Paperback, 441 pages

Series: Delirium


Genre: Young-Adult Dystopia
Heat Rating: Kissing


Source: Library
Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads

Ninety-five days, and
then I’ll be safe. I wonder whether the procedure will hurt. I want to
get it over with. It’s hard to be patient. It’s hard not to be afraid
while I’m still uncured, though so far the deliria hasn’t touched me
yet. Still, I worry. They say that in the old days, love drove people to
madness. The deadliest of all deadly things: It kills you both when you
have it and when you don’t.

Let me start by saying I had borrowed
this book as an audiobook from the library and I learned quickly that
audiobooks are just not really for me. It took me 2 days of listening
to come to a conclusion that I was only 25% done with the book. When
the normal version popped up in the library I quickly grabbed it and
devoured it in 2 days. I am a quick reader and I guess I prefer it
that way.
Delirium is the first book in Lauren
Oliver’s series. Thought I have read a few great reviews on it, I
found that I was so far behind in things I wanted to read. So I did
it. I dove head first into Oliver’s world and came out pleasantly
surprised.
In the world where love is treated as a
disease, every human who lives within the borders of Portland, must
undergo a treatment that will cure them of it. The treatment doesn’t
happen until they are 18 years old, so until then no one is really
safe so people do best to follow the rules that have been drilled
into them since the young age.
Lena is different. Her mother committed
suicide when she was little because she was unable to get cured, and
that history has haunted her for most of her teenaged life. She is
actually looking forward to get evaluated, assigned a husband and get
cured. Until the meets Alex, a boy she learns that isn’t cured and he
opens up a whole new world for her. World that she was too blind to
see existed.
Okay, first. I am not 100% sure how I
feel about Lena. I like her I think, but not as much as I liked Hana
and Alex. I thought those two were the deeper characters in the book.
At first she even appeared kind of meek to me. I am glad she grew a
bit more as a person as the book went on. I did end up liking her
more towards the end.
I loved the world that Oliver has
created. She also has a beautiful way of writing. There is just
something about her style, her way with words that grips you from the
first page and doesn’t let you go. Yes the story flows in sort of a
slow pace, but it flows! I found myself unable to put the book down
and was looking forward to see what happens in the end. The whole
idea behind the world-building and the plot was just new and
refreshing for me. It was kind of creepy to see what happens to the
people after the cure is administrated. I cannot imagine living in a
fog like that when everyday kind of blends together.
There is romance in this book,
obviously, and I did enjoy the connection between Alex and Lena. I
thought they were cute. I like the fact that he made her come out of
the shell. Despite everything that happens, Lena really is a loyal
person or at least I thought she was when she went to help Hana. It
is emotional, especially the relationship between Lena and her mother
as well as Lena and Hana. Not knowing what happens next, if they
would still even be friends after the ‘cure’.
And Alex…Alex was amazing. I did like
him. A lot. I love the fact that he wasn’t arrogant, but brave and
loyal (which is a nice breather after some other books that I have
read). Plus his smart and in the end, really does care about Lena.
I am looking forward to the next book,
which I already picked up! And finishing the series. Cannot wait to
see what happens next.


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Review: Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes (Adams Grove #3) by Nancy Naigle

November 17, 2013 Uncategorized 4

Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes (Adams Grove #3) by Nancy Naigle 

Published  July 9th 2013
by Montlake Romance

Paperback, 247 pages

Series: Adams Grove


Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Heat Rating: Kissing


Source: From the publisher through netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
Amazon | The Book Depository | Goodreads

Summary from Goodreads

For years, Carolanne
Baxter dreamed of a life beyond Adams Grove. Being the daughter of the
town drunk was no picnic, so when college offered her a chance for
escape, she took it. Now Carolanne has returned home, finally ready to
make amends with her father, Ben, and to celebrate the wedding of her
best friends Jill and Garrett. Of course, the fact that Connor Buckham,
her sexy new law partner and Garrett’s best man, happens to be the same
guy the town matchmaker named as Carolanne’s perfect match…well!
That’s just icing on the cake.

But Carolanne’s hopes for a fresh
start are dashed when a dead body surfaces during Jill and Garrett’s
wedding reception…and Ben Baxter becomes the prime suspect. The murder
throws the town into uproar, threatening to destroy the tentative peace
between father and daughter-and to derail the budding romance between
Carolanne and Connor. Has the matchmaker’s perfect streak come to end?
Or will the truth finally bring Carolanne the happy ending she’s dreamed
of for so long?

A pleasantly very sweet and cute read. Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes takes place in a small town of Adams Grove. Carolanne Baxter always dreamed of a life outside of the small town especially with being the daughter of the town drunk. So when college offered her the opportunity to escape, she didn’t think twice before heading out to New York. Now back in town and working for a small office with her partner Connor, the last thing Carolanne wants is to ever get married. But her best friends Jill’s wedding is on the horizon and wedding bells and trouble just seem to follow her - especially when a girl she knew just ended up dead during her best friends reception.
I did like the story. It was a cute read. I didn’t like Carolanne through. I had the hardest time connecting with her. Not only the way she had treated her father, but also her treatment of poor Connor at times. I loved Connor, he was sweet and wonderful and you cannot help but root for him, even if he did choose a woman that didn’t want the same things he did.
Of course the little mystery with the dead girl was pretty predictable but it did add to the story. Thought the romance was sweet, it was also a bit fast. There was a bit of back and forth and at times I wasn’t sure if I found Carolanne that convincing. The ending was rapidly fast which left a lot to be desired. Overall Wedding Cake and Big Mistakes was a nice clean romance with a bit of mystery that can be a great read on a rainy day such as it was today today!


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Stacking The Shelves #10

November 16, 2013 Uncategorized 31

Stacking The Shelves #9                                                               

Stacking
The Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tyngas Reviews. Stacking The
Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves,
may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy
in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the
library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Woo Have not done this in a while! Here we go!

 For Review:
1. Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira (Thank you Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)!)

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Xpresso Book Tours: Knowing You (Jade #2) by Allie Everhart

November 16, 2013 Uncategorized 2

Knowing You (Jade #2)  by Allie Everhart 
Publication date: November 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance
Amazon | B&N

Synopsis:
Now that Garret’s decided he’s no longer following the rules of
his wealthy family, he can finally develop a closer relationship
with Jade. Things are going well, but Jade still worries that being with
Garret is only temporary. And because of that, she’s not sure how much
of herself and her past she’s willing to let him see.

Garret does
all he can to assure Jade that the two of them can last, but convincing
her of that is difficult when she’s never trusted anyone. So he has to
show her, by being there when she needs him the most, even when she
tries to keep him away.

The mysterious letter from Jade’s mom
still haunts her and now she’s getting threatening phone calls. Someone
from Jade’s past will stop at nothing to keep his secrets from getting
out. And his number one secret is Jade.

AUTHOR BIO:

Allie Everhart writes about dating, love, and romance. She’s also a
freelance writer for magazines and websites. Before freelancing, she was
a book editor for a publishing company where she worked on several NYT
bestselling nonfiction books. She loves to read as much as she loves to
write. And when she’s not reading or writing, she’s outside running,
which is when she gets her best book ideas.

Grand prize giveaway

Prize (open internationally):
-$15 gift card for Amazon.com



 

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Spotlight + Review: To Love and Serve (The Reborn #2) by Caridad Piñeiro

November 14, 2013 Uncategorized 5

To Love and Serve (The Reborn #2) by Caridad Piñeiro

Published  October 28th 2013
by Entangled: Ignite

Ebook, 242 pages

Series: The Reborn


Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Heat Level: Steamy!


Source: From the publisher in exchange of an honest review.
Amazon |Goodreads 

 Mature Content Advisory, must be 18+ for language and sexual content

Summary from Goodreads


Born to Love…

Five years ago, vampire Ryder Latimer stepped into the path
of a bullet meant for FBI Agent Diana Reyes, at once saving her life
and condemning her to death when his blood contaminates her open wounds.
Now only an experimental treatment, transfusions, and allowing Ryder to
sink his teeth into her when they make love keep her alive.

Born to Survive…

Ryder has always known that no matter what they try, Diana
can’t possibly survive what contact with his blood did to her. The
reality for him is that no matter how much he loves her, he will lose
her if he doesn’t turn her—a choice Diana may have put off for too long.

Born to Serve…

Even as her health continues to deteriorate and they battle
with that difficult decision, Diana tracks a serial killer targeting
their vampire friends. It’s a dangerous job, but she was born to it and,
with Ryder’s help, she’ll serve and protect until the day she dies—or
until a miracle turns their world upside down.

Five years ago, everything went wrong for FBI Agent Diana Reyes when the mission she was leader should have left her and her partner dead. Instead, vampire Ryder Latimer got in the way and his blood contaminated her open wounds. Now, the only thing that is experimental treatments, blood transfusions and Ryder sinking his teeth into her neck to keep her alive.
Diana knows she’s dying, and if no cure is found she has to make a difficult decision - rather to stay alive by allowing Ryder to turn her into a vampire or meet her ultimate death.
Great story. I enjoyed it from the first page up until the last. Gripping, exciting with a fast paced plot and two very interesting characters!
I loved Ryder, he was fierce and strong and really loved Diana. Up until meeting Diana has life lacked purpose. But now facing the threat of losing her forever is his own fear. 
Diana doesn’t know what she wants to do. She is a bit broken since her father died and there is a lot of rage inside of her. A part of her knows if she turns, it might not go the way she planned it. The coldness inside of her can feed the monster and she could come out a totally different vampire, one that is hungry for blood and unable to control the demon inside. So in order for her to make a final decision, she must first become a better person to be a good vampire.
Aside from their turmoil. A “slayer” is killing their vampire buddies. Vampires who have not harmed anyone and weren’t sanctioned for dying. Now it’s up to Ryder and Diana to find the killer behind the murders.
Did really like Caridad Pineiro’s writing! She really knows how to tell a story. The steamy attraction between Diana and Ryder has you rooting for them until the very end. There are also dark elements to the story, especially with the gruesome murders, but they add to the suspense element of the plot!
If you love your paranormal romance and don’t mind a few steamy scenes then I would give this book a shot!

Caridad
Pineiro Bio:
New
York Times and USA Today bestselling paranormal and romantic suspense
author Caridad Pineiro wrote her first novel in the fifth grade when
her teacher assigned a project – to write a book for a class
lending library. Bitten by the writing bug, Caridad continued with
her passion for the written word through high school, college and law
school. In 1999, Caridad’s first novel was released and over a
decade later, Caridad is the author of almost forty published novels
and novellas. When not writing, Caridad is an attorney, wife and
mother to an aspiring writer and fashionista.
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/Caridad.Author
Twitter
https://twitter.com/CaridadPineiro


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Review: Shadow Chaser (Son of Angels #3) by Jerel Law

November 13, 2013 Uncategorized 7

Shadow Chaser (Son of Angels #3) by Jerel Law

Published  May 7th 2013
by Thomas Nelson Publishers

Paperback, 221 pages

Series: Son of Angels


Genre: Childrens Fantasy (Christian)


Source: From the publisher through netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
Amazon |Goodreads 

Summary from Goodreads

Join part angel Jonah Stone as he faces his biggest challenge yet!

Many
months have passed since part angel siblings Jonah, Eliza, and Jeremiah
Stone began their angelic training. As part angels, or “quarterlings,”
the siblings joined other children of nephilim to begin honing their
special powers.

In this third installment in the Son of Angels
series, Jonah’s story comes to resemble a modern-day Job as he’s faced
with trials that affect his health, strength, relationships, and
most-prized possessions. As he and the other quarterlings prepare for
mid-term exams, their powers are tested once again in the most fierce
battle against Abaddon’s forces yet. Will Jonah’s faith in Elohim
continue to persevere as he fights Abaddon in his hardest battle yet?

Parents
today are looking for fiction that makes Christianity and the Bible
exciting for their kids. This series is the first Christian answer to
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, the Kane Chronicles, the Secret Series,
and other middle-grade series packed with action, adventure, and
supernatural fights. But the message is solidly based in Scripture,
conveying God is always in control.

Shadow Chaser is the third book in Son of Angel’s children’s book series. I picked it up on a whim because I wanted something different and have been recently on a children’s book kick. They are so much more relaxing at times when you just want to kick back and enjoy something different, and easy to follow. 
Shadow Chase follows Jonah Stone, a part angel that is currently attending the Angel Academy in training. With the exams just around the corner, Jonah ends up dealing with a little more then just regular school stress. His health takes a tumble when odd pimples appear on his face and arms until they turn into really painful sores. So now he is being teased by other kids as his health continues to take odd turns, unaware of who or what is behind it.
While Jonah navigates through school, his health and test of friendship - the battle between Abaddon and Elohim continues to brew.
Interesting book. I didn’t realize how heavy it would lean on the Bible and the Scripture. So heavily that I actually had to Google a few things for them to make sense to me. Outside of that, the story was actually quiet a bit interesting. The Christian part did not bother me. Thought I don’t read a lot of Christian books, I have found myself reaching for them a couple of times in the past out of curiosity. The Son of Angel’s series, still makes for a good Children’s Fantasy novel despite that. Aside for that fact that children who are thought of the ways would probably learn quiet a few lessons from the book.
I liked Jonah. He doesn’t have everything figured out yet, which adds to the realism of him being a kid. I love the dynamics of the sibling relationships in this book because once again, there is a lot of realism thrown into the mix of how siblings interact. The story was did a good job holding my attention and I did enjoy the plot. There had been some things that really made me question or pause at moments thought…Like the fact of why couldn’t the kids just step out of the other realm while being in danger, since it seems like they could do it at will otherwise? Why didn’t the Adults have a bigger part in the book trying to prevent the danger? And thirdly…the message in the end with death, not sure how I fully liked that - but I guess my beliefs clashed a bit with this books.
Overall, a decent little adventure for the right type of taste.


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Review: Stitch Head. The Pirates Eye (Stitch Head #2) by Guy Bass, Pete Williamson

November 12, 2013 Uncategorized 6

Stitch Head. The Pirates Eye (Stitch Head #2) by Guy Bass, Pete Williamson

Published  August 1st 2013
by Capstone Press(MN)


(first published January 1st 2013)
Hardcover, 192 pages

Series: Stitch Head


Genre: Childrens Middle Grade


Source: From the publisher through netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
Amazon |Goodreads 

Summary from Goodreads

Mad Professor Erasmus
has long forgotten his first creation, Stitch Head, leaving the lonely
patchwork monster to take care of Castle Grotteskew all by himself. But
when the professor is kidnapped by crusty pirates, Stitch Head decides
to risk his almost-life to save his creator. He’ll need a little help
from his new friends, the Creature and Arabella, to learn to embrace his
inner pirate and sail the seven seas in pursuit of his missing mentor.

I was in the mood for something different when I picked Stitch Head up from Netgalley. Actually I have to admit the book cover was the thing that caught my attention first. I thought it was different, original, and a little creepy. Since creepy seemed to be part of my mood, I really wanted to get my hands on the book.
Stitch Head is a little creepy Children’s book about Mad Professor Erasmus, first and very forgotten creation. They all live in a fictional town in a Castle Grotteskew, where the Mad Professor keeps coming up with all these odd monsters - that Stitch Head tries to fix when they go bad.
Upon discovering the “Diary” of a pirate, Stitch Head is convinced because he has the same blue eye as the pirate on the cover, that he too can be a pirate. When the Mad Professor Erasmus get’s kidnapped, with the help of his friends Stitch Head sets out on a pirate adventure in order to help him.
Stitch Head is a book about friendship, imagination and adventure. Filled with loyalty, and a small patchwork doll with a big heart. I did enjoy this cute quick read. I thought the illustrations were done nicely and the writing kept you entertained from the very first page!
I liked Stitch Head and his friends Arabella and Creature. I am looking forward to more adventures from the little patchwork monster!


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Review: Broken Beauty (Broken Beauty Novellas #1) by Chloe Adams, Lizzy Ford

November 11, 2013 Uncategorized 10

Broken Beauty (Broken Beauty Novellas #1) by Chloe Adams, Lizzy Ford

Published September 22nd 2013
by Indie Inked

ebook, 78 pages

Series: Broken Beauty


Genre: New Adult


Heat Level:

Source: From the publisher through netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
Amazon |Goodreads 

Mature Content Advisory, must be 18+ Book contains sensitive subject matter that might not be appropriate for everyone.

Summary from Goodreads

Sometimes bad things happen to beautiful people.

When
socialite party girl Mia Abbott-Renou wakes up in a garden she has
little recall of the previous night — except that she is
naked…hurt…terrified. Not only has she been raped, but she knows one
of her assailants: the son of a wealthy politician who happens to be
her own father’s political ally.

Mia wants and needs justice.
Except this privileged boy has an alibi and her father forbids her from
going to the police. It’s a critical election year, one that his party
might lose if his image as a doting father is soured due to Mia being
labeled a lush or worse, promiscuous.

Devastated at not having
the support of her family, Mia finds herself in a tug-of-war with her
conscience over what to do, especially since she can’t remember exactly
what happened that night. Worse, the men who attacked her have hurt
several other girls, and Mia may be the key to stopping them.

Mia
tries to forget, until the unthinkable happens, and she’s left reeling
once again, faced with a new challenge that will force her to take more
control of her life.

Originally published in October 2012 as “No Way Back” by Chloe Adams

First let me tell you. I picked this book up of Netgalley when I came back because it was a free read now book and I didn’t even read the blur or realize that is it written by Lizzy Ford until I opened the book. I was giddy that it was Lizzy Ford since I really enjoyed her last book. I didn’t realize what it was about until I read the first few pages and my jaw dropped.
Mia was raped and beaten. She wakes up disoriented and the only thing she knows is that A. Her body is in a lot of pain and B.there are flashes and voices surrounding her. Broken Beauty deals with the difficult subject of rape and it’s aftermath. I have to applaud Lizzy Ford for writing about this subject. One, it isn’t easy to pull off and two it’s really hard to read. 
I couldn’t help but feel connected with Mia from the very first page and everything she was going through. Her feels where my feelings and the entire novella kept me on the edge of my seat as Mia continues to deal with the blow back. Mia is a daughter of a wealthy politician and the male who rapes her is connected to another wealthy family that her father is really good friends with. That family also happens to fuel her father’s political career. To make matters worse, her mother is an alcohol who was sent to a treatment facility by her father and is unable to be there for Mia.
First of all. The book was very well written. At least I thought so. I have been sad and angry through the entire book.
I was most angry with Mia’s father and Shea and Chris. Her father and Shea really do come off as kind of disgusting human beings that lack human compassion. 
BELOW MAY OR MAY NOT CONTAIN SPOILERS SO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Here is why I couldn’t stay Shea. She takes care of the publicity, so when images of her rape get leaked, Shea designs a speech for Mia to give. In the speech, she actually wrote that Mia is partly responsible for being raped. Woah… woah woah woah… Back up here. NO ONE… No one is responsible for being raped and the fact that she wanted Mia to announce that was downright disgusting. Cause now it’s in Mia’s head, and to top it off, she eventually is blaming herself for what happened to her.
Her father I didn’t like at all either. Not only did he not come to visit her in the hospital, but he actually fed her the bullshit that raped women, can never get pregnant and refused to allow her to take the morning after pill! The sad part about all of this is the fact that there are people like that. I understand their beliefs and the fact that they believe that abortion is a sin - but I don’t think I can relate or support the fact that raped victims shouldn’t be allowed to take the morning after pill and live with this burden. He said God will make sure it won’t happen…. I think I am speechless.
END OF SPOILERS
Chris, Shea and her father all wanted Mia to not mention who raped her because it would ruin her father’s political career and his chance at elections. I’m sorry, but once again, that was quiet disgusting, considering how messed up Mia is and won’t leave her closet because of it. So what is their answer for it? To sweep it under the rug and force the shrink on her over and over again….
The only thing that seems to be going right for Mia is her friend Ari and Dom, who both want Mia to pursue charges against the guy who raped her.
I could sit here and continue talking about all the disaster that happened in this packed little novella, but it could be all day.
There was only one more thing that bothered me that I did not notice before. At the beginning of the Blurb it says “Sometimes back thing’s happen to beautiful people” which upset me a little. I know it goes with the title of the book and everything but this sentence shouldn’t exist. Bad things don’t just happen to beautiful people, they happen to everyone. So that alone took a whole star off for that.


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