Early Review: Reap by Tillie Cole

Posted in 5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Reap by Tillie Cole
Series: Scarred Souls #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: November 10th 2015
Links: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Raised as a prototype for the Georgian Bratva’s obedience drug, 221 fails to think, act, or live for himself; he’s his master’s perfectly-crafted killing puppet. Standing at six-foot-six, weighing two-hundred-and-fifty pounds, and unrivaled in to-the-death combat, 221 successfully secures business for the Georgian Mafiya Boss of NYC, who rules the dark world of the criminal underground. Until his enemies capture him.

Talia Tolstaia dreams to break from the heavy clutches of Bratva life. She dreams of another life–away from the stifling leash of her Russian Bratva Boss father and from the brutality of her work at The Dungeon, her criminal family’s underground death-match enterprise. But when she stumbles upon her family’s captive who is more monster than man, she starts to see the man underneath. A powerful, beautiful, damaged man whose heart calls to hers. But sacrifices must be made–blood for blood…life for life…souls for scarred souls…

I loved, loved, loooved this!!! Reap is an incredible, heart-pounding, romantic read I was utterly enthralled with. I’m such a fan of the way Tillie Cole writes – it’s dark, powerful, addicting. Her stories are riveting, and her characters are intense yet lovable. I had high expectations for Reap after loving Raze – and I’m so glad to say Reap is another winner from one of my favorite authors!

The Scarred Souls series is not for the faint of heart. It’s dark, gruesome at times, and yet I can’t stop reading it. Reap is the story of 221, also known as Zaal Kostava, and Talia Tolstaia. It could be read as a standalone, but I think it’s much easier to understand Reap if you’ve read Raze, because we also get some chapters in Luka’s POV, who was the main character in Raze. Reap is a bit of a continuation of Raze, though it is still firmly Zaal and Talia’s story.

For over 20 years, Zaal has been known as 221, an enslaved fighter who, under the influence of forced drugs, is a soulless killing machine for his ‘master’. He and his twin were abducted at a young age and forced into horrible, tragic circumstances. But it turns out that Zaal’s twin is none other than the one person Luka owes his life to, and Luka is determined to pay his debts by saving Zaal.

Talia, Luka’s sister, may be the daughter of one of the leading Russian mobsters, but she struggles with the responsibilities that come with the role. When she grows tired of the Bratva life, she runs away to a private beach house – but everything changes when Luka shows up with a feral, beast of a man and chains him up in the basement. Talia grows intrigued by Zaal, who’s the son of her family’s enemy, until her obsession with him grows and one day she can’t help but go to him.

Our desperate gazes met.
He took a deep breath.
Then he whispered, “You are … for me?”
And I knew I was done.
Trampled, heart-flattened, done.

This book kept tearing my heart open and filling it with love for the characters over and over again. My heart broke for Zaal, for the tragedy that happened to him and his family. I nearly wanted to cry, the story got so emotional sometimes. But then with Talia, Zaal finds family, love, again, and my heart would ache with happiness for the two of them. Tillie Cole has a talent at conveying such powerful love between her couples, and Zaal and Talia’s romance by far is my favorite.

“Zaal Kostava, you’ve stolen my forbidden heart.”

The Scarred Souls series is dark romance at its finest. The love story is stunning, written perfectly to balance out the dark parts of the book. I don’t know how Tillie Cole does it, but every time, I am just so blown away by the sheer brilliance of the writing and the gorgeous love between her characters. I have to admit, I loved Reap even more than Raze, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the third book (whose main character is one I’m SO excited for)!

“My heart, it is full, Talia. It is full, for you.”

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Scarred Souls series

#1 ~ Raze: My Review • Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Reap: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Ravage: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#4 ~ Riot: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#1-2 ~ Scarred Souls: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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24Jul2015

ARC Review: Exposed by Brighton Walsh

Posted in 3.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Exposed by Brighton Walsh
Series: Captive #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: July 21st 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

In this sexy, suspenseful New Adult novel, a young woman hiding from her criminal past is taken captive by her ex-boyfriend, the ultimate bad boy.

Evie is about to embark on the perfect life. Beautiful, poised, and engaged to a rising business star, she fits the part of trophy wife perfectly, except for one thing: her entire identity is a lie.

Five years ago she created a new identity for herself, but it all crashes back when something she witnessed years ago comes back to haunt her. Now she’s in danger of losing more than her social status.

Determined to protect the careful life she’s built for herself, Evie doesn’t want anything to do with Riley, the criminal for hire who broke her heart years ago. But Riley has other ideas. He’s never forgotten Evie, and to protect her, he steals her away. Hidden from the world, sparks begin to fly as old memories resurface and their passion reignites.

This is the first book I’ve read from Brighton Walsh, but I know it won’t be my last. Although I didn’t particularly LOVE the story, the beginning was super intriguing and overall I still really enjoyed it – what made the book for me was the author’s fantastic writing, which is spot-on for a suspenseful novel. I seriously fell in love with it – the writing was what had me hooked in the beginning and what kept me reading even when towards the end of the book things started to fall flat.

The premise of the book was seriously calling to me. A heroine who’s living a lie, on the run from a dangerous man, PLUS a second chance romance? Hell yeah, I was all in. And for the majority of the book, I dug it. I was intrigued by Evie, wondering what the hell was going on with her and why she was living as a different identity for the past five years. And when her cover is blown, Riley enters the story, enters back into Evie’s life. I was hooked onto their second chance romance. If I had to rate this book solely on the romance, it would get a perfect 5. I LOVED Riley and Evie together, because it’s clear that they’re meant to be together. They had such a sweet yet powerful relationship all those years ago, and they’re still connected even after five years.

“Anything can happen, except when you’re with me. No one is getting to you when I’m here. No one is getting through me. I’d have to be dead first.”

I fell so hard for Riley. I loved that we get his POV along with Evie’s, so we can see his inner turmoil at seeing the girl he loved as a teenager, the girl he thought died five years ago, back in his life again. He’s definitely my second favorite part about Exposed, right below the writing. Riley is protective, loyal, and sexy as hell in his determination to make sure Evie is safe – and the best part is that he can protect her, with the skills he learned during the five years he sought vengeance for Evie’s supposed death. Riley and Evie have some great chemistry and I loved the two of them together.

He was my past, the tiny flicker of light in a sea of darkness. He was my present, when everything was jumbled and uncertain, but where I’d be able to figure it out if I was with him. And I knew, with utter certainty, he was my future.

Evie was an intriguing heroine. She’s fierce, independent, and very cautious about starting anything with Riley again since she’s not sure she’ll be able to make it out alive after all is done. There’s also an aspect about her character that was heartbreaking that the author handled very well. I predicted what it was, but it wasn’t something I really wanted to be able predict. Evie is a strong heroine, though sometimes too independent, but I really liked her character up until a certain part near the end of the novel.

There are many layers to the story, what with someone after Evie, but I felt like the suspense, the action, was underwhelming. Evie and Riley spend the majority of the book holed up, hiding in an apartment, so not much happens in action-wise, though this is where their relationship regrows. So while I loved the romance, I didn’t get the amount of suspense that I wanted.

This book should’ve been perfect for me – it’s a second chance romance, my absolutely favorite trope, and the story was super intriguing, but the climax of the book was a bit disappointing, mainly because of how utterly annoyed at the heroine I was. She’s not stupid, but she does make a stupid decision at the end all in the name of ‘independence’ that had me rolling my eyes. At that point of the book, I was just not interested in the story anymore.

So would I recommend this book? Yes, because I still loved about 80% of the novel. The writing is flawless, and the characters were well-developed. Even with the couple problems I had with Exposed, I still really enjoyed reading it, and would definitely recommend it for the writing and second chance romance.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Captive series

#1 ~ Captive: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Exposed: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

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4May2015

ARC Review: Broken Juliet by Leisa Rayven

Posted in 2 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Broken Juliet by Leisa Rayven
Series: Starcrossed #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: April 28th 2015
Links: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

How do you fix a love that’s been broken beyond repair?

For years, Cassie Taylor tried to forget about Ethan Holt. He was the one great love of her life, and when he failed to return her love, a part of her died forever. Or so she thought. Now she and Ethan are sharing a Broadway stage, and he’s determined to win her back. Claiming to be a changed man, he’s finally able to say all the things she needed to hear years ago, but can she believe him? What makes this time different from all his other broken promises?

Ethan knows he can’t change their tumultuous past, but if he’s going to have any chance of being with the woman he loves, he’ll need to convince Cassie that her future belongs with him.

Don’t miss this stunning conclusion to the unforgettable love story that captivated over two million fans online.

“Let me prove I can love you the way you deserve.”

Less than impressed by Bad Romeo, I went into Broken Juliet with low expectations. I really hoped I would like the characters more since I really disliked them in Bad Romeo. So while I can say that I didn’t hate Broken Juliet, I still didn’t like the book, or the characters, very much either.

“What do you want?”
I want him. Can’t want him. Need him. Hate needing him.
“I don’t know,” I whisper.
“I do,” he says, leaning forward. “Invite me in. I promise, I’m here to stay this time.”

Broken Juliet picks up right after the end of Bad Romeo, with Cassie deciding whether or not to finally give Ethan another chance. In Bad Romeo, we know that Ethan broke Cassie’s heart twice, and here we finally get to know the details. Through the flashbacks, we discover the repetitive hurt and anger that make up Cassie and Ethan’s tumultuous relationship and the reasons why Ethan could never commit. He loved her, but his reasons for leaving her were so shallow and eye-roll worthy, I couldn’t like or understand him.

Past-Ethan was such a moody asshole. (FYI: Being an asshole doesn’t make you a bad boy – being an asshole makes you an asshole.) I found myself skimming a lot of the flashback chapters. They were incredibly repetitive and full of angry and/or angsty sex. Past-Cassie was a doormat, and even worse, a horny one at that. She kept giving in to the lust she felt for Ethan that I wanted to shake some sense into her. They had such an unhealthy relationship that I couldn’t get behind it or support them at all.

Thankfully, present Cassie and Ethan have grown up. Well, Cassie still rightfully harbors anger, hate, and hurt, but Ethan, thank god, has finally changed. Still, it took SIX YEARS for them to finally arrive where they are in Broken Juliet. I wouldn’t say I loved the new Ethan, but I was definitely looking forward to the ways he would prove his love for Cassie once and for all. Still, I would have enjoyed the present timeline much more if it weren’t for the many awful flashbacks full of bad decisions being made over and over and over again.

This series had so much potential, but the flashbacks just ruined it for me. I hated the Ethan and Cassie of six years ago so it was hard to like them in present day even though they weren’t as awful. Leisa Rayven’s writing, though, was a definite perk to reading this series, but it just wasn’t enough to let me fully enjoy reading. I really wish the flashbacks had taken a step back so that present day Cassie and Ethan could shine more.

I don’t think I ever fully understood before what a profound ability humans have to change, especially with the right motivation. We’re capable of remarkable evolution. Not just physically, but mentally.
Emotionally.

All in all, I had a difficult time with Broken Juliet. I can see fans of Bad Romeo enjoying Broken Juliet since they are pretty similar angst- and character-wise. I really wanted to love this series since so many people seem to enjoy it, but I can’t see how or why. I’m a big fan of the author’s writing, so I’m hoping her other upcoming books will have characters with much healthier relationships.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Starcrossed series

#1 ~ Bad Romeo: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Broken Juliet: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#3 ~ Wicked Heart: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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24Mar2015

Early Review: Deep by Kylie Scott

Posted in 4 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Deep by Kylie Scott
Series: Stage Dive #4 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: March 31st 2015
Purchase: Ebook • Paperback
Source: I received an ARC from the publisher (St. Martin’s Griffin) in exchange for an honest review

Don’t miss a beat with the fourth and final novel in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Stage Dive series from Kylie Scott.

Positive. With two little lines on a pregnancy test, everything in Lizzy Rollins’ ordinary life is about to change forever. And all because of one big mistake in Vegas with Ben Nicholson, the irresistibly sexy bass player for Stage Dive. So what if Ben’s the only man she’s ever met who can make her feel completely safe, cherished, and out of control with desire at the same time? Lizzy knows the gorgeous rock star isn’t looking for anything more permanent than a good time, no matter how much she wishes differently.

Ben knows Lizzy is off limits. Completely and utterly. She’s his best friend’s little sister now, and no matter how hot the chemistry is between them, no matter how sweet and sexy she is, he’s not going to go there. But when Ben is forced to keep the one girl he’s always had a weakness for out of trouble in Sin City, he quickly learns that what happens in Vegas, doesn’t always stay there. Now he and Lizzie are connected in the deepest way possible…but will it lead to a connection of the heart?

Oh, how loooong I’ve waited for this book. Deep is the fourth and final book in the Stage Dive series *cue tears here* and Ben’s story is finally here! Hilarious, wild, exhilarating, and a definite page-turner, Deep will have you sighing (both lusty and frustrated ones), grinning, and swooning until the very last page.

“Fuck you’re pretty,” he sighed. “Make me wish for all sorts of shit I shouldn’t.”

We met Lizzy in Play as Anne’s little sister, and she’s got a bit of a crush on a certain bass player in a certain band. Both Lizzy and Ben feel an off-the-charts chemistry with each other when they meet, but Ben is firmly hands-off Lizzy, since both Anne and Mal would castrate him if he touched her. But after sharing many texts (both sweet and naughty), late-night phone calls, and the like, it’s obvious that something deeper has formed between Lizzy and Ben. And try as they might to keep things at a friendship level, when they go to Vegas for Mal and Anne’s wedding (which is the BEST thing ever), what happens in Vegas doesn’t necessarily stay in Vegas…

So I’d been knocked up by a rock star.
Big deal.
Deep breath. Okay.

I adored Lizzy. Kylie Scott writes her in such a fresh, unique way, and I was able to feel every single emotion she was feeling – and shocked would be an understatement for how Lizzy feels about being pregnant. My heart went out to Lizzy for her fears/hopes about Ben. Ben’s number one priority has always been his music, so how would he fare being a father? As much as she hopes that they could form a long-lasting, loving relationship, Lizzy knows how Ben is. Time and again he’s hurt her, putting his music and band above all others. Even I was starting to resent Ben a little for how he treated Lizzy. My heart was aching so much for all the hurt Lizzy goes through with Ben, not to mention the pregnancy itself, but I also admired her so much for keeping her head held high. She’s a tough cookie, an admirable heroine, and not much can bring her down.

Oh, Ben. Ben, Ben, Ben. I’m still not sure whether I love him or hate him after finishing this book. Probably a little bit of both. Ben has a hard time dealing with change – and what could be more life-changing than becoming a father? When he finds out about the pregnancy, Ben may be able to support Lizzy financially, but emotionally is a whole ‘nother ball game. I think Ben was just a tad too frustrating over the course of the book for me to actually LOVE love him (like I do Jimmy), but like any red-blooded woman, I can still fully appreciate him as a hot, tatted, bearded man. Kylie Scott knows how to write a man, and she knows how to write him right. Ben is all pure, raw, sexual male, and I was freaking fanning myself over him and his highly erotic beard. As many hang-ups as he has over deeper, emotional things, in bed Ben is pure perfection. It takes a while (a long while actually) for that perfection to move on over to matters of the heart, but when it does, you can expect your own heart to be swept away by him.

“Why do you want me to stay?” I asked, my voice ever so slightly pleading. I didn’t even know what for. Fingers wrapped around my ankles, rubbing gently. “Because of the baby?”
“No,” he said. “Because of everything.”

If you’re a fan of the series, you can expect to see a LOT of Anne and Mal, Jimmy and Lena, and Eve and David. I freaking ADORE this cast of characters Kylie Scott has created – they’re an unforgettable group! And all of them together in one room will always have you in stitches. Mal, the goofball that he is, kills me every time – how is he so funny!?!? God, I seriously love all of these characters, and I’m so sad that Deep is the last book in the Stage Dive series.

Ben and Lizzy’s book had my heart all over the place in an emotional roller coaster, hurting one moment, then swooning the next. Deep has so much good stuff going for it – it’s angsty, emotional, laugh-out-loud hilarious, heartwarming, and gut-wrenching. You just won’t be able to stop feeling when you read this book! I do wish that there was more at the end, that the romance toward the end was expanded upon. Deep ends a bit abruptly, though I still adored what happened at the end. Other than that and my frustrations with Ben, Deep is a highly enjoyable, unputdownable end to the Stage Dive series!

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Series Order: Stage Dive series

#1 ~ Lick: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ Play: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#3 ~ Lead: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#4 ~ Deep: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads

8Jan2015

Review: Raze by Tillie Cole

Posted in 4.5 hearts, Reviews by Lacey

Raze by Tillie Cole
Series: Scarred Souls #1 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: December 29th 2014 (republished June 16, 2015)
Links: Ebook • Audible • Goodreads

TO TAKE BACK LIFE, ONE MUST FIRST FACE DEATH…

Conditioned in captivity to maim, to kill and to slaughter, prisoner 818 becomes an unrivaled and unstoppable fighter in the ring. Violence is all he knows. After years of incarceration in an underground hell, only one thought occupies his mind: revenge… bloody, slow and violent revenge. Revenge on the man who wronged him.

Kisa Volkova is the only daughter of Kirill ‘The Silencer’ Volkov, head of the infamous ‘Red’ bosses of New York’s Russian Bratva. Her life is protected. In reality, it’s a virtual prison. Her father’s savage treatment of his rivals and his lucrative and coveted underground gambling ring-The Dungeon-ensures too many enemies lurk at their door. She dreams to be set free. Kisa has known only cruelty and loss in her short life. While working for her church-the only reprieve in her constant surveillance-Kisa stumbles across a tattooed, scarred, but stunningly beautiful homeless man on the streets. Something about him stirs feelings deep within her; familiar yet impossibly forbidden desires. He doesn’t talk. Doesn’t communicate with anyone.

He’s a man beyond saving. But Kisa becomes obsessed with him. Yearns for him. Craves his touch. Needs to possess this mysterious man… … this man they call Raze.

Ahhh!!! I loved Raze! It was just, wow, what a thrill of a read. I honestly couldn’t put it down – Tillie Cole had me hooked from start to finish with her incredible storytelling. Raze is dark, gruesome, painful… yet it’s also surprisingly romantic – I was taken away by how sweet the love is in this book. I seriously LOVE Tillie Cole’s dark books, and she’s once again done an incredible job with Raze. It’s an incredible, heart-pounding, sexy read I highly recommend!

“Out there, all the men betting on your strength, on your will to survive. You’ll become addicted. You’ll live for the kill… live to see the life force drain from your opponents’ eyes. In that cage we’re both Gods and monsters.”

Raze – also known only by his fighting number 818 – has been living in a dark, cruel world since he was a boy. It’s like a worst, painful nightmare come to life… but Raze is surviving by being the strongest, the fastest, the best at killing. And his main goal is to get out and get revenge against the man who sent him into this nightmare.

Kisa is the only daughter of one of the top mafia bosses in New York, so her life is basically all planned out for her. She’s to marry Alik, the heir to one of the other mafia bosses, even though he’s a cruel, manipulative man and she doesn’t love him. The only boy she ever loved, her best friend, died when he was young. Now, the weight on her shoulders grows heavier and heavier as the days grow closer to her and Alik’s marriage. But then Raze suddenly appears in her life, a mysterious fighter at her gym who intrigues her like no other.

He was smelling me, a deep rumbling growling in his chest as he inhaled my floral perfume. The attention he was giving me was almost primitive… Neolithic. It was like Raze had been stripped bare of any manners, ripped from the Stone Age and stripped of any boundaries.
And I’d never been so captivated, so mesmerized by someone in all my life.

Tillie Cole has created a fantastic set of characters, and she’s written them so well. I adored Kisa and Raze as much as I loathed Alik. Raze is just so deliciously alpha – so primal and MALE. I loved him, and I loved Kisa. My heart went through the wringer with this book – my emotions were going haywire for them. Hurt for both Raze and Kisa’s awful situations, hope that they’d somehow get through it all in the end. Tillie Cole is truly a masterful storytelling – I was addicted to this book from the very first page.

As cruel as the worlds that Raze and Kisa live in are, there’s also so much joy and love between these two characters. The romance took my breath away – the mystery in this book is a little predictable, but it nearly didn’t matter because I was so swept up in it.

“Can I have you?”
… “You can have me, solnyshko. You can have all of me. You always have, and you always will.”

Raze is a stunning, emotional, dark read that’s certainly not for everyone, I highly encourage everyone to give it a try. The writing is powerful and the story is riveting. It seems Tillie Cole only gets better and better with each books she releases!