Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar!
The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar
Series: Standalone
Publication Date: August 3rd 2015
They say it takes 21 days to form a habit.
They lie.
For 21 days she held on.
But on Day 22, she would have given anything for the sweet slumber of death.
Because on Day 22, she realizes that her only way out means certain death for one of the two men she loves.
A haunting tale of passion, loss, and redemption, The Paper Swan is a darkly intense yet heartwarming love story, textured with grit, intrigue, and suspense. Please note: This is NOT a love triangle.
A full-length, standalone novel, intended for mature audiences due to violence, sex and language. Subject matter may be disturbing for some readers.
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Holy hell!! This book was one crazy hell of a ride! I’m not even completely sure how I feel about The Paper Swan, but what I do know is that I couldn’t. put. it. down. This is the first book I’ve read by Leylah Attar, and now that I’m a bit in love with the way she writes, this book won’t be my last of hers. I won’t say too much about the plot of this book, since the twists and turns are the best part of it, but I just really enjoyed this book. I wouldn’t say it’s THE BEST book I’ve read, but it’s a dark, gritty, entertaining book I devoured in one sitting.
“You can either choose love or you can choose hate, because where one lives, the other will die.”
I was completely taken aback with the beginning of the book. Leylah Attar definitely doesn’t hold back – instead, she thrusts the reader right into the midst of the story, making your heart pound as you read more and more. Skye Sedgewick finds herself held at gunpoint by a strange man. Curiously, he doesn’t kill her, but instead kidnaps her and holds her hostage on a boat. Damian, the abductor, is cruel, cold, and violent, but he also has… kinder moments. I didn’t like him… but I didn’t quite hate him either. I was waiting to see what his reasons were and how the story would unfold before I made my judgements on him, and WOW was I surprised at what was revealed.
The two men that I loved the most, with all my heart, were out to destroy each other. I had a feeling that by the time it was all said and done, only one would be left standing.
Interspersed between the moments that Skye is desperately trying to find a way to escape are flashbacks that tell of Skye’s early childhood, when she lived in Mexico with her father, nanny, and beloved childhood friend Esteban. I LOVED the way the the author integrated the past with the present. The story flowed so well and unfolded in such a smooth, lyrical way. The writing was good, though I wasn’t that big of a fan of it. I can see how people would love the writing, but to me, it sometimes felt like too much – too poetic and flowery. I much rather enjoyed the actual organization of the book.
So what does Damian want with Skye? Who exactly is he? Thankfully, Leylah Attar doesn’t hold us in suspense for too long, because by 25%, we get some answers and I could see which way the author was taking the story. The blurb says that this book is NOT a love triangle, and I would have to agree. Damian is the only love interest, though it took a long time for me to even warm up to him being a love interest at all. In the end, I couldn’t forgive the things he did to Skye, though he does change and emotions surface once secrets are out in the open. Damian really said the sweetest things, but it was hard for me to reconcile his sweeter side with the cruel side he showed in the beginning. So while I can’t say I loved him, I did enjoy the way he and Skye were together.
“Whether you say yes or no, you will always be my forever.”
The Paper Swan is a fantastic kidnapper romance, because it’s so much more than that. Yes, Skye falls for her kidnapper, but her captivity is also a journey of self-discovery with revealed secrets. This book is also very much Damian’s story, with his quest in revenge, vengeance, and redemption. There’s no doubt this book is intense, and I loved the amount of depth the author put into the characters and story. I highly recommend this book for those who like their books gritty and suspenseful.
You don’t always get the treasure by holding on. Sometimes the magic happens when you let go.
Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.
Leylah Attar writes stories about love – shaken, stirred and served with a twist. When she’s not writing, she can be found pursuing her other passions: photography, food, family and travel. Sometimes she disappears into the black hole of the internet, but can usually be enticed out with chocolate.
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