Review: Beauty From Pain

Author:Georgia Cates 

Publisher:CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Pages: 366

Rating: 4.5 Stars 

Synopsis: They agreed on three months...but their love knew no boundaries. Jack McLachlan is a winemaking magnate and easily one of Australia's most eligible bachelors. His success and wealth make him no stranger to the complications of romantic relationships and that's why he goes to extreme measures to avoid the hassle. He prefers simplicity in the form of a beautiful female companion with no strings attached. 

He arranges relationships likes business deals and they're always the same. No long term relationships. No real names. It's his game and his rules. He's content to play as usual, but when Laurelyn Prescott enters his life, his strategy mush change because this play in like none he's ever encountered.  His world is turned on its head after he begins a three month affair with the beautiful American musician. Nothing goes according to plan and as he breaks more and more of his own rules for her, she's exceptionally close to becoming something he never thought possible. His ultimate game changer. 

Review:  I want to start off this review by saying, how gorgeous is that cover?! Its part of the reason why I wanted to read this book! 

When I first started this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to end up liking it as much as I did and I was pleasantly surprised! In some of ways, it kind of had a Fifty Shades kind of feel to it, but on a much lighter, and quite a bit different side. 

This story follows the growing relationship between Laurelyn Prescott who finds herself on a 3 month trip to Australia with her best friend. A relationship is the farthest thing from her mind. Jack , on the other hand, is looking for one, but he has really specific rules about what he wants.Laurelyn, is the perfect girl for his no-strings-attached plans. 

The characters were great! I really enjoyed Laurelyn. She wasn't a typical heroine. She was strong, and was able to stand up to Jack, she wasn't just falling all over him. As for Jack, I was a bit hesitant about him in the beginning, and I wasn't sure that I was going to end up liking him as much as I did. He really put up with no nonsense. As soon as he figured something out, he dealt with it. 

When I first began to read, I wasn't too sure if I was going to like the writing style as wit switches POVs between Laurelyn and Jack, but it was definitely needed and it was so great to know what was going on in each of the characters minds, and what they were feeling. It was necessary to have the alternating viewpoints because it helped with all of the secrecy. I have to admit that it was something to do with the secrecy that kept me hooked. This book was pure escapism for me, and it lived up to it! It was unlike anything I have read, I was completely thrown into Jack and Laurelyn's world, and I was quite happy to be there. 

While the book did take some time to build,it managed to hold my attention. There were some places where I felt the book was rushed, but I'm hoping these loose ends will be tied up in the second book. This was the first book that I have read from Georgia Cates, and I'm very happy to say that it won't be my last.I would highly recommend this book, and I'm definitely looking forward to the next one! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What are you reading? This is an excellent way to plan out your reading week, and to have fun and see what others are reading as well. 

This is hosted by Book Journey

Here's what I'm reading this week:

Synopsis:

For almost two years now, Kiera's boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she's ever wanted: loving, tender, and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together--Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university--everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the unhappy couple apart. Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source--a local rock start named Kellan Kyle. At first, he's purely a friend she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything chances...and none of them will ever be the same. 

I've been talking about this book for some time now, and I'm so excited that I've finally gotten a copy! I cannot wait to start this book, and I'm sure that I'm going to enjoy it! 

What are you planning to read this week?

Review: Fifty Shades Darker

Author: E.L James 

Publisher: Vintage 

Pages: 544
Rating: 5 Stars 

Synopsis:  Daunted by the singular tastes and dark secrets of the beautiful, tormented young entrepreneur Christian Grey, Anastasia Steele has broken off their relationship to start a new career with a Seattle publishing house. 

But desire for Christian still dominates her every waking thought, and when he proposes a new arrangement, Anastasia cannot resist. They rekindle their searing sensual affair, and Anastasia learns more about the harrowing past of her damaged, driven and demanding Fifty Shades. 

While Christian wrestles with his inner demons, Anastasia must confront the anger and envy of the women who came before, and make the most important decision of her life. 

Review: While I did enjoy the first book, I  really found that I liked this one so much better. While yes, there are sexy-times in this book,much like the first. Instead, what I found a lot more enjoyable was getting more of a history for some of the characters.

What is there to say about Christian Grey? He's such a complex character and his history is quite a bit more in depth in this book. I also enjoy how he is becoming slightly more flexible in terms of his relationship with Ana. He is slowly learning to accept things that he himself believes that he is not deserving of.

Ana has grown on me slightly, from the first novel. There are moments when I just want to take her and shake her, but at the end of it all, she really is the one who is responsible for how Christian is opening up.

I am fully aware of how many negative reviews this trilogy has been getting. At the end of the day, what I really do enjoy is love story, and at the core of this trilogy, that's what it is, a love story, with intensity , and passion, and albeit slightly out there. I truly do enjoy these books.

Waiting on Wednesday

Its Wednesday, and once again, we're waiting! This is hosted over at Breaking the Spine.

After reading through a bunch of book reviews, and going back and forth on whether or not to purchase this book, and I went ahead and did it. This week, I'm waiting for:

Synopsis:

For almost two years now, Kiera's boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she's ever wanted: loving, tender, and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together--Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university--everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the unhappy couple apart. Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source--a local rock start named Kellan Kyle. At first, he's purely a friend she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything chances...and none of them will ever be the same. 

I know this book has been out for a while but I'm SO looking forward to getting this book! It sounds SO good. I had gone back and forth on whether or not I would get this, and the reviews that I had read definitely sealed that deal for me. I can't wait until I finally get this book and dive right it! 

What are you waiting on?

Review: Fifty Shades of Grey

Author: E.L James 

Publisher: Vintage

Pages: 528
Rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis:  When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful,brilliant, and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resister Ana's quiet beauty, wit and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too--but on his own terms.

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.  

Review: When I first picked up this book, I'll admit that I had no idea what it was about, except that it was supposed to be some kind of a love story. As I was reading it, I was definitely in for  a surprise, but I haven't looked back. When I finished this book, I wasn't entirely sure what I thought about it, but I wanted to continue Ana and Christian's story. I'm so glad that I did. 

I was not excepting this book to be the kind of love story that it was. Of course, there was a lot of hot kinky fuckery, but it was SO much more than that. I so enjoyed the emotional journey that both of these characters had to embark on, Christian especially. Even more than all of this, at the core of it, I just really enjoyed the love story.

This was unlike anything that I had ever read before, and I was pleasantly shocked to see how much I did enjoy it. It is a story that will remain with you.

Stacking the Shelves [1]

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly blog hop that was created by Tynga over at Tynga's Reviews. The main purpose of Stacking the Shelves is to share the books (physical & virtual) that we have bought and our adding to our shelves.

This week, I have three books to add to my shelves. They are:

Walking Disaster by Jamie McGuire: 
Synopsis: Can you love someone too much?

Travis Maddox learned two things from his mother before she died: Love Hard. Fight Harder.

In Walking Disaster the life of Travis Maddox is full of fast women, underground gambling, and violence. But just when he thinks he's invincible, Abby Abernathy brings him to his knees.

Every story has two sides. In Beautiful Disaster, Abby had her said. Now it's time to see the story through Travis' eyes.
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I have been waiting to get this book for a while, and every time I ended up picking it up, something else sparked my attention, and I just always waited for later.I was browsing online and I saw it, and I thought I might as well pick it up! I am SO looking forward to getting into this book!

Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park
Synopsis: He was tall, at least six feet, with dirty blond hair that hung over his eyes. His T-shirt read Nietzsche is My Homeboy.

That was Matt. Who Julie Seagle likes. A lot. But there is also Finn. Who she flat out loves.
Awkward? Completely.

But really, how was this freshly-minted Boston transplant and newbie college freshman supposed to know that she would end up living with the family of an old friend of her mother's? This was all supposed to be temporary. Julie wasn't supposed to be important to the Watkins family, or to fall in love with one of the brothers. Especially the one she's never quite met. But when does that really matter? Finn gets her, like no one ever has before. They have connection. 

But here's the thing about love, in all its twisty, bumpy permutations--it always throws you a few curves. And no one ever escapes unscathed.

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I would never have heard of this book if it weren't for the book community online. I have seen so many great reviews for this book that I thought I would give it a go. It sounds completely like something I am going to enjoy reading and I cannot wait until I can get to it!

Hopeless by Colleen Hoover
Synopsis: Sometimes discovering the truth can leave you more hopeless than believing the lies.

That's what seventeen-year-old Sky realizes after she meets Dean Holder.  A guy with a reputation that rivals her own and an uncanny ability to invoke feelings in her she's never had before. He terrifies her and captivates her all in the span of just one encounter, and something about the way he makes her feel sparks buried memories from a past that she wishes could just stay buried.

Sky struggles to him at a distance knowing he's nothing but trouble, but Holder insists on learning everything about her. After finally caving to his unwavering pursuit, Sky soon finds out that Holder isn't at all who he's been claiming to be. When the secrets he's been keeping are finally revealed, every single facet of Sky's life will change forever.

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As with Flat-Out Love, Hopeless is another book that I had heard about from the online book community. I have heard nothing but good things from Colleen Hooever, and this will be my first book of hers. As with the other two books, I'm definitely excited to getting to this one as well.


That's all I have for this week, I'm sure there will be more to come in the near future. I can't seem to say no when it comes to book buying.

Review: Reflected In You

Author: Sylvia Day

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Pages: 432
Rating: 5 Stars

Synopsis:  Gideon Cross. As beautiful and flawless on the outside as he was damaged and tormented on the inside. He was a bright, scorching flame that singed me with the darkest pleasures. I couldn't stay away. I didn't want to. He was my addiction...my every desire...mine. 

My past was as violent as his, and I was just as broken. We'd never work. It was too hard, too painful...except when it was perfect. Those moments when the driving hunger and desperate love were the most exquisite insanity. We were bound by our need. And out passion would take us beyond our limits to the sweetest, sharpest edge of obsession...

Review: I read Bared to You fairly late in August of last year, and I had completely loved it. For some reason or another, I had no idea that this book was so close to being out. I noticed it by chance one day while I was out shopping, picked it up, and read it in one sitting. Once again, I was just not able to put this book down! 

I am so in love with the world that Sylvia Day has created in the series, and I am definitely in love with the characters. Its really hard not to like any of the characters in this series.

While Bared to You was more of a setting up of the story, and introductions, this books goes deeper and we get to learn more about the Eva and Gideon's pasts. There is just so much that is happening between these two. They are trying so hard just to make their relationship work, and lust just is not enough. Their intense passion for one another is evident on every page of this book. Ultimately what this book comes down to is trust, and that is something that both Eva and Gideon need to work on. 

I am still enjoying Eva's character as well, which in a lot of cases is unusual for me. I sometimes find myself getting completely annoyed with the heroine by the end of the book, but not Eva. Being able to witness her relationship with Gideon first hand is intensely hot, and just having to watch her continue to overcome all of her past demons keeps me coming back.

Part of the reason that I enjoyed this book so much is that we finally got to get a better look at Gideon  and understand a little more about what he is about. He is such a complex, and completely flawed character, and he's so damn hot! Getting to know him even more is only making him that much more attractive. 

I cannot wait for Entwined With You and the next chapter in Eva and Gideon's story.