I've also never heard someone explain tattoos in such a perfect way. I caught major feels from this book
923771
Desiree Lafawn, you made me cry! I've also never heard someone explain tattoos in such a perfect way. I caught major feels from this book. Regina's world gets flipped a few times and she's just trying to keep it all together. Beck is exactly what she needs. I could read this book over and over again and still love it every time.
4969071
The amount of emotion that D. Kelly was able to evoke with Loving Kate is astounding.  I can't think of another book where the tears just kept streaming down my face.

This must be what they mean when they talk about a book hangover.  I feel lost, but in a good way.  My brain is spinning.  My heart is beating, but I'm not sure at what rhythm.  My eyes burn with unshed tears.  My throat is tight.  And I find myself just staring off into space in awe over what I've just read.

I don't know how she did it.  She put all the right words together and created something amazing, incredible, extraordinary, spectacular.  An ending so magnificent, so phenomenal, so... WOW!  Just perfect!

The final book in the Acceptance Series was the absolute best, and isn't that really how it should be?  Don't you want the finale to be bigger and better than anything that came before it?

When I read the prologue, I was already wowed.  I knew this was going to be a great ride, but I had no idea it would be so much more.  D. warned me that she was in tears when she finished writing it, and I'll admit, that scared me a little, but I couldn't stop reading.  And yes, I was definitely in tears and needed an entire box of tissues (good thing I'd stocked up for the cold I've been fighting the last couple of weeks), but I didn't need to be afraid.

There were tears throughout the book, but somewhere in Chapter 10 they started and they didn't stop until well after I read The End.  Even writing this now, the next morning, while sitting on the train on my way to work, I'm fighting them back...mainly because these other people around me just wouldn't understand.

The series may be over, but I can't even be sad about that because D. Kelly did such an unbelievable job wrapping up this story.  If you love LOVE, and you haven't started this series, I strongly suggest you go grab it now!  The first word of Loving Kate is Perfection, and in my opinion, that's exactly what this is.  Thank you D. for bringing us perfection!
4513157
I love a book that can make me feel so many different things. This book is just...wow. Ashley and Ryan's story was nothing I expected, but I couldn't have asked for anything better. I love the background and then we get to the present and you begin to understand everything. You will ugly cry. Nobody warned me, so I'm warning you. This is a must read! Why are you still here? Go one-click this book!!
563688
Where do i even start? Weve come a long way, my friends, and the end of an era has come upon us, can you believe it?

What can be said about this series that hasn't been said already? That its characters feel like old friends youve know your whole life, that their relationships -romantic, friendly or familiar- can make you cry with the most simple comparisons and parallels, that it reflects our society with its media and feminist debates without shying out, that it has grown into something so much more than just a set of books.

But lets focus on Long Way Down.
Hothouse Flower was one of the most poignant books ive ever read. Such strong scenes are set in that book, i couldn't expect less from this installment.
I cant tell you how many times i cried reading this. And it wasn't only because of heartbreaking moments -which we did have plenty of- but also because of happy moments. You know you're attached to a character when you cant stop crying over a cake being served at breakfast or a bunch of people throwing cake at each other. You see, i couldn't stop crying over Daisy getting glimpses of happiness. This girl has this effect on me, i cant help it. Ive felt her search of happiness in myself many times as well, and seeing how she learnt that happiness comes from the little moments, makes me so happy. So very happy.

There are countless things i appreciate from this book like the representation of our media culture, the hilarious gang moments that will never not warm my heart, but also the ones that broke it like getting a better understanding of the tension between Lily and Daisy (something that i never paid too much attention to) and the parallels between Connor and Ryke. But above it all i loved seeing another side of Ryke and Daisys relationship. The one where they both get too restless and start fighting, because it just makes it all feel so real.

Krista and Becca know what they are doing. I truly trust them with their characters because theres no one that knows them better than they do. I have been imagining for a long time what Daisy could do in the future and never found an answer. The one that the twins gave us was just so in character, so perfect. It made me cry. I literally cried because this authors know they characters very well.

The gang is always there for each other, and thats one of the aspects that i love the most about this series. I specially loved seeing Lily and Lo strong enough to be Ryke and Daisys guidance (Im so proud).

Now, i do have to admit that at parts it felt too long, but taking in consideration the long span of time it takes place in, i think its understandable. The first half dragged a tiny little bit for me, and while the second half was a full ride up, there were some things that got a little repetitive in the narration. Maybe it just needed a little more time at editing.

Ouch, saying something negative about this books feels like betrayal but i must be true to myself. Either way, it doesn't affect my rating, and if it did, it wouldn't be more than half a star less.

Overall, Long Way Down was a great almost conclusion to this series that thought me so much. We could sense the growth of each character in the best way possible, and wherever they go, ill go
2290569
Biggest *sigh* everrrrr. This is a series that I will never forget. It really has one of the most brilliant, creative, and intense storylines that I've ever read. My emotions were all over the place!

I've never read a more bittersweet series. I can't even begin to describe the feeling that I had when I finished this book. It was sort of like extreme happiness mixed with extreme sorrow mixed with understanding plus a little irrationality on my part. I mean... this series put me through the ringer emotionally yet it's one of my top favorite series. I'm not saying that flippantly either. When I first stumbled upon A Matter of Fate (Fate #1), I read all three of the first books in a three day window. I haven't been that absorbed or obsessed with a series in a long time. Long, long time.

As we all know, the last book left off on a intense cliffhanger. A Matter of Forever picks up right after that and the intensity is off the charts starting at page 1. I had NO idea what was going on. I was totally freaking out. Actually, I was pretty much freaking out the entire time. Even though I knew that Chloe had made her choice in the last book, things still felt unsettled to me because I knew that the other person was still hurting. I've never hurt so much for a character in my life! I wanted it all to be better for him, but it really was a lose/lose situation. Another long *sighhhhh*

I don't know what to say. I don't want to give anything away. If you've read this far into the series, I feel like there's no need for me to convince you to read this book because you're going to read it anyway (how couldn't you? lol). I will tell you that things are settled at the end but so bittersweet. Incredibly bittersweet. I've rarely ever felt so connected to a group of characters before. I felt their pain and their happiness. I worried for them. I cried for them. I just felt for them. Ohhhh the feels... I really believe the series ended where it was supposed to though.

This is truly an incredible conclusion a series that is on my top recommendation list. If you were my bff, I'd tell you to read this series (in fact, I did tell my bff to read it).
3272996
5 AMAZING STARS I can't even describe how much I loved this book. It went beyond any expectation I had. I had read the teaser for this book and kinda knew what I was in for with the emotional aspect , but I did not realize it would be an emotional journey all the way through.

Jasinda Wilder is brilliant and her writing is just incredible.

This book is emotional, amazing, awesome, fantastic, beautiful.

I loved Nell and Ryan together , who would not , lifetime friends since birth and at the age of 16 they discover they both feel more then friends to each other .

When Nell's Boyfriend suddenly dies in an accident , It forever changes her . She deals with the guilt of the accident and locks it away and just moves through life .

The day of Kyle's funeral Nell meets his older brother Colton, and there is a connection there that she does not want to acknowledge .

I loved Colton,with his own demons , he was so wonderful and was exactly the person that Nell needed.

"I can tell you what I see. I can tell you what I know about you. I can tell you how I feel. I can't show you what you really are. But arguing with you won't accomplish anything. I think we've both had our share of people trying to fix us. It doesn't work. We can only fix ourselves. Let ourselves heal."

"I'm not just falling in love with you, Nell. I'm falling into you. You're an ocean, and I'm falling in, drowning in the depths of who you are. Like you said, it's scary in a way, but it's also the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. You are the most amazing thing I've ever experienced."

Book Blurb:

I wasn't always in love with Colton Calloway; I was in love with his younger brother, Kyle, first. Kyle was my first one true love, my first in every way.
Then, one stormy August night, he died, and the person I was died with him.

Colton didn't teach me how to live. He didn't heal the pain. He didn't make it okay. He taught me how to hurt, how to not be okay, and, eventually, how to let go.

"There's no magical healing in this. I won't wake up tomorrow fixed and joyful. I'll still hurt and grieve.
But moments like this, with Colton? They make it all bearable. He doesnt fix me, doesn't heal me. He just makes life worthwhile. he helps me remember to breathe, shows me how to smile again. he kisses me and I can forget pain."

"I wanted nothing more than to climb into the box with him and quit breathing, find him in whatever came after life."

"I'm still trying to find the words to heal you,
To take your pain and make it all my own
So your beautiful eyes can smile,
So you can be at peace.
And now that Fate has intervened,
Conspired to draw us together,
I can't resist the lure of your eyes,
The temptation of you beauty,
The siren song of you voice
Whispering my name
In the dark comfort between my sheets.
I can't resist you, baby,
Because I'm falling still,
I'm falling into you."
3996646
I wish everyone would read this book. I'm almost 30 years old and it's the exact book I needed to read at this exact point in my life. It's truly one of the most beautiful stories I've ever read.

For me, it was one of those books that I'm constantly hoping for -- the kind where you can't stop thinking about it, you read it super fast because it's so good, and it reaches you in a way you need to be reached in that moment. Then you kind of wish it wasn't over and you go and read all the other books by that author, hoping to find in those the same feeling this one gave you.

I honestly felt like this book was written for me. Like eerily exactly for me. I recently went through (and am still healing from) a relatively traumatic experience. I've had a really hard time with it emotionally and it hit me pretty hard spiritually (in a good way). I've had these moments of clarity unlike anything I've ever felt before, but always wished I had -- that assurance of being where I'm supposed to be, on the path I'm supposed to be on. That's how I feel after reading this book, more than ever.

Again, I wish everyone would read this book. Because this book wasn't actually written exactly for me -- it was written for all of us. Every single one of us because every single one of us is dealing with SOMETHING and no matter how big or small that something is, the thing that helps the most is knowing that you're not alone. You won't regret reading this book. Promise.
1047172
I don't think words can convey my feelings that this book deserves. It was everything I thought it would be but magnified by a "thousand boy kisses" and more. Wonderfully written, beautiful, totally soul shattering and breathtakingly humbling to read - I felt so privileged to be part of Poppymin and Rune's love story, a story and a love that I will never forget.
Poppy and Rune met as children when they lived next door to one another. Their friendship grew strong, they completed each other in all ways possible - they were meant to be. Their love knew no bounds, their romance was one of fairy tales that most people will never experience in their life time, until one day a situation beyond both their control threatens all they hold true. You will have to experience this story for yourself's - there is no point in relaying what's and if's and maybe's. This book should be read, this book demands to be felt and experienced in full. This book will consume you !!!
Their were many tears shed whilst reading this book but after 65% in I virtually couldn't see the words, tissue's were strewn around me, my heart shattered into tiny pieces- only a handful of books have done this to me, but I think this one more than any other.
I have a new found respect for Tillie Cole for writing this book, to be frankly honest - it was perfect in all ways, how she wrote it- I honestly don't know but I'm so glad she did.
Whenever I see this cover I will always think of Poppy and Rune, that jar - those pink paper hearts has so much more meaning than just being on the cover of a book, they are everything you hold dear in this story, every tear drop that fell, every smile on your lips, related to that jar. Moonbeam hearts and sunshine smiles, and my heart almost burst !!! It certainly did. !!!!
3748333
I should say that I love reading and, at any given moment, I have at least twenty books waiting in my nook, kindle, and/or bookshelf. I always enjoy the story but it has been such a long time since I have had such an emotional connection with the characters. Months after I read this book, I still feel compelled to post a review. What does that tell you?

First, let me mention Kit. He is gorgeous, smart, and passionate. If he were a real guy, I would totally be all over him and Jessa would be out of luck. He was so perfect and so perfectly flawed that it was impossible not to wish men like this existed. But as it is, their connection was so realistic and so raw that I couldn't help but want to continue. I read it all in one sitting. I can't remember the last time I literally cried for a character but there I was, sitting in the corner of my room, balling my eyes out. Even now, I want to cry just remembering the scene where Kit came back to say goodbye at the funeral and what resulted. His misinterpretation as to why she couldn't look at him made my heart completely stop. I wanted so badly to shake him, to make him see how completely perfect they were for each other. I think I actually uttered the words "Fight for her!" at least a million times in the subsequent chapters.

This book grabbed my heart and would not let go until I turned the last page and, while it was a satisfying ending, I was not ready to let the characters go. I didn't want it to end and I did. I needed them to be together and I needed Kit to be okay. His PTSD, his drinking, I felt my heart breaking right along with Jessa's. She became my best friend (at least in my own mind) and I wanted nothing more than to hug her and tell her it would all be okay.

I know this is a new adult book and one of the appeals is the sex scenes which definitely do not disappoint but Jessa and Kit were more than sex. They were more than just love. They were a part of each other in a way that should not be able to be translated into a few hundred pages but was. I love Mila Grey (and her YA counterpart, Sarah Alderson) but she took it to a whole new level with Jessa and Kit. So thank you Ms. Alderson for breaking my heart over and over again and then painstakingly putting it back together again.
2520520
I have been trying to come up with the words to do this book justice. I just can't seem to come up with the right words. This book was so heartbreakingly beautiful. I felt the story deep down in my soul. Alina could have been anyone, including me. I felt her pain, unworthiness, and shame. I cried so hard at what she went through. This has to be one of the best I have read all year. It was such a beautiful, painful story and so well written it felt real. This was my first Gillian Jones book but definitely won't be my last! She has such an amazing gift to tell such an amazing story. I hope everyone who reads this will love it as much as I did!  Warning: Bring tissues
received an advanced copy
4388556
I won an ARC of this book in a giveaway.

But that by no means changes how absolutely amazing this book is.  I was hooked on the first paragraph. The story is so beautiful. I laughed, I cried, I felt the pain Brian was going through. Having experience with ex cons and my own anxiety struggles, this was so, so we'll written.
If you're looking for a book that you won't be able or want to put down then this is the book for you.  It's perfect in every single way.
1228476
Being totally honest I have never felt this stupified (and wordless) after reading a book. Okay first I have to say that this book is totally absolutely, positively incredible. Wow I'm still so excited about the ending that I don't know how to write the review so that I don't blow it for anyone who has not read it. Any one who ever like the first book in the series since it started will most definitely enjoy this book not only because it's incredible but because it explain everything you may had questions about and it reveals an astonishing secret that may be no one guessed at. I SAY GO AHEAD AND READ IT.
3270518
Oh my...
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was privileged to read a copy of this book.  Thank you cannot express my heartfelt gratitude.  The story was beyond beautiful.  I felt the emotions along  with the characters.  My heart broke for Julia, and yes, I cried like a baby.  I was amazing.  The references to Celtic Mythology were wonderful. The poetry was fitting and so, so beautiful.  This story touched my heart.  Jen is an amazing author.  I felt like I was in the story every step of the way.  This will stick with me forever.  I recommend that everyone read this book.  The story developed perfectly, character interactions fit together in exactly the right way, and just when you think you have it all figured out... you're balling your eyes out.  This book was everything I could ha e asked to read and so much more.  Thank you for sharing this masterful work of art with me,
1047714
Gifted an advanced copy for an honest review.

This book was amazing. Absolutely incredible. The artistry in this story isn't simply found in the way it was written; it's found in the way the words reached out and gripped onto such rich, dense, palpable emotions. It wasn't just the characters that came to life; their hearts bled on every page. From the moment Crew stepped onto the scene, Adriana didn't just take me into another world--she pulled me into a broken home and took me on this incredibly emotional ride. It was hard; it was painful; it was heart-wrenching. But it was also beautiful; it was full of redemption; it was coated in love. It's definitely a story worth reading.

Crew. Gosh--I don't know that I've ever read and experienced a man quite like him. He was a MAN; and it wasn't about his body or his dominance or his alpha tendencies (though, I will admit, those were nice, too.) It was his fight. The evolution of his character...he was a man--a real man, and I adored him. From start to finish. Julia. She was so real; so raw; so strong. Crew said it best. "She is a fighter. Take f*cking notes."

Adriana's one liners killed me, repeatedly. I cried, I yelled, I loved. I had no idea how it was going to end and I was crying in anticipation long before the outcome was revealed. For the last few chapters, especially, I wanted to curl into myself, hide under a blanket, cover my eyes and peek through my fingers as I continued to read. The build of this story was so precise. I think that's something I appreciated the most. Adriana told a freaking story! She took her time and laid it all out there. There wasn't a moment I felt rushed or that details were glossed over and I can honestly say, this is one of my favorite reads this year.
4450084
I don't know how to articulate my feelings for this book into words. I give this book all the stars because it made me cry and laugh. It made me bring out my own deep thoughts of how I perceive myself or used to when I didn't even bother with my weight. It's such an emotional story and so raw that everyone should read it.
3028310
I'm speechless and I can't really put in words how this book has affected me.  This is the first time I have ever read a book by Amber Lacie since she is a new author to me.
This book had some triggers for me. I had to lay the book down for a couple of days then get back to it. I'm so glad I did.
I do not want to spoil anything in this book because you must read this book with an open mind and open heart. You will not be disappointed.
You never know what a person has gone through in their lives. Their smiles they wear daily might just be a disguise behind pain and sorrow.
I really have embraced the beauty that Amber Lacie gave Andie. Everyone in their life needs to believe they are pretty;
3470764
I feel like I cant write this review without introducing myself properly.

Hi, my name is Caitlin Christensen and I am addicted to Tamora Pierce.

There, I said it. Isnt admittance the first step in the process of coming out? Im not looking for a cure, but I do want you to know up front that I am a Tamora Pierce SUPERFAN so Im probably biased. But then again, if you didn't like any of her other books then I don't know why you're even reading this review. I hope, like me, you're already a fan of her amazing work, and if you aren't yet than I hope this review will encourage you to take that first teeny tiny step and immerse yourself in the world of magic she creates.

Ive been in possession of Battle Magic since about a week before it came out. They were selling it early at The National Book Festival because Tamora Pierce was there to sign copies of it, and I was THRILLED to get to hold her new book in my hands early (doesnt it always feel blissfully elicit when you get your hands on a book early?). Back then, I wasn't book blogging or working in publishing, so I didn't read many ARCs, making having this one in my hands early all the more exciting.

But, heres the kicker - after I met Tamora, I couldn't bring myself to read this book, and not because she wasn't a BA person who was absolutely a dream-come-to-life in person. She was all that and more, and I felt my life would never be the same after getting to talk with her for a few brief moments (I cried my eyes out I was so ecstatic).

But I was holding the only book of hers I hadnt read in my hands, and I was scared. I was afraid that I would waste my first-read-through rushing full-speed into it. I didn't want it to be over. So I waited, and I waited, and I waited. I figured if I found out the world was going to end, then it could be the last book I ever read. I told myself that as soon as I found out the release date of her next book, I would finally read it. Then, after three long years, I gave in, and here we are.

MY REVIEW:

I LOVED Battle Magic. I know that a lot of readers seemed to feel lukewarm about it, and its not that I don't think their critiques have value, its just that I don't agree with them. Now, as I said before, I am a HUGE Tamora Pierce SUPERFAN, so I may just be biased. But I really did think this book was a fantastic return to a world Ive always loved.

I thought the new locations were rich and intoxicating, the new characters were interesting and easy to grow attached to, and the plot developed in interesting ways. It wasn't quite as dark as some of Tamora Pierces other work, and I wouldnt have minded if it was, but I still felt I got my moneys worth in terms of dark horrors of war - it delves into and explains the events behind Briars nightmares from The Will of the Empress. So, given that this takes place before that book, we all already knew going in that Briar, Rosethron, and Evvy were going to survive whatever awaited them in this book. Despite that, I still found myself caught up in the suspense at several key points (I mean, what happens to Evvy is pretty freaking terrifying).

Also, unlike other reviewers, I felt like this was one example where ambient magic didn't really save our protagonists or win the war for them. Ambient magic has limits. In the end, it was another force altogether that helped them get out alive - Pierce has always relied heavily on the Gods in her books, and I thought their role in Gyongxe was beyond awesome (especially considering no one who leaves will ever remember it).

Basically, if you love Tamora Pierce, I think you will be reasonably (or ecstatically) happy about the way this one turned out. But don't take my word for it, pick it up and see for yourself!