Niki put her heart in this, I felt the ...
593713
Niki put her heart in this, I felt the emotions of the characters, and could feel the story. She did that.
2640204
I didn't know what to expect with this book. I'd heard from trusted bloggers that it was a beautiful book, chock full of feels. I was definitely excited to be approved for this book, but I was also a bit nervous. It was getting some major early buzz among my fellow bloggers and I could only hope that I wouldn't be the black sheep for this book.

I absolutely love damaged characters. I know that may sound weird, but reading about flawed characters makes me happy because no one is perfect. Everyone has a flaw or an imperfection and having characters in books that are flawed is so, SO much more realistic.

I really liked Skylar a lot. She was so determined to make something of herself. She wanted to get out of the life she currently had. She was also extremely close to her mother which I totally understood as my mom and I have always been very close. So, I understood her instinct to protect her mom and try to get her mom back to the land of the living again when she lost her job. I understood Skylar's fear of leaving her mom the way she was. It was really hard to read sometimes, but I had fallen in love with this story.

"I hate to break it to you, but your mom is an adult woman. How many times are you just gonna drop everything when she loses her crap?"

I understood this feeling as well. I kept hoping that Skylar wouldn't allow her mother's downward spiral to affect her. I was so afraid that Skylar would forget all about her own dreams and stay in Creek View. Skylar had put so much pressure on herself that she had lost some of herself as well.

Yet there was still one thing that hadn't let her down. Pools. She loved to swim or even to just be in the water in some capacity. Swimming brought her peace, even if everything in the world was crashing down around her.

"Pools didn't get you pregnant, and they didn't die on you. Who needed anything more?"

Now, Josh Mitchell was hot. Normally I don't go for military types, but there was more to him than just the military. Yes, he had a bit of a colorful past in Creek View. Before he joined the military, he'd had a bit of a promiscuous past.

When he returned from the military, missing a leg, he was different. He was hurting both physically and emotionally. He and Skylar had known each other for a long time, but it wasn't until this summer that they begin working together at the quirky motel by the name of Paradise.

It was their trips to Dairy Queen that really sealed it for me. I could feel things changing between them and I remember hoping that Skylar's growing feelings for Josh would not change her college plans. I had seen too many girls change their plans for a guy and that made me nervous. I loved the outrageous combinations they came up with. Josh's was pineapple & Snickers and Skylar's was Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and mint. That definitely added to the quirky-ness of this book.

"I'm crazy about you!"

I loved the ending so much. I think I cried a small river by the time the book was over, and I was definitely sad when the book ended. Demetrios rocked this story and I'm excited to read her other books. I'm giving this book 4.5 stars. I wish I could give it the full 5 stars, and I'm honestly not sure why I can't. Everyone needs to read this book.
1099781
I didn't think I could love Katey any more than I already did...I was wrong!  I love her more now for her honesty.  I see myself in so many of these pages, and I have to thank her for letting me see myself again.  I wish I had the courage to write a book like this.  Thank you Katey, I feel like someone understands.  Much love xo
453130
I started reading this book with a pre-conceived notion of what it was going to be about and I was partially correct. What I did not fully expect was the heartbreak. I underestimated the power of the pen when Marie MacDonald wields it. I will not make that mistake again.

Anabel is not happy in her marriage and seems like she never will be happy again. That is, until she gets the strength to remember who she used to be and leave her husband. She gets that strength from her best friend, her chosen sister, her soul mate Amanda. Amanda moves back from Paris to deal with a personal tragedy. Since Anabel's parents died years ago, Amanda is the only "family" she has, so when faced with the possibility of not having Amanda around just when she got her back, Anabel finds the strength she needs, enough for both of them. Then we meet Danny and Ruben, the old high school crushes that got away. Annabel and Danny were in love, but he thought he was protecting her by leaving. Ruben was the player that was too scared to play for Amanda. Making up for lost time and picking up where they left off many years ago, the two couples find that love does really conquer all, well almost.

The other theme to this book, which I found uplifting, is the stars, when you look up at the sky and the stars are shining down, do you make a wish? Do you ever speak to them as if they were the loved ones you lost? Have you ever just needed a sign, an answer? I have and especially after this I will continue to do so.

Without giving too much away, this is a story about friendship, soul mates, and never giving up. It is about loss and how we handle it, but most importantly it is about love. Everyone goes through a tragedy or two in their lifetime, this is about the people that are there during that time and what you do for each other in that time of need. This hit me hard. This made me feel every emotion in such a short time that I am still reeling. I find this book to be both inspiring and truly heart breaking at the same time. I feel angry and relieved for having experienced this roller coaster ride of emotions, but I know that I am a better person for it.
3464370
Every now and then you read a book that affects you emotionally, and that is how this book was for me. Vikki McCombies writing was so intense, I felt the pain and joy in the story. This isn't a preachy story but shares a peace when trusting in the Lord. There are so many emotions, joy, heartache, loss, sadness, grief, acceptance, new beginnings, and even fear. I felt like I was on an emotional roller-coaster, going from joy to intense heartache.  I don't normally cry reading a story, but I was so emotionally pulled into this book, that I cried several times. The plot kept me in constant suspense with the emotional dialog, a great cast of characters, life and death situations, and learning to cope beyond the tragedy and trying to pick up the pieces of life and beginning again.  Through everything that Nanci deals with, she does find peace, happiness and a promising future with the help of Daniel.

As a side note, my sister's stepson-in-law was killed in Afghanistan in November 2010, and the military support that his wife received was as it is depicted in this story, A New Beginning For Nanci.
1518282
I found very tender and dear stories in this book that touch my very heart and soul.  It was so reassuring to read others stories and then think that "I'm not the only one to feel this way, and there is hope at the end of this tunnel!"  As long as I can feel that HOPE, I feel there is a chance for HAPPINESS. Thanks so much for sharing that LIGHT with my soul, it was pretty cloudy.
2680669
I was really looking forward to the day I finally got to read this book.  I just had a feeling I was going to like it.  And I did!

Megan is a bit pampered, it's true.  She has always known the finer things of life.  But Megan also knows that those things are not worth abuse.  In order to protect herself and her son, she knows she must escape the hands of her abusive and controlling husband.

I liked the transformation that Megan goes through.  She is a bit haughty at first, judging people and places but Megan has a good heart and she is willing to try new things and new ways of doing things.  Her heart transforms.  She learns that she is capable and able to things she never ever thought about doing.  She finds peace and enjoyment in self accomplishment.

The sense of community that surrounds Megan is awesome.  I love books where I feel that.  Maybe that's because I've mostly lived in smaller communities and it feels like home to me.  Ammon is a "do good" scouter.  He helps his community and loves his home.  Life lessons have taught him a lot and he is a person of strength and character.  I LOVED Ammon's dog.  :)

This was such a good read.  Clean, romantic with a bit of suspense thrown in.  I was drawn in from the beginning reading about Megan's abusive marriage and her desperate plans to escape.  I was able to connect to the characters and make a movie in my head while I read.  That makes me happy.

Please note that there are some descriptive abusive scenes in this book.  Those especially sensitive to this may want to proceed with caution.
1313628
Josie has had this ache in her heart of longing for the past 12 years to know how her childhood friend Kane was doing with his life. She never got over their connection they had. It was devastation to her heart the day they moved away from each other when she was 8 and he was 10. They saw each other one last time when they were 10 and 12. It had reopened her feeling of loss once again. Being such a passionate person she started to build up a wall around her heart. From that day forward loving another would be challenging for her. Then one day out of the blue she sees him being interviewed on tv. He's a rock star now and just as beautiful as he was 12 years ago. Her heart did somersaults at seeing him. Just hours later another shock to her system came when her cell rang and on the other end of that call was...Kane. From that point forward Josie's life was going to be forever changed.
The highs and lows of her emotions were exhausting to read. You felt so much for this couple. You learn through their lives that life is too short to not make every day count as if its your last. KL Shandwick did another awesome job to making you love this couple. You feel through her words how much joy and pain they went through. This was a very emotional book for me because of how real it felt. Don't pass up the opportunity to read this story of Josie and Kane.
2533768
Received a copy of the title from author in exchange for an honest review.

This story definitely had the ability to pull heartstrings. Growing up with a "normal" mother who felt her introvertedness was "not normal", Neve made plans. She just had to get her business up and running and she could go. One fight too many pushes Neve to the brink, but luckily for her, her best friend Blake was always there to catch her -- but even he doesn't know the darkest her moments have gotten.

I loved Blake for the way he cared for his best friend. He wasn't dumb to what Neve had gone through -- he'd been a part of Neve for so long, her mother didn't stop her belittling in front of him. As Neve falls further and further into herself, her friends start to drop away, but Blake always stays.

Now... I'm introverted. I have mini panic attacks when meeting co-workers (whom I've worked with for nine years) in groups larger than 5; I have asthma attack inducing panic attacks when I'm in stores that I feel I don't belong in (Hollister and Abercrombie, anyone?). I prefer my art and reading and writing and photography than going out.

But Neve takes introvertedness to a whole new level. Her inability to be in social situations was nearly painful. However, her desire to be cared for and wanted for who she was was heartbreaking. Like me, she fears that everyone will eventually leave her, so rather than waiting for that to happen, she pushes people away.

So while I could definitely relate to Neve, she annoyed me at times. Blake though -- there was one super supportive person in her life and if we could all have someone in our lives like him, we'd all certainly be happy. He was right to be a bit timid to going a step further in their friendship -- if things were to go wrong on the love front for these two, Neve would literally have nobody. The cautious steps that take place to get these best friends to forever were certainly written well.

I also really enjoyed Robbie's character. I loved that he grew into Neve without her knowing, and he became another support person for her. I would absolutely love to see Mia write a story for this guy who teases Blake endlessly.
3892054
I was a little scared going into this book cause I really loved Sean and felt the heartbreak when he died and I didn't think I'd ever get over it this series leaves you with that lump in your throat can't breath cause your crying to hard and that's not a bad thing it's just her writing makes you feel like itz happening to you and that's a rare talent to have I'm so thankful she sharing it with all of us. Now not saying I'm fully over the series but the letters definitely help heal the heartbreak little more but I'll always miss Maca <3
454471
It felt like Sheri sat in my house and documented everything she saw then put it into a book.  I always felt alone, but after reading this book I feel like someone else understands me and my son.
288778
This book both broke my  heart and gave me a sense of peace and calm.  Splendor by Elana K. Arnold broke my heart because the author throws this twist near the end that I honestly didn't even see coming.  I believe my jaw dropped and I whispered a panicked what?

Will is off to college, and Scarlett is still on Catalina Island finishing her senior year.  But a new school year also brings new studentsand in this case its a British bad boy, Gunner, who favors his clover cigarettes, and is the desire of every girl at school, including Lily and, surprisingly enough, Scarlett.

This is the year where ties are tested.  Lily and Scarletts friendship due to Gunner, Will and Scarlett due to Gunner, and Scarlett and her father due toheres a hintits not Gunner.

So how does Scarlett deal with all her drama?  Spending time with her newly pregnant horse, Delilah, and spending time with some newly made friends and studying Kabbalah.  But its with these studies that Scarlett learns something completely new about herselfand whether she accepts this new found gift or ignores it, one thing is certain.  Scarlett is seeing things in a new light, but also seeing other parts in a darker shade of grey.

Just like in book 1, Sacred, there is again an element of something semi-supernatural in Splendor by Elana K. Arnold.  We witness another event with Will where his need to protect those who cannot protect themselves, but this time, things become darker.  And Scarlett finds out something about herself that I honestly, didn't quite understand.  That, in itself, was what I found intriguing.  Being able to learn about this ability in the same way that Scarlett learns about it.

There was quite a lot of talk about religion during Scarletts lessons in Kabbalah, which I know should have been interesting to readers, but for myself, I found that it had me losing interest.  I wanted more of the interactions with the characters.  More conversation, moresomething.  But instead, I found myself drowning in talks of spirituality and religion.

But apart from that, it still had the same elements that Sacred had, and that was enough to keep my attention.  We see Scarlett struggle with her feelings for Will while trying to fight her attraction to Gunner.  We see just how important her best friend Lily is to her, and we witness just how much of an impact and how important Lily is to Scarlett.

Fans of book 1 will come to enjoy the Splendor by Elana K. Arnold.  Those who are interested on learning more about Kabbalah, will really appreciate the information provided in this book.
3585762
At first I thought okay I am going to read as a favor to the author.  But after I started to read it, I was no longer reading it because I had to but because I wanted to.  This book really spoke to my heart and by reading it I truly felt that I had be changed in someway. Thank you for this book!
672050
***GIFTED TO ME FOR HONEST REVIEW***

Summary:

The twist of a knife shredded Niko Kincaids world all around him, leaving him with two choicesaccept his fate and die, or fight to live.
He chose to fight, but the aftermath became a daily reminder, carved into his once flawless flesh.
Despite years of self-imposed solitude, Niko hungers for companionship and suffers from an aching loneliness that the darkness cannot satisfy. He temporarily soothes his pain with women, hired women, whose only purpose is to service him. Easy.
He didn't expect a complication like Cambree Evans, but desperation corrupts even the most innocent.
When emotions blend with lust, will Cambree's softness and ability to look past Niko's flaws be the one thing that releases him from his own personal hell?

Will the monster in the dark prove that his savaged heart is worth saving?

What I loved:
The message of Savaged is an extraordinarily powerful one for me. Niko is beauty in its greatest form: scarred, broken, and darkened.  Many times we read stories about a guy who meets a girl and they fall in love, only to live happily ever after. This is not that story. This story is raw, emotional, and heartwrenching.  Niko struggles to emerge from the depths of a dark life, because he sees himself as a monster. He struggles and has inconsistent thought processes due to his perpetual self-loathing.
Cambree, (Love your naming capabilities for your characters BTW!) comes into this darkness unsure of her life and has her own life lessons and strife to bring to the table. Together, they may just prove to them selves they are each others light. (I do NOT want to give anything away sorry!!)
This work of art cant be compared to Nacoles prior works. This story shows her growth and her ability to dig deep and explore something a bit more edgy, even if the cut is deep at first, before being bandaged up.

What I didn't Love:
Plain and simple, NOTHING. There was not a thing I didn't like.

Overall:
Nacole has shown such a deeper dig into her psyche to bring us Cambree and Niko. Only someone who has seen some type of darkness, can express it quite like this.  This story kept me invested right to the last page. I knew Nikos struggles and connected tremendously to him. No one knows, unless they have been that low what it takes to make the simplest of steps forward. I loved your work before Nacole, but you have a fan and friend for life. Thank you for your talent and for this gift of Savaged.
1103687
Well this new writing duo got me and they got me good. While I am no stranger to Gia Riley's work, Marni Mann is completely new to me. The writing was seamless- they wrote as one voice, even with the dueling points of view the story was told in. Drowning was dangerous and had me on the edge of my e-reader.

The first meeting between Andi and Adrian made my chest ache. Both of them suffering because of the devious actions of others. But it was their strength, their will to battle the odds and do what was necessary to make it better that won my heart. I loved the gentle way Adrian cared for Andi and how her fears let his protective side come out and gave him something else to fight for.  It was Andi that surprised me the most. She may've come off as weak initially but she was far from it. She was never defeated and pushed through all the garbage life had thrown her way. And it was her resiliency that ultimately brought them out of the deep end.

Fear. Accusations. Hope. Danger. Sacrifice. Drowning had all of this and so much more. What I felt the most while reading with a racing heart was the love between Andi and Adrian. It was forged in the most unfortunate of circumstances but deep none the less. Their selflessness, with some help from a few unlikely sources, freed each other from the burdens of the past and allowed them to venture into a future that nobody but they would dictate.

Hats off to Gia Riley & Marni Mann for teaming up and giving me a book that gripped me by the heart on page one kept me guessing until the biter end. My fingers are crossed that there will be more collaborative work between these two in the future. And oh that ending! Just sigh. It made all the angst worth it.
595426
I don't have the words to express how I feel about Firsts. It has taken me weeks to try to put into words how much this book means to me and I don't think I will do an adequate enough job of saying how much this book needs to be read.

So much about Mercedes broke my heart, but in a way that was messed up to most of us, she only wanted to help people so they wouldn't end up like she did. I love how the author didn't portray Mercedes and her sexual activity as slutty. The double standard in books and society says girls must be pure or steady with one boy or they are looked down upon, forever branded promiscuous.

My personal champions in this book are Zach and Faye. They stuck with Mercedes through it all and showed her she can trust them. The sacrifice they made to take the heat off of her had me a blubbering mess.

Finally, Firsts touches on a few serious topics we must be knowledgeable about. Sexual assault and safe sex. I applaud the author for putting it out there and making us as readers talk about it.

A five star read that filled my heart with understanding, hope and love.

I received a copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
2444003
Im going to say this. I had to stop reading at one point because I was bawling like a baby and I continued to bawl for about 30 minutes. You may not have this issue, but there is something that happens that Ive personally been through. The fact that she brought out these emotions killed me, but makes me respect her even more as an author because I was on a freaking roller coaster.

Something Worth Saving is not a hearts and fairies book, its actually a book about a couple thats been together for a few years and have a couple of kids together. Its a story about life and actually what happens on a day to day basis. When do you fit in sex when you have kids on the other side of the door? How do you live when your man is a firefighter and risks his life every time hes on shift?

This is Jace and Aubreys story and it isn't always pretty. Sometimes you just forget how to show love to each other when there are so many other things going on in life. Ill say this, it took me a bit to get into the books but once I got hooked I didn't put it down (until I bawled). Chelsea Landon created a beautifully heartbreaking journey of family, love, friendship, and loss.  I still feel the emotions three days after Ive finished reading.

I will not share any details with you because I want you to take this journey on your own. You should feel the twists and turns as they happen.