Highly Recommended

Book Review – Twisted Perfection (Rosemary Beach #3) by Abbi Glines

April 24, 2013 by Aestas · 16 Comments

“I’ll be whatever she needs me to be. I can’t walk away from her, I tried. I’m hooked.”

Each book from Abbi Glines is more addictive than the last!

I read Twisted Perfection in one sitting and was glued to the page, unable to put it down. It was hot, steamy and sometimes a little dirty *winks*, with a fast-paced plot and lovable characters. It’s a little darker than the Too Far books, but I’d still actually consider it a relatively light read.

Having lived her whole life with a mentally ill mother who, out of her personal fears, kept her inside all the time, Della finds her life unexpectedly changed when her mother dies. Three years later, she is still struggling to find herself and decides a road trip is the best answer. So she throws all caution and inhibitions to the wind and heads out. At her first rest stop, she meets Woods.. And ohhhh my do they have chemistry. She isn’t looking to stick around, but she can’t help but take up his offer of dinner… and more.

Woods has enough going on in his life. Too much. He’s being pressured from his family to marry a woman he dislikes for the ‘good of the family business’. It’s either that, or he loses his part of the business and everything he’s worked towards his whole life. The thought makes him miserable but, he wants the job desperately and so is just trying to delay the inevitable marriage.

So when he sees Della at the gas station, he sees perfection. She is exactly what he needs right now. A fun time that would drive away afterwards – no strings.

What neither of them counted on was their hearts getting attached and despite the fact that they both drive off after their night together, fate soon crosses their paths again and this time, they’re not leaving each other.

“My future was about to be thrown off track because Della Sloane was under my skin and I had to have her.”

Woods. Was. Delicious. Purely delicious!! And yummy. Very yummy. Ohhh and a bit of a dirty talker but he still called her sweetheart right from the start which was super sweet. He was protective and I loved that being around Della brought out his hothead caveman side. It was seriously swoony!

I really liked Della. She was broken in many ways but at the same time was really quite free. She may not have been experienced at relationships but she certainly wasn’t shy at going after what she wanted with Woods and I have to say it was refreshing to read her kind of character who on the one hand was like that while at the same time, really messed up inside. It was a cool mix. She had issues, but they didn’t take over every part of her life.

I don’t know a better way to describe Abbi’s books than by saying that reading them feels like watching a very well-written, addictive TV show. The scenes, they way their cut together, everything about them just makes me feel like I’m watching it happen right in front of me.

This book certainly brings on the angst in certain scenes!! Serious, serious angst. BUT! And here’s what I loved about it: the main angst (at least to me) is resolved in the first half of the book, leaving the second half to be focused quite a bit on Woods and Della sorting their relationship out, which I really enjoyed. That isn’t to say there isn’t angst in the second half, ‘cuz there is, but it’s a different kind (less nerve wracking, more focused on sorting issues out) and I appreciated the switch up.

“You are mine. Do you hear me? You are mine, Della Sloane. I will take care of you. Nothing is taking you away from me. Nothing.”

There is a bit of a love “square” going on for part of the book, but it was clear that Woods was never in love with the girl he was supposed to marry, it was more a question of him falling in love for the first time in his life and being put in position of having to choose “head or heart”? And while Della also connected with another guy she met on her road trip, her heart really always belonged to Woods.

That being said, their road to getting together was a fair bit bumpy, but, honestly, it wouldn’t have been nearly as much fun if the ride had been smooth, lol.

Della goes through some pretty hard issues in the book and I loved how supportive Woods was of everything. They were just a wonderful couple together.

And speaking them as a couple, this book was full of panty-ripping hotness. For real. As I mentioned, Woods has a bit of a dirty mouth and Della just loses it around so they’re a pretty explosive together. Hot, hot, HOT! Lol, sometimes, I’ll admit, it was borderline awkward in places to me, but most just plain freaking hot!

And I really have to give a bit of a shout-out to some of the awesome supporting men in this book. First to Tripp, who had better be getting his own damn book cuz that man has SWOON. I want more of him! And then also to Kent, who made my heart melt even though he was only in like two small scenes. Holy heart warming protectiveness!

For those of you wondering about cameos, Blaire does have a brief cameo but neither she nor Rush play a central part in the book. As much as I love their characters though, I didn’t miss them here. I was happy to see the book focused on Woods and Della.

The ending had me flipping pages like crazy. I knew it would all work out but that didn’t stop me from being worried, lol. You know how it is 😛

To soothe your hearts, you should know that there is no relationship cliffhanger! The book ends in a good place relationship-wise. However, this is NOT a stand alone and there will be a sequel out in the fall, so there is a bit of a plot-related cliffy in that something happened at the end to make me want more of the story, but at the same time, it left them in a place where my heart could be happy to wait till the fall. At the end of the book, they are very much together as a couple. So, you will not want to throw your kindle at the wall. It’s all safe!! ♥

See?

“Is she forever for you then? She’s worth throwing it all away?”…
“She’s it. No one else. She’s all I’m ever gonna want.”

I loved the book and totally enjoyed spending my evening wrapped up in this world.

Definitely recommended if you are looking for something quick, hot, swoony, slightly angsty, fast-paced and addictive 🙂

4.5+ stars

♥♥♥♥

SERIES READING ORDER EXPLAINED!!!

I know there’s been a bit of confusion over these series’ reading orders so hopefully this’ll answer your questions:

Ok, so originally, Twisted Perfection was supposed to be the 3rd book in the TOO FAR series. The first two books were Fallen Too Far and Never Too Far. Those two books followed Rush and Blaire’s story and then the original third book (Twisted Perfection) was supposed to be Woods’, followed next by Grant’s. This all changed when, by popular demand, a third book “Forever Too Far” about Rush and Blaire was added to the TOO FAR series. After this change, Abbi Glines then combined the two series into one new series called ROSEMARY BEACH.

** SERIES READING ORDER **

#1 FALLEN TOO FAR — RUSH
Kindle | Paperback | My Review

#2 NEVER TOO FAR — RUSH
Kindle | Paperback | My Review

#3 TWISTED PERFECTION — WOODS
Kindle | Paperback | My Review

#4 FOREVER TOO FAR — RUSH
Kindle | Paperback

#5 SIMPLE PERFECTION — WOODS
Kindle | Paperback

#5 TAKE A CHANCE — GRANT
Kindle | Paperback

Book Review – Vain by Fisher Amelie

April 15, 2013 by Aestas · 38 Comments

Buy VAIN (Kindle)
Buy VAIN (Paperback)

5 STARS!

STRUCK. SPEECHLESS.

Seriously one of the best books I’ve read in a while!

This book took me on a beautiful journey. It moved me, took my breath away and kept me up all night. It was a well-written, powerful, and deeply moving YA story that absolutely broke the mold and was unlike anything I’d ever read. It blew me away! READ IT!

This is not your typical romance novel where girl meets boy and they just fall in love. Yes, this book has a beautiful love story, but its also about so. much. more.

Its about learning the true value of life, about the price of ignorance, the weight of a self-less action, and the beauty of love.

This was one of those wonderful books that came to my attention very suddenly about 2 weeks ago. Literally, my inbox was full of glowing recommendations for it and I just knew that I had to drop everything and read it. Best decision I ever made!! Something about the idea of it just made my heart race. I swear I had butterflies even before I started reading.

It literally kept me up reading until 5:00 AM. I kept telling myself I was going to put it down and finish it the next day but I could. not. stop. turning. the. pages.

Hmmm, so what’s it about? Its about Sophie Price.

Sophie Price is vain. She is spoiled, filthy rich, with work obsessed parents who care only about the ‘appearance’ of a healthy family. She is hurt and angry on the inside. She uses, manipulates and discards friends, boys, everyone. She takes drugs, parties hard, and finds that she just can’t break out of the mold.

“Freedom is just that. Absolutely no restrictions. I abandoned myself to every whim I felt. Every want I fulfilled and every disire was quenched. I wanted for nothing.

Except attention.”

But everything changes the night her party is crashed by cops and, being on her second drug offence, her father arranges to have her sentenced to six months volunteer work at an orphanage in Uganda.

Scared out of her mind, thrown into a completely opposite life from anything she’s ever known, she is faced with a whole new world that will change her for ever.

The whole book is told through Sophie’s eyes and despite my love for alternating POVs, I found that this worked perfectly for the story. She was a very intriguing character who, despite her flaws and behavior, was not a ditz or shallow or stupid. She had simply taken several of the wrong turns in life and also, despite the wealth and opulence she grew up around, was deeply affected by the lack of familial love in her life. She wasn’t abused or anything. But this book really shows the damage that comes from a simple lack of care and love. It brought a whole new meaning to her vanity. Her looks meant everything to her because it brought her adoration from everyone, which was the closest thing she had ever come to love.

“I stood in front of the mirror and took a good hard look. I was as bare as I could make myself, no make up with wet, stringy hair. I hated to look at myself in this state. I didn’t feel real. I felt too exposed and that made me exceedingly nervous, but I made myself look that morning. I memorized that girl. That girl was the real me. Frightened. Worthless. A terrible friend. Terrible daughter. Well educated but so limited in ideas worth having. Beautiful yet repulsive… And finally honest.”

Fisher Amelie did a phenomenal job of instantly transporting you into Sophie’s life. I was right there with her every page of the book. I smiled, laughed, cried a little, fell in love, and felt her growth every step of the way.

I did love the book from the start, but the story is told in such a way that the more I read, the more strongly I connected to the story. My feelings just grew and grew till it just felt like my heart was going to burst.

Oh, and the guy? Right. Yes, the guy. Ian – or ‘Dingane’ as the kids called him. I literally loved him from his first line. Their first meeting was just SO powerful. I. FELT. It.

“It was like my body knew instantly that he was mine and that I was his.”

He was take-your-breath-away gorgeous. Blunt. Honest. And saw right through her. And the more we learned about his back story too, the more I loved him…. oh, and he cleared the bugs for her!! When you read the scene, I promise it’ll melt your heart a little 😛

About Uganda and the orphanage. *deep breath*. Ok. I am mostly aware what is happening in the world. I read the news. I see the headlines and the pictures. But this was different. So. So. Different. This brought the horrors of what was going on to light in a way I can’t even tell you. My heart broke into a million pieces for those kids. The word “horrors” seems too gentle for what I mean. I don’t think there is a word strong enough 🙁

My heart bled for those beautiful innocent children who had everything but their lives and their spirit so cruelly and heartlessly stolen from them and yet still sang songs every morning, smiled and found the beauty in life.

“And what is there to be joyful about?”… Another burst of silent tears streamed down.

“Life, Sophie. They still live. They breathe, they love each other, they find joy in the world around them for no other reason than because they are children. They are resiliant. They will always rise above. Always.”

I loved watching how Sophie, who had never known real love, grew, changed, and opened every part of heart to these kids and to their cause.

I loved watching her and Ian/Dingane fall in love. Ohhh their chemistry was palatable. It wasn’t a head-over-heels-at-first-sight thing, but it sizzled. I’ve said this before, but I. Felt. It.

“It’ll be all right,” Ian assured me.

“How do you know?” I asked when he revved the engine.

“I don’t,” he said, “but I’ll protect you.”

Their first kiss was seriously one of the best I’ve ever read. I squeed out loud!!!!! The gun lesson *fans self*… and that second last scene! *shivers* Yeah, I loved him. Completely.

I kept alternating between smiling and being near tears. Every part of the story wormed its way into my heart.

In the interest of full openness, I’ll say there were a few typos here and there, one or two moments of plot or dialogue that gave me squinty eyes, and despite there being an epilogue, I maybe might have wanted just a wee bit more at the end. But truly, it made no difference. The story was incredible so it didn’t affect my enjoyment of it.

This is a completely YA story – by that I mean the characters are younger than 20 and there is no sex in the book. But its the kind of beautifully written YA that makes even something as simple and subtle as just a shared glance give you epic butterflies, take your breath away and make your heart just race.

The story was heart breaking, exciting, beautiful, powerful, and thrilling. There were no dull or slow moments. Ever. There was always something new. Something happening. I was drawn completely into every part of the story. And its one that I won’t forget.

“I’m so deep there’s no getting out for me. You own me, you know?”

This book took me on a beautiful journey.

Guys, this is a must-read!!

Buy VAIN (Kindle)
Buy VAIN (Paperback)

♥ CASTING ♥

Ian and Sophie | Ian | Sophie

♥ INTERVIEW with FISHER AMELIE (2012) ♥

Aestas!!! Squeeee! *does a little dance* Thank you for having me!

Q – The name of the series sounds so interesting! What are your plans for the rest of the series?

A – Oh! Thank you! Good question. So each novel in The Seven Deadly Series will focus on a deadly sin but they won’t be continuations of Ian’s and Sophie’s story. They’ll be companion novels featuring a secondary character from the previous novel. So, VAIN was book one, of course. If you’ve had the chance to read VAIN you’ll become familiar with my next lead, Spencer. His book will be called GREED.

As far as the remaining books in the series, you guys know about as much as I do. I’m sort of nibbling on an idea for the third book. I believe it will be LUST but the only thing that’s really set in stone for book three is the lead. He’s beyond yummy.

Q – What are you working on right now?

A – GREED! The impossibly scrumptious Spencer leads this action packed story of avarice, excess and an overwhelming desire for more. Spencer is greedy for many, many things including the tempting and alluring Caroline a.k.a. Cricket.

Q – How long did it take you to write Vain?

A – Too long. LOL! It was a six month turn around. A little long for most authors but I was extremely pregnant from beginning to end…well, almost the end. My son was two weeks old when I typed the last word. My books take me a little longer than I’d like because I’ve got babies under four. Also, I do an absurd amount of research and depending on how well acquainted I am with the scenery, so to speak, determines the writing process. You don’t know how many times I’ve wanted to kick myself for not picking a setting closer to home.

Q – What was your inspiration for the story?

A – Three years ago, my hubs and I were sitting on the couch like the lazy gits we are, flipping channels and we stumbled across this interview with Sam Childers, the Machine Gun Preacher. Not many know who he is but the impossibly yummy Gerard Butler portrayed him in the film of the same name. The film was…okay. LOL! Anyway, the interview was nothing short of devastating. It exposed Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army, their deeds and goals and we both walked away from it a little damaged. Immediately after, we decided to give a little money to the organizations opposed to Kony and it appeased our consciences for a little while but the images of these broken and beaten children would stay in my mind. I knew not a lot of America was aware of who Kony was, not even the infamous “KONY 2012” video really put into words or images of just how terrible Kony is. So, last year we began sponsoring a little boy and his family in a dangerous part of Uganda. His story would forever brand itself onto my heart and soul. He is the reason I will forever fight for Kony’s capture. He is the reason I focus on Uganda. He is the reason I wrote this book.

Q – If Vain were to be made into a movie, do you have a dream cast for any of the characters?

A – You know, I’ve given this a lot of thought. A lot. And I can honestly say that I cannot imagine a single soul in Hollywood as Sophie or Ian. I suspect they’d have to be unknowns in order for me to be satisfied. I’d need someone untainted by stereotypes for both roles.

I can imagine someone like Helen Mirren as Karina and Ian McKellen for Charles. I would love to see some freakishly tall, black haired waif of an actor play Pemmy. I would die if they cast him with any sort of accuracy because my idea of what Pemmy looks like is almost comical.

Q – How often do you write?

A – They aren’t lying when they say you have to write every day. I took a week off after my second son was born and when I finally took up my metaphorical pen, I felt like a toddler at the keyboard. I was fumbling around with words as if they weighed a thousand pounds. In other words, everyday for as often as I can for as long as I can…as long as my kids’ needs are met a.k.a. when they’re asleep. Ba ha ha!

Q – What was the first scene that you wrote from Vain? and the last?

A – The first scene I wrote was the party at Sav’s parents’ house. The last scene I wrote was the scene with the burning baobab tree. You’ll know what scene I mean when you read the book. I was blubbering into my keyboard at three in the morning, sort of p.o.’ed at myself for doing what I did. My hubs woke up and was like, “What’s wrong? Is the baby okay?” I just turned, tears streaming down my face and nodded, sobbing gibberish. He saw I was writing and fell right back to sleep, not another question asked. He’s used to this apparently.

Thank you so much for having me, Aestas! I always love being here! So honored!
– Fisher “BoBisher” Amelie

♥ OFFICIAL BLURB ♥
(I’m including this because it was a big part of what sold me on the book)

If you’re looking for a story about a good, humble girl, who’s been hurt by someone she thought she could trust, only to find out she’s not as vulnerable as she thought she was and discovers an empowering side of herself that falls in love with the guy who helps her find that self, blah, blah, blah…then you’re gonna’ hate my story.

Because mine is not the story you read every time you bend back the cover of the latest trend novel. It’s not the “I can do anything, now that I’ve found you/I’m misunderstood but one day you’ll find me irresistible because of it” tale. Why? Because, if I was being honest with you, I’m a complete witch. There’s nothing redeeming about me. I’m a friend using, drug abusing, sex addict from Los Angeles. I’m every girlfriend’s worst nightmare and every boy’s fantasy.

I’m Sophie Price…And this is the story about how I went from the world’s most envied girl to the girl no one wanted around and why I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.

Book Review – The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine Allred

June 19, 2012 by Aestas · 21 Comments

“You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted, Alix, the only one I’ll ever want. That’s a promise.”

Buy THE SWEET GUM TREE (Kindle)

Oh WOW !!! What an AMAZING book!! Love! love! love!!

I’m a mess – it was an intense, utterly riveting book that I literally could not put down, that kept my heart racing, kept me near tears for a good chunk of it, that had me hanging off of every word that I read, and the story just ripped my heart out but yet still had a very sweet ending.

The writing was beautiful and flowed effortlessly, the characters were vivid, and the story was gripping and sucked you right it from the start.

If you are looking for a captivating, bittersweet, emotional read with a happy ending, this is it!

I started reading this book around midnight after a whole day of traveling expecting to just read for an hour and put it down. Boy was I wrong! I read straight through the night and finished the book around 6am when the sun came up!! I just couldn’t tear myself away from it!

The first half of the book starts out in a small Southern town where Alix, an 8 year-old girl from a very well-respected family who reaches out to help Nick, the 10-year old son of a dead-beat drunk who owns the local salvage yard. She befriends him and over the years, her family shelters him as he and Alix grow closer and closer. Even from a young age, they have a connection that is just so beautiful and powerful.

“…while I was vowing to save Nick, he had taken on the job of being my protector and staunchest defender.”

As they grow up, it becomes impossible for them to deny the love they’ve always had for each other.

“There was only one boy I wanted, and I lived for the times when I could be alone with him. It was simple. When I was with Nick, I was happy. When I wasn’t, I was restless and miserable.”

But when tragedy outside of their control strikes, Nick is forced to leave town. The second half of the book occurs 15 years later when Nick returns home and tries with everything he’s got to put their relationship back together.

This book got me so into it, that when I read these words, ““Then, fifteen years after he left, Nick came home.”, I just felt my heart clenched right up and tears literally just started falling from my cheeks. I just needed things to be made right again so badly.

“Do you want to know the real reason I came back, Alix? It was because of you. You’re my roots. Wherever you are would be home to me…I’ve never stopped loving you. I won’t give up that easily.”

There is a huge twist to the story with secrets that come out explaining the true reason why he had to leave that had me almost hyperventilating and clutching at my heart.

This story is about powerful love, loss and betrayal, family, second chances, secrets that test the strength of family and relationship bonds, overcoming prejudices, but most importantly its about a very beautiful and sweet love story that start when Alix and Nick were young and never lets go throughout all the years of hardship.

The book was told from Alix’s perspective – almost as if she were retelling it from the end. But I loved how, especially in the first part of the book when she is a child, she explains it through the eyes of child while still giving insight on the side from her adult, mature self.

I just totally fell in love with Nick. He’s was exactly my kind of hero – first he was totally HOT, but what really melted my heart was how protective he was. I just love that quality in a man. And he was just such a GOOD guy – so respectful, always trying to do the right thing, and he was just completely, utterly swoony. I’m smiling as I write this just thinking about him.

But that isn’t to say that he (or Alix) was perfect – they made their fair share of mistakes but the mistakes were understandable… I didn’t always agree with what they did, but I could totally understand why they did it. But the strength of their love for each other won out in the end.

The intensity of Nick and Alix’s love took my breath away at times and while there are a fair number of sex scenes, they are not portrayed very graphically. They are more focused on descriptions of emotions rather than acts.

I think fans of Take This Regret will really enjoy this book, and vice versa.

This book is going on my favorites shelf! Absolutely LOVED it!! A must-read!!

Rating: 5 stars. Standalone romance.

Buy THE SWEET GUM TREE (Kindle)

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