Finally Got These

I finally got some of the books I really wanted. Since I read If I Stay, I couldn't wait to read Where She Went and I finally got it. I got it in audiobook form just like I did If I Stay. I also got Reflected in You on audiobook, that is the second book in the Crossfire Series by Sylvia Day. The first is Bared to You, you can read my review here & Nika's review for both books: here.

I got We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson for my Halloween read, but didn't get around to it. But I did happen to read Purity by Jackson Pearce, which I've had on my list for a while now. My review for that will be coming up soon.

Library:

Where She Went by Gayle Forman

(Book #2 in If I Stay series)

[Goodreads - Amazon - B&N]

Synopsis of If I Stay:

In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...

A sophisticated, layered, and heart-achingly beautiful story about the power of family and friends, the choices we all make, and the ultimate choice Mia commands.

Audiobook:

Reflected in You by Sylvia Day

(Book #2 in Crossfire Series)

[Goodreads - Amazon - B&N]

Synopsis of Bared to You:

Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness—beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily...

Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other's most private wounds... and desires.

The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn't tear us apart...

iBooks:

Purity by Jackson Pearce

[Goodreads - Amazon - B&N]

Synopsis:

A novel about love, loss, and sex -- but not necessarily in that order.

Before her mother died, Shelby promised three things: to listen to her father, to love as much as possible, and to live without restraint. Those Promises become harder to keep when Shelby's father joins the planning committee for the Princess Ball, an annual dance that ends with a ceremonial vow to live pure lives -- in other words, no "bad behavior," no breaking the rules, and definitely no sex.

Torn between Promises One and Three, Shelby makes a decision -- to exploit a loophole and lose her virginity before taking the vow. But somewhere between failed hookup attempts and helping her dad plan the ball, Shelby starts to understand what her mother really meant, what her father really needs, and who really has the right to her purity.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle by Shirley Jackson

[Goodreads - Amazon - B&N]

Synopsis:

Taking readers deep into a labyrinth of dark neurosis, We Have Always Lived in the Castle is a deliciously unsettling novel about a perverse, isolated, and possibly murderous family and the struggle that ensues when a cousin arrives at their estate.

Have you read any of these?

What did you think of them?

Leave me a comment &

let's talk about it.

Enjoy :)

Crossing the Fire

The Crossfire series by Sylvia Day consists of two books so far: Bared to You and Reflected in You. In my opinion they are both great books, and when compared to the literary train wreck that is Fifty Shades, the Crossfire Series is the quintessential demonstration of this genre.

[Goodreads - Amazon - B&N]

Our journey began in fire...

Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness—beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life. 

I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily...

Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other's most private wounds... and desires.

The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn't tear us apart...

Bared to you: My sister already did a wonderful review on this piece, and you can view that here, but I just wanted to share my thoughts on it as well. And I wanted to do a little compare and contrast with the characters of Fifty Shades. The main character of Bared to You is Eva Tramell. She, unlike miss Anastasia Steele has her shit together. She moved from California to New York City, the place where every young upstart dreams of making it big. And with tenacity and dedication she found herself a productive place in NYC. She was not inexperienced and scared of life like Steele and for that reason, she makes a much better role model for women. She is fearless. 

It has always been a dream of mine to move somewhere foreign and brave the world with my best friend. Eva gets to experience this change with her long time bestie Cary Taylor. Who is amazing and gorgeous and just as emotionally odd as she. I think in life as well as in fiction you need a good sidekick, Cary made the most perfect one. He was her foil but also an iron clad keeper of not only her heart but her sanity. He would be a welcome addition to my life. I think every girl wants a really close guy friend that has their best interests at heart but doesn't want to be repaid sexually for it. It works. 

Now for the star of the show Mr. Gideon Cross. A very wealthy and deliciously attractive businessman. He is the love interest of Eva and I've really never read any two characters that deserved each other more. They both have terribly spotted pasts but their spots are similar enough to blend into a perfect pattern of sequined bliss. His name means destroyer, but all he does is repair Eva in the best way he can. They have their issues like any couple however. He is a sex addicted control freak. But Eva is cut in such a way that his brand of crazy fits right into her mold. Upon reading this book it is extremely easy to get lost in the characters and their lives. I went to sleep dreaming of sparking my own fictional relationship with Mr. Cross. When compared to Mr. Grey from Fifty Shades, Cross is much less crazy. He doesn't want to hurt Eva like Grey wants to do to Ana. And I think that Cross is a much more in depth character. He's just better on paper than Grey could ever be. 

[Goodreads - Amazon - B&N]

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 of 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 our passion would take us beyond our limits to the sweetest, sharpest edge of obsession…

Reflected in You: This is the second book in this soon to be trilogy. It picks right up where book one leaves off. It exhibits more of the same reckless sexual behavior that the two seem to be drawn to. It also chronicles more of their rocky misunderstandings and relationship woes.

In this second book it offers an even deeper analysis into these characters that the first book has forced you to care about. And it is much more focused on the reasoning and useful nature of Gideon's controlling nature. The book has an acceptable ending, and frankly I really cannot wait until the next one is out to see what kind of trouble they get into.

I found that with Fifty Shades that the writing was atrocious and simple and I could not focus enough on the characters and plot to care. I think there should be a book where Eva meets Grey and see how that turns out. Of course Day would have to write it because she is obviously a better writer than the author of Fifty Shades, in this reviewers humble opinion anyway.

Have you read this series yet?
If yes, what did you think?
If no, you really need to!

Happy Halloween!

This is our Halloween post! So Happy Halloween everyone! I hope you all have a wonderful day. This is also going to be my wrap up post. I didn't exactly follow schedule, but I tried... Which has to count for something right?! So I read 5 books, 1 naughty short story (with a naughty cover, so I didn't show it here, but it's Hannah's Choice by Selena Kitt) and 1 comic issue, I had a whole lot more on my list, but it's over now :) I'm pretty happy with what I read and some of the reviews are already up. I'll link them in the bottom. Enjoy!

**Covers link to Goodreads**

Reviews: What's Left of Me & Jenny Pox

What did you read to get

 in the Halloween spirit?

Leave a comment or a 

link to your site :)

Thought this was cute!

It's a scream panda!