Collection

This collection is fantastic.

Drive by Kate Stewart
5 unexpected stars

I am not sure what I was expecting when I started this book but it sure as hell wasn't to be punched in the gut. It shows the beauty of love as an emotion that can be tied to music.

"Because music is the heart’s greatest librarian. A few notes had the ability to transport me back in time, and to the most painful of places. Take any song from the Rolodex of your life, and you can pin it to memory. It translates, resonates, and there it will remain. And no matter how many of those Rolodex cards you want to rip out and burn like an old phone number to make room for new ones, those songs remain and threaten to repeat."

This story was beautifully told. I was floored at Kate's ability to make you fall in love with two characters the way she did.
"Love doesn’t die, even when you stop feeding it. There is no expiration date on the ache of missing someone you shared your heart, life, and body with."

Nate or Reid. I am not sure I could even decide between the two. They both are top BBF's now. My heart hurt for Stella.

"In love with two worthy kings, and I was queen of the damned."

This story could have gone either way. The brilliance of that is in either scenario my heart would have hurt for the one not chosen. That takes skill.

Bravo.

Ghost by A Zavarelli
5 stars

This is my second time reading this book and first time leaving a review because at the time I didn't realize the importance of more than just ranking the books.

This entire series is fantastic but this book might be my favorite. Strong characters, great storyline, steamy moments that might come close to melting your kindle, and intense Bratvya action.

I enjoyed the push and pull in regards to Alexsi and Talia, especially, as they both were dealing with some pretty intense baggage. I will say that the story itself is gritty and brutal at times. I was all in watching these two amazing characters fall-in-love.

Highly recommend this series and this book. It can be read as a standalone but I definitely would go back and read them all because it is that good. There are triggers in this story so be warned.

The Stolen Duet by BB Reid
The Bandit
5 Are You Kidding Me Stars
I was NOT prepared in any shape or form for this book. This had me on the edge of my seat from the first page to the last. The cliffhanger at the end had me almost throwing my kindle because it is just that good. Looking back, I am not sure how I managed to wait for book two because it was that intense.

Vicious antihero, incredible storyline, INTENSE interactions, Panty melting chemistry/steam, and suspense made for an incredible first part. Told in dual POV, I couldn't stop reading this book because I NEEDED to know where this story was going. It was that good, that I dreamt about it, trying to come up with how this story was going to evolve in book two. Luckily, in this book, part two is included and there is no wait time to get the answers.


The Knight
5 stars

I have eagerly been waiting for this book after Bandit. It did NOT disappoint. Mian is still fiery and trying to protect her son and her heart and Angel... He is still as hot and badass as ever. The things he did to show that he chose her over his legacy was powerful.

I loved the joking between Z, Lucas, and Mian. I am sooooooo looking forward to the spinoff series.

Flow & Grip by Kennedy Ryan

Flow
4.1 stars

In this prequel, the author gives insight into how Grip and Bristol came to be. This is sweet but didn't grab my attention the way that Grip did.

Grip
5 changed the template of who I am stars
This book changed the very template of who I am

Writing a review for this one on the second read through, and I have to say, and I am not sure how it is possible, but I loved this book more the second time around. I felt Everything differently this time. This connection is palpable and visceral. I hurt when they were apart because it was almost as if there was a string there connecting me to them that was pulled taut.

There is a reason that this author is award-winning because the way that she weaves a story and mesmerizes her audience is truly legendary.
"I've had some pretty wild dreams about Bristol Gray. But in my wildest dreams, I couldn't imagine that not the nakedness of her body, but the nakedness of her soul, would be the thing that tempted me the most."

There is just something about her cadence and stylistic choices that makes her extraordinary. I appreciated her insight into racism and the prejudices people have about color. It still boggles my mind that this is even an issue because the color one's skin is painted in should have no bearing on the person that they are on the inside. I highly love this book and even though Bristol is my girl, Grip owns my heart.… (mais)

Astounding works by one artist, depicting scenes from the Ottoman rule over Bulgaria. Gut-wrenching scenes, breathtakingly rendered. Mostly black and white, with a few gorgeous, full-colour frames. Illustrations of the opulence of the Turks. One disturbing depiction of a wealthy Turk considering a naked boy, arms spread to his sides, deciding if the boy was worth the price of a necklace he is holding. Many scenes of war. Soldiers and wagons half-buried in blizzards. Dead, dying and wounded soldiers on battlefields, some with the buzzards hovering, waiting for death before feasting on flesh. Women weeping and gazing on crucified men. Blindfolded men in front of a firing squad, ready to fall forward onto the bodies of their slaughtered comrades on the ground in front of them. Military marches along frozen roads strewn with helmets and lances. Mounds of bleached skulls in the blazing sun. Some beautiful renderings of Bulgarian landscape, and Bulgarian and Ottoman architecture. A nomadic bulgarian shepherd's tent in the plains. Stone village houses with thatch roofs. An exquisite rendering of the Taj Mahal. Only Bulgarian text.… (mais)