Gates of Thread and Stone by Lori M. Lee (12/3/14)

I was completely enthralled when I started reading this book. So much so that I couldn't put it down. I finished it in one day. 

Lori M. Lee does a great job in creating and describing this magical world. I was actually able to picture and imagine where the characters were and what they were doing. 

We start off by meeting Kai who seems to be a pretty girl, but is different. She relies on her brother Reev, and the way that she describes it is that she can't seem to be alone. She depends on him. There's a reason for that though. He found her on the side of a river when she was 8 years old. She has no memories, and doesn't know where she comes from, or who she is. All she knows is that this 16 year old boy basically adopted her and took care of her. 

I absolutely admire her. The love and loyalty that she showed for her brother was amazing. She was brave enough to wander out into the Void looking for her brother, without knowing what to expect. I love how her character grew in this book. There were some times when I wanted to smack some sense into her. 

Then we meet Avan. He's maybe a year older than her and absolutely beautiful. He and Kai seem to form some kind of friendship. He's nice enough to her. And aside from Reev, he's the only other friend that she has. He decides to join her in her travels. At first I was confused as to why he would do such a thing. But go over it rather quickly. I did want something to happen between those two. There were so many missed opportunities, that I couldn't handle it. 

I do have to say that he does a great job in being there for Kai, no matter what. He protects her and has her back through out all of their trials. I think I wanted to smack him more than Kai though. In her defense, she's naive when it comes to the whole relationship thing. I mean, she's never even been kissed. But Avan, I mean, he's as experienced as anyone his age can be, and some. 

That twist in the ending is what I'm having issues with. I can assume that anyone else that may have read this book will be siding with me on this. I mean, come on. 

The problem that I have is that I have to wait until March of 2015 to read the next book. I'm anxious to see where Lori takes us with this book. The decisions that will have to be made, most importantly by Kai will be interesting. 

In case you didn't know, the next book will be titled The Infinite. 

The Law of Moses by Amy Harmon (12/2/14)

Amy Harmon has done it again! Do I really need to say anymore? If you've read any of her other work, then you know that she's an amazing writer. 

If you know me, then you know that I have professed my love for her work. She's one of my go-to authors. She's also one that I have learned to One-Click and Pre-Order because I know that she will not disappoint me. 

I actually waited a couple of days to sit down and write my review for this book. I wanted to make sure that my feelings and emotions had settled. 

"This is the story of love with no end... though it took me a while to get there. 

If I tell you right up front, right in the beginning that I lost him, it will be easier for you to bear." 

That's what she gives us in the Prologue. I took tentative steps after I read this. I knew that whatever she gave us would be good, I just didn't know what the journey would be to get the great. 

The book is separated into two parts. And it alternates between Georgia and Moses' characters. Which I thought was great!

We start off with Georgia telling us about Moses' story. He was a "crack baby", and if that doesn't tug at your heart, then I don't know what will.  

"People love babies, even sick babies. Even crack babies. But babies grow up to be kids. Nobody really wants messed up kids."

We get his back story, which totally breaks my heart. I wanted to crawl into the book and just hold that little boy and tell him that someone cared for him.

We also get to know Georgia a little bit. She's a strong and beautiful smart girl. She knows what she wants in life and is willing to do whatever it takes to get there.

"Whatever it was, when Moses came to Levan, he was like water- cold, deep, unpredictable, and, like the pond up the canyon, dangerous, because you could never see what was beneath the surface. And just like I'd done all my life, I jumped in head first, even though I'd been forbidden. But this time, I drowned."

I knew that whatever happened between those two, would be good. 

"She was a small town girl with a simple way of speaking and thinking, a frank way of being that turned me on and turned me off at the same time. I wanted to run from her. But at the same time, I spent all my time thinking about her."

I really really liked Moses. Yes he was different. But remember, different is good every now and then! He was an extremely talented artist. Unfortunately, not everyone appreciated his art. 

"I think your work is strange and beautiful, Moses. Like a discordant melody that resolves itself as you listen..."

The trials that both went through separately and together were gut wrenching. I hated the suffering that happened because everyone else was ignorant and stupid towards Moses. 

"We can't escape ourselves, Tag. Here, there, half-way across the world, or in a psych ward in Salt Lake City. I'm Moses and you're Tag. And that part never changes. So either we figure it out here or we figure it out there. But we still gotta deal. And death won't change that". 

I absolutely love the friendship that he found in Tag. He was an anchor and understanding that he needed. It worked both ways for them both. 

"We'll just keep running, Moses. How did you say it? Here, there, on the other side of the world? We can't escape ourselves. So we stick together until we find ourselves, all right? Until we figure out how to deal."

That's the kind of friendship that everyone always wishes for. To have someone that is willing to go anywhere and everywhere to help you with your problems, and is willing to admit that they need help as well. 

I liked Tag a lot. I hate how they met and the circumstances that brought them together, but I understand it.

I don't like how Moses was brought back into Levan, but I do. If you've read the book, then you'll understand what I mean by this. My heart broke all over again once I figured out the situation. My heart hurt, for Georgia, Moses and everyone else. 

Eli. Such a beautiful description of who he was and what he accomplished. 

"I knew, and yet it still hurt. So much. I didn't lose him the way Georgia did. But I still lost him. I lost him before I knew him. And I wasn't prepared."

"I can't tell you how it felt to say goodbye. How it felt to choose. But in the end, mercifully, the choice was made for me, and I didn't have to do either."

There are some definite twists in this book that I totally did not see coming. I was blindsided by them. But then the light switch turned on and I was pissed. Because of the suffering that happened. So many lives were affected. 

On a side note, I TOTALLY LOVED that she mentions Josie Jensen, and that she and Sam make a couple of appearances in this book. Love them!!! 

I don't think that I can fully express my feelings for this book. It was beautiful and amazing. She did such a great job. She managed to allow me to loose myself in her writing. 

Moses stuck with me even after I finished reading this book. But it was more than just him, or his description. It was his life and the experiences that he went through. It was the fact that he was able to take something bad and cruel (because that's what everyone else saw) and turn it into something beautiful. 

I love it and I don't think that I can get enough of it. I'll definitely be re-reading this book. 

I cried and was so emotional. And I think that's the beauty that I want to find when I loose my self in a book. To be able to feel so much for those characters. To be able to travel on those journeys with them, and to rejoice when they find and discover what their greats are. 

Thank you Amy Harmon; for creating something beautiful and gifting us, your readers with it. You amaze me with what you create. I have yet to have been disappointed by anything that you have done (Not that I'm looking to be).

Locke by Harper Sloan (9/29/14)

I KNEW from the very first moment that I came across Locke's' character in Axel that he was something else. Something different. 

"I'm looking right at you motherfucker. It shouldn't take a big leap of 'clue the fuck in' for you to realize I'm looking right at your dumb fucking ass" he snarls at me with such ferocity that I'm momentarily rendered speechless."

And I was rendered speechless. Here was this big beautiful man with black eyes. One who kept to himself and looked out for his family and loved ones. He was in so much pain. But what was worse is that we didn't know why.

We do get to experience the intense friction between Locke and Emmy through out the other books. And while I thoroughly enjoyed the others, I kept rushing through them hoping and praying that I would get my temporary short fix of Locke. 

My heart broke when Coop was killed and Emmy suffered because he literally gave his life for her. But it shattered when she ran away and Locke couldn't do anything to help her.. Like I mentioned before, I've kept reading because I wanted/needed to know where their story was going. So needless to say that I preordered this book. Started reading it the minute that I had the opportunity to do so. 

Oh my goodness! There are no words to describe what I felt while I read this. I know that I always say this. But seriously. This was freaking awesome. 

"I'll taint her. I'll ruin her. And in the end, it will destroy her. One smile from her made me fall. So I pushed her away..."

We finally get to learn about Emmy's past. And what a fucked up past it is. She had it bad. From a sick and twisted father and mother to a bastard ruthless abuser. What's worse is that her parents let it happen because of their lifestyle. Until her savior shows up.  

"I'm seconds from passing out when I feel his body disappearing. I sit up, struggling to let the air in, and meet the crystal-blue eyes of my savior. 'You okay?' He asks. I nod mutely. A million questions rush through my head, but not a single word escapes before he nods and slams his fist into Shawn's face. I want to weep when I watch him crumple to the floor, passed out cold. 'I'm Zeke, but my friends call me Coop."

Gah. To know that it was Coop that saved and rescued her from that life. It finally made sense as to why it hurt her so much to loose Coop. Not that they had any kind of romantic involvement. But that he became more of a brother figure to her. 

Locke. His name alone. I waited FOREVER to know more about him. I knew that he was intimidating and scary. But he was also such a loveable man. He cared for those that were a part of their family unit. He protected them fiercely. But he wouldn't allow himself to love or feel anything especially for Emmy. 

The things that he went through. From having such a miserable young life, because of the way that his mother treated him. To being deceived by the one person that he had decided to give his heart to at such a young age. 

There was so much that he suffered through. 

I have to say that I absolutely LOVE Harper Sloan. I love what she does and what she gives us. To me, it's such a precious gift. To be able to loose myself in a book. To feel so much while I read a book. To be able to laugh while I do so is amazing. I loved meeting the other Alpha characters. But to be able to experience Locke was something else. 

Slow Dance in Purgatory by Amy Harmon (8/20/14)

I went into this book not being sure... I moved forward because I had just recently finished a couple of her books and thought what could be the harm. Little did I know...

It instantly became one of my favorite books. I'm completely serious right now. I did nothing but laugh every time that Maggie would hear the "Oldies" music come over the intercom and start dancing to it. I fell in love with it.

"Maggie sashayed and boogie woogie'd down the hall with her mop, going all Tom Cruise in Risky Business".

She was such a strong heroine even though she had had a crappy young life. She lost her parents at the age of 10 and traveled and wandered through the foster care system for a while. That was until she was able to move in with her Aunt Irene.

Johnny Kinross... What can I say about this guy? Other than the fact that I fell in love with his character. He was absolutely amazing. I hate what he went thru to get where he was. Obviously it had to happen. But I hate that he had to suffer all by himself. He was a total ghost. Literally. He wandered through the School for almost 50 years. Until finally he was able to meet Maggie. I say meet because she was the first person that was able to See him and Talk to him.

The few contacts that they had at the beginning were quite wonderful. He got to save her from her imminent death once. At first she was hesitant, but then realized that he could harm her if he wanted to. Then they developed a lovely friendship. There friendship slowly but surely grew to something more. And it was beautiful but heartbreaking all at the same time. They suffered all the same.

"Maggie - if this were 1958, and none of this had ever happened, and I was just a guy and you were my girl... I would hold on to you and never let you go,' Johnny implored huskily, 'But it isn't 1958... and I am not just a guy, in love with his girl."

That RIGHT there completely broke my heart. I wanted to crawl through the book and knock some sense into him. But he was right.

Luckily for me and Johnny, everything seems to work out... I can't say much without giving that ending away. Boy was I sitting on the edge of my bed SCREAMING in my head...

Needless to say that I loved it. Absolutely enjoyed it. It's been a couple of weeks since I read it, and it's still with me. The whole story and characters.

Running Barefoot by Amy Harmon (8/20/14)

I honestly and truly believe that I have found one of the best books that I have read, and has become one of my favorites.

We start by meeting Josie Jensen at a very young age. Unfortunately for her, she finds sorrow and pain at such a young age. She basically has to grow up very fast and take care of her loved ones. But despite her troubles, she has a yearning and need for learning. She develops many talents. From understanding and mastering her need for music and playing the piano - to developing an unyielding love for reading and knowledge. 

Then we meet Samuel Yates. He is different in every aspect, so to speak. He is half white-half Navajo. He neither fits in the "white" world or in the "Navajo" world. He is judged and discriminated against where ever he goes. That is, until he meets 13 year old Josie on the back seat of a school bus. She gets picked on by an older boy, and Samuel kindly steps in. But quickly keeps to him self. 

Over time, they develop a "strange" friendship. I say "strange" because this happens while they read and analyze "Wuthering Heights" for an assignment that he has. Little by little, they become dependent on each other. 

I love how that friendship grows. It truly is beautiful in every sense. Josie teaches Samuel a lot. Most importantly how to let go of grudges and to be more than what every one else wants him to be. 

I like that she didn't take it any further with Josie being 13 and Samuel being 18. He joins the Marines right out of High School and is gone for several years. While he's gone, Josie falls in love again. Unfortunately for her, she experiences pain again. Samuel comes back after some time, and helps Josie like she did for him many years ago. 

The trials and troubles that they go through to get where they need to be amazes me. Thee were several times where I wanted to cry - some from heart ache, others from happiness. 

I love what Amy Harmon did with this. It's essentially what I look for in a book.  

Infinity + One by Amy Harmon (8/20/14)

I do have to say that I'm in love. I'm in love with Amy Harmon. With her books. With her characters. I had completely forgotten how much I enjoyed her writing style. That is until I remembered that she wrote Making Faces, which happens to be one of my favorite books.

I was captured from the very beginning. I love how the main characters were almost like a modern day Bonnie and Clyde. They went on a full adventure, without meaning to.

I love that Finn was a total math/number nerd. And Bonnie, well, she was a well know country singer. There was more that tied those two together, and it almost felt like it was their destiny. It was complete beautiful.

I couldn't get enough of them. I feel like the more you say about the story, the more you give away. And I honestly believe that this is one story that you should fully experience for your self.

A Different Blue by Amy Harmon (8/20/14)

"Once upon a time there was a little blackbird, pushed from the nest. Unwanted. Discarded."

I think I was hooked with just reading the Prologue. I wanted - NO - needed to know what had happened to the little girl sitting in the car, while her mother was plotting who knows what.

I felt a lot of pain and sorrow through out the entire book. I'm not saying that it was a horrible book. All I'm saying is that I certainly captured my emotions.

We get to meet Blue Echohawk, a senior in high school. A possible 19 year old. She has no idea who she is or where she came from. All she knows is that James Echohawk became her world when he took her in at a young age. He taught her every thing that she knows but left her alone again at a young age.

Needless to say, Blue has suffered a lot. She also doesn't fit in. But that's because she wants it that way. That is until the new History teacher - Mr. Darcy Wilson - at only 23 years old decides that he wants to help her.

I love how he approaches the situation and how he handles it. He becomes her constant and is there to support her through her trials.

"What we believe affects our choices, our actions, and subsequently, our lives".

I love how she overcomes those trials. But I think what I truly enjoyed the most was how this story came to a full circle. That was a definite tear-jerker for me. When she finally found out the truth about her past and who she really was.

There was "some" romance in this book. But I like that it wasn't all about it completely. It was about that little Blackbird learning how to spread her wings and taking on the sky.