Madness (Shadow-Keepers)

Got to love the cover I mean you can totally judge the book by its cover and you won't be disappointed.

Summary:
A Darkly Sweet, Twisted Retelling of The Beauty and the Beast.  

A night could change everything. 
Consume a cold heart in heat… 
Open a heart that has been closed… 
Intertwine two lives for a lifetime…and beyond. 

The only thing Reno Sundown has ever known is pain. How to take it and how to use it. He was created that way and once his purpose was done, he was locked away. Never had he known good, laughter, love until he met her. 

Emma Devenmore has always focused on one thing, family. The eldest of her sisters, she has made life centered on protection. Protecting her family and doing her job of protecting others. A love story was never in her plans, until she met him. 

By chance, their paths cross and both were forever changed. A Beauty left yearning for a Beast, who had opened her up to something she had never dreamed of. 

A Beast left wanting for a Beauty, who had unlocked emotions he never knew possible, and never was supposed to know existed. 

Once paths are crossed, can they ever be uncrossed? Once they are crossed, are they destined to grow together? Or can they only be consumed by complete Madness?

Rating:

Review:

If you are looking for an ever entertaining and interesting book that can suck you into its world, then this is the book. Even though romance has a dominant hand in this book I loved the collaboration of our world with the author’s interesting Grid system. With all the cool myth and suspense showed in this book, I can’t wait to read the next instalment.

Reno - Sweet, hot, sexy, innocent guy who can make you swoon over him without even him intending to.

And then there’s Sundown(Reno’s split personality) who’s bloody funny and major kickass.

Together it’s the perfect combination.

But apart from this what made me love Reno more is his attitude towards life and how content he’s with the life he has. He’s insecure like a little boy which made me feel.

Normally too sweet/hot heroes make me wanna puke but Reno is different. You guys will know the difference when you read this book.

And then there’s Emma, Reno’s love of life. She’s strong and doesn't take crap and thank Ward she's not a doormat. Imagine my relief.

I love how the romance between Reno and Emma was portrayed beyond sexual appeal or sex. And made me wonder, “Is there a mystery hiding behind this?”.

The other characters were also portrayed in such a way that it was as if I've known these characters for a long time. Like Bounce who’s frustrated from his lack of memory and the past that's haunting him, Bella who lost her father, Jess who makes tough decisions if it’s the right thing to do and of course Sophie the Rugrat who might turn into a biggest plot twist too.

Portrayal of Gods like Yin Yang, Omega, Epsilon, and Lucifer were wait for it....

Especially Epsilon character fascinated me with his madness and revenge thoughts.

But some things were confusing at start which turned me off a bit yet no worries because it all gets cleared at the end of the book

Like I said before, this book have so many potential mysteries which can turn the story into any direction.

I can’t wait to read Lust. Thanks to Jas.T Ward for creating such an amazing world.

And last but not least I think I found the perfect gif of how Reno felt most of the time.
And oh boy  he had no idea what was inside him.

Vacation

Summary:

Dr. William Koval, a pragmatist with little faith in humanity, prefers to dwell in the eerily comforting microscopic realm, where he is master of his domain. But his worldview is upended when he decides to go on the English walking tour his wife had been planning before her murder three years earlier. Only when William confronts his past, including his troubled marriage, will he find a way to rejoin the living, to move forward, and perhaps love again. The real journey, he discovers, lies within.

Rating:

Review:

For J.C.Miller's awesome writing.

Vacation is one of thosepowerful compelling novels where you get sucked in and so consumed that you can’t think about anything until you finish reading it.

And I felt deep connection with William. And truth to be told it’s been so long since I got connected deeply with a character. As the story navigates I found myself in those places through the author’s lively and artful words.

The main characters or the others weren’t portrayed as perfect either in looks or character. But she managed to bring life and true beauty out of those characters.

Small things like Will’s lack of planning, frustration towards travelling and the time where he almost tried to flee from London were funny and memories of Kathleen both bringing smile and haunting him at the same time is heart-wrenching. He’s going through life transition and it wasn’t clumsy at all. Miller portrayed his life as elegant as a butterfly’s transition.

I loved it even more when the Vacation was turning into more than something mundane. He sees Annie, a brilliant woman who has no interest in him according to Will but their attraction towards each other is so obvious to their travel companions.

Will’s passion towards science and the way he relates everything to science makes him more real. Even though I loved the Bloodstones, just like Will I got a wee bit angry when they interrupted Will’s moments with Annie. The description is so vivid that at times I felt like I was literally going on that vacation.

When things finally got started between Will and Annie I was really joyful and started making happy noises for which I got weird looks from my family members. And then comes the ultimate twist from fate, and I was like ‘REALLY’ and internally screamed ‘WHY?’. I hate fate. It’s cruel.

“Principles of biology and physiology-humanity could be defined within these constructs. But human emotions were altogether different. They changed and blurred. They were permeable and messy. Muddy. Maddening.”

To put it out in Liz’s words

“My God, Koval, I can only imagine. As if you haven’t had enough shit for one lifetime.”

Liz and Will friendship is amazing and well-written. She was supportive to Will no matter what. Their friendship showed that busy schedule doesn’t affect friendship. When we his flashbacks of Kath it’s clear that Will wasn’t the one to take things to next level or isn’t a big fan of confrontation. But the happiness which he got from Annie made him more dauntless. Although he struggled even with his new found bravery he finally called Annie to patch things up.

I did hated Annie wee bit for giving Will a hard time even though sheknew about Will’s pain. But I respected Annie because she was treated badly and she held her dignity. Annie’s childhood wasn’t great either which gives reason for her self-doubt and fear of especially in relationship with Will. But Will isn’t ready to lose his love and happiness not this time. He got through his fear of confronting and that ‘place and person’ which was haunting him. He chased Annie and made bold moves so that she had no choice but to get through her own fear and love him with whole heart giving no place for fear or doubts.

This book is about life-transition of a person who faced the extremities of life. Seeing numbness and beauty through Will’s mind is both soul-crushing and beautiful.

Favourite quotes:

“What was it about gay men that women flock to them? Envy stabbed at William’s chest.”

“What did it matter? His future was as grey as the English sky.”