The Ilia Stone

Summary:
Nia Williams could never have imagined the way her ordinary life would be turned upside down after the death of her grandfather. A chance find unwittingly has her discovering the truth of an ancient Greek myth, plunging her into a world where the legends she only read about in her history books become her reality. 

Plagued with a strange link to others’ past, she follows the path of an ancient artifact around the world and throughout time as it reveals its story to guide her to contain powers once thought lost to the rise of modern religion. 

Two men affected by the artifact vie for her allegiance; Gabriel, a man haunted by his own past, and smooth talking Viktor who wants Nia to embrace a life she never imagined. 

A love sacrificed… An impossible decision…

As lines blur between right and wrong, how much will Nia be willing to sacrifice?

Rating:

Review:

Everything started when Nia Williams an ordinary girl finding what she thought was an ordinary stone at her attic after her grand father's death. Little did she know that this will change her world upside down forever. When the stone cut her it made her immortal because this stone have all the powers of Greek Gods. But later she comes to know that she's not the only one, that there are two other people who want her for different reasons.

This book was well-written and interesting with its Greek myth inter wined along the modern world.
 After reading any book I always analyse  in order to like/love/hate  a character. But I left confused because I couldn't get a hang about Nia's character as she was irritating at first, straightened out later but numb and confused rest of the book.

But I got clarity and I think I like Nia more than I thought.
Nia was broken again and again through out the book without even healing from her previous scars.
Though Gabriel and Victor both loved her they never trusted her and considered The Ilia Stone as their priority.

"Don't listen to him,Nia. He's trying to manipulate you and use your humanity against you,"Gabriel pleaded.
Her smile fell as she met Gabriel's gaze the tsked him."He can no longer manipulate me with something that he's already taken."

 Both greatness and loss was thrust upon her at the very same time. Though Nia was always dependent on someone for her whole life she was strong and proved her strength at the right time with help of the stone.
 She is truly amazing and I hope that she gets what she wants because she deserve that after everything that she's been through.

"To not be angry anymore. To live life and be happy and not feel guilty about it. To not be alone. To love and be loved."

Even though she was confused, lost, numb most of the time and could hardly tell the difference between right or wrong she was sure that nobody should be affected by that bloody stone again. 

I hope that she'll be fine in the next book.


And now about Gabriel. I love him more than Nia.
He's the guys that's been tormented by his past and I can't even.........

*inhales and exhales deeply*
He's just amazing and read the book to find out why.


And about Victor.

He might be smooth talking and all but he is that kind of villain who thinks whatever he does is for a bigger purpose and all the people's life affected in the process doesn't  matter.
Let me tell you all that I HATE that kind of villain. And he took everything from Nia.
Glad that he got what he deserved.

So all got to say is that in the end I loved this book and it was a good read. Can't wait for 2nd book, especially after reading the sneak peek.

Cruel Beauty

Summary:
Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

Rating:

Review:
Where can I begin my love for this epic, fantastic fantasy novel?

To say in Beauty and Beast style
                               

Well let me begin with my list  

•  Characters who are complex yet lovable
•  Greek myth
•  Wonderful re-telling 
•  Realistic Romance
•  Kick-ass story

Initially I didn't plan to read this but everything changed when I read the summary. I started to read this with high expectations. And guess what? I'm not disappointed at all.
The story was dark, beautiful, with unexpected twist and turns that made me laugh, cry and actually care for those characters in one book.


Nyx was grown as a their kingdom's hope and mostly as a sacrifice which made her heart bitter, cold and determined but nonetheless she's truly amazing. Mostly she's conflicted between her duty and her feelings from heart. She's a bad-ass, strong character who's truthful about her own nature through out the book. I loved her honesty.

And about Ignifex

He's a demon who make deals and the cause for their kingdom's terrible fate. But.. but he's freaking awesome, romantic, truthful and dark too. The conversation between Nyx and Ignifex is something I always look forward too.


The plot was so interesting that had my eyes and hands glued to the book. It really had many amazing plot twists that made me want to finish it before the suspense starts eating my brain.

One little flaw that I felt is that I couldn't clearly understand the ending(or somewhat before the ending).
Maybe I would give it another try.

But other than that I'm thoroughly in love with this novel.

Starless Nights (Hale Brothers #2)

Summary:

Beau Hale 
She said that she was my best friend and then one day she wasn’t. Every day I live with the visible scars, but it’s the invisible ones that hurt the most. They are a constant reminder of everything I’ve lost as well as all the things that I’ll never have. I should be over this by now, it’s been years, but I can’t escape the memories that haunt me. Everyone around me is moving on with their life, so now I need to do the same. Tennis brought me to Columbia University, and I am quickly proving that I will not let anyone defeat me, past or present. I am in control now. Life has taught me the hard way to remember that. But after all this time, I’m still searching for an answer to the one question that is constantly burning in the back of my mind…why? 


Leila Starling 
He said that he was my best friend, and then one day he wasn’t. It took one moment to change my entire life. What I thought I knew became a lie and nothing was ever the same. Slowly, I picked up the pieces and focused on what I could control…me. I live in New York City and attend one of the world’s most prestigious fashion and design schools. Day after day, I am getting closer and closer to making my dreams come true. I did this all on my own and no one can ever take it from me. I know my future is bright, even if my heart is destined to stay in the dark. The dull ache that still lingers is my daily reminder to rely on no one but myself. Although, after all this time, I still can’t help but wonder…why? 

Rating:

Review:

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -George Bernard Shaw

I think this quote sums up the entire book.

I loved Beau in the first book and I was really excited to read about his story. But the second book didn't feel as special and beautiful as the first one. 
I can understand why there was so much misunderstanding, lack of communication and pain between them.
And in this book we can get to know more about Beau's dad's cruelty which made me really sad for the Hale brothers. 
My thought was that this book was decent with no romances errors or slips but it could have been better.
Overall it was a decent read and made  me curious to know more about Matt's story.

Love's Bitter Harvest

Summary:

Romance- The Ward Way

Matt and Katherine McCall were high-school sweethearts and in love from first kiss. But time changes people and sometimes the strongest seed of love can only harvest bitterness.

Fast forward four years--Katy has a new life far from the one she had with Matt. And she thought it was all worth it. 

Matt McCall's last four years were full of loss, doubt and sorrow. And now? He's only half the man Katy left behind.

Can love survive in hardened, bitter tainted soil? Or does it eventually die under the coldness of heart-break.

From critically acclaimed author Jas T. Ward, Dead Bound Publishing is proud to present-

Love's Bitter Harvest
Romance-The Ward Way

Rating:

Review:

Can a person fall in love with a story from its author's note? Well apparently I can.

Matt and Katy were this high school sweet hearts, made for each other category couple.

But everything changed when Katy made a decision. A decision that tore them apart (not that it’s her fault, there’s some part of McCall’s pride to blame too).

And with that their love for each also changed into this bitter, almost hatred for each other.

But when she happened to see Matt who's filled with all this bitterness, sorrow and loss she stays with him against his will and forced hatred because she thought she owe him that much. But love once again bloom against all the doubt, sorrow, loss and McCall’s pride.

 This might seem like a simple plot but the immensity of words and its pain is so real you can’t help but get engulfed into this heart breaking beautiful story. 

Matt wanted to hate her with all his heart because she broke him for good but deep down his love for her never died even he wished that was the case.

“Matt let out a soft sigh at the sight of the only woman he had ever loved lying there. The only woman he had ever lived for and would have died for sleeping so peacefully before his eyes. The only woman who had ever broken his heart and left him a broken man—long before the accident; it was just the nail that sealed the coffin of his grief and pain. A coffin that had been dug up through the mud of his soul the moment Katy had walked through that door, each step closer like the scrape of a shovel on the lid of his agonized entombment.”

“Katy couldn’t watch Matt like that—so desperately sad and lost. She turned around and curled up in the bed, dragging a pillow against her to bury her face. She had tried not to cry and had made herself a vow not to do it ever again after she had done so for days when she left Matt and their life behind. For four years she had kept that vow, until tonight. She could only guess why Matt had gone from one emotion to the next and how he had taken her right along with him, without even knowing it. The Matt she had always known was strong and stubborn. The same one that let her leave that spring day so long ago—never bending or swaying even when it was so desperately needed. To see him as she had just seen him and know she was responsible? More than Katy could even try to bear.”

I think this is precisely what’s been going through her head when she wrote this book.

  And this was me pretty much the whole time.

(No wine involved)

But the reason for 3.5 stars is that, though it’s beautiful and I got romantic flashbacks. I wanted more funny and happy ones too. Because without that I didn’t feel 100% connected with the characters.

Personal note to author: Sometimes funny/happy flashbacks are good.

And my personal favourite is that how both Matt and Katy valued their love more than their pride and career in the end.

I mean I always had this question like if love is all awesome and great why someone has to sacrifice their love for something like career for love life? I mean both are equally important right?

The answer lies within this book in the form of Matt’s parent’s love life, Matt and Katy’s love life.

I’m not explaining this because I obviously don’t want to spoil that awesome feels you get while reading the end part.

This story will not be all happy, rainbows and sunshine in fact it’ll be lot a painful, bitter and soul crushing. But the journey is worth it because we can see that no matter what love is always strong enough  to bloom anywhere and will make sweet harvest that will last forever.

  

Bounce: A Story from The Grid

Summary:
The exciting novella that ties into the popular Shadow-Keepers Series by Jas T. Ward-- BOUNCE. 

Wisdom says that one’s past makes one’s future. Both intertwine with the present to weave the cloth of one’s life in a tapestry of events that show the whole play of time. 

But what happens when a past is forgotten. The threads of memory hidden away to prevent the cloth of time from being unfolded as to prevent it from being ripped apart at the seams? 

Power can destroy. Power can create. But when powers with no known purpose are pushed too far, can a love for mankind save it? 

This is the story of Bounce. 

The god without a past. The god with an unspoken and unknown future. And a god with a destiny and the power to save us all. 

Shame he can’t remember that. 

But someone does. 

Rating:

I really loved it. Totally fell in love with Bounce.
This novella had great and epic myth intertwined with author's imagination just like Madness.
Jas T.Ward once again did her magic!
For people who read madness, this book is treat. They will definitely adore and cherish this. Madness had too many mysteries and the biggest one of all is the identity of Bounce. In this book we get to know Bounce's major life incidents which made me happy, sad, exciting well you can get the picture here and most importantly "THE ANSWER".
The revelation had me like

 It's amazing. These revelations are the kind where it pumps your blood with buzzing energy. I literally had to jump up and down to calm myself down. This novella is beautiful and it opens so much more possible epic story for the upcoming book.

I really loved how she included myth from all lore. 
 Can't wait for Lust!!!!!!!!!!

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.”