Shattered Legacy - Caitlyn Dare

 

Ruminations of an Insomniac..

I have read a few of Caitlyn's books, to date. And every single one held my attention for a very different reason. Our introduction into the world of the Gravestone Elite followed suit, keeping me completely intoxicated by every detail. Caitlyn handed us a world that felt almost tangible on a silver platter. A world filled with all sorts of unexpected. 

"The need to rebel burns through my veins like acid, as if my soul knows it’s wrong." - Mia Thompson 

Mia Thompson is a heroine I had a hard time connecting with. Not because of her foundation but because she felt fickle in the beginning. She is strong, smart and determined. But she's also so conflicted that it almost gave her rubber legs. Torn between her destined world and the one she actually wants, the girl has so much going on. I don't quite fully understand her yet, but I am dying to learn more about her as her story unfolds. As for her counterpart? It was again unexpected, but I am so here for it! Bexley fills out the story like I don't think any other could quite accomplish. With every page, he grows in some way or another.

By the end of this book, Bexley is larger than life and Mia is frantically seeking the connection that only he can give her. I lost track of the number of times I gasped or whispered "nooooooo" while reading Shattered Legacy. And I was straight up panicking at 95% when I realized this was going to have a cliffhanger. But thankfully, more of the story is coming very soon! When I tell you that I'm counting down the days until Tarnished Crown?? Is it April yet?

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 9/10
Flow: 10/10
Plot: 9/10 

Overall: 9/10

Currently available on Kindle (and Kindle Unlimited).

Synopsis

Mia Thompson wants only one thing: to survive Gravestone University, graduate, and get far far away from her hometown and its archaic traditions.

But she’s about to become a pawn in a game she doesn’t understand.

Bexley Danforth wants only one thing: to keep his head down, survive four years at college, and get far far away from his past and the mistakes that haunt him.

But he’s about to become an initiate in a test he might not survive.

One fateful night entwined their lives on a path neither of them saw coming... and now she can’t forget about the guy who made her feel worthy, and he can’t forget about the girl who can never be his.

But the things about rules?

They’re made to be broken.


Shattered Lies is the first book in the Gravestone Elite trilogy. It contains mature content that some readers may find disturbing. You have been warned.

Change My Game - Kelsey Clayton

Ruminations of an Insomniac.. 

Change My Game was a LOT. I really can't put it any other way. I loved the character growth and the story tugged at my heart. But there was just so much to unpack in the process. History. Pushback. Resentment. Trauma responses all over. Loss. And at the center of it all are 3 lifetime best friends, treading water.

Jace is a disaster. Like epically so. But the synopsis could tell you that much. His character development was the one that I loved the most. He hurts a lot of people through the course of his growth, but love is a fickle thing. It's all too common for someone to lash out at those who love them most when they get backed into a corner. And Jace is no exception. Most of all he hurts his cradle to grave best friend, Carter. And the one and only Paige. She also has a lot going on. I found myself questioning her a lot, but also deeply understanding some bits of her fiber. She was infuriatingly frustrating at times, but I also broke and cried with her at others.

"Trust me, baby. I don't want anything to do with me either." - Jace London

All in all, I had to finish this book. I absolutely needed to see these characters through. I got so wrapped up in them that unpacking ALL that was Change My Game felt worth it. Like I said, it was a lot. The pages were filled with hard hitting things, so I will leave my fair warning. Kelsey Clayton made so much of it feel real. Would I respond to anything in this story how the characters did? I don't believe so. But I also remember how it felt, especially emotionally, to be 20-21 and that recollection is what made this prose work for me.  

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 8/10

Flow: 7/10

Plot: 8/10 

Overall: 8/10

Please note that there are several potential trigger subjects in Jace and Paige's story. 

Currently available on Kindle (and Kindle Unlimited).

Synopsis:

My name is Jace London,

And I may have screwed up.

I’ve always been the guy who had it all.

Privilege, entitlement, and a life of luxury.

But after one college night gone tragically wrong,

Nothing has ever been the same.

Everyone thinks I should be happy.

With a trust fund like mine, who could be sad?

But no one knows what’s going on with me,

Or the nightmares that keep me awake at night.

I finally found salvation in a parent’s worst nightmare.

The only thing to ease the pain just enough to breathe.

My friends are worried I’m going to ruin myself.

What they don’t realize, is I’m already dead inside.

Now they’re ready to pull out all the stops,

Including a therapist that gets paid an ungodly price.

No amount of money can bring back the guy I was,

But the girl that got away might be enough to try.

Gorgeous, strong, and confident to a fault.

If anyone can save me from myself, it’s her.

Change My Game is a standalone and part of the North Haven University series. It deals with sensitive topics that may be triggering for some readers.

Damien, Forever - Tempest Phan

Ramblings of a Bookworm...

I don't even know where to begin... Damien James Mortensen stole my heart from page 1. Halfway through chapter 1, I knew I wouldn't make it out of this novel tear-free, and boy was I right... I have a soft spot for the damaged bad boys, and the more ink and piercings, the better - both of which he had in spades.

Tempest Phan sent me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions - the good, the bad, and the ugly. Just when things start looking up, everything comes crashing down again to start at square one.

There is so much more to my boy of whispers, all of it carefully layered and hidden from the world. - Mirabella Davenport

Soft spoken, dark, and brooding, Damien is every girl's secret fantasy and every dad's worst nightmare. With demons that I could never even begin to fathom coupled with a heart of gold, paired with Bella's kind soul and the patience of a saint, they are a force to be reckoned with.

She deserved so much better than a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. She deserved caviar and champagne and luxurious getaways. Not a run-down shack and nights filled with nightmares and demons. - Damien Mortensen

This slow burn friends to lovers masterpiece put me through the wringer, and easily soared to my top 5 of 2020 - a book I will happily read again and again.

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 10/10

Plot: 10/10

Flow: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

*Available on Kindle and Kindle Unlimited*

Synopsis 

An angsty, friends-to-lovers, second-chance romance with a dash of new adult and a twist of rockstar.

Damien

She's everyone's favorite princess. Gorgeous girl next door. Homecoming queen. But to me, she'll always be so much more. The light in my dark, my best friend, my everything. But there's one thing she can't ever be. And that's mine. Because I'll make damn sure to keep my filthy hands off her. Even if it kills me.

Bella

He's the boy of broken whispers. The one dripping ink. The one sowing fear. But to me, he'll always be so much more. The music in my soul, my best friend, my everything. And pretty soon, he'll be between my sheets, too. Because what baby girl wants, she gets. Just watch.

The Villian - LJ Shen

Ruminations of an Insomniac..

You know what I think my favourite part of LJ Shen books is? I could say the robust characters. I may note the steam that is off the charts. The intricate details warrant mention. But more than all that, the quick wit and verbal sparring that float seamlessly through the dialogue? That's my favourite part.

Persephone Penrose appears to the text book definition of the pre-k teacher she is. Overshadowed and underseen because of an exuberant sibling. But the girl is more than meets the eye. She is brimming with fire, matching Cillian turn for turn. And no one can walk through fire quite like Hades. He thrives when surrounded by it. 

"There were twenty-seven emotions? That seemed completely unmanageable." - Cillian Fitzpatrick 

On the surface, they couldn't be more different. His icy demeanor and her undeniable warmth should, theoretically clash like titans. But her fire scorches through him, burning down the barriers he had worked so hard to construct. The moment I turned the final page, I wanted to start it over, just to stay submerged in their world, in their story for a while longer. Once again, LJ Shen bewitched me. 

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 10/10 (Even LJ Shen's villainous men shatter me) 

Flow: 10/10

Plot: 10/10 

Overall: 10/10

Currently available on Kindle (and Kindle Unlimited).

Synopsis:

Cruel. Coldblooded. Hades in a Brioni suit.

Cillian Fitzpatrick has been dubbed every wicked thing on planet earth.
To the media, he is The Villain.
To me, he is the man who (reluctantly) saved my life.
Now I need him to do me another, small solid.
Bail me out of the mess my husband got me into.
What’s a hundred grand to one of the wealthiest men in America, anyway?
Only Cillian doesn’t hand out free favors.
The price for the money, it turns out, is my freedom.
Now I’m the eldest Fitzpatrick brother’s little toy.
To play, to mold, to break.
Too bad Cillian forgot one, tiny detail.
Persephone wasn’t only the goddess of spring; she was also the queen of death.
He thinks I’ll buckle under the weight of his mind games.
He is about to find out the most lethal poison is also the sweetest.

The Not-Outcast - Tijan

Ruminations of an Insomniac..

I will admit, this one threw me at first. While I read the beginning of the book, I found myself questioning, “This is Tijan, right?” I’ve been a fan of her work for a long time now, so I put my trust in her as an author and kept reading. And I’m so beyond glad that I did. The writing style in the very beginning is intentional and absolutely necessary. I won’t tell you why, but it 100% aides in painting an accurate picture in this story.

Cheyenne is complex. There is no other way to put it. She is a beautiful creature, at every level of her being. And the girl barely realizes it. She is a forged steel blade. Stunning, but dangerous if not handled with care. Then he skates into her life, or back in I should say, and both of their existences shift. Cut may be an athlete; however he is anything but the stereotype. This giant man brought me to tears, baring his soul. The dynamic of the two of them made me wish for more people in the world to find a love like that. A love that isn’t all sunshine, but one that is real and raw. One that pushes and pulls but at the end of the day, the effort and understanding is what will always stand out.

“But damn, I just wanted to be loved. And he was here. And he had stayed.” - Cheyenne

Stars align in this second chance (sort of?) sports romance. Tijan, once again, amazed me with this one. The depth of the prose and the vivid dynamic characters are everything. She challenged & captivated me with her words. And because of how hard and deep I fell in love, my personal top ten this year would be absolutely incomplete without The Not Outcast.

Rating:

Book boyfriend: 10/10
Flow: 10/10
Plot: 10/10 
Overall: 10/10

Currently available on Kindle (and Kindle Unlimited).

Synopsis:

Cutler Ryder was everything I wasn't.

He was the hockey star. I was an outcast.
He was best friends with my stepbrother, that same stepbrother who hated me.
His two parents loved him. My mom was a junkie. My dad barely knew me.

Years passed.
I got my life together.
Cut went onto NHL stardom.

Then there was a text.
I was drinking.
There was a party.
Cut was there...

I loved Cutler Ryder since the first moment I saw him.
The only problem? He never knew I existed.

Kiss To Forget - Anna B. Doe

Ruminations of an Insomniac.. 

A Kiss to Forget was absolutely nothing like I was expecting. It was so much more. It’s the kind of story you read when you need to lose yourself for a little while. At least that’s how it felt to me. Anna B. Doe broke my heart, hard. But I promise, there was profound beauty in the breaking.

Sometimes things need to be broken, so they can be stronger from mending. And that, I believe, is the case for Yasmin and Nixon. They are both strong and stubborn. She’s serious but soft. The only thing he seems to be serious about is a good time (and maybe football). That is, until light is shed on his truth. In that light, his character is just as vast and complicated as hers.

"She's not fighting her storm, she's become it. Beautiful in unleashed anger." - Nixon Cole

Their story made my heart ache, for so many reasons. But it was also filled with notes of hope and growth. Change and acceptance, in so many different avenues, were absolutely catalysts in this book. I will read this one again, guaranteed. Probably when I need to be reminded that people are usually more than they seem at face value. But not just then. Because my heart has broken wide open for a hurricane of a girl and a boy who learns to dance in the rain. And I know I won’t be able to leave them for long.

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 9/10 
Flow: 9/10
Plot: 10/10 

Overall: 9.5/10

Currently available on Kindle (and Kindle Unlimited).

Synopsis:

Something about her drew him in from the start.

Yasmin Hernandez—4.0 student, hard worker, volunteer. Starting Blairwood University is her chance at a new beginning. It doesn’t matter that it’s all a lie, does it?

Nixon Cole has it all—money, good looks, charm and a national championship win to wrap it all up. But there is more hiding behind his charming smile than he lets on.

Until he found out the secret she’s been hiding.

Nixon has had a thing for Yasmin from the moment they met, but she isn’t about to let another player near her heart. When a chance encounter reveals his secret, Yasmin will realize they have more in common than either of them thought.

Kiss by kiss they’ll forget reality. Will it be enough to save them, or will it be the cause of a broken heart?

 

Break Me - Meagan Brandy

Ruminations of an Insomniac.. 

Royce Brayshaw stole my heart, as a secondary character in his brother's stories. But his story? Tore it out, stomped on it, ran it over a couple times for good measure, then kissed it better and handed it back to me wrapped in the most exquisite bow. The tale of how the last (but definitely not least) Brayshaw brother found love absolutely slayed me. And is definitely one of my top 3 of 2020! 

“He wants to love, but he’s not capable of loving lightly. It’s not in his nature. He’s explosive, and he knows it, but you know that, too.” - Raven Brayshaw

Royce has been my favourite for a long time, that's no secret. The funny playboy, with a heart full of worries and secrets. But nothing could have prepared me to witness everything he is in this book. And Brielle is literally the only one who could have given us all these new facets of him. A legitimate burst of light, with a unique ability to break down his stoic walls. 

"Help me fly, ‘cause this lost boy is on his way down, baby girl...” - Royce Brayshaw 

The way Meagan wrote the dynamic of these two is almost poetic. Their story is an emotional hurricane. One that had the power to evoke boisterous laughter and bring me to tears, on several occasions. It was a profound honour to step into their world once again and watch as these two polar opposites unraveled each other. Because what they are, re-twined together, is nothing short of extraordinary. 

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 15/10 (what can I say, he's my favourite) 

Flow: 10/10

Plot: 10/10 

Overall: 10/10

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Ramblings of a Bookworm..

I've spent the past 24 hours processing and still have a bit of a book-hangover after finishing this one, so bear with me.

Royce captured my heart and soul from the very beginning of this series and I've been anxiously awaiting his book, and let me tell you - it was worth the wait. Diving into his mind after only witnessing the facade he puts on externally was truly an experience, and just like Pam, Break Me is in my top 3 reads of 2020.

       "...I never claimed to be the sane one, that's Captain. Maddoc is the angry alpha, and me, I'm the fuckin' wild one." - Royce Brayshaw

We've known Royce as the wild child, the party animal, the one who jokes at inappropriate times to lighten the situation, but he is so much more than that. A darkness that tugs on your heartstrings and makes you want to hug him or slap him several times throughout. And then comes Brielle...

       "I'm so sick of good and I don't want calm. I want a hurricane." - Brielle Bishop

The brightest star in the darkest night, and a goodness that could melt even the coldest of hearts, she is a force to be reckoned with. I don't think any other character would have been a good enough match for out boy. Wise beyond her years, and the patience of a damn saint, she is the yin to his yang, no matter how hard he tries to deny it.

Rating:

Book Boyfriend: 10/10

Flow: 10/10

Plot: 10/10 

Overall: 10/10

Currently available on Kindle (and Kindle Unlimited).

Synopsis:

I had a plan, and it was solid. 

Track down what was hidden away and take pleasure in toying with it. Toying with her. 

It worked like a charm. Until it didn’t. 

Turned out, the feisty little thing I found was far from what I hoped for. She was different from all I knew and more than I expected. She was light, and I’m the bastard who led her into darkness. But this girl... she followed with a smile. 

I told her I break pretty things. 

She asked me to promise.