Finding Eden is the prequel to Beyond Eden and I’m in awe where Kele Moon has taken both Paul and Danny. The journey is tumultuous at best but at some points it was soul baring raw. Via a fluent and alluring writing style there were no barriers between me and the story. Kele Moon poured this incredibly moving story of two flawed characters to paper that echoed long after I finished it.I already knew Paul and Danny from Beyond Eden, so I was aware of certain character traits. Like Paul being too giving and has no boundaries in his sexual preferences. Or that Danny has utter foot-in-mouth moments making him a jerk on occasion. I knew who Paul and Danny were yet in Finding Eden they still managed to affect me in new ways. It is mainly because more attention is given to their home situation and it was gritty. It speaks of alcohol and physical abuse which both leave a profound mark on these two young men. Paul is this double-edged persona of light and darkness. He is an all-American golden boy. He is a straight A student, a star football player, does charity work and is charming. Even while the charming, giving personality traits are an essential part of Paul it is countered with a hunger for pain, for being dominated. Paul needs this to function, and in this his struggles are intimately portrayed by the author. Kele Moon gave me the innermost self of Paul and allowed me to understand who he was, where his needs stemmed from and why he was the man he was. Paul struck a chord with me in his vulnerability, in his needs, and in doing so he completely won me over!
Danny had the same effect on me just in a whole other way. Danny is the bad boy, the one who gets all the chicks between the sheets with a devil-may-care attitude. He needs no one but behind that exterior attitude I found a man who was capable of loving so deeply, it just blew me away. Danny might not befriend easily or fall in love easily but when he does…oh my, he makes my romantic heart go in to overdrive. Danny loves in his own unique way, it may not be full of roses and daisies but a powerful love that will go the distance and beyond! I relished in how Kele Moon laid him bare for me in his struggles. Paul needs something from Danny which he is not easily giving in to. Namely satiating Pauls need for pain and being dominated. Danny makes mistakes but, like with Paul, I was inside his psyche where I got to understand and feel where it all came from.
I went through each struggle, each painful or joyful moment and I watched a friendship alter in a fiercely dark erotic romance. To say the dynamics between Paul and Danny was completely grabbing me would be an understatement. They created a synergy of emotional and sexual hunger which only they together could satisfy. I inhaled it! Due to Paul’s pain fetish and the raw moments it provides a darker side to the eroticism. Yet the eroticism is also titillating, naughty, provoking and seductively sexy! It’s a one of a kind blend where Kele Moon takes the sexy and roots it in profound emotions between characters who have an intense connection that deepens with each moment shared. The dialogues are brimming with male banter, quick wit and the characters personality. The verbal clash of these two personalities created quite the firework and my eyes devoured it.
There is also a minimum secondary cast whom support the journey of Paul and Danny but never detracted the attention from them. Secrets gradually get revealed and sets up the main conflict. This is whether Danny can provide what Paul needs and it is masterfully elaborated and unfolds a situation where emotions and darkness peaks. There is nothing I want more than an author letting me into the world of the characters and allow me to get to know them in a very intimate way. Kele Moon gives me that and so much more. There is no way to describe how Paul and Danny got under my skin and let me feel a range of emotions. They come alive for me as I read Finding Eden. The whirlwind of feelings with the characters raged inside me as well. Like I mentioned earlier; there is no filter between the story and me. I absorbed the intricate storylines and characterization with no regard for my surrounding. I just was that captivated by the powerful voice of these characters. It turned me in to a ravenous reader and even though the happy for now ending worked like a charm for me, I wanted more. It felt like Finding Eden was just the beginning, that the story of the D/s relationship expanding was yet to come. As I found out, this will happen in Claiming Eden.
I crave ‘outside the box’ romance with extraordinary and flawed characters. I revel in a complex situation meshed with mind-blowing ecstasy. Have it all amplified by an imaginative writing style and I have readers bliss written all over my face. Kele Moon hits the bull’s with all of the above! Finding Eden is gritty, it will take you through the dark recesses of the characters soul before a HFN will have you close the book. It will put you through the emotional wringer but delivers a story where you’re accepted and loved exactly for who you are. This is what romance is all about!
4.5 stars
He didn’t want to be that person. He certainly didn’t want to turn into one willing to damage something so ethereally gorgeous just to hold Paul close. Danny had wanted him for as long as he could remember, had watched from a distance and hoped and prayed for a chance at tasting the divine. Now here Paul was, naked and sated in Danny’s bed, and the only thought he had about it was that God had to be a twisted bastard.
Wearing only a pair of jeans, Danny sat by the front door straightening a beer bottle. He turned the label outward on touch alone as he stared ahead unseeing. This was what he was destined to be, a heartbroken shell of a man living in a hollowed-out home, lining up bottles.
“Your ass belongs to me. I’ve suffered for it. I’ve loved you forever. I deserve it,” Danny went on, his voice a low mixture of anger and desire. “I don’t ever want you getting from another man what you can get from me. You hear me, Paul Guy, it’s mine.”
“Yeah,” Paul choked, shifting beneath Danny, aching for him. “I hear you.”
Paul forgot what he had been trying to get from Danny to begin with. His back was burning and his cock was hard. Danny felt amazing over him, all muscle, raw strength and untamable fury. He wanted to cling to him, to hold Danny closer. More so, he wanted to reach down and push off the boxer shorts he wore, craving the feeling of being bare and vulnerable.
!!WARNING!! This review can contain spoilers if you haven't read The Witching Hour!!
In Lasher, Anne Rice immediately picks up where she left me in The Witching Hour. The first half of the story there are lots of events rapidly following each other. Of course things happen which are dark, which stretch the boundaries and speak of untold mysteries. Especially the erotic encounter between Michael and teenager Mona may go against the grain for some readers. The storytelling holds this fusion of distinctive, edgy characters in a strange situation that defies logic, which is all happening against the lush setting of New Orleans that ensnares me so. The vibe Anne Rice creates is unlike anything I have ever read! Michael, Rowan, Aaron, Lasher, Mona all come alive via this authors voice. I may not always understand their actions, I may not always agree with them but the affect me nonetheless.
As the title of this episode suggest the focus is on Lasher. Not only did I get his present but I also got his past. While he may have held me between love and hate for his persona in The Witching Hour, he has tipped that scale to hate in his own story. Even when he relays his own past he fails to redeem himself. And believe me, Anne Rice gradually laid all of him bare for me to take in. Weighing his past, his present, his feeling and his actions. But his actions are so self-served. The contempt Lasher shows for life and for the Mayfairs, the very people he claims to love and serve, is despicable. He uses them as he sees fit and it made him an SOB of the first order! I could only take in the strife and anguish he rained down on the Mayfairs in the hope he would get his comeuppance. He was truly one of those formidable adversary who makes me cheer for the other side.
Anne Rice keeps adding or deepening the backstory of the main cameo of characters. Especially all powerful Mayfair, Julien, has an important role to play. His life intrigued me so in The Mayfair Hour but it wasn't told in depth until now. Satisfying my everlasting curiosity. In the second half of the story she peels away layers of mystery and secrets in a more languid pace of storytelling. It weaves its own kind of magic with rich settings, various time periods and again the mesmerizing characters. The mythology behind this second story in The Mayfair Trilogy speaks to my imagination. I love Celtic lore and though I don't know if it is based on an actual lore, Anne Rice makes me believe it is so.
The Mayfair family have a lot to deal with but they also discover some truths about their own lineage. Michael, the tragic hero was a true Irish bleeding heart. His convictions and his love for Rowan burns fierce, even if he has his weak moment. I wanted him to succeed, to be reunited again because faults and all, he is a man who is the veritable rock in the ocean. I thought he could weather it all and through sheer tenacity could achieve his hearts desires. All the other characters tribute to Michael and Rowan's journey in one way or another. Even when Mona becomes a key characters in the future storyline, even with other Mayfair women paying a steep price, it is Michael and Rowan's love for each other that becomes a shining beacon amidst all the hurt, darkness and power play.
Lasher has quite a plan and part of the suspense is; will he succeed or not? There are three big parties involved, namely Lasher himself, the Talamsca and the Mayfairs. Each has an own agenda and wants to find out certain truths. And if they get in the way of one another, well violence is also a part of Anne Rice's storytelling. Casualties will fall but it only got me more emotionally invested and rooting for various characters. The Talamasca, for all that I knew about them, there was so much more I didn't! They definitely triggered my conspiracy button and I never trust them further then I can see them. They are just as much an integral part as the Mayfairs and Lasher but only till the end truths were revealed that shed a different light on the Talamasca. I may not like it but it gives fuel for thought and probably story # 3; Taltos.
With Lasher, Anne Rice gave me an attention grabbing story that takes me even deeper in to the world of the Mayfairs. It may not have made me eat, sleep and breathe the story like The Witching Hour did but it was a worthy successor!
For four days I have been consumed by the imaginative force that Anne Rice contains. The Mayfairs are not a simple family saga. It is where the occult meets fascinating characters whom are manipulated by a spirit and are watched by a mysterious order. The Witching Hour is a twelve hundred page long story and it is divided up in four episodes. The first introduces some key characters and sets up the mystery. The second part takes us back how it all began and the readers bears witness of all that happened in the Mayfair family. The third part takes us back to the present where the romance between Michael and Rowan deepens. And the fourth part is where the plotline of Lasher culminates and gives birth to the second story in this trilogy.Since this is such a monstrous length story it will take the endurance of a reader. The beginning might be confusing with its cameo of characters and it will take quite a few chapters to get a grasp of the storyline. This is why I loved the very gradual pace of the detailed storytelling. Anne Rice allowed me to accumulate to the extensive setup of this story. It all begins in New Orleans with Deidre Mayfair. The fact she is a shell of herself is a mystery to me and various characters relay their memories of her and "the dark-haired man". I instantly got the sense there was more to this man and my curiosity flared. Questions popped in my mind how Deidre got so doped up, sitting in her chair, day in and day out. What happened to her? Who was that man at her side and what was the Talamsca? Slowly but surely I got entangled by the sumptuous storytelling. There was a mystery to unravel and dark events to come to understand and surely Anne Rice courted my curiosity with it. I wanted to know how all the things were interconnected; how did the blooming romance between Michael Curry and Rowan fit in with all that happened in that house on first street New Orleans?
This is what the second episode did. It gave me the extensive history of the Mayfair witches. How they grew from one woman who did a ritual to a rich, powerful and extensive clan. I loved the attention to detail, the lush time periods and settings. Via the Talamsca, an order who observes all things occult, I got an intimate portrayal of each strong Mayfair witch. Their history goes from Ireland, to France, then a daughter flees to Saint Domingue and ultimately the Mayfairs end up in New Orleans. Deborah, Charlotte, Jeanne-Louise, Angelique, Marie-Claudette; each had their strength and weaknesses. The Talamasca's observations got an intimate twist when one of their own got involved with the Mayfair witches very early on. Anne Rice imbeds story twists of incest, of cultivating a family line that ultimate results in the strongest witch ever. It may not be for every reader but the dark twisted elements, the sometimes crazed characters, their flawed perception and actions just mesmerized me. Each new mystery, each account or personal experience led me deeper into the world of the Mayfairs.
I was fascinated by the distinctive voices of the characters, rekindling the past and present events. There were various point of views, from the Talamsca to the individual characters like Petyr van Abel, Aaron, Rowan, Michael, Carlotte. Ever so slowly each point of view construes a complete picture for me. Sometimes I seriously disliked a character for certain actions, like I did Carlotte Mayfair. Yet later on via her POV she sheds a different light on the matter. It doesn't make her more likeable but it gives me one more piece to fit in the puzzle. It also happened that I liked characters like Julien or Cortland but later on I was divulged of information that gave way to their dark side. I was fascinated by the multi-dimensional characterization. I feel like I'm barely touching upon the extensive cast of characters or all the major and minor story threads. The Witching Hour just swallowed me up whole and released me in awe. I was on edge, many things didn't seem what it was and often I felt like one of the Talamasca, slowly unraveling this enigmatic yet disturbing family. Their history is brimming with power play, the occult, violence, eroticism and the devilish scheming of one apparition. I was absorbed wholly and I had no objection to it.
While many characters come, play their part, and go, three characters are a constant for me. Aaron Lightner from the Talamsca whose pleasant demeanor and quiet strength instills trust. Michael Curry who was a restorer of old homes and a self-made millionaire. He is a charismatic and intelligent man who is very likable. Rowan Mayfair does not only have an indomitable will and has a logical mind, there is an ever present hint of danger that kept me on my toes. The third and fourth part bring me back to the present where Michael and Rowan's story continues, but while love burns bright I also got a sense of foreboding. There are atmospheric scenes that give of the subtle warning of an eerie danger. Because I now know the past I am forewarned and wonder. Lasher may not be a character who is much in the spotlight dialogue wise, his presence does have a profound effect on the characters and storyline. He is an unknown factor who amps up the tension what will happen with Rowan.
With that fourth part Anne Rice masterfully leads me to an ending where romance had its beautiful moments, where I cried out in anguish and I was sitting on the edge of my seat. I was so in to the story, in to the world this author created with all these colorful characters, I lived each moments with them. The intricate plotlines reach a pinnacle in The Witching Hour which is rife with torment and with finally knowing some definite answers. I knew there and then this story and these main characters would not let me go until I read both Lasher and Taltos as well. This is the magic of Anne Rice. She writes an absorbing tale I just have to see to the end, for better or worse! I know this author will give me much more darkness before there is some light. She'll make me step outside my boundaries, give me much more craziness but also a story that is so rich it will overwhelm all my reader senses.
Anne Rice doesn't give me conventional. Not in the characters, not in the romance, not in eroticism or in the plotlines. I was spellbound by it all from start to finish!
4.5 stars
 - Anne Rice)
Sometimes the mood strikes me for an intense contemporary romance, nail biting suspense and leap-of-the-pages characters, which is all poured in to my mind with imaginative storytelling. On such an occasion The Missing popped in to my view from my shelves. I cracked the spine, started reading the first chapter and from there, Shiloh Walker delivered all I wanted from a PNR suspense.The story begins in the summer of 1992 with a blossoming vacation romance between young adults Cullen Morgan and Taige Branch. I was immediately absorbed by the gradual budding and deepening attraction. To see Taige and Cullen's personalities alter through various circumstances in to adulthood gave me smiles, deep sighs and heartache. The setup of the story is formidable, the backstory of both characters rich and it made the impact of the break up between them even more devastating.
The only paranormal element in The Missing is the fact Taige has a psychic ability. Even though it was the only element in the story it still was an integral part. Taige as a teenager is dealing with her ability as best as she can. Cullen's reaction to it is very open and it actually strengthens their bond, but then Shiloh Walker developed a conflict that ripped my heart out. Over the course of the chapters I became very attached to both main characters. Each in their own way is so very likable which made me root for Taige and Cullen as a couple! Their individual feelings and actions are understandable in the anxious moments but to see them apart was heart breaking.
Then the story fast forwards years to the spring of 2008 and Taige and Cullen are adults now. Cullen is a widower with a daughter who is kidnapped. It throws them back together again with issues to resolve other than the kidnapping of Jillian. I thought the kidnapping was actually quite easily resolved but it pointed Taige and Cullen in the direction of the unsub. This brought a whole new kind of tension to the story. The more I got to know about what the unsub had done, the more I wanted retribution for the innocent. Amidst the suspense there was also a tension of a different kind going on. The fire between Taige and Cullen was long from extinguished. The magnetic attraction was undeniable, and the passion lit up like a bonfire. I would say the verbal sparring was almost like foreplay only to make way for the deep well of emotions pulling these two characters together.
Shiloh Walker can do sexy where the desire almost bleeds from the pages! It is then absorbed by my imaginaton and manages to set my blood on fire. The love was like a beating pulse within the story and the push-pull between Taige and Cullen only added to the knowledge they were made for each other. The connection between Taige and Jillian, which might've been a convenient plot twist, was endearing. The minimal cast of characters had a maximum effect and Taylor Jones was a character who got a rise out of me. As in; let me punch you, I was just as protective of Jillian as Taige. He irked me but intrigued me at the same time. Annoying attitude and mystery turned him in to another character who added his pizzazz to the unfolding plot.
The balance between romance and suspense is like a 1-2 punch. It enhances each other to a point where it irrevocably draws me in, keeps me on the edge of my seat, and I just can't stop until it is all revealed. The villain was an easy guess for me but because of gruesome actions I wanted this person punished. From the very beginning Shiloh Walker is step by step building up to a conclusion that satisfied me on various levels.
Shiloh Walker's seamless blend of all-consuming romance and whodunnit plot is one of the addictive kind! Read one and you'll want more.
!!Warning: This review could possibly contain spoilers if you haven’t read the previous two books; Enlightened and Abandoned!!With her third book in the Little Boy Lost series J.P. Barnaby has managed to baffle me with its plot twists! Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined where the Little Boy Lost series would go but I found that I couldn’t tear myself away as Vanished revealed its storylines. At the beginning of Vanished there was no clue that by the end I would be reeling from the implications as events unfolded themselves. I thought the beginning was where the pace of storytelling was taken a notch down. Brian starts his bus ride to San Diego and it was a moment in the story where a bit or recapping was done. Hopes and dreams where still shiny and new, and it was a moment which made me eagerly anticipate the arrival of Brian in San Diego.
Once in San Diego the first priorities of Brian where procuring a place to rent and landing himself a job. It quickly leads him to Leo Horshiwitz who runs a boardinghouse and immediately the setting and its inhabitants piqued my interest. The two most personable characters where Mike and Emilio whose presence grew over the course of the story. Leo was the fatherly go-to person and his work in the GLBT Community Center added to that sense. There are a few more guys in the boarding house but Mike, who seemed the ultimate player just claimed me with his backstory. Emilio is this fun loving guy who is always in to party but small comments here and there just tugged at my heartstrings and make him so likeable.
At first though the story focused on Brian in his search for Jamie. Brian gives it his all and each time it was a dead end I felt the disappointment ride me just as hard as it did him. The doubt riddled moments where despair bloomed were hard to read. I didn’t want Brian to give up hope, give up on his quest, and yet I understood each and every shred of emotion coursing through him. I think the author did such an incredible job of imbuing layers of conflicting emotions next to relaying the internal dialogues of Brian! It forged such an intimate portrayal of a young man on the verge of change where I knew decisions had to be made.
Next to the whirlwind of steep emotions there was also time for developing new friendships, fun, laughter and exploring one’s horizon. The eroticism is scorching and Mike is part of why I went up in flames. He is sexually liberal and opposed to Brian’s rigid control and single-mindedness it gives humorous interplay next to the erotic one. The scene on the dance floor still gets me tingly and showcases a different side of Brian!! Besides that, the connection between the core group of characters is not only one of sexual appetite but also infused with a deep sense of friendship and loyalty.
Through the various events it enables emotions of doubts, blooming sensuality and joy to intertwine in an attention grabbing story. Brian allows me to go through it all but leaving me in the dark where he would end up. He was torn in two and then a situation developed that instigated heart-pounding plot twists. Never in a million years did I see certain things coming!! So while the story started out with an uneventful bus ride it ended up with me panting in shock. A good shock but still, it also made me realize this author could dish out anything for her characters and the most amazing part is, she made it understandable. And then, to add to my elevated blood pressure, she threw in another shocker that made me cry.
The range of feelings each Little Boy Lost novel triggers is amazing. There are no cardboard characters to be found. Each character comes alive via dialogue, quirks and quips. While I felt there was a sense of innocence to the previous two stories because Brian still was kind of innocent, his transformation is superbly done in Vanished. It gradually turned this story in to a gritty and provoking ending where all things are possible. Time and again J.P. Barnaby gives an emotionally rip-roaring story and it is the very reason I'm always asking for more!
With VANISHED, J.P. Barnaby will give you an absorbing intensity in storytelling, compelling characters and great emotional development. Next to this she managed to up the ante even more and give this series a twist that will catch many readers by surprise. Long may J.P. Barnaby write!
4.5 stars
Quotes for you to sample:
“Hey, Pete, who’s your little friend?” he asked with a leer. Andy’s arm remained around my shoulders, and he pulled me just a little closer. “He’s a friend of Leo’s; we were just going upstairs. Whatcha doin’ tonight, Mike?”
“Twins,” the man said as two younger guys, maybe even younger than me, walked out of the room looking a little dazed. The boys were identical except for their messy clothes. In simultaneous movements, they leaned over on each side of the guy and kissed him, one tangling his fingers in the man’s short brown hair, before making their way back down the hall the way we’d come.
“You’re something else,” Andy said, laughing as the naked man half shrugged.
“So I’m told,” he replied with a wink, and I couldn’t help but smile at him. His dark eyes twinkled with humor as they studied me closely. “Wanna find that out, baby boy?” Very slowly, Mike traced my lips with his finger.
I stood divided while reading. At one hand the storyline with Deacon hit home in a very personal way. And at the other hand the 'push-the-envelop' storyline of Jeff and Collin fascinated me. The former affected me because it triggered memories of a personal experience. The latter affected me because Jeff and Collin find themselves in a situation which isn't the easiest one, and that would be an understatement!Full review to come!
Inez Kelley’s Sweet As Sin is one of the best contemporary romances I’ve read in a while and all I can say as a reader is; Please can I have some more? It all begins with a helluva an opening scene involving titillating lingerie and an instant combustible chemistry between Livvy and John that singed the pages. The attraction between this man and woman was a live wire that sang of barely contained sexual hunger. Add Inez Kelley’s flowing and lyrical way of describing emotions and I was squirming in my seat throughout most of the story. The first chapter might instantly make me clamor for more but of that attraction simmering between John and Livvy held so much more in store for me.While It was lust at first sight it was from this initial feeling that something profound and meaningful was born. The blend of personality, feelings, sensuality and struggles was voiced in such a poignant storytelling that there was no filter between the storytelling and me taking it all in. I was absorbed by the raw and potent connection between John and Livvy. It made me live all the highs and lows of the romantic development, it made me crave each new dialogue, each passionate moment shared, and each new page unraveling their story. Sweet As Sin could get me hot and bothered one scene, got me catcalling bow-chicka-wow-wow a second later, crying the next and let me laugh out loud a few pages later. This story draws on every imaginable emotion possible and I inhaled it all.
Even with an outstanding secondary cast of family and friends it is John Murphy and Livvy Andrews who claim, rightfully so, the spotlight. The complexity of John’s personality turns him in to such a fascinating character, one whom I couldn’t wait to unravel! When I got to meet his monsters, and got a taste of his dark side it was just heart breaking to read. Yet it is this very side of him that makes him so appealing and it elevated him from the standard issue leading hero material in stories. He is flawed but I got to know John in such an intricate way that I came to understand him. And ultimate fell head over heels for him. Even the short scenes from his book where his monsters came alive deepened the understanding of the man John was.
Livvy on the other hand has her own issues yet felt way more together than John. Livvy is a woman who is capable, puts lots of energy in her bakery but at times forgets to loosen up and have fun. I liked her initial resistance to be wow-ed by John’s charismatic personality but when she goes for it, she does so full force! She throws John out of his comfort zone, challenges him and it delivered an interplay where feelings reigned. The dance between John and Livvy was never boring! It was always moving with the emotion of the moment creating a mesmerizing synergy between a man and a woman. Also, Livvy in her own bakery is unadulterated sexy girl power! What she does with frosting, glitter dust and chocolate to drive John crazy makes me want to try out every recipe!
Two third in to the story and I was engaged, I loved, I squirmed, I laughed but the storyline was slowly cresting into a high-octane of bittersweet moments. Each page read added to the pile of Kleenex forming next to me on the couch. How could two people so intense together, hurt each other so? When I didn’t think things could get any worse, Inez Kelley dished out more for her characters to face. The pitfall of a convenient plot twists were also evaded and kept the outcome all the more emotion rife. Even while Livvy and John still have personal challenges to work on the ending was so beautiful, the romance hummed off the pages leaving me feeling readers bliss.
Inez Kelley’s writing style not only gave life to fascinating characters who you’ll instantly close into your heart, she also evokes every emotion imaginable! I inhaled everything this story had to offer and closed this book with a smile, a tear and a content sigh of romance fulfilled!
Quotes for you to sample:
“Haven’t you looked into his eyes, Andy? There’s no laughter there. None. It’s very dark and secretive and…dangerous.”
“I thought you were made for pure sin.”
“Sin, huh? That sounds…tempting.”
His look scorched her with pure sexual heat. The unbridled longing on his face warmed her blood and she slid her foot out of her shoe and found his leg. Her toes creeping under his pant leg elicited a deep noisy breath.
“Livvy, be careful. I’m not drunk tonight and tired of cold showers.”
“Me too.”
An angel with deep copper hair tempted him to believe he could have more. He told her one dark secret and she’d kissed him. Instead of fear, she showed him tenderness. The trust and grace she offered humbled him. Like water to a thirsting man, she created a loning deep inside him, a longing he’s never known. John wanted to belong to one person and one person alone. He wanted it with a voracious need that threatened to consume him. But what price would Livvy pay if he offered his blackened soul?
Love doesn’t shy away from fear. It erases it.
This is another fabulous read within this series! Many recurring characters, besides Killian, find themselves in The Truth Of Yesterday again. They drew me in, warmed me with their feelings for one another but I also feared for them as dangers surround them once more! I love how Josh Aterovis can connect seperate story threads and make it a flowing and cohesive whole. Mystery, romantic development, a fantastic connected cameo of characters and an evil usurper turn The Truth Of Yesterday into a page-turner again!
!!Warning!! If you haven't read the previous books this review might contain spoilers.I’m amazing myself by wanting to read one book after another in the Killian Kendall Mysteries. I find that once you’re pulled into the life of Killian you get to meet a fascinating young man and the people surrounding him just as bit well developed. With All Lost Things, Josh Aterovis has written a homerun again! The flow of the separate story threads entwined in to an attention grabbing story and by the end I found myself on readers cloud nine. Josh Aterovis even managed to quiet the shock regarding the ending of Reap The Whirlwind as he continues to evolve the storyline of various characters. However this is once again a story revolving around Killian, told from his point of view and he has a new mystery to solve.
One of the things that made me breathe a sigh of relief was the fact Killian and Asher took some time apart. They never worked for me as a couple and the doubt infested thoughts from both sides where getting repetitive. The complete romance aspect was playing second violin but still contained very intriguing new possibilities which I liked far better. Asher doesn't exit the stage though as a new friend of him is being accused of murdering his father. From there Killian is asked to get involved and a new mystery is holding me captivated again.
Even though I'm reading these books consecutively the mystery doesn't get boring. I even got two mysteries for the price of one with a vicious murder and a cold case of over a century old. Original and surprising plots is one of the main ingredients in this series and now that Killian has become a PI apprentice he takes his interest a serious step further. It also introduces Novak whom is a quiet and serious investigator opposed to Killian's exuberance and eagerness to learn. This gives way for a more professional approach to investigating the leads which kept me on edge the entire time. The question remains; did Caleb, Asher's new friend, did or didn't murder his father? I searched for clues just as much as Killian or Novak but Aterovis managed to keep me guessing until that final moment. It is one of the reasons these books become page turners for me! I just have to find out who done it, what the reasons were, and this author gives a highly satisfying conclusion each and every time.
With the smaller but equally intriguing mystery of the ghost Amalie came aunt Judy and she is a character who I loved from the first time she was introduced. A bit known for her nuttiness she is actually a sensitive to things not of this world and the bond she has with Killian only strengthens in this book. They share experiences together and their dialogues are filled with humor. The secondary cast also entails Adam and Steve who are the guardians of Killian. They bring ‘home and hearth’ to Killian's life, along with being wonderful gay role models. The recurring characters give this series warmth, and with each novel I get to know them a little bit better, anchoring themselves in my heart.
All Lost Things is an amazing episode in Killian's life and I gobbled it all up in one take. Killian still has many internal struggles to deal with and I’m leaning towards the fact he has commitment issues as well. Sometimes I wish he wouldn’t doubt everything but at the same time it is a so very understandable because I know what he has dealt with in the past and present. Killian is just the kind of character you like to see in a happy place only the author gives various hints much more is in store for this young man. The thing is, over the course of three books it has seen to the fact I want to be there, for better or for worse I hope this series will go one for quite a while, with many more stories to be written!
In, All Lost Things, I found mysteries full of twists and turns which kept me on the edge of my seat as it steamed ahead to a riveting conclusion. I found engaging storylines of the familiar cast of characters which continues with struggles, tension, heartache and love for one another. And an attraction between two very likeable characters that shines bright in its possibilities. This story cemented the series on my keeper shelf!
4.5 stars
Quote that cracked a smile;
If you're here to sell me vacuums, I don't need anything that sucks,” she said from her front steps as we climbed out of the car. “If you're here to sell me encyclopedias I know everything I need to know. And if you're here to sell me Jesus, we've already met and we've agreed to keep our distance.”
Quote that referres to the title, which I loved!
I thought about it for a minute and the line Bryan had quoted, “All lost things are in the angels keeping.” I'd lost a lot, friends, family, boyfriends; it was comforting to think that everything I had lost was in the angels keeping. I liked it. I nodded and slipped my arm through Will's as we started walking again.
Bleeding Hearts
The story told in a nutshell:Killian Kendall is in a phase of his life where one person shifts his world on its axes. When he sees his new friend murdered on the ground and he himself is attacked it is a battle to survive. For Killian there is angst, horror, love and new family to deal with. Nothing stayed the same after the attack, for better or for worse…
My first impression after a chapter:
Talk about an opening line! Aterovis kicks off this story with an attention grabbing paragraph. The desperation is rife in that scene and I wanted to know; who, what and how!
Killian Kendall:
The story is told from Killian’s point of view and the story became stronger for it. His personality put such a mark on how I experienced reading this story. No cardboard characters are to be found in Bleeding Hearts but Killian’s voice brimmed with angst, doubt but also love and courage. I witnessed the changes Killian had to go through, the situations he had to deal with and the choices he had to make. Josh Aterovis really delved the reader into his protags heart mind and soul and in doing so I formed such a strong connection to Killian. I was unable to put Bleeding Hearts down and turned the pages in bated breath.
Asher Davis:
Asher is Killian’s best friend and their relationship is growing in to something different. He is a jock but with a surprising different mentality and at first glance I really liked him. After a while he started to give me mixed signals and it didn’t really get better. He developed that stoplight mentality where the teenage angst-ridden mind got the upper hand; ‘yes, I love you – no, I can’t be your boyfriend.’ ‘Yes, I want you to be my forever – no, I can’t be with you.’ Asher is so riddled with doubt it made me antsy. While it is teenage behavior to the core where he has to find himself, it irked me and I couldn’t completely shake that feeling throughout the story.
The emotional journey:
The tension throughout the story was pounding on my nerves in a fantastic way. The internal angst from Killian as he discovers and accepts he’s gay correlates with the external threats. There are bullies and a murderer on the loose who keep a constant threat level in the main characters lives. Sometimes the emotions where subtle and sometimes it was a volcanic eruption but I couldn’t get enough of what the author was dishing out. The journey for many in Bleeding Hearts is difficult but I connected to them and they took me on the road to a better place. I’m engrossed when the emotional aspect of a story can absorb me and this one did it from start to finish!
The circle of family and friends:
Each one had a significant main or secondary role to play and they added an incredible depth to the world of Killian. Each evoked emotions in me. I hated Killian’s father. I celebrated the strength Killian’s mother possesses. I absolutely emphasized with Adam, Seth’s father, and how he dealt with all the heartache. Kane, Seth’s younger brother, was endearing. Jesse and Zach were bullies I could get angry over. The unsub freaked me out and then there were the Sheridan’s. They are a family who pushed my hot buttons and then some. The layers within that family first made me think “wow, such a Nora Roberts loving family’ but I was infuriated by the end. I was almost breathing fire and so sad at the same time. And then there where the numerous ‘coming out’ moments. I think all in all six young men came out in this story and it was bordering on too much, eating away at the impact of such moments.
The diabolical unsub plotting away:
At the beginning the plot unfolded itself with a bang but then it got low-key, making room for the interpersonal relationships to deepen. The unsub isn’t even that much in to play again until I’m a little over halfway into the story. Yet then Josh Aterovis really amps up the suspense! I was holding my breath as I read the chapters away because while I had my suspicions the author really kept me guessing until the very end. The unsub is twisted in the mind. Since this is a story from the first person point of view I never got to read the unsubs thoughts. Nevertheless, by the end it was all revealed and the shock effect was that much greater!
My synonyms for:
Engaging – in-depth – angst – tension-filled – first love – thrilling and fantastic characters.
My overall reaction:
When Lis pimped this series to me I was instantly intrigued and when I read the first page of Bleeding Hearts I knew it was going to be an incredible reading experience! Killian Kendall is a character who leaped of the pages and straight into my heart. Combine him with a dose of realism, a rich cast of characters and a powerful plot and you have a thrilling story. Bleeding Hearts provoked strong reactions and emotions, and Josh Aterovis struck gold with this series! Aterovis engaged me with the subjects incorporated and the fully developed characters!
4.5 stars
The quotes for you to sample:
The rest of the body came into view. And a nice body it was. I’d never seen him before so he must have been new. He stood about my height, maybe a little taller and slightly more built. He had red-gold hair that seemed to stick up in every direction and elfin features. In fact, he looked amazingly like an elf. Even to his incredibly green eyes. I wondered if they were colored contacts. Then I wondered why I cared. Why was I so intrigued by this guy?
!!Warning!! If you haven't read the previous books this review can contain spoilers.I had my complete review in my head on all the things I wanted to say. I was again in awe of the likeable and personable characters Josh Aterovis brought to this tale. How the suspense was a subtle tension throughout the novel, keeping me on edge at all times. I wanted to tell you the great odds Will Keegan had to overcome, how he tugged at my emotions and what a fantastic opposite Aidan was to Will. Will was a troubled young man going through a life changing period and Aidan was the quiet center. He was strength, he was joy, he was love and laughter even though he also knew pain and doubts. The balance Will and Aidan created, the internal conflicts they had to meet head on, forged a bond between them that swept me in to all their separate and shared emotions.
Next to the blooming relationship I wanted to tell you I couldn't get enough of the whodunit plot. Josh Aterovis managed to gradually set the stage for a cruel murder which struck at the heart of a group of friends. Will, Laura and Joey have been the three musketeers all their life but events rip them apart and emotions where all over the place. Characters from Bleeding Heart also came into play, furthering overall character progress of people I already cared about. Will and Aidan where at the heart of this story where art, religion, friendship, suicide and more subjects where incorporated that captivated me. The author never stood on a pedestal when it came to the religion aspect, instead he allowed it to become a part of various characters in a natural way. The art was a tool for Will to express himself as he was struggling to deal with his suicide attempt. The support of, and help in the investigation from friends, tightened but also challenged friendship among various characters. I wanted to rave about the knack this author has for creating an absorbing storyline. There wasn't a moment where I was not engaged in how someone would react or how a situation would develop. But then, as romance and plot got to a pique...I was delivered a 180 degree twist which plummeted my enjoyment of this story so far!
At first I got this beautiful, romance rife scene unfolding in front of my eyes where I was crying my ever romantic heart out, rejoicing in the love. But only a chapter or so after that my romance brimming heart was ripped out, thrown on the floor and stomped upon! I was screaming in my head, flipping the final page back and forth. This was it, THE END! No more continuance in a next story. I felt so betrayed by the author! How could he have let me go through all those emotional struggles with the characters? Made me feel a powerful connection alive with love and then give me a moment where various actions set a chain of events in to motion that is such a let-down. Reap The Whirlwind will never be remembered by me as a beautifully told romantic mystery tale it was 96% of the story, but for the excruciating ending that made me scream; Nooooooo!
Josh Aterovis left me with a bleeding heart after I read the ending of Reap The Whirlwind. His writing style is grabbing! The dose of realism almost too much to bear. His characters are engaging, his plotting tight and it all blends into a story that is addictive. He is pushing the envelope and searching my boundaries to casually step over them and give me something I never saw coming!
3.5 stars
The quote for you to sample:
Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boast-ful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecy, it will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
