Review + Giveaway: Destroyed by L.A. Starkey

Destroyed by L.A. Starkey

(Soul Keepers #2)

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

[Goodreads | Amazon]

Now I lay me down to sleep,
Whom shall I trust my soul to keep?
If I should die before I wake,
I leave to fate my soul to take.

The seal has been broken and the Soul Keeper Prophecy set in motion. Marcus and Nicolas are battling for the heart of one woman, Pandora’s only daughter; however, not everyone is playing by the rules. With interference from both sides of the lines and too many deities with hidden agendas, the trio must take matters into their own hands and look for another ending, one that removes control from fate.

Can they find the missing page from the prophecy that has the ability to change everything?

Will the new stranger they’ve been given as a guide assist or mislead them?

Will Samantha make a decision on who it is that she truly loves, saving one and destroying the other?

What if her choice is no choice at all?

  THAT ENDING. Holy cliffhanger and a half. You're killing me, Starkey! It killed me that I couldn't snatch up book three whenever I got to the end of Destroyed because I have become so enthralled by these books and so into them. I can already tell that this is a series that I'll revisit several times!

  I loved all of the development in Destroyed. Not only did the story grow and drag me further into it, all of the characters showed a lot of growth, too. I think Sam showed the most, and I'm getting so attached to her! This book definitely made her stand out even more, and I cannot wait to see what the author does in the next book! I just know that I'll devour it!

  At times, it feels like you can cut the tension in this book with a knife. The Gods are being all sorts of crazy. But Starkey balances it out perfectly with the adventures of the characters and their relationships. The pacing is really fantastic. It was such an easy read; no drag, no info dumps, and no eye rolls!

  I'm so glad that I'll have book three soon! I truly am hooked on this series. It has everything that I love about YA novels and then some. I cannot wait to read more from L.A. Starkey. She's going to be a force to be reckoned with!

Read my review of the first Soul Keepers book, Deceived, here.

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

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Favorites Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Favorites Giveaway Hop hosted by StuckInBooks!

I have a lot of favorites, but today I want to share a series that I love:

Bloodlines by Richelle Mead

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US Only: 3 YA Arcs from 2014 + a hardback copy of Bloodlines

Int & US: $10 Amazon Gift Card

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Keep hopping for more great prizes!

Review + Giveaway: Deceived by L.A. Starkey

Deceived by L.A. Starkey

(Soul Keepers #1)

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble]

They say a soul is the immaterial essence, the animating
principle, the actuating cause of an individual life.

But what if you had to share yours with the one person you hated the most?

The soul mate principle states that for every one soul there is another that will recognize its match, hence creating the perfect union.

But what if you had two soul mates, which would you choose?

What if your choices had eternal ramification?

Deceived, the debut novel in the Soul Keeper Series, is a modern day love story about the implications of having more than one soul mate, and having to choose between the two of them. The decisions of the gods has left the next generation, their heirs, torn between fate and reality, and the balance of the future hangs in anticipation of what's to come.

  This book! Oh my word. To sum it up in one word: amazing! L.A. Starkey absolutely slayed me with Deceived. The author is a friend of mine, so I kept myself in the dark with reviews of this book. I'm so glad I did, because nothing could have prepared me for how much I'd love it!

  Okay, so. I'm a vivid reader. I love whenever I can get lost in the world of a book. The author's writing was perfect for me. It was so easy to get swept up in the world. It was very fluid and descriptive. There was never that drag that I always dread in longer books.

  I loved Sam! The mystery surrounding her kept me intrigued, but I was still able to relate to her. The relationships between her and Marcus and Nicholas were really surprising. The author doesn't make it easy in picking one of the brothers over the other. All of the relationships in this book are great, though. I enjoyed the dynamic between the characters. It all felt surprising.

  All in all, I fell in love with this world! L.A. Starkey is such an amazing writer. It really shows. Deceived does end on a cliffhanger, so I immediately flew into the next book! This is one of my favorites books so far in 2015! Don't miss out on it!

Don't forget to stop back tomorrow for my review of the second Soul Keepers book, Destroyed!

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

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The Best Books I Read in 2014 + Giveaway

This is SO late! I know, I know! 2014 was filled with incredible reads for me. I discovered so many genres, authors, and books that I absolutely fell in love with. Aren't books the best?! This list contains my favorite books that I read in 2014. That doesn't mean they were published that year; just that I fell in love with them in 2014!

1. Compulsion by Martina Boone

This book made me fall in love with the south all over again. It was flawless and I cannot wait for the next book in this series. As soon as I finished it, I knew it'd make this list.

[My Review]

2. Finishing School Series by Gail Carriger

Yes! This series is so amazing. I'd never read steampunk before this, and now I'm hooked! It's such a fun YA series. You just can't go wrong with it!

[Book 1 Review | Book 2 Review | Book 3 Review]

3. Pieces of Me by Kira Adams

Ahhh. I love me some Indies, and one of my favorites just happens to be Kira Adams! This book is so realistic and amazing!
[My Review]

4. The Cure for Dreaming by Cat Winters
This book. The feels. It's important. It reminds me of how far we've come with women's rights, and how far we still have to go.
[My Review]

5. Backward Compatible by Sarah Daltry and Pete Clark
Nerds rejoice! This book was totally me, and I loved every geeky thing about it!
[My Review]

6. One Man Guy by Michael Barakiva
This is THE Young Adult LGBTQIA book of the year. Seriously. I related so much to it. And I looooved it!
[My Review]

7. Dissever by Tracey Ward
Be still my Edgar Allan Poe loving heart. This is one of Tracey's lesser known books, but it's my favorite of hers!
[My Review]

8. Virgin by Radhika Sanghani
New Adult done the right way! I want to read more from this author ASAP!
[My Review]

9. My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick
I love a good contemporary, and this one is my most favorite of all the YA ones that I've read!
[My Review]

10. Stim by Kevin Berry
A book that features an autistic main character and tells a good story while opening my eyes to something new? Yes, please.
[My Review of the second book, Kaleidoscope]

Honorable Mentions:

I'm including Alex As Well because I read it in 2014, but it doesn't come out until 2015. One of the most thought provoking books I've ever read.

The IFF authors - So many good books from this group. Impervious, The Prophecy, and Burnouts, Geeks, and Jesus Freaks are some of my favorites from this amazing group.

This giveaway is INT. It will have two winners who will get to pick one book from this list.
Good luck!
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Pretty Little Indies: Helena Shaw

Happy last Monday of January, loves! Time is flying by!
I'm so excited to review Helena Shaw's Harvest Moon today! Fans of paranormal will love this book!

Harvest Moon by Helena Shaw

(Night Hunters #1)

Genres: Paranormal Romance

[Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble]

She’s pretending to be someone she’s not.

For two years, Dawn Garrett has been on the run from some very bad people. The small town of Goosemont, nestled deeply in the Appalachian Mountains, seems like the perfect place for a young woman to disappear.

He isn’t who he says he is.

When Jase Byrnes is working a job, he needs to blend in, and he works alone. He knows what dark creatures lurk in the shadows and prowl in the night, and it’s his duty to hunt them.

Not all is right in the picturesque town of Goosemont. Hikers are going missing at an alarming rate and people are turning up dead. It isn’t bears or wolves that are hiding deep in the mountain, but a terrifying evil that Jase has come to hunt. It’s the same evil that has claimed the life of Dawn’s best friend and with Jase’s help, she is ready to fight back. Will Jase be able to finish the job? Or will his attraction to Dawn only put her in more danger?

  As soon as I saw that this book was set in a sleepy town in the Appalachian Mountains, I just knew I had to read it. My love for my home goes deep. And Helena Shaw did not disappoint! Harvest Moon was a phenomenal paranormal read that highlighted a lot of the reasons why I love paranormal romances.

  Dawn was an excellent heroine. She was very believable and relatable. I think the author did a wonderful job at writing her. I loved the relationship between her and Jase. Usually I shy away from instant connections, but the way their relationship played out was very organic.

  All of the elements of Harvest Moon worked so well and cohesively together. The mystery is paced at such a good pace and I couldn't turn away from this book! It approaches paranormal from a unique perspective, and fans of PNR will fall in love with Dawn and Jase's story!

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Helena Shaw resides in a small town in western Ontario. When she is not writing, she is taking care of her two boys and her husband.

[Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter]

Review: Love Rampage by Alex Powell

Love Rampage by Alex Powell

Genres: QLTBG, Contemporary Romance

[Goodreads | Publisher | Anthology]

Maira has always wanted a unicorn, but isn't quite
prepared when one shows up on her doorstep and
kidnaps her-and proclaims that Maira must confess her feelings to the girl she loves. Maira is definitely reluctant to follow through with that, but everything changes when Carol is kidnapped by a demon…

This story is part of an anthology from Less Than Three Press called Geek Out. It's a collection of trans and genderqueer romances.

  This book really takes off! As soon as I started reading Love Rampage, I was thrown right into the action! It was a shock, and I loved it. I mean, who doesn't want to read about unicorns barging into your life?!

  Even though this is a short story, there are a lot of elements that make it stand out. The humor is subtle and had me laughing and smiling nearly the entire time. There is plenty of action to keep your interest. And the romantic element is definitely great! Love Rampage makes for a quick and wonderful read!

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.

Review: Manifest by Alden Lila Reedy

Manifest by Alden Lila Reedy

Genres: QLTBG, Contemporary Romance

[Goodreads | Publisher | Anthology]

The very last thing Chris expects when he's forced to
take sewing lessons is to enjoy them. Or for sewing to
lead him into the world of cosplay, and a friend with whom he begins to cosplay in earnest—and who convinces him to try dressing up as female characters.

He certainly doesn't anticipate the realizations that cosplaying stirs—realization that could cost Christ not just his best friend, but his family as well.

This story is part of an anthology from Less Than Three Press called Geek Out. It's a collection of trans and genderqueer romances.

  I enjoyed Manifest. The beginning was rocky for me. It read more like an essay than a novel. But once I pushed past the first part, the author definitely changed it up and really pulled me in. This author is promising with some practice and attention to detail.

  The romance in this book isn't the highlight of it. It's there, but the real focus is Chris' journey. I enjoyed that a lot. I became really invested in Chris and his struggles. I wish that the author would have written it more as a story, though. I feel like I would have enjoyed it so much more!

**I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review with no compensation.