Review ~ Last Words: A Diary of Survival by Shari J. Ryan

You know the feeling when you just don't know what to do with yourself because of all sorts of heavy stuff are about to burst in your heart? Well, this is me right now. When Shari first contacted me, I was thrilled to meet a Jewish author from the states that wants to keep the memory alive. But now - after finishing her book - I feel so grateful and fortunate for the chance that I been given. 
For as long as I can remember, I grew up with the stories about the Holocaust. We learned about it at school, met up with survivors, and having one day a year that is dedicated to all the 6 millions who lost their lives in that awful war. Being a Jew who was born and raised in Israel, it's kind of a given, being so attached to their stories. Reading Last Words was like another wake up call of how fortunate we are to be living in this world. Without all those people who fought for their rights to be Jews, I don't think any of us would exist. 
This book is everything. Maybe because I'm a Jew it had an extra influence on me. This is a story about surviving against all odds, loving against all odds, finding happiness in the middle of hell and maybe, just maybe a little bit of hope. 
The way it was written with the now and then's events made me sit on the edge of my seat waiting for what comes next. You can totally feel the heart and the soul of Shari being brought to us on a silver plate. 
Amelia and Charlie's story will stay with me forever, that's for sure. 


A little about the plot: After having a stroke,  91 year old, Ameila, asks her granddaughter, Emma, to find her journal and bring it to her hospital bed. She has secrets, lots of them, and she wants Emma to be the only one who knows them. While a heart failure is threatening her life, she tries to help her granddaughter find happiness and strength through her personal story. She never shared anything about her life during the war, never shed a tear about the torture she had witnessed in those camps, but now she needs Emma to know everything - even the things that could change her family’s lives. This book takes place in 1942-1945 and 2017. The life changing events the characters lived through will make you leave everything behind and just keep reading. This is by far one of my favorites reads of all times. Even though it fiction written with the inspiration of non-fiction, every word in that book felt very much real - the good ones and definitely the bad.
Thank you, Shari, for this book, for your words, for everything your grandmother shared with us. May her memory, and all the 6 millions who died out there, be blessed forever.

~ Review ~ Elusive (Shipwreck Book 1) by L.A. Fiore ~

My name is Lin and I'm obsessed with L.A. Fiore's words! There, I said it! The things that are going on this woman's brain can do magic, and what a fine magic it is...

I was so curious about this book that I begged L.A. for an early copy. I've never read about pirates and I just had to get my hands on this one. Yeah, it was so worth me begging. 

This book is about Willow and Noah. Willow has a romantic little soul. Practically abandoned by her parents, who spend their time treasure hunting all over the world, she was raised by her grandfather. His museum was her home and all its relics, and the dreams she conjured about them, kept a lonely child from being completely alone. Her romantic heart believes in true love and she wants to "live the dream". On vacation celebrating her graduation from college, she meets Kace (Noah)—a man who sweeps her off her feet. He is charming, beautiful and...DANGEROUS. Kace has had a very sh*tty life. He was raised on the streets, with only one friend by his side. He knows how the rest of his life will play out and that a bright, romantic future is not in his cards.

One day. One special day, is all Willow and Kace have and all they are left with is a memory...the perfect memory. Or so they thought.

This story made my heart race more than once. W + N's journey to their second chance and the crazy road to get there blew my mind away. It was HOT, emotional, full of suspense and also, very romantic. Every word was like seeing a movie that you just can't stop watching. Seeing it on the big screen is a must! Fingers crossed for that to happen. It was amazing and I was hooked through every page. Every layer, every feeling, every event was written so perfectly that I felt like I was there with the characters. And Noah... Oh my... He's one of my favorite book-boyfriends - that's for sure.

REVIEW ~ WRITING MR. RIGHT BY T.K. LEIGH

5 shining beautiful loving stars to this amazingly written piece by T.K. Leigh.

One of the things I love the most about her writing is the fact that she can write EVERYTHING! After reading her latest thriller - Vanished - I wasn't sure she'd be able to write anything that perfect, but now, after reading Writing Mr. Right, I know this woman is getting better and better with every book she writes. Besides the fact that this book is HILARIOUS, it's also very touching. 

Molly is going through one hell of a ride while dealing with issues from her past. She doesn't believe in true love and doesn't believe in love at all. She just wants to find a muse for the next novel she has to finish writing. But when she finds it in the most unexpected person, everything changes...

I can't tell you more without adding spoilers to this review so I'm just going to sum it up: Writing Mr. Right is not the average rom-com. You know, girl meets boy, they fall in love and find their happily ever after. It has a lot more layers in it, and I found myself crying more than once. It deals with family, love, loss, lust and of course major LOL moments. Reading it as a beta reader was an honor and a pleasure that I'm very grateful for.

~ Review - Devil You Know by L.A. Fiore ~

★★★★★ Oh My God, this book! I don't know where to start! I received an early ARC and I'm so so sooo grateful for that. Devil You Know was even more perfect than I expected it to be. L.A. Fiore claimed her way into my heart with her previous book Collecting the Pieces, and with this one - well, she sure proved that she deserves that place for good.  Damian Tate had a rough childhood. His dad left when he was just a kid and his mom... well, let's just say she didn't do justice to the role of mom as expected of her. During his high school years he meets Cam and they become best friends. He also meets Thea, Cam's twin sister, and they click immediately. Damian becomes a part of their family and with every day that goes by, the connection between him and Thea grows stronger and stronger until they fall in love. Everything is good and right in their love bubble, 'til reality kicks in and they need to make some hard decisions about their future together. From the first page I knew this book was going to rip my heart out and I was right. It touched me so deeply and I was on edge through all of it. Thea and Damian's journey was an emotional rollercoaster. Besides the struggles they went through keeping their relationship together, they had to deal with something so much bigger that was threatening their lives.  The importance of love and family is the main issue in this book and I love L.A. for that. Through her words, she knows how to touch every part of the reader's soul, makes your heart beat faster with every page and the sex scenes - so yummy! Like I said, it was a rollercoaster! The characters were developed amazingly, as well as the storyline. I laughed A LOT, I cried A LOT, and I also fell in love more than once...

Review ~ Preston's Honor by Mia Sheridan

★★★★★

Wow... That is book was just...
You know the feeling that you just want to bear-hug someone just to make him feel better? That's what I wanted to do while reading this beautiful story. I wanted to hug Lia and just help her feel better. She had such a rough childhood no one should ever have.

I love Mia's writing. She knows how to deliver all the feels through her words. This is the first time that I had trouble dealing with the heaviness in my heart while reading it, and I'm a "professional" ugly cryer.

Annalia (Lia) grew up with the awful knowledge that she was never wanted. Growing up with no money and a mother who calls you The Devil - that is no way for any child to live. She struggles through her insecurities and has no friends besides the Sawyer boys; identical twins and her only friends.
Cole and Preston have always protected Lia and made her feel very wanted. So wanted that they both raced for a chance to win her heart. When the wrong brother wins, everything changes and things get messy...
Mia takes us to a past and present journey. It's a journey of love, loss, real struggles that we hear of every single day, life changing choices and hope - or at least the search for hope.

Lia is a character that will stay with me forever. I admire her courage and strength. I admire the fact that she always holds her chin up even when it's too hard to do. She's a true fighter and I loved her for that!

Thank you, Mia, for this special story!
#MakeAFuss

Review - Vanished by T.K. Leigh

"Regret can torture a man, rip him open and bleed him dry for the world to see. In the end, only he can pick up the pieces and put himself back together with the hopes of learning from his past mistakes."

I don't know how to begin reviewing this book. I had the privilege to read it early and I'm so grateful that I'm beyond words... Reuniting with my man again was the highlight of my year, and doing that through T.K.'s words - do I need to say more??? 

Vanished is not a romantic love story. It's a thriller that will hook you from the first page till the last. I found myself speculate about what comes next so may times that my head was spinning. 

In Vanished we meet Alexander (my man, my love, my book-husband) and Olivia 10 years after the events that happened in the Beautiful Mess Series. On one cold night, Melanie, their perfect 8 years old daughter, is kidnapped and that awful event changes Alex's life. Along with the FBI, he fights with everything he has to find her. Through this journey he learns a lot about himself and his priorities in life. He deals with his past decisions that affect his present ones. His love for Olivia is so strong and together they go through this hell of worry for their daughter. A lot of secrets from the past and present are revealed through this hard time, that will leave you with a dropped jaw and eyes wide open. With T.K.'s crazy mind you can never know what to expect. This is why I love her so much. 

This book provoked a lot of feelings in me. I was angry, I was sad, I cried more than once, but most of all I fell in love all over again with my one and only Mr. B!

Review - Finding Mr. Wrong by A.M. Madden and Joanne Schwehm

Talking about hotness at it best! What a book!!! 

It was so funny, so sexy, so romantic and so so yummy, that I enjoyed every minute of it!

A.M. Madden and Joanne Schwehm did an amazing job writing together. I'm not a fan of co-writing, but this one was just perfect. 

About the story:

Imagine yourself stuck in an exotic island with a very very VERY hot man. Well, that's what happened to Brea and Jude. After participating in a matchmaking game show, they both ended up together in a dreamy exotic island. Brea has her reasons for taking a part in all that, but Jude - not so much. Unexpectedly, they find out that sharing the same small space with one another is not that bad and they make the most out of it, if you know what I mean, hint hint.

All I can add without revealing any other details is this:

Read it! Read it now! Don't miss this awesome book and just in case you're a single woman, make sure you have an extra set of batteries.

You can thank me later...

~Review - Vicious by L.J. Shen~

Well well well... That was a blast!
L.J. Shen did it again and she did it amazingly!
Vicious... Oh Vicious... I really wanted to hate him but I just couldn't! Enemies to friends to enemies to lovers to VERY HOT LOVERS - jeez, this book was mind blowing!!!
Emilia is the type of woman I think we all want to be - she's a good, compassionate person, but at the same time, a fighter that no one could ever break. Even though Vicious gives her a very hard time, she stands up for herself and never bends. She has no money, her family struggle to get through day by day, her sister is extremely sick and still she manages to hold it together and fight for her life.
Vicious is the man we all love to hate but with each and every layer he takes off, you immediately forget why you ever hated him. That's until his jerk mood comes back to kick you in the ass and reminds you its still there...

Well, I don't have much else to add to this review besides the fact that this is by far the best work L.J. has done - ever! And I've read all of her books in English and in Hebrew. She's awesome and I love her for that. She's funny and witty, romantic and cynical, she writes great sex scenes but at the same time she is brilliant with writing the goofy stuff, too. This book sure has it all.
Don't miss this story. You're going to hate Vicious, you're going to admire Emilia, you're going to love Vicious and end up being super envious you're not in Emilia's shoes. Just read it, will you?! You can thank me later.

~Review - Collecting the Pieces by L.A. Fiore~

"Sometimes love is unwanted, raw and untamed. Demanding all from us, but giving back even more. Not the love we thought we wanted, but the love we need…"

After gathering my thoughts, I'm still not sure how to review this book and keep it spoiler free. Every little detail is so important and so powerful in this amazingly written story. This is the first time that I've read anything written by L.A. Fiore but I can promise you that - this is not going to be my last. L.A. takes us on a journey of love, loss, hope and struggles that you can’t ever imagine. My heart broke so many times, that just like the title, I had to collect every piece of it after I finished reading. 
Sidney is one of the strongest heroines I have ever read about. Her life was a struggle since the day her parents left her when she was just a baby. She grew up in the system and wished for love, family and stability her whole life. When she finally finds all of that with Jack, her first love, her fairy tale doesn't last long. 3 years after, she meets Abel - oh Abel <sigh> what can I possibly say about Abel? Perfect is not even close when it comes to describing him! He has so many layers and I fell in love with each and every one of them... 

They both learn how to complete each other and with that made me believe that life indeed is full of surprises. Their journey together left me breathless and I will need to re-read it again soon, I'm sure of that. If someone asked me to describe this story in one word only, it would be MAGIC. This is how I felt through all of it. There is a kind of magic in the power of words and L.A. has it for sure. One more thing before I'm done, if you're an animal lover (like me), you're absolutely going to love this story! 

Thank you L.A. for this magic! I will be collecting the pieces of my heart and soul for a very long time...

Review - Dark Corners: A True Heroes Novel (True Heroes Series Book 3) by A.M. Madden

If there's anything that A.M. Madden can do best is creating amazing, sexy men that every woman would want by her side. After Ben and Nick I really didn't think that she'll be able to create another man that will capture my heart BUT she did it, and did it soooo good!
David Cavello (Sexy) David is a war vet who spent a few deployments in Iraq. After seeing his best friend getting shot in the head in front of him, he's going through a meltdown and leaves the army.
David suffers from PTSD and while trying to handle his new life as a citizen, his friend's death follows him everywhere. The one thing that helps him is Maygen.
They meet by accident and their immediate strong connection is very hard to ignore. They started to date and David finds himself open up to her. He wants to tell her everything about his life but there is one thing that he just can't share, not yet…

Maygen can't handle secrets or dishonesty, so when she finds out that David, one of the few people who she really trusts, keeping this big secret from her - everything changes!
David's story touched me in so many ways. I have a very soft spot for soldiers and after being a soldier myself, I know PTSD first hand. I wanted to hug him this whole time and promise him that everything's going to be ok.
This is a story about love, forgiveness, trust and so many struggles that your heart will work overtime. 

A.M. did an amazing job showing us those struggles during everything David and maygen went through 'till their HEA. She's also made me pee in my pants with her wittiness :-)

I can't wait for the next TRUE HERO to come along… I'll be waiting…

BOOK #1

  

BOOK #2 

~ Review - Dirty (Raw Family Book 2) by Belle Aurora ~

"We all come to this world kicking, screaming, and covered in somebody else's blood."

 How the hell am I supposed to write this review? And keep it spoiler free? This is not going to be easy...

Well, like each and everyone who lives in our book community, I have waited for this book for more than 2 years. The cliffhanger on Raw was just too much and waiting for book #2 was pure torture! With that being said, the anticipation made this rollercoaster ride much more exciting! I'm not going to elaborate about the plot because it's hard to do that without revealing major facts about the story so I'm just going to say this: Don't miss it! Don't you dare miss this one!

"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."

As much as I loved it, I have to be honest about a few things that did bother me: First of all, the first 55% was so slow that I couldn't stop biting my nails and just had to know what was about to happen. I'm a slow reader but the first half was slower than the usual. Second, there were too many POV's that stopped the fluent of my reading. Third, the end... Omg! I wanted to cry and scream all at the same time! Please, please, please Belle, don't make us wait too long! Even with the things that bothered me, giving this book less than 5 stars will be an absolute crime! Way to go, Belle! You are a rock-star!

"A word to the wise… Don't always trust what you see. After all, even salt looks like sugar."

   

~ Review - Black And White Flowers by Rachel Robinson ~

"We promised each other forever. And that almost ever happens."

I'm not sure how to begin. I'm so overwhelmed right now... Like always, Rachel Robinson knows how to kill me slowly and not so softly. I've read all of her SEAL books and this one was so different, so real, so so... Ugh... I'm struggling with my own words.

Carina is an author, a very successful one. She is engaged to an @sshole who abuses her, physically and emotionally.

With everything she's going through, she meets Smith at the most unexpected time or place and from that second both of their lives change.

"He's opening my eyes to a softer side. A side I've always know has been inside, but hasn't had the opportunity to come to light."

Smith is a navy seal. He's been through hell and back after being involved in a horrible accident. He's engaged to a woman he hardly remembers because of his amnesia but being true to his past promise to her, he stays and keeps being the honorable man that he is even though he's miserable. 

Meeting Carina and start working with her on her new novel, takes him off balance. They both struggle with their feelings to one another and when they finally decided to follow their hearts, a chain of events makes them be apart again.

"For the first time I'm completely free , but my deepest desire has been taken away."

This story has everything. It will take you to a journey that will crush your heart but heal it at the same time. It will teach you how to be stronger and never give up on what you believe. There were parts that I wanted to strangle Smith but at the same time, I understood his choices.

Another important thing that touched me deeply - terror attacks. They have ruined so many lives all over the world, I know that firsthand.

I've lost friends to terror as a soldier and as an Israeli citizen. I loved the fact that Rachel writes about it from the bottom of her heart and never sugarcoat the truth. This is why I love her books. This is why I'm a big fan of military or any kind of law enforcements' stories. They always touch me deep inside that I keep thinking about them a while after.

I've been waiting for this book for a while now and I'm so happy I had the privilege to read it sooner than the release day. I can't wait for more books in The Real Seal Series. I know I will love each and every one of them.

~ ARC review ~ The Broken Road to Forever by Rhonda Dennis & LK Owen ~

The Broken Road to Forever... Well, that was a life lesson story. I have to admit that I wasn't too sure about this one and nearly stopped reading, but I carried on and I'm so happy that I did.
I'm not a fan of high school/college stories, this is why I thought about dropping it, but once I got to the part of the characters' adult life, I began to understand what is the broken road to forever actually is...

Mallory and Brent have known each other forever. Since kindergarten, they’ve shared the same school and classroom. Brent is super mean to Mallory and always makes her feel insecure. He keeps behaving like that all through their years in school and then high school. What Brent doesn't know is that Mallory has feelings for him, and what Mallory doesn't know is that Brent feels the same.
On their homecoming prom night, he confesses to her about his feelings and with this moment everything changes between them. Unfortunately, Brent is a high-profile jock who lives under his father standards and Mallory, well Mallory is nothing close. She doesn't look like one of the girls his father expects him to date. She has no money whatsoever and she is definitely not one of the popular kids. They both struggle to find their way to one another and when the struggle ends and the fairy tale begins, it doesn't last forever. 

Brent and Mallory's journey is full of love, struggles, fear and situations that each and every one of us can relate to. I have to applaud the authors for such an amazing job. Writing together is not an easy task but they did it so perfect that I couldn't tell who wrote what. Every word, every struggle, every shed tear felt like they were my own. Like I said, each and every one of us can relate...
Great job L.K. + Rhonda! You two are a match made in heaven.

~*~ Review - Disbelief (Smirnov Bratva Book 2) by T.L. Smith ~*~

What would you do if you ever find yourself falling in love with the wrong man?And by 'wrong man' I mean the scariest man ever, whose world is totally different than yours? 

Death, just like his name, had grown up in a world surrounded by evil & death. He never knew what love is, never knew what it's like being touched by someone who cared or worried for him. He thought he had his older brother for that but with time, he proved him wrong. All he ever dealt with was the world of the dead, that is until he meets Pollie. A blind innocent girl that rocks his world in first sight. He wants to protect her, take care of her, lock her away with him and never let go.

Death confuses Pollie. He shows her so much warmth and comfort but doesn't reveal what he does for a living. He doesn't know how to deal with the feelings he has for her, what makes him more frustrated than he already is. 

Pollie also struggles with her emotions. She knows he's not the right guy for her but something makes her stay with him, something stronger than her. 

Like every one of T.L.'s books, I loved it. 
It was dark (a bit too dark for me this time), twisted, funny (Anton cracked me up) and soooo hot! I can't wait for the next book in this series about Victor. 
It's going to be a blast! :-) 

Review - It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover

✩✩✩✩✩

This is the first time I’ve read one of Collen's books and I have to say, I was not expecting that. It was so good, so emotional, it just had everything! Writing about being abused by someone you love is not an easy subject to write about, but with Collen's way with words, I felt like I was watching a movie and every second of it, good or bad, felt extremely real.

I loved Lilly, I fell deeply in love with Atlas, as for Ryle - well, let's just say my gut feeling was right about him from the start. I wish Colleen would give us more of Atlas. Much more of him. Maybe a whole book just for him? Fingers crossed. Like I said, this book was my first from Colleen but it won’t be my last.

Blurb:

SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE WHO HURTS YOU THE MOST

Lily hasn't always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She's come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up - she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily's life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He's also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle's complete aversion to relationships is disturbing.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan - her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

This book contains graphic scenes and very sensitive subject matter. 

Highly Recommended!