Review: Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia

  He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him—just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others . . . he’s homeless. Memories of a broken childhood have robbed him of peace and twisted delusions into his soul. He stays secluded from the sun, sure the world would run from him in the harsh light of day.

Each day, Livia McHugh smiles politely and acknowledges her fellow commuters as she waits for the train to the city. She dismisses this kindness as nothing special, just like her. She’s the same as a million other girls—certainly no one to be cherished. But special or not, she smiles every day, never imagining that someone would rely on the simple gesture as if it were air to breathe.

When the moment comes that Livia must do more than smile, without hesitation she steps into the fray to defend the homeless man. And she's surprised to discover an inexplicable connection with her new friend. After danger subsides, their smiles become conversation. Their words usher in a friendship, which awakens something in each of them. But it’s not long before their bond must prove its strength. Entanglements from the past challenge both their love and their lives.
Blake’s heart beats for Livia’s, even if her hands have to keep its rhythm. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Love never fails, right?

In an interwoven tale of unlikely loves and relationships forged by fire, Debra Anastasia takes readers into the darkest corners of human existence, only to show them the radiant power of pure adoration and true sacrifice. Complicated families and confused souls find their way to light in this novel, which manages to be racy, profane, funny, and reverent all at once.

 

 Five Stars

Absolutely riveting!

I cannot begin to describe the feelings that consumed me when I finished this story. From the book summary, I thought this story was just about two characters forming an unlikely bond. What you really get is an engrossing story line with a cast of well-developed characters. The plot is compelling and kept me reading to find out what happens next! I ended up caring and relating to the characters who I know will stay with me for a very long time. There is angst, suspense, violence and bloodshed, yet the overall feeling I took away was heartwarming and hope. When you get to the end, you will wonder if you would have done the same thing. Ms. Anastasia is an amazing storyteller! I highly recommend letting her take you on a journey to Poughkeepsie. It will all begin with a simple smile.

I have to say this book is likely my most favorite contemporary romance fiction for 2011. I read the ebook version, but I also had to buy the paperback too! Thank you, Debra Anastasia, for sharing your story!

Five Stars

Absolutely Amazing....This was one of the most wonderful books I have ever read!! Every character was fantastic in their own awesome way!! This phenomenal book be taking it's rightful place on my favorites shelf!!

Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer Armentrout

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I'd pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring.... until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something...unexpected happens. 

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon's touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I'm getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades. 

If I don't kill him first, that is.

Five BIG, BRIGHT Stars!!

Who knew aliens could be this sexy?

Well before reading this story, I thought it was a stretch. However, this author squashed my doubts and created a devilishly sexy, swoon worthy, alien hero. His name is Daemon and he's hot, sexy and extremely arrogant. There were multiple times that I just wanted to slap him. He got under my skin and he definitely got under the skin of Katy, our heroine. My goodness, did these two have chemistry. They fought and argued like no tomorrow. He ticked her off so much that, in one scene, she dumped spaghetti all over him (which was a "you go, girl!" moment for me). With all that pent-up tension between, they were just waiting to explode, and boy did they ever.  It was like their banter was a hot, verbal form of foreplay. It made for a great read. The story was fresh, exciting, and an excellent addition to YA paranormal romance. Definitely recommend :)

Crushed Seraphim (Seraphim #1) by Debra Anastasia

How does a foul-mouthed angel end up as the last hope for all of Heaven and Earth?

When Seraph Emma is maimed and tossed from Heaven by a rogue angel who's taken charge, she fears she'll never be allowed to return. Tasked with the impossible job of showing the self-loathing (and not even human!) Jason his worth, Emma is sure she's doomed to fail.

Meanwhile, having wormed his way into Heaven, the corrupt Everett has trapped God in Hell and has designs on unleashing evil everywhere. Fortunately, if there's one thing Emma can't do (in addition to minding her language), it's give up. Determined to save Jason and get back to Heaven-even if it means going to Hell-Emma's plan is simple yet impossible: trick the Devil to save God.

What she doesn't count on is the devotion and, well, humanity she finds in Jason; the spirit, hidden compassion, and raw sex appeal within the Devil; and the vulnerability of her own heart. With the help of two unlikely allies, she'll wage the battle for Heaven. But will Emma be sidetracked by a new sort of heaven along the way?

What's truly more dangerous? 

Falling from Heaven, or falling in love?

Five Stars

 

I had no idea what I was getting into when I started reading Crushed Seraphim. It wasn't until a few chapters in when I realized that the reader was going to get a taste of this author's more comedic work, which delighted me beyond belief! Where in the world did Ms. Anastasia came up with this imaginative and creative story where a bad angel runs havoc in heaven and where you will find compassion for the devil? There is suspense, action, moments where I busted out laughing, and even a love triangle. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story! I very much look forward to the sequel.

Poughkeepsie (Poughkeepsie #1) by Debra Anastasia

He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him—just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others . . . he’s homeless. Memories of a broken childhood have robbed him of peace and twisted delusions into his soul. He stays secluded from the sun, sure the world would run from him in the harsh light of day.

Each day, Livia McHugh smiles politely and acknowledges her fellow commuters as she waits for the train to the city. She dismisses this kindness as nothing special, just like her. She’s the same as a million other girls—certainly no one to be cherished. But special or not, she smiles every day, never imagining that someone would rely on the simple gesture as if it were air to breathe.

When the moment comes that Livia must do more than smile, without hesitation she steps into the fray to defend the homeless man. And she's surprised to discover an inexplicable connection with her new friend. After danger subsides, their smiles become conversation. Their words usher in a friendship, which awakens something in each of them. But it’s not long before their bond must prove its strength. Entanglements from the past challenge both their love and their lives.

Blake’s heart beats for Livia’s, even if her hands have to keep its rhythm. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Love never fails, right?

In an interwoven tale of unlikely loves and relationships forged by fire, Debra Anastasia takes readers into the darkest corners of human existence, only to show them the radiant power of pure adoration and true sacrifice. Complicated families and confused souls find their way to light in this novel, which manages to be racy, profane, funny, and reverent all at once.

I'm giving this mother-effin book 5++ stars...like for real! LOL.

I'm not sure how to accurately review this book. Lets begin with,I LOVED IT!!!. Its such a rare treat to find a story that not only has you in tears, but also makes you giggle and laugh at the same time. This book had it all. Tons and tons of drama, heartache, laughter, violence, and lets not forget the explicit banter. Having a sailor mouth myself, I ate it all up and loved every minute of it. I felt the language just added more hidden beauty to the story. In addition to the multitude of explicit language, there were also plenty of gentleman-like talk to balance it all out. The story needed this balance, simply because the characters wouldn't have been the same without it. Speaking of characters, this story had a fantastic cast of characters, I adored all of them. They made me get absorbed in their story. We had the brothers, which consisted of Blake, Beckett and Cole, though towards the end, included Mouse :) Then there are the heroines: Livia & Kyle McHugh and Eve.

Blake & Livia: The story ultimately revolves around this couple. Blake is first and foremost a gentleman. He is sweet, kind, & romantic. However, Blake is homeless and constantly struggles with his past wrongs. Livia is kind and believes everyone deserves a smile. Blake is captivated when Livia first smiles at him at the train station, his home. Ever since that first smile, he's been counting her smiles. Blake makes sure he is always there to receive Livia's smiles, before she boards the train and after she disembarks for the evening. The story of smile number two hundred and eighty six made me cry (you just have to read it to find out why). There are many roadblocks this couple has to go through to get their HEA, but it made for wonderful reading.

Beckett & Eve: This story could not be what it is without Beckett. I adore Beckett. Beckett knowingly sold his soul to the devil to make his brothers' lives easier. Beckett is a beautiful soul, though its far from obvious. He's a foul-mouthed gangster. He's a big-time pimp & drug dealer. He does everything for his brothers. Blake, Beckett and Cole aren't related by blood, but the three are deeply connected to each other and are bonded by their horrible foster care experience. If you mess with his brothers, you will feel his wrath. Eve works for Beckett as his stealthy assassin. Beckett realizes that Eve's initial plan was to kill Beckett himself. Beckett unknowingly starts a series of misfortunes that ultimately resulted in Eve loosing her fiance and unborn baby. Though she's out for revenge, she just can't seal the deal, no matter how many times the opportunity presented itself. She finds herself falling for Beckett and vice versa. But is loving Beckett enough? And can Beckett live with her decision?

Cole & Kyle: Cole is a man of faith. Though he isn't a full pledged priest, he aspires to be one. He keeps his brothers grounded. He wants to save them. Kyle is Livia's baby sister. They are extremely close. Their banter borders on hilarity at times. She is hilarious. Her foul-mouth can give Beckett a run for his money. The things that come out of her mouth had me laughing. I love Kyle. However, Kyle has multiple issues, mostly involving her mother. She tries to placate her problems by sleeping around. While speaking with Livia, Kyle explained her need to sleep around and why Cole is different:

"Do you know how many guys I've been with?" Kyle asked, meeting her eyes for just a moment. "So many. You know why? Because in that moment, just before you let them f*** you, you're the center of their universe. It lasts just seconds, but I like that feeling. I crave that feeling."

"This morning-last night? Whenever it was, standing in the church in front of him? I had that feeling. I was the center of his universe. And we had all our clothes on. That feeling lasted for hours."

Ying and Yang. It was a great sub-plot reading about these two. 

Mouse: I just have to mention Mouse, because why not? I LOVE Mouse. He works as muscle for Beckett. He is big, he's bad, he's smart and fiercely loyal to Beckett. The kicker, he loves to knit. He was even knitting ski masks for their next bank job. I simply loved it. He made me laugh and he definitely made me cry. Love you Mouse :)

I apologize for the lengthy review, but it just had to be done. I'm sure I still missed a lot of what I wanted to say, but no matter what, I just can't do this book any justice. It was a wonderfully written story and I give HUGE props to the fabulous author for sharing it. I HIGHLY recommend!

Finding Home by Bonnie Dee & Lauren Baker

Her family, her friends and her conscience all say it's wrong to fall for the hustler she rescued from the streets. How come it feels so right?

When Megan first meets Mouth, a homeless teenage hustler, on the streets of L.A., he's the perfect subject for the street life expose she hopes will help her break into journalism. She doesn't expect to be drawn into his life and become his friend--or to take him in after he's been beaten and robbed by thugs.

As they learn to live together, a powerful attraction flourishes between Megan and the young man. Although he's street smart, tough and mature, he's also a youth in transition. When they finally give in to the sexual heat between them, Megan fears she's taking advantage of her position as his mentor.

Their relationship challenges every aspect of her life. Megan must make difficult choices between the conflicting demands of her friends and family, her career and love.

Wow. Just wow. This was such a wonderful surprise for me. I was extremely hesitant in reading it, but am I so glad I did. The subject of underage prostitution was really the main reason why I didn't want to read it, however, with that said, our 17 year old hero was way beyond his age. He was extremely mature, sexy, and just so mature for his age. Aside from the occasional teenage angst, you simply forget that he's only 17. Not once did i end up cringing at the thought of this older woman having a relationship with an underage man (yes, man not boy). The author did a fantastic job in giving the maturity and respect his character richly deserves. The chemistry between Sean and Megan was amazing! I absolutely LOVED it.

Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful #1) by Jamie McGuire

(Cover above was the original cover when I first read this book)

INTENSE. DANGEROUS. ADDICTIVE. 

Abby Abernathy is a good girl. She doesn’t drink or swear, and she has the appropriate number of cardigans in her wardrobe. Abby believes she has enough distance from the darkness of her past, but when she arrives at college with her best friend, her path to a new beginning is quickly challenged by Eastern University’s Walking One-Night Stand.

Travis Maddox, lean, cut, and covered in tattoos, is exactly what Abby wants—and needs—to avoid. He spends his nights winning money in a floating fight ring, and his days as the ultimate college campus charmer. Intrigued by Abby’s resistance to his appeal, Travis tricks her into his daily life with a simple bet. If he loses, he must remain abstinent for a month. If Abby loses, she must live in Travis’s apartment for the same amount of time. Either way, Travis has no idea that he has met his match.

4.75 stars. :)

Travis is what made this book incredible. He's all kinds of intense. He's bad ass, a fighter, he's emotional and its safe to say that he goes from extreme to the next. There really isn't a middle ground for him. He's incredibly unstable. He can be sweet and charming one minute and completely lose it the next. I got extremely emotional while reading this book and its ALL because of Travis. Its strange because this book was told from Abby's perspective, but the writer did an amazing job making you feel what Travis was feeling. The reaction Abby provokes out of him when she decides to leave him is INTENSE. For anyone who's ever been heart broken, I can feel his pain. For someone as strong as Travis, it made me emotional when he unveils himself and reveals all his insecurities. I must have highlighted and bookmarked several pages that tugged at my heart. This book was all kinds of emotional and I couldn't put it down. Hence the reason why it took me less than 24 hours to read it. 

Why not 5 stars? Two reasons. One was Abby. She was utterly CLUELESS at times. It was evident to everyone else but her regarding Travis' feelings, but she just pretended she was just confused. Get real! He was so obvious, I just wanted to strangle her at time. Ughhh! Reason two, well their breakup was way overdrawn. They were apart for what seemed like forever. You knew they each wanted each other back, but neither had a balls to say it and it frustrated me to no end, but when they finally had their happy ending, I was finally content. All is right with the world. lol.

The Unidentified Redhead (Redhead #1) by Alice Clayton

(The above cover was the original cover when I read first read this)

When Grace Sheridan returns to Los Angeles to become a working actor, it's a second shot at a life-long dream. With some help from her best friend and agent, that dream could become a reality, but at thirty-three, has Grace missed her chance at the big time? Will an enexpected sizzling romance with the entertainment industry's newest 'it' boy shine an uncomfortable spotlight on her life?

Alice Clayton spins a playful and erotic May to December romance in this, her debut novel. Clayton's funny, borderline neurotic heroine is perfect in her imperfections, and the off the charts sexual chemistry between her and her charming, yet blissfully unaware leading man are the true heart of The Unidentified Redhead. With laugh out loud dialogue and a super steamy romance that will get your heart racing, sneaking around in L.A. and dodging the Paparazzi has never been so fun.

FIVE+++ STARS!!

::Warning, there are some spoilers in this review::

Sweet Nuts and Nuts Girl. God how I love this book. The writing was fresh, funny and wonderful. Our heroine, Grace, is whip-smart funny and completely lovable. I can completely relate to her sense of humor and I spent many pages reading and laughing out loud. I never laughed so hard at some of the things she says to her Brit. There were so many countless times I had to place my head in my hands and say to myself, "she just did not say that out loud, she just did not say that". OMG this girl is CRAZY nuts! Love her. 

As for our hero, Jack, my goodness, who couldn't fall in love with this young, yummy, handsome British tall drink of hotness? British accents were flying all over my head as I read his dialog and that alone made me swoon like a teenage girl. (Sorry I have a thing for all things British, especially British men and their accents ;) Jack was simply adorable in this book and I love how she calls him George. He falls in love with her, along with all her craziness. LOL. Sooooooo CUTE!! 

Additionally, I love the BFF relationship between Gracie and Holly. I LOVE how they call each other dillweed or asshead. lol. And the part where Holly and their friend Nick barge into Gracie's room after her and Jack have their first tryst, PRICELESS! "The British are coming! The British are coming!" OMG I almost DIED laughing!! 

Don't get me wrong, there are PLENTY of hot, steamy, romantic scenes with Grace and Jack that tugged at the hopeless romantic in me. However, the humor in this book is what made this novel stand out. Take for example their first kiss. They were rolling around in the sand, just because Grace is crazy enough to do so, they have their first earth shattering kiss. Afterwards, she gets pooped on by a bird. POOPED ON for crying out loud. Such a romantic scene and I ended up laughing so hard at this weird, funny encounter. I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. PERIOD. If I could, I would give it tons more stars :) Can't wait to start reading the sequel :)

Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades #1) by E.L. James

When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine, she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time. 

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realize she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit, and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her - but on his own terms. 

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success – his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving adoptive family – Grey is man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent Master? And if she does, will she still love what she finds?

Erotic, amusing, and deeply moving, the Fifty Shades Trilogy is a tale that will obsess you, possess you, and stay with you forever.

FIFTY STARS (ALL SHOUTY CAPITALS)

________________________

From: Tessamari

Subject: (Hopefully, a Proper) Fifty Shades of Grey Review - the Second Time Around

Date: January 11, 2012 1353

To: E.L. James

Speechless.

My inner Goddess is sprawled out on the chaise lounge, with her left arm draped across her eyes and her right hand over her chest trying to steady her breathing. There are no words to describe how much I love this story. This is my second time reading this brilliant piece of literature and it was just as good as the first time I read it. No. Strike that. It was FIFTY times better. 

The story is all kinds of emotional. I've never read anything that even came close to all the feelings I felt when reading this. I'm 100% sure it is all because of Christian Grey. Oh, Christian. His character is so overwhelming, he literally commands your utmost attention. He knows what he wants and he knows how to get it. He's so unbelievably sexy, its extremely unfair to all other book heroes. And who can forget Ana. Innocent little Ana did not know what she signed up for, did she? Then again, she never did sign that agreement. I love how her character is able to slowly peel away the hard layers of Christian. Because of her, we get to see the sweet & carefree side of him. She gave us more reasons to love him. However, it wasn't enough. She wanted more and, God knows, the readers of this book wanted more. 

Ms. James, I thank you again for writing such a beautiful story. I love it. Its as simple as that. It is by far my absolute, most favorite story ever. EVER! (With more SHOUTY CAPITALS). lol. I'm off to re-read Fifty Shades Darker, again (BTW, it's my second favorite book). By then, I'll be ready for your third and final book. My inner Goddess & myself cannot wait :)

-----

--Below is my review from September 17, 2011 - After the first time I read this book--

10 stars (at least). I need a some time to process what I just read. As Ana would say, "Holy Crap!" I've never been so absorbed in a book before. I'm completely speechless right now. I need to start Book 2 like STAT. It got so emotional at the end that I found myself tearing up. Will definately be editing this review later, but right now, I need to start Book 2.