On the Island by Tracey Garvis-Graves

When thirty-year-old English teacher Anna Emerson is offered a job tutoring T.J. Callahan at his family's summer rental in the Maldives, she accepts without hesitation; a working vacation on a tropical island trumps the library any day.

T.J. Callahan has no desire to leave town, not that anyone asked him. He's almost seventeen and if having cancer wasn't bad enough, now he has to spend his first summer in remission with his family - and a stack of overdue assignments - instead of his friends. 

Anna and T.J. are en route to join T.J.'s family in the Maldives when the pilot of their seaplane suffers a fatal heart attack and crash-lands in the Indian Ocean. Adrift in shark-infested waters, their life jackets keep them afloat until they make it to the shore of an uninhabited island. Now Anna and T.J. just want to survive and they must work together to obtain water, food, fire, and shelter.

Their basic needs might be met but as the days turn to weeks, and then months, the castaways encounter plenty of other obstacles, including violent tropical storms, the many dangers lurking in the sea, and the possibility that T.J.'s cancer could return. As T.J. celebrates yet another birthday on the island, Anna begins to wonder if the biggest challenge of all might be living with a boy who is gradually becoming a man.

Definitely FIVE Stars :)

Yep, finished in one day. It was that good. I could not put this one down. I had my doubts when I first read the premise: A 30 year old female and a 16 year old male stranded on an island after their plane crashed. They survived through many hardships while on the island and formed a bond that couldn't be broken, no matter the age difference. T.J., our hero, grew up fast and I didn't feel any sort of creepiness that would be associated with forming a relationship with 30 year old Anna. The story was beautifully written and I gobbled up everything thrown at me. I felt heartache and even shed some tears. I just absolutely lovedit. I HIGHLY, HIGHLY recommend!! =)

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!