*BOOK REVIEW* Overwhelmed By You (Tear Asunder, #2) by: Nashoda Rose + Giveaway

Title: Overwhelmed By You (Tear Asunder, #2)
Author: Nashoda Rose
ASIN: B00KKVN5BK
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Theme(s): Rockstar, child abuse, sexual abuse, MS
Length: 321 pgs
Binding: E-book, Paperback
Published: 25 May 2014
Buy: Amazon, B&N, Goodreads

Synopsis:

Love is ugly and secrets will destroy you.

KAT

I don’t beg. I don’t cry. And I don’t give second chances.

Ream, the lead guitarist of the rock band Tear Asunder, deserves a gold medal for best dick move ever when he ran the moment he discovered my secret after two days of hot sex. Then he brings some chick to my coming home party from the hospital—after being shot. I hate him.

Until …

Ream’s six foot two frame unfolds out of the car after being gone on tour for eight months. I stared. And in my defense, any girl would stare. It would almost be rude not to because Ream was the type of guy who stood out. Not because he was loud and obnoxious. No, it was because he was the complete opposite. Subtle and dangerously quiet. If he spoke, you’d better hope he liked you because otherwise you’d be falling at his feet begging for mercy. Except me … I don’t beg—ever. But when our eyes locked, it was Ream’s steady confidence that had my nerves shooting off like jet sprinklers.

Then…

Ream told me he didn’t need a second chance because he was still working on his first.

REAM

Sex is ugly. It’s using someone for your own narcissistic pleasure. I did it and I hated it—until her. She was unfuckinexpected. Then I had to wreck our beginning with my screwed up past. I don’t deserve her, but I’m selfish and I’m taking her anyway. This is who I am and it’s too late to change me.

My Rating:

When a book proclaims to be dark and filled with angst, I sometimes become a little skeptical. Maybe that's because every author out there seems to be using that label now. The good news is, Overwhelmed By You truly is a dark and angsty novel. It was quite an intense read and the first book I've read by Nashoda Rose. Although Overwhelmed by You, book 2 in the Tear Asunder series is technically a standalone, I found the beginning of the story very confusing. It felt like the author just throws you in and you are expected to understand who these characters are and their troubled history together. Obviously the story does smooth out and things start to make sense, but I found myself wishing that I had read Torn From You first for an easier transition.

After two days of explosive sex, Ream is ready to explore things further with Kat. Sex has always been meaningless and completely on his terms because of his horrific past. But Kat makes him feel things, allows her to do things in the bedroom that he would never allow with another woman. But that all comes to a crashing halt when he sees a needle come flying out of Kat's bag and instantly flies into a rage thinking she is an addict. And Ream doesn't do addicts. Kat is hurt and pissed off that Ream won't give her the chance to explain, that not all is what it seems. Once he does find out what the needles are for, Kat is beyond forgiveness and Ream has no choice but to put their tumultuous relationship on hold as he goes on tour with his band Tear Asunder.  Eight months later, he returns and while Kat has spent the time apart building up her defenses and preparing for verbal sparring, Ream completely does the unexpected. He confesses that there is definitely something between them and he refuses to ignore their magnetic pull. Kat is in for a rude awakening because once Ream puts his mind to something, there is no going back..

Without giving away a major spoiler, one of the things I really liked is how the author didn't shy away from giving one of her main characters-- in this case Kat-- a serious illness/disease. Many authors will try to build suspense by giving a character an illness or ailment but when it is finally revealed, you're left feeling disappointed. Oh, the character has an ingrown toe nail? That's it? Haha, okay maybe it is not that lame, but you get my point. In Overwhelmed By You, Kat's illness is serious and because of this element, it makes her more realistic and human, more relatable as a character.

Since I am on the topic of Kat, I really love her strength-- and her connection with horses. She's stubborn but not naive-- she actually reminds me a little of myself. I may not have a disease but I've had many medical conditions, surgeries at a young age. Kat never cries, she can't afford to break down and she is always used to being the strong one. That's exactly how I used to be. I never wanted anyone to treat me differently, just like Kat. Another interesting aspect about her character is when her face gets cut and plastic surgery never crosses her mind. After being attacked, she is rushed to the hospital and has several ugly cuts on her face. I thought to myself, well she can always go get plastic surgery. Why is she stressing over it? But strangely enough, it never pops up in the story. Kat carries the scars proudly, a survivor, to match the ones on Ream's back. I thought that sent a very powerful message.

Ream--where do I start? I'm not going to lie. At first I did think he was a d*ckhead, but as the story unfolded and the puzzle pieces started clicking into place, I realized Ream has many, many layers, that the wall he has built around himself as a form of protection is damn near impenetrable. This man has major baggage, skeletons in his closet that even I was scared to know about. Recently, I read a book with a similar hero (Rex from Fighting to Forget by JB Salsbury) and prayed Nashoda was going to be able to give a different twist to this type of character-- apparently I had nothing to worry about. Ream was quite swoon worthy even though you wanted to throat punch him a few times because of his attitude. When you find out that he spent every moment he could while he was on tour to learn about Kat's illness, visiting doctors from city to city-- that his disappearance acts after shows was not him running off to sleep with random girls--totally made my heart melt. Ream is very dominant and possessive, but it totally makes sense once you learn why. I also enjoyed how he tried to break down Kat's walls. He knows she is strong and independent, but he also knows what kind of burden it can be to try to carry it all on your own. He wants to prove to her that she isn't alone, that if she wants to cry, yell, scream, even feel sorry for herself, that it is okay and natural. However, I understood Kat's frustration-- how is it fair that Ream expects her to open up when he won't?

If you haven't guessed it already, the chemistry between Ream and Kat  is explosive. Literally. They are both stubborn people. Kat isn't afraid or intimidated by Ream's dominant behavior and I love when she puts him in his place. There is no denial between them-- they have no doubt that they will argue and disagree frequently, but look forward to making up. They are a completely believable, realistic couple because they knew they have issues and that they are going to have to work on their relationship. Oh, and did I forget to mention the sex between them is out of this world hot?

I think what makes Overwhelmed By You stand out even more is Nashoda Rose's ability to create interesting secondary characters. They play a HUGE role in this book, which tells me they will do so in the next. Ream's bandmates are more like a family to him. Logan is almost like the patriarch--dominant, alpha, what he says is law--getting glimpses of Logan throughout Overwhelmed By You defnitely made me want to stop so I could go read Torn From You which is his and Emily's story. Then there is Ream's best friend Crisis who is the comedian/manwhore of the bunch. But I absolutely love him because of his loyalty. Okay, and because he is funny as hell! Kite is quite interesting as well, a little mysterious--I definitely can't wait to see who he gets paired up with. Then you have Deck. Oh my. My absolute favorite hands down. His book is next which I believe is a spinoff and let me tell you...Georgie is supposed to be his heroine. She is bubbly and sweet-- Deck is so serious, the ultimate alpha male. I can only imagine how hot their story is going to be. If you want a little taste of Deck, check out the excerpt I posted below.

Here is what I had problems with. Other than mentioning that Ream is over 6 feet tall, has some tattoos, and pink hair, there is no real description of what he actually looks like. Does he have long pink hair, short pink hair? What kind of tattoos? Authors need to remember that the characters are in their head. Their job is to create a vision for us.

I have a couple of pet peeves, one is consistency. Kat gets beat up really badly, kicked in the ribs, choked, face cut up. She is in the hospital, in and out of consciousness for a couple of days. Ream gets this idea to take her away so they have time to deal with their problems. But what drives me crazy is she was beat up so badly, yet there is no mention of her bruises or soreness (other then her face). It's one thing if they waited a couple of weeks to go on this little trip, but they go straight from the hospital. I guess what I am trying to say is, authors need to be more aware of timing and do the proper medical research. The scene where Kat is attacked was brutal to read, so for me, it made no sense that she was able to walk around, go swimming, etc. if she was hurt that bad.

Another pet peeve of mine is when an author makes a character vomit and they forget to have them brush their teeth. Then the next thing you know they are kissing another character and it kills me, because all I keep thinking about is ewww, she just threw up!!! Don't kiss her! I know this may be a strange thing to complain about but I have read so many romances where the heroine vomits and then her and the hero are making out. Most authors will remember, but unfortunately, there is a scene where Kat has emptied her stomach a few times, her and Ream are in the bathroom, and he kisses her...*shudders* I'll leave it at that.

The story starts out in Ream's POV. Then it switches to Kat's perspective and that is where it stays. I found this a little disappointing. Yes, at the beginning of each chapter are little snippets of Ream's dreams or past, but it's not the same. I think the story could have been more effective if we were able to see more through his eyes.

Overwhelmed By You was quite a roller coaster ride. I won't say that it was completely original, BUT there is a quality to Nashoda Rose's writing that is unique and refreshing. She writes interesting characters and she isn't afraid to push them to the brink of darkness. While there were a few things that were predictable, she also threw in a few shocker moments. I definitely will be going back to read Torn From You, book 1 and I absolutely cannot wait to read Deck and Georgie's story in Perfect Chaos.

best wishes,mia

Excerpt

"You love him?"

Now that was a surprising question coming from Deck. I did't think he would even know about the emotion love. "He cheated on me."

"Harsh for a girl who cheated her best friend the truth for seven years."

"What?" Clifford started shifting his feet and pulling on the crossties. "What the hell, Deck. This isn't my problem. I didn't promise to love someone, care for them, protect them, and then shit all over them. That wasn't me. He did this. Don't you dare turn this around on me." Screw his scariness and the way his jaw clenched. Screw all of this. I went to walk past him but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back around.

"I didn't tell you that fuckin' story for the hell of it. No one knows that fuckin' story. No one except you now. He didn't cheat on you." I jerked, but it only pissed him off more and tightened his grip as he repeated, "He didn't cheat on you."

"I saw--"

"I don't give a fuck what you saw. Ream would never cheat on you. It's not in his makeup."

"Well, maybe, Deck...you think a little too highly of yourself to really know what the truth is this time."

"Probably do, but even if we bet on that point one percent chance I'm wrong, you owe it to him. You know why? Because he gave you more than he has anyone, and after his fucked up past, that was damn hard for him to do. Now you're going to save him because I have no doubt he needs saving right now. He should've crumbled down a real bad path a long time ago, but he didn't. For some reason he came back from that shit and found you. I'm not wrong, he'd never ruin that."

"You don't know that."

"Damn right I do." His harsh voice hit me--hard. "Let's go."

"Now?"

"I have men in the fuckin' desert waiting on me to get back so we can go in and kill some motherfucker who tortures innocent women and children. So yeah. Now. Car in five minutes."

He strode out of the barn.

Shit...

about the author

 

Nashoda Rose lives in Toronto with her assortment of pets. She writes contemporary romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it’s a tidal wave. Her novella "With You" is the first in the Tear Asunder series, followed by the novel "Torn from You" and "Overwhelmed by You". When she isn’t writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dog at her side while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers on Facebook and chatting about her addiction—books.

Connect With Nashoda

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway

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BOOK REVIEW: Unsurpassed (No Rival, #1) by: Charity Parkerson + Author Q&A and Giveaway!

Title: UNSURPASSED (No Rival, #1)
Author: Charity Parkerson
ASIN: B00JPEB876
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Erotic Romance
Length: 85 pgs
Binding: E-book
Published: 16th April 2014; Ellora's Cave Publishing
Buy: Amazon, Ellora's Cave

Synopsis:

Book 1 in the No Rival series

Aubree is infatuated with two men, Max and Ryan. The two former Marines have been her close friends ever since she made her first misguided attempt at joining their kickboxing classes. When the pair invites her to join them at a weekend party thrown by Drew, a famous MMA champion, she has no idea what they have in mind. After spending one hot ménage night with the pair, Aubree learns the men’s intentions are not all about her. Feeling betrayed, Aubree turns to Drew who is also tugging at her heart. She must choose between the two men who have been the center of her fantasies, and the one man who could make all her dreams come true.

Inside Scoop: This sexy tale includes a ménage and male/male encounters that may leave you wishing for an alpha male fighter of your own.

A Romantica contemporary erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

My Rating:

Like menage? How about a little m/m action? What about a possessive alpha male that doesn't want to share? Well, I don't know how the hell Charity Parkerson did it, but the extremely talented author was able to cram all of these elements and more in UNSURPASSED, the first book in her new No Rival series which is only 85 pages. (my kindle actually says 79, but who's counting? :) I'll be honest, I usually steer clear of novellas (anything under 100 pages), mainly because more often than not they leave something to be desired. Most of the time shorter novels suffer from lack of character development, rushed plots, which in turn causes the actual love story to feel implausible. But something drew me to UNSURPASSED. Maybe it was the careful wording of the synopsis that had me intrigued. There was just something about the book blurb that hinted this story was somehow going to be different from the rest. Oh, how I love to be right! This review may be a little shorter than some of my others mainly because I want to avoid spoilers. Part of the appeal of UNSURPASSED is the twists (and there are quite a few!) so I will try my hardest to stay away from any major plot points.

Here is what I liked. UNSURPASSED starts off like any other typical menage story.  Ryan and Max, co-owners of a gym, seem to have one thing on their mind-- to finally possess their friend Aubree, the sexy blonde that walked into their establishment months ago. At the time, Aubree was looking forward to trying out a kickboxing class their gym offered, never expecting to gain Ryan and Max's friendship along the way. While she savors their closeness, she can't help but yearn for more...and working out at their gym is sending her hormones into overdrive. Who wouldn't get all hot and bothered watching two sexy alpha males pump iron? However, being equally attracted to two men at the same time is foreign to Aubree and fears their rejection if they should find out about her dirty little fantasy.  After all, how can she choose just one? There is Ryan, the kind of guy who always has a smile on his face and a good sense of humor. Then there is Max, the brooding silent type. Best of both worlds, right? It's not until they show up at her apartment for dinner when she starts to realize that maybe the attraction she feels isn't so one-sided. Could they BOTH want her? When she agrees to go with them to a weekend party/charity event hosted by famous MMA champion Drew Alexander, Aubree never expects her wildest dreams to come true...and then shattered.

Up until the party, the plot was going in the direction I had expected. Ryan and Max are a pair of hot alphas that compliment each other and fit into the typical mold of the kind of men I expect in a menage story. Usually one is the easy going guy, the other is the more serious one. But then something unexpected happens. Once Drew Alexander enters the picture, all of my preconceived notions went right out the window. At first I was on guard, just like Aubree was. Drew is the kind of man that can melt the panties off of any woman with his looks alone. Then he opens his wicked, sexy mouth and automatically you get the sense that this is a man that is a player and is used to getting whatever he wants, whenever he wants with little effort. Aubree thinks she knows Drew's "type" and has him neatly put into a box. But she can't deny his outrageous sense of humor and provocative banter and is surprised how much she enjoys the harmless flirting. Here are a couple of my favorites:

"Just think," he said, allowing a bit of devilry to show. "If you hadn't shown up this weekend, you wouldn't have met me. That would've been a real shame for you."

Aubree narrowed her eyes, but her grin gave her away. She was ready to play along. "How do you figure?"

"You would've missed your chance to seduce me, and although I'm not easy, I'm totally worth every moment...You'd better get started." He made a show of looking at his watch. "I don't know what time you usually go to bed, but I've only got a few hours left in me. Wine me, dine me," he paused and smiled roguishly. "Well, you know the rest."

_____

The look on her face was priceless. It was a mixture of flattered and exasperated. She raised her hands and dropped them back to her sides as if she had no idea what she should say. "You make me want to scream."

He nodded his understanding. "Don't worry. You will. I can hear my name on your lips and reverberating off these walls already."

Again, I was really worried that Drew was trying to take advantage of Aubree, but once his true nature is revealed and her involvement in bringing out this different side of him, I was a goner just like her. You think Ryan and Max are alphas? Well you haven't met Drew yet :)

"I'm fighting my nature here as we speak. I want to throw you over my shoulder and steal you away from this place. I want to hide you away while I show you every pleasure your body is capable of enduring. I don't intend to let you come up for air until I've touched, tasted, explored, and penetrated until you've accepted you are mine."

Ryan and Max...playboy Drew...a shocking betrayal...who will Aubree end up with? Usually, it doesn't take rocket science to answer this kind of question in romances like this. It's always quite apparent. But by the time I got to the end of UNSURPASSED, I realized this story doesn't follow the typical formula. Parkerson kept throwing in twist after twist that constantly left me asking "what if". I so wish I could get more into detail, but I will have to leave it at that!

For those wondering about the sex scenes...SCORCHING hot and perfectly paced. The scenes weren't so overpowering that it felt like it took away from the story. Nor did they feel contrived. They were well written and satisfying yet at the same time leaving you wanting more more MORE.

So why only a 4.5 rating instead of the full 5 stars? Sometimes I annoy myself with my attention for detail. After reading the story in one sitting, I noticed some questions I had jotted down along the way. These are very minor things, but I have to wonder if the story had been a tad bit longer, if these questions would have been absolved.  Why did Aubree want to join the kickboxing class at Ryan and Max's gym? Was it just for fun or did she have a life threatening experience that caused her to want to take it as a form of self defense? The obvious answer is wouldn't she have just taken an actual self defense class if that were the case? I'm probably over-thinking it. That leads me to question number two: why does Aubree seem to have a low self esteem? Yes, as women, we are constantly criticizing ourselves. But there are quite a few times in the story where she doubts her appeal, first with Ryan and Max, then later with Drew. So I was just curious if this self esteem issue stems from previous bad relationships. Lastly, in the synopsis, it states that Max and Ryan are ex-marines yet I don't remember this being mentioned once in the story. Maybe I am wrong or my eyes were moving faster than my brain, but I wonder how this connects to the story.

UNSURPASSED is a refreshingly well written erotic romance that packs a lot of punch. Charity Parkerson is at the top of her game and it is no wonder that she is a multiple award winning author. To be able to add in the erotic elements on top of well developed characters AND unexpected twists to keep you guessing til the very end all within an 85 page novella is no easy feat. I wait with bated breath for UNDAUNTED, book 2 in the No Rival series.

best wishes,mia

Author Interview

1. UNSURPASSED is definitely a refreshingly unconventional menage erotic romance, meaning, it doesn't follow the typical formula that most readers of this genre are used to. What inspired you to write about not two, but THREE uber sexy alpha males?

CP: I'm incapable of writing sex without love, even if it's unconventional love. I went into this book thinking I would try this one time to write a no-strings-attached story, but it's not me. The story began with Max and Ryan, then along came Drew. He was supposed to stay on the side, but as my characters tend to do, he refused to behave. I love an alpha and MMA is a testosterone filled sport packed with confident men. The idea of bringing three spectacular men to their knees was too good to pass up. I hope readers agree.


2. I read somewhere that UNSURPASSED is the first novel in a planned 5 book series. I have an idea who will be the main characters in book 2, then again, you are sneaky, based upon the unexpected twists in book 1! Can you give us any kind of teasers? Or any kind of tidbits about what we can expect from the rest of the No Rival series?

CP: I have signed for five books in the series, and I already have an idea for book six. Everyone comes back for book 2, Undaunted, but the main heroine is Mandy. She made a couple of short appearances in Unsurpassed. Max's father has passed away. His death brings together a few characters and reveals several secrets. I have an unofficial blurb I can share with you-- to the horror of my editor, I'm sure-- along with the cover, if you'd like a sneak peek. (See sneak peak of the cover and unofficial blurb for Undaunted below)

If you fall in love with a character along the way, and I hope that you will, they're coming back. I've almost finished book 5 and I haven't given any up yet. I'm a sad case when it comes to my characters. I don't want to let them go.

Here's a list of the series: 

Unsurpassed 

Undaunted 

Unequaled 

Unbalanced 

Unattainable 

I've had more fun writing this series than anything I've ever written. I've shared hilarious emails with fighters while doing research, laughing uproariously at their extremely candid answers to some of my uncomfortable questions. Not to mention, the hours spent searching through pictures of hot men in an attempt to find models who meet the image in my head. That was grueling, lol. This series is close to my heart and I'm thankful beyond measure to everyone who takes the time to check it out. I truly appreciate the interview.

Sneak Peak...

Unofficial blurb:

Brothers, Rhys and Knox, have been in love with the same woman for years. While Rhys has been open about his feelings toward Mandy, he’s kept her firmly locked in the friend zone. That is, until a night filled with too much alcohol explodes into passion.

Unfortunately, while Rhys doesn’t remember a minute of it, Mandy remembers every detail all too well. As secrets and betrayals begin to unravel their friendship, Knox seizes his chance to—finally-- claim her as his own.

With two sexy fighters willing to square off to win her heart, which will Mandy choose, the charming reprobate who’s been the center of her desire-- yet always wrecks her life-- or the merciless bad boy who wants to give her the world?

Rhys and Knox are coming soon. Summer 2014.

About the Author

Charity Parkerson is an award winning and multi-published author with Ellora's Cave Publishing. Born with no filter from her brain to her mouth, she decided to take this odd quirk and insert it in her characters.

*2013 Readers' Favorite Award Winner

*2013 Reviewers' Choice Award Winner

*ARRA Finalist for Favorite Paranormal Romance

*Five-time winner of The Mistress of the Darkpath

*Named one of the top 10 best books by an Indie author in 2011- Paranormal Reads Reviews

*Best Paranormal Romance of 2012- Paranormal Reads Reviews

Connect with Charity:

Website | Facebook (Author) | Facebook (Fan) | Twitter

Giveaway

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Book Review: The Ballad of Mila by: Matteo Strukul

Title: The Ballad of Mila (Mila Zago, #1)
Author: Matteo Strukul
ISBN: 1909223735
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Pulp Crime Fiction
Theme(s): Revenge, Strong Heroine
Length: 320 pgs
Binding: Paperback
Published: 25 February 2014; Exhibit A
Buy: Amazon.com, BN.com

Synopsis:

Hell hath no fury - Two perfectly matched gangs are fighting for control of the North-East Italian region of Venetia. But a formidable young woman with vengeance on her mind has plans to upset the balance. Abandoned by her mother and violated by a gang of criminals just after they slaughtered her father, Mila Zago is a cold-blooded killer, a deadly assassin. Brought up by her grandfather on the Sette Comuni plateau under a rigid martial code, she returns home to seek her revenge, conspiring to create a spectacular showdown reminiscent A Fistful of Dollars. The Ballad of Mila is the first novel in an on-going series focused on the formidable female Italian Bounty Hunter Mila Zago, a.k.a. Red Dread.

As well as being shortlisted for the Premio Scerbanenco / La Stampa, it won the Premio Speciale Valpolicella 2011, and in its graphic novel format was awarded the the Premio Leone di Narnia as "Best Italian comic book series of the year". Meet Mila - you'd better pray the cops find you first.

My Rating:

My Review: Kill Bill. The Fifth Element. Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. La Femme Nikita. What do these films/books have in common? Strong, memorable female characters that kick major ass. And I am absolutely thrilled to add The Ballad of Mila by Italian author Matteo Strukul to the list.

Here is what I liked. No matter what the language, Matteo Strukul obviously has mastered the ability to describe scenes in vivid detail. Whether he's illustrating a fight, a person, or trying to inspire a particular emotion, his use of personification and similes will have you pausing to admire such expressive rhetoric. Here are a few examples I found myself highlighting as I read:

"The short blade flew through the air like a hungry tongue, swinging fast in a macabre, shining dance."

"That day, I cried all my tears. All those I had been granted, a lifetime's worth."

"The shiny blue Ford Focus was speeding angrily through roads built over the ancient Roman borders as if it had a grudge against the asphalt."

"She kept moving on her feet, elegant and lethal. She swayed like a reed under the moonlit cloak of a night sky patterned with pale stars."

I also thoroughly enjoyed Mila's journal entries. Once I started the book and realized that the story was not entirely in her POV, I wondered how the author was going to give us Mila's backstory. That is the beauty of her journal entries. Strukul strategically works them in, so that as the story progresses, the puzzle pieces of Mila's life start to click into place. The entries also helps the reader to understand why she sets certain events in motion.

I couldn't help but be fascinated by the whole historical/political backgrounds of the Chinese/Italian criminal empires. The story takes place in Italy and there is no one more corrupt then Rossano Pagnan. But his days as the most notorious mob boss in Italian history are numbered because Guo Xiaoping, leader of a gang of Chinese assassins have been spreading across the Veneto region. And Guo wants nothing more than to knock Pagnan off his bloody throne. I will be the first person to admit I had no idea that the Chinese had immigrated to Italy and that there was this whole underground war between the two cultures. It's great when a novel entertains you, but it's even more awesome when you learn something, especially when it is unexpected.

I was also impressed with Matteo Strukul's knowledge of weapons, specifically firearms. Heckler & Koch USP Tactical, Knight's Armament Company Silencer, Colt .45, P38 Special, Semiautomatic Glock 17 loaded with 9mm Parabellum bullets, Armalite AR 15 assault rifle-- yeah, just to list a few. And I must say, there is something kind of sexy about Mila knowing and handling some of these deadly weapons.

More than anything else in the story, I absolutely loved our heroine. I know I already said it, but I'll say it again, Mila Zago is totally badass. Some may think that her lack of emotion throughout the story is unrealistic, but just be patient. It's towards the end of the novel that you begin to see some of her vulnerability shine through.

I want to talk about her physical appearance which plays an important part in the book. This is how
she is described:

"A bombshell: medium height, red dreadlocked hair, green eyes; sheathed in leather trousers and a tight jacket perfectly highlighting her curves. Breathtakingly hot."

She also frequently wears yellow tinted shades or "specs" which are significant and explained later in the novel. Known as The Red Fury and Red Dread, Mila's physical appearance is so important because it not only serves as a distraction in the very male dominated world she involves herself in, but men take beautiful women for granted all the time, as if a female's beauty can be her only attribute. This makes Mila a lethal enemy...and perhaps later a powerful asset.

Aside from her striking looks, Mila has spent years training, mastering, molding herself into a deadly assassin with one goal in mind-- avenge the death of her father and make those who brutally raped her pay. And God help those who get in her way:

"The Red Fury jumped in the air and kicked him smack in the groin. Ottorino fell to his knees then crumpled to the floor like a puppet broken by a moody child. She didn't waste any time. Took the Heckler & Koch, grabbed him by the hair and dragged him outside like a pig's carcass."

Reading Mila's story reminded me so much of some of my other favorite strong female characters, The Bride in Kill Bill, Leeloo (who also has the reddish/orange dreads) from The Fifth Element, Nikita from La Femme Nikita, and perhaps most of all, Lisbeth Salander from Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. Yet while I see bits and pieces of these other women in Mila, Matteo Strukul was still able to create a female character that has unique qualities of her own.

So here is what I had some issues with. There were way too many random, abrupt shifts in character POV. I can handle reading the perspective of Mila and the two main villains, Pagnan and Guo. But for some ungodly reason, the author gave almost every single character in the book their own POV moment. One minute you're seeing things through Mila's perspective, then for 2 or 3 sentences you are her victim, then it shifts to another person in the room, then back to Mila-- and so on and so forth without any kind of warning or paragraph/chapter break. It definitely affected the flow of the story.

While I really enjoyed Guo Xiaoping as one of the villains, I had a hard time taking Pagnan seriously. He is supposed to be this scary Italian crime boss but some of the things he says throughout the story sound completely juvenile such as here:

"Mule, we're in deep doodoo, you should already be at the hospital and instead you start a game of twenty questions?"

Deep doodoo??? Really? From my understanding, The Ballad of Mila was originally a graphic novel, written in Italian. The author decided to expand it into a novel and the finished product was translated into English. While some lines work well in a graphic novel, especially with illustrations to go along with them, others may not translate well and I think that is what the problem is here and in a few other places in the story.

My only other complaint is something that trouble's Mila later in the book that conflicts with her character. There is a scene where Mila has to watch Pagnan feed one of the Chinese gang members to his dogs. She goes as far as saying to herself that, "it was too much, even for her." This, in my opinion, totally contradicts her character. Mila is an assassin, a woman who has chopped off the hands of a man, cauterized the wounds, cut some heads off, put them in bags, and delivered them personally, etc. Yet she can't stomach watching a man being eaten by dogs? Yes, it's disturbing, but her reaction just felt out of character.

The Ballad of Mila is a smart, fast paced thrill ride that has all the elements of a cult classic. Mila is a fierce heroine that may remind you of other famous strong female characters but can stand on her own thanks to author Matteo Strukul molding her with care. My only heads up to potential readers is to remember that this novel was translated from Italian to English and contains some words/phrases that you may not have come across before. The Ballad of Mila is the first book in a potential series. I can't wait to read the next installment in the Mila Zago saga!

best wishes,mia

Book Review: FOREPLAY by: Sophie Jordan

Title: Foreplay (Ivy Chronicles, #1)
Author: Sophie Jordan
ISBN: 0062279874
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: New Adult Romance
Length: 304 pgs
Binding: Paperback
Published: 5 November 2013
Buy: Amazon.com

Synopsis:

Before she goes after the life she’s always wanted, she’s about to find the one she needs. Pepper has been hopelessly in love with her best friend’s brother, Hunter, for like ever. He’s the key to everything she’s always craved: security, stability, family. But she needs Hunter to notice her as more than just a friend. Even though she’s kissed exactly one guy, she has just the plan to go from novice to rock star in the bedroom—take a few pointers from someone who knows what he’s doing.

Her college roommates have the perfect teacher in mind. But bartender Reece is nothing like the player Pepper expects. Yes, he’s beyond gorgeous, but he’s also dangerous, deep—with a troubled past. Soon what started as lessons in attraction are turning both their worlds around, and showing just what can happen when you go past foreplay and get to what’s real...

My Rating:

My Review: If you are one of my blog followers then I apologize for sounding like a broken record. Lately I've been coming across books that aren't so easy to rate. FOREPLAY by Sophie Jordan falls somewhere between a 3.5-4 star rating. On the one hand, it's a story we've heard over and over again in the ever popular NA genre: Inexperienced virgin (Pepper) wants a guy (Hunter) that she thinks is out of her league. Slutty/promiscuous friend (Emerson) convinces her to find someone that will help her gain the sexual experience she needs in order to win over the guy. Virgin doesn't count on falling for the "tutor" (Reece) that agrees to teach her foreplay. On the other hand, the author somehow uses the timeworn formula to create a story that in some aspect feels fresh and original.

Book Review: Indelible by: Dawn Metcalf

Title: Indelible (The Twixt, #1)
Author: Dawn Metcalf
ISBN: 0373210736
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Teen, Paranormal Romance
Length: 384 pgs
Binding: Paperback, E-book
Published: 30th July 2013; Harlequin
Buy: Amazon.com, BN.com

Synopsis:

Some things are permanent.

Indelible.

And they cannot be changed back.

Joy Malone learns this the night she sees a stranger with all-black eyes across a crowded room—right before the mystery boy tries to cut out her eye. Instead, the wound accidentally marks her as property of Indelible Ink, and this dangerous mistake thrusts Joy into an incomprehensible world—a world of monsters at the window, glowing girls on the doorstep, and a life that will never be the same.

Now, Joy must pretend to be Ink’s chosen one—his helper, his love, his something for the foreseeable future...and failure to be convincing means a painful death for them both. Swept into a world of monsters, illusion, immortal honor and revenge, Joy discovers that sometimes, there are no mistakes.

Somewhere between reality and myth lies…THE TWIXT.

My Rating:

My Review: Indelible is a refreshing YA paranormal romance that is reminiscent of the dark original fairy tales. I could tell by the book blurb that Dawn Metcalf was going to give us something different and when it comes to the original concept of Indelible she doesn't disappoint.

There is a world known as the Twixt, a place that cannot be seen by the human eye. Ink (our hero/anti-hero) and Inq (his sister) are scribes, created not born. They were made with the sole purpose of marking humans with the signatura of their fae counterparts. I was captivated with some of the mythology and world building. I liked how Ink would take Joy with him when he was called to do a task and found it neat how he would use his tools to "cut" an invisible slit in the air that once opened, became a gateway to another world or dimension.

While Joy wasn't my favorite heroine in recent YA literature, she...

Book Review + Giveaway: APOLOGY by Jon Pineda

Title: APOLOGY
Author: Jon Pineda
ISBN: 1571311041
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fiction
Theme(s): Immigrants, Hardships, Tragedy
Length: 208 pgs
Binding: Paperback
Published: 4th June 2013; Milkweed Editions
Buy: Amazon.com, BN.com

Synopsis:

When nine-year-old Tom Serafino’s twin sister Teagan suffers a debilitating brain injury, a police investigation implicates his playmate Mario’s uncle—an immigrant, transient worker known as Shoe. Innocent of the crime but burdened by his own childhood tragedy, Shoe takes the blame for what is in fact an accident caused by his young nephew, ensuring Mario’s chance at a future publicly unscarred.

The lines between innocence and guilt, evasions and half-truths, love and duty are blurred. Can a lie born from resignation, fear, and love transform tragedy into hope? And is the life of one man worth the price of that lie?

Told in vivid scenes alive with imagery and with thematic echoes of John Burnham Schwartz’s Reservation Road and Northwest Corner, Apology explores how the decisions we make in an instant reverberate in the years to come. Apology further paints a portrait of sacrifice within two immigrant families raising first-generation Americans. It explores the measure of duty we have toward one another, and the extent to which abandoning the wreckage of family and the past often leads to unexpected consequences.

Deeply empathetic and beautifully written, Apology marks the novelistic debut of a critically acclaimed Asian American writer.

My Rating:

*Scroll down to enter for a chance to win 1 of 3 paperback copies of APOLOGY by Jon Pineda!*

My Review: It's hard to believe that Jon Pineda's novel, APOLOGY, barely hits the 200 page mark. Why? Because as I sat back and went through my notes to prepare this review, I was pretty much stunned at all of the themes and thought provoking, philosophical questions that I had written in the margins, not to mention the span of years that is covered within the story. I'm not even going to lie-- I tend to like my novels 300+ pages. Maybe it's because it gives me that false sense of getting my money's worth. Or maybe it is just hard to wrap my brain around the idea of an author being able to write a story with depth in under 200 pgs. Whatever the case may be, I admire an author who can shatter my illusions as to what makes a truly memorable novel.

Here is what I liked about APOLOGY. The structure of the novel is broken into 8 parts, each part containing  short, concise paragraphs (sort of like snapshots) that alternates between present day and flashbacks. This format and writing style makes for a very quick read. But don't let that fool you into thinking the story is...

Book Review: FIEND by: Peter Stenson + World War Z Poster GIVEAWAY!

Title: FIEND

Author: Peter Stenson

ISBN: 0770436315

Reading Level: Adult

Genre: Horror Fiction

Theme(s): Meth Addiction, Zombies, Apocalypse

Length: 304 pgs

Binding: Hardcover

Published: 9 July 2013; Crown

Buy: amazon.com

Synopsis 

There’s more than one kind of monster. 

When Chase Daniels first sees the little girl in umbrella socks tearing open the Rottweiler, he's not too concerned. As a longtime meth addict, he’s no stranger to horrifying, drug-fueled hallucinations.  

But as he and his fellow junkies soon discover, the little girl is no illusion. The end of the world really has arrived. 

The funny thing is, Chase’s life was over long before the apocalypse got here, his existence already reduced to a stinking basement apartment and a filthy mattress and an endless grind of buying and selling and using. He’s lied and cheated and stolen and broken his parents’ hearts a thousand times. And he threw away his only shot at sobriety a long time ago, when he chose the embrace of the drug over the woman he still loves. 

And if your life’s already shattered beyond any normal hopes of redemption…well, maybe the end of the world is an opportunity. Maybe it’s a last chance for Chase to hit restart and become the man he once dreamed of being. Soon he’s fighting to reconnect with his lost love and dreaming of becoming her hero among civilization’s ruins. 

But is salvation just another pipe dream? 

My Rating:

 *GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED*

My Review: Unless you've been living under a rock, zombies have made a comeback in popularity. They are everywhere-- in books, at the movies, and on television and they are here to stay...at least for a little while. And with this influx of zombie mania comes those individuals who just want to jump on the bandwagon to make a quick buck. The hard part is to weed through the coal to find the hidden gem. FIEND by Peter Stenson is one of those gems, a novel that borrows bits and pieces from material of the past (such as Shaun of the Dead) to give us that familiar feel yet somehow is able to maintain a sense of originality. Strangely enough, as I sit here and attach a zombie label to this book, there is a hesitation. One can argue that FIEND is more a story about addiction that just so happens to have zombies in it (I made a similar comment awhile back when I reviewed another "zombie" novel called This Is Not a Test by Courtney Summers). Think Trainspotting meets Shaun of the Dead. And let's not forget there is a love story here as well. Because FIEND can fall into more than one category, it was a little challenging for me to review. Hopefully my analysis below makes sense and doesn't come out a mess.

Here is what I liked about FIEND. The story takes place within the course of a week. Instead of chapters, each section is broken up by a day of the week. Combined with Chase's (our main character) first person narration, it was a very quick read and gave it a journal like feel.

To add to Stenson's unique style of writing is his imaginative use of figures of speech, in particular similes, and sensory details. Here are a couple of examples:  
"Blood spouting like Old Faithful."  
"She pulls at the intestines like saltwater taffy."  
"She's still there and her dress isn't a Jackson Pollock anymore, just red. So's her hair."  
"I turn to see Typewriter at the top of the stairs and then look back to the girl sitting there like a used tampon." 
If you haven't figured it out yet, let me clarify. This novel is not for the faint of heart or for those who are easily offended due to offensive language. The story and images the author creates with words are raw and dirty. Some parts are so vivid that I seriously felt sick to my stomach at times, and I'm not even talking about blood and guts. I'm talking about the effects of being a hardcore meth addict and the way Stenson uses the senses to describe these habits, the picking of scabs, their bodies and hair greasy and filthy because they haven't bathed in days (and that's before the zombies make an appearance), smelling like "period blood". Hey, his words, not mine!

What I really liked about FIEND and what makes this novel stand out is its unlikely hero, or I should say antihero. Chase is a meth addict and what I like even more is that Stenson didn't make him a stereotypical addict. Most people assume that if a person is on drugs it's because they had a shitty childhood, come from an abusive home, or maybe their parents battled addiction and they are just a product of their environment. But we rarely get to see the other side. As the story unfolds, Chase reveals that his family had money. His parents loved and supported him and did everything within their power to help him get clean. While I did sympathize with him at different parts in the story, I found it harder to find sympathy for a person who had a pretty decent life but pissed it all away because he wanted to rebel as a teenager. And even Chase felt shame at times because of this very fact.

Stenson also interjects well-paced humor throughout FIEND and has created quite a few interesting characters. Chase's best friend is nicknamed Typewriter and he just so happens to be the only fat meth addict that he knows. There are quite a few cinematically funny (at the same time nail-biting) moments when zombies are bearing down on them, Type gets physically stuck, and Chase has to help him out. Yet just when you think Stenson has stereotyped him as the fat, wimpy best friend that is scared of his own shadow, Type does something courageous. He's the one who teaches Chase how to shoot a gun. He's the one who drives them out of more than one sticky situation and waits for Chase even when zombies are snapping at their heals.  But if I had to pick a favorite character, it must be the Albino, Chase and Typewriter's meth cook. Yes, I said THE Albino because that is how he prefers to be addressed. Not only is he one of the most paranoid, smartest, and eccentric of the bunch (he's the only one who prepared years in advance for a zombie apocalypse), he also serves as the comic relief in the story. I'm not going to give you any examples since the majority of his comments are quite vulgar and I don't want to offend anybody (which really makes no sense if you plan to read this book, but whatever), suffice it to say that THE Albino is one character you will not soon forget.

I don't want to get into too many details about the zombies themselves as I don't want to spoil everything, but I do like that Stenson tries to inject some unique qualities. The one thing I will say is that they...chuckle or...giggle instead of the moaning we are used to. This is why Chase and his little posse call them "Chucks". It may sound silly but imagine a little girl covered in blood and dog intestines coming at you while giggling. Creepy, right? 'Nuff said.

Another thing that I found interesting and probably is the most important aspect of the novel is the philosophical questions that Chase ponders throughout the story. For example, Dead vs. Undead. Aren't they already dead, living that kind of lifestyle? What makes them any better than zombies? At first I didn't quite get it because even though he is an addict, how can you compare a living, breathing human being to a zombie? But oh was I wrong. Just when I started to like Chase, there would be a flashback scene or a part where he remembers something horrifying that he did in the past in order to get high. And let me not even get started with some of the things he does and choices he makes throughout the novel that shocked and disgusted me. But that is what I think the point of the story is. How far will an addict go to get their next fix? What this story left me asking is this: are they trying to survive the apocalypse or are they doing it for their next fix?

So here is what I had issues with. There were a few minor things that I still feel torn about and it really all depends on how you look at it and what the author was actually trying to convey. While I did like Stenson's unique writing style, it took some time getting used to. As I stated above, it is written in first person narration but here is the problem: there are no quotation marks used with the dialogue. A part of me liked the unstructured format because it made me feel like I was reading Chase's personal journal. But because no quotations were used with the dialogue, there were times when someone was speaking or multiple people were having conversations around Chase and I couldn't figure out right who was saying what. I had to stop occasionally and reread to figure it out. At times even Chase's thoughts got jumbled up when other people were talking. Thankfully, Stenson gave each of his characters distinct voices, so it wasn't too hard to figure out. But confusion did happen and who wants to get pulled out of a story because they have to stop and reread a section since they can't figure out who said what?

It probably is no surprise that characters start to be picked off towards the end. I really can't get into too much detail here because I don't want to spoil anything. But my issue lies with the hot and cold feelings I kept getting with certain characters. There are times throughout the story where I felt I had a good sense of the type of characters I was reading about. But then they would do something that seemed way out of character. At one point I got so angry that I wrote a list of things I wanted to call the author out on but then I started to wonder. Is it the addiction that caused these characters to do random things that were shocking and unexpected? I'm still torn on this one.

My last issue is the way FIEND ends. I would have to agree with other reviewers that it was almost as if Stenson got tired of his own characters and just walked away. It ends so abruptly that I thought the galley I had received was an unfinished draft. But no, it's the way the story ends. Sometimes ambiguous endings are cool and thought provoking. But I fail to see the ambiguity. I was at first extremely distraught, and felt like I had invested my time yet was rewarded with no type of closure. But again I am torn because...I have this feeling that...this is not the end. I won't say any more but after I had some time to calm down and think, I do see the potential for a sequel. I can only hope that is why Stenson ended things the way he did.

Some may argue that FIEND by Peter Stenson is not a zombie book but rather a story about addiction that just so happens to have zombies in it. I can see this novel appealing to those who are interested in learning or reading about meth addiction. Also, if you are like me, FIEND may appeal to those zombie fans that are looking for something different, a new way of looking at things, a fresh pair of eyes to see a zombie apocalypse through. However, if you like zombie novels that reveal the who, what, where, and how-- how they turned into zombies, what caused it, where is the cure--you may be disappointed. Because none of these issues are the focal point of this story. The only thing that is figured out rather quickly is how to prolong NOT turning into a zombie...the rest I will leave for you to figure out. But I will give you a hint. If you've had the chance to see the movie version of World War Z,  then you know it's not so much about finding the cure, but something that can buy them time. But these...revelations that give Chase in FIEND and Brad Pitt's character in World War Z time are equally as dangerous and life threatening. But hey, comparing FIEND and WWZ is a whole different can of worms better explored another day.

GIVEAWAY

Since it is "Zombie Week" on my blog, I have a treat for everyone! Enter below for a chance to win 1 of 3 17 x 10 inch Limited Edition World War Z movie posters! I have 3 of these posters to give away, so 3 winners will be announced. Sorry, but this giveaway is for US residents ONLY. Good luck!
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