Review: Swelter

Title: Swelter

Author: Nina G Jones

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services

Pages:236 Pages

Genre: Military Romance, Contemporary Romance, Historical Fiction

Source: Amazon

Rating: 6 Stars

 

 

 

Summary:

I married the right brother.

At least that’s what I tell myself at night, when I stare at the ceiling and listen to the rhythm of the grandfather clock down the hall. It never feels like the mere passage of time, but a countdown towards something inevitable.

Bobby Lightly is selfish, irresponsible, and careless. I haven’t seen him since the day I married his brother. He slipped out during the wedding reception without a word.

A year later, I heard Bobby was drafted to Korea. He never said goodbye. Never sent a letter. We had all come to terms with the fact that he was probably dead somewhere, either a victim of the war or its aftermath.

That is, until in the midst of an unrelenting heatwave, he showed up at the doorstep of the house I lived in with his brother.

Everyone thinks I’m cruel. Everyone thinks I should be easy on him. They think I don’t understand him. They all think I hate him.

But what no one understands is that it was Bobby who broke my heart.

And I think he’s back to do it again.

Review:

Okay, I REALLY REALLY apologize to Nina G Jones and the Promotion people….I know i said i was going to do the tour and things got out of hand and i didn’t have a chance to read the book then i read the book and sat traumatized with a hangover for days and couldn’t even formulate words with a review. I was given an a review copy of this book for free so that i could review this book and omg…I’m so glad that i did.

This was in all way heart wrenching and soul soaring. I have never genuinely been upset with an author. I have never demanded that i be left alone to deal with what happened in a book or started a fight with my significant other because of a book. The day that i was finishing this book I did all of the above and then some: I left it out in the world that i hated this author, I cried in public (at work at that), I didn’t accomplish work because i was too busy reading, I hyperventilated for one of the characters, and then i went home and picked a fight with my significant other because my feelings were so jumbled [he took it in stride]. I mostly felt a sort of deep sadness overall though the ending helped me heal so much. I lived a WHOLE LIFE in this one book.

From the very first page i was completely immersed in the story. It was like i stood back and out of the way while i watched someone’s life happen. I was leery at first because any sort of cheating for me is very controversial and not particularly welcomed but at some point i stopped paying attention to my ideals and just basked in the amount of feeling i got from reading this. I was so deeply moved in some places that i weeped in absolute happiness for Lilly and in some parts i wept just because she was so sad. I am not a crier. I hate crying. But the way the words were easily and beautifully strung together made me not only read and watch that mind movie i usually get with books but it also made me feel. I swear i was an open nerve while reading this because the story resounded and the things i felt as a result of the story were acutely felt.

I don’t think i’ve read a more emotional book from my point of view. I mean forget about the notebook and forget about romeo and Juliet because Bobby and Lil were, are, simply exquisite and timeless. I only hope that i can love my Fiance the way that Bobby loves Lil. I only hope that I will eventually stop hating the sight of a very innocent jar of peanut butter.

The Gist of it:

Lily grows up with the two brothers for a good portion of her life and like with most young people just doesn’t truly understand her feelings until it is too late. Now! I know that i would have been like no fuck this and walked out on my own wedding but that’s just me; I’m mean and this is a different time. Lilly felt pretty obligated to follow through on her commitment and ends up living a life with not only a huge secret but also guilt and misery. Things just aren’t the way they are supposed to be. She thinks she chose the right brother when she chose to marry Rory.

And then the dead shall rise…..Bobby lightly comes strolling back into town and tears apart Lily’s carefully constructed facade and she just doesn’t know what to do: do what she is supposed to do and be miserable (again and still) or [finally] follow her heart and deal with the consequences? Either way it is a tough decision because it’s not like these two men are strangers! They are BROTHERS!!!

The brothers couldn’t be more different. It was like night and day when it came to Lilly. I appreciated the contrast and hoped it would have made lilly toss her obligation out the window….she did eventually but not that easily.

There were some parts for me that came out of left field and other parts where i was like yea i knew it but overall i found this to be a perfect way to weave a story. There were moments where you had flashbacks. There were arguments and insecurities. This novel was messy. That is life. Messy as hell. At the end though it was bittersweet and perfect. The last 10 minutes of reading really really helped with the healing and rounded out the story. I believe Nina G Jones gave us a gift in the ending. It was the perfect way to answer all questions and soothe broken hearts.

I walked away from this book destroyed. It was beautiful and awful. This is my 6 stars of the year.

Recommendation:

Oh absolutely yes! YES YES YES! HELL! I wish i could just gift away a million copies!

The Queen of the Tearling

 

Title: The Queen of the Tearling
Author:  Erika Johansen
Publisher:  HarperCollins Publishers
Pages:  448 Pages
Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy,
Source: Amazon Book Page
Rating: 6  Stars

Summary:

Magic, adventure, mystery, and romance combine in this epic debut in which a young princess must reclaim her dead mother’s throne, learn to be a ruler—and defeat the Red Queen, a powerful and malevolent sorceress determined to destroy her.

On her nineteenth birthday, Princess Kelsea Raleigh Glynn, raised in exile, sets out on a perilous journey back to the castle of her birth to ascend her rightful throne. Plain and serious, a girl who loves books and learning, Kelsea bears little resemblance to her mother, the vain and frivolous Queen Elyssa. But though she may be inexperienced and sheltered, Kelsea is not defenseless: Around her neck hangs the Tearling sapphire, a jewel of immense magical power; and accompanying her is the Queen’s Guard, a cadre of brave knights led by the enigmatic and dedicated Lazarus. Kelsea will need them all to survive a cabal of enemies who will use every weapon—from crimson-caped assassins to the darkest blood magic—to prevent her from wearing the crown.

Despite her royal blood, Kelsea feels like nothing so much as an insecure girl, a child called upon to lead a people and a kingdom about which she knows almost nothing. But what she discovers in the capital will change everything, confronting her with horrors she never imagined. An act of singular daring will throw Kelsea’s kingdom into tumult, unleashing the vengeance of the tyrannical ruler of neighboring Mortmesne: the Red Queen, a sorceress possessed of the darkest magic. Now Kelsea will begin to discover whom among the servants, aristocracy, and her own guard she can trust.

But the quest to save her kingdom and meet her destiny has only just begun—a wondrous journey of self-discovery and a trial by fire that will make her a legend . . . if she can survive.

This book will be a beautifully designed package with illustrated endpapers, a map of the Tearling, and a ribbon marker.

Review:

I just finished reading this book and to be honest I usually marinate in the ending for a while but this time i simply cannot because i am way way too excited and happy! This is like someone took Game of Thrones and mushed it up with The hunger games – Strong female lead and a lot of killers/killing and throne snatching. I love that Kelsea is not your typical too gorgeous to get dirt girls. We see her become self conscious about it and even mention it out loud to another female who gently reminded her that outward beauty is not just a blessing but may also be a curse. We see Kelsea struggle with living two different lives. She struggles with the past and present constantly. You can feel some of her anguish in her self doubt but she is one tough cookie! She  was raised by foster parents and they did a damn fine job of making her self reliant and self thinking. Kelsea grows so much from front beginning to end. She makes some pretty big sacrifices and basically shouts out go big or go home with her mere presence. She works for and earns the respect of the people around her…personally i think i have a crush on the queen of Tearling. The Fetch is my second favorite person and i hope the author plans on keeping him around just to unravel him and his mysteries. The fetch i believe will always hold a place of affection in Kelsea’s heart and she in his as well. Its just a hunch but i hope these two have at least one scandalous moment. 

Speaking of scandalous who IS her dad!? It’s the million dollar question through out the book! [if you know the answer don’t spoil it for me] Everytime it was brought up i was like YEA!!! WHO’S YOUR DADDY?! again very happy that there is a second and third book [rumor has it]. 

Kelsea’s Adversary The Red Queen [*sighs* off with their head?? not the same promise] we don’t really know much about her except shes ancient and a professor of the dark arts. Just kidding. She is a sorceress though and is seen conversing with the devil and staying super young while really being over 100 years old and being inherently evil. There isn’t much said about her other than she rules with fear and shes gorgeous and scared. I like that she is scared. She has plenty to be scared of. 🙂 my 3rd favorite person you ask? Mace. I have a huge thing for sort of broken, overly protective, guarded, gruff, killing machines. He’s brutal. He is one of Kelsea’s best weapons. He is dependable and trustworthy. He is honest to a point and with holds when he needs to. He is the first person to swear fealty to Kelsea for the silliest of reasons but it endears him to me. Mace is so protective of Kelsea that its almost obnoxious. It’s not a creepy protective it’s a fatherly/uncle-please-don’t-get-yourself-killed sort of protectiveness. 

I really and truly enjoyed every moment of this book. it didn’t reek of soft porn like a lot young adult novels and it certainly didn’t need a weak female character to be saved by anyone or thing. This was fantastic – strong female badass who is determined to save the kingdom. Serious blood and scarring going onto said bad ass female. Kick ass family of guards who will follow her to the ends of the earth and at the end of the day decisions made with humility and humanity. There are good choices and bad choices. There are crappy pasts and murky futures but most of all there is faith and hope. In my eyes this book deserves far more than just 5 stars that’s how awesome it was to me. In Fact!!! It is going to be my first 6 Star book! Which means!! It was better than awesome and more fantastic than wonderful. 

Recommendation:

YES YES YES YES!!!! I borrowed mine from Books A Million [perks of being an employee] Feel free to borrow a copy from your library or a friend or buy it from amazon or whatever. Its such a good book that you NEED to have it. It’s like hot cocoa on a cold day or chicken noodle soup when you are feeling sick. That’s how good this book is!!! GO GET IT NOOOOW!!