Review: Dark and Deadly Things by Kelly Martin

    

Synopsis:

It is a strange feeling in life to watch your ghost hunter of a father live on TV while eating popcorn next to your dead mother.

That’s not entirely true. It is a strange feeling to be sure and my mother is most assuredly dead. But she isn’t next to me. She’s across the room, standing between the old mahogany grandfather clock that needs to be dusted and the old cabinet television that belonged to my grandma in the eighties. It doesn’t work anymore, the television that is. Now the cabinet is used as a stand for the newer TV version, one that you don’t have to get up and change the channels on.

~*~*~
I watched them die. I watched them all die, and I could say nothing as my father was accused of the crime. Only he didn't do it. The black shadow did... only no one will ever believe me.

And then there is Abel Hale. His entire family died at the hand of the black shadow, and he thinks I can help him get revenge.

If I could do that, I'd already gotten it. As it is, I go with Abel because it is the easiest thing to do.

Nothing is ever easy.

Seeing ghosts is a curse, but Abel's curse is something I never expected, something I fear.... something I can never trust.

Only he's all I have.

And I'm the only thing standing between him and the truth.

Review: Rating- 5
I hate horror. I hate scary things. I hate being scared. I hate all things that go bump in the night or that flicker out of the side of your eye. I’m queen of being paranoid. I can’t enter a room without turning a light on first. I can’t go upstairs unless someone is with me. I think you get the picture.

Somehow, I don’t think any therapist worth his or her salt will believe me anyway.

I LOVE Dark and Deadly Things. It is scary and I did have to call my husband home from work just so I could finish reading it. However, it’s more than just scary, it’s brilliant, and written so well. This is Kelly Martin’s best book yet. Fans of the supernatural are going to devour this one.

The world won’t ever come into focus if I keep my eyes covered.

The story is of a girl, Elise, who can see ghosts. Her dad is a ghost hunter on TV and she used to be part of his team, but no longer helps him on his show. One night she watches her dad’s live televised showing of him hunting ghosts in a families haunted house and something goes terribly wrong, leaving a family torn apart. One of the son’s in that family, Abel, tracks Elise down and requests her help.

A soul is a soul, whether living or dead.

I’m purposely leaving this review vague, because the book needs to be read in itself, not in someone else’s review. It’s amazing, realistic, scary, and it’s hilarious. In the midst of all the crazy that goes on, Kelly Martin knows how to lighten the mood, to bring you back from that dark place.

Derek the Dick promptly doubles over, his hands grab what I assume is a very small package, and I’m sure he could sing soprano in The Phantom of the Opera right about now. Strange how my knee just suddenly rose up and hit him in the junk like that.

Pick up Dark and Deadly Things, grab your blankey, keep the lights on, and get ready for a wild crazy terrifying ride that you don’t want to miss out on.

Things happen, and we have to somehow find the strength to get through it and live our lives.

Heartless by Kelly Martin

Synopsis:

Who is really the monster?

For 13 years, Gracen Sullivan dreamed about a red-eyed demon named Hart Blackwell who tortured her every night. Her mother freaked when she found out about her daughter's "hallucinations" and forced Gracen to go to the doctor, who prescribed some very powerful medication, which kept Hart out of her head for five years.

A week ago, Hart came back and brought a friend.

But something has changed, and Gracen is seeing Hart when she's awake too. And the other "friends" in her dreams? They have been found dead.

The police want to talk to her.

Her boyfriend has become distant.

Her dreams are becoming more and more intense.

Hell wants her.

Heaven has to stop her.

When push comes to shove, can Gracen fight the evil eating away inside her or will she be forced to embrace it and destroy the world.

Review by Patrick:

So I read/listened to this book and finished it exactly one year after Rachel did. Rachel purchased a copy of her audio book through Audible for me months ago and I just finished listening to it, and I'm looking forward for the next audio books. Kelly, I'm sorry this one took me so long to complete. I was busy, you know, like getting my CPA busy. But the wait is over, and my review is here.

Supernatural, Mystery, Heaven and Hell, Angels and Demons (and worse), Civil War, Family Drama, Lies and Betrayal, Suspense, Spells, Epic-Save-the-World-from-the-Bad-Guys theme, a little bit of love and conflicted emotions... This book has some of all of that. If you like just about anything in books, then pick this series up. You'll find something in there that you will like.

One of the things I found slightly irritating was the excessive soliloquies, where the character was thinking in their head (or sometimes having a conversation mentally, but... well that's okay). I mean, a normal person can't possibly have five or more separate thoughts after every line of dialogue in a conversation. I think this was more of a writing style of Kelly's than anything else, and it has its advantages. You really get the feel for what the characters 'feel' when exposed to new information. And in a sense we do have these emotional reactions during conversations, they just happen in the blink of an eye, and are not well thought out sentences in our head. That instant reaction to emotion is difficult to convey in a book without words, so it is very helpful in that regard. I think I was just not used to the writing style that she uses, and found it a slight distraction from the scenes in the book.

Julie Hinton was the narrator for the audio book. I've seen enough of Kelly's Facebook videos that I kind of know her voice. The first time I heard Julie Hinton start out in the first chapter of this book, I immediately thought, "Wow! She's reading it like Kelly would." She has that Southern drawl, which is perfectly fitting for the Southern characters. But she keeps her voices for characters different, distinct, and consistent. There is little higher praise than that for a book narrator.

The epilogue presents an obvious question: "How can Gracen be...?" Spoilers. Which, of course, is easily solved by reading the next book in the series. And one that I think I will, as soon as the audio book comes out. I'm looking forward to it. For now, this one gets 4 stars from me. Also, read Rachel's review as well. She has a slightly different take on the book (and recommends it higher than I do).

Keep reading, and may your dreams be Hartless.

Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman

Synopsis:

Do you have a grip on your business, or does your business have a grip on you?

All entrepreneurs and business leaders face similar frustrations—personnel conflict, profit woes, and inadequate growth. Decisions never seem to get made, or, once made, fail to be properly implemented. But there is a solution. It’s not complicated or theoretical. Based on years of real-world implementation in more than 100 companies, the Entrepreneurial Operating System® is a practical method for achieving the business success you have always envisioned.

In Traction, you’ll learn the secrets of strengthening the six key components of your business. You’ll discover simple yet powerful ways to run your company that will give you and your leadership team more focus, more growth, and more enjoyment. Successful companies are applying Traction every day to run profitable, frustration-free businesses—and you can too.

For an illustrative, real-world lesson on how to apply Traction to your business, check out its companion book, Get A Grip.

Review by Patrick:

Occasionally I don't just read fantasy and fiction. Every once in a while I get out a leadership book and see what someone else has said on the topic. This particular book came as a recommendation from my boss, and I have to say, it was a good recommendation.

This book was one that broke down "how to get where you want to go." It started with your big ideas, your dreams, and systematically got narrower and narrower until you got your head out of the clouds and you feet on the ground (where you had traction). It had great ideas for what to accomplish and when. My favorite idea were the rocks.

In addition to just breaking the ideas down, the author gives tools, big ones for each main idea, and supplementary tools to help enhance each main tool.

I also get the sense that Wickman actually has done this before. He gives his own business story, and countless stories of his clients who he helps through this process. These examples illustrate each point and help identify how to pull an idea together, what an exceptionally dedicated management team can accomplish, or show what happens when the team disregards the component.

Also, be realistic. You won't change your organization over night. As Wickman states, some over-zealous clients might get all components implemented in as little as six months, but some take up to three years. It takes time to change any one person's behavior, but changing how an organization thinks, reacts, and behaves takes time.

Great book. I can't wait to start implementing these ideas in my own organization. There are tips in here that seem so intuitive, but no one is doing them. I'm giving this book a high rating, because I think it really will help a lot of businesses and leaders.

The Last Battle by C. S. Lewis

Synopsis:

Narnia... where dwarfs are loyal and tough and strong—or are they... where you must say goodbye... and where the adventure begins again.

The Unicorn says that humans are brought to Narnia when Narnia is stirred and upset. And Narnia is in trouble now: A false Aslan roams the land. Narnia's only hope is that Eustace and Jill, old friends to Narnia, will be able to find the true Aslan and restore peace to the land. Their task is a difficult one because, as the Centaur says, "The stars never lie, but Men and Beasts do." Who is the real Aslan and who is the imposter?

In the conclusion of the saga that began with The Magician's Nephew, a false Aslan is roaming Narnia, commanding everyone to work for the cruel Calormenes. Can Eustace and Jill find the true Aslan and restore peace to the land? The last battle is the greatest of all and the final struggle between good and evil.

Review by Patrick:

I didn't wait around to read this one. I wanted to get through it to say I finally read the series. So I did. I picked this one up every chance I got and read through it.

You know the old saying, all good things must come to an end. Well, that's true here as well, except it doesn't. And I'm not going to say more than that because... spoilers.

The story in this one was pretty good. It starts out in Narnia, instead of in the human's perspective. So that was a little odd, although similar to The Horse and His Boy. Eustace and Jill are once again the main human characters, but one of the things I love about this book is that it brings everyone back in and at least mentions them. All the humans, even Diggory and Polly. All the Narnians, even my favorite, Reepicheep. And of course, new characters to this story. We even get to meet the Calamenian god, Tash.

This book was wonderful. It described beautiful things in a way I've never imagined. I enjoyed the magic and mystery of it, and the eventual conclusion of Narnia itself. I think there was a wonderful and perfect transition from the beginning story of the book to the end, because once you got there, it was obvious that that would be how you got there... in complete bliss. And even though you had arrived, and were a little sad that you had left, you knew that everything was going to be okay in the end. Better than okay... perfect.

I'm really not sure what to think about this book. It was good, and it was certainly a conclusion. I don't know if it was the conclusion I wanted, but it was wonderful. If you've read the previous six, you must finish reading the series with this one. I'm going to give it 4 stars.

The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis

Synopsis:

Narnia...where owls are wise, where some of the giants like to snack on humans (and, if carefully cooked, on Marsh-wiggles, too), where a prince is put under an evil spell...and where the adventure begins.

Eustace and Jill escape from the bullies at school through a strange door in the wall, which, for once is unlocked. It leads to the open moor...or does it? Once again Aslan has a task for the children, and Narnia needs them. Through dangers untold and caverns deep and dark, they pursue the quest that brings them face to face with the evil Witch. She must be defeated if Prince Rilian is to be saved.

Review by Patrick:

Off the bat, this was another of those books that took me forever to finish. I don't just mean from when I reviewed The Voyage of the Dawn Treader until now. I mean that every time I've tried to read this series, I get stuck and put it down during this book. And I don't exactly understand why, either. This book had plenty of action and story to carry it. But even this time, I had put this book down, and didn't finish. I looked at it, and thought to myself, "I'm going to finish that book," and then I did within a few days. Maybe there is some magic in it that doesn't want you to finish it, but if you have the willpower, you can overcome it?

Eustace Scrubb makes another appearance in this book. He and a girl from his school are brought in by Aslan to solve another problem in Narnia. This time, Aslan sends them on a quest, with quite specific instructions. Of course, things never go as they should, people forget things, mistakes were made, and the optimist, Puddleglum (a marsh-wiggle), always shone a bright ray of hope (while expressing his belief that the worst was yet to come).

Interesting story, and good read. I liked it. I don't know why it took me so long to finish, and I'm looking forward to the next and last book of the series. 3 stars from me.

Review: Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Kelly Martin

    

Synopsis:

Nancy Corbin makes a living screwing with the minds of Nashville's less than upstanding men.

As the owner of the underground business, Once Bitten, Nancy makes it her mission to give scorned women the justice they deserve. She lures in the man who has wronged her client, flatters him with her considerable charms, then strikes.

It's only business.

Until the ex-girlfriend of tabloid-proclaimed Romeo, Chad Harris, comes in. According to the ex, Chad is the worst Nancy has ever had the pleasure of manipulating. However, after their first encounter, Nancy isn't so sure.

As business becomes pleasure, will Nancy be able to finish the deal? Or will Chad prove to be more of a challenge than she ever realized?

***********
1989: ONCE BITTEN, TWICE SHY is part of the Love in the 80s: A New Adult Mix romance series. It is a stand-alone novella.

Don't miss the other Love in the 80s titles:
1980: You Shook Me All Night Long by Casey Bond
1981: Jessie's Girl by Lindy Zart
1982: Maneater by Cambria Hebert
1983: Cruel Summer by Amber Lynn Natusch
1984: Against All Odds by Rebecca Yarros
1985: Careless Whisper by Misty Provencher
1986: Why Can't This Be Love by R.K. Ryals
1987: (How Do I Get You) Alone by Cameo Renae
1988: Need You Tonight by Rachel Higginson

Review: Rating-5
You know the saying, nothing is ever what it seems. Nancy runs a quiet business, Once Bitten, where she gets revenge on the men who have scorned women. The business is discreet, quiet, and tame. Nancy might go on a date and set the guy up for a bit of embarrassment, or puts him in a sticky situation, nothing to raise too many eyebrows, just enough to make the scorned women happy and the man to feel a bit of regret. She uses this business to pay for college and stay afloat.

Some people might argue that I'm taking advantage of these poor souls in their state of weakness. I say, if they want to pay me, who am I to be their moral compass?

Nancy gets a call from a woman named Dana to help her get revenge on her ex. This time it's not a tame revenge the woman wants, she wants her ex to pay royally. In return Dana will pay Nancy enough money so she can finish out college.

I could retire on a beach with a drink and a cabana boy making my every dream come true.

The problem is, the man Nancy is hired to get revenge on is a celebrity playboy always in the tabloids. He's richer than sin, flaunts his money off, flaunts his good looks off.

     "Did you notice that before or after you knocked me down?" I have yet to take his hand. I have yet to figure out what he's doing here.
     "Before. I noticed your big brown eyes after I knocked you down."
     Smooth, dude. Real smooth.

The book has so many hilarious one-liners that are notorious in Kelly Martin's novels.

My hair isn't as close to Heaven as Amy's, but I'm knocking on Heaven's door.

In the end we have a college girl just trying to get by in a business that leaves her thinking love isn't real. A job with a rich play boy who is too darn good looking for his own good. And a huge decision to make that could make or break a girl full of hope.

Revenge is supposed to be easy. This isn't easy. This is torture.

In the end we're left with a funny, moral-questioning, swoon worthy read. I fell in love with these characters and I'm positive you will too. I mean, come on, Chad Harris knows how to play the ladies.

He smiles slyly. "Not in the slightest, ma'am. I promise to be on my best behavior."

Review: Reckless by Kelly Martin

    

Synopsis/Chapter 1:
JESSUP HART BLACKWELL SAVED THE WORLD.
Not that anyone will ever know.
Not that they’ll remember.
But I know.
I remember.
That’s my curse.
I don’t agree with how he did it.
I wish it had been me that died. Lord knows we would’ve all
been safer if I’d been the one instead of Hart.
But he couldn’t let that happen.
He couldn’t live with it.
How am I supposed to live with it?
The pain.
The remorse.
The pressing feeling that something inside me that I can’t
control is still there… dormant but not dead. Ready to pounce.
Ready to kill again.
Hart saved the world, that’s true.
But he couldn’t save me

Review: Rating- 5
If you haven't read this series stop reading this review, grab Heartless, and start reading! You wont regret it! I've been putting off this review for so many reasons, but mostly, writing a review means the book, this series, is really done- no, completed. Complete. This series is complete and this finale was more than I imagined because I never thought it was going to be like this... and I'm glad. 

Gracen is my rock. My constant. The one thing that keeps me even the slightest bit human.

If someone asked me to summarize this book or even this series in one word, for once I wouldn't stutter around trying to grasp a word, for once a single word comes straight to mind: Empowering.

I stand and look down on her. She's so... frail. So small. All this time I've been afraid of her, of the voice in my head telling me I'm not good enough, not worthy. And when I look at her now, I have to wonder who the hell she thinks she is.

"Yes?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm worthy."

If you haven't read this series then stop reading this review because there will be spoilers from this point on. Reckless picks up right where Breathless left off.

Jessup Hart Blackwell saved the world.

We see Gracen panicking, crying, cleaning up the blood. We get to see what life is like for her after the event. Then we get to the big problem. Gracen is still alive. Gracen being alive means there's still the Abomination.

I can never allow myself another moment of weakness.

Everyone we've come to love and hate show up in Reckless for their final move, their last effort to make the world and their lives go the way they want it to.

If you don't save her, if you don't bring her back to me, I'll rain a fire of death and destruction that you've never seen onto the world. I'm a demon, Lucien. A demon. Evil. Ruthless. Reckless. I'll do whatever I damn well please if I don't have Gracen by my side. You wont have to worry about the Abomination when I'm finished with everything. You have my word on that." My fingers dig deep into his neck. So deep I can see red droplets of blood pooling, fixing to run down my fingers.

"You'd do that? For one person."

"No." I shake my head and let his feet fall to the concrete steps. "I'd do that for her."

The book is about each of these people coming up with a way to stop the Abomination from taking over again.

As long as there is hope, I'll be okay.

If you asked me for the top 10 ways I expected this book to go I would have been completely wrong. Kelly Martin took an intense action packed series and wrapped it up in intense feelings. These college kids had to face and conquer the impossible and in doing so they had to have their hearts ripped out, but in the end they got their Hope.

He's Hart. My Hart.

This was a beautiful ending for a beautiful series!

"Stay with me." He whispers.
"Always."

Messenger by Lois Lowry

Synopsis:

Strange changes are taking place in Village. Once a utopian community that prided itself on its welcome to new strangers, Village will soon be closed to all outsiders. As one of the few people able to travel through the dangerous Forest, Matty must deliver the message of Village's closing and try to convince Seer's daughter to return with him before it's too late. But Forest has become hostile to Matty as well, and he must risk everything to fight his way through it, armed only with an emerging power he cannot yet explain or understand.

Review by Patrick:

This book is more closely related to Gathering Blue, I thought, than The Giver. Although, to be fair, it had clear links to both stories.

This one seems pretty dark from the beginning. The main character, Matty, seems to have some kind of power. And the town folk are trading things that shouldn't be traded. Well, things get worse, and democracy has it's disadvantages.

The story moves on, and the optimist in me wants everything to turn out okay, but the book just keeps giving out lashes. Note, this is not a child's bed time story. Read this as a mature adult, and think about what it is telling us about ourselves, and our society.

I don't know what to say about this one. It has mystery, tragedy, redemption, and hope. It plays on your emotions, and brings up topics that can be difficult to express. It's good, but geez. I'm giving this one 3.5 stars. Keep reading.

Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Synopsis:

In her strongest work to date, Lois Lowry once again creates a mysterious but plausible future world. It is a society ruled by savagery and deceit that shuns and discards the weak. Left orphaned and physically flawed, young Kira faces a frightening, uncertain future. Blessed with an almost magical talent that keeps her alive, she struggles with ever broadening responsibilities in her quest for truth, discovering things that will change her life forever.

As she did in The Giver, Lowry challenges readers to imagine what our world could become, how people could evolve, and what will be considered valuable. Every reader will be taken by Kira's plight and will long ponder her haunting world and the hope for the future.

Review by Patrick:

While The Giver was possibly the best book I've ever read, this book seems more in line with what I normally read. It's dystopian, where things are sometimes backwards, but sometimes way ahead of our own time. Oh, and then there is the magic, which I have no idea where it comes from or how it works. What makes the magic in this world work?

This book's setting seems to be a different community from the community in The Giver, but still in the same world. There's not much more connection than that. I think they might be more intertwined in the later books. Still, don't skip this one.

The political system in place in this one is very interesting, and the main character is kept around simply because she has a gift. It's odd, but definitely one to keep you reading. I was intrigued about how the gifts worked, and although we see them in use, we hardly ever get to see the "why" behind it. It just... is. And that's all the character's know, so it allows you to feel what they feel better, but still, I want to know.

I'm looking forward to finishing this series and finding out how they interconnect. This particular book is getting 4 stars from me.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Review by Patrick:

This book may be the best book I've actually ever read. Literally. And I don't say that lightly.

Lois Lowry is a master. This book has been on my "to read" list for many years, but, like a lot of things, I haven't gotten around to it. Well, I finally finished one book series, my schedule lightened up a little bit, and I decided to start this one. I'm so glad I did.

The book has about the same reading level and length of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, but the depth of the book and the implications are much deeper. An easy read, this book took me three workdays to finish: I just couldn't put it down. The story gripped my mind, heart and soul, and I did not want to eat, sleep, go to work, or do anything until I found out what happened in the next chapter or on the next page.

For those of you who do not know me, I'm pretty stoic. I don't necessarily feel what others feel. My range of emotions tend to range on a normal scale of 4 to 6 (with a normal person going from 1 to 10, and Rachel from probably -5 to 20). So I should warn you: I cried when I finished this book. The first thing I did when I read the end was ask my son to come to me so I could hug him, and he asked me why I was crying. After reading the book, I appreciated what we humans have so much more. There are emotions, such as love, hate, envy, jealousy, hunger, pride, fear, joy, sorrow, desire, frustration... the list goes on forever. And we have personality. We work together, and create new things. We are innovative. We make mistakes. We have loss. We have salvation. We need each other. As I was hugging my son, I felt so overwhelmed and glad that he will grow up in a world where he can experience those things.

In this book, the setting is in "The Community," which is the futuristic utopia that a certain path and thinking leads to over a long time. There is no pain or suffering, no choices to be made. Everyone is a productive member to the Community, and will have no cares or worries. Lowry shows that to obtain this level of utopia, there are trade offs to be made. I won't spoil the book further, but that's the premise. (Actually, this might be the society that Vulcans boast of.)

The story is heart wrenching. As the story went further, I felt the dread of foreshadowing of events to come. I was drawn in by the story, and worried about what happens next. I knew as I was reading it that there would be a different ending than the rest of the book. I knew something had to change, but I didn't know what. As the story unfolded, I realized with a terrible sadness, that this book might end tragically. But I will let you decide for yourself. Tell me in the comments if you think the last two pages were literal or metaphorical, because I'm not sure.

In the end, this book receives nothing but five stars from me. It does not fall short of "Phenomenal! Must read!" If you want to be more aware of the gifts you have in your life, read this book. If you desire to be a better informed citizen of the world, read this book. If you have children, ever want to have children, or know of a child somewhere in the world that you like and desire to have a better future for them, read this book. If you think we should all be nice to each other and never argue again, read this book. If your parents or grandparents are still alive, or you enjoy spending time with your family, read this book. If you want your world to be a better place, read this book. I will argue that this book should be on the required reading list for every high school or equivalent education system in the world. Please read this book.

Blog Tour and Review: Breathless by Kelly Martin

Title: Breathless (Heartless, Book Three)

Author: Kelly Martin

Genre: YA Paranormal

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb: There's good.

There's evil.

Then there's her.

When Gracen Sullivan stabbed Hart Blackwell, she thought it was over. She thought the world was safe--safe from her. Stuck in the Abyss, watching as the evil inside her body takes over, she has to find some way to stop it.

Hart Blackwell expected to wake up in Hell. Instead, he woke up in his grave. With the world falling apart, he has to put the bad history with his brother in the past or there will be no future.

Armageddon has been set in motion. Enemies will have to work together or everything will end in fire and brimstone.

The Abomination is here. And she must be stopped no matter the consequences.

Kelly Martin writes paranormal, contemporary, historical, and YA fiction. She has been married for over ten years and has three rowdy, angelic daughters. When she's not writing, she loves taking picture of abandoned houses, watching horror gamers on YouTube-- even though she's a huge wimp-- and drinking decaf white chocolate mochas. She's a total fangirl, loves the 80s and 90s, and has a sad addiction to paranormal TV shows. {Basically, she likes creepy stuff.} Her favorite characters are the very flawed 'good guys'--and 'bad guys' who don't know they are evil. She loves giving her readers books with unexpected twists and turns, but (here's a hint) most of her books have the ending spelled out in the first chapter. See if you can figure it out. If you ever have a question or comment, feel free to email her at kellymartin215 @ yahoo . com ♥ You can follow her writing adventure at www.kellymartinbooks.com

Author Links: Instagram: https://instagram.com/kellymartin215/

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Kelly's Heartbreakers (my official street team): https://www.facebook.com/groups/922087044551273/

Newsletter: http://kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com/p/subscribe-to-our-newsletter.html

Blog: www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com

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Amazon:  http://amzn.to/1RiFqC4

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KellyMartinAuthor

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Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/KMBooks

Buy Links:

#Free with #KindleUnlimited Heartless (Book One): http://amzn.to/1P8YzVI

Soulless (Book Two): http://amzn.to/1Uu1ijs

Breathless (Book Three): http://amzn.to/1Upr3Rd

Hart (Book Four): http://amzn.to/1V5TRvo

Excerpt:

Hart:

"Lucien! Slow down! Wait for me!" The sounds all around us drown out my words. I can barely hear them, and I'm right there with me. I'm sure Lucien doesn't hear. I can't even see him anymore.

What I do see, through the wind whipping my hair in my eyes and squinting through the rain, is a dim light in the distance. I don't know if it’s a house or a barn or a serial killer's cabin. I don't know. I don't care. All I know is that I see it, and I want to be there. It has to be warmer and drier than out here in the middle of the woods.

Out here where any bear or wolf or fox could pounce on us and rip us to shreds.

Though I haven't heard any animal since we started into the woods.

I'm sure that's totally a great sign.

Could this get any worse?

A hand grasps my shoulder and pulls me back.

I’m pinned down on the ground before I can fully comprehend what’s going on. I can’t see what’s holding me down, but I know it can’t be my brother. I claw at its face to try to get up, but my hands are pinned down over my head, and I can’t make my legs move.

I’m trapped.

The lightning fills the sky.

For a split second, I can see.

For a split second, I wish I couldn’t.

Barefoot Book Blog Review: 5+ stars

There's no way I can write this review adequately enough: there aren't words for the emotions that this book will produce in you, I'm not an eloquent writer, and I haven't held this book in my heart long enough to give words to how amazing it is.

"Some of the most evil people in the world are the ones who hide behind righteousness. Who hide behind good and God and all that other stuff that makes them feel better than anybody else in the world. It makes them feel superior."

So, here's a review that doesn't give this book justice and some quotes that I loved from the book.

Breathless picks right up where Soulless left off. Let me tell you, those first two chapters do nothing short of put you straight into the characters life. You're thrown right into a world that is going to hell in a handbasket and no one has any idea of how to stop the Abomination.

"A part of me feels grateful that Seth did what he did. Without it, there would never have been a Gracen for me to love."

This is a journey of emotions, so many emotions, regret, guilt, sorrow, worry, happiness, helplessness, and love. There's Hart and Lucien together and Human and facing the past, what they did and didn't do.

"I just never thought it would be the kind of love that would destroy the world."

Kelly Martin is a brilliant writer. Can you imagine being a human who killed your own brother, died yourself, went to hell, was tortured by your mother, watched over a girl who was destined to be the Abomination, be killed by her, and come back alive to face the world you helped destroy? No? Kelly Martin is so brilliant that she's able to make you feel like you did that. That you can actually imagine going through it all. You can feel it. The pain, the regret, the worry, all the emotions that are drowning you.

"I just saw myself.

Me.

The real me.

The real me in the flesh.

The flesh that hurt Colleen.

The flesh that disappointed my father.

The flesh that killed my brother.

The flesh that can't forgive itself."

This story is intense and the emotions are real and strong, but there's that famous Kelly Martin humor sprinkled in the pain that I've come to love. Hart goes through so much in this story and he copes with snark and poor comebacks and reality that sometimes you need humor in the dark because it's the only way to keep the light going in you.

"That's what I need when the world ends. To be wearing high waters. Hell, then I might even be okay with it. If I must wear high waters, I might as well die."

As the story progresses and we come down to the final wire of the world ending and Lucien, Hart, and Seth come up with a plan to hopefully stop the Abomination we're left ragged. We've been through pain. We've lost everything. Lucien has his end goal. Seth has his. And Hart. His humanity, his soul is so beautiful and so stubborn.

"If we can't save Gracen, we aren't saving everybody. Let it burn. Let it all burn."

Hart is better than anyone I've ever known. Read this series. You wont regret it.

"I know."