BLOG TOUR REVIEW: 15 Minutes by Jill Cooper

Today I have a review for this great time travel novel, 15 Minutes. Check out all the details and how awesome is this cover... PLUS enter to win a copy of Jill Cooper's paranormal fantasy novel at the bottom.

Title: 15 Mintues
Series: N/A
Author: Jill Cooper
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: 15th June 2013
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction Thriller
Format: eBook
Source: from Author for review during the tour - Thank you!

I have 15 minutes to save my mother’s life….

15 minutes is all the Rewind Agency gives you in the past, but for Lara Crane it’s enough time to race through the city, find her mother, and stop her from being killed in a mugging that happened over ten years ago.

But that’s not how it happened. The story she’s been told all her life is a lie and when Lara takes a bullet meant for her mother, her future changes forever.

The love of her life acts like a stranger. Her simple life is replaced with a giant house, glamorous clothes and a new boyfriend.

Except someone knows her secret. And he will try to stop her at every turn as she races against the clock to unravel a dangerous conspiracy.

15 Minutes is an edgy high octane YA thriller that can be described as Back to the Future meets Inception where the people Lara trusts change in an instant. She is in a timeline she doesn't understand, and is about to make one fatal mistake as she faces an enemy so familiar, he’s family.

Check out the book trailer HERE!

My Review

Well, this is definitely a mysterious, suspenseful thriller with full on action and adventure; and of course a little romance to boot. I haven’t read a time travel novel since Lauren Kate and it was certainly an interesting read. I really enjoyed the writing style of Ms Cooper and will certainly pick up another one of her books. All the characters are strong and complex.

Lara Crane is an ordinary teenager, although her Mother was shot and killed when she was younger, so therefore she lives with just her Dad, John. There is new technology available that allows users to travel back in time to visit past memories. For her birthday, her Dad got her some sessions to visit memories that included her Mum. That’s when an idea struck; she could go back in time to when her Mum was shot and save her, so they would have a happy family.

Lara has a boyfriend, Rick and he is adamant that her idea is horrible. Rule number one in the time travel agency, Rewind is that you cannot change the past, the consequences would be enormous. But Lara only wants to save her Mum so they would be a family again and her Dad would be happy too. The other rule in Rewind is that you only have 15 minutes in the past before being taken back to the present. You appear as a hologram and cannot touch or change anything.

Lara finds out she is different though, special, during her sessions she was able to touch, bump and speak to the people in her memories and that is when she makes her decision; she will save her Mother.

Determined to make her Father happy and herself, Lara changes the past!

Waking up from her trip, Lara discovers that her changing the past has certainly changed the present. Waking in her bed in a mansion of a house in an expensive neighbourhood, Lara is excited to see her Mother again. Being a school day though, her Mother has already gone to work; so off to school she heads.

School is different as well, apparently Rick isn’t in the picture and Donovan is her boyfriend, but Donovan was not even acknowledged before the change. Things only get stranger.

Lara starts receiving new memories from the present and during which bleeding noses and massive headaches arrive as well. Lara has heard of travel sickness and this is another reason why the past isn’t to be changed. But Lara wouldn’t take it back if only she can see her Mother again.

The mystery only thickens when she arrives home from school and finds out she has a Step-Dad, plus twin siblings. Where is her paternal Father?

Who are the men following Lara in black suits? Why is her Father in prison? Why is her Mother working at Rewind and experimenting on people illegally? Who will Lara choose, Rick or Donovan?

Lara wants to know why her Father is in prison, she is finding clues all around for her and the memories come in short bursts. She may need some more time jumping in order to save her family, herself and find the truth.

I was a little confused towards the end, I didn’t know if Lara was in reality or memories; but the twisty path that you take with Lara and the ending is well worth the journey to get there. I really enjoyed reading 15 Minutes and recommend this to time travel readers.

4 TIME TRAVELLING GREAT BOOKS

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About the Author

I could write this in the third person. I could tell you what I like, where I was born, and what my favorite things are.

But instead, I'll say I don't want to write like everyone else. I don't want to craft stories you've read a thousand times before. I want my novels to be a cinematic experience, blending themes, genres, and situations unlike any you've ever read.

I want to break the rules. I want you to break out in a cold sweat as you read my books out of fear, love, and excitement. I want my books to be an experience. When you finish, I want you to feel something. Good or bad. If you do, then I'll have succeeded. If not, I'll keep trying.

~ Website ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~

Giveaway

Open Internationally
One (1) eBook copy of The Dream Slayer by Jill Cooper
Ends midnight 25th July 2013


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Book Review: Close My Eyes by Sophie McKenzie

Goodreads Summary: When Geniver Loxley lost her daughter at birth eight years ago, her world stopped… and never fully started again. Mothers with strollers still make her flinch; her love of writing has turned into a half-hearted teaching career; and she and her husband, Art, have slipped into the kind of rut that seems inescapable.

But then a stranger shows up on their doorstep, telling Gen the very thing she’s always wanted to hear: that her daughter Beth was not stillborn, but was taken away as a healthy infant and is still out there, somewhere, waiting to be found. It’s insane, unbelievable. But why would anyone make that up? A fissure suddenly opens up in Gen’s carefully reconstructed life, letting in a flood of unanswerable questions. Where is Beth now? Why is Art so reluctant to get involved? To save his wife from further hurt? Or is it something more sinister? And who can she trust to help her?

Ignoring the warnings of her husband and friends, Gen begins to delve into the dark corners of her past, hopeful she’ll find a clue to her daughter’s whereabouts. But hope quickly turns into fear and paranoia, as she realizes that finding the answers might open the door to something even worse than not knowing. A truth that could steal everything she holds close – even her own life.

Title: Close My Eyes
Series: N/A
Author: Sophie McKenzie
Publisher: St Martin's Press
Release Date: 9th July 2013
Genre: Adult Contemporary Thriller
Format: eGalley
Sournce: Publisher via NetGalley

Well, I don’t know where to start. I originally saw this at the shop and thought it looked interesting and then found it on NetGalley and just had to request it. Once I had started reading the actual idea of what this book will be about it terrified me, I am a Mother to 3 beautiful children aged 5, 3 and 1. The thought of losing a child is horrific enough, but then having a seed planted that the baby hadn’t, well too awful for words. I tried to stop reading this because I was scared to find out what went on, but I just couldn’t put it down and I find this a testament to Sophie McKenzie and her writing ability. The whole way through I kept talking about it with my Mum because it wouldn’t leave my mind. Amazing! Amazing ! and AMAZING!

Art and Geniver (Gen) have been together for 14 years and married for around 10 years. Their life has been prestigious with Art’s business growing from strength to strength and now even including working with the Prime Minister of England. Eight years ago, they became excited that they were expecting their first baby; moving closer to the hospital, Gen became worried that the baby wasn’t moving much and went for a scan. Her Doctor told them that the baby had died in utero and a C-Section immediately would be best for everybody. Gen was overwhelmed with grief and couldn’t believe her little baby girl has died. Not even being able to see her or hold her, she was taken away and a funeral arranged. Art had arranged everything, Gen was too distraught and her life was forever changed.

Becoming depressed and a recluse, Gen couldn’t even bring herself to write anymore. Her best friend, Hen also pregnant for the first time wasn’t even game enough to talk to Gen or show her own baby. They decided to try IVF and after 5 failed attempts, Gen is questioning if she even wants to try that again. The emotional turmoil of hope and failure was too much for her.

One day while Art was at work, Gen had a visitor at her door. Upon opening the door, it was a stranger; a woman that was telling Gen awful awful lies. Lucy O’Donnell had a sister that recently passed away of cancer and with her last breath, told Lucy that the baby was actually alive and her sister helped to cover it up. She had lived with the guilt for eight years and wanted to put things right before it was too late.

Gen doesn’t know whether to believe this stranger; can it possibly be true? Gen speaks with Art and Hen, they both cannot believe it to be true, why would anybody lie about a baby dying, and surely it couldn’t happen! Gen still sees the nervousness of Lucy and how genuine she seemed. Now the seed is planted and hope is reborn.

Gen tries to contact Lucy, but the number is no longer in service. Huh?!? Now what? Going against Art and everybody else that had told her to move on, Gen tries to dig deeper and contact the people involved in her C-Section. But finding people from her past is no easy task and tracking down her Doctor seems to be downright impossible. What is going on?

Nobody wants to give Gen any answers and they all tell her to move on and forget that Lucy even visited. Why isn’t Art interested in the possibility? Where is her Doctor? How come the people involved keep going missing? Is her child really alive?

Follow Gen’s journey through her depression, hope, love and dangerous adventure to find the answers and discover the truth behind her baby. This mysterious, thrilling and emotional expedition that I undertook with Gen left me gasping and OMGing and hoping that Gen can be happy and survive the betrayal and heartache. I highly recommend this book to all contemporary readers even without children because the thrilling story is so addictive. Ms McKenzie is another definite favourite.

5 PSYCHOLOGICALLY THRILLING BOOKS

About the Author

Sophie was born and brought up in London, where she still lives with her teenage son. She has worked as a journalist and a magazine editor, but fell in love with writing after being made redundant and enrolling in a creative writing course. She burst into the publishing world with Girl, Missing her debut novel (published 2006), which tallied up numerous award wins nationwide, including the Richard and Judy Best Kids’ Books 2007 (12+ category), The Red House Book Award and The Manchester Children’s Book Award. She was also longlisted for the Branford Boase award, which commends debut authors, and the coveted Carnegie Medal.

She writes mostly thrillers - though she has done some teen romance stories too. Sophie is really excited right now because of...

Close My Eyes - which is the first psychological thriller for adult readers (pub May 2013, UK, July 2013, US)

Split Second - her new teen thriller for Autumn 2013 (UK)

The Flynn teen romance series which started with Falling Fast and Burning Bright and continues with Casting Shadows (pub July 2013, UK)

For more info on these and my other books, check out my website: www.sophiemckenziebooks.com

~ courtesy of Goodreads and Ms McKenzie's website

~ Website ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~

DOUBLE COVER REVEAL: Demon Jack by Patrick Donovan and Persistence of Memory by Winona Kent

Title: Demon Jack

Author: Patrick Donovan

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Thriller

 

Title: Persistence of Memory

Author: Winona Kent

Genre: Sci-Fi, Accidental Time Travel, Historical Romance

Visit FABLE PRESS for more info! 

BOOK BLAST: 15 Minutes by Jill Cooper

Paperback

Published June 15th 2013

I have 15 minutes to save my mother’s life….

15 minutes is all the Rewind Agency gives you in the past, but for Lara Crane it’s enough time to race through the city, find her mother, and stop her from being killed in a mugging that happened over ten years ago.

But that’s not how it happened. The story she’s been told all her life is a lie and when Lara takes a bullet meant for her mother, her future changes forever.

The love of her life acts like a stranger. Her simple life is replaced with a giant house, glamorous clothes and a new boyfriend.

Except someone knows her secret. And he will try to stop her at every turn as she races against the clock to unravel a dangerous conspiracy.

15 Minutes is an edgy high octane YA thriller that can be described as Back to the Future meets Inception where the people Lara trusts change in an instant. She is in a timeline she doesn't understand, and is about to make one fatal mistake as she faces an enemy so familiar, he’s family.

I cover my head as a set of tires squeal. Donovan’s sports car pulls up on the curb to cover me. I dive into the passenger seat, my head down low and scream, “Go!”

Donovan peels away from the curb in a 180 and drives back the way he came. His eyes stay on the road, but his hand squeezes mine. “You all right?”

I nod and clutch the duffle bag to my chest. “Keep driving.”

“Where?” His eyes flash from the road to me.

“Police station. I need you to drop all this stuff off in case I don’t return.”

Anxiety creeps into his voice. “Return? Return from where?”

“The past.”

“Lara, you’re not making any sense.”

“I know, and I’m sorry.” I bite my lip. “There’s no time to explain. I need to fix all of this so my dad was never framed and Molly was never kidnapped, and there’s only one way to do that. I need to go back to the beginning.”

Donovan drives under an old abandoned bridge. He cuts the engine and turns to me. His eyes study me, and I study him because I’m afraid the next time I see him, he won’t love me at all.

“How do we do that? Do we need to get into Rewind?”

I shake my head and stroke his cheek. “Not anymore.”

The features of his face are drawn together. “You never make things dull, you know that?”

I laugh and lean over. In the background, sirens wail and I hear a rush of footsteps. “Remember me when I’m gone.”

“Don’t talk like this. I could never forget you, Lara.”

When our lips meet, the moment is magical. I feel warm everywhere in the blanket of his love, understanding, and compassion. My mind opens up, and suddenly I remember everything.

Everything.

I wish to stay with him forever. I grip his jacket, and his arms squeeze me tight.

But in my mind, I see an alley.

PURCHASE YOUR COPY

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Jill Cooper loves tea more than coffee and is obsessed over finding that perfect recipe. Early on she had dreams of writing romances and mysteries. It was something she did when most kids were trying out for softball or out riding bikes.

She's always loved dark mysteries, but also enjoys a great comedy so she tries to include both these things in everything she writes, one way or another.

She lives in Danvers, MA with two cats, a toddler, a husband, and a 1964 yellow taxi. Her life is chaotic, but fun. She is the author of the YA series, The Dream Slayer, and the dystopian series Glistening Haven. She can be contacted at http://www.jillacooper.com.

Website † GoodReads † Facebook † Twitter  

COVER REVEAL: Jenny's Blue Velvet by Angela Carlie

Today I am helping to reveal the cover for Jenny's Blue Velvet by Angela Carlie. Don't you just love the cover?

Jenny's Blue Velvet by Angela Carlie
Publication date: August 22nd 2013
Genre: Adult Romantic Thriller

Jenny's stuck.

She's tried just about every occupation she can think of and will be digging out of student debt for a very long time, but has nothing to show for it. Her everyday routine feels like a prison. And her marriage? Well, let's just say it's been a little one-sided lately and the money she threw down on the toys from Lover's Erotic Store was well worth it and then some.

Jenny decides her next big step is to become a romance writer. Romance books are flying off the virtual shelves, after all. This will be her big break, her escape from the prison, and a way to freedom. Self-publishing is all the rage these days. She'll be a best seller in no time.

When Jenny makes friends with a woman named Cassandra from the gym, she instantly decides that her new friend will make a perfect main character in her upcoming book. After the first chapter, real life begins to resemble the fiction she's writing. Her friendship blossoms, sex with her husband turns into a daily feast, and her job gets more interesting with each chapter written.

Out of the blue, a person who is a close friend with her husband and who is dating Cassandra disappears. As the mystery behind the missing person unfolds, Jenny wonders if she might be responsible for his possible death. And if she is, what will be the consequence? What has this writing business gotten her into?

JENNY'S BLUE VELVET is a dark, humorous, romantic thriller for adults only.

About the Author

Facts about Angela Carlie

I write fiction. I work hard. I play often.

When I'm not pushing a mouse around at a desk job, which is boring, or writing, which is fun, I enjoy hanging out with my fourteen-year-old son and husband, reading, hiking, kayaking, traveling, and running.

Hawaii and Washington are my two favorite states.

I believe that if everyone ate a whole-food plant based diet, cancer cases would be a minimum, heart disease a thing of the past, and hunger something found in history books.

One of my favorite documentaries is Forks Over Knives.

I love hearing about people reading my books, so if you enjoyed one of my stories, please let me know by leaving a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

Thank you for spending time with my stories. We don't have much of it and I appreciate that you find my work worthy of your time.

~ Website ~ Goodreads ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~

Interview: Samantha Summers author of the Project Five Fifteen series - BLOG TOUR

Today I have a fabulous interview with Samantha Summers, the author of the Project Five Fifteen series.

Title: First Flight
Series: Project Five Fifteen #1
Author: Samantha Summers
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: 12th May 2012
Genre: Young Adult Romantic Thriller

A government experiment. Sixteen teenage boys on the run. An innocent young girl caught in the middle. When Ronnie Rose meets the handsome and alluring Kalen Smith, she can tell there's something he's hiding - something dangerous. But in trying to uncover his secret, Ronnie is plunged into a terrifying world she isn't prepared for... and the consequences could be deadly. Can we choose who we fall in love with?

First Flight

Title: As You Were
Series: Project Five Fifteen #2
Author: Samantha Summers
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: 14th December 2012
Genre: Young Adult Romantic Thriller

For every choice, there is a consequence.

Ronnie and Kalen are finally together, living their life in secret under the radar of the people who want Kalen dead. But when a visit from an old friend sends Kalen away on a rescue mission, Ronnie finds herself plunged back into the world of Project Five Fifteen quicker than she ever thought possible.

It’s fast becoming clear The Agency will never give up their hunt for the boys, and a betrayal closer to home starts a chain reaction that will change everything. Now, caught in a deadly web of lies and deceit, Ronnie is forced to question who she can trust; even the person she once trusted most.

As enemies close in, Kalen’s past threatens to destroy the happiness they sacrificed so much for, and it’s only a matter of time before the ultimate choice must be made…

As You Were

Interview

Can you please tell us a little about yourself with 5 fun facts?

1. I hate spiders, they are wrong on many levels 
2. I love red wine 
3. I wish I could eat nothing but ice cream for ever 
4. I like watching bats flying around in the park at night 
5. When I was a kid I had an imaginary pet unicorn… :/ 

When did you realise you wanted to be a writer and what was the very first thing you ever wrote?
I've always loved writing and telling stories, but the first thing I wrote of any substance was a novel called Finding Cassandra Lane in my early twenties. I didn't try to publish it, but it’s on my bookshelf!

How do you come up with your characters? Are they based on real people’s characteristics
I definitely draw on personal experience and people I've met/know as I find it makes my characters relatable, but none are based solely on any one person!

Who designed your book covers and why did you choose that particular design?
My book covers are designed by me… design is the “other” thing I do when I'm not writing.

In one sentence, can you tell the readers why they should read your series? 
Hmmm… Kick ass teenage assassins, explosives and a sweet love story.

Do you have a favourite non-spoilery scene or quote from First Light? 
I have a few! Here’s a scene that always makes me smile:

The pilot hoisted himself into the plane after that, with a fleeting look in my direction. Kalen stepped over to a big piece of material on the floor. A parachute. It looked more like a shiny bed sheet.

‘Don’t we need two of these?’ I asked nervously. Noticing I was twisting the end of my hair, I quickly shoved my hands in the pockets of my jeans.

‘You want to jump on your own?’ he looked up at me with a quizzical expression from his crouched position.

‘Of course not. I’m not even sure I want to jump.’

‘That’s okay,’ he chuckled, ‘I’ll jump and you’ll be attached to me so it’s all good.’

‘But what I mean is, don’t we need to be strapped to people who do this all the time?’

‘Yep, you’re looking at him.’

What’s one piece of technology you cannot live without? 
My MacBook Pro

When you are writing, do you have a set routine that gets you started or just go with the flow? 
I don’t have routines with anything I do. Organisation is not my strong suit! I go off on tangents, so I tend to let my emotions guide the scene I choose to write that day.

QUICK DRAW! 
Tea, coffee or hot chocolate? Tea!
Sweet or savoury? Sweet
Cats or dogs? Dogs
Day or night? Night
eBooks or paperbacks? Paperbacks
Favourite all time book? Tough one, but probably Pride & Prejudice (and secretly The Beach, by Alex Garland)


Thank you for stopping by today Samantha.

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About the Author

Born in London, an only child with an overactive imagination, Sam spent much of her childhood telling ghost stories to her younger cousins and dreaming about far away places. She graduated university with a BA in marketing, but it wasn't long before her passion for storytelling and travel got the better of her. She currently lives in Sydney, Australia, where you'll probably find her hidden away in the corner of a park somewhere - writing, reading, dreaming or watching movies on her iPad. She loves everything spy and assassin and has a slightly unhealthy obsession with Star Wars, mainly Darth Vader.

~ Website ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~

Giveaway

Two (2) winners
Each to receive copies of both First Light and As You Were PLUS a Project Five Fifteen t-shirt

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SPOTLIGHT: Kaleidoscope World by Tomica Scavina

Today I have a spotlight for Tomica Scavina, Kaleidoscope World and is a psychological thriller with elements of mystery. The story sits on the slim border between the mystical and the real, where the gateway to the mystical dimensions is a kaleidoscope – a favorite toy and the object of obsession of this story's protagonist, a young woman named Dahlia Kasper. Check it out!

Title: Kaleidoscope World
Author: Tomica Scavina
Publisher: Self Published
Release Date: 1st January 2013

A collector of kaleidoscopes and lousy relationships, Dahlia Kasper leaves her possessive alcoholic mother and moves from New York to Barcelona. In search of lost bits of her childhood, she starts living in an apartment where her father was murdered when she was four. As soon as she enters the apartment, strange things begin to happen.

Her favorite “me-you kaleidoscope” becomes a gateway to another dimension where she encounters a ghost of a famous physicist from the 19th century who tries to persuade her that reality is like a moth-eaten sweater – full of holes. He needs her to help him plug up these holes and save the world from vanishing, while the only thing Dahlia really wants to save is her sanity.

This is just a part of Dahlia’s problems. An elderly cello-playing neighbor turns her emotional world upside down and her longing for lost home takes her further than she ever imagined she could go. To collect all the scattered kaleidoscope-bits of her life together, Dahlia needs to go through an intense inner transformation that takes courage and a sharp sense of humor.

About the Author

Tomica Scavina (1975) is a psychologist, who, at some point in her life, felt that her professional life was squelching her creativity. She diagnosed herself as "overly normal" and returned to her forgotten love of writing fiction to unleash her creative streak. This resulted in three novels. Tomica lives in Croatia and for now the only one in English is Kaleidoscope World. If you find anything "normal" on its pages, let her know - she'll find a way to cure it.

~ Website ~ Goodreads ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~

Book Reviews: The Breakaway and Pieces by Michelle Davidson Argyle - BLOG TOUR

Today I am reviewing both books in The Breakaway series by Michelle Davidson Argyle. They are young adult contemporary romances and it is a fantastic series. Check them out below.

Title: The Breakaway
Series: The Breakaway #1
Author: Michelle Davidson Argyle
Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing
Release Date: 1st May 2012
Format: eBook
Source: supplied by Xpresso Book Tours for an honest review

When Naomi Jensen is kidnapped, it takes her parents two days to realize she's missing. Escape isn't high on her list of priorities when all she has to return to is an abusive boyfriend and parents who never paid much attention to her. For the first time in her life she's part of a family-even if it is a family of criminals. But she's still a captive. In a desperate attempt to regain some control in her life, Naomi embarks on a dangerous plan to make one of her kidnappers think she's falling in love with him. The plan works too well, and when faced with the chance to escape, Naomi isn't sure she wants to take it.

My Review

I hadn't read any of Michelle’s books previous to reading this series and I have to say I am hooked on Michelle Davidson Argyle’s writing style and ability to keep me hooked while reading her books. The Breakaway was so addictive I didn't want to put it down, it was so intriguing and Naomi was such a strong character, that I just had to know if she escapes.

Naomi is almost finished school and thinking of college. She has had a boyfriend, Brad for a few years and together they are inseparable. Naomi’s family is wealthy and she has never had to want for anything. Her Mother and Father are so busy working that they don’t even seem to know she exists. Brought up by Nannies and only used at business functions for photos, they don’t really have anything to do with each other.

Naomi is a photographer and one particular night, she was excited about taking photos of a fog that rolled in. In a park with Brad late this night, she is hit by a car; unable to see much she didn't know the car was coming. The next thing Naomi is waking up in a hotel room. Naomi is kidnapped!

With Naomi’s non-existent family life and Brad being an abusive boyfriend (which Naomi doesn't realise until it’s too late), Naomi doesn't really have anything to go back to. Follow Naomi as she struggles with her emotions, mental stability and fears. She is moved from the hotel to a house and living with a married couple, Jesse and Eric. Jesse and Eric are the kidnappers, but the couple are also accomplices. Thinking they can all live a happy family life forever as long as Naomi doesn't attempt to escape. With her fear firmly set in place, Naomi bides her time before she tries to escape. During her captivity, she found a soul mate in Jesse, even though he helped kidnap her, they are bonding over their love of books and Jesse tries to protect Naomi from Eric.

Naomi is diagnosed with Stockholm Syndrome, falling in love with her kidnapper. She is distraught being separated from Jesse and her life in the house. But she will need to face her fears and try to accept that her parents love her and always have.

This is a fantastic read and I loved it. The writing style was fast paced and easily read; with the pages urging you to keep turning in order find out what happens. Will Naomi escape and does Jesse return her love? This is definitely a must read. I cannot wait to read book 2, Pieces.

5 AWESOME BOOKS

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Title: Pieces
Series: The Breakaway #2
Author: Michelle Davidson Argyle
Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing
Release Date: 14th February 2013
Format: eBook
Source: supplied by Xpresso Book Tours for an honest review.

Staying in love can mean running away...
Two years after watching her kidnappers go to prison, Naomi Jensen is still in love with one of them. Jesse will be released in a few years, and Naomi knows college is the perfect distraction while she waits. But when her new friend Finn makes her question what is right and what is wrong, she begins to wonder if Jesse is the one for her...until she discovers he's out on parole. Naomi must sort through her confusion to figure out where love and freedom truly lie-in Finn, who has no connections to her past, or Jesse, who has just asked her to run away with him.

My Review

As with The Breakaway, Pieces is another fantastic book from Michelle Davidson Argyle. I had to read this straight away because I needed to know what happened between Naomi and Jesse. Knowing book 2 was right there, it begged me to pick it up. Pieces was again an easy read, the writing style was fantastic and with a lot of intrigue. I just had to find out if Naomi could break through her door and make her way back home. With the introduction of Finn, man, I didn't know who I was going to put my money on winning Naomi’s heart in the end.

Naomi is in college, Harvard accepted her again with a scholarship, but with the help of her Mother. Naomi was doing so well while waiting for Jesse. To help the wait go quicker, she makes a friend at her favourite coffee shop, Finn. Every Wednesday having her weekly iced tea and almond cake, Finn and Naomi chat. Finn works up the courage to ask Naomi out and she tells him that she has a boyfriend. But Naomi gives in and tells Finn they can go out as friends. Well, this is where all the complications begin for Naomi. Missing Jesse and feeling so much guilt over her kidnappers, Naomi wants to feel something other than fear and is attracted to Finn. She can’t help the feelings that he stirs within her.

When Jesse comes out on parole all hell breaks loose, Naomi retreats into herself again. Missing Jesse so much but knowing she cannot see him is the hardest thing she has ever had to do. Naomi’s grades drop, she doesn't hand in assignments and everything just goes bleh. Now in trouble of losing her scholarship, Naomi needs to make a decision about what she wants for her future.

Naomi is still struggling through everything that happened when she was kidnapped. Nobody understands what she went through or how she could love Jesse. Her parents are overprotective and Finn is questioning everything to do with Jesse. All the pressure is building and Naomi doesn't know what she wants, except that she wants Jesse.

Jesse has a plan and that is to run away together. Naomi has to make the hard decisions once again. Does she run away from everything and her parents? Does Naomi have strong enough feelings for Finn that she won’t go? What will happen once they are away, can she trust Jesse or will their past always make her question him?

Poor Naomi, I felt so terribly bad for her, struggling through her life; trying to cope with her past and trying to forget it, but never really being able to escape. This was a deep emotional roller coaster that didn't seem to want to end for Naomi. It had such unpredictable twists along the way and seeing the strength in Naomi and her determination to do what is right was awe inspiring. I would love to read another companion with Jesse's point of view throughout their whole journey and I definitely will be picking up more books by Michelle.

4 GREAT BOOKS - LOVED IT

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About the Author

courtesy of Michelle's website

Michelle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She loves the seasons, but late summer and early fall are her favorites. She adores chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in whatever time she can grab between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life.

A little more info:
Michelle graduated from Utah Valley University with a Bachelor's Degree in English/Creative Writing in 2002. Her short fiction has been published in the University of New Mexico's national literary journal, Scribendi (2002), the Rose & Thorn Journal (2010),Suspense Magazine (June 2011), Stories for Sendai Anthology(2011), and Vine Leaves (January 2012). She served as the editor-in-chief of Utah Valley University's literary magazine and has won awards for her short stories. She has also served as an editor/publisher of “The Literary Lab Presents…” series of anthologies.

Michelle likes peanut butter and tomato sandwiches. And cheese. Lots and lots of good cheese.

~ courtesy of Michelle's website

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