Review / Quote-Tastic / Swoon Thursday: Brutally Beautiful By Christine Zolendz

Rating: 4 Stars - Loved It

 

Series: Beautiful #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Author

Publication Date: January 3, 2014

Pages: 318

Format: Kindle

Source: Bought

 

Amazon / Goodreads

 

Synopsis by Goodreads

A deadly game of hide and seek.

With blood still on her hands, Samantha Matthews is on the run, running from dark secrets and a man she prays to God will never find her. Running and hiding, just to stay alive. She had no choice but to run, to leave, to hide and forget about her life before. When Samantha believes she's gained enough distance from her past and her demons, she stops running, hoping to find her future in the heavily wooded area of the Adirondack Mountains, a place she never expected to encounter a man with secrets as dark and as sordid as hers.

Kade Grayson is hiding, not from the demons after him, but from himself and from the entire outside world, wishing every day he could have just died. Arrogant and domineering, he’s tormented and terrorized by his past, seeing nothing good for his future. With the ghosts of his past still haunting him, he has exiled himself to a life of solitude, only living for his words and through his stories.

Until her.

An undeniable attraction, turns into hate and then ultimately obsession, an obsession that grows into a powerful story of love and redemption.

Will the bond they have begun to build between them grow stronger than the tragedies that have scarred both of their lives? Or will they allow their demons to consume them?

NA Review: Saving Grace by Christine Zolendz

Saving Grave (Mad World #2)

by Christine Zolendz

Purchase Link: Amazon

 

Blurb by Goodreads

 

 

After spending over 2,000 years being a lost soul looking for the angel I was forbidden to fall in love with, I finally found him. Lucky for me he has taken up residence inside the hot body of NYC’s local bad boy, tattooed rock star, Shane Maxton. Turns out, not only is he absolutely perfect, so is the whole Grace Taylor life that I’m stuck in. The only problem is Gabriel. An archangel who wants me all to himself so he kind of kidnaps me. Now I have to find my way back and hope everything works out…

 

 

 

 

 

Saving Grace was an intense read that is full of different emotions. The characters just came alive. It starts off with some serious angst as Shane and Grace have a few misunderstandings and use hurtful words when around each other. My heart broke for Shane as he was heartbroken and mad over these misunderstandings. Once things settle down between Shane and Grace he is a sweetheart and swoon worthy. Grace thinks she is broken and they will not work out.

Bringing his hands to my face, he leaned over me, lightly stroking my cheeks with his fingertips. "Then let me in, because I promise you, I will pick up every little broken piece of you, every single fucking piece, Grace, and for the rest of my fucking life I will put you back together...I'll make you whole again."

 

Loved Grace as she was a strong will heroine that has went through a lot in her life. Now that she wants to get on with her life a certain villain who she thought was her friend at one time is making it hard for her. Loved how she can hold her own with everyone. Many surprises with her actions as I did not see coming and was so happy she did certain things especially when it came to Shane. He is all yummy with his jealous, protective and sweet side.

 

The sexual tension was through the roof HOT! Wow.. Saving Grace took it up quite a few notches in the steamy department compare to Fall From Grace (Mad World #1).

 

Great Laugh Out Loud moments when the group is together. Love the band members as they all act like they are brothers even though they are not. They are a family and look after one another. Now that Grace is part of the band they treat her like she is family. I love how they look after her and some build a great friendship with her.

 

I liked- 3stars Fall From Grace and so happy I continued on with Mad World series. Really you have to read Saving Grace right after Fall From Grace to get the full effect. Because Fall From Grace was a kick butt novel towards the end and Saving Grace leaves off from there and continues with being kick butt with many twist you never see coming. Saving Grace was a page turner for me that I could not swipe my kindle fast enough. I wish there were more Shane and Grace as I am not ready to leave them just yet.

 

 

 

　



Swoon: Saving Grace by Christine Zolendz

Swoon is a meme featured on Thursdays by YA Bound. From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering

Good Morning Lovelies. I know this is not a swoon kiss or anything but this is what got my heart pumping and stomach fluttering.  Shane is swoon worthy in and out of the bedroom.

Bringing his hands to my face, he leaned over me, lightly stroking my cheeks with his fingertips. "Then let me in, because I promise you, I will pick up every little broken piece of you, every single fucking piece, Grace, and for the rest of my fucking life I will put you back together...I'll make you whole again." 

 

Now I can not leave you with just that swoon worthy moment.

 

"Baby I need to taste you," he growled. His breath was rough and jagged. He trailed his tongue along my jaw, nipping and sucking at my skin, down my neck and licked hungrily at the top curve of my breast.

 

 

Teaser Tuesday Prelude: Saving Grace by Christine Zolendz

 

The Tuesday Prelude is a weekly meme hosted by Realms Of An Open Mind. You know we all love to share more than just a few lines, now is your chance to add some of your favorite teasers and introduce a little piece of the story you are currently reading or just read.

 

 

Finished Saving Grace (Mad World #2) and loved it. It was so much better than Fall From Grace (Mad World #1). Grace and Shane's relationship has angst but they do have their sexy and sweet moments.  Saving Grace was an intense read with some heart wrenching moments, kick butt twists and some LOL moments.

Grace does not hold back on her anger when she thinks Shane has gone back to heaven and she is stuck on earth.

 

"I Hope they staple his fucking wings back on."

 

Shane thinks Grace slept with one of his band members.  Catches her walking out of his friends room in the morning leaving to go home.

 

"Don't worry about locking the door behind you, we have easy ass like you coming in and out of  here all the time"

 

So much anger between Shane and Grace from misunderstandings. I love his caveman moves.

 

"Fuck you Shane!"

 

Before I could take my next breath, Shane's body slammed painfully into mine. He leveled his right shoulder into my stomach hard, swung me up in his arms and over his shoulder. He grabbed the back of my thighs and carried me through the hallway toward the Bone Room. I didn't have enough air in my lungs to scream.

 

The group loves to play drinking games and ones of those games played was Answer This. Loved this scene as it has some LOL moments. The one LOL moment I loved the most was when it was Shane's turn to answer. He just got out of jail for a misunderstanding and the question in the game asked by one of his band members Alex was "Where is the craziest place you have ever had sex?" Before Shane could answer, a drunk Alex butted in with this.

 

When it was Shane's turn, Alex laughed and said, "Please do not say jail cell, because I'll piss myself right here, dude."

 

 

Love it when the group finds out she is a virgin. Oh I love Grace, she can hold her own with Shane and the guys.

 

And what do I do? Well one of my best friends is a vibrator. It goes from Oh Yeah to Who the Hell Needs a Man in ten seconds flat."

 

Shane does have a jealous streak and has no problem getting in her personal space. Even though they are not actually a couple he is still not big on her going on a date.

 

"Don't let him touch you," he whispered as he leaned down and pushed the palms of his hands on the table on either side of me trapping me between his arms. I stopped breathing.

 

Grace will not let him in, she thinks she is broken. OMG...I loved all the angst between these two but the sweeter moments were the best.

 

Bringing his hands to my face, he leaned over me, lightly stroking my cheeks with his fingertips. "Then let me in, because I promise you, I will pick up every little broken piece of you, every single fucking piece, Grace, and for the rest of my fucking life I will put you back together...I'll make you whole again." 

 

Oh my.. I love a dirty talking hero and yes Shane sure knows how to talk dirty. Loved it!

 

He leaned in closer, but that low melodic voice of his could be heard crystal clear. "I'll tell you damn well what I want right now, Grace, I want to smother those beautiful nipples in honey and lick and suck them until you beg me to take you."

 



New Adult Review: Fall From Grace by Christine Zolendz

Fall From Grace (Mad World #1)

by Christine Zolendz

Purchase Links: Amazon

New Adult

 

Blurb by Goodreads

I'm finally home after struggling through my brother's illness and death. But, home is definitely a bit different. My best friend (the only person alive now that knows my secret) has a new boyfriend; and he has a friend. Shane Maxton: bad boy, tattooed rock god, eye candy extraordinaire. He is also New York City's most arrogant, self-serving, son of a, well, a definite one-night stand kind of a guy.

But, it doesn't matter to me because I've spent my existence looking for the love of my life, my angel. And, there is nothing that Shane Maxton can do to change that.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fall From Grace does not really start picking up till about halfway then about 60 % is when it gets fantastic that I could not put my kindle down. I loved how it is a fresh take on New Adult Paranormal romance. I really can not tell you what Grace is because it will spoil the story but I just wished it was known just a tad bit earlier so the book would of picked up more. I love novels that have a secret but for this it dragged on with no idea what is going on in the plot. The little hints thrown in there were not exciting enough to were I could turn my kindle fast enough. I pretty much had an idea of what she was and to my surprise she was more than I expected.

 

I did not really connect with the main characters in the beginning. Shane has many layers and loved that about him. His character from the start really did not do a whole lot for me. He comes off as a rocker, tattoo bad boy that has never had any girl tell him no. I do love those kind of heroes but he did nothing in the start that got my stomach tingly. Slowly through out the novel when his layers start coming off I was loving his character. He became the hero I love to read about, jealous, protective, arrogant, sweet with an alpha male attitude and some swoon worthy moments. 

 

“No, Grace. I don’t have a heart. I did once, but I gave it to a girl and I let her keep it when she died.”

 

It is so hard to write a review for Fall From Grace with out giving any spoilers and to write something about Grace the heroine is even harder. What she has gone through should of broke my heart but was not really feeling her character. Really what annoyed me more with her was her inner thoughts within almost every other paragraph. They took away from what she was feeling because they were silly thoughts.

 

I really dislike her more when it was clear that Shane was actually starting to show interest in her and not just a one night stand. He was a sweetheart to her, bringing her coffee in the morning just the way she likes it, making her breakfast etc. He was also trying to be a friend to her and she would accept it, then she would become cold accusing him of just trying to get in her pants. She sent so many mixed feelings he did not know where he stood in her life. I understand why she was like this and it has to do with her secret. When she let her guard down and let herself feel something for Shane they were a enjoyable couple with some good moments. The banter between was good. The sexual tensions did not get my heart pumping and stomach all tingly till about half way through the novel. For an New Adult novel the heat factor was more on the warm side.

 

So many times exclamation marks where used that did not fit in the setting and did take away from the story. I felt the ending was rushed. After about 60% of the novel is when the intensity came in for me. So many OMG, gut wrenching moments, twist and surprises I did not see coming, loved it. I love cliffhangers but I felt Fall From Grace just ended. It really did not even finish its plot. I felt 100 or so pages could of been replaced with continuing the story more on the last 60% of the plot and then end it with something new with a good cliffhanger. Fall From Grace had potential to be a 4 stars - Loved It but it only came as 3 stars - Liked it. It was good enough that I had to buy book 2 ASAP. The novels do not cost that much but at least the first novel in this series should be free during periods of time so customers do not feel they got ripped off and have to buy book 2 just to see how it all plays out. I am glad I took a chance on Fall From Grace and did not give up before the good parts came.

Check out my Swoon

 

 

 

 

Swoon: Fall From Grace by Christine Zolendz

Swoon is a meme featured on Thursdays by YA Bound. From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering.

Fall From Grace (Mad World #1)
by Christine Zolendz
Purchase Link: Amazon
New Adult


I tried to wrench free, but he held me tight against him with one hand on the small of the back and the other grasping my neck through a fistful of hair.

He gently tugged my hair back and pulled his head down to mine, kissing me once on the lips. He brushed his lips along my cheeks to my ear and whispered with the heat of his breath, "Go ahead Grace, ask me what dreams I wake from at night." He pulled his back and his eyes assaulted me with his fiecre intensity. "I wake up with you as the last thought in my dreams. I dream about your lips, the smell of your skin and hair, and the freaking fire that burns inside of me to be inside you. I want to bury myself inside you and never climb out, my sweet death. Grace,....


OMG!!! I freakin loved this part! Read it a few times. This part got my heart pounding and stomach all tingly. I have my review up if interested to see what I thought of Fall From Grace.